Las Vegas,Nevada February 2007 to February 2010

I'm in Vegas baby! Those are the words you don't say when you actually live there. Las Vegas is our beginning, well second beginning!
Mark's family and my dads family were in the same ward in South Jordan, so I always knew who he was growing up. Our parents set us up in 2003 and we dated off and on from about April until the end of summer. I was there for the first year of the infamous Malibu Boat, little did I know I would be part owner of that boat one day! Anyway, lets just say for the sake of argument we weren't ready for each other in 2003. Mark has his story, I have mine lol...

Engagements

Our families didn't give up. At the end of 2006, when we were both available, and our parents set us up again. Mark had been working in Las Vegas for Okland Construction as a Superintendent on Nellis Airforce Base and Creech Airforce Base building hangers and what not since 2004. Mark flew me down to Las Vegas for New Years, two months later we were engaged and three months after that we were married June 2, 2007 in Taylorsville Utah.

Wedding June 2, 2007

Honeymoon - The Big Island - Hawaii

We bought a home together March 2007 in Vegas, if only we had a crystal ball that would have told us two years later our home would be worth less than half of what we owed on it! Sick. Before the value of our home plummeted we spend a lot of time painting, finishing the back yard, upgrading baseboard and trim, decorating, and doing everything newlyweds would do to make a house a home. I wish I would have taken more photos of our home but here are the few that I have.

Backyard when it was first finished. The plants were much bigger and fuller when we left the house. I wish would have got a picture of that.

Inside my house at Halloween. Not the best pictures but it's all I got!

In December 2007 Mark adopted our first child from a shelter. Bella was give to me for Christmas that year. She quickly became a family member and I don't know what life would be without her. She's my princess!

2008 

This was probably our most normal year of our marriage. We owned a home, we went on vacation, and we made many trips to the lake.

 Jessica & Jeff came to visit. We went to a Goo Goo Dolls concrete and then took a small plan over to the Grand Canyons.

We took a cruise with some good friends to the Mexican Riviera

Me n Mark - Ashley n Scott

Mark and Scott

Us, Spenc, Shalynn, Ashley, Scott

the crew

Patrick, Candace, Mark, Me, Callie, Bryce, Shalynn, Spencer, Ashley, Scott 

the girls

Lake Trips

Matt n Meg

Mark with our niece Lexi

My best friend Lindsey wakesurfing for the first time

she's the best flag girl!

Mark, Dave, Tim, Scott and Tyler

Mark getting air

Me awkwardly getting air

with our friends Trevor & Denae

My parents and little bro's came to visit and go to the lake

My sister Jessica and I hanging on tight!

That about sums up 2008, I know we had our annual family Lake Powell trip with my family to Bullfrog and our annual Lake Powell trip to Lone Rock with our friends but these pictures can't be found... I think we like to boat because that is almost what all of my pictures are!

2009 

This was another great year. We vacationed, went to the lake, Mark reinstated his old hobby of going to the dunes, and most of all we got sealed for time and eternity!

In the beginning of the year Mark bought his favorite toy, a Banshee

 Growing up my family did pretty much everything except go to the dunes. It's been so much fun getting into this sport

We went snowboarding up Mt. Charleston. Not recommended if you are from Utah

We took a Caribbean cruise, just the two of us

We added a Honda 700, a toy for me!

Mark tried to take Lexi's toy

Mark got to race an indie car at the Las Vegas Speedway

June 12, 2009 we both took out our endowments in the Manti Temple

It was such a great experience to go through the temple for the first time together!

This is one of our most favorite temples. The history in this temple is so awesome to see!

June 13, 2009 Sealed for time and eternity in the Draper Temple

Chelsea, Lindsey, me, Lacey

This day was so special knowing that we can be together forever!

Annual Lake Powell trip with my family

Annual Friend Lake Powell Trip

Lexi 

Kamryn wasn't sure about taking pictures 

that's my hubby

camp site

the group

Tim, Scott, Patrick, Mark, Trevor, Dave

Andrea, Candice, Ashley, Denae, me 

Dune Session!

Amargosa Dunes

Scott and Mark - always something to do on the banshee

Bella and Coco

Dumont Dunes

 The North Pole

Bella likes to ride

Where is my letter to Santa!?

2010 
We spent January and February in Vegas... it was sad to leave our friends and family behind

Mark liked my Honda 700 so much that I surprised him with his own on his birthday. We took it out to Amargosa one last time with the Herzogs before we left for Yuma :(

 We added an enclosed trailer to our collection of toys

Kamryn liked it the fuel doors

Well that's our time in Las Vegas. I know we had many other visitors like my dad and his family, Mark's parents, and more. I don't have pictures of everyone but I hope you all know you still hold memories with us! It was so much fun being able to live in the same city with Mark's sister Andrea and her family with Tim and their two girls Alexis and Kamryn and Mark's brother Matt and his wife Megan. Andrea just lived down the street from us I can remember many Sunday's taking a short walk to her house for dinner. We did so much with them (although I have NO pictures with Andrea to prove it!) We went camping, boating, and went out for a night on the town almost every weekend. I know Bella misses her cousin's Hurlee, Coca, and Sage. We made some good friends while we were there that enjoyed life just as much as we did. It's been hard to find replacements... 

In so many was Las Vegas was a perfect medium, anytime we wanted to visit family in Utah we could just jump in the truck and be there in no time. Or if we wanted to go out we could pick from a plethora of entertainment (all good entertainment!) We were able to see the Cirque du Soleil shows "O", Beatles Love, Criss Angel Believe, and Le Reve. Sooo many good concerts we were able to go to, awesome restaurants, fun shopping, I could honestly go on for days. Many people that I talk to say they hate Las Vegas but I guess they didn't get so see it the way I did, it will always hold a place in my heart, maybe because it's where Mark and I got started!