Happy Presidents Day

President's Day happens to be my favorite holidy....just kidding. Last year I spent the weekend in Vegas with my besties but this year Cory and I trekked to Boise. We got to spend some quality time with my family. It is always interesting to go home because you realize why you are the way that you are. Does this happen to anyone else? You think yourself very individual and independent but then you hang out with your family. We enjoyed just relaxing watching some tennis and playing games. On Monday we went out and shot some guns. Very wild, wild west I know! I hope everyone else had a wonderful three day weekend.

 

V-Day

For anyone who knows me, they know that I LOVE Valentines day. Not just sort of but A LOT! For some reason I love the chance to celebrate well you know, love. Its pink and happy and all sorts of goodness. People always think me strange when I profess my love but honestly it comes in close for second favorite holiday. Call me awful but I may like it more than Christmas....sorry! This may seem like a lot of pressure for my significant other but believe me that is not why I like Valentines. This year, even Cory started getting in the spirit. In one moment he even admitted that he was excited for Valentines. Mission accomplished! A couple of days before Cory told me he was making something. I was a little nervous. Nervous was right. The morning of February 14th I got surprised with the most ridiculous cake I have ever seen. So inappropriate but for some reason he thought it was hilarious. I appreciated the effort. He made up for it by getting me the long awaited Sorel winter boots that I have been dying over for like four months. Then he took me to Park City to Red Rock which is our favorite restaurant. Overall the day was a a wild success!

le goals

Goals. January's goals were I am happy to report very successful. I really enjoyed getting  into some good habits and having things to focus on. The things I am proudest of are flossing everyday and making homemade dinners. I am planning on putting the recipes that I have been making up soon. Cory and I are on a very healthy kick lately. I was a little late in getting my goals going this month but all we can do is work hard and just keep moving forward righ So here is to a very successful month of love!

Jazz game

Hello there. I am on a speed blog catch up so hang in for the ride! A couple of weeks ago Cory G. and I went to a Jazz game. This was on our list of things to do this semester. It was really really fun. It was wonderful to go out and just enjoy a nice night out. After the game we went to Bruges. OH MY GOSH! These are the most amazing waffles I have ever had. They are this dough based Belgium piece of heaven. Cory and I are constantly talking about them. Overall it was a great night. I sure love spending time with that man of mine!

a little bit blurry but it really was the perfect night!

Hermana Kreis

Oh Bridget Kreis. Bridget was my roommate all last year and one of my very best friends. She is probably the craziest person I know. She is someone that I have grown to love very much. She is one of the best listeners and just so funny to be around. She got called to serve in the Texas McAllen mission. She left a couple of weeks ago and these pictures are from her farewell. I have gotten one letter from her and she called the MTC, " a magical, spiritual prison" :) She's the best. As a side note, I volunteered Cory to sing at the farewell and he did an amazing job. Don't hide your talents under a bushel right?

goals, Goals, GOALS

The beginning of the new year has had me thinking of goals. Here is a lesson in Jessica 101,  I am a perfectionist. I am very aware of the things I want to work on/ areas I fall short in. What ends up happening is a huge extensive list of all my largest imperfections.  I have come to realize that this method is not effective. While I have much improvement to make, I can not do it in fell swoop. Also I tried to create a goal list that included my tasks so that I could multi-task and cross both things off. I have determined there is a difference between tasks and goals. So this year I have devised a method to the madness. After thinking long and hard, talking with many people, and reading The Happiness Project (thank you Britt), I am ready to announce my system. It is a countdown based system based on the month. It goes like this:

{4} daily habits
{3} weekly things
{2} monthly goals
{1} long term goal

I have also assigned a quote each month to remind me that it is all right to figure things out! Here is what my January goals look like: 

So far, it has been really successful. I am so excited to work on these things and then continue to make things to work on in the future! 2013 has no choice but to be great!

Highlights of 2012

This may be a little late but I love the beginning of a new year that allows me to look at all the things that I have accomplished. This year was a really fun one. I have made some of the most amazing friends in the whole world. I have continued to love and have fun with my family and most importantly I have learned so much about myself. Here are some wonderful highlights of the year:

                                                //Visited Sin City with my best friends//

 

//Ran the Rex Lee race and spent time with the best sister//

 

//Enjoyed many beautiful hikes and the great outdoors//

 

//Started dating Cory G!//

//went to Texas to visit Cory//

 

//Themed Sundays with my roommates//

 

//Watched the Beach Boys on the 4th//

 

//Cory took me paragliding for my birthday//

 

//saw Wicked in Salt Lake with my family//

 

// ran a partner mud race//

 

//visited and had adventures in Wyoming//

I have had many other personal accomplishments. These are the things that are deep inside that we are constantly trying to fix and change. This year has shown a lot of growth and I hope that 2013 has more good things in store!

What a weekend. #1,#4,#15,#16

This weekend Cory and I managed to accomplish a lot. I better get to cranking out these bucket list things before the summer fades away. The dog days of summer are upon us. We both got done with work and headed up to Spanish Fork with Stephen and Brittany. We also met some other couples up there. It was a late night getting up there but we managed to roast some hot dogs. I got really excited to cook the ones with cheese in the middle. Disgusting, I think not! Cory and I had these hammocks to sleep in and they were so much fun. We woke up in the morning and decided to pack up camp early. Saturday was as follows:
hurry home and shower
chipotle
day at the Hogle Zoo
hurry home and nap
early release of the nitro circus

Yikes right? All of these things were so great. The zoo was fun and definitely one of those do this every five years kind of thing. Nitro Circus was ridiculous. The tricks they do are insane. I am a little worried because now Cory thinks that he wants to build ramps and jump off everything! I know that I am totally going to get roped into doing crazy things. Hope you had a great weekend too!







blurry but the best looking camping couple (look close, you might miss us) // everyone- JT //C+J// monkey man // S+B// baby elephant // what the? These guys had homemade tails they wore around // B+J// rocky shores // Did we really come from monkeys? :) // Tibetian prayer flags

#6-Make a Mural

 Life is so good over here today. I just had the most amazing weekend ever. I can't wait to share all of the fun adventures I had. A while ago I fulfilled #6 on the bucket list which is to make a mural. Have you ever seen in Princess Diaries when they fill up balloons with paint and throw darts at them? Alyssa and I decided to recreate this wonderful moment. It took us forever to figure out how to fill up the balloons and we made quite the mess trying to do it. Also we couldn't find any darts so we bought knives to throw at the poster board. It was legit...just sayin'.

Oh, you know, we paraglide and stuff together

Paragliding. Talk about an awesome birthday present from Cory. Our schedules were packed so we haven't been able to use our lessons until recently. It was quite the adventure, let me tell you. You get strapped up to these turtle backpack things and then take off as fast as you can down the hill. You do this over and over until you get your feet off the ground. At one point both Cory and I were 100 feet off the ground! Oh, did I mention that it is completely solo. It was so much fun. Props to Cory for a very fitting and inventive birthday present!

Celebrating America and #14

Is it too late to post about the Fourth? Well in any case I am about to. I am all about my summer bucket list and fireworks just happens to be #14. This fourth was one to remember. I started my day off with a stellar job of sleeping in. Then Cory's family came into town. We went to lunch with them in Salt Lake and then ended the day going to the Stadium of Fire. Not going to lie I was a little apprehensive to watch the Beach Boys. I mean they are, well you know....old. OH my goodness they were so awesome. I knew all but two of their songs! Cory's family thought I was an old person at heart and maybe I am but I grew up listening to the Beach Boy's songs. The fireworks were to die for! I really had a wonderful celebration of this wonderful country that we live in!