Beach 2015!

We spent last week in Carlsbad, CA with my entire extended Collins family!

It was a BLAST. 

Poor JP had to study like 5 hours a day for the bar while we were there but even he said it was more fun studying in CA than studying at home haha. 

The weather was perfect, the beach was amazing, and I think my family is hilarious so I was pretty much laughing non-stop the entire week!

We got to paddle board, boogie board, get Coldstone Ice Cream 5/7 days, play spike ball, go to food markets, etc etc. 

It was a DREAM. And my first time to Carlsbad. I'm obsessed!

^^^ Obviously had to have matching shirts. I'm pretty sure I wore mine every. single. day. 

^^^ Having some serious beach convo's

^^^ Dad, Sister, Brother, Me!

^^^ If you can get past how strangely red my face is, this tower was pretty freaking awesome!

^^^ Girl cousin pyramid!

^^^ All-cousin pyramid!

^^^ That amazing polka dot swimsuit I'm wearing came from this etsy shop! 

Her suits are my FAVORITE!

^^^ ummmm. yeah. this was unfiltered. Need I say more?

My extremely talented cousin Sophie made a short video from the week's adventures and it seriously captures how much fun we had all week perfectly!  You can watch it below (click the HD button!) or also by clicking HERE :)

Collins in CA from Sophie Collins on Vimeo.

So so thankful in 2014:

A few things I'm thankful for this year:

(yes, it's halfway through December but there was no way this post was going to get written in the middle of finals week - which I survived, by the way. 

So Happy very-late Thanksgiving! Hope yours was grand.)

>>> A husband who is unbelievably supportive of me and my dreams and also equally willing and excited to plan adventures around the world or just binge-watch Game of Thrones in our apartment. 

>>> The fact that I'm somehow in medical school and learning to be a doctor! I have a moment at least weekly where I can't believe this is my life - SO GRATEFUL!

>>> My family (and especially my parents!) that not only do I love, but I love being around! I love our hilarious group chats and face-timing at midnight and how I know they've always got my back - they're my people, and I am thankful for it. 

>>> Friends - new and old - that care about my life and make me realize how wonderful people can be (and are so much fun to buy Christmas presents for!)

>>> Our little apartment that is in the perfect location and is the perfect size for me and JP - not to mention the fabulous family that is renting it to us!

And now, a few pictures from our Thanksgiving, including but not limited to matching sweaters, deep fried turkey, and black and white checkered McKenzie Child dinnerware:

Root-root-root for the home team:

On our last night in California we tore ourselves away from the sand and water to go to an Angel's baseball game!

It was "Mormon Night" and seeing as we're Mormon (LDS, etc), and also seeing as they were giving away FREE HAWAIIAN THEMED ANGEL'S JERSEYS (see below) at the game, it was practically fate and we had to go. 

I haven't been to a professional baseball game in quite a few years, so I had forgotten how much fun they are (even when you are literally on the highest row -- in all the pictures you can see that we're up against the wall haha) and also how delicious ballpark food is.

I managed to down an icee, crackerjacks (had to), a pretzel, some nachos, and a chocolate vanilla swirl ice cream cone though out the game...  and also I bought a hat so that makes me an official Angel's fan, right?

Ooh and the Angel's won!

If you're lucky enough to be at the beach, you're lucky enough:

JP and I have just returned from a fabulous week-long (and much needed) vacation at the beach!

Capistrano Beach, to be exact. In San Clemente, California. 

I've vacationed there every summer with my whole extended family since before I can remember and it's where JP proposed to me 3 years ago!

And what a fabulous week it was. As we were packing up to come back home we all agreed that we couldn't remember a week that has gone by so quickly or a vacation that was so hard to leave from. It was just such a wonderful little respite from real life!

We stayed in a beautiful beach house, right on the sand and steps away from the sea. We swam in the ocean, kayacked with dolphins (twice!), boogie-boarded for hours, read books on the sand, played games every night, laughed til we cried, and came away from it all with a renewed determination to own a beach house someday ;)

^^^me, JP, and my little brother!

^^^ There were many intense games of "Spikeball"

^^^ the house had this neon sign that we thought was pretty ironically humorous

^^^ my dad caught a 30lb tuna fish! That then got turned into the most delicious ceviche and seared tuna I have ever eaten, ever.

I am thoroughly convinced that if you're lucky enough to be at the beach, you are lucky enough.

A Wedding in the Mountains: Bailey + John

Yesterday, I got to celebrate my cousin Bailey's wedding!

She was married in the mountains, up Big Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City -- a canyon that, despite having lived in Utah my entire life, I haven't spent hardly any time in. 

Which I now realize is unfortunate, because it is a beautiful canyon! 

The aspens, the mountains, the perfect weather, how happy the bride and groom were, it all worked together so spectacularly. 

And it was such a lovely venue. 

The wedding colors were green as well, which suited the location perfectly, not to mention their favors couldn't have been more on point-- individual Blue Spruce tree starters all ready to plant! (!!!!) 

I am seriously obsessed with them. And I might have made JP take one too so that I can plant two spruces... 

It was a lovely afternoon spent with family surrounded by gorgeous mountains. 

I can't seem to get enough of the mountains around here lately. 

It's like I am finally realizing how incredible they really are!

 ^^^ the favors!