"Classic" - MKTO

As previously mentioned when Diane was here we took pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. And I'm fortunate enough to have wonderful models for me that love to pose for me. Thanks Erica and Meg! 

As we were walking around the sunset was just setting and it was gorgeous so I snapped these of Diane. 

"Happy" - Pharrell Williams

I love Utah. 

The last few days have been absolutely gorgeous. We were sitting outside this weekend and I had the passing thought that I do not miss Nevada. Not even a little bit. 

Driving around this weekend I've noticed that the mountains have turned green and I love it. 

The weather has been a perfect 80 degrees. And I have tried to spend as much time outside as possible. 

I wonder if people truly realize the amazing beauty of Utah. Sometimes you have to live somewhere else to truly appreciate. And let me tell you that I don't take this weather for granted. 

We live in a truly beautiful place. 

Enjoy it. 

"Living In Another World" - Neon Trees

Things I miss about Nevada: 

-zero percent humidity. If I wasn't able to dry my hair it would be in under an hour 

-the radio stations. Utah is so far behind the times 

-Blue skies like 360 days of the year

-friends and family 

-the lake ohhhh the lake
-the warmer weather 

Things I love about Utah 

-seasons! Even though it can be super bipolar ie 60 one day and then 35 the next it's been a blooming gorgeous madness around here 

-There are no popo sitting at every corner waiting to ticket you. 

-also no one drives the speed limit on the freeway! #imonlygoingwiththeflowoftraffic

-there is no cigarette smoke, no swearing, no pornography on billboards

-friends and family
-TULIPS
-The scenery is just far better - loving them mountains
-GRASS
-vegetation
-so much closer to Kaleen here
-everyone is so nice
-there is always a temple within 20 min
- I can actually be outside during the day
-You can actually see the stars because they're not polluted by the lights from the strip


I could go on and on but basically I'm pretty happy here in Utah. I miss Brandon, Anna and the kiddos the most from NV but pretty much nothing else. Now if we could just get warm and stay warm it would be perfect :)

"This Is How We Roll" - Florida George Line

Are you sick of tulips yet? I mean I don't know if that's possible and if it is that's just so wrong. 

But if the slightest chance you are feel free to carry on past this post. And probably the next on. Maybe even the next one. 

So Saturday was the last day of Tulip Festival. They had this awesome swing dance and a live band and pretty lights and it was just so cool. Since it was the end Rachel said she could use her mule (not a real animal) and drive us back to the top. 

Well we decided to take the scenic route and have a little fun on our way back! 

Let me tell you it felt a lot like Indiana Jones and it was fantastic. 

We stopped to take some pictures and play Sjoelen which is like a Dutch version of shuffleboard. And we smelled our way around the Fragrance Garden which is totally awesome as well. 

It was a great way to end the night! 

"All of Me" - John Legend

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 

I heard a really good joke about cinco de mayo a couple of years ago but I don't remember it anymore. It had something to do with the titanic carrying mayo and then sinking. 

Anyway this weekend was totally awesome because Diane came to visit! We pretty much spent the entire weekend taking pictures which was great because I need to do that more often. One of the more exciting places that we took pictures was Thanksgiving Point. I've been itching to take pictures those tulips because newsflash: they're my favorite. 

So out of the many of hundreds that I took here are a few of my favorites! 

This one I entered into the Thanksgiving Point photo contest so we'll see how it holds out! I titled it #TulipTherapy

One of the reasons why I love shooting with Diane is that she takes pictures of me when I don't even know it and they're so artsy and wonderful. I like her for that. 

Don't worry there are more pictures to come from this weekend :) 

"Dark Horse" - Katy Perry

24

You know sometimes it's really hard to believe how old you are when people believe that you are much younger. 

I'm not complaining about being perceived as younger as long as they don't equate that to my maturity level. 

Like that one time I moved into a new ward and someone asked when I graduated and I said last year and they thought I meant high school. 

They were very confused when I told them I had a college degree. 

24 seems way less scary than 23. It must be a numbers thing. 

This year my birthday landed on Easter. It's only the second time I remember it happening but numerically I'm thinking that it must have happened at least one other time when I was really young. 

Anyway, I decided to make my birthday last as long as possible and deemed it Birthday Weekend. 

We had beautiful weather on Saturday and had a great BBQ with friends and family. We played Bocce Ball and board games and it was just so nice to be outside!! (We have not been fortunate to have any kind of weather since then) 

Then on Sunday we did dinner and cake and Easter egg hunt! Which I have no pictures of because I was too busy looking for my eggs. 

A couple weeks before my birthday we were at the store and I saw that they had a Pink velvet cake and I was like that totally going to be my birthday cake. And then I went back again and they had this super hot pink frosting. Naturally they go together. I don't think I will ever have this pink of a cake again in my life. But I am totally up to the challenge :) 

Woohoo 24! 

So kind of a funny story. This was the end of Kaleen's spring break. Y'all know when Kaleen is around there is no point in sleeping, as had as she tries to go to bed early. So by Sunday afternoon I was really, really sleep deprived. In the process of making my cake I broke a glass measuring cup, broke the cake trying to get it out of the pan and then broke it again when I was trying to frost it. I think there may have been something else happen too, but basically I was a mess. I was totally out of it and not functioning. 

So here we are, candles lit and ready to blow those bad boys out and I did, it one breath. 

And then someone mentioned about a good birthday wish. 

I forgot to make a wish before I blew out my candles. 

How does a 24 year old forget to make a wish before blowing out her candles?! As I previously mentioned I was not functioning. 

So I had to relight and blow them out. But we decided to just do 1 for the sake of time. Hopefully that doesn't diminish the magically properties of a birthday wish. 

And because we are a picture loving family we had to take pictures! I will admit that I am wearing many inch heels in these pictures. 

Kaleen's roommate, Katie, came down with here for spring break and she is just so adorable. She just fit in like another Trout sister! 

Woohoo familia picture! 

"Who I Am With" - Chris Young

I realized that I never posted pictures from when I went to AZ a couple of weeks ago! I was reminded by this because Diane is coming this weekend :) 

So the day before I drove down to Arizona it snowed. We actually lost power that day and I had just gotten out of the shower and hadn't dried my hair and was putting my clothes in the wash when we lost power. Gratefully, it came back sooner than they said it would. 

Then we drive to Mesa where it was a GORGEOUS 80 degrees. The warmth. It hugged my soul. 

We stepped out of the car and I could smell orange blossoms and I just wanted to stand there forever. Then I turned around and saw this sunset and I was like yes. This is awesome. 

I wasn't there very long but I asked Diane if we could go to the Gilbert temple! People are right when they say that it is gorgeous...and big. The pictures don't do justice how pretty it is! 

Then we woke up the next morning and decided to go to Mesa temple! I've been outside but never inside. So I got to add 2 more temples to my list!