If it can't be New York.... Let it be Vegas!

Alex's siblings were taking a trip to New York and since we couldn't go, we decided on the next best thing.... Las Vegas. Can you believe I've never been in an FAO Schwarz? It was amazing. They have almost everything. I say almost because as Jacob and Elaina informed us, we only get the big floor piano from the movie "BIG" if we go to the one in Seattle. But it was close they have a lot of stuff.
So as many of you know I am a HUGE classic coke memorabilia fan. The title is important because I don't actually drink Coke, or any carbinated drink for that matter (except the occasional Dr. Pepper) and distinguishing the difference is important. Well they have the Coca-Cola factory on the strip so we stopped by....
Red is not a number one favotire color on it's own, but when it's Coke - I dig it!!
Connected to Coca-Cola Factory is a world full of one of my FAVORITE candies!! M&M's World was another stop we had to make. We both really like peanut m&m's.
They have a movie you can watch about chocolate red loosing his "M" in Vegas.... it was an adjustment to see a 3D movie, but by the end it was pretty cheap entertainment for Free.

M&M sponsors a race team and they have a model car on the 4th floor.... all things m&m!!
So it may not have been New York, but we did get a glimpse of Paris. It took us a few shots to get this one right, this isn't the "right" one, but it's a funny one. Elaina and I wanted our picture in front of the Bellagio so while Jacob was trying to take our pic, Alex thought he'd try to move out of the way. ha ha good try Al, a little more to the right. :)

We walked so much on Friday that my Tivas gave me a blister on my heel. I've worn these shoes everywhere, but I guess it has been a while since we've had warm enough weather to wear them. Good thing I'd brought some flip flops to wear the next day. But Sunday it was gone! Thanks for the band aids!

I never miss a Hard Rock. It's usually just a hamburger, but for some reason I've become hooked. I've found everyone of them wherever I've gone and Las Vegas for the third time was no exception.


Saturday we used our amazing mapquest skills to find the Las Vegas temple. It was awesome. I've been to different temples in Utah, but every experience is the same but different. I just absolutely loved the weather.... something about Palm trees just makes you feel warm and happy, like you have to relax.

After the temple we used our same skills to find a Cici's Pizza. We had seen commercials for it and when we looked them up, found there were none in Utah. However, there are some in Vegas. So we made the stop and ate to our stomach's content. Alex thougth he'd try to show you how full he was, but I think it looks more like he's pregnant or something. It was ok and a pretty good deal for $5.
This is how excited we were to be driving home to Utah. Leaving 82 degree weather to come back to a snow storm.... What a bummer. Where will we go next? ...... As long as we plan is 6 months in advance it could be anywhere.

Bullseye

Alex had an unprecedented Friday off last week because of a meeting he had during the week, so we decided to shoot it up in the nice weather. Dad Martin took us to a shooting range. It's been a while since I've been target shooting, and we both had a really good time.

We shot a 9 mil, 357 magnum, 22 pistol and another. It got pretty cold as we were there for a few hours and our hands started to freeze up.
But not without getting some good rounds off. The first target is mine, the second two are Alex's. He's a pretty good shot.
The guns were heavy for me except the 9 mil, but Alex handled them all very well, like a pro.
It was a fun afternoon. We stopped at Five Guys after for a hamburger and fries and we all agreed we've found a new favorite place. It was so good :) Thanks Dad Martin!!!
Saturday was the first "Girls Breakfast" which includes the Hoffmann girls, without sister Brooke, getting together Saturday morning (of course not too early ;) for breakfast once a month, to catch up on all that's going on in our busy lives. Elaina and I had gone for a run before breakfast... that explains the cute hair-dos. It was a beautiful morning and felt so good.

I love Ihop - and those crepes with lingnonberries were surprisingly delicious!!! Thanks for finding the coupons mom!! Wonder where we'll end up next month?...

Correction

I feel I must correct an earlier blog. I am not running a 5k marathon (shows you how fresh I am at this) I have learned that it is called a "race." I will run a 5k or 3 mile RACE in May, races are 5k and 10k, above that it is called a half or full marathon aka 13-26.1 miles. I don't know if I'll ever get up there with a knee like mine, but I'll take one race at a time. I'm learning and with that comes lingo. Sorry for any previous confusion but I appreciate all the support nonetheless. :)

Love One Another

LOVE: a strong positive emotion of regard and affection; object of warm affection or devotion. So to show our warm devotion we went ice skating for Valentine's day! I love this man, he is truly the love of my life and I am so lucky to be a part of his life. He was so kind to tie my size 4 ice skates as tight as he could to keep them in place.
Even though I know how to ice skate it had been so long it took me a little while to get groove going and he was there with me every step of the way holding me up. He is my pillar and gives me strength to keep going every day. He is so talented at many things. Who knew ice skating tricks would be one of them. On only his second time ice skating he is so amazingly fast you can't even blink or you miss him ;)

After we got done ice skating with the WHOLE family (with the exception of the Josh and Brooke) we went back home and I made this DELICIOUS chocolate cake from Mom Martin's recipe. Jacob and Elaina joined us and I'm pretty sure they were glad they came because not only did we offer them Killer Choc. Cake, but we also watched part of the first season of Arrested Development. Which if you haven't seen, you should and will get hooked on it for sure. We have all three seasons and laugh so hard every time.
~ I just want to take a minute now to say how lucky I am to have so much love in my life. Family is huge, my own family with Alex and my immediate family with mom and dad and my new Martin family. Our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ have given us the example to Love One Another and I am so lucky to have so much love and friendship in my life and I wish everyone to be blessed with the amazing love to share with others. To feel it is to share it, there shouldn't be a day that goes by without telling the ones you love how you feel. We love all of you and are grateful for you in our lives.
:) May love be with you all, always.

Stayin' Warm

Alex and I have recently changed our bedspread from the one Alex's mom made us, while it's in for some repairs, to the one my mom made us. It was a t-shirt quilt from most of my t-shirts growing up. It was hard to sew and to cut out. A huge thanks to Elaina who initially helped cut the t-shirts up and then helped tie the quilt. Also to Brooke who helped tie. The quilt was hard to tie because they stretch so much; who would've guessed they can stretch that much? It turned out awesome and it's SUPER warm, but if you missed it at the reception, here's a few pictures.

The middle row of baby t-shirts are actually ones that my parents brought back for me from cruises and vacations they took when I was really young.

Run, Run Just as Fast as You Can

This post doesn't have any pictures because, well I don't have any to document this. I have begun my journey training for a marathon. For those of you who don't run marathons you may not think a 5k (3 mile) marathon is quite a big deal, and for those of you who do run, know that your first marathon regardless of how long or short it is, is the biggest hurdle. My sweet husband has decided to be my partner in training and is quite the support. I started on Monday and we run, bike and I do pilates throughout the week, taking a break on Sundays. It's quite a different schedule than we've been used to, but he puts up with it. He knows how important this is and how difficult it is for me. My knee isn't the greatest and it's been about a year and a half since I last ran, there isn't a time when I run that I don't get some kind of side-ache, weak knee or loss of interest - running really bores me, and he helps me through all of it. Plus I run at a pretty pathetic slow pace right now and I'm hoping it will improve. I don't know how these next few months will go, but my awesome sister-in-law is going to do the marathon with me so I'll have someone by my side to carry me through. And it's for a good cause, the Race for a Cure, so that makes it even more worth it, if it means I walk through the finish line I will!

New Years Resolution...

My new years resolution is to blog more... we'll see how that goes. Couldn't be any better than our New Years Eve party. Alex, Jacob and dad, VS. Me, Elaina and mom. Us girls beat the guys in EVERY game we played with the exception of a very close game of Mad Gab. But as you can see from my dad's version of a boquet, that the boys were trying very hard. Us girls were just better :) Well, since Christmas had a little silly string, us kids decided to give my parents a taste of their own medicine. They were so not expecting this but when the ball dropped midnight we unleashed the silly string on them they had given us at Christmas. Only difference this time is they didn't have anything to retaliate with!
It was AMAZING!! Not only did we get them so good, but they were such good sports to sit and wait for us to get a camera.... good thing they can dish it out, but also take it.
For Alex's birthday he went shopping and BOWLING!! A favorite of ours, mostly because we both have our own balls and bowling shoes (both hand-me-downs) and it makes us feel a little ... well I don't feel any better. In fact it's actually funny when I come in with my ball and shoes and bowl an 85! You get the looks like, "shouldn't you do better if you're coming so prepared?" I just like to give 'em a shock.
We didn't actually bowl together, but I definitely could have used a little help from Al. He's so good at bowling.

Alex's sister Rayne and her husband Tom sent an amazing gift to Al for his birthday. A nice white collared shirt with a very nice GREEN tie. So when we went shopping with the gift card they also gave him, HE couldn't resist when he saw this awesome green sweater. I PROMISE I did not put him up to it or encourage him in anyway, he picked it all by himself! I am so proud of him. Doesn't he just look so good - that's rhetorical
Just a few of my Resolutions: Run in my first marathon - even with a bad knee
~ resolve to make my life even happier (I'll struggle with that one, but I'll still try)
~ get to know my husband and myself even better
~ learn something new
~ NOT buy a pair of shoes
~ have Alex HELP blogging ;) and I'm going to begin by having him share some of his resolutions for this year: Some of my new years resolutions for the year 2009 include,
~ FIND A FREAKING MAJOR!!!
~ Eat nothing but cereal every morning for breakfast....(oh wait, I already do!)
~ Make 2009 better than 2008 by making our lives happier and more exciting.
~ Try to live a little healthier and not be as lazy.