reno... biggest little city

a lot has been going on the last month... here's a recap of all our doings.... we headed down to city center for a date night... we walked around and looked at all the crazy expensive shops... but the look of the little shopping mall was very cool... super modern and weird.

then the next weekend chris's friend zach and his fiance were in town so chris and i met them for dinner and then went to lion king! i love this show! the costumes alone are so fun and make the show way fun to watch. the picture is dark but it proves we were there :)

then school started for me, which i will admit i had a really hard time going back! but i went.  luckily after the first week of school labor day came!!! we decided to take almost a whole week and drive up there.  chris didn't start his new semester till after labor day so i missed 2 days of school and we drove up there.  the first couple days we spent at his dad's house in washoe valley.  beautiful country area.  we got to spend a lot of time with stevie and his dad david and his sister catherine and her boyfriend jeffery.  on thrusday we drove into reno for chris's eye appointment and some lunch and then friday we drove to lake tahoe.  i had never been and wow... what a beautiful place! i wouldn't dare get in the water because i'm from vegas and where i'm from lake water is warm... not freezing.... i'm a huge wuss... but it was really fun to sit on the beach and read a book while chris swam and jumped off the rocks and then we grabbed a quick dinner and sat on some giant rocks and watched the sunset... amazing!

after the weekend we headed to reno, first stopping to meet up with jeff and stevie and catherine and their mom susan to enjoy the rob cook-off that was happening that weekend.  it was really fun and the ribs were really good... my favorite part was the corn on the cobb.... so good... i did get a little hot and was worried about getting sunburned but it turned out to not be that bad.... after the rib cook off we headed over to susan's and decided we were ready for a swim... so we got ready and took sweet little claire with us... she loves the water and had a good time splashing around with uncle chris... she is really comfortable with uncle chris... probably cause he looks a lot like her dad (haha)...

that evening we had the pleasure of having dinner with susan and richard and getting to know them better... it was really fun.  on sunday night we decided to go on a double date with jeff and stevie so we headed over to the hilton to hit some golf balls... i was hilariously terrible, but between chris and jeff coaching me i was able to hit a few here and there and even hit some pretty far.  

after the golfing we headed into the hotel and went to the arcade.... we were only there for maybe 20 min as it was closing, but chris and i were able to get in one good game of deal or no deal... we played it on our first date and it has been a favorite game ever since! and awesomely this time we won 100 tickets!!!! how awesome is that? we just gave them away to some kid... but it was still cool to win... then jeff and stevie wanted to play a game... and they won 100 tickets! what are the odds!! haha it was really fun and way awesome to go on this date with them.

we also got to enjoy some of chris's favorite things his mom makes... like the pistachio dessert and caramel... sticky bun things... i can't remember what they are called... but both were sooooo good! the whole weekend was way fun and awesome for me to get to know chris's family better!! everyone is so nice and welcoming which i love... it makes us want to try to go back more often! i hadn't been to reno since i was in high school and dont remember anything from that time so it was fun to go back and actually remember things about it... and see where chris grew up and visit his old neighborhood.

these last couple weeks we have been crazy busy jumping back into school.... but this last weekend we took a break and headed up to zion national park for his friend taylor's wedding.  it was really fun and a neat setting with the rocks surrounding.... and nice weather once the sun went down a little.  

summertime... ow ow

this summer our whole family went to the beach... this was so fun cause the whole family could go...

jack and laura and baby william came down from san jose... and sam and meesha brought baby gigi and emily and greg and chris and i and my mom and ofcourse grandpa and a bunch of my moms family.  this was so fun as we had not been together as a family in a year and a half! 

i got to hold baby gigi a lot which was so fun cause she is the sweetest little girl.

grandpa bought us these really special dana point hats... mine was pink with little rhinestones.. haha

the first night we got there my mom had a party set up since it was chris' birthday... i had already given him presents in the car along with lighting a candle and putting it in a little hostess cupcake... since we were driving.  haha it was fun and he was totally surprised. it was really nice of my mom to set this up and decorate with confetti and cupcakes and banners and balloons.

we spent some time at the beach and greg and chris decided to do a little surfing. :)

we also had a little paddle ball competition with sam and meesha... they had gotten 20 hits in a row... so we beat them with 21.. haha... it was too funny and i got sand everywhere!

my awesome sister decided to throw a bachelorette party for me while we were in cali... this was fun because then laura could be there with us... the whole thing was so hilarious! we laughed and played really silly games... and had sparkling cider toasts... i decided to finish off the bottle and got really sick... haha it was a little too sweet and my stomach was killing me.  it was so fun to be there with all my girl cousins and my aunt joanie and my mom... we seriously laughed for 2 hours.  

the whole weekend was fun. chris and i were really glad to have the vacation. these next 2 weeks he is taking finals and i am studying for a music history and music theory exam i have to take before school starts the 23rd this month.  i am not looking forward to it since i haven't taken a theory class in 6 years... but i think i just need to go through my book and refresh my memory.  

we are keeping busy and looking forward to labor day weekend cause we are taking a trip to reno to visit his family! i haven't been to reno in a long time so i'm excited.  we are still working on wedding stuff but not as intensely as we are most likely getting married in january so we have lots of time to pull everything together.   

oh the excitement!!

this week has been hugely eventful! it started with a trip to san francisco for jeff and stevie's wedding... it was awesome! i loved meeting chris' family and falling in love with all of them... i met catherine first... we met she and her boyfriend jeffery for some pizza the first night.  catherine is the sweetest and kindest person. she's cute and funny and is definitely an individual.  she and jeff are expecting a baby in october which is very exciting... that night we also met up with jeff (the twin) and his now wife stevie... jeff is a lot like chris.... and very funny.  stevie is great... she is amazingly organized (which is good cause the spillers boys need a little help sometimes) she is also the greatest mom... i loved watching her with her sweet little claire... you can really tell she loves being a mother and doing everything possible to make that child happy. she also made a beautiful bride... she was excited and glowing and happy to make their little family complete.  i am really excited for them.  saturday morning we headed out to napa valley for the rehearsal... i finally got to meet chris' mom... she is fun and bubbly and full of personality.  the kindest of people for sure... i can see where chris gets a lot of his kind gentle nature. that night was the rehearsal dinner where chris' dad came into the picture... he's a hoot.  just good humored and kind.. and really tall.  i come from such a short family that any one around 6 foot and above is tall... and he's just over 6... probablly 6'2" and always has a smile on his face.  it was amazing to meet the family and see how chris fits in with them and how much effect they have had on what kind of person he is... i know its cheesy but i totally loved him more after meeting his awesome family.  sunday was a nice day visiting a winery and helping out any way possible... chris and i helped out with claire while the bride finished getting ready... it helped that chris really looked like her dad... she was always more calm with chris holding her...

the winery.... very pretty

chris gave a really funny and sweet speech at the reception... 

of course chris and i danced the night away... we love to dance and dance we did!! haha we are really just ridiculous and have fun doing it!!

i would say the whole weekend was a success... the wedding was perfect... meeting the family was perfect... and spending so much time with chris was perfect....

the rest of the week is when things really got interesting.... i knew chris was waiting till after the wedding to propose... i didn't know he would remind me of that fact for the rest of the week... every day he would taunt me and tease me and make me think he was proposing right then! its mean!!! he would randomly get down on one knee... or get real serious and say.... "marilyn...." in the tone of i'm about to make some speech... mean mean mean.... thursday we went to a baseball game where he said.... "there may or may not be a surprise during the 7th inning stretch.." which there wasn't and i knew there wouldn't be but he didn't need to remind me... haha friday he texted me and told me to keep saturday night open cause he had plans for us.... and then wanted to just do something casual for friday night... i knew he was playing some sort of trick or game on me i just didn't know what it was... so we went out to lake las vegas... they have live music concerts on friday and saturday nights... so we stopped at mimi's cafe and had dinner then headed out there... we took our picnic blankets and just sat on the grassy hill.... we have this book we have been reading for a while... its called 1001 questions to ask before you get married... we've been having fun going through and answering all the questions about money and relationships and what not... so we went through a section or two and then chris wanted to get ice cream.  we got our ice cream and sat on a little brick wall next to the lake and when i was about half way through mine he tells me he bought me a present... and its a book.... huh?! a book?? totally confused i'm like... ok... and he pulls it out of his pocket... (i have no idea how i didn't notice this book in the bottom pocket of his cargo shorts... haha) but to my surprise its the same as the book i already had in my purse the 1001 question book... and i just sat there.... confused... it took me a minute to realize he had crossed out the 1... and put a 2 making it 1002 questions to ask before you get married...

amazingly i am still lost up to this point and chris tells me to turn to the last page... and he has written on the inside back cover: 1002: Will you marry me? ... i got it then but was in shock... with all his teasing and taunting all week he was still able to totally surprise me!!! at this point he got down on one knee and started telling me all these wonderful things but i can't remember any of them cause i was in shock... and i was thinking in my head i have to say no.... my cousin had told me to teasingly say no since he was so mean all week taunting and teasing me... so at one point i couldn't hold it in any more and i blurted out no! haha and he looked all confused and then he said will you marry me and i said yes and we kissed and at some point he had pulled the ring out of his pocket but i didn't even notice till he told me to take the ring! haha hilarious... i'm glad we were both confused and ridiculous through the whole thing cause man its just funny!! after this we walked back to our blankets and watched the rest of the concert and texted our friends and family to let them know... that was fun... its all really exciting and i'm so incredibly happy... chris is everything i have ever wanted and hoped for... he is really the greatest man i have ever met and fallen in love with... our date is set for august 28th~ woo hoo for marriage!!

 this is right after we got engaged....

sorry for my ugly little hobbitt hand... its not the greatest picture but you can get the idea... i love it... its sparkly and beautiful!! to celebrate being engaged chris took me to the paris hotel for dinner tonight... we got all dressed up and headed over there... the view is beautiful looking over the belagio fountains... and we were in our own little corner really secluded and private... it was a perfect weekend...

i couldn't be happier :)

hot... hot... hot...

this weekend was great!! i finally met the twin.... yep chris has an identical twin... and yes they are linked at the hip... ok obviously not literally but they are kinda like girls... they talk on the phone like every 2 days... girls. haha but i think its awesome he talks so much to jeff so he wont judge me for talking to my mom like everyday... i always win that argument.  it was easy to get along with jeff as he is very friendly, chill, and just a happy guy.... and amazingly like chris. the whole weekend was just chill... they boys were celebrating jeff getting married next weekend to stevie... (woo hoo!! so excited!!) so the boys went golfing twice and hung out and ate and watched sports the rest of the weekend.  i had the opportunity to play pool with both... chris beat me and then i beat jeff.... and then jeff beat chris... i dont know what that says except we were equally matched or that jeff is nicer than chris and let me win.... but i dont think thats it.  

the rest of the weekend was a little bizarre as i did not feel very good... stomach ache one night and the next and now tonight i have a fever... which is weird cause i never get sick like this... chris has been amazing and i', sorry for being that cheesy girl but i have the best boyfriend... he sat there on my dirty bathroom floor and rubbed my back and played with my hair as i curled in a little ball with a stomach ache.... it must be true love... especially if you saw the floor... i'm totally embarrassed and will definitely have to keep it clean from now on... tonight it started out as chills and i couldnt stop shaking... and then i did but was unbelievably hot... and i couldnt sleep... so i decided great time to blog... 

this summer i am working as my moms slave helping her as she remodels the family room.... it desperately needed it as it still had the duck wall paper and lava rock fireplace that was put in when i was like 2.... meaning the 80's its time for a change... sam helped us demolish the massive fireplace and it got a little scary when he had demolished the bottom half and while working on the top half it just fell of the wall... the whole thing! so crazy but sam was glad to have it done... i'm sure my mom wishes it was him that was helping everyday cause he's a much better worker than me... i take a lot of breaks... 

i also chatted with my brother jack on the phone this week... we talked for like an hour and a half... hilarious! i sure miss that guy and laura and baby will! can't wait to seem them at the beach in july... he's just so dang funny.

thats my life and after next weekend i will have much to report about the wedding and meeting the rest of chris family.... here are some pics.. enjoy.,..

they are always in competition... and i'm not that short... they are both on their toes

they thought it was more appropriate to come down to my level... so rude :)

the three stooges... they had a fun weekend 

this was a pic taken at my friend jared's wedding by his dad.... pretty awesome huh?

cucumbers... really??

apparently i have to add cucumbers to the list of fruits i can't eat. why do all these fruits have to look and act like vegetables?? its just cruel to someone who is allergic and too dumb to know the difference between a fruit and a vegetable (yep that's me i'm talking about)... it became apparent to me after eating a salad for 4 days in a row this week and getting a really bad stomach ache after.... it finally donned on me... what is giving me a stomach ache? have i changed something in my eating habits? oh yeah!!! duh... i added cucumber slices to my salad.... now i just feel dumb.

on another note... i got all A's!!!! go me! its my first full semester of grad school and between church calling, dating someone new, and school i was able to pull off getting all A's!! i'm really glad... especially to get an A in the most ridiculously difficult and time consuming class... which by the way i wasn't actually required to take for my degree (this came about from really bad information on my acceptance letter.... but thats a whole other issue that just makes me mad so i'm going to stop talking about it)... but i got an A! woo hoo! mom took sam out to dinner for getting good grades this week, but i had class so i didn't get to go... she said she would take me next week after i finish this summer class... i'm sure chris can come too... considering he got good grades too ... whoo hoo for us. here are a few other pics from this month...

we went out to logandale to watch our friend aaron ride some bulls... we definitely stuck out as city people....

this was from my best friend jared's wedding on may 1st... they had the reception at a nursery which made for some really beautiful decorations... including this archway :)

getting ready for summer!

i will admit that i am terrible at blogging... however i am very good at keeping a journal... although i will not be sharing anything from that with anyone anytime soon... sorry... i figured it would be a good time to give a quick update on some things going on in my life...

i went back to school last semester. i am working on getting a masters in music and getting certified to teach and of course emily has me convinced i want to teach junior high choir cause she does it and likes it just fine... so it probablly is true that i will like it as well. amazingly i got all A's my first semester back and that was with one class that was like death... i loved it... it was my favorite class... but had an insane amount of homework every week which also included two major projects to be handed in at the end of the semester. i also found out half way into the semester that the class didn't actually count towards my degree... i had been grossly misinformed... but i guess it will count as an elective. whatev... i still got all A's... yay me... haven't had a semester like that in a while.

i also started dating someone back in january. he's awesome... he's is my age... working on his second year of dental school... tall... dark... and handsome. overall he's just really nice... my family all seems to really like him including sam... which is kinda awesome cause i never thought i would date someone sam liked.... i think its because chris is fairly quiet but funny and has not annoying habits... it makes him a really like-able person. things are going really well for us and we are having a good time dating and getting to know each other... this weekend was 4 months of dating for us... which is the longest relationship i have ever really had... go me.. haha

just dancing to the band organ in beaver... its something that generally happens while in beaver

mini golfing on the putting green at angel park...

at a friends wedding....

hiking red rock.. ice box canyon... awesome hike!

valentines day we went to a comedy show called "defending the cave man"... super funny

this summer is already looking like its going to be a fun eventful summer... i'm currently taking one class right now with emily... but it only lasts 3 weeks and i will be done by the end of may... after that i dont have anything going on except working on a million projects all over my moms house... i am her slave... but its ok but i mooch off of her... she's a good mom :) in june chris and i are traveling to san fransicsco area for his brother's wedding... i'm really excited to finally meet his family. and then in july my grandpa is taking the family to the beach again to dana point. its fun to get together with all my cousins... we just dont see each other enough... especially not like we did as kids all living in the same neighborhood. overall i'm excited to get my summer started!

that is all for now.... yay summer!

Amazing Amanda and a Happy New Year

This is my blog... I occasionally write on it and some family receive it in an email... so just so they know... this is my blog.

Anyway. My mother and I were watching Amanda tonight... we were on our way over to Aunt Joanie's house and Amanda stated that she liked the hair hanging from my rear view mirror, which I proceeded to tell her was a tassel that you get from college... she responded with "oh" like she knew what college was. Mom asked her what she wanted to study in college... Amanda is 3 but it is smart to start planning now. She asked her if she wanted to be a nurse or doctor.. Amanda then answered with a very excited tone saying "a GYPSY". Thats right friends Amanda is going to study to become a Gypsy. I thought it sounded like a good idea. I mean I went to school to be an opera singer which sounds equally as crazy to me... So who's to say that Amanda can't go to school to be a Gypsy.

Also... Grandpa Vern was talking about how on January 1st he is eating better and cutting out the sweets... I teased him about is cause really he could start now, but people like to start on the first day of the new year... but it did get me thinking about what I want to work on or change for the new year...

1. Work on being less bossy and honery. I have moments where I really think I am smarter than some or just know how to do things better and I can't help but tell them really how to do it better... I get teased about this personality flaw often... so I guess its time to change.

2. Talk less. I once had a boy compare me to the woman on Sense and Sensibility who is so chatty and never stops talking... so bad that no one can get a word in and her husband completly ignores her and just gives really snide one word answers to her questions... she claims she just can't believe something and she looks at her husband and repeats the phrase 3 times and her husband from behind the newspaper says "try"... really saying shut up. It kinda burned me at the time when the boy made this comparison... but he was kinda right... I talk too much.. so this needs work.

3. I will live life with a more optimistic outlook.... cheesy, but really... I think it would help my situation or station in life if I was a little more optimistic and learned to like what comes along.

Just some thoughts for the new year... wish me luck.