One Year

Whaaaat?

One year ago today I was in a wedding dress with that enormous smile practically splitting my face.  I couldn't help it!  It was seriously the best day of my whole life!  Pretty sure both of us had those smiles on for a couple weeks, non-stop.

My face is still sore!  Everything is still so fresh, and yet it's been a year?

I can't believe it.

Maybe I should change the name of this blog.  The Oldyweds?  Hmm, I'll keep brainstorming.

In our first year of marriage, I've learned a few things about Roy and about being married that I never expected:

- Roy, with his big heart, loves giving things away to people who may want or need anything of his.  This has been somewhat of an adjustment for me since we now share everything...

- Being married means always having someone on your team, every second of every day.

- There is hope with the kitchen and I.

- Roy stays in one position all night long, sleeping like a log.  I roll all over the place, steal the blankets, and try to prod him out of the bed with my butt.

- I've ended up being an even bigger penny-pincher than Roy!

- Having a ring on doesn't mean everyone will assume you're a married woman.

- Getting your name changed is a pain.

- Sometimes I'm wrong, but Roy lets me "win" anyway.

- I love Roy more today than I did one year ago.  Never before would I have thought that even possible.  But the love is still growin'!

Happy One Year Anniversary Roy!

Although we'd agreed that Disneyworld was our anniversary gift to each other, Roy just couldn't resist.  He got me a sweet Nikon camera!!!!  I've been talking about it forever, but I didn't expect to get one for a few years!

Little stinker!  At least I made him a card....  and it's a pop-up!

 

But in all seriousness, I did get him a professional-looking bag for school.  He said the camera also counts as my big birthday present too.  (Can you believe a Christmas baby would do that to someone?  Hehe, just kidding!)

I can't wait to put up more pics taken with this fantastic camera!  I'll start this week with Lake Powell.  We leave tomorrow and I'm sure there will be plenty to document.

Last Days in Utah

My 23-year-old sister-in-law has braces, and it's all my fault.  For the full story, click here. 

Short story is: last summer we were tubing on the lake and her mouth met the back of head and bent back three of her teeth.

The girl has since landed herself a man and gotten hitched.  Pretty good for a brace face, huh?  ;-)  My evil in-law plans of making her a lonely snaggle-toothed old crone were dashed.

Anyway, she's had her braces on and off and needed to come to Utah from Oregon for an appointment.  So the week of our move we got to see them one last time.  And the mom-in-law came too!

They were great.  We spent part of one day at Lagoon together.  Roy and I had already been there the week before for his work party.  It was a way sweet work party!  Everyone in the group wore these bright green shirts.  The park was just dotted with green all day. 

It was a good time.

Roy didn't come back with me, Laura, Leah, Jamie, and Jamie's childhood friend.  He had to work.  Plus, I think he'd had plenty of fun the first time around.  He loves roller coasters and has never had a problem with them, but after riding three of the parks craziest coasters back to back... he wasn't feeling too great. 

The second time I went was fun, but the best part of the day was the skycoaster.

 
If you like the sensation of dropping, of plummeting to the ground, this is the ride for you! 

Ah- I loved it!  They were pulling us up higher and higher and then suddenly started counting down, which meant it was time for me to pull the chord that would make us drop.  Apparently the guys didn't think I'd have the guts.  But I did, which I'm so glad for!



What could I do, anyway?  "Excuse me... I changed my mind!  Could you please lower me down real slow?"

Oh it was fun!  Laura didn't brave that one, but she did go on Wicked right in the front row.  Her scream-laugh was so funny I could barely breathe. 

 

So that was one of our last events in Utah.  We also made a trip up to Rexburg to say goodbye to all of our friends up there.  Wow, that campus is growing!  

We took Alexa and her boyfriend to go out on the lake with us and Roy's Uncle Mark.  Roy is getting the hang of the air chair and wants to rent one for Lake Powell this summer.  I definitely want to try it next time.

I was trying to see absolutely everyone before we left Utah.  I had a get together with some of my buddies from the Scotland trip.  So depressing to say goodbye!  We ate Hobb Nobbs and reminisced together.

We also went to the Springville Arts Fair with Sarah and Matt.  We wanted a picture.  There was a lady who had nothing better to do than wait for her kids to get off a ride.  We asked if she would take the picture for us but...

She seemed a little impatient.

We asked her to please take just one more.

We had breakfast with my Aunt Randy and Uncle Jay, we ate at Costa Vida one last time, we finally went to the art museum down the street... we tried to fit it all in!

I guess it's not like we'll never be up to Utah/Idaho ever again, but I look back with nostalgia knowing that this chapter in our life together is now closed.

We Found the Ring!!!

Before I move on to our life in Arizona... I thought I'd tell one last Utah story...

Roy and I thought we lost his wedding band last winter on a day at the slopes.  I was certain it was buried beneath the frozen snow in the parking lot, and so I waited for spring to thaw it out.

Well... spring came late.  My hope having been snuffed out by June, I went ahead and bought Roy a new wedding band in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico.  $16.  Shrug.  It's kind of funny that it's from a Mexican jewel vendor, and at least if we lost it again it wouldn't be so devastating.

So moving day... Taylor Broughton, Josh Flint {Alexa's boyfriend}, and Carson were helping us move the big stuff.  Once our bed was hefted out of the bedroom, Taylor said something about a ring that was on the floor.

THE RING!!!!!!

The thing never even left our apartment!!!!  It was just warm and snug under our bed the whole time!

I was so happy I wanted to cry.  Not that there's really anything wrong with the $16 Mexican ring... but the sentimental value behind it just doesn't compare.

Thank you Taylor for finding Roy's wedding band!!!!

Roy is not quite as happy about it as I am.  He's glad it's found, but he still wants to wear the cheap ring.  "See, feel how heavy this one is," he said later that day.  He made me hold one in each hand and compare.  It's true, the nice tungsten ring is heavier.  For a reason. 

Hmmm, maybe we should put our original ring away under lock and key so that we won't lose it ever again.  Then Roy can enjoy the cheapness of the other ring... that is until it turns his finger green.

Half Birthday Surprise Party

Roy was born on Christmas day.  His parents brought him home in a stocking.  I know, so cute!

Roy's never complained to me about having to share his day with the most widely celebrated birthday in the world.  But still, since we started dating I've always celebrated his half birthday.  Good excuse for more fun.

This year I had awesome help from Carson and Shellena getting everything put together to throw a surprise half birthday party-- complete with half party hats and half a birthday cake!

We sang him half of the happy birthday song before he blew out 13 candles.

Half of a birthday hat fit Story perfectly.

The presents were stuffed into birthday gift bags that were cut in half.  It looked amazing, but I didn't capture a good enough picture for you.  Sorry.  The half birthday boy got half eaten candy bars and other treats.  Then we played pin the tail on the donkey..

And if the other half of the poster had been there I wouldn't have been so far off.

Roy was actually surprised!  When he first walked in on the half streamers and posters, he thought everyone must be celebrating my birthday early!  Haha!

That night happened to be one of our very last in Utah.  It already seems so distant.  We loved spending that time with our friends.  We miss them all already.

15 Hours Alone in a Car

The result:

{Anyone know why my videos won't convert onto YouTube from iMovie?  Oh well, it's probably best that it's not working.  Trust me, the result of me alone in a car for 15 hours isn't a pretty sight.}