Bluff what?

This just in: We found an apartment!

It was kind of crazy how it all happened--but after looking at 12 different places, we finally made a decision! I might add that it was a quick-spur-of-the-moment decision--but since we'd already done so much searching/comparing, it wasn't as scary as it may sound.

We singed for an apartment in Bluffdale! (what? who would have thought?) It's right off the IKEA exit, and only 2 or so minutes down Bangerter Highway. I never thought I'd live off Bangerter Highway. Growing up, anything west of I-15 was no man's land, and it always creeped me out. So, not only am I living west of the freeway, but we're also in the Prison City! Party with the convicts! (I don't know why I capitalized Prison City..just makes it look cooler? terrifying? oh great.)




It all started a few weeks ago when my mom, Mike and I went driving around to apartments on Sunday using the Apartment Guide (found in our local grocery store. yay). My mom came across the ad for "The Bluffs" (oh, that's the name of the apartments by the way)...but we never stopped by!

Then, yesterday, I was headed up to tutor and it turns out my student wasn't there. Having some extra time, I decided to call the people doing our invitations to see when they'd be finished. She told me they needed to get more paper for our numbers, but asked if I'd like to stop by and see one last proof before they were started. Sure! They happen to live up the street from The Bluffs, and so after I was finished there, I thought "I should just stop by and see them, just for the heck of it". (Mind you I got SO sick last weekend from stressing myself out about finding a place, it was sort of crazy that I'd put myself through it after finally recovering)

So, while I was waiting at the light to cross over Bangerter Highway, I called the apartments and they said they could show me around! Before I knew it, I was looking in the 2 bed/1 bath apartment that I thought would be perfect for me and Mike! We had come up with a list of things we wanted/felt were important, and others that didn't matter so much! One of the debates we'd have was looking for a place in Utah County or Salt Lake--and trying to find the middle ground for his work in AF and school at the U for me.

The location is about 15 minutes from TRAX, and about 20 minutes for him to work! Not too bad! We were able to sign a year lease--which should work out great. It's not too far from my mom's, but far enough away to start a new adventure.

Here are some pictures of The Bluffs. Pretty cool, huh?

One big item off the list! I think I woke up decorating the place in my head. So fun.

Latest Loves.

I absolutely LOVE these little treasures. I know there are LOTS of ways to get these things...and they may be too artsy/decorative to be functional--but who cares? These items makes the 22nd birthday list.

Measuring Cups. I saw a few variations of these in the store, but like this design the best.

Measuring Spoons. For a perfect dash of delicious.

Salt N' Pepper. These will go great with the Fiesta plates from Macy's (crossing fingers about those, too!)

Tea and Toast Butter Dish. I'll take it just for the name! Seriously. Adorable.

Volcano. Best. Candle. Ever. I'll take 5 of them. (which would be seriously fine, okay? because it comes in all these jars! no one would ever know.)

I guess they call them birthday wishes for a reason.

Real. and Real Scary

First. Two things

Wait, I don't know how many things.

But, what I do know is that yesterday was an adventure.

A Real and a real scary one.

Me and this guy, you may remember..Mike? Yeah. Him. The party-er. (What?)
We went to a REAL SALT LAKE SOCCER GAME! It was SO much fun. The Rio Tinto stadium is small--but still big enough for a party. I'm really excited because we have tickets to next week's game against LA GALAXY. And you may remember this guy

...yeah.. DAVID BECKHAM? He'll be there. And hopefully her.

ANYWAYS! After the game (or I should say before it ended so we could beat the crowd) Mike and I headed back to our car! We parked in Sandy and took Trax a few blocks north and walked. So, obviously so we had to take Trax back to the parking lot to get to our car! On our way to the car, a boy (who looked like a teenager) turned around and asked us if we knew when the next Utah Valley bus would come.

Feeling his pain (since I've MISSED that bus..bad night), I told him that the last one had just left and PROCEEDED TO OFFER HIM A RIDE?! (Oh, at the time this seemed totally okay to me. AND legit. Like, I have missed that bus and was SO sad I was stranded--I felt for this guy!) So, without realizing how reluctant Mike was, we proceeded to give him a ride.

He proceeded to tell his whole life story--I'm not sure how much I ACTUALLY believe. He had apparently been given up to foster/adoptive homes when he was 12. He was the oldest of his 12 siblings from his biological parents. There were apparently 3 sets of triplets (is that normal) and one set of twins. They were all given up--and placed in various homes around the state minus two of the siblings who are in New York with his mom's aunt. His mom is a drug dealer/hooker lady that asks him for money, and his dad works as a mechanic and tatoo artist. He still has contact with his parents, even though he was officially adopted by a family in Lehi a year ago. The twin siblings he has apparently have cancer and are living in Logan, and he himself has ADHD and Manic Depression. He is a 'super senior' at Lehi High school. He wants to go to Weber State College for web design and can 'create a website in an hour and type 200 words per minute'. Oh, and he was baptized into the church when he was 14 when his foster mother who was jewish found the Book of Mormon and fell in love with it.

Um. What.

After Mike dropped him off he turned to me and said "DON'T EVER EVER EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" AH! I felt SO stupid. I am TOTALLY naive to things like this. I wouldn't just pick up any old stranger--especially if I was alone or whatever, but I didn't realize until last night how much I really DON'T worry about that maybe I should.

Mike is ALWAYS so good at things like locking car/house doors, shutting things tight, zip locking bags closed, tighening water bottles, keep track of his stuff (namely wallet, watch, chapstick and keys), etc. And. I am not. I mention THOSE things because it's that kind of personality that makes him VERY attentive to details--what's going on--who is doing what--where things are, etc. AND he's super careful!

I am the type that might not screw the cap on the toothpaste tight enough, or don't reseal the bag all the way, or forget where I put my things and have the attitude of "Ooooh, it's oookaaaay! No worries. Oops! Sorry" blah blah blah. And it's THAT kind of attitude that will get me down rape alley because I wanted to help a stupid stray cat (ew, bad example. I hate cats.)

Moral of the story? I needed that wake up call. Pay attention, Annie! Be better (like Mike) and honestly? I will NEVER do that again. Real Scary.

Shoot, I gotta go find my keys to run somewhere....

Bye!

I should be studying...but...I am too busy looking for pictures of piles of paper so I can blog about avoiding my actual pile of paper.

Reading Methods 1 Mid-Term tomorrow? Huh? Did someone say something?

So much to be thankful for..

He made me a pie for Pi Day.

Love him.

INSTANT BELIEBER.

Never. Say. Never.

*I am a little bit...uh...ashamed to admit that I actually broke down and saw this movie.
What I'm even more ashamed to admit is that first sentence is an absolute lie.
Finding out that ChoLo was going to see it at 10 pm tonight was the best. news. of. my. week.
It might ruin any credibility I've ever had with anyone--but it doesn't matter.
It. Was. Worth. It.
All 2 hours.

Flying low

Hey. It's been a few weeks. Imagine that?!

A few of the latest things...
1. Registering for goodies at Target is WAY underrated.
2. Marriage in T-minus 2 months. WHAT.
3. Finding new apartments is FUN and scary.
4. Updating my blog in class is more fun than actually paying attention. OOPS! (It might be a good idea for the teacher to NOT start the discussion by saying, "What we're going over tonight will not be on the test..."..I'm outta there!)
5. I am finding that doing 50+ lunges makes me sore the next day...
6. Mario Kart WFC is the best. And watching Mike play Mario Kart WFC is hilarious. Don't get in his way.
7. For as much as I miss work, and all the students at ATEC, I love having time to get life accomplished. Feels good.

Now, if only we could get the plumber to fix our sink so we're not doing dishes in the bathroom anymore?

Happy.

Here's for some joy: