Spring sprung today.

I live in the lovely land of Utah. Yay.

The scenery's great, don't get me wrong, but growing up in California kind of.. spoiled me. It almost feels like it's always winter here, but not today. Today was beautiful. It hit a high of 55! You know what that means?! No figure-eliminating coat! That's right, I didn't have to wear a coat today. I was ecstatic!

It even smelled like spring. 

Today made me realize that I need to live somewhere warm. I love actually having a white Christmas here, but I'm not exactly fond of it staying white so long (although it's been a few weeks since snow piles have invaded the sidewalks). Unfortunately, the homeland isn't exactly my cup of tea either. Maybe, just maybe, if the Mr. and I can one day afford to live in California, we'll live in the more pleasant areas like the bay or somewhere along the southern California coast. Orr maybe we'll pick a random state and settle down.. orrr maybe we'll have a get-away home somewhere awesome.. orrrr maybe we'll just travel the world and have homes in all of our favorite places.

I think I just got carried away. It's healthy to dream, right?

One of my favorite parts of spring is the flowers -

         I love bulb plants; especially tulips. They're sprouting up everywhere! I'll take pictures tomorrow.

Another favorite is blossoms!
      
         Peach blossoms, nectarine blossoms, plum blossoms, blossoms! I haven't seen any here yet. I miss that about home. I miss living next to a peach orchard and seeing the pretty pink and white trees. I miss driving the country roads and looking at the cotton candy- like rows. The trees are in bloom right now back home. I want to see them!

Fingers crossed for another beautiful day tomorrow!

Lovers love, Haters hate.

Honestly, how did I get SO lucky?

The past couple years of my life have completely changed me. What turn of events made my little life become filled with so much bliss, you might ask?

I have a simple, perfect, all-encompasing answer: Matthew. 

Now you might be thinking, "Ah, typical." or "How cheesy." or some other [more mean] remark. Pooh on you if you're thinking rude thoughts. Thank you, if you're thinking happy thoughts or thinking about how your significant other is the best thing that ever happened to you. 

He really is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Even better than the time I found money in my pocket, or the time I built the most amazing club house out of a huge, hard dirt mound in a vacant lot (I mean, really, this thing was amazing. I spent SO much time in it, carving little stairs into the side of it and even a little seat at the top). 

Not too long ago, I realized I was destined to find my other half in a man named Matthew. Why? Because it just so happens that I'm in love with actors named Matthew:

Matthew Fox:

[I was/am a die-hard fan of LOST. Matthew just happened to become my favorite man on the planet. He's a handsome man. Anyone beg to differ?! I didn't think so.]

Matthew McConaughey:

[Duh!? Who doesn't love him? And who wouldn't love this man to be their yoga partner?]

Matthew Perry:

[Ah, Friends. 'Nuff said]

Matthew Morrison:

[Okay, so who knew he was hiding all of that under those vests and cardigans!?]

I think I've proven my point and made you all drool enough. Pick up those jaws, people! What did we learn from this? I'm totally destined to marry a Matthew. I found mine, and he's totally better than all of these Matthews. 

What makes this kid so special? Ohhh boy. Do you have time for this? Didn't think so.. I'll give you the Spark Notes version of why.

1) Before we started dating, we became very good friends (vis the internet and texting, of course. ha! Cliche) 

2) He pursued me for months (nearly a year, people!) before I gave him a chance.. and not in a creepy way either. He was awesome.. listening to me talk about dates I went on with other guys. (I was awful, I know this.. now)

3) Our first date: on a summer night, we went to the local community college and laid on a blanket under the stars on the football field. We talked and talked and talked. Then he finally made a move: he tickled me into his arm, which of course lead to cuddling. And, ya, the cuddling lead to a cute peck on the cheek, then the lips. ["aw's" all around. I can hear you ;)] And, yes, a kiss on the first date. I'm not easy, people. Don't get the wrong idea! It was perfect. Like movie-quality perfect. A couple days later, we were "facebook official".

4) [This is the kicker!-well, one of them] I had been going to school in Utah, and he had been going to school at said community college in our hometown in California. We were physically together for just under a month before I had to go back to Utah for school. We talked every day. We talked every night [for hours!]. Then he came and visited me! 

5) He decided to transfer to a school near mine in UTAH! [BIG kicker!] But first, we had to get through two semesters apart. I came home for the summer the summer following the beginning of our romance. In that first year that we had been "dating", we had only physically been together for a couple of months, but we knew we wanted to hang out forever - for-EVER! Really, folks. It didn't take long for us to fall 'head over heals'! 

6) He moved to Utah at the end of the summer and started his education at a new school.. and get this!: he changed majors from history to nursing! (Because my dad's a nurse and he saw how much my dad enjoyed his job and stuffs.)

7) And so we're here today - happy as a bug in a rug. Living our lives together in Utah rather than 12 hours apart. It's heavenly. Sometimes I can't believe all of this happened to me.. to us. I've never been the lucky type - like, really. I have awful luck. 

I think I should add that not only did I find a man who loves me and would literally do or go anywhere for me (obviously), I happened to find a man with the most amazing family, who - get this - loves me too! I have fallen in love with him and his wonderful family in the past year and a half. 

All of my relatives live in Canada.. a bit of a drive, no? As such, I don't get to see them very often. But my Matthew and his family - relatives included - have wholly accepted me as a part of the family. I am SO blessed to have another family. 

If you're not convinced, today, his wonderful mother bought us plane tickets home! In nine days we'll be flying home to his lovely family and my unsuspecting family (just in time for my littlest sister's birthday). This will be the second time that she has paid for my plane ticket home, and, of course, she won't accept reimbursement. I'll get her back one day, I promise, and you'll be some of the first to hear how that goes. 

I've written a novel. I apologize. You can be sure to hear more about my adventures with my man and our families. 

Until then, tell me who your favorite person is. Why? 

Mine's obvious:

I think I did enough explaining in this post. :]

Goodnight world.

Lazy Sunday.

Today was an amazingly lazy Sunday.

I got to spend all day with my lovely Matthew. We accomplished a whole lot of nothing, and had a blast.

We made banana chips for the first time ever. His poor oven worked its little heart out. Seeing as it resides in an apartment full of college boys, it doesn't get too much action. Unfortunately, they did not turn out as beautifully as the picture on the recipe website (but what ever does?). They still taste delicious, if I do say so myself.

I recently bought what I consider to be one of my best ever purchases: A Studio Ghibli Collection of twelve movies! (My favorites are and will always be My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. Today we watched one of the other ten movies: Spirited Away. It was delightful, and didn't make very much sense in the middle. We loved it! Yours truly being half asian, I couldn't be much happier while watching these amazing Japanese films. I grew up watching Totoro and Kiki's. My Matthew, hispanic and previously oblivious to anything anime (besides Dragon Ball and Pokemon),  is now almost as big a fan as I am to these movies.

So you know how you try to make an effort to do something romantic and lovey, and in the process, something goes terribly wrong? My Matthew and I know how that goes. Today he tried to whisp me off the desk chair to lay a wet one on me, but of course, I ended up getting hurt in the process (not to make it seem like he hurts me often, it's just that I am prone to tripping over my own feet and making a fool of myself very often). In what should have been a one-step swoop into his arms, my knee smacks the desk, I winch in pain (because just a few minutes earlier I whacked the same spot on my knee with my laptop), and we fall backwards. Luckily, I fall into him without causing him pain, and instead of enjoying a nice kiss, we lay in each others arms laughing and rubbing my knee. At least tonight I managed not to flick my long locks of hair into his face and eyes or elbow him somewhere accidentally.. which also seems to happen a lot.

Finally, at the end of the night, while my studious boyfriend worked on some homework (that isn't even due tomorrow!), I browsed some of my favorite blogs. I came across this lovely little pillow on Alice Lane's blog. She has been doing a fabulous job redecorating Stephanie Nielson's home (Stephanie - "NieNie", is my inspiration for many things). Seriously, check her out. This women is the strongest, most beautiful woman. You or I never need to meet her to know of her importance in this world. Anywho, Alice Lane is doing a giveaway! Woot! She's giving away a pillow that was used in Stephanie's home and I L-O-V-E it. As an added bonus, I'm blogging about it in hopes that I win. *Fingers crossed!* If not, which is probably the case because I never win anything, at least someone out there will have this beaut.

My love for this pillow sparked an online pillow shopping trip! (And when I say "online shopping", I don't actually mean shopping, since I'm a poor college student. All I can afford is to look and dream of all of the pretty little things I find online). WalMart, of all places, has some cute stuff! My virtual bag filled up with about 15 different pillows totaling about $150. If only I had that kind of money. My modest little apartment would be the talk of the.. er.. complex. Although, it is pretty cute already with my small collection of home goods. 

Alright, it's late and I'm pooped! But I'll end with this scenario: 

It's bedtime. You're extremely thirsty and nothing but a cup of water can quench your thirst, so you sleepily walk into the kitchen. Without bothering to turn on the light, you grab a glass and fill it with water. You get back into your room, where a little light is still on. You drink nearly all of the water and love every drop of it! Except, wait.. is that..?.. what are those things floating around the bottom of your glass!? Yes, of course. They were there all along; happily floating and enjoying the ride down your esophagus without your knowledge. Whatever those little (but still rather large) floaty things are or were will forever remain a mystery and make you feel slightly sick to your stomach. 

Did you guess it?! Yes, that was my personal scenario. Aren't I a lucky one!? It's no wonder I never win anything. I'm an unlucky clutz and am prone to all things bad or uncomfortable happening to me. If I wake up sick tomorrow, it's either because of those little floaty things that invaded my drinking water, or from eating too many bananas/banana chips today. Oh, the finer things in life. 

Goodnight room, 

           goodnight moon, 

                    goodnight cyber-world. 

Stay tuned, 

           and stay classy.