a year ago, i got a ring.

Today marks my one-year anniversary of being proposed to.

One year ago today, Zac took me up to this place, dined me, and then asked me the question. Before he took me out, he (and my friend, Emily, who was in on the whole thing) had convinced me that he was simply taking me out on a normal date. Emily even mentioned that she thought he was "going to propose on Valentine's Day."

A little depressed, I took a nap in my bedroom after hearing this. When I woke up, I didn't redo my hair or make up, but rode with Zac up to Sundance.

We ate, and at the end of our meal, he proposed to me in a little room seperated from the rest of the restuarant by a heavy curtain. Then we took blurry pictures, because it was quite dim in that room (and I hate flash).

We met up with both of our parents to tell them the news later that night--my parents, in the parking lot of the Provo mall; his parents, at their house.

This time around, we are keeping the tradition of going to the Tree Room to eat. We have reservations tonight, and I am beyong excited! Happy One-Year Anniversary of being engaged, love! You are wonderful!

P.S. Last night for Family Home Evening, we made homemade salsa. What we learned from it: when everyone brings their best qualities together, they make a fantastic salsa.

Tomorrow's February! Love, and be loved!

.....

updates.

Hello friends! Something has changed--can you feel it? Yes, I changed my blog, and the address, too! A special thanks to Bri over at The Secret Life of Bee for the help! (She is very talented at blog-designing, and will do it for a great price!) Tell me your thoughts. Me? I love it!

A few weeks ago, when I was up in Salt Lake County for my grandpa's funeral, Zac and I got the chance to spend time with our friends, Sarah and Luke. They are so much fun! Sarah and I were friends in High School, and have had some good times together. They were married about a year and half before we were, and just bought their first house! They cooked us some delicious Mexican food (Sarah and I have this thing for Mexican food), and afterwards, we talked about cinematography and photography, and the next solar eclipse in May! Stay tuned for that, because we're all going to drive down to St. George and see it! Did I mention that I reeeeally want to be a solar eclipse chaser? What a fantastic way to travel the world!

sometimes...

Sometimes, you just need to eat ice cream in your unmade bed, because it's more cozy than sitting at the table.

Sometimes, you stay up past midnight playing Mario Brothers with your husband, because it's so much fun.

Sometimes, you and your husband parallel park, [purposely] sandwiching a car so tight that it can't get out, because the driver took your curbside parking spots.

Sometimes, you go to see ryan innes at the new pleasant grove Sammy's, and leave before he goes on because there are too many people there.

Sometimes, sammy's serves really messy, but really delicious burgers and shakes.

Sometimes, you skip the rest of church because a skirt is an uncomfortable thing to sit in for so long.

Sometimes, you miss your grandpa.

Sometimes, you get sick, but stick it out at work.

Sometimes, you decide on a whim to live life as a health freak, and it feels really good.

Sometimes, you order a salad at outback steakhouse, and your dad thinks you're weird.

Sometimes, you buy new socks for $1.80 a pair, and love them more than everything else you bought.

Sometimes, you make green smoothies and mess them up, but eat them anyway.

Sometimes, that cookie jar you ordered for your mom's christmas present arrives in broken pieces.

Sometimes, you realize that you're married to the most wonderful man on the planet, and get really happy inside.

mexican fiestaurant.

a couple of weeks ago, i met up with my old roommates, erica and rachel, and had some mexican food at joe vera's mexican fiestaurant (make sure you have your speakers turned up on this one). when we were living with each other last year in orem, we discovered this place while driving down center street in provo, on our way to our secret spot. we thought the name was clever, and so we planned to go out to eat. since then, we have made a tradition of it, and always eat there during midterms and finals week. i think it may just be my favorite mexican restaurant. they give you delicious homemade salsa with hot tortilla chips, and quite a lot of food. i recommend the chicken chimichanga. but, then again, that's the only thing i've ordered so far.

but back to the story... that night a few weeks ago, erica, rachel and i sat at the same booth we sat at the time before (when the waiter spilled water all over me, and i laughed my head off). we talked a little, but mostly ate "chops and salsa!" (we're weird. very, very weird.) oh, and rachel and erica dipped their chips in salsa, and then ranch. i thought it looked gross. we were obnoxious to our waiter, which is to be expected. but we tip good!

at the end though, (this is where it gets good--at least i think so) we (rachel), like always, wrote our waiter a very heart felt note. it says, "dearest tim, you make my heart pitter patter like a big red drum. DON'T FORGET I PAID!!!! the food was divine! my uno tostada was the stuff dreams are made of! chops & salsa. i give a 2 thumbs up! oh brian, i love you!!! love always, the best gods of the underworld, bernadette, themlord, lancelot."



and then erica drew faces on chili peppers, and named them after us. it's always a riot hanging out with these two.

how we brought in the new year.

on new year's eve, we went up to my brother's new house in herriman and had a dessert bake-off. others joined us, too: daniel and erika, alma and joy, and dave and lisa. that night, many great desserts were baked--fruit pizza, peach cobbler (made from scratch, thank you very much), and chocolate molten lava cakes. and there was some of the best salsa i've ever eaten there, too, made by dave and lisa.

the whole night, we talked, laughed, baked, ate, played games, and ate some more. when midnight rolled around, we lit up some sparklers, went outside, and yelled weird things in honor of the new year.

then we came back inside (why did i not bring my coat out there?!), and i kissed my husband.

to end the night, we watched the ball drop in times square at about 12:13 a.m. (thank you, internet).

i can't believe it's 2012 already!

happy new year!

the new year has come--six days ago, to be exact. with all the business of going back to work, my grandpa's death and funeral, and zac being sick the other night, i've finally found the time to expound on last year's joys and memories. the year 2011 has been extra good, mostly because of a little something that happened in may. along with that, so many fun and exciting things have been going on, and we've learned so much. in 2011, i...

• got a diamond ring put on my left ring finger.


• watched moulin rouge on valentine's day with zac.


• made lots of meals from scratch.


• went to bear lake for the first time with zac's family.


• started the semi-semesterly mexican fiestaurant tradition with erica and rachel.


• celebrated my 21st birthday by going to bridal veil falls, and then los hermanos.


• celebrated zac's 23rd birthday by going to gloria's little italy.


• moved out of my student housing apartment, and into a tiny basement apartment.


• planned a wedding.


• walked around downtown provo on many occasions.


• got married.


• went to newport beach, and missed it every day since (if you're ever down there, try mama d's italy kitchen. divine.).


• went to a lot of free concerts.


• went to bear lake again and tasted the most wonderful chocolate-raspberry shake.


• went through 4 jobs, and eventually got the best one.


• started eating healthier foods.


• graduated.


• visited the swensons' cabin, where we ate s'mores, told ghost stories, and played many games.


• totalled my car in the middle of nowhere.


• killed a lot of spiders in our apartment.


• went shooting for the very first time.


• went to our annual family reunion at cherry hill.


• shot a few photoshoots with a few lovely people.


• celebrated holidays, watched movies, discovered new restaurants, started new traditions, carpooled to work with my love, switched up my style.


• put up our very first christmas tree.


• gained a greater testimony in the atonement and the plan of happiness because of my grandpa's death.

i already have about a million new year's resolutions going around in my head, but i'll only stick with a few, or else i won't stick with any. my new year's resolutions are...

• eat even more healthy foods.


• say my prayers and read scriptures daily.


• serve more. way more.


• buy a house (well, a condo, but house sounds cooler).


• blog more.


• find joy and be happy and positive.

we'll see if this happens. i hope it will. happy new year! i have high hopes for this year of 2012. i think it will be grand!