For Allison... ;-)

...And anyone else who might read this.

Yesterday, my best friend Alli informed me that I needed to update my blog. I've known this for quite some time, I've just been avoiding it. Because I think I'm boring :-)

So here is a quick update on our lives:

Brad is now in his second semester of Respiratory Thereapy. Only 3 more to go! Sometimes it sounds like a lot, but then other times it feels like not so long. He is really excited about this semester because he already can tell it will be more advanced.

Still no babies, but Arti keeps us entertained for now. She is pretty funny. She has two best friend dogs, who also happen to have awesome owners! We spend a lot of our time with them and their dogs.

I'm still at my same job and loving it! We have been super busy lately. Most nights I come home, eat dinner and crash. But its good because the practice is growing!

I received a new calling a couple of months ago as a secretary in the relief society. Our ward was growing so much that they called 2 to help keep up with things. There would be weeks that 2 or 3 new women would introduce themselves at church. Last week we had like 4! I think this is part of the reason that they decided to change the ward boundaries last week and also create 3 new wards in our area. It will be sad because we lost a lot of people in our ward that were really great! I will miss them for sure! I am still the secretary but the other one was moved out of our ward. I'm a little nervous to be doing it by myself though.

I got a kindle fire for Christmas and I love it! I've already ready two books since I got it. That might not sound like a lot, but I'm lucky if I read a couple a year! I love reading and I think this will help me read more. It does some other pretty awesome things as well.

I'm super addicted to the show How I Met Your Mother and also Vampire Diaries. Don't judge... it is actually pretty good!

My goal for 2012 is to be more organized. Sometimes I let my house get out of control and then it drives me crazy!! You should see my craft room... actually you shouldn't. It is a disaster! Brad thinks its okay to take the neighbors in there and I just cringe. It is on my list of things to do today, since I have the day off.

Well I think that pretty much sums it up for now. See, I told you my life was boring. Maybe next time I'll have some pictures.

This Will Be The Week!

Hello all... or none. I know it has been forever, but I just wanted to share something really quick. To start out, this will be the week! For what? The week that I get stuff done! That is what I told Brad today. I have a badillion projects around the house that need to be finished. So I told him that I would do it this week. Then we can clean out the garage and park in it again! Yay! So I am taking a bit of a break from the interwebs. Except for cleaning out my email, because I can't stand when it gets full of junk. And now for the thing I wanted to share!

This week I had the opportunity to take some pictures for my best friend's sister, Laura. She was so cute and fun to photograph! She is always laughing and smiling so it made it so much easier! I keep forgetting how much I love photography! That is another reason I am taking a break from the interenet for a bit. I need to get back into what I really enjoy!

Here's just a sample of the shoot!

Obedience

That is what our lesson in Relief Society was on today and it got me thinking. I'm going to just be honest- I have a really hard time going to church. Not because I don't enjoy it, or believe it or anything like that, but because Brad never gets to go with me. It is so hard because I'm sure people think that he is an absent husband or whatever or that I'm single or who knows what. Maybe they don't think that, I don't know. Anyway, I just had an epiphany while in class. They were talking about how sometimes it is hard to be obedient, but when we are we will be blessed. I have a lot of things I struggle with, but going to church is probably one of the worst. But I do have to say that every time I go (especially more recently) I feel enlightened and uplifted. I feel more confident meeting new people and I really feel like I need to be there. I just know that this is a test for me right now, and I think it is a big one. But I also know that I'm going for a reason and that I need to be there for myself and I think for others. I'm trying to be a better person and it isn't always easy. But being around the women in my ward really helps me. They are all so amazing and for that I am grateful!

I Need to Get Me One Of Those!

Babies. Cute cute babies. I need to get me one of those. But I will just have to wait for now. In the mean time I have two sleeping, snoring dogs on my bedroom floor (we are puppy sitting). Also, I know some pretty cute babies so they will just have to put up with me :-) I can't wait until Brad is done with school and we can start trying again. You see, I am one of those high stress people, and I think the less stress there is in my life, the more likely I'll be able to get pregnant (only one of the many reasons we are waiting until he has graduated). So, if any of you have a cute little baby that you need held, just give me a call.

B-Rad

Sometimes people ask me what Brad is like. Well, I think he is awesome! But sometimes I have a hard time describing him. So I am overloading this post with pictures about b-rad. I am giving a fair warning that this is a bragging post about how awesome I think my husband is. So if you don't care, then don't read it. Here it goes!

Ha! I didn't mean for this to be the first picture, but I am glad it is! Brad is a goof. He can remember silly lines from tv shows and movies after only seeing them once. He loves to do impressions, but he is actually really good at them! Remember bed intruder? Well brad doesn't have a FB so he hears about funny things like that months after they happen. This is a picture of him right as he is done saying "Hide your kids, hide your wife, becausetheirrapingeverybodyouthere." What a goober!

Brad is a good friend! This is trevor: They have been friends forever! But seriously, he is so nice to people and there when you need him. Even if it involves helping someone move after he has gone 24 hours with no sleep.
Brad loves emergency medicine! He actually worked for wendover when we first got married. He is so good at coping with bad things that happen. I just don't know how he does it, but he is good at it! He is very level headed when you-know-what hits the fan.
Brad is a man's man! "I got my truck, I got my gun, I got my dog, and I got my girl." I hope he isn't prioritizing when he says this ;-) But seriously, he says pretty much that exact thing all the time. Usually when we are driving in the truck somewhere.
Brad loves guns. And not in a creepy way. But at least he is a good shot! One time he and one of his friends went out skeet shooting. His friend made a bet with him- if he didn't hit the skeet then he had to break up with me. (Like brad really would have). Well, he hit every single one of them! I'm so glad my boyfriend was willing to kill clay pigeons to stay with me :-)
Oh brad, how you humor me! He DID NOT want to dress up for this halloween party. Well, it was at our house and we were the hosts. Basically he didn't want to be a vampire. So he turned the cape inside out, and drew that creepy mustache on. He said he was the devil. But I'm glad that he at least humors me and dresses up for halloween. (I love dressing up!)
He is so good with our nieces and nephews! And they love him so much! He is the fun uncle! Or in this case, the uncle that will hold you while he takes a nap in a house full of 30 screaming kids!
I know I have mentioned this before, but my man can make a mean biscuit! Brad loves to try new breads. One time I came home to opera music. I'm sorry, let me say that again. Opera music and brad was in the kitchen cooking. One of the girls at work says that every man has a gay tendency (no offence to anyone). I think brads is baking breads and rolls. Or maybe it's bags....(he has so many bags!) Well, I'm not complaining if it is!
Remember how brad loves his truck? He asked me to take this picture. What a goof!
I think he is such a stud! Plus, he carries my camera equipment and waits for me while I take pictures.
Brad convinced me to get a dog and I'm so glad he did. She makes us laugh! Sometimes she makes me scream, but mostly she is fun and goofy. She fits our personalities really well! He took this picture the other day. One of her favorite spots is looking out our window. She looks like a Jawa from star wars! (see below)

Remember how I said brad was a good cook? Well, this is actually from a box, but he is still amazing! This was part of my birthday meal that he surprised me with. He said it was a "French themed meal".

The rest of my birthday meal! It was soooo delicious!
He even got some flowers! I'm not a big flowers girl, but he spreads it out enough to make it a treat when he does get them for me. (Does that even make sense?) Oh and look- you get a sneak peak of our dining room that I have never posted pictures of... oops. But that is Brad's handy work!
Beautiful flowers!
Brad loves to camp. This wasn't real camping. We just slept on the top of the house boat. But he loves to be outdoors and do outdoorsy things! He is just fun!
Brad takes some awesome photos. But seriously, sometimes he makes me mad because he doesn't even try! I'm sure he was just goofing around with the one below, but it turned out so neat!
Brad is not afraid to try anything! (This wasn't his first time, just fyi). But seriously! When he falls he gets right back up! (literally and figuratively) I'm so opposite! I am so afraid of failing or looking stupid that sometimes I don't even try things. But not B-rad!
He makes me try things! Even if I'm afraid of failing or looking stupid! This was my first time tubing and I was so stinking scared! But he made me do it and I am glad that he did :-) Thanks bradley!
Brad is helpful! If something needs to be done then he does it! Even if it is just gathering fire wood. Have I ever told you how he loves to vacuum?
Well, thanks for reading my Ode to Brad. I really do love him and I am so grateful for him. We have been together for 7 years now and our 6th wedding anniversary is in 3 months! I can't believe how fast things fly by! He is my soul mate! I don't think any other man on this earth could put up with me. Brad is such a good example to me, and I am sure he will be an even better example to our children! Thank goodness for boys like him!

Very Few Words

One of my photography teachers told me that the reason he became a photographer is because he was sick of talking. He decided that he wanted to find another way of communicating with people. I'm going to keep talking, but I just decided I wanted to put a few pictures up of what has been going on lately without big long posts of me just ranting. These all make me very happy!!

Brad learned to do the front and rear suspension on my car. It only saved us around $800!!
I finally went to one of my niece's dance performances. She did such a great job and I got to try out my new lens!
We like to make yummy food. Sometimes we don't have time, but when we do I try to make it G.O.O.D! The pork chops above are soooo yummy! And Brad made the yummy yummy biscuits that are below. If you want recipes just let me know.

Brad sort of has a thing for making biscuits. But I don't mind it at all. And neither does Alanna! (sorry it has been a while since we've brought treats over!)

Sometimes Arti gives us this look (above) when we don't give her some of our delicious food. She's such a goof!

She thinks she is so picked on because we don't let her roam free like other dogs ;-) She will just sit and stare forever!

This picture does not even begin to show how MASSIVE that tongue is. It is seriously too big for her body. It is so funny!

A few weeks back we went to a couple races with our good friends Trevor and Carmen. Brad and Trev have been best buds since they were little. (So cute, I know) Too bad I didn't get more pictures from that day :-(
My pretty tulips! This is the first year we planted them and it was so exciting waiting for them to bloom! I thought for sure the snow was going to kill them early on. Turns out that they are pretty tough!
These are the blossoms on the bushes in front of our house. I love the spring time so much! I wish we had more flowers already! It makes life so much better!

These pictures make me laugh! Arti will sleep in the craziest positions sometimes. I found her like this a couple weeks ago and couldn't resist.

I think she was getting annoyed though. When she sleeps like this it always reminds me of Falkor the dragon thingy from Never Ending Story. (See below). She is a billion times cuter though.

Falkor from The Never Ending Story.
A few weeks back Brad and I went on a really long drive. Seriously, I think we bummed around for like 4 hours. We went exploring in the mountains behind Utah Lake and then drove all the way down Redwood Road until you really can't go much further. The picture below was taken in front of an old Sinclair station out there. I just know that it is the road that leads to Delta.

I have lots more pictures to share but I will save them for another day! I hope you enjoyed them!

Where is it?

I think I am going to change my blog. So until then I have taken down all my previous posts. Why? I don't know. I just felt like it.