BRING-IT-ON 2011

I was thinking today...as I sometimes do... how scary it is to start a new year! I am a very paronoid person and am always worried about the "what if". Mark is great for me cause he is such an optimistic person, I really need to get better at that. I was thinking about the upcoming years "what if's" such as:

• What if I get pregnant?
• What if I lose my job?
• What if I get cancer?
• What if Mark dies in an accident?
• What if Mark and I start to annoy eachother?
• What if something happens to my mom?
• What if something happens to Andrew?
• What if I don't get that raise I want?

And the list goes on longer, but you get the Idea. Then I got a little piece of mark in my brain and decided I should be more optimistic about the upcoming year. Make goals for myself to look forward to, so that I won't worry about the 'what if' but working on the 'what IS' going to happen in 2011 if I am in control. So, here is my 2011 new years resolutions:

• I will work on my physical fitness. Work out at least 4 times a week and create a plan to enter into some kind of physical challenge event. (doing a 5k run or a breast cancer walk)
• I will limit my time on facebook, so I can dedicate it to the lost projects I have started and stoped during 2010.
• I will be better at paying my tithing.
• I will read my scriptures everyday with mark, so we can strengthen our testimonies together.
• I will continue to find ways to serve Mark to express my love and appreciation for him.
• I will ask my manager for a raise, expressing my desires to move up within the company so I can better demonstrate my skills. Or I will find another job.
• I will call a family member who is out of state at least once a week, so I can develop a better relationship with my siblings.
• We will go to disneyland.
• I will be a member missionary.

I am sure I will develop a lot more goals throughout 2011, but this is a start. All I can say is, no matter what the new year brings (good or bad) I will always have the support of my loving family, husband and the savior to help me have a positive year. So 2011, BRING-IT-ON!

One Year Was Easy! Let's Do It Again!

September 25th 2010 marked our one year wedding anniversary. The year flew by so fast! To celebrate our anniversary, a very kind friend of Marks' family lent us their condo in Pine Top Arizona. It was so wonderful to go away somewhere together, to be away from work, regular routines and actually be somewhere different and with only eachother to entertain. Pine Top is a beautiful place and perfect for us to start the fall off right. The pine trees and log cabins reminded me of Oregon and made me a little homesick. However, the perfect 75 degree temperature and no rain helped me to be even more thankful I live in Arizona. Mark and I visited the town of Greer...

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We found some really pretty creeks and cabins that we decided we were going to buy someday.
We also went to a car show and stoped by a lake on the apache indian reservation. Overall it was a wonderful weekend and the best way to celebrate our first year of marriage. This past year has been easier then I ever thought it could be. Maybe it helps that Mark is the most wonderful husband in the world! I love him so much and I hope to have the rest of forever be just as amazing.

Momentas September!

September Marks a month of momentas upcoming events...well, one event. Mark and I will be hitting our 1 yr anniversary this month! This time has gone by so fast. I have been thinking this week of what mark and I have learned in this past first year of marriage and if anything has changed? And as cheesy as it sounds, we are actually more in love then ever! I have changed as a person, developing more hobbies and being more spontaneous like mark. He is still the king of surprises though and I often put my foot in my mouth, being sad that he didn't do something for me and then he surprises me with more then I would have expected. Today I asked him to purchase a golf shirt at his work for me. I met him for dinner and he said that he had forgotten the shirt. I was disappointed and started to mention things he had asked me to do and I didn't forget, trying to make him feel guilty (I am a jerk). He said nothing, just apologized and took the harassment. When we got home, I turned on the lights and there on the kitchen chair was the shirt AND a pair of golf shorts I had mentioned I liked. He is so thoughtful! I felt like the biggest schmuck. So, I have decided this year of marriage will be my turn for the surprises...why? Because I love the guy to death! Well, I will have more entries this month as it progresses to our actual anniversary. We are finally getting away and going to pine top and the grand canyon for four days for our anniversary, so that will be amazing! I need a vacation!!!!!

Tarantula Nightmare!

Last night I was picking Mark up from basketball at the Stake Center and we were walking out the door when I look above the door, and the worlds biggest Tarantula was climbing down the door frame! At first I thought it was the coolest thing ever, unfortunatly I didn't have my camera so I used my cell phone to take a picture. I had to get as close as I could to it to take the picture because otherwise it would not be visible from my camera phone. I don't think getting as close as I did to it was a good idea! I got the scary feeling like it was going to jump on me and I let out a big scream and began to jump around! I am not a screamer at all and I have never freaked out like that before, but this spider made me so freaked out!! I ran into the car and locked the door. I looked at the door where the spider was and saw that someone was about to come walking through that same door. I screamed 'THE TARANTULA IS GOING TO FALL ON YOU'! However, the he would have not been able to hear me because i was in my car. Though, I think he heard me scream cause he waved at me as he walked by. I tried to drive away putting the car into drive instead of reverse, luckly Mark was noticed and told me to stop and put it into reverse. The whole way home I was laughing, screaming and making gaging noises...I AM SUCH A WEIRDO! At first Mark was trying to calm me down, and then he just started laughing really hard calling me a strange little girl. So, what started out as something really cool, became a total freak out fest...IT'S CRAWLING ON ME!!!!

hahaha, the picture is really bad...all that freaking out for nothing!!

Family times two!

So, Mark and I decided that living by both of our families is a good thing. We got the chance to have dinner today with Mark's parents and Aunt Teresa and Roger. We had a lot of fun talking with them and I learned that I am quiet the pro at the game of Clue. It is always nice to spend time with the Ontiveros family...they are wonderful.

Then we went to the Horton family residence. Always crazy, always loud and always a good time. It was Ben's 2nd Birthday today and we celebrated a belated 11th Birthday for Sarah. I can't belive how old these little sweeties are getting! Especially my little sarah, she is turning into a beautiful young lady! We had fun watching little fatty Ben chow down on his cake while wearing nothing but his birthday suit. Then we chased eachother around, spun on chairs and wresteld for a little bit.

Needless to say, we love our time with our families! I am glad we are so blessed to have them near by so we can laugh together and share life's mile stones. We love you family!

Oh, and these other pictures are from having fun with Tina, Kara and Darla.

Marriage = Fun!

As of Sunday July 25th, Mark and I have been married for 10 months. Time has flown by! I can't believe in two short months from now we will have been 1yr married and almost two years together. I guess time flys when you are having fun and I LOVE every minute I get to spend with my sweetheart! Today I came home with a mingrain headache which made me feel like I was going to throw up and decided to go to sleep. Mark came home and saw me sleeping and came and lied down next to me. He held me close, kissed my head and did something to make me laugh. We began talking and laughing and I didn't even feel my headache anymore, the man is my medicine! What a fun and loving man I married, I am truly blessed to have Mark. Te quiero mi amor!

Meet Me at Maynards

Almost every Monday at 5pm, Mark and I go to an event here in Tucson called 'Meet Me at Maynards'. We go on a 3 to 5 mile walk around downtown Tucson and look at some of the historic sites. It is a great way for us to get excersise together and we get to see some pretty cool places that we would have missed out on if we had never gone. I decided to bring my camera along this week to capture some of the things we see on our walks. Tucson is a really cool place, I love it here!

I Love My Models!

This past saturday I took Elizabeth, Sarah, Rebecca and Mom out to trail dust town to help me practice taking pictures. IT WAS SO HOT! It was probably 105 degrees out side and me, being as cruel as I am, told the girls to come take pictures outside! Rebecca was sweating like crazy and the other two were trying to be good sports, but it was just so hot. But, they were still georgous in every photo. Mom was an amazing model too...even if she was taking over direction of the pictures...bum :) We had a lot of fun, even though we melted like popcicles.

I am George Castanza!

MARK ANDREA

The other night Mark and I were driving home from the store, when he turned to me and said, "honey, I have realized something...I am like Jerry Seinfeld, and you are like George Castanza." Before I decided to be offended by his statement, I thought about it and realized just how true he was! If anyone watches seinfeld, they would know that Jerry always has good things happen to him and George has terrible luck and nothing seems to go right for him. Here are some examples of how Mark is like Jerry Seinfeld:

1. He found 75$ randomly in the backseat of his Car.

2. He won first place in his golf tournament even though he "claims" he was playing the worst he ever has played.

3. His paycheck was bigger then he thought it would be.

And 4, He was able to request the exact schedule he wanted at work.

Now, reasons why I am George Castanza:

1. Cracked windshield

2. Radio in car breaks

3. All classes that I was trying to fill for work were cancelled.

4. My second hand helper from work was fired, leaving me with more work then ever.

5. Got a flat tire this morning after dropping off mark from work.

6. Got sick earlier this week and was in a lot of pain...A LOT of pain.

7. Candid picture moment when my mom wore the same exact outfit as me to go shopping and my batteries in my camera were out! classic.

So, as you can see, I have not had the best of luck this past wek, but...at least mark was able to have good luck, I am very happy for him! I guess next week I will just have to do the opposite of what I did this week. I am just glad I survived :)

Becoming obsessed

I am obsessed with taking pictures! I got a new camera for my birthday, and ever since then I have been taking pictures every chance I get! I will be sitting with mark watching tv, and then I will whip out the camera and take a picture of him. Lately he has been making a groaning, crying sound everytime the flash goes off. It's as if it is burning his skin! Well, he is the one who wanted to support my hobbies...now he gets to be my little super model :) Everywhere I go, driving in cars, sitting in my office, talking to my family, walking around town...all I do is try to find things to take pictures of! Everything is a picture to me, and I want to capture every moment! It is crazy. Soooo...here are some pictures i have taken, I am learning through photography books how to take good pictures. Who knows? Maybe this little obsession will pay off?!