labor day weekend was already a week ago?

I feel like we were just packing our bags and headed to Utah! 

This week flew by way to fast, which only means school is starting up again very, very soon.

 We really love leaving our tiny apartment to go visit Eric's sister and her cute family in Utah.
Probably because Utah is covered by so many familiar faces! Family, friends and Eric served a mission for our church in Utah. We visit old wards he served in and word just spreads that Elder Johnson is there and everyone comes to us to visit. I know I married an amazing man- hints why I married him ;)- but it is so wonderful to hear other people talk about the love he shared and the great man they see him as.

Playing at the aquarium! Aren't penguins the cutest?

While we were in Utah Eric made it very well known that he was going to go shopping for my birthday [september 25] present. Whatever it is, he's really excited about it and it's killing me! And he's doing everything to cover his tracks so I can't find out. He even shipped it to the neighbors house so I would never see it with him/in our home. Our birthday's are 18 days apart, so I'm a little older ha, and I need to start thinking about what to get him! I have a few ideas....

Our nieces Kamryn and Madison are the absolute cutest! Eric plays with them the whole time we are there, his facial expressions and noises he makes to get baby Madison to smile and giggle are. the. sweetest! If he loves playing with them this much, I just can't wait to see him with our own children one day!
It's going to melt my heart for sure.

Doesn't he just look good holding a baby? ;)
[sorry for the blurry iphone pic]

While visiting Utah I got to meet up with some sweet friends I have missed! So much fun! I was really blessed with the girls I lived with and became such good friends with in college.
From my first semester to now and we're all graduated and living life!

It started to make me feel a little nostalgic. When I was first married I was worried about 'losing' friends. My single friends got new roommates, met more and more people and I was lucky enough to land the GREATEST roommate ever, my husband. We have been on an amazing adventure the past 4.5 months of our marriage. After we had been dating for 5 years there was still so much to learn about one another and memories to make! I feel like old roommates and friends just thought we were too busy for them and had 'moved on' to married life. But the truth is I need my girls! And just them- not 10 other people I don't know at a party. While I was in Utah a single friend brought up the subject and said she knows that it's the friends 'who forget about their married friends'. Which surprised me, because most other single people say it's the complete opposite.
Question: Does anyone else feel like this?
What are some things you found that help make a balance?

documenting august

Time just flew by this summer + especially august.

 I didn't document any of it! So be ready for a catch up!

For a week Eric and I were so lucky to spend a week at Snowbird. A summer resort tucked away in Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah. Eric's family has a timeshare and they have a huge family reunion every other summer. This was an off summer so we got it all to ourselves. But I am sooo looking forward to going back next summer!

I couldn't get over the view we woke up to every morning. The beautiful mountains right there and that fresh mountain air. Now I'm just making myself miss it... until next time Snowbird!

[This heated pool + hot tub + the steam room]

[Reading Elizabeth Smart's story.. It's a tear jerker. A woman of so much courage and faith during her hard trial.]

[Homemade spaghetti and garlic bread on our balcony]

We spent a day at Lagoon. My first time and it was so much fun playing with Eric! We only got one picture together this day while we were taking a relaxing ferris wheel ride. 

We also spent a day doing the activities at Snowbird. We did the mountain coaster and Alpine Slide over and over again! 

We also did the longest, hardest hike I've ever done. We hiked to the top of Hidden Peak in just under 3 hours. I was pretty proud of myself when we made it to the top. The beginning of a hike is always the hardest. I was having to get in the right mindset. After about 30 minutes in I was loving it. The hike was beautiful + we never really came across anyone. Then we got to our last trail, The Ridge. Hike the ridge of mountain, so basically hiking straight up, so we can get to the peak. That was the hardest part! I was exhausted haha but it was actually really fun. 

[See the ridge on the right? yeah that's what I'm talking about.]

Had to pick up this magnet for a little souvenir :)

Other random things happening: 

Someone left a microwave by our apartment complex mailboxes with a a 'free' sign. So I took it, tested it for a couple of days and sold it for $40. #winning

We got a comforter set from BBB in April when we got married and I really loved it. By now it started to not look as nice, really not the best quality and then... it ripped... and again... and then it had three rips in it! After writing an angry online review and finding out it's happened to other people who spent 150$ on it, I called BBB customer service to complain. The conversation lasted maybe a full minute? The nice lady [I felt bad for being so angry] told me to return it and pick out another or take in store credit. Was it really that simple? haha So we have a new set that is so much better! I find myself walking into the bedroom randomly just to look!

 Eric and I took the Idaho driving test to be become citizens of Idaho... We both failed. Yes, laugh. But Idaho has weird driving laws. I was happy I got to keep my TEXAS driving license for a little longer though. Since then I've retaken it, passed, and sadly gave up that Texas license. 

I used to be intimidated by cookbooks...and just flat out cooking. Now I would be so lost without them! I enjoy cooking so much.

[Chicken Parmesan and fresh green beans]

And I am super into meal planning. It makes it so much easier to cook and go to the grocery store in a busy schedule! I also feel like meal planning is a plus because we are eating healthier and eating out less.

August was SO much fun. Minus all of the studying for the NCLEX. [see previous post]
But now it's time to start gearing up for another semester of school!