feeling sniffly

Hopin it's just allergies and that it will go away soon, preferably before Saturday because, you know, that's kind of an important date.

I keep going through bouts of excitement and nervousness.

Does anybody have good recipes that are quick, healthy, and made for two? It's a bit harder to find recipes online than I thought--many are so fatty or take so long or are way expensive to cook. It's hard because I get home at 6:30 and we're usually hungry then and don't want to wait another hour to eat. But I guess we'll just have to get used to it because there's really no way around that unless we eat out each night. HA! Fat chance. (Pun intended) Anyway, if you have any favorites, let me know!

I think I'm going to start a new blog in a week. You know, gotta follow that trend of having a married blog to show off your awesome married life to other people. Haha.

I'm not as sore this time around as Havasupai (we hiked the Grand Canyon this weekend! RIM TO RIM! 24 miles. Which is not as cool as the Goff men who hiked RIM TO RIM TO RIM aka 48 miles. But still pretty hardcore for me). I'll post pics and a whole post especially for that trip soon. :)

Hope you all had a splendid weekend!

there has been lots to think about and feel

I'm just going to write all the unrelated thoughts I've had in the past while.

Being married is going to be hard, I think. Ok not being married, being a wife. In the traditional sense. Yesterday was my first real day of being like that. I rushed during my lunch break to get groceries for dinner, had to surf for recipes to make, rushed home to hurry and make it before Austin got home, then we had to rush to look at some couches (of which we made a purchase!! and had a hassle getting a truck for transport but it all worked out in the end), then while Austin was studying I did the dishes, washed the couch pillow covers we just got, went shopping for his little brother's b-day gift and returned some things at Target, and dropped off a wedding invitation before heading home to clean the rest of the apartment. It was exhausting! No it wasn't exactly mind-stressing work but holy cow I just wanted to sit and relax and not be cooking or cleaning. I thought it would be so fun doing all that domestic stuff but after a day of playing house, I'm done with it. :)

I keep getting patients who are old women whose husbands have recently died. It hits me hard because it would kill me if Austin died right now. And yet these women have been married for so long and love their husbands so much more... it kills me.

We're heading to Arizona this week and I'll visit Austin's hometown Mesa for the first time! Crazy huh? I'm pretty stoked. Then we're doing the crazy run in the Grand Canyon. I'm just doing the 26 miler though. And no, you don't run the whole time, a ton of it is just hiking. But still. If the 20 miles at Havasupai killed me, I'm sure I will die this time too, haha. But it's going to be so fun!!!!!

We have acquired a couch as previously mentioned and a dining set off KSL, the most wonderful classifieds website in the world. I'm so excited, our apartment is finally looking like a home! Now for a bed and dresser... then an entertainment center... then a nightstand... well, I did purchase 2 lamps today, for only $10! A steal, right? Well, not if you somehow break one of them on the way back. Yeah, somehow the wire snapped in two and I can't find the other half, the part that plugs into the wall. BIZARRE huh?? I have no idea what happened b/c I'm pretty dang sure I didn't shut it in the door but even then, it wouldn't have snapped, it had to have been dragged by something.... I don't know. But I'm pretty bummed, I was so happy to have a matching set... but my coworker thinks I can just rewire it. Time for another home project! Oh we also have a coffee table that we are painting dark brown. Yay! So is black and brown finally an ok combination? Because that's what our dining set is. Doesn't seem fashionably-incorrect anymore. Hope it isn't!

It's weird because I feel like I shouldn't be busy what with less wedding stuff to prepare and such, but I still have absolutely jam-packed days and have to keep postponing things. You wouldn't think you could be this busy when you're not in school and just working, but boy you can be. It's hard b/c all my friends are uber busy too and it seems like we just don't have time for each other anymore. Hopefully things settle down after we get married and I can visit them more. Although they will still be uber busy so maybe it still won't happen. :(

I AM REALLY EXCITED FOR NEXT SATURDAY........!!!!!!!!! Less than two weeks! I can't believe it! I went to my last singles ward this week. Crazy huh!? I will now be in a couples or family ward for the rest of my life. Crazy crazy crazy. Can't even believe it. I am so so so excited but at the same time scared and also feel like it's just not going to happen. I can't anticipate how big a change this will be, because it is so big a change. Everything will be different. Forever. No temporary here. That is just so insane to me. I cannot comprehend it at all... hopefully it is all very good and once it happens I ease into it well. Let's cross our fingers for a good transition!! :) It'll be funny getting married over the weekend then coming right back to work on Monday. Ha!

I still need a dress for the luncheon. And a new purse. And swimsuit. But I got brown heels, finally! Mom you'll be so proud, I should send you pics they are SO cute. Kinda uncomfortable though... pain for beauty. Oh well. :)

I haven't taken pictures in so long. I want a new camera. I want to renew my love for photos.

hm

After some life evaluation, I have decided that I'm not doing so hot.

Therefore I will be immersing myself in all things good and hoping to come out a better person.

Even though the main mantra is "Love God, Love Others" it gets complicated when you factor in temple attendance, scripture, reading, being chaste, among other things. All those things show love to God but are more difficult to do, it seems, than to "simply" love Him.

Only a bit over two weeks until the wedding and we still haven't sent out a few announcements. I feel kind of not on top of things but the first month of planning was so crazy that now I feel lazy. (Rhyme!) We just, well I just, moved into our new apartment and it's the only time in my life I will be habitating a place solo. It's been fine so far though, as long as I force myself not to think scary thoughts or wonder what those noises are at night. I wish we had furniture. You'd think having just a full-time job would leave you lots of free time but alas, it is not so. I still have not had time to even get a shower rod for the bathroom, let alone a mattress, dresser, etc. And there seems to be a million things going on all the time. I just want to relax. Oh well, two more weeks, right? Well, sorta. Because then I have two interviews I have to fly to two weeks in a row and our open house in Utah and Austin's brother's wedding. Whew! Then our honeymoon! But I should be happy, I am blessed to be marrying such a wonderful man and to have such wonderful family supporting me.

I want to be perfect! Why can't I just be perfect??

I think, sometimes, it's easier to listen to parents than anybody else.

in the sun

Whoa tons has happened. Have not updated in FOREVER.

Flowers: check.
Austin's suit: check.
Ties: check.
Cake: check.
Reception decor ideas: check.
Dress: check.
Bridals: check.
Ring: sorta check. Came wayyy too big so unfortunately we have to return. Boo.
Invitations: mostly check. Unless you live in Utah. We decided to have a Utah open house after all! But the date is still TBA so we're going to wait so we can put in a little insert. Sorry it will be so late!

Bridals were SO FUN. Becky is AWESOME and did my hair and makeup let alone photography! LOVED how she did everything. Also, we got some shots with MOOSE in the background which was scary as HECK. They were freaking charging at us, so it seemed, but really they were just romping around together, if you get my drift... but I just kept thinking about how moose are more dangerous than bears and that I was wearing a bright white wedding dress that was practically screaming COME CHARGE AT ME. We backed slowly away and were safe... but it was scary as heck and I was ticked b/c the spot we were in was awesome. Oh well. We got some good shots elsewhere. (Like the ranch! haha)

I also went shopping with Sheryl, my future mother-in-law, and she was AMAZING and got me all my temple clothes! I never have to rent! I can go whenever I want! It was so nice of her. Then we went to Dillard's to look at bedding b/c she said a ton of stuff was on clearance so we went crazy putting together some chocolate brown and taupe bedding and she got all that for us too!! Talk about amazing! I have a bed! And temple clothes! All in one day! Also, I was meandering at Seagull book while waiting for her to come to the store and won books from some promotion they were doing! It was a good day.

Lauren and I have been running together which is awesome and bad. Awesome because I'm LOVING having a running buddy but bad b/c now I've been so spoiled, I don't ever want to run solo anymore. Which means I pretty much only run once or twice a week, haha. But they're long runs (we're at 8 miles right now) so it's ok, I think. But I better start the "look good naked" workout... hahaha.

I'm pretty sure more things have been going on but I can't remember...

Havasupai

Just went on a brutally quick but super awesomely fun trip with the Goffs'. We left at 3pm on Friday afternoon, drove to Arizona, to the Grand Canyon, got in at midnight, slept outside on tarps (the stars were AMAZING), got up at 5am and hiked 8 miles into Havasupai, this amazing canyon with tons of waterfalls and gorgeous scenery on the Indian reservation of the Grand Canyon.
It was soooooooooo fun!!! First of all, all of Austin's uncles on the Goff side are suuuper hilarious and really nice and just fun to be around. Second of all, it was gorgeous there, even though supposedly it's been washed out and made less beautiful by huge floods of recent years. Thirdly, waterfalls are SO COOL and SO FUN to play in! The cold water was perfect in the hot desert sun and I've never been behind a waterfall before! It was scary getting in, the mist sprays so heavily that you breathe in water making it feel like a drowning sensation but it was still so cool! And we went cliff jumping off this 25-30 ft waterfall which scary as HECK but so fun! I have a nasty bruise on my thigh from it but it was worth it for sure. We also went into an abandoned mine, going down all the shafts and such which was also way super fun. Chief and Logan got lost from us for a good chunk of the day, but they were still good sports about it. We climbed up a little waterfall, played on a rope swing, man it was just so fun!! One of my favorite trips this year for sure.

Ha that even includes the brutal hike back up. It felt way longer than it felt coming in that's for sure. And going up those switchbacks... I went slowly, moseying on up, but made it, haha. That felt good. We hiked over 25 miles that day. Most I've ever hiked in one day before. I am so sore I can't walk without looking really really.... odd, to say the least. I don't know how long it'll take for my legs to recuperate but it was totally worth it. I loved it!!this is where we jumped off!! it looks so scary from top but from the bottom not so bad

I'm in love, I'm in love, and I don't care who knows it!

Just thinking about my love at work. Here's the past year of our life in pictures!

August

This was our first "date." I invited him up to SLC to a Cervical Cancer Awareness Awards Dinner which ended up being about ten people, all women, and me and Austin. He was such a good sport. :) It only counts as a date because he bought us cheese fries afterwards. Haha.

September

Austin took me outdoor climbing for the first time! It was suuuuuper fun. No that is not sarcastic. It was also our birthday month!

October

We went Halloween dance-hopping then watched a scary movie at my apt. I was a cowgirl and he was a fat bloated constipated man. I saw him bump and grind for the first time and the last time (at least for the next 2 years).

November

No pictures of us together! How odd. But we were definitely together every single day except when he left for AZ over Thanksgiving. But he helped me a ton with my texting awareness campaign, shown here.

December

Uncle Mike! Austin's bff Sam's uncle is Michael McLean, of the Forgotten Carols. He scored us tickets to the show and we got to meet him afterwards!

January

Ooo, a good month! Hard to pick. This is from my first overnight camping trip with him to Snow Canyon down south. My favorite climbing trip with him so far. :)

February

He's good at being romantic when it comes down to it. One of our Valentine's Day activities was ice skating in the snowfall. Very romantic, haha.

March
Another packed month! We flew home to Seattle to meet my parents for the first time. Tons of fun!

April

I graduated!!!!!! Austin met my Aunt and Uncle and my parents for the second time. He also had very long hair.

May

I ran my first half-marathon! After being a good motivator through four months of training, Austin helped me through this crazy weathered race.

June

One of the coolest things about dating a Utahn native is that they know all the secrets of the place. Aka I got to do such cool things!! (Don't worry, I love him for better reasons than that!) One of these cool things is Mona, the waterhole pond place that you rope swing into! He was awesome and took me and my friends that were visiting that weekend there. So fun!!! (note: the boy in the picture is Austin's friend, not him. Or me.)

July

We headed to the Uintas, the beautiful yet mosquito-ridden land for climbing and camping and fishing. Look at him go!

August

At long last... we are engaged. A wonderful proposal from a wonderful guy, I can't wait for October 23!!