2013: Our Year in Review

Since it is a new year (and I am a terrible blogger), I decided I will update everyone about what we have been up to this past year! Warning...this is an extremely long post with lots of photos.

In January we went on our honeymoon to LA and Vegas, drove back to Utah to begin another semester at BYU, opened up all of our wedding presents that Brian's family left at our apartment after the wedding (thank you!), finished unpacking and survived the first month of married life!

Married December 29th, 2012

Brian's first time at Disneyland! He was embarrassed by the "just married" buttons.

Hollywood

California Adventure

Brian surprised me with a stop in Vegas. He booked an AWESOME hotel room!

The view from our room. Awesome.

Our teeny-tiny 1st apartment that had no living room (I'll post more pics later)

I got to sing the National Anthem at a BYU basketball game with Women's Chorus. It was sweet.

In February we were kind of boring and focused on school. Brian got accepted to the advertising program at BYU (yay!) and quit his job at Clearlink (it was too demanding with school) and starting working at the auto shop on campus instead. He liked that job much better but I didn't like that he came home smelling like oil everyday. Washing those dirty jeans wasn't fun either. We went night skiing at Sundance the day before Valentine's day (since B had to take a test on V-day...boo) and I had two Women's Chorus concerts.

First time night skiing! Super cold but very fun.

Taking a GRE practice test with my main gal Kenzie!

The acceptance letter

Date night at The Wall celebrating his acceptance to the advertising program.

I left these really mushy notes around the apartment for Brian for the first 14 days of February leading up to V-day.

I love WC!

My awesome folder partner, Monica!

In March we celebrated my BFF Tracie's b-day (and her twin Adam), had more Women's Chorus stuff, took Lara and Joy to festival of colors, and Natalie visited from BYU-I during Easter weekend.

B+B at the par-tay!

Rachel, Tracie, Martha and Brittany 

My favorite set of twins! (Besides Kamryn and Carson of course). With lil' bro Dallin sandwiched in between.

I took pictures at the "kissing" booth advertising for our upcoming concert...some girls even gave out real kisses.

Joy and Lara...and some immodest girls

Our second time at festival of colors together...and most likely our last.

Of course the only picture we took had to be really unflattering.

In April I had my last Women's Chorus concert, I sang at the Saturday morning session of General Conference with the rest of the BYU auditioned choirs, we went skiing in Park City, Natalie came to visit again, we drove to Jason and Leslie's wedding in Kansas with David, Abby and Joy, and then took finals in only 3 days!

Brian was my biggest support. He made it to every single concert the entire two years we were together. 

I love Sister Applonie! Four straight years with this amazing woman as my conductor.

I'm so glad Jill and Martha made it! (didn't get a pic with Tracie)

About to sing at conference! With Monica and Nea.

With the amazing Mikelle and Kelsey

Woohoo I got about 2 seconds of screen time!

Snow bunnies skiing the last day of the season.

B-rad made his famous ribs for our cute sisters.

Another flattering pic with the sis.

All the Clay's!

I'm so lucky I get to call these cuties my nieces and nephews (still missing a few though).

With the hubs.

In May we took it easy. Brian's job at the auto shop ended and he starting working at the MTC as a security guard. I started working full time at the library (instead of just part time) while taking a GRE class in the evenings. We finally moved out of our awful basement apartment and into an apartment with a living room!

We can finally have guests over now!

So much better than a drafty basement.

Our awesome friends Lizzie and Evan took us all to see Urine Town and then we ate at JCW's. Tracie 5th-wheeled it. We love her.

We were featured in BYU's Bridal Guide Spring 2013!

In June we moved out of our apartment, put all of our stuff in storage and started working as tour guides for Road Scholar! We took groups of grandparents and their grandchildren around Utah county and played with them all week. We had two groups in June and stayed at Park City Mountain Resort. We went hot air ballooning, hiking, rafting, swimming, alpine sliding, ziplining, and visited museums.

Thanks for helping us, Steve!

Everything we own in a tiny 10x10 storage unit. Ready to live in a hotel for 9 weeks!

Our views over Heber/Midway and Park City were amazing!

Brian was popular among the kiddos. Cause he's strong and would throw them into the water.

On my laptop preparing the slideshow...even while at Seven Peaks

Brian on the Timpanogos cave hike

About to go rafting on Provo river

On the Heber Creeper

Brian ziplining with one of the grandmas!

Entertaining on the Heber Creeper

Around 12 people could fit into one basket

My very adventurous husband on the ropes course

About to go on the zipline (again) in Park City 

Provo River

Happy 23rd Birthday Brian! June 28th

In July we had four more Road Scholar groups. We stayed at the La Quinta Inn in Orem for all four weeks. Celebrated the best 4th of July ever! Exhaustion started to set in....

Testing out the new underwater camera. The kids LOVED it. Including this big kid.

My group's hot air balloon basket fell over after we landed. That was...exciting!

I just felt bad for the crying 8 year old that landed on top of me. We all laughed about it afterwards, though! 

Seven Peaks

Lighting up some sparklers at the 4th of July parade! 

Even the grandmas enjoyed the sparklers!

Our cute group at the parade.

Our awesome boss Gary made smoothies for the group while we watched the parade!

Exhausted tour guides!

The older people didn't like all the racket.

The original Book of Mormon press--at the Crandall Print Museum in Provo. 

The group with the original Heber Creeper!

All the boys loved B-rad.

Brian and I at Stadium of Fire! Our awesome friends Tracie and Will were able to join us too.

Kelly Clarkson is SO AMAZING! Fireworks followed her performance.

On the Provo River.

Brian instantly became the favorite when he made a pitstop at Krispy Kreme to get doughnuts for everyone.

This was by far the best take off, we all floated up together at the same time. When balloons touch it's called "kissing."

Got stuck behind a grandma on the alpine slides...

Brian with one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet.

Inside Timpanogos Cave. Brian is really tan in this picture. That's right ladies, he's taken!

The Heart of Timpanogos

Bridal Veil Falls

The planners.

Another pic with the original Heber Creeper.

Oh no...our train got robbed. 

Erik Hansen (friend from high school) was our guide a few times on the Provo river!

In August we had two more weeks of Road Scholar, went to Rexburg to met our new nephew Asher, met my family in Yellowstone for a week-long vacation (Natalie has more pics here), moved our stuff into a new apartment in the same complex (we moved from the 1st floor to the 2nd), and then drove to Seattle with Will and Tracie to visit my family for a week! (Natalie has our Seattle trip posted here)

Two in a canoe

Brian won the rope game

Posing with Haylee and Hunter!

Brian and I both got to fly a two-passenger plane!

We got to bring Tracie on one of the hot air ballooning trips :)

Basically it was the best job ever!

Asher David Clay

I hope he won't look this concerned when we have our first baby.... 

He is so perfect!

David is a great dad

All the kids! Natalie is weird

Everyone

Awesome hot springs

With Paul and Rachel

Dad was really good at getting pictures of us at every stop

All the girlies

We showed up 10 mins before it blew...good timing! 

 It was so beautiful!

After we swam in this awesome swimming hole 

Kissing my stud...with a bison in the background

More geysers

Love these kiddos 

Then we drove through Wyoming to see the Tetons! 

The whole fam

Just a couple of crazies

Another amazing view. Great way to end the trip.

Rockclimbing in Washington

Awesome

The girls

At the beach!

Brian trying to be cool...wearing Tracie's sunglasses

Gasworks park

XXX Burger

Pikes Place Market

Seattle's wheel behind us

Nat and I on the ferry!

Ferry!

Mariner's game. The whole time we tried to set Will and Tracie up...but it didn't work out

It was raining so they closed the cover...pretty neato.

We look nothing alike.... :)

With the glove

We love Paul!

This city is my favorite

Boating! I love T-face

Family on top of the space needle!

w/ Natalie and Sarah 

Dad spoiled us--we got to eat on top of the space needle in the rotating restaurant!

B-rad and I atop the space needle

Boating at night on lake union

Swimming at gmas in Yakima

In September we started school again (my last semester as an undergrad), went to Camden and Martha's b-day parties, saw Joy open her mission call, got a visit from my dad and brother, and Joy and I ran the 5k color run!

First day of school!

w/ Nat and Martha

Happy Birthday Camden!

Love these girls

Pocatello, Idaho!

We went to cafe rio, went laser tagging, and then went to the football game the next day

The aftermath of the color run

In October Nat visited during General Conference weekend, we went to a haunted forest, Brian's parents visited and we all drove to Rexburg together for Asher's baby blessing.

At the haunted forest with Ryan and Angela!

Cute Asher on his blessing day

At the major fair...we love comd :)

In November we went to the Catching Fire premier with friends, had Thanksgiving dinner with Tracie's family, picked up Nat from the airport and took her to see the temple square lights.

May the odds be ever in your favor...

Thanksgiving

Temple square lights with Natalie

Love seeing the Temple lights

Basically the best class ever...make food and then eat it!

In December we took finals, I graduated from BYU, then we flew to Seattle for Christmas break. In Seattle we went rock climbing, had Christmas with my family, drove to Portland for my friend Jill's wedding, celebrated our one year anniversary at the Oregon coast, went to the pacific science center, had a New Year's party at my parent's house, flew in a sky tunnel at iFly, went skiing with the family, and ate out all the time! For more details about Christmas break, visit my sister Natalie's blog here.

Last day of classes as an undergrad!

With my girls Kenzie and Meg!

Indoor rockclimbing

St. Marks Cathedral in Seattle

Paul obviously loves us

Merry Christmas!  

We drove down to Portland for Jill's wedding. It was beautiful!

Louisa and I with the stunning bride. 

Anniversary trip to the Oregon coast.

Indoor skydiving!

Steven's Pass

Using our Christmas presents :)

Sisters :)

Happy 2014!