almost.

Contrary to previous anniversary, birthday, and Christmas surprises... boyfriend really pulled through this time for our 4 year wedding anniversary. The surprise? My dream. Absolute dream... to ride in a hot air balloon. Over the beautiful rolling -vineyard covered- hills of Napa no less. The catch? The wind. The dream come true was cancelled.

But we got THIS close. Literally. In the gondola and everything. At 7am.
So what did we do? Go to Six Flags instead of course.

Andrew felt the need to help. Or whatever.

Such a breathtaking drive.

Oh yeah, in classic Andrew fashion, when a pre-show host asks for everyone to "make some noise" he went above and beyond. No one went beyond hooting and waving. But Andrew... he of course decided to act like whatever the present may be, it was worth a million dollars. So naturally we were selected to enjoy the show from Hawaiian Airline's special leather sofa.

Woo.

 

And after a soaking log ride, beautiful big cats, fair swings, bat rays, roller coasters, & a funnel cake later... we lived happily ever after.

chinatown.

That place was legit. We plan to go back. There was some porcelain pottery that was to.die.for. that I dream to be able to afford someday for the home. Andrew really wanted some nunchucks & a sword. ...maybe next time.

Also, Andrew has a really good new friend who is Chinese named Ichia. ...so I think that alone makes throwing peace signs in Chinatown legal.

In other SF news, DreamWorks is pretty cool. When you first walk into their building here, you're surrounded by Madagascar native masks, and photos of all the actors in the booth doing their voice-overs. A cool vibe. Our favorite part about the job though (okay, ONE OF our favorite parts) is FREE FOOD FOREVER! Whaaa?? They cater breakfast, lunch, and the occasional burrito/dinner on your way out! EVERY DAY. A massive cafeteria full of fabulous foods... and I'm totally invited to join him whenever I want. Oh my goodness, Andrew is in food heaven. And my grocery bill has been incredible. High fives all around.

We have also learned since we've moved here, that since we are half an hour south of the city, our weather is COMPLETELY different than San Francisco. Even though we are so close to the coast, we are sheltered by some small mountains, that keep the marine layer out of our city. No joke a 10/15 degree difference from everywhere else. Every once in a while toward the evening, a beautiful fog cover rolls in over the top of the mountains, creating honestly one of the prettiest sights I've seen. A solid blanket resting just on top of the peaks. I'll snap a photo sometime. So yes, while you have to bundle up and layer here to visit downtown, we get to enjoy 75 degree weather all summer long... without a cloud in the sky. Best of both worlds. No doubt.

Three cheers for this place. Even though we don't know ANY ONE, we've found it to be quite enjoyable.

Oh yes, I also was so so blessed to find a job right when I arrived, designing the showroom for a furnishing company called Scandinavian Designs. I work full days, half of the week when the shipments arrive and go out. I start this week, and can't wait. (:

Until next time... I'll be eating some doughnuts, or something. Because they seem to be on my mind constantly as of late.

Cheers.

drum roll.

Well, big news.
HUGE.
GINORMOUS.
We're officially done with Utah. Andrew's been made a pretty amazing job offer... and we're TAKING IT! We actually move in 2 weeks! GAAH! Kinda crazy. Kinda nervous. Lots of anxiety. But mostly extremely excited! Nailing down an apartment that's cool with 2 dogs, that doesn't cost us an arm and a leg would be fabulous.


Where shall we be going you ask? ...hold on to your butts.....


Is the anticipation killing you?


It was brutal on me for the last few months.. I can tell you that.


Like my anxiety was THROUGH THE ROOF with all the 'not knowing' biz.


Ok, here it is....

PS. You can look for Andrew in the Dragon II credits. (;

He's such a stud.

Lazy Sunday

My two things that matter most. Boyfriend & Turdling taking a nap in the lovesac together.

So precious. I love them.
Pure bliss.
Happy Sunday!

Washington!

Guys, this place is BEAUTIFUL.

I know I've said that before (I probably even texted you to tell you), but I have no problem telling you again. I mean honestly, Andrew and I can hardly believe the combination of places it reflects. It's got a splash of Oregon (naturally), Utah-like pine trees (only a bajillion times bigger, taller, and prettier!), greenery like you wouldn't believe (thanks rain), and even a dash of Hawaii (there are hibiscus bushes & tropical flowers EVERYWHERE). It's pretty rad. I mean it beats Utah by a LANDSLIDE, but in my mind doesn't really come close to San Diego. No palm trees, a bit nippy, no surfing, and no Beckett. Haha. All critiques aside, we like it here. It's nice. Andrew likes the skateparks, and working for Microsoft. They definitely treat you well, and have an atmosphere Andrew would have never expected in his line of work. So he's really enjoying himself and is pretty much stress FREEEE! (minus the minor stress felt currently from his personal computer crashing, sad day) But really, a stress free/non-busy Andrew is like.. UNHEARD OF in our little family, so we'll take it! (:

So what have we done? Well, before the dawn of the internet, and after the age of the unpacking, we planted a garden. It's pretty precious. I mean, there was a huge pile of cat poop (previous tenant was a cat lady, don't get me started), taco bell wrappers, a creepy cabinet, and nastiness galore outside (I kinda wish we had a before shot, but not really.. cuz it was gross). So we cleaned it up (our landlord should pay us), bought flowers, a grape tomato plant, a bird feeder, and even sod for Bird to have a place to potty nearby. And we love it. (: Ok, here you go.. I took pictures just for you...

Gardening with the boyfriend was so fun. I look forward to owning a home someday and getting to do it together even more! What a wonderful teaser this was, and hopefully it wont all die so we can enjoy some 'maters before we take off.

We also were able to go to a Seattle Sounders MLS game. My family is HUGE on soccer, and so I went with all of them in my heart. We (I) originally wanted to go to the Mariners/Padres game, but when these free tickets showed up, we couldn't say no, and are glad we didn't. It was pretty fun, even though they lost...

Moving on.

We spent the rest of the day in downtown Seattle which is much like downtown San Diego. SALTY/FISHY breeze (which I LOVE), tall buildings, a park full of bums... standard downtown stuff. It was cool. We walked a bit of boardwalk, and Andrew had a lap-nap on a bench in the sunshine. It was blissful to say the least. We look forward to going again soon, and taking Bird, because hers would love walking by the water with the other puppy dogs. Yes, we call her 'hers'.

So anyway, that's life.

I'm job hunting, and whatnot.

Bird is napping, eating, and whatnot.

And Andrew is video-gaming it up.
Thanks boyfriend for the amazing opportunity. (:

Blog at you later.

Cheers!

Surprise!

So last night my friend Lauren and I threw a joint surprise birthday party for our husbands in the basement of their house. It was a hootin time full of the boys' friends. Since Andrew spends most of his days with all the fellow animators, I got a hold of them, and FAHLAH! ..party. All you out of staters, wish you could have come, we had a blast!

Party was complete with legit invitations, Costco food awesomeness, Guatemalan reggaeton, crazy fiesta Christmas lights, Billabong surf flick, dart board, and more!

Above: Andrew's star shot, Cal's cute baby picture, & a Dwight K. Schrute B-day sign.
Below: Boyfriend looked cute.

Above: Cal the other birthday boy and Lauren friend!
Below: Andrew with his favorite celebrity. Check him out here, you'll die.

Above: Party crowd.
Below: Birthday boys get sung to and whatnot.

Above: Typical moves, Andrew goes in during photo time, and I stick to the task, haha.
Love it.
Rockin party.

Thanks to everyone for coming, Andrew was DEFINITELY surprised!
Now I can stop lying to my boyfriend. (:

Twenty-Six

Oh boyfriend..
Look how wittles you weres!

You're an oldie, but a goodie!
26 looks good on you. (:

Cheers to many a skateboarding adventures and fun times this summer at the start of your 27th year.

I love you.

It's Official..

{photo via flickr}

My amazingly talented Andrew was offered an internship at Microsoft!

AND WE TOOK IT!
He flew out for an interview this week, and they couldn't wait a day to tell him they want him back. (:

..and we're SO EXCITED!!

That means the xbox 360's going to become our new best friend.
And it also means we'll be gone from Provo again all summer (May till August).
And it ALSO means we're going to have an AMAZING adventure!
Wheew.. time to take a quick breather, and then start packing, t-minus 4 weeks!

..Seattle, here we come!

PS. Can I just tell you how excited I'll be to be near an ocean again!? Oh my gosh. Do you see all that water up there!? I know it's not a surfer's best friend, but it's within DRIVING DISTANCE. Good ol' SALTY WATER! Oh and not to mention, a trip to Forks anyone?

Now, we get to find housing out there. Seattle friends & family.. keep your eyes peeled!

Oh and if anyone has Seattle in's and out's they wanna share, we want to hear all of it. We've stepped into the unknown and would love your two cents of what to do, where to be, all the goods and so forth.

WEEEEE!
(can you tell I'm a little giddy?)

PS. Boyfriend, you're a stud. I've been telling you that hard work would pay off. (:

Butchered Meats

..AKA: Andrew's year's short film.
Andrew's been getting RAVE reviews around the lab and from his professors about the phenomenal quality of hair he's been doing for their characters in their short film.

This is Paddy.. and his hair that exists because of Andrew.


Aren't those chops TASTY!?

PS. Hair is a VERY difficult part of the process, and he's put in some LONG nights for this, and I'm thinkin it's payed off. (:

Visit his blog for more goodness. >>>

Happy Thursday!

Bam Wham

So you might be aware of how crazy busy Andrew always is..
He's really good at keeping the ball rolling.

Anyway, if you ask me, the stuff he's been doing lately has my jaw on the floor.

Check it for yourself.
PS. He's created every single dot of this character, and if you know anything about animation...
that's practically unheard of.

Andrew, you amaze me.
PS. you look more than precious sleeping cuddled up with Bird right now. (:

Talent

For any of you who haven't had the privilege of watching Andrew paint in the computer, you're missing out! Everyone that's witnessed it is amazed at what the boy can do, and how he does it. Anyway, here's some proof. This is background artwork for a client's website, and it's going to be amazing!

Boyfriend's got talent.


I love you babe, you make me proud. (:
PS. I felt it only appropriate to share a chilly image with you on this nice autumn day full of dark skies and rain. Just lovely.

Google Give!!

Attention, EVERYONE!
Remember that one time I told you about Andrew's idea he submitted to the Google project 10 to the 100? Google Give?? Well, turns out he got an email from Google saying part of his idea was used and is in the top 16 ideas to vote for!! THIS IS HUGE, FRIENDS! Please, please stop by HERE to vote..

Andrew's input is included under the idea titled:

Create real-time natural crisis tracking system

Please, go and vote!
Not only would this mean the world to my husband and I, it would help the WORLD!!

We love you.. and appreciate your support.
Thanks, and wish him luck! (:

Again, here's the link to vote.

2 Years

See this cute and talented boy?

..I'm really glad he asked me to marry him.
2 years, and a billion more to go!
Love you, boyfriend. (:

Speaking Of..

YES! what better than to have a swing, INSIDE!?

Oh man, my brain is on overload with all the future ideas I have for our home. Andrew just keeps telling me "just you wait.. as soon as school is over, I'll have so much knowledge, I'll be able to buy you a house and you can decorate your heart out!"
--Now, I in now way am pressuring that venture, to be quite honest, I think paying rent is wonderful, and I love where we live.. so it's cute because this is just something a loving husband wants to do for his wife to make her happy. (: His own pressure. Sure, my constant posts & attempts at doing what we can in our apartment might add to it, but I've never said a word about getting a house. (: Oh... except for that ONE! He knows the one. There's one in Provo, that I just LOVE. A green house. I've told him if he bought it for me, we'd keep it all our lives, and rent it out when we're done here. That's the only pressure.. but I'm only half serious with that one. (:

Anyway, until then.. someday, my swings, someday..

PS. Happy weekend!

{via AT}

Comic Con

Andrew's getting the royal treatment.
He was there yesterday, and is there today.. and will most likely go tomorrow.

So far he's seen & heard from Megan Fox (being foxy as usual, I'm sure), Robert Downey Jr., Densel Washington, Cameron Diaz, and Rachael McAdams.
..not to mention, Peter Jackson & Tim Burton!

Oh man.. I'm jealous, but I'm glad he's having such a killer awesome time!
I'm sure I'll update if anything crazy happens. (:

{photo & ComicCon info here}

'Edemonays'

I asked Andrew to write down what I needed to pick up for him at the grocery store, and this is what he gave me..

Perfect, banananananas & love. Haha.
I'll get right on it boyfriend. (:

Dr. Stool

This book happens to be Andrew's new favorite. He's run into it twice now, and dies of laughter every time he reminisces on the pages (he's pretty much addicted to potty humor).

You can purchase one here. It makes for an interesting bathroom read.
Thanks Greg & Nik for letting us check the book out from you guys. He's been thoroughly pleased. (:

--sorry if this post was slightly disturbing.--

My Moon, My Man

See the skatepark.

See Andrew at the skatepark.
See Andrew find a park table.
See Andrew analyze the table's rail.
See those in awe of Andrew committing and shredding the table's rail at the skatepark.

I enjoy watching this boy do his thing. Just as he humors me and sits on the beach while I walk on water. Although, I assure you.. watching him is MUCH more entertaining. He's been having fun because there are about 5 or so skateparks that are new to Andrew, that have been fun to roll around on and investigate the number of stairs, different lengths of rails, and different angled boxes to kickflip over. It's a real hoot, and if you're ever with us.. I'm sure he'll show you a good time. (:


You're good lover, real good.

Pasta Roni

Now, I know there are those of you who have seen THIS (thanks for capturing that moment, sis), but this is another witness to Andrew's current favorite 'toy'. Behold... the Accordian..

St. George

Andrew's all time favorite skate park exists in St. George. So for his birthday, we stopped.. and he had a kick butt time for a couple of hours.

As seen below.. (:


Kid's got talent..
More photos coming soon!