2011

Michael and I are sitting in our living room, watching TV, and listening to our puppies sleep. I'M IN HEAVEN. We just went on a long 2-hour hike in our "backyard" and when we got back, they were exhausted. While I was sitting here listening to the peace and quiet, I thought back to the amazing things that happened this year:

#1: I became a BYU Alumnus

Graduating was an amazing and wonderful experience. I am so grateful and I appreciate all the help from everyone who made this goal possible. I love BYU and I love my Linguistics degree.

#2: I got a full-time job at BYU and a part-time job working in Linguistics.

Being able to work at the Honor Code Office is such a huge blessing. The work is difficult and frustrating, but I could not have asked for a better group of people to work with. I love my co-workers. Everyone at my work has such hilarious personalities, and we get along so great together. It's my family away from my family. My Linguistics job is a huge blessing as well. I am so grateful that I am able to continue working in the field I love. It also gets me really good work experience for when I decide to get back into my field for good.

#3: We were able to move to a bigger place.

We were having a really hard time finding somewhere to move to after we got Leia. Very, VERY, few places allow dogs, especially if you're renting. It was also difficult trying to find a place that was affordable and relatively near by. We found our house and it was perfect. We have enough space for our puppies, enough room for us, and it is so well priced.

#4: We brought home our beautiful babies! (puppies...)

Leia sleeping in a very lady-like manner.

I love my dogs. I know some people think I go too far and I'm a bit obsessed, but I honestly don't care. They bring so much joy to my life. I never had a dog growing up, so having someone that relies on you for their well-being and love really opened my eyes. I never thought I could love something so much (apart from Michael obviously). They each have their own cute personalities and are always happy to be with Michael and me. They are also the reason why I have stayed in shape. We walk them at least twice a day... so all that walking really helps burn off those cookies or treats I indulge in at work.

#5: Michael still likes me.

I know, a miracle. But seriously, it was so nice to celebrate our 2nd anniversary this year. Ever since we've been married, life has been above and beyond amazing. He is everything I could have ever hoped for. We are on the same page and have the same goals. I am so grateful to have him and I am proud to have the last name Black. Michael is my prince and I am excited to celebrate our 3rd year of marriage this next year.

2011 was awesome, but I am excited to see what adventures await in 2012! Happy New Years!!!

Holiday Season

I love the holidays :).

It's been so nice. My birthday was super fun and I got to eat all-you-can-eat sushi. And let me tell you, I ate ALL I could eat. I also had a nice loooong break and relaxed with the pups. We did a lot of hiking and "running" (they ran... Michael and I watched them run. That still counts though, right?). It was nice to be outside and watching our furry babies enjoy their time with us.

We celebrated Christmas latino style. Well, almost. We didn't eat our "dinner" on Christmas eve mainly out of laziness, but we did open presents at midnight. I loved the look on Michael's face when he saw all the things I got him :). I finally was able to successfully hide and wrap everything without him knowing what I got him! And he said that he was honestly surprised by how AWESOME my gifts were. Just being awesome, what can I say. Christmas morning was very relaxing with only one hour of church. Our Christmas dinner was absolutely delicious. Honestly, I have never had ham as good as our ham was on Christmas. I stuffed my face, for days after that as well. And we had rolls from Shirley that were delicious. That bakery is legit.

Anywho, the week after was also pretty chill. Not a lot of work, and more days off :). The weather has been really nice too. Mid 40's and 50's. That means that a huge cold front is coming... yay. But it's been super nice and we have been going on long hikes behind our house with the Black clan. I must say, life is pretty good right now. We're excited for the new year, and Michael is more excited about starting his last semester at the Y.

I love pinterest. Especially when I find gems like this:

Kills me every time I read it.

My Beloved

I have been the worst wife the past couple days... Poor Michael has had to deal with my mood swings and stupidity which are mainly coming from his inability to accept that we should get a new dog.

I know... retarded.

Anywho, I hope to make it up to my poor husband by giving him a shout out on my blog :). Michael is pretty fantastic. Not only is he incredibly handsome and good at everything he does (except for what I ask him to do...) (jk, I keep forgetting that I'm trying to be nice), but he is also the funniest guy I know. I mean, he'll be sitting there and then randomly break into song. It's adorable. And I love watching him play with Luke and Leia. If he is any where close as good as being a father as he is with Luke and Leia, then he'll be an amazing human father <3. If that doesn't make sense, it's ok. It took me about 10 minutes to write that sentence and by the end I just gave up. Basically, Michael rocks.

10 things I love about him:

#1: His cooking! I am so blessed to have a husband who actually likes to cook and cooks AMAZINGLY.
#2: He's almost as lazy as me. I don't have to feel pressure to be a work-out freak or out-door freak because Michael loves to sit on the couch next to me!
#3: He has my same sense of humor. We both love watching the same shows.
#4: He loves dogs. And I love dogs.
#5: He doesn't get offended easily. Apparently I'm rude, so I thank him for not actually believing anything that comes out of my mouth.
#6: He's my Wikipedia. He knows everything about everything.
#7: He's patient. I mean, he's still married to me so that just kind of explains itself.
#8: He loves watching movies! We both like the gory kind with lots of fighting. No romance please, I'm sensitive.
#9: He doesn't budge even when I'm being a brat. The me-begging-for-a-puppy case is a prime example. I'm a brat and want useless things, but he cares more about our financial health than my temper tantrums. I'm beyond grateful for that.
#10: He prays and reads scriptures with me even when I'm tired. He always makes sure that we are doing what we should be and that we are worthy to go to the temple. Couldn't ask for a better man.

Anywho, life is great and it's mainly because Michael is great. I love you sweetheart and I apologize again for how stupid I've been!

Here are some pictures that remind me of you:

I keep showing him funny things I find online... and he never laughs... he just stares and then goes back to what he's doing. 

This is something similar to what you told me yesterday. 

Yup.

I LOVE YOU MICHAEL BLACK!

My New Commitment

A couple weeks ago I got called to work with the young women in my ward. I was SCARED, but they have been very welcoming and sweet. I've been thinking a lot about what lessons I hope they learn growing up and how I can help them learn those lessons. One big thing I've been thinking about, and one thing that has become an increasingly dangerous problem, is weight management and weight perception. I've talked about this before, but it's such a prevalent problem that it needs repeating.

Yesterday, Becky, our new student employee, was talking about this one class she took about addictions. She was saying how drug addictions can take years to clean out of your system. For example, cigarettes (which aren't even the worse on the drug pyramid) takes 8 years for all the mental effects to leave your system. 8 years! She then mentioned that the worse addiction, even more than drugs, are eating disorders. Bulimia and anorexia are so harmful in the fact that it not only affects their mental state but it also attacks the physical system. She was saying how even though a person can mentally get over bulimia or anorexia, their body cannot. Their body will still respond to food as it had when the person was actively engaging in the eating disorder.

I think that is so depressing. Bulimia destroys your body in so many disgusting ways. And I've noticed that the problem of physical appearance has been getting worse and worse. I was talking with some people in my ward and one person was saying how their friends mother was always on some type of diet. What is sad is that this type of thinking is heritable. Daughters who grow up around mothers who talk about their weight or dieting are more likely to develop eating disorders or will mentally be more inclined to worry about their weight and eating.

I know that I am one of the biggest culprits of this type of thinking. I am constantly thinking about how I need to lose weight or how I "shouldn't have eaten that". I'm tired of it. I'm tired of feeling fat when I'm not. I'm tired of looking at pictures of skinny girls. Most of the guys I've talked to don't even like skinny girls. Most of them say that skinny girls are disgusting and look sick. Why then, do we try so hard to look nastily skinny?! I have decided to take a vow starting yesterday (I probably should have written this post yesterday...) that I will never talk about my weight in a negative way. I do not want to raise my kids or expose my kids to me being negative about my weight. I want to set an example to my kids and to the young women that loving your body is freedom. Taking care of your body in a grateful manner shows respect not only for yourself, but for Heavenly Father's creation.

Showing that you are proud of your body, no matter what shape or size, is one of the biggest displays of courage women can show today. Screw the media with their nasty skinny girls. I'm tired of beating myself up.

If I want to eat a doughnut, so help me I will!

Here is a pinterest picture I died laughing at:

Have a great week :).

Wonderful Wednesdays

I thought I was having a bad day today, but then when I was on facebook, I realized that EVERYONE was having a bad day today. Funny how that happens. Anywho, it's Wednesday, which means it's not Friday. In other words, Wednesdays won't ever really be a good day. Especially when you forget it's Wednesday and think it's Friday.

I wasn't sure what to blog about and I wanted to avoid the usual "complain about hipsters" thing because I can go on and on with that topic. I've been thinking a lot about working out and how to manage my time between working both jobs, family, YW calling, etc. It's been really hard to find time and motivation since I don't have a gym membership anymore (You have to get reallllly creative). So I've decided that since I don't have time to work out after work because I usually have 12343u23 other things to do, I will work out in the mornings! It makes PERFECT sense! Why not wake up about 1 1/2 hours earlier than you would have, and just do some healthy exercises right!?

You can ask my unused work out clothes how good that's going... I've tried so hard to get up in the morning. The night before I pump myself up and I get everything ready so that I do the most minimal amount of thinking possible in the morning. I tell myself repeatedly that it will happen and I go to bed listening to work out music (thinking that it will linger until I wake up...). In the morning, all that motivation falls apart and I end up waking up at my usual time... suck.

Moral of the story: put your alarm clock out of arms reach. Maybe I'll move mine. Probably not.

BTW, I want a camera soo bad. I have this nasty bruise on my hip from running into a door (they're tricky things) and I wanted to post it with some funny comments. My dogs also do funny things that I want to take pictures of or take a video of. But I can't.

Yay for Thursday tomorrow. Weekend Eve!