One Magical Year Later

For our one year anniversary, Mark's parents got us a night in the Trump hotel in Vegas. AMAZING. Loved it. But not as much as I loved the last year of my life with my amazing husband.

My Older Brother

For some reason I am feeling pretty nostalgic. I guess being around Mark and all of his brothers makes me miss my brother Phillip. We had a lot of adventures together growing up, even though I am sure I got in the way a lot of the time :)

The adventures of Phillip and Laci

• When you would make me feed precious at night, by myself, so if the boogie man came he would get me and not you
• When Brandon had a laser pointer and y'all told me there was a murderer in the house.
• Toilet Monster.
• When we went hiking through the woods by our house and it was really cold and wet and we got lost and my socks and shoes were soaked so you gave me yours to keep my feet warm until we found our way home
• Putting China berries in the road at night and watching cars drive over them thinking they had popped their tires when the China Berries crushed
• Jumping from the top story of the tree house on to the trampoline
• Waking up at 4 in the morning on Christmas day and having to sit in your room until 6. 
• Wrestling in the den
• When I came up to Utah over Thanksgiving break and we made dry ice bombs
• When boys would call me and you would pick up the phone and interrogate them
• Watching you play computer games until all hours of the morning
• When you showed me around BYU when I went to school and helped me keep from getting homesick
• Sitting in the hospital with me for 2 days straight after my four-wheeling accident and threatening to beat up the guy who was driving
• When we got into a water fight in the kitchen at 503 post oak and soaked everything in sight
• Sitting under the kitchen table and eating sour punch straws, because for some reason we didn't think mom or dad could see us...

There are a billion more I am sure, but these were the first few that popped in to my mind. I am even grateful for all of the teasing  because it helped me fit in to Mark's sarcastic family. And for the pushing and wrestling because it kept me from being a girly girl.

I am pretty sure I have one of the best big brothers in the world.

Why I Love Him

He cracks me up. I told Mark that the window cleaners came by and cleaned the window in my office and it was pretty. Here was his reply:

"My name is Laci...I have a fancy office. I have a big window in my big fancy office. I'm fancy. Look at me everyone...I'm fancy Laci."

I don't think a day goes by that he doesn't bring a smile to my face.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

So let me be honest. I am anti-Christmas before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my fav holidays and I feel like people completely glaze over it and skip to Christmas...But alas...this year I succumbed to the Christmas Spirit early. Mostly because Mark and I were thinking that if we waited until after Thanksgiving to put up our tree we would only be able to enjoy it for a week and a half before we left to go to Vegas for the Holidays. So here it is...our first Christmas together (okay technically we were married last Christmas...but with all of the wedding craziness it didn't feel like Christmas...so we're counting this one as our first)

Snowy weather for decorating

Look at how festive Mark is in his red and green

Mark sat on the couch giving moral support as I put on the lights

The finished product

Two turtle doves ;)

Last but not least, a beautiful nativity quilt that Sister Clay made for us :)

Bitter Sweet

Well, I put in my two weeks notice today at the Dean's Office. It was so hard. I LOVE my job there. I love all the people and how fun it is and the jokes and my work assignments. But alas, it was time to move on.

I interviewed with Targeted Learning, an HR consulting firm in Orem. I was only interviewing for a summer internship, but the way things worked out, they ended up offering me a job starting now. I was really really excited, but at the same time had a sick feeling that I would have to leave the Dean's Office a lot sooner than expected :(

Things to miss:
The Dean's Hilarious comments through out the day
Talking to Earl and Warren when I update the calendar in the hall
Being comfortable where I am at
The convenience of an on-campus job
The Holiday decorations
Helping Lonnie produce our college magazine
Working for BYU
Having Mark working right down the hall from me
Working in the school atmosphere helping fellow students

Things to Look forward to at Targeted Learning:
It is an HR consulting firm, which is my emphasis
It will give me great work experience for my future career
It is a "big girl" job
New challenges
New friends to make
New beginning
New experiences

"Ships are not built to stay in the safe harbor. They are meant to navigate the oceans and experience adventure"

Fall

B-E-A-utiful.

I am so grateful for the beautiful weather and lack of snow this fall!!! Not a flake and I am not crying about it.

Mark and I have turned off our AC and just love having the windows open! Mountain biking is the best with all of the pretty colors!!! These pictures just don't do the trees justice...

That is Bishop Stokes, my second dad :) 

A day in history...

After much reflection, I thought that I should post about a day in history, commemorating a feat that may not again come to pass for at least a year. Join me...

Happiness at a Football Game...

A Win by the BYU Cougars

Call me a pessimist...but things aren't looking bright for our team. In the dark hours of lost games and disappointment in the waste of potential in our young team, I hold on to these memories to get me through.
RIP BYU Cougars as Mountain West Conference Champions