Celebrating a Happy Year.

Remember that one time that Blake and I had already been married for a year..

TWO MONTHS AGO 

[two months ago..today.. actually]

So, that means I'm averaging about a blog a month.. which would be fine..  

except oh yeah there is just a lot more going on than that in life, am I right?

:)

So luckily I have a little bit of extra time today and am going to try and catch up at least with one post, but I feel the need to blog everything kind of in order, so bear with me as we rewind a little bit..

 So we had quite the time deciding what we wanted to do for gifts for our anniversary, 

Ever since Christmas when we went to New Mexico and watched a lot of home videos... and then came back to Idaho and  watched a lot of them up here as well..

We had really been wanting to eventually get a video camera for our little family so that we could remember everything..

And I am not exactly sure how it happened folks.. but a week before our anniversary  

we walked out of the store with a brand new $600 VIDEO CAMERA..

[luckily we got it for about half that, that's where they tricked us.. but oh.. my.. gosh]

I seriously almost had a heart attack Blake had to comfort me the whole way home.

And for the whole next week I was having anxiety about our camera haha 

& don't get me wrong.. it. is. awesome.

But it all happened so fast.. we had researched a lot online and knew what we had wanted.. so when we walked into the store and a major upgrade was on sale and was the only one.. somehow I got coaxed to the ticket counter..

Anyway.. on our anniversary Blake cut the tag off! And like it or not.. we got ourselves a gift.

 

Then while I was recovering from the shock of the tag removal.. 

Blake took me to the Yummy House in Idaho Falls for dinner!

I am a sucker for Chinese Food.. it seriously always sounds good.. and we don't really eat out very often so this was quite the treat.

[I probably said that my food was good so many times Blake was happy that we didn't eat there very often..]

But it really was "yummy" haha

And THEN because last year after we were married we stayed at this seriously awesome themed hotel..

& We were absolutely dying to come back again.. 

We splurged a little bit and thought this would be a good occasion.

I was so excited.

Last year we stayed in Thailand, and this year we picked Arabia and I really don't know which one was cooler. 

It's like they let you stay the night in Disneyland.

:)

I did kind of feel like I was Aladdin..

   

Complete with magic lamps..

 [oh yeah and jetted and all kinds of colored lighted tub]

 

Camels, and all..

 

 

And then, unlike Disneyland, in every room they also have FREE chilled Sparkling Cider, 

[that I'm pretty sure Blake almost single handedly inhaled :) ] 

and yummy Cheesecake from the Cheese Cake Factory!

And then.. dun dun duh.. are you ready for this?

 

Our room had a SAUNA.. not that that's a huge deal or anything.. just.. 

our room had a sauna.

It was seriously really really cool..

[Okay you're right.. not seriously, seriously it was kind of hot but it was really awesome]

And then.. 

[yes I know I should be paid to advertise for these guys]

We had a huge pull down screen and projector so we I got to fall asleep to the Life of Pi in bed..

[No, we don't have a TV in our bedroom so this definitely felt like a vacation.. I was out like a light.]

And after getting to sleep in.. this is what we woke up to.

I really felt so spoiled. I'm ready to move into Destinations Inn and be pampered every day.

& Of course.. we almost burnt the place down while we were sleeping.. 

WE LEFT THE SAUNA ON all night and didn't realize it until we woke up.. 

I almost had a heart attack, and this picture doesn't do it justice..

But it was steaming absolutely everywhere.. haha I was dying laughing after I knew everything was okay at how we couldn't see absolutely anything it was so steamy..

It's mornings like this when I ask myself.. are we um mature old enough to be married?!

Then we went and had lunch and walked around at the Greenbelt [they are big waterfalls in Idaho Falls]

And even though it was a little colder than I was hoping it would be.. 

We decided to spend the afternoon at the ZOO.

[I lovve the zoo.. I'm excited just thinking about it..]

We saw lots of LIONS..

[Sometimes.. there is just nothing you can do to get Blake to take a serious picture.. and yes, I have to remind myself of this..good thing I love this guy]

  

The real lion doesn't look extremely amused by my [more ferocious than his] lion face..

And TIGERS..

 

 

[& yes these are leopards.. not tigers.. but they've all got to be from the same family right?]

 

AND BEARS..

 

Oh my.. when they are behind bars, safe in their cages they are just soo cuuuute..

And I don't know if you guys remember this cute little guy from when I blogged about the New York Zoo.. but meet mr. breed of panda BEAR aka red panda...

And then we saw lots of animals that are eaten by lion, tigers, and bears...

Just kidding.. that was rude.. I love these cute little innocent zebras.

I made a furry little new friend..

 

And here Blake is trying to be sweet cheer me up because it was so way too dang cold for the middle of April.. and I was ready to stay in that monkey exhibit for the rest of the trip and sit by the heater and my cute new friended monkeys.

What a good guy.

And with that coat he makes such a great Black Swan... 

For some reason the zoo is so much more fun when you try to show the animals that you really do obviously fit in with them.. 

:)

 

Then after the zoo we spent our night at the Idaho Falls Temple for my first time ever.. we ate dinner there and it really was beautiful it was a perfect end to the day.

It was so nice to have a weekend off of work to relax, be pampered, and to enjoy my sweet husband.

I got really lucky with this guy and time seems to be flying by.

 One anniversary down and forever to go..

If every anniversary is this sweet I will be one happy girl.

Elder Woods

 

Okay guys I am seriously behind on blogging.. I know.. I know..
But contrary to popular belief I have not given it up..

 

For those who I haven't told, I have decided to get my Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling and so I am taking classes again and working full time..

& It has just been dang busy..

 

But MORE IMPORTANTLY right now, for those of you who don't know..

 

 

This handsome man of a brother.. left on his mission to Argentina last week!

& Holy Smokes.. am I seriously proud of this guy.

 

He has been working so hard taking classes to prepare him to teach the gospel, going out with the missionaries in Farmington, and trying to learn Spanish..

 

& I really believe he is supposed to be in Argentina for a reason and is going to make such a difference over there.

 

Last Tuesday, to get to see him before he left, Blake and I woke up at 4 in the morning and drove all the way down to Pleasant Grove!

 

 

And seriously thank goodness for the adrenaline of getting to see the family that kept us awake all day..

We just got to hang out and play around with these guys the whole day, which made the way too early drive soo worth it!

 



We got there and had breakfast with the family and woke up a little bit..
 

& Then we spent the morning at the Mt. Timpanogas Temple with my family, grandma, aunt sheila, and some other friends..

 

Mitch was able to go through for my Uncle Troy and it was so nice to all be there together.

 

[I really wish I would have brought my camera a little more through out the day..]

 

 



& Then we just ate and played around for the rest of the day and enjoyed our time with our missionary before he left.

 



So, okay guys, there is this sweet coke machine that my family just loves that lets you try every variation of soda imaginable..

[Probably in a couple of years this will be the only type of soda machine around and we will read this and laugh.. but for now.. it's pretty awesome]



And boy we just love overdosing on soda trying them all.. haha it's fun to see what combinations are good together and which ones are.. not so good..

[Okay, side note, Seriously how stinkin tall is this girl looking?! I think she has got to be on her tippy toes here.. haha but still.. Marah you are so grown up!]

Then after a really fun/pretty drive to Park City

 [Yes. Yes I have been slacking in the picture department..]

 We stopped in Salt Lake to explore this new Cabella like store called Scheels..

 



For a little while I couldn't remember if we were in Disneyland.. or Utah?

Basically the same thing though right?

 

 

 

Just to solidify being the coolest store, of course they had a pretty serious
Ferris Wheel in the middle of the store..

& since Marah was convinced she had never ridden on one

 [And maybe a little bit because a guy that worked there gave us all free passes..]
 

You can bet we took full advantage of this little amusement park ride..

 



When I was little I would ride on the Ferris Wheel with my dad.. and I think I may be permanently scarred.

He would continuously rock baaacck and fooorth in our seat as I yelled and stared at the Do Not Rock sign right in front of us..

& For some unknown reason I always seem to have a petrified feeling in these things now..

 



& I'm sure Blake just loves his Ferris Wheel rides with me because the whole time I am like don't. you. dare. move..

In fact if you could just not even breathe that would be awesome.

oh poor husband.

 



And actually.. from the looks of it..
 Marah was feeling very similarly on her first Ferris Wheel ride..

[Maybe it's just a defective gene we have inherited?]
 

Poor Girl.. I understand, these things are rough.
 

[I really am already worrying about/missing that cute goofball of a brother of mine..]

 



Aren't they just the cutest..

 



Then after sampling every little bit of fudge and gelato in this store,
 

& My Parents buying some from us probably out of pure embarrassment of my need for maybe a little bit excessive samples..

 



We ate at In and Out and had to say goodbye to my favorite brother/missionary..

 



 

I love this not so little anymore brother.. and am so proud of his good choices and faithfulness in his life.

 

And it actually didn't hit me that I wouldn't see this silly guy for TWO years..
 Until we were driving back up to Idaho...

I definitely cried a little.. I think that missions are such a bitter sweet thing.

 

Two years is seriously so long.

 

But I am SO grateful that he is going I know that this is going to make all of the difference in his life, and in the lives of those he meets.

 



 

I love you Elder Mitchell Woods.

 

And can't wait to hear about all of your adventures, trials, and growth..

You are going to be the best missionary.. and sure are the best brother a girl could ask for..

 

I hope you're killing it in the MTC and I'll see you in 2, hopefully it flies by.. I'm sure you'll be reading this in no time!