making chris harrison so proud

(Draft board, pre-draft)

If you were to ask me on a Monday night like tonight what I'm going to miss most when we move to D.C., I would have to say our Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor Pad festivities. Monday nights when Chris Harrison takes the screen are nights not to miss with our friends. The group has slowly grown over the seasons, but once members join the draft, you certainly do not want to miss a week!

Although it started with the girls making their husbands come, I think the tables have now turned and the boys look forward to Monday nights more than the girls do. We can accredit this to the fantasy draft the boys of the PB&J Report created. Being avid sports fans, it only made sense they would find a way to turn the sappy ABC shows of finding true love into another fantasy league.
(I dare say this fantasy league is now more exciting than their basketball, football, and baseball leagues combined.)

It's easy, the rules are laid out before the season begins based on a point system. Points for getting the one-on-one date, getting a rose on that date, going on a group date, more points for getting the rose on a group date, points for kissing, hot tub kissing, fantasy suite, advancing to the next round, you get the idea. It isn't all plus points though — negative points are a necessity as well. Players lose points for crying, awkward moments, strategic blunders (Gia, you will always be the one who pioneered the strategic blunder when you gave Wes the rose instead of Craig M. on the Bach Pad... I still don't think the boys have forgiven her for causing Craig M. a.k.a. Canadian Sean Penn to go home far too early in the season)...
You get the idea.

This season's draft didn't disappoint — although Chantal was the first pick overall, Emily did go as the second pick. (Good choice, Ben and Nikki.) It only made sense that Steve and I would pick crazy Michelle as our first pick (we had the 4th pick), and she wasn't a shabby pick because she got a lot of screen time which meant more time for us to earn more points.

The draft board, post-draft.

Jake & Danny —
Team A.J. Feeleys going over draft notes before their second round pick.
As you can tell, we take our draft very seriously.

Don't worry, you know we've all started planning our strategies for
the Bachelor Pad draft —
we are all anxiously awaiting the list of contestants to be released!

24 years old!

Today is my sweet husband's birthday!

We had a wonderful pre-birthday weekend in Las Vegas
with our very best friends!
While the boys lived every man's dream of watching
nearly all 48 NCAA tournament
games in a sports book with a lot of very large TVs,
I know they felt so manly all weekend,
Lindsay & I enjoyed massages, shopping, and much needed girl time.
(more on the Vegas trip to come when I get the photos to my computer)

We returned yesterday afternoon and tried to gear up for another week,
but Steve didn't feel well all night,
chills/sweats, aches & pains.
I wrapped Steve up in comfy pajamas and warm socks and we went to sleep,
hoping he'd feel better this morning for his big day!
3am rolled around and I felt terrible to find Steve in the bathroom throwing up.
This morning wasn't much better,
but luckily by this afternoon he felt a little better.

Tonight we enjoyed a night at home with Steve's favorite dinner, presents,
and Girl Scout Cookies with strawberries for dessert.
(Still trying to recover from a unhealthy weekend of eating out.)

No matter how each birthday will be spent, whether sick or healthy,
I can't wait to spend a lifetime of birthdays with Steve!
He is the best friend I could ever imagine!
So patient, loving, compassionate, thoughtful & funny.
The perfect husband who deserves the perfect birthday!

Happy birthday my love :)
A birthday is always a good reason to reminisce on wedding photos :)
A lot more photos of my cute birthday boy to come.

I'm not sure where this week went...

This week has been a busier-than-normal week-

1. We officially started the moving process! Had our first fight over which moving company to use, then we apologized and decided to start over, so we did the next day:)

2. Went to my brother's soccer game then went to dinner and ice cream with my parents, Mckay & Brooke and talked all night. (sure am going to miss them when we leave)

3. Started car shopping - this is stressing me out more than anything.

4. Steve did homework. I can count the amount of times on two hands I've ever seen Steve do homework. This week was one of them.

5. I started my next piece quilt

6. Steve's dad came to town, which is always fun!

7. Went to the depressing BYU game on Wednesday night. I helped Steve recover from depression.

8. Birthdays! It was our friend Preston's birthday on Thursday so we went out to dinner with Lindsay & Preston to celebrate, then to our weekly bowling league. Birthday shopping for Steve's birthday (and mine:)...) has begun!

9. Our apartment had a little mishap last Sunday when our neighbors upstairs turned on their washer and dryer and it flooded through our ceiling - we got it fixed this week though!

10. And most importantly, an answer to my prayers! We found out the general neighborhood area we want to live in when we move. I've been worried about the best area to live in and after randomly talking to a customer at work we feel really good about the advice he gave! We are now looking for a place to rent in Alexandria, VA (more specifically the Del Ray neighborhood) - if you have any insides to this area, let me know! Isn't it great how the Lord answers your prayers:)

(Picture shown above: Steve burning our BYU game tickets Wednesday night after we got home, he was genuinely grieving their loss, like I said, he has since recovered)

We hope you are having a wonderful week!