HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!

Today is Brandon's 25th Birthday! Brandon is genuinely an incredible guy. He is the biggest blessing in my life. He always reminds me that there is more to life than just being completely stressed out. Brandon is a wonderful example of patience and love. I am and will forever be so very thankful for him. It really is hard for me to express what he means to me. I love you, Brand! Enjoy your birthday!

Here are a few pictures of Brandon's Party.

Las Vegas Trip!

Brandon and I spent the last four days in Las Vegas with friends. It was a blast! We flew out of SLC on Thursday morning very early, too early for me. When we arrived in Vegas, we checked into our hotel, Caeser's Palace, and hit the pool. Thursday night, we had dinner at the Bobby Flay resturaunt MESA. Dinner was delicious. Later, we went to the Cirque Du Soleil show "O." It was honestly AMAZING!

On Friday, we met up with more friends and spent the day shopping. All I can say is that I seriously wish that there was still a Nordstrom in Ogden. Friday night we went to the Excalibur to watch the dinner show "Tournament of Kings." Prior to the show we were messing around in the arcade. Brandon was having so much fun! He is a hilarious guy and always the life of the party. He won this HUGE stuffed horse while playing skee ball. I could not believe I was going to have to carry a massive horse around with us all night. We decided to give the horse away, and it brought the biggest smile to a little boy's face (I'm sure his parents were thrilled that they had to carry around a great big horse!). The dinner show was fun, and it was just really nice to be able to get away with friends.

We hit the outlet mall on Saturday. Brandon found a few (3!) pairs of shoes for his birthday, and I found a great pair of earrings. Saturday night we ate at my all-time favorite steakhouse, Smith & Wollensky. It was a very nice dinner; great food and great company.

Today, we walked through The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. In the "Field of Dreams" store, baseball great Pete Rose was signing autographs. Brandon and Bryce got to meet him, and I snapped a quick picture. Then, we headed home.

It was a great trip, and I genuinely enjoyed the time away. It was fun to spend quality time with Brandon and a few of our great friends!

The Grass is Greener...

Whew! Now that I have completed my obligations after being "tagged," I can post an update on the happenings at the Nanney house :)!

Over the weekend we laid sod in our front yard and more than we had anticipated in our backyard. We had ordered enough sod for the front, and we were planning on seeding the backyard. However, we overestimated, as did our neighbors, and we ended up with a good sized patch of grass out back. It was tough work, but we had lots of help from our amazing neighbors and ward. We would have never made it without them. I am so grateful for everyone's help. Brandon worked so hard, and I'm so proud of all the work he has already put into our yard. We still need to add plants, trees, and seed the back, but we are on our way to a fully landscaped yard.

Last week was my sister Liz's birthday. She turned 20! Wow! Liz an amazing girl, and honestly one of my very best friends. I am so grateful for her and so proud of the person she has become. My family was in town for the weekend, and we celebrated her birthday with the most fabulous cake! Love ya, Liz!


(The picture is a little, okay a lot, scary! It was taken after we had laid sod all day...)

Tag #2

Here is the second tag:

What you're supposed to do.....delete my answers and type in your own. Don't forget to tag four people.

A)Four places I go over and over:
1. My parents' house in Santa Clara
2. Brandon's parents' house
3. The Mall - specifically Express and Buckle
4. My office in Bountiful

B)Four people who email me the most:
1. Mostly contacts from work
2.
3.
4.

C)Four of my favorite foods:
1. Cafe Rio Salads
2. Chips and Cheese
3. Turkey Sandwiches
4. Anything sweet

D)Four Places in which I would rather be right now:
1. Hawaii
2. On a cruise
3. Lake Powell
4. St. George

E)Four people I'm tagging:
1. Erin
2. Ashlee B.
3. Laurel
4. Kristen

F)Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. I'm not really a movie fan...I get too anxious...
2.
3.
4.

Tag #1

I have been tagged TWICE!!! Here is the first...

ABC's "getting to know you" TAG ABC's of you.Each player then tags 3 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

A- Attached or single: Definitely attached
B- Best Friend: My family...Brandon, Mom, Dad, Ethan, Liz, & Eric
C-Cake or Pie: Cake
D-Day: Saturday
E- Essential Item: Jergens Lotion
F- Favorite Color: Pink
G-Gummi Bears or Worms: Either, but only red and white
H-Home town: Santa Clara, UT
I- Indulgences: Shopping, swimming, sleeping in
J- January or July?: July, I'm still a St. George girl at heart!
K-Kids: Not yet
L-Life is incomplete without: My family
M- Marriage Date: December 4, 2004
N- Number of Siblings: 3 - 2 brothers and one sister
O- Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P- Phobias or Fears: Regretting my decisions
Q- Quote: "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us."
R- Reason To Smile: We've started landscaping
S- Season: Summer
T- Tag Three: Nicole, Shelby and Steph Hess
U- Unknown fact about me: I hate doing laundry.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: I am not a vegetarian, but I am pretty much against animal cruelty...including Sea World.
W- Worst Habit: Biting my nails
X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds; I've had too many of them lately.
Y-Your favorite food: Frozen yogurt
Z: Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Happy Mothers' Day!

I would feel so completely ungrateful if I didn't take an opportunity to recognize my wonderful mother on Mothers' Day. I have been blessed with the most incredible mom. She has been and continues to be an amazing example of service, love, and hard work. My mom has been a constant source of comfort and friendship. She has been diligent in encouraging me to do my best and to never settle for mediocrity. My mom is an inspiring person. She is so very skilled and successful in her profession, and I aspire to be more like her. I am so very thankful for my "Angel Mother."

I am also very lucky to have a wonderful mother-in-law. Brandon's mom has always welcomed me willingly into her family. When Brandon expressed to her his desire to marry me just a few days after returning from his mission, she offered her full support and love. My mother-in-law raised a wonderful son, and I will be forever grateful for all that she has done and continues to do for my cute husband.

I had the opportunity to sing in church today, and I thought that I would post the lyrics from the song.

An Angel to Watch Over Me
By Sally DeFord

She watched by my cradle through long sleepless nights.
She taught me to pray as she knelt by my side.
She guarded my childhood and all through the years
She echoed my laughter, she counted my tears.
In the arms of my mother, I came to believe
That God sent an angel to watch over me.

She taught me the meaning of courage and faith.
She taught me to live with the Lord as my strength.
She taught me to follow the pathway He marked.
She guided my steps when the journey grew dark,
and I know there were dangers that I could not see.
But God sent an Angel to watch over me.

She taught me to serve with a spirit that sings.
She taught me to seek after heavenly things.
And because of her love and her kindness and care,
Because of the place that I hold in her prayers,
and because of her goodness,
I still believe that God sent an angel to watch over me.

Whirlwind Week

It has been a crazy, busy week. Last Saturday Brandon and I went to the Dierks Bently concert with our friends Bryce and Shannon. It was a blast! We grabbed dinner at Ruth's Chris prior to the concert. It is now Brandon's new favorite place. The whole night was very fun!

I spent the week in Charleston, South Carolina attending meetings for work. Charleston is an amazing city. It has such a rich history. One night we took a horse drawn carriage through town on the way to dinner. The old historical buildings are absolutely beautiful. There is a really cool open air market right in the heart of town. Charleston was a great city, certainly a place I would like to visit again.

Today, my cousin, Autumn, was baptized. My family came up from St. George. It was a great day. Autumn is a beautiful girl, and I am so proud of her. It was a really nice day. It's always nice to see my family.