4th of July Weekend

Hey friends!

It's been a little while...but I thought I would update you on the excitement of this past week!

On the third of July, Jay's parents came up to visit!  Yay!  I love having family come visit.  Anyways we got to visit and introduce them to our FAVORITE treat: Karie Ann's (gelato and shaved ice).  nom nom nom.  On the morning of the 4th we watched Jay march and drum in the Independence Day Parade.  That was so fun!  It was a cute small town parade.  From there we got some Subway and headed to the hidden gem of Rexburg: Rexburg Rapids.  This water park is sick. We had a blast racing down water slides, floating the lazy river, and doing handstand clapping competitions.  Ha.  Oh, good times.  Then we had a wonderful BBQ.  Jay and I made shish-kabobs with steak, potatoes, peppers, and onions.  We had corn on the cob, watermelon, and our favorite Crystal Light (Strawberry, Orange, Banana).  Then we had strawberry pretzel jello salad for dessert.  MMM.  We headed to Idaho Falls and after a late start caught part of the fireworks.

The next day I was off to work at Freshens at 6:30 a.m. Jay and his family met me at the end of my shift and we ate bagels and smoothies from my work for brunch.

On Saturday Jay and I and some good friends and neighbors got to participate in The Color Run.  We ran our first 5K together in about 35 minutes.  Pretty impressive considering we didn't train for more than about 2 days and we were being blasted with color chalk all the way through.  It was the most fun I have had in awhile.  We got free Kiwi Loco afterwards!  Yum.  But most of all I was just stoked that we had actually completed it.  Completing a 5K has been on my bucket list for over a year.  It was so fun and I can't wait to do another one.  After showering I headed to work for 6 hours.  Let's just say my legs are not happy with me today...oh well!

Our rockin' restaurant concept.

Imagine with me if you will...your favorite simple comfort foods revamped from normal to gourmet.  

Jay and I always think about opening a restaurant even though we probably never will.  We came up with a new idea today that we think could go over extremely well.  

We are going to make gourmet smores.  

We'll start with homemade graham crackers with a hint of cinnamon.  Then we will cover that in legit dark chocolate.  Then we will make homemade marshmallow creme with a hint of vanilla.  On top of that will be a sweet and salty homemade caramel.  MMMM.

Then we will serve gourmet cereal.  

We will come up with a to-die-for whole grain no artificial sweetener cereal that has a balance of crunchy, salty, and sweet.  Then we will cover that with layers of fresh berries, honey, and the finest goat or almond milk we can find.  NOM NOM NOM.

And our last idea is gourmet grilled cheese.  

We will start off with your choice of homemade artisan sourdough or rosemary bread.  We will cover that with a light layer of homemade pesto mayonaise.  Then we will combine three fine cheeses: gouda, brie, and provolone (for texture).  Then we will toast that and offer a side of sun-dried tomatoes or marinara sauce.  HOLY GOODNESS.  

Well that's all we've got for now, but yeah.  It's gonna be good!  

Thank you.

It's been exactly four months and and nine days since one of the best days of my life.

On Decemeber 28, 2012 I married my very best friend, the one and only Jay Valle.  We are so so happy.  Even when our work shifts overlap or we have dinner at nine o'clock (or not at all) we love being together and figuring out the adventure of life as a couple.  It's da bomb!

I'm here to report that we have finally finished our wedding thank you cards.  But I can't help but think that these cards don't even serve to express a fraction of the gratitude we feel for all the family and friends that helped with our wedding in one way or another.  Every time I finished a card I wanted to re-do it and express more of my gratitude.  I just kept realizing how much everyone truly did for us to help with our special day and our life together.

So this is to you.  If you helped with our wedding at all or you were there physically or spiritually...

Thank you.

First off, our wedding was beautiful.  The decorations, flowers, cake, set up...everything was divine.  It was exactly what I wanted...earthy, whimsical, romantic, fresh.  I loved it.  The refreshments looked incredible and tasted even better.  Wow.  The reception was filled with the people we loved the most.  The dance was a blast!  We honestly didn't want to leave because we were having WAY too much fun.  The energy was tangible and the smiles and laughter were brilliant.  The temple was sweet, touching, and full of true bliss.  Honestly, we couldn't have done any of this without you.  The photos, videos, and memories captured by all of you are priceless.

Thank you.

I am deeply touched by the love we felt at the temple, reception, and daily as we use the gifts we received.  You are way too kind.

Thank you.

One last shout out to my mom specifically, we never could have done this without her.  What a blessing she is!  She is the real mastermind behind this beautiful event.

Thank you mom.

Thank you, again.  For everything.