James and I have had some mega fun recently.....starting with my birthday. I'm 25! Yikes! It was sad when we stopped by the store to grab some candles and the box only held 24. Sad face. And when I say we had mega fun I'm talkin' CHURCH, SPAGHETTI, and a SUNDAY NAP. Oh yeah. We're wild and crazy. For my birthday James surprised me with tickets to two concerts: Imagine Dragons and Joshua Radin/Matt Nathanson!! He's the best. :)

It was around that time (few days before my birthday) that James' last work project ended, so he was home for my birthday weekend....and then for THREE WHOLE WEEKS after that!! Most people might think that's not a big deal. Most people would be wrong. It's a rul big dill in the consulting world. So that was the best of all birthday gifts. When James is between work projects he's "on the beach" (aka working from el sofa). This is what James looks like working on the beach:

Haha....ha.

He would periodically turn up some music and clap his hands together like he was at a concert....by himself. That boy was happy to have some beach time and I was happier to have him around.

The Imagine Dragons concert was in the Woodlands-a gorgeous area north of Houston. We spread out a blanket in the grass and played Uno and fruit ninja until the concert began. James I'm sure would like it if I mentioned that he severely trounced me in both games.

Holy chipotle chicken pasta and garlic bread deliciousness.

At the next concert two weeks later Joshua Radin was AWESOME and Matt Nathanson was not quite as awesome. Also he shook his bum and wiggled his hips like a little girl. James and I were laughing imagining him practicing his moves in front of the mirror.

Joshua Radin

Joshua Radin

Matt Nathanson

Matt Nathanson

Matt Nathanson

Here are some video tidbits: I know it sounds better if you just turn on your ipad, but hey folks-we was there in real life and that was cool. These concerts make concerts number 7 and 8 for me I think. 
(Imgaine Dragons, Joshua Radin, Matt Nathanson)

 

I know I know! Joshua Radin is the best....

Between those two concerts we went to Scottsdale, Arizona for an awesome work retreat. It was PERFECT. It was at a Marriott resort and I've never felt so pampered. It started off with endless guacamole and chips. That alone would have kept me happy all weekend, but on top of that we had a comfy room, endless drinks (in Mormon language that translates to smoothies :)), a pool, fitness center, spa, delicious meals, and some sweet activities.

Just a light breakfast of every kind of fruit, bacon, eggs, potatoes, and a chocolate-filled pastry

And for lunch....yeah, I'll just take some of...EVERYTHING

On Thursday we tried out the gym. The treadmills had their own built-in fans and TVs, refrigerated towels and free headphones. We had a big western dinner and afterwards James rode a mechanical bull and rocked it.

On Friday James and I went on a river float and I got a full body massage. Holy heaven. After dinner and the dessert reception that night we went to the jacuzzi with our friends the Whitlocks and Nelsons.

On Saturday we went repelling. James was braver than me because he went off the big rock. I just went down the shorter rock over and over again, each time getting faster. We definitely could have gotten some cooler pictures, but it's so inconvenient sometimes.

See that tiny yellow speck? Yeah, that's me haha.

I especially like this picture ;)

With our friends Rachel Whitlock and Katrina and Kyle Nelson. Jeff Whitlock was going off the huge rock for the second time so he missed the pic.

Then we tried 9 different smoothies by the poolside. SOOO YUMMY!

 

We had a fancy "white party" Saturday night complete with the strangest entertainment of two guys building a giant ice guitar. Strange but cool. And the music group of four girls that played during dinner apparently played at the London Olympics. They were awesome.

This was called a "s'more." Little bit fancy and flipping fantastic!

Behold the ice guitar

And the music ladies

And everything else that is white...

And all the white people (not a racial slur)

And now we're back to real life again. James is off the beach and flying to Columbus, Ohio each week for a new project and I'm manning the fort at home like I do.....killing the cockroaches like a fearless warrior and making sure everyone gets fed. Everyone=me.

I just got home from a really long and awesome trip...a trip I took for no real reason other than that I am in a bum-state in between an internship and a job/more school and because James wanted to go to the BYU vs Texas football game and because we really like our families and miss the mountains because James racks up the flyer miles so my ticket was cheap and stuff like that.

James and I had two awesome weekends together-one with my family in Colorado and the other with his family in Utah. The weeks in between I just partied hard without James with family and friends. I kept a running total of everywhere we went out to eat. You'll understand why I came home a few pounds heavier:

• Olive Garden
• Village Inn
• Chiles
• Cafe Rio
• JDawgs (twice)
• Zupas
• Red Butte Cafe
• The Pie
• Slab Pizza 
• L&T's
• The Fuji House
• Chick fil A
• Ruth's Diner

Haha, and that list doesn't even include the four dozen donuts bought throughout the trip, the Costco ice cream bars and Burger King ice cream cones, the 7/11 slurpees, the Lion House Pantry cinnamon roll pull-aparts, BYU brownies and Graham Canyon ice cream, and a handful of other delicious treats. Aw man I LOVE VACATIONS!!!!!! This blog is a huge food confession. Don't worry, now that I'm home I've repented of my ways. Also I can't wait until Christmas.

Labor Day weekend in Colorado was wonderful. We ate out, ate in, played games, watched movies, played tennis, went to the temple, and went to the traditional hot air balloon festival. Here are a few sweet pics we snapped. And by a few I mean....MANY.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So after enjoying beautiful Colorado and wonderful time with my family, James headed back to work in Michigan and I spent the week in beautiful Utah with more wonderful family and friends.

Like Brooke!!

And Jojo and Jenisy!!

Jenisy is super mom, btw, and her kids are adorable!

And Marci!!

And Morgan and Liza (who is just the cutest pregnant girl) and Sarah Griggs. I hung out in the BYU library until people who were busy having lives came home and had time to hang out with the vacation bum. James flew into Utah for the next weekend with his family and we packed it full of funness. We went to the James Taylor/MoTab/Utah Symphony concert. It was GREAT. And President Monson was there and I can't believe how fast he walks for his age.

Even though no temple is the best, this one actually is.

And of course we went to the football game (BYU vs. Texas) which was postponed by a crazy storm and then resumed in full-BYU-dominating-awesomeness.

James and I thought we'd do a photo shoot while we were waiting for the game to start.

 

 

James left for work again after that weekend and I crammed in a few more fun visits down to Provo and Payson and then was ready to get back to Texas and normal life. That's when you know it's a good vacation-when you've relaxed so much you want to get back to a schedule and cleaning and homework and.....Texas.

I came home reflecting on how richly blessed I was growing up and going to school in such beautiful states and surrounded by loving, fun, and remarkable people. And then I come home to an apartment and a husband that I love and the realization that the blessings just keep coming.