Valentine's Day

Before our wedding, Matthew and I made reservations in advance to go to a Marriott Hotel for Valentine's Day. (We are trying to take advantage of his discount as much as possible.) Although as it got closer, we realized after only being together in our condo for a month the novelty hadn't worn off yet and decided to spend it at home.

Instead we spent our money on a weekend filled with Valentine festivities and FOOD. Since Valentine was on a Monday, we had our celebrations on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Saturday we made a delicious cheese fondue and for dessert chocolate fondue.

Monday I surprised Matthew at work with a cookie bouquet complete with chocolate covered lips, sugar cookies, and chocolate covered strawberries. (It was very difficult to keep it too secretive with always being together now but I think he was a little surprised. I am sorry I didn't get a picture.........I completely forgot to take one of the masterpiece.) Monday night I got home to a beautiful dozen roses, a slide show of our pictures, and a heart felt love note from Matthew. We completed our lovefest with a heart shape pizza.

Join the club!!!

Some of my best friends in life are my two cousins, Erika and Eleena. We have always been close but in high school both of them moved in with me and my family. We went to a year of high school together while I was a junior and they were both sophomores. Even though they are both younger than me, they have been part of married club longer than me and have moved on to the parenthood club. But since dating/ marrying Matthew they are welcomed me into their club with open arms. The benefit of this club is the Fall and Winter trips to Eleena's In-Law's cabin.

Just a matter of weeks after our wedding, we joined a kid-free weekend with them in Ashton, Idaho. It was a fun and cold weekend of snowmobiling, eating, playing games, snowmobiling (did I mention that already), girl talk, and getting our cars stuck in the snow TWICE (there was over 5 feet of snow there).

Snowflake Reception

Matthew and I were able to end our honeymoon in a great way by having a reception in Matthew's hometown of Snowflake, Arizona. This was especially important to us because his sister Mandi and her family weren't able to make it to Utah for our wedding. We really missed them there but was also so grateful to her and Matthew's mom for putting in countless hours of preparing food, making centerpieces, and decorating for this reception. It was nice after planning months of planning the wedding that we could just show up in Snowflake and have everything handled, beautiful and more elaborate than I had expected.

I had been to Snowflake once before. On that visit I realized how small Snowflake really was. Matthew had warned me that he was a small town boy but I think I still hadn't imagined how small it really was. This reception made me realize Matthew is practically related to everyone too. Everyone came through the line introducing them as an Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, Great-Aunt, and Second Cousin Once Removed. I even got to meet Grandma and Grandpa Davis and spend more time with Grandpa Peterson.

She is ready to be a bride already!

To make it even more special, my brother and sister from Thatcher, Arizona drove three hours away to come to it.

Overall, it was a great turnout...............even if we were competing against the high school basketball game, a huge sacrafice for Snowflake-ites.