EXERCISE

Steve and I want to be healthy.  So this morning we wanted to go running, but Utah so happens to be freezing cold still...so, we found an exercise video online "Advanced Boot Camp Workout"  Haha, we made room, grabbed canned soup and jars of peanut butter for our dumbbells and did the 23 minute workout.  We had fun doing it.  Maybe one of these days we'll find an incredible deal on P90X and step it up to that :)  I'm glad I married a man that will exercise with me, hopefully we can do it for a long time.

Famous for a moment

This lovely picture was on the BYU slideshow of graduation :)  So we saw the camera guy and tried to make a happy couple chatting look.  Of course, naturally we are a happy couple...but we emphasized it for the picture and it worked!  We made it in!

Graduation Weekend!

Well we are college graduates and so happy about it!  It was fun to walk together and spend the weekend with our awesome families :)

 There we are ready to head out for day 1 of graduation.  We borrowed the caps and gowns from my cousin Dot and her husband Jonathan.  Mine fit perfectly and Steve's sleeves were a tad bit too short...but he still looked so good

 I'm in love with him if you can't tell :)

Steve's dream came true...walking where the basketball team walks 

Our cute supportive families.  The Merrills were there too, but a little further in the back so I didn't catch them on the camera. 

The padres y madres...what wonderful people!  It was so fun having them here with us.

Our caps are higher than the camera caught, but we're celebrating :) 

My dear friend Deena...miracle that we ran into each other! 

I love these people

It turned out to be such a fun weekend.  Thursday night we went to Texas Roadhouse with Kevin and Kay, Kaitlin and Jordan, Mom and Dad Merrill and Mel and Wilford, Mom and Dad Burrup, Jon and Nicole, and Laurel and Travis.  We had a great time and worked it with the host people to let us in on their busiest night ever.  I'm sure there was some firecode they were breaking with that many people waiting in there :)  

Friday evening we had a little barbecue out in our quad with both Burrups and Merrills....we should just all be one big happy family!  Hamburgers, bbq chicken, fruit salad, potato salad...it was good.  We set up the volleyball net and everyone played, even the moms :) Once it was dark we came inside and played games.  I loved it.  

Saturday we went to the Carl Bloch exhibit at the Museum of Art.  It's a special exhibit and it was amazing.  I think our parents loved it too, which was good :)  I originally got a ton of tickets thinking a lot more would come, but it ended up just being our parents and us.  So, it was fun to give the tickets away to people who were waiting.  I gave some to my friend and he said it made his mom cry :)  Another lady was like, "OH MY GOSH!!!  It's my anniversary and this is what my husband wanted to do!!!"  Haha, maybe I'll always get extra tickets to things so I can make other people's days :)  

Birthday Parties!

Another birthday past! I am 25, yikes. It was an awesome birthday that I was able to spend with some of my favorite people.

Friday we went out with the Mortensens (My dear Lauren Todd and her husband--we were roommates for a while and have experienced a lot of amazing things together--our missions being one of them :))

We went with our favorite couple in the WORLD--The Hamptons.  He was Lauren's and my bishop both before and after our missions.  He hosted both of our wedding open houses and they are in a sense our "Utah parents".  They are very special people to me.  We went to Chili's where we enjoyed each other's company and really yummy food :)

Our first date ever was actually April 10, 2010 and we went to Divine Comedy.  Well, they happened to be doing their "Best of DC" show on the 9th.  So Steve got us tickets and we not only celebrated my birthday, but one year of falling in love :) 

Pesto shrimp pasta for my birthday dinner on Sunday.  It was nuh-mmy! Later that evening we had our siblings and cousins over for dessert. I love birthdays!

The wonderful Y

We hiked the Y on one of the reading days with Laurel and Travis.  We had a good time :) Steve and I decided to get really into it and wore our matching Y-shirts--we're not nerds...just enthusiasts :)

 That's our attempt at a fierce face...

 We brought the youngest hiker to the Y with us :)

They're cute :)

Washington DC!

DC celebrating our final decision :)

I am so excited about this part of moving to DC

We're really excited about the American history that we'll grow to love

Well, we have finally come to a decision.  We're going to go to George Washington University right in the heart of DC.  It was probably the hardest decision we've ever had to make.  We were completely torn between BYU and GW and almost every hour of the day we were leaning towards the other.  We will miss BYU and we will definitely miss the people who are close by.  I actually cried quite a bit when we decided (pregnant emotions i think...) because of the distance, but we are excited.  What an adventure it'll be!  It'll be wonderful to be so close to Dave, Nikki, Hallie, and new baby as well.  I'm excited to get to know them, I think we'll become very close and that will be one of the greatest blessing we experience out there I believe.  My old roommate Ginny and her husband, Matt, will also be starting in the fall at GW.  Hopefully we'll be able to see them around.  I'm glad that there will be some familiar faces for me.  I'm most definitely a people lover and it's hard for me be away from the people that I love.  Some things that helped us decide on GW are that GW is #3 for patent law, which will give Steve an edge on other candidates for the jobs/internships in the future.  The education there will be outstanding and the opportunities right there in DC will be incredible.  We figured it was maybe time to leave our little comfort bubble of Provo.  With the exception of our missions, we've both been here since our freshman year in 2004.  BYU would have been the safe, comfortable decision.  In the end, our decision was made because we felt that Heavenly Father approved of our desire to learn and take advantage of opportunities.  We prayed hard to do whatever would best prepare us to serve the Lord and to serve his children throughout our lives.  And we truly felt that the experiences we have in DC will teach us some things that we couldn't experience here in Provo.  Missionary opportunities will be everywhere!  We will grow close to each other as we have to depend on each other and the Lord rather than our siblings and parents.  We will struggle a little more financially than we would have in Provo, and we're excited to master coupon collecting and being wise with our budget.  I feel so good about this decision, even though there is a bit of fear, anxiety, and mourning from being far away.  It's definitely a decision of faith and we are both excited to go forward with it.  I'm grateful for family who supports us and I'm so glad that both Merrill parents and Burrup parents helped us make a decision by the spirit :)  So, I'm going to put on by big girl pants and prepare for a huge adventure on the other side of the country :) 

General Conference Song

A long long time ago, I don't even remember where, I learned a song about the prophet.  It has stuck with me ever since and I still haven't met someone else who knows it.  But I sing it in my head every time the prophet speaks.  I taught it to kids on my mission and I just got a text from my cousin Rhett telling me he was singing it :) It made my day.  It goes like this:

When the prophet speaks I listen;
When the prophet speaks I do:
When the prophet speaks I know within my heart...
that the words he speaks are true.

Oh I love the prophet listen and obey;
I love the prophet and pray for him each day.

It's got a cute little jingle to it too.  I decided to teach it to my children some day :)

I loved hearing the prophet and apostles speak yesterday today and I'm anxious for the last session, which is starting in 1 minute :)