Yes, Recently

I'm not sure how many people have actually noticed that I have cleverly avoided uploading any real pictures of us for about two months now. I have no more excuses, since my parents gave me a beautiful new camera for my birthday AND....spring classes are over! I just finished my last final today. I have my life back! I am really excited about not being in school for the next two months. It will be nice to work full time. Russell has two jobs as well, so we are staying busy.
Here are some pictures illustrating what we've been doing for the last little while:

We recently discovered the Provo River Trail and we love going on walks there.
Russell loves throwing sticks in the water.
My husband is eight.
We went to Lagoon with my family. Which is more fun to think about than actually do. Haha!
I guess I am getting old, since all the rides make me totally seasick.
Here we are waving awkwardly from the Jet Star.
I got jellylegs and whiplash but it was fun for old time's sake.
This is Emma on my favorite ride! The fact that it's in Kiddieland doesn't mean anything.
We sat in these fish carousels and they went around in a circle and water squirted at you from sharks and whales on the sides.
Russ and I were at home when we heard the ice cream truck driving through our street!
Obviously we ransacked our house for quarters and ran outside. We decided to get the ninja turtle popsicle - and then we were dying of laughter because of its lopsided gumball eyes.
Russell held the ninja turtle so it was peeking over my shoulder.
I have no idea why this was so funny, but make sure you
marry somebody that can make you laugh all the time.
My best friend Melissa got married to Tyler on June 6th! Russell and I were able to go to the sealing at the Salt Lake Temple. It was a beautiful day. I am so happy for her!
Her reception at Highland Gardens was gorgeous! There were plants and streams everywhere.
It was fun to be a bridesmaid.
I love weddings, because they make me remember our own special day.
I love this boy. I love that we're together forever.
I hope everybody is enjoying the summer as much as we are.

I May or May Not Have Made A Delicious Dessert and Ate the Whole Thing Myself

Nerdy

Haha! Russ and I went to see Star Trek at the movie theater last night. The real movie theater where they have stadium seating and cushy chairs with a removable armrest and floors not covered with a layer of root beer, not the nasty dollar one. By the way, Melissa, thanks for the giftcard, you are a gem! Personally, I would have chosen 17 Again, but I was trying to appease Russ. Unfortunately, it was the nerdiest movie either of us has ever seen in our lives... normal people going to bars with gross, creepy-looking aliens (Russ said one of them had a face that looked like a moldy piece of bread), Captain Kirk thinking he's so smooth and cool he can eat an apple annoyingly while trying to command the U.S.S. Enterprise, planets being sucked through black holes (Russ liked that part actually), and bad guys with tattooed faces and said crappy lines like "You let the enemy steal our starcraft? I'm so angry right now! Get it back!!!"

I will admit, I developed a small inexplicable crush on Spock. Good thing, since he really looks like this. I knew I had good judgment.
Nerdy movie, but good for some laughs. Only go see this movie with someone hilarious, so you can laugh about it the whole time.

Happy Mother's Day, Mama

Mother's Day was yesterday, and I want to take a minute to tell the world how much I love my mother.
Mom, I love you because you are always there for me and you give great advice. I love calling you in the middle of the day just to chat.
I love you because you have always pushed me and encouraged me to be my very best self. I know I can achieve anything I want to because you believe in me.
I love you because you suffered with me through those awkward teenage years where I had acne, a temper, and occasional emotional breakdowns.
I love you because you have faith when I don't. I'll call you and say, "I lost my wallet and I need you to pray that I'll find it, because I'm too mad to do it." Your faith is always enough. You pray, I find it, and my testimony increases.
I love you because you look for the good in everyone. I have never heard you saying anything negative about anyone. Gossip stops with you.
I love you because you are the most selfless person I know. You are always thinking about others before yourself.
I will consider myself very lucky if I can become half the person you are. You are the best friend I could ask for and I'm so glad you are mine. I wish everyone had a mother like you. Happy Mother's Day.

Easters and Other Happenings

It has been a busy couple of weeks for us! First on the update is Conference Weekend. My sister Katie and I were able to go up to the Conference Center in Salt Lake for the Sunday morning session. It turned out to be our favorite session so it worked out well. We were touched and uplifted and we resolved to be better people. Thank you Little America hotel for the free parking.

With Katie in front of the temple. It was a beautiful day.

Next on the list is our Easter festivities.

Russ, me, Katie, Daniel, and Emma.

We went to my family's house for the weekend and it was a blast. We played games and ate lots of Cadbury eggs and went to church. The weather was just beautiful and it was wonderful to remember our Savior's sacrifice and resurrection for all mankind! Easter is truly a special time of year. I am filled with gratitude and it strengthens my resolve to be more committed to the gospel and be more Christlike.

I love Russell so much.

In other news, Russell recently returned from a backpacking trip down in Blanding. It was rainy and snowy all weekend, but he really enjoyed himself and was glad to have prepared ahead of time (okay, so it was the night before) gathering and packing all his gear. I am happy he survived a cold weekend and made it home in one piece!

My little adventure man now wants to climb Everest in 2015...Ummm, I don't think so.

Finally, today we had a bridal shower for my best friend Melissa Johnson at our house in American Fork. It was for Melissa's friends and members of our home ward. It was really fun and a lot of people came. Melissa is so wonderful and she is going to be such a beautiful bride! I made delectable Oreo truffles that got devoured in five minutes. The only unpleasant part was taking all the gifts out to her car and getting rained on! A quick humorous anecdote: Our house is on a hill with a sloped driveway. Melissa's car was parked on it so it was slanted quite a bit. Russ was helping organize all the presents in the trunk when they all started sliding out. He had to stay there and hold them in place while we ran back and forth trying to get all the presents in quick so he could shut them in. Next thing I know, this bag full of lingerie slides out of the backseat towards Russ and all this lacy underwear falls out and lands in Russell's lap but he has no hands to stuff it back in the bag because he's doing everything he can from keeping everything else in. Needless to say, he felt really awkward about the whole thing. HA!

Katie, Melissa, and me under my umbrella, ella, ella

I guess that's it for the news that's happening in our lives. Happy springtime everybody!

Film Noir

A cinematic term used to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. Film noir of this period is associated with a low-key black and white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression.

I am in French 452, which studies the aesthetics of crime in classic French film. I have never taken a film class before, but I am fascinated by the techniques behind it and I now have a greater appreciation for film as an art form, and especially for the film noir period. It is amazing.

If my exciting description of film noir has not tickled your fancy, here's a small taste of the film noir era:



Alain Delon. Pretty much France's Brad Pitt in the 1950s. If this does not make you want to sit down and watch a film noir RIGHT NOW starring him, I don't know what will.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Last night I made a successful meal! This does not happen very often, as both Russ and I are too busy to make anything more complicated than mac and cheese or cold cereal. I made Bruschetta 'n' Cheese Stuffed Chicken, from a recipe that I found here. I served it with brown rice and spinach salad. Russell was pleased. Thanks Kraft Kitchens for making both our nights. Here's to the start of my endeavor to be a brilliant cooking housewife...one chicken dinner at a time.