GRAVITY COVER

Double Double Datin'

 

All four of us had never been to Sprinkles Ice Cream. After the first bite, we decided we'd all live a fat and happy life together...

I love these rows of palm trees that line certain streets of Southern California...

I feel like Cor and I struck gold this weekend. Double dates are always fun, but to find another couple where could we all hit it off and become instant best friends is rare. One of my oldest and closest friends, Lizzie, came out from Texas this weekend to visit her boyfriend, Brian. Lizzie, Brian, and I all went to the same high school, and the two of them were high school sweethearts. They recently realized that neither of them had found a love that was stronger or deeper than what the two had shared in high school, and decided to give it another try. They are so cute together, and I couldn't be happier for them and us because that means we get the two of them as friends. 

Needless to say, this weekend was another summer favorite for Cory and I. We ate at the Marina Del Ray food trucks with Lizzie and Brian, then went down to Newport to watch Reese while my parents took Kim to Chicago to start her first year of college. Saturday was spent cruising down the Newport Beach boardwalk, the swings by Newport-El, and Sprinkles Ice Cream with Brian and Lizzie. Oh, and Cor and I drove around Orange County in my dad's convertible, Reese in lap, checking out different homes in the area...tomorrow I'll be posting about that depressing adventure.

Our Two Year

Brunch @ 26 Beach: shared the "go bananas" french toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, and potatoes

Stroll @ Venice Beach Boardwalk: street performances, palm readings, graffiti walls, flower crowns, swings, gelato

Dinner @ Little Next Door: shared the cheese platter and calamari; Cory ordered the shrimp pasta, while I ordered the french onion soup

Late Night Adventure @ LACMA: snapped photos in the Urban Light sculpture

Cory's Favorite Part: breakfast and being a part of a street show

My Favorite Part: breakfast and Cory helping make me a flower crown

Memorable Moment: As I was just about to walk away from a woman's table who was selling jewelry on the Venice Boardwalk, a woman vendor right next to her asked me if I had children. I shook my head "no" as I kept walking past and she said to me, "A child is coming." In shock, I looked at Cor, then looked back at her. As I was walking away she kept nodding and saying, "It's coming." Freaky? Yes. Especially if she ends up being right...

This was one of the hair pins I wore in my hair the day we got married.

Such an amazing day with an amazing man. I'm so grateful to have been married to you for these past two years, and I can't wait to see what the rest of forever has in store for us...particularly, this year ;) Can't wait to see what you plan for us next year...

Summer Highlights

With the summer coming to an end, I have to say that it was the most memorable summer I've ever had. It began with a move all the way across the country. After being away from home for five years, I never realized until I got here just how much I missed it. I love seeing the sunsets. I love the shadows of the dozens of swaying palm trees at dusk. I love the sunshine, and the way the light is constantly flowing into every corner of our one bedroom apartment. I love the cool, ocean breeze at night. But most of all, I have loved being near family. There is nothing in the world quite like it. Here are my summer highlights...so far!

Right after our move, my family went to Utah to be a part of Arie and Robbie's wedding. Arie is one of my oldest and closest friends, and her mom and dad are my mom and dad's best friends. She got married in the Manti temple and then had a GORGEOUS wedding reception the following day.

We then came back to CA to celebrate my sister's high school graduation a little over a week later. A fun celebration with all the family was held at my grandma and grandpa's house.

Less than a week after that, my family AND Arie's family traveled to Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora to indulge in a vacation of a lifetime. And to celebrate my mom's 50th! Most memorable moment: swimming with stingrays and lemon sharks. Oh, and crazy dancing to One Direction...

Back in California, I took Cory to the OC Fair. It was his first time! We only rode one ride (my favorite - the one that spins around and around and the person sitting on the outside of the car gets CRUSHED, which happened to be Cory) because tickets for rides are SO expensive! We then saw my favorite band, Emblem 3, and I couldn't help but scream out like a teenage girl how much I love them. What can I say? They've got the moves...

 At the end of July, we celebrated my dad's birthday. He wanted to do some form of charity so he decided we would go to Palace Park (I guess now called Boomers), win as many tickets as possible, then give them away to a little kid at the end. Now my dad took Kimberly and I to Palace Park all the time when we were little, and he was always so good at winning all the jackpots. We decided that we would pair off into teams to see who could win the most tickets. Looks like the student surpassed the master because I was the one winning the jackpots this time! We then went to Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor and celebrated even more when we got home. Fifty-one and he is still a kid at heart...

Less than a week later, Cor and I went to Utah to celebrate his sister, Ally, and her fiance, Zach's, wedding. They got married in the Draper temple and it was the most beautiful ceremony. Cory and I couldn't stop talking about how much we loved what the sealer had said before marrying them. Later that night, the reception was held at Sleepy Ridge Golf Course, and Cor and I danced the night away! The rest of the weekend, Cory and I went back to Provo and reminisced about the days when we were first dating at BYU.

Three days after that, we were back in California and celebrating my sister's 18th birthday. She wanted to do the celebrations, here, in LA so we ate at Bottega Louie in Downtown LA. I need to go back for their french desserts, especially the macarons! We then came back to our apartment where we indulged in Georgetown Cupcakes and Milk Jar Cookies - too good for words!

And finally, the One Direction concert two days later. Where do I begin? My cousin, Alex, is obsessed. But obsessed in the coolest meaning. She knows everything there is to know about them and where they are ALL THE TIME. So many people want to know everything that she knows, that she has one of the top twitter update accounts and all these other technological update/picture/etc accounts that I can't even begin to understand. Her dad knows someone who knows someone who pulled a bunch of strings and got us floor seats, row 15! I was so lucky to get to be a part of the night and act like a teenage girl (for the second time this summer) with my sister and two cousins. Highlight of the night: No joke, one of the members of the opening act (Five Seconds of Summer, whom I also have become a fan of) pointed at me. And no, it wasn't at a girl in my direction. It so was me. Wanna know how I know? OK, so the house lights came on and we locked eyes for a bit. Then he pointed at me, so with a bit of a "who, me?" look on my face, I pointed back. AND THEN he nodded and pointed BACK TO ME. I'm such a freak, I know. But I loved it. I loved it all.

 

So far, it's been a crazy and amazing summer. And guess what? I've finished school so my summer doesn't have to end just yet! With the California weather, we can enjoy summer even longer. Cory's and my TWO YEAR wedding anniversary is on Monday, too! Can't wait to share what we decide to do!