Settled-ish

We are continuing to settle into our new little Cottonwood home.

The last few weeks have been spent

Demolitioning


Envisioning


Cafe Rio-ing


Bachelor-ing


SNOWing


Working


Traveling


Spending


Gus the Photo Bus-ing


Planning


So first to the house.

I just want it to be done. Already.

We got our AC put in. Demo'd out a wall. Put in our washer and dryer upstairs. Listing it out now it seems more like progress.

I ordered our bathroom vanity the other day. And we picked out bathroom tile. Now lets lay it already!

....We're getting there.

And at least we don't have our huge junk pile on the porch and the bathtub on the lawn. That's definitely progress.

While working on the house, we had the electrical worked on. Which happened to be some of the coldest days of the season. So we busted out the fireplace... I ended up loving it and can't wait for cozy winter nights for the upcoming winter.

Also, our new ward is so nice. Like seriously so nice. Aaron and I say that every Sunday.


People have stopped by to bring cookies.


People remember us by name each week.


People ask us how we are doing.


People ask how the move is going.

My goal is to be one of those people in this new ward- with the ability to care, be kind, and take a moment to say "Hi!".


I did a 10 day no sugar/no soda challenge at work.

I actually made it out alive- with the help of crystal light and lemon almonds.

And of course on the 11th day I had a donut and DC for breakfast.

 ...I don't think I caught the drift, or the meaning of the challenge haha.

So with no snow this winter, it was bound to happen.

And boy DID it!

It dumped for 2 weeks straight it felt like.

But here's to Spring! Bring on the blooming trees, Reese's eggs and tulips!

We went to a Jazz game a few weeks ago. Aaron went for the team. I went for the J Dawgs and Iceburg, worked for me :)

I just got back from a 4 day long work trip. One day I'm sure I wish I had these nights to myself with an entire hotel room and room service at my fingertips. But it's sorta boring. I have a hard time sleeping on biz trips, I always get nervous I'm going to miss the alarm in the morning, so I toss and turn all night. It's thee worst!

But, we have started getting first class, so cheers to that!

Moving

We are all moved in! 

After a week of living out of boxes, eating pizza and fast food and wondering if today was the day we could finally close... we made it!

I am not a good packer AT ALL

I'll put one or two things in a box and call it good.

Then get distracted and do it all over again. 

Good thing Aaron is good at that stuff. 

He just shoves it all in a box and stuffs the van and we're good to go! 


Luckily we had the help of Jake, Joe and Matthew. To help with moving the heavy things like washers and dryers(5 of them!), couches, mattresses and allll that.

And then it was up to me to unpack and store things back to their rightful places. 

Things are put away for the most part...

We are waiting to hang pictures and mount the TV. 


And then it's off to remodeling. 

Fun things like installing AC, updating the electricity, installing can lights every-where, knocking out the master bath, updating the kitchen and eventually painting the outside. 


It's a long road ahead. 


Buuuut we are lucky we get to make our home the way we want it, and hopefully stay for a long long time. 


Besides moving, here are my highlights.

Aaron brought me a rose a day early for Valentine's Day! say what?!

Enjoying sunsets like this, longer lighter nights and unheard of 60 degree Feb temps!

Drinking blood orange and mango Diet Coke.... hard pass- becoming more of a purist(with the exception of adding in coconut flavor flavvvv)

Eating Pizzeria Limone twice a week.. #yessss

Stalking all the home design Instagram photos and ooing and awwing on Pinterest.

Looking forward to another European trip this May!

We found a good deal on flights to Paris- so my whole family is going!
We'll take the train one day to go to London, spend a few days in Paris, and then head to Switzerland!
I'm so excited for Spence, Lexi and David since they've never been to Europe!

Currently looking up info about Switzerland on Pinterest. Yay for VacaY!

Enjoy the Moment

The last few nights Aaron and I have stayed up late in bed talking.

Discussing the future.

Work plans.

Babies.

Moving.

Homes.

Friends.

Family.

Trips.


... but mostly A LOT about the future.


Last night I remember saying, I just want to be pregnant already so I can get it over with.


And then he said... I've thought about that a lot. As a financial planner, everything I do for us and my clients is planning for the day when we turn 60 or 65 to retire. I don't want that to be the focal point of my life, looking forward to that. By then we'll be old and won't be into all the same stuff we are now. I'm learning to enjoy the moment. Being young. Traveling. Enjoying time without kids. Playing basketball. Working. Enjoy the moment NOW.


So here's to enjoying the moment.


Coping with and embracing my extra short bangs I got trimmed a week ago.

Listening to the Greatest Showman on repeat all day.

Being excited for Mondays- fresh starts to the week and the Bachelor in the evening.

Sleeping in on Saturdays cause we don't have littles yet to wake us.

Cold days which means pretty snow-capped mountains.

Moving boxes and messy homes- for the excitement of a new home.


Lets enjoy the moment NOW!

Snow

January has brought us back in our usual routine.

Trying to make it to the gym.

Watching the Bach. 

Long days at the office. 

Uno.

Grocery shopping. 

Binge tv watching.


It's good to be back in a routine. 


But other things will be changing soon....

We bought a new house! 

Closing on February 12th. 

...coming right up. 


We were able to rent out our Midvale home, and earn a little extra income in the meantime.

#Landlordlyfe


The new house is right by Cottonwood High and just off Vine Street in the Murray Cottonwood area. 

Closer to both of our offices, but 1,000 more square feet also. 


Aaaaand we are taking on a fixer-upper. 


It's not a horribly ugly home at all.

In fact, it has great high ceilings. 

A BIG great room.

Skinny wood floors. 


It's great, just needs a little cosmetic help in the kitchen. 

And bathrooms.

And eventually some paint on the outside. 


It's a lot to tackle, but it will mean more since it's ours for good.

I've already been to Ikea and decorated the house a million times in my head. 


Besides all the house craziness, we've been playing plenty of Uno with Spence and Lexi[Daisy too]

Playing the card game golf with Grandma Jack a million times

 Enjoying the first REAL snow of the season.

Crazy how it took til the end of January!

And getting ready to move, can't wait!

Holiday catch up

Finally catching up/slowing down after busy holidays, traveling and spending time with friends and family. 

Soooo on to Christmas! 

SLC has been unusually warm.... and has had very little snow, still here in January. 

Christmas felt a little weird without snow, but we still had a great season. 

Aaron got called into Young Men's so we spent a wintery December night with the mutual kiddos on Temple Square.

I am convinced that NO ONE does charity/PR better than the church!

They always have fresh new campaigns and ideas... I absolutely love it! 

This year was no exceptions, with their donation vending machines. Buy a goat, socks, water and plenty of other needed items via a vending machine for the church to donate.... straight up genius!

All my in-laws[in NZ] wanted for Christmas this year was for us to go to the temple. 

Aar and I spent a night at the Daybreak temple. 

As we got into the car to drive home, I noticed something on the windshield. I grabbed it to see a small treat and handwritten note thanking us for our service in the temple. It was such a small gesture, but so sweet and really touched me!

We got tickets to the new Hale Theater in Sandy. 

Amazing as usual, Aar and I talked about the stages and organization for the rest of the night.

Quick photo shoot with Gus the Photo Bus... already have 4 bookings for 2018, yahoo! #nub

Nights when Aaron makes dinner are always good :)

The week before Christmas was spent traveling for work. 2 Star Wars theater premiere rentals, early early flights every single day and loooong meetings. 

It. wiped. me. out. 

Buuuut first class seats that lay down were definitely nice on the way back from Atlanta. 

AND this sign. 

Got back just in time to see my office decked out to celebrate my 6 years at Kassing Andrews. 

TIME FLIES.

Christmas Eve was the usual program at Grandma Jack's. We definitely missed Grandpa. 

Singing, performances, games and $5 gifts were all part of the usual traditions. 

Christmas morning we had crepes for breakfast- thanks Dad!

A few presents, while we waited for Spence and Lexi to come over. 

Aaron made this awesome custom blanket- one for me, and one for my parents. 

We definitely got more than we needed and even wanted.

This year though, my parents wanted to help others. Each of us donated money, and found some families who we knew needed some extra help.

We went grocery shopping and left weeks worth of groceries to families door.

Coats, clothing and other items were left with another.



Following Christmas, we went to the movies, played plenty of games, got hair cuts(still getting used to bangs), and headed down to LA to watch Georgia in the Rose Bowl.

My parents, Spence, Lexi, Aar and I packed into an SUV and drove down to sunny LA.

We hiked by the Hollywood sign. 

Stayed at the amazing new Intercontinental downtown. 

Full of Georgia fans.

And enjoyed rooftop views above the fog- the lobby was on the 70th floor. 

Hot tubbed.

Enjoyed warm weather.

Ate a lot.

Enjoyed Venice Beach.

All heart eyes for the Venice Beach Canals!

Aaand loved the Rose Bowl. #GODAWGS

We drove through the night after the game to get back to Salt Lake for work and so my parents could catch their flight back. 

Aaron and Spence joined my parents at the Championship the next week in ATL. 

I had a work trip- but I caught them at the Atlanta airport on the way back :)

Tough loss for Georgia :(

And before we knew it my parents were back in town for a wedding. 

We accidentally Air Bnb'd our home, but it worked out and we stayed at my grandma's while they were town, phew!

We brought Gus to the wedding, and it was unusally warm for January- thank goodness.

We are looking forward to 2018, not as much traveling unfortunately this year, but plenty of other 

B-I-G 

things coming!

We have an offer on a home in Cottonwood- a fixer upper but we are so excited for the location and updating some things in the home.

If all goes well we will close in mid February.

Here's to trying to have a baby this year!

Cheers to 2018!

Moments of Beijing

The rest of our time spent in Beijing was spent self-escorting ourselves around town.

Starting with McDee's every day.

Of course.

We went to the Temple of Heaven.

Admission to all the sights we attended was RIDICULOUSLY cheap. 

$8 tops. 

A stop by the stock exchange(of course).

Plenty of 

Ice cream

Donut

Hot chocolate stops.

The architecture museum.

Did I mention one day we walked 15 miles??

15 MILES!

We were dead tired and sore. 

Once we found out cabs were so cheap, we never walked more than a mile after that. 

Splurged and ate at our swanky hotel a few times.

 ^How pretty right?!

Had thee BEST sweet and sour soup our very last night at the hotel. 

Wish I would have discovered it sooner :(

Enjoyed the view at our hotel

Mesmerized watching the crazy traffic patterns.

Aaand the construction project going on across the street. 

Visited the World Park.

Tons of tiny replicas of famous world landmarks. 

A little ghetto, but we loved it :)

Amazed at how many of the landmarks Aar and I have already been to!

Fell in love with the Summer Palace.

Aka where the emperors stayed and played in the summer. 

 

Freezing our butts off right here^

Explored the Llama temple

Walked along trinket lined streets

Right after this photo was taken, a little Chinese family wanted a picture with Aaron... I was dying. 

It was such a blast taking in and watching another culture. 

Hope to see more of China soon!