MATT + CHRISTINE

One year anniversary!

2010-12-13T19:17:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to say that Matt and I celebrated our one year anniversary this past weekend. The celebrating of our anniversary started with my sweet parents taking us out to dinner on Thursday to one our favorite restaurants, the Blue Iguana. Then on Friday we went to my company's Christmas party at the Grand America Hotel.

On Saturday we went to the Salt Lake temple, it was a great experience to be back in the place where we got married. After we went to The Roof restaurant, the view from our table was awesome.

Sunday we went over to my parents house to have Sunday dinner. My mom has been keeping the top of our year old wedding cake. Matt was a little skeptical about eating the cake. You can tell by his face that the idea of eating the cake was not going to happen. (Matt has a thing with expiration dates.)

The cake tasted fine, you couldn't even tell that it was a year old. Matt finally gave in and took a bite. I was so surprised!

We have been blessed to have found each other. I could not imagine my life without my husband. This past year has been great, I'm excited what the future holds for us. Already we have achieved so much, I know together we can keep on achieving our goals.
Thank you for a great year love!

1st Christmas Tree

2010-12-04T21:04:00.000-08:00

Our first Christmas tree! Last year during this time we were getting married and there was way to much going on to get a tree. This year we are more settled down to set the Christmas mood in our apartment.

We had a great time decorating and setting the tree up. I'm happy how our tree turned out. I'm excited for holidays and spending time with family.

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I would like to recognize ...

2010-11-29T21:14:00.000-08:00

At work we were able to recognize co-workers for going above and beyond. I would like to do the same and recognize the people in my life.

My husband: Every time it snows he cleans off my car before he heads out to work. He is my better half and helps me accomplish my goals. I appreciate all the hard work he does for us.

My sister: She shared her talent of singing this past weekend even though it's not her favorite thing to do. We all love to hear her voice. She is a great example of living life with joy and happiness. Thank you for always sharing your love.

My Mom: She encourages me to do my best and keep on reaching higher. Thank you for the example you give in trusting.

My Dad: He knows how to makes me laugh. I'm grateful to have him as my father.

Happy Anniversary

2010-08-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my grandparent's 52nd anniversary. They are a great example on how you should live your life. I admire them and I'm very grateful to have them as my grandparents.

When I grow up I want to be like my grandparents. I hope some day I can be half the person they are. They are my heroes.

Congratulations Tata & Mama Gloria! We love you!!!

Lava Hot Springs

2010-07-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

It has been seven months since Matt and I were married. During this time we have been living in the University of Utah Village. We have been fortunate enough to be surrounded by wonderful people and such a great ward. This past weekend we took a mini vacation to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.It only took 2 1/2 hours to reach our destination. The first night we went to the hot springs that were so relaxing. I had no idea that the hot springs would be so beautiful especially during the night. Since it is located far from any city the night sky was filled with stars. The next day we went tubing down the river which was one of the highlights of trip. It was quite the adventure. No pictures taken going down the river due to the fact we were in the water the majority of the time. You will just have take my word that it was blast.

Also my favorite part of the trip was sitting around the fire and telling stories. The trip was filled with constant laughs. It was an enjoyable time!
I would like to thank the Bells, the Lacys, the Terrys, and the Siggards for making the trip such a great time!

Commencement 2010

2010-05-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

I am officially done with my undergraduate schooling. I could not have done it with out the help of my husband. I would also like to thank my mom and dad for all the support and help they have given me and continue to do so. I was happy to share college graduation with my family members. I feel that my accomplishment could not have been achieved without my family's help. I am extremely grateful to be blessed with great a husband, parents, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. I love each one of them!

Almost Done

2010-04-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

Today I presented my Senior Thesis and project.I'm happy to say everything went well. This semester I have been so busy with assignments which has caused me to focus on school more. I have a week and a half until I am officially with my undergraduate schooling. It has been a hard road but I finally see the light and the end of the tunnel.
Needless to say this next week is probably the hardest yet.
But I am grateful for the support my husband and family gives me.

Here is my bear hug to you for the support you give me....

THANK YOU!

Cancun (part 2)

2010-02-04T19:46:00.000-08:00

I know it has been awhile since we have returned from our honeymoon BUT the last two days were one of the best.

DAY 4

We did a tour that took us to various places. The first stop was a huge cave, they told us that the Mayan's believed the water was the fountain of life.

After much driving we finally arrived to Chichen Itza. One of the most interesting places I have visited. The pictures don't do it justice but it works.

Matt was so excited to visit these ruins.

I love traveling and learning about different cultures. The ruins reminded alot of Machu Picchu, Peru.

Day 5
our last day

We honestly did no want to leave this paradise. It was the one of the best trips I have been on.

We plan on going back someday :), I love traveling with Matt. I am extremely grateful that we get be together forever. I could not imagine it any other way.
i love you Matt!

Wedding Video

2010-01-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

We just recieved our wedding video. click here.
Sebastian did such a great job!

PARADISE (part 1)

2010-01-04T19:12:00.000-08:00

It took awhile to arrive to our destination but the wait was definitely worth it. After a 3 hour layover delay we made it to our hotel at night but made it just in time for our first Mexican meal accompanied with Manzana Lift. For those of you who don't know, this drink is one our favorites!

Day 1

Day 2
We decided to venture around the Hotel Zone. We discovered we could walk along the coast. The water was warm. I have never seen such clear water.

This a restaurant we found on the beach.

Day 3
We did a tour that took you over to the other island called "Isla Mujeres", the ferry that took us over. We were dropped off on a resort that had hammocks, a huge side and we also were able to take a bike ride around the island. Such much fun and relaxing.

Then the ferry took us to the north part of the island and we found the most beautiful beach ever! On this beach you could walk 300 ft into the ocean and the water doesn't go above your waist.

I can honestly say that Cancun, Mexico is like paradise.

The Reception

2009-12-31T13:42:00.000-08:00

This day was probably the longest day of our lives but also the BEST. Our reception was held at Millennial Falls in Draper. They decorated the place so beautifully and everything was done so well, including the napkins.

Both, my grandpa and Matt's mother gave us a toast before we cut the cake. We really appreciated there thoughtful words.

I designed our cake and was happy how it turned out.

Our first dance as a married couple, I thought it turned out well considering the fact my dress restricted the movement of my arms.

We love to dance!

This day turned out be perfect. I would like to give a special thanks to my mother for helping making this day so special. Also I would like to thank Matt's parents for all their help.

And I would like to let Matt know that I am very blessed to have him as a husband. Thank you Love!

<12.12.09 Our Wedding>

2009-12-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

It has come and gone but it has been the best decision I have made. The day is really a blur BUT I do remember how I felt, Complete Joy!

I am very grateful for the support of our family members. I know it meant alot to us seeing our loves one there.

Really, I am extremely appreciative of all the support our parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends have given us.

I can honestly say that this day turned out perfect. We smiled so much throughout the day that our cheeks hurt. Basically, Matt and I were on cloud 9 and the pictures show it, see for yourselves!

Now you might be thinking, "Wasn't it cold?".... Yes it was, but we didn't notice it until an hour later once the pictures were finishing up.

I am so happy that Matt and I were able to be married. I feel with Matt by my side I am able to accomplish what the world has to offer. I love Matt with every all my heart.

2009-12-28T13:14:00.000-08:00

I have so much to post there are bridals, wedding, and honeymoon pictures. But with Christmas and getting the apartment ready it has been a bit busy. I'll get posting asap. For those of you who weren't at the wedding this is how my dress looked. I absolutely loved it. I have more pictures to share soon.

2009-12-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

This is out of control time is flying by! Some many things have happened awesome bridal showers (thank you everyone). Also, my grandparents arrived last weekend which makes me extremely happy.

I love this picture, i had to post it.

I'm so excited for this weekend! I love you Matt, I am so excited for our future!

Special Thanks

2009-11-30T20:24:00.000-08:00

I know Thanksgiving has past but I just need to thank a special person in my life who has helped, guided and supported me. Especially during this busy time.

I would to thank my mother! She is a great example and I hope one day I can just like my mom. She has taught me what it means to work hard, never give up and to always strive for the best. I will always be grateful to my lovely mother.

2009-11-15T19:41:00.000-08:00

My good friend Kylie loves taking pictures and she is good at it. She was kind enough to go with Matt and I downtown and take some fun shots. We thought it would be fun to have a mini photo shoot.

Hope you enjoy the photos!

I love photos because they capture the moment and since it is tangible you are able to recreate past memories. I'm excited to have great memories with Matt!

Thank you Kylie!

Costume Party!

2009-11-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

Can you guess what we dressed up as for Halloween?.....

Matt was a caveman and I was a cavewoman. On Halloween we attended the Westminster ward costume party. Last year we dressed us as pirates and won. But this year we weren't as lucky. ( I thought we looked good!)
BUT i was lucky enought to witness Matt's new dance moves to Thriller (taught to us at the party.) Out of all the boys there, Matt was the best dancer! and that is no lie, I have various witnesses that will support me.

We also ran into our good friends, Katie and Mitch, they had awesome costumes.
Our night was filled with dancing and laughing. Definitely a great time!

Fall Break: Day 3

2009-10-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

This was our last day on our quick awsome trip. We went into Zions again to do some more hikes. My father kept on saying "this is amazing" which i agree the park is filled with beauty.

This hike was short but really steep. It's called Weeping Rock, and I realized why they named it because the water is dripping everywhere. It felt refreshing on a hot fall day.

It was pretty neat to see that in desert they could be mini water waters.

We then did two more hikes....

By the end we were extremely tired. Our feet hurt our legs ached but is was all worth it!

I'm extremely grateful I was able to enjoy and share this time with Matt, Erika, Mom and Dad. We had a GREAT time and share great experiences. Definitely a trip to remember. I would like to thank my parents for taking us on this great trip and thank Erika for being our awsome "photographer." AND I love you Matt!

the end.

Fall Break: Day 2

2009-10-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

We woke up early and decided we would go the St. George and then headed to Las Vegas for the day. We are able to find some awesome sites.

This was the view that we were surrounded by, all I can say is Beautiful.

We got in the car and headed to St. George. We saw the Temple from the freeway and found it. It is extremely beautiful. I am so excited to be married to Matt soon. Then we can travel to all the temples in the world :)

Then, we piled in the car again and headed to Las Vegas. We wanted to see the cool building. The following are pictures of various places in the city.

Gondala ride-

Pumpkin Path-

The Mirage- they had a volcaneo show.

Belagio- This was Matt's favorite show.

Caesar's Palace-

Treasure Island-

We kinda went to Paris.

It felt like we walked all over the "world." We ended Day 2 tired but happy. I'm grateful I was able to spend this trip with Matt and my family!

Fall Break: Day 1

2009-10-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

We had a few days off for fall break and we took advantage of it and went with my family on a road trip and camped. We had a great time!

Our first stop was....

It was beautiful weather not to hot or too cold. The scenary was gorgeous. It really is amazing how the earth is so much beauty!

We were given the task of deciding what trails we would go on. (It was harder than you think.)

Our first hike was Emerald pools. The following are pictures that we took along the trail.

As we were hiking this was the view we had, the Court of the Patriachs. Getting to our destination was good, BUT I enjoyed the journey better. I'm very grateful I was able to spend time with Matt and my family this past week.

Thank you!

2009-10-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

I would like to publicly thank Matt for being so kind to me and showing that he loves through his loving gestures. You might be wondering why i have posted so many pictures of roses. Well Matt will surprise me with roses periodically. He does it "just because" which I think is so thougthful. I can't even count how many times I've gotten flowers from him but I grately appreciated them all. Just below are the 21 roses he gave me for my birthday.

I found these flowers when I came home from work a couple months ago.

And Matt suprised me with these roses two days ago. I truly am grateful I have him in my life. He helps me accomplish my goals and be a better person. I am very blessed to be marrying such a wonderful person.

HOMECOMING DANCE '09

2009-09-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

Matt took me to the U of U's homecoming dance this past weekend.

First he took me to dinner at Trio, one of my favorite restaurants. (Thank you!) Then we headed downtown for a night of fun. I can't even express how much I enjoy dancing with Matt. He is so cute when he dances, if he knows the song he will close his eyes, start singing and dance. I love it and LOVE him!

LUAU

2009-09-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Matt and I attended the Westminster Student ward opening social.I've belonged to this ward for three years. I was partly incharge of this event since I'm on the activities committee. Matt helped me set up and decorate, (thank you.)

We took pictures in our luau wear....

For the enterainment Hawaiian dancers came. They gave an awesome performance but then, me and 4 other girls were called out from the crowd. They made us go up and learn the Hawaiian hula. It was an enjoyable night especially with my bestfriend. I love you Matt!

Labor day

2009-09-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

There a couple activities that matt and I have done but we have been extremely busy that we have neglected to update our blog. For Labor day we went to Ogden with my family and found Pineview Reservior. It was a hot day and the water was refreshing. Matt decided to put me on his shoulder BUT that didn't fly with me because I'm scared of heights so I was fidgeting around. I know it's not very high but I still get a bit scared.

2009-09-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that Matt is a great dancer! On our first date we went Latin dancing, and I was surprised to see that he had so much fun because it was his first time. Since then we have tried to go at least once a month and ever time we go Matt gets better and better. Last week, we went dancing and Matt was all fired up with energy because he was moving all over the place. I have never seen him dance so well and have so much fun. We had a great time.

Here's a picture of us dancing awhile ago.

Engagements....sneak peak

2009-08-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great time taking pictures. One step closer, we are so excited!

8/8/09!

2009-08-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

I had a great day....

Erika and I got stuck! i had a blast with my little sister. We couldn't stop laughing. I love her so much.

They had me stand on the chair... how emabarrassing but I went with it!

We danced as they sang to us.

I had a great time with my parents, Matt and his parents at dinner. Thank you all for making it so memorable!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

2009-08-09T10:13:00.001-07:00

Christine is now 21 years old! Yesterday we had a great time celebrating her birthday. Our plan was to get up early go to the temple in the morning, sign her up for verizon and get her a new phone, and go to the waterpark Cowabunga Bay then go to dinner with her parents and mine to Tuscanos. Well it did not go all as planned we headed out to the draper temple to do baptisms but unfortunately it was closed for cleaning. We then went to the Verizon store and got her a new phone and set up with verizon. As we drove back we realized that it was kind of chilly and very cloudy so it probably wouldnt be too good to go swimming. So we decided to go to Classic Skating. We had a great time! We skated around the roller rink and also played in the bouncing area on all the inflatable slides. One of the things i love about Christine is that is doesn't matter what her and i really are doing we always have a lot of fun! Later that night we went to Tuscanos at the Gateway with her parents and my parents for dinner. It was awesome! We had a lot of great food, a lot of laughs, and the waitors came by to sing to Christine and I for our birthdays in Portuguese. The whole day just flew by. I looked at her later and said i just couldnt believe how fast time goes by when i am with you. I absolutely love Christine with all my heart. She is my very best friend. I can always count on her to be there for me, to listen, and help me with anything. I am excited for the day when i can call her my wife and we can be together forever. I love you Christine! Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world! Happy Birthday Honey!

B-day cont'd...

2009-08-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

Birthday dinner!

Matt's delicious cake

He needed some encouragement, to blow out all 23 candles.

Done!

Birthday Boy!

2009-07-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

My week without Matt is not enjoyable. He is in Lake Powell until Saturday and there is very little phone service. So no communication with my finace, it's Horrible. I didn't think it would be so bad but it is! Also his Birthday is this week so i would like to give a birthday shout out to him.
Happy 23rd!

I have a quick funny story about Matt:
A couple months ago i gave him a survey to fill out. One of the questions asked "What is your age?" he wrote 23 years old. Now when i got it back and read it i thought to myself "I thought he was 22 but i could be wrong." The whole day I wondered how old he really was? I was super confused especially since we had been dating for awhile and I for sure thought he was 22.
So the next day we were chatting and I suddenly asked him... "How old are you?" he gave me this weird looked and replied "You don't know how old I am?"
I answered, "Well i thought you were 22 but on the survey you wrote 23, so i'm super confused!"
He laughed and said, "I did? oh i must have written it wrong because i am 22."
So I was right.

Well there have been other times when people have asked him his age and he will reply saying "I'm 23 years old." But then he will quickly correct himself. I always laugh when he does that because he honestly doesn't mean to.
But now on Thursday, July 30th, he can officially say he is 23 years old, Happy Birthday my Love!

2009-07-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is flying by and we are trying to enjoy every minute.

School starts in less than a month for both of us. Its a bitter sweet situation because it means after the semester we will be married but we first have to get through school. This past week Matt and I enjoyed time with my parents in Lagoon. I'm not really a huge fan of Lagoon BUT I had a great time.

One of the rides we went on was Rattle Snake Rapids because it was ridiculous hot outside so we thought it would be a good ride to get on.

I just wanted to get slightly wet but that was not what happened.

Matt held me right under the waterfall and I got completely soaked. So for the rest of the time I was wet (thanks to Matt.)

I enjoy spending time with Matt if it be from 5 minutes or 5 hours. There have been times where I have laughed until I'm crying. I love being with him!

Scholarship!

2009-07-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let everyone know how excited and proud I am of Christine. She received a scholarship from her mom’s company! She is amazing! Ever since I have known her she has always done her best! Especially with education, she has accomplished so much and I know that she will continue to do so. She is very dedicated, and anyone who knows or has seen how hard she worked in physics last year will be able to second that :). I feel so blessed to have her in my life. I can talk with her about anything and everything. She is my very best friend and I love her so much!

details....

2009-07-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

So I'm stoked, I found my dress! (i would like to thank Mama Gloria and Tata) One more thing crossed off my "to do" list. The dress was exactly what I was looking for and found it at the place that two of my friends referred to. It's called Fairy Godmother's Bridal, they had a large variety and I was happy to see that they had the dress I had pictured. I also found my veil and tiara at the same store. Here is a sneak peak...

I am extremely excited and grateful for the opporunity to soon be married to my love. I look forward to spend the rest of my life with him, side by side.

Boating? Yes please!

2009-07-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had a chance to take a mini-vacation with the student ward that I belong to. On Friday and Saturday we went boating all day at Deer Creek. For those of you who don't know Matt very well, just trust me when I say that he LOVES boating. He absolutely loves it! Every chance he got to be behind the boat he would take. We boated from 7am to 7pm on Friday. I got to see how much he loves wakeboarding because he still got out in the lake Saturday morning, already very sore from the previous day. He would not stop and I could tell his muscles were aching. He was determined to be out in the water til he could not handle it anymore and that is exactly what he did.

One of the charactistics that I love about Matt is his persistence and endurance in accomplishing what he has set his mind to. I got to see that this weekend. We had a wonderful time this weekend being together and among friends!

On Saturday morning we also got to go on a sunrise hike. I hadn't done one in a while. It was wonderful to look around the montains and see how the earth waits for the sun to shine. It was a early hike but we enjoyed it!

Together

2009-07-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

As I've gotten to build a relationship with Matt I've come to realize the wonderful person he is. From the very start he treated me with the upmost respected and has cared for me every moment. Each day I love him more and more and I could not and will not imagine my life with out him by my side. Last Sunday, we got to spend the majority of the our day together as we went to church, went the Draper Temple with my family, had dinner, and spent time with my friends. It felt so right. You might think we would get sick of each other, but we don't! I wouldn't have any other way.

Matt has become my support and helps me with everything. I admire and love him so much. He motivates and inspires to do my best. We know that we are not perfect but we are perfect for each other. I'm very fortunate to have him in my life.

Were Engaged!

2009-07-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

It’s official we are now engaged and happier than ever! We are so excited to spend the rest of our lives together and look forward to our upcoming wedding. We decided that we should write and share with everyone about how the proposal went. Exactly one year ago yesterday, July 1st, marks the first day we met at the movie theatre and I wanted to do something special. So I talked with Christine’s mom and gathered up pictures from the many things we have done over the past year. My plan was to take Christine up on a hike, which was disguised as a fraternity picnic and there my friends James, Preston, and Mike would have everything laid out, our pictures surrounding a large picture of the Salt Lake Temple, covered in rose petals. All day I was excited to take her on the hike but started to worry as the weather went from bright and sunny to gray and rainy. I came to her house and picked her up and we were on our way! Well it started to rain a little but just sprinkling by the time we got to the trail head. James had texted me telling me that if it started raining hard to take her out to dinner and he, Mike and Preston would set up at my house, plan B. Well as we started to walk up the trail it started to pour. So I told Christine that it would probably be better that we turn back and I could take her out to dinner. So I called James and told him it was starting to rain too much so I was just going to take her to dinner and maybe we could do the “picnic” another time. So we left and went to dinner. As we were sitting at dinner my friends had scrambled down the mountain all wet with everything and had gotten back in the car and raced down to my house. They went to my house and talked with my mom who walked them down to the basement and the four of them all helped and set everything up perfectly. Back at the restaurant, James texted me and let me know everything was ready and I was scrambling to think of an excuse to go to my house. Thankfully we had ordered way too much food and I suggested that we could stop off at my house and put some of this in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. She agreed. We came in the house set the food down and were eating a bread-stick that made me “very thirsty”. I told Christine that I needed a drink of water and wanted a water bottle (we keep them all in the fridge in the basement) so we walked downstairs. As we rounded the corner there it was all set up,Christine was shocked she hadn’t expected it, which was exactly what I was hoping.

I walked her closer and explained that it had been a year since we met as we looked over all of the pictures. Then I got down on my knee and asked my best-friend to marry me. We are so happy and feel so blessed to have found each other. I am so grateful for Christine, she means the absolute world to me and I want her to know that I will always love her!

Being at the right place at the right time....

2009-06-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know how we met, ill briefly give a summary of the first time we set eyes on each other. It was at the Union Heights movie theatre where we first saw each other and then quickly started a conversation. I was there with a group of friends and he was there with his friends. My friends had convinced me to go see the opening premier of Hancock. We arrived to the theatre thirty minutes early and got in our seats. As i looked around, the theatre was almost empty except the row behind us where Matt was sitting. I don't know who started the conversation but instantly Matt and I started talking. We talked until the movie started and when the movie finished everyone got up and went home. I thought to myself, "Well that was a nice guy hopefully I'll run into him some other time." Little did i know that two days later he would send me a message on facebook. We kept messaging each other, and a couple days later we went on our first date. He asked me where i wanted to go and I instantly replied Latin dancing. We had a blast and from that point on the rest is history. We have been so blessed to have met each other.

2009-06-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

love

2009-06-18T11:15:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to let my honey know that i love her with all of my heart -Matt