5.

Five is a number that keeps runnin' through my head today.

Five years ago from today...

I experienced the worst day of my life (so far).

It was also the day I received what I consider to be the greatest blessing in my life.

Five years ago from today...

I realized who my true friends were.

My love for my family grew even deeper.

Five years ago from today...

I became ME.

I realized my potential.

Five years ago from today...

I got to start a new life.

Five years ago today...

 I had no idea I would be so grateful for the worst day of my life.

Some of you may know what I'm referring to, but if you don't, that's okay. This post is kind of just for me.

Some quotes I found on Pinterest that helped me smile today:

  

Lately...

One-Lately we have been leaving each other notes. Chris slipped that one under the bathroom door that I had locked myself behind after a long, hard day of studying, and a test score that would make you believe otherwise. That little note made a huge difference, and I still can't get myself to throw it away...

Two-One day when we were taking advantage of the amazing weather that Utah has been having lately, we busted out a kite! And Chris decided that collecting kites would be a good idea (Chris is a very passionate person if you can't already tell). 

Three-No, that's not a pancake. That would be what we like to call our downfall lately--deep fried corn shells. This has been our go-to meal/snack lately. I'd like to thank mama Sanderson for teaching me to eat those with just a little cheese and salt. Our house that constantly smells of fried food, and our scale that has to hear our excuses ("I'm sure it's just all the water I drank just barely!") are not so thankful for mama Sanderson. Fried shells are a bad idea for the thighs.

Four-We recently celebrated our friend's birthday by going up to the shooting range. I'm proud to report that I actually did hit some clay pigeons...even if I was shaking the rest of the night, and my arms were sore the next day. 

Five-Lately we have been obsessed interested in a little show we like to call Prison Break! Oh.my.goodness. it is intense! Even Chris is into it (which is sayin' something since he doesn't get too attached to TV series). We have definitely become one of "those" couples that just watches TV and movies, and you know what? I love it. It has become our nightly routine pulling out our couch bed and poppin' in a disc of Prison Break. Sadly, that picture was the best out of 4 attempts for trying to document our Prison Break experience (sometimes I wonder if blogging is worth the stress it brings me?).

Six-Chris has been up to more projects around the house lately. He fixed one of our cabinet doors in our kitchen, fixed a belt in our vacuum, and (my favorite of all the projects) finally hung up one of my favorite wedding gifts we got above our bed! I'm gonna have to start steppin' it up and make it a project of my own to paint our headboard black so our room finally matches. 

Life is good.

:)

Mischief Managed

The sexiest thing Chris has ever said to me: "Babe, let's watch all the Harry Potter movies." 

A close second would probably be, "I made you some pancakes."

*sigh* 

I love that muggle.

Anyway, last night was the end of our HP movie marathon that we embarked upon about 8 weeks ago, and I can't help but diagnose myself with a tidbit of PPD (post-potter depression). For those of you who don't know what PPD is, it has been defined as, 

"The feeling that a chunk of your heart was just ripped out after having finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, knowing that you will never again feel the anticipation, the excitement, the pre-release hype that ever accompanies a Harry Potter book or movie release." 

This is not the first occurrence of post-potter depression in my life, it actually occurs quite often. I feel like it's even worse this time though, because it was so much fun watching all of the movies with Chris, who is new to the wizarding world, that I just am not ready to have it end.

I'm going to miss answering his questions, telling him things that weren't put in the movies, listening to him try to predict what's going to happen next, his reaction to Hedwig, Dobby, and Dumbledore's deaths, and mostly, his reaction to when he found out Snape was actually a good guy.

Fortunately for me, Chris has developed what we like to call his "Dobby voice," where he speaks in a high-pitched, almost squeal and begins every sentence with "Dobby." 

For example, "Dobby loves Shayli."

Don't tell Chris I told you that :)

I can only hope that someday I will talk him into actually reading the books, because everyone knows that the book is always better than the movie. 

But for now, I will just enjoy the Dobby voice, Chris' complaints about how the first Dumbledore is better than the new one, and the fact I got Chris to sit and watch 19 hours worth of Harry Potter.

Mischief Managed.

Sleepover

Me and Chris got to play house this weekend.

We were the parents, and Dash and Rylin were the kids (since their real parents were out of town for their anniversary).
Even aunt Shelby came to play with us!

It was so much fun having those two little nuggets spend the night with us, and even more fun that Shelby slept over, too. Since I haven't slept in the same house with her since I got married (hint hint Shelbs). The only thing I regret about this weekend was not documenting more of it. Okay, and maybe I regret Rylin sticking her hand in our scentsy and getting wax all over the countertop, but that's it.

Just a tidbit about Chris.

It has been over one week since Chris started his new job!

Chris went from being a program coordinator at Primary Childrens Medical Center to being clinic manager up at the North Temple Clinic in Salt Lake! 

I am beyond proud of him.

Chris is one of the hardest working people I know, and I'm not just saying that because I'm his wife. 

I don't know about you, but if I had to drive up to Salt Lake and back every day, I would make a beeline for the couch as soon as I walked through the door. 

Not Chris.

What does he do?

More work.

He'll walk in from work, change his clothes, and then just start working on little projects around our house!

I can't help but love and hate this quality about him...

Love that he works so hard, hate that he doesn't take time to relax for himself or with me (and yes, I am aware at how selfish that sounds, and probably is).

This is why I know this new job is stretching him quite a bit. As soon as he walked through the door on Friday, I could just see it on his face.

stress.

As soon as he got home from work, he just went straight up to bed, where a couple of minutes later I found him zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz'n (sleep is the way he deals with stress).

That's when my wife-heart kicked in, and going to watch him play ward ball that night didn't seem like such a tragedy anymore, even if it was on our "date night."

What I realized as I watched Chris play ward ball was that not once did I hear him complain about his new job the whole week. Not once.

Then I fell in love with him all over again.

And to top it all off, this guy took me to Chili's and a Jazz game the next day!

I am so blessed to have such a hard working, optimistic, loving husband.

I have a serious problem...

Okay, okay.

 Maybe it's not a SERIOUS problem...but it's definitely a problem.

I cry.

every.single.day.

Not because I'm sad, but because I'm happy! Well, most of the time it's because I'm happy... I think? Maybe happy isn't the right way to explain this crying problem I have. It almost feels like my body isn't capable of handling so much happy at once. It's like a big, air-filled ball of happy rises up in my chest when I get really happy or excited, and the only way to get it out is through my eyes haha. Did I mention that this ball of happy usually comes around at the most ridiculous times? Because that's kind of the reason it's a problem. 

The silliest things trigger my eyeballs to start shooting out tears! I'm telling you this right now because I just finished wiping my tears away after a girl at my work came and found me just to tell me that an old lady that I had just got off the phone with, called back to customer service just to say that I was the nicest person she's ever talked to on the phone (don't worry, I held it together while the girl from customer service told me this). This actually isn't even bad compared to the things that have and still do make me cry. The sample list that I'm about to share with you isn't something I'm exactly proud of...

THINGS THAT MAKE ME CRY 

-Google commercials

-singing really loud

-The Ellen Show

-the end of the movie Bring It On when they do their cheer routines

-the opening credits of The Hunger Games

-when someone else cries (happy or sad)

-the song "Call Me, Maybe"

-cheering for Justin Bieber at his concert

-having a good song come on while I'm running

-zumba

-things I learn at school (I may or may not have cried in math class at a youtube video my teacher showed us...)

 -when the primary sings

There is so much more I could add to the list, but I'll stop before you REALLY start judging me :) 

Someone please tell me they cry at things like this too?! 

My first.

...post! 

I'm not gonna lie, this is a little terrifying for me. I have always told myself that I would never have a blog. Not because I didn't want one, but because I thought I couldn't. For a long time I convinced myself that I wasn't interesting enough. I don't have any kids, I don't do photography, I don't do hair, I don't create recipes--why on earth should I have a blog?!

It wasn't until a week ago that I sat down and realized how happy I am with where I'm at in my life. I just kept thinking to myself, "what more could I ask for?" I just got married to the love of my life, I have a job, I go to a great school (go, cougs!), I live in a beautiful home, and I have the most amazing family and friends I could ever ask for. Honestly, what more do I need? Nothing. I am so blessed. I am in love with my life right now, which is why I want to share it with you! 

On another note: Happy 2 Months to us!

I'd get used to seeing this handsome guy on the blog... He's the biggest (and best) part of my life.

I love you, Chris! Thanks for the best two months of my life. Can't wait for the rest of eternity with you!

xoxo