Our first year of marriage has come and gone. We had a very nice long weekend in California to celebrate and I must say am pretty sad to be back. It is always so nice to get out of town and California really is so beautiful. Wednesday after work we headed over to Anaheim so we could be prepared to wake up and head over to Disneyland first thing. JR had never been to Disneyland so I was hoping that he would like it. I think he did but maybe not quite as much as I had hoped he would. There is just something about Disneyland that I can't get enough of! We hit up all the major rides and stayed till closing. It was a fun day! So that this post doesn't get out of control long and since I have many pictures to come I will spare you the details and let the pictures speak for themselves.
Ok with this next pictures I have to say that I am a huge wimp and absolutely hate the drop off Splash Mountain so I made JR ride it by himself. Luckily single riders get to go to the front so he didn't have to wait in line forever. I just figured he needed to have the experience of Splash Mountain. I was actually willing to go on but he let me off the hook. What a considerate husband! To bad this ladies head decided to pop right in front of the camera. This pictures is supposed to be of JR on Splash Mountain and not her head. He is in the second to last seat in the back of the log.
I probably should not put this next one in but I just really wanted to try a big fat turkey leg. I've always just been curious. Curiosity satisfied.
Kind of cool with this next picture we had hopped aboard the Mark Twain riverboat ride and while we were standing on the top deck JR here's a call from up above us. It was the captain of the ship and he asked us if we wanted to come up in his little captains quarters and see things from up there and him in action. Heck yeah we do! So we headed up to the tip top and got our own private tour and JR even got to ring the bell and toot the horn a couple times. Perhaps this could be a possible career some day if Sport Psychology doesn't work out.
Oh the goodness of ice cream! We had a bag full of snacks and sandwiches to try to avoid the ridiculous food prices at Disneyland but had to splurge on a couple of items!
This next one with Tigger and Pooh was pretty funny cause after we got done taking the picture (and yes we were the only ones in line without children and yes we did get some strange looks) Pooh gave JR a big hug. Well JR turns to give Tigger a hug and gets REJECTED! JR just looked at Tigger and explained "Brothers gotta hug" He did end up getting a hug from Tigger but he sure didn't want anything to do with JR.
This next one was a new ride at Disneyland. The Finding Nemo Submarine ride. Pretty neat. You go underwater and see the sea life they have created and they have clips from Finding Nemo using some pretty sweet technology. They totally look like they are swimming in the ocean!
And last but not least...
Yeah, we are hardcore intense!
After our fantastic day at Disneyland we headed over to Newport Beach. First stop was the temple there where we did a session. What a beautiful temple!
Then it was over to check into our hotel on the beach.
All in all we were pleased with our choice. We loved the fact that it was right on the beach and that we could just walk right out and be where we wanted to go. It was an older hotel that was newly remodeled. Our first room's key did not unlock the door so we got upgraded to a deluxe room our second night. We were ok with that. Our first room:
Kind of cool that it had a little step up to the bed. Not cool that the pipes were showing in the bathroom. We had a tiny window that looked out to the roof but if you looked beyond that we had a nice ocean view.
Our second room we bigger and had a nice jacuzzi tub although it did not have a view of anything.
This is the view from a little lobby area just down the hall from us. I spent some spare time just sitting here and watching everything going on down below. Isn't it gorgeous?
Our hotel was in the pretty popular area. There was a crazy bar and grill next door that seemed to be packed every time we passed it. To bad we aren't into the party scene or else we would have been hooked up!
The rest of the day we just spent hanging out on the beach and we went to dinner at Outback. The next day, our actual anniversary, we had a nice little breakfast in the hotel and headed out to the beach. Unfortunately it was pretty cold, windy, and overcast for a good chunk of our stay so we stayed out of the water but tried our best to get some beach time in coats and blankets.
JR was super sweet and had snuck away and picked up some flowers which he left with the front desk lady who later came and delivered them to our room. Isn't he so cute? I love that he gets flowers that are out of the ordinary too.
After the beach we rented a tandum bike (which interestingly enough was what we did on our second first date, the one that really started it all). We drove around the beach and the marina with all the sail boats and down random allies where there were some pretty cool beach houses.
This place was pretty interesting. Notice the random pirate looking maniquins hanging from ropes on the side of the house. A little overboard maybe?
After bike riding we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. Here is where we exchanged presents. I had gotten JR a session to do whitning at a dentist office. He has always said he'd like to try it. For the record I didn't get it because I think he needs it. JR pulled out a very unexpected and very sweet and appreciated gift. Did I mention I love my husband?
Seriously wasn't expecting the diamond earrings but now I get to show off my bling all day long! He put so much though into these that he even pointed out to me that they match my wedding ring. I love love love them!
For dinner we went to PF Changs and then got some dessert from the Cheesecake Factory! We actually got a window seat that overlooked the ocean. To bad there was a big palm tree in the way and the picture doesn't show anything.
Then it was off to a romantic bonfire on the beach. Funny story though, we had a bit of a late start and by the time we got out there, figured out we couldn't get onto the beach without parking across the highway and walking, and got to the fire pit we had just enough time to spread out our blankets and sit for about 5 minutes before the beach police came by and yelled at us, literally, to stand up and get off the beach because it was now closed. At least we can say we had a bonfire on the beach even if it was only for 10 minutes!
Sunday we went to the church across from the temple that happened to be having stake conference so we enjoyed a nice message from Elder Edgley of the presiding bishopric. We picniced on the temple sidewalk, had a nap in the sun (of course it would come out the day we left), and headed home.
On that note our anniversary trip came to an end. It was such a great time. I am so thankful for such a thoughtful, loving husband and for all he has put up with for the past year. Can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us. A lot of changes I'm sure!
My mom approached me 2 Saturdays ago at a family function telling me that after 30+ years they were getting a new piano and since all my other siblings already have pianos, would I want to inherit their old one. Let me think, we live in a 750 sq ft. one bedroom apartment on the second floor with neighbors who will eternally hate us and will be moving again in 4-5 months....of course, bring on the piano!!! So this past Saturday JR and I took a nice little drive to Prescott where amazingly enough my brother and him were able to load it into the back of our little truck, turn right back around and drive back to Phoenix. It was the shortest trip home I will probably ever make. Thanks to the poor souls who ended up having help us unload and carry it across the courtyard and up the 19 steps to our apartment. We love our new piano even if it does take up the last bit of wall we have in our bedroom and doesn't have a piano bench. 
