Proposal Story!!!!

Her side: When Ryan and I met in 2013 it was the very beginning of college(September 23rd, 2013) and I ended up on his floor in his dorm building and he invited me to wait in his room for a friend, so I accepted. He asked me lots of questions about my life and what I was studying in school and really seemed to care about my answers. I thought he was cute but didn't think much of it after I left.

I know, I know, I have been SO BAD at the whole blogging thing lately, but there have been so many moments I want to remember and I'm nervous that if I don't write them down I won't remember them, so any way, I'm going to start here and try to catch up. This is mine and Ryans versions of his proposal story, we wrote this up for our wedding website, so I just felt like it would be easier to copy it over.

His side: Near the beginning of college, about 3 weeks in, there was this cute girl waiting outside our door for her friend across the hall. I invited her in while she waited for her friend. We talked for hours about how college has been going so far, where we were from, our lives back home, etc. Her friend never came back to his room so after a few hours she headed back to her room. I made sure to get her number before she left.

Her side: The very night I met him he got my phone number and invited me to go get pizza the following day, He continued to pursue me and still asked me lots of questions and really cared about my answers. He listened so intently to everything I said, after our pizza date I started to get a bit of a crush on him,

His side: The very next day I texted her to see if she wanted to go get pizza. So politely she said yes and we had our first date. We had take-out pizza because we both lived on campus and sat in the grass getting to know each other better.

Her side: We continued to spend time together after our pizza date and a solid 9 days after that he kissed me in the library and asked me to be his girlfriend. I was so smitten, I had to say yes! Since that day he hasn't stopped listening to me or kissing me.

His Side: About a week later we had still been talking and seeing each other in-between classes. On October 3rd, 2013 I asked her to dinner with me again but this time we were going to see a movie afterwords. After two hours of drawing circles on each others hands with our fingers we headed to the library since we were both a month into college and never stepped a foot inside. In between the book shelves on the second floor of the library I kissed her and asked her if she would be my girlfriend. She said yes.

Christmas Photos

Long time, no see, eh?

Honestly, I haven't been feeling the whole blog thing lately, mostly because I neeeeed a new blog design! Like real bad, I have been talking with a girl who has an ahh-mazing blog design and is super affordable but I guess I was just waiting to after the holidays to pursue it. Anyway I'm rambling and my point is that I haven't been feeling like blogging but I really needed to post our Christmas photos some where, because they are so cute and I'm obsessed!

We printed like a million of these and framed them and gave them to basically everyone as Christmas gifts, Ryans Mom, our grandmothers, and then my step-mom and anyway, just printed a lot of these!

These are the ones that we used for our actual Christmas card, I'll have to upload it because trust me, it came out super cute!

 

Ok, super random... I saw these pictures on pinterest and I really wanted them, so I made our photographer (and my freshman roomie) Raven take like a million of these cutesy pictures and I have been to nervous to post them on instagram! Haha... typical.

These one's are just so romantic! Ugh, I am just so obsessed with these! I'm so happy with how they all came out :)

dear high school best friends

last but not least Nicole & Taylor and although they are the most unique and kind individuals, they are being put together because the three of us, were always put together the better part of senior year, but they'll each get their own letters :)

dear Nicole,

Remember last year when I called you crying from my bathroom floor? Yeah, well to me that was the epitome of our friendship. You are such a support and anchor. For whatever mood I'm in, you get excited with me over what ever, a new job, a good grade, getting asked to dances, you let me complain and cry and you always always have my back. I can never ever thank you enough for all that you were and all that you are through the many seasons of our friendship, it's so weird to think where we are now but it's such a blessing that you were and influence on my life. I love you always and forever!

Oh Taylor,

You have a way of understanding my sense of humor better then anyone. You brought your camera EVERY WHERE and I love that our adventures were documented, you were with me on all of my opinouns and we always agreed on things and it was good knowing I always had someone on my side and you really understood my stress and we shared a love of DP and your mom always adopted us all and loved us all :) 

p.s. you're still planning on photographing my wedding right?!

I can not even begin to describe how lucky I am for the two of you to support me and love me through the awkward stages of high school and taking such good care of my after Corinne's new years eve party and loving me the whole time even when I messed up big. For sharing a tiger town bond with me that no one will ever understand. All the people in my life now have you two to thank for helping teach me to be a good friend and human being, for learning how to do make-up. 

(Honorary mention: Melvin)

high school best friends

You guys, high school has the ability to really really suck.. You read in my last post about my bff Erin being by my side through all of high school, I ended up having an ahhhmazing group of friends in high school who were all so wonderful and supportive and I continue to keep in touch with but the one girl who I became close with towards the beginning of my high school career, that has literally seen it all is my dear friend Heather.... who didn't even go to my high school.

dear high school best friend,

Oh Heather, I have so much to thank you for. From the first day we met when you didn't hate me for being on a date with your soulmate (haha, well not really) to last week when I talked for 12 minutes straight and you listened to me vent the whole time. You are literally the most genuine person I have ever met and high school was such a time for change and decisions and you made such a huge impact in shaping me to who I am today, high school was a time where I needed endless hours of support and encouragement and you came through every time, you listened to everything I was struggling with and was so supportive, I think back on my high school self and boy was I dumb. I think and said the silliest of things and you still made me feel like the coolest person ever. You have always helped me to uphold my standards and remind me of promises I've made to myself and we all need a friend like that. You understand my crazy family better than anyone (probably because yours is crazier) and you are someone always constantly there for me, Sam and Jess, all at the same time. Now that's what I would call worlds best multitask-er. How, did I get so blessed with you as one of my very best friends. You were so perfect for that stage of my life and every stage after that! Thank you for being my rock and loving me no matter how weird and selfish I am.

love, Tessa

to the girl who made me not hate this state

If you've ever moved as a kid you know its basically the end of the world until someone comes around that makes you really like the place you've moved to, even if they don't hang around for very long you and your childhood self owe them a big THANK YOU! for me that was Erin (well Kim but mostly Erin) so this ones for you.

dear Erin,

remember the first time we met?! I do. I hated az, you wouldn't have known that because I was trying so hard not to hate it and I was trying to be friendly but I hated every second of it. We had the same phone one of those phones that slides up and has a full key board so you can text so much better, the ones that were all the rage, I remember those phones but I don't remember who said it first either way one of us said "hey! we have the same phone" and we started looking through each others pictures and you had a picture with Misty and you both had really cool socks on and we bonded over our love of socks. Then you invited me over for memorial day and we went swimming in your pool and you decorated the dug outs of our church softball team for my birthday and gave me a sprite flavored lip gloss (this must have been before we established that we were both coke lovers) you have been such a good friend to me all these years from the first time you invited me to your house to swim in your pool and bake cookies the the time you helped me move into my first apartment (wait that was like 2 weeks ago)! After we got over jr. high you became my best high school friend, as I began to get more confident ad comfortable and make my own friends, you were still always by my side! Through it all, and even though we have grown so far apart I still always am and will be so grateful the universe (more like your mom forced you) created this friendship and brought us together & so grateful you are now moving up to my favorite town to live so close to me :) and we will continue to party (and by party I mean binge watch netflix and force Ryan to bring us pizza)

love, Tessa

dear first best friend

[This will  be the first instillation on my best friend letters, as I am reflecting on my life and the friends that have helped me grow to who I am today, I won't to document a personal note to how each of them have shaped me. Just hang on, it'll start to make sense :)]

Dear childhood best friend,

For me it's Emma. I can never ever repay you for what you've done. You invited me to your twelfth birthday party and it was a sleepover, I'm gonna be real here, I was 11 years old... I had never been invited to a sleepover before. Yep. Everyone else in our grade has far surpassed me, they were having sleepovers since kindergarten and I had never even been to one, let alone a sleepover birthday part!!! I was so nervous. I so badly wanted to make friends and be cool. It was bad. I thought I wouldn't make any friends and then, I was invited to your sleepover birthday. I remember being nervous and excited... the day came and as soon as I arrived at your house you introduced me to your other friends that how I met Hannah and Clara, Janet and Becca... you shared all your friends with me. Included me in every single game, movie discussion, everything that we did that night I felt included. Not only that but you continued to be my friend passed the sleepover party, you still continue to be my friend 9 years later. You continued to invite me out, your friends became my friends, they started to invite me out and I finally felt cool, I probably wasn't very cool but I sure felt it, my nervous little 11 year old self finally felt accepted. When I found out I was moving to Arizona I was devastated, I finally met friends and they were being ripped away from me!!
Then you became my pen-pal, you experienced life with me!! You were the first person I told about the new friends I was making, my first kiss, when Ryan and I started dating, all the first in that relationship, college, my dad getting married! You have been the most faithful penpal and friend. You have shown me what true friendship is, have supported me through every season of life and will always have such a special place in my heart because you were the very first person to show me, people are just people and they shouldn't make you nervous, and all the possibilities there are if I have a little confidence! Thank you for inviting me to your twelfth birthday party and continuing to do every thing right.

I love you penpal. 

Love, Tessa

What they don't know

Alright you guys, so I've heard a lot of questions lately that I could have taken very offesivley and to be honets, I just need to vent...let me give you some examples:

"are you guys planning on getting married or are you just wasting time?"

(like excuse me, I didn't realize dating was such a waste of time.)

"You better get a degree before you get married..."

"You know you'll never make money with that degree, right?"
(why thank you, for informing me that I will have a total of $0 as an adult)

"what are you even doing with your life?"
(actually nothing except eating entire cheese pizzas and netflix marathons)

Ok, let me give you some backround I have made some major changes in my life some of which I've been pretty open about and some, I haven't.
I switched from NAU to a smaller, local community college to pursue an asociates degree instead of a bachelors, Ryan and I have moved in together, I quit my job to become a full time nanny for the summer and don't know what I am going to do when school starts in the fall, but all these questions I'm getting there is so much these people don't know and I honestly dont think it's their place to ask or judge, I guess it kind of defeats the purpose of this blogpost by putting it all on the line like this but i believe in being raw and honest, so that's what I'm doing.

What they don't know is the level of commitment I have in my relationship, the discussions we have about our life and future and the fact that we are the only people that can make descions for ourselves because we are the only two involved.

The fact that school is so difficult for me and I have been working so hard and honestly been doing really well, and that I'm putting myself through school with my own money and I am damn proud of all that I have accomplished in my education and they should be proud too!

The fact that I work so hard at my current job and every job, I've ever had and I can honestly say that I have always been truly happy with my jobs and if I ever started to hate it, I would quit because never will I do something I don't love.

I crave a society where our success isn't based on income, education or relationships because I am so happy with where I am currently at and where I am going with my life, if I get married before I graduate college, so what?! If I never get married or never even graduate so what to that to? I am successful and happy and honestly, that's all that matters to me, so that's all that should matter to you to. The end. Happy day. I hope this didn't sound to rude.

this weekend it felt like summer

This weekend, it felt like summer. We were in Havasu all weekend enjoying the 85 degree weather, swimming in the lake, boating, sliding down water slides, listening to country music, eating bbq and being with our friends. I wore nothing but sundresses and swim suits, I slept very little and swam an awful lot. Tomorrow, I go back to school and today I had to pick classes for next semester. What a sweet time summer is, nestled between every day life and school just time to enjoy the sun and the heat and friends and swimming. Growing up I remember summer being about lemoniade stands and homemade popsicles and play dates every day and as I've gotten older it's become much more about working and saving money and taking summer classes, this summer that is changing becuase this weekend? this weekend felt like real summer, not the one focused on saving and work and stress the one focused on fun and friends and vacations. So this summer I am determinded to make it a real summer. I need to enjoy them while they last, and maybe I'll document more!

checking in

Okay you guys, it's been a longgg time... I started this blog as a journal, so I had a place to put my thoughts, feelings and experiences. I really loved having a place to do that and then I found myself being concerned about how the layout looked, how often I was posting and what I was posting about, that is so silly because this is me and my life! I would get writers block... on what basically is a journal! Hopefully this will be able to stop and I will write whatever I want and I'm hoping this leads to more posts! Hehe :) Happy End of febuary!

I recently read an a post over at on Andrea's blog about checking in on each other and it really touched my heart. In relationships it's so easy to get selfish (at least in mine it is! Haha) Ryan just cares so much about me and I know he would do anything to make me happy, it's so easy to be selfish and only do the things I want because he's willing. Sometimes I forget that it's important that he's happy too, I don't always ask his opinions or  listen to him, but I'm trying.
This past weekend, we went away for a little trip just us, we stayed in flagstaff but went out to an area where neither of us had phone service, we cooked dinner, played games and mostly just caught up, we had a chance to talk about our relationship what we like and dislike and what will help us grow together. Last night we talked for hours, I got ice cream and we worked things through. It's nice to check in on each other once in a while, it's nice to know what he's feeling and have a chance to express my wants and needs. I love checking in on each other. It's hard to do because I get emotional and he's not always super happy when we do but afterwards I feel so much better that we talked (hoping he does too!) We don't always have things figured out but it's nice to at least get these conversations started and figure the rest out as we go!

I love this man, I am so blessed by him.

2015

I haven't blogged since we've been on vacation because I don't have a computer charger.
Nor do I have new years goals.

Or pictures to upload.

I am relaxing with my toes in the sand, spending every day at the beach! I'll figure 2015 when vacation is over.

Peace out from the Florida Keys!

thanksgiving!!

oh hey monday! 

didn't recognize ya there after such a lovely long weekend.

I hope you all had a lovely thanksgiving weekend! I sure did (despite some minor mis-haps) it was so nice to see my family for a couple days, Ryan and I drove tuesday night got there and basically went straight to sleep spent wednesday and tursday and drove back thursday night after a delicously filling meal (that I didn't eat much of) since we had work friday and saturday, I ended up getting sick and only working friday but that's okay, I was able to relax and regain my health and get dinner cooked for me ;) which is my favorite! This boyfriend of mine finds endless ways to serve me. Other than that I am just counting down the days until school is done with and I get to take a 3-week vactation to Florida!! Speaking of..... We're doing universal & disney world, any tips or tricks?? I've been pinteresting the heck out of it!

I am currently obsessing over countdowns. In a world where I have an unlimited amount of time I would make those linked countdown calenders, with construction paper, where you take one off every day because those are so fun! For now, I just use an app on my phone :) as you can tell I'm excited!

Happy monday!! fingers crossed I survive mine :)

happy fall

I spend most days waking up at 4:30am then I go to work, go to school have lunch with my sweet boyfriend, go back to work get off around 6 and spend the whole evening doing homework before, after (and sometimes during) dinner.
Sometimes I dispise this schedule and sometimes I love it. My weekends are a time for rejuvination. I relax and play with my friends and take time to cook but lately they have been all about homework! It's that time of year where it seems everything needs to be done and there's no way to do it so that passed couple weeks I have been so crazy but yesterday as the weekend winded down I went over my lists of projects I still needed to do, assignments I had to get done and people we still needed to get Christmas presents for and I came to the realization that we were done. 100% done. I have no assignments left for the semester. No presents left to buy, no projects or chores to be done around the house. This is the first time all semester I didn't have a check to make on a never-ending to-do list and boy it felt nice! I get to see my family tuesday night all the way until friday morning! Two straight days of family time!!! I am oh so excited and can't belive I just have to survive today before I can really really relax and after this week just one short week and Ryan and I leave for Florida on december 15th and that's when the real vacation begins! Oh boy am I excited!

Life is good, my friends! Maybe one of these days, I will get good at this again.

it feels good to be lost in the right direction

i think it's okay to forget friday letters sometimes. 

This year.... Oh where do I start about this year?

This year has been my busiest year of my life, I think... sometimes I'm crazy and stressed and my poor boyfriend has had to be very patient with me. I wish my apartment was cleaner, I wish I was getting more sleep, I wish I had more time for church activities.

but boy do I love this year. I truly love what I'm doing.

I honestly love my job. Not many people can say they leave thier job in a better mood than when they started but I do. I love the owners of the store and the customers and the mood there. 

I also tutor and that is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done. I get SO proud of the girl I tutor when whe gets it, it makes me so much more re-assured that I am in the right major. Getting to teach someone else is the best feeling.

I love my roommates. I am a busy bee but coming home to my sweet roommates who are SO willing to help me and support me is so refreshing. I have been very blessed by these girls in more ways than they know.

I am so thankful for my thursday night nannying job. I watch 3 boys from 9pm-7am. They are all so awesome but one of my sweet boys is 7 months old. I get to spend a lot of time with him because he often wakes up in the night and wakes up early in the mornings. It is frustrating to get woken up when I'm so sleepy but he brings such joy into my life.

oh my gosh, seriously.... how could you not love that face?!

& most of all I love my sweet boyfriend but you'll hear more about that soon.

This year is busy and overwhelming but so so great. 

And sometimes you have to skip friday letters or procrastinate homework or stay up late watching chick flicks with your roommates and that is all okay, I may be taking school slow and life fast  and not have any idea what I'm doing but it feels good to be going some where. It feels good to be moving forward. I like this life.

pinterest inspired :)

friday letters!! yayy

dear Ryan,

 I hope you have a fun adventure this weekend. 

thanks for making sure I felt extra loved before you left, you are so willing to serve me, i hope that I make you feel even half as loved as you make me feel. I love giggling with you and going on adventures. I know lately I've been so lame and don't do to many fun things with you due to homework but i love that you make everything fun.

dear Stevie,

thanks for being on of the best roommates around and keeping me company all day and being willing to help me craft and making me laugh and letting me vent. I have truly been blessed in the roommate department even when I'm busy with work and school and spend all my free time with Ryan ya'll are there for me no matter what.

dear Bowden,

my cute little 7 mo. old. I have loved nannying for you and your brothers and am so excited that your mom has asked me to watch you boys for the next couple months but last night was rough for both of us. I'm sorry you are teething but maybe next time you can try not to wake up 3+ times a night? I love you very much but you have made me very sleepy.

dear group projects,

oh how I loathe you. You have made my life very difficult but I am grateful for this oppertunity to learn patience and time management because between this project and all my other homework my planner is a neccasity. maybe we'll get along better next year?

thanks.

happy weekend folks!

tuesday thoughts

sometimes life blesses you with really great surprises in the form of canceled classes.

let me start off by explaining that this year has been a busy one for Ryan & I! Our schedules are so opposite and I'm on a farther away campus then last year and my work hours (that I actually really love) don't always line up with his life and his new position for his fraternity is more demanding the last year, as are our classes. So the little time we do get together is usualy spent doing homework and being lame, and I've been really grumpy about the business (he's handled it a lot better). but then today something wonderful happened! My morning class got out early so a friend of Ryans offered me a ride home and as we were driving Ryan called and told me to have Ethan drop me off at his place because his class was canceled!! Yayy!! We had TWO WHOLE HOURS before I had to be to work and Ryans next class started. So we took full advantage of that little gift and he went to Oregano's pizza joint for lunch.

& a lovely lunch date it was! 

We have been dating for almost a full year and we talked about how we were going to celebrate! We planned some fun trips and I finally got to spend some un-interupted time with my guy.

Oh, how I love him! Life has been so crazy and fun and busy and awesome lately! I'm so lucky I have someone to share it with! 

happy tuesday, friends xx

I hope you got some little surprises today:)

Friday Letters!

yipeee!!! happy friday, indeed.

not having friday classes is kind of the best, it worries me for the real world when I work mon-fri like a normal person because this semester friday mornings are for sleeping in, breakfast dates with my sweet boyfriend and a whole lot of laying around. anyway, on with the letters.

dear work,

I love you. I am glad to have a job I love and be able to have a steady job but this week has been a rough one, having to work until midnight tonight is not my favorite and with saturday and sunday off, I can't tell you how ready I am for tonight to be over. but don't worry, I will love you and be just as excited again on monday.

dear gilbert, az,

i'm glad I got to see you this week. even for just one day. I am thankful for stevies kindness and her families as well to let me tag a long for there 12-hour trip. I am thankful for the bywaters and how loved they make me feel and my parents and always letting me be there last minute to stop in and say hey. I like this town, i will see you soon

dear jenny,

i love random messages from you. i love that you read my blog and i love knowing you'll always be there from me. There are very few people from high school I still keep in touch with but you have always been a good friend to me no matter how busy either of us get or how often we get to talk or not talk. i love being a part of your life.

dear blog,

I have had every intention of writing 3-4 times a week and you know what? life happens. that's okay but it does. I have been one busy bee and my blog seems to fall short almost every week but friday letters seems ton be working for me and i'm greatful for that.

dear boyfriend,

one of the things I've always loved about you is how much effort you put in to all the things we do. I fell in love with you while you talked about snowboarding because I just loved your passion and I love seeing you work so hard and succeed at everything you do. I love that we are at a point where that has transfered to our relationship, I love how hard you work for us and everything you do for me. thank you for my breakfast date this morning. i love you

Friday Letters

Friday Letters (one day late)

dear boyfriend,

you are one sweet thing! I can not wait to figure out or new schedules because it's real rough not seeing you very much. I know this week will be a busy one but I am so proud of you, I appreciate you when you get so excited about things and work so hard. This passed week was so lovely thank you for ice cream dates, fruit cups and lots of kisses. lets do it again soon xo

love, Tessa

dear Grandma,

You are one awesome lady!!! Thank you for giving me advice and being there to talk to me every time I need some love or don't want to walk alone. Thank you for supporting my dreams and adventures because you know just how important they are too me. I love you, I can't wait to see you soon!

dear Breeann,

I love having you as a roommate. Thank you for all the late night chats, the carpooling places, I aprecciate our shared love of food, especially the free kind. You make me laugh and let me tell you all my problems and sharing your treats with me.
(P.S. I love all my other roommates too but Breeann was just real helpful and sweet this month!)

dear ben & jerrys,

thank you for being on sale and being so yummy.

you are my most favorite ice cream of all time.

Friday Letters

dear school, You seem real, real hard right now but I am so thankful for this new set schedule. I know it will become doable and I am blessed to have this education. let's get along better this year, okay? 

dear blogging world,

I am sorry I have been neglecting you but I have been busy having adventures which I think are important to have when your young, broke and surronded by good friends. thank you for being understanding of my lacking and giving me a place to put my thoughts and experiences. thank you for being my little journal and letting me document my life.

dear Ryan, 

I am so happy and blessed to be back with you.Thank you for your love this week and our lunch dates. thank you for your support as I adjust to my roommates, school and a job. thank you for letting me blow you off but being there when I need you, thank you for bringing me a yummy donut this morning. My heart is filled with love for you.

dear Marshall lake,

I'm coming for you tomorrow and I can't wait for relaxing in the woods and campfires and fishing for just one night. I need this break after this hectic week.

cheers to the freaking weekend my friends!!

be back soon

but for now here's a cute picture of us xo

Friday Letters

Dear Ryan,
Thank you for everything this passed week. Thank you for being so loving to me. We will see each other in one short week, I am so excited. You write me real life letters and remind me how much you can't wait to kiss me and that makes me smile and gives my tummy butterflies. I hope you never stop kissing me and never stop giving me butterflies.

Dear Father, Sunday is YOUR day. I wish I could be there with the family but I can't. Thank you for supporting me and being proud of me. Thank you for reminding me that life is an adventure, not a chore. Thank you for teaching me to be in love with the out doors.

Dear Sister B, Thank you for all the food & love this week. I needed your homemade cookies and grilled cheese sandwhich stuff more than anything. Thank you for looking out for me and adopting me, I honestly don't know what I would do with out you.

Dear Heather, Oh I can't wait to see you. I can't wait for a long drive and laughs. Thank you for being the only one up in the middle of the night when I need to talk about my future, my boy and my excitment. Thank you for being just as excited as I am for CA next week. You are meant for so much. I can't wait to see where our lives end up.

Dear weekend, Please hurry by. Go by fast because when you are over I only have 7 days left until I am reunited with my boy!

Dear job, You seem to get more doable with every shift. More fun too. Thank you. Thank you to my co-workers and boss for your patience. I am trying my very hardest and I think maybe I FINALLY have it together.

Dear Self, Free your mind. 10 million thoughts a minute are not good for your health or stress. Smile. Relax and enjoy it. Trust. In. God. He knows, he really does know what he's doing. Pray more and just let go. Easier said then done. We'll see how this week goes.