Toy Story Champion

I am so good at Toy Story Mania/Woody's Roundup/ Disneyland in general. Like it's unreal.

Jeffrey and I have played 5 different times; each time I have completely destroyed him.

We have competitiveness in common, so you can imagine how annoyed he gets that his wife is better at this game than he is. And I mean like... way way better.

Check out these scores in chronological order. Take notice of my ever-increasing score, followed by the ever-increasing gap between my score and #2's scores.

First score may be won by a measly 100 points, but a win is a win. I'll take it.

Yikes.

...Oh Yeah.

Ouch. Middle finger in frustration to my outstanding score.

Most recent destruction. Are you kidding me with this score? Just to brag a little more... It was the best in the vehicle. 

To be fair, Jeffrey nearly doubles my score in Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster. 

Bush League. Step up to the challenge of Toy Story Mania, A.K.A. a man's game.

Forever #1.

12 Months of Marriage

Happy first anniversary to Jeffrey and myself! (If you want to skip all the sappy love stuff that really only our mom's want to read, I won't know nor would I be offended.) It's crazy to me that it's already been one whole year since Jeffrey and I stepped out of the temple after making promises to each other to be husband and wife forever. It has been such a fun, exciting, eventful, and happy year. I don't think I've ever laughed so much or had so much fun. He is such a wonderful person and I don't know how I got so lucky to have him as my husband.

I also think we have traveled more places in this year alone than any other year of our separate lives (I may be speaking on behalf of Jeffrey, but I think he would agree). From our TransAmerica Christmas, to frequent Vegas trips, to Belize, to moving from Utah, it has been an amazing year. Here are all of our months depicted via camera phone/Nicole's camera/Randi's camera!

October 15, 2011

          

Honeymoon cruise to Mexico

          

December: Our Christmas in DC!

          

New York on Christmas Eve

   

San Francisco a few nights after

January: Happy New Years!

February: Jeffrey's birthday breakfast in bed

March: Vegas trip and saw the Jabbawockeez

April: Easter Day

May: Graduation!

  

Mayan ruins in Belize

June: Arizona for Jeffrey's friend Nate's wedding

July: conquering Provo by hiking the Y

August: Moving to California!

September: Living in LA!

October: Enjoying warm days after the beach with Jeffrey's family.

Here's to many, many more years to come!

Draw Something... Legibly.

Jeffrey and I love playing Draw Something on our IPhones. If you are unaware of this game, it is a one-on-one game of pictionary. No words, just drawings. (We are lenient on this rule) Jeffrey takes the term "Draw Something" very literally. He often draws something, however occasionally it is near impossible to understand what he has drawn. The best part is when the drawing is completely obvious to him and totally cryptic to me.


So I would like to offer you the challenge of Draw Something: Jeffrey Edition. Can you figure out what these pictures are?

 This was my all-time favorite 

Any guesses?

Arkansas

Last Tuesday I had to opportunity due to my current lack of employment to go to Arkansas with my mom. Though it may sound like a random vacation, Arkansas is the state where both of my mom's parents grew up, met, and got married. Coincidentally, it is also the state that Jeffrey and part of his family moved to for three years. Jeffrey is a Arkansas high school graduate, a Harrison Goblin to be precise, and secretly has redneck blood in his veins (along with Baltic blood, as he likes to remind me when it is cold outside and he doesn't need a sweatshirt). It was a lot of fun to get to know the family on that side of the country whom I rarely get to see. They were so sweet and kept us entertained the whole time. It's fun to be able to go visit family you hardly get to see and yet feel so welcomed and comfortable as if you see them all the time.

My "Welcome to Arkansas" gift from my mom's cousin's husband. (My second cousin? I'm going to call them my Aunt and Uncle from here on out.)

I wanted real Southern food while I was there, and am paying a very weighty price for it now. But it was delicious at the time. Here is my lunch of fried catfish, fried okra, brown beans, and potatoes and gravy.

The house that my grandpa grew up in. He was born in 1917 and lived here until he graduated college in 1942.

My grandpa's only sibling, Kathleen. She's 91 and still makes funnier jokes than I can.

Don't mind me. Shooting the same type of sniper rifles used in Iraq today. Don't mess.

Guess who...

Shooting fully automatic machine guns: a luxury not found anywhere in California.

Really enjoying the all-around conservatism in the South. 

The Waltons of Walmart built a museum in Arkansas that had a lot of really cool, very famous art. Here is the actual painting of George Washington from which the dollar bill picture was drawn. This picture cost them $40 million. 

My mom and her cousin in front of the museum entrance.

My great grandparent's grave.

My Mom's uncle Turner, from my grandma's side. It was so fun having both sides of my grandparent's family around to visit.

At the University of Arkansas there is a walkway with the names of all the graduates engraved. Here is my grandpa, Raymond H. Drake, in his graduating year of 1942. Soon after he shipped off to World War II!

Arkansas was a great trip, but there's nothing better than coming home to a cute husband who missed having his wife at home.