Jonathan and Heather Acosta

Family Photos

2010-12-02T18:08:00.000-08:00

I guess you could say we have our own personal photographer. Thanks Becca, you always do a great job and you know we appreciate you sharing your talent with us!

Turkey Trot

2010-12-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving; I know we did. We had a nice, long, fun-filled weekend and only managed to get this single photo from the Turkey Trot amongst all of our fun activities. Oh well, what can you do? My dad and I had a lot of fun running the 10k and are looking forward to the half marathon in January.

Halloween

2010-10-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess if we did well enough with this costume, I don't need to explain it...
Side note: if anyone needs and/or wants a shopping cart, let me know!!

Mug shot anyone? Scary, I know, but I had to get into character, what can I say?
Hope everyone had an enjoyable Halloween weekend. We certainly did; spent it with good company, playing fun games, and staying up much later than we are used to (we're lame and old, I know). Happy Halloween!!

Anyone interested in a puppy?

2010-09-18T12:29:00.001-07:00

If you are interested, or know anyone who is...

My aunt and uncle are selling the cutest puppies. They have 3 black lab puppies. They are 8 weeks old, have all of their shots, and are ready to find a good home. They are selling them for $150.00 and the first 3 went really fast, so let me know if anyone is in the puppy market!!

This picture does not do this puppy justice. It was taken by my very fancy phone so the quality, obviously, is pretty great (or not). You get the idea; they are adorable. Let me know if anyone is interested!!

Howard Prairie Lake

2010-09-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

Jon and I finally got a chance to go on a vacation. We've both been working hard all summer, so we jumped at the opportunity to get away for a few days. Jon's family goes up to Oregon every year to camp, and despite the face that I'm not the biggest fan of camping, Jon convinced me to go. We flew into Medford, Oregon and were greeted by his Grandparents, Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin. We spent 6 days camping at Howard Prairie Lake and had a great time. We may not have been completely prepared for the weather, but we were able to enjoy our time escaping from the monotony of our usual routines. When I say we weren't prepared for the weather... it was FREEZING!! I may have had to layer every article of semi-warm clothing I brought just to survive (ok, a little dramatic), but I did make it out alive. I haven't gotten all of the pictures that were taken on our little adventure, but I will post the ones that I took for now. I'm so glad I was able to get away and spend time with Jon's amazing family. We had a lot of fun and look forward to joining them for another vacation in the future.

Yes, we are eating ice cream even though it was freezing. Ice cream is always delicious and hey, traditions are traditions... who am I to break them? I think I ate like 5 of those suckers.

We went fishing one morning; we got out on the lake as the sun was rising and it was beautiful. This was my first time really fishing, so it was a new experience. I was secretly hoping I wouldn't catch anything (I know, I'm a girl... Jon reminded me of this multiple times), and sure enough, I didn't. Jon's cousin Meagan was the only one to catch one, I guess it's late in the season, but I had fun learning and experiencing new things.

Every year they bring the Sea Doo out to the lake and we had a lot of fun cruising the lake. We all sucked it up and got in the freezing cold water on the tube. I was completely numb after this, but it was worth it.

We had a great time and I really can't wait to go back in the future. Thanks for everything, we had a lot of fun and appreciate everything you did for us!!

2010-07-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

So, this is a little over due, but...

I was lucky enough to spend some time with these girls (and cute baby Tripp) on my birthday. Our crazy schedules don't always allow us time to get together, so we take full advantage when we can all meet at the same place, at the same time, and on the same day. We headed over to our favorite spot (Cracker's) and caught up on life. Tori is obviously a mommy and Tripp is the cutest thing ever. April just graduated from Nursing school. And Lindsay is about to start her new little family come November. I've been through so much with these girls and feel so fortunate to have them in my life, and for so many years. I love you guys; hopefully we can all get together again soon.

2010-07-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

Recent events have gotten me thinking. About a lot of things. But, mostly, just life in general.

I feel so fortunate to be blessed with so many things. The perfect husband. A loving and supportive family. Great friends that I have had for years. New friendships. A roof over my head. A job. My health. The health of loved ones. An education... I could obviously go on all day...

I have countless things to be grateful for and often times forget how truly blessed I am. I take things for granted, but it's times like these I realize what I am thankful for.

Life is so short. I feel blessed each day that I get to spend time with the one's I love, doing the things I love; and I pray that I can take full advantage of these blessings each day.

Maybe you can take a moment and reflect on your life... what are you thankful for?

June Recap

2010-07-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

June was an extremely busy month, and I have no idea where it went...

I started out the month with a lunch with these three cute girls. Our little get together was a little bitter-sweet, unfortunately. Hilary and her cute little family moved to Arkansas for a job opportunity after her hubby finished medical school here in AZ. I miss her already, but I'm so glad school brought us together, because I feel so blessed to have great friends like these girls. Life is full of new adventures and I'm so excited for her and her family. And Alexis will be starting her new little family very soon and I'm so excited for her. It was so fun to see her cute little baby belly and I can't wait to meet her baby girl.

We also had the pleasure of visiting with these guys for a couple of days. Jon's cousins stopped by on their way from Nebraska to California and we're so glad we were able to visit with them for a couple of days. The heat may have been a little much for them, but we had fun swimming, bowling, playing with the pups, and going out to eat. We had a lot of fun and we are so glad we were able to open up our home to them.

We celebrated Father's Day. Love you, Daddy!
A Birthday... 21!!
Another Birthday... 26!!
And had an enjoyable evening out with the family.

June was full of a lot of fun activities and July has been just as busy so far. The summer is flying by, but we are completely enjoying it!

The Tank

2010-07-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

Meet The Tank.

The story behind The Tank:

So Jon and I know a couple of people who recently got a scooter. I mentioned to Jon how fun it would be to have one. I should know by now that when I mention something to him, it's as good as done. It took about 5 minutes for him to start looking at different one's online and the next day, we brought this little beauty home. We've just been cruising around on it and having fun. We even got an "acceptance" nod from a fellow biker on a Harley last night while we were riding home from my parents house. Ok so we're not that cool, but we have been having a lot of fun on our new little purchase.

Yes, I made Jon sit on it for a picture, and yes he hated every minute of it.

Should I do it?

2010-06-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

So I bought this piano (featured below) with every intention of painting it. The "oldness" of the piano started growing on me, so I gave up on the idea. Then I came across this piano (featured above) and fell in love. I can't decide if I should do it or not. Originally I wanted to do an antique green, but this blue is just killing me right now, I love it. So, should I do it...? I think I just might have to... add it to the long list of "summer projects..."

Wedding Love

2010-05-30T23:14:00.001-07:00

I think life has finally calmed down after all of the wedding festivities. I forgot how much work weddings are. Tiff and Drew are finally married though. We started out the week with the rehearsal and dinner on Wednesday night, which coincidently happened to be my daddy's birthday (Happy Birthday Dad)...

And then the wedding the next day. It was a fun day and Tiff looked beautiful. I didn't take many pictures because I was a little preoccupied with everything, but these are the few that got taken. The reception was a lot of fun and I'm so happy for my sister.

These two lucky love birds got to go on a cruise... I'm very jealous, but so happy for them.

I was very lucky to be a part of their special day and wish them all the love and happiness a marriage could possibly have. Congratulations, love you guys.

Morning Monster...

2010-05-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

So, I woke up to my little monster eating my curtains today... literally, taking chunks out of them and eating it. I was just talking to someone the other day about how we've been so lucky with miss Olive; we really haven't had any fun incidents like this morning... I jinxed myself, apparently... She's almost a year old now... how long do I have to worry she's going to wake up at 6:00 am and eat curtains for breakfast? I took some pictures of my beautifully eaten curtains but I can't find my cord to upload them, so you can use your imagination...

On a lighter note... can I just say I love Saturday morning TV... first time, in a while, I've been able to completely relax on a Saturday. I love it.

Much Needed "Vacation"

2010-05-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day weekend, Jon and I got to go on a much needed trip to California. Jon's extended family lives out there and we used to get out there pretty often to visit. It's been getting more and more difficult so we like to take advantage of every opportunity. We were able to spend a few days out there and got to see most of his relatives (it's kind of hard making the "rounds"). We ate a lot, slept a little, and had a great time. It was great seeing everyone and really appreciate all the accommodations that were made for us (even though not everyone was expecting us...)!!

Nice slippers Meagan...

Jon playing with fire... he's a boy, he can't help it...

Thanks again for everything... can't wait to see a few of you in a few weeks!

And as a side note... yes, I did ditch my mom on Mother's Day, but I know she knows how much I love and appreciate her! I would celebrate Mother's Day every day of the year if I could because I have the best mom in the world. I love you Mommy.

2010-05-21T22:39:00.000-07:00

Tiff and Drew decided to get hitched yesterday and it was great to be able to celebrate with them. My sister looked beautiful and I'm so glad I was able to be a part of her special day. I am very excited for these two and wish them only the best now and in the future. Congratulations, and welcome to the family Drew...

Pictures coming soon...

2010-04-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

Perfect weather...

...so we went for a walk on my lunch break.

2010-04-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

So, I'm finally getting my house in order... I know, it should be done by now, but these things take time. I mentioned we got new couches and I've been talking about how I've been painting forever so I thought I'd finally post some pictures of my "semi" finished product. I finished painting about a month ago and am finally getting all the things I have back up on the walls. Jon complains that things are always moving around, but I'm still trying to find a place for everything.

Living room:

I painted the coffee table and end table that my parents gave us because it's a whole lot cheaper than buying new ones. Jon also thinks I have an addiction to painting things and he's probably right. I think I've pretty much painted every piece of furniture we own and end up repainting a lot of decorations I have... oh well, they usually look better after...

I bought this gem from a patient at work for only $40!! It works and is tuned and I love it. I play it all the time now and am so glad I finally have a piano. I bought it with the intent to paint it (like everything else), but I'm kind of loving how old it looks... what do you think? Paint or no paint? I ended up upholstering the bench and love how it turned out (it was stained a weird redish-orangish color).

The kitchen:

This is the only picture that turned out and I didn't feel like taking and uploading another... lazy... yes! Guess you'll have to use your imagination...

Master bathroom:

I hate towel rods with a passion, so I replaced them with these towel hooks; I love them. They are much more practical.

Spare bathroom:

Like the paint tape up on the window? Okay so maybe I'm not totally done; I still have to finish a few edges.

The spare bedroom and exercise room have a nice new paint job as well, but they were way too messy to take a picture of (they tend to be the junk collecting rooms) so these will have to do. I realize pictures don't do things justice, but I have put a lot of work into the house and I'm so glad with the way things have turned out. I still have a lot of things that I want to do and don't know if I will ever really be done because I'm constantly finding new things or seeing new ideas, but I have a lot of fun doing it.

Now, onto my next project...

2010-02-28T23:40:00.000-08:00

So, I just spent a very good portion of the day watching a Law and Order: SVU marathon. I know there's at least one other person that can appreciate that. Pathetic, I know, but I am obsessed with that show; have been for years. The best part about the marathon was there were actually episodes I haven't seen... it was amazing.

Life is Good

2010-02-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

So I have been loving not being in school. I have finally been getting to projects I have been wanting to get done, but never found the time to. I am getting close to having the entire house painted (yes, it has taken me a year... better late than never, right?).

Current project: kitchen, Status: almost done.

It will feel so great when it's all done. We finally got new couches and I am feeling great about getting all my decorations finished and up on the walls. I am loving all of my projects and the time I have to devote to them. Life is good. Jon has been keeping busy with school and work, like always, and is becoming more and more obsessed with his "new hobby." He has always loved and owned guns, but this obsession is seriously being taken to a whole new level. He wants EVERY gun he lays his eyes on and it's a little scary; this is not a cheap hobby. He is loving taking advantage of going to the shooting range and you are now looking at the newest members of the Rio Salado Sportsman's Club. Yes, it is true. Basically we can go and shoot any time for free. All I can do is embrace this lovely new obsession and enjoy the time we can spend together doing it. Again, life is good.

We shared a very romantic Valentine's Day full of NBA All Stars, All Stars, and more All Stars... okay so we're not very romantic but hey, we were together. I made dinner and we sat in front of the TV and watched the game. Jon got me a cute bamboo plant for our beautiful home and I love it. We had a great day and hope everyone got to spend it with the one's they love. Cheesy, I know, but what do you expect. We are loving life; life is good.

January 15, 2010

2010-01-18T11:28:00.000-08:00

On Friday Jon and I celebrated our one year anniversary! I can't believe it's been an entire year... where does the time go? It has been such a fun year; I love being married and I have the perfect husband. I can't wait to spend forever with him and I look forward to the many things we will experience together in the future.

New York City

2009-12-27T14:17:00.000-08:00

We had the opportunity to go to New York this year. For the past few years my family has gone on trips for Christmas instead of doing gifts; Hawaii, Bahamas, and this year New York City. What an amazing place to be. We left the day after graduation and got home on Christmas Eve. We flew into a blizzard and brought the first snow fall of the winter to NYC, lucky us. Aside from being absolutely freezing, we had a great time and got to see so many amazing and historic things. We stayed in Times Square and it was so fun to see a whole new way of living. It is a totally different world there, and although it was so fun to visit, I could never live there.

Central Park was so fun to visit. I never understood how massive this place is, it was crazy. This was one of the few bodies of water in the park that wasn't frozen, I just thought it was so picturesque.

It was so fun to see everyone in Central Park enjoying the snow. As I said before, this was their first snow fall this winter, so everyone was out sledding and having a good time. Jon decided to steal a sled from a little kid, just kidding, he did ask, and the mom willingly let him go down the hill even though the little boy wasn't too happy about it.

We rode on a double decker bus through the city to get from place to place and it was very entertaining. The guides on the bus were extremely knowledgeable about the city and its history and it was really interesting learning all about it.

We spent every night in Times Square walking around, visiting all the shops, freezing our bum off, and eating plenty of pizza! We visited the 3 story M&M's store, the Hershey's store, Macy's, and plenty of other stores in between.
The Statue of Liberty was fun to see. It's one of those things I have always wanted to see, so it was a good experience. We also got to visit Ellis Island which was very interesting. We did an audio tour which allows you to walk through as if you were an immigrant here for the first time. I definitely have a new perspective and appreciation of the history behind Ellis Island.
The ferry over to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island was very cold, but it was so fun to see the whole city behind us and all the surrounding islands.
We also had the opportunity to go on the David Letterman show. It was very interesting to be a part of the whole experience. It was totally not what I would have expected, so it was neat to see how it all comes together. We were there on Monday in the evening, and the show aired the Wednesday before Christmas. It was their Christmas special, so it was neat to be a part of that. We also visited the Rockefeller Center which amazing. They have an observation deck on their 70th floor that allows you to see New York City. We went around sunset so we could see the "day" and "night" version of the city. It was so beautiful and again, a very neat opportunity.

We also had the opportunity to visit Ground Zero and the museum they have directly across the street from where one of the towers stood. Being there and looking through the museum gave a whole new meaning to September 11, 2001. In the museum they had various items that they collected in days, months, and even years after the event. They had an entire wall filled with "missing persons" posters that families had made when their loved ones didn't come home. They also had an entire wall filled with pictures of each and every known individual that lost their life on that day. Not only did this experience open my eyes to that tragic day, but it gave a whole new meaning to Jon's deployment and to the many individuals who have served and are currently serving because of that day. So, thank you to all of you. And a special prayer to each and every individual who was affected by that day.

We got to do and see so many things and I had such a great time. It was fun to have a "white" Christmas, but I love being reminded why I live where I do.

We hope everyone had a great Christmas spent with loved ones and hope everyone has a fun time celebrating as we enter our new year. Happy 2010.

Graduation

2009-12-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did it. Last Friday I graduated from ASU and it was such a fun day. My graduation was first thing in the morning at the Phoenix Convention Center. Graduation itself was pretty boring, (what do you expect?) but it was so fun graduating with all the girls that I've become so close with. I had a lunch after graduation at my parents house with all my family and friends and it was so fun to get together. Thank you so much to everyone who came and supported me, it meant so much! It was a great day filled with many "bitter/sweet" emotions, but now, onto my next journey in life... "when one door closes, another opens."

Merry Christmas

2009-12-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

2009-12-03T20:46:00.000-08:00

Jon and I went hiking last week. It was so nice. We haven't been able to go for a while because we've been so busy. The dogs loved it too. This was Ollie's first time (yes she is my child) and she was so funny. She was having fun running, but quickly learned it's not the greatest idea to sprint down a mountain. It was nice, once again, to break up the monotony of school and work and get outside and enjoy the weather (that all of a sudden became freezing). I can't wait to be able to play more... just a couple more weeks!

This was just a random picture we took on Thanksgiving. We had a great day full of yummy food and good company. We had the opportunity to eat two huge meals between the two families. We enjoyed the day and are definitely looking forward to Christmas!!
And just as a side note... I turned in a huge project today that was like a collection of all the work I've done throughout the last 4 years and it felt SO good to get it out of my hands. I literally spent all day at school, but everything is finally coming together. I just have a few more assignments and a couple more exams! Yay.

Counting down the days...

2009-11-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am like a little kid waiting for school to be over and summer to begin. I am counting down the days. I am getting so excited; there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. I made some announcements, complete with a picture, because yes, I am that cheesy. They turned out great and I am so happy with the pictures. Becca Stark took them and did so awesome. There were some really great pictures, and although I would love to showcase her talent, it was a little too much me, so one will have to do. Thanks again Becca. 3 1/2 weeks and counting...

2009-11-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

Doesn't she just look guilty...

These puppies seriously love each other; they are best friends. I was concerned when we first got her, but they play all day and cuddle all night. I'm pathetic, I know, but I love my babies.

Baby Shower

2009-10-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a baby shower for Tori. She's due in two weeks and I am SO excited for her. It's hard to believe this baby is almost here, but like I said, I'm so excited; she's going to be a great mommy to her little boy. It was so fun to get together. It's unfortunate that our busy schedules don't allow us to get together too often, but I'm glad that after so many years we are still great friends. We've been through a lot together and I'm so glad we get to share this experience with Tori. Congratulations Tori!

Happy Birthday

2009-10-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday. I love you.

Graduation

2009-10-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

It's official... I applied for graduation today! I'm so excited; in a little over two months I will be an ASU grad! I will graduate on December 18 with a Bachelor's of Science in Exercise and Wellness. Yes, I am very proud of myself, if you couldn't already tell. It's great to see all my hard work pay off. Now all I need to do is decide what I want to be when I grow up... I'm thinking life would be a lot easier if I could be a professional student. I'm not sure how I'm going to feel when I'm no longer in school... ah, who am I kidding, it's going to be great! I have really enjoyed my experience at ASU, I have loved most of it and really am going to be sad to see it all come to an end. Who knows, maybe additional schooling isn't so far-fetched. I have made such great friends and love every one of them. Thanks for making school so fun! I miss you all already! Yay Fall '09 graduates!

Our new addition...

2009-09-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Are we crazy? Probably. We've been wanting to get a friend for Trigger for a while now and Jon is a complete sucker for people selling puppies on the corner of the street. Why? Who knows... But I got a phone call yesterday, similar to the phone call I got when we got Trigger, saying he found the cutest puppy. So my little impulse buyer, decided to get her. I went down and picked her up and brought her home to meet the monster. Trigger follows her every move and they already love each other. So here she is...

Miss Olive

The family we got her from had already named her and she answers to it so we decided to keep her name. She is 9 weeks old and is an Australian Shepherd. We've only heard good things about these dogs like the most loyal dog you'll ever have, great family dog, great protector, so hopefully she'll be a great addition to our little family. I'm already tired of her little puppy shenanigans, but with a little work, she'll be a great dog.

2009-09-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

My new favorite thing...

Everyone should do Yoga; pure bliss...

Remembering...

2009-09-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

Thank you to those who served prior to, because of, and after September 11, 2001. Thank you to those who are currently serving and a special prayer to every one of them and their families.

I especially want to thank my husband who is fortunately home now, but proudly served in Afghanistan for 18 months. I am so proud of him and want to thank him for his sacrifice. He absolutely hates recognition, but deserves it.

Thank you again to all the men and women who have served and are currently serving and to their families for their sacrifice, love, support, and strength.

The Weekend

2009-09-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

Jon and I were finally able to take a much needed vacation. We haven't been able to since our honeymoon (other than a day trip to California a few months back) so it was so great to get away for a few days. We left Friday afternoon and came home today (Tuesday). We were able to spend time with and visit all of Jon's family who lives in California, make a trip to the beach, watch my dad run in the Disneyland Half Marathon (for the third time), and somewhat relax. We stayed with Jon's family the whole weekend and loved being able to spend time with them. We got in Friday evening and spent the night visiting with family. Saturday we spent some time in Anaheim then headed to Newport Beach with my family for the day. It was very relaxing and we had an enjoyable time playing in the water. It was perfect weather and the water felt great. I also got some much needed sun. Sunday we headed to Anaheim again to watch my dad run in the Disneyland Half Marathon. After the first one we all did, he's the only one who has decided to do others. I think this was his 6th one total and has plans for many more coming up. He loves to run them; he's a crazy man. I have vowed to never do one again. But congrats Dad! We spent the rest of the day visiting with more family. Monday we had a barbeque at Jon's grandparents house and again had an enjoyable time eating, swimming, and visiting with more family. We headed out early this morning and came home just in time for me to head to work for the afternoon. It was a great trip, left me a little tired, but we had such a fun time. Thank you to Roger, Lori, and Meagan for letting us stay at your house; it was so fun spending time with you. It was great seeing everyone and hope to see you all soon.

Also, thanks to Dan and Terri for watching the baby so we could go; we appreciate it.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, I'm not one to bust out the camera to capture every moment; I always regret it later but I guess it's just who I am.

2009-08-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

Trigger's favorite things...

Swimming...

And car rides...

Can you think of anything better? He hated both of these activities up until recently, guess it's a newfound love. If there is ever an open car door (our car or not) he jumps right in. I guess he thinks car rides lead to fun activities (which they usually do - yes Jon makes fun of me too, he says I treat him like he's my child). And swimming, can't get him out of the pool anymore. He's a funny puppy and keeps me entertained constantly. I love my baby.

Happy Birthday/Welcome Home

2009-08-23T10:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was eventful. We celebrated my mom's birthday with a great surprise. Back in May, before Katelyn left, we had the genius idea to lead my mom to believe Katelyn would be home on August 23rd, the day after her birthday, when in fact she came home yesterday, on my mom's birthday. Sounds silly but my poor mom missed Katelyn so much, so we knew it would be a great surprise. Tiff and I picked Katelyn up from the airport and planned to surprise her at dinner. It was pretty fun. There were bets on whether or not my mom would cry, Jon won, she did. It sounds like Katelyn had a great summer, full of plenty of new adventures, but we're all glad she's home. So happy birthday Mommy and welcome home K!

2009-08-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

Is summer really over? Already? I can't believe it. Only one more semester to go....

Boredom... It gets the best of you...

2009-08-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

I call this boredom, they call it creativity. This is what happens when these boys get together late at night with nothing to do...

Ping Pong Table = Kitchen Table

Ping Pong Ball = Ping Pong Ball

Paddle = DVD Case

Net = Widening Gap in the Center of the Kitchen Table (not sure what rule forces the gap to widen, guess I'll have to read the rule book)

And yes, that is 12:40 AM on a Tuesday night (morning)... who does this...?

While The Hubby's Away...

2009-07-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Jon had his annual military training the past couple of weeks so I had some time to work on some projects. I'm slowly painting the whole house and our bedroom was next on the list. After painting the room, I decided it was time to continue with the project and paint the "furniture" in our room. We had two old bedside tables, a book shelf, and a dresser that we've collected (the joys of being newlyweds) and they were all looking pretty bad, not to mention the fact that they didn't match at all. So I turned them into this... (the picture doesn't do them justice). I had a fun two weeks, definitely kept myself busy. By the way, Jon has no idea. His reaction will be very interesting. It's been really hard not mentioning it when he's on the phone asking me what I'm doing and I say "nothing" with a paint brush in my hand. Hopefully it's a good surprise...? He'll be home tonight so we'll see...

Visitor's

2009-07-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago Jon's cousin Meagan and her boyfriend Michael came to stay with us for a few days. They came down originally for a wedding, but decided it was a good excuse for a visit. Jon's family lives in California so it's fun when we're able to see them. We used to make it out there often, but life seems to be a little too busy for vacations. We had a great time with them though!

We decided to take them shooting. Jon and I used to go all the time, but again, just haven't found time to get out there. We had fun. It was Trigger's first time and he did so great. We were a little worried, but he had so much fun. He had his first encounter with a cactus, poor thing, wish I would have gotten a picture of it.

Thanks for coming to visit us. You're welcome anytime!

2009-07-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

2009-06-28T13:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Tiff (June 26th). Love you.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day. Love you, thanks for everything you do. You're the best.

And to Dan, Happy Father's Day.

And to all the other daddy's out there, Happy Father's Day.

2009-06-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday sister, love you. (June 17th)

Goodbye May, Hello June.

2009-05-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

May was a busy month... I finished up school after a stressful semester, finally started working on various projects I've had planned, but more importantly...

Got to celebrate Mother's Day, love you, you're the best Mommy in the world, thank you for everything you've ever done and continue to do for me.

And to Terri, thanks for everything you do! Happy Mother's Day.

Got to celebrate my daddy's birthday... Happy Birthday, love you. Sorry, I had too many funny pictures to choose from, this one just makes me laugh.

Had to say goodbye to my sister for the summer, so sad! She seems to be having an amazing time in South Carolina. Miss you.

And congrats to Tiffy on your new apartment. Exciting....

Goodbye May, Hello June.

2009-05-13T20:43:00.000-07:00

Missing a couple of the girls, but it was hard enough getting this picture. Silly us, we're in high school all over again. But hey, the last day of school doesn't lose its excitement, no matter how old you get. Thanks for the picture Hilary!

2009-05-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

I'm finally done with this semester! Yay! After a lot of homework, studying, and plenty of stress... I'm done. The better news is... only one more semester (of only online classes and an internship) and I will finally graduate from ASU. I'm starting to get really excited! I wasn't sure if I'd ever see the end of this journey, but there is hope. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss all the great friends I've become so close with. Today was a little bitter/sweet, but it's great knowing we've established friendships that will last even after we graduate. It's been so fun getting to know and becoming so close with everyone, and trust me, I would not have been able to make it through any of this without them (and it definitely wouldn't have been as fun)! Thanks guys, I love you!

Rules of a Man

2009-04-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

I thought these were hilarious; however, Jon's reaction was priceless.

These are our rules! Please note.. these are all numbered '1 ' ON PURPOSE!

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did not need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched.. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say 'nothing,' We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really .

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or motor sports.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Did you know we really don't mind sleeping on the couch, it's like camping.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, he was totally mad at me for putting these on, and needless to say it didn't last very long, so this is the best picture I got. Hope everyone has a great Easter.

2009-03-20T19:42:00.000-07:00

"If life were easy, it wouldn't be hard."

"Meaning this: What if every prayer were instantly answered in the way we wanted it to be? What if a little bit of spiritual due diligence now and again kept us in constant and clear contact with our Heavenly Father? If nothing ever tested our faith or our resolve or our convictions - because we really don't know what we believe or believe in, for that matter, until we're tested - then what are the chances we would progress far enough spiritually in this long and dreary world? Whether we like it or not, our trials and struggles can tend to accelerate our push toward godliness. In fact, it's possible we couldn't go as far as we're capable of going without them."

"This life was designed to be a test - a test to determine if we want to be part of the kingdom of God more than we want anything else."

Hiking

2009-03-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

This week has been amazing; it is my spring break and it has definitely been long over due. I forget sometimes that school is a little stressful. It seems I just get caught up in life, and when I finally have a chance to unwind I realize I need to take a breath every once in a while. Jon had the day off of work so we decided the weather was too perfect to sit around so we decided to go hiking. We had a lot of fun. Trigger definitely enjoyed his first hike. He loves being outside and running around so this was heaven for him. It was a perfect day!

2009-03-05T19:21:00.000-08:00

In order to succeed, your desire for success must be greater than your fear of failure.

Finally!

2009-03-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

After a long and completely drawn out process, we finally got to move into our house. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to purchase a home and consider ourselves so blessed! After looking at literally hundreds of houses, this is the one we fell in love with. We really wanted to find something close so this house in Mesa definitely met the criteria. We are so close to both of our families and again are so blessed. Everything is still a complete mess but we're slowly getting everything in its place. We're just so glad we're finally in our own home, the settling will come.

The boys working hard... ok they really did, I guess they're allowed a break.

2009-02-11T10:25:00.001-08:00

I finally took some pictures of my puppy. It's been a while since I've taken any and I realized he's not a puppy anymore, he's kind of a dog. Back in July, Jon kept "dropping hints" that he was going to get me a puppy for my birthday and sure enough, he did, only it wasn't exactly real. He came home about a month later with little Trigger. He's a Husky/German Shepherd so we knew he would be a big doggy. He's huge right now and I'm pretty sure he's not done growing. He's 8 months old and is definitely still a puppy at heart (even though he may not look like one anymore). He is our baby and we love him to death.

Trigger still thinks he's a lap dog. Whenever he has the chance, he goes straight for our laps. I don't think he realizes how big he is; he's still a puppy and that's all he cares about. He knows he's cute and can get away with anything; trust me he takes full advantage of that.

Honeymoon!

2009-02-05T14:35:00.000-08:00

Jon and I were lucky enough to go on a cruise for our honeymoon. The cruise left from Long Beach, California and headed to Ensenada, Mexico. Because we started school Tuesday after we got married, we went on a short, four day cruise; it was perfect! Jon has been on multiple cruises, but it was my first so it was a new experience. We had an amazing suite with a balcony; we were very spoiled. We had a great time on the ship going to shows, watching people lose (and occasionally win) thousands of dollars in the casino, relaxing, and eating TONS of food. I'm pretty sure we spent most of our time hanging around the food, it was so yummy. Jon also rekindled his love of ice cream, and yes, it really is out all day and all night, very bad. There was no need for rekindling for me, my love has always been strong and unwavering. In Ensenada we walked around all the shops and got to go horseback riding on the beach. It was beautiful, ok a little ghetto, but we had fun nonetheless. Needless to say we had so much fun; I think we could have stayed on that ship forever. I can't wait until we can go on another one, for now... back to the real world.

The view from our balcony in Ensenada.

The Wedding!

2009-01-28T17:18:00.000-08:00

Jon and I decided to tie the knot on January 15, 2009. It was such an amazing day. We had so much fun and loved every minute of it. We had so much support from all our family and friends and I thank every one of you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for everyone who was there on our special day; the sacrifices you made to be there mean so much. Thanks again for all the support as Jon and I begin our lives together. I look forward to the many experiences we will have in the years to come.

The Bahamas

2009-01-23T12:15:00.000-08:00

This year I had the opportunity to take one last trip with my family as a single woman. I left Jon behind and my family and I headed off to the Bahamas. I have to say this trip was not what I expected at all, but it was amazing nonetheless. We had the opportunity to be there over the New Year holiday which was a very different experience. We were able to celebrate with the locals at their famous "Junkanoo" parade. The parade begins at 1:00 am New Year's Day and ends at 4:00 pm New Years Day. They definitely know how to party. As much fun as it was, it was definitely a humbling experience. This celebration is so well planned and long awaited because they are all so happy to see yet another year. They don't have the best living conditions and having the opportunity to live another year is a blessing for them. It was definitely a reminder of how fortunate I am and allowed me to reflect on all of my many blessings.

We took a ferry ride over to Paradise Island where the famous Atlantis Resort is located. It was an amazing resort with the coolest aquariums, beautiful beaches, and a huge water park. We had a lot of fun hanging out over there.

This is the view from a ledge overlooking their shark aquarium with the Atlantis in the background. This was an amazing resort and so fun to visit.

We did a lot of shopping and found some pretty cool stuff.

We also took a ferry to a private cove and were able to see and play with dolphins. Katelyn even had the opportunity to swim with the dolphins, it was pretty awesome and I know she was one happy girl.

Overall an amazing trip with amazing experiences. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed being able to spend time as a family. As I said before, this trip was nothing I could have expected and turned out to be a very humbling vacation. I am so grateful for the many opportunities I have been presented with in my life and hope that I can always remember how blessed I am.

2008-12-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

Well, it's almost here. The big day is January 15th and I know it will be here in no time. Christmas is already here, I can't believe it. We've been busy making sure everything is still in order for the wedding and continue to hope things will work out as well as they have. Life seems to be a little more simple now that finals are done and school is out for the next month, but I know life will continue to be overwhelming. We always find something, right? The next month is going to be pretty crazy actually. I'm heading off to the Bahamas for our Christmas vacation next week for 7 days. We get back, get married a week later, head off on our honeymoon to Mexico, get back and start school the next day. Sounds like fun huh? I'm actually really excited. Hopefully I can keep up! Life is great and I can't wait to see how everything plays out over the next few weeks. All I know is I cannot wait to get married, I'm nervous, but SO excited! Hope everyone has a great Christmas!

2008-11-20T22:39:00.000-08:00