Music Therapy

Lately, I've been on a country music kick.
Maybe it has something to do with Chris watching CMT every morning during breakfast.
Or maybe its that country songs have an element of realism. 

Today, during homework breaks, I compiled a "Sanity Playlist." Basically, when my brain gets too full of information, I drink ice water and listen to these songs. For some reason, they calm me down and prevent emotional melt-downs.

Here they are, for all my fellow summer-schoolers:

1. Rascal Flatts- "Come Wake Me Up"

2. Hunter Hayes- "Somebody's Heartbreak"

3. Carrie Underwood- "Two Black Cadillacs"

4. Lee Brice- "I Drive Your Truck"

5. Carrie Underwood- "There's A Place For Us"

6. Lady Antebellum- "Need You Now"

7. Blake Shelton- "God Gave Me You"

8. Phillip Phillips- "Home"

9. Andy Grammer- "Miss Me"

10. Alex Clare- "Too Close"

11. Christina Perri- "A Thousand Years"

12. Taylor Swift- "Eyes Open"

Ok, so not all of those fall into the "country" genre...but they fall into a similar category to me. :)

I am also fortunate to have a husband to keep me sane. He made me chocolate chip waffles for dinner.

Keep it real, people!

Spring Semester

This week was my first week as a social work major. It was the most stressful week of my academic career, and yet the most rewarding. Sitting in one of my core courses-one of those classes you know from just looking at the syllabus that its going to be difficult-I felt calm and peaceful. I know I'm in the right place, doing the right thing, and for the right reasons. And, even though looking at a 20 credit workload along with 10-20 hours of work each week seems impossible, I feel capable. I feel like I've got a handle on things and that I'm going to be successful. I really appreciate the kind words and encouragement I've received this week. I'm lucky to have such an amazing support system!

Moving Woes

If you didn't already know...Chris and I are moving....again. This will be the fourth apartment we've had since we've been married. Four moves in a year and a half. Just thinking that makes me extremely exhausted. Luckily, I finished up all my finals three days early.

On the positive side, we are moving into a two bedroom. Which is quite exciting; we've never had two bedrooms before. This is a positive because Chris can continue to teach guitar-using our spare bedroom as his studio-and we will have a spare room away from the TV for study time. Also, another positive...we got to go couch shopping. I love furniture shopping. We went to a ton of different stores and we finally found the perfect couch that we both love. I wish I had a photo so you all could see how gorgeous our couch is. Not only gorgeous, but comfy. Those two things are hard to come by. Rest assured, I'll post a picture as soon as it is in our new apartment. Also, moving burns a lot of calories. Its true. It's considered "exercise on the myfitnesspal app.

Negative Nancy speaking here... we have to be out of our apartment by tomorrow...the trouble is, we can't move into our new place until next Saturday. Boo. So we have to move all of our stuff into a storage unit (go on an awesome vacation for the next week) and then move it out of the unit (up three flights of stairs) and into our new place. Its a lot of extra work. I would be pretty upset if it weren't for the awesome trip we get to take in the middle.

Well, I'm sure you won't hear from me for awhile- life is going to be so crazy the next two weeks. New apartment, new semester, blah blah blah...

The Best Weekend Ever

Chris and I had the best weekend ever. I'm not exaggerating.

Friday evening, we were at Great Harvest sharing a turkey pesto sandwich and talking about what we should do the rest of the night (so that we didn't end up at home watching TV for the next 4 hours).  I said something like "I just wish we had access to a hot tub."
Chris, who is always so great at meeting my needs and wants, came up with a solution. Pocatello. Hotel. Hot tub. Lava hot springs.
Awesome.
I admit, I was a little hesitant, but I couldn't resist spontaneity's lure. We rushed home, packed our bags, and were on our way.

The sky provided us with beautiful scenery for the drive.

 

Then, we were there--checking into our room. In no time we were soaking in the indoor hot tub and playing in the pool. It was perfect. 

The next morning we got up and enjoyed a yummy continental breakfast and headed to one of my favorite places--Lava Hot Springs.

That's me- in the lower left. :)

We soaked until we were good and relaxed and then we headed to the ice cream parlor in town.

Waffle Cone

Then, we were off to an Easter party at my Aunt & Uncle's in Shelley. We got to participate in the egg hunt and learned two new card games.
On Sunday, we celebrated Easter with Kent (my brother-in-law). Chris and I went on a Sunday drive after church.

 

Our weekend was the perfect recharge. I feel like I can conquer the next two weeks-the last week of classes & finals. Time flies!

Life Update

As you may or may not have heard- I have been accepted into the Social Work program at BYU-Idaho. I've been waiting since January to hear of their decision, so you can imagine that this news lifted a lot of stress off my shoulders. It was so weird to not know what I would be doing my last semester of college...and potentially the rest of my life! I love it when things go according to plan.

Luckily, I've been steadily moving up the waitlist in Abnormal Psych....I started at #10 and I'm at #4

But don't worry, things won't be too easy-breezy for me around here. With my good news came time to register for my first semester, essentially I kissed summertime goodbye with 20 credits. I've never taken 20 credits before. But, because I'm a transfer student I'm still making up for all those missed religion classes and generals that didn't transfer from good ole Westminster College. This semester I have 15 credits and that seemed like a lot, but I'm thinking I might pull off a 4.0 for my first time ever....anyway, I'm probably just a big baby and I'm sure I'll find some way to make it work (but until then I'll probably stress about it a whole lot).

To celebrate, my husband took me out for my favorite treat--frozen yogurt. The above is his creation. I think its pretty funny because I am such a psycho about my yogurt; all the flavors must go together. And, in my opinion, vanilla wafers/kiwi/gummy worms/cherries and chocolate yogurt don't mix. To each his own.

Life is good. Everything works out, people!

It's OK

It's ok...

if you have a zit.
if you haven't worked out since Friday.
if you don't want to do anything productive.

if you should have washed your hair this morning, but didn't.

if you made a dumb comment in your history class.

if you weren't the perfect wife today.

if you walk around half the day with a piece of carrot stuck in your teeth.

if you haven't perfectly followed your project outline to prevent procrastination.

if you and your husband went out for a dinner that wasn't the healthiest.

Life goes on & life is good. You can do hard things. Enjoy the journey. Don't beat yourself up too much.

Surprise

Surprises are one thing (of many) that my husband is incredibly good at. If you remember, when Chris proposed it was a complete surprise! Today I've been reflecting on my other favorite spontaneous, out of the blue, gestures that my husband brought to life.

April 1, 2011: It was one weekend where Chris had let me know that he just couldn't make it to Salt Lake City to visit me. I was so sad! Dating long distance was so hard on me, when we were apart I had a sick feeling that just wouldn't go away. The weekends Chris and I had together were what kept me going through the week (Fun Fact: Chris only missed one weekend in Utah the entire time we were dating-because I was on a theater tour to St. George). It was completely understandable- it was the weekend before his finals started and he would be moving down to Utah the very next weekend...but I was still undeniably depressed. Friday afternoon, I was at work talking to my coworker (who just happened to be Chris' little sister) about how completely dreadful and horrid my weekend was going to be sans Chris. She was in the middle of reassuring me when a customer came to my ticket window. I turned around to address him when I realized...it was my finance holding a frosty float! I couldn't believe it and was deliriously happy. My sweet sister-in-law-to-be graciously took over my shift so Chris and I could spend every possible second together. Best April Fool's trick ever!

December (Something-th) 2010: Chris and I had been dating less than a month, but I already loved him like crazy. I wanted to get him a really special gift, but I had a big problem- I was poor poor poor. I knew he was up in freezing cold Rexburg, so I decided to tie him a fleece blanket. Sister-in-law-to-be saved the day again and drove me to the fabric store. I picked out the fabric, bought some fabric scissors and took them home and made the blanket. I'm not crafty. It may have turned out a little lopsided and/or uneven...but I did my best and put a crapload of love into it. (Fun Fact: When Chris and I moved into our first apartment, my mom and I realized that we had like 5 blankets. She gestured toward Chris' lopsided, uneven red-and-soccerballs fleece blanket and said "Is he particularly attached to that blanket?" Obviously, she was a little dismayed that her attempts to teach me to sew and stuff hadn't payed off...). So, when it came time to exchange gifts we decided that Chris would go first. He handed me a neatly wrapped package. I opened it and it was full of all my favorite treats and burt's bee's chapstick. Win. I was completely happy, content, and ready to give him my gift; then Chris pulled out a small wrapped package and said, "Actually, I got you this." Confused, I opened it. Inside was a beautiful white gold necklace and earring set with my birthstone. I was speechless...and, lets be honest, a little embarrassed about my lopsided blanket. I distinctly remember thinking....I hope he doesn't dump me because of my lame gift. Of course, he didn't and turns out he is particularly attached to that blanket.

A picture that just doesn't do his gift justice.

March 15, 2013: I'm sitting at our kitchen table, chatting with my aunt, and Chris walks through the front door. Holding a beautiful bouquet of roses and lilies. I'm sure I interrupted my aunt mid-sentence when I exclaimed, "What's this?!" Chris gave me a kiss and said, "I just wanted to get you flowers."

Long story short: I am so grateful to have a husband who always thinks of me and shows his love in the big and small ways!

Does anybody know of good ways to surprise guys? I feel like mine are always less than stellar...