Playing Catch Up

It has been a fun, busy weekend. On Thursday our friends Jeff and Marci finally got hitched in the Bountiful temple. Congrats to them! We are so excited for them and so jealous that they are vacationing in Mexico right now!

On Saturday Kenyan and I went for a ride up Millcreek canyon to see the leaves-I love fall! I love the smell, the colors, Halloween, everything! (I just wish it would stay longer so we could enjoy it longer before the snow comes.) After our ride we headed to the Ute game. Kenyan got suite tickets from a guy at work. We enjoyed the suite, but it's not the same as a basketball suite. We like to be part of the crowd and here everyone cheering-unless of course it prevents us from freezing to death! Go Utes! (Don't worry family, we still cheer for the Y too!! But we are obligated to Kenyan's alumni now. :)

And now I get to somewhat enjoy some R&R as I am off track for the next few weeks! Kenyan asked his boss yesterday if he could go off track-it didn't work. :( Anyway, enjoy some pics from our weekend:

Husband Tag

My friend did this on her blog and didn't tag anyone so I thought I'd pick it up so you can get to know Kenyan a little more:
1. Where did you meet?
We met on a blind date. (And I was about to swear off blind dates!) He almost didn't call me because he'd only been home from his mission for a week, but he caved. Good thing!
2. How long did you date before you were married?
5 years! (Kenyan gets a lot of crap for this, and he admits now he should have proposed a lot sooner, but I didn't force him into anything!)
3. How long have you been married?
We just celebrated one year! (Although it seems longer...in a good way!!)
4. What does he do that surprises you?
He does all sorts of cute little things for me. On my first day of school he woke up early and decorated the bathroom mirror with expo marker. He drew a falcon head, the school mascot. Wrote the school motto and even drew a picture of me disciplining the kiddos already! And then he had a note by the ipod that said, "Play the Back to School playlist. So cute!
5. What's your favorite feature about him?
His height. :) I always told him I loved him because I could still wear my tall shoes!
6. What's your favorite quality about him?
His patience for putting up with me and my never-ending "school work!"
7. Does he have a nickname for you? What is it?
Nicolee
8. What's his favorite color?
Blue and Green
9. What's his favorite food?
Yellow death-macaroni and cheese! But he loves curry too and he is a pro at making it!
10.What's his favorite sport?
He loves soccer, but right now I would have to go with football. It's fall and that
means college football every weekend. :)Go Cougars! (We root for Utah too, he is alumni now, but not when they're playing BYU.)
11.Who said "I love you" first?
He did, but I kind of coerced him into it. (That's a funny story.)
12.When and where was your first kiss?
On the front porch of my parent's house in August 2002. I was getting kind of impatient because he wasn't reciprocating anything and acknowledging my "flirtiness." He finally held my hand and laid it on me all in the same night.
13.What are your favorite things to do as a couple?
Playing games, going bowling, motorcycle rides, riding roller coasters!
14.Do you have kids? How many?
No kids yet.
15.What's a hidden talent that he has?
He is an excellent chef and he's been teaching himself how to play the guitar.
16.How old is he?
28
17.What's his favorite type of music?
He likes all genres
18.What do you admire most about him?
He is a hard worker, he never gives up!
19.What's his favorite past time?
Right now it is trying to make his brain bigger playing Brain Academy.
20.Do you think he's going to read this?
Only if I show it to him.

I'm going to tag Shanda and Jodi. (And if anyone else wants to do it-you're more than welcome!)

Girls night!

To try and make a long story short....one of my best friends, Lauren,just got a new roommate, Anna. I knew Anna up at Utah State. Anna found a picture of me and Lauren and said, "Hey, I know her."
Then Lauren called me and said, "Your friend MeDynn is coming to stay at my apartment this weekend."
"What?!"
And then all connections were made and we found out it really is a small world!

(If none of this makes any sense, it's ok.)

It was just like old times. I could be 20 all over again! And we went to Olive Garden and partook of the never-ending pasta bowl-yummy!!! The orichetti (spelling?) pasta is my new favorite with the alfredo sauce.

Lauren, me, MyDynn, Anna


Nicole & MeDynn



I had so much fun seeing you MeDynn and reminiscing on the good 'ole days! You need to move back to Salt Lake....ASAP!

Chocolate & PB

You can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate right?! That's one of my most favorite food groups!

I got my new Kraft Food & Family magazine in the mail the other day. (By the way, this is a FREE magazine you just go sign up for it on their website.) The Fall magazine had a recipe for Triple-Layer Peanut Butter Brownies. You don't even need to see a picture of it, you can just die and go to heaven by reading the title, but for you inquiring minds out there, here's what they look like:


I made them the other night for my friend Marci's bridal shower. Wow! They were soooo good! (And don't worry Amy, I'm bringing extra's for you to school on Tuesday when you get back.) Make sure you've got some milk in the fridge before eating because you're going to need it. A little vanilla ice cream to eat with them as well. They were so good and soft, and chewy. There are not enough words to describe the deliciousness of it. So, for you crazies out there who don't enjoy the chocolate and peanut butter...I'm sorry, because I'm convinced that is what heaven is made out of!

Graduation 2009

I know it seems a little early to be thinking about graduation, but I got an email from SUU the other day about graduation! I have to have my application turned in by October 1st for graduation next May! Wahoo! I will be so glad when I am done with classes and writing papers, not that it has been too bad, but I know Kenyan would love to have his wife back!! And I would love to have a life again! But I can't wait to wear that cool little hood on my gown that I've worked hard for!

P.S. I would just like to add that I made it 7 weeks into the school year before getting my first cold. I think it is due in part to my many late nights of staying up and working on school work! Another reason to be glad for graduation. :)

HaPpY (late) AnNiVeRsArY!

Yesterday was our one year anniversary! It's hard to believe it has already been a year! I would have posted yesterday, but we were out-of-town so it didn't get done.

We were lucky enough to be able to get away for a few days. We went to St. George for the weekend and had so much fun. We were able to do a session in the St. George temple while we were down there-I love going to different temples, it's so fun to see how different they all are. We went to see "Big River" Friday night at Tuacahn-it was really good! The guy who played Jim had an amazing voice and one of the coolest parts was watching them flood the stage for the river.


On Saturday we went to Zions National Park. Before going there we had decided we were going to hike Angel's Landing and then we decided not to (because we read some scary reviews online) and then we went into Zions and talked to one of the rangers and he said we would be fine and hundreds of people hike it everyday, so we decided to give it a try...and we succeeded! Here are some pics below (if you haven't heard of Angel's Landing it's a very narrrow trail at the top...the first 2 miles aren't bad, it's the last 1/2 mile on the trail that drops off on both sides!) You hike 2 1/2 miles and go 1500ft. up! It looks scary, but wasn't as bad as I was expecting...I had to keep myself looking forward onto the next part of the trail and not look down!




Angel's Landing-we hiked that!


Scout's lookout: this is the point where you could decide whether you wanted to do the last 1/2 mile or not.


Just try not to look down!



We made it!


A view from the top. Beautiful, gorgeous, wish you were here!





Yes, that would be a vulture. I think he was just waiting around for someone to fall off the cliff!

We hiked more in Zions on Sunday and stopped in Bryce Canyon on the way home too. It was beautiful! I am amazed at all of these things around us that I am now experiencing for the first time. Kenyan and I talked about how we live in Utah and haven't experienced all of the attractions we have around us and we were surrounded by people from all over the U.S., Europe and Asia! People are coming from all over the world to see these attractions and we only have a few hours to drive....take advantage of what's around you!


Among all the things we got to do and see I just loved that I was able to spend it with Kenyan! (I know...cheesy.) It was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and spend some much needed time together. We've had a wonderful year of marriage and are looking forward to many more to come!
I love you Kenyan! Happy Anniversary!

HiLaRiUm

My little sister Brittany and her husband are in town for the weekend so we went over to my mom and dad's house last night to play games with them.

We played this new game with them called "Hilarium."


Here's the gist of the game: Each player starts with 5 cards and then you all begin to act out what it says on your card. The key is: ALL. Every player is trying to act out their cards so they can try to find the other person who has their card. For example, "A bellydancer", so I had to act out belly dancing and try to find someone else who is acting out this same card. You can talk and make noises, you just can't say what's on your card. Apparently Brittany didn't understand this concept the first couple rounds, lol. (We love you Beej!)
Brittany would act out the card and say it at the same time. So she had a card that said "Digging a hole" and so she acted it out as she said, "I'm digging a hole, digging a hole." The funny thing is, it didn't click for the rest of us what she was even doing until after the first couple rounds.
Maybe you had to be there, but it was really funny. I was laughing so hard at some points that I was crying. Just imagine trying to act out the card: "A constipated chicken"