Las Vegas {Adventures}

 

This weekend we took a road trip to Las Vegas to meet up with Kenny's parents. Vegas is the half way point between Provo and San Diego, so it was the perfect location for a weekend getaway for everyone. Summer semester ended on Thursday, and so we were itching to get away! We had a great time being with family and even some friends who happened to be in town!  One of our favorite things we did over the weekend, besides spending time with family, was going to a concert. A band that Kenny has been wanting to see perform just happened to be playing in Las Vegas the weekend we were there...AND the venue was just a few blocks from our hotel. It was meant to be!! We sure do love going to concerts! :]

We had a great weekend. Now, back to reality!! I have a two week break before Fall semester starts, and so I want make the most out of those two weeks. Here is to hoping that I am bouku productive!!

("Bouku" is a slang term that Kenny uses, I am trying it on for size lately :] )

Exploring {Adventures}

I love wandering around with no agenda, Kenny and I have become quite pro at it. Today we explored Bicentennial park in Provo, Springville City, & Spanish Fork. I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place. I also feel grateful to have a husband that encourages me to get out and enjoy the place we live in.

Julian {Adventure}

With Thanksgiving comes a lovely four-day weekend. I have been looking forward to this specific four-day weekend for quite a while now. You see - Kenny & I put together a "bucket list" of all these things that we want to do before we move to Utah, we call this list our "California Bucket List". On this lovely four-day weekend we had planned to cross off one our our bucket list items - going to Julian!

Julian is a quaint town up in the mountains here in California. I have fun memories growing up of going to Julian with people from church and taking those old fashioned photos - you know those awkward ones where you dress up in ugly clothes and have a serious face? Yeah, those. I also have fun memories of going up to Julian with friends from high school and getting lost in the little used bookstore. And it wouldn't be a trip to Julian without a slice of pie from Mom's Pie House!! Needless to say I was excited to go to Julian with my Mr. Norton & create some new memories.

The drive to Julian is nothing short of beautiful - driving up and down those windy roads surrounded by beautiful nature (my favorite)! It was all making me very excited to go on drives with Kenny up the various canyons of the Utah mountains. Once we got to Julian we walked around looking in all the shops. We even hiked up to the Julian "pioneer cemetery" and looked at those old tombstones. We winded through the rooms of the used bookstore & searched through those old smelly books. Kenny and I also went into an eerie antique store, where there were even more smelly old vintage things! :] I love getting away to Julian because you can escape the city, enjoy some crisp air, eat some pie, and get your walk on!

We ended our trip amongst the pies at Mom's and buying some fresh bread at Dudley's bakery. It was the perfect day trip getaway. We can now cross off "trip to Julian" on our California bucket list. :]

I love adventures with my Mr. Norton!

Arizona {Adventure}

Can I just say I had a great weekend?! Althought I was a little lonely without my husband by my side, I had a great weekend in Arizona. I traveled to Arizona to see one of my good friends get married & to spend time with my family and my very best friends. I almost wasn't going to go because of car problems, but I am so glad everything worked out perfectly & I arrived in Mesa just in time to go to the reception.

Driving the whole way (and back) by myself was the pits! It's lonely driving by yourself! I used to enjoy it...I don't know what happend. Maybe it's because I am married now and road trips mean hand holding, catching each other up on stories about when we were young, lauging at silly jokes, talking about all of our dreams and the many things we want to accomplish in our lives, & reminicing on our early days of dating where we were too afraid to tell each other what we were really thinking. Roadtrips with Mr. Norton are fun! Bummer he had to miss out on this trip, but I know there will be many many more roadtrips in our future. :]

After spending just a short time with my family, I spent the bulk of the weekend with my old roommates. It was great being able to spend time with them and to see our friend, Alex, happily married. I suppose I should not call my friends roommates anymore, but thats what they will always be to me - my roommates. We (plus 3 others who are currently serving missions for the church) all met freshman year at BYU & we have been a pack ever since. Being with them, no matter how much time has passed between us, is always so much fun and so easy; its as if no time at all has passed between us! I love those girls very much & can't wait till the other 3 come home!

Like I said, it was a great weekend away! I always find it hard to get back into the grind after a weekend traveling, but I keep reminding myself that in only 7 weeks we move to Utah! (That tends to help pass the time :] )  & I have only 5 weeks left at my job (which is bitter sweet). I will be sad to leave family and friends behind, but Mr. Norton and I are so excited about our adventure to Utah. I just know that we have many great things in store for us. Watch out Utah, you are about to be hit with a bunch of awesomeness.