yes, yes it is.

i have an amazing family. johnsons and ashbys. i love them all so much and am so blessed to be related to some of my very best friends.

i have the most wonderful group of friends. i couldn't be more happy with the people i have chosen to surround myself with.

i have the best of both worlds in my husband. not only is he the best friend i have ever had, but he is my family. and i love him more and more every day.

i am truly blessed!

i can't wait to wake up at a disgustingly early hour and drive for 5 hours in a max stuffed with camping gear. i can't wait to spend a day or two with my family in wyoming, and a day or two by ourselves until we spend a week with devin's family. it is going to be an amazing week. i've been so anxious to go back to grey's since we pulled out of there last year. it is one of my favorite places in the world, and i can't believe i get to share it with everyone i love!

things are looking up

yesterday was productive.

spent the [early] hours of the morning driving christian, sarah, joanna and molly to the airport. they're in michigan for the next while.

slept some more.

spent the afternoon with kylee, looking at my wedding photos. going out to lunch.

came home to find my husband home early, bearing gifts! here's the story: for our wedding, our good friends brit and joe got us this really awesome vase. it's made by a company called middle kingdom. they are all handmade in china and are really fancy porcelin. they're kind of a big deal. and ever since, we've really loved them. when i got home from work, devin had got us 2 more! they are amazing! i have had a thing for vases lately. our house is decked out in awesome bottles and vases and it looks really cool. love it. love him. he kept making my birthday the excuse for his "splurge"-- no need to make excuses! haha

i love this black one because a) it's so devin. and b) it's really different than other things in the collection. (see below)

the yellow one is one devin got for me. the blue one is from brit and joe.

then, i went to a CHA meeting and garrison introduced me to the director, who told me he'd set up an interview! that's GREAT news! i was having a hard time motivating myself to go to the meeting, but i am glad i did. i want this job so bad!

devin had bought us a new cooler. the one we have is a little small for one week of food.

everything for grey's is coming together. we're leaving saturday morning, and i'm thrilled! i can't wait to go. it will be so much fun, and it's definitely time for another trip.

i'm going to make an educated guess and say i'm getting knee surgery. that's just the way it goes with these things. which is why i didn't want to go to the doctor. because i knew that's what i would be told. i made an appointment for august 10. so i guess we'll see then. as for now... i'm still hiking bailey lake at grey's! sans knee pain.

friday, Ryan and Danica are getting married! i am so excited for them. they are some of the greatest friends i have thanks to Dev. and they are some of the funniest people i know. what a pair, they are. 

i also have lots of baking to do before we go to wyoming.

so it's going to be a busy couple of days.

lessons learned

It would be a lot more productive, worthwhile and fun if I had someone to take care of (like a PUPPY) around here other than myself when Devin's not home.


I bet pinterest would better hold my attention if i didn't get on so often. i want to see more new things rather than the same pins repinned over and over.


strawberries are quickly climbing the list of favorite fruits in my book. i've always liked them, but i've eaten them in all sorts of ways lately, and they're getting pretty addictive. except i only like fresh strawberries. not strawberry flavor or anything like that.


The Lord answers our prayers. And I know that first-hand this week. What I didn't expect, is the responsibility I now have to make sure everything turns out okay. I can do it though!


It matters who you know. Garrison (val's husband) knows the head of the school that i'm trying to work for. I'm really adamant about getting this position specifically. I'll talk more about it if I end up getting the job.


Mother knows best. And husband knows best to remind me of that. I've been stubborn about my knee. I claim that I've had a similar problem before. I know what the Doctor will say, and it won't fix anything. Devin said ask your mom about it. I did. And I'm calling the Doctor tomorrow now. She referred me to Dr. Kimball, who is a sports medicine Dr. for BYU. He did her total knee replacement and is probably one of the best in the valley. So I guess I can trust him... I just don't want it to jeopardize our camping trip next week!


Baking is a potential hobby. I could get really into this. Anybody need some treats? Cake mixes were on sale... i bought a TON.


Freeway signs are helpful. Especially when it's early in the morning, you're by yourself, and you've never been to the airport in this situation before.


My bed loses a few levels of comfort when my husband isn't in it next to me.


The Proposal is still funny. Even when you've seen it dozens (literally.) of times.


our fridge will never be blank. since our marriage, there has always been at least one wedding announcement on it. right now, there are 4. danica/ryan, rachel/desmond, aaron/laurel and alyse/brandon.


it's not as bad as it seems.

might as well

some of these may be repeats, but i thought i might as well just post them all.

i love our bridals. they are so well done.

The Morris'

so, remember how my older sister got married 2 weeks before Devin and I?

well, she did.

people think we're crazy (we are). but I kind of like it, in a way.

it was a special time that we got share together in a special way.

ANYWAY... here are some of the photos from her wedding day. it was a beautiful day in Smithfield, Ut. Kelli and Sean are so in love, and I am so happy for my sister!

Kayla and I being funny by posing in the back of the shot

lace-up dress. good thing it was so pretty, because it was a pain!

too cute-- little cousin sophie with the bride

this is when they went through the whole ceremony without exchanging rings and kelli went "... can we put our rings on?!?!" and turned to the crowd for support. Shawn is laughing hysterically. so is everyone else.

finally Mrs. Morris

cheecher's married

i love this picture so much. kyle's face is priceless

she's gorgeous

they are so in love!

bridesmaids

she told more than one of us that we were the maid of honor (cough, cough)

feeties

everyone admiring kelli's shoes while kayla and i have a conversation obliviously?

sisters!

a kiss for a cheech

cutest

johnson family

sibs

sean gave kelli a HUGE piece of cake. there is a sequence of pictures featuring this hilarious event. i just picked a couple

he just kept shoving, and shoving

there they are! all happy and married. over 2 months now.

i love them. i love having sean as a brother in law. he is perfect for kelli.

looooove you guys

baking fool

that's what i was all weekend.

a fool, i tell you.

i made those cookies. and they turned out great.

and i made those cupcakes. and they too turned out great.

last night was girl's night with amanda, maddie, lee, chloe and jac and we had a lot of fun. we spent a good hour talking and sharing our most awkward date stories. we had yogurtland at 10:00p.m. which was delicious and worth it. and then we played apples to apples and ate [more] treats. i left a little early because i was totally exhausted and when i got home at around 11:30, Devin was already asleep. he never even became fully conscious when i came home. and i decided i don't like that. i'd rather have a kiss goodnight! haha

anyway. today was great. we slept in and when we finally decided to wake up, we laid in bed another hour and a half and watched some grey's. then i made 4 batches of frosting for my cupcakes (best frosting ever. easiest, too!). devin had gotten a call earlier that we needed to meet with a brother in the bishopric. we assumed it was for callings.

it was. we're in nursery.

surprised? we're not!

sacrament meeting was usual. and then we went into the nursery and watched the other couple to get the hang of it. our ward has it set up nicely. the nursery is split into 2 different rooms, so you don't have as many kids, and we only have it every other weeks, which is nice because then we can still go to sunday school and relief society. there were only 4 kids in class today, but they were all adorable and i'm excited about the callings, but also anticipating the challenges that i KNOW will come, haha!

after church, we were set apart and then had to drop some things off to my parents before heading to devin's parent's for makayla's family birthday party. we had great food and spent some time together, which i love. we have such an amazing family. i love them all! addi was endless entertainment, and makayla loved her special birthday cupcake.

 she loved them!

 "BYE!!!"

 kayla swinging

 birthday girl, birthday cupcake, birthday candles

 she says she made a wish, but i think she forgot ;)

 mo-mo!

 opening present. addi being a part of it, of course.

 digging for ice in dev's cup

cool dudes.

so i'd say it was a great day. (oh wait. i already did!)

also, remember how devin was in the photo shoot with nathan sweet?

at the very end of the shoot, nate hollered for me to jump in the shot and LOOK!: aren't we adorable?