Utah-versary

This weekend marks a special weekend in my life. 

This time last year I was sitting in my brand new Utah ward, after crying throughout the long drive and semi moved, while my dad was at my house making my new Ikea closet. 

And tomorrow marks my one year mark at my job. 

How has the time flown by so fast?

A  lot of the time I still feel like I just got here. 

I feel like my life in California was just a moment ago. 

And I especially feel that nothing in California has changed without me, life just stopped once I left. 

Wishful thinking, huh? 

It still blows my mind how this Utah adventure got started. 

And although I cried on the floor in the hallway the week before I left

I surprise myself most days with how much I love the Salt Lake livin'

It is so different than California, I don't nearly have the group of friends that I was so blessed with in Northridge. But I think that group of friends was something so special and so lucky to have that it might not be duplicated for a long time, or ever. 

This year in SLC I have loved getting to know a new area and feeling like I actually know people here. 

I love the SLC perks, like attending the General Relief Society Meeting in person last night, seeing Elder Holland at the grocery store, attending a Fireside with Elder Ballard in person. I love that the Salt Lake Temple is just miles away and that it is my temple. I love working in West Valley and feeling like I am not in Utah for those 8 hours. I love living close to the Capitol and Downtown. 

I love all of the great girlfriends I have made here.

I love my job. I love all of the responsibility and every single day I am getting better and better and learning so much more.  

Some things are definitely still hard (Dodgers, warm weather...) but its helpful to remember to always stay positive in those situations. 

So here is to my one year mark of being a "Utahan"

And who knows how many more of these years to come...

Family. Temples. Forever.

 I have previously blogged about how much I love my Robins family and our family reunions. 

Well now is a great time to brag about my amazing Svendsen family. 

I have so much love for my Svendsen and the rich history, sacrifice and culture that accompanies it. 

My grandparents, Svend & Jytta Svendsen joined the Church in Denmark shortly after World War II. 

My Uncle was already born and they decided to move to America, the land of opportunity, and they picked little Provo, Utah to be close to the church and the temple. 

On September 11, 1952 my cute Grandparents and Uncle drove to Manti, Utah to receive their endowments and be sealed as an eternal family. 

Shortly one year later my Mom was born and grew up in a very Danish household. 

Speaking mainly Danish, eating Danish food and yet trying to fit in as an American. 

I love being Danish. I love having such a strong connect to Denmark. 

My Grandma Jytta was really the only Grandparent I ever knew and I miss her so much. 

To commemorate this special day and our ability to be an eternal family my cousin Katy organized a family reunion centered on a trip to Manti. 

My Svendsen family is so special because we are so small in numbers. 

(In comparison to the awesomeness of our big numbers on the other side)

There are just 9 cousins.

And we traveled from Nashville, Dallas, Brooklyn, Boston, Los Angeles and even Provo, Salt Lake and Ogden to be together and go to the Manti Temple.

And the rest of my family too.

I always have to catch my Uncle Rick smiling because it is such a rare occurrence!!

 We took photos on the steps in honor of my Grandparents and Uncle Peter outside on the Temple on their big day. 

Our reunion plan mostly revolved around going through a session at the Temple. 

And guess what?

I went through the Temple too. 

It couldn't have been more perfect timing and just that..perfect. 

I wish I could go back and relive it all over again. I don't ever want to forget those moments. 

My whole family there, knowing my sweet grandparents were there 61 years prior and turning around and seeing my sisters dorky and yet cute smiles and thumbs up during the whole thing. And then lots of hugs afterwards. 

We then spent the rest of our time continuing to catch up over great meals, enjoy each others company and walk around City Creek.

Robins Rendezvous

For as long as I can remember our summers are filled with the Robins Rendezvous. 

I love our Robins reunions--probably cause I love traditions and I love that without fail we celebrate all things Robins and that {mostly} everyone comes. 

This year my parents {really Kelly} was in charge of the Reunion and so we headed up to Ogden. 

Its so great to see family that you haven't seen in and that everyone is excited to see each other. 

We had dinner up at Maddox's, swam at Brigham City Pool, Ice Cream Social at night and games and crafts as the finale. 

I think I still spent most of my time with my nieces and nephews but I cant help that I love them the mostest. 

What I love most about my Robins family is how crazy big and complicated it is. 

Our reunions stem from my grandparents and their four children, my dad being the youngest of them. 

It is well known that he was the "accident" child, with his parents in their 40's and siblings already into adulthood. 

And so it has made quite the big spectrum of families and cousins. 

There are 19 grandchildren. 

The oldest being two years younger than my Dad and me as the youngest. 

My grandpa would be 113 years old and my grandma 102. 

We calculated that there are around 160 Robins family members and about 120 {i think?} were in attendance. 

Growing up I hung out with my cousins kids. Since they were my age. 

It was so good to see my closest cousin friends. 

So many memories with these girls over the years. 

Late nights of mafia and scum. And Whitney bossing us around. 

However, I am lucky enough to have all of these cousins my same age. 

Kelly had this amazing idea to make a huge pedigree chart of all of the families with their pictures from the reunion. 

{Moreno's family}

{Sune's family}

{DeAnn's family}

{Danny's family}

{Yes, we are the smallest and I am claiming Lyla as my own}

It was such a great visual to see how large our family has become. 

It was so incredible to see how many people have come from my grandparents and to see the generations of posterity from their marriage and their life. 

I never really knew them but Id like to think they are pretty happy with their family. 

Also, I miss her. A lot. 

imma model. What!?

Ok not really. 

 But kinda...!?

Remember back when I went to St. George on spring break oh so long ago?

Well during that vaca Aubry and I got all dolled up for a little modeling sesh for my roommate Chelsey. 

Chelsey Rae is staring up her own photog business and to help her out we did a little modeling shoot.

I felt insanely awkward the whole time and didn't know what do, however, Chelsey did an amazing job!

Aubs and I definitely had a fun time and really like the photos.
Check out Chelsey's website here, and hit her up if you need a photographer!! 

the STG.

Oh spring break. 

How I have missed thee. 

Having days of during the year is always the plus for working at a school. And spring break could not have been more anticipated. 

I went down to St. George with Auby and Chelsey for a few days. Our only escape from some cold weather of the wasatch front. 

We hiked Zions. What!? I hiked! Getting outdoorsy only has its moments. 

We hiked Angel's landed. Which I didnt know that it took four hours long (which I compared to a marathon) nor that fatalities have occurred here when I agreed to it. 

But it was fun and adventurous and I had my camelback so I felt pretty legit. 

Other activities in STG included Dixie Rock to talk about feelings and breaking down Aubry's walls. 

We hit up the St. George Temple, had a little photo shoot (pics to come!) and talked about wanting Chick-fil-A ... a lot.  Laid by the pool at the attempt to get some rays and ate a lot of Easter candy. 

Oh and stopped to get graham canyon from the creamery on the way back..

When we got back Aub dawg and I continued to do fun things everyday for the rest of our break. Including going running together (or longs walks...), getting a pedicure, and finding the best quesadilla cart SLC has to offer. 

Needless to say it was a great spring break. 

Now only 7 more weeks till my next day off. I dont know if I can handle that.