So remember how I said I would check in with you guys? Well here´s the thing. This vacation has been a whirlwind of a trip from beginning till now. But I thought it was time to say ¨hey!¨

Last night we got into Barcelona on a train from Paris super late, and were excited to finally get a GOOD nights rest. When we awoke this morning we were shocked to see it was 11:40 am! OOPS! Even though we were a little bummed that we let a few precious hours of sightseeing slip through our sleeping fingers, apparently we needed the sleep. I haven´t slept in that long since, like, high school. We were still able to have an amazing day here in Barcelona. WHAT A COOL CITY. If I could explain it in one phrase I would say its ¨packed with energy, youth, excitement, and amazing art all on a historic coastal town.¨ Tomorrow we are off to Montserrat, a mountain town about an hour inland in Spain. Goodness, we´re going to need a vacation from this vacation! (jk).

We get home in a few days, and I promise you will see more pictures than your little hearts can imagine. See you soon my friends!

¡Viva España!

It's here. It's finally here.

May 19th! The day I have been anticipating since late fall. We catch a plane in about 2 1/2 hours to begin our European Adventure. This is the view I will have for a long, long time. Till tomorrow, actually. -->

But it will be worth it. If you have some time on your hands, come join us in any of the following cities:

London

Cotswold, England (think Kate Winslet's hometown in "The Holiday")

Bath, England

Paris, France

Barcelona, Spain

Cadaques, Spain

Bah! Ecstatic is the word that comes to mind. Also, a tad bit of anxiety that I do in fact have all necessary documents, itineraries, clothes, shoes, etc. I'm sure it's fine. I only went over my excel spreadsheet entitled "Europe packing list" like 9+ times.

Anyway, I'll try to check in periodically via internet cafe's and whatnot. See ya in like 10 days, America. Unless of course the Icelandic volcano makes another cloud canceling my flight out of London indefinitely. If that's the case, I may just stay there.

We're so social these days

Ok, just kidding. But we did throw together a hoppin' impromptu barbecue yesterday that was pretty dang tasty, if I do say so myself. It was an ULTRA rainy week here in San Antonio, so the sunny Saturday was a welcome gift. Thanks to our old and new friends for comin' by the Alamo Ranch pool. We had fun, and we hope you did, too.

No one ever really likes pool-side swimsuit pictures of themselves, but we needed a smidgen of proof that this social gathering really did happen.

Here I am with Holly (left) and Kate (right) at the pool post hamburger time.

 In other news:

• I have a 2 1/2 day workweek this week, and I couldn't be more excited about it. We take off for our European adventure Wednesday afternoon. I'm super excited, but mostly just thinking about how much we still have to do before we leave. This trip-planning experience has been somewhat exhausting! I kind of miss the days when my mom planned every nuance of the trip, or better yet, you give BYU money and then they plan your whole study abroad and tell you where to be and when. That sure was nice.
•  Have I mentioned to anyone that I have been drinking CAFFEINE-FREE Diet Coke?? Well I am, and I'm still alive. The weening process has begun.
• I know we are late jumping on the bandwagon, but after hearing so much about it we are now obsessed with the show "Modern Family." This was our date on Friday. Holy shmoly people, I haven't laughed that hard in so long. I thought Russell was going to pass out he was laughing so hard. This was his favorite episode (for obvious reasons.. eh hmm.. the mustache), but they are all hilarious. 

...and last but not least...

• Found out last night that my dear Aunt Lisa Forsey, literally the sweetest woman on the planet and mother of four, has a tumor on her brain. She and her family are all in my prayers, and if you happen to remember, keep them in yours as well. 

Sorry to leave you on such an un-happy note, but that's what's on my mind. Not quite sure why things like that have to happen to such good people (like I said, nicest, most gentle and kind woman ever), but everything happens for a reason, and better yet, everything will work out in the end just like it should.

D + D's Wedding

Let me introduce the new Mrs. Danielle Doty:

I flew to Utah last weekend for the quickest get-away ever, but it was so worth it. I got to watch as one of my best friends in the whole world married David Doty, whom I had only met the morning of the wedding. But he is perfect for her. How do I know? I know by the way he looked at her. It was completely endearing, and I know he will take care of her forever. They got sealed in the Draper Temple and had a reception at the new Sleepy Ridge golf course in Orem. The whole day was beautiful, and she looked completely stunning.

One of my favorite parts of the day was being back in the Draper temple, the beautiful temple Russell and I were married in. This was my first time back since that amazing day in July. I arrived a little early and had some time to ponder. Russ and I are married for time AND all ETERNITY. Not just "till death do us part." How lucky are we??? I am so grateful for the temple and the blessings it provides. It was a great day for celebration and reflection.


Danielle had nine bridesmaids, and I was lucky enough to be one of them. Besides being reunited with my long lost friend Danielle, my favorite part of this whole event were these fantastic flower balls:


After the wedding I got to spend some time with Brittney! The night included a little gander at the cutest craft show ever (Brittney and her friend had a booth), dinner at Bajio's, and another random bonus with a Fictionist concert I didn't know was happening the very weekend I was in town. I have been really lucky with the timing of being in Utah and the Fictionist shows... it's like fate or something. It was probably one of the best shows I have seen in a lonnnnng time. They did some awesome covers, including Tom Petty's "Honey Bee," and the always epic "Helter Skelter" by the one and only Beatles.

Brittney, her rock star of a husband, and their child -- the Deusenberg guitar.

Should I quit my day job? Yeah, I agree. Probably not.

I also got to spend some time with the Lewis's and be with my mother-in-law on Mother's Day! We had a fun time. It was such a quick trip, but like all trips back home to Utah, was so great. Let's just hope that next time I can stay a little longer.

Mothers Day

On the way to church today, I passed a graveyard and couldn't help but notice the huge amount of people paying respects to their deceased mothers. This just made me think about how powerful an impact mothers everywhere have. Ever person on this planet is a product of how their mother raised them. From the way they wash dishes to the moral beliefs they hold. I have especially noticed this since I have gotten married. Camille notices little things that I do and we realize that they are because of my mother. I have seen the same in her, (diet coke anyone?). Both of our mothers are great influences in our lives and can be attributed for many of the great qualities we have. I believe that mothers everywhere have the ability to make the world a better place, and I am grateful for those who do so. Camille follows a blog of one particular mother who we feel has made this world a better place. See the video below.

The 'stache alternative

Let me pose a question here: why do all men have a fascination with dirty mustaches??

You know what I'm talking about.
Do the phrases "Mustache March" or "No Shave November" jog your memory?

The picture above is of Russ sporting one of his "epic 'staches" while on a dude trip in Memphis (and yes, it was in March... pre-Camille days of course). So as you can see, my dear husband just happens to be one of those men.

And I just happen to be one of those women who hate them with a passion. (I wrote a story once about the horrifying morning when I woke up to such a mustache. A shocking sight, I assure you.)

With thanks from my friend Melissa, I have found the perfect compromise. My friends, I present you with...

THE CARSTACHE

These are totally for real. And bonus! They are on sale from $49 to $39. It's not a big surprise that Russ was all for this idea for his sweet ride. We're thinking maybe the light blond? Or maybe just the classic black? Or perhaps you readers are still searching for the perfect mother's day gift. I may have just saved your day.

Sun & Our New Sundays

We got some sun this weekend! I have been feeling especially translucent, and I'm pretty sure sitting in a poorly-lit room with no windows for the majority of my day does not help the situation. Saturday was another hot day down here in Texas. I think from here through the rest of the summer it is going to be almost intolerable to be outside unless you are near water. Anyway, we spent some time at the pool. But here's the kicker of the whole story -- my Mexican husband is only HALF Mexican! He has always been rather proud of his skin color and the fact that it is immune from sunburns. This is not so, my friends. His brown skin is a rather deep shade of red. Poor Russell.

Here is Russ as we are wrapping up our time at the pool. You can't quite tell here, but Russ is feeling pretty fried. The beautifully red skin showed up a few hours later. I am no longer the only member of this family who turns red before they turn brown.

And now to the second part of this post's title. OUR NEW SUNDAYS. We got new callings in our church, and it appears as though we're heading back to the singles ward!! For those of you readers who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), the members of the church are all given "callings." A calling is an opportunity to serve and is a specific responsibility and duty in the church. Since the church has grown so much, it is organized into stakes and wards throughout the world to ensure the same doctrine and lessons are taught throughout the world in an organized fashion. And the SINGLES ward is just one aspect of the church where single adults in the area meet for church, to socialize and date those who are of the same faith.

Anyway, Russ is now the "ward financial clerk" of the San Antonio Stake, Palo Alto Singles Ward. I am the official ward pianist (surprise, surprise, right?) It's a pretty tiny ward, but definitely solid. Today was our first Sunday there, and it sounds like we will have some amazing experiences.

Some interesting facts you should know:

• As you can see, the building the ward meets in is in an area of town that primarily speaks Spanish. Ole!
• Russ and I left the singles ward only 9 1/2 months ago. We thought we were done forever. Jokes on us!
• A large majority of this ward is older than us.
• When I did my internship in San Francisco a few summers ago, I attended the Stanford's singles ward. This ward was ALSO called the "Palo Alto Ward." It's all come full circle.

That's all for now! 

We are excited about this new adventure, and will be sure to keep y'all posted!

PS. Made some cookies today. Not bad for being "healthy cookies."