HAPPY five-years-of-putting-up-with-me ANNIVERSARY

5 YEARS!!! holy cow. this morning as he was getting ready for work, and i was nursing our little baby in bed. Garrison and i were talking about some of the things we remembered from our wedding. he remembered how on the morning of our wedding, we had to get to the temple with our "escorts" (our parents) much earlier than the rest of the wedding party to fill out paperwork and such at the temple. so, being a hairdresser, i wanted to do my own hair and makeup. After a surprisingly restful night of sleep in the hotel up in slc, i got up, and started to get ready and ended up being ready before everyone else, when garrison came to my hotel room to pick us up, we ended up talking together in the hotel room for what seemed like such a long time as we watched the rest of the wedding party start getting up and getting rushed. my mom would later go on to say that because of how calm i was that morning, it helped reassure her that marrying him, was in fact, the right thing for me to do.

marrying him was truly the easiest decision i ever made.

I told him about how i remembered as our honeymoon was nearing an end, (we were staying at a friend's 2nd home up in Midway) we were both getting antsy to just move in together and start living a normal life. we wanted to make breakfasts in our kitchen, and sleep in our bed, and come to our home after work, so... we left our honeymoon early to go home and unpack, hang pictures, buy groceries, and organize closets.  garrison's comment after i finished talking about that this morning: "we were such dweebs ...still are"

we really have loved every aspect of all of the craziness that has been the last 5 years. 

over the last 5 years we have:

had two beautiful children,

moved 5 times,

purchased two houses, and two cars.

remodeled 4 different houses (we remodeled both of our apartments for our landlords)

we also remodeled a 1950's camp trailer, and dozens of projects in/on our parents houses.

garrison switched jobs from digEcor, to American Crafts,

i switched salons from Salon 21 to Platinum Studio.

we have traveled together to Greece, New York, Mexico -via a Cruise-, Vegas and St George, Idaho, and California, oh, and lots of camping with a backpacking trip in the Unitas thrown in there. 

besides childbirth, neither of us have been hospitalized.

no car accidents yet, (although he did get a speeding ticket while driving home from california a few years ago)

we have had 1,825 days together as husband and wife. we have accomplished so much in that time, we have become better people, grown a family, developed talents, and made new friends. looking back like this, makes me realize just how much time has come and gone since that beautiful day 5 years ago when we made promises to each other, for time and all eternity. we feel like we have truly found our "groove" in our marriage this year, coming to a deeper and better understanding of one another and what each other needs to feel their best in the marriage. it's like we moved from being best friends and lovers, to truly becoming "one" this year. i'm so grateful for him in my life, and all of the blessings that have come to me because of the decision i made to marry him.

i won the husband lottery. seriously.

This year, to celebrate, Garrison invited me to pick a hotel and we could stay there for the night, well, as we are trying to get our littlest on a more strict schedule since her schedule was thrown off from being sick the past few weeks, we decided to stay home instead, honestly, we will probably daydream about what the next 5 years might hold for us, and end the night watching Making A Murderer on Netflix. just like we would any other night.  

I wouldn't have it any other way.

she is her fathers daughter

this is one of my favorite pictures ever. it was taken the same day that we went to the farmers market about a week ago. i love this picture because i think it displays their relationship so well. we took an almost identical picture back when she was only a few months old in this post and really, i fear for the day when her legs won't fit inside the steering wheel anymore because garrison will probably continue to try and place her like this until she's 20 if he could. and no worries, just to clear the air now. we obviously don't do this with her while driving or while the car is running. 

i am so grateful for garrison for being such a good father to our daughter. although he has his quirks, like pretending to eat her because he loves her so much, his silly songs, or placing her in the steering wheel just because he thinks she likes the view. they have such a good relationship already and i am so excited to see the relationship continue to grow. 

when she was first born everybody and their monkey's uncle told me that she looked exactly like garrison. and then, as she grew and got a little more fat on that tiny little skinny body of hers, the views of everyone started changing and she started looking more and more like me. but, now... i don't know if it's because she is thinning out again as she gets more mobile but somehow she's starting to look like a perfect little mix of the two of us. even in this picture, they look very similar. 

i am enjoying so much to just sit back and watch the two of them together. seriously, having a baby with this man was the best thing that ever happened to me. 

for the fisherman out there...

the Provo river is hopping with fish right now. if your looking for something fun to do with the family or just something to do in your free time, go ahead and meet up with my husband just off the provo river trail down by the lake in the mornings/early afternoons. 

the fishin's prime. prime i tell you

Medicine men

Our living room has a large window in the front. our neighborhood has tons and tons of birds. put one and two together and what do you get? birds trying to get into my livingroom via the front window. BAM. basically daily i go to my door thinking someone has knocked and find a dead bird on the walkway instead. {at first i thought the neighborhood kids were mean pranksters... oops. sorry for the bad thoughts of revenge guys}well, this time as my husband got the shovel to go and get rid of the evidence, the bird woke up! it was obvious that there was still some sort of damage because it wasn't flying away. we couldn't figure out if it was just delirious or actually had a broken wing or something. well, being the natural healers we are, we made it a home and kept it with us for a few days until it got it's strength back and flew home. precious right? well, ferdinand {who we later found out was a girl so we called her fergie}is doing well and chirps with her brothers and sisters and step-second-cousins and wakes us up every morning... awesome.

 This is her little home garrison made out of a diaper box. see her in there down below the stick on the right?

 after garrison named her, i told him we had a book about Ferdinand and so it immediately turned into story time. he's the best dad. Fergie chirped her approval in the background during the story.

p.s. before you attack me with thoughts about how unsanitary it is to have a wild bird in my house with a newborn. remember... we kept her in the farthest room from bayli's room, and i never touched fergie and garrison always had to wash his hands after touching her. no worries. :P my mom certificate doesn't need to be suspended.

The Art of Manliness

in this month of fathers day, i would like to refer everyone to this website. its amazing. not only does it speak the truth but it is hilarious and insightful for both men and women. The Art of Manliness is attempting to bring back the forgotten attributes of a true man with articles like: How to shave like your grandpa, 9 ways to start a fire without matches, Stop hanging out with women and start dating them, the benefits of being married -this one is sooo good-, how to tie a tie, and more!

This website sits well with me because as i was growing up with my beard growing man of a father i realized that i wanted to marry a guy just like him. someone who likes camping, who would provide for me even if that meant killing, gutting, and cooking a wild animal. i wanted to marry someone who was determined and loyal, a hard worker, and who cared about his image but didn't obsess over it. someone who would ask my father for my hand in marriage and dance with his daughter at her wedding, someone who knows how to fix a car, grill a burger, wield a chainsaw, mow a lawn, and throw a football. someone who doesn't own a gym membership but instead works out by working in the garage. someone who rolls around in the mud with their dog on Saturday, and gets all dressed up for church on Sunday. someone who loves kissing their woman, and someone who looks into the eyes of a child and see's beauty. someone who smells like aftershave, who knows how to back up a trailer. someone who sings to the radio off tune, and likes to drive with the windows down. someone who could climb the rope in P.E. i want a man that can win me a stuffed teddy bear at the fair, and who knows his way around a dutch oven. Basically someone who agree's with this sentence. "A man loves, his God, his woman, and his country."

That my friends is my definition of a real man, and that my friends is what i have as a husband and father.

i'm one lucky girl.

Daddy O

Watching the relationship develop between your daughter and her father is one of the most breathtaking things in the universe. it's such a special bond between those two. to watch so much love develop instantly as soon as he see's her for the first time in that busy bustling delivery room. it's as if time stands still. not only because you, yourself have just become a mother. but also... because the man you are in love with has just become a father. today in church the speaker said something profound: our heavenly father has the power to ask us to call him anything he wishes, but he prefers the title father. that proves right there just how special, and important that title is. i'm so lucky to have Garrison as the father of my children. he is the best, and he fits the role and title perfectly. watching my two favorite people interact together really is the greatest blessing. i cannot ask for anything more. i love you daddy o.

Happy Fathers Day

One Year Anniversary

OH MY GOSH

yep. it's been a full year since we got married.

holy moly.

best year ever

at dinner garrison and i were talking about our favorite moments of the past year and we came up with just a few in no particular order:

going to the dollar movies with our stuffed animal "Ollie" in our pj's and blankets.

the morning we found out we were pregnant

our many vacations including greece and multiple camping experiences

waking up super early the first week home from greece, due to jet lag, and actually loving it.

and many more.

our favorite "funny moment" of the year was when we were driving on just a normal day, the car in front of us had a huge bumper sticker that said "TOP DAWG" it was lame. so, i said in my ghetto black lady voice "Shoot! you ain't top dawg, i'm top dawg... you can be top cat! pussy." we laughed all the way home. i'm pretty sure garrison thought i should have my own tv show on comedy central with that one. :)

for our anniversary garrison took me back to salt lake city, the same place we got married. but before we left, we decided we had to participate in the age old tradition of eating year old cake! thawed and saran wrap removed, and a bit nervous we dove in. delish! we were worried about having to throw it away because of freezer burn or just because it would taste horrible after sitting in the freezer for so long but... nope! now we just have to worry about who gets the last bite!

we stayed in "the avenue's b&b" it was the cutest little house and the hospitality was awesome. i will have to do an entire post on our experiences there later because... oh man. they are funny and might include a very awkward middle of the night fire alarm experience and way cool dog named buddy.

the cute little couple in their cute little room

the epic fireplace and Ollie.

the view of the SLC Temple from just down our street

we went to p.f. changs china bistro for dinner (because we went there on our honeymoon) unlike on our honeymoon, they actually charged us for dinner this time, but it was worth it. sooo good!

sorry about the bad lighting

we also went for a walk in the salt lake cemetery and looked at names and found most of the old prophets headstones. it was an awesome experience and the best way to have scripture study in the mornings. 

we of course went shopping (mostly for our little kickers) to many places including Ikea, H&M, Camping World, Euro Treasures Antiques, and the good ol' D.I. :)

we really cannot believe it's been a year. it has been so much fun. of course there have been a fair ammount of surprises, but it's those same surprises that made the year as wonderful as it was. it's not the picture perfect friday night dates that we remember and cherish most, it's not the days where everything was in it's place and things went smoothly. it's the bumps in the road that threw us for loops, the late night discussions/arguments that brought us closer, the nights when we went over our budget twice or three times in order to figure out the very best way to save the most amount of money, it's all those things that we remember and that strengthened our marriage, and that made us better individuals. if we wanted perfect little date nights, then we'd still be dating. but we're not. we are married. and we get the wonderful things that come along with that. :)

year two: bring it! we're ready.

sometimes you just have to open one present early :)

he felt awkward here, like he was doing something bad.

you know he's really excited when his feet start  flexing like that. 

after having a bad day, opening just one christmas present early makes all the difference! except, we can't let my kids know that i allowed their daddy to do this. shhhhhh. hehe

Graduation Day

my husband is superman

what do you get when you add 21 credits (at BYU), one online class, and 30+ hours of work a week (in order to keep benefits) to a persons schedule; potentially one very unhappy, stressed, and overworked human being.

luckily garrison has been very pleasant through it all. because we weren't expecting this pregnancy and because we found out the day classes started, changing things up to make his life easier wasn't really an option. he had already promised his employers that he would be graduating this semester. he knew it was going to be a tough semester to get it all done so quickly but, he's just like that. and then to throw into the mix the biggest surprise ever: a baby. just kinda made things worse more complicated. because we were both on our parents -super high deductible and not so good- insurance plans, we immediately asked them to kick us off (so we had a "qualifying event" for the new insurance) and applied for his work's -low deductible and super awesome- benefit program.

but, in order to keep your benefits, you have to work full time.

this is why my husband is superman

fast forward a few months filled with little surprises and blessings/miracles sent our way and he's now only a week away from being done. forever.

you did it baby

i always tell people that i got the easy part of this pregnancy. all i have to do is sleep 12+ hours a night, eat a ton, and make sure i don't do something stupid that would hurt me or the baby. garrison on the other hand has had the aforementioned schedule. i'd pick my growing pains and sickness any day over that.

now that classes are finished, and he's already gone to his reviews for the final exams, all that's left is enduring this next -and last- week of tests. then... the real fun begins. i get my husband back! we get to sleep! we get to hang out with friends! we get to wake up in the mornings together and day dream about our little kicker in my tummy and what he/she will be like! we get to move! we get to fix up our new house and paint the nursery! we get to go shopping and actually buy the stuff we've been saving up for! we get to have our first Christmas together! we just get to be together. and i can't wait.

im really sorry that you had to work so hard, and be stretched so thin, and get so stressed over the past few months in order for us to make this work. i wish i could have taken some of the pain away from you baby. but, i couldn't. and you've done it. your little baby and i are so proud of you.

congratulations!

this is going to be the best graduation day ever!

i love you

Thankful.

this post has taken a couple of days to write but i just cannot rush things this important

My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ:
they make all of the other things on this list possible. and he made my life wonderful after finding him and learning of him. therefore, my entire being, happiness, and life is because of him. his love and kindness to me is what gets me through the day and what ultimately brings me closer to him and those i love. as a subcategory i would also include the gospel, temples, and callings as things i am thankful for.

via

Family:
My immediate family: consisting of baby jones and hubby. they are the most important things in my life. im so grateful that we did (or better said: resisted doing) all the things we needed to be able to be sealed together forever in the temple. i have so much love for both of them already that i cannot even begin to imagine life without them after death. and the fact that the savior made it possible for me to be with them forever is just amazing. i love feeling baby jones move every single day, wondering what he/she is thinking about and if he/she is experiencing growing pains because of how fast this whole process is going. i love how much of a father garrison already is. he sings to, dances with, gives raspberries to, carries on conversations with, and genuinely loves this little guy so much already that i cannot wait for the two of them to meet so that this love can truly blossom. Garrison is my rock in this life and without him, i would not be the same.

my extended family: (winn side) i turn to them for laughs, insight, and help more than anyone knows. i know that my sister will miss absolutely anything in the world to be there for me, my mom has the most wisdom of anyone i know and can provide a second way of viewing anything from relationships to recipes. my burly mountain man teddy bear of a dad is the greatest source of knowledge and love a daughter could ever ask for, and my brother with his entire family of goodness always has good company, good food, and the funniest moments in recorded history when in their presence. the few "abs" that i have were made from laughing so hard with them that it counts as a workout.

(jones side) although i am still learning all of my new nieces and nephews names, and have experienced being a part of this big family for only 10 months, i have grown to love them already more than i anticipated. from them i've learned: a billion new recipes, parts of the Swedish language, how to travel properly, tricks for teaching children, interior decorating with an emphasis on table setting, the intimate differences between being part of a large family and a small one, and the enormous love a family can have for each other even when separated by miles, or centuries.

Friends:
because of all the extra day dreaming i've been doing since being pregnant about my future life and what it will entail, i am surprised by how much mine and garrisons close friends will play a huge role in our future. the bbq's, the showers (both baby and bridal) to attend, the late night movies, and afternoon lunches, their kiddos will be the kids that my children are friends with, and their influence on us will ever be present and welcome.

Moving:

it's so nice to be able to go through all of the stuff you've accumulated over the years, get a new fresh start, and try something different. although change, especially change this big can be stressful and often resented, i am finding out ever so quickly how much i am looking forward to and thankful for this move. now that it's only a month away i can hardly contain my excitement. plus, realizing that this will be the new house that we bring our newborn home to will make it a very special place indeed i'm sure. basically im just thankful for the real, full size, working dishwasher thats waiting for me and my dry cracked hands to use.

The Internet:

hulu, pinterest, facebook, my own blog and the blogs i follow, youtube, and google search are all words used in my daily vocabulary and in my daily life. i use the internet for filling time when garrison is studying and i am trying my hardest not to disturb him, for time wasting in general, for advice on pregnancy and child bearing, for help with recipes and ways to make my home more "homey" it is my greatest tool for answers and also my biggest weakness.

Work:

being able to be my own boss and set my own schedule is the best blessing ever. it's made this pregnancy wonderful and it's made my life bearable. my co-workers are turning into some of my greatest friends, and my clients will always have a soft spot in my heart. i love working in this salon and doing what i love. i love having a reason to get all dressed up and out of the house. and i love being able to provide a service that genuinely blesses others lives and makes them feel good about themselves. it's the best job ever and i love it. 

some others in random order:

not having to do jury duty three times in a row. waiting and keeping the baby's gender a secret in its little envelope. hot chocolate, giving service, nicknames my husband comes up with for me, little love notes i find all around the house, a healthy baby that kicks and squirms all day long, this song, garrison graduating in a month, my camera, ultrasounds and my doctor, christmas decorations and coming up with christmas presents,

the fact that i am finally starting to show and that this baby bump decided to make it's appearance, and last but not least, i'm thankful for this thanksgiving season to make me sit down and remember all of the things i'm grateful for.

Why MY husband is actually better than yours.

Lame Story: last -in the middle of the- night, after tossing and turning because I could not find a comfortable sleeping position i vaguely remember telling garrison that I wanted strawberry jello. more sleep talking than actually wishing.

Not-So-Lame Story: Garrison briefly wakes me up when he is ready to go to school just to tell me he loves me like he does everyday, and groggily i still say that i want jello and water. he laugh's a little, smiles, and promptly goes to the kitchen to get me water and kisses me goodbye as he leaves for school, i hear the door shut and .2 seconds later am fast asleep until my alarm goes off on my phone with a message waiting that says "did you look in the fridge?" confused i went to the fridge and this is what i found:

ADORABLE. he also left a note on the bathroom mirror that i hadn't seen yet. (apparently i don't use the bathroom as much as most pregnant people or i would have noticed this first for sure!)

it says "look in the fridge I >heart< you" with a strawberry drawing. yeah, that's a strawberry.

I still don't know how he did it. no dirty dishes. no trace of him, i for sure don't remember him waking up to make it. it's just like finding a pot of gold in the fridge. except better. and you can bet your sad little awesome-husband-longing bottom that i ate the whole thing. 

I just BET your husband cannot beat that story...<pause as you try to think>... yep, told you so. MY husband really is better than yours.

Love you baby.

"Dating Resume's"

So, yesterday as my husband asked me to review his resume, I realized something profound about him. I always knew he was a hard worker and very money savvy, but I never understood just how much it is a benefit to our lives. Until now.

On his resume it says something along the lines of "maintained a 3.8 GPA at BYU while working to finish college completely debt free" WOW first of all, i'm his wife. I share the bank account with him, and that still impressed me. so that better impress his future employer tons. second of all, that is something that I wish I would have cared more about when I was dating. How they handle their finances. It's so important. sometimes, I wish I could tell my sister and those that I care about who are still dating to take a look at their prospective husbands resume's. Because let me tell you, I could've (and still could) write a pretty impressive "dating resume" about how handsome he is, and about how he brings me flowers at the perfect moments, how he sings to me, and how many times a day he says he loves me, and kisses me, etc. BUT..... one thing I have learned is, those things on a "dating resume" although very important, and are a good sign as to how gentle, and caring a husband should be. but. they. are. not. the. only. thing.

I was single once, and I remember coming home to my roommates after a date and telling them "he opened the door for me, and the conversation was so nice, and i just couldn't help but stare into those beautiful blue eyes, awwww, oh look! he's already texted me thanking me for the evening, he's so good at texting! and he complimented me on my shirt -thanks melissa for letting me borrow it- and oh my gosh. he's just perfect!" yeah, don't deny it, if you are a female, you have totally said those exact words before. and honestly, that's not a bad thing if you have. i just WISH that it would be just as impressive for me to come home and say instead "he opened the door for me, the conversation was so nice, dinner was delicious and he even pulled out a coupon when it was time to pay!" nope, never happened. first of all, most guys are totally ashamed to pull out a coupon in front of a date, and it would be viewed as something cheap instead of smart from the girls point of view at that immature stage of dating.

I love being married, i love using coupon's without wondering if he/she is going to look down on me. i love talking about our finances and figuring out what is best for us, and our future. i love how adult i sound when making a budget and being strict when i stick to it. i love putting a little extra cash in the bank when after a month or so we decide not to go out to eat and instead save for the surprises that lie ahead. i love being determined to live 100% debt free. and most of all, i love that my husband has been doing this all his life, so that although i did not live on a strict budget my first few years out of the house. because he did... he makes my transition so much easier.

as a wedding present we were given the dave ramsey Financial Peace University course material and class. interesting present, but it was the best thing ever to happen to our marriage at such an early stage. I am not going to encourage everyone to become a "dave ramsey" follower, but instead, i will encourage everyone to pick a lifestyle they want for the future, and then make a budget for right now, so that it will give you your lifestyle in the future. if you want to be living pay check to pay check and only paying your minimums on your credit cards in the future, awesome! pick a budget to make that work and stick to it. or, if you want to be a little more stable with your money in the future, awesome! pick a budget and stick to it. just make it a conscious decision.

i have had moments when it was really hard to live on a budget. for example, going with friends out for a birthday lunch and pedicures, lunch was delicious, but i realized that i couldn't afford the pedicures. so, i sat. i sat on the couch and watched while they got theirs done. now don't get me wrong, i wanted to. i wanted to still be there and support, i wanted to be able to laugh with them and talk with them and smile. and i did. but more than that, i wanted to know how hard it was to literally say no. it's easy to say no to drugs, but drugs are illegal, and will harm me, maybe even kill me. well, saying no to pedicures is hard. i have the money, in cash, in my purse, right now, but it's just not smart. and although it is not illegal, it still could harm me, it could harm my peace of mind, it could harm my marriage, it could harm my future. and that is not the only experience, there are others including trying to come up with recipe's that don't use milk or off of food storage items because we drank it all, and food storage is all that's left since we have spent all our "budgeted amount" for that month already. did you know almost every recipe call's for milk. seriously. even mac and cheese. or cereal. i checked.

the moral of the story is, don't forget the importance of being money savvy. look for it in a husband, acquire the skills yourself while your young and not already over your head in financial issues. don't be ashamed of looking for a deal or using coupons, just watch extreme couponing and you'll want to be like them, promise. wait to get the things you need. some of the best stories come from when your poor, some of the best conversations come when you're not watching tv because you can't afford cable, or a t.v. some of the best meals are made from random things you find in the kitchen, and some of the best memories are working things out when things get tough.

i remember my mom telling me that when she was newly married they didn't have money for a kitchen table yet, so, while they were saving up for one, she would set a tablecloth on the floor and set the "table" all nice, and have a meal right on the floor. for some reason, i always loved that story. and garrison was soooo shocked when i literally confessed to him that i wanted to be poor like my parents were when they were first married. and you know what. garrison and i are by no means "poor" but, we live like we are. and it genuinely is the best.

i love you honey. thank you for not only working on your dating resume all your life, but also, and more importantly, thank you for working on your resume and building the skills that we both need in order to make our home, our family, and our future the best we can possibly be.

Catching Up

Garr and I are goofy, we have unique past times and catch people off guard most of the time. but, in the past 7 months since we got married, we have done... (in no particular order)

together:
gone to spring city with the Jones' to look at antique houses
gotten obsessed with antique houses
finished the 13 week Dave Ramsey's FPU course
gotten our first "pet" sock monkey Ollie
decorated and painted our lovely little apartment
planted a garden
had a tree fall on garrisons car
wrote messages with dry erase markers on everything we could in our apartment including picture frames, mirrors, clocks, etc.
gone boating with melissa and nate dye
gone boating with the winn's at bear lake
went backpacking in the Uintas for 3 days at Wall Lake
backpacked through GREECE & NEW YORK
went to our first play on broadway "Mary Poppins" (which I fell asleep in due to jet lag and extreme sleep deprivation)
had multiple BBQ's with friends and family
gone four wheeling
honeymoon in midway/park city
babysat the nieces a few times
went to the carnival
thrown/been to multiple bachelorette/bachelor parties for our friends
been in multiple wedding parties for same noted friends.
helped with a proposal
had "the sex talk" with way too many people
volunteered at the pioneer day 5k/10k
hit too many to count yard sales
attended our first drive in movie (and provided the sound for all of the cars in our row. HOLLA!)
seen movies in the theater such as:
-17 miracles
-kung fu panda 2
-x men first class
-transformers 3
-captain america
-the green hornet
-Thor
-Water for Elephants
-True Grit
-Megamind
-Tangled
-Tron
-pirates of the Caribbean 4
Movie series we've seen:
-fast and furious
-star wars
we have fixed grandpa's bathroom
been to the rodeo
States/countries we have been to:
-greece
-paris
-new york
-idaho
-nevada (that one was a surprise)
-colorado
been members of 3 different wards
gone to the temple every week
given talks in sacrament meeting
dressed up for valentines day
been to the salt flats
gotten chinese take out
woke up to a couple inches of snow in snow canyon!
had picnic's in our front lawn
threw action figures into the road to watch them explode
threw a snail into the road and watched/heard it explode
watched our first ultimate fighting game at a bar
had high fevers at the same time
went to 7 peaks twice, for 45 min each time
moved grandma
watched modern family and laughed at every episode
named the plants in our garden big boy, spicy pants, and squishy.

Valeri has:
played a cruel april fools joke on garrison
read the entire series of The Work and The Glory
read Matched
started making her first full size quilt (86"-86")
took up painting for about three days
still hasn't totally ruined a meal
gotten her first attack of allergies
been sick more than she has been healthy
had her first pregnancy scare.
slept and slept and slept in some more plus a few naps
memorized the entire movie Tangled
did everything to change her name in ONE day.
started her own business
switched salons
judged a hair show

Garrison has:
waxed valeri
repaired a broken bbq named Mader from cars
put in valeri's hair extentions
purchased his first v-neck shirt and actually likes it
purchased a few more...
mastered KSL and Ebay
got a raise at work
read The Holy Temple
put flowers in my hair like tangled
glued dirt to his arm
sung to valeri almost every morning. each day its a new song.
survived the winn's guys camping trip without a gun.
discovered that valeri goes bajonkers if you breathe on her neck.
taken 3 online courses while still enjoying summer and having a full time job

Im Surprised...

since our wedding day...

i'm surprised by how many times "I love you" can be said in a day and each one still feels as genuine as the first. 

i'm surprised how much our lives did not slow down like I thought they would.

i'm surprised that our thank you cards still aren't finished almost 5 months later.

i'm surprised how I haven't been writing in the blog as much as I anticipated I would.

i'm surprised how much of a daughter/sister I feel like to my in-laws.

i'm surprised how I can't sleep unless he's next to me.

i'm surprised how much I still feel the same.

i'm surprised by how much has changed.

i'm surprised how our spiritual conversations have gotten so much deeper. 

i'm surprised that he truly knows me inside and out, better than I know myself, and what my thoughts are before I think them.

i'm surprised that cooking didn't come as easily as I figured it would.

i'm surprised that we haven't argued or gotten sick of each other even once!

i'm surprised how much I wish my single friends could just live one day in my life so that can see what they are missing out on. and, how GREAT it is to wait till it's. just. right.

i'm surprised how much modern family makes us laugh

i'm surprised that we are not embarrassed at all from farting in front of each other.

i'm surprised I ever thought "I love him so much, I can't love him any more than I do right now in this very moment" cause, the next day, he will make me think it again.

i'm surprised how much i've learned about money, the value of it, and why budgeting is the best thing ever, and saving, and spending, etc.

i'm surprised how much more i love john mayer's music.

i'm surprised that he really wanted to marry me. I was back then, and I still am now.

i'm surprised how much more a hug means.

i'm surprised how much the lord blesses us.

i'm surprised when he brings me flowers

i'm surprised how many times in one day I can watch the movie Tangled.

i'm surprised by the number of books i've read. which is alot.

i'm surprised how much I love looking at our wedding pictures. 

i'm surprised by how great it feels to come home to "our home" especially when it's clean

i'm surprised by how many more hours of sleep I get a night.

i'm surprised that I miss him so much when he's gone.

i'm surprised how much we think and talk alike.

i'm surprised by the fact that we will be able to spend forever together and im so grateful for the gospel and our temple covenants.

i'm surprised that we have been able to go to the temple every week!

i'm surprised by how diligent he is with his nightly routines.

i'm surprised how much I love our bed.

i'm surprised how beautiful I feel when he looks at me.

i'm just surprised by how wonderful my life is now, and wouldn't change a single aspect of it for a second!

thanks baby for making me the happiest girl in the world and for making me laugh everyday like you promised you would. :)

your chugga chugga bang bangs 

One MONTH!

can you believe it? today... one month away exactly from our wedding day. it's kinda crazy. it feels like we've been engaged for sooo long. and it's only been two months. i guess thats because it's been kinda a crazy and long two months full of crazy schedules and never ending wedding conversations.

Garrison and I like doing things differently. we have decided to do 100% of the planning on our own. we didn't want to stress out our family and we wanted to let this bring the two of us closer so... we handle the budgeting, the picking of colors, and decorations and honestly everything all on our own. it is SO nice to have sooo much involvement from him, i have just lately realized how little involvement grooms usually have. they think they are just supposed to "show up" but... knowing that the person i call when i want to know if i should do my centerpieces with the flowers or the sticks is Garrison, not my mom, and not my bridesmaids, it's my fiancee and... the best part, he has an opinion! it's not just a "do whatever you want honey, i love you" kind of answer. because of that, we have been able to make our reception OURS. there is tons of symbolism all throughout the planning and decorating. our backdrop.... the symbol of our first date, and many many more to come. the cake... you'll see. :) the colors... the colors of the aspen trees where he proposed. the same colors that were reflecting in my eyes as i said yes to the man of my dreams. the song, the photo booth, the honeymoon, all of it. this reception is going to be sooo fun and perfect because it is "us". we are written on the walls, and in the air.

we are so lucky to be doing this together. that is probably the best part of being engaged. we now know that we have each other for every problem, question, concern, decision, etc. being such a crucial part of another persons life is so strengthening and uplifting. we literally need each other. and i can honestly say that unlike the usual couple that gets frustrated and argue over wedding decisions, doing the wedding planning with garrison has brought us closer and we can still say that we haven't had an argument. :)

Will You Marry Me?

How he proposed... that is probably them most commonly asked question that i've gotten since we got engaged, so... luckily for you, i've pretty much perfected it by now. so sorry if it sounds rehearsed.

this is at the first look-out, before he proposed.

RIGHT after he proposed.

the actual engagement ring that came a bit later.

Sunday afternoon, (it was our 100th day of dating) we decide to celebrate by going for a drive up provo canyon on the alpine loop. He had purchased the ring and asked my parents permission the day before, but... was planning on asking me that next saturday. well, on our drive we stopped on this turn-off and were looking at the BEAUTIFUL view. while hugging he asked me if i wanted to go to "our spot" where we had our first kiss on that next saturday (his original plan for  proposal) i said yes of course and then in my head.. i was like, "ok, one week, then he'll propose, our first kiss spot... that's so obviously a "proposal spot" this is gonna be great, only one week to wait" well... because of that, i stopped worrying about a proposal and started just relaxing and enjoying the drive, so... when we went around another bend further up the canyon later in the day, i FREAKED out because it was so crazy pretty with all the mustard yellow (my favorite color) and the aspens. well... because he saw how excited i was, he pulled over and we went on this little tini trail (i wouldn't even call it that... it was just like a path-ish) we started walking him without shoes and i was leaping and bounding ahead of him due to sheer excitement until the path just suddenly ended, -on this walk he had mentally decided... now is the time, you don't want to wait a week, just propose. now.- well at the "dead end" of this path we started hugging and i looked up at him and said, "this is so lame! i have the prettiest view of you, your so much taller than me and so i look up at you with the blue sky, and the sun, and the pretty yellow leaves... and all you see is me, and dirt." well, then he said "well, let me see you from down there." as he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, he started pulling off his blue ctr ring and i thought he as joking, it took me some convincing... he had to tell me he was being serious three times in fact (after almost putting it on the wrong hand) i finally said yes, of course! and we kissed and hugged, and laughed, and said "wow" alot. it was in fact, a surprise to both of us, and then... took some pictures and carved our initials into the tree right next to the spot where he proposed. and sent the gps coordinates to his phone... yeah, nerdy. we know. then we went home to his apartment and he gave me my ring and... went off to our parents houses to share the good news and pick our wedding date. we told the ward later that night at ward prayer (that was an exciting event) and sent out mass texts and did the whole engaged sha-bang. but... it didn't "set in" for either of us until the next morning when we made our appointment for the temple. all in all... i love our story, it is so... "us" i love that i was genuinely surprised, and i love him.

Root Canal. the end.

I have sensitive teeth. very sensitive. I usually get like 10 shots when I just get cavities filled cause they just can't numb me enough. Well... don't you even worry. Today Im getting my first (and hopefully last, garrison has introduced me to a new toothbrush that is probably going to change my life. haha) Root Canal. lower left hand side, second to last molar. >insert pain< Im currently on this pill that is supposed to make me more "relaxed" and tired, side effect: memory loss for entire day. today is going to be fun. hahahah! hopefully I get video taped and make millions of dollars like david at the dentist (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs) Im already starting to get woozy, Im actually excited about it, hopefully i'll sleep through the entire day. My wedding-stressed body needs it. I also need food but I can't cause you have to take the pill while fasting. anyway, the point of this blog was not for me to complain... instead it was to say a public thank you to my family, and especially my mom Loni my dad Vance, and Garrison. they are so worried about me today and it is so cute, they say they only do it because they love me. and you know what, im ok with that. knowing that you are loved because your mom will call you and remind you to take your medicine, and that twenty minutes before that your fiancee calls just to remind you of the side effects and to make sure I slept well. and this is all displays of their love even before the appointment. I just love my family, and I'm excited to start my own in 43 days.

Dear Family, I love you, sorry I'm abandoning the Winn last name, will you still accept me and my new other half? thanks.
Love, Valeri (soon to be) Jones.

Once Upon A Time...

Our story is a very usual one. Met in a BYU singles ward at King Henry, Started dating while he was the Elders Quorum President and while I was the Relief Society President, dated for 4 months, engaged for 3, got married in the Salt Lake Temple, and lived happily ever after. The oh-so-typical "byu story" but... the things that make our story different include little facts like:

- we went to the same elementary, middle, and high schools yet never met each other.

- our parents live 2 blocks away from each other.

- we both went to Costa Rica with Mr. Clarks environmental science class, just different years. 

- we both drive gold Toyota Camry's.

- I liked him first, his roommates thought that was forward/crazy so he believed them.

- we are honestly, never late for curfew... ever.

- I say that god was our matchmaker because he started dating me the day I was sustained as the Relief Society President. 

(im sure I will add more to this list later because we seriously have a million little "coincidences" like that)

All in all... whether it is a typical story or not, one thing is undeniable, we are meant for each other. It is so nice to be with someone whose life coincides with mine. Our values, our families, our schedules, our likes and dislikes, everything. We've both experienced dating someone "against the grain" as I like to call it. Where you know that some things just aren't working out, or going the way you expected, but you continue against the grain anyway, and then... all of a sudden... you start dating someone who is completely with the grain, smooth as silk, your conversations just flow together, your hands just fit together, your lives just fit together. That's the feeling I think people are talking about when they say "when you know, you know"it's like, you look back on your past relationships and laugh at yourself for thinking that was "right" or "comfortable" or "so easy" cause you were wrong, well... maybe not wrong, but you just had no clue just how right it could be, and would be, if you'd just be patient. 

I know that things always work out, they do. I know that what's meant to be will find a way, I also know that happiness truly is marrying your best friend. I know that love might not be what makes the world go round but it is what makes the ride worthwhile, and that true love is worth waiting for. I know that before I was engaged to Garrison, the eternities were a almost scary mystery, but now... are a joyous  aspiration of mine, knowing that I need to obey the commandments in order to live with my Heavenly Father and Garrison forever, and if not, I will be away from both of their presences, single. forever. that... that is a driving force that I never expected. I know that prayers are answered. I (now) know that being engaged is really hard and not just this easy, crafty, fun period of picking out colors and trying on wedding dresses. I know that I don't have to go through a trial or make a decision (even if it is just picking out colors) alone anymore. I know that for some crazy reason, i've got a guy hooked on me, addicted to me, in love with me. and he's got me hooked/addicted/in love right back. I know all of these things, and more. but the best thing I know is that this story had an "ordinary" beginning, but it is far from ordinary, it's extraordinary.

The End.

Dun Dun Dun Dun! And the BLOGGING begins!