Blah-ging

So my dear friend, McKell, (who is on a mission in ITALY!) made up this things she calls "Blah-ging."

It's you blogging about your blah/random thoughts.

Hence...Blah-Ging.

I decided I'd like to give it a try because well...I want to blog today, I'm just hanging out in the living room at work because a girl is on sick bed and can't go to school, and I don't have anything specific I want to blog about.

- I may have gotten teary eyed when I watched my husband bless the Sacrament in church yesterday. Something about him using his Priesthood, being so adorable, mixed with it being that time of the month made me emotional.

- I played the card game "speed" with a girl at work for over an hour. It was glorious.

- I really want a pet. Blast apartments.

- I have not had sugar for 3 weeks. THREE weeks, people. That's the longest I've ever gone. No cakes, cookies, pastries, candies, etc. for me. It's actually getting pretty easy to say no to things.

- I have officially mastered chicken tacos and chicken parmesan. They are dang good. I am proud. :)

- It snowed. As long as it stays out of the road, we're fine.

- I'm working on my Audrey Hepburn puzzle. It's about 1/4 done. I la la la LOVE it! I think I'm going to frame it so I can always look at her pretty face.

- We played Phase 10 with Leah and Bryon on Friday night. Alex couldn't even remember how to play when we started and yet he ended up winning.

- I go to NYC in 5 months!! (and counting...)

- Justin Bieber has earrings now. Ew. AWFUL. He was cuter before.

- I am so so so so sad that Romney lost the South Carolina Primary. I'm even more sad that Gingrich won it! The only semi nice thing is that my home county gave Romney more votes than the other candidates.

- I heard on the radio this morning that Heidi Klum & Seal are getting a divorce. Sad. I liked them together.

- I'm reading The Great Gatsby again since the new version is coming to the big screen in December! CAN NOT WAIT!

- We leave for AZ on Thursday and I'm so excited! HELLO family and sunshine for the weekend!

- I'm really hoping my future home is going to shape up to look just how I've planned it on Pinterest. That'd be lovely.

- I think I'm done.

- Yep, that's all I can think to blah-g about.

Happy Monday, y'all! Have a great week!

Roomies!

Disclaimer: I LOVE my husband. He is the best thing to ever happen to me and I am so grateful he is my best friend. I am happily married and seriously cannot imagine my life without him.

However, moving to Salt Lake has been very hard. I am a social person. I thrive off of relationships. I crave spending time with people, especially with my girlfriends. I know SLC isn't even that far away from Provo, but it's far enough that I can't see my friends as often as I want to, so sometimes I get a little down. Poor Alex has to deal with it and when I get sad...he gets sad. So he just holds me in his arms while I cry and then tries to make the rest of that day/evening all about making me happy. One night when we climbed in bed he held me tight and said, "I wish your friends could see how much you miss them." I seriously am so blessed to have such an amazing husband. I also am so blessed to have lifelong friends come across my path before BYU and during my time at BYU.

So I decided to think about each of my years down in good 'ole P-town and what I cherish most about those years in college.

Freshman year, August 2005-April 2006

I lived in Deseret Towers, T-Hall, 5th floor, room 522.

My roommate was one of my best friends growing up, Brittany Balleck who is now a Malouf. (We missed our Katie Claire! :)

This first picture is us at our first BYU block party so we were pretty excited!

Highlights from that year: Book of Mormon classes, becoming a part of Club Style, my Freshman ward, under-roo runs around our floor (yeah, that's where all you wear is your underwear/bra and run/dance around the 5th floor), dance parties, tubing at Soldier's Hollow, football games, dressing up as a duck on Halloween and then looking like I had jaundice from the body paint not coming completely off for a few days, Britt and I throwing our rock hard Peeps out the window at people, food fight in the Morris Center, eating Subway EVERY day, my first trip to California, Britt talking in her sleep and me singing in my sleep to her, late night chats with boys over the dryer vent so it's warm while you're out in 15 degree weather, sharing a 15 X 10 feet block with another person, becoming addicted to BYU Creamery chocolate milk, jumping from bed to bed with Brittany and then me shimming down her like a fire pole, making lifelong friendships.

This is Britt and I on our last night in the dorms together. We each attempted to drink a half gallon of chocolate milk and then climbed up into our closet just for this picture. Now we're both married. How far we've come....haha

Sophomore Year August 2006-April 2007

I moved in to The Glenwood, Apartment 165.

My roommates were: Beth Shultz (now Dorsey) (freshman ward), Natalie Ginos (freshman ward), LeAnne Bennion (freshman ward), Alyce Allen, and Shauna Booher (freshman ward, only for 2 months because she got married and moved out.)

L to R: Alyce, Natalie, me, Bethy-poo, LeAnne

Highlights from that year: becoming the Club Style VP, getting a larger living space and sharing that with Beth, football games, dance parties, my first time in the Homecoming parade, painting our living room and kitchen, doing baptisms in the San Diego temple, Carrie Underwood/Brad Paisley concert, going to Mesa for the first time, Justin Timberlake concert in Vegas, roommate dinners, beating Utah in football, Rascal Flatts concert, my first pudding wrestling event, doing cartwheels/wheelbarrow races in our hallway, doing Luau for the first time, spending whole days scrapbooking/eating/watching movies, sleepovers, making lifelong friendships.

This picture is of Bethany, me, and Amanda. They lived directly above us. They basically were our roommates. We always joked about creating a fire pole so we could go from apt to apt without having to go out the front door. I'm so grateful for them too!

Junior Year August 2007-April 2008

I moved to The Crestwood, Apartment 304

My roommates were: my sister, Karly, Ciri Putich (friend from home), and Shilo Ward.

We also acquired Wicked, the cat, who we successfully kept from the office managers knowing about until the last 2 weeks.

This is us before Christmas break, including Wicked. :)

Highlights from that year: living with my sister, having my own room, becoming the President of Club Style, my 21st birthday party (80s party at Krista's), throwing SO many things off of our balcony just for fun (including a watermelon and an old stereo), getting NEIL (my 4Runner), true blue football, letting Kari dye my hair green, then being the color green for Halloween, sleepovers with Amanda & Bethany, snowboarding for the first (and only) time, beating Utah in football, trying out for SYTYCD and then making it 4 rounds, Colbie Caillat/Trevor Hall concert, doing Luau for a 2nd time, tons of baseball games, 2nd pudding wrestling event, Karly graduating, my World Religions and Mission Prep classes, deciding to switch my major, having Wicked, my amazing Bishopric, making lifelong friends, knowing my life was going to change but did not realize how or to what extent at the time.

Kar, me, Ciri, and Shilo at Magleby's Fresh!

Senior Year August 2008-April 2009

I stayed in The Crestwood, but moved apartments to 134.

My roommates were all random: Leah Siebach, Lindsey Nielsen, & Ashley Wolff.

Leah and I became the best of friends...fo' real. Our other roommates were alright, but she was the glue that held me together.

Highlights from that year: bonding with Leah once we found out we both did EFY, baseball games, our TV being taken from us in the MIDDLE of a World Series game, staying President of Club Style, football games, going to Denver for the first time, seeing the SYTYCD tour, meeting all the SYTYCD dancers, final Homecoming parade with Club Style, dance parties, shooting a bow and arrow for the first time and getting a bullseye, sleepovers at Kari's, making smores over a candle indoors, 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional, basketball games, meeting my future husband and not knowing it, getting up and dancing with a belly dancer at a Moroccan restaurant in Denver (who really needs to hang up that hat), Trevor Hall concert, getting a Valentine's gift from Leah, going to Rexberg for the first time, becoming friends with McKell, Karly's bridal shower, Britney Spears concert, my Chinese dance class, my New Testament class, causing trouble with Leah in the library, starting to work at Charlotte Russe, Leah leaving 50 balloons in my room with each one saying a reason she loved me, going to the gym with Ashley, sleepovers in the living room with Leah, countless tears into Leah's shoulders, learning a lot about myself, going through a trial I would have never imagined being grateful for, making lifelong friends.

So this one time Leah and I had a photo shoot. We got the mooooves.

Super Senior Year August 2009-June 2010

I moved to Old Mill, in 2 different apartments due to a mold issue.

My roommates were: (1st apartment) McKell Forbes (for 3 days because she's allergic to mold), Sarah ?, Tasha?, (2nd apartment) Leah Siebach, Jen ?, Becca ?...we were obviously close.

Since I wasn't all that tight with my actual roommates (until I finally got to move back in with Leah), Kell & Leah were my psudo roommates. (And Ash was there a lot too!)

This is us up at McKell's family's cabin about to go four-wheeling!

Highlights from that year: FINALLY letting go of someone, driving across the country with Ashley, going to Lagoon with Kell, winning my first horseshoe competition, football games, an epic win over Utah, being in the Homecoming parade with the folk dance team, seeing "Thriller" in SLC, doing floor sets at Charlotte Russe, crafty days with Ashley, my amazing home teachers, being in Christmas Around the World, started dating my husband, road trips to Rexberg, finding out Karly was pregnant, Trevor Hall concert, Winter Olympics, my 23rd baseball themed b-day party (that Alex surprised me for), dates with Alex, my last Club Style performance, going to San Diego for Kate's wedding, falling in love with Alex.

Leah and I on my first trip up to Rexberg to see Alex!

Super Duper Senior Year August 2010-April 2011

I moved in to the "Green Gables" house.

My roommates were: Ashley Sant, Suzanne Whitehead, Megan Sollis, Brittany Dahlin, & Amelia Wallace.

Here we are having pancake breakfast (Megan and I in our newly acquired onesies).

Highlights from that year: only having one semester of school, starting my job at New Haven, getting to know my amazing roommates, sharing a room with Ash, Braves playoff game in San Fran, baking with Kari, "warm treats," roomie photo shoot, making fun of our landlords, watching a meteor shower with friends and Alex, slurpee runs, Alex moving to Provo, going to my first rodeo, John Mayer concert, Sara Bareilles concert, knowing without a doubt I wanted to marry Alex after some soul searching, our house Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, getting to know Alex's family, throwing Alex a surprise b-day party, dance parties in our vanity room, my niece being born, Jimmer-mania, Just Dance on the Wii, being obsessed with Texas Roadhouse, getting the Justin Bieber cutout, getting scared by said Bieber lurking in the shadows, Tangled, trip to Santa Barbara, Festival of Colors, getting engaged, buying my first adult onesie, the dishwasher exploding bubbles everywhere, tanning parties on our porch, Celine Dion Vegas trip, getting LASIK, walking for graduation, my bridal shower, living with Leah for 6 weeks, taking engagements, having an epic last year as a single lady.

One of our roomie photos. They're so pretty. :)

After going through allll that, I'd say I'm one lucky girl.

None of that would have been possible without amazing friends and family.

So to my friends: I miss y'all dearly. If you're married, I'm sure you understand. If you're not married...you will. You truly cherish friendships more when you get married. Know I think of y'all often and wish we could all just live in one place and have it be one, big party all the time!

Here's to living with my eternal roommate! I love you, Alex.

My Job ROCKS.

I know I say it time and time again, BUT...

I LOVE my job!

I think I love it even more since I can focus on it more, due to me not having school and Magleby's Fresh to compete with it.

(p.s. Went to Magleby's Fresh the other day because I was passing by. SO glad I don't work there anymore!)

Where were we?

Ah yes...how much I love my job.

I love coming in knowing I'll get along with ALL of my co-workers.

I love coming in knowing the company cares about its employees.

I love coming in not knowing what the day will hold. Some days will be crazy, but there will always be a few girls that will tell you they're sorry for other girls acting up and will tell you how awesome you are. Hello boost for me! :)

I also love that we can have onesie day and I won't get fired for dressing inappropriately.

Could you imagine a CEO coming to work in a onesie?

Yep...would not work.

I'll take my job, thanks. :)

(Me and my shift: Chelsey & Courtney)

Ashley the Kay girl is 24!

So my dear dear, Ashley Kay, has turned 24!

Well...it was yesterday.

So apologies are in order!

Sorry Ash...I just spaced giving you a blog shout out yesterday!

So I shall give it to you today!

As I look through the pictures I have with Ash, they perfectly explain why I love her so and why she is one of my besties!

1. She is not to cool to listen to "uncool" music with me like Justin Bieber (hence the cut out), Clay Aiken, Backstreet Boys, etc. It makes for a way fun time and I can always count on a dance session happening even if it's in the car.

2. She is such a great road trip buddy! This is on our trip to Las Vegas for Celine's concert! She always keeps me entertained during long drives and we always come home with countless memories!

3. She has drive. I was so lucky to be able to walk and sit by Ash at our BYU graduation! You feel such a sense of accomplishment and I'm so grateful I was able to share that with her! Ashley has a lot ahead of her and I know she will do amazing things.

4. She will eat with me. Hey...it's a requirement in a good friendship. She's always down for Subway, Taco Bell, Costa Vida, Spoon Me, Papa John's, Zaxby's, or whatever! I know that when I'm in the mood...she'll be in the mood. Now that's love.

5. She's up for crazy adventures! We had to stay in this little boy's room during our Stay at Home session in Miami and we were a little afraid for our lives! Haha...no, but really. I cannot imagine anyone else that this would have been as funny with, so I am glad Ashley was my roommate for such an experience!

6. She doesn't think "friendiversaries" are weird. Cause duh...they're not! This is us on our 6th year friendiversary! It's also July 4th. Yep...we're just that special.

7. She shares my love for EFY. Maybe because we were participants together. Maybe because we've worked it for so many summers together. Or maybe it's both, but we understand our obsession with EFY. We make fun of the kiddies all summer long crying their heads off on the last night, but then we're just as bad, if not worse, on our last EFY night of the summer. It's pretty pathetic how we cling on to each other and bawl our eyes out. And yet, I'm not embarrassed by it because it's with her.

8. She's a great dance partner! Dances are not the same with out this lady of mine.

9. We share the same sense of humor. We pretty much think all of the same things are funny. At one of our variety shows at EFY we were laughing so hard at something the MC said, that no one else thought was funny! We could NOT stop laughing and our cheeks were seriously KILLING us...hence where this picture comes in! There's nothing like laughing with Ash.

10. She helps me out. Having Ashley as one of my BC's for 2 summers was a huge blessing! She was always asking what she could do to make my load lighter. She helped me so many times emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. I am forever grateful! (Thanks for helping me direct traffic on pizza night! :)

11. She loves the gospel. Through being her roommate, co-EFY-worker, and just being her friend, I know that Ashley puts the gospel first. She always reads her scriptures, says her prayers, goes to church, and finds ways to serve those around her. I am so grateful I was able to be in the Sacred Grove with her this summer! Every friendship should do it because it's awesome! :)

12. Ashley has a killer smile. I want it. Enough said.

13. Ashley is a supporter. Through everything with Alex, she has supported me 100%. She helped out so much with my wedding and I love her even more for that. I could not have imagined my wedding weekend without her. It was a comfort just seeing her face whenever I would feel jitters in my tummy. I only wish she could have been in the sealing room with us!

14. Ashley is always there. See this picture below...the music starts, Ashley starts making her way on over to dance the night away with me. That's a silly example, but it's true. She's always one of the first people that's there for me when I really need it. She's the epitome of a true friend.

Well, Ash.

Sorry this post is late.

Sorry I haven't been able to see you as much.

That dang city of Salt Lake! :)

Know that I love you.

Know that I was thinking of you constantly yesterday.

Know that I think you're beautiful. (And so does Alex. :)

Know that you're a special daughter of God and He loves you.

Know that you're one of my best friends and always will be.

Miss you lots and lots.

Can't wait to see you when you get back from your GA excursion!

HAPPY 24th BIRTHDAY!

Goals for 2012!

Welp...2011 resolutions were pretty much a fail.

You can read them here.

I've decided 2011 was too crazy to keep all of them. :)

Nah...I just didn't do it...it's my own dang fault.

Last night for New Year's dinner, Alex and I headed on over to The Cheesecake Factory. It was delish. However, the wait was one hour and 20 minutes so we had a lot of time to sit and talk.

So that's just what we did.

I pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and off we were to making our New Year's Resolutions.

Alex kept laughing at me because he's never made them before and for some reason he thought it was funny.

We made an "Alex list" a "Kaycie list" and an "Us list."

Alex was up first:

1. Have personal scripture study 4 times a week.

2. Go to the temple once a month by himself.

3. Exercise 3 times a week.

4. Write in journal every day.

5. Take better care of his diabetes.

6. (This was my goal for him, but he agreed. :) Take accountability. He has a little trouble not taking fault, so we're going to work on that. :)

My list:

1. Have personal scripture study 4 times a week.

2. Have personal prayer every day.

3. Write in my journal once a week.

4. Exercise 4 times a week (which cannot include teaching dance classes).

5. NO sugar until I reach my goal size/weight. (Exceptions are holidays and my birthday)

6. Practice piano 3 times a week. (which will be SO much easier now that we have a good piano in our apartment!)

7. Write 1 song.

Us list:

1. Have scripture study every day.

2. Say our nightly prayers together before bed every night.

3. Go to the temple at least once a month.

4. Start a new tradition every holiday.

So those are our goals!

I've decided I'm going to make a monthly chart for us so that we can check things off when we do them throughout the week.

That way we have something to be accountable to and we can see our progress or regress.

Once again...Alex kept laughing at me while I was telling him such things.

The Cheesecake Factory was telling us it was still awhile until we could sit, so then we explored baby names for the next 20 minutes.

DO NOT take that as a baby announcement.

It was exploration for the FUTURE! :)

The whole point of going to The Cheesecake Factory was so I could get a piece of cheesecake as my last sugary thing before going off sugar! It was definitely worth that wait!

And now we have decided that having cheesecake on New Year's Eve is a good tradition.

So whether we're near the restaurant or I have to make it, that's the first family tradition we have started.

And once again I was giddy and Alex was laughing at me.

Good thing he's cute. ;)

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!