I Did It!

I made the summer check off list that I showed yesterday from Pinterest.

I did something semi-crafty.
Remember, I don't desire to be crafty.

I do desire to make the very most of this summer.
Because if you didn't know, I absolutely loooove the summer. Love it!
I know the picture's not great.
Here are the things on my list:
-go camping at least twice
-rafting
-fair
-float the river
-pay of (credit card) debt
-exercise daily
-read Book of Mormon
read every day
-walk the Greenbelt once a week
-get a tan
-eat a snow cone
-fancy night out!
-read by the water
-take one road trip (however small) with Zach
-play poker
-sleep over
-drink lots of water
-grow a garden
-church camp
-FHE
-Roaring Springs
-go to the dentist
-go to the doctor
-clean out garage
-see/hold/play with Grace
-have a couples night at our house
-grill
-meet up with friends I don't see very often: Jonnie, Jen, Lynch Fam, Rachel, Renee, etc.
-teach summer school
-play on new KNect
-go for a hike
-temple
-alphabet date
-ENJOY!

Soundtrack

"If you ask me, music is the language of memory."
-This would be an excerpt from the latest Jodi book, which I finished reading about two weeks ago.
It was...okay.

But I loved this quote.
And so I've decided to share some of my life's soundtrack.
Which is why it's kind of funny that my mom posted what she did on Friday.

"The Answer is Blowing in the Wind"--obviously, this song reminds me of my childhood and my mom. It makes me cry, really cry, to hear it now. And seriously, nobody can sing it as well as my mom.

"Bop" by Dan Seals. Mom and I used to dance to this song when I was little. I had a father daughter/dance at my wedding and I also planned for this to be my mom/daughter dance at my wedding. Mom and I got to dance to a portion of it. Someone cut in...it was okay, though.

"Kokomo" by the Beach Boys. Another song I sang with my mom all of the time.

"Love Shack"-The B-52's Brooke and I roller skated to this song just about every Saturday. We went to roller skating lessons at Skateworld. Does anyone remember Skateworld from back in the day? I had seriously an amazing childhood.

"She's in Love with the Boy" Trisha Yearwood. This was the first song I really fell in love with by myself. It was the first cassette tape I ever got, it was a Christmas present. Zach and I walked into our reception to this song, also. So it has a lot of memories attached to it.

"One of Us" Joan Osborne. I had an obsession with this song in middle school. It was the first CD I ever got. Also a Christmas gift. I look back at this time in my life as a rather unfortunate time. I went through a period of time where I didn't think country music was "cool." Yes, I hate to admit it. Luckily, I quickly got over that and went back to my music.

"Queen of my Double Wide Trailer" Sammy Kershaw. This song reminds me very much of working at Sheplers. My very first job. One of the guys I worked with, loved this song. If the store was empty, we would usually sing it. :)

"Kody" Matchbox Twenty. This reminds me of my first few years of college. I fell in love with Matchbox Twenty. Really, any song by them would count as a memory. ANY song. I listened to them mostly when I was sad. I was going through a rough time at first. During this time, I have a very funny memory of being on a date with a boy that WOULD NOT leave me alone. I made him take me to Fred Meyer so I could buy the new Matchbox Twenty CD and listened to it in his car. I think Misty is the only one who appreciates that story. It was so gutsy and funny of me. Matchbox Twenty brings me back to so many places and so many emotions...The Lynch's house while Misty broke up with Ryan on the phone, My Grandma's house, my car---my little black Saturn and the drive every morning to Boise State. Wow, it actually makes me ache to think about.

"Gravedigger" Dave Matthews. I fell in love with the Dave Matthews solo album. I listened to this album non-stop for three months after my Grandma Marty passed away. I really sound depressing, but I assure you, it wasn't that way. There is a beauty to sadness and a beauty to getting through it. In college, this was often how I got through it.

Jason Mraz songs remind me of Misty and me. They remind me of summer and floating the river. They remind me of us stopping and getting really unhealthy drive through food after a day on the river. College life. It was really beautiful.
These songs also remind me of the best concert I've ever attended. And the pink Geek shirt I had.
Some of these also remind me of Jonnie. Working on math homework at Jonnie's some nights and we would listen to Jason Mraz. Jonnie would play "Dream Life of Rand McNally" and sing inappropriate lines really loudly just to bother me.
"Geek in the Pink"
"Remedy"
"You and I Both"

Anything by Spill Canvas and their first three albums. They remind me of the time when I spent a lot of time with Jonnie right after I had gotten my heart broken. I played a lot of poker, too :) Jonnie was my rock during this time. We listened to music, went to concerts, and I would stop in every Monday to see him at work. He would make me chocolate milk and I would sit up at the bar and talk to him. As painful as this time in my life was, I wouldn't trade it because I got so much from my strengthened friendship and I have so many rich memories. It also reminds me of being really thin. :)
"All Hail the Heartbreaker"
"Staplegunned"
"Sunsets and Car Crashes"
"Dutch Courage"

"Bartender" Dave Matthews--A lot of Dave Matthews reminds me of the drive with Josh, Jonnie, and Jessica to Jackpot for my 23rd birthday.

"Chicken Fried" Zac Brown. This song reminds me of the time in my life right before meeting Zach. I had graduated from college. I was loving my single life. I had a bunch of guy/girl single friends that I hung out with and I was having a blast.

"Already Gone" Sugarland. I normally hate Sugarland. But there is one line in this song. I heard it when I first met Zach and this line always struck a chord with me. I still turn it up when it comes on the radio and I still get butterflies in my stomach.
"They say the first time won't ever last. But that didn't stop me, the first time he laughed.
All my friends tried to warn me the day that we met. Girl don't you lose your heart yet.
But his dark eyes dared me with danger. And sparks fly like flame to a paper. Fire in his touch, burning me up, but still I held on. 'Cause I was already gone."
Zach just says that the rest of the song can't come true whenever I tell him this song reminds me of him/us/our beginning.

"Two Weeks" All that Remains. Zach loved this song when we first met. We did a lot of playing this song on Rockband when we were first hanging out.

"People are Crazy"-Billy Currington. This song reminds me of driving in the car with Suzanne and Warren coming back from South Carolina. All four of us were singing along to this song.

"Long Black Train"-Josh Turner This reminds me of our trip to Georgia. Suzanne had this CD and Zach had never heard this song. He liked it. Listened to it a lot. And sang along to it. My husband has a deep voice and he can sing along to Josh Turner. SO sexy!!!

"Love Your Love the Most"--this song reminds me, more than any other, of the time that Zach and I were dating and together. I LOVED it. I wanted to play it at our wedding. Zach said,"No way!" It was too hick. Too something. If his mom thought it was appropriate for a wedding, then we could play it? What?!? I was so mad. Then one day randomly, the song was on the radio and Zach turned it up! A few days later he said he wanted it to come on. Apparently he had a change of heart and he loved it. And we danced to it as our second wedding song.

There are obviously so many more songs that strike me, as I'm sure there are millions with you.
I'm so grateful for music if for only this reason. I love the that a memory can come back in a split second.

Are there any you'd like to share?

Top Five Reasons I'm More Southern Than My Husband

source

Why I'm more Southern than my husband:
1. I am more country. I like country music. Like it like A LOT! So much. I am an elitist about it. It's the best kind of music. Zach likes country okay. Just okay. He'll listen to it with me and he'll belt out a tune or two with me in the car. Especially if it's old country.
2. I love peaches. Zach hates them. Zach is from Georgia. This does not make sense.
3. I like grits. I had never tasted them until I went to visit Zach's family for the fist time. Warren-G made me some grits for breakfast my first morning there and I fell in love. I also fell in love with Warren G (I hope it's still okay for me to call him that.) I'm quite obsessed with him. Apparently, I like grits "Yankee style" though. I like them with sugar and not cheese/salt/pepper. Oh well, I like them. I get them for breakfast when we go out. Zach gives me his side of grits if he gets it. He does NOT like it.
4. I love the heat. I could live in the heat all of the freakin' time! Seriously. LOVE IT! I don't love the humidity but I like it warm. Zach is not so much a fan of the warm.
5. If I grew up in a Georgia town I would have been all about the honky tonks. You know, like the one in Hope Floats. Where EVERYONE wears a cowboy hat and you line dance and everyone knows everyone. Those. My dream is to hang out in a place like that and Zach has promised to take me to one...some day. Not like the Shorty's or Buffalo Club we have here. No, a real honky tonk. Apparently Zach spent his high school days going to raves? Seriously? Seriously Zach? I am SOOOOOOO much more Southern than you!

And that's why you married me.
I can bring back some Southern to your life.
And we can have Southern babies. They will be more Southern than either one of us...and I am definitely okay with that!

Highlights

Highlights of the weekend:
Starting reading the new Jodi book. Thanks to a wonderful husband who surprised me with it on his way home one night.
It's out of my comfort zone by a lot...but as usual. Jodi never ceases to amaze me. I love the writing.
I am in love with the characters.
I'm just waiting for the two female characters to fall in love with each other.
I got to spend Friday night with Misty...and Grace.
I got to look at baby clothes with Misty.
I may or may not have baby fever.
Not that I ever really didn't have it.
I got to spend almost all day Saturday with my husband. He even followed me into Maurices so that I could just see that I can still fit into my normal sized pants.
And yes, for the record, I can.
We used several gift certificates.
1. We used up our final wedding gift cards to Bed Bath and Beyond. We got ourselves a scale and finally something to go on the wall above the television in the living room. So excited.
Now to start the little fixes and decorations.
2. We used a Sonic gift card given to us this summer. We've bought several bags of ice on it. We used it for indulgent drinks on Saturday and we still have enough for another bag of ice!
3. We used our Phoenix Fire Games gift certificate. We purchased two new games. Played one. Will probably play it again tonight. We also get 10% off the next time we go in.
Cause we're awesome customers like that.
And we're not even pale, greasy, and totally geeky!
I love my husband for wanting two player games so sometimes we can play just us :)
I got to babysit/play with baby Emma.
It was heaven.
She is above average on the cute scale and I cannot get enough.
Awesome. Powerful. Testimony meeting on Sunday.
Sunday nap. Enough said.
Dinner with the family.
Downtime with Zach.
Quick re-cap: I love my weekends. I love my husband. Combine them and you have near perfection.

Best Dates

For the most part we're (maybe I'm) homebodies...

We go out occassionally, but we really like staying in together...at least I hope we do :)

But we've had some pretty fun date nights I guess you could say

**Although, right now, life pretty much feels like a date night every night**

*Tim McGraw Concert (Dinner before)

*Los Betos for dinner and then Northern Lights Cinema Grill to see Robin Hood

*Inception

*Temple...although we have one not so great experience but it's funny to look back on it now. We were trying to go to dinner before the temple and everywhere we went had a horrendously long wait. We went to the temple first and the people tell say, "You're looking at at least a 1/2 hour wait."

*Toy Story 3

*Day Trip to Idaho City with My Mom

And They Lived Happily Ever After...

At least so far...

One week from today is our one year wedding anniversary!!

WOW!

I seriously can't believe it.

I cried last night when I was talking to Zach about it. It's gone so fast it almost makes me sad. I've loved it so much. Marriage has been VERY good to me. It has FAR exceeded my expectations.

In honor of the anniversary I am posting a week long countdown
because it's fun for me to do.

You will see 6 countdown posts until the big day

1. Favorite Meals

2. Regrettable Moments

3. Favorite Dates

4. Favorite Television Shows

5. Favorite Memories

6. Top Ten Things about Being Married


So to begin the countdown....

Here is a list of our favorite meals:
At home:
*Hot dogs and cheese burgers prepared on the George Foreman
*Mac N' Cheese w/ Cut Up Hot dogs
*Broccoli Chicken Alfredo
*General Tso's Chicken and Steamed Rice--eaten with chopsticks of course
Out:
*Idaho Pizza Co. Pizza-Large Half Hawaiian/Half Pepperoni and Black Olive
PLUS Cheese Twists
*Texas Roadhouse--me chicken critters/Zach rib eye steak
I give Zach one chicken critter and Zach gives me a large bite of his steak

From My Mom

My mom wrote Zach a birthday list, too.
I thought I would share because she honestly did a better job than I did.
I think.
OK THIS IS ALSO FOR ZACH AS I DON'T HAVE MY OWN BLOG,
BUT I WOULD LIKE HIM TO READ AS WELL:

1. He loves Shar's Family and treats us like his own.

2. He, as Shar, stated is very good to my dad. He is like he has been his grandson his whole life.

3. He IS very intelligent. Quite impressive the things he knows about computers, history, science, religion and Sharlee :)

4. He will do anything for you. anytime if you need him. anytime means 11.30 to fix my dad's tv.
an evening after work to mow my lawn. work forever to fix Shane's laptop

5. He laughs at Shane even when Sharlee thinks he is gross.

6. He gets excited about stupid things you do for him.. makes you want to do more things for him.

7. He is very good at the things he does. He built an excellent fence for their back yard.

8. He brings Sharlee hot chocolate when he visits her at school.

9. He plays like a child with Cara's Kids. Goes to Roaring Springs with them Kids love him

10. He is not easily upset by messes in life. ie. Car problems house problems, problems with work issues.

11. He is fun loving and likes to do new things.

12. He will watch movies with you that he probably doesn't like.

13. He will stop by and watch Bachelor with Shar and I and he joins me in criticism at the expense of Shar's wrath upon both of us.

14. He loves his parents and his siblings.

15. He honors his church callings.

16. He will apologize and admit if he thinks he is wrong

17.He is Funny

18. He teases Todd.

19. He is a GOOD guy.

20. He loves to play Board Games and he is competitive as hell.
21. He loves to read National Geographic and Smithsonian. I only know 2 people like that.

22. He LOVES my Daughter

23. He is GOOD .. Good hearted Good tempered, Good spirited

24. He is working on improving his life every day. I am proud of him
and he is my son in law. If I were his parents I would want to hug myself for raising him :)

25. He will eat any food I make without EVER saying anything about it. This is a gift as every meal for 30 years I have had a comment on something about it every meal!

26. He likes to wear crummy shirts that Shar can't stand. I feel this is common ground for us.

27. He is kind to me and my family
and very kind to Sharlee. He prays with her, he is raising a puppy with her, building a life with her.

28. Our whole extended family like him, Grandparents Uncles, Aunts like Shar stated "Everyone Likes Zach". there are many reasons for that . it is a good gift to be a person like that.

29. I love him and wish him a happy birthday and the BEST YEAR ever.

P.S. We had a FABULOUS weekend!

P.P.S. Isn't Mal the cutest!?!?
Seriously. We love him so freaking much. He is ADORABLE!

Happy Birthday Zach!

This guy is 29 today:

So...in complete Sharlee fashion, here are 29 things to love about Zach:

1.He can do the voices of a plethora of Disney characters and isn't the least bit shy about it

2.He will give me a back/shoulder rub ANYTIME I ask. Seriously. And he is GOOD. He's the only way I can get rid of headaches.

3.He is insanely intelligent

4.He is humble

5. He loves teaching primary

6.He volunteers in my classroom on his day off

7. He makes the BEST grilled cheese you've ever had--I promise

8.He is so good to our grandparents (his and mine)

9. He's laid back

10. He's more patient than any one person should be with me

11. He understands sports...he can hold a conversation about them like any respectable man...but I don't "lose" him to football season or anything of the like

12. I can wake him up at anytime of the night/morning and ask him to cuddle me and he will...in a cute way, too (might I add)

13. He never leaves my side of the bed...he always sleeps close by me

14. He laughs easily

15. He's a blast to watch a funny movie with

16. He cares (or at least pretends to) about Army Wives

17. He has the correct opinions on public education (as they are in alignment with mine)

18. He has a sense of direction that is out of this world--he's like a walking compass

19. He is good with our money...better than I am at least

20. He's INCREDIBLY handsome
21. It takes him at least an hour to do anything...he is a perfectionist (sometimes this is not so easy to love....like literally he takes forever to make TOAST for crying out loud)

22. He gets excited about very little things

(I think he will like my little birthday gifts: The Yoohoo and Dark Choc. Reeses Cups I packed in his lunch and the warm banana bread I send him off to work with. More than the big gifts: a plethora of random items).

23. He has a deep voice and it is rather sexy when he sings...(my personal favorites are when he sings Josh Turner "Long Black Train" or Disturbed "Down with the Sickness")

24. He loves to read

25. He loves history

26. He retains information--sucks it up like a sponge

27. He doesn't worry about things

28.He helps with the housework...without needing to be asked

29. As so many people have put it to me, "Everyone loves Zach!"

There really isn't anyone I know who doesn't love him. He is so easy to get along with and he has a grand assortment of likeable qualities.

So

Zach,

Happy Birthday!

I love you!
I am proud to call myself your wife.

I hope year 29 beats quite a few of the others! :)

Love,

Me