*San Diego 2009*

In the Bracken family it has now become a tradition since last year that we go to San Diego and camp right on the beach w/ a beautiful ocean view. Well this year we had tons of fun, especially now that Josh and I are married the sleeping arrangements were so much nicer! It was also really nice to finally have time away from work since I have not been away since I started in March, so needless to say it was a well needed and deserved vacation!

To start out our vacation we went on a long 18 mile bike ride around downtown San Diego, and took a ferry around the harbor to see all the aircraft carriers which was really neat to see. Here are a few pictures to enjoy from our bike ride....





The very next day my wonderful in-laws took me to Sea World for my very first time and let me tell you it was a blast. I loved seeing all the shows, especially "Shamu Rocks" which was the night time show, and SLL (Sea Lions Live) which was just like the show Saturday Night Live. It was really funny and the sea lions really act like people and are super well trained it honestly did not seem like they were real sea lions (I was very impressed). Also the Shark exhibit was awesome and going through the shark tunnel was a bit creepy since basically the only thing between you and a shark is glass, so a bit scary. Here are some pictures from the Sea World adventure....








Josh and I decided before we ended our wonderful vacation we would stop home in Arizona to see my family and hang out for a few days. Well that ended way to quickly and before we knew it, it was time to come back to Idaho. I cried the whole way home because I'm a baby and I hate saying goodbye to family, and well to be honest I love Rexburg but I am so ready to be home in Arizona...only a year left!

*Utah Trip and the latest and greatest update*

A few weeks ago Josh and I ventured down to Utah for a fun filled and spiritual weekend! First thing we did on Saturday was go to the Salt Lake City Temple to do a LIVE session, which may I say was such a wonderful experience that I hope to do again very soon. It was also fun to see the tons of girls getting married that day (I asked a temple worker and there was a little over 70 weddings that day..CRAZY) but it reminded me of my wedding day and put a big smile on my face.



The next adventure we had was going to the REAL Salt Lake MLS (major league soccer) game which was a ton of fun. It was Salt Lake vs. Canada and WE WON 3-0 so it was a sweet game. There were also a ton of crazy fans that were singing songs, yelling at other people, and making fun of the players from the opposite team the WHOLE time which was entertaining.






So to end this wonderful weekend of adventures on Sunday we went to my cousins farewell which was fun because I got to see my cousin for the last time before he leaves for two years, and also got to around my relatives and sister! So needless to say a very fulfilling trip, it definitely ended way too soon.

The weekend before that my parents, grandma, and aunt came to Idaho to visit with us in Shelley (where my other aunt lives). We had lots of fun sitting around the camp fire and just visiting the whole weekend. I got to mother my new baby cousin the whole weekend too so that was lots of fun for me since I don't have one of my own yet. Of course that weekend ended too soon as well and my family had to leave which was really hard for me cause I love being with family, but my sweet husband comforted me so life is still good (but it will be better when we are back in AZ)!

*The ceiling fan.....A SUCCESS!*

So this is a continuation of our home improvements that we did not think would happen but did...we got the ceiling fan installed yeaaaaaaaaaaa! Josh is basically a genius and figured out a way to get it in so I definitely owe him because I was thinking it couldn't be done. So we will now be nice and cool during these hot summer days in Rexburg, Idaho hahahahha because we all know it gets so hot here!

*Home Improvements*

So this weekend was home improvement weekend, although not all of our improvements worked out the way they were supposed too. We finally put up new curtains which I have been wanting to do for a long time, and now since Josh and I have decided that we are staying here in Idaho (Josh is now officially on fast grad)till July of next year when Josh graduates we decided now was the perfect time, so we put up curtains in our living room and in our bedroom!


So our next home improvement was to put in a ceiling fan in the living room to keep our apartment cooler during the summer. Well we took out the light fixture and in a nut shell basically realized that the boards in the ceilings are not going to allow us to put in this support rod in order to hold the fan so no ceiling fan. However, my handy-dandy husband is still trying to figure out a way to make it work so it still might happen...I'll keep everyone updated on our ceiling fan dilema.

*Update*

So my good friend Pez aka Lesli pointed out to me that I need to update my blog hahahaha so here it goes. Ummm where do I start...well I had a birthday in April so I'm now a cool 23 year old and I got to spend the weekend in Utah with all my family so that was a blast. Also for my birthday I got the movie Twilight and a new pair of pink Nike running shoes, and clothes from my little sis so all in all a pretty sweet birthday!


(LOL this picture was taken last year in Utah so I thought I would just throw it in to make it interesting since posts are funner to read when there are pictures hahah!)

Josh is doing really well in school and loving every second of his major, except for all the homework and studying he has to do, but other then that he is pulling straight A's and only has three semesters after this one to go so I'm very proud of him. I am really enjoying my job at Qwest and actually just graduated from training 3rd in my class so I'm now an "official" employee of Qwest and my job is now somewhat secure yeaaaaaa!

So not really sure what else to blog about since nothing has really changed to much in our life, oh except Josh and I just had our 9 month anniversary so we are getting super close to our One Year which is very exciting because then I will have something to blog about hhahahaha and pictures too!

*Graduation Day!*

Here are just a few pictures from Graduation Night! My parents and Josh's parents flew in from Arizona for the event, so needless to say I am blessed to have two such wonderful families who love and support me so much!

Me in all my glory right after I received my "diploma" lol actually just the holder


My parents brought me this beautiful arrangement of flowers!

*OFFICIAL GRADUATE*

Yup if you are reading this post then you know that.............I PASSED MY ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY FINAL!!!!Yup, I am now (officially on Thursday) a graduate from BYU-Idaho with a B.S. degree in Communications with emphases in Business and Psychology! It has been a long four year journey but I made it and feel AWESOME! So thank you to everyone who helped me get here namely my family for supporting me through school and my wonderful husband who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself to actually pass that super insanely hard Psychology final, also to everyone who kept me in your prayers to pass that dang final THANK YOU!

Here is my graduation picture with complements to Brother Smith the photographer here at BYU-Idaho who took it for me!

*Happy Birthday & 7 Month Anniversary to My Joshy Squashy*

On Sunday was Josh's Birthday and he is now a big 24 years old! I got him some cool new basketball shoes and some shoes for just wearing around...he is very happy about them!

From his parents he is getting money for a gun (all of a sudden he is way into guns..no idea where it came from) and his loving sister got him some gun things to go with his new gun! I also made his favorite cake German chocolate with coconut pecan frosting which was super yummy! We also on Sunday celebrated our 7 month anniversary... I can't believe it has already been that long, before we know it we will be at one year! Anyways after 7 months of marriage we are still so in love and cherish every moment we have with each other, and can't wait to see what the future holds for us. I LOVE YOU FOREVER SWEETHEART MUAH XOXOXOXOOXOXOOXOXOXOOXOXOOXOXO

*New Job*

Well after my months of getting nowhere finding a job I FINALLY was blessed to get a job at Qwest Communications in Idaho Falls. My position will be a customer service and sales rep. and the training is 10 weeks long but of course I get paid for it so I'm not complaining. Since the job involves selling I make commission on everything I sell so there is tons of money to be made at this job, which is definitely a bonus! I work from 10-7pm Monday through Friday and weekends off which is a bonus, not to mention the absolutley amazing benefits they offer which kick in thirty days from the day I started so that is another huge blessing. I am so grateful that I was able to find a job especially with the economy the way it is so thank you to everyone who kept me in your prayers! Also if any of you are interested in any of the products with Qwest let me know, and I'll hook you up!

Mommy and Pappy visit!

Well Josh and I had quite an adventurous weekend! On Saturday we drove down to Utah to meet up with my parents who came from Arizona and we all met up at my sister's apartment in Provo. We had tons of fun hanging out all day Saturday and going to church on Sunday to my sister's ward, which was weird going to a singles ward again lol definitely don't miss those days!

Anyways Josh and I drove back home Sunday night and my parents drove up to Rexburg on Monday to spend a few days up here with us and to see our apartment! On Tuesday Josh had to spend all day at school studying for a test so my parents and I went to Idaho Falls to shop (I got an early birthday present which was this perfume I wanted really bad called True Religion...it smells sooo good and for getting the big bottle I got a free bag!)I also go a pink Harley Davidson ear warmer which is super cute!



We also went to the Titanic exhibit at the Idaho Falls Museum which was really cool and interesting. I have been wanting to go for awhile so I'm glad that my wish to go finally came true, so now when I see the billboard I won't tell everyone that I really want to go ha ha ha! I'm very sad that my parents had to go but they will be back soon for my graduation yeaaaaaaaa!

Ophir Cabin 2009

Every President's Day weekend (also this year Valentines Day)the Bracken family goes up to their cabin in Ophir,Utah. So Josh and I spent the weekend up there with all of his family and we also had our first married Valentines Day together, which was tons of fun because we went bowling and out to a very yummy Chinese dinner.

We also went on a very fun snow quadding ride up the beautiful canyon, which was packed with snow so it took us awhile to get most of the way!


So on President's Day our last day in Utah, Josh's dad took the whole family skiing at Park City, which is a beautiful ski resort and tons of awesome ski runs!

Here are a few pictures of what the cabin looks like from the inside out....



This mountain lion is one of my favorite parts of the cabin because it looks so real and was at one point before its fateful death came

I like to think of this one as Colby and Samantha's Elks long lost little brother ha ha ha!

A few more pictures of everyone having a good time together...

This is Josh and his awesome little brother Tate being a goof ball!

Aubrey and her boyfriend Eric...so cute!

This is the whole Bracken Clan!

*New Addition to the Bracken Household*

For my birthday last year my dear friend Lesli (aka Pez) gave me a gift card to Porters Craft Store. Well I saved that gift card till just recently so I could go and buy a nice decoration for when I was married and had my own apartment to decorate. Now if any of you know how Porters is you know it is basically a girls dream for decorating and tons of fun crafts to make really cute things. So with the great convincing skills of my good friend Lesli she talked me into buying this awesome made by me and Pez creation that now hangs on Josh and I's wall. Josh was not at first so hapy on how much it was to create this wonderful home decoration, but with lots of kisses and telling him that it was a home investment he was OK with it!

*Job Hunting & Test of Faith*

So Josh and I have been in Rexburg for almost a month now and I still have not found a job. I have had a couple of interviews but did not end up getting the position. I am starting to become very frustrated with the situation, because being at home all day with nothing to do is not fun at all (I can only clean so much).I think this is a trial that is testing my faith hard, because the faith I have in finding a job is slowly becoming smaller and smaller with each passing day. However, I'm going to keep my head up and try and keep my faith alive! So everyone keep me in your prayers for finding a job because I need it BAD!

*Holidays & Moving to Rexburg!

It has been awhile since I have updated everyone on our life so here it goes! The holidays were a lot of fun, for Christmas Eve we went to a get together with my family and relatives, and Christmas day we split the day up between my family and Josh's family, we had tons of fun spending time with family and remembering the birth of our Lord and Savior. For Christmas Josh and I received a lot of awesome and necessary house hold items including a love sac which is sooo comfy and a new comforter and duvey cover for our bed, which we are forever grateful to our families for.

This is Josh opening up some dirt bike riding boots, which came in handy for the Bracken family New Years Dune trip!
Josh and I also got Quad shirts for the dunes, mine of course is pink and I also got pink riding gloves that I love as well which match my shirt.

For New Years of course we went to the dunes in Yuma, California, which we had tons of fun, and I have to say I'm becoming a much better quad rider for it only being my second time going. So this is the whole family toasting to a wonderful New Year with many more memories and adventures to come!


After the dunes it was off to Rexburg, Idaho so that Josh could finish school and I start working and getting ready to graduate in April. It was definitely a rough trip getting up here to Idaho with all the snow storms, but with lots of prayers we made it safely to the Burg. We are now living at Hyde Park Apartments, and we could not be happier with our new place that Josh and I got to decorate and make our happy new home!

This is our living room!

Our living room from a different angle!
Our lovely kitchen!

The hallway!

Last but not least our bedroom (Our bed is sooo comfy, it makes it hard to get up in the morning)!

More of our bedroom from a different angle!
So needless to say we had some eventful holidays and a crazy but exciting beginning to the new year! Right now Josh is going to school full time and I am on the hunt for a full time job and am loving being a full time wife! Josh and I can't wait to see what this new year brings us...maybe babies ha ha ha!!!