Quasi-Homeowner

It's hard, very hard, to believe we have already been in our house 9 months! Seriously, where does the time go? Anyway, as with most home purchases, there isn't always a lot of discretionary income to do things around the house at first. To-date the only home improvements we've done include installing a shelf and fan in the bathroom and a ceiling fan in our bedroom. Yep, we're breaking into the role of homeowners pretty easily. Everything was painted and touched up beautifully in the house, so I didn't really need to paint, but as it turns out the kitchen and dining area were pastel yellow. I'm not a pastel person. Personally, I think pastels are weak (yes, I personify colors). So this past holiday season, my office was closed for week between Christmas and New Years, and I was determined to paint. I have since learned painting is not fun, nor easy, nor something that can be done by yourself in one weekend! Although it will be a very long time before I pick up another roller, I am pleased with the outcome. Here are the before and afters!

Before:











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After:

Catching Up, Once and For All

Three words...
Way. Over. Due.
The last time I sat down here, it was November and I was actually blogging about events from August. I guess I have a lot of 'splaining to do. So, here's what I've been up to for the last 4 months... in about 4 minutes. Ready... GO! The remainder of the summer, post-Lake Powell, was filled with lots of adventure. Hiking, off roading, flying, etc. One hike in particular, a failed attempt to summit Mt. Timpanogos on the path less traveled (let's be honest, the path never traveled), happened to be one of my favorite.

Continuing along to one of my favorite months here in Utah, September. The temperatures are ideal, the mountains turn into the worlds largest natural paint canvas, boasting some of the most beautiful colors I have ever seen, and of course, the Walk, Wag and Swim! This was our first time attending the annual event, where dogs are king and the Draper pool becomes their playground. The dog was so tired, yep... he was dog-tired, that he could barely keep his little head afloat anymore, but we still had to pull him out of the pool to take him home.

September also included some very special guests. For the very first time since I moved to Utah, both my parents came together to visit! They also happened to help us wedding venue shop! Who would have ever thought that I would actually be troubled by how many absolutely stunning places there are to say "I do" in this state. Although I honestly don't believe we could have gone wrong with any of the contenders, there was something about Sundance that just won me over from day one and we are so excited to tie the knot there!

In addition to beautiful colors, fall also means Football. Ryan and I are true Utahns now as we attended our first Utah University Football game. To be honest, we were more hardcore then some of the longstanding Utah fans that bailed during the 2nd period when the lighting, thunder and rain started coming down sideways. We stuck it out though, and boy was it worth it. Went into OT and the Utes pulled through. U-T-E-S!

October and November grew cold pretty quickly. So naturally, once the weather gets cold, we get ready for snow. Or at least, we pray for snow. We decided that this year, we're pulling for another winter like our first here in Utah. 700+ inches of the gushy, nasty stuff... and I mean that is the most gnarly way ever. So, we did the only thing we knew how to do. We danced around a campfire with hot cider and made smores singing "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow".


I rounded up November with an extended trip back to the east coast. I spent a good week and half back in New Jersey/New York visiting with family, friends, and of course the obligatory wedding dress shopping! I got a few days with Miss G, the cutest and smartest 3-year-old I have ever met, who had some of the best phrases and jokes out there. I had the pleasure of giving her a belated birthday gift in person, the quintessential shopping cart of course, and can still hear her as she tore the paper back and said "Oh boyyyy! It's a grocery thing". Love her, to pieces.




When we returned to Utah in December I found myself celebrating a birthday, I'm now officially in my late 20's, and celebrating the first holiday season in our own home. For some reason, celebrating a holiday in your "home" is very different than your 3rd, 4th, or 5th apartment in 16 months. I felt this urge to decorate in a big way, and the urges started as early as... yes, I'm going to say it... Thanksgiving! We had our very first Christmas party in our home, we got our very first 'big tree' and hung three stockings by the chimney with care. Santa even brought us lots of great presents from around the country. But this year the very best present I got didn't come in a box, or via a red sleigh with 8 reindeer... It came from the heart. This year it's full of love and happiness, and that's a gift I want to keep for many, many Christmas's to come.