tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84071633659557626172024-03-20T23:02:21.511-07:00Rachelle's RamblingsRachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-27780841605734019042020-12-10T21:28:00.000-08:002020-12-10T21:28:53.959-08:00The best worst year<p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;"> Yesterday I heard the words "you need to write". It was SO clear in my mind, it completely caught me off guard. This year I have tried to learn, and have continuously worked on trusting/listening to my intuition. So although this is almost five years later, here I am. I listened -- I'm writing. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">It would be impossible to try to sum up the past five years in a single blog post- let alone the year 2020, so let's just start with now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">My sister in law posted something the other day that said "The Best Worst Year", and I liked it. It stuck. It got me thinking and led me to do my annual tradition of listing my yearly accomplishments, along with writing down a list of goals for the next year (18 accomplishments in 2018, 19 goals for 2019, etc.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">Usually it takes me several weeks brainstorming the things I felt I accomplished, and what goals I would like to add to next years list. Almost shockingly, in a year like 2020, the list flowed from me. I wrote them all in a single sitting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">As it has for EVERYONE, 2020 has been an extremely challenging year. Fortunately, I have had a major silver lining in all of this, as I was able to keep my job and arrange my schedule to be able to work from home a couple days per week. It has been both wonderful and eye-opening to see the things that go into the day-to-day for the stay-at-home parent. Being able to be home for those little special moments, like reading Maxine a story, being able to put her down for her nap, changing her diaper, watching her line up her stuffed animals, eating breakfast together... all of these things have made the year 2020 for me, the very best. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">I wanted to share my annual tradition of my 20 accomplishments for the year 2020. This idea is something that I took from the podcast, Happier (Gretchen Rubin and Liz Craft). This is something I usually write and keep in a private, "special" notebook, but I feel inclined to share. So here they are, my lists for 2020 and 2021!</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: large;">20 Accomplishments for 2020</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">1. Survived a pandemic</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">2. Went to Crater Lake</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">3. Had a better work/life balance</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">4. Did chakra/pendulum readings for myself and others</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">5. Did a tarot reading for myself and others</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">6. Did a craft (my goal for 2020 was to do at least ONE craft, and I did it, right at the last moment)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">7. Read more books (Honorable mention to Untamed, a book that changed my life)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">8. Lived a less toxic life (removed harmful chemicals, products from our home)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">9. Signed up for Young Living</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">10. Learned a lot about hormone health</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">11. Started taking supplements that better support my body</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">12. Took family photos</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">13. Warner family reunion</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">14. Had the best Thanksgiving</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">15. Had the best year of marriage (looking back at previous years, I saw I have written this the past two years!)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">16. Got my first tattoo</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">17. Got my ears pierced</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">18. Got CHICKENS!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">19. Learned/learning to be a parent to Maxine (who quickly transitioned from baby to toddler)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">20. Learned much more regarding politics, feminism, and white privilege. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: large;">Although some of my goals for 2021 I would like to keep personal, I wanted to share some fun ones I am looking forward to in the New Year!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">1. Make our own kombucha</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">2. Grow a raised bed garden</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">3. Go on 30th birthday vacation!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">4. Do cross stitch/embroidery</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">5. Eliminate Amazon at least 80%</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">6. Raise money for a cause</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">7. Do a special "girls day" with Maxine</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">8. Go on a trip with my sisters</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">9. Get a couples tattoo with Bryan</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">10. Go on an international trip</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">11. Get a psychic reading</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">12. Paint a picture</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">13. Go on regular (monthly) dates with Bryan</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Barlow Condensed; font-size: medium;">14. Try a new sport or physical activity</span></p>Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-23225272585163945742016-05-27T16:40:00.000-07:002016-05-27T16:45:26.104-07:00Making a big deal out of birthdays.<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I LOVE birthdays. I think it's because I have so many great memories of birthday parties from my childhood. My parents and siblings did a great job making me feel extra special that day and throwing my a fun, themed birthday party. When I was turned 6 I had a "Princess Party" where we all dressed up in princess costumes and my dad made everyone crowns to wear. We had a very fancy tea party on some of my moms best dishes.. and it was the <b>BEST</b>. Another year, when I turned 7, we had a "Camping" themed birthday party where my dad made me a very special cake and we camped outside in tents. Because of this, I have pretty high expectations for birthdays. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">There are many different ways people interpret and celebrate their birthdays. Some people have "Birthday Month", other have "Birthday Week" and some people treat their birthday just like any ordinary day of the year. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Let's start with one of the extremes... the "Ordinary Day" extremes, also known as the "Scott" birthday celebrators. Let me preface this...After my sisters birthday, she had a conversation with my dad that I have also had with him in the past...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">My dad always says things like "your
birthday is just another day". When he said this to her, she argued and
said no it's not, and she likes to always do something special or
celebrate all day. <br />She did some serious thinking about this apparently, because she came up with a <i>theory</i>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">If you have <u>ever sat first class on a plane</u>, your birthday is probably not that big of a deal. If you have <u>eaten a steak that costs over $50 for "no reason"</u>, you probably don't think your birthday is a big deal. <br />However...
if these <i>AREN'T</i> things you do on a regular basis, you probably <i>DO</i> go
all-out on your birthday and try to make it as special as you can
because... being fancy isn't exactly something you just DO on a normal day.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">On the other hand...I have found that if your name is TREVOR or KELSEY, you <i>REALLY</i> love your birthday. You love your birthday more than even the average-really-excited person loves their birthday. These kinds of people <u>go out of their way</u> to let you know their birthday in many different conversations, but ESPECIALLY in the first initial conversation you ever have with them. If you are casually talking about how
you love a certain restaurant or how your favorite sports team won,
they ALWAYS find a way to bring it up. Example: "Oh did you watch the game? Great game. The score was 79 right? Oh weird, that's how many days until my birthday!!!" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">(we all know these people... trust me, I know more than one)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1TGMOx-jMchS4MFXc1iWrnc26epN3HlQ9inkOrkxGMmiVfm59pxtZWbrnsLxbJSGOcCkAM_QVj3rPkpu0TfMCYqN7IjXWAd2CB9La5FXMzDRshXj8MIT07QLo4AmOy9faX9MdUpkDrg/s1600/IMG_7471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1TGMOx-jMchS4MFXc1iWrnc26epN3HlQ9inkOrkxGMmiVfm59pxtZWbrnsLxbJSGOcCkAM_QVj3rPkpu0TfMCYqN7IjXWAd2CB9La5FXMzDRshXj8MIT07QLo4AmOy9faX9MdUpkDrg/s320/IMG_7471.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I consider myself to in the middle/excited side of birthdays (like I said, I have pretty high expectations <i>although</i> I don't expect everyone to care as much as I do). </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bryan and I recently celebrated our
birthdays and it got me thinking... I LOVE making big deals out of
holidays, even the small ones. However, it is really hard to be excited
for your own birthday. It is much easier to be
excited for someone else's birthday (i.e. your BFF, significant other,
etc.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">As I'm getting older, I was afraid my birthday was going to be
completely pushed to the wayside this year. <i>LUCKILY</i> I have such a great
husband who went out of his way to get me extremely thoughtful gifts,
and made my annual themed birthday cake that I feel is essential to make it through the next year. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuyatFaEH8l0PRg2Gm5j7njDOgVOWIG4d2yVh42pT6CXyiU7QLaNhQB-0izUCTL4av5q_CZ5vN3_FgvJagEhS2-NcVvXAeavtJbm1HhNSvITUhrfCQQymJBEh2vnFpqPShhISa5Afi1w/s1600/IMG_7466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGuyatFaEH8l0PRg2Gm5j7njDOgVOWIG4d2yVh42pT6CXyiU7QLaNhQB-0izUCTL4av5q_CZ5vN3_FgvJagEhS2-NcVvXAeavtJbm1HhNSvITUhrfCQQymJBEh2vnFpqPShhISa5Afi1w/s320/IMG_7466.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Anyways, being 25 is pretty great so far... except it's making me think of all these big life decisions that I don't want to think about yet. But I guess that comes with growing up and becoming mature and, in the words of the young, hip youth..."adulting".</span> </span></div>
<br />Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-29789094995557744712016-01-11T08:32:00.000-08:002016-01-11T08:32:01.505-08:00oregonians.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Well... we made it!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We are officially residents of Corvallis, OR</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We have only been here for a week, but it feels like much longer. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We love our little apartment! We were afraid it was going to be too small and not fit all of our stuff, but it's the perfect, cozy size. We have a little patio that Bryan likes, and I like our kitchen here WAY more (plus it has a stove from basically the 1800s)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />Yesterday we attended church and people asked us what brought us here... sometimes we say "school" because sometimes it sounds better than <i>"... we just like it here"</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wuD4C4wJ-7Qk1fMe-g922SUoalI2U2Q1ZvxID7n6Gz8vNV71rjNoAXSXrN-eaq2qqlb1Q-ixuEALUshFrojp78Yjzz7z3EkhjjctAqDPGqNPpgaoOKAIEGw0DSPLbZxSwv5ajvme3d4/s1600/IMG_7036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wuD4C4wJ-7Qk1fMe-g922SUoalI2U2Q1ZvxID7n6Gz8vNV71rjNoAXSXrN-eaq2qqlb1Q-ixuEALUshFrojp78Yjzz7z3EkhjjctAqDPGqNPpgaoOKAIEGw0DSPLbZxSwv5ajvme3d4/s320/IMG_7036.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Some of the highlights of Corvallis </span></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>The COAST!!! </b>since
we are currently unemployed, we decided to spend a day at the coast.
It was a beautiful, sunny day and we saw the most amazing waves! I love
the ocean, I literally can't believe it has taken me so long to live by
one!</span></span><u><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> </span></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></u></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggectoNaOt_D8PpWpwJCNXGR2hD1R9Zn5FkGwAb8YmgyE9kcwvCckkrS-R1qw_qjvc6sEo7l7KHkKM6DCN5dPKe4oQVmxwTWslEF9n9sm6rpFLCXmHQA2OksTddvRfWmTAY5X3ef1gq4Q/s1600/IMG_7026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggectoNaOt_D8PpWpwJCNXGR2hD1R9Zn5FkGwAb8YmgyE9kcwvCckkrS-R1qw_qjvc6sEo7l7KHkKM6DCN5dPKe4oQVmxwTWslEF9n9sm6rpFLCXmHQA2OksTddvRfWmTAY5X3ef1gq4Q/s320/IMG_7026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>The GYM</b>! this is not your average VASA... there are no peak busy hours, no meat heads, and no annoying pop music playing in the background</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>The Driving:</b> no one is riding my bumper 24/7. and people actually stop at yellow lights! No one is in a hurry, so it is inspiring me to calm and slow down my driving.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>Our Relationship: </b>It sounds cheesy, but seriously it feels like we are newly weds again. We unpacked our new home together (which was so fun), and we feel like we are just trying to figure all of this out again. Everything is so new so we are on this natural high. We don't really have any friends (except for my sister and her family) so we spend time doing things just us- and it feels like we haven't done that in a while.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>The Weather: </b>when we went to the gym at 6:00am this morning, we didn't have to scrape all the ice off of our cars. And despite the rain, we can see the sky probably more than we did in Utah (because of the inversion)<br /><b>Biking: </b>Riding our bikes is a lot more fun for me because the roads are flat, and the air is easier to breathe.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>People: </b>I can go to the local grocery store with no make up or wet hair and not be afraid I'm going to run into someone from high school</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6QcODA_XkoK19oNr3UTpiMsVka7jwKqsMqo31Ry6zrVJMaqygNzlj7YU7XIv1OxgvyuDkdb0jdIBg3rRwLapQEmfNqPdJxDygYoUzOLeoQWhUUJUeF6DZGqUUtobN0FvdqWdmflW0hc/s1600/IMG_7029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6QcODA_XkoK19oNr3UTpiMsVka7jwKqsMqo31Ry6zrVJMaqygNzlj7YU7XIv1OxgvyuDkdb0jdIBg3rRwLapQEmfNqPdJxDygYoUzOLeoQWhUUJUeF6DZGqUUtobN0FvdqWdmflW0hc/s320/IMG_7029.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">with
a new year, and a new home I'm feeling particularly motivated and
sentimental... I saw this quote yesterday and it really just resonated
with my heart</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>"sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life"</b> <br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">and as far as being motivated...</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">In the podcast I listen to, "Happier" by Gretchen Rubin, she mentions the <i>Clean Slate Theory</i>, which is essentially, when you have a new year, or a new job, or a new home it is easier to stick to your goals. So on that note, here are some of my new years resolutions </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(currently taking suggestions)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Kiss every night before we go to bed<br />Floss every day</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">See more whales <br />Find a job.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">in the past I've had goals like <br />"Eat more Cornbread" <br />"lose weight"<br /> "watch more TV" (before Netflix was a real thing)<br />So... if you have anything you would add to my small list, let me know, because I'm really trying to utilize my "Clean Slate Theory" to the max. </span></div>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSvNcBKEVb72hiw2hTfw9cxFHrQEgkkRuw3023ZgKMMiS-7i3XzRGZZQEq9_jzSmxwUy45BoD-QNXMTB6aAE1ZexCIz22oNP98QPtK5H1bJFR3zGutj0DeE91cClBikSk-zRtlERbNHI/s1600/IMG_7041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSvNcBKEVb72hiw2hTfw9cxFHrQEgkkRuw3023ZgKMMiS-7i3XzRGZZQEq9_jzSmxwUy45BoD-QNXMTB6aAE1ZexCIz22oNP98QPtK5H1bJFR3zGutj0DeE91cClBikSk-zRtlERbNHI/s320/IMG_7041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-31730002703631968202015-12-06T15:18:00.000-08:002015-12-06T15:18:49.360-08:00New Adventures.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It has been a while since I blogged, life has been crazy lately!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I am back teaching for my third year of Preschool! <br />(for only 8 more work days!)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Bryan and I went backpacking to Havasupai, AZ</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjH-fonJaiW5d1op6DVqSboPP0u2vi0KohQPnRHPvc4D7Eh61T3B2DVq6wcvVdhIDcMgzZrB5BPG4I8A5OMZerK9i6eN0AW2b2KuIK8QWkAuOCOjbpUEnuYlLjFcMxwZrnN73snRP1Xqg/s320/IMG_6668.JPG" width="320" /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(Where he obviously picked up modeling)</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-5aZPHmzep1e_CNRh3EV-W967OrLjzXQJTEIL59ZBW37bThHJuOIKGS5l1_es0NbMaxQnPB-TU5gkGPwW9_SF_SvHtpqt9xyEJPnNE8EMJs9QfMewFnc1eZsIL8cGJPQEhyUPsbNq1U/s1600/IMG_6727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-5aZPHmzep1e_CNRh3EV-W967OrLjzXQJTEIL59ZBW37bThHJuOIKGS5l1_es0NbMaxQnPB-TU5gkGPwW9_SF_SvHtpqt9xyEJPnNE8EMJs9QfMewFnc1eZsIL8cGJPQEhyUPsbNq1U/s320/IMG_6727.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BpmoEWLHu1gf5i4kP2i8fvhyNgB5V3k-UE6vzT_ax1W-qIVX_NxrY9Pva95RJKQMwjp-58_KhioOlPie9Cws7z55BCQfR2DofXBtMoLSWPpmFXRf1LLKYnqz9h-ubwiSjzqfTFd9WYE/s1600/IMG_6728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BpmoEWLHu1gf5i4kP2i8fvhyNgB5V3k-UE6vzT_ax1W-qIVX_NxrY9Pva95RJKQMwjp-58_KhioOlPie9Cws7z55BCQfR2DofXBtMoLSWPpmFXRf1LLKYnqz9h-ubwiSjzqfTFd9WYE/s320/IMG_6728.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGztXD4PztR63oKWbnhQkF5RKSqKuQXmbTTcbyjixCidiXFJXxbR_zdCYLI3YUznlwlnj-CRJZRWj1HCtp_y2PA9eCugIbbNuMvMSg5LDYvopeZgWtkWgjJQnA-SU5bYUsCc0xCDmaP4/s1600/IMG_6729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbGztXD4PztR63oKWbnhQkF5RKSqKuQXmbTTcbyjixCidiXFJXxbR_zdCYLI3YUznlwlnj-CRJZRWj1HCtp_y2PA9eCugIbbNuMvMSg5LDYvopeZgWtkWgjJQnA-SU5bYUsCc0xCDmaP4/s320/IMG_6729.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Havasu Falls</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu9INUPa6fKR8ViPjOtB36XP3XfRHo4xBCQYg2AOaSRCUDaC8TvsusVBFX-50CQWE9jdvx7vXzOC1TJcuurp85C4jzrln_KojwyoLyM8Ub-tfi2C78YskNtpx1UKuzr_4KAbM7ybtiW8/s1600/IMG_6730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuu9INUPa6fKR8ViPjOtB36XP3XfRHo4xBCQYg2AOaSRCUDaC8TvsusVBFX-50CQWE9jdvx7vXzOC1TJcuurp85C4jzrln_KojwyoLyM8Ub-tfi2C78YskNtpx1UKuzr_4KAbM7ybtiW8/s320/IMG_6730.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Mooney Falls</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNqhOc15UdwSej9chQOWfo2jJPI694p-5B4hWGO0x1pE1zDPGf-XMkolkfre2-k0CrqEjsixocXBgOxobXHacEOcc2X08rkgMpsyvwk5HJo8RgELfABsf-ji9cas_rrH8-LtiPmbjNrA/s1600/IMG_6732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBNqhOc15UdwSej9chQOWfo2jJPI694p-5B4hWGO0x1pE1zDPGf-XMkolkfre2-k0CrqEjsixocXBgOxobXHacEOcc2X08rkgMpsyvwk5HJo8RgELfABsf-ji9cas_rrH8-LtiPmbjNrA/s320/IMG_6732.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJfnM6hDRVlVohMsmelDaUhMtRAwvbE7qsidBGEcVHTrZRDDt1uTaHBvVo0Hdn5pTP6wMA9ce9wq5FVFD5qZt9dFTrDk08vtF4BuIaRVW_JUnnwOlzNG8WaKvTq4g3jeAK_DbWpcutmA/s1600/IMG_6636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJfnM6hDRVlVohMsmelDaUhMtRAwvbE7qsidBGEcVHTrZRDDt1uTaHBvVo0Hdn5pTP6wMA9ce9wq5FVFD5qZt9dFTrDk08vtF4BuIaRVW_JUnnwOlzNG8WaKvTq4g3jeAK_DbWpcutmA/s320/IMG_6636.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We had Sibling Thanksgiving this year in Corvallis.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We went and visited Thor's Well (if you haven't heard of it, look up pictures!) where I was able to get action shots of Allen and Bryan getting destroyed by this wave.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTe4Sa4xqfy9NgzO_X3Q5cRYxm65NKGpMNAcyj_nL3WeOmy7Dr5l7RVI6_1p-CjHN-DWAnD3c0SSOzXnQ3yw3RLP12OICIqIMugeQhYcYB_smguUObKRd4oriAIn24FFHj_IxYMIeoXA/s1600/12294890_1243245402358195_5810008831963951464_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTe4Sa4xqfy9NgzO_X3Q5cRYxm65NKGpMNAcyj_nL3WeOmy7Dr5l7RVI6_1p-CjHN-DWAnD3c0SSOzXnQ3yw3RLP12OICIqIMugeQhYcYB_smguUObKRd4oriAIn24FFHj_IxYMIeoXA/s320/12294890_1243245402358195_5810008831963951464_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbgWzdDTSfe_1qm9tuowgIzokAl6TAwYzUlWKczJY8tkM1IFik6DkDWc4KaQl5kNoH51mUWDs5eT2rlgvh8-jmfkQZ_CShPo-WPvw3Oa95NH6btgemxYKN0soIj0w6JxgTtqJbj85y_E/s1600/12299168_1243245429024859_3398007147817681597_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZbgWzdDTSfe_1qm9tuowgIzokAl6TAwYzUlWKczJY8tkM1IFik6DkDWc4KaQl5kNoH51mUWDs5eT2rlgvh8-jmfkQZ_CShPo-WPvw3Oa95NH6btgemxYKN0soIj0w6JxgTtqJbj85y_E/s320/12299168_1243245429024859_3398007147817681597_n.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MSaDmAxu2rNf8zCNlwRQVNUxzFw1SDWzWSfd3EQnojE5Ml-kdNGzbXF8Nqb80XUhidJc-UVLMH4yteUW-ORJ-X2twTGuo4BcHBsM7Efyja-z0CeRlWmtFamu30HxOuf8RZy8Wxs_g5Y/s1600/12299280_1243245435691525_942361774520156840_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MSaDmAxu2rNf8zCNlwRQVNUxzFw1SDWzWSfd3EQnojE5Ml-kdNGzbXF8Nqb80XUhidJc-UVLMH4yteUW-ORJ-X2twTGuo4BcHBsM7Efyja-z0CeRlWmtFamu30HxOuf8RZy8Wxs_g5Y/s320/12299280_1243245435691525_942361774520156840_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssgfiy7qZuJlMhKZvHfOLgyGjIdTb60nB8zI9ZiHAl4N-VyfIxOo9eF8vo6YtyOFI3WTCx0ymGAl33-_C3FJYK0ThKigmJKE4yKADQAK4WL5XCtZR2GXACL8Itzd9sqV9KwgA6ZI_0SY/s1600/12274325_1243245465691522_4757914629169613562_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssgfiy7qZuJlMhKZvHfOLgyGjIdTb60nB8zI9ZiHAl4N-VyfIxOo9eF8vo6YtyOFI3WTCx0ymGAl33-_C3FJYK0ThKigmJKE4yKADQAK4WL5XCtZR2GXACL8Itzd9sqV9KwgA6ZI_0SY/s320/12274325_1243245465691522_4757914629169613562_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LaZKN-VMHfpvI7N9xlQUFG1hNEdMxO84UBMufHXGZvs5irKK30Mf6TtmeZ9CRogLL6oeIBe6AimCaM0UyblD_Xej6AFWLxRph6aTJROtvrCWn5KeShzfXzLgEpLRUSRsACMnN2H-1kM/s1600/12278740_1243245479024854_3670606961785675704_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LaZKN-VMHfpvI7N9xlQUFG1hNEdMxO84UBMufHXGZvs5irKK30Mf6TtmeZ9CRogLL6oeIBe6AimCaM0UyblD_Xej6AFWLxRph6aTJROtvrCWn5KeShzfXzLgEpLRUSRsACMnN2H-1kM/s320/12278740_1243245479024854_3670606961785675704_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaivqNl_z_lVNP7mNz5LoYX7L_B5TEVXrZul8xdVu85kVJyajR_P3v6MJq4ZfqHjSAevhlFbME92JdID0iC_ZboyP571-M52RzgD96b6MJMsr6piTDznwwTlwEGsVUqBwfb2hTeF8taWw/s1600/12301659_1243245505691518_3153308847046499067_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaivqNl_z_lVNP7mNz5LoYX7L_B5TEVXrZul8xdVu85kVJyajR_P3v6MJq4ZfqHjSAevhlFbME92JdID0iC_ZboyP571-M52RzgD96b6MJMsr6piTDznwwTlwEGsVUqBwfb2hTeF8taWw/s320/12301659_1243245505691518_3153308847046499067_n.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9cLaZgalQ2WUh58UOfI7NRcLpGxZO-A02kmz4UZ2ScumaZP1pCR-vBB_bU6Ww_tYtP-DkO97m6fyFc4X2wVxX6HXw_BnHujNhi2d7eIOvPO8fRuGdvRAld4qQpH8IXNnPicAdmSLa2E/s1600/11988761_1243245695691499_432025183532818383_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV9cLaZgalQ2WUh58UOfI7NRcLpGxZO-A02kmz4UZ2ScumaZP1pCR-vBB_bU6Ww_tYtP-DkO97m6fyFc4X2wVxX6HXw_BnHujNhi2d7eIOvPO8fRuGdvRAld4qQpH8IXNnPicAdmSLa2E/s320/11988761_1243245695691499_432025183532818383_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">and we celebrated our 2 year anniversary!<br />I can't believe how much things have changed in the past two years!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF-hnGUd0uuFz-60E7Wg7JI_hHm0CdfD3iWJezPBpjyWsC9KN93TF9u5s1x9v1gQDCLZ7qDeTAyKwjrvynjy_y31D3MhjmCFRY2wUAIITEBcppu0EQTOt_bs_4A2qNtkWXY6YTGVDQVM/s1600/12250028_1241043292578406_8477554242301970607_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF-hnGUd0uuFz-60E7Wg7JI_hHm0CdfD3iWJezPBpjyWsC9KN93TF9u5s1x9v1gQDCLZ7qDeTAyKwjrvynjy_y31D3MhjmCFRY2wUAIITEBcppu0EQTOt_bs_4A2qNtkWXY6YTGVDQVM/s320/12250028_1241043292578406_8477554242301970607_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">if you didn't know, Bryan and I are moving to Oregon in a few weeks!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">our decision to move to Oregon has been both crazy and exciting</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">it has left me feeling many different emotions...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">anxious</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">excited</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">nervous</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">relieved</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">happy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I am excited to move because Oregon is the most beautiful place in the world! And I am excited to be there with Bryan and start our lives and new family traditions there together. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I am sad to leave my little Preschool kiddos and my swimming kids <br />(PSA: there is a chance I will still be teaching swimming lessons in the month of June depending what job I get)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">it feels kind of crazy to just pick up our somewhat "cushy" lives, a well paying job, our families, our cheap rent, etc...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><i><b>but</b></i> it is a freeing and empowering feeling to just be able to pick up and leave without anything holding us back. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">While telling people our decision to move, I have noticed something interesting... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">anyone who has never been to Oregon always asks us WHY we are moving<br />anyone who HAS been to Oregon doesn't need to.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Here's to a our third Christmas together, a New Year, and a new home! </span></b></span></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-63690619254261619602015-08-20T20:49:00.003-07:002015-08-21T12:23:24.231-07:00summertime sadness.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">as I sit here, hunched over, sobbing into my lean cuisine, I can't even believe that summer is over. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I spent my morning signing papers about dress codes, not sexually harassing people at the work place, putting fake food into a fake fridge and trying not to get anal over if the word "Preschool" is centered on my bulletin board.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">i am beginning my third year as a preschool teacher. people always say life goes so fast, but they never really tell you how fast it actually goes. I can't believe it's almost September of 2015.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> That literally sounds like I should be living in the future.</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> This summer we had the busiest but most amazing summer ever!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">swimming lessons and 3 sixty scenery kept us very busy so thankfully, Bryan and I were able to spend over a month of dedicated-one-on-one-together-time STRAIGHT on our vacations. we lit'rally did not leave each others sides for one month.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQ_zl4RhzdXy7hu8N9v5yoOgku3JLZPTx7kVJhclpJqpvMoLEKphYOMlf4-8E77qTiHSesUp-eE_JJL5zLhIUJyXJ6V-BunG4qeKOZ-WVtgdy5mpHqbsYZB3cEkq6jYp5mr-lfyp6SeM/s1600/IMG_6369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQ_zl4RhzdXy7hu8N9v5yoOgku3JLZPTx7kVJhclpJqpvMoLEKphYOMlf4-8E77qTiHSesUp-eE_JJL5zLhIUJyXJ6V-BunG4qeKOZ-WVtgdy5mpHqbsYZB3cEkq6jYp5mr-lfyp6SeM/s320/IMG_6369.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
<br>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">here are a few of the highlights. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I was able to be a bridesmaid in one of my best friends weddings</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">and break it down while singing her wedding song.</span></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZqFpEvmhhyJV2apflV8Ag-eWmjqZRiDsnMwl4frxQyx4Wlye-CiLarWSmVMg8U0kuftQ_huy0RXmCF9DxgfOYFCT809pHR6Ouqz-tN_R1KLgAdBraSLOY3hIgQN2Ek1GypHZqthfBZw/s1600/Bridal-Party16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZqFpEvmhhyJV2apflV8Ag-eWmjqZRiDsnMwl4frxQyx4Wlye-CiLarWSmVMg8U0kuftQ_huy0RXmCF9DxgfOYFCT809pHR6Ouqz-tN_R1KLgAdBraSLOY3hIgQN2Ek1GypHZqthfBZw/s320/Bridal-Party16.jpg" width="213"></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVCSBk5JUEqZvLlwhFjlLkWZp8f1v9JRpG7eVYe0JvGy3tCmixmXWC6_Oumh8vMV31VZuRrl661_XKnh9vslTyOdN3eVBCU7ntjE2nCjl46vxXIpoDQNkyPKFd4z-9AsYz69MEvxfGJA/s1600/Ceremony192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAVCSBk5JUEqZvLlwhFjlLkWZp8f1v9JRpG7eVYe0JvGy3tCmixmXWC6_Oumh8vMV31VZuRrl661_XKnh9vslTyOdN3eVBCU7ntjE2nCjl46vxXIpoDQNkyPKFd4z-9AsYz69MEvxfGJA/s320/Ceremony192.jpg" width="213"></a></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VBqZnpbuweTFgufjgzvqE66B4ou9NtUwpZEsUPBZfYiqxyg7qUkd86OmTWTx2t9gqQoI48mA8CXUowyqqL9Ec-dBMbuD5THUR_QK8cU0xaM9PA3-kraA28Y2sSXslJaG15djeMjFkRk/s1600/IMG_6220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VBqZnpbuweTFgufjgzvqE66B4ou9NtUwpZEsUPBZfYiqxyg7qUkd86OmTWTx2t9gqQoI48mA8CXUowyqqL9Ec-dBMbuD5THUR_QK8cU0xaM9PA3-kraA28Y2sSXslJaG15djeMjFkRk/s320/IMG_6220.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">AND we rode in a canoe! <br>my dream.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR2KuhMQoMk58Tpwa6v_x3kwoKMT71jP5T6wrOaQ-fVOZmOl3hbKS49HR4q8K4gs-d1SabaX0RFoGhi0fWJVnpZONO0Qzx0SL79n47kZymewgLjIjrtHuKVcJPyuzOWqV8dGYuJ-5gF8/s1600/IMG_6221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKR2KuhMQoMk58Tpwa6v_x3kwoKMT71jP5T6wrOaQ-fVOZmOl3hbKS49HR4q8K4gs-d1SabaX0RFoGhi0fWJVnpZONO0Qzx0SL79n47kZymewgLjIjrtHuKVcJPyuzOWqV8dGYuJ-5gF8/s320/IMG_6221.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOFedSASnCPa7XRlEzEuYsJZmcCqSTMhn-Rxm144aeLk-c91bnctbp7RUh71X4MCvlVVdcmCWm6ZsVg3PDngOLS0wsMNBX0T-5gLdj9XTrnAxl5Hx6FDwInpFTfI0uYHuRUCiSkbeYp0/s1600/IMG_6367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOFedSASnCPa7XRlEzEuYsJZmcCqSTMhn-Rxm144aeLk-c91bnctbp7RUh71X4MCvlVVdcmCWm6ZsVg3PDngOLS0wsMNBX0T-5gLdj9XTrnAxl5Hx6FDwInpFTfI0uYHuRUCiSkbeYp0/s320/IMG_6367.JPG" width="240"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yDfaSU-PnlhEjwCzGgcs3kEE3PZ2PyOYT6qSkAtflXEa2n3tuDCVV8YBBWGatiU8LspMstvlH9Bf5OELRY5VeMYa3pagnIhOj2Q9bt8hw8eVd6QgY30tRAlRagVE7xghVG2ABCmgTZ4/s1600/IMG_6171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yDfaSU-PnlhEjwCzGgcs3kEE3PZ2PyOYT6qSkAtflXEa2n3tuDCVV8YBBWGatiU8LspMstvlH9Bf5OELRY5VeMYa3pagnIhOj2Q9bt8hw8eVd6QgY30tRAlRagVE7xghVG2ABCmgTZ4/s320/IMG_6171.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFe8VySYI3Evy3Fuk_qd9ozcZHi8LIAbVSTlWJCpdfjDMErioUydW1ggqFzV5TI06-pqE8l5UeoW6H9Y57AqfUSrwyZc7Fu9EHuDA2VpiSEpijE8VTC5ep3M5XeryTDH8by9Al5yuLq-U/s1600/IMG_6139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFe8VySYI3Evy3Fuk_qd9ozcZHi8LIAbVSTlWJCpdfjDMErioUydW1ggqFzV5TI06-pqE8l5UeoW6H9Y57AqfUSrwyZc7Fu9EHuDA2VpiSEpijE8VTC5ep3M5XeryTDH8by9Al5yuLq-U/s320/IMG_6139.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7hw4V6juCJyZiEnIQPZ2K11bndGVwziKW7c_aeQieGpW4VNPGywYUoclrQ4Jt_RWNoB6X3F40Tq-cQI43aIYVfDUZq2FmQQxgYHauJjMH0NBDBfotjS7g4v_fpLhv2MBhjlF61KtQZg/s1600/IMG_6226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7hw4V6juCJyZiEnIQPZ2K11bndGVwziKW7c_aeQieGpW4VNPGywYUoclrQ4Jt_RWNoB6X3F40Tq-cQI43aIYVfDUZq2FmQQxgYHauJjMH0NBDBfotjS7g4v_fpLhv2MBhjlF61KtQZg/s320/IMG_6226.JPG" width="224"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> We spent a week in Oregon, floating the river, picking blackberries, swimming in Three Pools, looking at Gray whales off the coast, spending time with my shrub and her cute kids (and Allen).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">We spent a few days in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, ID.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW60ujQ3OXXHUn-0Rf16vHbh5LsWQHI2kFPbIg_i5KnIy0vcxmsDAjz5dHNukUmMMx1qt3CWIePz0PpBdkjd02EYxzDUElegC_qyvLSNo8UNYi9j18bgyG1UiV3U_wOsXqwY0GXfKrQ_I/s1600/IMG_6332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW60ujQ3OXXHUn-0Rf16vHbh5LsWQHI2kFPbIg_i5KnIy0vcxmsDAjz5dHNukUmMMx1qt3CWIePz0PpBdkjd02EYxzDUElegC_qyvLSNo8UNYi9j18bgyG1UiV3U_wOsXqwY0GXfKrQ_I/s320/IMG_6332.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLaqHdyz8FjLNHR7EhydFAoIQeyOJbsvV9rljCej4DC9gYwZ0r5IC1YGNJvWs-b1pNHht2hV7rJBYRBL5HmwSfA_xFOSy-nubmD_h7XrDrL1USSVxW1wHF6W6dmDlhoNq2yN0DG2EMcg/s1600/IMG_6351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLaqHdyz8FjLNHR7EhydFAoIQeyOJbsvV9rljCej4DC9gYwZ0r5IC1YGNJvWs-b1pNHht2hV7rJBYRBL5HmwSfA_xFOSy-nubmD_h7XrDrL1USSVxW1wHF6W6dmDlhoNq2yN0DG2EMcg/s320/IMG_6351.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbwrwxAbdphrdjZZ3-OIl7ZqZQyse9Saw2wg9gqXJ-yKHJ23mXMDVc45zv9vlgNvC9U6yWYW41ygg2o9R7kR5ztQXsZ0TlcPEC2anCFWfNQbM2m6mTWwC2QHy4POjSLgqjK2ZtHNTGl4/s1600/IMG_6280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsbwrwxAbdphrdjZZ3-OIl7ZqZQyse9Saw2wg9gqXJ-yKHJ23mXMDVc45zv9vlgNvC9U6yWYW41ygg2o9R7kR5ztQXsZ0TlcPEC2anCFWfNQbM2m6mTWwC2QHy4POjSLgqjK2ZtHNTGl4/s320/IMG_6280.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlqqEwqhxgk-Z6LYEtC1UPxHWwSbtuF30SwFaMPMzuNbnxOX5DR6xjsj5eRpUwLpNh1Z85NA0UWp4scn91KFXGTuIfoP1IGPHmYsn0FhSgz_VHpWvJo37wFun6_2m308DgrkIJSWPhy8/s1600/IMG_6354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlqqEwqhxgk-Z6LYEtC1UPxHWwSbtuF30SwFaMPMzuNbnxOX5DR6xjsj5eRpUwLpNh1Z85NA0UWp4scn91KFXGTuIfoP1IGPHmYsn0FhSgz_VHpWvJo37wFun6_2m308DgrkIJSWPhy8/s320/IMG_6354.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> and I met my nephew, Reuben.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDxt2t6l6pLYtcSjSnOHGle2ahd4_Q-1GFKUyxPMwFGWktWcgaAE9ZIc9tjzv9IYe6HXcggAHupNs8HQTyv2ZNh4NIJ5t2MuygkBXvkO7G40h_GXEc2zvVMUhc4pMmUBtTSI5-G2RtXg/s1600/IMG_6288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvDxt2t6l6pLYtcSjSnOHGle2ahd4_Q-1GFKUyxPMwFGWktWcgaAE9ZIc9tjzv9IYe6HXcggAHupNs8HQTyv2ZNh4NIJ5t2MuygkBXvkO7G40h_GXEc2zvVMUhc4pMmUBtTSI5-G2RtXg/s320/IMG_6288.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">not to mention we bought this beauty....</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAdb-ovsnONE7SJkPH2KhlixXNtmpimWFCeTdPworu4wvKFBmpkP5Jb5RoKXswpZr1Nx3iR9Cx2tqmkAsXctqX1dHT-4u4ZSw-q_riZTWQLQhTLc9iEbdaoogD0CS7Y3fQxyiVui4aLw/s320/IMG_6362.JPG" width="320"> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(and no, we aren't vegan now...) </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp2bEBYKye2t9iremobFoPMpCWK3fAEn-hyPofoVL3v7LIOJiX-QrlW2flzlqTPl9WO2oQtmwfx410V-9c4D0AcA5NbSG73VJ4n8hykieUxkAmrXnotMu_urJg8p8K4w8EVxoMwaP2E4/s1600/IMG_5912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp2bEBYKye2t9iremobFoPMpCWK3fAEn-hyPofoVL3v7LIOJiX-QrlW2flzlqTPl9WO2oQtmwfx410V-9c4D0AcA5NbSG73VJ4n8hykieUxkAmrXnotMu_urJg8p8K4w8EVxoMwaP2E4/s320/IMG_5912.JPG" width="320"></a></span></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwP0LPmSgbr1THA06-EnPOfyxqmTy5ESo1Z34CCYiMuv0iL4cjkzZzvi03ASkIgc0r5b36S53rQoCiOcspxEW4VLcJRnJ3j79N1RgPOeSVlhq6i9GrAjNrQpykO2iXrdXi9cZ9S1moi5c/s1600/IMG_6035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwP0LPmSgbr1THA06-EnPOfyxqmTy5ESo1Z34CCYiMuv0iL4cjkzZzvi03ASkIgc0r5b36S53rQoCiOcspxEW4VLcJRnJ3j79N1RgPOeSVlhq6i9GrAjNrQpykO2iXrdXi9cZ9S1moi5c/s320/IMG_6035.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Don't forget we went to Kenya (and Amsterdam)!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrInrlASIfLee5lqJRyxuyHCrL_6wO2krW4ymkY67bQHiT66rHyTBRFvP11q-hJ4qIap4QpJ0579uB4oflYCdjBydS_016irIx3LRRSIKmf2992Y-oKVk1RxfIsb8TEOGt-XdWwNYMkis/s1600/IMG_6086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrInrlASIfLee5lqJRyxuyHCrL_6wO2krW4ymkY67bQHiT66rHyTBRFvP11q-hJ4qIap4QpJ0579uB4oflYCdjBydS_016irIx3LRRSIKmf2992Y-oKVk1RxfIsb8TEOGt-XdWwNYMkis/s320/IMG_6086.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> and a huge shout-out to Bryan for catching his first fish!!!!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">so let us once again let "HAGS" RIP, until next year...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">but like I always say... "kiss me hard before you go. </span></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">summertime sadness"</span></b></i></div>
<br>Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-48139155694724634582015-07-05T18:53:00.000-07:002015-07-05T19:06:11.971-07:00asante sana squashed banana.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXD1fXrRZdIgn0kb6RVYXOeTOG_fZdxrPLyTLVrErwKTjhXcPZbn1syy6XJ8JBAWgOtAElAdUXSTDXyoDWdLZOJkI-ti48k0EInzxWdH1OHtjphKog_0Z7M_Vvr31vbq2ySykFO7f_mo/s1600/_DSC2555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXD1fXrRZdIgn0kb6RVYXOeTOG_fZdxrPLyTLVrErwKTjhXcPZbn1syy6XJ8JBAWgOtAElAdUXSTDXyoDWdLZOJkI-ti48k0EInzxWdH1OHtjphKog_0Z7M_Vvr31vbq2ySykFO7f_mo/s320/_DSC2555.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Bryan and I recently returned home from the trip of a lifetime! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">With my parents, aunt & uncle, two younger brothers, and a group of about 7 other people we set off on a humanitarian trip to Kenya, Africa</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Since I have been home, people have repeatedly said to me "you go to Africa all the time". To set the record straight, this was my third time, and probably my favorite time. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The number one thing that sets this trip apart from the other trips was being able to experience it with Bryan. <br />I have had such a love for Africa in my heart, and I sort of felt like that was the one thing Bryan didn't understand. I really do feel like he has seen and knows my WHOLE heart now-- so cheesy, but so true. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs63B9dWjyP_GxcIofw1egw8OnQpbm8DoWH_jLAL_S9oyoucwgD0kU8CezLKJDGpCgbnUckfQeD0bchnc01H6bP3qWGNEn5qLt-7zIwWDG22FEZoKHWKLRPkGfnAASQrT0ZNdN5Zam-ws/s1600/NqsbM1haDJHqiWd-fqAD5jxR8ZJ_w8wnwAsEPXyPeB4%252CVFkBFiN-Wqi1U0JQGUqM001hItnWZO8MIvHz8whLLUk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs63B9dWjyP_GxcIofw1egw8OnQpbm8DoWH_jLAL_S9oyoucwgD0kU8CezLKJDGpCgbnUckfQeD0bchnc01H6bP3qWGNEn5qLt-7zIwWDG22FEZoKHWKLRPkGfnAASQrT0ZNdN5Zam-ws/s320/NqsbM1haDJHqiWd-fqAD5jxR8ZJ_w8wnwAsEPXyPeB4%252CVFkBFiN-Wqi1U0JQGUqM001hItnWZO8MIvHz8whLLUk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I have seen different sides of people as they travel to these third world countries. It was so fun to see my parents to relaxed and enjoying themselves, and totally and completely in their element. It was so cool to see my two younger brothers being so helpful and working so hard. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">It was so fun to see Bryan in every way. He was extremely helpful. He worked SO hard. He NEVER complained. He was the first to volunteer to help. He was so loving and gentle. and not that he isn't USUALLY these things, but it was just so amazing to see. (because as a lot of you know, in third world countries, things rarely go as planned, living conditions are hard, and there is usually a lot to complain about).</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2UFrTsCAG4Bqu2RgoMyvpDQ8hQQZhdfT7ZZRjXBKB0v-4JzSQNGoL5F4B8wsgRN0FHRwtqTZfoHUmdswiLj793qdn5GG0U4rF-txKlUeCY_VtoELTXPeiPRm2DNiFmZ0OnlWk4-tuZU/s1600/VtjZ47az6rz9KvGzFGTARFpZVZi2i-IhlErCFnEAsuA%252CFvCbEEP8PBRnwAjF7fXvDyFZiT3oodjac2w7Mw2jXhM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2UFrTsCAG4Bqu2RgoMyvpDQ8hQQZhdfT7ZZRjXBKB0v-4JzSQNGoL5F4B8wsgRN0FHRwtqTZfoHUmdswiLj793qdn5GG0U4rF-txKlUeCY_VtoELTXPeiPRm2DNiFmZ0OnlWk4-tuZU/s320/VtjZ47az6rz9KvGzFGTARFpZVZi2i-IhlErCFnEAsuA%252CFvCbEEP8PBRnwAjF7fXvDyFZiT3oodjac2w7Mw2jXhM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">It was fun to talk to Bryan at the end of every day and ask him what his favorite parts were. Before the trip, he thought he was excited to see all the wild animals on the safari. But once we left, he had grown a deep love and respect for the Maasai people. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">On this trip, we had a group of "tour guides" who turned into what seemed like older brothers to us. Three were from the Maasai culture, and one was from the city (although basically adopted into the Maasai family). There men are Life Coaches for my moms business. They were so fun, and awesome to hear their stories and get to know. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82UoC29NZZppWSlujrFlk72PTge2spyMwrC0z1htg7QTybkYH2uRWXP8uqoNIcovr7hAC_UWTNWkJjEDVjSKAGPqNJ24zzDY3-1ZOWW-O8K4Ovg48hk1yJ5Ows7iVSkQI4yt65Jgd9p4/s1600/jDl3aEyqO3OOolG_G334u3qZk0XC0x8ACveI-8iQfCY%252CbV0BYV6CvbpEEkO5zyHU1uCr0oj0dPD8Co19c6QPMe4%252C10rqmXxeCyAP8bzQsW2_iuYuZ3C5BISdFxiBDUmtjFo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82UoC29NZZppWSlujrFlk72PTge2spyMwrC0z1htg7QTybkYH2uRWXP8uqoNIcovr7hAC_UWTNWkJjEDVjSKAGPqNJ24zzDY3-1ZOWW-O8K4Ovg48hk1yJ5Ows7iVSkQI4yt65Jgd9p4/s320/jDl3aEyqO3OOolG_G334u3qZk0XC0x8ACveI-8iQfCY%252CbV0BYV6CvbpEEkO5zyHU1uCr0oj0dPD8Co19c6QPMe4%252C10rqmXxeCyAP8bzQsW2_iuYuZ3C5BISdFxiBDUmtjFo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Dalton, David, Dominic and Moses</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_65HCtW8I_loWsOV8BdHxRF-Z3I425x-kI9oWhU_6ds5Qi9YbwasRLvrVOH1jlfcWLBzeYWkzM8JIzzUMvXvSVMxRfX59gl-WYAidncyGVRGxZTv6OmX1yT26Cp1HxIQnLfTHvuczN4A/s1600/_DSC2745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_65HCtW8I_loWsOV8BdHxRF-Z3I425x-kI9oWhU_6ds5Qi9YbwasRLvrVOH1jlfcWLBzeYWkzM8JIzzUMvXvSVMxRfX59gl-WYAidncyGVRGxZTv6OmX1yT26Cp1HxIQnLfTHvuczN4A/s320/_DSC2745.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The Maasai culture is "so Africa"- and by that, I mean exactly what you picture from a National Geographic article when you picture Africa. From their clothes, dung huts, spears, dancing and singing, traditions of drinking cows blood and killing lions, these people are amazing!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wX0XFisthrD3ViLI-DxKzEDiSX9zAEZxcC4aRIJq9aanjN_TpohBo-dveI466jxPJQWfgeleFvs2mVx0TAz5A_hz0dmw9NgFTtT-Zmtr8odgJmg9DKpitG6Vy2YF6QROL0yLddXfAfA/s1600/_DSC2777.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wX0XFisthrD3ViLI-DxKzEDiSX9zAEZxcC4aRIJq9aanjN_TpohBo-dveI466jxPJQWfgeleFvs2mVx0TAz5A_hz0dmw9NgFTtT-Zmtr8odgJmg9DKpitG6Vy2YF6QROL0yLddXfAfA/s320/_DSC2777.NEF" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe0h1F9WbNel9LVq40IQzvHB96U1hDc31LD7priCCFY65j3IgZNRPb5842hrYyb9oVJunaRHU_MAPRqmjmO8T0Gi4wLhqqsrJE2FUUNtx3uIZy9plNWEIpZT_TUfNtZgbvpTInBZmuVc/s1600/RFJtg3g9JdaLmuT5AsYnz3KCK1o6DiCTe4FO7b6QMiA%252CLWZ2q0KLuUgexWPnwmqR5gTdCrOMOo4AB1orh_7Pw2Q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe0h1F9WbNel9LVq40IQzvHB96U1hDc31LD7priCCFY65j3IgZNRPb5842hrYyb9oVJunaRHU_MAPRqmjmO8T0Gi4wLhqqsrJE2FUUNtx3uIZy9plNWEIpZT_TUfNtZgbvpTInBZmuVc/s320/RFJtg3g9JdaLmuT5AsYnz3KCK1o6DiCTe4FO7b6QMiA%252CLWZ2q0KLuUgexWPnwmqR5gTdCrOMOo4AB1orh_7Pw2Q.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszcJReGhrBWgtQXEtgil9fRWjWVJOqKHOKENFESFuHPxRnuvdzP6vDgRBcz-Vw8dyM0becB6g7ZvgXatuTa7llNpma2dLL6mecIe_VtkkM95jRhZkYtANCxX__tNNSyKWXuJ0sUSq_0k/s1600/MWAl3H7CB0_u1dRTXT6gV9WT7KTyUdLDfiYfzG1XW4I%252CVqJOTgHoiLrd1fHkNK0S_UqG5XZl5GAzCWGrJ0NKAAQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszcJReGhrBWgtQXEtgil9fRWjWVJOqKHOKENFESFuHPxRnuvdzP6vDgRBcz-Vw8dyM0becB6g7ZvgXatuTa7llNpma2dLL6mecIe_VtkkM95jRhZkYtANCxX__tNNSyKWXuJ0sUSq_0k/s320/MWAl3H7CB0_u1dRTXT6gV9WT7KTyUdLDfiYfzG1XW4I%252CVqJOTgHoiLrd1fHkNK0S_UqG5XZl5GAzCWGrJ0NKAAQ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As for me, my favorite part of the trip this year was Western Kenya. In western Kenya, we were able to work on several projects. We helped create a spring of fresh water that will help over 60 families in that community. We went around to peoples homes and visited them and gave them donations that we brought (clothes, toys, cooking utensils, etc.)We helped plant a garden for a widow of four children. And we helped children plant 10 trees each ("I Grow With My Tree Project") so in 10 years, they will be able to cut down and sell their trees that they may be able to go to college. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsztkTyX8AirQsJ6Scm8TNG83R1L8H-8x6ydL2OblEPI1u7qz3qXOtLF_Krlf31jYTHd6D5tpdB7SLA3fWFLzD-KFVT6P_lM5L_6DTFe3Filh3ZMdgE9WmUDVc9OiAxeqdnW9quAjTXV8/s1600/_DSC2430pt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsztkTyX8AirQsJ6Scm8TNG83R1L8H-8x6ydL2OblEPI1u7qz3qXOtLF_Krlf31jYTHd6D5tpdB7SLA3fWFLzD-KFVT6P_lM5L_6DTFe3Filh3ZMdgE9WmUDVc9OiAxeqdnW9quAjTXV8/s320/_DSC2430pt2.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUGQe7gI0VL-FBftCOQQlEAmPNMXN5i5sUlxxDHTAcxa0Jyy8O7ZG_-Y3mz89l-jvshN0bdahgUfn04JMWmnVa8SQFaIsKnEUJhOcIcjzdnUpCvUb4HktGY_5jHVQLLHyF_E00MUhDFg/s1600/_DSC2978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUGQe7gI0VL-FBftCOQQlEAmPNMXN5i5sUlxxDHTAcxa0Jyy8O7ZG_-Y3mz89l-jvshN0bdahgUfn04JMWmnVa8SQFaIsKnEUJhOcIcjzdnUpCvUb4HktGY_5jHVQLLHyF_E00MUhDFg/s320/_DSC2978.JPG" width="211" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoZESRviK4RGtPqXx4AtXwTbHVhITcq3iPpNOLw00JslDN5quT-h8h3EA9m2Gl2gcjCgK8oZxaqVnQ2aLzWBZZ-BeKf1C-XLsENQfQghawP2Iup6xOiFwGiERLlH2rZ-Cwxz3cfHx5jU/s1600/HtFjaYzlp44QcP24Uzf25Jrduv6J7ohbSU4MMTAwqTg%252CCgJHfE4IEO-T57s67zwcZkj5ukSLHsAiMSgpGZJ0R-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoZESRviK4RGtPqXx4AtXwTbHVhITcq3iPpNOLw00JslDN5quT-h8h3EA9m2Gl2gcjCgK8oZxaqVnQ2aLzWBZZ-BeKf1C-XLsENQfQghawP2Iup6xOiFwGiERLlH2rZ-Cwxz3cfHx5jU/s320/HtFjaYzlp44QcP24Uzf25Jrduv6J7ohbSU4MMTAwqTg%252CCgJHfE4IEO-T57s67zwcZkj5ukSLHsAiMSgpGZJ0R-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurkXk3oN7tvTsxSTAthDbPRGWQlkee9pNqyY40yPNVw22b7rPYS6KJ2LmVdBEPqJP4DVo_MfCH_qjas2qviRe2-8BicD8UIWfoX32sB8HgpjpyLwPUw3y1B7t6vT3Agn51anIiVBbiD0/s1600/YoGpeJapwGhN_Ff_Dwt6ylt-WsF2kujkhkr51jLJRxE%252C0LInXsJnnzuc9BEUNz87-SN7oI2ZE1fY0uo4WKTR7j4%252Cft03bYF6TGc13JYN9vYSpU2iY8kl8__BwFwtJxgMph0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiurkXk3oN7tvTsxSTAthDbPRGWQlkee9pNqyY40yPNVw22b7rPYS6KJ2LmVdBEPqJP4DVo_MfCH_qjas2qviRe2-8BicD8UIWfoX32sB8HgpjpyLwPUw3y1B7t6vT3Agn51anIiVBbiD0/s320/YoGpeJapwGhN_Ff_Dwt6ylt-WsF2kujkhkr51jLJRxE%252C0LInXsJnnzuc9BEUNz87-SN7oI2ZE1fY0uo4WKTR7j4%252Cft03bYF6TGc13JYN9vYSpU2iY8kl8__BwFwtJxgMph0.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And of course, the Safari! Bryan got some amazing shots of these animals! Because the Great Migration happened two weeks after we left, we saw less quantity of animals, but much more quality than I have ever seen before.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbwQWx0YMS31QUonOlgOCyVrPjvu68bIMvjTozB30okVVYtSCekEqum1qdcJUYbFAwFPSkgcVAr30qsVbfn-y2K_cwkI9fUDPyQKEYmTEL93Su7cHi7Gr1o1rcQNgExu_GRUKNyLzj08k/s1600/_DSC2557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbwQWx0YMS31QUonOlgOCyVrPjvu68bIMvjTozB30okVVYtSCekEqum1qdcJUYbFAwFPSkgcVAr30qsVbfn-y2K_cwkI9fUDPyQKEYmTEL93Su7cHi7Gr1o1rcQNgExu_GRUKNyLzj08k/s320/_DSC2557.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjUu6_QTnLfPDfqY-NwR3_1fkyvQL_dIVGBNJUUetgbJFuyU4tnWPLeGjR-l7sUBsSJI-oa_u8pydreMFSKrUaSqIbpbrTZHm3YsyR1u-uxZ8bHvH1-hf0fw_taNUrvNJHmbThTUhypg/s1600/_DSC2830pt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjUu6_QTnLfPDfqY-NwR3_1fkyvQL_dIVGBNJUUetgbJFuyU4tnWPLeGjR-l7sUBsSJI-oa_u8pydreMFSKrUaSqIbpbrTZHm3YsyR1u-uxZ8bHvH1-hf0fw_taNUrvNJHmbThTUhypg/s320/_DSC2830pt2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP0vGtF8zeQsE-f8AW80RWALANI9Czo8x-c5BL-qOzitx5q3efc70HTbQYNa_iqpGQKr6nALde9r6JKmeuCSHV7B-oQAPaWuqX2prEnU88us_f9X-HH1t2tGe_HCvNiK53kFa5wjePHc/s1600/T-FSi3AUiaPCjMPMizvnInijI2ALW_6pCXkMDsvDAFY%252Cj2CP_TVGSypQy9uDRKbDAu1UJOKlImRfOTNpxHLkdt4%252CaAi8re3S9eEM2A-TOAFuKSG-uqGZRl294DxCYqdu5-w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP0vGtF8zeQsE-f8AW80RWALANI9Czo8x-c5BL-qOzitx5q3efc70HTbQYNa_iqpGQKr6nALde9r6JKmeuCSHV7B-oQAPaWuqX2prEnU88us_f9X-HH1t2tGe_HCvNiK53kFa5wjePHc/s320/T-FSi3AUiaPCjMPMizvnInijI2ALW_6pCXkMDsvDAFY%252Cj2CP_TVGSypQy9uDRKbDAu1UJOKlImRfOTNpxHLkdt4%252CaAi8re3S9eEM2A-TOAFuKSG-uqGZRl294DxCYqdu5-w.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjE7D1YmcGKNoO2zM4wexMtUhiLsXFRkThlhYkoqmh5TKZ6sN-xdKLGo5TA2pP-vvmHXXCaEVDqrGim_KdswNaoaQFfEPMmbIK5w_i_vUQkpwpkaZunCdXxy7TmW8h2bUL_sqBy79pO8/s1600/_DSC2842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjE7D1YmcGKNoO2zM4wexMtUhiLsXFRkThlhYkoqmh5TKZ6sN-xdKLGo5TA2pP-vvmHXXCaEVDqrGim_KdswNaoaQFfEPMmbIK5w_i_vUQkpwpkaZunCdXxy7TmW8h2bUL_sqBy79pO8/s320/_DSC2842.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3ShM_D1x7aKTXghcslg5yKIsHutY38P1lRzPxWk8TrW5D44eoy-JX5MNgXh4JVSJTdADVPlouc3v2Fk9VZZRd4_StnmgwfWHff17TqzAqCowY81OLi9dqmheLGljl9niqE3x-1YnmZw/s1600/_DSC2641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3ShM_D1x7aKTXghcslg5yKIsHutY38P1lRzPxWk8TrW5D44eoy-JX5MNgXh4JVSJTdADVPlouc3v2Fk9VZZRd4_StnmgwfWHff17TqzAqCowY81OLi9dqmheLGljl9niqE3x-1YnmZw/s320/_DSC2641.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBpECWTk5hQq74UmvXoVHM3Kx0Fh21aYfyBzdHFuewGGLKxH-XaAGxAylrxuyp2067N4Nnn9I7WpHEasckbg9c2BibaYC0fyQSK1PU8YfWwoYkH4Nodspk58rxzGY_Fgl7eQvGnWv2Zo/s1600/_DSC2650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBpECWTk5hQq74UmvXoVHM3Kx0Fh21aYfyBzdHFuewGGLKxH-XaAGxAylrxuyp2067N4Nnn9I7WpHEasckbg9c2BibaYC0fyQSK1PU8YfWwoYkH4Nodspk58rxzGY_Fgl7eQvGnWv2Zo/s320/_DSC2650.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH82-_-cQOdRzcj8xpI5Ks6Ok-a0HQnMEXKALFeh0PWDYbhjMipAcLArVUau-0vca_jOcvjBFIxLUqAb4eN_K4O0WuM9A3Y2yNOiW4sh4WU-Ue_Xq1Ua3EJQGjf7vWTE1f9nsTHenXVZ8/s1600/_DSC2529pt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH82-_-cQOdRzcj8xpI5Ks6Ok-a0HQnMEXKALFeh0PWDYbhjMipAcLArVUau-0vca_jOcvjBFIxLUqAb4eN_K4O0WuM9A3Y2yNOiW4sh4WU-Ue_Xq1Ua3EJQGjf7vWTE1f9nsTHenXVZ8/s320/_DSC2529pt2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu_k1Y8GI9hen-6e1rWqKP4RpNl3zToCbyEdBDzsI5dOc52L9oUtWmEdsxS3CxBXkg8c2R3OOTIhozaMLQ4hxh9Bso6WalBC9gWCmd9SFZi7TN0UfJ7JRo-CYL7IoGfuaS_wd0B2JZQ0/s1600/_DSC2925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu_k1Y8GI9hen-6e1rWqKP4RpNl3zToCbyEdBDzsI5dOc52L9oUtWmEdsxS3CxBXkg8c2R3OOTIhozaMLQ4hxh9Bso6WalBC9gWCmd9SFZi7TN0UfJ7JRo-CYL7IoGfuaS_wd0B2JZQ0/s320/_DSC2925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MQAAA27naqq24O7zYIZR1MQrNggfChAlvt4crRliM3vf50Mn1ewwu3VCJAwqOyn2KutnJW35DteKkFU4cVxFcebierOLxC6UQSBrMDjge0jlkuI1ELbFjVmf86I6vC1vu4dYbj4CGv8/s1600/_DSC2793.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4MQAAA27naqq24O7zYIZR1MQrNggfChAlvt4crRliM3vf50Mn1ewwu3VCJAwqOyn2KutnJW35DteKkFU4cVxFcebierOLxC6UQSBrMDjge0jlkuI1ELbFjVmf86I6vC1vu4dYbj4CGv8/s320/_DSC2793.NEF" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnxycfSu7TKKx9I8iaVjHaYfmiPRH-ZbGJJm5zWokf0HOcFzU7PGj5dQWxVfYblhPLnzNHNR0Q-gIR7ABOpV0JgOD7-e_N5u1QQOA6Lg7gFg5PMD9MVb84Sp4cNxp8rxJ2Hebkf5Dum0/s1600/_DSC2896.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnxycfSu7TKKx9I8iaVjHaYfmiPRH-ZbGJJm5zWokf0HOcFzU7PGj5dQWxVfYblhPLnzNHNR0Q-gIR7ABOpV0JgOD7-e_N5u1QQOA6Lg7gFg5PMD9MVb84Sp4cNxp8rxJ2Hebkf5Dum0/s320/_DSC2896.NEF" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The
people of Africa are so humble and so happy considering how little most
of them have. It was such an amazing experience, and I know it will not
be our last time being there together. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Nakupenda, Africa.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryD6z9jXQY8I8z77mkPwaMWDCv9yT83YuhR0yHDmXB0iklTUjWDhvFyA9tAyGZTajj2ZMu1lsQwyv10LmAMe7bjGff9_E0G2JblQiENRlV_lnVEzbvVavjdpDAN2n2X41XKb45UGxAZk/s1600/_DSC2981.NEF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryD6z9jXQY8I8z77mkPwaMWDCv9yT83YuhR0yHDmXB0iklTUjWDhvFyA9tAyGZTajj2ZMu1lsQwyv10LmAMe7bjGff9_E0G2JblQiENRlV_lnVEzbvVavjdpDAN2n2X41XKb45UGxAZk/s320/_DSC2981.NEF" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-48034296849275329602015-05-28T20:57:00.001-07:002015-05-28T20:57:48.053-07:00THANK YOU to the parents who get it!<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I have worked with children for the past 8 years of my life between both preschool and swimming lessons. Because of this, I have worked with literally <b>HUNDREDS</b> of parents, and I just want to give a quick shout out and and appreciation to the parents who just <i><b>get it</b></i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who know their child is capable of making a mistake, and that their child was not a victim in every situation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who know that my time is just as valuable as theirs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who don't try to bargain and cut a deal with me, just because they know me really well. (Trust me, I would love to be able to give more swimming lesson deals, but because it's my ONLY source of income in the summers, I can't afford to give discounts)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parent's who took time to get to know me (even if just a little bit... "how was your weekend?") </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who work with their child at home! Whether school or swimming- when they get it more than once they are far more likely to succeed! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who expressed their appreciation!!! Whether you gave me a nice "end of the year gift", wrote a small note, or just gave me that genuine hand shake and expressed any form of appreciation, that goes a long way and makes my job worth it!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who see how difficult it can be working with young children and give me little compliments or words of encouragement. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who have given me referrals making it possible for Bryan and I to pay our rent each summer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who share the stories of their child's successes at home ("My child fell into the pool but was able to swim to the side!" or "My child was able to identify the first letter of their name in a book we read together tonight!")</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to parents who give their children incentives! seriously! I even like the occasional bribe because it usually gets kids to conquer their fears. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">thank you to the parents who expressed concern, because of this I can help make changes to benefit the child's needs. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I can't believe I have another school year in the bag! Although this year was extremely difficult and I complained about it almost daily, because of success I was able to see in my students both socially and academically it makes it TOTALLY worth it. Here's to a summer full of SWIMMING LESSONS! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-45971557745483760882015-03-20T12:22:00.003-07:002015-03-20T12:22:51.517-07:00Utah doesn't get enough street cred.<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">we love moab. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Bryan is the best adventure partner ever. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">we are still in love & we have a good time. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-3D3XASWgkvaq-ux9YnqIweHF15U4kY6xC1i0CrY1eSgqb3xSwbNmhcANwL2X85HW0uSqWpdB_67ahg05Vv3s9xIDYK7ch7svDeZzYkV8sQweVnyi-BD7y7stXlpg_RhzaDNnl8LPTc/s1600/IMG_5403_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-3D3XASWgkvaq-ux9YnqIweHF15U4kY6xC1i0CrY1eSgqb3xSwbNmhcANwL2X85HW0uSqWpdB_67ahg05Vv3s9xIDYK7ch7svDeZzYkV8sQweVnyi-BD7y7stXlpg_RhzaDNnl8LPTc/s1600/IMG_5403_2.jpg" height="400" width="300" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1iwvS32qbikRCTzwbhMJOIFsHPiijB-vulD_F3N3f6ASHCq4Ec-cvZgBHajYKwNm_VkeNYw53zM_zUMeTx2AbnJa4Y6IrpPWMWORuvDV21o8VFXQym9DB-p5EGsGoCYCVFs0yymp5Vk/s1600/14280_1091293310886739_7776394080669858470_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1iwvS32qbikRCTzwbhMJOIFsHPiijB-vulD_F3N3f6ASHCq4Ec-cvZgBHajYKwNm_VkeNYw53zM_zUMeTx2AbnJa4Y6IrpPWMWORuvDV21o8VFXQym9DB-p5EGsGoCYCVFs0yymp5Vk/s1600/14280_1091293310886739_7776394080669858470_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZCs-1IPN5a3B5i6yzZCNVFCGZP0M-AOK7N2SsB9huBX9fdEN-NT8d4ur1iddwrW3vXOOnsyLc5b7YQMyv45kmZ7b4J5zK-neA9ayByL-4jTfQVOgIxoC0SWVftjEDwX0SDsojdRL-1w/s1600/IMG_5408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZCs-1IPN5a3B5i6yzZCNVFCGZP0M-AOK7N2SsB9huBX9fdEN-NT8d4ur1iddwrW3vXOOnsyLc5b7YQMyv45kmZ7b4J5zK-neA9ayByL-4jTfQVOgIxoC0SWVftjEDwX0SDsojdRL-1w/s1600/IMG_5408.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQKWfJ9pTwDqRhco7xkmb7yNS74wX35lD8vRvf7KhjkWD4x9RPNpj9Ic8Rewb1_4_hoemOCOw0K7EOkKqouSWwlT5uBNo-8kkYMUzY33ieNb3YU4A1SofvFyIBYp1cFB4CmPYIJsxYWk/s1600/IMG_5422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQKWfJ9pTwDqRhco7xkmb7yNS74wX35lD8vRvf7KhjkWD4x9RPNpj9Ic8Rewb1_4_hoemOCOw0K7EOkKqouSWwlT5uBNo-8kkYMUzY33ieNb3YU4A1SofvFyIBYp1cFB4CmPYIJsxYWk/s1600/IMG_5422.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2b0s17AX6DKg6SzRsSENHOqB0lwLG8i8cQt5ArRng7SxEGzUUZdD45XmdfzZRF0SuCzUVWMFbNti4XUX971nmAsMDfD3pHTschUP-iEXSPDTCnZQ1lciXNR0Bh2OZRssuSYnxDvLFzQ/s1600/IMG_5424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2b0s17AX6DKg6SzRsSENHOqB0lwLG8i8cQt5ArRng7SxEGzUUZdD45XmdfzZRF0SuCzUVWMFbNti4XUX971nmAsMDfD3pHTschUP-iEXSPDTCnZQ1lciXNR0Bh2OZRssuSYnxDvLFzQ/s1600/IMG_5424.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-PJdkEFpuU131dVeKugoGmvS4hf02ZwWF-5XRWgHaKvO4iuEjv5zplNa53AnNmf9UK-orzpOHs1ry-WWyIoDX0OO4X0Y7kqZB-SO-N7PqD6uKn8Lsl3_FafyuXiOsxYo8cw_YEnxyOA/s1600/IMG_5429_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-PJdkEFpuU131dVeKugoGmvS4hf02ZwWF-5XRWgHaKvO4iuEjv5zplNa53AnNmf9UK-orzpOHs1ry-WWyIoDX0OO4X0Y7kqZB-SO-N7PqD6uKn8Lsl3_FafyuXiOsxYo8cw_YEnxyOA/s1600/IMG_5429_2.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbduyOi0uJ_I1B41OGLnTFFCMwukW01hvJkAejlUUBjs6AN3k7HknnrUUTS4vSJDkWgax7Yk5PBmx8c_Zgy8aa9PfB7FLiI1xGWUDkTnN8OqYSjDtu83N4BjYWWVkffqIOXq0DGZcZqo/s1600/IMG_5413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbduyOi0uJ_I1B41OGLnTFFCMwukW01hvJkAejlUUBjs6AN3k7HknnrUUTS4vSJDkWgax7Yk5PBmx8c_Zgy8aa9PfB7FLiI1xGWUDkTnN8OqYSjDtu83N4BjYWWVkffqIOXq0DGZcZqo/s1600/IMG_5413.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiRzmVAOZ4Q5yRtC6tvAoUaI6cMm9khj3DseL3MbBl-bPNo7A4idtapjSvKcMUK754PrX0CMmeeAzWdrAD2WIYYfiNrMqATTgBXCZaj13hUY-IbihyphenhyphengKAKgS_wWiuI0jXrR526CLA3n0/s1600/IMG_5349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiRzmVAOZ4Q5yRtC6tvAoUaI6cMm9khj3DseL3MbBl-bPNo7A4idtapjSvKcMUK754PrX0CMmeeAzWdrAD2WIYYfiNrMqATTgBXCZaj13hUY-IbihyphenhyphengKAKgS_wWiuI0jXrR526CLA3n0/s1600/IMG_5349.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMrwvOlVRnki8RL064cHJ3Cjw7h2Ao-yfAfUs2quZzEDft_L8g2pSQwxUvTui-XGM2zJGmy4r0-1bw0Gfdeioj2x9VuSHsUEATqudcT2VMb_qFkhwVTc85sZGNx_y68IWJFiyfDkQ4ZY/s1600/IMG_5360_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMrwvOlVRnki8RL064cHJ3Cjw7h2Ao-yfAfUs2quZzEDft_L8g2pSQwxUvTui-XGM2zJGmy4r0-1bw0Gfdeioj2x9VuSHsUEATqudcT2VMb_qFkhwVTc85sZGNx_y68IWJFiyfDkQ4ZY/s1600/IMG_5360_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXPNHuZJNKiHvi7Ksk4fybEhly1_NTXAiiF1DfwGfC0_6OHKnZxhQ4tBF61iGkK9pRFqBullr60YvxHhBUeD1XB9TdWBkDl_p8MxHRfL9yjCq2rSx1pocBhgHFF0c2NPuri5X-ZP5M7Y/s1600/IMG_5392_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXPNHuZJNKiHvi7Ksk4fybEhly1_NTXAiiF1DfwGfC0_6OHKnZxhQ4tBF61iGkK9pRFqBullr60YvxHhBUeD1XB9TdWBkDl_p8MxHRfL9yjCq2rSx1pocBhgHFF0c2NPuri5X-ZP5M7Y/s1600/IMG_5392_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">As of lately update:</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">i'm not pregnant, but everyone else is pregnant</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">school is almost out which means its almost swimming lesson season</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">this weather is making me CRAZY for summer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm volunteering a shiz ton</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">we have been married for a long time </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-26354531773305712302015-01-30T13:22:00.000-08:002015-01-30T13:22:37.398-08:00Pretty Much Perfect.<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It has been a long time since I last blogged</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have thought about how I should a lot... but I couldn't get myself to sit down and do it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've been looking at a lot of blogs/instagrams/social medias lately and I have found a common theme of all the bloggers out there, and how it appears to me that they all lead perfect lives. They dress impeccably, have the most gorgeous children, and wake up at 5:45 am to go to the gym and post a picture of their perfectly balanced breakfast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It made me feel quite inadequate to blog, and sort of in life in general. I mean, obviously I'm not a fashion blogger, nor could I ever be, or want to be for that matter, but they all seem to be just so perfect, right? So I have been trying to convince myself that is a stupid reason to stop blogging, because I don't do it for other people, I do it for myself, really. I don't keep a journal or anything like that, so a blog is the best record of my most random thoughts I have over the years. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">While I was looking at others blogs, I just found myself asking "seriously? <i>is this really your life? Do you always look like this? </i>Do you always eat like that? Can you really afford to dress yourself/your child like that?" and I just have to keep reminding myself that the answer <b><i>has</i></b> to be no. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Social media is giving me serious brain damage apparently. of course people aren't all they are portrayed in their <u>best</u> pictures. But sheesh... it seems like a lot of pressure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Like I said, I certainly do NOT consider myself a "blogger" at all! but I find people always commenting on things like Instagram saying "oh my gosh you guys are perfect!" "You look so good" "I want your life" etc. I am not here to brag and say that everyone wants my life (i'm 99% sure no one would <i>actually</i> want my life), but even I fell into feeling this pressure of looking, acting, and portraying myself in a certain way. Like people would literally be disappointed in me if I gained <i>any</i> of my weight back, or people would hate knowing that Bryan and I (although we are very much in love) have certainly had our share of goof ups and arguments. and of course I have with both of those things! but it's like I can't let people know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Now, I'm not going to do anything drastic like delete all my social media, because I really do enjoy it. I don't want to get rid of it completely because it occasionally drives me crazy. It's a good way to stay in touch, or see pictures of amazing & beautiful places (and there are a lot of great whale pictures on instragram), but I don't even know what to do. I know I can't be alone with this sense of pressure. I read an article not too long ago about people who take a lot of selfies <i>RARELY</i> post the first one they take- they take tons, sometimes literally hundreds before they get the perfect picture they find worthy of showing to the world. If I posted the first picture I took, it's usually an accidental frontward facing camera and all I see is my double chin and up my nose. Now, I probably wouldn't be getting tons of "I want your life" after a picture like that. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Of course I like getting nice comments and positive feedback on my pictures. I love comments that say "I love you two!" and even a nice one like "you look so pretty" if I happened to get ready and felt good that day! but I almost cringe at ones that say "you are perfect". Seriously. </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I love my life, and I feel extremely blessed, and I am happy, but please don't get confused and think my life is perfect, because it certainly isn't, and I don't want the pressure to have to <i><b>pretend</b></i> that it is. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm done comparing myself to other people based on pictures and thinking my life is lame if I'm not traveling to far away countries and eating expensive food. I have never been happier with my tight-budget, occasionally messy, basically standard routine, hilariously ridiculous life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and with that, I don't "want" anybody else's life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span id="goog_1934405952"></span><span id="goog_1934405953"></span><br /></span>Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-60882959941760064072014-11-20T14:54:00.000-08:002014-11-20T14:59:27.751-08:00Sh*t I've Learned While Being Married<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">On November 21, 2013 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I made the easiest and best decision of my life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Although I have had anxiety for the last 2 months about "no longer being a newly wed" and coping with those feelings… I have had time to reflect on how much <i>fun</i> this past year has been. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Perfect? No. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Different than I imagined? Sort of. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hard? Sometimes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Still the Best Thing Ever? Yes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiZqF0sP6WGKGfPe0K7ZWWXH8rGtkK38J_FsWllMKafhEkQVCLy8JXMrx63IkXGczD8FHhVRcOyaiA2xJJTEQ4VYzSCdwvjk9TkaUnygF_qUlVYJPSDb3aM3-sq58Pd7KrOQIevvfX6c/s1600/IMG_3151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiZqF0sP6WGKGfPe0K7ZWWXH8rGtkK38J_FsWllMKafhEkQVCLy8JXMrx63IkXGczD8FHhVRcOyaiA2xJJTEQ4VYzSCdwvjk9TkaUnygF_qUlVYJPSDb3aM3-sq58Pd7KrOQIevvfX6c/s1600/IMG_3151.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's only been a year, but another year older, another year wiser. here is a list of things I've learned along the way... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Share Your Treats!!! That shiz comes full circle over time. If you don't share the cupcake your neighbor dropped off, he won't share his freshly baked Dunford Donut next week. (We always know when you eat treats and don't share!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Choose your battles. Obviously someone you live with is going to bother you occasionally. Tell them the things that are worth sharing, but don't pick apart every single thing they do "wrong". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Get a hobby together. People told us this… we chose corn hole, shooting guns, and watching Netflix. I recommend all three. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Start traditions together. This could be Spaghetti Wednesday, Walking Dead Sunday, Nude Brunch, Official Diet Coke Time… you get the idea. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Know each others needs. I'm not talking shelter, food, safety needs… I'm talking about the simple NEEDS we each have. He knows I need 15-60 minutes of uninterrupted cuddle/back tickle time after work to decompress, and a made bed every day. I know he needs matching socks, and a few hours to sew creations each Sunday. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">DOCUMENT! I don't care if you have a digital camera, Vine, Instagram, journal, blog, WHATEVER! just document!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Work on projects TOGETHER. For now, we are working on our health, marriage, and school (well, I'm helping him with school I suppose). Eventually we will work on our home, kids, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Remember those small things that hardly seemed worth mentioning, but when you look back it meant everything. (For you my love, it was long boarding in the parking lot, learning to drive stick, vespa to the hospital, Sundance moonlight ride, and so much more)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Learn to do the things that you <i><b>hate</b></i> if your husband/wife loves it. I HATE giving back tickles… I know I am satanic. Do I give them enough? No… but I'm trying to share the generosity and pay it forward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Still do things for YOU! Just because your married doesn't mean all other areas in your life no longer apply. Still go to lunch, call your friends, buy an occasional guilty pleasure. If not, you might go a <i>little bit </i>crazy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sometimes I think it's okay to go to bed mad (okay, maybe not totally fuming mad… but annoyed mad). Sometimes all I need is a few ZZZ's to realize where I was in the wrong in the disagreement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Whether you are both in school, or one person is working and the other is in school… you BOTH need to <u>pull your weight</u>. Neither one is a "stay at home" anything which requires <b>both </b>to share in cooking, dishes, and cleaning. Both helping 100%, not 50/50.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Give up your fight. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Be obsessed with your significant other!!! The obsession radiates and makes loving, laughing, serving, and having fun come so naturally.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Even when teasing, don't throw them under the bus in front of friends. You can tease, but don't reveal your husband/wife's bad habits to friends, even if they do drive you crazy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I saw a quote once that said <b>"Never stop dating your wife, and never stop flirting with your husband"</b>, and how true I have found this to be! Bryan hasn't lost it… He has always been great at weekly date nights, opening the door, and planning something special. Remembering to flirt with your husband isn't difficult, but sometimes it can be hard to remember… I mean we do spend our lives together! But, I will say that I have seen a huge difference in when I am still sending Bryan sweet texts, complimenting him, or just giving him that look when we are standing across the room from each other versus when we just spend a casual, normal night together where we aren't trying to impress each other. It just keeps things fun. and special. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and to Bryan, how can I ever even thank you? There is so much it's hard to put into words… but here it is for starters. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to remember and thank you for all you do for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you not only for waking me up every morning, but doing it gently (and listening to me whine for the first 30 minutes of being awake). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thank you for scraping off my car every cold and winter morning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thank you for STILL opening my door. You are such a gentleman.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thank you for making me laugh harder than anyone else. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for still being so obviously obsessed with me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for knowing my mood so perfectly, that you know exactly what I need, or knowing when to just stop. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for all the nights you hold me and tickle me to sleep, which is all reality every night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for making me not only breakfast, but also an amazing lunch for work every morning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for all the sweet notes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for forgiving me after I punched your head. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for always being so willing to apologize, and doing what it takes to make this work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for all of the dates "on you"!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for every surprise. I don't know how you are still so good at them!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for caring about what matters to me!!! i.e. whales, diet coke, friends, ice cream, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for all of the ridiculous snap chats you send me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for working so hard in school and at work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for making the bed every morning. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for not embracing my weirdness, but loving it and being 10 times weirder than me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for taking my side on every situation, even when you know I'm wrong. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for fulfilling my life dream of being crazy in love, and being a much better husband than I ever expected to get. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVGrm9h4aXzBf_WJj-O55355-8zm9M1ShJy6fvg8fPjOalrht2R0TzzIbmUX8TKRS8i53B7k5nQ8oE2IHfSGKLC0028_a9n3YDW1qJroFC7zEgpGkNQ3WwnmTgeFoeOpszNXByjRXYdw/s1600/IMG_4861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVGrm9h4aXzBf_WJj-O55355-8zm9M1ShJy6fvg8fPjOalrht2R0TzzIbmUX8TKRS8i53B7k5nQ8oE2IHfSGKLC0028_a9n3YDW1qJroFC7zEgpGkNQ3WwnmTgeFoeOpszNXByjRXYdw/s1600/IMG_4861.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I love you so much. it has been a wonderful year. I can't wait for 80 more and forever after that! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>but like I always say… "the sun lights up the day time, you light up my life" </b></i></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-67082361011957426002014-10-27T16:55:00.000-07:002014-10-27T16:55:39.824-07:00Oregon, Fall Break. <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Bryan and I had an amazing time in Oregon for Fall Break again this year. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We had so much fun becoming "athletic" at a football game, hiking, going to a pumpkin patch, visiting Portland, watching comedian Jason Hewlitt, making 1000+ videos of us singing different variations of "rounds", our tradition of chili and corn bread and watching The House at the End of the Road (or something like that… I recommend it, it was way scary!) with apple spice cider and carmel apples! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It was so fun to see my sisters and their families again. It's terrible living so far away from them. We miss it and can't wait to move there (ha just kidding… kinda) and go back again for Thanksgiving this year! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdZpPHLM0qha1glPzQYDjhwb1mRKAgPmMtnheOjtqLQmFboB5WbZdp_XIPlnzpY5vW4lyqqr-cz17ogWBJud1xrvbghCN5C1kQCSYIcn-595MRukpsXq5G2u7NifeXPuo8fu0tDwxUj4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdZpPHLM0qha1glPzQYDjhwb1mRKAgPmMtnheOjtqLQmFboB5WbZdp_XIPlnzpY5vW4lyqqr-cz17ogWBJud1xrvbghCN5C1kQCSYIcn-595MRukpsXq5G2u7NifeXPuo8fu0tDwxUj4/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLaIDbcNGPAQQUP6XxSwoLf42W6FIE0bL30YlFkbR1VakCzKhjRmfkFfc0psfz9zjgqVtWsqG57ChICiLX0cVwOCHpRzq1v0aKM9IEn67ml3Ze2GJmYwY8U-Zejz6qZmJIXmCGs88HfU/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLaIDbcNGPAQQUP6XxSwoLf42W6FIE0bL30YlFkbR1VakCzKhjRmfkFfc0psfz9zjgqVtWsqG57ChICiLX0cVwOCHpRzq1v0aKM9IEn67ml3Ze2GJmYwY8U-Zejz6qZmJIXmCGs88HfU/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWWrBZ65Is8TvBoYDRQcqnnjSVBROoZ0bQ-sIJXEer8TDVfaIzuBMv_LgqmNrJ8Pl1FFogxorXX0wJ_ltu_CKi2Nxf15GmGfULDicnCIrJdD9SwAKXGYW48500A2ybSjYLpfnhgYCKcE/s1600/IMG_4702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWWrBZ65Is8TvBoYDRQcqnnjSVBROoZ0bQ-sIJXEer8TDVfaIzuBMv_LgqmNrJ8Pl1FFogxorXX0wJ_ltu_CKi2Nxf15GmGfULDicnCIrJdD9SwAKXGYW48500A2ybSjYLpfnhgYCKcE/s1600/IMG_4702.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch8rt4UhsyMzJ9ZxFkpfRNdXr4821WtxVrzg3JDVMRA6gmLtd9hAljk0v3DDFXpuCjGKCGABzw3O9A9sOyftmJCg6OGYd5Y4b_b2QlIX-vAEVbEaPRxbIRK0QNJN3Et6qu73euG6uaWU/s1600/IMG_4703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch8rt4UhsyMzJ9ZxFkpfRNdXr4821WtxVrzg3JDVMRA6gmLtd9hAljk0v3DDFXpuCjGKCGABzw3O9A9sOyftmJCg6OGYd5Y4b_b2QlIX-vAEVbEaPRxbIRK0QNJN3Et6qu73euG6uaWU/s1600/IMG_4703.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDrxpFaJgZn_dkcOLG_9hsg2Mn1FJdpe-cdW9gxCF1EQpAM30PdIIfm5FfGl7KkOdOBip-qZFz0JmY3BmQImnLzKgXFpH1ip6y8wLtjOxxGPVouRPDVEtrIACi2GRdeUIYvqZX0HsJZo/s1600/IMG_4781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDrxpFaJgZn_dkcOLG_9hsg2Mn1FJdpe-cdW9gxCF1EQpAM30PdIIfm5FfGl7KkOdOBip-qZFz0JmY3BmQImnLzKgXFpH1ip6y8wLtjOxxGPVouRPDVEtrIACi2GRdeUIYvqZX0HsJZo/s1600/IMG_4781.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yPauYFyt3wUasDnuRxOVab08I5flhWAsSFmqN9USvuDi6XuDC6X3BwAYN-3gOFa1zyr0I8fcIp1rJo2X70VRXtfL1GTNCGja61qhXQ402LZc_-0habpRePtF5ApZrp37Z2zpBB7GocI/s1600/IMG_4809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4yPauYFyt3wUasDnuRxOVab08I5flhWAsSFmqN9USvuDi6XuDC6X3BwAYN-3gOFa1zyr0I8fcIp1rJo2X70VRXtfL1GTNCGja61qhXQ402LZc_-0habpRePtF5ApZrp37Z2zpBB7GocI/s1600/IMG_4809.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJxHj92-Em-ojmeWW_uK0sDIs63A42lDNDnXPZPViQk_cZ_wl41paYTJKO4Tu2dk63UhLO7CEPnO9qIJYzOun-KcOr2fz8gZs5nEaVOcil8v7cpyo0KQTJmTytfAOzbcG55G4L12V-Qs/s1600/IMG_4815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJxHj92-Em-ojmeWW_uK0sDIs63A42lDNDnXPZPViQk_cZ_wl41paYTJKO4Tu2dk63UhLO7CEPnO9qIJYzOun-KcOr2fz8gZs5nEaVOcil8v7cpyo0KQTJmTytfAOzbcG55G4L12V-Qs/s1600/IMG_4815.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8G5-dJLJdLW1fCm9ifPYTaG5TKswBTIk6hxqiDc4aVkSoa4t2Pjksx4YnXnOemQDE6D3TtiQ8LLfyID4h0RmXGQGcOxfGVTFjv7HchheQQFMehsa1KU8SgWMdRFIIzk4MdH2EoC9SR7Y/s1600/IMG_4696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8G5-dJLJdLW1fCm9ifPYTaG5TKswBTIk6hxqiDc4aVkSoa4t2Pjksx4YnXnOemQDE6D3TtiQ8LLfyID4h0RmXGQGcOxfGVTFjv7HchheQQFMehsa1KU8SgWMdRFIIzk4MdH2EoC9SR7Y/s1600/IMG_4696.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik44PLFVykIeMkwGcfo_9OrrdUlRFDRa5DeKr2Re14kp6fM3AIaZdEPDHh_EQe3DWpbYlXD6KMqsZn-7Xl_mCReKMr9VCQqursBh4WNxdSMI_Dxnqu56gQKPJTv0Bz2i1RhidJlt1C0Fc/s1600/IMG_4782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik44PLFVykIeMkwGcfo_9OrrdUlRFDRa5DeKr2Re14kp6fM3AIaZdEPDHh_EQe3DWpbYlXD6KMqsZn-7Xl_mCReKMr9VCQqursBh4WNxdSMI_Dxnqu56gQKPJTv0Bz2i1RhidJlt1C0Fc/s1600/IMG_4782.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvcrKXNvQiE2CwATQM-WLkFh1fDoL9dMO_kRcSvv23YRopdui28zgi5Nwc6b-04k93hxwwP3qwEpc8ru7OpDKuTtj6HpLoF5nR-y-7B7Xx-PsbvVDXqjiRysXKBwky5DykIvkJjmWML0/s1600/IMG_4790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvcrKXNvQiE2CwATQM-WLkFh1fDoL9dMO_kRcSvv23YRopdui28zgi5Nwc6b-04k93hxwwP3qwEpc8ru7OpDKuTtj6HpLoF5nR-y-7B7Xx-PsbvVDXqjiRysXKBwky5DykIvkJjmWML0/s1600/IMG_4790.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JoyemvYE3YUr625HXrGBiXOzHgk391S1Iian2s45ChrgxqE-eda9OxnWgaxzdiKKxtRYgMlLA66-4qeZi1TlJkiiVAymLzqSv8MRA9PKUdUdI0ee5-0HczbDyKMIGYGKSyE64NfdK-E/s1600/IMG_4792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JoyemvYE3YUr625HXrGBiXOzHgk391S1Iian2s45ChrgxqE-eda9OxnWgaxzdiKKxtRYgMlLA66-4qeZi1TlJkiiVAymLzqSv8MRA9PKUdUdI0ee5-0HczbDyKMIGYGKSyE64NfdK-E/s1600/IMG_4792.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3ju4RH871FKpJYFPFyy1z3CI2DPtapRffrtS3x63g7B-95ytWR1uEFK7P-ipepOi5xU0-rPEx0e6FVQI7Omz_UcnedadbJqrhz_pYctivnaeHjN3tJzACh2exPdsA5kAybWsCVHrW2g/s1600/IMG_4795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3ju4RH871FKpJYFPFyy1z3CI2DPtapRffrtS3x63g7B-95ytWR1uEFK7P-ipepOi5xU0-rPEx0e6FVQI7Omz_UcnedadbJqrhz_pYctivnaeHjN3tJzACh2exPdsA5kAybWsCVHrW2g/s1600/IMG_4795.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtq-e84Sss4c0I9Kq0bNSdbDsJgHxvA-WfjxgQg4C5NIEPQQAmDwJgrkuCD9Y5QDyVqcbBZFpQ60lu9k-jnxvksaYfsobMGUL9S352rxA33KVdcfnOLtZhuBGin7hG24Zo5HGwvUSaaE/s1600/IMG_4796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtq-e84Sss4c0I9Kq0bNSdbDsJgHxvA-WfjxgQg4C5NIEPQQAmDwJgrkuCD9Y5QDyVqcbBZFpQ60lu9k-jnxvksaYfsobMGUL9S352rxA33KVdcfnOLtZhuBGin7hG24Zo5HGwvUSaaE/s1600/IMG_4796.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSuHxKdHEeKjEm0uyJV87y_IQrG70FOKbDrLq82P5kvrgvnU9uhsUWPK7K-8JTI19icMjjxJ6p7oJcTNgtPdYVOuLAYvYiSUyKKx0ZqHIhBZ6HXGzXoI8U0DwmxWta1Eyn7pOJCWO4h8/s1600/IMG_4799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSuHxKdHEeKjEm0uyJV87y_IQrG70FOKbDrLq82P5kvrgvnU9uhsUWPK7K-8JTI19icMjjxJ6p7oJcTNgtPdYVOuLAYvYiSUyKKx0ZqHIhBZ6HXGzXoI8U0DwmxWta1Eyn7pOJCWO4h8/s1600/IMG_4799.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> but like I always say… "wouldn't it be chilly with no.skin.on?"</span></b></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-51420739031264706962014-09-30T16:28:00.000-07:002014-09-30T16:28:16.442-07:00KOL. Mechanical Bull Tour 2014. Las Vegas, NV. <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I know I'm not being dramatic when I say that last weekend was the best weekend of my LIFE! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have been waiting to see Kings of Leon live for over 3 years! Last time, they were all addicted to drugs and went hiatus, but they made a come back with their latest album, </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Mechanical Bull. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZLqYtIPcCBGjE8P2g4NuIw9RhvgE172mop4qoCAZ46t6VRYngeXKeTr2s4PD61WiqSMmiFPP0-BwJqI9-EYeof8hpL9tf3kmN-_qOI-LzIysbo6ceHG7F_1ceVdnSRYCsext_JhIwVs/s1600/10671227_976480842367987_5757037790572816509_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZLqYtIPcCBGjE8P2g4NuIw9RhvgE172mop4qoCAZ46t6VRYngeXKeTr2s4PD61WiqSMmiFPP0-BwJqI9-EYeof8hpL9tf3kmN-_qOI-LzIysbo6ceHG7F_1ceVdnSRYCsext_JhIwVs/s1600/10671227_976480842367987_5757037790572816509_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have always loved Kings of Leon, but w</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">e have started to listen to Kings of Leon so much <i><b>more</b></i> since we have been married, that they just remind me of Bryan and our summer together.The best part is</span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> Bryan loves them basically as much as I do (maybe more, if that's possible) so it was <u>SO FUN</u> to see them live! concerts just are not as fun if you aren't with someone who knows, loves, and appreciates them as much as you. We spent the next 30 minutes debriefing the entire concert… what we expected and didn't expect, what parts made us cry, etc. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFl2GYCuXQ67PCnlTyNvBEpos1xobPuD2mU1ZW3sSsWB14atAlstGXtViwmQzuTgySW_SR7dF68PXbdD7Ff1VKxbNd6tbCvVNn_SmWR1AKwrYllRNnBAXwxmMw-kF7lpnDWbkT0R9Pn3w/s1600/10649564_976050999077638_76836169041316035_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFl2GYCuXQ67PCnlTyNvBEpos1xobPuD2mU1ZW3sSsWB14atAlstGXtViwmQzuTgySW_SR7dF68PXbdD7Ff1VKxbNd6tbCvVNn_SmWR1AKwrYllRNnBAXwxmMw-kF7lpnDWbkT0R9Pn3w/s1600/10649564_976050999077638_76836169041316035_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The concert was <b>so amazing</b>. Usually after a concert I want to give everyone the entire play-by-play including what their opening song was, their encore, what they were wearing, etc. But honestly, I haven't been able to give anyone the details. It was literally like a sacred moment in my life that I only want for me, Bryan, and kings of leon. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Thank you Kings, for giving us the best night of our lives. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Also, if you want any advice in life at all…</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Download ALL of Kings of Leon's albums</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">watch Talihina Sky on Netflix. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><i>but like I always say… "I don't care if you don't care"</i></b></span></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-46782233290031747092014-09-23T18:10:00.000-07:002014-09-23T18:10:48.488-07:00Hobbies.<div style="text-align: left;">
The other day I saw some meme that said something along the lines "nothing puts me into a bigger panic than when people ask me what I like to do for fun"… this got me thinking… WHAT THE HECK DO I EVEN LIKE TO DO FOR FUN? Like, an <b><i>OFFICIAL</i></b> thing I like to do for fun. Something I can report back to people when they ask! And I thought… and came up with nothing.</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I feel content with just talking to people. Maybe that's why I haven't invested in my hobbies. Because unlike boys who go golfing or something hobby-esque when they hang out, girls just go to lunch and chat. Am I right? </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But it's a common questions, almost anytime you meet someone new… "so, what do you like to do for fun?" It's an ice breaker. or a total stressful 3 second identity crisis asking- who you really are and what you really do in life. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
like I said…people ask me what I like to do, or what my interests are. <b>This is what I've come up with.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Whales. Obviously.</b> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>The Ocean</b>… the whales home. Obviously. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Serial Killers</b>… thats creepy. I don't like to just <i>tell</i> people that. But seriously, a good True Crime or murder mystery book/movie/tv show and I'm hooked.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have a small interest in <b>Health</b>… enough to like to learn new things, not necessarily enough to do any of them. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Diet Coke</b> is an interest. I could have an extended conversation about that. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>I love traveling!</b> (But that's become more difficult with a real job and 100% more bills than last year).</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
but I mean, there are more interest than classified "hobbies", right?</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Most of my life I haven't had any <b>real</b> hobbies... I danced in Jr. High and sang a bit in high school. Other than that I've enjoyed watching basketball games, hanging out with friends, cleaning my room, crashing parties... None of these considered "hobbies".</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
You see… I've <i>TRIED</i> a lot of different things. but I'm not <b><i>GOOD</i></b> at anything. Doesn't that just kinda suck? It mostly just sucks when I am on Instagram and I see people who are extremely fashionable or even models, painters, singers, athletes, world travelers, etc. (Note: I am aware that Instagram portrays only the parts of these people's lives that they <u>WANT</u> to show and to look awesome-- but I can't even do that!)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
To paint a picture (ha, not literally)...I almost failed my pottery class once. I'm almost too embarrassed to try to draw a circle or a straight line in front of preschool kids. I've never been on a team sport. I'm not musical, (meaning although I have tried guitar lessons, I don't know how to play). I can't quilt/sew. I can only cook in a crockpot. and I can't blow a smoke circle, do the splits, or tie a cherry stem into a knot. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My day consists of: gym, work, clean, dinner, and some activity (netflix, pinterst, reading, preschool prep, etc.) Except I'm not sure any of those are considered "hobbies". Everyone does those things basically.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
let's take the gym for example… I go 4 or 5 times a week. but a hobby? I'm not so sure that counts. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Backpacking... I've done that <i>once</i> an almost died but still had a good time. Does that count?</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I started cooking and that has become really fun for me. Not because I'm an excellent cook, but Bryan treats me like I'm the amazing inventor of all delicious foods, and that feels pretty good. But all I do is throw it in the Crockpot and come home 5 hours later and it's done! (If that's considered a hobby, i recommend it because it's the most simple thing in the world!)</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Reading? That could be considered a hobby right? I do love a good book.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>When we first got married everyone told us to get a hobby...</i></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'd probably have to say Bryan and my new hobby is shooting guns! I mean, we certainly don't do it everyday... But enough times and made the commitment to make it a pretty permanent thing. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>And my favorite hobby would have to be corn hole.</b> hands down. and riding the scooter. because it's just amazing. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I guess I can just feel pretty insignificant in the hobby area because when you're married to a man who can try anythig the first time and it turns to gold...</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I'm not kidding. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The man has made me multiple wood works, including our corn hole set AND the cutest whale tissue box ever! Sewed a perfect Buff Headband, has the eye and skill for photography, can sketch or paint anything possible, and can freaking weld new handlebars onto his fixed gear bike!!! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I guess what I'm trying to say is… I think I'm a good person. I'm open to try almost anything. It's just too bad I'm not da bomb at anything I do. <b>The bottom line is…</b> <b>if you have any hobby suggests, please comment below. and commit to doing it with me. </b></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-66152612603555590482014-09-15T17:07:00.000-07:002014-09-15T17:07:26.157-07:00Backpacking Kings Peak.<div style="text-align: center;">
This weekend I seriously did one of the hardest things I've ever done. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've never backpacked in my life, but one Sunday Bryan's cousin and her family invited us to go backpacking with them. Just <b><i>casually</i></b> hike 30 miles to the highest peak in Utah, and we agreed! </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hCCzeAnbSEmH6xgvdsbZU6gkgYBPZZq7aHKHB7GdCMgrxddKrc7itfWllALXBjHlUoEJPcXBzOxWXhyjwc4j96YzBATXemECaBU5VcIIbffXTF9ECyx7FWyYUjk5xzLZpCqIJgqV6p0/s1600/IMG_4489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hCCzeAnbSEmH6xgvdsbZU6gkgYBPZZq7aHKHB7GdCMgrxddKrc7itfWllALXBjHlUoEJPcXBzOxWXhyjwc4j96YzBATXemECaBU5VcIIbffXTF9ECyx7FWyYUjk5xzLZpCqIJgqV6p0/s1600/IMG_4489.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3VmRLlK5Zj7b1cyGSCGSwG406XHRyXSoWCRKbQd45wWcQvKsVBYQ-2-jdfFBt0Tq7KLqFMdSbuLw-fwdRIaM-5iI5iII1_QWpUhMdlslEJtO_yjO5EobwnucGvxvABVtgpMGYjovnh8/s1600/IMG_4494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3VmRLlK5Zj7b1cyGSCGSwG406XHRyXSoWCRKbQd45wWcQvKsVBYQ-2-jdfFBt0Tq7KLqFMdSbuLw-fwdRIaM-5iI5iII1_QWpUhMdlslEJtO_yjO5EobwnucGvxvABVtgpMGYjovnh8/s1600/IMG_4494.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cIikDU3aGPG0CLjsdidJGyTdQh9N6zJZAi_UszGQC_KZkvpiGOCWQNUb1tve1bljA_pf7UUdpsk9CwwM-vVbOer84GujCEOlWBdtbEONjG1W4lLRoSOoCoNtdqvKKJZzAgO3lqED2FE/s1600/IMG_4498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cIikDU3aGPG0CLjsdidJGyTdQh9N6zJZAi_UszGQC_KZkvpiGOCWQNUb1tve1bljA_pf7UUdpsk9CwwM-vVbOer84GujCEOlWBdtbEONjG1W4lLRoSOoCoNtdqvKKJZzAgO3lqED2FE/s1600/IMG_4498.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz-3TrryuEfmiam9nLBXtGhqpLRwfnjD-ycZzcLyins_piFGg1MwP2ehLFu8myzSPSzGxwrYhaD_5E1-8FHz5lOj8ErsqC_z1-P1xeh9cRzZcmlAaD6s1gZVs2SbmMQ0H9_IIkuXsVj0/s1600/IMG_4507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz-3TrryuEfmiam9nLBXtGhqpLRwfnjD-ycZzcLyins_piFGg1MwP2ehLFu8myzSPSzGxwrYhaD_5E1-8FHz5lOj8ErsqC_z1-P1xeh9cRzZcmlAaD6s1gZVs2SbmMQ0H9_IIkuXsVj0/s1600/IMG_4507.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf2cCj6PsQgJo7dJ-4afKJzjxw9UFAEntrE1GvCUdV2E9jMqAFJozolErdx9jTF7PsAWfDf1epHuIpU-Th0gO_DROBc6YmVcxokAWLen2JmFUyk8nn03TFo4d7q0pXM3cMByce7Dk3_w/s1600/IMG_4512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf2cCj6PsQgJo7dJ-4afKJzjxw9UFAEntrE1GvCUdV2E9jMqAFJozolErdx9jTF7PsAWfDf1epHuIpU-Th0gO_DROBc6YmVcxokAWLen2JmFUyk8nn03TFo4d7q0pXM3cMByce7Dk3_w/s1600/IMG_4512.JPG" height="83" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCalSdUjNL_xJtwvWQcfeCZLCd6UH1xbzFcHCfT3-x2lwaszD_V7fQxuID8t1nYta2jIIbqGXCSpye1evjdJffp7Me1PZni81qu88w6re4FaERlyQ4AjFELyOx16yWOO-M0FFWBNtIUvQ/s1600/IMG_4514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCalSdUjNL_xJtwvWQcfeCZLCd6UH1xbzFcHCfT3-x2lwaszD_V7fQxuID8t1nYta2jIIbqGXCSpye1evjdJffp7Me1PZni81qu88w6re4FaERlyQ4AjFELyOx16yWOO-M0FFWBNtIUvQ/s1600/IMG_4514.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKa1raBpwLfzjPdPvrCiWuV5frGLFPkIuopy-X3sAypVfhCt7255qWLVgKfkRWp7Yiia-giSsC3n5FBdv5jzHsQT24iCn7qx7a1tXoo9fYSDc5azQbzlPSAdrcpBONv4b4mehnHAFuiSA/s1600/IMG_4519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKa1raBpwLfzjPdPvrCiWuV5frGLFPkIuopy-X3sAypVfhCt7255qWLVgKfkRWp7Yiia-giSsC3n5FBdv5jzHsQT24iCn7qx7a1tXoo9fYSDc5azQbzlPSAdrcpBONv4b4mehnHAFuiSA/s1600/IMG_4519.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDiFDzxW1mtYLfi3Pe_WWW1Z5QHXMsnwTstY5jS0B0WPMeiuxrlc6QKvQ4Cx2AiJDI_RHBCY0gFrQOkHQV7q2dhNhyphenhyphentAxlmL8jBYQnW6OeJtocFNMRI6U2EVqojpGJO-IgLts_6AGGNY/s1600/IMG_4520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDiFDzxW1mtYLfi3Pe_WWW1Z5QHXMsnwTstY5jS0B0WPMeiuxrlc6QKvQ4Cx2AiJDI_RHBCY0gFrQOkHQV7q2dhNhyphenhyphentAxlmL8jBYQnW6OeJtocFNMRI6U2EVqojpGJO-IgLts_6AGGNY/s1600/IMG_4520.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yfZzA-7zVMtS1czIfn4kV64g0gFFFBu2i4DwU8jSxu-cNgjF32r3keRXRkzialD0iDPWlP4WJEcssXaIqy3R0POvUh2lUuOSrkxyDmQNl9KAf3I1vxvbUUOG5EWZC_iOhQGAvkiPy8M/s1600/IMG_4521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yfZzA-7zVMtS1czIfn4kV64g0gFFFBu2i4DwU8jSxu-cNgjF32r3keRXRkzialD0iDPWlP4WJEcssXaIqy3R0POvUh2lUuOSrkxyDmQNl9KAf3I1vxvbUUOG5EWZC_iOhQGAvkiPy8M/s1600/IMG_4521.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMw8VZ65nG1lqysSF7egfga_E22kqY4TNTjGvXCj4zvLABbWYP0zAO-VukYMC0wxQNTRhNPa9A5AK986hVMi9Nkwva4NSh0rNkuHA75_CWsJoGpTT5VQhEcWpq_PO1rhvDlWSu9t4vCVA/s1600/IMG_4522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMw8VZ65nG1lqysSF7egfga_E22kqY4TNTjGvXCj4zvLABbWYP0zAO-VukYMC0wxQNTRhNPa9A5AK986hVMi9Nkwva4NSh0rNkuHA75_CWsJoGpTT5VQhEcWpq_PO1rhvDlWSu9t4vCVA/s1600/IMG_4522.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxCqCRQqnTIVtUqX658gF95PWTlqGoTVHcsF9algib_e54nddzBJwgW4NZ25Wp3XP73Gc1iJyztbLXqaYpHPbUkuUw2C1q7N7AvLZpeShFt99o6axZUUyoSLIz5JUaMbUWuplo58DY9o/s1600/IMG_4523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxCqCRQqnTIVtUqX658gF95PWTlqGoTVHcsF9algib_e54nddzBJwgW4NZ25Wp3XP73Gc1iJyztbLXqaYpHPbUkuUw2C1q7N7AvLZpeShFt99o6axZUUyoSLIz5JUaMbUWuplo58DY9o/s1600/IMG_4523.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCR3ClMH4c_qhwFgX09g7BLfcw9HDzIrhJUMiFjlBf4EBZ4Fc-IIzFWQNS2UK_4lYb-6VwSSBLI5UXxHv5udhgKB258gvwUzqLh9fIVdUmMQ7-qIe4Oy5H5RFPF2GHpDh5v9gyVkTEYC8/s1600/IMG_4525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCR3ClMH4c_qhwFgX09g7BLfcw9HDzIrhJUMiFjlBf4EBZ4Fc-IIzFWQNS2UK_4lYb-6VwSSBLI5UXxHv5udhgKB258gvwUzqLh9fIVdUmMQ7-qIe4Oy5H5RFPF2GHpDh5v9gyVkTEYC8/s1600/IMG_4525.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQp9taWB4HZuNN_jOl_l0AwWDV-FZ4JjWQIwc6LrPi5PJo6Qy8YVO-ce9PJHzi3X71gZ5jlHVcDRK72zAxdcfyal7sCxGbJ2qwk3n8I_PBGoynAtH3H7Qo_ld8Q7kud0NEOgCV1sDCh8I/s1600/IMG_4527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQp9taWB4HZuNN_jOl_l0AwWDV-FZ4JjWQIwc6LrPi5PJo6Qy8YVO-ce9PJHzi3X71gZ5jlHVcDRK72zAxdcfyal7sCxGbJ2qwk3n8I_PBGoynAtH3H7Qo_ld8Q7kud0NEOgCV1sDCh8I/s1600/IMG_4527.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17kXcTFXwb_AmfJJLebo3Or2a788AukY4b8cNkcNOBls5f2i7ZsJvDrT5tnYHvlDDFOInPeZ6aGUi-SW15TUK_zESk897D-vCcFf_W1pHW-p1tQGsN2nHcQTzHmHBKQ8zF-pFssFlV10/s1600/IMG_4528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17kXcTFXwb_AmfJJLebo3Or2a788AukY4b8cNkcNOBls5f2i7ZsJvDrT5tnYHvlDDFOInPeZ6aGUi-SW15TUK_zESk897D-vCcFf_W1pHW-p1tQGsN2nHcQTzHmHBKQ8zF-pFssFlV10/s1600/IMG_4528.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>here are some of the weekend's highlights...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My Green Pants (STOP HATING ON THEM to all my h8rs)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In fact… my green jumpsuit</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
seeing two MOOSE!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
seeing that "giant bunny"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
waking up to frost inside of our tent</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
hearing animals outside of our tent</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
eating freeze dried food</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
still smelling like a campfire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
not getting any blisters!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
almost puking off the side of the peak</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
becoming "one with nature"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
hiking 3 miles in the total darkness</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
pretty sure seeing the northern lights…</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
seeing the most amazing night sky</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
having sore ankles, hips, shoulders, knees, thighs, and butt.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
living to tell the story.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Bryan was such an amazing support. Seriously, there were probably 3 times I thought I was on the brink of death, and he did everything to make me warm, comfortable, and strong enough to make it (aka he carried basically everything for me). he is amazing, and I love him. It was so fun going backpacking for the first time with each other! It was such a fun adventure and definitely something we will look back on miss the "good old days" when we are 90 years old.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a new hobby perhaps… who knows. it's too soon to say for sure. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Huge shout out to the Robinson's for inviting us! We love your crazy family.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>but like I always say… "are we there yet?"</i></b></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-446524263520648982014-08-26T13:32:00.002-07:002020-12-10T20:38:12.495-08:00confession.<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been pretty hesitant about this post… but I can't seem to shake it off of my mind. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Quite cliche, but the topic of Body Image, Weight Loss, Health, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are 1 million blog posts about this, and it makes me wonder why... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At this point in my life, I'm really struggling with wanting to be "fit", but also eating ice cream every day (but face it, who doesn't?) I've never wanted to be "skinny"… that's just not my body type and really not something I want. I like my curvy body, and I have for most of my life… but not always. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let me throw it back to my baptism. I don't remember how old I was when I started wearing a bra, but let me just say, I <i>DO</i> remember putting on a bra before putting on my baptism dress. I was always really tall and looked much older than my age. I started wearing make up at age 11 and have had the same body since about 8th grade. Don't let us forget that I was once referred to as <b>"rack attack"</b>… talk about bullying. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In high school my body weight maintained around 147-150. I was much bigger than all of my friends in high school, and considered myself "the fat friend" sort of joking… sort of not. That was a title I didn't LIKE of course, but I was used to it. I just thought that was how it was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not sure what started it; I know that the issues are usually much deeper than thinking you are "fat" and they are usually about control, but I started binging BIG time (we're talking like an entire sleeves of Oreos, and anything else that was in sight), and eventually purging. I didn't think it was a big deal… I mean, "<i>I didn't have like an eating disorder"</i> I'd always think to myself. But when I look back, how was that NOT an eating disorder? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've come a long way since then. I never got any help for it because I was in complete denial that I even had one. To be honest, I think that the reason I stopped was because my freshman year in college there were 6 girls and only one toilet and I was so ashamed of what I did, I didn't want ANYONE to find out. So I just stopped. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In college however, I had the habit of still binging, so my weight increased every year. By my senior year in college (after I returned home from Africa) I weighed 163. I remember when I stepped on that scale I started to cry. Why? When I look back, that year I was pretty depressed. Nothing drastic, but I was certainly not as happy or positive as I had been before (or I am now for that matter). After graduating and moving home, it was easy for me to lose weight without hardly even trying just because I wasn't going out to lunch and getting "treats" with my friends on a daily basis. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know that statistically, millions of girls across America have eating disorders, and want to change something about the way they look. At girls camp this year, I heard one of my Young Women say that their biggest fear was "getting fat" (this girl is no more than 100 pounds). <b>Ouch</b>. Hearing things like this hurt me deep. Another thing that I hear seriously on a <i>DAILY basis</i> is "I'm so fat" by friends or family members that are clearly <u style="font-style: italic;">at least</u> 20 pounds less than me. <b><i>Ouch again</i></b>. All I can think of when they say things like that is "Oh you're fat at 120 pounds? what does that make me?" You know, I can honestly say that I haven't purged in about 5 years… but when I hear stuff like that, it's a trigger. When I hear people talk about other people's weight, or when I see mean things people write on other people's pictures on instagram, it's a trigger. Not that I'm going to go do it again, but the thought crosses my mind, <i>"oh it would be so easy to…</i>" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, with that has come a major brain change I can't decide is good or bad...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I started working out with Bryan when we got married. Honestly, because he would go EVERY DAY and I just wanted to hang out with him, so I would tag along. It then got to the point that I didn't necessarily <i>LIKE</i> going, but I knew it would be good for me… for survival reasons of course. Meaning, if the world ended and zombies were taking over I would be able to outrun them (at least to climb up the nearest tree or smash their head in with a shovel or something) <b>OR</b> so that if I was falling off of a cliff, I would be able to hold myself up long enough until Bryan could catch me and save me. (I'm serious… these are the scenarios going on in my head at the gym). But 9 months later, and I'm going to the gym 4-5 days a week and I actually LIKE going! I'm seeing muscle on my body that I have NEVER seen before. That feels pretty good!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, there have been 2 separate occasions I've been at the gym and these girls have approached me and said "Oh my gosh! Rachelle, <i>I didn't even recognize you!</i> You look so skinny, you have lost <b>so</b> much weight!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">….. uh, how am I supposed to react to that? Was that supposed to be a compliment? After that I lit'rally felt like the winner to the Biggest Loser or something. I hadn't lost a life changing amount I thought… just about 20 pounds. That's pretty good, but that was pretty hideous of them to "compliment" me like that… wasn't it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know that the gym is only 20% and what I eat is 80%, and I know that I'm supposed to drink x amount of water, and I know that I should be eating smaller portions and more frequently. I know all of this, because <i>like all women</i> I read about it because I want to look good… I want to be attractive! But with that has come a great price. <i>When I'm thinking about trying to lose weight, it literally consumes my entire brain! I can't hardly THINK about anything else.</i> Is that healthy? <u>I don't think so! </u>I think about my mom (I love her dearly), but growing up her example of yo-yo dieting. She has tried EVERYTHING imaginable… Constantly dieting. What does that say to your young daughters? Your body isn't good enough, so you need to change it. Do I want to reflect that onto my daughters? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Does anyone actually LOVE their body? And for the people that do, do they have other important priorities in their lives (trust me, because I think that there are about 50 people who pretty much live at the gym that LOVE themselves). </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Maybe it's just because I go to Gold's Gym, but I feel like people who are OBSESSED with fitness are the most annoying people ever! It is obvious that that is the main priority in their lives. The kind of people that when they get invited over to dinner, they bring their own vegan side dish to eat all alone because "they can't eat that". They are constantly working out to look good, but are the biggest tool heads and self-obsessed people ever!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't want to be like that! I want to <i>care</i> about my health and appearance, but not obsess over it! I want to care </span><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>more</b> about how loving I am to my husband, how I'm a teacher and helping shape children's futures, how I'm a young women's leader and an example to these young girls, how I'm a great sister and loyal friend, how I have goals that are much deeper than "lose 5 pounds". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like I said, I feel better now than I ever have in my life! I am working on <b>trying to find the balance</b> with exercising, eating for health (without obsessing), and occasionally indulging (without guilt) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And of course, not only <i>accepting</i> myself at my thinnest, but also <b>LOVING</b> myself through all stages/phases. </span></div>Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-34868694570515888792014-08-08T12:20:00.000-07:002014-08-08T12:20:38.969-07:00The most wonderful time of the year.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This summer has been nothing short of perfect. I'm serious. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Since my preschool job is only hourly, I technically "don't have a job" for the summer…</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Luckily I completely established my swimming lessons over the past 7 years so we weren't left hangin'</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Swimming lessons is the BEST summer job I could ever ask for. I wish I could do it all year round. Although I don't love being in the pool all the time (because I get WAY sunburned and it dries about my hair and my body is a complete raisin at the end of each day…) it is the best job ever! I am so grateful for all of the support and referrals I got this summer that made it possible for Bryan and I to eat and pay our rent this summer.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Bry did summer school all summer, so although it wasn't "ideal", it actually pretty much was! It was so much fun! Neither of us had full time jobs so we both worked in the morning and were able to spend the rest of our days together. He did a lot of studying, I did a lot of reading… so it worked out!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Our first summer together has been pretty dreamy. If you recall, last summer Bryan was at summer sales (aka hell) last summer so we weren't able to spend much time together. This summer is a completely different story. I have loved every second of working hard and playing even harder these past few months. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm already foreseeing my future of when I'm an old lady and reminiscing back on <u>this</u> summer and how when I look back</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> I'll think about... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">all the times we laid in the hallways under the vent of our swamp cooler to keep cool</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and how we laid in our bed for at least 1000 hours watching Netflix and got smart off of documentaries</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">our "scaring" phase where we scare the crap out of each other when the other person was in the shower or coming home from work</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'll think about working together, and how we would walk all over SLC delivering flyers. This really was one of my favorite parts.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'll think about our midnight scooter rides around the city</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and watching horror movies at noon</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and drinking diet coke for any occasion.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxxAzgiAED-ZrYPd2CNu8GntoWnzOn_FGFfHHPrQl_KTGlpIFxk2t8cJUxyjzRpEMF739brD2hHzlTvvG2zKea8897BJXrRc05qwO10C3QG2v3l0zhm5Wps7CQlayR-70dYSyN_pC9AI/s1600/IMG_4182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihxxAzgiAED-ZrYPd2CNu8GntoWnzOn_FGFfHHPrQl_KTGlpIFxk2t8cJUxyjzRpEMF739brD2hHzlTvvG2zKea8897BJXrRc05qwO10C3QG2v3l0zhm5Wps7CQlayR-70dYSyN_pC9AI/s1600/IMG_4182.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">watching our friends fall in love and attending weddings.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">our trips to Cedar</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">buying your knife</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> shooting guns</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">going to the golf range</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and all things <b>manly</b>. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOtTxM0ZPoJXEObVa5Fgmx88xj6S7Sr1akBLSxC9OVgB62rwlNFQVNemdGts4tQj0Xvoer871pTb0Bm-h-oiRgOk1MUcIw26iAtkWz8im1NOKetBHhJjjUG-4ceSk5dsjxhtf6XLb19w/s1600/IMG_4259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOtTxM0ZPoJXEObVa5Fgmx88xj6S7Sr1akBLSxC9OVgB62rwlNFQVNemdGts4tQj0Xvoer871pTb0Bm-h-oiRgOk1MUcIw26iAtkWz8im1NOKetBHhJjjUG-4ceSk5dsjxhtf6XLb19w/s1600/IMG_4259.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R2ymkzuUjyZpWvsw6BOiHEsO94TOYYG6giE8Zfvtb4i9RDCzOOjIKSX9OlwJvEx0GfobyE2qHWp6K9mUpfGH7r1ymg_wV5nIREkwxXAB0-CDtsIUAf81VbzY05fMX_GjPsiNrn2Dezs/s1600/IMG_4258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R2ymkzuUjyZpWvsw6BOiHEsO94TOYYG6giE8Zfvtb4i9RDCzOOjIKSX9OlwJvEx0GfobyE2qHWp6K9mUpfGH7r1ymg_wV5nIREkwxXAB0-CDtsIUAf81VbzY05fMX_GjPsiNrn2Dezs/s1600/IMG_4258.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98HxgBzq9Ub6dJPRcWRAbTGifunTvMs2iaeMIV2tuw3l2yP9l97NacQpQxj0kqm9Qg7-1v9eXFTRXqyMncfxHaABHS9aH8sa-lB4bEcK18CYmrqyW02Lf_FzQELTy6sOga3G1g4V_i3M/s1600/IMG_4240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98HxgBzq9Ub6dJPRcWRAbTGifunTvMs2iaeMIV2tuw3l2yP9l97NacQpQxj0kqm9Qg7-1v9eXFTRXqyMncfxHaABHS9aH8sa-lB4bEcK18CYmrqyW02Lf_FzQELTy6sOga3G1g4V_i3M/s1600/IMG_4240.JPG" height="320" width="276" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'll think of all of our trips up the canyon, and your amazing grilled burgers and chicken</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and the time you visited us up at girls camp</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and we went to Youth Conference together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqwN1kxCc7oAGZlVP5MHcQvvFD57-skaqnuJOVG7ACKp6OXW4-LYQ1GsTgRhYQJZlIVG5SdChntXM-V7RdQ5WkUcrvObp4yFa1-5GM9-jVEVivqdyEdgKxj128xX7ojzNzPKxo8nJFpc/s1600/IMG_4214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqwN1kxCc7oAGZlVP5MHcQvvFD57-skaqnuJOVG7ACKp6OXW4-LYQ1GsTgRhYQJZlIVG5SdChntXM-V7RdQ5WkUcrvObp4yFa1-5GM9-jVEVivqdyEdgKxj128xX7ojzNzPKxo8nJFpc/s1600/IMG_4214.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqm3SiX1I16WgVLK4YeUuwJanVE4gTE5SVWya0yTrX6KhyphenhyphenU7zPnCkRu46fdUzwYYJsiA1n1fsU3S6eHwXUo_hI8WN7l5efJcJ0UIUsa72cuSdKsu_EmkR4C21jhdNQTxKNLuhAfVpTphI/s1600/IMG_4125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqm3SiX1I16WgVLK4YeUuwJanVE4gTE5SVWya0yTrX6KhyphenhyphenU7zPnCkRu46fdUzwYYJsiA1n1fsU3S6eHwXUo_hI8WN7l5efJcJ0UIUsa72cuSdKsu_EmkR4C21jhdNQTxKNLuhAfVpTphI/s1600/IMG_4125.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and our 24th traditions of fishing, and "Bucking Bull Wars"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'll think about our first time REAL camping, in a real tent</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">watching so many fireworks</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and how the mountain caught on fire</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwfBbERxp732EUxIR7pccNQ9CaEhUNbRfGPpywDXKeW-WGaWbrsYwyHEDsbOPGnqCjvss1EvRBCL7GHP6IiHbHXmzyUy6g4qi5xNR8WmfVkElgZg6Ni5ec5YHmkMROI8Y71XruT_CrjA/s1600/IMG_4150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwfBbERxp732EUxIR7pccNQ9CaEhUNbRfGPpywDXKeW-WGaWbrsYwyHEDsbOPGnqCjvss1EvRBCL7GHP6IiHbHXmzyUy6g4qi5xNR8WmfVkElgZg6Ni5ec5YHmkMROI8Y71XruT_CrjA/s1600/IMG_4150.JPG" height="248" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'll think of the two solid weeks were were so sick and how we took care of each other</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and ate hot soup in the middle of July.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">the time we did a cleanse together</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">almost killed ourselves after 2 1/2 hours at the gym</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and the nights we ate entire bags of Riesens in one sitting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">visiting both of our families as they came into town and visited us. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpyCh1ZU8ZiHXWXb_wH9BU1L8VPU02nn_pdh7cuerbJFQ5WTiF7sxlZLZhfe5e2aQvTO3bZhUSiHsNhdkO9q2dDYVQEOPIgFQRZPcNx_h7YaOtlM_Ru2tWqZeIBSBFHYQIU9mmPf26Xg/s1600/IMG_4152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSpyCh1ZU8ZiHXWXb_wH9BU1L8VPU02nn_pdh7cuerbJFQ5WTiF7sxlZLZhfe5e2aQvTO3bZhUSiHsNhdkO9q2dDYVQEOPIgFQRZPcNx_h7YaOtlM_Ru2tWqZeIBSBFHYQIU9mmPf26Xg/s1600/IMG_4152.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'll never forget our addiction to "Hungry Shark Evolution" and Cornhole, and how you built us our own set with your bare hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyJayyncS1g8IzJ9d1EWVGpmS-FLJ6kwM3gBbg7_NpJtYCOfbYK_agt1fNSunKvNLLlo-T_y3ldUKgqCj4c0zLe4-moziz4b0hlZXnqFPxzJDakiJMX_4Ka0a3mvjj2DhrjA5s0UJNX4/s1600/IMG_4126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVyJayyncS1g8IzJ9d1EWVGpmS-FLJ6kwM3gBbg7_NpJtYCOfbYK_agt1fNSunKvNLLlo-T_y3ldUKgqCj4c0zLe4-moziz4b0hlZXnqFPxzJDakiJMX_4Ka0a3mvjj2DhrjA5s0UJNX4/s1600/IMG_4126.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">wearing whale socks</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">so many hours of swimming together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">going to the drive in movies </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Bees games</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and the night you made a new best friend in the hot tub.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I felt like we were busy running around all summer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">but now that I think about it, all I remember is laying around and cuddling with you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I know summer isn't even over quite yet, but I feel like I'm already out of time. I go back to school in just a couple weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Thank you for making this the most fun and memorable summer of my life, i love you Bryan!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKfDMeLFCvAnH8x-YufQ9OSa5VKfLtOuhj-GkwzDs-guTdXzNG68TbphAZlPCFVStgTHdOzQvRLk5_MNH0hY5NH4q54iQA4WWZPy4mCmlJIs-p8SWYVvFPuH21W6KDZTv1pOo734yuQI/s1600/IMG_4205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKfDMeLFCvAnH8x-YufQ9OSa5VKfLtOuhj-GkwzDs-guTdXzNG68TbphAZlPCFVStgTHdOzQvRLk5_MNH0hY5NH4q54iQA4WWZPy4mCmlJIs-p8SWYVvFPuH21W6KDZTv1pOo734yuQI/s1600/IMG_4205.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<br />Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-27346356093547420522014-06-15T13:52:00.004-07:002014-06-15T13:52:56.975-07:00Love your choice.<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It feels like pretty much my whole life (well, since high school) my sisters have had me in "Wife Training". I would pretty much always blow them off because I never thought about marriage. I never thought about my wedding, I didn't think about my colors, the flowers… anything. I just figured I didn't want to imagine it until I could imagine WHO it would be with. </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Despite me trying to ignore their advice and miss their house cleaning and cooking lessons "practices" at their house, I eventually got sucked in when I could begin to see myself getting married in the not too distant future. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I do remember this one time in particular my sister was giving me advice on the kind of person to marry. These four things have stuck with me since I was probably 20 years old, and I would like to share this bit of life changing advice. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1. <b>Marry someone who is nothing less than <i>OBSESSED</i> with you</b>. She told me this because over the years of being married, honestly, your spouse will pretty much get used to you (it sounds sad, but yeah I'm sure its true) and eventually be a little less obsessed with you. It's sad, but it's true. So… you should marry someone who is OBSESSED with you before you get married. Someone who is willing to do <i>anything</i> and <i>everything</i> for you at the beginning, because if that slowly goes away over the years, can you imagine how someone would treat you if they were never obsessed with you in the first place? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2. <b>Marry someone who won't dunk your head in the pool if you ask them not to</b>. This one especially applies to us Webb girls because we have dated a nice variety of boys over the years and of course, invited them to swim in our parents pool. Do you know how many times in my life I have asked a boy NOT to dunk my head? 1. because I HATE the feeling of being dunked and 2. maybe because I have an important event later that day and I won't have time to re-do my hair. Yeah, you can say that once that person pushed my underwater even though I <i>specifically</i> asked them not to, I was done with them. Obviously, this applies in many different areas of life. The bottom line of this is just respect. Marry someone who will respect you and your requests, even if it is as simple as not trying to drown you in the pool. It seems like a simple request to me, but you would be surprised how difficult it can be for some "men" to honor that. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. <b>Marry someone who will drag you out of bed and get you to church.</b> There are absolutely Sunday Mornings when I wake up and church is pretty much the last possible place I want to go (anywhere other than my bed is the last place I want to be). You want to marry the kind of person who will encourage you and help you to get out of bed and go to those meetings, 1. because it's the right thing to do and 2. because deep down you really <i>DO</i> want to go to church, it's just you need that extra push to get you there. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">*if you aren't a church-goer, this could apply to other things that are important to you, like perhaps the gym or a committee meeting or club or <i>whatever</i>. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4. </span><b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Marry someone who will defend you NO MATTER WHAT.</b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> It's always awkward to be with a couple who loves throwing each other under the bus. Marry someone who will defend you even if they know that you are <i>dead-wrong</i> in a situation. Someone who even if </span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">they knew</i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> that you were in the wrong when you cut that person off while driving, that is was so </span><i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">rude</i><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> of them and </span><u style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">uncalled</u><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> for them to flip you off! <i>A very… "us against the world" type of person</i>. The person who will acknowledge the reality of your feelings… even if they can be a bit outrageous at times (i.e. crying for LITERALLY no reason)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I feel like we are getting to the age that everyone we know is getting engaged and married. I have heard stories where to me, it sounds like some of these people are just getting married because they found someone who they <i>COULD</i> be married to, and they <u>want</u> to get married, so why not marry the next person they date? <i>DON'T LET THIS BE YOU!</i> Wait for the person who does these 4 vitally important things for you, as well as your own personal list of spouse-esque wishes. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I still am the girl who loves love and believes in it above all other things. I route for all marriages to work out, especially when things are really rough (come on keep trying! this is just a moment in time! you can work it out!). But don't start your marriage off by settling or convenience. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am so grateful to have a husband who is all of these things and more for me. You have taught me so much in these short six months of marriage. I am so in love with you. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><i>But like I always say… "Choose your love, love your choice" </i></b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-50530488784381624092014-05-21T16:26:00.000-07:002014-05-21T16:26:01.877-07:00best month ever.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have always thought that May is easily, by far, the best month EVER!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First of all… it is my birthday</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Second of all… it's Bryan's birthday</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Third of all… it's our six month anniversary! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">not to mention it gets warm… school gets out… the pool opens… you know</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>(shout out to the time Bryan and I had a combined birthday party at age 17)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">although it's been a crazy month, it has been so fun to just celebrate always! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In April, Bryan thought it was Teacher Appreciation week (turns out it was actually the first week of May) but I was absolutely spoiled! Since then we have had lots of different "honorary weeks" where we just spoil each other for seriously… pretty much no reason. <b><i>it's awesome.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I can and can't believe we have been married for six months! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">six months of...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">breakfast in bed</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">getting my lunch made for me every morning</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">our Saturday rituals of sleeping in, gym, and wheat pancakes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">our weekly date nights</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of surprises</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">nightly back tickles</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of Parks and Rec and cuddling all day</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">laughing my brains out</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of flowers & sweet notes</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">never having to get out of bed if it's under 80 degrees</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of help around the house and dinner cooked</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of sappy late night talks</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lunch dates at work</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">spanish lessons</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of making out</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of motivation and encouragement</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">hours and hours of scooter rides</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">hilarious inside jokes & text messages</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">so much fun working with each other</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">being treated amazingly with all my different diseases/sicknesses</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of "diet coke time"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">lots of happiness</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">infinite love.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">my poor husband has seen me at my absolutely, crazy-insane <b>worst</b> and still treats me every day like I'm his perfect flawless fiancé (before I ever made a mistake). I am so lucky to have someone as weird, patient, hilarious, and handsome as him.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i> it's my life's greatest accomplishment.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhmI2K7r8GsQAbYBdcpt0Ih7GmTjMuGpKqxmFKsUYZpQ8B2MAJ6nGNTYD1vDCTzDaNmkF500ZGI9K0ppYvHcFuqVKedD5Wen8vAHSs_ZRFVpMhMZgeTV0INTwuw9ztW0XWw-j_dVfASQ/s1600/IMG_3858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhmI2K7r8GsQAbYBdcpt0Ih7GmTjMuGpKqxmFKsUYZpQ8B2MAJ6nGNTYD1vDCTzDaNmkF500ZGI9K0ppYvHcFuqVKedD5Wen8vAHSs_ZRFVpMhMZgeTV0INTwuw9ztW0XWw-j_dVfASQ/s1600/IMG_3858.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">Bryan's dad told me that he thinks our birthdays are so close because we couldn't stand to be apart before we were born. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;"><i>I think he's right.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-72611318047084983722014-05-18T20:00:00.000-07:002014-05-18T20:08:27.795-07:00California.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">UPDATE:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">School is wrapping up in 3 short weeks!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I've been busy trying to figure out swimming lessons this summer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I went to Oregon for a girls trip</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I went to a family trip in California!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">My husband turned the big 2-3!</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Oregon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It was amazing spending time with my mom and sisters in Oregon! It is so beautiful and GREEN there, I can't wait to live there one day! My sisters are seriously my best friends and they kill me over how weird they are, but it was so much fun seeing them and the crazy children. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGH-88mt-OHw2LM2fyTrAOrAw3l-3FhQ2qUS5d4CciXN0W3aFsF8mBxtxryZJxwl274494O3LG4jkYnHAZqDuWjy6O_tMxmqyIVpSgFMp8ouDPsffEqZBvcM6VKR6QWUQRqpGLfQEVhnI/s1600/IMG_3846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGH-88mt-OHw2LM2fyTrAOrAw3l-3FhQ2qUS5d4CciXN0W3aFsF8mBxtxryZJxwl274494O3LG4jkYnHAZqDuWjy6O_tMxmqyIVpSgFMp8ouDPsffEqZBvcM6VKR6QWUQRqpGLfQEVhnI/s1600/IMG_3846.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeMoRlh6UQWhGMxspyDgUOdrGvyphYLs2wGzsNVShGsidaFBmu-kK5qu_clvbi20bbO24R4k771B8M3THWjPsn6Bo5mu-FYOnf1b3d3HUleY3-aToQqIXDQ1BMwyXW2Z-Ikc5IiD0Izc/s1600/IMG_3849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeMoRlh6UQWhGMxspyDgUOdrGvyphYLs2wGzsNVShGsidaFBmu-kK5qu_clvbi20bbO24R4k771B8M3THWjPsn6Bo5mu-FYOnf1b3d3HUleY3-aToQqIXDQ1BMwyXW2Z-Ikc5IiD0Izc/s1600/IMG_3849.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFxrMoIIuvxH5KSJD1LMy3adR8s4acom9YcdsO-3wpIQOvC-mVlbgJ4Hl-PpFT-ZdJnc6nsrpSk1YE7_OM1j3AAaEGZ4yknavDFObF9-qzMDmhncnlwS6q7R73LYiEBCc-OujMMaEfs8/s1600/IMG_3850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFxrMoIIuvxH5KSJD1LMy3adR8s4acom9YcdsO-3wpIQOvC-mVlbgJ4Hl-PpFT-ZdJnc6nsrpSk1YE7_OM1j3AAaEGZ4yknavDFObF9-qzMDmhncnlwS6q7R73LYiEBCc-OujMMaEfs8/s1600/IMG_3850.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It was the first time being away from Bryan, and let's just say it was rough. It was amazing being reunited again and made us love each other more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCbbT9a8f6igXGFx8dYoWwg5Vl2feUja8uG9eCiRpcYRxfeBr1TKOCtqV2c09fhPNZPZEkpKFIy-GMwG5xa_U80v0R6zKfIee8_pzeNMb7P3hSzkKQYPBR_cftofJZBXujqS2MW_WYGM/s1600/IMG_3851.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCbbT9a8f6igXGFx8dYoWwg5Vl2feUja8uG9eCiRpcYRxfeBr1TKOCtqV2c09fhPNZPZEkpKFIy-GMwG5xa_U80v0R6zKfIee8_pzeNMb7P3hSzkKQYPBR_cftofJZBXujqS2MW_WYGM/s1600/IMG_3851.PNG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Luckily for me, only two short weeks after our trip to Oregon, we all went as a Family to California and we never had to leave each other sides! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">California was amazing! (PS. On the way there we rode the PRIMM roller coaster in NV and if you EVER get the chance, DO IT and don't miss it because it was WORTH IT!) </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We rented a home in Anaheim so we could easily walk to Disneyland. We got into California late Saturday night and the party began.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sunday was Bryan's BIG DAY! He turned 23! We spent the day at Huntington Beach, but it was so windy we were getting destroyed by sand. However, I did get in the ocean and play with Bryan because it was his birthday. My sister said that love changes people, and that was her proof. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsginvVoKQZFTvKeDP1LkUkY1ntW6Yk3lGnVahn_tSjtiChT3R3Hvbt7pTWloW5liQA7VE3FcpkZAdQmIEQstcHyVKsU_jfj_5U28hKjgLazbP_NUxWOfOd_X52eMwCUXgwPrHkpOMKM/s1600/IMG_3914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsginvVoKQZFTvKeDP1LkUkY1ntW6Yk3lGnVahn_tSjtiChT3R3Hvbt7pTWloW5liQA7VE3FcpkZAdQmIEQstcHyVKsU_jfj_5U28hKjgLazbP_NUxWOfOd_X52eMwCUXgwPrHkpOMKM/s1600/IMG_3914.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Monday was Disneyland. In Disneyland my brothers, Bryan and I hit ALL the rides- and the lines were TOO long and it was WAY TOO HOT so we only spent one day there, even though the rest of my family was spending two days there. Although it was hot and crazy, Disneyland was a lot of fun; however, i wouldn't go so far to say it was "magical". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-Olpdgj_Vg9vhcGEdrrIrg43W6r2LJIP0Zgv1BV8uf8_muQSpc7qhfniRaNC5d94SWff_8SP6BLAn-0CELnKRotKAdfestiV2bQSYM_HuxM9nQ7M_1aFl7afldbZv9a_bQeN5eZ43E0/s1600/IMG_3937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-Olpdgj_Vg9vhcGEdrrIrg43W6r2LJIP0Zgv1BV8uf8_muQSpc7qhfniRaNC5d94SWff_8SP6BLAn-0CELnKRotKAdfestiV2bQSYM_HuxM9nQ7M_1aFl7afldbZv9a_bQeN5eZ43E0/s1600/IMG_3937.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TtrT1PKLtPZQJoMBHjrC2L1zNrqeF6PJNrKA1JlfoBPTuDNUTq9RogZwhBNIJQkzC4RR3OcQF9Bfs2dLboY_HMNgCG9tjSeC93OjjmS0mRMCBWBi08h2oueV6mww4X6xlTTZw4NKG8w/s1600/IMG_3916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TtrT1PKLtPZQJoMBHjrC2L1zNrqeF6PJNrKA1JlfoBPTuDNUTq9RogZwhBNIJQkzC4RR3OcQF9Bfs2dLboY_HMNgCG9tjSeC93OjjmS0mRMCBWBi08h2oueV6mww4X6xlTTZw4NKG8w/s1600/IMG_3916.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Tuesday was another beach day at Laguna Beach. The water was freezing, but so much fun! It wasn't windy and it was a perfect beach day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIbHsy8Bgx-XBd_fjIEJK0l9aNQgqcI5Z1tS6c3OqcBl6MTxa2avW6H35RWQFp39ZfWLOa9oMLLCQXDoC_b5ZkdH8K4O5u3gwvCrYVrEMtAel6j5OXOwJ1sdlwPsJkimofbdryV88vbw/s1600/IMG_3953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIbHsy8Bgx-XBd_fjIEJK0l9aNQgqcI5Z1tS6c3OqcBl6MTxa2avW6H35RWQFp39ZfWLOa9oMLLCQXDoC_b5ZkdH8K4O5u3gwvCrYVrEMtAel6j5OXOwJ1sdlwPsJkimofbdryV88vbw/s1600/IMG_3953.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23x5wQ0BoVLBXj6QxFSFcKJL8d0VmEHdxhpMcq4paHcj27bcJTCAquO35aFpXbroauLqEzMY7c6ZvOs_9ofaH8KgA96XpU4ZzzjKVQ8Daf965-NRmhaMmNT8tHqCx2ZIoS25oytTNHdg/s1600/IMG_3956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg23x5wQ0BoVLBXj6QxFSFcKJL8d0VmEHdxhpMcq4paHcj27bcJTCAquO35aFpXbroauLqEzMY7c6ZvOs_9ofaH8KgA96XpU4ZzzjKVQ8Daf965-NRmhaMmNT8tHqCx2ZIoS25oytTNHdg/s1600/IMG_3956.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Wednesday was probably my favorite day- my brothers, Bryan and I all went to Six Flags. It took longer to get there than expected and it closed early so I was nervous we would hardly get to go on any rides. But I was WRONG! The park was pretty much empty, so we walked on to almost every ride! We had time not only to go on every ride, but go on rides multiple times!!! And of course, we saw "Flo Rida" the famous rapper there, so… that happened. I love Six Flags! But I think I've had my roller coaster fix for a few months…especially after reading about all there accidental deaths as soon as we got back to the house.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcIGGiCA7jztomQHJyqJCaFT0FEbhTSWL9yw7IPZIpIdTboOjmv3PbCIOYiMA-ewIwqj1jljoHMQNQcqxhReTWrzJJ7-8gj79Z9wHecGLADnWybwv9wL6PARLlBYkWrcCvUYsn_AofjQ/s1600/IMG_3960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcIGGiCA7jztomQHJyqJCaFT0FEbhTSWL9yw7IPZIpIdTboOjmv3PbCIOYiMA-ewIwqj1jljoHMQNQcqxhReTWrzJJ7-8gj79Z9wHecGLADnWybwv9wL6PARLlBYkWrcCvUYsn_AofjQ/s1600/IMG_3960.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjEdOTCvDtCHNZGjDSh4ZaKpgyx2L_FZCZJehYxwDHCh21JTeNMXBOpL3AX5Db4N5J4uscYaEfR3XD-HCxf_NwYR2XV4q1AueT8N2WyKtWs9zcUfxhHHHZmbhEgWOE0typ0qrxsOjjls/s1600/IMG_3971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjEdOTCvDtCHNZGjDSh4ZaKpgyx2L_FZCZJehYxwDHCh21JTeNMXBOpL3AX5Db4N5J4uscYaEfR3XD-HCxf_NwYR2XV4q1AueT8N2WyKtWs9zcUfxhHHHZmbhEgWOE0typ0qrxsOjjls/s1600/IMG_3971.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCgoFIkq4tF-ogp1fZGVcfzTDr4HNUY3JZ0_fz5Ute2Q8AYxFYkp8jhNSpYuOcDmAi8OCmHM4x9RXsSnw-d181-B4005-yRfrYtuz-XurHfhWeHeM2ozFkaAFgAXGo_M-l9_6VTVj8eE/s1600/IMG_3974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCgoFIkq4tF-ogp1fZGVcfzTDr4HNUY3JZ0_fz5Ute2Q8AYxFYkp8jhNSpYuOcDmAi8OCmHM4x9RXsSnw-d181-B4005-yRfrYtuz-XurHfhWeHeM2ozFkaAFgAXGo_M-l9_6VTVj8eE/s1600/IMG_3974.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And besides all of our daily activities, we of course played cards every night, had BBQs, went night swimming/hot tubbing, and of course Bryan shaved his head. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The trip was so much fun and I'm so proud of Bryan for turning 23! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">but like I always say… "you gotta get me to that party, <b><i>boy</i></b>" </span></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-58994144414374525702014-04-09T17:26:00.000-07:002014-04-09T19:54:45.956-07:001 Year<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This month marks 1 year with my love.</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">In honor of this special occasion,<br />I thought I would post some pictures of us (aka him) throughout the times… enjoy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">started from right here...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ0mpM8EB3ay5PltphftDQ1CHzpzFoEjeS7gSAjNESlTRMyshxkZDIN0SGyMgmdthwRi7_Ollq6H7ILKzLdF0xQL7uFuM6QL_93Vyu3MSG_6wUxBzi0RhdB7vBxOfWDZZwqQMZjoDsRI/s1600/IMG_3141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJ0mpM8EB3ay5PltphftDQ1CHzpzFoEjeS7gSAjNESlTRMyshxkZDIN0SGyMgmdthwRi7_Ollq6H7ILKzLdF0xQL7uFuM6QL_93Vyu3MSG_6wUxBzi0RhdB7vBxOfWDZZwqQMZjoDsRI/s1600/IMG_3141.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">now we are here</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTQJY-ABMMPdpUg-_FH9VhQqYNCGMvoKMpLS032NkHKFJRKOQb4qyq3_6EYloOsOe7xWnIgZvYt60DeJwb2svkiXD3sWBSL5kyI4MEuaRibX_wHqITjYp6YMsP0f0eo9C3oxvLQCdBzc/s1600/IMG_3731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTQJY-ABMMPdpUg-_FH9VhQqYNCGMvoKMpLS032NkHKFJRKOQb4qyq3_6EYloOsOe7xWnIgZvYt60DeJwb2svkiXD3sWBSL5kyI4MEuaRibX_wHqITjYp6YMsP0f0eo9C3oxvLQCdBzc/s1600/IMG_3731.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">then here</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFM5qJuxNtWbReBfIiaeSyGie1DQMT1DKhB3B1vY56yS3ep97tviHQuSxOmYg6yQ2_wi3Mjr7AewkDAnKg-SAfQ-vHHv9KWB8vKgdepuxqCM4rjrqAOvfY14tLkjOlw6VQ-8vP9l2irU/s1600/IMG_3557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFM5qJuxNtWbReBfIiaeSyGie1DQMT1DKhB3B1vY56yS3ep97tviHQuSxOmYg6yQ2_wi3Mjr7AewkDAnKg-SAfQ-vHHv9KWB8vKgdepuxqCM4rjrqAOvfY14tLkjOlw6VQ-8vP9l2irU/s1600/IMG_3557.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8spQQCXD8IvlKE7SZ7qunAOxkGnTJ3M66XTzFteIj0DBVoaKXET2Bej9GStdFwlIh9mIBGqdNdRKACiJD67KR3fRgvdPeMj6zt-cXLoZDBzEpC1MjdMTrO-tg69VQ3VJ34dyrnfFGY4Q/s1600/IMG_3599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8spQQCXD8IvlKE7SZ7qunAOxkGnTJ3M66XTzFteIj0DBVoaKXET2Bej9GStdFwlIh9mIBGqdNdRKACiJD67KR3fRgvdPeMj6zt-cXLoZDBzEpC1MjdMTrO-tg69VQ3VJ34dyrnfFGY4Q/s1600/IMG_3599.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzR5FO6AzPKlHgR1Ta9UiWkhrggW198GeSqnNxY4WatLkLbN8_gVCWoUG8IcUafU8jY-abdovLtZJ6DF2blLt7zkdYv_vliu0-vf3AcpP9B_wOcfRtF3t9rlnYd7VwV3LASc8whWxTQs/s1600/IMG_3627.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzR5FO6AzPKlHgR1Ta9UiWkhrggW198GeSqnNxY4WatLkLbN8_gVCWoUG8IcUafU8jY-abdovLtZJ6DF2blLt7zkdYv_vliu0-vf3AcpP9B_wOcfRtF3t9rlnYd7VwV3LASc8whWxTQs/s1600/IMG_3627.PNG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU38JVmwfUnZw22B2Ebg9p1v3sD334eGqJpxLHeRRXBqC8v6t3HZtxuA91w7-WeJHjX9u0m-Vjv_WfCgxW_w2uNleZ3A0tI-tXSglrZ-X6k9wrZ7cvnkEaXBB5YHb7r-IPZUFhcPzckrQ/s1600/IMG_3497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU38JVmwfUnZw22B2Ebg9p1v3sD334eGqJpxLHeRRXBqC8v6t3HZtxuA91w7-WeJHjX9u0m-Vjv_WfCgxW_w2uNleZ3A0tI-tXSglrZ-X6k9wrZ7cvnkEaXBB5YHb7r-IPZUFhcPzckrQ/s1600/IMG_3497.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cvEQQErv0yEicirboMkZhh_l_aBsDqZjTBO-jD-uR3hf_XtZlFDuxY95QfJqNB4I99yv2kYLWanmQRZNZZ-VzL2S21GKfQikS5ee5p4P3MnBK6XvuCL_c4txyMMMLCPtU77wrNLs_Ww/s1600/IMG_3572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cvEQQErv0yEicirboMkZhh_l_aBsDqZjTBO-jD-uR3hf_XtZlFDuxY95QfJqNB4I99yv2kYLWanmQRZNZZ-VzL2S21GKfQikS5ee5p4P3MnBK6XvuCL_c4txyMMMLCPtU77wrNLs_Ww/s1600/IMG_3572.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboK1rBwNW9oVwzyq_K-ysmEEIC8Oa3_Wk_iRshTrhiPmP1AsFQXCwI2BWXSTwVqHUw5Z_e5DwrS7MWj3UqbaNf3mBF-IgeUFbh7XcB6QeeYzjG2oe29p2snXVconGuHLYDrVwbKrjztE/s1600/IMG_3626.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboK1rBwNW9oVwzyq_K-ysmEEIC8Oa3_Wk_iRshTrhiPmP1AsFQXCwI2BWXSTwVqHUw5Z_e5DwrS7MWj3UqbaNf3mBF-IgeUFbh7XcB6QeeYzjG2oe29p2snXVconGuHLYDrVwbKrjztE/s1600/IMG_3626.PNG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4w2H62wOc4yijY-09cyYSpCqpI6_8GF-xbs17yrThaM1HUq9_T99_fbpU5CAyZM-DVSwAEqkBmhJ-58QuTSESWHDnT33oa8cYZqZHhnGC8FrHrt4S931K1yipirJVM-B4CI74f0CmV0I/s1600/IMG_3334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4w2H62wOc4yijY-09cyYSpCqpI6_8GF-xbs17yrThaM1HUq9_T99_fbpU5CAyZM-DVSwAEqkBmhJ-58QuTSESWHDnT33oa8cYZqZHhnGC8FrHrt4S931K1yipirJVM-B4CI74f0CmV0I/s1600/IMG_3334.jpg" height="320" width="244" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Just kidding!!!! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;"><i>but seriously...</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdmdKkXyDB_-rno19_REd1wknWhpKJA3IYZ6Rib865TO3BgEjUWF_PTna8DdHu_KqEBBI4MjTF7Rk4eT47_0BE122xN9QinLi5Wd55Bw2DF78mlEI9aM_UWL5iF2LUE9bQrRk_DxBFis/s1600/IMG_3597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLdmdKkXyDB_-rno19_REd1wknWhpKJA3IYZ6Rib865TO3BgEjUWF_PTna8DdHu_KqEBBI4MjTF7Rk4eT47_0BE122xN9QinLi5Wd55Bw2DF78mlEI9aM_UWL5iF2LUE9bQrRk_DxBFis/s1600/IMG_3597.JPG" height="320" width="292" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Sort of I just don't know how I got so lucky</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I can't believe we have only been together for a year, but then at the same time I can't believe it's been that long. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">the best part is, every day just keeps getting better. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Happy 1 Month My Love! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Or as I always like to say, "feliz uno ano, mi amorsito!"</span></i></b></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-45420943611420212162014-02-17T20:13:00.002-08:002014-02-17T20:33:10.801-08:00Valentines Weekend<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You know in life when the best thing EVER happens to you and you are so happy and excited that you want to tell EVERYONE, but at the same time it is so special that you don't want to let anyone know and you want to keep it all to yourself?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>That's how I feel about this weekend. </i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I had the MOST amazing weekend with my sweet husband in no other town than Cedar City. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">How can you have fun there? I asked myself the same question- but it was the most relaxing and much needed break I have basically ever needed. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am still adjusting to this whole "working full time" thing- that's been the hardest adjustment for me; but since we had a long weekend AND it fell on Valentines day, I knew I had to get away with Bryan.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But of course, what's Valentines Day without flowers and dinner? We didn't skip the cliche but fun part about Valentines Day as we ate at PF Changs and set out on our road trip to Cedar.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPaU-Sgq63L-pwmgYx8uWCHbdl0qseGAdsAL98hsaWU9jC59QM3DuqdtshV07ceNgCisv5KyYu4tLMG_RSMhSeh4Ax6NgXs1LOdFPkJQAvfquXcTSdOBzPUsF2LYsm603d7LhckpojlU/s1600/IMG_3447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPaU-Sgq63L-pwmgYx8uWCHbdl0qseGAdsAL98hsaWU9jC59QM3DuqdtshV07ceNgCisv5KyYu4tLMG_RSMhSeh4Ax6NgXs1LOdFPkJQAvfquXcTSdOBzPUsF2LYsm603d7LhckpojlU/s1600/IMG_3447.JPG" height="320" width="257" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This weekend we did nothing, except hang out with each other and be together. It was just so fun and perfect- it felt like our Honeymoon all over again where we didn't have to worry about a single thing except for each other. (I know I haven't even been married that long- but life gets so busy and catches up with you that some weeks I feel like I hardly ever see Bryan). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwmBs1mC1zEYNPowsBsF0DLRAQpCxion4OIK_8xFo4jpPAayJ03oCYYdthfdJg0mckCOUsgmY20X8uYeO6sake_JXFMvbfv2Y2yL2gYytvs5xnhzu-w2BECqOARcGzZpu9ahUYZtB5TQ/s1600/IMG_3470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwmBs1mC1zEYNPowsBsF0DLRAQpCxion4OIK_8xFo4jpPAayJ03oCYYdthfdJg0mckCOUsgmY20X8uYeO6sake_JXFMvbfv2Y2yL2gYytvs5xnhzu-w2BECqOARcGzZpu9ahUYZtB5TQ/s1600/IMG_3470.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The weather was amazing so we enjoyed being outside, taking walks, having picnics, and of course road biking! We went to St. George one day and Bryan kicked my BUTT since it was literally my first time on a road bike ever, but it was still so much fun! It's been a lifelong dream of mine to be a road-biker and it looks like a new hobby I will have (with a little more practice). Since I'm married to basically Lance Armstrong (minus the cancer), I died trying to keep up, but he was a good supporter as I screamed down big hills, whined up the big ones, and felt like my whole body was going to break at the end of our ride. But he was proud of me, so it made it all worth it. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h4jLO9uJkZVpyD4BoAOtH55s27cEoxgNvVCeHyp9CbhryW12mrFFjIlAnB9hsUsBAr_6zB29GbJSt9COrjjkmzSUsRVMMQaGN01Dmh_xnOamqGensjDmfynvJ75r-HGADllSOE9ftQQ/s1600/IMG_3468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2h4jLO9uJkZVpyD4BoAOtH55s27cEoxgNvVCeHyp9CbhryW12mrFFjIlAnB9hsUsBAr_6zB29GbJSt9COrjjkmzSUsRVMMQaGN01Dmh_xnOamqGensjDmfynvJ75r-HGADllSOE9ftQQ/s1600/IMG_3468.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I have just never felt more grateful in all of my life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm more in love with Bryan than I ever have been. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I just still can't BELIEVE I found someone <u>as weird</u> as I am and who understands my humor/sarcasm. And someone who knows what I'm <b><i>thinking</i></b> before I even say it. and can make me feel better by just their presence. And goes above and beyond on things like Valentines Day just because I love it. and who has endless patience and just listens when all I need to do is complain for 5 uninterrupted minutes. and who is willing to do anything & everything for me. like it's SO EASY to be in love with him. and together, we are perfect. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">This weekend really falls second to our wedding and honeymoon. There were so many fun and special moments I know I will always hold dear to my heart.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I just love Valentines Day. I feel giddy with butterflies. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-50006237419400055002014-02-09T21:16:00.000-08:002014-02-09T21:28:00.945-08:00Official.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Okay, so I know only a few mere weeks ago I was blogging about how I am not so "wife-y" and I am still "hip". </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">It's sad to say that somewhere along the past few weeks I have aged 10 years. I STARTED COOKING! Yes, full on COOKING. Mostly I'm doing it so that my sister will like hanging out with me and talking about food and won't move, as well as impressing my husband so that all he wants to do is tickle my back and praise me for an hour- but I'm doing it! Seriously and it doesn't even suck that bad. I made like coconut curry chicken and Russian chicken in honor of the Olympics. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">AND It's kinda fun! hopefully I can just keep it going. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFec7A9E288srrFwhpGU7We_Dql1FiJuXVihwKDPe6gOPkd3VCgVjP-javQoXGrryVuAHyMZYNHUU66v4Mff92WDiFrX6GOqdRB0kXTq-ipXQnBMWka4Q15l24BpAA7wKfAKiFUcniMtA/s1600/photo-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFec7A9E288srrFwhpGU7We_Dql1FiJuXVihwKDPe6gOPkd3VCgVjP-javQoXGrryVuAHyMZYNHUU66v4Mff92WDiFrX6GOqdRB0kXTq-ipXQnBMWka4Q15l24BpAA7wKfAKiFUcniMtA/s1600/photo-4.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(LITERALLY THIS PICTURE GIVES NO JUSTICE FOR HOW GOOD IT WAS AND HARD IT WAS TO MAKE)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Second of all- we spoke in church and made this whole marriage thing official. Yes, I gave the whole introduction to the new ward about how we met and where we work and whatnot and we were officially accepted into the ward. SO excepted that they called me to be the first counselor in the Young Women's Presidency. Honestly, I am a little nervous. I mean, I think back at how all my young women leaders impacted my life and how much I looked up to them <i>and still do! </i>That seems like a lot of pressure for someone who is just trying to figure it out. I am so excited to be back in Young Women's though. Back in the day I was basically the #1 YW Fan(unless I wanted to hang out with a boy then I pretty much <i><b>sucked</b></i> because I would ditch wednesday night mutual). But regardless, I freaking LOVE girls camp and basically everything about Young Women's. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I'm just nervous that I'm going to freak the crap out of everyone with how hyper I am and loud I can get when I play games and make everyone so competitive in the friendliest way possible and pump them all up on Personal Progress because I freaking LOVE IT!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Hopefully they can handle all this.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I am so nervous and excited. I just know that this is where I am supposed to be because of how calm my spirit is, and because of the blessing I received when I was being set apart. I hope that I can help bless and impact the girls the way that my leaders did for me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>And in other news:</b> I just have to give Bryan a shout out. Mostly because he is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I love him. But also because he does anything and everything for me. And he just watches Juno with me while I DIE. And gets me water and blankets more than I can explain. and heats up my car EVERY MORNING and makes me lunch & breakfast every day. and is just so sweet and obsessed with me and I am CREEPILY AND CRAZILY IN LOVE WITH HIM STILL. and I can't wait to be in love on Valentines day for the first time ever!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<b style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>but like I always say "I'm Happy"</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruOQ7AO8IIStMkXBMsLYh0I6jPkU4zHEwa5jNoUgTAc7_IeNcuffFswDo3S7aN7RAPmO16xHZJGHhFX7JEo-YbzbOsCmHCFZXd5SBGQzD3uRbaDkAU1EQhBoRX3DzDqV2jbnPZp45yzY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruOQ7AO8IIStMkXBMsLYh0I6jPkU4zHEwa5jNoUgTAc7_IeNcuffFswDo3S7aN7RAPmO16xHZJGHhFX7JEo-YbzbOsCmHCFZXd5SBGQzD3uRbaDkAU1EQhBoRX3DzDqV2jbnPZp45yzY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-41726881062308569482014-01-24T18:44:00.000-08:002014-01-24T18:44:06.749-08:00Feeling... poetic.<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Today, I've decided to express myself through poetry. Ehm......</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">...like kicking a cane from under an elderly human</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... like taking away a baby's favorite binkey</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... like taking candy from a child</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... like watching your house burn down</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... like losing your favorite sweater</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... like finding out Santa Clause isn't real</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">... like a completely psychotic ex boyfriend begging for someone to take them back</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Like losing your best friend (and no I don't mean my husband) only, it's not LIKE losing her if you ACTUALLY ARE. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">That's how I feel today. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">PS. there isn't something I "always say" about this situation other than "I hate it"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">THE END.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-33232294307585156012014-01-22T21:12:00.000-08:002014-01-22T21:12:47.485-08:00The Fault in Our Stars.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">So, this isn't exactly a book review----- in fact, it's not at all.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I just wanted to let everyone know (yes, all my fans) that you should read <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> by John Green. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> I read it in 3 sittings! </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">AND a pretty cool part is, I hear it's going to be a movie this year!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">And it was romantic, hilarious and tragic all in one. Some pages Bryan would ask me why the heck I'm laughing and then sometimes I would have to read it and cry when Bryan was already asleep. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I can't describe it. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> "My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations"- John Green</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fXno96hoYsnjdUsjGDfzJ2BErAh-LCK9COzDPvuEFsied71o_9NpFTW24UU2SoT3W_lY03siBZFA_ViH8j-BNlam-0dCyZqDOa5Pyp-vris77BGliGAxjOzhr6EsFq526RQTfOk13yE/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fXno96hoYsnjdUsjGDfzJ2BErAh-LCK9COzDPvuEFsied71o_9NpFTW24UU2SoT3W_lY03siBZFA_ViH8j-BNlam-0dCyZqDOa5Pyp-vris77BGliGAxjOzhr6EsFq526RQTfOk13yE/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">All I'm saying is, if you're looking for a good read check it out. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><i>but like I always say… "<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Okay obviously I'm not that profound- but doesn't that make you want to read it more?</span></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8407163365955762617.post-90016113495700082872014-01-16T10:02:00.001-08:002014-01-16T10:02:36.057-08:00Wife-y<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Can I just say... Ever since I got married, every human treats me like I'm a 59 year old who never has fun? It was only a few mere months ago I was eating at Dennys at 2 am and doing young and hip people things, but ever since the recent Warner movement I've been permanently renamed "least fun friend".</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> A friendly reminder: I'm still the young and fresh faced fun friend you once had. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Also, ever since I've been married, people treat me like I'm a mom; aka like since I got a ring on it I magically know ever answer to every question on the planet like real moms. NEWS FLASH PEEPS: I'm a wife, not a mom. Aka if you don't know, ask Google- because I don't know. (but i do wish i knew)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Third- the perk of this is I think some people take me more seriously now. Like since I'm a MRS maybe I'm more smart and mature and cook anything. Maybe I'm more mature and smart, maybe I'm not. However I will tell you know I haven't learned to cook almost anything since I've been married- that doesn't come as naturally as it should. I've learned a lot being married, cooking just isn't one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">PS: Sorry everyone judged us for combining our Facebook. We have our reasons, but just to clear some air--I know so many situations where exes have reconnected on Facebook, and <b>its stupid</b>. and YES, I trust my husband but NO, I don't necessarily trust other people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>but more importantly, having an account or <i>anything</i> separate from your husband is even stupider.</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />I've tried being single. and I've tried being married. and personally, I like being married more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b><i>but like I always say... "We are still fun you know, so... HUP (hit us up)"</i></b></span></div>
Rachellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08705039327665561369noreply@blogger.com1