ONE Year!!

HAPPY ONE year Wedding ANNIVERSARY to US :)

I am so in love with Jared.

I love being in love.

And yes, I am a total girl.

I just want him, and all you all, to know how much I love Jared. How grateful I am for him. And how EXCITED I am that we get to spend eternity together. 

Best DECISION ever. Seriously.

Love him.

Here is to many, many YEARS together!!

We're off to eat year old cake (yumm), have fun :), go out, and have a blast remembering our wedding and the past, wonderful YEAR together.

Celebrate with us, will ya?? Eat some cake. Go kiss somebody :)

Love you JARED!!!

Easter + Graduation Festivities

commencement

As mentioned before, I DID it! I received my official M.S. degree.

I walked across the stage without tripping.

I wore really cute pink shoes, because shoes are the only thing you can see with that hideous robe on.

Barbie shoes!

YAH!!

It was a GRAND weekend with family, our parents, and friends.

SO fun.

Lots of laughter, food, celebration, and smiles.

I gave a talk on Sunday at Church for Easter. It went really well, because I let God and the Spirit take over. Jesus Christ is RISEN! He lives!

It has been a fabulous week already. I feel so SO much better!

Three cheers for the wonderful Spring and Summer weather headed our way!!

(p.s. my family is fine, their home or lives were not affected by the tornado that hit StL. They live about 12 miles away from the major devastation. They are lucky! And blessed!)

I Did It!

YAH!!

I did it. I now officially have my M.S. degree.

What a lovely feeling :)

It has been a great weekend--more recaps to come, do not worry.

I adore my family, husband, friends, and parents. SO generous, fun, and simply fabulous.

Such a festive and celebratory weekend!

Have a HaPpY EaStEr tomorrow. He LIVES. 

Conference Love + Grad Week

Hey, hey. I am grateful it is a new day, that I got to teach a fun BodyPUMP class, and that my house is half-way cleaned. YAH (I had to take a break and write, of course!)

Also grateful my parentals are coming this week for my graduation!!! Remember when I passed my Thesis Defense in December?? Well, this week I get to walk and receive my diploma for doing that (and finishing gradschool). Many thanks to my awesome parents, husband, and fam/friends who supported me throughout the whole experience.

So, my fav 2 weekends of the year are General Conference weekends. I sit and listen and ponder and take notes. And then I go back and listen and watch all of them over again!

I wanted to post my favorites for you all--they are inspired talks and gave me something to think about (and hopefully for you too!)

Elder Scott's talk on Marriage. I LOVED hearing him talk so sweetly and gently about his beloved wife. I am lucky to have a husband who reveres and loves me too! "Pure love is an incomparable, potent power for good. Righteous love is the foundation of a successful marriage."-Elder Scott

President Packer's talk on Guidance from the Holy Spirit. I needed to hear this to remind me of how I can act and do better to receive and follow the Spirit better."Everyone is tested. One might think it is unfair to be singled out and subjected to a particular temptation, but this is the purpose of mortal life—to be tested."-Elder Oaks

Elder Johnson's talk on Adversity. My job hunt came to mind. Enough said. "At times it may seem that our trials are focused on areas of our lives and parts of our souls with which we seem least able to cope. Since personal growth is an intended outcome of these challenges, it should come as no surprise that the trials can be very personal—almost laser guided to our particular needs or weaknesses."-Elder Johnson

Elder Oaks' talk on Desire. I love how he made the point that our desires really do determine our destinies! "Readjusting our desires to give highest priority to the things of eternity is not easy. We are all tempted to desire that worldly quartet of property, prominence, pride, and power. We might desire these, but we should not fix them as our highest priorities."-Elder Oaks

President Uchtdorf's talk on Waiting on the Road to Damascus. Now is the time for me to be better, more Christlike, and to serve others more. I am trying! I like doing service and I prefer to take active steps to improving myself and my situation. So this talk was perfect for me. "The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time."-President Uchtdorf

What about YOU? What was/were your favorite talk(s)?

Happy Graduation Week, Passover, and Easter (on Sunday)!!

Party at the RiverWoods

Hey, hey! We had an epic weekend. Seriously awesome (and much needed!!) 

We kind of "met" Jimmer and Sugar Ray. Yah, we're cool, we know. 

HA. More like we were only 12 feet away from them on Saturday night!

he's actually really shy and humble-I thought that was cool!

he's looking at the basket they placed out in the crowd....except the lights were in the way!
He made it though. Of course

Mark McGrath-lead singer of Sugar Ray 

just one big party at the RiverWoods

up close

US. duh. We are in love. Duh. :)
and it was freeezzzinnng--hence the winter get-up

fireworks at the end!! While Katy Perry screamed "Firework" over the speakers.

We also hit up a Home and Garden expo. Um, because we rent and all. Yep, makes sense to us too.

And we had a friend and little bro over for Sunday dinner. Hi Megan!! (Little bro prob does not read this)

whole wheat flax high protein banana bread muffins with nutella on top
for dessert-- that's how we roll.

Great weekend. 

Now on to this painfully, awfully slow week :( Don't ask. 

Me (Annette) = not doing awesome.

Oh well. 

Recap of General Conference coming up eventually....that will make me feel better.

Enjoy your day!