The Day After Christmas

I don't think it's a secret here that I absolutely LOVE Disneyland. I'm just happy that I grew up only 30 minutes away so I could visit the happiest place on earth whenever! We had the grand idea of hitting up Disneyland the day after Christmas, thinking that instead of being at the park people would be sleeping in and hanging with their families. When driving in to the parking lot we noticed "huh, there aren't many cars...so it probably isn't busy." Then we walked to the trams and also noticed the lack of people waiting, SCORE. We are so smart. 

Then we walked into Adventureland and the place was completely PACKED. There were Disneyland workers herding people along on the walking paths with their orange light up sticks. Our first ride was Pirates of the Caribbean, which usually only takes about 15 minutes in line...our line had 5 switchbacks and we waited for an hour. It was crazy!!

After Pirates we hit up Haunted Mansion, Teacups, Storybook, then ended our night with Star Tours. When we hit the Teacups ride we barely fit into the dang cup, our knees were all stuffed together around the spinning wheel. The boys had our cup spinning at a ridiculous speed, getting off the ride I was soooo dizzy! Afterwards, when walking over to the Storybook ride we were shoulder to shoulder in a crowd that was moving at a snails pace. In all my years of going to Disneyland, I had NEVER seen it this crowded! Plus it didn't help that I was still getting over my dizziness from Teacups, I felt like I was on crack and drowning in a crowd of foreigners who didn't know English and didn't know how to read the Disney map. NOoooOOooooooo!

After an hour long wait for Star Tours, some churros, and becoming sufficiently nauseous while being rebel spys...we ended the night with snagging some pictures in front of the Christmas tree on Main Street. Even though it was an insanely busy day, we had a total blast racing from ride to ride and snacking on Disneyland classic treats as a family :)

Rios Family Pictures

The day after Thanksgiving we all did some Black Friday shopping and took our first ever set of Rios family pictures! We went to Portrait Innovations, and our photographer was a weird duck for sure. He thought Ryan was the father of the family....say what? Maybe it's the mustache?? Then when we clarified and explained all the relations to which he replied {to cover his bum} "oh, we get a lot of 'different' kind of families in here." I guess that would make sense seeing as how we're in Portland! 

Left to Right

Back: Stuart, Ethan, Ryan, Taylor 

Front: Jenny, Suzy, Me, Nikole

The photographer then proceeded to keep on saying "after this we will take the funny awkward family pictures." Ummm, isn't that what we've been doing this whole time?! The picture above is case & point, Ryan was told to "hold my hand"...

{Remixed: Chambray Top // Pants}

It was super fun to mess around and take pictures together, and I'm super stoked to finally have some Rios pictures to add to my gallery wall!

Weekend Update: SD+Father's Day

As I said in my last post, we made our way down to SD for Ryan's cousin's graduation, and ohhhh boy did I go off of my calorie count. Poor My Fitness Pal didn't see me all weekend. Between the fajitas at Chilis, Korean BBQ {which is the club looking place in the picture above, it was nuts!}, eggs benedict in a cute little restaurant on the beach, chocolate gelato, and Sprinkles cupcakes...I would have been wayyy too afraid to input my calories. Thus, they didn't count :) After we pretty much partied all weekend with his fam, Ryan and I made our way up from SD to Long Beach to meet up with my family at Brazilian Steakhouse Amazon for Father's Day {dad's pick of course}. I brought him a Sprinkles Red Velvet cupcake in a cute 'lil box and I heard that he later scarfed it down and didn't share a bite with anyone. Way to be dad ;)

The Start of Summer

These are some pictures from our first weekend here; pedicures with my mom, salmon Sunday dinner with the fam, and decorating our new 'lil place with some clearance stuff from Target. Woot woot!

Ryan is co-managing a pest control team here in So-Cal which means long hours {8:30am-8pm} all day everyday {except for Sunday}, but it also means that all his hard work will pay off majorly at the end of the summer. 

I'm especially excited for this summer because our last summer of doing sales in Portland, OR was absolutely the most miserable thing ever {I'll have to save that story for another post}. Lots of gloomy days, hard to sell doors, illnesses, and family drama served for a less than savory summer! This summer is already shaping up to be a wayyy better time and I couldn't be more stoked. Even more so cause it's been almost 3 years since I've spent a summer in California. I already got some pool time planned for tomorrow, I'm going to my brother's basketball team car wash this Saturday, and I start my internship next week {which I'll also have to explain in another post!}...aka life is good :) 

By the way, is anyone else participating in Harley & Jane's "Outfit of the Day Everyday In May" Insta-challenge? Check it out here for more information, it's super fun!

California Love

{Initial necklace, a gift from Ryan}

Finals are done, and it's that weekend. You know, the one where we finally move to California for the summer for Ryan's job and my internship. I'm twitterpated with such overwhelming excitement! I don't even know why I'm sitting here on the couch watching Hart of Dixie {only because I LOVE Rachel Bilson} and reading blogs because I should definitely be running around like a madwoman cleaning up the house and starting to pack. But after such a crazy long day yesterday, I almost feel justified sitting on the couch to be a potato for a little while.

We went up to Salt Lake where I got my skin checked {2 years cancer free!} and after the devastation of my iPhone breaking this past weekend I was able to get it replaced for free. Which definitely saved me a lot of stress, time, and money! Then we wrapped up the day by dropping by our friends place to say goodbye, only to be invited to stay for dinner where they totally doted on us with a delicious Spanish dinner and made-from-scratch brownies {which Ben whipped up when he heard we were coming over}. It makes me so grateful to have such awesome and caring friends!!

Well, I'm playing the procrastination game pretty well and now have to get some work done in the house. I'll see you on the other side my friends :)

Easter Sunday

Today was such a relaxing, sunny, & low-key day.

I just relish days like these and wish I could have them more often.

We got all gussied up in our Easter colors for church {pastels up the wazoo!} and then came home to get ready for an Easter potluck dinner with friends!

We ate delicious food, Ryan dyed Easter eggs for the first time and we also did an Easter egg hunt/egg toss in the front yard! 

More pics to come of that soon ;)

I can't say express how grateful I am for the Savior's sacrifice and for the influence he has in my life.

Days like today remind me to slow down so I can fully experience my life. 

The stresses and to-do lists of life don't matter in the big scheme of things, it's the family and friends I surround myself with...the ones I love with all my heart.

Happy Easter! :)

Being Appreciative

It wasn't until I moved away to college {and grew up a little} that I really started to appreciate my mom and dad for who they are and the trials they endured to become the successful parents they are today.
Between my past few visits to California and my family coming up to visit this past Christmas, I made it a point to write down some of the small favors that my parents have done {without saying a word} for those in the family.

+ Dad setting the Tapatio sauce out on the table for Ryan before he eats and realizes that it was pulled out just for him

+ Mom doing the dishes, organizing the whole kitchen, and doing all my laundry while I'm at work

+ Driving 10 hours to bring Christmas to us because of my crazy work schedule
+ My mom & dad are always good about calling to check up on me & Ryan, and they are always there for us when we call
+ Dad giving advice on how to one day be a good parent: Realize that every child is different and they need different kinds of attention to feel loved.
+ After my skin cancer surgery a couple years ago, the whole family hopped in wherever they could and helped to keep me positive
+ Mom staying up with me till 2 in the morning just to talk & giving me awesome advice on how to navigate life's problems

+ Both parents calling & checking up on me when my car is dead on the side of the road

+ They hop in to help with a problem with no complaint

Example: wiping snow off cars, shoveling snow, helping us move from Orem to Provo

+ Dad making a full-on meat & potatoes dinner for when Ryan & I come home after a long day

+ Dad volunteering to sleep on the couch downstairs to wake up with Jesse in the middle of the night {after Jesse's knee surgery} to keep him taking his medicine and helping him to the bathroom even though he has work early the next morning.

It's really the small things that matter, huh?
Happy Sunday :)

P.S. I have a code that will get you 20% off your next purchase at eShakti!

It's where I got this dress from, it's so fun to be able to customize & tailor your clothes to fit your body!

Try it out! 

Discount code: BREEZYDAYS

Valid: Through March 10, 2013

Christmas 2012 Family Pictures

Pretty much I have the bestest family EVER and here are our family pictures that we had taken in Provo, UT during Christmas break, when my family drove up from So-Cal to spend the holidays with Ryan & I :)

Photos were taken by: Clark Goldsberry

Be prepared for a complete photo dump seeing as how I'm about a month late on posting these!

*Check out the Valentine's Shabby Apple Giveaway!!!*