Decorating

While my mom was out for Michael's graduation I was able to get some much needed decorating done in our apartment!

Corinne (who came down for our "girls day" and picked Mom up from the airport), my mom and I got a bit of a late start that morning, but certainly made up for it that afternoon. We hit up 3 great stores: DI, Rod Works and Tai Pan Trading. After hours of shopping and less than $100 dollars later, I had some fun things to decorate with. (disregard some of the blurry pictures, I dont know what was up with my Mom's camera)

Our cute new towel rod...still need to get some decorative towels for it.

See those 3 candle holders? Yep. I got those from DI! 

 Our key holders. Fun story about these: The red one has some paint peeled off on one of the petals. So convinced the sales lady to give us 50% off. Overlap them slightly and you cant even tell (and I have to give Corinne credit for that idea)! 

About 9 o'clock that night Michael and I went to check out a couch that he had  found on KSL. 9:15ish, I called my mom and Corinne (who were home making dinner...yes I know its late) to start making room to bring the couch into the apartment. The guy, who had a truck, was nice enough to transport it for us right then. He also threw in a book case for FREE!!  So after nearly 5 months of marriage we were the proud owners of a used, but very nice, $60 couch!

 
 Unfortunately, we were too exhausted to do any more hanging , hence the lack of decor above the couch, but it is a huge improvement from our matching yellow butterfly chairs!

 Chilling on the new couch. Its nice to actually sit next to each other, instead of in two separate chairs 

 

Our FREE book shelf...perfect for our printer. 

Since this picture was taken I have put some books on there.

 Our bedspread. I had actually had it for a while. Just needed the motivation to take it out of the packaging. Oh and we (finally) got a bed frame- our mattress is no longer sitting on the floor! Our bed is so much higher, I felt like the princess and the pea sleeping on it the first night.

Oh and I cant forget the best part! In preparation of my mom and sister's arrival I had to clean up our extra bedroom. Now I wish I had a before picture, but it was a MESS!! Everything that didnt have a home ended up in there. You could just barely distinguish a path to all the important, readily accessible things in the room: the closet (where my shoes live), to the corner where the printer was on an old apple box, and to the crate with the school supplies. Anyways, one, rather late, evening the week before finals when Michael was writing a paper and I should have been studying, I tackled the mess. I was shocked, when less than 2 hours later, I could finally see the floor! It was such a good feeling to have it done, and earlier than the day before their arrival! Granted there are still boxes around the perimeter of the room, but you can walk in and access everything, and plus the closet is all organized too! Hopefully someday soon we will own a desk and another bookcase, then we can rid ourselves of all the boxes.    

Easter Weekend

The majority of Easter weekend was spent with Michael's family. After spending Saturday in Logan and dropping my mom off at the airport that evening, Michael and I headed to Kaysville. That evening we went out to dinner and a movie with Michael's parents in celebration of Michael's graduation. Michael chose Texas Roadhouse. We dont usually go to places like that, steak houses, 1) because of the price and 2) I am not a huge meat/steak eater. I had never been before and will admit I wasnt too thrilled, but man was I surprised! First of all I love the peanuts, and the fact you can just drop them on the ground :) And the ribs were to die for!! My mouth is watering just thinking about them...YUMMY! Oh and they had this really good lemonade drink and I had so much food there was enough for another meal and then some. Moving on though, this is making me hungry typing this. The movie we saw was the Unknown. Super good show. Good plot line with an ending that I did not see coming. Highly recommend it.

Easter Sunday was nice, sunny, and snow free, just the way I like it. Although last year was gray and overcast nothing can beat being in the conference center Easter morning. I think Conference should be on Easter Sunday every year!

Although I didn't have a new Easter Dress this year I did wear a new-ish dress that my mom had gotten me when she was here in March. Michael made sure to wear his spriny-ish looking tie. Here are a couple of Easter shots Michael's sister took...if only the top of his head hadn't been cut off though! 

We had a nice ham dinner, buffet style Although I am accustomed to a traditional sit-down Easter dinner, I am learning that buffet is the easiest way when there are already 14 members in just the immediate family. Following dinner there was a backyard egg hunt. I love egg hunts with little kids. This year I tagged along with Misty and her little girl Kiara. It was cute helping her find the eggs, and despite her pouting face, she was having fun (she had just woken up from a nap) Here are a few pictures that I snapped: 

To-Post-List

 *UPDATED*

I love checking things off my list!!

I work best when I have a to-do-list, it keeps me on track, I am more productive, and feel more accomplished. Michael has been bugging me to update the blog, and I have really wanted to, too. So here is my To-Post-List: A list of post ideas that I have been meaning to do and some things that you can look forward to reading about. The only hard thing is all my pictures are on my computer at home, and I have lots of free time at work. Perhaps I will need to bring my laptop to work some day. Hopefully I will get them posted soon. Until now here is my list to keep me motivated!

To-Post-List 

1. Easter 
2. Yosemite Camping Trip
3. Michael's Graduation
4. Mom's Visit/Decorating our apartment
5. Summer-to-do-list
6. New Callings
7. "Future Mother" Mother's day gift
8. Wedding Pictures (finally!!!)

Picnic Date

A few weeks ago (when the weather was really nice) Michael and I went on a picnic. It was so nice to chill on the grass after a long week of sitting in class and at work. We picked up some Chinese food and got to use our new picnic blanket (a wedding gift) for the first time. It was a nice evening out. Unfortunately the swings we occupied by little children, next time I guess. I cant wait until this summer- I plan on spending many evenings outside. Especially since I will be in an office everyday, 8-5!

 Michael thought the food was REALLY yummy! 

 It was sunny enough for sunglasses! I am so glad that winter is over!! 

Self-Portrait

Time for some summer tanning, don't you think?

Joe's Cafe

A while back, more like the end of February, I had to "do something different" with a spouse or significant other for a class assignment. Michael had been to this hole-in-the-wall place with his boss called, Joe's Cafe. He had been raving about it every since and kept telling me he would take me someday. So we decided to do kill two birds with one stone and went one Saturday morning for a "breakfast date". And he was right....It was DELICIOUS! We finished off our breakfast date with a trip to Costco. Romantic. I know. But really, I love grocery shopping with Michael, he makes sure I stick to the list! :)

 

 My plate...hash browns, sunny side up eggs (my favorite) and 4 super thick slices of the best bacon I have ever had! oh, and a side of toast

 

 

Michael with his food. He got a super big omelet, with a whole bunch of yummy mix-ins.  He finished it all, and managed to help polish off mine as well. Lets just say we were both so full, we didn't bother eating again until dinner!

Pictures

A while back I was told that a certain, adorable nephew of mine wanted to see more pictures of his Aunt Joci and Uncle Michael. So here are a few just for Tyler and whoever else cares to look. 

At a BYU Basketball game. It was pretty cool to see the infamous Jimmer play in person. 

(ps. sometimes its hard to get Michael to take a serious picture) 

A Date Night In...Movie and some homemade cookies. 

Yummy!

 

 No bake cookies. A recent favorite in our house. Half with chocolate, for me. And half without, for Michael (and yes I know it looks like I have more, but I just made mine smaller)

Ready to settle in for a Movie one night. 

Funny Story...One time Michael had a paper due. He started it the night before it was due. Stayed up till 5 am and then got up at 7 am. This is the result of a long day of class and work on only 2 hours of sleep.

Making Valentine's Day dinner. Michael thought it was really tasty! 

Michael and his yummy Valentine's dinner for me. I didn't get home from class until 7. He was in the kitchen making some tasty sweet and sour chicken. He is quite the gourmet! (and I love that he is!) He also had picked up a pie for desert, and a movie and popcorn for the remainder of the evening. Not only did he make a special dinner for Valentine's, but he makes dinner every Monday night, since my class doesnt get out until late. He really is so sweet!

A Typical Night in the Coon Home

This is what we have been doing for the past 4 months. 

Homework.

Thankfully the semester is almost over. 3 weeks to be exact. Michael graduates the 21st/22nd. I am so excited for him! Then we get a wonderful 4 months of summer, no classes, just work and lots of  fun in between. Until then, we both have projects, papers and finals to tackle. The end is so close...We cant wait!