Gushy Love Stuff

Feb is one of my favorites months of the year.  It's the month of love.  When I was in elementary school I ALWAYS looked forward to Valentine's day.  Building V-day boxes and then reading all the Valentine's you received was so fun and exciting.   When I was single I loved Valentine's Day.  I think it's such an encouraging holiday.   Whether you're single or taken it promotes either the possiblity of love or the celebration of a relationship that means a whole lot to you.  This is my 2nd year with an actual Valentine (last year was my first....totes worth the wait btw) and much to my surprise it exceeded last year's. 

*WARNING.....gushy love stuff approaching*

Jack and I have opposing schedules, I hate it.  He works in the day and has school at night, while I have the day free and work at night.  Not ideal right?  My brother Mikey says that "that's life".....my brother, the Alchemist. 
I went downtown and picked up lunch from one of our fave spots "Moochies."  Guys, bible, if you haven't tried it get down there.   BEST.SANDWICHES.EVER.  I took it to Jack's workplace and we ate in the car on his 30min lunch break...that probably sounds like the most pathetic thing ever, but for the romantics that we are it was perfect.  Literally, perfect.  

I worked at night and after I got off Jack brought over dinner from my favorite...the Olive Garden. I decorated my teeny tiny apartment in the most romantic way possible.....it was a little pitiful (work with what you've got right?)....but it was something we've never done before, and it was, in its purest form, romantic.  When Jack walked in the door he had flowers, food, chocolates/treats, and a teddy bear (which I later named Gucci....incidentally was going to be the name of our first dog, a pitbull according to Jack...hmm....we'll see right?).  Being the dramatic that I am, I screamed when he walked in the door b/c I was so surprised.  I wasn't expecting anything...like....at all.  We ate dinner and watched a movie, and then went about our everyday lives the next day.  Lucky me.  Lucky, lucky me. 

Oh Hello, January

Um, you guys.....I kinda feel like I'm the luckiest girl I know.  No wait, I'm not trying to brag, bible.  I'm just saying that I am VERY aware of my abundant, plethora of blessings.  In fact, I'm so aware of it that I'm scared.  I'm scared something will happen and it will all be taken away from me, that it might be time for another "test" if you catch my drift.  Please know that I have my fair share of trials (who doesn't),  but the good definitely outweighs the bad. 

This holiday season seems like a blur.  There were a lot of parties, family, fun, & outings.  It definitely is a magical time of year, and I wanted for nothing.  I think that's what it's all about.  Loved ones, get-togethers, food, positivity, new goals, new possibilities! 

This year I tried something new.  I made goals for myself, but I also made joint goals with Jack....it was.......new...I've never made goals with another person.  I liked it.  We have each other to keep each other accountable, and motivated....perfect situation right?

Thinking about 2012 I have nothing but happy sentiments, and gratitude.  I had a lot of adventures with Jack, earned a Bachelor's Degree, grew closer to family, discovered a different meaning of patience, made some pretty big goals, & cultivated new found "talents."  In reflection of the year I honestly can't think of any bad moments, I'll count my lucky stars for that one.  I hope it'll stay serine and calm this year.  Fingers crossed, everything crossed.

Not everyone that I network with has instagram (where I post all my "important" photos) so I thought I'd include some pix of this holiday season just for kicks:

Siaki took me on a date to the Natural History Museum and he got really into it

Christmas Bingo on Advent Sunday (Laki and Mom)

Oh my gosh....this is my Steve Madden bag (that might as well be my baby) I got at my work xmas party.  Best xmas party ever.

 

 

Spent a lot of time with this little dream

Downtown Salt Lake City during the holidays was magical.  Pictures don't really do it justice.

This was my FAVORITE gift I received.  I had mentioned how badly I wanted one but never thought it would be a reality, then.....it happened.  It was one of the best surprises I've received from Siaki

Laki and Mikey on Christmas morning

Kitty in all her glory!

I think it's safe to say I love this guy so much.  Such a wonderful holiday season!

 

Perfect Timing

Frequently, when I come home at night I see several deer in the field behind my apt scaveging for food.  The mountains are no less than 30 miles from my back door so I know they've made a long cold trip.  The novelty of deer in my back yard excites me, I love it.  It never gets old....."LOOK AT THE DEER!" I hear this on the regular, like almost everyday. Jack mentioned "I wonder why they're always down here?"  And, of course since I'm an overthinker I thought and thought and thought about it with no real intent for a solution...just thought about it because.  You know what my conclusion was?  I'm glad I'm not a deer.  I'm glad that I have a warm, inviting, cozy apartment to come home to.  I'm glad it's fully stocked with delicious food and a big bathtub for taking long, hot baths.  I'm glad that my parents live right down the road and have a substantial food storage (for emergencies....obvi).  I'm glad that I get to see the people that I love daily. 

This month has been interesting, I've had a couple curve balls thrown at me....no sweat of my back.  It's interesting to see that in the lowest times of my life I am the closest to my Heavenly Father.  I know, I know the talk of religious stuff might off-set some of you, well too bad so sad.  I have had a hard reality check and all I can say is, I am blessed....super blessed.  So.....thanks.  Perfect timing.....thanksgiving.....perfect timing. 

It was the summertime

Can anyone agree with me that this summer season has been great......and hot?  Summer is my season.  It has been my season for a long time.  When I say "my" season I, in no way, take "ownership" of the season I just mean that summer is a time of thriving for Jenilyn.  It is my favorite time of year.  I never can get enough of the sun, or the water, or the outdoors.  Luckily, I have great friends that relish in this season as well. 
Late night movies, road trips, games, fireworks, camping, hiking, swimming, and enjoying this wonderful warm weather.  Summer, summer, summertime is the best time. 
I have always been competitive....always.  These boys really give me a run for my money, I can hold my own though, obvi.  Who makes a contest out of floating down a river?  They do.  Bible, they do. 

The view from our hike

Jack found a fishing pole, and suddenly he was a professional fisherman, go fig. Ps...I was the one who actually caught a fish. (Unfortunately I didn't have a camera at the time to document my success).

Horseshoes.  It was a tie.

Some of Jack's family.  The boys waiting for the kids at the bottom of the river.

Road trips with this guy are pretty fun.

View from another hike....deep in the Uintas...DEEP!

Guess Not

The thing about little girls is that when they put their mind to something it becomes an insatiable challenge, they are stubborn, almost spoiled to the point of getting their way,  When I was a little girl I would imagine all the fun things I would do come my teen years.  In my teen years I imagined my young single adult years and how fun they would be, and they were. As I look back I see that my life hasn't just been me waiting for different events to happen it has been sort of a continuous montage of events that have delivered me into the exact place that I am.  I, am...fairly single, and by fairly single I mean that I have a very loving, supportive, and patient boyfriend, but we're not ready to jump into marriage quite yet.  I have a stable job and a side hussle that I do for fun, and to improve my communication skills, I also receive college credit for this said, side hussle.  My family is wonderful.  I have an incredible set of parents, I use the word "incredible" loosely because there is so much depth I could go into but that's an entirely different blog in and of itself.  I have outstanding siblings meaning they stand out from the rest of the crowd I run around with (no offense to friends).  I live comfortably in my small yet cozy apartment with views that people pay the big bucks for...I have all the essentials covered: cable, wifi, utilities, rent, AC (an absolute), all for free. And yet the little girl in my head is shaking her head because this is not what we imagined.  We imagined a home with 2 or 3 kiddos running around by now and maybe a couple on the way.  We imagined a six figure income with a tall dark (oh yes, dark) and handsome GENTLEMAN running the show.  We imagined more neices and nephews, we imagined less taxes (well, we imagined no taxes at all but...uh....).  We imagined different occupations we would employ. And now, in this reality check as I go over every point/goal I had growing up instead of being dissapointed in myself or sad about the lack of success I should have by now I am overwhelmed with grattitude for the way things have turned out.  I'm pretty sure our Heavenly Father knows what he's doing.  Instead of letting a little girl decide the way her life will be, through character building situations, through various opportunities in life, and through free agency I've kind of just found my way into a very happy and joyful time.  Getting knocked down and then finding the strength to get up again has had profound gains on this girls reality.  What I'm saying is that I always thought I would be somewhere else right now, but where I am in this very given moment is where I'm supposed to be, and I wouldn't change it....not one bit.  And coming to terms with that is priceless, and blissful.  And this feeling is worth every experience I've ever had...good and bad.  I.love.my.life.

My May

"The world's favorite season is Spring, all things seem possible in May."  It's true May is probably my most favorite month.  We've just shrugged off the cold, dreary winter months and the colors of spring gently begin to remind us that the summer is right around the corner.  Summer is the season of bbq's, swimming, beach time, hikes,snowcones, camping, road trips, night games, fireworks, dinner and movies in the park, adventure (basically).  This month of May has been, in one word, blissful.  I had one of the best birthdays of my life.  It used to be that I wanted and loved being the center of attention, but that has changed dramatically.  I don't like it anymore, maybe I've just grown out of it?  I had such a mellow day.  Jack took me to our favorite sandwhich dive "Moochies" where we traditionally order our own sandwhich (me: meatball jack: philly cheese) and switch half for half, we're genius's.  He took me to "the beach" which in reality is a man made lake in Herriman, but for the romantics we are it was our own Hukilau beach.  We played in the water, and layed out in the sun, we relaxed and laughed about all our inside jokes.  Later on we went over to my parents house for a family filled bbq. Very low key and laid back.  My whole family was there, which is always the best feeling for me.  The older I get, the more time I relish spending with my family.  Who knew? 
May is also a special month because it is the month that BYU Rugby won the National Championship.  It was a very very intense game.  Not only did Mikey score a try, but they named him MVP of the game, there were tears in his eyes (which is a HUGE deal b/c this rhino does not crack!). It was the best rugby game I've ever been to.......EVER.  This was Mikey's last year, you know what that means?  No more Su'a-side on the BYU Rugby field.  The thought makes my heart sink.  For the past 6 years BYU Rugby has been part of our Winter and Spring lives, it has been a staple, it has been the "usual" and now it's......gone.  My mind is quickly taken back to right before the National Championship started on May 19th......The players had mounted the field, warm ups were in session, Laki was sobbing.  When we asked him what was wrong he repeated over and over "I wanna play rugby, I wanna play rugby!"  Maybe BYU Rugby isn't completely done with this family ***fingers crossed***

Spreading thin

Something fell in my lap.  I can't say that I didn't expect it b/c I had a weird feeling it would happen.  About 5 months ago I saw a part-time job and thought it might be fun.  I applied.  Nothing happened.  I wasn't worried at all for some reason.  One day I got a call for an interview...the day after I interviewed I got a call offering me the job.  Lucky?  Totes.  HOWEVER, do you know what this means?  I have a full-time job, I'm a full-time student, and I now have a part-time job.  You guys I'm not being a brag-a-saurus I'm just saying that's a lot for this plate.  For some reason I can't NOT stay busy...I'm probably a glutton for punishment.  For those of you who are reading this and are {naturally} giving me props in your head right now, you should probably know that my apartment is a war zone {well...maybe not a war zone but close to it} and I haven't made my bed or done my dishes for...mmm....comin up on five days now.  It's just that sorta thing.  Don't judge.  I like this.  Obvi.