Happy 24th Birthday Sammy!

Just wanted to post some pics of my beautiful sister-in-law Sam cuz she just turned the big 2-4. We are getting old! I'm probably the worst at remembering birthdays, so I've decided to make a birthday calendar I can keep forever so I can be better. Anyways, I love this girl so much and it continues to grow the more I get to know her and the more time we spend together. I wish we lived closer cuz I know we'd have so much fun. We're so lucky to have you in our family Sam!
p.s.- don't you wish you could look as good as she does in a bikini like 6 months pregnant?

Golfing Obsession

So JD is obsessed with golf lately. It's a little annoying, but it makes him happy so whatever. My brother Bryce came into town for work, and much to JD's pleasure, he's become quite obsessed too. So they played the last two days together and had some male bonding time. Yesterday they asked if I wanted to go with them to walk and watch. I had nothing else to do and wanted to hang out with them, so I went. It was fun, but I still don't see how a person could want to play all the time. It must be a guy thing. Here's some of my "trying to be artistic but not doing a very good job at it" shots.
The men. So very happy.
They let me hit a few balls. JD kept complimenting me and telling me how much potential I have. His dream is to play golf together when we're old and gray. We've made a deal- He runs with me and I'll play golf with him.
It's so cold! I'm shivering in my house right now. Hurry up Spring!!!

Beautiful Savior

Watch this beautiful depiction of the Savior.

First Loser

So, if you can't read the cartoon, it says "First Loser." That's how I feel about having to drop out of the 10 mile race I was so excited to run. (JD's, on the other hand, would say "Victory.") I hate being a quitter when I set out to do something, but I've had this debilitating back pain for a few months now that just won't go away. It seems to get worse when I run, so I've had to cut back quite a bit to see if that helps.
I've also started going to a chiropractor. Just when you think you're done with the medical and dental bills...never fails. Anyways, I need some advice cuz my chiropractor wants me to wear weights on myself to "fix" the problem instead of just treat the symptoms. (Not all the time thank goodness but at home sometimes- so dorky:) Of course I want to fix the problem, but I don't know if wearing head gear for the body's gonna do it. I'm not ready to drop thousands of $$$ on this! Anybody ever dealt with back pain?
So, my solution to keep myself from going stir crazy...it needs a wash after winter, but it's been fun getting ready for the triathlon with Raelene. (Even though it's still too cold to really enjoy it. Spring, please come soon.) Hopefully my back is better by April 26th! There's no way I'm dropping out of that.

Late Night Thoughts

Well, my cousin threatened me that if I didn't post more often she'd stop visiting, so here goes. I'm at work and it's 2am, so I hope this makes sense. The past couple months I have to admit I've had some blue moments. I've really had to do some soul searching, and I've realized how much I need to stretch and grow. There have been so many times where I wish Heavenly Father would just come and sit by me on my bed and tell me everything's going to be ok and exactly what I need to do. It hit me like a ton of bricks that if He did this, there would be no need for faith. I've realized that having perfect faith doesn't always come easy, but it's something that needs to be exercised. That means it takes work. Crazy that I'm just now getting this! Anyways, I was listening to the YW General Meeting the other night and this part of Sister Elaine S. Dalton's talk spoke to me.

"Being steadfast and immovable also means that you keep moving forward with “a steadfastness in Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20). Several years ago, I had the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon. I had trained hard and felt I was prepared, but at mile 20 there are hills. The locals call the steepest and longest hill Heartbreak Hill. When I reached that point, I was physically spent. The hill was long, and because I was a novice, I allowed myself to do something no seasoned runner ever does—I started to think negatively. This slowed my pace, so I tried to think positively and visualize the finish line. But as I did this, I suddenly realized that I was in a big city, there were thousands of people lining the route, and I had not made any arrangements to locate my husband at the end of the marathon. I felt lost and alone, and I started to cry. I was wearing a big red T-shirt with the word Utah printed on the front in big block letters. As the spectators saw that I was crying, they would yell, “Keep going, Utah.” “Don’t cry, Utah.” “You’re almost finished, Utah.” But I knew I wasn’t, and I was lost. I also knew that even if I stopped running and dropped out of the race, I would still be lost.

Do any of you ever feel like you’re running up Heartbreak Hill and that even though there are people lining the route, you are alone? That’s how I felt. So I did what every one of you would do—I began to pray right there on that marathon route. I told Heavenly Father that I was alone and that I was on a hill. I told Him that I was discouraged and afraid and that I felt lost. I asked for help and strength to be steadfast and to finish the race. As I continued to run, these words came into my mind:

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
(“How Firm a Foundation,” Hymns, no. 85)

That sweet answer to my prayer gave me the strength to continue on until I crossed the finish line. And despite my fears, my husband was right there and all was well.

That day I experienced more than a marathon. I learned some important lessons. First of all, never wear a big red shirt with the word Utah printed on it. Second, I learned that no matter how well prepared you think you are, there are hills on the course. I learned that people cheering for you along the way are absolutely essential. I learned again that day that we are never alone. Our Heavenly Father is only a prayer away, and the Holy Ghost is within whispering distance."

Dad, we could substitute Big Bummer for Heartbreak Hill and it would work perfectly :).

Last week my mom called me with some really sad news. A good friend of the family's husband passed away unexpectedly at age 26. My heart aches for her and their families. I hope and pray the Heavenly Father is wrapping them in the arms of His love. Remember to hold your loved ones close because life is fragile and precious.

Happy Birthday Sarah!!

Here's a little tribute to the beautiful Miss Tayebi. I only wish I had the hundreds of older pictures to post cuz that would be way more entertaining. Love this girl and hope she has a wonderful 24th birthday. AND I hope I get to see her when she's in Utah this weekend. It's been way too long!

Somebody Help Me!

I'm back working the night shift so that's why this post is at midnight. Normally I'd be fast asleep by now. Oh how I long for my bed by around 3:30 am! It's been sooo slow the past 2 nights and tonight is even worse. I've really almost been falling asleep at work. So let's just say that I spend a lot of time looking at blogs to ease the boredom! I've also started helping my co-workers create their own blogs. I'm becoming quite the expert. But I have a problem: I can't figure out how to add links-like in the text of a post. Anybody know how to do that?

Worth the Hype

Red Mango, Froyo, Spoon Me, Maverick, Hogi Yogi, and I never thought I'd say this...Goldenspoon...this tops them ALL!!!

Easter in California

I love the California sun. I've been really missing it the past few months, and I was so excited to go home for Easter. JD couldn't come cuz he had to work, so that was a huge bummer, but everyone else in my family was there. We had a blast.



Eric and Sam talked me into going surfing with them Saturday morning. I have never had a great experience surfing in CA, I always seemed to just get pummeled by the waves and go home disappointed. But that day was perfect. The waves were just right and I actually surfed!

Cutest little girl in the world. She is getting so big! She's talking so much and can even say all of our names now. I just love this little one.
The girls on Easter.

Doug, my brother's good friend lives in Huntington and came with us. His wife is 7 months pregnant, so she let me use her stuff. Next time Sheri has to come!
Sammy is way good at surfing. Thanks for all the help and letting me use your board!
We were both so exhausted by the end we could barely stand up.

Snowboarding With the Other Half of the Fam

Last Friday Bryce and Jessie were in town so we got to go snowboarding. I miss going with my whole family like we used to do. We will definitely have to plan a big trip next winter. We went to the Canyons, and I was so surprised by how much snow there was. It was such a fun powder day. We each had our fair share of face plants. Sarah's was the best I think. Jess had one fall where she completely disappeared under the snow. The zipper on my stupid jacket broke, so I was soaked and freezing until I fixed it with a plastic tie. Somehow, on our quest for fresh powder, (after cutting under the ropes, not realizing what time it was), we got separated from Jess and Sarah and ended up at the far side of the mountain at the bottom of a lift that had just closed. We were pretty much screwed and stuck, so we had to hike/ ride/ sled/ hitch-hike down to the car. We realized we were idiots, but it was an adventure!

Too bad we didn't get a picture of everybody together. (I'm sure we would've if I had a smaller camera I could carry around easier). Missing Sarah, Spence and Sean. JD had to work :(. I didn't realize what a marshmallow I look like in that jacket.
I love my sis. Even though she makes fun of me for being a clutz
B & S...still madly in love after 4 months of marriage
Opposite twinners
Jess, her boyfriend Mike, and his mustache

Latest Home Decor

Ever since we started buying furniture for our condo I've felt this desperate need to infuse some color into the boring browness of it all. So, little by little I've been buying a few colorful things. Just wanted to share my latest purchases: curtains, rod, and pot. Got the curtains from Bed Bath and Beyond a few weeks ago, and I was having some trouble finding a rod long enough to cover the three windows. Last Saturday I dragged JD to IKEA and found exactly what we needed (for cheap- always a plus!) I usually don't like IKEA, but we found the pot too, so I guess every once and a while you can find something good there.

I've Been Tagged...Twice!!

Jenny tagged me to answser questions about my hubby and Nicki tagged me to write 10 random things about myself, so we'll see how far I get. (And Mom, stop reading this and go do something productive...you're obsessed :) j/k...I love that my mom calls me every day to talk about blogging. She's the best!

My answers are in black, JD's are in blue.

(Adrienne is making me do this. I don't know if I can blog and maintain my manhood, but here goes nothing...)

What is his name?
Jones Douglas White. Most people call him JD. When I first met him I was like- what kind of a name is Jones? Thats not a name, but now I kinda like it.

Adrienne Marie Lindsey White. She makes fun of my name and she is named after Rocky Balboa's lover, come on. I actually have always loved her name. It is beautiful and unique, much like the woman.

How long have you been together?
We started dating around February of 2004. We got engaged in January 2005 and married on May 20, 2005. So let's see, that's almost exactly 4 years. Wow. Time flies when you're having fun. I really have a hard time remembering how life was before JD.

Lets see, we started dating not too long after my mission, so beginning of 2004. I dont know if we were actually together, she thought we were "just friends" for a while. Then we made out and she has been hooked ever since, hahaha. We got married in May 2005, so almost three years. That is crazy!

How long did you date?
A year and a few months.

Again, this is a hard question to answer because I thought taking her out and paying for it was a date, but she claimed that was pre-dating friendship. I guess a little over a year is the answer.

How old is he?
He's getting old. 25 years old. Born in 1982. I'm always making fun of his old age and multiple injuries :).

She turned 24 in February. Good thing she looks EXACTLY the same as she did when she was 12, so you would never know that old age is sneaking up on her. Honestly, her face has not changed in at least 13 years, it is pretty amazing.

Who eats more?
His words: "I'm twice as big, I'm allowed to eat twice as much." I can hold my own when it comes to eating, but he's definitely my garbage disposal when it comes to finishing my food, esp. Cafe Rio. Let's just say that I'm never surprised when huge Costco bag of almonds that most people freeze for the year is gone in less than a week. We rarely have left overs. But the other day I was surprised when he only had one serving and said he was trying not to "be fat."

I am twice as big so I eat twice as much. I really can put it down. I love good food.

Who said I love you first?
JD. He said it mid-sentence a couple days before I was leaving for BYU Hawaii and I almost missed it because he just kept talking as if nothing had happened. I was really scared cuz I'd never told a boy that I loved him and didn't know what that all meant. It took me at least two weeks to say it back, but I think he knew I did. He's been patient with me from the beginning.

Me, with no response. That was a little akward. I really knew that I loved Adrie for a long time before I said it. I think she loved me too, she is just a little more of a thinker and had to make sure before she professed it.

Who is taller?
JD wins this one at 6'4".

Me 6'4.

Who can sing better?
Ha! Neither. We were just talking about how much money someone would have to pay us to try out for American Idol. It think it was up to like $50,000 before either of us would humiliate ourselves like that. I can just just hear Simon saying, "What the bloody hell was that?" and Paula telling us that this competition just isn't for us. Actually JD and I aren't tone deaf at least, and I love that JD can sing most hymns without even glancing at the hymn book. Cute huh.

Honestly, probably her. But that is like asking if you would rather have Obama or Hillary as President....lose lose.

Who is smarter?
I was able to get better grades cuz I worked harder in school, but JD pulled off B's doing as little as possible while enjoying life a little more...so I don't really know. It depends on what subject.

She gets better grades, I get jokes without detailed explanations.

Who does the laundry?
We both do. JD's good at starting it and I'm good at finishing it. He's always amazed by how much more I have, but he doesn't remember that he likes to wear the same thing 2+ days in a row if it's still clean. Men.

We both do, sort of. I think she should do it becasue at least 75% of the clothes are hers, no joke.

Who pays the bills?
JD pays the mortgage and all the stuff online and I usually write the checks and mail them.

I pay anyhthing that can be done online, she usually does the stuff through the mail.

Who sleeps on the right side?
I sleep on JD's right. Don't know why, just happened that way.

If you are standing at the foot of the bed facing the head, I am on the right side. Adrienne has a habit of trying to sneak onto my side of the bed to cuddle, which I sometimes have a problem with while I am asleep. Also, she stole my pillow and wont give it back.

Who mows the lawn?
We pay our HOA and somehow it gets done. One great thing about living in a condo. When we do have a yard one day I think I'll give that job to the hubby.

Neither, I have swept the back deck twice.

Who cooks dinner?
Good question. When I work we usually just scrounge for whatever or have eggs, but lately I've been trying to cook more. I got the Ivory Favorite Things cookbook which I love, so I've been using recipes from there. JD will cook every once in a while but he hates making a salad.

Ususally her, sometimes I try but she is much better at it. When she works late I try to have something ready.

Who drives?
JD- when we're going somewhere together. I know he's gonna be a grandpa driver just like my dad one day, but that's better than worrying about him.

When we are together it is always me, which I am more than happy to do. The only problem is Adrie and her jumpyness. She makes this panicked noise anytime anything remotley scary happens. Yesterday I changed lanes and she wasnt ready for it and she freaked! that is always an adventure.

Who is more stubborn?
Although we both are very stubborn, I'd have to say he is. He can be very persuasive if it's something he's passionate about.

We both are stubborn, but I take the cake.

Who asked who out first?
JD asked me out but I didn't realize it was a date. I thought we were just hanging out as friends, but I guess he was really trying to impress me cuz we went to PF Changs and saw 50 First Dates.

I asked her out first.

Who proposed?
The man, of course. It was amazing. He told me to get dressed up and pack a little bag so we could go to a nice restaurant and stay in Park City with his sister and her boyfriend at the time. So they pick us up and eventually we end up at the airport and I'm thinking, is there a nice restaurant at the airport? Well, we get out of the car, JD grabs our bags and Jane and Alex drive off. I was so confused, but we ended up getting on a plane to CA and getting picked up by a limo with like 8 dozen roses in it. We went down to Las Bresas in Laguna and he proposed in a gazebo overlooking the ocean. Pretty romantic. I said yes.

I did, and it was one of the funnest days of my life. I was so excited/nervous. It all went perfect. She said yes.

Who has more friends?
I have more friends from highschool, BYU and work, but I think JD has more friends here in Utah. Now we share a lot of the same friends.

It is about equal. We have some couples that we are both good friends with, so that is good. She has a big group of friends from high school, and I have some close friends from my mission.

Who is more sensitive?
Me, definitely. I can be such a baby.

For sure Adrienne, that is not always a bad thing.

Who has more siblings?
We have the same. We both have two boys and two girls in the family. I think that's ideal.

Its a tie.

Who wears the pants?
It depends on the situation, but we like to try and agree on most things (although we are very different and it's really hard at times.) JD really tries to please me and make me happy, and would probably do whatever I say with minimal resistance, but he does like to be in control too, so I dunno...

The pants??? When it comes down to it, I am not sure. It depends on the situation and circumstance.

10 Random Things about Me
1. I rarely leave the grocery store without buying bananas.
2. I love going on long runs, especially to places I've never been.
3. I find myself relating songs to real life, and accuse JD of not having a heart if he doesn't get emotional over lyrics.
4. I'm bipolar when it comes to cleaning. It's either a total mess or spotless.
5. I'm probably one of the most competitive people you'll ever meet.
6. I used to HATE all nuts and would gag at the thought of a peanut M&M, but now I actually like them.
7. My favorite thing in the world is being at Lake Powell with my whole family.
8. I would love to travel to every country in the world.
9. Working in the ICU has made me a little paranoid, but also very grateful for life, my health, and my loved ones.
10. I love going to bed before 10pm.

1. I love sports, like more than a friend. I can name jersey numbers, colleges attended, statistics, all sorts of valuable information.

2. If a sport has a board, I probably suck at it.

3. When the Utah Jazz went to the NBA Finals, I cried tears of joy. Tears of pain when they lost, both times, damn Michael Jordan.

4. From the ages 9 to about 12 I had the sickest wave ever. My hair was a masterpiece everyday. Hairspray, blowdryer, curl brush. What a loser.

5. I get really obsessed with things. Right now it is golf. Adrienne loves it.

6. I love really expensive, really good food. I think it is hereditary (Dad). Nothing makes me happier than going out to a good restaraunt with people I love.

7. I love the Office a lot. I think that Jim and I would be best friends, for sure.

8. I am not handy, at all. I just dont have skills with tools.

9. I was really nice to my little sister Jane growing up. Most big brothers are mean, I was the nice one, she was mean.

10. I like simple little pleasures like: dropping the pillows off of our made bed onto the ground before going to sleep, watering a Christmas tree, sweeping the floor, hitting a brand new golf ball, buying a gift for Adrienne and seeing her love it, stuff like that.

I think I'm supposed to tag 10 people now, so I tag Sarah, Sammy, Megan, Mom, Becca, Jess, Lynn, Natalie, Laura and Leah

Muy Delicioso!

Last week I had a patient that only spoke spanish. It gave me the chance to practice my espanol from high school, but it made me realize how horrible it is and how I've forgotten almost everything! I couldn't figure out why the only words I could remeber were el lapiz, la regla, la escuela, el papel...What good does classroom lingo do in the real world? At least I could remember como estas and tiene dolor. It actually started coming back to me, and when we'd get stuck in our conversation, I'd say "como se dice..." and do a little charades. It was kinda fun...we had some good laughs. Anyways, I know Cafe Rio is FAR from being authentic Mexican, but it's close enough and sooo good, and my encounter at work put me in the mood to experiment on some good comida del mexico. I found the recipe for mi favorita- the pork salad- and made it a couple days ago. It was muy delicioso and I highly recommend it- plus the leftovers are amazing!! Now I can't stop habla-ing en espanol :).
Here's the recipe:

Cafe Rio Pork

(I used two small pork roasts)
1 ½ cans coca-cola classic (generic varieties or diet is not as good)
1 c. sugar (I used white sugar, but I think brown sugar is what they use)
1 (7 oz.) can Chipotle in ADOBO sauce (since you use the sauce, not the chiles, it is important that you get the chiles in adobo sauce)
1 heaping tsp. dry ground mustard
1 heaping tsp. dry ground cumin
1 tsp. minced garlic

Remove the chiles from the can of adobo sauce. (Leaving the chiles in will make it so potent that you’ll cry just smelling it.)
Add all ingredients (except pork) in a blender. (I put some coke in a bowl with the chiles and sauce and rinsed the can with coke to get all the sauce out.

Blend until well mixed. (You can skip this step, but it’s nice a creamy when you do this.)
Place pork in crock pot and pour sauce over it.

Cook on low for 7-9 hours or until the pork pulls apart with a fork.

Café Rio Cilantro Ranch Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet – make as per recipe
2 tomatillos (tomatoe-like vegetable with a husk around it)
½ bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno or a few drops of tobasco for a more mild flavor
Use a food processor or blender to blend all ingredients together. Refrigerate.

I used the uncooked tortillas that you have to throw on the skillet, melted cheese on the bottom, and you can use canned black beans and make the special rice, but I was lazy and bought Zataran's black beans and rice mixture (New Orleans flavor). I found a simple pico de gallo recipe, and avocados were like $1.75 each, so I left out the guac. Enjoy!

I'm a Slacker

I hate it when people don't update their blog...it's so annoying...and I'm one of them! Thanks Kim for the kick in the pants. I just have no energy and nothing to blog about when I work alot. But I realize that I don't care if someone puts a post only about folding laundry- I just love seeing something new. Speaking of folding laundry...check out this mountain I have to conquer today...not excited.But, there are a couple of things I am excited about. I finally finished scrapbooking my wedding album. It only took me almost 3 years! I'm kinda proud of it, but now I really don't have much to do on my days off. (Besides clean and grocery shop of course.) Here are a few pages:

Another thing I'm sooo excited about is that I've been trying to convince JD to do a triathlon with me so we can train together. He really hates riding bikes and hates swimming even more, but this morning while he was getting ready for work, he said that he would do a running race with me. Yay!! That's the power of persuasion ladies...Beg him to do something that he really really doesn't want to do and he'll give in willingly to something he just plain doesn't want to do. Love it. So I signed us up for the Salt Lake 10 miler on April 5th. If anyone wants to join us, just google it I guess. (I tried to make it a link, but I don't think it works- someone teach me how to do that.) Then I went a little crazy and I'll probably regret it when I have to really start training, but I signed myself up for the Telos Timp Triathalon in Orem on the 26th of April. If anyone's interested please let me know- It's just a sprint, and I need a training buddy.

Last night JD and I ate Tortellini, hung out at home, and watched American Idol. It was fun. I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about the couch at first, but I'm glad we bought it cuz it's so big and comfy. It's hard to get off it sometimes, but we realized we were lazy, so we forced ourselves to get up and go for a walk in the frigid weather.

By the way, here's the new rug. I really like it. What do you think?

Lastly, I have REALLY been missing my family lately. I've just been a little lonely, don't know why. I got to go skiing with my daddy last week and had a blast, (even though it was me and like 15 men all day- alittle awkward but way fun). I'm so looking forward to seeing Bryce and Sarah next weekend up here, and Jessie said she's gonna try to come down with her boyfriend Mike. Then, I got a plane ride home to CA for my b-day, so I'll get to hang out with my mom and dad, and I think Eric, Sam and Kami are coming down for Easter too! Bummer JD can't come, he's gotta work. But I can tell it's time to get my family fix, and I'm so lucky this month will let me see everyone!

P.S. I miss baby Johnny too. He's getting sooo big. More pictures please Jane, and can I babysit him soon please??

Adios