Don't hate us because we're beautiful...

About a year ago our fabulous friend Jessica graduated with a photography degree and decided to get her website up and running.  She asked us to be her models for her engagement/couples section.  She told us that she wanted to do shots that brought out our personalities and showed things we liked to do together, which in our case was being outside, eating ice cream, laughing, etc.  She also had a great idea to incorporate memories of when we were dating.  A memory that I had of Aaron was the first time I saw him at church he had a yellow tie on, and since I didn't know his name my sister and I called him "yellow tie guy."  So hence the yellow tie he is wearing in the pictures.

Even though we had been married a year, we still had to get the famous "ring shot."

What movie comes to mind with this picture? Forrest Gump maybe?

This is just a silly picture of Aaron but I thought it was cute. ha ha

This was at the end of the photoshoot when Aaron was obviously DONE.  We couldn't get him to be serious anymore.  She did a great job of capturing his personality for those that know him! :)

If anyone needs a photographer let me know.  I think Jess does a great job and has different ideas which are nice.  When Aaron gets his Marine uniforms I'm going to have her take some pictures of both of us that I'm sure will be awesome!

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving

Our friend Jessica threw a surprise 30th birthday party for her husband Braden on Saturday night.  The theme was "13 going on 30" and we were supposed to dress like teenagers from the 80s.  As you can see, Aaron found a classy plaid button-up shirt with a hood, and some snug fitting Lee shorts.  He completed the ensemble with boots and white tube socks.

Luckily in my "evening wear" section of the closet I had a pair of 5 button- fly, tapered, maroon denim jeans and my stunning "cat and butterfly" t-shirt.  

It wasn't until I did my hair that I took a trip down memory lane.  I dusted the cobwebs off my curling iron and scrunchies and let the magic happen.  

We went to the party and ended up being the only ones looking totally ridiculous.  I was the only female who attempted the "Utah Claw" bangs.  So sad people.  Jess had bought some popular snacks from the 80s and 90s including Capri Sun, Ring pop, Razzles, Pringles, Fun dip, and Cheetos.  As a treat to you all, here are some fun facts and lists from 1985:

Top songs:

Say you, say me--Lionel Richie

I want to know what love is--Foreigner

We are the world--USA for Africa

We built this city--Starship

Can't fight this feeling--REO Speedwagon

Top Movies:

Back to the Future

Rocky IV

Cocoon

Out of Africa

The Color Purple

Most popular Toys:

Teddy Ruxpin Storytelling bear

Cabbage Patch Kids

My Buddy

Pound Puppies

Transformers

Tv Shows:

The Cosby Show

Cheers

Golden Girls

Miami Vice

Who's the Boss?

This was also the year that the average price of a movie ticket was $3.55, the US stamp cost 22 cents, and we all made fun of the lady in the commercial saying "I've fallen and I can't get up!" 

I will return my cat shirt, jeans, and vintage Nikes to the darkest corner of my closet, and if I ever get them out to be worn seriously, please shoot me.

Will Workout for Pie

My sister-in-law Kindy and I signed up for a sprint triathlon on Thanksgiving Day.  And I survived to tell you that we both finished! Wahoo! It was so much fun. Just so you all know, this was not an "Olympic" triathlon.  A sprint means that the distances are shorter.  This particular race was a 2 mile run, 12 mile bike, and a 400 meter swim.  My parents kept telling everyone that I was running a marathon.  ha ha Sorry, not quite there yet. Going from 2 to 26 is quite a jump.  The weather was perfect and everything went great.  We smoked our goal time by about a half hour.  Thanks Kindy for asking me to do this with you. Good job! And now for some extremely unflattering pictures of myself...

We totally earned our Thanksgiving dinner...

Dominating the breast-stroke

I'm laughing because my paparazzi photographer (Aaron) was screaming and cheering at me.

I would like to start doing these events a few times a year so if anyone is interested, let me know and we'll sign up for one!  

I have to post this picture of some of my nieces and nephew.  They are so stinking cute.  Thanksgiving always reminds me of how grateful I am for family.  I hope you all had a great Turkey day and have wonderful holidays to come!

Husband Tag

My friend Dez tagged me and I've actually never been tagged before, so here's a little dirt on Mr. Aaron Wolfley.  I apologize to those who may NOT want to know more :)

1) Where did you meet?  I met Aaron at our singles' ward "Break the Fast" the second weekend I moved to AZ.   We got to talking and found out we lived right across the street from each other.  That night our first "hang out" included making brownies and looking up Helen Keller jokes with my sister and his roommate Rustin.

2)  How long until you got married?  We met in January  and got married a little over a year later.  We had a couple-month breakup in between :)

3) How long have you been married? Just over a year and a half.

4)  What is your favorite feature on him?  I love love love his big blue eyes.  I hope our kids get the Wolfley blue eyes!

5)  What is your favorite quality about him?  Aaron is the most sincere person I know.  For those that know him, he jokes around ALOT but when he gives you a compliment or says how good something is, he really means it.  

6) Does he have a nickname for you? Yes about 500!  Here are a few:  jitterbug, stripes, chelscrack, babe, bumble boo, sweetheart... He comes up with a new one about every week.

7) What is his favorite food?  Pizza. Hands down. Not a day goes by that we don't have an empty  Little Caesars Hot n' Ready box in our apartment.

8)  What is his favorite sport to watch?  Freaking college football and I HATE it!

9)  When was your first kiss?  We had been dating for about 2-3 weeks before we kissed.  We had gone swimming that night and came back to my apartment and while I was mid-conversation he planted one on me!  I thought he was such a gentleman for waiting.  I hated when guys would try to get some right away.  Then I found out that he usually didn't wait long and was known for making out with a new girl every weekend.  I don't know why he waited so long with me.

10) What is your favorite thing to do as a couple?  We love watching movies, playing games, anything hanging out with friends and family!

11)  Do you have kids?  No, not yet.  We're waiting so that the good ol' military will pay for it!

12)  Does he have a hidden talent?  He has a DESIRE to play the guitar but it hasn't happened yet... and he would like to think he's a good singer :)

13)  How old is he?  He just turned 25 on Oct. 27. 

14) Who said I love you first?  I did.  I had been "criticized" in a previous relationship that I didn't say or do loving things often enough.  So I decided I needed to let him know.  Turns out I was the first girl to say "I love you" to him. He said it back but I think he kinda freaked out.   We broke up a few months later and a few nights after getting back together we went to a movie.  Aaron walked me to my car (I met him there) and said goodnight.  As I started my car, he came back and when I rolled down my window he kissed me and said "I love you Chelsea."  It was really cute... that's when I knew we were going to get married.

15) What do you admire most about him?  I admire many things about him... his patience with me, working hard through school, and probably most recently, graduating from Officer Candidate School (bootcamp) this summer.  It's crazy what those guys go through.

16) What is his favorite music?  I think he likes all types of music.

17)  Do you think he will read this?  Aaron likes to change the title picture as a joke to one of his hunting trips like him gutting out his deer, but I don't think he actually reads my posts.

I tag...   my sis'-in-law Anna, Joyce, and Kindy!

* Aaron used to be a school bus driver and this is how sexy he looked driving it :)

Yes, we're alive... Boring, alive, and well.

Ok I know I haven't posted in awhile...a long while.  I've been a little anti-blog for a few months.  I keep telling myself I'll be better at doing it, but let's be real, it's me we're talking about.  Also, Aaron made a hunting trip and lost our camera so there has not been any picture taking recently. Who cares about blogs if there's no pictures?  That's the only reason I check everyone else's! Anyway, to put the last few months in a very small nutshell, things are going good.  Aaron made it home from summer camp of Hell and is now in school, taking 18 credits.  He's crazy I know, but there is now a hint of light at the end of the education tunnel.  If things go according to plan he'll be done this summer.  Too bad we had to sell our souls to ASU to pay for tuition.  As for me, I've just been up to the normal routine: working! Love it. Love my 8 am Saturday mornings.  I've decided that I will not complain, I'm thankful in these crazy times to have a fairly decent paying job.  Some exciting news coming up! My sister-in-law Kindy and I have entered a Thanksgiving sprint triathlon!  We are both first timers and we're just hoping to finish.  I've been training for it and I'm getting stoked for it so we'll see how it goes.  So how's that for an update? Did you fall asleep? Well check back soon because I hope to get a camera and start posting everyday like I used to.....rrrright.

Snail Mail

I got my first letter from Aaron last Friday!  I was so excited!  It's odd to be excited for the mail, it feels like Aaron is on a mission.  I've already been through that and I was hoping to never do that again.  HA! Jokes on me.  Anyway, the letter was good.  I wouldn't say that he's loving it, but he is surviving.  I know he feels like he is complaining, but I'm glad he's writing details because we are all wanting to know what he's going through.  Here are some of the things he wrote:

"...Wednesday finally rolled around and that meant our Physical Fitness Test.  I was pretty nervous but I did 100 sit ups, 19 pull ups, and ran my 3 mile in 22:50 which is slow but who cares, it still beats Ammon (his brother.)  Then Thursday came and that was when we got screamed at all day.  The first hour I didn't run fast enough and Gunny Sargeant yelled at me 'till he was foaming at the mouth.  He kept yelling and spit all over my face.  Guys leave every day, mostly because of medical, and I understand why because in the past 3 days I have had less than 10 hours of sleep!  The point is to break you down, and they do a good job at it.  

It is weird to say this in this setting, but I have grown so close with the Lord since I've been here.  Church is amazing and I have not felt the spirit this strong in sometime.  I figure because everyday we are cussed and yelled at, but at church there is an opportunity for the spirit to dwell."

Reading this made me realize how much I take the gospel for granted.  I'm  so glad Aaron has the gospel to help give him comfort and strength through this experience.   I know its only bootcamp, and he is doing this by his own choice, but it just goes to show that Heavenly Father will give us comfort at anytime, no matter the circumstances, if we just humble ourselves and ask for it.  An elder from a ward that is assigned to the base called Aaron's dad for him on Father's day, and told his mom that when they are all marching (which they do alot) and are so tired that they feel they can't go on, the members start singing "I am a child of God" to give them strength.  The non-members have even learned the words and join in their singing.

I know that there are alot of you that are going through rough times right now, and most of them not by your own choice.  I hope you can feel comfort and know that you can have the strength to get through these trials.  I hope everyone knows how thankful I am for making sure I am invited to dinners, movies, even just phone calls to see if I'm doing ok.   I am doing fine, but it still means the world to me that you all care so much.  I am very thankful for you all in my life, and I hope you receive the many blessing you deserve for your generosity.  

Bye Bye Aaron

Aaron left for OCS (Officer Candidate School- the military is full of annoying acronyms) on Thursday.  He had to stay in a hotel downtown on Wednesday night, which at first I thought was weird, but I think it's to avoid long drawn out goodbyes at the airport.  As you all know, Aaron and I would not have that problem:

Me: Did you remember to pack your air mattress?

Aaron:  Shut up.

Me:  You can't wuss out and come home early and embarrass me ok?

Aaron:  You can't spend all our money this summer.  See you in 10.

Me: Whatev.

I'm totally joking, we were very sweet and nice to each other when he left.  AND to all my fellow "Eternal Companions" players, we HELD HANDS on the way over to the hotel.  I know, it was totally disgusting.  Anyway, life without Aaron these past few days has been..odd.  I miss him very much, but what can you do? Luckily I have wonderful people down here that care a bout me and take care of me.  I'm a pretty independent person and can function without him, but of course I would rather have him here.  I'm sure once the 5 and 6 week mark rolls around I'll be going crazy with boredom.  My mom told me I should get a volleyball like Wilson from "Cast Away" and call it Aaron.  If you see me at the grocery store or walking into church with a bloody volleyball, just don't ask.  His newly shorn head and the roundness of the ball do resemble each other nicely though, right??