Birthday!!

Its been another year!! It feels like the older that I get, that the faster that time goes!

The 22nd year of my life was a good one...and Austin made sure that the beginning of my 23rd year was very special.  The week before my birthday Austin was away on business in Arizona.  That is a long time to spend alone! But I survived and spent lots of time reading Hunger Games and going to the gym.  I also had some friends take me out for my birthday.  Austin was planning on getting into Salt Lake at 4:00 on the evening of my birthday.  I was kind of bummed that he was going to miss the majority of my birthday, but he ended up making up for that.  I picked him up from the airport and when we got home there were birthday flowers for me on the doorstep.  We then went to dinner.  He wouldn't tell me where we were going, and we ended up at Jason's Deli in Orem.  It is where we had our first official date on my birthday 3 years ago!  It is a really special place to us for that reason- and we love the free ice cream!  After dinner Austin made it a night of remembering all the good times in our relationships.  We went to places around Utah Valley that we had been when we dated and where we had great memories!  I relationship has never been perfect so it was a very fun and a good way to remember all the good times that we have had.  We then went to get a red-box and headed home.  Once I got there, I saw a little note on my door that read "just because your married doesn't mean your excluded from the tradition."  When I opened the door there was toilet paper draped from the ceiling fan to the corners of the room.  Before I could register that, lots of friends and family popped out.  Sneaky Austin had thrown me a surprise party!  We all ate cake and had a great time.  My old roommates were there and had tastefully decorated my house with toilet paper (our roommate tradition was to wake up in the middle of the night and tape up a wall of toilet paper over our roommates door that was having a birthday.  When the birthday girl work up she got to walk through a wall of toilet paper. Not sure if that makes sense, but believe when I say, it was cool).  I am so glad they are still including me in the tradition! They also got me cute balloons and a cupcake from the Cocoa Bean. All in all it was an amazing day.  I used to not like birthdays because I hate being the center of attention (for that reason I hope that this was my first, and last surprise party).  But birthday's really are a day to show that person that they are special and loved.  I definitely felt that:)

Thanks again everyone and here's to another great year!! :)

An Update

Wow....once again it has been awhile! Here are a few updates in Austin and my life lately!!

I graduated!! Although I am officially a BYU grad, it will feel very "official" after I walk in the ceremony this April. Stay tuned for pictures :)


Austin took a semester off school and is working at a promising start-up company called EcoScraps.  They take recycled fruits and vegetables and turn them into compost.  It is all organic and good for the environment.  Here is why!

Every year in America we throw away over 30 million tons of food; this is almost ¼ of all landfill waste. Just so you can visualize how much food this is it is enough to fill the Rose Bowl Stadium once every three days with nothing but food waste. If you are like us your initial thought is that we waste too much and that we are clogging our landfills unnecessarily. However, food waste creates a much bigger problem than just filling up our landfills. 

As this food sits and decomposes in our landfills (or anywhere else) it releases the greenhouse gas methane.  EcoScraps is working to fight this problem (ecoscraps.net).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

For more information you can visit their website here.  EcoScraps is also being sold at 

Home Depots in a few western states and online on their website.  


Austin is LOVING his job and has been traveling to Arizona and has been in charge of marketing for the growing company, designing a new website, and training store employees. Although he is very busy, we are so grateful that is he has such an amazing job.  Whether we stay with the company long term or not, Austin is  gaining valuable experience that will benefit him greatly in getting into MBA schools and in future jobs.  It is also very nice to have an actual income!

I originally got a job at dental office as a dental assistant in Orem. But after a few weeks I realized that flossing other people's teeth wasn't my passion (no offense Dad).  So I started to look for another job and I realized that the non-profit organization where I did my internship was hiring an administrative assistant.  I applied and got it! I am loving my new job which is at Community Health Connect.  An organization that provides dental and medical care for those below the poverty line without insurance.   I love feeling like I am helping people everyday. 

 A few more things that have happened lately....

Terrell hit his year mark!! Wahooo! He is serving in Arcadia, California and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is doing great and is such a great person and brother! 

Two of my best friends got back from their missions!! Jill served in Chile and Erin in Spain.  I am so glad that they are back and I get to hang out with them again.  The three of us have had lots of fun times and made many memories together.  I am grateful to have these amazing people as my friends! I am a little left out because I am the only one that can' t speak Spanish, but I told them I am going to use my vast Spanish knowledge from Parma high and become fluent! :) 

Here are just a few of our previous adventures.

I realized I never blogged about my family's summer Hawaii trip (which was amazing).  So I will just post a few of my favorite pictures/memories below :) 

Our first evening in Maui was spent relaxing on the beach....until this crazy parrot started diving at us! It was super scary- they are bigger than you think!  

  

My cute parents :) 

 We went on a hike to lots of different water falls.  The last water fall you had to swim to. It was so beautiful and such a cool experience.   

  

Over this rock was the last waterfall.  

 A cool cave we found

The Black Sand Beach

At the Seven Sacred Pools- The road to Hana

Red Sand beach which is around the corner and to our SURPRISE is now a nude beach:) 

Red Sand Beach

Our 15 passenger van! Thankfully it was a short ride to the beach with the paddle board and  surf board

We went snorkeling with huge sea turtles

A beautiful waterfall on the Road to Hana

The Luau

Bamboo Forest

I love this one...he looks so intense with his boogie board :) 

My dad's designated job on trips :) 

I am just so grateful for my family and the gospel of Jesus Christ that is in my life.  It is what makes me who I am, and makes me happy.  Although Austin and I don't know where we will be in 5 years, even 2, I know everything will work out how it should if we do what is right.  


To learn more about my beliefs and the Gospel of Jesus Christ visit mormon.org