a winter of getaways.

Winter 2017 has unintentionally been a winter of getaways, and it has made it fly by! You won't hear me complaining about Spring being right around the corner. I've loved having something to look forward to every couple weeks.

A quick overview (sorry it is so lengthy!)....

We kicked off the New Year in one of my very favorite places--Hawaii. Nothing feels more rejuvinating, refreshing, and happy than starting a new year on a warm, sandy beach with the people I love. We soaked up every minute of those rays, continued with tradition and did all the things we love to do, and truly enjoyed the peaceful Hawaiian life.

About a week after we got home Dan and I cruised up to Sun Valley with my parents for a quick 3 day weekend. Talk about going from sun to snow--Sun Valley had about 5 feet of fresh snow when we got up there (and it really still hasn't stopped snowing all winter)! It is my favorite version of a Winter wonderland. We had a phenomenal ski day and spent one afternoon making fresh snow shoe tracks along the golf course. Dan and I also had one epic sledding adventure from the tippy top of the steepest hill. I had a face full of snow halfway down the hill, and I could not stop laughing. When it comes to snow I'm all about "Go big, or go home", and Sun Valley definitely went BIG this year.

A few weeks later I was on a spontaneous, somewhat last minute trip to visit my best friend, Ann is San Francisco. Ann called me up to see if I wanted to come stay with her for a weekend while her husband was out of town. A few other phone calls, a group text, and a screenshot of a plane ticket later it was a 321 reunion trip! 321=myself, Cath, Ann, and Abs. We all went on study abroad to London together, and then lived together at BYU. They are some of my best friends in this whole world. It was a much needed weekend together! We did a lot of site seeing, but also a lot of catching up in the apartment, laughing, drinking diet coke, and just being together. Ann was the best hostess and we all hated it to end. I can't wait for the next reunion trip--hopefully sooner rather than later.

Last weekend for President's Day we made our way to Laguna Beach with Carli and Daniel. I've gone to Laguna over this weekend for the past 5+ years. It is one of my favorites. Well this year CA decided to have one of its worst rain storms it has had in 6 years, and it definitely lived up to the hype. Luckily, we were not to be deterred by the rain. We went shopping, saw a movie, ate good food, went to Balboa Island and Newport, and made a spontaneous trip to Disneyland! While we would have loved some sunshine, we still had so much fun. Until next year, Laguna!

In between all of these getaways Dan and I have filled our Winter with cross country skiing, climbing, skiing, reading books (Dan's resolution is to read one a month, and I'm jumping on board), house sitting, watching The Goldbergs, hanging with friends, teaching a lot of dance and High Fit, helping our grandparents, and celebrating every night when it stays light just a little bit longer. 

Spring, we are ready for you! 

(kacey.ism 388)

hello 2017.

After a 6 month hiatus, I've made my way back to the blog.
And we've made it to 2017!
2016 was an interesting year in the world. Most people were not sad to see it go.
For me personally, I loved 2016 and all the good it brought to my life. We bought a house in 2016, we celebrated one year of marriage, we traveled to new places, we made new friends, and we achieved new goals. (more posts to come regarding all of this)
I was sad to see it go, but I am excited to see what 2017 will bring.

2017 has started on an interesting note (understatement) in the world. I go from feeling discouraged, to overwhelmed, to frustrated, to hopeful, to uncertain, to optimistic and around and around it goes. I've tried to look at social media less and focus on what's going on in my own personal life more. I've pondered a lot about what I stand for and what message I want to be promoting. And at the end of the day I just want to choose kindness. I want to choose goodness. I want to share the light of the Gospel and treat every individual with respect. I want to love my neighbor, and trust in my Heavenly Father.
I believe that the majority of people have these same feelings. We live in a vast variety of circumstances and viewpoints, but I truly believe that if we put worldly things aside, we would be left with a similar desire to love one another (something I try to remind myself of often).

It's with this choice to choose goodness that I hope to do my part make a small difference in the world. If I want to see a change it must begin with me.

(kacey.ism 386)

Summer in the blink of an eye

Our Summer has been jam packed!
Between buying a house(!!!) and cramming in as much fun as possible I can't believe it's the end of August.
We were able to get to Sun Valley for the 4th of July, Lake Powell for the 24th of July (with the Jensons), Bear Lake for the kickoff of the Olympics, and Lake Powell one last time to bid summer goodbye (with Claflins). I also managed to get sick for two weeks in July, get certified as a High Fitness instructor, and Dan and my family rode their bikes all the way to Las Vegas in the Saints to Sinners relay.
July was hot hot hot, and August is finally giving us that 85 degree perfection that I wish I could live in year round. Friends have come to visit (Jeff, Catherine, Ann, Webbs!), and we did almost nothing but watch the Olympics for two weeks (good job Phelps, Simone(s), refugees, everyone).
Little by little we are getting settled into our home. We still don't have a kitchen table, and pictures still need to be hung, but it's ours and we love it.
Fall brings all sorts of exciting and fun things, but I will miss our sweet sweet Summer.

Photo review below.....

^^^All American 4th in Sun Valley

^^^High Fit at Stein Erikson Lodge

^^^Lake Powell for the first time this Summer!

^^^Everything Dan loves most in a photo

^^^Goodbye til next year Lake Powell 

^^^Officially teaching High Fit at my studio! Come try it out!

 (kacey.ism 385)

Home sweet HOME

We bought a house!

It was sudden, unexpected, and a whirlwind of a month,

but that beauty behind us is all ours. 

We love our little house and can't wait for all the memories we will make here. 

Three cheers for a mortgage! 

(kacey.ism 384)

One year down!

On Monday (6/6/16) Dan and I celebrate our first anniversary! We really have made it a whole year. Wow!
We decided to celebrate by heading down to Laguna Beach for a few days. If you know us, you know we look for any and every opportunity to take a vacation, and we thought our anniversary definitely called for one.
We flew down last Thursday and spent the next few days playing tennis, sitting by the pool, lounging at the beach, and just relaxing. Our life has been a little bit crazy at home so it was nice to take a breather.
On our anniversary we went to DISNEYLAND. And despite the crazy crowds I can't think of a happier, more magical place to celebrate. I wore my Minnie ears, and we even got anniversary pins (yes, we are those people). We probably walked 10 miles and were so tired by the end of the night, but I loved it.
Most of all, I just love to be with Dan. We have so much fun together and when I'm with him I always feel happy and I know without a doubt that the life I have with him is the very best life I could possibly have.

Since we weren't home for our anniversary, and since my wedding dress isn't really packable, last night we celebrated again. This time I put on my dress, Dan put on his suit, and we ate the top of our wedding cake and danced under our wedding lights. I have been waiting a year to put that dress back on, and it was everything I dreamt it would be.
It felt pretty magical to be dressed as a bride again, looking at my groom. It was simple and sweet and a moment that I will cherish forever.

Happy Anniversary to the one I love. It's been the happiest year, and the best is yet to come!

(kacey.ism 383)

Happy Birthday Dan! & A weekend away!

Last Thursday was Dan's birthday! Although he wasn't counting down, I definitely was.

For Dan, his birthday is just another day. He wouldn't ask for anything, but I make him.  He wouldn't want a big deal made out of it, but I make a big deal anyways. 

In my world birthdays are a BIG deal. I keep telling him I'm just going to wear him down year after year until he loves his birthday as much as I love mine.
I love to celebrate Dan any chance I get because he has made my life better in every possible way, and is truly my favorite person in the entire world. So, too bad Dan. On May 12th your are going to be celebrated!

This year we both had to work, so I got up early and made him banana pancakes for breakfast before we parted ways for a few hours. That evening he won "Husband of the Year" for helping me set up for the Relief Society party in my ward, and then I won "Wife of the year" by taking him to get curry for dinner.
Afterwards, he opened a few gifts, ate a big slice of banana cream pie (we've been taking a break from treats for 8 weeks, so it was extra delicious) and then we hopped in the car and drove down to St. George for the weekend with the whole Jenson family.

^^The selfie stick does it again!

St. George could not have come at a more perfect time. We have been itching for a quick getaway. A big dose of sunshine, and adventure was just what we needed. We drove razors through the sand dunes, hung out at Sand Hollow, took a windy road up to a hidden oasis called Toquerville Falls, and celebrated Dan and our nephew Dallin's birthday. And BONUS! We had a mini reunion with Ann and Nate while we were down there. Any chance I get to see friends who live far way, I take it.

It has been a while since we had all of Dan's family on a trip together, so I'm so glad we were all able to make it work! It was the perfect St. George weekend.

(kacey.ism 382)

Keep on going.

"Keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever."

-Elder Jeffrey. R. Holland

(kacey.ism 381)