My Funny Valentine

We had a funny Valentines this year. Jordan has night school until about 9pm every Monday, so we celebrated the weekend before. Jordan gave me a beautiful arrangement of roses that I posted a picture of earlier (which I'm still adoring), and then we went to dinner with my sister Kim and her husband to the Mandarin in Bountiful.

Mmmmm

(Never mind the 90 min. wait we had before dinner, and the Grandma waiting next to us, that said she was going to die before she got seated, and about cried when they called our name and not hers.)

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So on the actual Valentines Day, I got a message from my cousin saying that they were moving and selling a bunch of their things. So I spur of the moment like bought their BBQ grill, and thought that I'd be crowned wife of the year for surprising my husband with it for Valentines Day. So I called my parents and asked if they could pick up the grill in their truck and drop it off at my house. They're awesome, and would do anything for me. But... on the way to my house they hopped on the freeway, and out flew the BBQ into the road. Smashed into bits.... I felt so bad for my parents. It was just a bad deal. But it made for a good story, and the good news is. I still love my parents, and Jordan still loves me. And like my neighbor said, "you're a fool to surprise your husband with a grill. A man needs to pick out his own grill."

So in an attempt to make up for the grill disaster, I had a candle light dinner waiting for Jordan when he got home from school. Everyone likes to eat at 9:30 right?! ... Oh well, he knows I love him.

So... Happy Valentines to all you lovers out there. I'm happy to have someone in my life that gives me a reason to smile each day.

(A mushy love picture is a must on Valentines Day)

High School Buddies... Reunited.

I invited a bunch of high school friends over to get back together this last week. I was really good friends with Angie, Cami, Kiley, Tyler, Patrick, and Jordan in high school. Now everyone is married, and it was fun to get together with everyone and their spouses again. I love that I married my high school sweetheart, it's fun to know the same people, and share some of the same stories.

(We missed Angie's husband, Scott who was home watching their sick baby Corbin- I guess we'll just have to do this again so we can have EVERYONE here.)

The Beautiful Girls

-Here's some pictures of us from back in high school-

(I especially love this one because Kiley & I both married the boys we're next to in the picture.)

This is us at Lake Powell for our senior trip. This was the last time all of us were together... 6 1/2 years ago!!! ... That's much too long.

Random Rantings

I love my job, I really do. But seriously people... BRUSH YOUR TEETH!! I dry-heaved like 4 times this week, because of sicky mouths.

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I love my husband. This is what I came home to yesterday. I'm lucky.

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I'm training to run the Ragnar with my Dad this Summer. So far training is going good. Now if only Spring would come so I could get outside and run, instead of running on the treadmill next to stinky, smelly boys at the gym.

*****

My sister, Julianne convinced me to do a triathlon with her when she comes to Utah this summer. Hopefully I can get my swim on by then.

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I can't stop dreaming about the beach. Jordan graduates in April, and we want to go on a beach vacation so badly to celebrate. Cruise or All -Inclusive?! What to do?

*****

I can't wait for next weekend. Girls weekend to St. George with all my sisters!!

The Remodel is FINISHED!!

HOORAY FOR US!!! THE REMODEL IS COMPLETE!!!

Family Room BEFORE

Family Room AFTER

Up close of our awesome Mantel

My Dad helped us do the paint, and then his good friend Lynn made our fireplace mantel for us. Then my friend Jenny's husband, Aaron put up our tile and finished off the mantel. Thank you so much everyone. It would've been a disaster for sure if we would've done it all on our own.

Kitchen BEFORE

Kitchen AFTER

We're so happy with the way it all turned out. It really warms the house up, and makes it feel "cozy". I'm so excited to be able to relax, and just enjoy it now. No more big projects for a LONG time.

Olivia Caprice Ortiz

Jordan's little sister Emily had her baby on January 12th. She is absolutely GORGEOUS!! We're so happy for Emily & Simon. We love you Olivia!!!

It's so fun for me to see babies with tons of dark hair. My family doesn't seem to make babies with hair :) I seriously think I was bald till I was three.

*Just a side note, holding this baby did make me a LITTLE baby hungry. But don't count on any little Harrison's running around here anytime soon. Jordan's taking 18 credit hours this semester, plus working 30 hrs a week. He just took the GMAT, and applied for the MBA program at WSU starting next Fall. Looks like we're a little too busy for a kiddo of our own right now.

Welcome 2011!!!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

2010 was a great year for the Harrisons. Shalyce graduated from college and found a great job, we bought a beautiful home, Jordan is a semester away from graduation and took the GMAT to apply for his Masters program. We ran a few races together, went on some good vacations, we've been blessed with good health, and are happier than ever. We figured a year like that needed a good celebration, and that's what it got.

Our best friends Casey & Nick invited us over for a killer fondue party. It was divine.

Look at that cheesy deliciousness.

And here we are with the chocolate peanut butter fondue.

Then we played a mad game of Hungry, Hungry Hippos. Yes, we really did play this game. For like an hour.

And when the clock struck midnight the real party began. Haha!! We look like we're drunk, I assure you we're purely high on life.

Happy New Year, and Welcome 2011!!! We're excited for what you'll bring our way (especially our basement remodel).

A Very Merry Christmas

Jordan and I had such a great Christmas this year. It was full of fun, laughter, food, food, and more food. I ate enough cookies and candy to last me till next winter I think. My friend Charlotte invited me to a cookie exchange which was sooo fun. And then we made more cookies & candies with my nieces, sisters, and mom.

We had a Christmas celebration the weekend before with Jordan's family. They have a tradition where they buy a small Christmas tree and decorate it with dollar bills, and then drop it off at a someone's house who they think would need it that year. I look forward to this each year. It's a good reminder of the real reason for the season. Then I went up to Heber to visit my sister Camille the Thursday before Christmas, and actually found some snow while I was there. We played and slid on their sledding hill while there. It was fun to be with the kids and see the beautiful mountains dusted in snow. We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house, ate a feast of appetizers, acted out the Nativity (until I found out that the costume I was wearing for the angel was actually my Mom's old lingerie! Ahhh! -Sorry I just couldn't resist sharing that goody, and be glad I didn't take a picture.) There wasn't any snow to have our annual hot tub olympics, but we still had fun hanging out in the hot tub minus the rolling around in the snow part.

We decided to have Christmas morning and open our gifts in our new house together. Jordan was so cute. He woke up early, turned on all the Christmas lights, put on some music, and ran upstairs saying, "Santa came!!! Hurry!" He spoiled me like crazy, like a good husband should, and we had a great morning together. Then we went over to my parents around 9 am, and finished opening gifts with them. One of the gifts my parents gave me is a trip to St. George to see the parade of homes with just my sisters. Even my sister Julianne who lives in Arizona is coming. I can't wait!

This is our big Christmas present that we've actually had for a month or two. We've had our eye on an oil painting like this for a long time, and when we got our house I gave Jordan the option of the painting or a new TV, and look what he chose?! I must have him trained right.

I love Christmas. It's so fun to be with family, and there is just something truly magical about the season.