5 Years Ago Today...

Five years ago today I had just moved to Provo, Utah, and applied for a job at Convergys. As I was sitting in the lobby waiting to take a computer test, in walked James Michael Simmons with his brother, Brodie. I watched them as they filled out their applications at the desk, thinking that the shorter one (James) was pretty cute. We all took the test in the same room and then had our individual interviews. James had his before me and somehow I overheard that he was hired. Little did I know that I would also be hired, be in the same training group with him, not talk with him during our week in training, quit after the training for another job, go to work where two of his step-brothers worked-one of which lived with him, and ultimately be asked to James' house by his step-brother, which would end up being the first night we talked/hung out and lead to six months of dating, five months being engaged, and currently four years of marriage. I love you James! I can't imagine life without you and I am so grateful to have met you five years ago.

Happenings

We haven't been up to much since I've started working. We've finally fallen into a half-normal routine, which I'm loving. Though we've had a little something extra thrown into the mix this last week: In addition to our being on the Ward Activities Committee, we've also been called as nursery workers! This Sunday was our first experience with the nursery, and I think it went really well. Obviously for James there is no better calling-two hours of toys and snacks, what more could he ask for? :) I was a little worried at first, other people's children are not always my favorite thing, and I was scared that two hours would be such a long time. But the time went by really fast and the children are really well behaved, so I think it will be fun! After church we went down to Brodie and Jennika's to eat dinner and watch the Texans game. We also played a little Tetris on the Wii of course. Shortly after this picture of the guys was taken, Brayden got up on the coffee table and said in the sweetest and most gentle voice, "She's beautiful! Uncle James, look she's so beautiful!" And he was pointing at me! It was the cutest thing and best delivered compliment I've ever heard! So this is a pic of me and Brayden after I got done hugging and kissing him. Also, today I got my diploma in the mail! Seeing it did make it seem more real that I'm a college graduate, but I still don't really believe it. I've been telling James that I want to take an accounting class or two in the Spring. I just can't give up school! And finally, I think we've found our Mexican place! Tonight we went to Julio's up in Tomball and it was SO SO good. It's out in the middle of nowhere-love-has a really nice atmosphere (you can eat outside and listen to the Texas country music)-love-and the salsa, chips, shrimp quesadillas, beef fajita nachos, and cheese enchiladas were fabulous.

Working Girl

After searching for two months, I finally started working today! This new job is such an answer to prayers, it's exactly what I wanted. Before we even moved here I would tell James that I just really hoped there would be a member in our new ward who needed someone to work in their office. Then last week my name was passed on to a member who was in need of an office worker, I interviewed yesterday morning, and started this morning! I was passed up for a job I interviewed for at a country club last month because I was "over qualified", and ever since then I have been really sad because I thought it would have been so great, but this is SO MUCH BETTER. Heavenly Father certainly knows what's best for me way more than I do and I'm so grateful for that.

To celebrate, James and I went to Olive Garden last night. My parents had sent us a gift card for our anniversary, so thanks Mom and Dad - it was delicious! I had a lovely summer laying by the pool almost every day and catching up on my television, but I'm so excited to be busy again and have something to take my mind off of missing Utah. AND to have extra money for clothes and house things :)

Finally... Alabama Football!!!

I am SO excited that college football has started again! I've missed it so much! I think I've decided that fall is my favorite time of year. I love when it starts getting cooler outside, shorter days, cooking chili, wearing my BAMA hoodie, watching College Game Day on Saturday mornings, and college football all Saturday long. Love it! We've decided that we're going to Alabama for thanksgiving, which is also the weekend Alabama plays Auburn IN Tuscaloosa... so at the very least we'll be going to T-town on game day to eat at Wing's and show James what college football is really like :) But hopefully we'll be herewith 101,800 other people watching this. Currently Bama is beating San Jose State 31-3... Roll Tide Roll!!!!!!!

Cowboys Game

This week we got to go on a little trip to Dallas! Sally got us all tickets for a Cowboys game weeks ago, and since Jessica's birthday is at the end of this month we decided to make it a birthday celebration as well! We all got there at various times on Thursday and then met up at Pappasito's for dinner. It was a much better experience for me than I had two years ago... but I still thinks it's just over priced good (not fabulous) Mexican food. After dinner we headed over to the stadium, which I think all stadiums should imitate - it was amazing! Everything was so nice and it was air conditioned and fabulous.

Even though none of the Cowboys starters played, the game was still fun since they ended up winning in the last two minutes. And what made MY night was as we were walking around outside to get to the car, we just so happened to walk by where the players were leaving the stadium and walking to their expensive cars and I got a picture of Miles Austin! I love seeing famous people up close!

We came back this morning EXTREMELY tired and with a new wave of sickness - we thought we were over the cold that's been going around - and poor James had to go to work this afternoon. But he says it was worth it.

Married for Four Years!

Happy Anniversary to us! I just can't believe that we've been married for four years! And saying that while I'm still 23 is weird - I'll like it better in October when I'm 24 :) It was a really good day. James went to work and all as usual, but he had planned to get off earlier (6ish) for the occasion. At about 4 o'clock I was getting ready to go get him some goodies when there was a knock at the door and it was James! So we played some Nazi Zombies and I finished getting ready and then he took me to best place I could have imagined... Cici's!!! Ha! I know it seems a little ghetto, but I've been wanting it for SO long and dropping hints for forever and I was even thinking to myself earlier in the week, "If he takes me to Cici's for our anniversary then I will certainly stay married to him for another 4 years!" Ha! So we went and it was fabulous. After dinner we went on a two hour drive looking at houses and different areas we haven't been to yet-another favorite thing of mine that we never do because James hates it. Love him! While we were driving through our future neighborhood ;), we saw this house and these deer!
There were deer in every single yard... it was crazy. And the homes were beautiful! I love this white one... It looks very Gone with the Wind. Anyways, our real anniversary celebration is next week. We're going to a Cowboys game and staying the night in Dallas. Should be fun!

August Fun

August has been pretty eventful for us so far. James and I have gone on some fun dates and we've had lots of fun family activities too.

*We went to a really good Cajun restaurant where I got an amazing roast beef Po Boy just like in New Orleans. We also got Coldstone that night and went to see Inception-such a good movie!
*We spent a day in Galveston. First we went to this seafood restaurant that is dog friendly-so much fun! Apparently it's where all the locals go... it was really good. The girls loved it. They got several compliments on how well behaved and pretty they were :)

Unlike her sister, Lily did NOT like the water. Everytime water would wash up she would run away. I carried her into the water at one point and put her down close to it and she started paddling before she even hit the water! It was the cutest thing I've ever seen! In remembrance of Utah James made an arch in the sand. It made me miss Utah more than I already do :( We found a jelly fish in the water, so we took it out and buried it. We try to be good citizens. The girls were so exhausted on the way home. They never sleep beside each other so I thought it was cute that Lily passed out next to Giselle. *This last Friday Eric and Houston flew down to surprise Grandpa Mark for his birthday, so Sally and Tag came to stay the weekend at our house so they could see them. We picked them up from the airport and then went to Pancho's, a Mexican buffet that does not serve high quality food and is in a bad area, but it's a Simmons favorite, and it's a buffet, so of course I loved it! *On Saturday Deborah's father, Ping, took us all to eat Dim Sum for lunch. I cannot even tell you how much I love love love Dim Sum. It is the best Asian food ever! And I love that when we go there we're like the only table of white people. Ha! After we ate everyone looked at the fish outside. James decided to take the rest of Saturday off (so exciting!) so after lunch we all went to Brodie and Jennika's pool and went swimming. *On Sunday we went to Mark's birthday dinner at Pappas Grill. We didn't get any pictures with everyone else... oh well. The dinner was a little crazy with all the little boys there, but the food was FANTASTIC. It may be a new favorite for me. I had lobster bisque, grilled salmon, and a piece of Hershey chocolate cake. I thought I was going to die after, but it was so worth it. *On Monday I had a little run-in with a lady at Wal-Mart, and I mean literally- I ran into a lady with the truck in the parking lot! It was horrible! It was drizzling rain and I had been waiting for a spot for forever. Finally the guy backed out, and as I was pulling in, all of a sudden this woman was clutching to the front left of the truck! She had walked right in front of the truck in my blind spot to my left and I just drove right into her. She was really mad but I apologized all I could. Terrible.