Tagged Again

I was tagged again, and have been feeling guilty for not posting in quite some time. Due to currently boring lives, I have not had much to post about, so decided to complete the tag I was assigned to do a week ago.

20 Years Ago/Feb. 1988 – I was three years old, thoroughly enjoying being the princess of the home-due to me being the only girl, and the youngest. Catherine Rail was my best friend and my neighbor. We ruled the neighborhood being the only girls on our block. The Lakeview house we lived in is still, and will always be my favorite home!

10 Years Ago/Feb. 1998- I am enjoying my year of ownership as a sixth grader at Westridge Elementary. During recess each day, you would find all us girls out on the football field trying to prove our athleticism to the boys. My crush was the dashing Dan Maughn. Kimchee’s house and orchard were still behind the school and after sneaking to her house for lunch for a couple of weeks, we finally got caught and punished!

5 Years Ago/Feb. 2003- I was in my junior year of high school. February was Basketball State tournament time, and our standings were pretty good. This was one of the darkest months I have experienced; due to a terrible knee injury during practice on New Years where I tore all the ligaments in my knee. I was sadly watching all the games from the bench with my knee propped up in a full leg brace, crutches by my side, and tears streaming down my face.

3 Years Ago/Feb. 2005- I was starting my second semester at the lovely BYU. I had finally gotten college down. I was living in the Elms Apartments on University Avenue. I was loving life, and had met my new college best friend and room mate Jenn Barker. I was getting ready to apply to the Business School. This was also the semester I received my first C—a grade that brought tears of joy.

1 Year Ago/Feb. 2006 –My second semester during my Junior year at BYU. During this month I was still adjusting to living back in Provo, and living at home. I had just got back from spending 4 amazing months in London. This was also the month of the infamous date with a guy (who will remain nameless for his sake) who at the end of the night lit candles, put on Jack Johnson (his interpretation of romance music apparently) and invited me to lay on his bed for a back massage. Keep in mind this was our first date, and second day of knowing each other. Let’s just say things did not end well.

So Far This Year- Adam and I have now been married for six months! What a wonderful six months it has been. We are living in the small town of Rexburg, Idaho trying to survive the long and dreary winter. Adam is a Prober and Closer (those words meant nothing to me until we started working here) for Prosper and I am a receptionist at the same office.

Yesterday- Mondays are lovely days because I don’t work until 2:30 p.m. I got up and went to gym at 8:30 and then did some much needed house cleaning and laundry. I was then able to take a bath and take all the time I wanted to get ready.

Today- I got up at 7:10 to get ready for work at 8. I have been productive at work, answering phone calls and listening to messages. Boredom has finally caught up with me-hence this blog post.

Later Tonight- I am off at work at 4:00 today. I have an interview with the Stake Presidency at 6:30 (not to worry, just to get an ecclesiastical endorsement signed, I have finally surrendered and am going to go to BYU-Idaho.) Then it is off to the gym for a good cardio workout. I am hopefully going to try to make some wheat pizza crust tonight-wish me luck!

Tomorrow- I have work again at 8 am and am off at 11. I will go to the gym-it is an arm day, and then it is back to work at 4:00 where I will be readily available for customers to call and complain to-ahh I love my job!! I will also try not to be depressed about the recent return of winter!

This Year- I will be working still, and also trying to graduate with my degree in Advertising and a minor in Business. Adam and I will celebrate our one-year mark in August, and are going to create new adventures and memories together!! Hopefully by the end of the year we will have finished redecorating our lovely apartment.

Sugar Free

I look forward to Valetine's Day season every year due to these little babies:

These are my favorite candies ever created! I only eat the Necco brand because of their crunchy character!! For some reason I absolutely love them. So as soon as they appear on the store shelves I stock up!! This year has been exceptionally bad because I used them as part of our Valentine's Day decor. I put some in a vase on our coffee table. It looked really cute and all of visitors loved it, but. . . BIG MISTAKE!! They were always calling my name-I was constantly snacking on them!! Last Tuesday, when I was working on the computer I opened a new bag and a half an hour later, I realized that I had eaten about 1/2 the bag!! It was gross!! I of course have to eat some on Valentines Day (in honor of the holiday of course). Then . . . Adam made this delicious dipping chocolate. He made me dipped marshmallows and strawberries---it was amazing. Talk about sugar suicide!

My guilt started to increase bit by bit the more I ate, but it was not until Friday did I realize the impact of the sugar. I have been going to the gym regularly and have been working hard to decrease my mile time. I have been doing well, until Friday morning. After sugar binging (literally-no exaggeration) for two days, the gym was the worst experience! I felt like someone who had just started working out, it was the most depressing work out!! I had to stop running every so often because my side hurt, and then I was out of breath. It was terrible!

(Me)

So after much thinking I have decided to erase sugar from my life. I am declaring it on this blog because I will feel more obligated to continue my goal due to me announcing it to all those close to me. I am running a 5k in June, so I thought that would be a good ending point for my Sugar-Free goal. I will not eat any more candy, desserts, or sugar cereal for the next four months.

It is day one, and I am feeling pretty good-granted it is the first day!! So wish me luck and feel free to check up on me because that will keep up my motivation! Also-if anyone has ideas for fruit treats and such that will taste like a dessert on my weak days-let me know!!

A Valentines Day Story

He woke up to this

We had delicious Sushi , Halibut, and Ribeye here

We cuddled during this

DaY oF lOvE

To My Valentine-

I am so grateful to have such a

WONDERFUL HUSBAND.

I love the way you hold my hand every time we are in the car,

I love kneeling down with you each night-your prayers are always full of gratitude

I love cuddling with you-even when you are tired and trying to sleep you willingly slide over

I love hearing you bare your testimony

I love being silly with you-
Jumping on the bed,
Dancing in the living room and the car
Playing tag Up The Stairs to our Apartment

I love the way you treat me

I love how you encourage me in whatever project I am working on

You never discourage me-but always tell me to shoot for whatever dreams I have

You are truly my BEST FRIEND


Will you by my valentine?

Saturday Gourmet Night

Due to the lack of restaurant choices here in our dear town of Rexburg, we decided this past weekend that Saturday nights we will cook a delicious gourmet meal instead of going out. So last Saturday was the first time we put this plan into action. Our inspiration for the meal came from one of our favorite shows "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." In this episode they featured this hamburgers that has cheese in the middle of the burger, so we decided to attempt this new approach to the All American Cheeseburger. We invited Phil, Erin, and Jon over and after we made a huge grocery haul we started cooking. The boys were in charge of the burgers while Erin and I made the fries, fry sauce and home made guacamole. Adam and Phil worked hard trying to master the cheesy middle. Needless to say-after three burgers they figured it out and it was delicious!! (Even though I have had my fill of hamburger for the next two months!)

Here are the boys cooking the meat-Phil was in charge of shaping and Adam was the grill man.
(Don't ask me about Adam's pose I am just as confused as you are!)

Erin whipping up her perfect fry sauce!

The Goods

Well here is the burger both Adam and Phil ate-Phil got farther on his then Adam eating 3/4 of the entire burger (Gross!) The girl burgers will thankfully half this size-still hard to eat!!

Stay tuned for more Saturday night displays-hopefully next time it will be a bit healthier!!

100 Things That Bring Me JOY

I stole this idea from Erin. It was really fun to think of 100 different things that make me happy- I thought at first that I would never be able to think of 100 but once I started I realized I have way more than 100 things that make my life wonderful!!

100 Things that Make Me Happy

1. My husband
2. Hot Baths
3. Candy Conversation Hearts
4. Fingernail Polish
5. Warm socks
6. Portable Heaters that I can carry from room to room
7. Coke Zero
8. Sunsets
9. Treadmills
10. Nike Shox-favorite shoe to run in
11. My Ipod
12. Christmas Carols
13. Kneeling down and praying with my husband
14. Gerber Daises
15. Freshly Fallen Snow
16. Ugg Boots
17. Hot Chocolate-especially from Starbucks
18. My Husband’s laugh
19. Flying in an airplane
20. Watching Chick Flicks
21. Running
22. Project Runway
23. Going on Dates with Adam
24. Shopping
25. Big Stick Popsicles
26. Spending time with Family
27. Cuddling with Adam
28. Making cards
29. New Clothes
30. Cute boutiques
31. Reading
32. Singing in the car at the top of my lungs
33. Cake batter Ice Cream
34. London
35. Art Museums
36. My birthday
37. Laying out
38. Swim suits
39. Puddle splashing
40. Writing and receiving letters
41. Café Rio
42. Going to church
43. Playing with kids
44. Clothes shopping-especially with my sister
45. Jewelry
46. Scrapbook and Craft Stores
47. My friends
48. Traveling
49. Playing in the Rain
50. Breakfast cereal
51. Wii
52. Target
53. Nordstrom
54. Organizing
55. Seeing the temple from our window
56. The smell of rain
57. New shoes
58. Stilettos
59. Fashion Week
60. Cake Decorating
61. Finding a good sale
62. New Makeup
63. Hair cuts
64. Basketball
65. Blogging
66. My dad
67. Sleeping in
68. Making to-do lists
69. Checking off all the things on my to-do lists
70. Fashion Magazines
71. Cooking
72. Down Comforters
73. The way your body feels after a hard work out
74. Decorating
75. Dipping a grill cheese sandwich into tomato soup
76. Adam’s homemade pizza
77. Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches-taste good and are only 120 Calories!
78. Vacuum Lines in the carpet
79. Music
80. President Monson
81. The Beach
82. Sand Volleyball
83. Saturday night Date Night
84. Books on World War II
85. Creative Blogs
86. Getting compliments-especially on crappy days
87. Mexican food
88. Working in the same office as Adam
89. Food-I love eating!
90. Changing into sweats after a long day of work
91. Getting to work on time
92. Warm weather
93. Planners
94. Propel
95. “Friends”-I can watch every episode over and over and over
96. Snow Tires
97. Scented Candles that last four hours
98. The smell of cinnamon
99. Family Parties
100. Dancing-although most times I look ridiculous!

FASHION WEEK

(This post is dedicated to Caitlyn Cox)
It is that wonderful time of year again-the week that brings excitement to my bones-the New York Fashion Week! I love this week!!! I love spending time watching all the Runway shows on the internet, printing pictures of the outfits that I love, and putting them in my clothes folder. This probably makes me seem like a very superficial person, but for some reason clothes are one of my biggest passions-I love seeing new designs, outfits, and ensembles,however I promise I do not go out and blow our food money on clothes!! I am very good about shopping and splurge only once in awhile. I was in London when the London Fashion Week took place in 2006 and thought I had died and gone to heaven. I know that is sad, but I really enjoy watching the runway shoes and seeing the new designs, and then try and copy them as best as I can with my own looks!

Here are a few of my favorites so far:
The first picture is my favorite-the long pencil skirt with the high waist. The last picture with the white trench coat is also one that I really like. I currently own three trench coats (I am pathetic) but I feel as though some of them are looking a little out of style so I am on the hunt for a timeless coat that will look good for a few years!!

I GoT TaGgEd

Alphabet Tag

A- Attached or Single? MARRIED!

B- Best Friend? Guess who, and of course Itty Bitty Whitty

C- Cake or Pie? How about “Cake Batter” Ice Cream from Coldstone- a treat savored once every few months.

D- Day of Choice? Saturday-date night.

E- Essential Item? Chapstick and gum ( So I guess that would make it “items”)

F- Favorite Color? Pink-yes very girly! And Kiwi Green

G- Gummy Bears or Worms? Neither.

H- Hometown? P-Town, Utah

F- Favorite Indulgence? Reeses Puff Cereal-only allowed on holidays

J- January or July? July- I am sick of snow!.

K- Kids? Imaginary ones

L- Life isn't complete without? My husband

M- Marriage date? August 2, 2007

N- Number of brothers and sisters? 3 brothers, 1 sister- 2 Brothers-in-law, 1 Sister-in-Law (don’t know what you wanted)

O- Oranges or Apples? Apples-only the Gala ones

P- Phobias and Fears? I am terrified of the dark-Adam thinks it is funny!.

Q- Quote? “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.”

R- Reason to smile? It is Friday, only half hour left of work, and it is Adam’s Birthday.

S- Season of choice? Fall- I love wearing jackets.

T- Tag five people? Erin, Whitney, Caitlyn, Kara, Nickell

U- Unknown fact about me? I secretly want to be a singer and record my own album

V- Vegetable? Carrots, Broccoli, Peas, Corn

W- Worst Habit? Not hanging my clothes up after wearing them, by the end of the week you have to wade through the sea of clothes in our room.

X-ray or Ultrasound? I have no idea would this could possibly mean??

Y- Your favorite food? Mexican-The spicier the better

Z- Zodiac Sign? Um. . .Libra? I don’t know what that means and hoping that is right.

HaPpY BiRtHdAy AdAm!!

1. What is his name: Adam Bryant Collings

2. How long have you been married: 6 months tomorrow!

3. How long did you date: 3 months before we got engaged ( I know, that is short)

4. Favorite T.V. Show: He is obsessed with LOST!

5. Favorite Past time: Wii, Gym, Cooking, Read,

6.Favorite Food: He loves Mexican Food, Pizza, and Nutella!

7. Occupation: Works at Prosper-offer internet coaching

8. Favorite Holiday: Christmas

9. Why I love him: He is such a good person-he has an incredible testimony, and he is a very driven individual. He gives everything he does 100 percent effort. I have never felt so loved, respected, and close with anyone. He is truly my best friend!

Pictures of my Hubby!

(Sorry some of them are not as clear because they are old, and we dont have a scanner so I just took pictures of them!