Basketball Weekend

Dave is kind of a big time BYU fan so we just got back from watching the Mountain West Conference Tournament in Vegas.  We went shopping before the game on Friday, and ran into Amanda, Becca & Oakley! So fun!

I didn't think watching that many basketball games in a row would be fun, but I have to admit....I loved it! It was so fun to watch the Cougars play the New Mexico Lobos and WIN!!!! About time! Oh and Jimmer and his 52 points....A-MAZING! Too bad I can't say the same about Saturdays game.  Not so much fun to watch the Cougs lose to the San Diego Asstecs, er I mean Aztecs.

We made it back in time for Selection Sunday. I don't know if I've ever seen anyone pace back & forth as much as I just witnessed in my living room. It was making me anxious just watching him! 

Her Fearful Symmetry

Not her best book. 

That is all.

Photography 101

I got this amazing DSLR camera  (Sony Alpha A33) for Christmas and I still only know how to use it on the auto setting.  I have an extra lens that has never even been out of its package. Sad. That is about to CHANGE.  I finally signed up for a photography class! I'm hoping I can learn a thing or two in the next 7 weeks throughout the course.  I know several of you out there are already pros....so if you have a website you've found to be helpful, please share!

13.1

I signed up for my first half marathon today! 

Looks like I'll be using these a LOT more in the next couple of months.

Jack & Jill's

Dave & I are SUPER predictable when it comes to how we spend our weekends.  We usually go to or watch at least one sporting event and then we see a movie. Every weekend.  Seriously. We are movie people. There isn't a movie in the theatre now that we haven't seen. Well, that's not rated R anyway. So this weekend we got all sorts of crazy and did something we haven't done forever. BOWLING!

Dave's friend Kyleur was in town so we met up with him and Berk & Jackie.

Dave & Kyleur.

Jackie & Berk

Ok we may not be the best bowlers out there, but please look at Tricksie's score...thats me and YES I bowled a 124!  I may never break 100 again. This is worth documenting!

Gloating over my 124 score which was also 2nd place! Sshhhh...don't spoil my fun by pointing out that I didn't even reach half of the points possible.

We may have found ourselves a new activity for those weekends when there are no new movies out.

Surprise

Two weeks ago, I get a text from Dave that says, "Can you get off work early on Friday?"  I ask why, and he says, "I'm not telling."   Later that night as I'm making dinner Dave says to me, "You might want to pack a bag in case you were to go somewhere over the weekend." I ask, what should I pack for? Where are we going?  Dave, "eh...pack something warm, a swimsuit and a few changes of clothes."  Ok...talk about VAGUE! So, I pack a couple outfits and something warm to sleep in, thinking that he's probably just kidding.  We left at 3pm on Friday and start driving south....and he still won't tell me where we're going.  I'm thinking we're headed to St. George to stay in my parents house for the weekend.  But we kept driving.  As we pull into Las Vegas, Dave finally announces that we have reached our weekend destination! We stayed at the Monte Carlo.

The next day we ate at a Madsen family favorite... the mexican restaurant called Macayo.  

 

Shopping in Vegas is a MUST. We hit the Fashion Show & the shops at the Forum.  Funny that all the places to choose from and our purchases were from Nordstrom and Anthropologie. Both stores we have within 40 minutes at home.  Guess we know what we like.

And then we ate at one of my favorite places... The Elephant Bar. Oh how I wish Utah would get one of these! 

After a long day of shopping, eating and lots of walking,  Dave had another surprise planned for me. Two tickets to see cirque du soleil's "O"!

It was AMAZING. I have never seen anything like that before. I literally spent the entire 2 hours in awe.

Best surprise weekend getaway EVER!

Thanks babe.

Help!

I came home today from work to find that this little guy decided to use my rug as his personal urinal. 

We've been taking care of him for almost 5 months now and he still has potty accidents at LEAST once a week.  Now I know this should be expected for a puppy, but he's 8 years old, let me clarify, he's 8 HUMAN years old.  I think that makes him like 56 in dog years.   I reward him after every time he goes potty outside,  I've tried the bitter apple spray, I only give him water in the morning and when he goes by the sink looking for it.....but it's not working! So please, PLEASE let me know if you have any potty training advise for an old dog. 

I still love him. 

Good Things

Today has been an exciting day! First, I got my old job back....well, same company but it's a new position doing a lot of social marketing. I start on Wednesday and I'm super excited.  The best part is that they are willing to work with Dave's crazy summer job.  I tried to stay in Utah and work last summer while he was living in Boston, key word... TRIED, I did not succeed.  This summer they will work something out where I will be traveling back and forth every few weeks.  Sounds exhausting but totally worth it.

Second, Dave found out today where he will be moving this summer.  He is going to the "concrete jungle where dreams are made of...the streets will make you feel brand new...the lights will inspire you...NEW YORK!"  We will be living somewhere on Long Island. He was suppose to go there last year, but things fell through at the last minute so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things work out this year for Long Island! So many fun things to do and see. Can't wait!

Yes, I put the house from Something's Gotta Give in the same category as the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and the Empire State Building.....watch the movie again...you'll understand...the house is AMAZING! And its on Long Island!

Locked Out

Today we drove to Provo to watch the BYU vs. Air Force basketball game, however parking was RIDICULOUS (as usual).  After driving around for 3o minutes without finding a parking place, we decided to just go watch the game on t.v. back at our house.  When we got home the garage door would not open because the power was out.  Dave asks, "Babe, where's your key to get into the house?"  Uh....key? hmmmm.......nope I don't have one of those with me.  Just my handy dandy garage door opener.  We drove around Alpine for a couple hours and still the power hadn't turned on.  Finally we decided to just go to Draper and hang out, and of course as soon as we got to Draper.....we got the message from our alarm saying the power had been restored! This was not our day.  However, there was a large package on my porch when I got home....this was inside-

My Little Giant Ladder!  Dave has been making fun of me all week because I've been really excited about getting this ladder! Expect some serious painting to be happening in the near future.

Lesson learned: always carry a spare key to my house!

Ugly Sweater Party

Or should I say ITCHY SWEATER PARTY! A few days ago we had an ugly sweater party with my friends from high school. I'm sad I did't get a pic of just Dave and I, but please notice Dave's snowman sweater vest! Isn't that awesome?!  I think the winner goes to Molly or Tyson. I can't decide which one is better. Molly's sweater looks like something an old german woman may have been buried in and Tyson, well I'm pretty sure he's wearing a buffalo.

We had lots of yummy food. Every time Molly would get Drake cleaned up, he would somehow end up with another cookie in his hand! Smart kid!

Janessa was able to come to Utah for Christmas and I was so HAPPY she could come see us! 

JANESERCA reunited! 

Um can you say adorable!!!!??? 

Sweet little kiddos.

It was great to see everyone! Can't wait for the next party....but maybe no ugly itchy sweaters.  I'm pretty sure I had a rash on my arm by the end of the night!  I still can't believe I paid money for that ugly thing!

Primary

Last week was our last sunday teaching this class of RUGRATS.

  We try to prepare a good lesson, really we TRY!   Last week went something like this:

Jes- "So what did we just learn from the story about Noah and the arc?"
Issac- "I have an x box and a playstation and I can play it in my car!"
Brady -  "My dad doesn't let me play Halo because I'm too little."
Dave - "You know what Halo is? I mean, lets get back to the lesson."
Jes- "Does anyone remember the story I just told you about Noah? ANYONE?
Brady - "I got a nurf gun for Christmas. Its called the Deployable 68Z."
Jes- "Oh that sounds fun. Does anybody remember how many days it rained when the earth was flooded?"
Brady - "You're going bald."
Daxton - "Teacher, teacher, Brady said I'm bald.
Issac - "Um....Brady took my shoe."
Jes -  Alrighty. Who wants fruit snacks?????

Seriously. We try.

Next week we get moved up a class to the 6 year olds.  Sigh. Wish us luck!

Memories of the warm sun

Last year at this time we were just getting off this big boat in St. Maarten

We were swimming in this BLUE water

Playing with the Iguanas in Aruba

Wandering the streets of Curacao

and snorkeling in St. Thomas.

While Meg & I got our tan on in warm sun

David & Matthew found a few guys to play basketball with, and they ended up winning the entire 3 on 3 basketball tournament!

We dressed up on Christmas Eve and ate lots of yummy food

Watched football games and had endless shirley temples at the bar.

All made possible by this lovely couple!

Goodbye Motorcycle

Yesterday, Dave sold his beloved motorcycle.  I know I know, you're thinking what motorcycle? you guys had a motorcycle? Um....YES. Dave bought it on our long drive home from Boston this summer.  Dave fell in love with this bike online and it just happened that the dealership that carried it was located in Iowa.  We took a small detour, and after a ride around the block Dave was in LOVE, twenty minutes later he signed the papers and the bike was his!

He was giddy as a schoolboy. (Don't worry, he didn't drive this all the way home. He had it shipped.)

He named it LaVell.  You know, after LaVell Edwards. Duh, what else was he going to call his white and royal blue motorcycle! Obsessed with BYU football? Ya, 'lil bit. 

Sadly, after riding the bike with him a few times I realized that somewhere along the way I turned into a paranoid SPAZ.  No matter how cautious or great of a driver you are, the fact is people DO NOT SEE MOTORCYCLES.  I felt like every intersection was a death wish. I know I'm a little dramatic, ok maybe a lot dramatic, but I did not like "LaVell" anymore. Dave rode it to school for a week and every time I heard a siren from an ambulance I would call him to make sure it wasn't for him.  Like I said, PARANOID SPAZ.  

I'm torn between feeling really bad about being a terrible wife and not wanting Dave to keep his motorcycle, and being absolutely thrilled that I don't have to have a panic attack every time he takes the motorcycle out.  Sigh. I hope the man who bought this bike from us has a cool wife that will let him ride this brand-spankin-new bike. 

A Christmas Carol

Last Saturday was non-stop fun.  It began by driving to Cache Valley Saturday morning for the Hansen family Christmas party.  Luckily Santa came and I was able to tell him that I want the new nikon camera for Christmas....so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that his little elves will find me one!

 After the party, we raced back so that we could hang out with the Madsen family.  Thanks John and Cathy for getting the family tickets to go see A Christmas Carol. 

It was a great way to get us all in the holiday spirit. I LOVE Christmas time! 

"God bless us, everyone."

A Thanksgiving Anniversary

This year we had Thanksgiving at OUR house.  It also happened to be our 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY the same day.  We had a full house to celebrate our anniversary....I mean Thanksgiving with us.

Nicole.Sarah.Megan

Cathy.Jennie.Annie

John cutting the turkey.

We all searched through the paper to find any good Black Friday deals.

Played some silly games. 

I taught Sarah how to crochet while the boys watched football. Yes...I'm like an 80 year old woman, I know. 

After everyone had gone home and I got our house semi-clean again, we watched Elf.  

What a great day. 

We celebrated our anniversary more the next day by shopping shopping shopping!

I have such a great husband.