happy birthday to me!

Yesterday I turned 23!  I know, I'm getting SO old haha :)  This birthday was really low key but that's just ok!  Last year we had a birthday party and there were like 22 of us crammed in our apartment and we didn't take ONE picture...ah!  I was horrible with pictures this time too... That needs to be another goal of mine this year..to pull my camera out all the time!  Anyway!  Jaicee (love her!) took me out to lunch and we went shopping then watched the Bachelor!  (I know... I get sucked in every season!)  Perfect way to spend the day haha!  Then Eric took me out to dinner, I opened gifts, then Jaic&Mark and Carly&Jarod were over for cake and ice cream.  Like I said, low key but just perfect!  I did go to Vegas over the weekend (perfect timing!) with the salon girls but that will be it's own post ;)  Here are the couple pictures we did take haha!

Yes I said I turned 23, we're using same candles from last year haha!

This is the first cake Eric has ever made me!  And he's been celebrating birthdays with me for 4 years now!  It was super yummy...thanks babe!

my hairy, cave-man husband... I wanted him to shave for my bday present but he said he likes to piss me off so he'll keep growing it.  Marriage... *sigh* hahaha

Jarod, Sawyer, Carly, me and Eric!  (yes we are all cheesers!)

Jaicee and me



all my goods (plus more not pictured).. I was so spoiled!  Do you all see Mexican Train?!  Yay I freaking love that game!  I shamelessly beg anyone who has it to play (just ask Alycia haha)

Yes that's a brush you see... I'm a hairstylist but the hubbs still has to get me a brush for my bday ha!

Thank you mom and dad C. mom and dad B. Jaicee and everyone else for awesome gifts!

And most of all thank you babe for spoiling me on my day! 

Eric kept my gifts pretty centered around spin and I'm so excited!  He's totally helping me reach my goal of becoming spin instructor!  Yay!  Thanks again babe!

haha cute little gift certificate huh?  This is what happens when I'm out of town for the weekend (Thank you Vegas!) I'm thinking I'll be leaving town more often to see if I can get more cute drawings out of him :)

p.s.  I didn't get that pink spin bike for my birthday, but that's OK! :)

p.p.s.  It snowed on my birthday.  Mother Nature definitely did NOT get the memo.. it was my birthday.  I wanted sunshine.  Not my 22nd, not my 24th, my 23th, and it snowed.  hahaha!  Who watches the Bachelor!? I'm really not a brat :)

totally for me..

I want a pink spin bike!  Hmm...my birthday is next week... ;) (Ok so I'm not really getting this for my birthday ha)

I went to spin last night for the first time in who knows how long?!  Months... ugh... waaaay too long!  My poor bum bum is so sore.  Seriously, it feels like I just experienced a horrible wax appointment gone wrong.  Seriously!  I know that's horrible to admit, but that's how horrible I feel!  Ha ha.  BUT!  Soreness aside, I loved it!!  I'm really surprised at how I bounced right back.  I felt right at home on that bike (besides needing cushioned bum pants!)  Last night totally confirmed for me that I want to be a spin instructor!  I am doing this for sure! 

I can't wait to put together my own play list!  Some music is very motivating and inspiring when you're working out, and some just isn't!  I'm pretty dang sure I'll have music that everyone will love.  I'm hoping to teach the class that everyone will want to come to!  That sounds bad but I promise it's not.  My goal is to be the instructor that inspires and motivates people while working out.  I want to get their adrenaline pumping!  This sounds so cheesy but I've had instructors who've made me feel this way and it's just awesome!  I'm so nervous but very excited about my decision!  So!  Wish me luck pretty please?! :)

what if you were given a new life?

I just watched this and had to post it.  My heart is so full.. I mean how can you not be touched by this?  I have so much to learn about what life really is all about.

I feel like Eric and I have had some trials in our short time of being married but they have been short lived.  My biggest complaint right now is since I've stopped using birth control my face has not been accepting the hormone change very well.  I break out all the time and feel like an awkward teenager again.  How selfish am I?  What an eye opener and reality check to what is really important.  

I have an amazing husband who loves me no matter what.  We both are so healthy and happy.  We have the best family and friends.  We are both working and live great lives.  

As the trials keep coming our way I will do my very best to find the positive in them.  To search for growth opportunities, that is after all, why we're presented with trials.  And most importantly I'll yearn to strengthen my relationship with Jesus Christ, my Savior, and Heavenly Father.  Sometimes it is so easy to forget that we are not alone.  But I know that we are NEVER alone.  

I hope that I can be as strong as this woman.  I want to live my life to the fullest and be an example to those around me along the way.  I hope this helps you to have a better day, to take a step back and recognize all that you are blessed with.  It has helped me! 

honeymoon 2008

Once we FINALLY left our reception we were off to our hotel!  I was so excited to start our honeymoon and to get away, just the 2 of us!  And I was especially ready for some peace and quiet.  Do you think we got it?  Nooooo.  Shortly after we got to our room (which we paid too much for by the way... don't spend hundreds on your hotel room honeymoon night..use that for spending money or something haha) our phone started ringing!  Yep, the phone in our room.  Someone would call and hang up, that happened probably twice.  The third time Eric picked up and it was my cousin (my cousin is a dad of 6 kids... and still a serious kid at heart.. Payback someday...) and my 2 brothers!  REALLY!?  So now they know where we're staying.  What's a freshly wed couple to do?!  In-n-out run!  We were starving anyway so at 11:30 pm we were off to get some grub.  We didn't get back til after midnight so we thought we were safe.  The next morning we woke up to an awfully nice sight.  Our car was plastered with dirtiness.  (I didn't get a picture cause I wasn't very picture-happy then.. I'm still trying to be better at taking pictures now) There was a little family watching us trying to pick nasties off our car and Eric heard one of the kids ask what was all over our car..poor parents who had to explain haha.  Anyway we took the car to Fab Freddy's promptly at 9 am (opening time) and NO ONE would come help us!  What the heck?!  That's how bad our car was..we had to take it to a high pressure washer and wash it ourselves :(  Someday... payback's a you-know-what boys.  That's all I have to say about this.
Now for our honeymoon!  We decided to do simple and relaxing for our get away and we loved it!  We went to Midway, UT and stayed at the Homestead Resort.

Eric did all the booking and planning for this trip so when we went to check in the woman asked us why we were staying there.  We told her it was our honeymoon and we'd just been married the day before!  She upgraded us to the honeymoon suite free of charge!  (Yep, upgrade.  My cheap husband didn't book us the honeymoon suite... haha!  Or!  Maybe he knew what he was doing and that we'd get a free upgrade?!  Yeah..probably not ha!)

It was so pretty here and perfect weather!  We had so many plans and adventures we wanted to do while up here but once we were here we were just really lazy haha.  We ate lots of good food, watched movies, and slept alot haha.  Seriously we were so tired!  One adventure we did do though was swim in the crater!

The mineral water in this crater is naturally heated to 90-96 degrees!  It was a toasty swim but way fun!  We've never done anything like this before!

Midway Ut

honeymoon picture.  these are the only picture I have and I pulled them off facebook because I didn't have the pictures backed up when our computer crashed :(  so sad!

Salt Lake City (Temple square)

On our way home we stopped in Salt Lake and shopped at the Gateway and visited Temple square.  We had such a great time and couldn't wait to get home and open all our gifts!  The next weekend we had an open house where my hubby's from and then we really started our life as Mr. and Mrs. Brinkerhoff!

continuing with our reception

After the Temple we headed straight for our luncheon.  I don't think we got any pictures of that which is way too bad because it was the best food EVER!  I may have loved that food too much because having forgotten to eat breakfast I was starving!  I just wanted the luncheon to be light and as little fuss as possible and it turned our perfect!  We had crescent sandwiches, chips and dip, fruits, desserts, all that yummy stuff.  And it was so fun to be able to visit with family that had traveled to celebrate our perfect day!
We had our reception that night and it was a blast!  I was so worried it was going to be the lamest wedding ever but it really wasn't!  We still get compliments about how fun that night was!  Our reception center was beautiful!  It was at a club house on a golf course and we were able to hold most of the reception outside.  The food and gifts were about the only things inside.  Weather was perfect!  I could not have asked for a more perfect night in St George!

hilarious!  caught Eric doing the air guitar :)

crap!  I wiped my dad out :)

Eric's family.. we weren't able to get a picture at the Temple

We had a line at our reception which I wasn't happy about but now I'm glad my mom made us do it (dang it..our mom's are always right!) It was non-stop people for over an hour and a half and the first break in the line my dad, me, and Eric all ran for it :)  I know people kept coming after the line was finished but I was so unaware of them.. I was just too wrapped up in Eric haha.  That's why I'm glad my mom made us do it.  We got to actually see our friends and families who took time out of their lives to help us celebrate!

For music we were just going to put together a play list on our iPod and hook that up but with my dad being a musician he said he wanted live music.  That's the only time he put his foot down in planning the wedding.  So who better to provide live entertainment thatn.... my dad's band!  The Lawn Darts played for our wedding! :)  They were a major hit!  Having them for our live band made the reception!  Everyone felt so comfortable dancing and playing!

When my dad couldn't play with them (because he was standing in the line or dancing) my brother stepped in...so awesome!

first dance as husband and wife

daddy/daughter dance. yes that's a wet cheeck..I was totally crying

Eric dancing with his mom

oops I may have just kicked my husband in the mouth..

we had a money dance!  ok I'll be honest...Eric made bank!  I didn't do to well...I was tired haha!

I was so ready to go but Eric wanted to stay and keep dancing...what?!  isn't the guys supposed to be dragging the girl out!?

finally!  we're outta here and off to honeymoon!

Well this was a super long post.. congrats if you made it all the way through :)  I'm so grateful to have the most amazing husband ever and I'm so glad I'm finally documenting this stuff!  After 2 and a half years I've already forgotten so many details!  So stick with me as I continue updating my blog to present time :)

blogging about our past.. for our future!

It is time for me to get to work!  I need to catch up my blog from our wedding on so that I can have this thing ready to print into a book!  So here goes....

Best Day of Our Lives:

May 03, 2008

Perfect day.  Seriously!  I couldn't have asked for more than I got on our wedding day!  Here's a quick break down of that morning.  I woke up and headed to the salon.  I did my hair while one of the girls did my make up.  Then I went back home, gathered everything up, and we were off to the temple!  (I hope you all noticed I'm missing a big detail that should be a part of every one's morning...) I couldn't wait to meet up with my husband to be! :)  When we got there I was whisked away to prepare for our sealing (getting SOOO excited!  I had crazy butterflies :)) In the middle of all this craziness my tummy started hurting.  What the?!  Then Eric asked if I had breakfast.... what the?!?!  I FORGOT breakfast (there's that big detail...)  I never forget to eat.  EVER.  Because I need my food.  Other than forgetting breakfast it was the perfect morning :)  At 10:00 AM we were sealed for Time and All Eternity!  I have never felt such pure happiness in my life.  Eric's mine forever and ever!  Picture's speak louder than words right?!  Here we go..

Mr and Mrs Brinkerhoff

never wanted anyone more..

cheesy/I'm the only paying attention to the camera picture :)  (my mom is going to kill me haha)

eric's parents

big happy smiles :)

grandma and grandad

picture on the Temple steps that everyone has :)

my family

St George Temple

so happy

love him

we're married!

2011 - Bring it on!

Happy New Year!

My goals for 2011:

• Love my husband more, pick my battles with him.  And I mean be very picky about what is important enough to cause an argument.  (Yes we argue just like any other couple :))
• Become a certified spin instructor and start teaching in gyms.
• Pay my car off.
• Read the Book of Mormon cover to cover.  I've only read through it once.
• Be a better friend and serve those around me as much as possible.
• Finish updating this blog from when Eric and I first met so that I can print it into a book for our journal :)

I plan on looking back one year from now and having this list crossed off!  Don't we all?  But for real!

What are some of your goals?  As you can see I have room for improvement so I'd love ideas :)

Wishing you all the best 2011 has to offer!  I know Eric and I will not be sitting back letting this year fly by.  We're going to grab every opportunity we're given because we know how quickly it can all be taken away!