While We Were Gone...

We've been pretty much absent from the blogging world the last few weeks, except for our quick Tale of Two Blinkers. I thought I'd do a quick catch up on what we've been up to...
We left Tucson with our heads still spinning from finals, long work hours, fun Christmas parties, shopping, etc. for Christmas Break in Utah.
This first picture is of our gourmet "cottage chocolate" we served at a party with some friends from medical school. Actually, it was chocolate fondue that just went horrendously wrong. It was a few chocolate curds in oil...but we still had a great time and got many laughs out of it.

Our time in Utah flew as we scrammed to do all that we could in the short amount of time we had. It was so great to be back and doing so many things we'd missed: sledding, snowball fights,

staying up late talking to siblings, playing board games, seeing temple square, playing with niece/nephews, eating Mom's cooking, running in snow, depleting Granny's endless store of mint M&M's, driving in blizzards, setting up awesome lego kits with nephews, of course doing the exciting traditional Christmas morning, sleeping by the fire, hiking into the cabin, etc. etc. But more than any of that, it was so wonderful to be with so much family and so many friends!
A few days after Christmas, we went from Salt Lake down to St. George to enjoy the Utah version of warm weather. We brought in the New Year by jumping on a huge roll of bubble wrap, then doing the Angel's Landing hike in Zions--resplendent with beautiful views and vertigo.


We finished the fantastic break off with a stop in Thatcher to play board games, go for walks, eat good food, and laugh with the Hansens. Then we ended it all off with a U of A basketball game.
Since the break, we've definitely gotten back into the grind. Spencer has already taken a midterm and has a final approaching. So today, we took our little break and had a beautiful dinner out on our patio. Call us spoiled--we ate outside in short sleeves, overlooking a very green yard, and planning our hike for tomorrow.

So, long story short...we've been very VERY blessed the last few weeks--if we aren't with our family, then we're in beautiful weather doing all the stuff we love. What a life!

A Tale of Two Blinkers

Just when we thought it was the worst of times...it got worse. About two months ago our electricity to the car blinkers shorted out. We have been driving blinker-less. Things get sticky on the road without blinkers. After two months of thinking it couldn't get worse, it did on the way home last night when the right blinker started flashing solo, on it's own! There we were a young-newly wed in the clouds, and waiting to turn in the left-hand turning lane and our right blinker winking away to the world.

Get Smart Teaser Trailer

Mrs. Smart

On Friday night Anna and I went out to see "Enchanted." I've been singing on her voicemail ever since. (It's no wonder she won't answer the phone anymore when I call :) Nothing like some good Disney to head into the weekend. Things are cold now in Tucson. We can drink hot chocolate without sweating. I love my wife and everything about her. The previews of "Enchanted" showed a certain movie that caused Anna to say, "the story of my life." I saw evidence of that again last night when we invited the missionaries over for dinner. By the way, it's easy for me to invite the missionaries over for dinner when I study all day because Anna cleans the whole house and makes the whole meal. She rocks!! But after the meal I went to check out a book on the couch and Anna was still sitting with the Elders at the table. Our computer was on the ground, playing music, and Anna was about four feet away from it. As deftly as Anna could, she tried to reach over to hit the mute button while at the same time staying in her seat. The laws of physics demanded justice and Anna slipped under the table. Now see if she can't co-star with Steve Carell :)

Ch-ch-ch-Changes...

I woke up yesterday and, for the first time since moving to Arizona, i was cold!!! It was a cold, blustery day in Tucson, the likes of which I had never seen...I knew immmediately it would be a big day, and it was! The day continued to be full of more changes for me:
-I had milk in my hot chocolate instead of just water and it really did taste better!
-I got my first pay-check in over a year! Hallelujah!
-I played Christmas music even though it isn't December yet, and was ok with it!
-We put up a tree (which we ourselves had cut down in the mountains!). That, in and of itself, was full of changes since it was with a husband, rather than my huge family. We used white lights instead of colored, the ornaments all match, and there aren't any paper-mache or play dough ornaments made by a first grader. It looks fabulous, if I may say so myself...Our apartment looks so happy now. I love Christmas season!

-I put mustard in my dinner and actually liked it...
-I made a trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond without buying anything.
-I had an entire phone conversation without ever saying "What?" "What?"...maybe my hearing is improving!
-I didn't burn dinner (yes, that is definitely a first in our marriage!)
-And finally, I cut off a foot of my hair to donate to Locks of Love! I feel like a little school girl again, but it's so much less maintenance and fun to have a change.

Anyway, it was a pretty adventurous day...We'll see what tomorrow brings! (And forgive the Bob-Dylan title, but it fits!).

Funny Girl

Of course, I have to add a funny memory of our weekend. In Mesa they already play Christmas music on the radio so I turned it up on 99.9 FM. "Walking in a winter wonderland" never sounded so fun but evidently Anna has something against Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. She finally gave in and she slouched into the corner of her seat, trying to distance herself as far from the sound waves as possible. Out of the corner of my eye, not ten seconds later, and with a frown on her face she began singing along to the song!:) Oh, the power of the Christmas spirit!!

Valley Fever....

In our rosy little garret we've been having too much fun for a married couple. Today we just discovered if we concentrate and shuffle our feet around the house, without grounding out on anything, we can give each other shocks that will get our hearts racing. Adds a whole new rush to kissing! I haven't been as faithful at the blog as Anna Bird but I thought I'd add a few thoughts since I'm currently sitting in the eye of the med school hurricane. One week I see a lot of Anna and the next I don't, depending on which Fridays my exams fall. But we've had fun every week still. This past Wednesday Anna spent six hours painting our old neighbors new home and they invited us over for a steak dinner! We miss them since they were our first apartment friends. Anna has been awesome to them and hopefully the little girls can remember their "Wormon" neighbors when they see a couple missionaries walking down the road years from now.
On Friday we packed our bags and went to a session in the temple with the Hall's. We feasted at Buca de Beppo's after and then went to see Ryan and Stacey's new girl, Mabry. After spening the night at the Hall's, we had a great Saturday morning in the temple again and then, after stops at Mesa's Yogurt and Deseret Book, we headed home. On Sunday Anna and I spoke in sacrament meeting. The topic was prayer. Anna gave an incredible talk on prayer, the soul's sincere desire. I love watching her as she bears testimony because her arms and hands jump into the scene as she emphatically proclaims how awesome it is to know and talk with a loving Heavenly Father. Anna is all mind, body, and soul!! You'd think a young married couple would be sitting on the couch staring at each other after a couple months but we've been surprised how fast our schedule fills. In a matter of an hour after church we suddenly had plans for every evening of the night except Monday night, which is now filled with plans. Missionaries, scouts, dinners, home teaching, family...life has never been better.
Life is great in Tucson. This past week holds great memories. Some of the best include coming home at one in the morning after studying to see Anna on the couch, sleeping and waiting. Rarely do I make it in before she's up on her feet and hugging her warm body around mine. If that's too cheesy for you, I'll stop now:) Go Suns!!