One Year Anniversary!

On Monday we celebrated our first wedding anniversary! A couple months ago we decided we wanted to go to the Mandalay Bay (a resort here in Las Vegas) for the day. Since we are "locals" we got 20% off our room, which we were happy with! When we went to check in, Reese casually mentioned that we were locals and that we were celebrating our anniversary. We were immediately upgraded to the PENTHOUSE SUITE! We were so stoked. Here are some pictures of the room from Reese's iphone:

This was on the "special elevator" on the way up.

I LOVE the necklace Reese got me :)

This bedroom was so big!

Another room with a big TV in it!

And the dining room with the beautiful view!

Needless to say we were lucky ducks! We felt so fancy! We saved our wedding cake and decided to go with tradition and partake of it on our anniversary. It was so disgusting. It tasted like the smell of a freezer. But it still looked pretty! I had forgotten we did the packed sugar crystals on the outside, which was GREAT if anyone is looking into creating a wedding cake haha! It was fun to have something from our wedding.

We took family pictures this week, and we got some for our anniversary. I am just so lazy about carrying around my camera now. Does anyone else ever leave their camera at home because they don't want to haul it around or constantly worry and monitor it? Because I do that pretty much daily. Thank goodness Reese has an iphone! 

This past year has been so good to us. Making the choice to get married was a big one and it brought a lot of changes to both of our lives. We have learned how to take care of each other this year and we have grown in so many ways. Looking forward to many more! 

its like technology...

I overheard something this week that was so interesting to me. It was in regard to a topic that the LDS church has a firm stance on. This is what I heard:

"Its like technology. When something new comes out there are always people who pick it up right away. Then there's the middle group who take a little while longer. Then there are the stragglers who take forever to get it. In 30 years the Mormons will change their policy. It will just take awhile."

In a moment like this, I take so much comfort in knowing that my religion is unchanging. In my opinion it is one of the most special things about my religion. The beliefs that my family and I hold are the same ones that the very first members of the church held to! Despite the fact that the LDS church was founded over a hundred years ago, the teachings are so pertinent to the modern day and continue to guide its members. I know that our leaders are truly inspired! I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Dog-Sitters!!!

Over the weekend Reese and I were dog sitters for my out-of-town family members! We had SO MUCH FUN! We were both so enthralled by BELLA the Staffordshire Terrier! Is it weird it sort of felt like being parents for maybe two seconds? Anyways, I am ALSO super excited because I finally got my new lens! Its a 50 mm f/1.8. In English, its a really good lens for one focal point of clarity :). So I got acquainted with my lens while taking care of Bella, which resulted in some pictures I ended up liking! I would seriously follow her around the yard and the house-- she got really annoyed with me! Here are some of my first shots with my new lens! 

I feel like this lens fits my photography style and I am so excited to do more work with it! So many photographers have recommended that I get this lens, I think I made a good choice for a birthday gift!


On a separate note, I would like to thank my husband for letting me camera-stalk him:) We celebrated 10 months officially on Wednesday! I love when I can capture a photo that reflects exactly what my eyes see. Does that make sense? I got a couple pictures this weekend like that....

Now, a decision I have been debating over: To make a photography blog, or no?

Advice needed!

memorial day and grandpa reed

It's Memorial DAY! This year I feel so much more on this holiday than I ever have. I have worked at the Air Force ROTC office for the past year and have just begun to understand the sacrifice that military members make for our country. I am truly amazed by their commitment to the USA. As I have worked there and helped so many cadets commission and go on into active duty I find myself constantly thinking of my sweet Grandpa Reed.

 My grandpa was a bomber in the 418th squadron during World War II. As I have worked at the Air Force I find myself wishing I could see his paperwork and realize just what kind of a hero he was :). My grandpa never talked much about his experience with the war, only on rare occasions. During the last few years of his life he seemed to open up about it more, which I am glad because if he hadn't I never would have heard his story.

 My grandpa was seriously a tough guy. He farmed and raised four boys in his lifetime along with fighting in the second world war. He was really quiet all the time and I remember him having a sense of humor much like my dad's. I never saw him cry, except once. One night we were sitting in the kitchen, it was really late and it was just my grandpa and my mom and I. My grandpa started to talk about the war. He told us stories of how they would drop bombs and how one time their plane crashed in enemy territory and the horror he felt. He started to cry when he told us how terrible it was. How many people died. I had never in my life seen my grandpa so emotional, and I will never forget it.

 Fast forward to 2011, I took a history class in the fall and we talked about the World War's-- naturally. Our teacher decided to show us a video documenting some surviving veterans experiences and some actual footage from the war. In the video it showed towns being bombed (hard to think that those bombs could have been dropped by my grandpa) and soldiers being killed- by the dozens. They showed veterans telling their stories and I saw the same emotion in them that I had seen in my own grandfather. These were grown men who sat there shaking and crying as they told stories. They were all heroes, and I am so proud that my grandfather was among those who protected our freedoms.

 When my grandpa died I was heartbroken, I never got to say goodbye to him and it was so sudden that I wasn't prepared for it. I had never had anyone in my life die, he was the first one. I had a really hard time being okay with it. Just a few months after he died I was in the Sacred Grove and I had the strongest feeling that he was finally at peace. He didn't carry the horrors of the war with him any longer and he was happy. I am so grateful for my grandpa who did what he had to do. I know that he struggled in this life with memories and scars that the war left on him. How sweet to know that my grandpa is happy in heaven and that I will be able to see him again. I am so grateful for the gospel that it gives my grandpa the peace that he deserves. I am grateful we have a Savior who has felt the pain that we feel and he is there to buoy us up. I look forward to the day that I will be able to thank my grandpa in person for the sacrifices he made.

Calvin Reed, my grandpa, is on the top left

So I work at the ROTC office, which makes me practically military status? Not really, but they celebrated FAMILY DAY on Friday so I didn't have to go in to work! Even better, Reese didn't have to go to work either! YAY FAMILY DAY! It was so nice being able to spend time with Reese. I am just so grateful to be married to someone who treats me so wonderfully and who is so supportive and sweet. Reese braided my hair for me and it was awesome! I am so stoked to have discovered this talent of his! (I had to coach him a little bit but hey, I thought it looked great!)

Unfortunately we both have been a little sick this week, Reese more than me! I was feeling good until Friday night, I was running a fever and Reese had a cough. NO BUENO! We stayed in and watched the first "Iron Man" which was--- SO GOOD! I was hoping I would feel better because I had a 5k the next morning! Luckily we were able to sleep it off and I ran the race today! I didn't train for it so I didn't do as well as I would have hoped- but I still did pretty good! I was happy to get back out and running! Reese is so sweet for cheering me on :) I am so lucky! I just love weekends, and Family Day :)

using as few words as possible...

nothing like my sweet lv

So sometimes I realize that I use my blog to vent about things that are really bothering me, but then I worry that people will think I am a really negative person. So I usually type up a post and then delete it. NOT ANYMORE! This is my blog and I am going to use it to share all the things that I need to get out of me. Hahah that was freaky.

I hate the winter months. There are no fun holidays and it is cold and dreary! There are no long weekends and I am so pale! The only thing that makes these months bearable is cute winter clothing. I got some skinny jeans and boots in January which made February a little more exciting but other than that my wallet hasn't seemed to let me indulge.

Reese has been insanely busy this semester. He has been taking classes full time, working part time, interviewing and networking for internships, studying for the CFA, doing our calling, and taking care of me. (Believe me, that last one should not be taken lightly) Now that we are married, I feel stress when he does, I get nervous when he does, etc. This was a huge change between being engaged and married. (Not that I didn't before, but now it is just amplified about a billion percent!)

So it's been kind of crazy when you factor in my two jobs, going to school full time, starting my new major, starting an internship, keeping my house clean, doing laundry (seriously I know know how we create so much of it! It's like we already have 27 children), making meals, WORKING OUT (love/hate), doing our calling, etc.!

Luckily for me I have an amaaaaaazzziiinnnggggg Mom! She offered to fly me home this past weekend to unravel and maybe get a little less porcelain white. I was sure that Reese would eat only McDonald's if I left him without food so I made a vat of spaghetti to provide him with sustenance. He was so busy this weekend so it was the perfect time to go! He hardly missed me! (whatever I know he missed me, and maybe my food making) It's amazing what chocolate chip cookies and Disney Scene It can do for a person.


Lastly, my sweet Grandma Reed is staying at our house for a little while and I got to spend time with her this weekend. She is hilarious. She moves around the house so quietly I'm pretty sure they should name the next Cadillac the "Nelda" I love her soooo SOOO much!

Other thoughts in my brain:

-Reese accidentally got a baloney sandwich from Subway today. Who in the world produces baloney? (sorry I WON'T say bologna, that is as equally disgusting as the meat itself) Should be avoided.

-I was observing my families pet tortoises this weekend, yes, plural. I was feeding one of them a grape when I realized that it looked like a mini dinosaur. I was thinking about how scary it would be if one of them was really gargantuan, I would literally run for my life.

we survived WINTER!

Winter Semester has been dreaded and anticipated by us ever since last summer and now it's almost GONE! We have made some big decisions and have survived yet another winter here in Provo!

I'll start off with our biggest news, Reese has gotten an internship with an asset management firm in LAS VEGAS! We are so thrilled to be going HOME this summer! Reese and I are both the oldest in our families and we both miss being there for our siblings, we are so looking forward to spending time with our sweet siblings and parents. We are equally excited to get out of Utah and spend time together in Las Vegas, our hometown, where we got married, and perhaps our favorite place in the WORLD! We cannot wait, we LOVE this city!

Also big news, we are both graduating next APRIL! I know it is awhile away but we are just so excited to walk across the stage together and get our temporary fake diploma's from the almighty BYU. One more year!

Another piece of news is that Reese has signed up for the CFA exam, taking it June 2. So basically he will be going into hibernation for the next few months, but I know he will do great! He wakes up early and studies every day!

Another thing we are both looking forward to is my Bri's wedding in June, located in L.A.! I threw her a bridal shower this month and it was just so fun to have so many of my friends over and meet Bri's new family members. Bri has been my best friend since the day I met her on our first day at BYU and I am so thrilled to be part of her wedding and be there when she gets sealed to her sweetheart!

More than anything we are ever grateful for the gospel in our lives, and the many friends and family that we are blessed with!

instagram!

Twilight deserves an Oscar

This is the funniest youtube video I have seen in awhile. Ignore the expletive, I am officially renaming it "stuff people never say" WATCH IT!

my photography website! look at it!

This only took me a matter of hours.... and I was really confused but I DID IT! I'm proud of it! Check it out :)


http://www.megangphotography.com/

staycation...sike!

Okay for Christmas Reese's parents gave us one free night stay at the Hampton Inn in Salt Lake or Lehi and we were SO EXCITED to use it! So, we planned to go up on a 3 day weekend so we could maximize our time in Salt Lake City. We planned on staying Sunday night so we could go to the temple, and have lunch on Monday (No school!) So we got packed and on the freeway and started the drive!

As we were getting close to our exit, Trixie (our car) started making very bad noises. We made it off the exit and at the first traffic light she started to smoke! We were freaking out. But luckily our hotel was in sight! We got our little sweetie parked and as we were examining the damages, we noticed a belt hanging out the bottom of the engine! Now, here we were in UTAH on a SUNDAY night with a broken car! No one was open! So we started calling tow companies, mechanics, dealerships, etc. trying to figure out what to do.

Oddly enough this turned out to be one of the most fun nights we've spent together ever! We ran across the street to Burger King (obviously in starvation mode) and we were cracking up the whole time. We went hot tubbing and exploring in the hotel and enjoyed the luxury of TELEVISION!! Reese really enjoyed our "Continental Breakfast" and ate at least 3 plates full.

Dave the Tow Truck man, we love you. And we wish you the best in your endeavors to get married. I'm sorry I told you I thought you were 60 when you are only 58 after you said you look younger than your age. But you saved us, and we are forever grateful.