Sun, Sun, and More SUN!!!

During the winter in Minnesota, 99% of my day is spent indoors with artificial lighting. I was in desperate need of a warm vacation. After several months of no sun I finally got my fix. My generous in-laws took us on a wonderful 7 day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.

We flew to Fort Lauderdale and spent the night in a hotel prior to boarding our ship. Our ship was incredible! My favorite amenity was the huge jumbo tron above the swimming pool. We watched movies while we layed out and soaked up the sun. The food was divine! The best part was that I didn't have to cook or do dishes. We had a formal dinner in the dining room together every night. It was so much fun to talk and tell stories. I learned a lot about Ryan as a child and a teenager, and I think his parents learned a few things too! The entertainment was good- they had a couple of funny comedians, but Ryan refused to go to the production shows or the magician. He dragged me up to the night club a few times where we would sit and watch sportscenter or basketball while listening to the loud music. On the last night, I did get him to bust out some of his moves on the dance floor. The weather was nice- there a couple of cloudy days but we got plenty of sun. Ryan and I and his mother went snorkeling in Grand Turk. It was a cool, windy day and the water was really rough. We were all cold after getting out of the water. I shivered all the way back to the boat, but it was still warmer than Minnesota! We also visited St. Thomas and St. Martin. Overall, we had a fabulous vacation. It was extremely relaxing and nice to get away.

We were welcomed home by a snow storm yesterday and freezing temperatures today. Will this winter ever end? At least I have a nice tan to remind me of the warm Caribbean sun!

I am LOVED!

I have never been a huge fan of Valentines Day, but now that I am married it is nice to get flowers once in a while. This year Ryan surprised me with a dozen yellow roses. I am loved!

On Valentines day, we stayed downtown at the Hilton hotel. It is only a few blocks away from where we live, but it really felt like we were on a mini-vacation. Ryan agreed to take me to the movie, "He's just not that into you." I really liked it!! The hotel had a nice gym, pool, and sauna. We had reservations at a Italian restaurant for dinner, but Ryan was concerned about missing the slam dunk contest. So I reluctantly agreed to eat at the hotel restaurant. Ryan was thrilled because of the big screen TV located directly in front of our table. It was All-Star weekend and Ryan didn't have to miss any of the action. He is lucky to have such a wonderful wife!

My TOP TEN from the HOLIDAY SEASON.

Ryan and I had a wonderful holiday break. We were both able to get time off work to go home and spend the holidays with our families. It was a much needed vacation. I have come up with a list of my top ten things I loved about this holiday season.

#10 Going to the MOVIES.
Ryan and I saw a total of six movies during the month of December: Yes Man, Seven Pounds, Benjamin Button, Bedtime Stories, Valkarie, and Marley and Me. (Ryan also saw Madagascar 2 with his nephews!) My favorite movie was Valkarie. Tom Cruise has still got it!!

#9 Going to a Christmas Party with Ryan's Friends from Work.

Ryan's friend Todd invited us to a Christmas party before we left town. There was lots of good company, Christmas cheer, and awesome FOOD!!


#8 Family night with my parents dressed up as JOSEPH and MARY.

My parents dressed up as Joseph and Mary to tell the story of Jesus' birth for Christmas. My dad was less than thrilled about the idea. The grand kids enjoyed it and I got a good laugh!

#7 Watching the Utah UTES win the SUGAR BOWL!

What a great game!! For all you non-sports fans out there. The Utah Utes played Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on January 2. The Utes were the underdogs. In the first quarter, the Utes scored three touchdowns! They ended up beating Alabama 31-17. Go UTES!!

#6 Getting a KISS at midnight on NEW YEARS EVE.

New Years Eve isn't as wild and crazy as it used to be when I was single. This year we stayed home and watched the ball drop in our pajamas. The best part about being married is that I know I will get a kiss a midnight every year!

#5 Going to lunch with my High School FRIENDS.

I love to get together with my girlfriends from High School. I wish I was better at keeping in touch during the year. But it seems like every time we get together we can pick up where we left off. We reminisce and talk about how much everyone has changed. I hope we can continue this tradition until we are old women.

#4 Great seats at an NFL playoff game, VIKINGS vs. EAGLES.

I bought Ryan playoff tickets on the second row!! It was a great game, even though the Vikings lost 26-14. I felt like we were in the middle of the action, and Ryan had a great view of the cheerleaders! The only bad part was walking home from the Metrodome in 10 degree weather. Brrrrr!

#3 Food, Food, and more FOOD!!

There is never a shortage of food during the holiday season and I definitely ate my share. At home we ate: Honey baked ham, cheesy potatoes, cinnamon rolls, Fondue, and my mother-in-law's famous chocolate peppermint dessert! We also went out to eat at Goodwood, El Mexicano, Pepperbellies, and Outback Steakhouse. To top it off, we had a Candy Bar tasting competition with my Cousin Becca. It is time to start working out again!!

#2 Opening presents!!

We definitely get spoiled by both families and Santa Claus. It is still fun to wake up on Christmas morning and see presents under the tree. Ryan favorite gift was a PLAYSTATION 3 with The Dark Knight on BluRay. My favorite gift was a large framed portrait of the Salt Lake Temple.

#1 Spending quality time with our FAMILIES.

My very favorite part of the holidays is spending time with our families. It was so fun to just relax and play with our nieces and nephews. Ryan went sledding with his family while I was in Richfield. Everyone was able to come home this year. It is not very often that our whole family can be together. We made some wonderful memories this year!

Cold Toes!

I miss Utah winters!! I used to think that Utah was cold, but now I am experiencing a whole new kind of winter. Today the high temperature was -2 degrees. Luckily, I don't have to go outside very often. I prefer to stay indoors and drink hot chocolate. Last week, I had an experience that almost made me pack my bags and move to Arizona. I left work and walking outside to my car, when I got to my car it wouldn't start. This particular day was the coldest day in December since 1998. With the wind chill it was -30 degrees. Thank goodness for cell phones! I called my friend from work and he told me to stay by my car and he would send security to give me a jump. Fifteen minutes later....my toes and fingers were frozen. Security finally came and started my car, but I couldn't get warm. I had my heater on full blast and my butt warmers, but my toes were frozen. It was painful to push in the clutch with my foot. My toes felt like they were on fire. I have much more respect for the Pioneers and homeless people. The twenty minute ride home felt like an hour. By the time I finally arrived home, I was in tears!! Ryan was there to give me a big hug. He was surprised to see me crying and mumbling something about my toes and my dead battery. He helped me slowly warm up my toes and made me some hot chocolate. I thought that they might have to be amputated, but it looks like I can keep them. I do not know how the pioneers walked in the snow without heaters and butt warmers. Since that experience, I have learned a lot about winter preparation in Minnesota. I now wear boots and bring shoes to change into at work. I have better gloves, a new battery, flashlight, blankets, and hand warmers in my car. (Thanks Mom!)

THE WAVE

I have really been debating on whether or not to join a gym. During the summer and fall, Ryan and I were training for the Chicago marathon and I was running at least 4-5 days per week. Now the weather is cold and everything is frozen. I haven't been running since the temperature dipped below 40 degrees. I am a whimp when it comes to cold weather!! I took the month of October off and claimed I was recovering from the marathon. In November, I started to feel lazy so I checked out a few gyms in the area. There is one that is really close, but it is small and expensive. There is also a huge Lifetime Fitness downtown, but it is further away and there is no parking. Ryan mostly works out at school during lunch so I'm on my own. I started looking for alternative means of exercise. I was bored watching TV on a Saturday morning (when I should have been working-out!). I was flipping through channels and stumbled upon an infomercial for The Wave. I am not usually a sucker for TV specials, but this one caught my eye. After 30 minutes of instructions and inspiring life changing stories, I was sold! Plus they threw in an extra bonus and free express shipping if I was one of the first 500 callers!!! After I made the phone call to purchase The Wave, I had a few second thoughts. But it was worth a shot because I didn't have to leave my house to exercise and it was cheaper than joining a gym. It came with two work-out videos and a ten minute abs work-out. It is awesome! It took a couple of times to get the hang of it, but I was definitely sore the next day. The instructors move really fast. There is a sculpting video and one that is more cardio. Since this purchase, I have also bought hand weights and a couple of other home work-out videos. I love it! I am glad that I didn't join a gym. The wave is a good work-out and it is kind of fun too! Ryan made fun of me at first but I think he secretly wants to use it. I am not a spokesperson for The Wave, but I would definitely recommend it to a friend! http://www.thefirmwave.com/

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

It is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. After Thanksgiving has come and gone, it is time to put up the Christmas decorations. Now we can start listening to Christmas music. (I disagree with those who have the Christmas spirit before thanksgiving.) We have a Christmas tree, stockings on the mantle, and a wreath on the door. It is not much, but it brings the excitement of Christmas to our little apartment. We are counting down the days until we will be home for Christmas.

Sunday night we went to the Vikings vs. Bears football game. It was WILD! I have never seen so many fans dressed in purple. These are not your average everyday fan, these fans live and breathe the Vikings!! They are serious about their football. They started tailgating at noon and were intoxicated by game time. But the Vikings won and nobody got shot.

Wedding in Utah

November is flying by. It is hard to believe that December is just around the corner. The weather is starting to take a turn for the worst. Our temperatures have dipped into the 20's. I went to Utah last week for my best friends wedding. The weather was gorgeous! It was a wonderful break from the cold. I have been looking forward to this trip for a long time. Unfortunately Ryan was not able to come home with me. I spent most of my trip in Richfield with my parents. My good friend got married in Wayne County. It was a great day!! I was so happy to see all of my friends. The wedding was a huge success. My friend Marie came down to Richfield and stayed with me. After the wedding, the bride and groom spent their wedding night in Richfield. We snuck out in the middle of the night and decorated her car. I felt like I was in high school again. It was a much needed vacation. I was excited to come home to my husband. He had been eating fast food for a week and he was happy to have me home.


Ryan and I went to the Celtics vs. Timberwolves game this weekend. But the highlight of the weekend was the BYU vs UTAH game. We found a sports bar that was showing the game. Ryan of course, was very disappointed, but I have been gloating all weekend. GO UTES!!