hello again.

alright alright alright.

so, a few people have been pretty vocal about my lack of postings lately (9 months?) and i confess it quite surprised me. i had no idea that people even read this thing? other than my dear, sweet mom (hi mom!) that is. and sometimes my hubby, who said that he reads it because he likes to know what i say about him on the internets (hi hubby!). it took me a bit to make the decision to revive it even still, on account of school eating my life away again in a week (sigh) and this summer being stupidly busy (i almost spelled busty...don't look too far into that) and basically, i really want to re-read harry potter for the second time this year instead of anything else (can't wait until october! pottermore!!!). but then i realized within myself: all these people saying i should post are probably just in cahoots with my conscience because this is pretty much the only way i journal anymore (i know, for shame!) and i really really really think that i should probably really be doing that all the time since i'm like a newlywed, and how often do you get to have the kinds of adventures/learning experiences i'm having anyway? plus, i really liked reading my mom's journal from when she and my dad were all lovey dovey and such (hi mom!). if she didn't know that i did that...well she does now! (this is fun) :)

so here's a snapshot of our lives over the past 9 months in 60 seconds (or longer if you're a slow reader, but don't worry...i don't judge ;)

*christmas was indeed awesome! i don't actually remember tons about it excepting that shay got a shotgun. i remember that because that thing sounds like death and looks like death and it scared me.

*we celebrated one year of being marriaged on january 22nd! yay for us! we bopped around town and went snowboarding, and i tasted the wonderfulness that is texas roadhouse for the first time.

*spring semester of school was a beast but i killed it anyway! shay and i took our first and probably last class together (humanities through the arts). i took a lot of notes and shay made a lot of jokes. we probably only passed because we're just an awesome team like that.

*summer started off with a bang when shay got a new job (whoooo!) and we decided we no longer liked our living establishment (no snakes for me this year!). so we looked around, and found the super de duper cutest apartment (pics coming later...after i get out of my creative funk and decorate). we also visited the red rocks in moab and went river rafting, and shay chased lizards while i tookereasy. then we bought bikes and discovered that it is still the funnest thing ever to ride down the middle of the street with your friends.

*my birthday was pretty cool, shay spoiled me bunches and we had a grand old time. then the fourth of july this year was pretty much my favorite ever. except that one time when i was really little and my dad let me help him light the fireworks for the first time (kay not really little, but really littler than i am now).

*shay's parents came to stay with us for a couple weeks and we had all sorts of fun together like park city where i went on the zip line and it FREAKED me out because i'm totally scared of heights but shay was all channeling aladdin and was like "do you trust me" and i'm like "yep" so then we zoomed over the ground at crazyfastmiles/hour and i was like "that was awesome" and shay was like "i told you" and i was like "whatever i'll race you back to the top sucker" and then we hugged and it was fun.

*we sold my little black prizm (tear!) to a kid going to college and bought a black honda del sol instead (oooooo!). i love this little car but shay loves it more. he's pretty much over the moon about it. that's okay though, because i think it's pretty dang sweet too! only sometimes when we're driving people want to race us all the time (hahaaaa...that made only just enough sense). but my little black prizm will forever be the capsule to so many memories during the craziest time of my life, and was a much better first car than i gave it credit for.

*my littlest sister moved away to logan for school, two amazing friends had babies (cutest little offspring ever!), i took a cake decorating class with kami (hi kami!) and i'm pretty much a master by now, we went camping for the first time and i also went to a spa for the first time (but definitely not last time!) and many more things have happened reminding me that life just continues to move forward at a blinding pace, and i love it more every day.

that's all she wrote for now folks! until next time, in the words of my ever wise and profound canadian: don't do drugs.

5 things I adore about him.

And by "him," I mean this handsome devil:

WARNING! 

I am about to get extremely cheesy, corny, lovey-dovey, etc etc etc. 

I'm pretty sure it's my legal and lawful right as a newlywed. 

Pretty sure.

5. Sometimes he says funnyslashcuteslashridiculous things to me in his sleep. A couple weeks ago, he rolled over and said, "Babe, don't do drugs."

...okay honey, I promise! Cross my heart. :)

Then a few months ago, he sang part of this song to me as I was crawling into bed. Specifically the line that says, "...you don't have to come and confess...we gon' find you..."

I had to crawl right back out of bed and unleash my laughter in the bathroom before I was able to compose myself enough to attempt going to bed again. He still doesn't believe that it happened. 

4. When Shay is tired, silly things just take running leaps out of his mouth. Once I asked him to tell me a story when we were going to sleep. He was pooped that night, but obliged my sincere, if somewhat childlike, request:

"Once upon a time there was a fiery red dragon that lived far away. He was very fiery and very red. He breathed fire all the time. He flew all over the place. And he breathed fire and was red. Then one day he flew and was breathing fire and the fire got too hot and burned him right up.

Amen."

EL-OH-EL I tell you. 

3. Last week I made a quiche for dinner. The relationship between my tummy and the quiche is one of pure love, so you can bet your jellyfish I was stoked for it to be done. As I was about to bake the magic pie of swirling egg and cheese goodness, my hand got overly excited and tipped it all into my open oven. I stood looking at the tragic scene of my culinary dreams crushed for a moment, wondering whether to cry or to laugh or to do both and produce a sound not unlike the air being let out of a tire all at once (this is, in fact, what happened), when my handsome Canadian in shining armor came running to the rescue. He blockaded me out of the kitchen, took me to the lovesac, and held me for a moment until he was sure that I wasn't actually going into shock. Then he asked me what I wanted for dinner, went and picked it up, and came back to help me clean up the scrambled egg mess. All the while assuring me that he wasn't upset at all and that he was sure it would have been a wonderful quiche.

2. The other day we celebrated our nine month anniversary of being marriaged. Shay surprised me with two dozen beautiful pink roses, and every morning before we leave for our daily tasks, he says to me something like, "Aren't your roses so pretty? Did you see them today? I think they're so pretty. I'm glad I got them for you." To which I say, "Yep, they're the prettiest roses anyone ever got." And I smile really big and tell the butterflies going nuts in my tummy to quiet down already!

1. Tonight we watched that movie with Nicholas Cage called "Knowing." Speaking of knowing, I should have known better than to watch it, as I have heard from some very reliable sources that it's a total waste of time. Well, I'm a big wuss, and that movie made me cry my little eyes out. It was weird, it was sad, it was scary, it made me think about the world ending and all sorts of terribly depressing things like that. Do you know what that husband of mine did? He gave me a great big hug, and asked me if I wanted to read some scriptures to help me feel better. Then he reassured me that everything was, in fact, going to be just fine, and reminded me that he was going to be there to hold my hand no matter what. "Do you know why?" he asked me. "Why?" I sniffled. "Because I promised you I would. No matter what."

And aren't I just the luckiest girl ever? :)

Public service announcement...

Attention - shun - shun - shun - shun  all married women of the world - urld - urld - urld - urld!!!!!


I don't recommend anything that I don't love, and I love love love this book.

Go now, and read. Be filled with the priceless knowledge contained within. Apply it to all areas of life, love, and marriage.


This has been a friendly public service announcement brought to you by: 
Procrastinating sleep!
Why? No one really knows, but we're all tired in the morning anyway.

The best thing that's ever been mine.

There is a day that is more dear to me than any other in my memory. 

There are no words to describe it, none that could ever adequately capture it from this now dreamlike place in my mind and bring it back to physical reality. It went by so fast and yet...when I close my eyes sometimes and focus on the dream, every detail comes back to me with startling clarity. I suppose it's because that was the day that defined the rest of my entire life, and lives of everyone that will now come after me.

It was the day that I was blessed to keep the very greatest gift I have ever received...the day I was sealed for eternity to my very best friend.

I never could have imagined this day, or the wonderful blessing it was. I never could have imagined how  in love I'd be, or what the incredible man would be like that walked out of those doors with me into the cold January morning. It was the same world I'd always known, but on that day...it seemed absolutely new.

I never imagined that he'd have eyes like the cerulean crayon I loved so much as a little girl, or hair so blonde that he already looked like one of my own family.

I never imagined the feeling of unconditional love and support that I'd feel every time I was near him.

Nor could I have imagined the butterflies he'd give me, or the feeling of unfailing confidence and security I hadn't previously known existed.

I couldn't have imagined how much he'd teach me about cherishing my own family, the ones I was sealed to first and forever.

I couldn't have dreamed how much I'd love watching him treat his own family with sincere affection and loyalty. I had no idea how excited this would make me to begin our own, and see how many more lives would be touched by his genuinely loving nature.

I had no way of knowing just how much more fun life would be with him around...or how much life he would bring into my own.

I hadn't ever felt the words that could be spoken by the touch of a hand...

...or the thoughts that could be conveyed by the sweetness of a kiss.

I was unaware of how happiness in its complete form felt until that day. I didn't know I could smile so big.

I could have never guessed how unbelievably, incredibly, amazing this man would be.

And that he'd be the best thing that's ever been mine.

International alliances, and all of that.

I have a husband, who was once a fiance.

He hails from the land northward, otherwise known as Canada, otherwise known as the 51st state, aka America's hat.

(Or if you ask said husband, he says that America is Canada's you-know-what in the bathroom. So we won't ask him this time.)

(In his defense, that comment only passes his lips when he's provoked by comments such as mine. He is Canadian after all. I always say that Canadians make the best husbands. They're just far too nice! I also probably needed to marry someone that could chill out my fiery self...and who knows the cold like Canadians? No one. That's who.)

Whilst he was a fiance, we decided to take a trip up there together to celebrate our engagement with everyone that is so important to him. I was nervous and excited and anxious all at once to see the things and go the places that had been such a huge part of making him into the man I love. I really was quite the jumble of emotions.

And I was honestly surprised at how much I LOVED Canada. Oh, I knew I'd enjoy myself, and I really looked forward to spending some more time with Shay's parents and getting to know them better. But even just the land and the scenery and the places he took me! They were all so, so, so much fun.

Plus, the fact that Canadians really do say "eh" every few words...well, the trip never lacked for entertainment. :)

One of the first things we did was take a trip to Niagra Falls. I had NO idea how big they really were. And loud, and beautiful, and cold! The cold in Canada is like nothing I have ever felt. I thought Utah got chilly, but Utah is the fridge to Canada's freezer. That wind blasts into you and through you just keeps blasting along like nobody's business. All around the falls, huge mounds of ice build up from the mist that shoots off of them. The falls are lit up with Canadian and American flag colors, and there are shops, restaurants, and even haunted houses all along the strip nearby.

Shay's parents were our amazing tour guides, hosts, and are the best parents-in-law ever! They bundled up with us on more than one occasion to make sure our trip was the best possible memory. I honestly hadn't felt quite so looked after in a long time. :) They were amazing!

And of course, we had to get a picture too...

Shay took me to the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) as well. This building is HUGE and has so many awesome exhibits! There was something there for everyone, which meant there was plenty there to keep me happy for quite some time. :) While I loved everything we saw from animals to architecture to ancient artifacts and more, I had one specific quest:

I saw them! Or, the parts that are left and traveling the world anyway. Unfortunately the scientists that first handled the scrolls weren't completely savvy to how even light and touch would damage them, and a few of them were harmed during the process of cleaning and translating. So understandably, they don't let the most important ones (you know, like copies of Isaiah and stuff?) do any traveling and send a few of the 800 other ones instead. Still amazing though!

We went out for dinner at some really fun places while there, but my favorite place was definitely the Rich Tree restaurant in Toronto. This was part of our New Year's Eve activity and did not disappoint! It's basically a big marketplace where food is cooked as you order. Each station presents an impressive display of yummy food: european, grill, seafood, pasta, sushi, etc etc etc. In the end our group ate everything from steak to shark.

This little lovely is from the elevator that rides up the side of the CN Tower, or Canadian National Tower. It was built for communication purposes and was the tallest building in the world for 31 years! 1,815 feet tall, and the elevator took less than a minute to get us to the top. Did I mention that the elevator we rode also had a glass floor? Oh yeah. And Allison is terrified of heights.

It was worth it though, because this is what we saw from the top:

Truly incredible.

This trip was nothing short of amazing, and we did about a hundred more things. But the best thing of all was getting to know my Canadian better, and loving the time we got to learn more about each other. I cannot wait to go back!

Better together. :)

Welp, I'm a Mrs.

A Mrs. Shay Petrone.

A wife, companion, other-half, breakfast maker, laundry doer, sore shoulder rubber, beyond happily married girl. :)

And I have quiiiiite a bit to update about our lives. I was hoping to stay up on this so well that I could give every little detail about every little thing, but then I'm afraid something happened to prevented that. And that something is called "life." And "life" didn't really feel like slowing down to let me dwell on the little details, but instead brought on every big thing.

But then guess what? Life's new companion, called "husband," fell asleep super early tonight so I got a little bored. It's tough when your biggest and best playmate is all played-out. What's funny though is that as he's lying next to me, snoring slightly on his back, he does the cutest thing when I nudge him. He doesn't ask, "What?" or "Mmmm?" or even roll back over moaning because I interrupted his slumber. Without fail, every single time, he mumbles, "Amuvooo." Which translates to: "I love you."

Every time. I think I've done it like six times now just because I wanted to hear it. Hee hee...

Anyway, I'll start with just before the last place I left off at which was prior to the events that will heretofore be listed later on in the duration of this post. And with these bigish things, I'll list as many littleish details as I can! 'Cause they're fun and make me smile, that's why. :)

BRIDALS!!!

The details:

LaCaille is BEAUTIFUL and expensive and has crazy swans.

I was blessed with an amazing photographer and a very patient maid of honor and mother and groom-to-be who were all so much more kind to me than I deserved that day. But that's why they are who they are to me. :)

I was fearful that I'd leave this four hour (yep, FOUR hours in the freeeeeezing cold) photo shoot with only a handful of pictures that would maybe make me smile and go, okay, that works I guess...but no. I am having the hardest time picking out which pictures to post, and if I even posted all the ones I like after narrowing them down, I'd still probably blow my blog up. I wish I could show you the fabulous bride's room that made me feel like a French princess, with mirrored walls and powder puff chairs and flowers and sparkles. I wish I could show you the ducks that played prop for us or the swan that took a snap at our photographer when she tried to get him to do the same. I wish I could show you the fireplaces and winding staircases, the lamp post that I swung around on and the manmade snow cave created by a constantly running sprinkler. Instead, I want to show you these:



Our photographer was amazing at catching our personalities. She got lots and lots of us laughing...because honestly, that's what we do about 80% of the time. I was grateful that she caught on so fast. :)



"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter, as long as I'm laughing with you..."



And she got some super romantic ones. Like that one above. I absolutely fell in LOVE with that picture, and with the guy in it all over again.



I have such a studly husband! This was during Shay's solo with our photographer while Kari and I went back to the bathroom to fix my hair and warm up.



I love the symbolism in this picture. It's the biggest print that we had made for the wedding, because I adore what it seems to be saying. Isn't every love story that way? Two people coming from different roads, joined together finally on the same path and dressed in black and white. :) Neither really with a good idea of what to expect or what might happen, but neither really focused on that as much as they are on each other. Because really, that's what is going to get them through whatever lies on the road ahead. Each other. :)

The next adventures each deserve a post of their own, so in respect I shall defer those details until a later date.

It's the most hectical time of the year.

I refuse to be a blog-slacker. For right now anyway.

And I warn you now, this one doesn't start out on a positive note. But read on, the frown turns upside down. I just need a venting moment.

Actually, I need five.

So here are Allison's Top Five Things to Vent About Right Now.

Ahem...

1. I hate the snow this year. I love the winter clothes, I love the way it looks falling to the ground and swirling around me, I love the way it sounds. I even love the way it smells. I cannot STAND scraping it off my windshield. I think I need to go snowboarding.

2. Mondays can go play in traffic. I always find myself craving chocolate the most on Mondays. I think my body knows it needs some extra special comfort that day to combat how lame they are.

3. Wendy's can also go play in traffic for misleading me to think that their new bacon cheeseburger was anything other than a giant jr. bacon cheeseburger with pickles and onions. Which are both gross by the way. Such a disappointment.

4. People drive kinda rudely around the holidays, and it's bothersome. Even the ones that are festive enough to put those weird little wreaths on their cars. Apparently that's where the good cheer ended.

5. My fingers never stay the same size during this time of year, and I either only noticed it this year or it's only bugged me this year. Sigh...

Now to combat that negative start, here are Allison's Top TEN Things to Love About Life Right Now.

1. Shay Petrone. 'Nuff said. :)

2. My wonderful and amazing bestest friend pretty much transformed my hair again today. I love it. :)

3. The countdown to the most important day ever is in the 40's. YAY!!!

4. Sara Bareilles, Owl City, Imogen Heap, and Michael Buble.

5. Redbox had the DVD of Julie and Julia tonight, which I have been wanting to see for for-ev-er, and it was even the day it came out! Big smiles there. :D

6. It's the nicest feeling when someone else besides you gets excited for cool things happening in your life, and you can tell they genuinely mean it. Seriously, no better way to brighten a day. :)

7. Hot chocolate with cool whip, fluffy blanket, book, and time to spare.

8. School is OUT in a week!

9. New earrings from Icing, new dress from Urban Wear, and new shoes from Forever Young. All of which completely compliment each other, and look absolutely amazing. Love those outfits you count down the days to be able to wear again. :)

10. This picture:



It was one of the first taken of Shay and I and I will probably always think of it as a favorite. It reminds me of late nights, fireflies and fireworks, Macey's cones, boating, rice crispy treats, counting the minutes until 5 o'clock, butterflies, handpicked roses, a backyard swing, beanbags, Subway sandwiches in the park, sunscreen, and bonfires. :) Best summer ever.

It's odd how venting or dejunking bunches of thoughts is all girls need sometimes. I think after days like the last three weeks, it's definitely something I've found a new level of appreciation for. This holiday season is the busiest I think I've ever had, and I know the next six weeks are going to fly past. There is an epic and/or life-changing event happening every single week until February, and who knows if it'll even stop then? Next week bridals are getting taken, then Christmas and Canada, New Year's, final prep on everything for the wedding and moving, going through the temple, and then...getting married and honeymoon. :) I wonder what it'll be like to look back on nights like this when I'm still counting down the days, when someday I'm on the other side and life has become normal again? As much as I would love each moment to fly past, I can't help but wish that they'd last a bit longer sometimes. In some ways I think it's more fun to look forward to something and let your imagination go wild about how it might be than to look back at it later when it's over and done with.

Julie has super cute slipper-sock thingers that I really want to steal, but should probably just get a pair of for myself. :) Always good to end on an ADD moment, haha!

One of those moods...bahaha!

How did you meet?
We met in March of 2009, though the story started long before either of us were aware of it. Shay comes from a town outside of Toronto, Ontario called Cambridge and served in the Wisconsin Milwaukee mission. About a year into it he trained a young American Forker named Tyce Henderson...who lived down the street from me pre-mission (though I didn't even know it). Shay and Tyce became super good friends and he stopped by Tyce's house a couple times on road trips through the states to pick up packages, etc. so he could take them back to Tyce on his way home to Ontario. Shay ultimately checked out the schools here to see if he could find something to his liking, and crazily enough, UVU made the cut. He packed up his car, took $1000.00 and two passports and left home. He stayed at Tyce's parent's house for a couple weeks until he could get settled in Provo. That's where I come in: Shay came to my singles' ward a few times during that period and became good friends with my sister, my ward friends, and even a group of my friends in Orem. He was everywhere all of the sudden and all by what seemed to be coincidence. It took us a few months and many more adventures, but soon we were inseparable. :)


What's a funny dating memory?
Our first date was funny and tragic all at the same time...he invited me to his house to make cakes for his Canada Day party (July 1st, celebrating Canada's "independence"). Afterwards we went to Trafalga to play miniature golf with friends, during which he thought he'd be funny and poke me as I tried to putt. I started swatting his hand away without looking and missed one time...welllll, missed his hand anyway. I hit him somewhere else with my club that caused him to buckle over and collapse on the nearest bench. I was so embarrassed and we were both laughing even though I felt horrible and he was in pain. We tried to hide it and act like nothing happened, but Mandi yelled out, "What happened? Did you hit him in the crotch?" At that point I lowered the daisies onto the grave of our first - and what I thought would be our last - date. Guess I underestimated him a bit. :)


What was your first kiss like?
Basically...it was the most perfect first kiss ever. :) And I truly mean that. You know how first kisses are always so awkward? I had always been kissed for the first time on the doorstep, and it never ever went well. Somehow Shay got the timing exactly right. We planned an outdoor movie at our friend Scott's house in his backyard, and Shay brought over his HUGE lovesac for us to cuddle in. We had been doing this nuzzling thing for a few days where we'd never really quite kiss, but I could tell it was on his mind big time. :) I could also tell he was scared, so this time I just held very still during the movie when he started the nuzzle move, and what do you know. It worked. :)


How did you fall in love?
That's a hard one to answer, and I bet we'd both have a different one...hmmm. For me, stubbornly...he basically held my hand (both figuratively and literally) the whole way. I even remember him reminding me very subtly that this was a good thing, it wasn't killing me, so why should I be so scared? He was always very patient with me. He finally told me he loved me one night after about three weeks of dating, and I responded after a long pause, "Really? Are you...sure?" (Doh!!! Score one for team Allison!) To his eternal credit he didn't run right then and there. I think that was one of the things that made me love him the most. He answered, "Yeah...I don't really know what else to call it." Then he told me I didn't have to say it back if I wasn't ready, he just needed me to know. I heard the Colbie Caillat song the next day called "Fallin' for You" for the first time, and that did it. I told him two days later that I loved him too. And I shook the whole way through those three words. :)


What's your favorite thing about each other?
I'll have to guess for him...I think he loves that I love him. It's as simple as that. I think he loves the way that I try to take care of him and the way that we communicate about everything. I think he loves that I love the gospel and that I support him as a priesthood holder. And he likes my eyes and my giggle. :) I love that he is and has always been my best friend. That we can go from a serious conversation to a tickle fight to determine who gets the pirate ship (couch) all in one night. That I can tell him everything and that he not only wants to hear it, he remembers. That he always makes sure that we pray before saying goodnight. That his eyes remind me of California. And that he somehow makes me forget everything I'm stressed about with the most perfect hugs in the world.


What would be your theme song?
Hahaha...he'd say "Knock You Down" by Keri Hilson, or "Super Human" by Chris Brown. I say it's either "Easier to Be" by Lifehouse, "When You Come Back Down" by Nickel Creek, or "Then" by Brad Paisley.


How are you two most different?
I stress out, he's laid back. I read, he dances. I doubt, he trusts. I sing, he pranks. He drives safely, I drive fast. :)