Author Archives: nicolelouiserichards

Cancun Life part dos. Thanksgiving 2012

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Tulum was a pretty awesome experience. We had a LDS guide who was very beneficial as we toured the ruins. THEN it was off to the monkey sanctuary. I was nearly in tears when we couldn’t find this place for the life of us because I wanted so badly to play with monkeys (one of my life’s goals/dreams). And I figured this was probably one of few chances this opportunity would arise so THANKFULLY we had Ty turn on his phone to call and get better directions. We arrived and first thing I saw was the woman with an absolutely adorable baby monkey wrapped around her neck. I was SO close to the cute lil guy but we weren’t allowed to play with the baby ones…we had “too many germs”. We were stripped off all possible things the monkeys could snatch from us 🙂 and then the fun began.

We were given snacks to get the monkeys to come to us. Advised that if Luna came for our snacks in our hands that we MUST give it to her. She was a monkey with a tude. Straight up a sassy chunk of a monkey. Took all the food from your hands and went over to her own corner away from everyone to eat it. The rest of the monkeys were fun and playful. Victoria, Mya and Nena were my favorites. I think Nena and I were besties for like 30 minutes. She cuddled up to me and nuzzled me. I was seriously in heaven. Cloud 9 or 10 or 9 ¾. It was so crazy how intelligent and close to human like these creatures were. I loved EVERY moment spent with them. Again I was BEYOND words of gratitude to my in-laws for making this happen.

 

Butt load of pictures to capture this once in a lifetime event 🙂 #happiestgirlever That was me.

Once we left the land of the monkeys, we were going to go to a cenote (natural sink hole). But we wer all starving and since it was really nice out we wanted to get some sun. We went to the local taco shop, El Fogon. Ty and I went there on our honeymoon. It was fun going back. Ty LOVES those places. We went and lounged around at La Haciendas in Playa Del Carmen. Then headed back to the Royal Mayan in Cancun.

The next day was beautiful and was Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, Nolan wasn’t feeling so well. But we all did the same daily events, lay out, volleyball, games, food and play in the ocean. Then we got ready to go to the Marriott for the Thanksgiving buffet (see pictures above) Epic. Meat stations. Crepe station. Salad. Bread. Seafood. Everything. THE only thing it hasn’t got is good desserts. I did miss having pie. I could always go for some pie 🙂 banana cream, chocolate cream, coconut cream, apple pie…okay done sorry. I still loved it immensely. Food comas occurred right after. We had a great family get together after and although we may not say it to one another, I really am grateful for each person in my (relatively) new family. They each bring something great into my life and I am blessed to have them.

Thanks again John & Sue for helping us create great memories that will last forever. We love you!

 

This is my last “November” post. So I am listing the things and people I am grateful for:

-Tyler. There is far too much to write about why I am thankful for him. Married almost 2 years, known each other for almost 4 years and I am happy for each moment I have been given with him.

-My family. Every singe one of them. My mom who I wouldn’t know what to do without. I am thankful for her safety and for her unconditional love for her kids. My dad who is one of the best men I know, he has a heart of gold and I am proud to be his daughter. Sydney, for being such a great wife for my dad and taking on 5 more kids. My lil sis, she has so many great qualities. She is tough but tender (when you catch her in the right moment 😉 ) She is fun and intelligent. She is so many things I aspire to be and so many things I see that we have in common. Sisters really are such a joy. ALL three of my brothers. They are great brothers and I love them dearly. Scott is such a thoughtful, loving guy. Sam is a funny, sweetheart. Chris has my dad’s heart of gold and he is someone I could count on to help me out, no matter what. My sister in law, Lindsey, she is such a doll. I learn new things about her each time we are with them, all of them good! My NEW nephew, Nicholas. I am yet to meet him but I am grateful for him already. He is so freakin cute and I have always wanted to be an auntie! All my step siblings, they all have different qualities that are wonderful and although I don’t see them often, I am grateful for family that I can count on if I ever needed.

-Ty’s family. I already voiced this but I do love each of them. Sue is super mom. She is amazing. Plain and simple. John is a caring, wonderful father, who has far more knowledge than I will ever be able to retain. I have spent a lot of time with Ty’s siblings now and feel like they are almost like my own. All of them awesome in their own ways.

-Being born in this time.

-The life I was blessed with. The knowledge I have obtained thus far.

-The gospel and the strength & assurance it brings into my life

-All my extended family.

-Our friends. From Ty’s friends that have become my friends, their wives & girlfriends, as well as my life-time friends like Devin, Aubrey, Amanda, Danielle, Kezie and all the wonderful girls I have made endless bonds with.

Well this list could go on forever. I am learning gratitude makes life much more enjoyable.

Much to be thankful for. Thanksgiving 2012

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What did the Chicago Bulls do in ’91 and ’92? What did the Green Bay Packers do in ’66 and ’67?

WELL if you can guess that this trivia question was what eventually enlightened us that we were going to Cancun again for Thanksgiving. YOU would be spot on! Like for real, you are a genius if you figured that one out without me saying anything else.

John kept nudging us trying to get us to say back to back AND finally someone did. AND as soon as whoever said that….I KNEW it. We were going to Cancun again! I was stoked. Cancun is a blast. Who can complain about a vacation right near Christmas with sunshine, warmth, family, fun, sand, laying out, reading, eating, happy hour, beach volleyball, sand castles, tennis, card games and much more? NOT I! I am more grateful than words can say to my in-laws for doing this  again this year. It really is a wonderful time for all of us.

Here it is. Cancun Thanksgiving 2012 Part 1.

We played a ton of beach volleyball and tennis. Games were played just as frequently. During lunch, by the pool, waiting for others to get ready. I definitely love it but I find by the end of the week my competition tank is empty.

We found these cute little turtles by the pool that we played with and took some pics with 🙂 You would have thought we all have never seen a live turtle. We are funny.

I took many sky/beach/our view shots. I just get so taken back with the beauty Cancun has. We try to stick around for happy hour which is FREE chips & salsa and half off drinks (strawberry coladas!) We also become ravenous when we get that free chips & salsa. It is a sight 🙂 another thing I love about Cancun trips.

One of the nights we decided to go to the outdoor mall again to see the Dolphin show we went to last year. Yep! It was that good! It was my 3rd time and I still loved it. Johnny and Nolan had never seen it so we thought it was a worthwhile show to go see. It always just leaves me wishing I was a dolphin trainer OR that I could have a dolphin as a pet.

Which brings me to my next post…which will be on our day in Tulum and our epic hours spent in the monkey sanctuary 🙂 hours I will never forget!

Ty’s SURPRISE Birthday Party

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Well now that it is nearly a month later I will share this event quickly with you before talking about other snippets from our life.

I am NOT very good at keeping surprises. Either I wig out and my mood/actions will ruin the surprise or I just would rather it be fun instead of stressing about it being a perfect surprise so I just tell them. So I was slightly impressed by my ability to make this 25th Birthday Surprise happen! BUT I must thank those who helped make sure it happened smoothly (namely Ty’s friends, Jeff, Matt, Matson, Spencer AND even more so for their wives/girlfriends who helped me, Victoria, Lexi, Erica and my lil sister, Marissa) (AND thanks to Ash & Nolan for detangling those dang balloons)

The plan was Ty’s friends were taking him out for his bday and all the girls were going to a movie. Then we would call him after our “movie” and the boys would be back at Ty’s parents house watching the basketball game. When I went to leave for the “movie”, Ty didn’t ask what movie, what time…nothing! I even had valid answers for if he did. NOPE. Unnecessary with my easy going husband 🙂

I used the balloons from his actual bday for decorations, made some treats & waited for the boys to get done with Tucanos. They were all inside watching the game at the Richard’s. I called Ty and told him we were done with our movie and all the girls wanted a treat and that his mom said there was caramel apples out in the pool house refrigerator. So I said can you go get those out and let them warm up? He grudgingly said yes (no joke like even sighed). So we all waited in the pool house for like 5 more minutes and finally he headed out to the pool house. He opened the door and we hear “come on Rookie!” (in his Rookie talking voice which was kinda funny) Then he went to turn on the lights and I turned them on (dumb me. Will tell you why later) and everyone yelled SURPRISE!! He nearly jumped out of his skin. He jumped back and held his heart. Almost gave him a heart attack apparently. He had no idea 🙂 Mission accomplished. Thanks all!

We had a fun rest of the night with treats, guessing game (hot tamales & peach o’s), a round or two of couches then the boys wanted to go watch the end of the Jazz game. So they did and the girls played Telestrations.

NOW onto why I am so dumb. Why did I have to turn on the lights you ask? Don’t know. Guess I thought it would be better? Now looking back I should have been back there with everyone else so I could take pictures because….NO ONE did. Nope. My bad for not thinking of asking or doing it myself but literally I took 2 pictures the ENTIRE night. I am dumb. DUMB. Oh well. Can’t change it now. All I can do is blog about it so in 25 more years I can remember my mistakes 🙂

November. Being grateful

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This month is such a great month to warm you up for the next season. Christmas. The season of giving, remembering Christ and trying to be more like Him. I really do love Thanksgiving. I love reminding myself to be grateful for the wonderful life I was given.

I was blessed to be born into this gospel. I was blessed to be born in America, to an incredible father and loving mother. I was blessed with trials in my family and my life, to strengthen me to be the woman I am today. I was blessed with a healthy body and knowledge of the importance and purpose of my existence on this Earth.

I was blog hopping (yes that would be blog stalking in some people’s books. nbd. I am not a creep) and I came across this girl’s blog and she intrigued me. I kept reading and reading. First off she lives the life I always wanted to live. (Thou shalt not covet. I know. It is not coveting, quite yet) She lives in NYC with her husband and two kids. They are adorable. All of them. I was so intrigued I kept reading from the early days of her blogging. I came across some really amazing things. One that touched me the most was this article on eternal marriage by Richard G. Scott. I won’t deny it. I cried. First, when elderly men speak about the love between them and their wife, it is the most tender, heart touching thing I can come across- Next to new born babies of course. ( 🙂 ) Second, his words are undeniably the sweetest, most sincere words of love for his late wife and that kind of love is why I am writing this post. I feel like that is the love we all work for. Readin this post made me grasp onto a few things I could definitely work on. The one thing I love about reading words of such wise men, is that no matter who reads the articles, they will get something beneficial from it. Each person needs to hear something different for whatever trial/decision/opportunity, they are facing at that time. I know what I got out of this article. I hope it benefits anyone else who reads this. Enjoy 🙂 I know I did.

 

Happy November! Turkey day in 11 days 🙂

Here are some photos of life lately.

P.S. I will blog about Ty’s SURPRISE 25th Birthday party later. I didn’t get pics so I am kinda upset about it. Sore subject.

Our Weekend

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I am starting this month off with a grateful post:

  • Tyler. I can always count on him for a smile no matter the time or place. He is so hardworking and dedicated. He is very talented and keeps me feeling silly & young 🙂
  • Amazing family, both Tyler and mine.
  • Incredible friends who we love being able to have fun and laugh with.
  • Healthy and {mostly} functional body
  • To be capable of working and for Tyler getting an education
  • All our awesome opportunities and talents we are given
  • The gospel and Jesus Christ’s example of selfless & unconditional love & sacrifice.
  • My future

{Pics from the UVEF Event honoring the Osmonds (George & Olive Osmond). Sushi with friends. Provo Beach Resort surf, bowl & games with Jeff & Victoria. Ty and I being us.}

Why I love STG

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STG. What is that? Nope not a disease. Just my lazy way of saying St. George. Actually it is a lot of people’s lazy way of saying St. George. Most of those people are from STG 🙂 which gives us the right to call our town whatever we want. Kind of like fat people being able to call themselves fat but when other people do it, it is more frowned upon. (Fat Amy from Pitch Perfect comes to mind. Great movie!)

Ty and I went to St. George a weekend ago. Left Friday after work and the adventure began!

Reasons for loving STG:

       

1) Spending time with my fam AKA being spoiled for the weekend 🙂

2) Food. Cookies. Eating. ALL the time.

3) The weather

4) Active Adventures

5) TV and being lazy

I realize that 3 & 4 totally contradict one another but it makes complete sense in my books. It has an easy explanation. We always do something active, whether it be a hike, run, bike, gym or race, THEN we top that off with a movie, games or just lounging around together watching The Real Housewives of Miami. This trip was a MIDNIGHT “spooky” 5K with a pre-game dinner & lounge sesh 🙂

The 5K was actually a lot of fun. I guess I legitimately took first place in female overall? The moral of this story is like that of the tortoise and the hare but a little twisted. So don’t run with the sprinters because they run too fast and loop twice instead of being directed on a different loop. Luckily, my mom and I stuck together and went on the right route. Thus why I won. My husby wasn’t so lucky. He decided he wanted to run this 5K as fast as he could. Then it ended up turning into a 7K for him….it was actually very amusing seeing him look mind boggled as to why he was crossing the finish line after me. You live and you learn. haha

  

      

      

I went to the Nook with my mom and later we all went to see the movie, Fun Size. It was alright. Funny parts but not blog worthy so done with that. Later in the evening, Ty, Sam & I went to my dads to have a Halloween party. We carved pumpkins to enter into their Pumpkin contest (Ty carved ours cuz I am not a legit artist like him). Made caramel apples and had some fun. The contest was judged by one of Sydney’s family friends. Their was awards for the most creative, the spookiest, the most “wicked” BUT the overall winner was……TYLER and I! Whoot whoot! Man it is great having such an artsy husband. Pays off 😉 {He doesn’t cut into the pumpkin as much as he sculpts it into what he wants it to be. This year it was a Shrek/Frankenstein Vampire guy. Shrankenpire 🙂

It really is always so much fun to go down and spend time with my family. Who doesn’t like being spoiled for the weekend. Wish we could stay longer sometimes. (Christmas time we will stay longer!)

 

      

And by the end of this trip, this guy was tuckered out….we love to take pics of each other asleep. For some weird reason we find it hilarious to show the other person. {His pics of me asleep are always better. I sleep like a crazy person. Not even embarrassed}

My Birthday Snippet :)

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OVO.

That is me. October’s Very Own (thanks Drake)

Had my STAR**Golden Birthday. Turned 23 on the 23rd! Once in a lifetime deal right there folks! AND it was absolutely amazing. 90% due to my incredible husband and the other to all my family & friends who wished me a happy day.

I woke up to this:

No joke I was completely surprised. I actually woke up a tid bid earlier than normal to go on a little morning jog and so my eyes were still adjusting when I saw this. I was smiling and was not expecting what I saw next…

       

YUP! My own red carpet THEN:

    AND  

Then to top it off:

      

       

I teared up. Not even kidding. Yeah I don’t care I am a hopeless romantic and love to be showered with love. Make me feel special like this and I have a smile on my face the whole entire day, rain or shine. AND there was rain so that theory was tested. (I still smiled 🙂 )

BEST star birthday a girl could wish for!? YES but it didn’t end there. He took me to lunch. Then took me to get my nails done after work. Then dinner with his parents up in the suite at Rio Tinto Stadium

I was spoiled. AND I loved it. I also got a cute surprise when I went to get in my car to go to work, from my little love bug sister:

I felt cool.

P.S. It was also my Papa’s birthday. YUP I am a lucky lady and get to share this splendid day with my amazing father, who doesn’t really celebrate the day for himself anymore. BUT he does send me a card every year that will bring on the tears every time. It’s a gift he has. He tells me I am the best birthday present he was ever given…and so on 🙂 Between his card, my mom and my sister’s birthday cards to me, one would think I am an emotional nutcase. NOPE I am not (I don’t think so at least) but I found the people that love you the most know how to tug at those heart strings the best 🙂 …

This excellent night ended with the movie “The Perks of being a Wallflower”. This is the infamous quote from the movie:

I saw this on Emma Watson’s twitter. It is a pretty cool tat.

I really liked the movie. Had some interesting story lines going on but I found it to be really well made with some pretty good actors/actresses. It is definitely a certain crowd kind of movie, my husband was getting squirmy like an hour into it because it didn’t appeal to him. BUT it eventually caught his interest again near the end. I would say it was worth the time 🙂

ALL in all this 23 year old girl is a happy sunbeam shining her happy bum all the way to St. George today to celebrate yet again with my family. (I like to make birthdays into birthWEEKS 🙂 that’s what OVO’s do haha)


This man knows how to make me the happiest wifey and girl ever. Love you babe. Thank you for being so amazing to me. xoxo

Keep changing my location but I am HERE to stay my friends.

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OKAY so it took me awhile but I finally got Ty to get me this website. I haven’t got it perfected on the design scheme yet BUT….it will get there. It is like my craft projects. I start it and then take 2 weeks to fully finish it. It is super annoying but once I have finished I have a sense of accomplishment. Plus finishing craft projects all in one day seems like a joke….near impossible. For me at least. ANY who if you want to see what we have been up to for the last year and a half of our marriage (and prior) check here and here 🙂

 

So since Ty has become a cool hipster blogger himself (go check the swell fellow’s page out here), this is my page. But let’s be real. My page = our page in every wife’s blog. It’ll be a great combo.

I decided to call it Nicole’s snippets because I started calling my blog posts on the previous blog, Sunday snippets (snip·pet : A small piece or brief extract) because I found it easier to update my blog on Sundays and since I only really give you a small look into our extremely exciting life, it is my snippets 🙂 BAM. P.S. I started this post on a Sunday AND it is now a Thursday…wow.

Snippets from the past 2 weeks.

  • Halloween crafts which husby helped out with (sometimes he gets more into it than I do)
  • Watching my cousin’s adorable little boy, Luke, while his parentals went to the BYU game. And surprising to my cousin, I told her, as long as my kids turn out as amusing and cute as that little guy, I will want kids. Guess Luke didn’t do his job right?
  • Birthday party for two friends. Played the game “couches”. Always a good time.
  • Went to another birthday party for the cutest 3 year old I know. My best friend’s boyfriend’s little boy, Konner. He wasn’t liking all the birthday attention, UNTIL he could open up his presents. Hey, they say “it’s your party you can cry if you want to.” Can’t say it if you don’t mean it.
  • Ate at the Pie. OH my LANTA. Worth every greasy, hard to work off calorie. Every. Time.
  • Tyler became 2nd Counselor in the Elder’s Quorum in our ward. SO I now teach 6-8, 5-year olds every Sunday. ALONE. I am  hastily learning patience.
  • My birthday (another post on that 🙂 )