Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create that fact. -William James

So this last Saturday, Blake and I decided to try being adventurous and I think we fell in love with a new sport and found one of our new favorite winter activities..

We have been wanting to go Snowshoeing really badly for a while now.. 

In fact it even made it onto the Bucket List..



So when we found a sweet group from the school who had set everything up and were definitely just as excited as we were... 

We hopped on the band wagon!

 & Definitely got everything that we had been hoping for..

There were few "guides" with us who had been before and were helping to teach the rest of us and knew the way through the Mountain paths..

So after they helped us strap into our showshoes we followed them down the road for a little bit and I remember thinking oh this is going to be easy.. 

Until our lead guide stopped and looked up at a steeep hill [if you could even call it that] that seriously went straight up and could in no way be called a created path... 

& told us that this was the way that we were going!

& Holy Smokes it was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be!

But I don't think it would have been as fun if it were easy, and thank goodness through the blizzard we were snowshoeing through the hard work definitely kept us warm and happy..

This sweet guy is so funny.. I think he was born for outdoor activities. He seriously is SO good all of them.. 

 

[He was the only one in our group who could successfully cartwheel with his showshoes! I can't even cartwheel without any hindrances.. haha hopefully that means our children have a chance of coordination]

& He was SO cute while he was having such a good time..

As you can see, Blake is a lot more gung ho than me..

The further up front you are in the line the harder it is because [especially with how much it was snowing this day..] the powder was fresh and SO deep so the further back in the line you are the more it gets packed down..

There were ten of us so I feeling pretty okay about myself being where I was in the line.. haha I just wasn't going to volunteer to make it harder than it already was.

[This was TOUGH work guys!]

But boy was the hard work so worth it.. I have never seen the Mountains more beautiful.

I couldn't help but picture how the bears and animals must feel living in that peaceful Winter Wonderland.

& The snow falling all day made everything so beautiful, peaceful, and perfect.

Yes, that is Blake up there.. in front of EVERYONE blazing the trail up the mountain. haha 

What a man.

Through the first half of the hike it was hard not to look down at your feet.. It definitely is a different feeling than walking and it's hard snowshoeing up the steep mountain trails..

But when I finally looked up and realized all of the beautiful things I had been missing the whole time.. 

I thought about how that compared with life..

In life there is always going to be beauty even during the hard times..

& We can either focus on what is hard in our life or what is beautiful..

But whatever we choose to focus on will determine the people we are, the experiences we have, and our happiness. 

& Man, are there things to be happy about in life.

:)

This guy with us on our journey was sweet enough to pack hot chocolate for us.. & Surprise us with it half way through..

How nice is that?!

It definitely made the cold trip so much more pleasant, 

Bless those people who are prepared.

 

There was this point during the journey that was seriously so cool. The wind blew the trees so hard that the snow blew all around us and everything was completely white and perfect..

It was so fun/beautiful/new and I loved getting to just be with Blake all day with no work.. and no school and nothing to worry about that I really was never wanting it to end..

But our bodies probably couldn't have taken a lot more.. haha 

& I am so glad that the day happened how it did.

Another fun adventure/first for the sweet marriage book.

I think that it's easy, especially in the Winter, to think there is nothing to do but there are so many cool things in the world no matter where you are or what time of the year it is..

I hope that everyone {myself included} makes the most of the time we have been given.. 

When we finally get around to doing these fun things and having these fun experiences I wonder why it has taken us so long..

Life is so much more fulfilling when we aren't caught up in the business of it all..

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

“Even the most ordinary things can be made extraordinary simply by doing it with the right people.” ― Nicholas Sparks

 

So on Valentines Eve..

Blake and I had this debate about who was getting up first because I wanted to finish putting together his present.. but he insisted that he needed to wake up before me..

 

So since his intentions seemed sweeter.. and maybe more secret important I gave in..

 

 

& man I was really glad I did..

 

He was so cute, he was really excited when he jumped on the bed and attacked me with kisses waking me up..

 

& Then he led me out into the living room where he had all of the candles lit and breakfast warm and ready on the table, my gift pretty and wrapped,

 

 

& He had baked and frosted our cute heart shaped Cinammon Rolls that my sweet mother in law had given to us to freeze.

 

{she has seriously taught my sweet husband very well.. I still can't believe what a gentleman he is}

 

& That cute little plant was my gift!

 

I seriously had to come up with a quite the argument convincing Blake that I actually reallly was hoping for another indoor plant for Valentines..

We always joke about it because my Dad, being the practical man he is, always buys my Mom and my Grandma potted plants (flowers) for special occasions instead of clipped flowers in a vase because he thinks they will last longer.. haha

 

But we always give him a hard time and joke about it.. so when I told Blake if he wanted to get me a plant I would be really excited he was like yeah right..

& After an analogy of how I would find a shot gun boring but he would die out of excitment for one.. and how that was how I would find a plant..

I guess he finally caved.

 

 

So for our Valentines Date we had been saving up and were planning on going out to a nice dinner and to FINALLY see Les Miserables at the fancy theater..

 

& As you can see.. I was honestly excited all day.I love being taken out on dates..

& Since we have been married we have definitely had to budget our dates more, so fancy things are quite the treat.

 



While I was waiting for Blake to get done with classes I took my time getting ready..

& FINALLY after an excruciatingly long wait..

 

Blake got out of class and we headed down to

 {the exciting city of..} Idaho Falls..

 



 

Unfortunately when we got to Olive Garden there was like an Hour and a Half-Hour and Forty minute wait..

 

Yeah exactly.. lets talk about forever..

 

{We actually weren't as upset as we may look..}

 

Blake invented this game where we have to compare all of the other people in the restraunt to famous people..

So we were absolutely dying of laughter..

& probably freaking everyone out because we kept whispering to each other and then bursting out laughing..

 

But it was really fun

[everyone should definitely try it it's funny who you come up with] and it made the wait go by really quickly..



& Since we hardly ever never go out to eat it ..

 Dinner tasted especially heavenly.

 

We had brought an Olive Garden Gift Card with us.. and at the end of our meal Blake gave the waiter our gift card and his credit card to take care of the [what we thought was] extra dollar..

& He comes back and tells us we have TWO dollars on the gift card..

 

I thought I was going to faint.. haha Thank goodness dinner was yummy and it was Valentines or else I would have probably died right there.

 

But  fortunately to lift my spirits..

it's not everyday that we get to go to the nice theater..

In fact.. we have been twice.. maybe three times ever.

 

And I was so excited I really like this theater it's significantly nicer than the cheap theater we are regular customers at..

 

 

Also can I just say that it's so funny that we got married.. we are so different in some ways.. like for instance in how we approach movies.

 

I am the person that says there is about 7 minutes of previews so shows up about 5 minutes after the movie time probably with Subway or some other obnoxious smelling food that isn't supposed to be in there..

Blake likes to get there {what I feel like is..} wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy early... haha

& Our candy/food bringing is a little more under control.

 

He's good for me as you can see.

But old habbits die hard.

 

So.. Moral of that story.. We got there super early because we expected it to be a lot more busy..

 & there was probably like one other couple in the whole theater..

But it made for good bonding time with Blake and I..

haha

 

 And I seriously can't tell you how much I loved Les Mes..

I'm so obsessed.

I've been listening to the soundtrack on repeat..

 

I'm so grateful for the people in the world who make thought provoking quality art/movies/plays/books.. they seriously fill my life with so much more substance... & in my opinion consequently happiness.

From the bottom of my heart.. thank you for these fulfilling things.

 



 

 

 Also.. besides for this particular day of love, last week Blake and I had our TEN month anniversary..

 

& Even though we haven't done a lot to celebrate yet because of the craziness of life.. it still feels so good to realize that I genuinely fall more in love with this man constantly..

And I still wake up with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that I get to be with my best friend forever.. before I found Blake I never realized what it would feel to never have to be alone and to have someone to share everything with.

& Oddly.. because of my slightly independent personality.. I have never felt anything more fulfilling.

 

Thank you for this life you've given me sweetheart, I love you with all of my being.

 

 

I'm sad that in a couple of months when I probably will stop counting our "monthly" anniversarys.. because now they seem so exciting.

 

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Love Week/Day/Month..

[However long we can pull off celebrating for.. right..]

:)

 

 

 



Forget Not to Be Happy

 

There are some days when I am literally counting down how long it will be until Blake graduates Optometry school..

 

I have dreams of what it will be like not having to worry about money/budget so tight.. & going on trips.. and nice dates.. oh yeah and maybe not living in a world buried with snow..?

 

[Keep your fingers crossed for me.. I took a gamble marrying a sweet Idaho Boy]

 

But today I have been remembering the advice of my favorite, President Uchtdorf..

 

forget not to be happy now

 

When giving the example of Willy Wonka and finding the golden ticket in a candy bar he says..

 

“In their anxiousness, people began to forget the simple joy they used to find in a candy bar. The candy bar itself becomes an utter disappointment if it does not contain a golden ticket,” President Uchtdorf said. Whatever a “golden ticket” may represent to each person, do not put your happiness on hold as you wait for a future event, or golden ticket, to appear."

 

Therefore right now I am enjoying being sweet newly weds

[now my serious question of the day.. so really when are you not classified as 'newly weds' anymore..?]

  & have been finding ways to celebrate this upcoming holiday with what we already have.

 

 

& On That Note.

Tuh Duh.. The Craft of the Day..

 

Our new LOVE pillowcases

 

[Blake hasn't seen them yet.. I'm sure he is going to die..and never leave me alone to craft again]



 

Of course I never make the bed like this.. so Blake and I are going to be the only ones seeing these so thanks for appreciating them with me right now..

 

Aren't they so sweet and Valentines Season appropriate?!

 



 

We are so ready for Valentines Day over here..

[Any excuse to be taken out on a nice date.. and to be loved/love.. and celebrate all day is great in my book]

 

This here is what I call decorating for under 5 dollars..

 

My heart garland made out of Yarn & Construction Paper..

 

 

 

 & These beautiful candle holders are from my sweet Aunt Shiela and have been lit all around the house for the last couple of weeks.. I love them!

 

It is so fun to make our house a home..

& I am so grateful for all of my loved ones in my life that have helped us start out.

 

Now.. WARNING and then awesome news.. if you don't love PDA

 Turn Back Now.. haha

 

 

Blake made it home SAFE at 3:30 in the morning..

holy cow we were so worn out..

 

But I'm so grateful to have him back.. everything is back to how it should be.

[I'm not blogging and whining to everyone everyday.. and our apartment feels alot more loving & less empty]

 

I can't believe in a WEEK we will have been married for 10 MONTHS..

 

 

[This is last year on Valentines Day..]

 

I can't believe how much has happened.. but honestly how quickly it feels like it's gone by.

Thank Goodness we have Forever.

Thanks for making me the happiest girl in the world!!

I LOVE YOU.

[Sorry for all the mushiness everyone.. tis the season]

I hope everyone has an Awesome Valentines Week!



While You're Away..

So in memory of what would have been date night..

[But really was just quality time with some really good/sweet friends..]

I've been going through pictures of previous date nights..

[While.. yes.. I definitely should be sleeping.]

Blake leaving is really good for my blogging/journaling/friend time

But oh how I miss this cute guy.

I can't believe how dependent I've grown on you in the last almost 10 months.. 

[I also can't believe how incredibly fast it has flown by..]

But man is life lonely without you.

Today I really missed our dinner dates and getting to talk and laugh all night and spend time with my best friend.

& I've missed how sweet you are and how you would do anything to serve me and make me happy.

 

I've been missing our cute living room tents and our creative fun laughter filled nights together..

& Most of all I miss YOU.

Blakey you'd think you've been gone for months.. the way that I cant sleep and am going through pictures.

I think the funniest thing of all is [believe it or not] I am actually a really independent person..I love "me" time. I love shopping/reading/going on drives and honestly doing things by myself.

[I love people too.. don't get me wrong.. I just always need a balance.. ]

SO I thought this weekend would be relaxing.. & that I'd get a lot done.. 

I also have hardly ever shared a room [only in college].. not to mention a bed before we were married..

And I am probably in more shock than anyone how much.. even when I'm just reading or doing nothing important.. it's comforting having Blake there.

However I really am going to stop being queen Whine A Lot.. Never Goes to Sleep Anymore..

:)

But Blake I hope you know how much I adore you and how grateful I am for such a wonderful best friend who takes care of me and would do anything to make me happy.

Thanks for going on this trip and working hard to prepare for the future.

I love my life with you and couldn't ask for anything more.

PLEASE hurry home.

I miss you. :( :(