May Fun

Drew turned 26! Drew and Clarissa have the same birthday so we dropped by for a picture. For Drew's birthday we went to dinner at Cheesecake factory after he got off work and to a late movie.  

We both thought this card was hilarious.. 

 Opening birthday presents.. new shoes!

 Most of you probably don't know but Drew has a secret love for classical music. While watching Dancing With The Stars we saw Jackie Evancho and both of our jaws dropped. I bought his her cd as well as Nora Jones.

We had heard great things about the mulch from the dump.. well it was an awful experience. First of all we couldn't find the actual mulch part but intead found this... the smell was so bad I was dry heaving (not surprising) but Drew was dry heaving from the combination of me dry heaving and the dump smell. We finally found it and got our mulch and then our yard smelled like dump for a couple weeks.. yuck!  

 Drew trying to regroup haha

 Celebrating Drew and Jasons birthday at my family's Sunday dinner

 Watching Landon's baseball game

 For Mother's Day Drew and I decided to make dinner for both of our families at our new house. It was good motivation to try and finish the deck and buy patio furniture. I also love doing parties.. I've decided it is my new dream job (on someones elses dime of course). Saturday night we had Drew's family over for a BBQ for Robin. Robin is a great mother in law I'm lucky to have her!

 Sunday night we had my family over for Mother's Day for a BBQ. The Mrs. Fields cookie was SO good but SO big!

 I don't know what I did to deserve my mom but she is the best! She is such a good example to me of how to be a mom and best friend at the same time. I love hanging out with her and know I can tell her anything and she will always be there for me. She is also the greatest grandma to my neice and nephews, they absolutely adore her. She has raised all of us so we know the value of family, church, and education. I know she would do anything for any of her kids or their spouses.

 Nixon bypassed the spoon and went straight for eating out of the ice cream scoop.

 Brynley turned 5! She is so spunky and full of surpises. I took her on a date to buy earrings at the mall for her birthday and she choose turtle earrings that looked like playdough despite all of the other suggestions made haha. She chose to have a ladybug family party. I love birthdays they always provide an excuse to see family. Growing up each of the cousins had a party with extended family which added up to at least once a month seeing all the extended family.

 Cousins

 The cake was adorable! Erin's mother in law Cheri made it.

 Cousins.. can't wait until Matt's kids are here too!

 Nixon absolutely loves "Dew"

 We bought a tent! Montana family reunion here we come! Don't worry it's an eight person tent for two people because all Drew did last time was complain there wasn't enough room in a four person tent for the blow up bed and luggage.. little high maintenance but that's why I love him :)

 Before going up to the cabin for memorial day I went to the zoo with Erin and my cousin Katie and their kids. It was a perfect day!

 This alligator sat like this the whole time.. my sister and I were joking about throwing some animal in there to see if we could get him to close his mouth (we won't mention what animal haha).

 Nixon growling at the tiger

 Hanging out at the cabin

 MMM... love fruit pizza!



BYU-I Graduation

I finally graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Nursing! There isn't really a benefit at the moment but I'm just betting in the future there will be a nursing shortage and it will count for something :). My job doesn't change, my pay doesn't change, and it was a lot of work for a year and a half but I now have three letters after my name (BSN) instead of two (RN). I did the online program through BYU Idaho so all of the class work was online and then we had to set up our own clinicals each semester. My clinicals were spent at IMCs Neuro ICU, following a pediatrician at the instacare, at the homeless clinic down town, at a WIC clinic, and with my manager in the NICU. It was a lot of work working full time while doing school and clinicals I can't even imagine how someone with kids on top of that would survive! Drew was patient with a dirty house, dirty laundry, and not many homemade dinners for a year but then again he was the one who promised my parents I would get it in order to marry me haha. I do have to say I learned a lot in my religion classes and nursing classes with the bonus being the whole thing was free.. thanks IHC! Not only was Drew a big help (especially with my B of M classes) but my parents were amazing by encouraging me, proof reading my papers, and being my proctors for Pathophysiology tests.

 My dad was really looking forward to going to Rexburg for my graduation so I couldn't let him down and he headed up there for the weekend. He has been raving about this hamburger place in Rexburg and we have some relatives there so it made for a fun weekend. I have the best and most supportive family someone could ask for.. my aunt Janeal heard we were going and all of the sudden it turned into a fun family trip with my parents, Janeal, Tom, my Grandpa and my three cousins Ariel, Logan, and Jake. It was so sweet of them to all want to drive 4 hours each way for my graduation! We had a fun time at dinner and then Drew and I and the cousins shared a hotel room. It was a fast weekend with a lot of driving but I loved it and was so happy so much of my family decided to join in on the party!

 I pretty much owe my whole education to my parents! They have been awesome and paid for all of my schooling until BYU-I when IHC took over. They also paid for my housing when I lived in Provo and only slept there maybe once or twice a week.. oops. They have been so encouraging and have really showed me how important it is to get an education. I will never be able to thank them enough for all of there help financially and emotionally! The last year and a half they have kept telling me "all you have to do is pass" when I'm stressed... knowing it would calm me down but that I couldn't go for just passing..

 Blurry.. but the only picture of everyone that came.

I got my diploma in the mail today.. and I figured out as much as I think I don't like change there must be something inside of me that thrives on it because I had transfering credits from 5 five schools plus my final one at BYU-I on my final transcript. Drew and I are both so excited we are finally done and can come home from work and just relax instead of doing homework!

Catching up... Feb/Mar/April

Feb. was so crazy I forgot to use my camera and couldn't find my battery charger for awhile after the move. We bought and moved into our house in Draper while we were both trying to finish up school this semester. Our families and friends helped us a ton with fixing things and cleaning before we moved in (with no running water) and then moving us in. Thanks to everyone who helped us! We really appreciate it! On Valentines I used a pinterest idea and had a different gift for Drew to open every hour of the day.. cheesy I know. As soon as I handed them to him in the morning he asked if it was from pinterest haha. He has been patient with all my trying recipes and crafts from pinterest. After work we went out to dinner and a movie. That about sums up Feb.

In March my brother and sister in law had their fourth boy Weston in PA. I can't wait to meet him when they come for the month of July! Nats and the kids get to come to the rodeo and Matt joins us for our Montana family reunion.. can't wait!

In April Kylie had her baby shower for Jack. She looks adorable preggo and we can't wait to meet him in a couple weeks. We are lucky to have such a close group of friends Drew went to highschool with. 

 Our visitors we had in our back yard.  

Easter weekend we drove up to Rexburg for my graduation with my BSN!!! Finallly! Pictures to come... we drove back Saturday and drove straight to Spanish Fork for an Easter egg hunt at Crystal's house. On our way home we tried Buffalo Wild Wings despite my hesitation.. now it's one of our favorite places. In a way it reminds me of our times of Iggys with the sports and TVs and the food is fantastic! Easter day we went over to the Putnam's and had dinner and an adult Easter egg hunt.. Dave and Drew were so excited you would've thought it was Christmas.

The next Sunday we had Easter with my family. We had an easter egg hunt for the kids and had dinner. Brynley got these pjs and shoes from grandma and grandpa and we were all surprised with the pants until we realized she put the shorts and pants on together haha. 

 My sisters family.

Pyper and I did an easter craft day and got lunch at Rumbi.. yum! We both love wood connection and these are the things I made :)



Drew was a good sport (well he actually came up with the idea) and we went to City Creek the opening weekend. I loved it, the atmosphere is great and maybe one day I will be able to afford something from Coach or Tiffanys :). Can't wait to spend more time there this summer! We also tried the blue lemon cafe after we went to the temple for my cousins endowment and it is such a fun little place try it if you haven't!

At City Creeks opening Deseret Book had a coupon off anything in the store. My parents and sister have this picture and I have always loved it because it's different and contrast in colors is gorgeous. Drew found it and said we could buy it so I didn't hesitate! My parents helped pay for it for my graduation present... we love it!



~January~

Drew reading to the nursery kids. They (like all other kids) loved him. I have to remind him to be calm because one week by the end he had kids running across the table, throwing balls at each other, and he was being tackled on the ground.. yep I'm in trouble when we have kids.
My mom, dad, Landon (nephew), Drew, Landon (Drew's friend), and I went to a BYU basketball game in Drew's grandparents tickets. Landon was absolutely thrilled to sit on the floor with grandpa and kept jumping out of his seat he was so into the game.

The only picture I actually took.. for Danielle's bday we went to Texas Roadhouse and then for Christmas we all got Brian Regan tickets. It was such a fun night. The concert was hilarious I don't think I have ever laughed that hard for that long.

The whole group at Brian Regan

January was a busy but fun month. After the wedding festivities were over we went on a fun family date to Brian Regan and then bought a house! We closed on our house Jan 31st and moved in the 4th of Feb. We are still working on getting everything fixed and put away so I will post pictures when we are done. We are loving it already though! My top favorite things are:

Both being able to park in the garage

Not hearing people walk above us

Having a fridge with an ice and water maker in the door (amazing!)

Being able to change whatever we want

Decorating!

Having two bathrooms

Drew having an office

Having a walk in closest!

And having more room so Drew can watch tv and not bug me while I do homework

Oh and I can't forget.. not having a bite size oven and washer/dryer (I did all of our laundry in 3 loads yesterday that's amazing!)

I thought having a house was more work but didn't think it was this much work haha and it's not even summer with our big yard.

We haven't really met people yet or been able to go to our ward but we are excited to go tomorrow. I never thought I would say this but I miss the nursery kids from our old ward :(.