Wedding Website Info (Getting to know The Chatwinners!)

Stephen and I made a wedding website before our wedding last year. It's still live on The Knot, but I don't know how long it'll live online. I wanted to preserve some of that info, juuuust in case it ever disappears, and I figured it would be a fun way for my RWL peeps to get to know The Chatwinners a little better. :)

Our Story

Once upon a time, in the year 1984, two little babies were born. Stephen came first, and Yándary followed 60 days later. 31 years later, it would take an iPhone, a Kindle, and a dating app called Bumble to bring them together.

As Stephen and Yándary got to know each other, they realized they had a lot in common and had actually had similar life experiences! Both of them majored in Political Science at the University of Utah. Both of them joined LDS sororities/fraternities in the fall of 2003. Both of them had spent time living in Yándary's favorite city, Washington, DC. It's a wonder their paths hadn't crossed sooner than the spring of 2016! In addition to their shared life experiences, Yándary and Stephen also share a love of thrift store shopping, cheeseburgers (even though Yándary is now lactose intolerant… sniff), all things Harry Potter, scoring good deals, winning online giveaways, and, of course, each other.

About Us

STEPHEN

Stephen was born and raised in Salt Lake City. He served an LDS mission to Lansing, Michigan and then earned a B.A. in Political Science, a B.S. in International studies, and a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Utah. (He's an over-achiever.) While he was an undergraduate at the U, Stephen was a collegiate squash player and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He currently works doing data management for the Neurosciences Department at Intermountain Hospital in Murray (aka he is really smart and is good with numbers and Excel). In his spare time, he enjoys sunning himself, playing squash (he actually played in a squash tournament the night he proposed to Yándary!), rock climbing, thrifting, and trying to teach Yándary how to sit still. His favorite snacks include Cheetos, Mountain Dew, and frozen pizza. ;)

YÁNDARY

Yándary was born in El Salvador and raised mostly in Riverdale, Utah. She served an LDS mission to Oakland, California, where she got really good at walking backwards (she served at the Visitors' Center ;) ). She also earned a B.S. in Political Science at the University of Utah (she and Stephen overlapped a bit in their college years but never crossed paths!), and she went to graduate school in DC at The George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management. She lived in DC for five years before moving back to Utah two years ago to work for the Utah Democratic Party. She now works doing Communications and Community Relations for the Salt Lake City School District. In her spare time, she enjoys thrifting, baking chocolate-chip cookies, running, eating delicious things,and going on walks with Stephen. :)

Fun Facts

We filled out a questionnaire for a bridal shower game and thought we'd share our answers to help you get to know us a little better!

Yándary's Answers

1. What was your first job?

A: Baby-sitting (age 12) and Chick-fil-A (high school)

2. How many siblings do you have?

A: I'm the oldest of five kids. I have one sister and three brothers.

3. What's your favorite holiday?

A: My birthday!

4. How many languages do you speak? What are they?

A: 2.25: English, Spanish, and a little German (German was one of my college minors – the other one was Campaign Management – but I haven't used it since my study abroad in 2004!)

5. What musical instrument(s) do you play?

A: Violin

6. What is Stephen's best character trait?

A: He is so patient! Whether I'm running late (yet again), can't decide what I want for dinner, or am having an off day, he is so patient and loving and kind. (Also, he smells good!)

7. What is your favorite food and/or meal?

A: Pupusas!

8. What are your top three movies of all time, preferably in order?

A: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Legally Blonde

9. What is your "guilty pleasure" TV show to watch?

A: Right now? The O.C. with Stephen.

10. What is the best book you read in the last 1-2 years?

A: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.

11. How long do spend getting ready in the morning?

A: At least an hour; maybe more!

12. If you had unlimited funds and could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A: Everywhere! But Thailand and Europe first.

13. What is your favorite midnight snack, if/when you get the munchies?

A: Frozen balls of chocolate-chip cookie dough, which are always in stock in my freezer. :)

Stephen's Answers

1. What was your first job?

A: Paper boy

2. How many siblings do you have?

A: Five (one sister, four brothers). I'm the youngest of six kids.

3. What's your favorite holiday?

A: Memorial Day, because I get a day off and don't have to do anything.

4. How many languages do you speak? What are they?

A: 1: LOVE (English)

5. What musical instrument(s) do you play?

A: None

6. What is Yándary best character trait?

A: Her niceness.

7. What is your favorite food and/or meal?

A: Pupusas

8. What are your top 3 movies of all time, preferably in order?

A: Willow, Thoroughly Modern Millie, What's Up, Doc?

9. What is your "guilty pleasure" TV show to watch?

A: The O.C.

10. What is the best book you read in the last 1-2 years?

A: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

11. How long do spend getting ready in the morning?

A: 10 minutes

12. If you had unlimited funds and could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A: Thailand

13. What is your favorite midnight snack, if/when you get the munchies?

A: Cheetos

Swimming Lessons

Holy moly, I started swimming lessons this weekend! I am insanely scared of water (I learned what a panic attack was after having one before swimming at Zion National Park 5.5 years ago...), but two things: 1- Stephen and I are going to Hawai'i later this year, and it seems like it'd be a lot more enjoyable if I knew how to swim, 2- it is time: it is finally time to face my fears and learn to swim!

Stephen came with me, and -- bless him! -- stayed with me through the whole class. I'm really grateful he did! Having him there helped me feel a lot more confident. The instructor was late, which was a blessing, because I was SO nervous on the car ride to the lesson, and it was nice to have a few minutes to just get used to being in the water. Stephen gave me a headstart on my lesson (he's been swimming his whole life and did swim team back in the day), and by the time the actual lesson started, I felt ready and not panicked, which was a huge step for me.

By the end of the lesson, I was able to swim the length of a lap, I practiced kicking, I learned that water will get in my ears but will eventually come out, and I started practicing how to breathe out through my nose underwater. Stephen and I stayed at the pool after class and practiced some more. He helped me learn how to swim on my back, he taught me freestyle stroke, and he helped me kick better when I was going sideways or backwards (yes, somehow I managed to move backwards while swimming).

I'm nervous but excited for the next few weeks, but I can't overstate how grateful I am for my sweet husband and for his undying support. I might've made it through the lesson without him there, but it was so much easier knowing he had my back. Wish me luck and lots of learning in the next few weeks!

Oh! Not only is my husband a great swimming support; he took me to brunch at Cracker Barrel for doing so well at my lesson! I've heard Cracker Barrel is tasty but have never gone. I wholeheartedly recommend the wild blueberry pancakes. A+

Concussion

My bedroom walls were my view for a whole week while I recovered from a concussion. At least my walls have pretty things?

A few weeks ago, I was in a car accident. No blood, nothing broken, but I did have to relinquish my car for two weeks to get it fixed, and I had what turned out to be a concussion.

To be honest, post-car accident, my back was sore, and I was shaky, mostly from shock. When my car was hit, my head hit the driver's side window (it was just me in the car). My cell phone had been resting in a holster on the dash, and it went flying when I got hit. I'm ashamed to admit that my first thought after the impact was, "Nooooo! Not my phone!" Never mind my head or my CAR... (I am pleased to announce my phone survived!)

After we took care of the police report, paperwork, etc. (the other driver was incredibly kind!), I felt too shaken up to go home, so I took refuge at Steven, Miles, and Coby's house. Miles was the only one home, and he let me wash my face (I'd cried off most of my makeup anyway) and fed me ice cream to help me feel better while I dealt with my insurance on the phone. :( I briefly considered popping in to Instacare, but I figured I was probably fine. I mean, my back hurt, and I had a headache but NBD, right? (wrong.)

After getting advice from my mom and a few others, I decided I should probably pop over to the Instacare the next morning, juuust in case. Instacare is just a few blocks from my house, so it didn't matter that my car was out of commission.

I was still hesitant the next morning, in spite of having woken up with a headache + back and neck pain. Honestly, I figured I just hadn't gotten enough sleep and the sleep I had gotten had occurred in a weird sleeping position. And it's normal to have a headache after crying, right? I was fine! I decided to play it by ear, and I worked from home that morning. Unfortunately... I had left my laptop charger at the office and didn't have a way to get it since my car was out of commission. My boss and co-workers had a walk-through scheduled at the Salt Palace that morning in preparation for our State Convention, and they were kind enough to drop off my laptop charger and a few other necessities from my office on their way to the walk-through. When they got here, my boss asked me to look her in the eyes. I was surprised to find out my eyes were dilated (a sign of concussion). She insisted I go to Instacare ASAP, as did my mother, so I went.

And it's a good thing I did! I was referred to the emergency room for a CT scan. I was, indeed, concussed, and they wanted to make sure it wasn't anything worse. My dear friend Camille had the day off and was kind enough to drive me to the IHC hospital in Murray. But first, we made a pitstop at Even Stevens for lunch! #priorities

The scan turned out fine, and I was sent home with prescriptions for pain and nausea and told to rest my brain. By which they meant... DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. No TV, no movies, no Netflix, no computer, no Internet, no social media, no reading, no books. They even told me to limit my socializing!

I had zero experience and very little knowledge about concussions before this experience, but here is the first important lesson I learned:

If you experience any sort of sharp blow to the head, go to the doctor! I didn't realize I had a concussion, but I did. They say the symptoms are worse on Day 2, and oh man, were they right! The headache did NOT go away, and my nausea got worse. It was so bad, even texting or looking at my cell phone made me feel nauseated, so even texting was a dilemma. Camille helped me get my prescriptions, then she took me home, and I slept the rest of the evening.

The next day was THE WORST. The nausea was at its most intense, my headache hadn't gone away, even with Lortab, and I kept making cognitive errors. Things that, if they'd happened once, might have been funny. But when there were so many of them, it just became frustrating. I got so, so bored of just lying in my bed at one point, I decided to check my work email. (Bad.) We had a big court case on Monday, and I had planned to attend. But since I was going to be in bed for several days, per the doctor, I couldn't make it, and no one else could either! I sort of freaked out a bit, because I'd gotten an email giving me a heads up that a certain reporter would be present. Who would talk to the reporter if none of us was there?? At this point, the nausea and headache got really bad, so I figured I'd deal with the issue later.

I went back to bed and tried to listen to the Saturday morning session of conference. That seemed to make my headache worse, so I decided to just... sleep. When I woke up, I was still concerned about the reporter. I was also already bored of being in bed, and I needed to figure out some things with my car. So I texted my brother for help. I told him I was bored. I asked him if he would come over to my house. And I asked him to help me with my car. Only... I didn't text my brother. I had texted the reporter who would be at the trial on Monday! 😱  I think the signals just got crossed in my brain somehow. I also put away a kitchen appliance in the fridge at one point, I sent Uber to the wrong address to pick up my brother despite three phone calls to make sure he had it right, etc etc etc. I felt so frustrated! I was tired, and exerting brain power only made me feel worse. So I went back to bed again and slept. :(

That night, my dad and my brother Spencer came by to pick up Jason for the Priesthood Session of conference. They brought me these pretty flowers:

and my dad brought me pupusas and gave me a priesthood blessing. I was grateful and can honestly say I started to get better from the moment I got that blessing.

Spending the next week in bed was SO. freaking. hard! I don't do well being still, and I struggle to have quiet time in my life. I always feel like I should be doing something, but I learned some very important things:

1. Because there was basically nothing else I could do, I had a lot of time to think and to reflect on my life. I came to the conclusion that I NEED to make space for quiet time, and I was grateful for this forced pause in my life that helped me remember that. (I had actually reinstated my 2014-15 DC goal of weekly temple attendance, and this experience only served to reconfirm how much I need that! I know it's kind of a crazy goal to set during an election year, but I'm committed to making it happen.
2. The world did not fall apart because I wasn't at work. I get stressed about work so easily. When you work in politics, time is the most precious resource, and being bed-ridden felt like the worst thing that could happen to me. (At least it wasn't in the fall, right?) And sure, I got behind on some projects, and our social media was mostly dead that week, but the world survived, and so did I. I need to remember this moving forward, especially as I work on creating boundaries between my work life and my personal life.
3. Disconnecting from technology is wonderful, and I should do it more often! I was forced to limit my screen time, and while it was INSANELY hard (it's really embarrassing to admit that... I actually still checked Snapchat every day while I was concussed. 🙈), it was lovely to actually have time with my thoughts. I've realized technology is my BIGGEST distraction, whether it's the temptation to look at non-work social media or blogs at work, or wasting time looking at Snapchat stories or watching something on Hulu or Netflix at night. Think of how much more productive I would be and how much sooner I could reach my goals if I didn't waste so much time on technology!

I spent a loooot of time staring out my bedroom window. At least the view was pretty. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

So even though being concussed was very much a less than ideal scenario, I'm grateful A- that the accident wasn't worse for either the other driver or me, and B- that I was forced to have the quiet time I needed to learn some basic ways to make my life better.

Status Update: Life in Utah

I got to see my VL friends this weekend out in the Bay Area, and it led to a lot of "How is life in Utah??" updates. Instead of repeating this conversation over and over, I've decided to compile here for you how Utah is going:

How I feel most of the time about having my own apartment:

How I feel the rest of the time about having my own apartment (miss you, DC roomies!):

What my new job is like:

Living close to family again (LOL):

Life in my YSA ward:

On arriving in Utah and realizing that elevation is a THING but still trying to be outdoorsy (bc I really do enjoy it!) and then remembering I'm severely out of shape:

But it's SO pretty here, so:

The excitement at having some of my DC girlfriends here to help each other through the transition (!!!):

How I felt about dating when I first got here:

Then:

A little later:

When I realized I'm LITERALLY walking thousands of steps fewer each day, because I now drive to work and basically never move:

But possibly the best way to describe my transition is this:

Some good, some less than good but really, mostly good. :) I'm glad to be back!

Reading Now: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

OK, this is not an Austin, Part 2 post (but don't worry; I haven't forgotten!). It is a post about the book I'm reading right now.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

I've heard a lot about this book, and since I'm in the process of organizing my apartment right now, I figured it was a perfect time to read it. I'm about half-way done, and I've already started KonMari-ing my stuff! (The KonMari method is the name of the method/lifestyle Marie Kondo teaches in this book.) The basic premise is to only keep things that "spark joy," and it's been kind of fun to look at my belongings and find an emotional connection with them. For the items you decide not to keep, you're supposed to thank each of them for serving you well, and then you're free to send them on their way, either to be donated or chucked. I know it sounds super dorky, but I like it! And "thanking" each item kind of makes it easier to part ways. It's also nice that the only rule for deciding what to keep is that it "sparks joy." I've always wanted a closet where I absolutely LOVE and feel confident wearing every single piece, and I'm sure having my entire home feel this way would be amazing! Plus, as an INFJ, I can appreciate making decisions emotionally, so maybe that's why this is working well for me. :)

Though, OK, sometimes the practical side of me struggles. For example, on Monday, I KonMari'd my way through my dresses/work tops, and there was one particular dress... I left it in my closet, because it's cute, it's in good condition, it has pockets, it fits me well... But it didn't spark joy. Even still, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it, because I actually need (OK, want) more work dresses. I went through a pencil skirts + blouses phase a few years ago, but right now, I'm really into dresses. You put on ONE thing, and you're done! No need to mix and match and coordinate tops and bottoms. One and done! Genius! 

Back to the dress... I left it in my closet, but it's been nagging me all week. I think at some point during the work day yesterday, I thought to myself, "That green dress doesn't spark joy." So when I got home last night, I put it in my donation pile.

I only wish I'd read this book sooner, because I've already filled up TWO big Ikea tote bags (clothing swap, anyone?), and I'm not even done organizing my clothes yet! (I thought I had PURGED my belongings before I left DC, but if I had Kon-Mari'd then, maybe I would've had more room in the UHaul for some of the furniture I left behind... :( sniff...) Who knows how much I'll get rid of by the time I finish the rest of my house! 

Wish me luck with the rest of the book/KonMari-ing! Here's hoping I don't end up with only three things to wear all summer! 😳

#ATXyall (Part 1) + I found an apartment!

Helllllo, blogging world! I'm popping in tonight from the comfort of my very own.... apartment!! That's right; my OWN apartment! It's my first time having an apartment all to myself (the tiny private room + bathroom I had as an RA in college doesn't count!), and I couldn't be more excited about it. (Though it was kind of sad this morning when I was getting ready for church and had no one to consult about which heels I should wear? But overall, it's been great!)

There's not much to see yet, but... in time! :)



I also wanted to take a moment to preserve for time and all posterity the photos from my recent trip to Austin! My friend Jordan was planning a trip home (she's a bona fide Austinite!) and invited a few of us to join her. The group consisted of Jordan, Maddy, Addison (another Austinite), and moi; I couldn't have asked for better travel companions!



I booked this trip after I'd accepted my new job in Utah, but before I actually left DC, because A- I've been wanting to go to Austin for foreverrrr, B- I was afraid I'd be experiencing DC withdrawals a month into my new life in Utah, and I wanted to make sure I had something to look forward to in case things weren't going so smoothly. Plus, honestly, I was worried I'd feel claustrophobic and landlocked. One of the BEST things about the East Coast is it's SO incredibly easy (and relatively cheap) to travel, whereas in Utah, you can drive for FIVE HOURS and still be in the same state. I'm going to sound super yuppie and spoiled, but I became accustomed to traveling at least once a month, either for work or for pleasure, and I definitely already miss it! Though, actually, between Arizona (a post for another day) and Texas, I've managed to maintain my one trip a month quota thus far! :)

OK, so the most important thing to know about this trip is we essentially ATE our way through the city of Austin, with a few activities squeezed in between meals. (Gotta work up an appetite somehow, right??)

We started our trip off right ... by eating at every breakfast taco place within a few miles of Jordan's house. Let the record show that the BEST of the tacos was The Democrat from Shaky's.



Next, we explored a bit of our Mormon heritage at scenic Mt. Bonnell. ;)

Aside from the amazing view of Austin and the water, Addison's hair in that last photo was a highlight. ;)

Then, we were off to Barton Springs!

But first, a quick pitstop with some Texas wildflowers! Little did I know at this point that this would be my only wildflower photo of the trip. *sniff*



OK, back to the story. Barton Springs is a set of, well, natural springs (ha) that has sort of been partially turned into a pool. The coolest part about this place was how perfectly clear the water was. As you all may know, I'm VERY much afraid of water, but it was just so pretty, even I ventured in! (Not to swim – let's not get crazy here – but just to say I at least went in the water.) Maddy lent moral support while Jordan and Addison were catching some rays (and some zzz's). :)




After a healthy lunch of Amy's Ice Cream, we went home to clean up and change in preparation for the most luxurious dining experience at Paul Qui's new restaurant, Qui! It was voted GQ's Most Outstanding Restaurant of 2014. Jordan's generous parents joined us – and then treated ALL of us to – this amaaaaayzing dining experience! Maddy and I ordered the vegetable option (I'm so glad I did, because several of the courses were seafood, and I don't particularly care for seafood. Mostly because of the smell... Have I mentioned here yet that I'm a very smell-oriented person? I once went out with someone whose cologne I didn't like; things did not work out.), and the others ordered the regular menu. We all just ended up sharing, but ALL of my courses were amazing! If you're ever in Austin and feel like spending $55-70 on dinner, try Qui!




After dinner, we killed some time at THE original Whole Foods, and thennnnnn we went to...




GOURDOUGH'S PUBLIC HOUSE!!

Of ALL the incredible places we ate during this trip, this one was my FAVORITE. I'm super picky with sweets, but the donuts here were to DIE for! I will DEFINITELY be returning to Austin, if only to eat the Glory Daze donut (+ vanilla ice cream) one more time.



And guys! This was JUST the first day!! I now realize I took WAY too many photos to share this entire trip in one post, soooo.... Stay tuned for Day 2 with these crazy kids probably later this week! :)




And