Two Years

Its been Two Years today. We got up early.

Kissed a bunch.

Did a quick imac photo shoot to document the day. Went on a walk and Press made us lunch.

We're taking a Vegas Vacation tomorrow for our anniversary which will include two Cirque Shows which I'm reeeeal excited about, a lazy river at our resort, Belagio fountains and good food.

Our Vegas trip will be followed by three weeks on the road for Preston's shows. Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota then back home. Its real fun that we get to travel so much and have adventures and its Preston's job.

He is the funnest husband. smart, funny, outgoing, creative, inspiring.

I adore him.

Top Five Celebrity Dream Boats

1. Michael Scofield from Prison break. Hands Down

2. Zac Efron who is so funny in 17 Again and Justin Bieber ,who's new album My World 2.0 is my inner pop lover's dream, are tied in second place for hottest young thangs

3. Jay Z

4. George Clooney preferably with a little bit of salt and pepper scruff on his face

5. Justin Timberlake I think he is on Preston's top 5 list as well.

book worm

So, last summer I read my first novel all the way through. really. I have no idea how I got through junior high or high school. Oh yes i do: cliffs notes and Julie telling me about books and i'd re-tell them to the teacher for credit. I know. I'm 25. Its just never been my thing. Julie was always the hard core reader and she'd tell me all about every book in so much detail that I never needed to read it, right.

Then one day last summer when I was jobless and had too much time on my hands I actually read one of the books Julie said was too good to retell. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Brilliant. I couldn't put it down. I was hooked. And I've been reading book after book after book since then.

And sometimes I feel real frustrated at myself and real far behind because there are so many amazing stories and I am just now getting started. I just finished This one and I love love loved it. Thank you, Rayna.

If you haven't read it, really its great and a fast read except it took me like a month cause I purposely drag every good book out so the story won't end as quick.

But you will love it. Whoever you are. Trust me.

Next on my list is a comic book, or graphic novel maybe sounds smarter, called Maus about WWII. From Julie. Who is the best book recommender of all time.

Anyway to all you book worms, what are some of your favorite books?

I'm making a To Read List. And I want it to last me a long time. I think I've used my library card more this past year than I have in my entire life all added up. It feels great.

Anaconda Opportunity

Montana:

If you get pulled over for speeding 12 miles over the speed limit, the cop gives you the option of taking the ticket and sending the money through the mail or

...paying him right there. $20. And he only takes cash. But he gives you a receipt so its legit right? Kinda shady, but more cool. And I was real glad we happened to have cash on us.

There isn't too much to see driving through Montana, but every 5-10 miles for 50 miles are billboards advertising the 50,000 Silver Dollar Truck Stop/Casino/Gas Station/Trinkets Galore. Turns out one of my favorite things is HUGE truck stop trinket /gas stations.

So we had to stop.

So some GENIUS people decided to make the theme of their truck stop 'silver dollars' so everyone who ever went there since it started just gave them a silver $$$ and carved their name by it. And over the years it all added up. Now silver is worth a whole lot more than 1$ and these peeps are rollin' like Jay Z in the bling.

Only all their bling is mounted on the walls and in the counter tops... all 50, 000 blings and counting. Smartest people I ever heard of. Why didn't I think of it? I could be a ten thousand maybe hundred thousandaire if they didn't beat me to it. But they did.

I maybe am too into this place, but it just blew my mind.

Also in the middle of nowhere Montana is this little gem. And I feel like these opportunities don't really come around too often. You know? I'm also glad that this anaconda opportunity is at the same exit as a hospital. You really have no excuse not to seize it.

Lately...

Its been a while.

Here are some highlights from the past few weeks:

Press played UNLV and they paid for us to stay in a sweet room at the Hard Rock, so we decided to make a mini Vegas trip out of it.

Saw the Belagio water show and gardens.

We spent an entire day walking down the strip and maybe saw 1/10 of what there is to see. Maybe.

We went to a Mentalist show that blew my mind. Awesome. Cause he knew my birthday and star sign. AND threw confetti on me.

Terrible explanation of the show, but trust me it was amazing.

Oh, and Preston's Grandma is serving in the Las Vegas mission so we got to see her and her missionary life. Senior Sister Missionaries have it made, man. They have NO rules. For real. No curfew, they can watch tv and go to Vegas shows and call home and their families can visit. But they still get to do missionary work and be a huge part of the mission and changing people's lives. Its a dream life.

We loved spending time with her.

This is Kason, Preston's youngest brother.

He asked Preston to baptize him last Saturday.

Look at that face.

Perfect.

His baptism was amazing. Strong Spirit. So much Love and truth.

...Life is great. Lots of traveling and i've been substitute teaching all the days we're actually home. I think that real teaching is so much cooler than being a sub, cause the kids are always always pushing the limits with subs.

And I think i'm a way meaner sub than teacher, cause I've gotta hold my own with those show off kiddies.

I'm real excited for my own classroom this Fall. Real.

Diploma

I am an official college graduate.

I feel like a genius or a doctor or a scientist.

Just brilliant.

It was supposed to happen in December.

But the school told me I couldn't graduate because I was deficient 1 credit even though I wasn't.

So I petitioned it twice and was denied twice.

Turns out a couple months later they realized that I really was right, but instead of telling me they just mailed me a diploma. I thought it was a joke.

Turns out its for real.

I framed it immediately and Press and I had our own little graduation party since I missed walking and graduating with a tassel and all that.

$$$$$$$$

Today is a party day cause we are officially

DEBT FREE! We've been listening to Dave Ramsey and following his steps to financial freedom and today is our day.

Zero debt. for real. We are happy.

Press mailed this check to the Department of Education today to pay off ALL our student loans. Such a freeing feeling. We had to document it.

Portland

Spent the day in Portland. I am in love love love with this place. Can I tell you about it?

We walked up and down SW 23rd which is just filled with perfect little shops that just happen to be real old old little houses.

Dream land. Lots of thrift shops, food, and boutiques.

And then we found LUSH, the coooolest place on earth. Its a shop of all natural cosmetics and bath and body stuff. All solid products with no packaging. Solid shampoos and bubble baths and on and on... I cannot even begin to describe the amazingness. We spent a lot of dollars there. Couldn't help it. Its not the kind of place that words and pictures can do justice.

Find one. Go there. You're welcome.

This is what we look like in a Space Shuttle (incase you were wondering)

Oh, and this? no big deal, this is just what we look like in infrared. Hot. I know.

We kind of love museums. Last week we spent 4+ hours at the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving point in Utah and we still had a good 2 hours left in us when we had to go. So we spent a half day in Portland at OMSI. Dinosaurs, space, infrared? Yes, please.

Preston did.

This is such a fun trip. Awesome hotels and food every night. The colleges treat us like we're famous. for real. Preston is living his dream. He's playing music all over the place and supporting our little family. I'm real proud of him.

Love & Road Trips

Happy Valentine's Day...

Preston started his college tour, so we've been on the road for the past week and a half.

Started in Southern Utah and now we're in Portland. Its been real fun.

Preston played at SLCC for their Valentine's day masquerade dance. This boy asked me to dance. And I said yes cause I felt bad. And Preston was right there so I knew he wouldn't care. so the boy starts trying to fox trot with me and i'm no good at dances where you have to count the steps, so I'm tripping all over the place and laughing. But he kept telling me how great I was doing at the FOX TROT. Then the boy asked if he could take me on a date. I told boy I was married and I thought he knew cause I wear a ring. He got real weird and said that I need to tell my husband that he needs to teach me how to dance cause I was a not very good dancer. and then he walked away.

My thought, was that I need to tell the husband to get me a bigger ring so boys don't try to fox trot me during his shows. just kidding. Kidding.

But the entire thing was real funny and Preston made real fun of me.

We've been listening to so much 90's music on the radio.

Turns out I still know every word to TLC Waterfalls, even Left Eye's rap.

We've been laughing a lot, and meeting great great people.

And eating so much candy.

For Valentine's day Preston had this print made for me. Not this one, but one with maps of Lake Tahoe and Rexburg. He is a genius. I am in love with it and him.

And he bought me this little camera that I love so so much

We'll be out on the road for another couple weeks. We'll come visit you if we're in your town.

Yesterday

Someone asked me how old I was the other day and I almost said 21, then corrected myself and said 24. And then was corrected by Preston who said

"You're 25." and I didn't believe him.

At all.

There's no way. I don't remember getting to be 25 years old! And then I did some math and turns out he's right. I'm 25. Wow. Strange that I actually forgot how old I was. But stranger that I even am that old. And its not super old or anything, its just that life goes by reeeeal fast. Cause I swear just yesterday I was in kindergarden.

5 years old

25 years old

And it feels like just yesterday Jules and I were kids and when I would get mad at her i'd bite my arm as hard as I could then go and show my mom what 'Julie did to me'. And when she got mad at me she'd convince me how cool it would be to

cut off all my eyelashes. So I did it...Turns out it was a trap and I looked real creepy for a while. But then we'd hug and make up and be best friends again.

Crazy how fast the years are going by. its 2010! Its the future. Remember when kids didn't have cell phones (except for Zack Morris to order pizza from class) and the only computer game was Oregon Trail? Remember when Troll dolls were the shiz.

And Pogs? how many did you have?

Man, I'm all growns up and it just happened real fast.

Life is so cool. I'm really really grateful for it.

So many experiences and I'm really thankful that we have brains to record and remember them all so we think back and smile.

I can't sleep. Press is out of town. I'm just looking at old pictures and remembering old times and friends and feelings and places. And I love it. And I love now a days too.

A lot. And I'm real excited for future days and then now will be the past memory times that i'll think back on and smile about.

I feel good about everything. And I feel like I get life again.

The purpose of life is to learn. Thats it. We're just here to learn and have experiences that will help us remember the love and perfection we came from.

Prison Break

Maybe Preston and I are addicted to this show.

Maybe.

Have you seen it? Maybe I woke up Friday morning and had no clue what day of the week it was because it seems like all we've been doing is watching Michael Scofield be awesome and all the days kinda just blend together. And I know that the last 2 seasons get kinda weird and lame, but the first 2 are so so good. Trust me.

And lets be honest. Coolest tattoo ever.

I'd trade it for the Guns N Roses one I got when I was 16 any day.

Really.

Embarrassing huh?

today

Just one of those no good days and maybe everyone needs one of these every once in a while to appreciate the real good days. But i feel like i don't even get anything about anything anymore. And my hair looks like this today. Maybe worse.

My Awesome Husband part II

Not only is Preston a talented musician, he does decorative concrete as well.

Its incredible.

He does it all. Let me show you

Step 1: Pour a circle of concrete. Stamp it up for texture,

Then draw and cut out a geometric pattern free hand. For reals

Step 2:Acid stain one color at a time

Step 3: Cure seal it

Step 4: Pretty huh? now, take a drive across your awesome stained, stamped,

Preston Pugmire original concrete driveway.

Here's the before shot of the project

And he comes home looking like this. Love that dirty face.

Impressive huh?

My Awesome Husband

This happened a few months back.

Preston submitted this video

People liked it, so we got to go out to Portland for a huge music convention. There were about 80 colleges being represented by students who were there to book acts for their schools.

There were about 200 acts there from muscicians to magicians, comedians, slam poets, motivational speakers, and on and on. Only about 45 got to actually perform, the rest just had booths and had to hustle themselves to get booked. But their booths were insane. Huge flat screen tv's playing their stuff, Some people had couches in their space, banners, free jump drives, food, everything awesome you could think of. Preston by far by far had the ugliest booth. See. And its extra funny, cause that prestonpugmire.com website doesn't even exist.

Press had 5 minutes to play for the colleges. And he killed it. Our ugly booth was bombarded with people fighting over dates that they wanted him to come and signing contracts on the spot.

He ended up being the highest booked act of the entire conference

We had such a great time and made tons of new friends.

So, this next semester we get to go on a ton of road trips. And the colleges pay for a Hotel and food. How nice. We'll be in Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah and even Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Its going to be awesome. Preston is so good. HE is totally supporting our little family by doing what he loves. Music. And he set the tours up so he's gone just one week a month. So doable. And I get to go with him.

We drove to Portland so Preston could play a FIVE minute set, and now he's booked through June. And he'll get to do it all next Fall as well.

Life is pretty great.