Ok, we have some catching up to do. Big time. It seems like I started running out of time and updating a blog went lower and lower on my list just over a year ago, when I met a certain someone....
But never fear, here it is!
So August 2012. My roommates and I (minus the newlywed Mrs. Kaitlyn) moved into Brownstone. Back then we thought it would be so awesome. Anyway, the condo came half decorated. This is what we had to work with.
One of our first days there, we had rose petals outside our door! Could have died.
It was Bu's birthday in September and we had the annual Cla-Fa-Pa...rty. We ate, cleaned, and re-discovered many treasures.
Gabe was so little! We made Bu hold him so it would be harder for her to tell us to stop cleaning.
I met this really cute guy who lived in our condos. He was funny, charming, and I wanted to spend all my time with him. Even if it included my asthma. Don't worry, he poured my water bottle on my head to help. So we went up Provo Canyon to Stewart Falls. But he's 6'3. I'll just say that.
Then Alec met my brother Jake a couple weeks before he left for a mission in New Zealand. Jake's not the type to get attached, but he LOVED Alec.
Luke, Tyson, Alec, and Jacob.
Then Jake left! He went to the Missionary Training Center for 2 weeks and hopped on a plane to NZ for 2 years. I miss him so much but he's doing better things over there.
Jesse's birthday! We threw a surprise party for the 22 year old and she totally bought it. Success!
And this is Al-pal! She's on a mission in Germany. We really miss her!
The lovely Katie B.
Alec and I saw my old friend's band Crazy Talk
On a beautiful fall afternoon, Alec and I went to the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City.
Halloween! A little scattered with work, school, tests, and friends, but we ended up together at the end of the night. I was Princess Lollipop and he, as a Pokemon, had no respect for my crown.
Christmas 2012. With the Nyfelers in Michigan.
Isn't she beautiful.
Then in April, I don't know about you, but I'm feelin 22! Alec amazed as we went to Carrabba's, a Bee's game in Salt Lake, and a SURPRISE party when we got back. And tickets to go to Colorado and see Imagine Dragons in May. So wonderful I could have died.
At the end of the semester, the Berries thought it was time for a roadtrip! We went to Moab and camped in Arches National Park. It was so cool. Perfect weather, easy hikes, and not too far away.
Then it was time for the trip to Arvada, Colorado to stay with the Rockwoods and see Imagine Dragons at Red Rocks. I was excited to go and play with my little man Cannon and the drive was just as beautiful as I hoped.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre was amazing! Huge rock formations all around us, a view of Denver, and such great music. What I don't like about concerts is that it smells like no one has bathed, people jump on your feet, and you leave covered in other people's sweat. But there was none of that here! We were outdoors, perfect summer night, and it makes the concert so much cooler when you can see the moon and stars. Doesn't get better. And as the band came back for an encore, the singer said they had all just agreed this was their favorite show they've ever done.
A brilliant man took advantage of being so close to the Rocky Mountains and built a super long Alpine Slide with a ski lift. It was so fun, we did it a few times.
With Courtney at a Rockies game. Just in time, Alec and I found some Rockies shirts on sale at the Nike store.
Colorado was oh-so-fun but we had to come back to the daily grind of going boating with Ingrid and Michelle. Such is life.
The view from Michelle and Ingrid's house.
Some girls at work had a great idea to run a 5k for a doctor we work with. His son recently died of melanoma, so as Team Downey, we ran it. It was really fun (besides the running), and his son happens to be Alec's uncle.
The Clawson family reunion! This year it was on the beautiful Whidbey Island in Washington. Tante Jen was in charge of the pictures, and they turned out pretty darn good!
Uncle Brian took us out sailing every day.
We drove around for an hour, trying to find crab. I had been craving it forever, and what better time than when you're on the Washington coast right? Wrong. Crab shacks closed at 6pm on Friday nights, and places were serving everything under the sea except crab. Confused, we settled for salmon and chowder. Still very delish!
Alec was in Mexico for 6 weeks of the summer. I thought it would be ok, I'd be fine, but I died. I was miserable. Just another key part in this year we've been dating. We survived on 3 things: 1, e-mail and Skype. 2, Thinking about the vacation we were taking to California when he got back. 3, The flowers that this boy sent. He is the most thoughtful man I've ever known. I would get flowers at my door before the last bouquet had died.
For my bestie Katie's birthday we took an adventure down south to Arizona where Devin lives. He showed us his whole town in 30 seconds. We went to a rodeo, watched the Pioneer Day Parade, saw wild tarantulas, rode horses, milked a cow, and hiked through a canyon of muddy pools. By the time we got home, we were happily exhausted.
Horseback riding is my favorite thing in the whole world!
And my second favorite thing is having a mohawk.
Alec came home! I was happy happy happy. He got home late Wednesday night, I moved out of my condo Thursday morning, and we drove to Irvine, CA. Alec bought a manual car from his cousin and I didn't really know how to drive it so he had to drive the whole way. I slept for most of it. We got to his aunt's house about 4am, crashed, and woke up for Disneyland at 7!
It wasn't even an option for Cannon to not only do both parks in one day, but to do Cars Land first, then California Adventure and Disneyland.
We went on a Friday in August and the lines weren't bad at all! Miracle.
Paul was thirsty, there was water.
We went on this boat tours ride a few times when we had time to kill. Shona and I went on it at the end of the day and our "guide" had the worst jokes and corniest puns ever. It was bad.
After 14+ hours at Disney, the next day we needed some beach time. What Alec and I learned about each other is that "going to the beach" means a different thing to both of us. In Alec's head, he's spending 4 hours in the water, 15 minutes on the sand. And I picture 3 hours on the sand, 1 hour in the water.
We saw dolphins!
Alec is ready for In-N-Out!
We took a break from driving (Ok Alec took a break), to go to the M&M store for coconut M&Ms and for dinner here at BURGR. Pretty cool place, they had the menu on iPads and the most incredible strawberry coconut milkshake. It was worth $9 a piece.
Whew.
