Behind...

Again.

We've been alive the last month or so, although it may not seem like it.

We left Texas with a bang in August. Grant decided to be a rebel and skip out on the first 2 days of school and we spent some time in Dallas with the fam. It was a really nice way to end our summer and have a few days to relax before starting school.


I know, I obsess over my nieces and nephews. I can't help it they are the cutest kids in the whole world. You'd think they were mine.

Grant and I drove the 20 hour drive home like champs. Straight through. I fiddled around with

Artsy eh?

I also got to experience Grant with a "beard." I call it a beard because it's the most facial hair I've ever seen on him! I thought it was pretty sexy if you ask me.

When we got back to UT one of the first things we did was camp. Well we ate at Cafe Rio first... but then we camped. We ended up at the same area we went to last time, it was beautiful just like always. We planned ahead this time and brought our extra sleeping back for some cushion. We both slept MUCH better.

Oh and we roasted GIANT marshmallows. I highly recommend these puppies.

Since then we've done a lot of school and homework. Grant's teachers are trying to kick his fanny, accounting does not sound like a fun major to me. So much reading. But Grant is a stinkin hard worker so he's doing awesome... LAST SEMESTER BABE!!

We've spent a lot of time with our lovely friends Bridger and Jordan, we even played another round of Quelf, (remember this game) and laughed our heads off like usual.

It's always joyful being back in Provo, only this time it's slightly bittersweet. I'm noticing everything is my last! My last fall semester on campus, meaning no more beautiful changing leaves. My last semester living in UT with Grant. My last fall in UT. My soon to be last winter in UT, although that isn't really all that sad for me.

For those of you who didn't know, Grant is moving to Dallas in December to start up a pest control company. I, however have one more semester left at BYU so I have to stay behind. Yup, 4 months apart. It will be worth it we know, but still sad. In April I will giddily join him in Dallas and we will make a little life for ourselves there. Woot!

On a side note... we're always looking for people who need or want a summer job to come sell with us. Let me know if you're interested!

Life is good for the Romneys here in Utah!

She's back

After a LONG 1.5 years, this little peach is back and you better believe I'm so excited to see her!

Dear Caitlin,
You have been missed dearly. I will give you a giant hug when I see you.

Reunited will feel so good....

Suckas LOVE YA!

Favorites

#1. A quick visit from our babelicious friend Courtney.
#2. The absolutely delicious dinner we had at the Braken Store Cafe.

(Can I just tell you, best burger and onion rings ever.)

#3. This season of So You Think You Can Dance and basically every dance on it! Sooo good.

#4. My favorite summer reads:



#5. Late night swims and chats with him.



#6. Mostly just that guy up there. Ya, he would have to be my number 1 favorite.

Nightmares

It has been a LONG time since I had a nightmare. I had forgotten how horrific they can be and how real they seem!
I was walking into a grocery store at night, it seemed like Albertsons, with my friend Caitlin. All of a sudden this white truck comes charging at me. I managed to jump out of the way, but in my dream I threw some profanity at the boys driving it. THAT MADE THEM SO MAD!

Stupid dream Zaundra doesn't know when to shut her mouth.

Anyways, it was this truck of 4 boys straight from Hotel Rwanda, machetes and all. I remember running into the store just as it closed so they knew I was the only one inside and had to come out sometime. I was in an office in the back of the store with the only store manager still there when all of a sudden we hear the vroom of the truck as it's slowly passing by the back of the store. Then the boys starting banging their machetes on the windows looking for me.
I wake up at this point, but my heart is racing and I'm sweating. I have to open my eyes look around and cuddle up to Grant to make sure it's not real.

So... I fall back asleep and it starts AGAIN! I'm still hiding I'm imagining all the horrible things that could happen. I call the cops, but my dream doesn't want the cops to come so somehow they never arrive and I'm stuck. My dream must really want me dead, it's horrible.
I woke up I again opened my eyes cuddled next to Grant again and tried my very best to think of happy things like flowers, Hawaii, the ocean. And luckily the dream doesn't come back.

Needless to say I'm exhausted today.

Nightmares suck.

To Remember Summer

This post is for selfish purposes. I've realized my only posts from this summer have basically only been about bugs. Gross. Personally, I would like to remember this summer for more reasons than just those.

Texas really is beautiful. It isn't Utah or Idaho mountainous beautiful, but it has it's own unique beauty.The sunsets are glorious here. No mountains to block them!

This was the scenery during our drive home from Dallas last time.

We've joined in on some of the local Texas fun. First we went tubing on the Comal River.... well river in Texas standards. The river goes right through the city. I wasn't so sure about the lack of nature, but I'm biased (the Hathaway's are hardcore river rafters you know).

This is not an exaggeration of how many people were there. Texas is HOT people, and cold water seems to be the only way to survive. Needless to say the river isn't the cleanest, or really even clean at all, but we had an enjoyable time. The whole sales team came and we just relaxed and laughed at all the crazies on the river.

There is this little concert hall/bar that I pass by on my way to work everyday. Much to my surprise and excitement Jerrod Niemann's name was listed on the billboard as an upcoming artist playing there. Jerrod Niemann sings one of my favorite summer songs "Lover Lover."
Jerrod was a slight disappointment. His songs were fun, but all he wanted to talk about was which ladies were going home with him that night. Really Jerrod? I mean your cute and have a very nice voice... but not everyone wants you. It was worth it just to hear him play "Lover Lover." You know that happy excited feeling when you hear your favorite song on the radio, well this was like that times 10! I totally smiled the whole time and sang along at the top of my lungs. It was an outside concert and it started about 8 so it was nice and cool..... er.
By the way, Texans totally dance!! I've never seen people dance the way they did, I can't even describe it. They get real close together and kinda shuffle around the stage, it looks slightly boring and mostly awkward. I felt the urge to line dance and Miss Caitlin Walton if you were there we would have rocked it.

We have eaten A LOT of yummy food, mostly stuff I've gotten to make. Here are some of our favorite new recipes:

Butter Brickle Amazingness
S'mores Bars
Sugar Cookie Bars
and
these White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

So we really like sugar and goodies in this house.

We had dinner with Micah and Katy, and they're adorable baby Madison, some great friends of ours from Provo. I loved catching up with them and seeing them in Texas, if only we could live close by forever! It was so fun to hear how life has changed for them in Texas and how well things are going. I finally learned how to play Settler's and I'm basically hooked!

Oh and the bugs are still here, don't worry. Yup, that is a bag of crickets. Did you know crickets smell like dirty rotten diapers when they die. Grant gags every time he goes out to our porch because of these little suckers. Oh, and our washer and dryer are on the porch so occasionally our clothes smell like dead cricket diaper because yup you guessed it they figured out how to get in the washer.

San Antonio you've treated us well. Let's keep it that way for our last 2 weeks here please.

I promise there are more exciting things in Texas

The bug stories are just too good not to share. Monday morning we woke up to a nice surprise in our sink. Until Monday I had managed to steer clear of the dreaded cockroach. Not only just a cockroach, but a half alive cockroach. Grant started messing with it and it started hopping around. I screamed and jumped and did a bit of a "getting attacked by a bee" dance. It seriously creeped me out.

The story in TX is that where there is one roach, there are more. Grrreeeeaaatt. Well here's our roach. It is NOT a small roach.

Yup that roach is nearly the size of Grants pinky, and no Grant's pinky is not small.
Oh and ya that's the roach IN A BAG. Grant wanted to bring it to show and tell at work. (He is a pest control salesman you know.)

How did we kill the roach without smooshing it? Grant attacked it with bleach. It worked.

What a guy huh? Grant didn't scream, but I know he was freaked out.

(Notice the plate of cookies in the background. I may or may not have made homemade cookies every Saturday since we've been in TX)

I do promise that there is more to Texas than bugs, but there are A LOT of bugs. Come visit, I'll show you.

In Case You Were Wondering

I have the ABSOLUTE most adorable nieces and nephews in the world. Grant and I spent the weekend in Dallas and let's just say it was EXACTLY what I needed.

Look at that smile! haha. Phoenix is a fun fun kid. He is always up for a good tickle fight. He would just run and throw himself at me, I loved playing with him!

Paige has the most friendly and bubbly personality. She gave me the BIGGEST hug when she saw me this weekend. It was a rare thing to see Paige without a smile on her face.


Scotty is becoming a little man. He wanted to hold my hand the whole time we were grocery shopping in Costco. What a lovable guy!

I kept catching myself staring at Romney. He is the most beautiful little boy. He's a very calm and serious little guy, so mature for a baby.

Daniel and I have a special bond. Well at least I do with him. He was my baby last summer. He has the cutest little raspy voice. I could listen to this kid talk for hours. His scream doesn't really even bother me because I'm just so obsessed with this little guy.

I didn't get a picture of Stacy and that describes her pretty perfectly. She is always all over the place so energetic. Stacy and I had a rough start, I'm not used to children defying me. But Stacy is a smart cookie, she can really have an intelligent conversation. Stacy was cracking me up all weekend.

And Chase. I wish I had a picture of Chase, but whenever he was awake he was in my arms so I didn't have any free hands to take a picture. What a SWEET baby!! I miss holding him already.

I loved this last weekend in Dallas. I'm so excited to live so close to my awesome in-laws. I really can say they are close friends as well! Only one more year and we're here for good.