I'm so used to waking up to the sun 
streaming through my windows around 6:00am...

But this morning I was woken up by my alarm at 6:30am...

And I thought, what happened to the sun?

I thought for a second that this was awful, 

I love waking up to the sun...

But as I listened to the drip, drop, drip, drop, 

and the birds coming out just a little late,

and saw the skies covered in a blanket of cloud,

and felt the breeze moving through the house,

and smelled the freshness that the breeze brought along with it...

I changed my mind. 

Waking up in this home is amazing no matter what the weather is.

Good morning everyone.

Adventures of Moving

We did it!

With a lot of hard work...a couple of angry words...
some crying...some laughing...

We did it! 

Since I didn't have internet I couldn't tell you the stories...

Robbie got the biggest uhaul they offer.
That was frightening, him backing up? Oie.

Ten guys from the ward showed up and got it all done in an hour. One hour. Really?

My parents show up and ask, 
"Where is everyone?"

We have a fully furnished house, 
thanks to everyone's love and generosity, 
well, and the fact they had no use for them anymore helped...

I went to work later that afternoon and worked till 10pm.
When I got home Robbie had unpacked every box. 

He is so amazing.

We've been trying to fix the sprinklers because the 

lawn is dying a little more every day. 

Robbie put a new one in, and about 20 minutes later 

realized it was facing the house...

technically the window to our bedroom...

that sprinkler sure did work all right! 

Right through the window.

Hilarious, no? 

Yes. 

Okay, that was about it. 

Robbie is really organized, so moving was easy.

My week has been awesome, I love my new home! 

 Robbie is tearing up the back yard right and left. 

I wanted to keep it until the party, but he says he doesn't care 

what anyone thinks he wants those bushes and that rock out!

Love always.

Being Married

Being married takes a lot of work. 

I love this article.

Wake up Call for Wives

Because it's true. 
Woman don't seem to get as much heat about 
not trying hard enough. 
I know there are things I can work on...
Even with all of my excuses, like there seems to be a 
never ending sink full of dirty dishes and
 that's why they never get done, 
the dishes should still get done. 
I'm the one who's home studying and he's at work all day...
I avoid them by watching shows religiously and being online. 
It's true. 

So I'm going to be better. 

I love my husband, and I want him to be happy.

I'm so lucky that he loves me too.

Here is the article that started it all

Wake up Call for Husbands

Final Walk Through

Final walk through. 
Hopefully we'll sign the papers today! 
Oh, I'm just overflowing with excitement. 
For those of you who will not be able to 
come to our party to see the house any time soon, 
here are some of my favorite things. 

A bird house, high up in a tree. Found it yesterday.

The flowers on the tree in the backyard. Beautiful.

I love this. Robbie says it's good for now, 
it took me forever to to weasel out of him why he didn't like it. 
He pointed out that if you lay brick 
you shouldn't have to pour concrete. 
And it was like a light bulb went off, 
I remembered pretty old brick walkways that were brick, 
that I loved, but had no concrete. 
That's one thing to go on the list one day...
make it just a brick walkway, no concrete...maybe. 

This is in our bedroom. It's on the list of things to do. 
We want to put a window bench here, one that opens up for storage. So excited, I love the angles.

A little bar! Don't ask me when I'll be able to buy stools,
 or if Robbie would like to make them for me...
but eventually there will be stools there. 

I have a utility washer in my garage! 
I'm so excited, if I haven't said that before.

Look at all that space I have to put stuff up there...
I've bounced around ideas about baskets and suitcases...
I hate fake plants but I don't know how I can convince Robbie 
to let me get the ladder and water a real ivy. 
I hope I can though. I love real plants.

We have a lamp post in our front yard. 
I'm going to play Narnia with my children!

This Birch is absolutely gorgeous. I love it. 
There are several other trees not shown, like an icky pine, 
that is going down as soon as possible. 
Timber!

I can't wait to move it. 

I'm so excited to own a house!

We Bought a Piano!

So we're buying a house, right? 
Right. 
We are so excited, it's not even funny. 
Here's a good example of how ready we are 
to get out of our apartment.

We've been packed for almost a month now. 
We're signing stuff in the next couple of days, 
and should close hopefully Thursday night!

If you noticed, there's something odd in the corner of this picture.

A piano! I bought one! 
It was at The Salvation Army, for $115. 
Always go thrifting. 

There's nothing wrong with it, just a little dusty, and a little old. 
Okay, it's so old the varnish has wrinkles, but I love it. 
It has one stuck key, and needs a good tuning. 
No bench, so I'm on the lookout. 

Robbie was pessimistic, until he started playing it, 
and I told him my work later that night more than paid for it. 
Also, I mean really, look at this beauty.

And of course,

missionary night!

Something new in our "old" ward. 
Look at him, so happy. 
He loved his mission like no other. 
It's funny how I've grown to love it too. 
It helps that I have other Korean friends...
I've been trying to learn the language but it is slow, and difficult. 
My friend is nice to me every time I try to say something, 
she asks me to say it again, then tell her what I think I'm saying 
in english, then say it again, and then she goes ooooohhhhh...
you mean.....blah blah blah. 
And I go what? Sigh...long, difficult process. 

Can't wait till next weekend...

the move. 

Duh duh duh!

The Happiest Day of my Life

Hello! My name is Courtney, 
and this is the story of how I met my husband. 
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!

I thought I was going to be an old cat lady, 
the old Grandma in the corner house that everyone knew 
to come over for cookies but never married. 
That's why I wanted to be a physical therapist, 
besides the fact that I love rehabilitation and the human body...
so fascinating...anyways, 
I wanted to be able to take care of myself. 
Then I met this guy....

February 27, 2009

It was my 19th birthday, and the good girl that I try to be 
I was at Friday Forum...and there was this guy. 

We kept looking at each other, randomly. 
He was SO cute, handsome even. 
I sat next to him...then a week went by and next Friday Forum 
he sat in the exact same spot...so I sat right next to him. 

A friend, another guy, and I had a class close to each other 
right after FF so we always left early together. 
I kinda wanted him to ask me out...and all of a sudden...
Robbie is right beside me. 
He ran across the street for me. 
Buuuuuttttttt....with that other guy right there 
he couldn't exactly ask me out. 

He asked around and got my number, calling me latter that day. 
He asked me out for that night. 
He told me later that he had already waited an entire week 
to ask me out that he wasn't going to wait another day. 

I was busy that night...but I was free the next night. 
We went to the Olive Garden, 
where we waited for over an hour, 
which was the perfect time to talk. 

We dated pretty much every Friday or Saturday night 
for the next 8 months. 

Except for a nasty little break up that 
helped me make up my mind. 
I have a problem with decision making, 
and we had been talking about getting married 
and I hadn't been able to decide if I wanted to or not. 

So breaking up was not fun, 
but it helped me see how much I loved this man 
and that I did want to marry him. 

We got engaged in October. 

                                                                    I loved the heels...

                                                          

                                                                     He loves me :)

He doesn't let me take many pictures with him, 
he hates it. 
But when he does let me I love him all the more for it. 
This is a week or so after we got engaged...
last minute Halloween party in Coarsegold. 

And then it happened. We got married. The happiest day of my life.

 

 My new family.

 I love my sister. 
I was disappointed I didn't get a picture 
with my brother on that day....

We were sealed in the Fresno temple. 
Such a good decision.

 I love my family.

My best friends.

 I love the looks he gives me.

 Isn't she beautiful?

 shhhhhhhh....I snuck them in.

 I thought it was elegant, and not too much, just right.

 I was afraid...

 This was why.

 I love my daddy.

 Sydney caught it, and all of my other cousins caught a bit of it...
it kinda fell apart as it hit the basketball back board...haha

The honeymoon was great. 
The cruise was well worth it...Mexico not so much. 
Mexico was rather scary.

 When we got back I was overwhelmed 
with the number of gifts we received. 
We were so blessed, and are so grateful 
for the many friends and family who gave us so much.

 Our tiny one bedroom apartment. 
I need a step stool to get anything and everything. 

 It is very hard to get sunlight in our apartment, 
because people walk by and look inside. 
And when we have things that are expensive and nice, 
like a tv, and laptops...you know...not the nicest neighborhood. 

We've been very blessed that we've been kept safe. 
Only one casualty. 
My plant that I kept outside to get more sunlight was stolen. 
Oh yes, and the communal laundry...someone stole my white bra. 
Really you say? Yes. It is true. 
Two casualties. 

 Random love notes from my husband...using my clown candy.

We've had a great year. 
This last picture sums it up. 
I love him, he loves me. 

He has graduated with a degree in business management, 
has a great job, and we're buying a house. 

I have a year left of school if all goes well.

There's not much else to say. 
We've had a great first year and are looking forward to many more. 

Okay, enough about the past. 
The future? 
Can't wait.