This is Allie

Allie has been one of my best friends now for 6 years! We met our freshman year in the dorms and she has been the most incredible friend a girl could ask for. She has been there in the good times and the bad, through the tears and the many laughs. 

We had a ton of fun our freshman year. From dances, to the Nickelcade, to snowboarding, to a road trip to California, to missionary farewells, to football games, this girl was always right by my side being an amazing friend. Believe me, she didn't always want to come, but she was always so incredibly supportive and willing to give, give, give.

Our sophomore year, we still continued to have a blast. We went to football games, sock hops, country dancing, intramural games, many crushes, and watched 3 of our roommates get married.      

 

Junior and Senior year kind of mix together since we lived at Carriage Cove both years. We had such a blast there and made some AMAZING friendships. Allie supported me in TONS of ward activities, and should have just been on the Activities committee since she was recruited for it so often to help. 

 We had powdered sugar fights, snowball fights, broke windows, played watermelon ball, hot tubbed, had movie nights, hiked to waterfalls, celebrated birthdays, and just had a BLAST.

Then it was time for me to move to DC for my student teaching. It was really hard to leave Allie, although we both knew it was what I needed to do. Here's a few pictures from our last night together in August 2009.

The hardest part about leaving Allie that August, was that I didn't know when I would get to see her next. But turn out, her and Tiffany (another good friend and roommate) decided that they were going to go to NYC in November for Allie's birthday! So I hopped on a bus and met them in the city for the weekend!

It was one of the best weekends we've had together! We went to the broadway show Wicked and had lots of adventures! Love these girls! 

And fate just kind of brought us together again when I came out to Utah this past August. A teaching job fell into my lap miraculously, leaving me living in Draper. Although it was not my ideal situation of being across the country from Curtis for the 9 months, it was wonderful to be able to spend more time with Allie! She quickly became my Friday night date, and we planned on it pretty much every Friday.

Yesterday, I got to spend almost the WHOLE day with Allie. She is moving to New York City on Monday for a Photography internship. I am sooooooo incredibly excited for her to start a new adventure. She is an AMAZING photographer and will have such an incredible time in the city.

Yesterday, we took a little road trip to Kamas and Heber and blasted our tunes and checked out the beautiful scenery. This is Allie driving her dad's truck, which pretty much takes up the whole road.

One of Allie's last things on her list to do yesterday, was to eat at The Pie at the University of Utah. So we hit that up before heading over to Temple Square and walking around for a bit.

I am so incredibly grateful for Allie and for the example that she is to me. She has been one of the best friends I've had through my college years and I am SOO excited to see what lies ahead for her in NYC.

LOVE YOU ALLIE!

 

 For Allie's birthday we went up to Kamas to dog sit at her parents house. We had a very calm, yet fun weekend just hanging out. We went shopping in Park City, watched movies, read, ate food, played piano, and just RELAXED. It was really nice to get to spend TONS of time with Allie. Since we're not roommates anymore, I feel like I barely see her! The picture below is the ice cream cake. For the past couple of years whenever we have a birthday we make my mom's Ice Cream Cake. Mmmmmm... We decided this year to only do it in a bread pan because there were only two of us.

Allie's parents left her birthday gifts on the counter the WHOLE weekend. This was TORTURE for her and she sneaked a few peeks when I wasn't looking.

This is the view from the kitchen window. This isn't the most colorful season up there, but it was a magnificent night sky and still very beautiful! Imagine it now with about 2 feet of snow or even with colored leaves on the trees!

Happy Birthday Allie! Thanks for being such an amazing friend!!

Fall...

Sept 24, 2010

THE CIRCUS WAS HERE!!!! I haven't gone to a circus since I was really little and I don't remember much about it. So when Allie called asking if I would go with her, I was secretly quite excited. I didn't get any real good pictures, but it was pretty cool! The elephants were definitely my favorite! So AWESOME! It made me feel like a little kid again!

Sept. 24, 2010
Naomi was in town for the weekend! She got me a ticket for the BYU game and we got to go cheer on our Cougars... (sadly, they lost) but to tell ya the truth, I was just so excited to be hanging out with Naomi I wasn't really even paying too much attention to the game. It was so fun to catch up with one of my favorite DC roommates! I miss living with this girl like CRAZY! I can't believe it's already been a year since I was in DC! Wow, how time flies!!!

Oct. 3, 2010
For General Conference weekend, I went down to Spanish Fork and spent it with Chris, Kristine, Jayden, and Jennilyn. I took a BUNCH of pictures of Jayden and Jennilyn so I've posted a few. They were just being silly. LOVE, LOVE these kids. Thanks Chris and Kristine for letting me come crash at your house!

A.d.O.r.A.b.L.e.

Watch out Ladies!

                                         

      Showing some personality

I asked him to try to keep his eyes open while he smiled.
Normally, he'll squint and then you can't see his eyes.
This was the result.... hahaha Those eyes are open!

Jennilyn eating a toy dinosaur.

Brotherly L.O.V.E.

LOVE those eyes!

California

What do you say we leave for California

If we drive all night we can make it by the morning

And no one has to know if we decide to go

What do you say we leave for California

(California, Metro Station)

Pam and I decided to drive to San Fran for Scotty's wedding reception. We met Scotty in 2005, became instantly friends and have been for the past 5 years. Pam is heading to PA for a few months and then onto her next adventures in life, so a ROADTRIP was a necessity before we split. We stayed with Pam's grandparents in San Fran and they were SOO wonderful to us. I enjoyed getting to know them better and we had such an awesome time with them! 

We got to Danville Friday morning around 7am. We slept for a few hours and then chatted with Grandma. Eventually we had some lunch and then hit the pool for a bit. Later that night we went over to Walnut Creek and did some shopping at the stores and then hit up dinner. We went to a place called Tomatina! They make these delicious salads on flatbread. Here's a picture with Pam and our food! SOOOOO GOOD!

After dinner we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's. We decided to play a quick game of UNO. Well our first two games were really speedy (of course Pam won both times....is that a question?) So we decided to play another quick hand....our quick game turned into an HOUR of UNO. An HOUR!!!! At least Grandma won that time. :)

Oh and here's a picture of Grandma opening up her surprise gift from Grandpa. Too funny...

Pam and I

Saturday we woke up early and went to the Redwoods. 
We took a nice stroll through the park...

Pam standing in a Redwood

The trees were HUGE!

McKenna and Chad

At the reception Saturday night
Brandon, Pam, and I 

So for some strange reason, I don't have any pictures of us with the Bride and Groom or with any of our other friends who were there.... very sad!

Oakland Temple

We enjoyed our road trip and our time in Cali. It was a beautiful weekend and we had TONS of fun! Thanks Pam for coming with me! And Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

April 2010

I started off April in Utah. I got to spend a week in Utah for Coley's wedding. 

Here are some pics of the week.

Jayden and I Easter morning- I love this kid

                                      

Jayden snowboarding on the Wii. Another favorite Wii game was the chicken bullseye.

I got to spend lots of time with one of my best friends Pamela! We, of course, went out to ice cream.

                                             

My other best friend Allie. She let me stay with her all week and share her bed. Thanks Allie for making lots of time for me in your crazy busy schedule!

                                            

The three musketeers. This was in the Bride's room before the luncheon started. Love you girls!

                                         

This was the luncheon at the Lion House in Salt Lake. Mmm... the food was soooo good! Perfect choice!

                                            

Dad and Jayden waiting for Coley and Juston to come out of the temple. Jayden was sad when he didn't have a bouquet so he borrowed mine. So cute!

                                            

The beautiful Bride and Groom! Congrats Nicole and Juston! We love you guys!

                                     

The reception- Of course they are country dancing.

                                        

Nicole and Juston went on a cruise for their honeymoon. Then they flew to NY and we had another reception out here. This is Andrea and I sitting on their laps in the front. They were bored sitting up there by themselves so we joined them.

                                       

Chris and Jayden. Loving the shades. 

April was such a fantastic month!