the last three weeks: part two

week two:

monday: class 12-2, work 2-7
tuesday: I drew blood at the senior games from 7-9, class 9-12, work 2-7
wednesday: I drew blood at the senior games from 7-9, worked at the hospital from 9-5, and went to class from 12-2 during my lunch break.

thursday: I had a co-op meeting at 6:50, drew blood at the senior games from 7-9, class 9-12, then I ended up going to a physiology lab from 12-2 since we were heading up north on friday and I wouldn't be able to make it to class. 

friday: We got up early and headed up north for the girls soccer state tournament, and for Bryson Hurst's wedding. This weekend we also celebrated the twins' birthday! We arrived just in time for the soccer game where these girls battled! The game was seriously so crazy. I am not a big fan of soccer but when the game was no score for basically the whole game we got excited. There wasn't much time left in the second half when we finally scored. We were jumping up and down, screaming our guts out, and praying the other team wouldn't score in the next four minutes. I lost my voice. No surprise there. After the game we headed over to California Pizza Kitchen. We ran into the Utah Jazz basketball team while we were there, and since it was Mitzi's birthday she got to get a picture with them! They are HUGE! California Pizza Kitchen was delicious as always, those avocado egg-rolls are a must, and never fail to please! We ended up shopping for the next couple hours which is always fun. That night Alex was invited to a "bachelor party" at Tucanos for Bryson Hurst, and I was really jealous. Hello, Tucanos is amazing. But since I wasn't invited ha, I ended up getting some new sweats at Victoria's Secret and finally used up some of my birthday giftcard! I then went to Orange Julius and got the biggest coke they had, for 99 cents! what a deal!! Then I went and sat in our parked car in the creepy parking garage for the next two hours and read my physiology book... so not fun. but I did change into my new sweats and i had a huge diet coke by my side so we managed ha. That night we had planned to stay at Heidi's new house, but we were just too sleepy so instead we stayed at my Great Aunt Marilyn's house with my family. It was so nice and so convenient. We were exhausted.

{photo credit: Ryker Gates}

Saturday: We got up early and got ready for the wedding. The sealing was at the Manti Temple and it was perfect. The sealer was hilarious and even though it was kind of long we were laughing the whole time. I think my favorite part was when he forgot to let the bride and groom kiss, then a little while later he said, "Oh, did you guys want to kiss." It was so cute and i loved it. I love that Alex and I are able to go see all of our friends sealed for time and all eternity, each sealing is so different, but so so special and I love it. We arrived in Salt Lake a half an hour before the game so we decided to stop at Chipotle for a quick lunch. Seriously sooo good. The game was at the Rio Tinto and was so intense. The game was no score for most of it and I found myself screaming the whole time, even if it was the wrong name haha... Sarah Hendersen scored with just a few minutes left and the girls knew they could win. They battled and Macey even got herself a yellow card. Yep, little teeny Macey was pushing people around. That just made the game that much better we loved that she was being so aggressive, I have never seen her play so hard, and I am so so proud of her. These girls have been playing together for years and all their hard work finally paid off. Good work girls, you deserve it!! After the game we went up to Gardner Village for a little while, I hadn't been there for years and it was so fun to go see it decorated for Halloween. We were hungry by the time we were done shopping around and since Macey was with the team all day on her birthday she decided that she wanted a big, juicy steak from Texas Roadhouse for her birthday dinner. The wait ended up being 85 minutes so we decided to hit up the one in Lehi and we did call ahead seating. There was still a little bit of a wait so Alex and I decided to dash on over to the wedding reception, sign in, go through the line, and meet back at Texas Roadhouse. We were so fast and there was hardly a line when we got there. The set up was gorgeous and wherever we were was so beautiful. It is safe to say I am OBSESSED with fall up north, I could talk about how gorgeous it was all day. Luckily we got there when we did because as we were leaving the line was out the door. When we got to Texas Roadhouse my mom, Mitzi, Macey, and Ben were still waiting for our table. Little did we know we were about to get a full on show. This specific Texas Roadhouse had a door-holder boy. His name was sheriff, and he, was quite the character. When we walked in there were three girls walking out and he said, "Three girls, now THAT is SEXY." We thought it was kind of weird but we just laughed it off and continued on our way to find our family. Then Sheriff fell in LOVE with Ben. I will let the pictures and videos do the talking. I am so glad this is where we went for dinner it was hilarious, until Sheriff got punched in the face by a four year old and thought he was going to die. He had to hold onto a car to stabilize himself and he was making really loud noises. We were laughing our heads off until we realized he was bleeding a little bit, then we felt kind of bad ha. oops.

 {these girls received their all-state soccer award at half-time, then sprinted off the field to join their team in the locker room}

 {The girls have been playing for KJ all year, and the state game just happened to be on his birthday. After the girls won they sang happy birthday to him and it was the sweetest thing. These girls know that KJ was helping them out today and they love and miss his very much.}

 Best supporter out there! We love Grandma Gates!

 He literally just popped on Ben's lap right out of nowhere. I don't know whether I have ever laughed so hard. poor Ben.

the last three weeks: week one

The last three weeks have been completely crazy for me, to say the least. Tonight I am feeling so blessed to have such a wonderful husband who always keeps me positive. I have been so busy and I have had so much on my plate. Alex is finding out he married someone with an endless supply of tears. The last couple weeks they have come oh so easily for me, even the silliest of things makes me cry.

week one:

monday: class 12-2, work 2-7, physiology quiz after work
tuesday: class 9-12, work 2-7  

wednesday: i drew blood at the senior games from 7-4.
When I signed up for the phlebotomy program this semester I wasn't doing it because I wanted to be a phlebotamist. I have honestly grown to love it so much though. The senior games gave me such great experience. I had 72 successful draws at the games, and even though I spent the whole day there I didn't want to leave when it was time to go. I wish I could just be a phlebotomist and be done with school, but I know I need to go farther than that, I really enjoy it a lot though. 

after I finished at the games Alex picked me up and we headed to Snow Canyon to watch my sister play at one of the state games! He even brought Durango's for us to eat while we watched, what a sweetie.

thursday: I drew blood at the games 7-4, and then headed over to the Santa Clara Town Hall for Chris and Danica's wedding dinner. We love them and it was such a fun night!

friday: friday morning we got up and it was a rainy day. Chris and Danica had planned their wedding outside, but mother nature had other plans. They ended up moving the wedding ceremony inside her house and it was GORGEOUS. Their house was beyond perfect and the wedding was beautiful. After the ceremony and pictures we headed over to Pete's Irmitas. Alex and all of his friends used to go there in high school and Pete LOVES them. The best part about it was that he calls Bryson Smith, Romeo haha too funny. Lunch was delicious to say the least, then Alex and I headed to the mall for a little bit. That night we went to their reception. They had a photo booth sign in book, and all kinds of grilled cheese for dinner. my favorite! I also had WAY too much hot chocolate, but it was cold and tasted delicious. After the reception we headed up to Pine Valley to Bryson's cabin. We though about spending the night, but we both worked early the next morning so we decided against it. We played Just Dance on the wii, rummicub, and watched football. It was such a fun night... until we got home! When we pulled up we saw something weird in the headlights by our garbages. THERE WAS A SKUNK. I panicked. I was going to be so so mad if that thing sprayed my car, the smell would have never left! We sat in the car for maybe ten minutes, then it finally ran off. SO SCARY!

saturday: hmm. saturday was interesting to say the least. I was in charge of a ward party that day. It was a chili cook-off and even though I wanted no part in the contest I needed to bring chili anyways. I got up at 6AM and headed to the grocery store. Came home, and got cookin'. I love this chili recipe my aunt Mary Dawn gave my mom, but I had never made it before. My mom told me to cook the bacon, then cook the onions and hamburger in the bacon grease, apparently, that's what makes it so good. So that is exactly what I did. After the bacon cook, I went to put the hamburger in and as I was flipping it over my hand slipped and that big, fat slab of hamburger popped right into that pan full of grease. The grease went all over me. My face, hair, EYE, shirt, pants, and shoes. It was AWFUL. My face had a nice little collection of burns and my work clothes were covered in grease and so was my hair. but guess what, I was already late so I went as is. I had to work 8-2 and boy was it a long day. My face was on fire, and my eye was bright red. After work was finally over I headed home. To my surprise my chili was burnt. Seriously worst day ever. Alex got home a little later and I seriously was a mess. I felt so crappy, I had burns on my face, and my chili was burnt, but I was suppossed to be settting up a ward party right then. Alex made me sit down for a minute and he just held me close and let me cry. A couple minutes later he took me on a tour of our house and held my hand the whole time haha. He has weird ways of making me laugh, but it worked. I sure love that boy. Abbey came over and we went to the ward party together. There was plenty of chili there and the turn out was great. How about a week. I was SO happy for it to be over, seriously such a hard week. I am so thankful though to have such good parents, in-laws, and husband though. I seriously couldn't have done it without them!!

 {i was in charge of the homemade rootbeer at the ward party. Abbey and I found this in the bottom when we went to clean it out. so gross. so funny.}

{Alex left me this note the other day, word of advice: if you ever want and/or need new decorations. Just leave your fourth of July decorations up for four months! Works like a charm haha. I think I just found a dang good guy actually. love him.}

happy birthday mitzi and macey!

Today is my little sisters 18th birthday! I am so happy to have had them in my life, they are seriously the best. They are only 14 months younger than i am so we have been pretty close since, well forever. i know we didn't have the greatest relationship during our high school and middle school days, but i LOVE how we have become so close. They both have such different and unique personalities and i cant image life without the two of them. I also love when people think i am the twin to one of them, they are both gorgeous girls, and so sweet and caring too. Happy Birthday girls, and good luck at state soccer today macey! I love you two to the moon and back! Thanks for being so good to me, I am so grateful to have you two as my sisters! 

They are so great they even dig my wedding ring out of the toilet when i knocked it in through the back as i was getting in the shower one day! {even if i had to pay them ha} 

conference weekend {october 2012 session}

Alex and I headed up to Pine Valley with my family for conference weekend. Let me tell you, it was a MUCH needed break from school and work even if we just stayed the night. Pine Valley is one of my favorite places to go. It is far enough to feel like you aren't anywhere near home, but its such a close drive, and oh so beautiful.

 Conference was so amazing! I worked on a project throughout all the meetings so that i would have an easier time staying awake. It worked! {pictures coming soon, maybe ha} I stayed awake the whole time and enjoyed every second of it. I felt like each session flew by too, i honestly couldn't believe it when Alex would say it was the last speaker.

We also went shooting in between sessions which was so much fun. Everyone was so good, i didn't want to shoot and totally miss but my dad talked me into it and somehow i hit the pop can on the first try ha i got lucky!

 

we also ate wayyy to much pumpkin pie. it was delicious. bring it on thanksgiving, i am oh so ready!