Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Christmas in St. George

I am SO sad Christmas is over!  I love the Christmas season...but my birthday is next month so we can't be too bummed right?  My goal is to not let go of the Christmas spirit.  I hope to continue to grow closer to my Savior and serve everyone I can!
We went down to St George for Christmas and I was soooo excited!!  Our first 2 Christmas's were spent with Eric's family which was wonderful and so fun!  I love them (I'm so lucky to have such great families!) but having moved away from St George I was ready to go back with Eric!  I, of course, took hardly any pictures.  Shame on me...I need to get better at that!  But we had such a great time!  I loved spending time with my family and seeing some faces I hadn't seen in awhile.  Our next trip down I'm planning on spending lots of time with our friends that we miss so much down there!
Some highlights from our Christmas break are:  Hanging out with family of course!  Christmas Eve breakfast...one of our traditions :)  Driving around looking at Christmas lights and hearing the Nativity story at the Temple.  Watching good movies and eating goood food.  Opening gifts and then playing with them :)  Eating good food...again.  That part was non-stop.  It's safe to say that when I eat so much good food and go to bed sick each night...I'm getting OLD!  Ah!

We do matchy shirts for Christmas eve instead of Pj's.  Ok... so this tradition just started this year but it's a good one right?!
St. George Temple, Baby Jesus, and Zoo-lander wannabe for a husband.  I don't know why he keeps pulling this face?  Or why he'd want to be like Zoolander?  Zoolander=stupid.  Yup.
Merry Christmas!  That pile by us is only the beginning of our spoils!

Eric and I were SO spoiled this year!  Some fun things we received were an iHome on steroids haha.  Wireless speakers you can stick in multiple rooms.. I'm so excited to sing my lungs out and dance where ever I am in our home :)  Digital picture frame, Inception (who wouldn't be excited about this movie?!) gift cards, home decor, clothes, shoes and so much more!  Eric got lots of Boston Red Sox paraphernalia which he loves!  And I got perfume, make up, and warm accessories which I love!  Santa brought all of us kids remote control cars.  Seriously!  Trevor's and Eric's are big and can practically walk!  Mine and Alycia's are so small the look like a mouse haha.  Who would've thought remote control cars would keep 20-something year old kids entertained?!  Santa thought ;)  Thank you to everyone who spoiled us this year!!  (Including you babe.. you're too good to me!)
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and that we all have a Happy New Year! :)

P.S. Even though my birthday is just one short month after Christmas...let's not forget about it!  :)  I love to be spoiled with love from everyone!  That means:  Texts, phone calls, facebook shout-outs, extra nice comments on the blog.. hehe ;)

Monday, December 20, 2010

Let me help brighten your day...

You know when you're having a bad day and there's one or two pictures that will make you smile no matter what?!  Well I was looking through my pictures and found these beauties...


HAHAHAHAHA! 
I could DIE!  These are freakin HILARIOUS!  Maybe not to you... but to me.. fo sho! :)
That is me and my sis in law Alycia!  I seriously love her!  I don't have any sisters but if I could've picked one myself it would be her!  I love hanging out with her and growing closer!  I hope we become the best of friends...or best of sisters in my case :)  These pictures look like we're well on our way right?!  Thank you Trevor for marrying the best wifey ever so that I can be her sister!
Now to be sure I haven't scared you off...here's a cute picture of us that I love as well :)

P.S.  I'm not having a bad day today...but each time I do I'll be sure to look back on these pictures so that I can almost pee my pants from laughing so hard.  Seriously!  These pictures make me react that way :)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Happy Holidays!

I can NOT believe how time has flown by!  Look at me being a slacker at blogging!  Oops!  I promise to do better!  But really!  Life has been crazy.  That's part of what we love about the holidays though right?  Here's a quick catch up to what we've been doing then I'll get back to posting regulary about past and present :)  (Sorry if it gets confusing that I jump back and forth from now to back before we were married...I just want it all documented!)
Happy Thanksgiving! :)  This slacker (me) only got 2 pictures!  Ah!  I know.  Sorry.


We love awkward pictures ;)

Decisions, decisions!  No worries!  He tried them all! :)
This year we spent Thanksgiving with my husband's family!  It was a short but very sweet trip!  We got to play hard with the niece and nephews and had good visits with all the adults!  The food was delish!  And the pies... let's just say the Brinkerhoff's don't mess around!  There were 17 pies!  That was a disappointment I learned.  They try to have more pies than adults...and there were 18 adults.  Dang it!  :)  Lucky for them I'm not a big pie eater (I only like the lemon mer. pie!) so they can cancel me out :)  We had a great time and I have so much to be thankful for!  Here's a short thankful list:
I'm Thankful For:
My sexy hubby
My job and Eric's job
Our amazing family and friends
Warm winter clothes
Our vehicles that have been so good to us and never break down
Our move that was so scary but has been so good to us

After Thanksgiving I spent a week in St. George working.  I'm so dang lucky to work my dream job and love what I do!  I'm a hairstylist.  Seriously so simple but SO FUN!  When we found out we were moving up north I was so upset about having to quit my job and never see my clients or the girls I worked with.  BUT we worked it out to where I get to go work one week at the salon every month and I love it!  I get to hangout with the girls all day and see my clients that I love!  It's a BUSY week for me so that's a good excuse to why I didn't blog right?  Ha!  It was so fun to stay with my parents and see all my friends!  And the weater was WONDERFUL!  I should've taken my shorts :)  Can't wait to go back next month!
Now we've been doing everything we can to get in the Christmas spirit!  Decorating, SHOPPING (my favorite!) wrapping gifts, Christmas music everywhere, yummy treats, and remembering Christ!  I love this time of the year and will have more pictures to post later!  Until then..enjoy! 
Snow... Ah! :)
Love him.  xoxo  (He's very proud of this picture...he kept saying Zoolander?)
Merry Christmas!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Connecting two hearts together...

The other night my love and I were watching Karate Kid.  It's a cute movie...definitely cheesy but very cute!  And that Jaden Smith... he's gonna be a heart breaker!  Look how stinking cute he is..
Aw!  I want to call him mine... ANYWAY!  Haha!  There is one scene where cutie pa tutie Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan are walking on a path to the advanced Kung Fu place..I don't know what or where it is but it's in China.  All the sudden Eric asked me if I saw the Love Locks?!  What?!  He skipped back so I could see and along the path there's a chain just covered in Love Locks!  It was so cool!  Why?!  Because we have a Love Lock!  What is a Love Lock?! 

Love, compassion, trust, and pride are but a few of the many emotions that we as human beings feel towards each other. These emotions connect us, but it is often difficult to adequately convey their strength and significance to those we love. Sometimes mere words aren’t enough, and in those occasions a gift that symbolizes our love speaks what words can’t.

Following the example of this beautiful ancient custom, our modern world can now connect through life’s most precious moments. The love padlock is a representation of love between two people; it is the healing of broken hearts, the bond between friends, and the solidarity within a family—more simply put: it is togetherness. It is not solely about the lock itself, but much like a diamond ring represents the lasting bond of marriage, so does the lock symbolize a movement towards love, acceptance, and unity. Lovelocks™ is honored to place “Lovescapes” around the world so that we all may enjoy and share in the binding messages each Lovelock conveys.

Our “Lovescape” locks and accessories were artfully designed with the care and love we hope they will communicate. It was our privilege to design a piece of art that will be both a personal joy, and a universal symbol of love. Each padlock features a double heart design and is delivered without a key, meaning they lock only once, and once the lock is sealed it is kept sealed forever.

It is our desire that each Lovelock placed on a “Lovescape” will bring joy and create lasting memories which future generations can enjoy and embrace.

Connecting two hearts together

Our love will be forever

 


Love Locks is huge in Europe and Asia! It's finally making it's way over to the USA!  When I first learned about this I couldn't resist...we HAD TO DO IT!  So we bought a lock and locked our love away forever! :)

Locking our Love!
Connecting two hearts together... Our love will be forever.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Bridal Pictures

I love our bridal/wedding pictures!  My hair was perfect.  My face was clear :)  (I know I'm not the only one who stresses about breaking out!)  My dress was gorgeous!  My man was so sexy in his tux!  And when our kids look at our pictures they're going to tell me how old fashioned we look in them :(  Oh well!  I'll love them forever! :)











































Yes this is the picture at the top of my blog.  I just have to say... this picture has not been edited.  The sun glinted off my ring the same time this picture was taken.  Yep my ring is this sparkly :)
Some of these pictures I love because they are just pretty.  Some show off my beautiful (silk!  Can you believe they're fake?!  I know they look SO real!) flowers!  I love the faces Eric shows off in some of them :)  I love my silly, sexy husband!  But most of all I love that I can (and will!) always look back on these pictures to remember this special time in our lives.  The BEST time in our lives!  (Can we do it again?!  I miss my dress and all the attention that comes with getting married haha)  And I do have to admit...we are one good lookin' couple! ;)  Now, please excuse me while I go put on my wedding dress...

Wedding Announcement

This was our announcement!  It's very plain buy very perfect :)

(Front)
(Back)

I love the announcements that have tons of cute pictures, colors everywhere, and that are very cutesy but this worked for us.  I wanted the focus to be on us.  I wanted it to be very straight forward.  Mission accomplished! :)
Although if I could change one thing.. I would've spelled out my middle name..looks kind of silly with my initial just hanging there haha!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality.

I had a horrible dream last night.  So scary.  I dreamed my hubby was shot and killed!  Like murdered!  (We watched Batman and turned if off to go to bed right as the parents were shot..that's probably where this dream came from.)  You know how you can't usually remember what you dreamed?  Well I remember this one so clearly.  I remember exactly how I felt when I knew Eric was dead. (Funny how I can't describe to you how I found out but in the dream you just know it..you know?)  There are no words to describe how horrific it was.  That's where my title comes into play.  Exquisite horror of my reality.  This would be the worst thing ever to experience.  One of my bestie's lost her husband not even a year ago and I have witnessed the horror's she's been through to be able to start healing and the pain she's suffered.  I think I felt a fraction of what she's been through last night. (I love you Ash and look up to you so much!)  I think the dream became too much for my mind to handle because all of a sudden I was awake.  I was wide awake and yet it still felt so real.  I lost my Eric.  And then the crying began.  I snuggled up to Eric and even though he was very much alive, the feeling of horror, pain, despair, rage, and helplessness just took over.  I don't even want to feel how sad my life would be without Eric in it ever again!  I promise to try my very hardest to love Eric the most I can everyday and to never take him for granted. 

What I love about my Eric
  • He loves me no matter what.  Always and forever.
  • He's one of the hardest workers I know!
  • When he's working out (with his iPod in) or in the shower he randomly starts singing...LOUDLY :)
  • He smells SO yummy.
  • His laugh is the best sound in the world...especially when he REALLY gets laughing!
  • He's the best kisser ever.
  • When he winks at me I melt a little inside :)
  • When he's singing in the shower... it's usually a song he makes up about me in spanish. (I'd like to think it's all good things about me ha)
  • He makes me want to be a better me every single day!
  • He is my very best friend.
Love this picture!
See?  We're definitely better together!

My husband has made me laugh.  Wiped my tears.  Hugged me tight.  Watched me succeed.  Seen me fail.  Cheered me on.  Kept me going strong.  My husband is a gift from God that I will have a friend forever.  I love my Eric.

Monday, November 15, 2010

We're engaged!!

I wish I would've been blogging back when we really did get engaged :)  It would've been so much more fun to announce!  Anyway here's our story...it's a little corky and will feel very spur of the moment BUT it's so us :)
The week before Valentine's Day (2008) Eric asked me if we could eat Panda Express (the meal we had on our traumatic first date :)) on friday! I told him we could just get it now but he told me that he wanted to wait til then.  Since Valentine's was on a thursday and he had school that night he wanted to do a special date for us friday night!  Then he proceeded to tell me to not be surprised if he blindfolds me...What?!  I interrupted him right then and told him to STOP talking.  He looked kind of flustered and apologized. (He was just a little excited and the poor guy can't keep a secret very well when he's excited.)  Haha should I be thinking something special is going to happen friday night? :)  We set the time for our "normal, please don't expect anything special to happen tonight" date around 6ish.  Eric wanted to do it earlier than that but I had a client scheduled for 4 and it was a color.  I usually spend 2 hours to color, cut, and style and have a little time for sufficient gossip :)  But I told him I'd hurry as fast as I could!
Well friday rolls around and I made sure to have my hair curled pretty, get my nails done nice and sparkly (you know in case anything sparkly ended up on my finger that night) and picked out my cutest outfit!  I wasn't "expecting" anything that night but hey!  It pays to be prepared right?!  My 4 o clock appointment showed up and I did her hair in record time!  Seriously an hour and 15 minutes!  (I wasn't excited about my date or anything cause I didn't know what was going to happen ;)) I hurried home and Eric picked me up shortly after.  It was already getting dark (and we needed daylight!) so Eric asked me if we could go for a short walk instead of dinner first.  As I was popping the batteries in the camera I told him I didn't mind :)  We pulled up to Tonaquint Park (same park as our first date) and took a little stroll around it then we went back to the picnic table that we first ate at and Eric bent down on one knee, told me how much he loved me, then popped the question!  Of course I said YES!  (In case you're wondering where my camera is at this point that I made sure had fresh new batteries for...I left it in the car dang it!)  After that we went to dinner at my favorite restaraunt, got icecream with friends, and I got to show my pretty ring off all night long! :)
Just to let you know...we did have a great little date Valentine's night (Eric ended up not having school that night) complete with a movie, pizza, icecream, and flowers!  Eric would've proposed that night I think except everyone told him it was so lame and cheesy...I would never want to compromise his manliness so there was no complaining from me :)

Engaged: February 15, 2008
Eric and soon to be Courtney Brinkerhoff :)
Enjoy some of our engagemnet pictures!

I totally would've posted a "Yay we just got engaged!" picture BUT I lost those too when our computer crashed :(  ALWAYS back your pictures up!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Solo Por Ti...

Caution: Try not to fall in love with Eric as you picture him translating this song :) And yes I'm listening to this song as I blog so be prepared for some sappiness!                                                                                                                           

Solo Por Ti
By: Josh Groban


Dime que haría
De mis dias?
Quien soñaría
Si no estas?
Como podría
Respirar el aire, lejos de ti
Cuando no estas aquí?

Solo por ti caminaría
En la infinidad
Afrontaria contigo
La eternidad
Solo por ti

Dime lo que
Siente tu alma?
Dime porque
Vive en mi?
No se, pero voy muriendo
Lento, solo, sin ti
Triste me quedo asi

Solo por ti caminaría
En la infinidad
Afrontaría contigo
La eternidad
Solo por ti

Te dare mil poesias
Las escribire para ti
Cantare mis melodias
Con la musica de tu alma

Solo por ti caminaria
En la infinidad
Afrontaria contigo
La eternidad

Solo por ti caminaria
En la infinidad
Afrontaria amar por la enternidad
Yo solo
Solo por ti


Translation:
Only For You

Tell me what I would do
With my days?
Who could dream
Without you there?
How could I
Breath the air, far away from you
When you're not here?

Only for you, I would walk
In infinity
I would face
Eternity with you
Only for you

Tell me what
Does your soul feel?
Tell me why
It lives in me?
I don't know why, but I'm slowly dying
Alone, without you
I remain sad

Only for you, I would walk
In infinity
I would face
Eternity with you
Only for you

I will give you a thousand poems
I will write them just for you
I will sing my melodies
With the music of your soul

Only for you, I would walk
In infinity
I would face
Eternity with you

Only for you, I would walk
In infinity
I would face to love for all eternity
Alone, only for you

This song is gorgeous!  Please listen to it the first chance you get!  I loved this song even before I knew what it meant.  What does it mean to me now that I know what it means?!  This is our song.  Yes we have a song :)  And isn't it just so cute, and sappy, and romantic?!  Aw I love it!
This song made me realize I love Eric :)  Here's the story:
Eric was over one night just hanging out and for some reason I got on the computer and started showing him songs I liked.  Well I loved this song :Solo Por Ti: but had no idea what it meant.  Then I realized Eric speaks spanish!  He can tell me!  So we listened to the song together then I played it a second time and after each line Eric would translate.  The word to call the feelings I felt is love.  I was in awe, scared, surprised, emotional, excited, shocked, and everything else you can imagine!  I'm in love with his boy!  Every time I hear this song it takes me back to that moment and I still remember how it felt!  It was so scary and exhilarating all at the same time!  This song marked the beginning for me (Eric was already head over heels :)) and I never looked back!  
Eric is my best friend, my support system, my partner in crime, and my lover. I don't want to ever find out what life would be like without him.


Monday, November 8, 2010

He's a HOT little number in his pick up truck..

My man bought a truck!  He was more excited than all our nephews combined on Christmas morning :)  I've never seen him so excited about something.  (Here's hoping he was that excited to marry me??!)  Eric totally deserves this truck and I'm so happy for him!






Here's to hoping I can drive this beast!  :)

Picture happy?

Not today!  Today is a sad day!  Remember how I said more dating pictures to come?  Well here you go!


I hope you enjoyed that...  It's all we're getting :(  Our computer crashed and we lost all of our dating pictures because I didn't back them up.  Ah!  Stupid!  And sad!  Safe to say.. I learned my lesson!  ALWAYS have multiple copies of pictures!
It's funny to think my kids will read this and tell me how ancient digital pictures are...ah!  I don't want to get old and outdated haha :)

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Blast to our past...

Here goes the first of many stories I have to share from the last 3 years of our lives :)  I'm going to tell the story of how we met and our first date...always a fun story to share!

Eric and I met at our singles ward.  Not so exciting.  But it gets funner :)  Eric served a mission in Mexico City and he'd been home no more than 2 months when he first saw me at church.  What a sight I was with all my blonde hair.  Its was love at first sight.  (You think I'm joking?  Ask him!)  I on the other hand didn't EVER noticed him.  Well one sunday our ward was in charge of cleaning the building and Eric's roommate was in charge of getting people to "volunteer" to come clean.  He came to me and my friend (Brianne) and asked if we'd come clean.  Can you guess what our answer was?  No!  Well somehow he got us to "volunteer" to come clean.  So we show up that night and I noticed Eric was there and that I didn't know him.  We split up to clean and I was in Eric's little group but he never talked to me.  Well after the cleaning was finished (ask me how much cleaning I did...ha!) we decided to stay for the fireside.  It didn't start for awhile so we all hungout and talked.  Eric avoided looking at me and everytime I spoke he stared at the ground.  Whatever.  Well after the fireside I notice Eric coming my way but I couldn't run away cause it was so crowded.  He awkwardly asks me "So when do you think I could get your #?" 
Of course I say "Uh when you ask for it?" And I'm thinking...why do you want my #?  I don't know you!
Eric replies "Oh, well could I get your #? "  Then he looks at Brianne and says "I'm not very good at this dating thing.."  Oh dear.  So I give him my # praying the whole time he's too chicken to actually use it.

Well a couple days later, much to my dismay, he texts me.  Chicken. (I forgot that texting makes people braver) And asks me to dinner.  Great.  I'm such a sucker and have a hard time saying no so I agree.  Our first date was the first Tuesday in August 2007.  (This is why I'm blogging..I can't remember the date!)
I was dreading the date and couldn't wait for it to be over before it even started!  Luckily my smarts kicked in and I told him we could go to dinner but I needed to be home before dark so I could go running.  Great excuse right?!  Now when I wanted to go home I wouldn't feel bad cause I had a really good excuse :)  Well I gave Eric directions to my house and while I waited for him to come pick me up I saw him drive right by.  10 minutes later still no Eric :)  So I call him and tell him how to get there.  He was quite flustered and embarassed when he came to the door so I shoved him out as fast as I could so we could get this thing over with!  We get in his jeep and he asks if I'd like Cafe Rio for dinner.  Who turns down Cafe Rio?!  Courtney does!  I told him no!  What a brat I am :)  He panicked and told me he didn't know where else to go.  Then he proceeded to tell me how he had wanted to take me for a picnic but all his roommates talked him out of it.  So I told him a picnic would be fine.  While deciding where to stop and grab something Eric runs a red light!  Ah!  "Eric you just ran a red light!"
"What?!  Oh!  Sorry!  I'm just so focused on you right now I didn't even see it"
Aaah!!!  "You're what?!!?"
"Oh sorry.  Uh.  Give me a minute...the Spirit will guide me!"  Oh no.  He's that kind of returned missionary.  I about died.  Finally we decided on Panda Express, got the food, drove to a park (Tonaquint Park) and found a table and sat down to eat.  Eric finally relaxed and we actually had pleasant conversation.  It was so pleasant in fact that the next time I looked at my watch it was 11 P.M.  Wow!  Where had the time gone?!  (Eric figured out at that point that my running excuse had been just that...an excuse to get out of spending too much time with him haha)  Eric took me home, gave me a nice hug (no pressure at the door step is always nice!) and went his way!  I was relieved it was all over then I realized I actually enjoyed myself.  Alot.  What a great friend I just made!  We were so comfortable around eachother (once he settled down) and it was just easy and no pressure!  Little did I know...we'd spend everyday together after that and fall in love!  (Eric was already in love..I was a little slow haha) 


Eric is my best friend in the whole world and I'm so lucky he's mine!  Thank goodness Eric put up with my snotty attitude and I didn't get scared off from his "too much information" remarks he'd throw out there in his nervousness on our first date.  There was someone else on my radar I planned to marry someday but Eric was the only man who changed my direction and I'm so glad he did.  I'm happier than I ever could've imagined!  What a funny first date memory for us now :)  I found out later that his roommate convinced me to "volunteer" to clean so that Eric would talk to me cause he'd been crushing on me but was too nervous to talk to me.  Those of you that know Eric...are you shocked?!  I am!  To think he was too nervous to talk to me?!... Eric is not shy.  In any way!  So funny to think about!  Here are a few pictures of us from the dating period :)



More dating pictures to come in my next post!