Moments...

I still have those moments
       splendid moments, actually.
              moments full of complete, utter bliss.
       when I can be doing absolutely nothing
              and it hits me. 

                                   I really did marry the man of my dreams, and my best friend. :)

december 2008

sadies, october 2008

mission farewell, october 2009

december 2010

picking me up from idaho, december 2010

welcome home, july 2012

first date july 2012

How in the world did I get so gosh darn lucky.

"Timing is absolutely everything"

It only took 4 years... but I couldn't be happier. 

xoxo

-O

There are great people in this world.

I've had a very humbling holiday season this year. I don't write this post to complain, but to share our first Christmas miracle as a married couple.

You always hear about those strangers who do insanely wonderful good things for people, but I've never heard of it happening to someone close to me. That was until, this Christmas season.

It all started when my best friend shared this story on Facebook:
"I am so completely overwhelmed by the kindness I was shown tonight. Jake & I went to buy a few groceries and at the checkout, realized we were missing a debit card. My card was denied so we started to take some things out of our bags. The stranger behind us stepped up, put her arm around me and said she was going to "give us a merry Christmas" and paid for our groceries. She then gave me a big hug. This simple act of kindness overwhelmed me with joy and love. I realized I want to make other people feel that way too, by being selfless."

Can you believe that? I think that is the kindest thing.

Then earlier this week Jacob and I were hit hard by finances while grocery shopping, when we realized just how much we didn't have to get us through to the end of the year. After a few tears, my best friend's story popped in my head and I have to admit, that I had the selfish thought, 

"Why can't anything like that happen to us!" 

(you know, the common phrase that comes out of all of our mouths when we're going through a trial)

It was then that brought on my last post. J and I reevaluated and concluded that we may not have any money, but we've got our love to pay the bills, we've got each other, and that is all that matters. 

Then tonight happened. 

It started this morning when I felt a bit of a Christmas cold coming on. J went to work early since it's Christmas season, and I was left at home. With his Christmas hours starting at 4, it's hard to make a big meal so close to lunch that will fill him until he's home around midnight so he ends up having 4.5 meals a day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night dinner, and numerous snacks. I felt bad that I wasn't able to make him a big meal today because I had fallen asleep. 

Then tonight, my parents got tickets to a week early showing of a movie I have been dying to see since I heard it was coming out. But since J had work, I gave my ticket away so that I could see it with him. My parents called me after they had gone to see it because they had left the tickets at home and asked if I would take them to them. And of course with not feeling too hot, and not being able to see the show, it just added to the emotions. 

After getting home I came down stairs to our apartment and was laying on the couch ready to just call it a day, when I got a text from one of the Sisters in our ward saying:

"Hi Olivia, I rang the doorbell but didn't get an answer--didn't know if you have a separate entrance. I can pick up the soup pot tomorrow. Hope you have a great night!"

I walked up the stairs and was close to tears. As I opened the door and saw a pot of homemade soup, a bag of homemade rolls, and a Christmas card on the step. I couldn't help but cry. 

She didn't know I had been feeling sick, or that we don't have much to get us to the end of the year, or that my husband would be home in a few hours starving and cold from being outside lifting boxes for the past 7 hours. She was just doing a kind act, and listening to the {Christmas} spirit. What a selfless thing to do.

My heart is full. We are ALL so blessed. I am now going to try and do something for someone else this Christmas, just as this Sister has done for us, and like the stranger in the grocery store did for my friend.

In fact I invite all of you to do it. Pass it on, make this holiday season a memorable one. 

I will definitely remember this Christmas. 

Thank you thank you Sister, and all those who are doing things like this out in this cruel world. 

Your kindness means SO much more than you will ever know. We are ever so grateful.

xoxo

-O

Reasons, 1,322-1,324 why I love my husband

I know, I'm probably the worlds most horrible blogger out there. But I have a few moments that happened this last week that I would like to had documented. 

Here they are:

REASON 1,322

I was in the bathroom getting ready, while J was out in the kitchen. We had kind of been having a conversation on and off about our busy day, things that bugged us, you know, the usual conversation that makes you feel like there is chaos about. But we had been silent for a good 45 seconds when I quietly hear J singing the song, "have I told you lately that I love you..."and peace was swept over our home.

Melts my heart, that boy does. 

(and hey, his voice ain't that bad either)

REASON 1,323

I can't say that EVERY day is like this, but lately it has felt like pure euphoria around here. 

We are always so happy and constantly laughing and smiling. Which makes the words "I love you" come out of our mouths more frequently, and creates just an all around happy feeling in our home. And I have to admit that I think it's mainly because J doesn't have class/stress anymore, which has been absolutely wonderful!

REASON 1,324

While we were engaged, we got in a car accident. It was my first accident so I was a bit shaken up and was so grateful to have him in the car with me. Today while stopped at a stop light on 8th east, we got rear ended. (J was driving) And rather than having a panic attack and being totally terrified, we both laughed. 

Out loud. 

There was no stress, no worrying, no nothing. 

We were just happy. In fact, I could tell that the 911 dispatcher was a little surprised at how happy I sounded. Ha ha. And as it turned out, the guy who rear ended us, ended up being our neighbor so it was just a funny situation. But had J not been there, it probably would have been more like the last time we were in an accident. He keeps me calm, and HAPPY. :)

Are you recognizing a theme of this blog post?

 Or a frequently written word?

 Maybe... 

Happy??

Life is great right now folks! 

We've learned that the saying, "Happy Wife, Happy Life" is not entirely true.

 It must always be, "Happy HUSBAND, Happy WIFE, to achieve a Happy Life". 

We may be poor, poor newly weds (who don't blog much) but we aren't letting anything get us down as of lately and it's been wonderful. 

Tis the season! 

We have each other, and that is 

TRULY, 

all that matters. 

Happy Holidays!

xoxo

-O

we love november

this morning while we were still half asleep and eating breakfast, jacob said, 

"happy anniversary!"

i thought he was just trying to be funny to wake me up 

so i looked at him confused, 

considering i knew it wasn't the 

25th {2 months of marriage} or the 

24th {2 years of dating}

he pointed up to the wall where we have our "sadies dance in a frame" resting.

i looked at it and to my surprise, he was right!

today marks four years since we were "hitched"at orem high's sadie hawkin's dance.

who knew that two years later we would hold hands, and then eventually be married and sealed a little under two years after that.

well not i. 

and not he.

but we always have made a pretty great we.

happy {kind of} anniversary my love.

people.

miracles happen, and dreams really do come true.

promise.

xoxo

-O

we've got a serious problem

j and i have a "tradition" as we call it, 

that we must kiss each other before one of us leaves the house to go somewhere. 

(like to work, or school)

not a bad tradition, eh?

well, recently it has back fired.

for the last few weeks every single time we have gone to kiss each other, 

something strange happens. 

we get shocked.

not like a little tiny shock, 

i'm talkin' HUGE shock. 

like, 

we see the blue line cross from one lip,
or nose,
to the other.

every single time.

most of the time,

 our lips don't even touch before the light happens.

This is serious.

i have been trying to figure it out, and alas no solution. 

i thought it was because of our computers... 

false. 

i thought it was because of our fleece blankets... 

false. 

i thought it was because of the shaggy carpet... 

false.

i guess our love is just that

ELECTRIFYING

i mean we always thought that...

but now we've got the proof.

here's to hoping our lips/faces will make it through this trying time.

it seriously hurts.

xoxo

-O

but i can't say it'll stop me from kissing my husband! 

celebratory date

Due to my getting sick, our work hours, and J's school schedule, we weren't able to really celebrate our one month anniversary on the actual day. 

So this Saturday we decided that come heck or high water, we were going to go on a date. It was wonderful. We've made the goal to go on a date every week but with weekends being the only day you have together, and having other commitments, they seem to slip away.

This weekend though, we slept in! Which was very much needed. Then got ready for the day and went to Macaroni Grill for lunch.. mmmm. 

Then we went to go see Pitch Perfect at Wynnsong. It was hilarious. We both loved it and laughed ourselves silly. {who says stuff like that?} 

Once the movie was over we noticed there was a little festival going on down in Riverwoods and decided to check it out! There was a petting zoo, games for little kids, and live entertainment. We went in to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory to get our new favorite treat, chocolate covered frozen cheesecake on a stick. {say that 10 times fast}

So.... yummy.

Then we took some classic funny face pictures.

Exhibit A.

Once we got home we looked up the soundtrack for Pitch Perfect because we LOVED the music in it. (If you haven't seen the preview for the movie, it's about college A Capella groups. So they did lots of A Capella remixes to popular songs. And the best part is they're good) 

There was one song though that we both claimed our favorite. In the movie, the lead girl comes into auditions with a plastic cup and does a rhythm with it and sings a song. Being the music junkies that J and I are, we then spent the next 3 hours learning it. It seemed super easy, but let me tell you.

 It's not. Hence the reason why it took 3 hours to learn it.

We then decided to get fancy and add harmony. 

It's a little rough, but here's what we came up with!

The cup song.

After {somewhat} perfecting the song, we got all dressed up for the upcoming holiday and went to a party! 

I think J made the perfect Waldo, what do you think?

Our attempt at an actual, "Where's Waldo" picture.... :)

It was a wonderful date and weekend. It's always great getting to spend quality time with the one you love.

Now we will both go back to work, and J will be avidly studying for his chemistry test this week.

Here's to the weekends!

xoxo

-O

{milestones}

Ummm yep. 

I'm still horrible at keeping this blog up to date! 

We've done some fun things, too.

Dang it.

I'll have to post about them later. 

{like you've never heard that before}

Today is a milestone in J and I's relationship. 

Today marks one WONDERFUL month since the day he and I were sealed for eternity. 

An experience that is hard to capture in words. There are so many things I've learned about myself, my husband, and about becoming a wife in just these mere 30 days. One thing is for sure though. Getting married was the best decision we've ever made. 

Girls, if you are waiting for your missionaries, or if there is someone you have always been in love with that you never think will love you back, DON'T GIVE UP! Because if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. And eventually, you'll be married to you're best friend. And let me be the first to tell you. 

It. 

ROCKS.

This week I've been really sick.. 

Why am I telling you this? 

Well I want to tell you a little story that gives you a little idea why 

I love my husband so much. 

Yesterday morning I was not feeling well, 

and J got up before me so he could get ready for school. 

When I decided to get out of bed for a minute, 

I walked into the bathroom where J was brushing his teeth. 

As I looked around I realized that our bathroom was 

FILTHY 

and as I was putting my arms around J to hug him, 

I said out loud, 

"Boy, this room needs some attention."

It came out like the stressed, sick, woman that I was. 

Then J pulled away from my hug and looked at me like 'one minute', 

turned to the counter and patted it as he said, 

"You're wonderful counter",

 then he turned back to my inquisitive face and said with a satisfied grin, 

"There, that should do it!" 

I couldn't help but laugh. 

{If only cleaning were that easy}

Life is so much better with your best friend. 

Happy one month to my best friend and hubby for eternity!

I love you more than I ever thought possible, 

and yet, 

I'm some how going to be able to grow to love you even more tomorrow. 

I look forward to many many more months, 

years, 

decades, 

and eternities to come. 

xoxo

-O

We're married!

And tomorrow we will have been married for two weeks now! Woohoo!

I know everyone says this, but seriously, I LOVE being married. Even though with our schedules being the way they are, the only time we really get to be together is when J gets home from work at about 10 o'clock at night, it's still the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I've found this inner wife in me that was just waiting to come out and I'm loving it. Who knew house work, folding your husbands laundry, doing dishes, and COOKING would be so much fun! :) I think it's because I'm doing it not only for myself, but for my wonderful husband that is working super hard AND going to school!!

We've done a lot of fun things these past 2 weeks, we spent the first week up in Park City for our honeymoon and had a BLAST! 

White we were there, we went on the Alpine Slide and the Alpine coaster. 

Going on the Alpine Slide

Going on the Alpine Coaster

He stole my phone and took MANY pictures of himself on the ride up to the top... 

this is just one of them. He's pretty cute.

We went for a gondola ride across the mountains to a really cool resort type thing. 

One of the views from the gondola rider. 

I wish we would've taken more pictures, but the leaves were BEAUTIFUL! 

They were all changing and it was breath taking to see all the colors. 

We walked main street and got chocolate covered cheesecakes from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory 

(which by the way, if you haven't had one, go and get one. Right now. They will change your life... and you're weight. But who cares, they're amazing) 

We went to Olympic Park Museum and then watched the freestyle jumpers. 

We went to Red Rock, and we started watching the Office. 

We decided we wanted to pick a series that neither of us have seen from start to finish and so thats what we decided on. We may or may not already be on season 2.

After such a wonderful vacation, reality hit and we realized how much we don't get to see each other even though we are married. Bummer. Haha. Our days start early, and always end late. But we're making it work. We just had to realize we were spoiled on the honeymoon and are now not taking any moment for granted.

Like I said, we are loving being married, I seriously recommend it to anyone considering it. As long as it's to your best friend, and the person you want to spend the rest of eternity with, then why wait?! Ha ha.

Alrighty, time to get dinner started for the husband!

Until next time!

xoxo

-O 

Welcome, Welcome!

Hello! 

We are so glad you stopped by! 

Since we won't be married for another week, we don't have very much to blog about. 

But we are beyond THRILLED for that special day to arrive,
and are so excited that it is finally, somewhat, HERE!....
{it's been a long time coming}

 We look forward to sharing little sips of our Orange Juice with you as we start
our new life together.

 Like we said, we aren't married yet, but we will definitely be writing more in the
VERY near future! 

Until then!

O & J
The soon to be Mr and Mrs.