The Last 3 Months...

September through November in 16 pictures!

Good times at Garden of the Gods - near our house - a very cool place....

(don't you just love the exquisite camera skills of strangers?!)

The U.S. Olympic Training Center is downtown Colorado Springs - also a very cool place!




We drove (yes drove) to the top of Pikes Peak with my parents - Funny story about my dad who's scared of heights....ask me and I'll tell you about it. It was pretty cool - but FREEZING up there for September.

Brandon is 30!


(Homemade cherry chocolate chip fudge cake! Pretty tasty!)


I had no idea that Texas Roadhouse had a saddle on a stool they made birthday boys sit on while they sang - I just thought we'd get a free dessert! Whoops!

Oh my gosh - I turned 30!

Pumpkin spice baby bundt cake - DELICIOUS!


Getting a little undivided attention from my hubby!


It was fun to celebrate both of our birthdays with parents and family. (I almost always get to do this having a birthday on or near Thanksgiving)....but we love being so close to family!

Here we come Christmas....and 2011!!!

We Live in Colorado...and We Like It!

Despite being sad to leave Utah and all the people we miss...we LOVE it here in Colorado.

Colorado Springs is beautiful and there is so many fun things to do.

Here's what we've been up to since we've been here.

Sky Sox - Triple A Baseball team.

Rennaisance Festival with parents

Brandon Started Radiology School

Isn't he so cute in his scrubs! He only has to wear them on clinical days which is 2 days a week, the other 3 days he's in the classroom.

Celebrating our 2nd Anniversary!

We went to this cute town near us called Manitou Springs. We stayed overnight at the Cliffhouse hotel, a 4 star hotel built in 1873. It was beautiful. The tiny town is full of tons of cute artsy shops & yummy places to eat. It might be our new favorite find here in Colorado.



All over town there are these fountains that come from the natural springs that contain carbonic acid which created the first carbonated drink. Each spring had it's own unique flavor - it's seriously like drinking pop...it was nuts!

Thanks Colorado Springs for making it such a fun, welcoming first month here. It also is great to be within an hours drive of both of our parents. I think we're gonna be just fine here. We may even just stay for a while!

Last Weekend in Utah

I know this is over a month old - and we regret not taking advantage of all the fun things Utah has to do the 2 summers we were there....but on our last weekend we tried to live it up as much as possible! We went up to Park City and did the Alpine Slide and Alpine Coaster - I recommend the coaster hands down! It was a blast. We had a delicious meal and meandered around Park City. Had a goodbye party with friends and then packed up our house and moved to Colorado the next week. Here are a few pics of our last Utah adventure as Utah residents.

Alpine Slide = pretty fun


Alpine Coaster = WAY more fun!

Then it was time for the dreaded goodbye's....


We said goodbye to Brandon's Aunt and Uncle who played a large part in us getting reacquainted and ultimately married - and have been a home away from home and a constant source of love and support. We loved having them close (and their dogs.)

At the fun goodbye party my sister threw me (thanks again sis!) I carried my camera in my pocket the entire evening, and took but two photos...major bummer. But it was great to get to see good friends one more time and tell them I love them and how grateful I am for their role in my life.

Goodbye Best older sister and her awesome husband

Goodbye Best Friend who has been there for me in more ways that I can count and favorite little 2 year old who just barely learned my name...don't forget me!

Goodbye cute house where we began our life together....

And goodbye Sonic next to our house. It was pretty cool being your neighbor.

Needless to say, it was really hard to leave Utah - and there were many tears shed. It was sad to leave where we spent our first 2 years of marriage and sad to say goodbye all the people we love......

BUT.....on a positive note, Colorado has been good to us so far - I'll post some pics soon!

We're Moving...

The good news is.....We're moving to Colorado Springs. :)

The bad news is....we're leaving Utah, and moving to Colorado Springs :(

I know change is a good thing, and I am looking forward to the next chapter in our life together, but I have lived in Utah for 9 years now, and have loved every minute of it. I have met some amazing people and made some of my closest friends....not to mention how much I love having family here. It's never easy to leave those you love, and I keep crying whenever I think about it, but then I try to focus on the new life ahead of us and know we are going in the right direction.

Brandon got accepted to the Radiology Program we were hoping for, and we have to be there by the 10th of July - so that gives me approximately 4 weeks to get our life in order, pack and find a house, amongst a myriad of a million other things. But I know it'll all work out.

Just thought I'd share the news! It's not often you feel like you have real legitimate news in your life between "I'm getting married", and "we're having a baby".....but this counts, so I'm going to milk it for all it's worth. (I know I just said baby and milk in the same sentence, but just to set the records straight....this is not an announcement about a baby....it is an announcement about moving!).

I know Brandon and I will be happy wherever we are as long as we're together! (pause here to recover from super cheesy moment!)

So if any one has any sweet tips on where to live in Colorado Springs, or what fun things to do....we'd love to hear them!

Circle of Life

The last 30 days have been an amazing emotional roller coaster and I have witnessed two very spiritual and sacred experiences.

On March 12th, my dear sweet Grandmother passed away and was reunited with her husband who has been waiting for her on the other side for 16 years. It has been an honor to be able to have served her so closely since February and spend time with her. She was a shining example to me of pure love, optimism, determination, grace, gratitude, humor and elegance. Others were always naturally attracted to her for these attributes, as well as her brilliant, genuine smile. She filled any room she was in with love.

She asked us to live our lives with a happy and peaceful mind and sense of contentment. She reminded us in a letter left that as long as we think of her once in a while and our memories together, then she will always be with us - that so long as one is remembered, they will never truly die.

Being with her up until her last moments on earth was an amazing experience I will never forget. Mourning her is harder than I ever anticipated it to be and she will always be dearly loved and dearly missed.

To complete the circle just 3 weeks later my amazing brother and sweet sister-in-law welcomed their first child into the world. It was just as miraculous and spiritual to be there for that experience, and meet a sweet spirit only 1 hour old onto this earth, sent with love, I'm sure, from Grandma above - to come be a part of our family. I am an official aunt and could not be more happy about it. I could not take my eyes off of him and wanted to just hold him and hold him. They named him Finnegan Locke....and here he is in all his glory, changing this family immeasurably already just by showing up (and also making me ridiculously baby hungry!) We love him and are so glad he's here, and so proud of Lindsey and Darren (mostly Lindsey) for all the hard work it took to get him here.


(the new family!)



Welcome Finnegan! We're so happy to have you here and can't wait to be a part of your life!


Life truly teaches you balance in all things. This last 30 days have solidified the scripture, "yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!" - We need opposition in all things to be capable of experiencing the joy this life has to bring us. I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have of eternity to truly help the end and beginning of life all feel connected and just how the plan of salvation and our progression is supposed to be.