Day Two

Your First Love.

What a coincidence!  It was each other! ;)  hahaha.  Here's a picture of us when we were dating in High School.  It was taken at Brock's graduation (I sang in the choir- that's the reason for the odd black dress).  Hooray!

Day One!

Recent Photo:

This was taken a couple weeks ago when we went exploring in a park in Providence, UT.  It was so fun!

15 Facts about Aubrey and Brock:

1. We went to Jr. High and High School together.  Bonneville Vikings and Cottonwood Colts!

2. Brock went to prom two times in High School: once with Aubrey's sister, and once with Aubrey! :P

3. We hooked up in Madrigals, Brock's senior year and Aubrey's Jr. year, and dated for a year.

4. Brock served a mission in Nicaragua from September, 2006 to October, 2008.  We wrote back and forth every single week for 25 months :)

5. We got married on May 15th, 2009.  Goin' on 2 years!

6. Brock was a Registered Professional Disc Golfer in High School.

7. Aubrey was a pianist for Desert Star's Dinner Theater and the Grand America Hotel.

8. We both love to sing, play, and write music.  We have recordings of it, and Aubrey is publishing some books of her songs.

9. Both of our dream place to live right now is in Parker, Colorado.  We have weighed pros and cons with SLC, Logan, Oregon, Seattle, and St. George, and both of us just see Parker as the best situation!  Hopefully one day we're there!

10. We're both in school at USU.  Aubrey's studying Choral Music Education, going to graduate December 2011.  Brock is studying Management Information Systems, going to graduate December 2012.

11.  We are moving into the main floor of a little house by the temple next month and we're so excited!

12.  In High School, we determined that if we ever got married we would name our first son Carson Brock Taylor.  Cheesy, I know :)  but we are still set on that name and planning on it, whenever that time comes!

13. A little over a year ago, we decided to watch the first episode of Lost.  Well, that turned into the first season, which turned into the entire series (6 seasons), which we finished just four days before the series finale played on TV.... just over one month later!!!  And then we pre-ordered the entire series and own it all on DVD.  Love it!

14. Aubrey's all time favorite book: the Harry Potter Series.  Brock's all time favorite book: Where the Red Fern Grows.  I think that says something about our personalities...  I am totally cliche, and Brock is not! hahaha :)

15. We are the happiest and most in love couple in the world! :D

30 Days of Randomness

So, my good friend Rachel started a "30 Days of Randomness" on her blog.  I thought that looked so fun!  And it's a great way to get to know yourself and think of good memories.  So I'm gonna do a 30 Days of Randomness for Aubrey and Brock!  This will be fun to find what we have in common and stuff.  Here's the list:


Day 1: Introduction, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts


Day 2: Your first love

Day 3: Your parents

Day 4: A song to match your mood

Day 5: A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 6: A place you've travelled to

Day 7: Bible verse

Day 8: Something you miss

Day 9: Put your ipod on shuffle, first 10 songs that come up

Day 10: Bullet your whole day

Day 11: Somewhere you would like to move or visit

Day 12: Your highs and lows of this past year

Day 13: Give pictures of 5 guys who are famous and you find attractive

Day 14: Someone who fascinates you and why

Day 15: A photo of something you ate today

Day 16: A letter to someone who has hurt you lately

Day 17: A youtube video

Day 18: A photo of you ten years ago

Day 19: Your favorite quote

Day 20: A regret you have

Day 21: Explain how you got your scars

Day 22: Talk about the cuteness of your pet

Day 23: The last thing that made you cry

Day 24: Talk about the last random act of kindness you encountered

Day 25: Ten things you want to do before you die

Day 26: How do you think others view you

Day 27: Picture of your family

Day 28: Your favorite musician and why

Day 29: A photo of you as a child

Day 30: Something you learned (if anything) about yourself in the last 30 days

Family. Isn't it about, time?

Anyone remember those commercials?  With the cheesy music and the little family videos?  So funny!

Well, this post doesn't really have anything to do with those commercials, it just seemed like a fitting title :)  This post is a tribute to family and how much I love them and how much fun we have with them!

The first to name is Heather Taylor.  I love her so much.  And she is my saving grace in this Logan Town.  We text every day, and play at least twice a week, and I love it every time.  She comes over and always brings happiness!  And she helps me clean- which is embarrassing to me but I sincerely appreciate it!  And she always has fun ideas for us to do.  And she designed the covers for my books, which was fantastic.  And she Zumbas with me, and sings with me, and dances with me, and eats chocolate with me, and plays video games with me, and watches Bones with me, and is hyper with me..... the list goes on :)  I consider her one of my very truest best friends and I am so grateful to have her as a sister!

Heather is going to Wisconsin this week and I am going to miss her dearly.  But that brings me to my next point! Meghan and Brad Schow.  They live in Wisconsin right now and I only see them like once or twice a year.  But they are two incredible people that I look up to soooo much!  They are two people you could turn to for advice about anything!  And they are so thoughtful and hardworking and talented and brilliant and responsible and logical and clever and spiritual and always so fun to be around!  I miss them so much and I love them both dearly!

Then there is Stephanie and Jeremy Dowse.  They live in Sugarhouse, UT right now.  We always have so much fun every time we get together!  They are crazy and goofy and adorable and kind and hard working and loving and, they just bring me joy all the time!  I love talking to both of them and spending time with them and joking with them and, they're just amazing people!  And they are so perfect together.  Their love story is probably the most amazing thing I've ever heard.  Love them!

Jacob Thompson.  Elder Jacob Thompson, I should say, as he is serving on an LDS mission right now in Roseville, California.  He is someone you can always count on and trust, and he is rock solid in everything he decided to do.  Steadfast and immovable, that is Jake.  I used to tease him sometimes about being boring or working too hard, but I honestly admire him for how straight he keeps his priorities.  Little brother example to me!  Plus he's always so happy to see me and I can always count on him to join me whenever I want to make music!  He's an amazing guy and I know he is an amazing missionary!

Then there's Cambo Rambo- Cameron Taylor.  I love that kid!  Count on him for a fun time all the time.  We don't get to see him very often but when we do it's a total blast!  Plus, he's moving to Logan this summer and we are STOKED!  We're gonna play sports and video games and stay up late and party!  Plus Cam is someone who is always so easy to talk to.  He is mature beyond his years!  And it shows in conversations you have with him.  I love Cam to pieces and am so excited to live by him this year!

Another fun brother that you can always count on for laughs is Jared J. Thompson.  He's a goof ball teenager that you just can't help but love!  He has a hilarious sense of humor and can be totally crazy, but he's also one of the sweetest kids you'll ever meet!  He's always happy to see us and is so fun to be around!  I always look forward to spending time with him because I know it will be a blast no matter what we do!  He is talented and spunky and fun and I just love him muchisimo!!!

The youngen of the family is Emily K. Thompson.  She has a personality all her own, and she owns it!  She is 8 years old and so adorable!  We always have fun doing hair and makeup together; it's a blast.  She's always happy to see us and every time we see her she has some crazy new idea she's thought up- probably one of the most creative little girls I've ever met!  But I am so proud of her and it's amazing to see how grown up she is getting.  I love her so much!

Now the parentals!

Krey and Francine Thompson.  How can you combine all that you want to say to the amazing people who raised you into one tiny paragraph?  It's impossible.  So I'll just say this: they are amazing and I am so grateful I was born into their family.  They taught me everything I know about the gospel and life and music and love and I could never thank them enough for everything they have done and continue to do for me and Brock!  I love them with all my heart; they are truly amazing!

Scott and Martha Taylor- I am also eternally grateful for them.  Not only for raising my husband to be the amazing man he is, but also for accepting me into their family with open arms!  I really do feel like they are my other set of parents and I am so grateful for the love and support I feel from them every day!  They are two amazing people that I fully look up to and hope to be like some day!  Love them!

Honorable mentions.

Two people who are basically part of the family.

Courtney Smith.  I grew up with her.  She's my sister at heart and always will be.  Don't worry, she's like traveling the world right now... I think she's in China or something...  haha but I just love her.  She has always had that independent, adventurous spirit and I am so proud of her for fulfilling her dreams!  And I'm also grateful to her every day for the amazing friend she has been to me.  I love our talks and our memories, and I love that even though we see each other once a year we get together and it's like we were never apart!  That to me proves a true friendship.

Meredith Nigh.  My other Logan buddy, and totally part of our Logan Family.  She is an amazing person and I am so glad that I have gotten to know her!  And because of her conjoined at the hip with my lovely Heather, I have gotten to spend a lot of time with her and I really think she is incredible!  I love spending time with her and chatting with her and, she's shy but once you crack her shell a bit she is soooo fun!  I will never forget our girls nights of her and Heather with Mario Kart and Pizza and Pirates and Cinnamon Rolls and Dancing and (once again the list goes on), I just love that girl to pieces!

Also, shout out to all of our extended family- aunts, uncles, and cousins, that bring us joy all the time!  Especially Charlie Folsom who has been playing with us lately and it is SO fun.  Yay!

So there.  Those are the people that every day help make Brock and Aubrey's life the wonderful way that it is!  I really don't think enough can ever be said about the amazingness that is family.  I am truly grateful for each of these people in my life and I could never repay them for the things they have done for me.  I love my husband and I love that we get to be together forever and, I just love life!  Woohoo! :)

Nicaragua!!! Day 9

The phone alarm went off the next morning, and there we were in the Best Western Hotel for our final hours in Nicaragua.  I have to admit, I cried a little as we packed everything up.  It had been the most perfect trip of my life.  I really did love every second of it!  So we went and ate breakfast (gallo pinto- divine!) and walked around a bit, soaking up the sun.

Then we checked out and took a taxi to the airport.  Fanny (the girl from Matagalpa that wasn't there when we were) called and wanted to meet us at the airport because she was in Managua!  So we were very excited and after we checked our bags we went and met her in the front area of the airport.  She was such a sweetheart!  Brock said she was one of his most solid converts.  Even though her family didn't want her to get baptized, she put her foot down, told them she knew it was true, and that she was joining the church.  I could see that strong headed spirit she had when we met her.  I liked her a lot!

As we said bye to her and were about to go through security, I remembered something I had forgotten: my travel pillow!  Brock bought me one of those nice Brookstone U-shaped pillows for the plane rides to help with motion sickness and help me sleep on the plane.  It worked wonders on the way there, and I carried it all over that country just so I could have it on the way home!  And then in the very last hour I left it!!!  Luckily, the Best Western is directly across the street from the airport, and their taxi was just pulling up dropping other people off at the airport.  So after I convinced Brock that I really really wanted my pillow, he went over to the taxi guy and asked if he'd take us back.  Since he was heading there anyway he didn't even charge us.  We went back and talked to the hotel guy who said that Housekeeping was in our room right now!

So we rushed over there and the room was already clean.  But the housekeeping lady was in the next room!  So Brock asked her if she had seen a blue U-shaped pillow while she was cleaning (I was really hoping she had otherwise I would have been WAY embarrassed).  She smiled and pulled out a plastic bag where she had put my pillow!  Yay!!!  I thanked her graciously and we were off!  (Good thing we got to the airport way early...  again!).  Since our bags were already checked at the airport, we decided to be daring and just book it across the Managua Highway.  I was pretty much terrified but trusting Brock.  We waited for a break and then ran!  Haha that was an adrenaline rush!  If I haven't explained it before, the Nicaragua streets are CRAZY!  There are almost no traffic laws and people (even buses) are constantly weaving in and out around each other.  It's intense.  There were a few times on our trip that I was legitimately afraid for our lives!  Haha, but we survived :)

And there we were, back at the airport!  We went through security and had about an hour and a half to spare before boarding our flight.  The only food place on the gate side of the airport was Subway!  So that's what we got.  And the lady working there spoke English!  Okay so here is embarrassing story number two of the day.  I ordered, and then Brock ordered in Spanish.  As he was about to pay, I was like, "Oh wait!  Ask her if I can have a water!"  She looked at me all weird, and handed me a water bottle.  Duh!  I had already forgotten she spoke English!  I was so used to having Brock translate everything for me that it was just second nature to do it again!  I apologized, trying to explain that to her...  really hoping she didn't take offense!  Hahaha it was embarrassing :)

Anyway, then we ate our Subway (not quite as good as in the US but not bad!) and explored the airport a little bit.  They had all this crazy expensive stuff there!  It was so weird after seeing everything on the streets so cheap haha I guess they can always charge more at the airport!  Anyway, finally it was time to board.  I took my dramamine, took one last look at the beautiful Nicaragua, and then got on the plane.  As we took off Brock was pointing out to me all the lakes and volcanoes.  It was so cool to look at them and see how much we traveled all over that country!  Brock said that in 9 days we saw more of Nicaragua than most Nicaraguans ever see.  We really did go everywhere!  It was a lot of walking and driving, but so worth every bit of it!

And then, before we knew it, we were home.  Back in the freezing winter of Utah.  It was a very bitter sweet moment as we walked into our little apartment.  Finally home, and not really able to decide if I wanted to be or not.  I could have stayed in Nicaragua forever- the friendly laid back atmosphere, the warm sunshine, the delicious food, the humidity, the beautiful plants...  It was the perfect adventure and so worth every second of it!  It really did give me some new perspectives on life and I will never forget what I learned there.  Nicaragua was a huge piece of Brock's life and I am so happy that I finally got to share it with him.  Maybe one day we'll be able to go back again, and maybe not.  But if not, we will treasure the memories of those 9 days forever.

Nicaragua!!! Day 8

Our last full day in the beautiful Nicaragua.  We woke up around 8:30 and packed everything up.  We had just run out of Bug Spray.  My shoes (brand new air walks bought specifically for the trip) were in terrible condition and definitely needed to be thrown away.  We were both a little solemn in packing up because we knew it meant we ending our amazing trip that we've been looking forward to since the day he left on his mission.  So we checked out of the hotel, walked over to the bus terminal and got on the first bus back to Managua.

A little over two hours later, we pulled into Managua and got a taxi back to the Best Western Hotel.  We checked in and it all kind of felt like a dream!  It was the same guy that was there when we very first arrived in Nicaragua.  It was like so much had happened in that short amount of time, but then there we were back at the beginning!  I was definitely better able to communicate than I was when I first got there though!

So we got settled in our room, then went out to explore the hotel grounds.  Brock pointed out to me all the different plants and trees that made the country so green and lovely.  Then we found the coconut trees!  There were a bunch of them out by the swimming pool!  I have never seen a real coconut fresh off a tree.  It was so cool!  So Brock went over to the maintenance man and asked him if he could cut one down for us because I'd never had coconut juice before!  The man smiled, got out his big long metal stick, and walked over to the coconut trees.  He got one down, and then said that wasn't big enough for me so he found an even bigger one and cut it down for us!  Then he whipped out his machete and sliced it open for me!  It was so cool!  He handed it to me and Brock told me to drink it.

I was nervous at first, not even really knowing how to drink out of the small hole in the middle of this giant coconut!  So I put my mouth over it and drank.  I was totally surprised by the taste and apparently I made a face about it too because they both laughed at me!  It was really good though!  If you've never had real coconut juice, it's very interesting.  It had a little bit of sweetness, but it was quite tart too.  Obviously it didn't have any artificial sweeteners or anything in it, so it was just plain fruit juice!  It was good though!  And I couldn't believe how much was in there!  Brock and I shared it and I wanted to keep the coconut forever!  Haha but of course I couldn't bring it home, so I threw it away, thankful for that memorable moment!

Haha so then we went and got our swimsuits on and headed out to the pool!  We were the only ones in there the whole time we were swimming!  It was so fun!  That's right folks- January 4th, swimming outside and basking in the hot sun next to coconut trees!  That's not something I've ever done before!  It was a blast!  And then we laid out for a while- my hopeless attempt to get a tan- relaxed, and then went back and changed.  We wanted to go grocery shopping so that we could bring Galletas Chiky home to our family and friends!  Those cookies are AMAZING!  They're kind of like graham crackers with chocolate on the bottom, but thicker.  Probably my favorite thing ever.

So the hotel taxi man agreed to take us to the store, wait for us, and then take us back to the hotel.  It was so nice of him!  So we went and bought fruit drinks, frutini candies, bon bon lollipops, some coconut cookies, and lots and lots of galletas chiky!  We went back to the hotel fully stocked with all things tasty from Nicaragua :)

Then we ate dinner at the hotel (they have a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner).  It was really good!  They were a very Americanized hotel (obviously- haha they're the Best Western!) and they cooked like it!  We got an Italian style meal, but got Nicaraguan fried plantanes (kind of like potato chips) to eat with it.  It cost about the same as an American restaurant would, too, but it was really tasty!  So then we went back to the room and relaxed, watching TV.  They had channels in English!  It was a miracle!  Haha so we watched "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader" it was really funny!

Then we decided to take one last walk around the hotel grounds to soak up as much Nicaragua warmth as we could before we had to go back to reality and winter.  We walked around exploring for a while, then sat outside gazing at the beautiful Nicaragua stars, chatting about how amazing our trip was.  It was very relaxing and peaceful.

Nicaragua!!! Day 7

So we got up the next morning (Monday) around 7:30, feelin good besides our itchy bug bites.  We went downstairs and had a delicious breakfast with eggs, rice and beans, toast, and fresh fruit.  I was so excited to try papaya for the first time!....  and it was gross.  Nope.  Don't recommend it.  But they did have bananas and pineapple which were both very delicious :)

Anyway, then we went out into the city to do some shopping!  It was so fun to see all the different stores.  Matagalpa is one of the more ritzy places in Nicaragua and you could tell by what the people wore and how the stores were.  However, Brock knew about a particular tie shop that he wanted to visit.  So we walked over there and he was right- they had AMAZING deals on ties!  Good quality ties.  We bought 15 ties for 30 bucks! Woot!!!  Fabulous.  Then we went to a souvenir shop and I got some T-shirts and a cool Nicaragua thing to hang on our wall at home.  It was way fun!  Then we headed back to finish packing and check out of the hotel.

So we did just that, and called a taxi to meet us at the hotel so we wouldn't have to drag our luggage all the way down the hill.  He came and then we went to the bus terminal to prepare for our longest travel day of all!  We caught an Express bus to take us from Matagalpa to Managua- a 2 1/2 hour drive.  However, there were not enough seats for everyone on the bus...  So they got out buckets!  And we all sat on buckets in the aisle for the whole trip!  It was so funny!  I got to sit by a cute couple who had just bought a new puppy- and man was that puppy adorable!  They had it in a little box and he was just as happy as can be.  I melted, and now I want a puppy :)

Haha so anyway, we had to get off a little bit early because our connecting route went by about half an hour outside of Managua so it would save us quite a bit of time by not having to go all the way to Managua and back track.  So we got off, but the guys had tied our bags really tight to the top of the bus and it took them FOREVER to get them down!  It was funny, the bus driver kept almost driving away because he thought they were done but they weren't.  So when we finally got our bags we had to run across the busy street (that was so scary) and wait on the other side for the connecting bus to take us out to Juigalpa (which would be another 2 hour drive).  So we waited for probably ten minutes in the hot sun, having no idea when the bus was going to come!  I just kept reminding myself that it was still saving us time even though we were waiting :)  And then it came and stopped for us and once again was the hurried yelling directions at us of what to do and I was just frazzled as can be!  But we got on okay and man was that bus crowded!  Apparently that's the worst time of day to travel because it's by far the busiest.  Haha, I believe it.  We were standing and totally packed up next to each other like Sardines!

And off we went, on the long hot and squishy bus ride.  Brock laughed in my ear and said that I am now getting the REAL Nicaragua experience!  Haha it was fun :)  There was a little girl standing in front of me and just staring...  It was so cute.  By this point in our trip I was used to everyone staring at me because I'm white with blonde hair and blue eyes.  Not very many people have seen someone like me, especially in some of these smaller poorer cities.  It was funny because the adults would know to look away when I caught them staring, but the little kids didn't.  They just kept looking at me in awe hahaha it was so cute!  So I said "Hola!" and she smiled shyly and said "hola" back.  It was adorable :)

So the bus ride kept going and I was doing fine, until we stopped and a bunch of sales people got on.  Then it was just annoying.  They literally were pushing through the bus when it was already impossible to take a single step!  Selling bread and drinks and random things.  I was getting pushed on to this woman with a sleeping child in her arms and I had zero control over it!  It was so annoying!  And it happened like three times!  I was like, seriously people!  I don't mind when they do it on a not crowded bus, but when we already can't move and they just push through us, it was irksome.  Haha but apparently that's also part of the culture so no one else really seemed to mind at all!  It was so interesting!

Anyway, towards the end, we finally got a seat as more people got off, so I was finally able to relax a bit.  Man, that was a long trip :)  But I'm totally glad it happened because, like Brock said, I got the full Nicaraguan experience!  And after a long, stressful, and sweaty trip we made it to Juigalpa!  We got off at the stop and took a taxi to the Hotel La Quinta.

Now that was more like a Nicaragua style hotel!  The other ones we stayed in were more Americanized, clean and well-kept.  This one, well, was less that way.  The bed was hard.  The floor was not clean (I think I even found some old gum smashed into it), and the shower was something I decided to avoid for that night :)  But it did still have a flushing toilet, clean sheets, and running water!  That's all ya need right?  Haha and it had a TV too!  It was old and fuzzy and the channel buttons only went one direction, but it worked :)  Once again- full Nicaragua experience!  Most people in that country have even less than that so I didn't even think to complain at all.  Plus- it was only $15.00 for the night!  Woohoo!

Anyway, so we brought our stuff in and then wanted to head out to Santo Tomas (even more driving).  Santo Tomas was Brock's very first area.  He never actually served in Juigalpa, but we just stayed there because there's not hotels in Santo Tomas.  So we convinced a taxi guy to drive us out there because the next bus was going to be way too late.

One thing I loved about that area of the country is how country-like it was!  There were cowboys on horses herding cows and sheep all over the place.  It was definitely a small town feel with super friendly people.  I told Brock it was like the Logan, UT of Nicaragua.  Still had city things, but definitely a country feel (and smell).  I liked it!

So when we got to Santo Tomas we had our Taxi driver take us to the LDS Church.  When he dropped us off, Brock was way confused.  Apparently they had made a new church building since he was last here!  Haha so we walked around searching for a while til he figured out where we were and then we headed over to the home of la familia Orozco Plata!  This family was Brock's 3rd baptism ever!  They were all still super active in the church and so happy to see him!

We sat there visiting with them for a while and then they made us a delicious meal called Nacatamales!  It was AMAZING!  I guess that's what their family does for a business...  sell home made nacatamales.  It's like, a burrito type thing with pork, cheese, and delicious sauces!  I can't even describe it.  But it was delicious.  And they were all worried I wasn't gonna like it!  But holy cow I downed that thing!  And they were all so happy- it was cute :)

And then it started to rain!  I don't know if I've described Nicaraguan houses yet.  They are all connected like in one big building and each individual home has a front and back door and it's just kind of a long hallway.  All the roofs are made of tin and they don't completely enclose the home.  They cover it all and the way they're slanted keeps the rain outside but there's openings above the walls.  It's really interesting!  So when the rain started to come it was really loud on those tin roofs!  We were there like a month after the rainy season ended so this was not a bad storm at all.  Compared to Utah it was a pretty good sized rain storm but compared to Nicaragua I guess it was just some light sprinkles haha.  It was really cool to see though!  And it didn't last very long.  So when it was over we thanked that wonderful family and set out to go see Edwin!

Edwin was Brock's very first baptism.  It happened on November 26th, 2006 (the one year anniversary of our first kiss!  I know, I know, so cheesy ;) ), a week after he had gotten to Nicaragua.  We knocked on their door and the family welcomed us in.  We sat and visited for a while, and the mom sent her daughter to go buy crackers and soda pop for us!  What?  I was blown away!  But once again, that is their culture!  You come to their house, they welcome you and feed you.  It was so nice of them!  We couldn't stay long with them though because it was starting to get dark and we still had to get back to Juigalpa.

So we said bye and then started hurrying to the bus stop.  Oh no- it was ahead of us!  So we took off running as fast as we could go but we weren't going to make it!  A taxi driver pulled up laughing at us and told us to let him take us to the bus.  Phew!  That saved us!  We caught the bus just in time!  And then it was dark, and we rode back to Juigalpa to go to sleep.  It had been a long day of lots of traveling but it was so worth it to see those cities and meet those people!