Sometimes I forget to blog, or journal. And I realize that is bad. I'm missing pretty momentous things going on in my life. Its the last 27 days of my single woman life. That's huge. Also, Nate and I have been dating for one whole year, that's pretty impressive too, huh?

Tomorrow is Memorial Day, which means no work. Though actually I never work on Mondays, except for last month when I watched Baby Zoe. I love her so much. She even knows me now, or at least my face. I could come in and Anthony would be holding her and she'd give me a big grin. Though I do think she still saves the largest smiles for her parents, but really can you blame her? Nate and I are going to go to Maple Lake in Payson Canyon tomorrow. We're going to go fishing and pack a picnic and I plan on taking lots of pictures.

Usually picture taking is my way of not allowing my life to pass by without documenting my memorable memories. But with my normal camera out of function, I now have to carry around the less convenient clunker camera. But I promise I'll take some tomorrow, clunker or not.

Also, I really hope we catch some big fish. You see, that's my only wish. ;)

Friday

I love Fridays because:

-- its my early day of work and I'm done by 11:00.
-- every other Friday is payday and I love checking my bank account and seeing that money.
-- its Friday. I get to get hang out with Nate late and I don't have to wake up early in the morning. AND I don't have to work for another two days which is kind of fantastic as well.

Today is Friday. I'm not really sure what we are going to do with ourselves. I just know we won't be painting cause Nate is absolutely sick of it. I know I have to work at Legends. Fix Stanley's tire. Babysit Zoe. Shower. Clean my room. But then I'm free for the weekend. What a glorious feeling.

Idaho

We were able to have a fun get away trip this weekend to Idaho. Dain, Rachel, Nate and I. We stayed in northern Idaho Falls with Rachel's family. We went fishing all day Saturday. I got pretty frustrated because there were a few hours where I didn't catch anything. But I tried to enjoy the sunshine. Eventually I caught 3 fish. We all got a little sunburnt, but I feel great today, and I can't wait to have it turn into tan. Nate and I were able to go to Grandma Brinkman's for lunch/dinner on Sunday afternoon. Uncle Curtis was visiting so it was fun to see him too.

It was a wonderful weekend. We hope we can do it again sometime soon.

PS. I've been failing at taking pictures lately. It doesn't help that I can't find the charger for my small camera. So I only took a few pictures unfortunately. Just know that it was beautiful up there. But here are a few : 

rainbow chip

Sometimes, on days when I catch up on a lot of blog reading, I think about things that I could blog about. But then I realize that most of those things aren't really things that anyone cares about reading, except maybe my mom. But still, they are usually things I want to write about, so I can remember my thoughts.

I was showering today and I think my roommate was doing laundry at the same time. But I had no choice, I had to shower anyway because I needed to be ready. The water temperature kept fluctuating which was pretty obnoxious, it went from scalding hot to freezing cold.

*I absolutely love rainbow chip frosting. So much that I might actually consider it a weakness of mine. One small serving, only 2 tbsp is 140 calories. Wowzas. I could just eat that stuff straight. But, its especially good and graham crackers and is totally one of my favorite treats ever.

*Survivor: Heroes vs Villains has become one of my favorite shows. Its so fun because Nate and I enjoy watching this one together. And last night his roommate, Tristram, even watched it with us and I think he's hooked too. Its so good and so unpredictable. I love it. In last nights episode, two of my least favorites got voted out and they had no idea it was coming. They were trembling in their shoes when they heard their names read, and then bam, sent home. It was totally glorifying.

*I started tracking my calories about 6 months ago. I can't say its really helped, cause my weight has pretty much stayed the same. And I'm sure some days I forget to add things, so I under record, and some days I probably add to much of something making me go over. But I still feel good about myself for doing it. I'm definitely more conscious about what I eat even though sometimes I just can't help myself and I completely divulge myself. Like today for instance, I supposedly ate about 800 calories more than I'm supposed to, about 160% of the amount of sodium and carbs I'm supposed to have, and about 400% the amount of sugars I'm supposed to have. Holy cow! I guess its good that I'm keeping my weight steady when I have random days like that. My excuse for eating so much sugar today is that Nate and I went and saw Iron Man 2 in theaters tonight, and I've been getting up around 5:45 every morning this week (yes I have been going to sleep early) but still, I'm exhausted, so I munched on candy to stay awake. The movie was really good though, in case you're interested to know.

*Oh my gosh, I just looked at my calendar, and I totally missed it (since its officially Saturday now). Friday was 50 days till my wedding. I can't believe its already down to 50. (Which is still insanely far away) but this engagement has been flying by. And I can't weight to marry my sweetie in 49 days or 7 weeks exactly (if you remember that its Saturday).

That's all I need to write now. I think I had a few things I thought were blogable when I was getting scalded in the shower earlier, but I can't remember them now and I want to post this entry. THE END.

favorites

here are a few of my favorite engagement photos. this is only a few of my favorites. i really like so many of them. i like all of them. you can see all the full versions here. Which is your favorite?

.

A few years back President Packer said Nothing happened in Sodom and Gomorrah which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now. 


Slightly disturbing huh?

until

5 more classes...
one final computer assignment...
a German movie...
a 10 page paper...
a 'material file'...
and 5 final exams...
till i'm done with this semester.


i can't wait.

then only one more semester to go. and i'm done with my undergrad/bachelor degree FOREVER

often when i look at other couple's wedding pictures i get teary eyed. i can't wait to take my own.

we'll be taking our engagement pictures in about a week and a half, as long as the weather is nice that day. but we don't know where to take them yet. any suggestions?

why is it...

why is it that i live day by day through my school assignments? i find myself regularly saying, once this ___ is done then I will feel so much better.

for example, tomorrow i am giving a referat (a presentation) in my german class and today i am telling myself, once my referat is over with tomorrow i will feel so relieved. i will be able to focus on my other school assignments, like my 450 final paper, and my 473 final project. but why is it that i can't bring myself to work on those big projects today? they'll probably affect my grade more than this silly german presentation will be able to improve (or hurt) my grade.

and then i find myself saying, and then after that, and after that, and after that, then final exams, and then i'll be out of school for 4 months. then, well then, that'll be so great. i'll feel so peaceful. but then, actually, i'll be planning the last details of my wedding. but the plan (and goal) is that it won't be quite as stressful.
working 40 hours a week and planning a wedding doesn't seem like it'll be quite as bad as working 15 hours a week and taking 15 credits and planning a wedding, right?

maybe i should try living for today instead of living for when my school projects will be done. and maybe i shouldn't procrastinate my school assignments to the last minute causing me to dread them with all my heart. good idea?

I can't wait for the day when I can go running or go swimming and then just lay out and soak the sun into my skin and eat a Popsicle and listen to my Ipod and not have to worry about any other cares in the world. This probably will never happen, but a girl can dream, right?

Today I went for a run and I was thinking about how nice it would been to come home and eat and shower and relax and not stress about having classes the next day, or the dozen projects that I have to finish before the semester is over. And winter classes are over in 4.5 weeks, and then finals finish just a week after that. But, then I'll still be working 30-40 hours a week and finishing up all the wedding planning. So actually, even then I won't be CARE free.

But its probably better not to be completely care free, right? I mean, its good to have things and people that I'm concerned about. Even if it does mean that sometimes I'm stressed beyond belief. And then even little things stress me out, like today I freaked out about not having Nate's birthday present even though the tracking device said it was already delivered. Not a big deal right? I checked the mail after I got home from campus and it was in our mail box, which means I definitely didn't have any reason to stress out about that.

I'm just glad that the weather is finally warming up. And I'm praying we don't have any more surprise snowstorms like we did this last Saturday. The temperature on Wednesday is supposed to get up to 62 degrees, which is almost warm enough for shorts, and is most definitely warm enough for flip flops. And Nate and I are going out to eat tonight, thanks to my dear mother. And even if I do have to work in an hour, and I haven't done any homework for tomorrow, life is still good. Scratch that. Life is beautiful.

The Birthday Boy

Tomorrow is Nate's birthday. He will be turning 22, which means we will no longer be the same age (until my birthday in August) he said that he can "call me young as long as we are not the same age (fortunately that's only 5 months out of the year).

Here is a post on "our" new blog that I wrote about him. I'll probably still update this blog too. Especially when its not in concerns to Nate. We'll see...

Happy Birthday Lover. I hope its the best!

Registry

Nate and I registered at Bed Bath and Beyond on Saturday. It was so much fun! Nate was totally dreading it before we started, but once we got there I think he really liked it. I think he enjoyed the idea that we can pick what the colors of our house will be and the fun and nice things we will (hopefully) get.

Nate ended up having to go into work late Saturday night, and I was so obsessed with registering that I stayed online chatting with him and we were sending links back and forth. It was fun, but it made me pretty tired for 9:00 church the next morning.

We've heard we should register somewhere else, but we can't figure anywhere else that we'd really want to register. On Tuesday we went to Target and today we went to Sears. They both have a few things we might like, but I don't think its enough to make a whole registry there. Any ideas of where else we should register? Or should we be okay with only BBaB? Maybe that way we can make sure we get the things we really like the most. At one point we talked about registering at a sporting goods place so we could get camping and fishing stuff, but I don't know what store we would pick for that either. They don't have Cabellas in VA or CA.

Anyway, of course you will all be getting me a lovely wedding present (just kidding) so you can check out or registry if you want. Just type in our names or our registry number which is 11561841. I love looking back at it and getting so excited to get gifts! Is that selfish of me?

4 things

this morning i talked to my mom for about an hour and a half. she told me that she loved being able to talk to nate (along with my dad) on monday (when he asked them permission, to ask me to marry him). she said she asked him why he wanted to marry me. his four main reasons were:

1. because we connect spiritually. he said that with some people you can just feel that there is a deeper connection. more than just a physical and mental connection, but a spiritual one too. even though he didn't go on a mission he believes that the Lord put me in his life now for this purpose and he needs to take advantage of it. he is looking forward to us being able to grow together spiritually and have experiences where our testimonies both grow.

2. because i am a hard worker. he said that he is glad that i work hard now. even though i don't have the best job, i still do the best i can with what i can. because i don't depend on my parents to pay for me, even though i could if i really needed to. because being a hard worker now will prepare me to be a hard worker when i am a mother and at home with our children.


3. because i am intelligent. he said that i don't ever give myself credit for actually intelligent i really am. but he loves that we can just talk, about anything and everything and we can have a good conversation. he said he's dated lots of girls that weren't very smart and he couldn't do that with, but he can with me.

4. because i am beautiful. he said that beauty is the first thing to draw someone in. its the thing to make you walk across the room to see someone, and to keep coming back.

it made me cry as mom was telling me these things, and it even made me cry again as i'm sitting here writing them down. i'm so in love with this boy, and i'm so lucky to have him love me back.

I started this post on Thursday...Nate told me that he'd tell me one thing that he loved about me a day until we're engaged.

1. my eyes
2. my hands
3. my butt
4. my lips

When we were at the park he began with, I guess I'll just tell you a bunch of things I love about you now, because this is the end of the list... (something like that). He pulled that precious little box out of his pocket and I still don't think I realized what was going on. A few seconds later the tears started dripping out of my eyes. He picked that location because he'd gone there a few times in the past couple months (late at night, after we'd been hanging out) to pray and make sure that WE were right.

He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him and, well, I said YES. I was so excited I didn't even give him a chance to put the ring on my finger. I stole it out of the box and put it on myself.

 

can you tell how ecstatic I am?

I'm getting MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i saw "friendly man #1" again on thursday.

it easily made my day.

102

one-hundred and two things I love:

1. my cat Pipin
2. my puppy Natasha
3. my mama
4. my padre
5. my brother anthony
   
6. his wife jana
   
7. their baby, zoe bean
8. my boyfriend boog, Nate
   
9. my cannon powershot
10. my nikon d70
11. my lappy
12. sleep
13. german (the language not my class)
    
14. wiener schnitzel
15. gelato
16. german chocolate
    
17. vienna
18. austria
    
19. and germany
20. and all of europe
21. traveling
22. taking pictures
23. nate's smile
24. pizza
25. yozone
26. yoasis reunions
    
27. macey's
28. 24
29. the office
30. reading blogs
    
31. blogging
32. trying new recipes
33. facebook
34. exercising
35. shaved legs
36. plucked eyebrows
37. eyeliner
    
38. eating
39. texting
40. vienna reunions
41. summer
42. cake
43. birthdays
44. christmas
45. babies
46. zinnias
47. the internet
48. pictures
49. headbands
50. getting flowers from someone
51. graham crackers and frosting
52. lake powell
53. extended family
54. cousins
55. grandparents
56. aunts
57. and uncles
58. being an auntie
59. scheduling my calendar
60. craigslist
61. raspberries and cream
62. being tan
63. the Greindl's
64. clothes just out of the dryer
65. green beans
66. sugar cookies
67. cookie dough
68. rainbow chip frosting
69. stanley
70. my ipod
71. john mayer
72. colbie caillat
73. taylor swift
74. switchfoot
75. new music
76. smarties
77. "stealing" smarties from macey's
78. peanut butter cups
79. chocolate
80. hot chocolate chip cookies
81. farr's icecream
82. clean sheets
83. ride's home after work
84. money
85. friends
86. white teeth
87. whitening strips
88. stuffed animals
89. earrings
90. the scriptures
91. picture frames
92. white boards
    
93. getting an A on a test
    
94. clean carpet
    
95. a clean house(/apartment)
    
96. the beach
    
97. fires
98. fishing
    
99. catching a fish
    
100. and cleaning it
101. finishing and turning in big assignments
     
102. waking up without an alarm
     

I thought this was a fitting post for my 102nd post. Sorry that I forgot to monumentalize my 100th post. and sorry if there are any repeats on this post. or if you got bored reading this.

tired

i'm tired of this weather. and ready for spring. too bad the groundhog decided that we have 6 more weeks of winter.

i'm tired of school. going straight through spring and summer, although it seems like a good idea, may be the death of me. come june i'll finally have a break, cause i'm only taking spring classes this year. can't wait.

that is all.

<3

two men.

Yesterday I talked to two of the friendliest and happiest men alive.

Man number 1 walked by me in the hallway of the Wilk. He said "good morning" and I asked how he was doing. He responded and asked me the same. As he walked ahead of me he wished me "an absolutely fantastic day". He then paused at the door and opened it for me. I watched him in awe as he continued to say "good morning" to every person he passed and to wish many of them to "have an absolutely fantastic day" as well.

Man number 2 works at the information desk in the SAB with his wife. I stopped to get a poster of the BYU men's volleyball team and he began to tell me about how he and his wife have been to over 860 BYU football and basketball games. One year they were honored by the basketball team as the fans of the year (or something like that). And they got to travel with the team to Australia. We talked about BYU sports a little longer, and then he asked me what grade I was in school, and then if I'd found a rich man to marry. He said CTR stands for 3 things: Choose the right, Choose the rich and one more I can't remember right now. I told him that I've found a good boy that may be able to provide that for me. And he said "good. But remember, the most important thing is to be happy." He then told me that everyday that they are alive they choose to be happy because they aren't dead yet.

I hope that I can learn to have such a happy disposition as these two men.

McKinlee is going to be such a wonderful missionary. I was able to go to her farewell on Sunday, and man, the spirit is so prevalent with that girl. Her talk was so amazing, and got me crying, a lot. I think a few of the tears were out of jealousy that she is returning to Germany/Austria and maybe even Vienna itself, but I know another good chunk of those tears were because I know how GREAT she is going to be.

Ps. I donated blood today and one of the questions was: "have you been out of the US or Canada in the last year?" and I had to answer "no" and that broke my heart a little bit, to remember that it ACTUALLY has been that long.

Yoasis

this was so great. definitely one of my favorite things to do.

self improvement goals:

emotional:
-be more rational and patient during IR
-fall more and more in love with Nate

financial:
-pay my tithing twice a month (after each pay check)
-save as much money as possible

mental:
-get at least a 3.25 GPA each semester/term
-graduate in December

physical:
-exercise for an hour or more, at least 2 to 3 times a week (most likely running or biking)
-bite fingernails less (don't bite them at all)
-floss teeth every other day
-don't pick at my split ends

spiritual:
-read scriptures more
-attend the temple at least once a month
-read my patriarchal blessing at least once a month

ps. i didn't go running today :( instead i took a 2 hour nap. oops.

any ideas on how to motivate myself to go running in this freezing weather?

• Yesterday was the first day of classes for Winter 2010. I had 3 classes today. CHum 210, Rel C234 and Germ 303, which computes to, instructional application programming, LDS marriage and family, and advanced German language 2. It was actually a good day. I think it will be a hard semester, but hopefully my being busy will just make the time till warm summer go even faster.
  
• Yesterday I saw a mother speaking with her young children. Telling them that "mommy used to go to school to become a teacher, but then she stopped". Her little boy responding "because you'd rather be a mommy?". It was adorable anyway. It made me think of when I was a little Girl Scout, probably a daisy or so and we were interviewed on a tape-recorder. The question was "what do you want to be when you're older?" and in my cute little innocent voice I responded "a mom"
  
• Yesterday I got a raise for a dollar twenty-five more than I've been making. That's right, lady's and gentleman, I am officially a student manager at Legend's Grille. Of course it comes with a few more responsibilities and I'm forced to work a Saturday closing shift, but that extra cash each pay check will make it totally worth it. I think I'll finally be able to save a little money, instead of just spending all that I make.

• Today was my second day of class. Now I have gone to all of my classes for the semester, except one that is only 2nd block. I definitely think the semester will be do-able. I may have to work a little harder than I'd like to, but I think I'll manage. I'll make Nate go to the library with me if I have to.
• Today was my second day of work too. It was funny today because one of my coworkers asked if I was a legitimate student manager now and of course I responded yes, but throughout the shift he kept calling my 'Manager Aimee'. And since I am a manager I am responsible to make sure people stay on task and I even have to assign people to do the yucky prep jobs, like pressing burgers. That part might take some getting used to, because I'm not usually a huge 'take-charge' kind of girl.
• Today Nate and I are making burgers for dinner. It'll be good cause it'll remind me of summer fun. And it'll be tasty too because we're putting brown sugar bacon on the burgers. We've only tried that once before, but it was maybe the best burger I've ever had.

• Tomorrow is Wednesday, my third day of classes, and no work tomorrow. I'm excited to finish my day tomorrow at 1:00. Hopefully that means I'll spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on the reading assignments I've already missed (because I didn't have the books yet)
• Tomorrow I want to exercise. I was doing so well last semester until I got sick and then with the freezing cold weather it was really hard to convince myself to walk on campus to use the track or a treadmill. So I haven't ran in at least a month :/ But since I finish classes so early tomorrow and I don't work tomorrow, I don't have a good excuse anymore.