Girl Time in Missouri

While Brandon was at the Medical Sales College I decided to go out to Missouri to see my family. It was mainly just us girls the entire time because my dad are Ross are both working so much and Scott is at basic training. I LOVED just spending time with my mom and sisters. 

One night we decided to go to the melting pot because I've never been also because Darci and Lindsay would not stop talking about going and how good it was.

 This was the best part :) 

I also was able to have some good quality time with my little niece, Addison. She loved it too... always wanted me to hold her and cuddle her. She is seriously the sweetest little thing!I love her so much!!

Medical Sales College in Denver

January was a busy and fun month for us. Many people know that after many interviews with a lot of different companies Brandon and I didn't feel good about any of those jobs (plus none of them worked out). We kept praying and trying to decide what direction we should go as for a career for Brandon. We kept going back to Medical Sales but getting a start to that is SUPER hard. Brandon found a Medical Sales College that is a 8 week program. We first didn't think it was a good idea because of the money but after a lot of prayer and temple trips we felt that going to this school was the best thing for Brandon and our family. 

Luckily, the school wasn't too far away AND JD and Megan (my brother and sis-in-law) live an hour away from Denver. We got to see them and stay with most weekends and we loved it!! Because JD is in residency out there in Greeley he was able to do an early ultrasound for us to see if we were having a boy or a girl!

 We are so excited to see if we are having a boy or a girl!

 And... it's a BOY!!! Can you tell Brandon is SUPER excited?!

 JD's finally home from working a long day in the hospital

 Celebrating Megan's birthday with some really good ice cream cake from Cold Stone! 

 Happy birthday!!! 

 Giving my babe some kisses before I go to Missouri for a couple weeks while he's in school

 Brandon working so hard. 

 Date night with JD, Megan and Darren at Casa Bonita! 

 Darren and Megan... love these two sooo much!!  

 All of us at our table. We actually had one of the best tables in the house.. right by the divers! 

 Darren loves uncle Brandon! 

 Had a fun Sunday up at Estes Park.. such a beautiful place.

 One day it's 60 outside and the very next morning it snowed 13 inches!! 

 crazy Denver weather.

I just love my man! 

Christmas 2011

Christmas was so much fun, we went to Missouri and had our first Christmas together with the Hopkins family. Before we headed out there we had some good times with friends. Brandon loves his ugly sweater parties! 

 We love hanging out with Tyler and Whitney! Had some yummy cheese and crackers with some bubbly and then made delicious sugar cookies!! 

 On our way to an ugly sweater party! Brandon grew out his beard for this party. 

 Brandon and his friends... good looking and such a fun group!

 Temple Square

 Ross and Braden on Christmas day

 FHE at Ross and Lindsay's house playing games

 Date night! 

 Brandon's first time hunting with the boys... he loved it! 

Us girls got our nails done. I talked Brandon into coming with us and getting his first Pedi. He actually loved and and all the Asians LOVED Brandon, they could not stop laughing at him. 

The big surprise!!

Brandon and I got back from Texas/Missouri from doing the alarm stuff in September. When we first got back I was sick and didn't take my birth control pills for a couple days because I was throwing up (the nurse said it should be okay and as long as we are being careful I wouldn't get pregnant).

So in October I was tired of being tired and exhausted all day long and having some other stomach problems I was thinking something was wrong. I'm either pregnant or I have mono all over again. So I decided while Brandon was gone to North Dakota again for another sales trip I'd take a pregnancy test (just to be sure). I wanted to do it while Brandon was gone because I already took about 3 pregnancy tests after we got married just because it was something new and kind of fun to take. So the day he left I went to the store and bought some.

I remember my sister telling me it's always best to take the test in the morning right after you wake up. So I woke up one morning (super nervous) and peed on a stick. I waited for what seemed like forever and I thought I was safe because I didn't see anything. I started washing my face and while I was brushing my teeth I looked at it again and what did I see? There was a really faint second pink line.

I started to panic... I didn't know what to do or who to tell. Brandon was gone and my mom and sisters are in Missouri. I took a picture on my phone of the test and sent it to my sister. She called me not even a minute later and right when I heard her voice I just start bawling and couldn't even talk. All I could say is "I don't know how this happened" my sister was so good to me and told me everything's going to be okay and this was meant to be. So then I call my mom and try to tell her (she couldn't even understand what I was saying because I was crying to hard). She asked if I told Brandon yet and right when she said that I got so nervous! I'm freaking out I don't want him to freak out too. So I got off the phone with my mom dreading to call Brandon.

Before I called Brandon I heard Gloria (my mother in law) upstairs so I texted her asking if she was alone and then she opens the door to the basement and says "Manda, you okay?" Of course I start crying again and right when she heard me she zoomed down the stairs not knowing what was wrong (it's funny now that I think of it). I'm crying and I hold up the test and she just hugs me and says everything is okay. She was so good to me when I really needed her. She just held me as I cried. What a great mother in law!!

Brandon called when I was crying with Glo and right away he could tell something was wrong and when I told him he was actually really excited!! So having Brandon and everyone else excited and supporting me helped me a lot with the stressed.

So that's the long story of the morning I found out I was pregnant. It was a BIG surprise but now Brandon and I are so excited for our little one to come and join our family in June! 

A busy, traveling summer!

After Brandon and I got back from our honeymoon we went out to Missouri for our open house. While we were out there we got to do some fun stuff! We of course, went to all the church history sites such as Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Far West and the Liberty Jail. 

 We also had a little family time and went to a Royals game with my parents, sister, brother-in-law and our nephews. It was a lot of fun! Brandon LOVED watching the game (even though it wasn't too exciting)... he loves baseball and can't wait for our boys to play :)

After getting back to Orem we got to relax for about 2 weeks... Brandon got me into biking. Once I started getting better we were going more and more.Then Brandon got an opportunity to make quick money if he went down to Texas to install some alarms. So we drove for 20 hours down to Texas it was a long drive. I was also able to work down there as well being the office girl so it wasn't too bad/boring for me!

Then after we went back to Missouri to see our new nephew, Jace. Then drove back to Utah while I was sick and throwing up in the car all morning... not the funniest road trip.

This summer was a lot of driving and hard work but a lot of fun as well! 

Honeymoon in Vegas

After the reception B and I went up to a cabin at Sundance, Rob (Brandon's dad) got us a cabin for a night and he went up there and made a trail of rose petals and got us some martinellis! I LOVED it but I forgot to get a picture. Then Brandon and I went to Vegas. Talk about a nice and relaxing trip! We had such a great time. While we were there we went to the Cirque du Soleil, Le Reve. It was an amazing performance. Then for Brandon's birthday we did a little shopping and went to Cheesecake Factory. Overall it was a great and fun time!