Road Trip!!

So it all started Monday when I decided I needed a break from work! I don't know if it's just me but I think I have the winter blues!! I am so sick of going to work everyday, being cooped up inside and freezing evertime I go to the grocery store or walk from the car to the apartment! I decided I needed a day off work to get away! I like to call it my "mental health day":) My boss gave me the day off and I wanted to spend a little time with my husband but his schedule is absolutely insane right now. He ended up having to go on a buisness trip to Lexington, Nebraska, so I decided to tag along. It worked out great for Bryce because he could work on his paper for school, that is due tomorrow and that he was going to have to stay up all night working on, while I drove. He said to me when I told him I took the day off "you were inspired!" and "my stress-level just lowered". I was happy to be able to spend some time with him and help him out! It is a little over 3 hours to get from Council Bluffs to Lexington and Bryce meets with clients from 2:00-8:00pm so it will be an all day trip.

Oh- funny story.... we got about 30 miles out of Omaha when Bryce looked over at me and says "shoot! I forgot my dress shoes!" and I looked back at his suit hanging in the window and said "Did you forget your white shirt too?" We just busted up laughing and talked about how funny it would have been if he would have shown up to give these clients legal advice in his sweat pants and tennis shoes (which is what he was wearing for the long car ride)!!! Because honestly- - what are you going to do with a suit and tie but no shoes or shirt?? So, I turned the car around and I said to him "I can't believe you forgot your shoes" then he says "I can't believe you forgot my shirt" and I said "I can't believe we've just added an hour onto our trip". :)

For those of you that don't know where Lexington is... here is a map of our little trip today.

Ohhh the great state of Nebraska!!!! I've seen more corn fields, cows and tractors on a one day trip through Nebraska than I could ever imagine!!!:)

One Very Busy Primary Secretary!!

Have any of you ever served as the Primary Secretary?? I swear it is the busiest job in the ward next to the bishop!!! Well, not really but that is how I've been feeling lately. I was called to be the Primary Secretary about a month ago and have been busy, busy, busy with the calling since then. The rest of the presidency is fairly new to their callings also so we have really been trying to get organized. We have been redecorating the primary room and bulletin boards, organizing our Sunday meetings in the primary and trying to become more familiar with our responsibilities. As some of you may know.....the secretary has the longest list of responsibilities/duties! Wow....sometimes it seems endless but I absolutely love working with the primary kids! They are so dang cute and say the funniest things! As busy as I've been the work is actually pretty fun. As secretary I am in charge of keeping track of the primary birthdays and coming up with a fun gift for the kids when their special day comes around. I found this idea on sugardoodle.net and thought it was so cute, inexpensive and goes along with the 2008 Primary theme! So this is my latest primary project.

I have never made anything like this so I am pretty proud of myself.:)

These are some of the finished products!!! Aren't they cute?? I thought they turned out pretty good! I never remember getting anything this cool for my birthday when I was in primary.:)

What church calling do you serve in?

Valentine's Day a little late :)

So Bryce and I decided to celebrate Valentine's Day a little late this year because that's just how it worked out. So Saturday night we went out to eat at Macaroni Grill, which is one of our favorite places. Bad idea!. . . . . . we had to wait 1 hour for a table but it was all worth it as soon as they brought us that yummy bread!!!:) While we were waiting for our table we walked over to the Westroads mall and looked around and just talked. It was so nice to spend time with my husband! After dinner we went to the theater and saw Juno. It was hilarious! I laughed almost the entire movie! I would recommend it to anyone! The one thing I did on Valentine's Day morning was enjoy decorating the house with post-it hearts for Bryce. He was definitely surprised and walked around the house reading all of the notes. Written on each heart was 1 reason why I love him. Awe, cute huh?:)

Bryce and I never really get each other much for Valentine's Day but this year I was itching to get a nice "right hand ring". I had been looking around for a few weeks and finally found one that's unique and that I absolutely love! It had to look good with my wedding ring and not out-stage it. Here I am showing off my new ring even though you can't see it :). . . . . . .

Ok here it is.....

Thanks Bryce!!! Diamonds are a girl's best friend!:) I love it!

Happy 32nd Birthday Brycer!!!

My husband will celebrate his 32nd birthday tomorrow by going to classes, working and studying all night so I thought I'd post a little tribute to him!:) I'm sure this will embarass him because he's not one to talk about himself much. So here goes:

Robert Bryce Shields was born in American Fork, Utah in 1976. He has 3 siblings: Karmen, Teri and Scott. Bryce spent his childhood in Parowan, Utah, where the most embarassing moment of his life occured. The story goes something like this:

Bryce's parents had signed his little brother up to ride a Shetlin(sp?) pony at some event in Parowan. (Note: his little brother is 3 years younger than him) Well, when the family went there for Scott to ride this tiny pony he didn't want to. Scott started crying and begged their parents not to make him. Well....someone had to take his place so Bryce, being the wonderful big brother he was:), took Scott's place. Bryce was a little too big for the Shetlin pony and his knees basically dragged the ground for the entire embarassing ride. Bryce says everyone was laughing at him which I'm not sure is true. It was one of those moments when you're a little kid and you think your life is over and your reputation at school will never recover.

Bryce spent his highschool years in Erda, Utah, and graduated from Tooele High. Southern Utah University offered Bryce a scholarship to play football for them and after his 1st year on the team he took a break to serve a LDS mission in New Jersey speaking spanish. Bryce graduated from SUU with a major in Political Science and a minor in Spanish in 2002.

Bryce then accepted a job at SUU as an adjunct spanish professor and that is where he layed eyes on his wonderful future wife!:) I know what you're thinking--- and NO I was not one of Bryce's students but some of my roomates were.:) After a strange year of dating (a long story) Bryce asked me to marry him on my father's birthday April 8, 2004 and we were married in the Bountiful temple on June 25 of that year!

In August of 2005 Bryce moved me all the way to Nebraska to attend law school at Creighton University and that is where we are now. Bryce will graduate in May of this year and has accepted a job at Abrahms Legal Clinic here in Omaha. He has promised to get me closer to "home" sometime within the next 2 years!

Bryce studies a lot and is an excellent student but when he does have a minute of spare time he enjoys playing Halo on the XBox 360, fly fishing when he's in Utah, following the every move of the Boston Red Sox, playing with Jack the cat, and of coarse...hanging out with his wife!!:)

I could write so much more but I won't for the sake of the time of those reading this.:)

Happy Birthday Brycer!!!! I love you!! ....... 32 really isn't that old.:)

The Phantom of the Opera!

So Wednesday night the girls and I left the husbands at home and went out for "a night on the town".:) We started with dinner at M's Pub in downtown Omaha. The food was excellent and it had a pretty cool atmosphere!

The three of us in the back are law student wives and the other three, more near the front, are dental student wives. We usually don't "mix" company.:) Just kidding! I met the dental student wives in Bryce and I's new ward and they are so fun!
After dinner Me, Ashley, Dana and Keri made our way to the Orpheum Theater to enjoy a little Phantom of the Opera!!! The show was excellent!!! I loved every minute of it! I had seen it in New York when I was 15 but didn't appreciate it as much as I did this time. Those of you that like Broadway plays/musicals need to see The Phantom if you haven't! You'll love it!!

It was a very fun night but I'm sure the husbands missed us!:) I know Keri's (in the blue shirt) husband did- - - it was their 6 year wedding anniversary and she celebrated it with us!

A "Giant" upset!!!!!!

Ok, so our Superbowl night started out really well with a party hosted by our very good friends Jarom, Kristin and little Jaxson! We enjoyed.... and bascially stuffed ourselves with really good food, visited with friends and watched as the Patriots were on their way to a 19-0 title ending with the Superbowl championship!

Little Jaxson enjoyed watching the game with the boys!!!:)

While the girls visited, played cards and stuffed their faces with yummy cheese dip, Maranda's salsa, triple chocolate cake, cookies, bundt cake, rice crispies and chex mix!!!...........wow, I think it's time to hit the tredmil!!

It was a pretty good game! The night was going well! Until all of a sudden....... the stupid Giants made a touchdown with about a minute left in the 4th quarter!!!!! AAAAGGGHHHH!......and the 19-0 title slipped right through Tom Brady's hands! And as you can tell, from the picture above, my very good-looking Patriots fan husband was slightly dissapointed. This is the second year in a row that one of Bryce's 2 favorite teams has lost the Superbowl!! It's a good thing we didn't make any bets. Congrats to all you Giants/Eli Manning fans! You got lucky!:)

The Mazda's "Golden Years".......

We have come to the conclussion that the Mazda (a.k.a Mazdaratti) is still going strong and isn't quite ready to "pass on". We thought we'd seen the end of her 12 year, 160,000 mile stretch when she got sick and wouldn't start a few weeks ago so we started shopping around for a new car. We test drove a Honda Accord and a Toyota Camry. I really loved the Camry! The new body style is so nice! But come to find out the Mazda just needed a new battery which was still under warranty. So $50 later (the fee we paid to have the Mazda towed to the nearest auto shop) the Mazda's purrin' like a kitten.:) Bryce is bound and determined to drive her till she just won't drive anymore!

Here she is in all her glory!!

Isn't she beautiful?! I don't know how long it's been since she's had a bath!

Thanks for all of you that voted! It was fun! And I will keep all of your suggestions in mind when the Mazda finally gives up.