Traditions

We love traditions and our list of annual traditions is growing little by little!

June is such a special time of traditions for us. It brings me back to that summer when Steve and I first fell in love.

To give you some history on this tradition (and some of you may know this,) just before I met and fell in love with Steve, my girl friends and I had made a little agreement at the end of our Senior year. The deal was that whoever was the next to kiss a boy would have to buy everyone else dinner. Well, guess who lost the bet when Steve walked through the door? Now, I'm not a betting girl, but I put my money down that it wouldn't have been me. I lost the bet fair and square, but I couldn't have been happier that I did!

Shortly after that, on one of our first dates, Steve and I went up to Squaw Peak to watch the sun set over the mountains. Since then, whenever we have not been in Argentina or the Philippines, we have kept the tradition each June. The tradition has expanded to include Cafe Rio as we sit in the back of our truck as the sun goes down. This was my first June back in Utah, and so this past weekend we headed up!

We contemplated starting a new tradition this year with our Squaw Peak dinner. I would give Steve my ring so he could "propose" again at the lookout...we wanted to see what everyone around us would do! We chickened out though and just ate our Cafe Rio. Maybe next year we'll work up the courage!

Finals and Beginnings

Today I finished my FINAL undergrad final!

I, well, procrastinated just a little bit...haha.
After studying until 1am last night and getting up at 4am to finish studying, my brain turned off at about 4:30am and I went back to bed. I woke up to the clinking of dishes at 5:45am and found the hubby making me a delicious, surprise breakfast...crepes!

Like I said...he's the best.
He's such a good sport because I normally spoil his surprises by guessing and guessing until I actually guess them :) He keeps me on my toes though!

It was his crepes that got me through my final at 7:00...they were extra good luck!

I thought this morning as I walked to campus (exhausted) that I would be glad to be done with school...right?? But surprisingly, after I finished the exam and walked across campus I began to tear up. I've spent the last 17 years of my life LEARNING and I still want more. Although I have semi-potential plans to further my education in the future, I am excited to continue learning but in a very different way now.

I'm going to help change the world and I'm excited to get started little by little!

5 years...

June marks 5 years of our....

bliss.
growth.
happiness.
peace.
confidence.
butterflies.
kisses.
little secrets.
head-over-heels pure love.

I love this guy and I always will!
He's pretty perfect, and I can't wait for our next 5...10...20....40...80...160 years together.
Good thing I've got him for eternity!

6 month check-up

Well, I suppose it's time for our 6 month check-up!

We've had a busy blast since I last posted. We're loving summer and soaking up the sun!

We've gone from this..... (sledding & freezing boogers)

 to this... (Valentine's Day!)

 to this... (Boise with the bro and his lovely new wife)

to this... (Gma Marion's birthday and family get togethers...some call them circuses!)

to THIS.... (hiking Timp with the hubs)

Anyway you put it....

we're on top of the world and so happy!

Our most current news: Steve will be heading down and completing a course in Nevada this week until Tuesday, and then I get to head to Girls Camp with our ward next week!

Oh, and I just got out of my last college class for forever!
H.A.G.S. for sure!

We do!

So the wedding....

was perfect!!

I just realized I have not yet written about it. But seeing as I have a long weekend to fill up (homework...done!) I thought I'd give you a peek.

Our wonderful photographer/angel/"cousin" was Nickell Blair, whom I have forever dreamed of photographing our wedding.

So the benefits of having your wedding...
- on a Thursday, everyone is available! 
- in November...beautiful photos! The day we took our bridals/groomals was perfectly snowy. Three days later on our wedding day, there was not a cloud in the brilliant blue sky and the temperatures had risen.

The day was beautiful! Lauren and Mia were kind enough to think of everything I might need the night before as we headed up to my mission buddy Amanda's house for the night (thanks again Amanda!)They even thought of the "Morning-of-the-wedding Bride's Remix", which was played to "calm my nerves." What nerves?? I was almost surprised at how calm I was. Cooooooool as a cucumber. I was even dressed and dolled up before anyone else. 


Steve (I found out later) had hardly slept that night because he kept worrying about forgetting something important. I would never trust anyone more than him to bring the marriage license, rings, and even flowers to the temple. My husband is the best.

Our sealing was the most special moment of our lives. During the time Steve and I were writing back and forth on our missions, I remember a dream I once had in which I saw him kneeling across from me and I could hear him whisper, "We made it!" 

We made it! 

And looking back, we wouldn't have done it any other way because we know it was the Lord's way of preparing us for greater things. We knew what the Lord needed us to do, we knew with certainty He'd help us through, and we knew He'd lift us up and bring us back together with a stronger love. We love the cheesy Brad Paisley song: "We've come so far since that day, and I thought I loved you then." I thought I loved him then, and I did, but it is a speck compared to the absolute love I have for him now.

Our wedding was a long awaited celebration! The reception was all I had imagined it to be. Simple, classy, with lots of friends, family, and flowers! We held the reception in the Springville Museum of Art, where my parents had their own wedding reception 28 years ago. It was special celebrating in a place that has meant so much to me over the years as I served on Art Royalty and spent a lot of time there in high school. But even more special was knowing my dad was there celebrating with us. For the first time in years, all of his children were gathered close together. I often look at Steve and see so much of Dad in him. I can't wait for them to meet- they'll crack each other up with their corny jokes!

Our gorgeous flowers were arranged by my good friend Mary Stuart, and were more than I ever expected. Steve's aunt Amber made our cake for us - the most beautifully delicious red velvet and cream cheese we have ever tasted!

Our first dance was supposed to be to Norah Jones' version of "Love Me Tender" but...
we surprised Steve with a flash mob to Hall and Oates' "You Make My Dreams Come True." Thanks to everyone for keeping it a secret from him and participating! It was priceless seeing his eyes light up as I joined in the dance halfway through and he realized I was the instigator! If anyone was able to record it, please let me know! Here are the awesome photos:

 

And then he surprised me with the most beautiful place to spend a honeymoon: Johnson Mill in Midway

I am married to my very best friend and love every second of it! I look at him and am amazed how good he is. How selfless he is. How loyal he is. How loving and gentle. He's good inside and out, and he's mine!

Holiday Spice

So Steve and are sitting here and we had the great idea to write our first blog post together.

We've been brainstorming for a while, and this is how far we've got:

Just kidding!

Our First Christmas as Husband and Wife has been....
1. Great with a capital G!
2. Full of holiday cheer and lots of singing for all to hear
3.Something we've both dreamed of for years
4. Hefty (we both gained a little weight)
5. Full of exquisite food (thank you to both mamas)
6. Spent in bed......errr, because steve was SICK. really. 

We've been awfully busy spreading holiday cheer and celebrating the beautiful white snow with our family and friends. 

Some of our Christmas Accomplishments:
1. We got our first genuine Christmas tree!
2. I was able to surprise Steve with a gun safe on Christmas morning - part of the surprise is letting him bring his guns home
3. We began our first Christmas traditions as a family and are excited to add to them when little ones come along!

our 6am Christmas morning...too excited to sleeeeep!

throwing rocks on the ice at the lake...the kids are sure to love it when they come along!

4. I learned how to shoot a bow with the bow and arrows Steve surprised me with on Christmas morning
5. Two free passes for the ferris wheel inside Scheel's!
6. We started writing thank-you cards...we're still a long ways away
7. A magnificent pot-roast dinner for Christmas Eve with my family (if I might say so myself!)
8. Two Christmas dinners. It's quite the accomplishment 
9. A plethora of New Year's resolutions

But the most wonderful gift we've received this Christmas has been each other. 
We've dreamed of our first Christmas together again for a very long time, and it was perfect. We both enjoy reflecting on all the things that have brought us to this day and are eternally grateful for our loving Heavenly Father and Savior who have offered us a love greater than anything. Through their grace, we continue to love each other more and more everyday. 

It's been a FULL year and we're looking forward to a brand new one!

love, the brintons

1 month!

So I should've written this on the 15th, but seeing as my brains have just solidified again after my liquidifying finals week (it made more sense in Tagalog in my brain- nakaka-liquify? Anyways, case and point...), it's now the 20th of December. 

We love being married! 

In the wise words of Taylor Swift in one of our favorite SNL skits, "All I wanna do is hang out with yoooou!" It's true. Hanging out with your best friend ALL the time is the BEST! Who in the world said the first year of marriage was the hardest??? Pppppppfffff! (maybe they didn't marry the right person.....)

But Steve is so perfect. Let me show you just how perfect he is:

He serenades me in the bathtub while I'm getting ready. I love him! (He was hiding his face as I took this...don't tell him I posted it for the whole wide world to see just how cute he is!)

It's bliss. Especially because neither of us have school for the next two & a half weeks! We are having a blast getting ready for Christmas... Charley Brown Christmas tree, hot chocolate, snowball fights, slipping down our icy stairs, and all! Only 5 days left to do all our Christmas shopping!!

Side note: The other night I told Steve over the delicious alfredo- broccoli- penne casserole I made that these wonderful dinners will again turn into frozen pizzas and hotpockets once we're back in school. Same with the blog posts, folks. Let's live it up the next couple of weeks!!