Minnesota

We're finally here in Minnesota after driving for many, many, many hours (more than I care to count) let's review them! First Kevin and I drove down to California (13 hours). We spent some time there for a second reception in the form of a fantastic fiesta party. Then we drove to Park Moabi in California (5 hours), a campsite on the Colorado River. We spent the week out on the water and motorcycle riding across the desert! It was lots of fun, even if the weather wasn't being very cooperative! Kevin and I spent one night in our tent while a storm raged on the outside, wind and rain. Wahoo! :) Then we went off to Arizona and spent a night with Kevin's brother Garrett and Garrett's family. (1 hour) Next we drove up to Utah, got some R&R at my house (8 hours) and repacked our car. We woke up and started driving, (21) hours and ended up in Minnesota.

The only advice I have for anyone driving that way is that it's worth it to stop BOTH times in Wyoming to get the 50 cent ice cream cones, they were delicious! That's the only thing I remember about driving through Wyoming and most of Nebraska... otherwise it's flat and the landscape doesn't change very much. Minnesota is a pretty state, although I miss my Utah mountains. It's a rolling hills kind of flat here, with lots of trees. We like it so far.

It's definitely fun to be in a new place that Kevin and I have never been too. We are looking forward to exploring and having some new adventures. :) So far we have done 2 things here.

1. We went to Mall of America, Kevin hates malls so we just walked around for a while and got some lunch. Kevin was most excited about the lego store :) Overall our impression of Mall of America was (in Kevin's words), "An amusement park surrounded by a mall, Minnesota's excuse to get an amusement park because it's too cold to have one there. Other than the roller coasters it's just a mall." I felt a bit the same, it's just another mall. It was big and did have some cool stores though. So if you're not like my husband and you enjoy malls it's a fun place to go plus there is an aquarium inside! We have yet to go there however :)

2. We went to Como Zoo & Conservatory. It is a free zoo, we went and walked around for a few hours. It was pretty decent for a free zoo, although crowded. They had the cutest little baby orangutan and a polar bear! My favorite. They also had a beautiful conservatory of plants. Kevin liked the indoor place where they had birds, a snapping turtle and some really cool fish. Overall it was a good and fun place to spend a few hours.

My Sleep-Talking Husband

Tonight was probably one of the funniest nights of my life, since I was wide-awake and couldn't sleep anyway, I figured I'd just hop out of bed and blog about it. My husband usually goes to bed pretty early. I, however, don't usually head to bed until 11/midnight. Tonight as I got into bed I couldn't sleep but had some funny conversations with my husband as he talked in his sleep, I couldn't help but see what he had to say each time he asked a random question (maybe I'm mean but I was curious) the last conversation is my favorite:

1st
Kevin-- Did you remember to drain the meat?
Me- What meat?
Kevin-- For the plop (aka hamburger helper)
Me- When did we have plop?
Kevin- For dinner
Me- No honey we ate at Mill Hollow at 5 remember?
Kevin-- No. But did you drain the meat?
Me- You mean the hamburger?
Kevin-- Mmhmm.... *then he mumbles incoherently*

2nd
Kevin-- Are you ok?
Me- No, I can't sleep...
Kevin-- I don't care.
Me- Do you want me to sleep in the living room?
Kevin-- I don't know... just don't watch T.V. or play too much Zelda k?
Me- I won't I'm going to sleep?
Kevin-- K.
Me- Is my talking annoying you?
Kevin-- Yes.
Me- K I'll go in the living room.
Kevin-- No. I want you to stay here with me.

3rd
Kevin-- At least they didn't take any of the good stuff.
Me- What good stuff?
Kevin-- In the car, it got burglarized.
Me- How do you know that?
Kevin-- Because the window was broken but they didn't take any of the good stuff.
Me- Good thing Gertrude (our GPS) was hidden safely huh?
Kevin-- Yep good thing.
Me- Did you fix the window?
Kevin-- No.
Me- Why not?
Kevin- So they could leave a cherry on your seat for you
Me- Why a cherry?
Kevin-- Because cherries are delicious!
Me- But I don't like cherries.
Kevin-- What!? I like cherries.
Me- Ok then you can eat my cherry ok?
Kevin- Ok... what do you want me to leave on your seat then?
Me- A pineapple.
Kevin-- Like grilled pineapple when we get married? Mmm...
Me- We already got married
Kevin-- Oh this is awkward...
A FEW SECONDS LATER
Kevin-- Don't get hurt on the glass.
Me- What glass?
Kevin-- From the broken car window
Me- Honey they didn't break into the car, the window is fine. And it's a good thing they didn't break into our car.
Kevin-- Why?
Me- Because then they could have easily gotten our GPS and our gift cards.
Kevin- How much money is on the gift cards?
Me- Lots of money remember?
Kevin-- NO (he literally gets hysterical) WHY ARE PEOPLE SO MEAN!?

Then I tried to console him... he let a few tears leak out of his eyes. He's just such a manly man all the time, so seeing him be so sensitive in his sleep made my heart just go out to him. What a sweet boy... and here I am putting that hilarious conversation online for all to read... I was laughing the whole time we talked. Bless my poor husband for having such an insensitive wife! Conversations with someone who is asleep is HILARIOUS!!!

This just in:

Kevin--AMANDA where are you!? AMANDA! I can't find you. Where are you? AMANDA!
*So I walk into our bedroom*
Me-Kevin... I went into the living room remember?
Kevin-- Yeah but I thought you came back already.
Me- I will be back in just a second ok?
Kevin-- Ok... *more incoherent mumbling*

And hopefully I can now go to sleep... it's only 1:51am :)

BACON!!!

This morning Kevin came home from work/class at about 8:30, he did some homework and took a shower before he had to leave for his next class at 10. At 9:51 I asked him if he wanted bacon and this was our conversation:

Kevin- It won't be done before I have to leave.
Me- Uh... yes it will. Who's the master of cooking bacon?
Kevin- You are.
Me- Haven't you ever heard of "bacon to-go"
Kevin- No
Me- Well let's hear you order some bacon to-go and I'll show you some magic.
Kevin- Amanda, can I have some bacon to-go?
Me- Yes you can!

I made the bacon, and handed him some bacon-wrapped in a paper towel and sent him out the door at 10 on the dot. He looked at the bacon wrapped in the paper towel and said "Wow! It's really bacon to go! You're the best!" It was like Christmas come early! But who doesn't love bacon? I know I sure do! It was the best part of my Saturday mornings growing up... the smell of bacon wafting through my nostrils... mmm... Here are some funny clips I watched about bacon! Enjoy :)

In the beginning...

February 18, 2012 started a new life for me. I got married to Kevin Tolman from Chino Hills, California. We were married in the Bountiful Utah Temple for time and all eternity and I am so excited about that! :)



I met Kevin in February of 2011 playing soccer in Rexburg, Idaho at BYU-Idaho. Kevin was extremely impressed by my soccer skills and just knew that he wanted to get to know me. It took him a long time to finally ask me out because he didn't want to ruin our "team mo-jo". (Silly boy) After that our relationship was long distance, we were never living in the same place! We dated for the summer while he was in California and I was still in Rexburg, and met up in August for a houseboat trip with his family.



Then Kevin returned to Rexburg and I moved back to Utah after having graduated from BYU-Idaho in July. We continued dating long-distance and poor Kevin would drive down from Rexburg (3+ hours) almost every weekend to see me. (He just couldn't stay away!!) Then on October 15, 2011 Kevin proposed to me by putting glow-in-the-dark letters on my bedroom ceiling. :)



Then a few months more of long-distance dating we got hitched! That's how it all began... from now on I don't know what will be written in this post, probably my thoughts and funny quirks about being married. :)