primary.

Okay, there is THE funniest story about this cute little guy. I can't tell you his name because, well, there are total creeps out there and even though I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that reads this blog, you can't be too careful. So we'll call him Adam. Seems appropriate. These pictures weren't from St. Patrick's Day, clearly, but just pretend they are, because that is the day of this story.

James & I were called to team teach primary, and so far we've loooved it. Our kids are so smart and so much fun!! Well, after primary on Sunday (St. Patrick's Day--this is important, I swear!) James was taking all of our materials back to the library when I noticed I forgot to hand out the assignments to our little kids. (You know, like talks, scriptures, or being the "reverence child" in sacrament.)

So I go looking in the general direction I saw all our kids bolted in and saw Adam go into a classroom, but I got pulled away for a second. Then I went into the classroom and he was gone! So I asked the teacher in there, "Hey, did Adam just come in here?" and she said "Well, yes, but he's gone somewhere now! But that's okay, because I'm his mom!" and I was like "Oh! Perfect! Well this is Adam's assignment for next week! I'm his teacher." and she was like "Oh my gosh. (starts laughing) I have to tell you something. Last week, Adam came home and we were asking how his class went and he said 'I have a HOT teacher.' (I started cracking up!!) and I told him, 'Well, I don't know if her husband would approve of that." I was cracking up. Just the kind of thing I could see him doing. Then his mom said "But I told him, hey. Next week is St. Patrick's Day! Since we're Irish, go up and tell your teacher 'Kiss me! I'm Irish!' and see what she says!" I told her he must've got too scared, but I was flattered!

Hahaha Oh my gosh, it was the FUNNIEST thing ever. James & I had a good laugh about it on the way home.

I am so going to miss teaching primary with James and with our kids! Especially little Adam. My heart has a special little place for the funny, sweet kid that always is the first to offer the prayer. Ugh! So sad we only get them one more week. But stay tuned because we have some AWESOME things planned for Easter.

dallas.

James didn't have work yesterday so (eventually) when I rolled out of bed and did a little of this.

Mostly because it's so fun to get him to the whole entire day, all to myself!

We decided to go to Dallas to pick up my ring. And I realized it may have been separated from my finger just a little too long because a) now I always forget to put it on in the morning and b) I started "catching up" with it in the car, which completely freaked James out.

Then we decided to walk around the mall for a little bit. They have a really pretty courtyard outside and since it was so nice, I was all over taking a couple pictures next to the gorgeous flowers.

I love my sweetheart!

It was a little bright. Haha

After that, we walked around the mall, doin a little exploring. We almost got some candy for his grandma, but it got to be way more expensive than we thought so James walked around with this bag of candy waiting to put it back in front of the lady maning the store so that we could leave. It sounds way more hilarious watching James trying to figure out how not to look like a criminal than I'm making it sound, especially since when he finally did put it back, she totally called us out on it and thought we'd touched it to death with our hands. Holy embarrassing. We're not 6 year olds lady!

Anyway, we walked by a Bridgestone store and James told me that he & his best friend, Tyler, used to go in there all the time to sit in the massage chairs, until the workers caught onto them and told them to buzz off.

Well. We're not in Florida, and that sounded like a great idea. So I pulled him in the store and we each picked a chair to test out, you know. Just in case we could ever afford a $4,000 chair. The one James sat in was the funniest. You know those blood pressure testing machines in drugstores? It's kind of like that but for different parts of your body at different times. It was kind of cool and uses all these crazy censors. Anyway, it sort of freaked James out, but I was trying so hard not to snort I was laughing so much.

 

 

It's pressed against his shoulders, trapping him in!

I could easily see people getting claustrophobic. It was a little creepy. And the massage wasn't even that great! In fact, it actually tickled me! But "we passed on it."

Eventually, we left the mall and ran a couple errands: returned a pillow, James almost got ripped off by the Chinese food guy (and was still disappointed with it in the end. Poor guy) and some other boring things. You know, things married people try to get done together when one doesn't have to work. We did homework together that night too.

It may sound stupid, but really, running errands is way more fun when James is around. He makes it fun. I'm so glad I married my best friend. I highly recommend it! :)

twenty-four.

I seriously can't believe I am 24 years old. I feel so young, like the I-want-dessert-before-dinner kind, but I'm married and love naps! What happened?!

Well this year was kind of passed up. I know. I am kind of a freak about holidays and birthdays, so how is that possible right? Well James & I went on the pioneer trek with the youth here in Denton. So we left super early that morning, but not before I got the annual fun birthday phone call from my family!! It made my whole morning. I love them. And then, when I went downstairs, Grandma Betty handed me a card and a little cute bag! In it was this awesome headband with a scarf attached (which saved my life on the trek) and I saved the car until we were in the car driving to Decatur because I knew that would be about it.

The trek was a lot of work, but a lot of fun at the same time! James & I slept in a trailer and then we'd go shoot video of the kids pushing the handcarts, all the activities, the games, the firesides, everything! I got caught up in it all and totally forgot it was my birthday. But once in a while, James would say something like "Here's your lunch, birthday girl!" and I was like "Oh yeah! It IS my birthday!" so he tried to keep me happy and celebrating a bit. But we were busy busy busy.
Side note: I found this link to one of the photographers who was on the trek if you wanted to get an idea. She's TALENTED.

This is sadly the only picture we got from the Trek. Everything else was on video cameras. :(

However, the night before, I was sitting up on our bed and he peeks around the corner with a smile on his face (which made me laugh kind of nervously) and he brings out this AWESOME, adorable jewelry box from behind his back. He swore I'd already seen it because I looked through his pictures, but I never had! It was so cool AND...get this...he refurbished it all by himself! Just for me! He bought it from someone and then repainted and distressed it and redid it just for me, exactly how I would've wanted it!

Here it is before...(I stole these)

And after!! He is so amazing!!

Plus, I had so many texts when I was out there, but I saved them to read at night. Since I didn't really have great service, I didn't get too many phone calls, which is okay. Especially because when I got home, I had cards waiting for me from my awesome in-laws (they are seriously the best!) and my parents (also seriously the best!), my cute little sister who sent me her own card (so thoughtful!) and my new sister and brother-in-law! They even got me a cute necklace to go in my jewelry box and a gift card to Hobby Lobby! (Yeah, can you say score?!) so it was still a great birthday. I love my family. And my friends. I got so many funny, cute texts. I love my birthdays. Now the countdown until my sweetie's begins!!

last day.

Today was the last day of my internship at Fast Cuts.

Thanks Mindy. (Ps-if you don't watch this show, your life probably doesn't have humor in it.)

This was all that was left!

It was so sweet (literally)--they bought all these cupcakes (the good stuff) and all signed a card (I'm talking completely covered) and then call me up from the studio because they said we were going to sing Happy Birthday to someone (because they sing to everyone on their birthday and buy them their favorite dessert! How great are they? Showing they care!) and guess what, we didn't. It was all for me. So fun and so cute.

It's going to be SO weird not having to drive to Dallas every Tuesday/Thursday! I loved blaring music and having some time to exercise those vocal chords (usually I was practicing what I would look like on American Idol and praying the windows were tinted enough) and the scenery was really beautiful when you get to downtown Dallas! See?

However. I most definitely will not miss the anxiety attacks I got everyday from driving home in this.

Yes, we are all packed to the walls. And no one uses brake properly. Or cares.

But the people at Fast Cuts were completely amazing and I learned SO much!! I shadowed someone different every single day and it was never boring! I feel like I have so much more to learn before I get into the real world though but they were all so encouraging!! I am so blessed to have had such a wonderful internship. Plus they all said to keep in touch and they would be happy to help me in any way they could! Thank goodness because with all their expertise, I will be like, 

all the time. (Sorry for all the gifs, but they pretty much do the interacting for me)

Thank you all so much for being so nice to "the new kid" and for taking such great care of me and being such great, fantastic, amazing, talented mentors and friends. I couldn't have asked for a better internship anywhere else and I can't believe how much my next real job will suck compared to that.

we.

There are soooo many of my friends getting engaged these days. I mean, every single day it seems that there are pictures and statuses smothered in kissing and rings. So this post is for all those friends. Things I have learned about marriage (ya know, in my whole two months) It's about to get real.

Mar·riage /ˈmarij/

Noun
Legally hitching your wagon to another person's for the rest of your life eternity.

Um yeah, you can say "super scary," right? I thought I would have to give up a lot, which in some ways, I have. I live in Texas (not in sunny, amazing, gorgeous California) away from my parents and sisters, most of my hobbies include a lot more grown up responsibilities (like making sure the laundry doesn't pile up and James's homework gets done) and sharing everything.

Now to everyone else, those things may seem like a LOT. But honestly, I can't think of a better way to advance in life than alongside your best friend. Taking care of each other. Sharing everything.

While I was engaged, I was talking to my other best friend in the world, who was also engaged. And thank goodness because pretty much our whole lives have lined up and been perfectly in sync. So she's always the first person to call. I don't know about everyone else, but for me, I was a grouch planning a wedding. I put way too much pressure on myself and everything to be perfect (that's another point) and it made me not like myself and fight with a much more patient James so much. So after crying to her and telling her my whole saga of a sob story, she was telling me how she and her fiance (now husband!) Grant got through it. She said that she stopped thinking of everything as her's and it became their's. The goals, the problems, everything. It wasn't just about her anymore and walking away, breaking up, leaving--those weren't an option anymore.

Every since this smart lady shared that with me, it woke me up! It's not just about me. I can't just break up with my fiance because I'm having a rough patch. And I've remembered it every single day since. I get to part of a we!! I love not having to say goodnight to James! And I love seeing him first thing in the morning and snuggling up to him at night! Everything is worth it, promise. I finally just told myself as long as I'm sealed to James at the end of the day, everything will be perfect.

Also, do NOT stress about little details. My super wise older sister told me in the very beginning to take care of the big things first and make sure you get exactly what you want with those. Then work out the details. My mom and I ripped our hair out on all the small things, and guess what. My husband got sick on our wedding day and couldn't enjoy any of it. Luckily, because I come from and have inherited the greatest family EVER, people still stayed and had an amazing time. So just enjoy the whole day. If planning is getting to be too much and turning you into the worst version of yourself, take a break from it for a day and just soak up some private time with your almost-spouse. It is the best cure in the world.

Most of all, enjoy every single little part too, all of the engagement and wedding day and all the "firsts" after because it only happens once and it's over! Then it's just you & that person every single day, living one life together as a package deal. But don't worry. I can tell you things just keep getting better & better. So be excited.

Congratulations everyone!! I am so excited to have jumped on this bandwagon and I know you will be too!!

temple.

Today, James and I went to the Dallas for the first time ever! Neither of us had been there before so it was pretty cool.

It was FREEZING cold and so windy!! Jeez louise!
We tried many a time to get a decent picture!!
Oh well. Haha My running nose aside, he's handsome. That's all that counts.

Goodbye ring! :(

Such a pretty temple.

Also cool is the fact that I was "Sister Anderson" everywhere I went! "Hello, Sister Anderson." "Right this way, Sister Anderson." "Do you need help, Sister Anderson?" And I sure did!

It was a little strange going all by myself. The only other time I had been that far in the temple was for my endowments, then for the wedding. Both of which had family members as close as the secret service. So that was weird.

And, this is so lame to say outloud, but I was already missing James! In the like 45 minutes I was away from him, I was already excited to see him again! Haha But it was awesome to get to spend that special time with him and have that experience together. I am already looking forward to the next time!

After the temple, we went to the mall to drop off my ring to get soldered. It was so sad to say goodbye to it. My finger has been so so lonely. And it was also weird to see it in the case at Ben Bridges! Oh great. Now it'll be all over everyone's finger!...Well at least mine has a little ding in it. I think it adds character. Plus it's already been through a wedding. BAM.....Anyway, it won't be ready for two weeks so let's see if I can squuueeeeze my chubby baby fingers into my first beauty one more time!

simple.

SPOILER ALERT: This is going to be one cheesy, lovey-dovey post.

There are so many little things I am already loving about being married to James. I'm gonna share them, but don't you dare tell James. I don't want to be responsible for his man card.

Feet snuggling, even when we are sleeping.

Getting kissed every morning before he leaves for work.

Watching a show together before we go to sleep.

Working things out together, like finances and plans for the day.

Running errands was NEVER as fun as it is with James.

Planning and buying for our apartment together.

Making each other laugh until it hurts.

Talking about our future kids like they already exist

Holding hands in the middle of the night

When he cooks me breakfast Sunday mornings so I can get ready

Grocery shopping

Accomplishing the massive amounts of James's homework together

Wrestling...we fight dirty.

Having someone who knows how to fix something instead of buying a new one.

[Ice cream] Date nights.

Being "Brother & Sister Anderson" at church (and when people ask me about "my husband")

Sunday naps outside together

When he brushes my hair and lets me pluck his eyebrows (that's a real man)

When we are both so tired that everything is funny

Spoiling each other rotten

Get married. It's fun.