New Obsession

Tonight we took my grandma out to dinner for her birthday.  We went early enough to get the early bird special, which included a dessert.  I had creme brulee.

 It was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.  I never want to eat anything else ever again. 

While We're on the Topic...

While we're on the topic of things that have been going on recently (I know, two blog posts right in a row-- I have officially out-losered myself), on Wednesday we had our cheerleading banquet.  We had it at this yummy Mexican restaurant called Javier's, and I was really happy with how it went.  We did paper-plate awards and plaque awards, and my cheerleaders got me a cute framed picture of all of us that they all signed.  I'm gonna miss these girls (and guys) and this job so much, it's seriously the funnest job I've ever had.   

 For reasons I still can't figure out, Erik and I decided to take a different route to the restaurant than we took when we tested it out. I think we thought it would be faster.  It was raining really hard, I was feeling pretty stressed, and I told Erik to take a wrong turn.  We got horribly lost, and I was not my usual ray-of-sunshine self.  I think Erik wanted to kill loved me more than ever at that moment.

Spring Break

Last year for Spring Break Erik and I went to Vegas and Arizona.  This year we're closer to being grown-ups and still had to go to work/practicum, so we just hung out in Layton.  I loved having the time off though, and for the first time in quite a while I feel decently on top of everything.
A particular highlight of Spring Break was seeing my family.  My mom and Nina had plane tickets they bought about a month before, and they came on Friday afternoon.  Coincidentally, my dad had work meetings in Salt Lake on Friday morning, so he and Jack came up Thursday night and left Friday afternoon, which worked out best, because we really aren't equipped for too much company here in the Meadows.
Friday morning Jack and I went to Plato's Closet.  I love shopping with Jack, mainly because he is the only man in my life who will still occasionally let me dress him.  After we shopped we hit Barnes and Noble and met up with Erik for lunch (in honor of the occasion we sprung for dessert--mudslide brownie, sooo good and only 14,000 calories per serving).  It was a way nice day so we went on a walk, and then watched the Pink Panther, which is only funny if you watch it with Jack.

Work it Jack

 

My dad rolled in about 2:00, and they took off for Logan and I went straight to the airport and picked up my mom and Nina.  We had a wonderful weekend of shopping, getting our nails done, blog stalking, discussing celebrity gossip (I bet you didn't know Justin Beiber isn't shaving for the whole month of March), and enjoying yummy mom-cooking.  Alex came up on Sunday, and overall we had a great time.  I was super sad to see everyone go, but we'll be back in Idaho for Easter.  

My mother is like a ninja when it comes to avoiding being in pictures, but I managed to get this one of her wrist...

Do you see how concave Nina's stomach is?  It makes me hate her just a little bit

Yay for Spring Break.  I'd like another one please.  Come see us!

Here's What's Up

There's not a lot of exciting things happening in our lives right now.  In fact, we're kind of in the calm before the storm.  On my end, cheerleading has really winded down, the GRE is out of the way, I bunched my practicum and my school all on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I've been able to stay pretty organized.  On Erik's end, he's back at the Layton Enterprise office, which means regular hours and no commute, and also the NFL is going on strike.  The combination of all these factors has led to a pleasantly mellow, but fairly boring from the blogging perspective, past couple of weeks.  Everything should pick up here in the next two months, between family visiting, getting ready to move, finals, graduation, etc. 

One of Erik and my resolutions was to do sit-ups every day.  We have a little calendar in our room that we mark off every day we remember.  In honor of doing my sit-ups every day in February, I got a shellac manicure.  Shellac is awesome.  It's like a mix of polish and gel, so it goes on and it never chips, but I can keep my nails short enough for harp and still have them look pretty.  I love it.   

One thing that I am excited about is that Chris and Beez finally set a wedding date! Everything about their wedding sounds so elegant, I cannot wait.  A few years ago I asked Chris when he and Beez were going to get married and he told me "Shanna, you'll probably meet someone, date someone, get engaged to someone, marry someone, and have his baby before Beez and I get married."  4/5 Chris, not too bad.  I love these two to death, and am frankly glad that they're finally getting their act together and planning this wedding that I have been waiting for for 4 years.  They were bridesmaids/bridesmen at my wedding, and I can't wait to be a bridesmaid at theirs!

 

PS--Also, my cheerleaders did really great at their last performance.  I tried to load the video on here, but it was rejected, so instead check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_170682412952229&ap=1

Homecoming and Birthdays

The school I coach cheerleading at is so small that they don't have a football team.  Therefore, their homecoming game is a basketball game and takes place in February.  The theme of the game was "blackout", thus the black outfits.  The cheerleaders had a big homecoming routine for halftime that they totally nailed. I wanted to upload the video, but apparently the "server rejected it", so instead, picture time!

These are the girls

These are the guys

This is their cutie pyramid

It was a fun game and the girls (and guys) did great.  I was really proud of them.  The morning after the game I woke up and drove to Boise for my mom's birthday.  My family also had birthday presents for me, which was double awesome.  With my birthday money I  bought this darling swimsuit from Anthropologie for our trip to Hawaii in May:

I've been lusting after this swimsuit for months.  Unfortunately it's in the same price range as my junior prom dress.  But I fully believe that the purpose of birthday money is to get yourself something that you wouldn't normally splurge on.  So yay.  I can't wait for it to come in the mail.  I fully anticipate loving it. 

In other eventful news, Erik was MVP at work again this month.  Also he had no cavities at his recent dentist appointment.  Way to go big guy.  I hit 320 hours (out of 480 hours) at my internship.  I hope to finish by the second week in April.  Send us a valentine, I love getting mail. 

6 Months

6  months ago today...

 Tonight we're driving to Logan to go to the Bluebird to have some of that delicious Bluebird chicken that we were too nervous to eat at our wedding dinner.

Yummy

Viva Las Vegas

We had such a good time in Vegas!  Such a good time.  We got to there on Tuesday night after Erik worked 10 hours at Enterprise, I worked 6 hours at the elementary school, and we drove 6 hours to get there, so we were pretty beat.  We mustered enough energy to explore our hotel and see all the shops and kiosks.  Maybe it's because I was so tired, but I thought it was hilarious to listen to Erik negotiate the kiosk salesmen down, and I enjoyed the benefits when he negotiated the water massage lady to 1/8 of the original price.  My very favorite, however, was talking to the dead sea spa guys.  You've seen these people, the guys from the middle east who draw you in, spray some goop on your arm and refuse to let go.  Upon finding out that we were from Utah, our salesmen insisted that we should buy his $80 face soap because we were Mormon and he was Jewish, and "Mormons and Jews are very good friends (fist bump)" .  He was also shocked that I was only 21 and married.  I had him test the product on Erik's arm, and after he rubbed off the dead skin he showed me the messy cotton ball and went "And you are going to get into bed with that!?"  It was a good time.

Erik and our Jewish buddy

On our way up to the room, we were assaulted by this fellow. 

In charming broken english he told us how we could earn $100 to the spa if we "went on a tour of a new hotel".  We were a little skeptical, but $100 is a $100, so we agreed, and at 10:00 the next morning we were bused to "The Greatview at Las Vegas", where we endured 2 hours of a former boxer-turned-salesman trying to sell us a timeshare.  Right.  On the plus side, we managed to get breakfast and lunch out of this little outing.  And we left with $100 in spa services, that my wonderful husband gave all to me. 

The spa was INCREDIBLE.  They gave me this comfy robe and sandals to put on, and while I was waiting for my services they brought me hot chocolate, a water bottle, and chocolate covered fruit.  I first got a body wrap and a massage.  After this cute lady rubbed out all my tension and slathered me with some concoction of cucumber, coconut milk, etc.  and wrapped me in body foil like a great big burrito, she actually offered to feed me my chocolate covered fruit while massaging my scalp.  I love that place.  Next I got a much needed manicure, I rip at my nails as a nervous habit and they were a mess.  I left the spa with baby-soft skin and beautiful hands, ready for a night on the town.

After I got ready, Erik and I hurried to grab a bite to eat before Donny and Marie.  We went to the closest place, a little restaurant called Dick's.  This fulfilled my requirement of going somewhere I could only go because I was 21. 

We both ordered waters, and we were a little surprised when our waitress brought us this:

Our meal was yummy, and we hurried to the Flamingo for Donny and Marie.  I was too distracted to take pictures, but can I just say, they were FABULOUS.  They were everything I wanted them to be and more.  The show was so fun.  Erik and I were in a booth with a 65 year old woman and her 40 year old daughter (a much better representation of the average audience member than Erik and me).  I ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri in a special Donny and Marie glass and it was so fun to sit there and drink my fancy little drink and watch the show.  Even Erik enjoyed it, and said it was almost worth the dignity loss of walking in and out of the showroom.  A particular high point was when were walking out of the theater and the little old lady in front of us squealed "He touched my hand!  I'm never washing it again!".  Hehehe

 

After the show we walked the strip, but it was a little chilly, so  we went inside the Bellagio.  I love the Bellagio fountains, and we found a perfect little window with a great view that was close enough to hear the music and we watched the fountain.  It was a very romantic ending to a a wonderful day.

The next morning we laid by the pool for a little while and then checked out and drove home.  We had the best time, and I have to say Erik intimidated me a little bit as far as birthdays go.  What the heck am I supposed to do for his birthday to top that?  Luckily I have until July to figure it out.  

Goodbye Excalibur