Anniversary Week

Justin and I had our two-year anniversary on Monday. We didn't quite get to celebrate it fully that day, so it ended up being quite the week of fun things:


Monday: We saw Harry Potter 6. A little disappointing, in all honesty, but still enjoyable. Afterward, we strolled the outdoor mall. Justin had to work that evening though he originally had it off so we had to cancel dinner plans. But then he wasn't needed at work because the equipment he used was broken. So he only stayed for a couple hours and then came home. We picked up treats at the gas station and watched our DVD slideshow of wedding pictures and Enchanted.

Wednesday: I babysat for a friend's family that morning. Once my friend's mom returned, we all ate at Burger King, went to a historical museum in Gilbert, and then got shaved ice. I invited Justin to come along. We had a great time being with kids and doing something outside the house. It felt like a family date even though it wasn't even our family.

Thursday: Justin had Thursday off, so we used it to celebrate our anniversary. Justin slept in forever, so I went running and read Harry Potter 4 until he woke up. By afternoon we left for Scottsdale to do some window shopping before dinner at The Melting Pot, where my amazing friends took me for my birthday surprise. At the restaurant, we were lucky and got a private booth. We had a delicious meal and played a type of 20 Questions game about each other. Justin enjoyed the place very much. And we had such a romantic time together. Definitely recommend that place for special nights!

For more pictures, click here.

The Library and the Lord

Oh, how I miss BYU and its five-story library from heaven. Or the wonderful, friendly San Marcos library. The campus library here has only two bookcases of children's fiction. The nearest public library is twenty minutes away and everything is always checked out. I can never get the book I want!

Today we went to return some books. I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to reread all the Harry Potter books. If I were in San Marcos or Provo, I would have succeeded by now, not only because of the better libraries, but also because friends would have lent the books to me. Anyway, it took me forever to lay hold of book 2. Today I searched for book 3, which I had put on hold but which they cancelled for reasons unknown to me. I searched for an Agatha Christie book, And Then There Were None, to no avail. I was extremely frustrated and felt like I had wasted my time. I only checked out one book, The Westing Game, a childhood favorite.

Before leaving, we checked out the little used bookstore in the library. I glanced through the portable shelves first and found nothing. Then I looked through the bookcases and saw the mystery section. Lo and behold, what did I find? Two copies of And Then There Were None! I kept browsing and moved to the children's section. What was there? Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban! And the best part? I spent $1.50 total.

First of all, I wonder why they don't take some of these donated books and make them into library books, especially the Harry Potter ones since they are high in demand. Second, was this not a tender mercy of the Lord, that the very two books I so desperately wanted I found in the bookstore? I wanted to buy the Agatha Christie one anyway. I always look for her mysteries in thrift stores, and this copy was much cheaper than any I have bought at a thrift store--only fifty cents! The Harry Potter book was only a dollar, so even if in the future I buy the complete set brand new, it's no big deal and I can always resell it.

What a blessing for me today!

Fireworks, Family, Friends, Food, and Fun

For the Fourth of July weekend we drove to San Marcos and arrived Wednesday night. Thursday, after an exhilirating run, Mom put me to work right away sorting through all my stuff I still had at their place. Later the Jocelyns came over and we went swimming. Justin was great with the little boy, throwing him around in the pool and playing with him. But that night, Justin woke up with extreme pain in his right shoulder, and I stayed up until 6 a.m. taking care of him. Needless to say, I was a bit cranky the next morning, or afternoon since I didn't get up until noon. My plans for the day were kind of ruined, so I never set foot at the beach while there. Really sad about that because it's been years since I've been; every time we visit it's either not the right weather or not enough time.

Anyway, Francine and Kristen came over and we chatted by the pool for a few hours until my cousin Jacqueline arrived. We played Loaded Questions and had quite the fun time. My fabulous friends left and the rest of us had dinner. Once Jax left, Stevie wanted to play Loaded Questions again so we played until I finally won at 11:30 p.m.

Saturday Justin and I went to the local golf shop (of course), visited my old boss at Baskin Robbins, and bought patriotic t-shirts. We got home right when the Lyles family came; our friend Rafaela was also there. We had a fabulous dinner of ribs, chicken, beans, salad, corn, potato salad, and lots of watermelon. Yum! I bet that in total I ate a whole watermelon during the time I was in San Marcos!

The Lyles kids went swimming. It was really fun watching them. Sariah and Genesis kept racing and Genesis beat her all but two times. She looked like a little wind-up toy, she was going so fast. She is really cute. Sammy would try too, but he would give up or cheat by getting out of the pool and jumping in at the other end. Genesis was too scared to jump in. She did a couple times, barely, by squatting really low and then leaning forward until she fell in. Sammy kept trying to help her by showing her how to do it a million times. Sariah offered to hold her hand, but Genesis would chicken out.

Around 5 we went to Bradley Park where all the city congregates for food, fun, and fireworks. The Sketch Band, a band our friend started years ago and for which my dad sings and plays percussion, played at the park for a couple hours. Francine, Oscar, and Kaitlyn met us there. Ravi, First, Eric, and Jordan showed up, and we saw Linh. The guys played cards and we rotated playing Guess Who. Later, James, Kaitlyn, Oscar, Francine, Justin, and I played Scrabble. Naturally, Justin and I won. Finally the fireworks came at 9 along with the patriotic music via radio. It was a great show; not the best one I remember, but still awesome. I felt full of joy and peace and I was so grateful to be in America.

Sunday was church and I ran into a family that is in our ward in Arizona--small world! They are in San Marcos for a summer internship. Kaitlyn came over afterward and we had fun playing Uno. Kaitlyn was nice enough to help me clean the kitchen so we could get to bed. Monday morning we left at 6 and stopped for a nice breakfast at Denny's before continuing on. I was sad to leave the weather, friends, and family, but it's nice being in my own home again.

For more pictures, click here.

Mr. & Mrs. Mouse

Let me explain my new header photo. Last Halloween I wanted to dress up as something creative instead of being a ninja for the upteenth time. One day the two cheeseheads decorating our entertainment center in our old Utah apartment caught my eye. Justin had already owned one before we met and he bought me one for Christmas when we were boyfriend and girlfriend (don't worry, he bought me normal presents too). I HATED those cheeseheads! He was lucky I let him display them in the living room for lack of space (here in AZ they are nicely hidden in the office). He made me wear my cheesehead once, thankfully in the privacy of our home, while we watched a Packer game for FHE, for which I only stayed 15 minutes. (Sometimes I still can't believe I married a jock! haha) Justin wears his cheesehead faithfully whenever the Packers play on a Monday night and he uses mine as his snack bowl (if you turn a cheesehead upside down, the head part serves as a chip bowl holder and three more holes serve as beer can holders). Justin also loves to boast how a cheesehead saved a man in an airplane crash.

Anyway, I decided to put them to better use: they could be part of a mouse costume! I bought paper and headbands at the dollar store to make ears, used my old clown makeup for our noses and whiskers, and blew up twisty balloons for tails--Justin's brilliant idea. We wore all gray clothes and gloves for paws. Justin was such a trooper for going along with the costume. And he made such a cute mouse! I still can't get over how cute and creative we were, which is why I chose this picture as my new header.

p.s. We also made a baby mouse carved pumpkin at the ward party and won second place.

Daddy

Although it's the end of Father's Day, it's never too late to honor Dad. I love you, Daddy! And even your corny jokes and puns. Thanks for playing with me when I was little, for peeling oranges for me, for taking me to Sea World and to Padres games just so I could eat ice cream and wear your baseball hat, for giving me a love for music, for teaching me about my Italian heritage and family history, and most important, for loving me!

And a tribute to Justin's dad: I love how we can joke around and also talk about serious things. I appreciate all the help you give Justin and me. Thanks for being so great!