Thursday, July 26, 2012

San Diego

Stephen's family has a tradition of taking the family's return missionaries to San Diego during the summer after they get home. Last week was Stephen's turn, but he brought a wife!

We stayed in Mission Beach in a condo on the boardwalk, so literally on the beach. It was wonderful to be able to walk 30 seconds to the beach or watch sunsets while cooking dinner. It was a great week.

The group consisted of: Parents, Stephen & Jarelle, Bekah, Craig & Mary with Parker and Miles, and a few days with David and his 5 kids. Cami, Nanci, and Lizzy were all having babies and stayed home - we missed you guys!

Don't hate us, we know we live a charmed life:)

The week in pictures:
Stephen is a great uncle - teaching Mary Jean to boogie board

Parker and Miles - they are the cutest beach bums

Helping for a BBQ, this was the view from our patio

BBQ - that's a fire pit with glass rocks

Ice cream man made big bucks off these kids
5 Cases + 2 Romneys

the whole group

this has a story - Stephen and I were walking on the boardwalk and couldn't believe how beautiful this sunset was, then we took off our sunglasses and it wasn't quite as good. Stephen had the idea to put his sunglasses in front of the camera - ta dah!




I tripped on the condo stairs and ended up with a very swollen foot 
so Stephen carried me through the sand - my prince charming!

Bocce Ball on the beach
(I beat Stephen once..but he might have let me, I'm not sure)


Sea World - we did the soak zone at the Shamu show... we got wet!
It was Miles' birthday, it's so hard to do a new number with your fingers, 4!


We finished the trip with a detour to see my sweet roomie Carly and David (he was our 5th roommate)
We miss you guys so much!!!



Sunday, July 8, 2012

B & B - before and after

House decorating has been a project............ It is my new past time to take free/cheap items, change them entirely, and end up with something new that I love. Stephen was just reminiscing about how many things we have changed and spent hours working on so that it will look like what I envision. I would call that - seeing the potential! He said "good thing I'm cute and can talk him into doing all these projects"(wedding making - doily chandeliers, invitations - took weeks, so of course house decorating would take months!)


Back in December we brought free furniture from family to Utah. Stephen and I hammered off the (perfectly working) wood handles, We (Stephen & Michael) filled in holes with putty, sanded the furniture, Stephen and I painted it, then Stephen drilled holes and put in new handles. And my mom painted the rooms in the mean time. Oh, the hours...

bedroom - before 


bathroom - before

dresser - before
(post wood handles being chopped off:)

armoire - before


painting process...so many hours


This week we finally made a duvet cover, much to Stephen's dismay. He was perfectly happy with just the stuffing as a bedspread. Eventually he'll love it, because I certainly love my ruffles! My poor mother has spent so many hours and days sewing ruffles for me, I have a life-long love affair with them:) 


finally finished, 6 months later... 
all done personally - walls, headboard, pillows, duvet, bedskirt, dresser, curtains

13 rows of ruffles, but only (mainly...) on my side

we love how the furniture turned out
Thanks Dave & Cami for wanting to get rid of so much furniture

bathroom - after
Aleasha said it looks like a hotel (the white towels)
I've been to a lot of hotels, I like hotels, so I took it as a compliment!

the rest of the house is still in progress, just a few finishing touches...




Y

Stephen and my dad hiked the "Y" mountain yesterday. It's an 8500 feet elevation.
Stephen was pretty tired afterward. Way to go guys!

(my mom and I shopped:)

Y mountain from byu campus (skwt)

Stephen's picture at the top
Mt. Timpanogos, just to the right at 11,000 ft.

4th of July

Provo, even Utah, feel rather patriotic, but maybe that's compared to Arizona where everyone is barely surviving the heat. Last 4th I was in Europe (not complaining) but we weren't allowed to wear anything representing the USA, so I was happy to wear red, white, and blue all day!

We slept/worked through the parade, but Provo does have a pretty good parade. We had lunch with Stephen's brother, Phil, and his family who just a had a baby girl. Then we had a BBQ with my parents and grandma then watched the Stadium of Fire - fireworks from temple hill. A good American holiday - family, food, fireworks!

made from cups, I also saw George Washington


lots of American pride, flags along the main roads


Wednesday, July 4, 2012

marriage is funny #4

I have learned to differentiate between "throw pillows" and "decorative pillows".
Throw pillows would entitle they may be thrown.
Silly me, wrong words:)

marriage is funny #3

Number 2 was erased, but I can't replace it.

So I've been decorating our house finally. Stephen has been a good sport about me spending hours at the sewing machine, and making things more presentational and not functional.

But yesterday was funny.

Somehow Stephen and Steve (my dad) decided we needed a new kitchen faucet. Ok, that sounded like fun. We were in Lowes trying to convince each other that our pick of faucet was better. My dad was laughing and crying playing the advocate and devil of both sides. He thought it was so funny to not be the husband choosing a faucet, he's been there for too many hours. I, of course liked the classy handle with pretty curves, Stephen wanted a big one to reach far into the sink - functional vs. presentation - it never ends.

this is function with the handle above












this is presentational - isn't it beautiful! My sink, Annabelle didn't win

















We ended with a comprise, and a little fear of when we have our own house to shop for...oh the choices we will face!


Basement Happenings

We've been having too much fun to spend time blogging. Here's the brief catch up:
Stephen works at the MTC (missionary training center) in Provo
This was his first district, they have all left now but they loved him

they didn't quite get the idea of "with the temple"...

We went to the Manti Temple Pageant
Stephen had been there before, but it was my first time. 
We had a fun afternoon in Manti going to the temple, eating dinner, and watching the pageant

Look for:
purple haze, left side - smoke from a wild fire
BYU campus, right side of Stephen
Provo temple, hidden by Stephen

We drove to the top of Squaw Peak for the sunset
We live in a beautiful valley at the base of the Wasatch mountains. 
From this view you can see about 10 cities, 2 temples, 2 universities - it's a beautiful view

Stephen's friend Joel got married on Saturday in the Bountiful temple, Stephen was a groomsman.
It was fun to be a part of a wedding but not be our own

and some big news for the Fuller family...
my brother Daniel is ENGAGED!
Her name is LeeAnn, and he spelled "marry me" in lights. 
They are getting married September 22 in Dallas, yay for more weddings!


We have been doing lots of projects on our house, with the generous help of my parents, photos to come soon...once we've done the finishing touches