A few weeks ago this was my attempt at taking pictures with our new camera. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was getting more help studying then I wanted. 

While everyday life does seem tedious and boring I've been trying to appreciate the stage of life I am in. I've been trying to take more pictures and record more memories but as you can see, it's a lot of self photos of studying, being sick, and eating. I think we are going to have to mix things up and go get ice cream, again. 

Hot Study Date

Chris and I have been studying a lot. By the end of the day we feel like we have been studying all day and there is still more to do. We can't change that we have to study, just where we study. Mixing up the location helps a bit. At least I have a hot study partner. 

Spoiled Sicko

I love being spoiled and Chris does such a good job at it. I've been sick for a month. With a cold that turned into a chronic cough. It's been a long month. Last week I was feeling worn out from all the coughing and just wanted some chicken noodle soup. I asked Chris if he would go pick some up for me and this is what he came home with. I love him so much. 

I've had to take a few days off from school and stay in bed. Chris has been crazy busy with school and work but I have been getting plenty of attention from Stark and Tornado. 

5th Anniversary!

Chris and I celebrated our five year anniversary today! I had a quiet day while Chris was at work. When I got home from the dog park he was home and all dressed up for our date night. He jumped up and gave me a beautiful bouquet of red roses. I wasn't expecting them and it was such a nice surprise. I definitely wasn't expecting the next gift he gave me either. He got down on his knee, just like when he asked me to marry him, and just like the first time I was thinking, "What is he doing?" He pulled out a jewelry box and a huge smile. He opened the box and, BLING! Diamond earrings!

I was so giddy just putting them on. It was such a special gift and it was so fun to see how proud Chris was to give them to me. Chris said he asked the sales person for the sparkliest pair. Oh, they sparkle. I'm going to develop a twitch just so I can watch them sparkle. 

We had been debating about how to celebrate and had decided to keep it simple. At least that's what I thought we had decided :) We did want to step it up a bit from our usual Red Robin and and went to The Melting Pot. This was our first time there and it was a great experience. They told us happy anniversary when we checked in and were very attentive. I love good customer service.

 When our waiter started making our cheese fondue I was asking what was going in it. The base was beer, not broth like we thought it would be. Chris immediately got on his phone, I thought he was using horrible manners for a date, but he was actually looking up how long it takes alcohol to burn off. Not long enough. The waiter was very understanding and made us a different pot with the broth.

 Our booth was near the kitchen and there was a lot of foot traffic. They had a nice curtain that we could draw and just snuggle and enjoy our time there. I now strongly believe that every booth should have a curtain.

So in love. So ready for another 5 million years together.

General Conference

I always look forward to General Conference, especially in the fall. Chris and I had work/school on Saturday so we still need to catch up on those sessions. Saturday night we pulled our bed out to the front room so we could snuggle and enjoy Conference. It was the best idea we've ever had. This was before Conference, I swear we did wake up and listen. 

Once we were up and moving I started making some easy cinnamon rolls with my own twist. 

I layered them in the bunt pan and then added caramel.

I made another batch of caramel and drizzled/smothered this divine creation in it.  Yum.

What I've been up to.

 Saturday morning Chris left early to go ridding with a friend. It gave me time to take a nice walk with Stark before I rode to work. It was so beautiful and quiet. Plus the grasshoppers weren't awake yet.

 After breakfast a few days ago I took the heals of by bread down to the pond to share with the ducks. It wasn't till the next day that I saw the sign that said not to feed the wildlife. This duck wasn't so wild. It waddled right up to me and ate out of my hand. Even with Stark on the leash a few feet away who was busy peeing on things.

 Even though we do little walks in the morning Stark gets board quickly. He tries to be good.

 So we spend a lot of time at the dog park.

And he gets a lot of baths when he comes home covered in other dog's slime. So as you can tell, I am board out of my mind waiting for school to start. I'm sure I wont be complaining once the homework hits so I'm trying to spend lots of time with Stark and enjoy the down time.

Cheese!

Chris and I are both working over Labor Day weekend but still wanted to "get away". After church we ate a quick lunch and headed to the coast. It was 90 degrees in Beaverton but Tillamook was a different story. It was 50 degrees there. Good thing we grabbed our jackets.

 No, I did not edit these photos. It was that foggy. For a change Chris was cold and we didn't stay long.

Arrg. Pirate weather. 

 

                                                                 

Cheese sample line. So happy!

                                   Chris was amused by my excitement. This pretty much sums it up. 

Disneyland? Cheeseland: Happiest place on earth.