1st Encounter with Phoenix

Before we came back to Utah after our Hawaii trip, we took a detour to Phoenix for a few days.  We got to meet our awesome real estate agent Cameron and got a good feel of the surrounding areas.

Miracle:  we actually liked Phoenix and it wasn't a wasteland after all.  It's nothing like we were imagining it to be.

We really like a few areas of Gilbert and Chandler so, hopefully we'll find our perfect starter home to buy soon!

Aloha

As a gift to ourselves for graduation and to celebrate our 1st Anniversary, we took a trip to Hawaii!  We had the time of our lives!

Ryan's best friend Kaimi is from the Big Island and he graciously let us stay with him for the week and he also showed us around the island and fed us delicious food!

When we first arrived, Kaimi took us to this awesome waterfall that was special to Hawaii mythology where a Goddess and an evil dragon battled.  The waterfall was gorgeous and I've never seen one this big before.  We then went and climbed some neat trees that were surrounding the waterfall...

The next day we got to go visit Auntie Sharon and Uncle Jon {Kaimi's parents}.  Auntie showed me around her beautiful garden and I started to get SO excited to make my own one day {soon}.  She has a green thumb and her yard is a mini paradise filled with hydrangea, fern with monkey tails, ginger, calla lilies, antherium, orchids and about every veggie you could imagine! She also made us some delish traditional chinese beef and broccoli.  We then went to go see a huge Volcano opening where Uncle works.  The colors were brilliant and it was just flat out cool being on an active volcano.  We love the Moraes family!!

Monday was our 1st Anniversary so we drove to the Kona side and spent the day on the rather secluded Mau'umae Beach where Kaimi and Kiira were married.  It was on the cloudy side but we still had a blast sitting on the beach, playing in the waves and just enjoying each other's company.  That night we were going to get sushi at this place with good reviews in Hilo...however when we got there we discovered that it was closed, as were almost all other food joints {come to find all shops on the beach front are closed on Mondays}.  Luckily, we did find a fab place that served us some yummy Spanish Tapas.  Happy incredible 1 Year of Awesomeness to Us!!!  

The next few days we spent snorkeling at different beaches throughout the island.  Snorkeling is one of our favorite hobbies to do together, and we will probably always try to take vacations centered around snorkeling and scuba diving (once we get certified).  Here are some of our fav pictures of the sublime underwater utopias we encountered:

Richardson's Beach:::

Hapuna Beach:::

We found a cave and of course went in to explore it!

Punalu'u Beach:::

We also visited Macadamia Nut heaven known as Mauna Loa.  I probably shouldn't admit this but I did eat an entire box of chocolate covered nuts by myself...and no, I didn't bother checking the amount of fat or calories it was so that I could not feel guilty.  We got to watch the workers hand dip and package the candies.  It totally reminded us of the 'Job Switching' I Love Lucy episode!  We got to sample all the different flavors and our favorites were the chocolate toffee and wasabi nuts but the ice cream was the best part hands down.

We did a few other fun things while we were there with Kaimi and his friends.  Some noteworthy outings were clearing forest out of Kaimi's brother's land in King's Landing, getting shave ice, learning how to make traditional leis, catching geckos, and learning how to throw rocks with a Hawaiian sling shot.  I also requested to have an authentic Hawaiian meal so Kaimi and his friend Rob made us a yummy dish!  We even ventured to try Poi. {it was actually ok as long as you mixed small amounts in with other stuff}

Mahalo Kaimi for letting us stay with you for our Hawaiian adventure!!!!

Moving Day Part 1

We know this move to Phoenix is supposed to happen.  We didn't even have to try to put our apartment contact up for sale--an offer was made not knowing we were even moving!  Our neighbors upstairs had some friends inquire in they knew of any apartment openings coming up over the summer and low and behold, ours was!

Since Ryan is stressed with finals, I pack edup everything to move into my sister's garage until the real moving day in June.  Moving day was on Saturday {blah} and then we leave for Hawaii on Wednesday.  It's hard having all your belongings EVERYWHERE while trying to pack for 2 people for a 2 week vacation, but I shouldn't be complaining because we're going to Hawaii!

Moving was hard and went much, much longer than we planned but it is done.  Our furniture is staying at my parent's and our boxes are at my sister's which is where I'm staying for 2 months while Ryan goes to Richmond, VA to sell again.

God Works in Mysterious Ways

Announcement:  It's Official, we're moving to Phoenix in June!

God lives, and loves all of us.  He has a plan for each of us, and He will always provide a way for His will  to happen.  He answers prayers.

We had some complications suddenly arise with Ryan's future career plans that we had set up a year prior to his graduation, and we were starting to get a little worried about what was in store for us come April 17th.  We tried everything in our power to do what we could, but we we're making any progress in finding a real solution, so we turned everything over to the Lord knowing that He was the only way to get anything accomplished {right}.  

Ryan and I set a date to fast together during conference weekend.  Less than 24 hours later, we received an answer.  

Monday morning while Ryan was sitting in class, a classmate of his sent him a text telling him it was urgent and he needed to talk to him, so Ryan stepped out of class and meet up with him.  Jordan proceeded to explain that his boss was looking for a new hire because one of the new college recruits dropped out to go to Grad school.  It was worth a shot and he gave the company Ryan's contact information.  

It just so happens that the company is Honeywell, which happens to be the most coveted out of college job in Global Supply Chain at BYU.  They contacted Ryan and did a brief interview and a few days later we received an offer.  Our official start date is June 25th!

We hate the desert, and we never even contemplated applying for any jobs that would bring us anywhere near the Southwestern United States.  However, we know without a shadow of a doubt that this is exactly where God wants us.

We are {incredibly} blessed and will eventually embrace the heat and new environment.  

Happy 24th Ryan

Ryan thinks he's officially an old man now that he's turned 24 {gosh, he's already got one foot in the grave at this ripe age}.

To celebrate, I took the day off and spent all day with Ryan.  We got Sushi with Paige and Eric and then went to see the Hunger Games on IMAX.  We kept it pretty simple and low key, but it was just a fun day and stressless--which was really needed.

Ryan's presents weren't a surprise unfortunately because of Paige's inability to lie and Eric's pestering of receipt reading {I hid my receipt with hers thinking Ryan wouldn't find it...good idea yet bad choice}.  But I ended up getting him a gift card to Cabela's to get fishing gear and then I got him some tee shirts that he desperately needed.

Sunday night we had a mini birthday celebration and invited all of our friends over for yummy goodies and cake.  The cake was FANTASTIC...not trying to toot my own horn or anything.  I used Ryan's Mama's recipe for his favorite apple cake which is amazingly yummy, however I changed it a bit by using 2 9in rounds to bake it in and frosting it with a caramel buttercream frosting.  Results: it just so happens that it got even yummier {we didn't think that was even possible).

I wish I had remembered to take pictures...I'm still kicking myself....

Whistle While You Work

Life has been treating me very well lately, so basically that means God has blessed us {tremendously}.

A few months ago when I was getting ready to graduate, I was having a HUGE nervous break down thinking that I had no hard skills and that I'd be unhappy working at a boring desk job for the rest of my life and wondering why the heck I even went to school.  Luckily, that has all changed and I no longer worry about stupid things because I know that as long as I'm trying my hardest to do what I'm supposed to do, God will always help me find happiness.

First, I have an internship at the Springville Museum of Art and I LOVE it!  I'm working within the curatorial realm so I get to help set up exhibits, inventory, and do condition reports on all the wonderful art pieces.  I'm really learning a lot and enjoy my mentors and staff.  It's truly a very happy place to spend my time.

I don't know why but I'm in love with this painting by Nicholas Britsky.  One day I will own one of his pieces...{one day}.

New Americans (1974) oil on board by Nicholas Britsky

And secondly, I got the manager position at the Flower Basket Boutique!  The current manager is pregnant and leaving in May so I've been training with her and will take over as manager once she leaves.  It is an ADORABLE little boutique that primarily sells flower arrangements, but also sells jewelry/accessories, imported European candies, clothes and random little home goods.  Some days it's super hectic and busy but overall it's a good stress level and I throughly feel fulfilled everyday I go in.  One day, I hope to start my own floral shop when Ryan and I get more settled and find a permanent home.  We'll probably stay in Utah for another year or so and then see where his career takes him.

Goals...Goals...Goals...

So far, our January has been pretty great.  We've done well with {some} of our New Year's Resolutions and others, we haven't even started...

I promise I am going to start making us eat more RAW meals and I am going to exercise EVERYDAY starting on Monday, because I am a strong believer that being healthy and strong is the new skinny.  {Besides, reality has hit that April is only about 3 months away and our Hawaii Graduation present to ourselves is right around the corner}

Despite not even starting the above goals, we've done a really good job at one of ours: staying in touch with friends {not cheating by using social media} and actively doing date night a few times a week!  We both have a few married couples that we never see so it's a goal of ours to spend time with everybody while we're still close by.

This week we went on an adventurous rock climbing date with the Williams and then had them over for 'mexican pizza' and games afterwards.

We had a fondue night with the McGanns a few days later.  We've never made fondue before, but I got a pot for Christmas and had to try it out.  Fortunately, it was a total success and we'll definitely be doing fondue night ALL the time!

And lastly, we went bowling with the Caychos.  I am absolutely TERRIBLE at bowling and was about 1 roll away from requesting bumpers, but I got a little education and encouragement and finished out the night without them...oh what memories.