Idol Finale night

For Andrew's birthday we also had a little party planned in combination with the Idol season finale. It was a battle between me and him because I wanted Kris to win and he wanted Adam to win. All Amy and Leons kids were with me on going for Kris. Then Andrew found out he had to work so i went solo. Me and Ashlyn teamed up to root for Kris while Amy and Leon wore there black nail polish in honor of Adam...Well I must say it as you probably know, but Kris won. I have never heard so much screaming at one time when thjey announced his name. Way to go Kris, and me of course for voting for him. :) Ashlyn's face right as Ryan was about to announce the American Idol winner.

Leon sportin the Adam look, black finger nail plish and black eyeliner.

Making some fun while the commercials rolled on.

The best peopel in the world right here, aside from them going for adam, who lost by the way. But they still really are the best!

Happy Birthday Andrew

Andrew had to work on his birthday so we had dinner the night before with Jesse and Sarah. We went to olive garden, then watched a movie. This was all the pictures we could get from the whole night. Happy Birthday to Andrew. He is now 23! Getting old!

Me and Sarah each were able to take a shot like this of the other couple. It's the oh my gosh face.

oh, there is my oh my gosh face. It was a great night

Anniversay part II

We also decided to go back to Midievel Times like we did on our senior trip. It was really fun and Andrew finally go enough to eat for dinner. Our knight did not win, but i had upgraded our seats so we were really close and pretty much got VIP treatment. It was so much fun, we had a great time! The rest of the trip we just decided to relax and have no stress! We went bowling and had a soak in the hot tub, but the chemicals said they caused cancer and birth defects, and it burned our eyes and nose... we cut that soak short. I'm really glad that i was able to enjoy the week with just my husband, no work and no worries. I really love this guy! Oh and i even got a magnificent gift from him, our cali trip was supposed to be it, but he sneaked a really pretty pink sapphire ring in there on me. He knows i have wanted one for a long time. He is so awesome. Last picture of us on our trip.

Our wedding cake... My sister saved it for me and gave it to me right after our cali trip. I must say it did not look as good as it tasted. I had a tiny sliver out of the middle where there was NO frosting, it was even still moist. Paula did a good job making our cake.

This was our caricature we got drawn at six flags. It's such a good drawing.

Out of the whol camer with 27 exposures 4 were developed! the lighting is horrible because the camera is horrible, so... this is the ONLY picture i got of the whole show.

Our wench was even nice enought to take a picture for us before the night was over.

Our wench was really cool. Andrew said they dont give him enough food when he goes there, i told her it was our anniversary and she gave us DOUBLE the food. I needed a doggy bagg.

At midievil times there is a dungeon where you can go look at all the devices and killing mechanisms they used to use in the olden days, this one looks painful. How about a butt full of spikes anyone?

This is the crazy ride i was watching, the drop is straight up then straight down... strange.

Right outside midievil times.

Stikin a pose. He is such a good looking man. We were actually waiting for midievil times to open so we walked across the street to the now closed wax museum. We were right next to knotts berry farms so we decided to watch some of the rides that were going.

Chicken? I got 3 strikes in a row, i was pokin fun!

We went bowling... I beat him 2 out of 5 games!

what cheesies we are!

Anniversary part I

For our anniversary we decided to go to california (since it't the closest...) and go to six flags. We got there fairly early and the weather was perfect. The longest line we had to tand in was the Tatsu and it was only a 20 minute wait. I was so surprised, but relieved that we did not have to spend our whole day in lines. We found a really good caricature artist to draw us too! We rode almost all the rides and had a really fun time. Andrew and I... there may be a few of these...:)

I brought my camera with me on the roller coaster because i thought it would be a good idea... I FORGOT my digital at home and realized 200 miles outside of phoenix so i had to go buy those horrible disposable ones...

For some reason there are geese at six flags and they like to bite your fingers when you feed them.

us again

The man on the right of me.. the old guy... dont know his name, he freaked me out! He came out of no where and put his arm on me!

Andrew tested out his basketball skills. he was given 12 balls and 40 seconds, I can't remember how well he did, but we didnt get a prize. :(

Oh yeah, did i mention it is $10.00!!! I think he did it twice... It was really hard, there was no way i was trying this one.

We went up to the top of the sky tower which is right to our left. It was SO high up.

Going up the big climb on the Ninja

This was at the top if the sky tower. Really good view from up here.

A recap on our first year.

Whoever would have thought that 2 kids who grew up together from a small town would end up eternal companions.. I'm sure it happens alot, but i never imagined it happening to me. Andrew and I met in the fourth grade and were such close friends all the way up to our graduation day when shortly after he left on a mission. I promised him cookies and lots of letters, but i got caught up in life and didn't keep my promise. We started up our friendship again shortly after he returned home and we got hooked! Now here we are starting the second year of our marriage! I look at my life and what i have accomplished so far and think i still have so much growing up, and so many more things to do. We still have to start a family, i have to finish my degree, i have to fulfill my calling in church, make it to family get togethers... All these things seem so little, but they all are a big part of my life. I'm thankful that i married someone who i can share and enjoy this with. The gospel brought us to where we are and we have yet to see where it will take us. We have had the opportunity to go through the Salt Lake Temple in Utah. It was such a beautiful temple, it excites me to know of how many more temples i will go through in my lfe with Andrew. Right now as i am blogging, he is behind me playing mario and asking me to come play. I will quote his sentence. "Ah man, mandy. I am home frmo work playing mario and you are blogging. come plau mario with me?" "OH NO!!! SHOOT" haha funny. I am trying to blog about a special event and my feelings and he is harrassing me about mario! See what a year of marriage does already to us! haha, well he just dies... twice.. i better go help him and be ..."Fun."

Lake Trip

My dad had not taken his boat out in a while so we decided to test the waters! Andrew could not come so i brought my friend from work, Sara. We had a lot of fun! My dad launched the boat and left us in charge of the boat... but there was a problem... we could not get the trolling motor to work faster than like 1 MPH! my dad went to go park the truck and by the time he got back we were 1/2 mile from the dock, with no power and no rows to get back to him, AND it was a very windy day... I had to flag some other boat down to go get my dad to bring him out to us! It was funny. Turns out the battery had died so my dad did one of his wonderful rigging jobs and saved the day! I did feel stupid at first because i thought i just didnt know how to drive a boat!~ Our day at the lake was eventful, we found wild cows, fed ducks, didn't go swimming because it was too cold, ate sandwiches, and caught no fish... BUT!!!! we got burnt! how fun. I was miserable for about a week and i shed my skin. First summer burn is the best i guess. I now have yet to go back to the lake with Andrew this time. I also captured a priceless video of my dad dancing to poker face.. this is a must see...

Some coves at the end of the lake

Me and Sara

My dad thought he caught a fish, only it was just a big weed tree plant type thing

us again

i guess we did not find them, we just saw them

At about our 6th hour, i had to put my shirt on over my tankini because i was pretty red. It was overcast all day, i hear that is the worst!~

My dad getting the bait ready for their long trip to death...






Here is my dad dancing to poker face. what a freak he is!

Running....running...running

So too bad i don't have any pictures of this... but... Andrew's cousin Jesse and his amazing fiance and Andrew and I have teamed up! ha;) So we got the pleasure of meeting Jesse's soon to be wife and we just hit if off, so now we are planning some pre wedding workout! YAY! We are schedule to start P90X sometime very soon, but in the mean time i started running! And i don't mean on a treadmill, i think the correct term for it would be distance running. I talked my sister in law Amy into running together since she is well seasoned marathon runner. We started out at about 2 miles. Leon coached me on the breathing part and i must say its getting quite a bit easier, aside from the numb calves and the horrible pains shooting through my body. The first day after i could barely walk! I'm really glad i started though. Soon i hope i will be able to ENJOY it and sign up for a marathon... There has been talk of the Ragnar... but we will see how this goes over first. Well anyway, no pictures, but it's always a good thing to let it be "KNOWN" I have been told when you are in these crazy processes of dieting, becoming an athlete, so on and so forth. After a few short weeks, i already look better, feel better and am more happier for doing so. I'm glad i tried something new;)

Another concert!

Andrew and I went to another silverstein concert. It was mostly of their new album and it was amazing! We were front row almost until the end of the concert, then i got kicked in the head and knocked out by a crowd surfer! haha, funny i know, just laugh and get it out. So then we had to go to the back once i came back to reality. this was taken after i got kicked in the head.

Me and my oh my goodness sexy husband

silverstein

bless the fall was pretty good too, first time we had ever heard them

us being nerds before the show.

Family get together

My aunt carol came down from misery... i mean missouri for a business trip and was able to spend some time with us at grandma's house. My dad was stayign here for a while so it was family galore! My Grandpa Ray had a birthday and me and my dad had the pleasure of going. We swam and ate yummy tacos, played Wii, and best of all I met my aunt Kim pretty much for the first time in my life! We share alot of the same interests, and oddly enough her husband works for the game and fish and Andrew and him have alot of the same interests! I was glad i could meet some more of my family and got to spend some time with my grandpa who i had not seen since my highschool graduation. My dog louie is hiding between these two warm bodies.

The family went out to eat, that beer is not andrew's, haha

My aunt carol and my dad

Me and my cousin Rusty

Aunt kathy rae and dad