Languages of Love

photo by Johnny's mom, Jan

With Valentine's Day coming in two weeks, I thought I'd share a funny conversation Johnny and I had last night.

I'm sure most of you know about the five love languages. Well, I decided to ask Johnny what makes him feel the most loved. He actually thought about it, and said he likes when we are close to each other and when I tell him I love him. And then he pointed out that a lot of times he will go into the room I am in specifically to be near me, and I will just get up and go into the other room for one reason or another. We were both laughing because it is so true. I do not think about proximity at all. Hahaha. So then he asked me the question, and I told him that I feel loved when he gives me a thoughtful gift or does some sort of service for me, like cleaning the apartment. Once again we started laughing because in Johnny's mind the most logical thing is for me to tell him how I want him to help out around the house, and in my mind I am secretly hoping he will surprise me by doing the dishes or making the bed (which he does do occasionally). Anyway, I thought it was weird because we've never really talked about it, and I think we understand each other better now. It's funny the things you can learn even after 3 1/2 years.

p.s. I am very excited for January to be over! I think it is my least favorite month.

We Win!!

Last night will be a night for remembering. Our BYU boys (#9) played SDSU (#4). I felt like the whole day was leading up to the game that night, which didn't start until 10:00 our time. This was the scene at our little apartment:

a little bit of this...

and a LOT of this

We won by 13 points and our boy Jimmer scored 43!!! It all turned out better than I ever could have imagined. The Hardings had family at the game, and Johnny and I had family at the game, and we were all jealous of the amazing atmosphere they were a part of. After we won, there was hugging, high-fiving, and some strange hand slaps between Johnny and Klane. Those two were high on Jimmer.

Meanwhile, it was looking like this outside:

The poor Hardings had to go home at 1:00 in the morning a snowstorm! I have NO IDEA how they made it home, but I've heard from Angie today, so at least I know they're alive and well. I'm so glad they were willing to trudge over to our place for such a great night!!

Brrr!

How is it already nighttime?? This day has flown by, and I still have so many things to get done. I gotta make this quick because I promised myself I'd have the apartment clean before Johnny gets home from work.

• The above picture is a still-shot of the birthday video we did for our niece Violet who turned one last week. Persie's a really good sport.
• It's been suuupper cold here. I hate cold weather. Yes, hate is a strong word, and I'm still using it. Not sure why, but I still haven't gotten around to buying tights ever since I purged my wardrobe of them after working for the LDS church one summer. Therefore, on the way to church yesterday, I suffered immensely.
• Because of said cold weather, I've been watching more shows. For a while now I've been in love with Parenthood. And then last week they played two Azure Ray songs in one episode, and I became even more obsessed.
• As soon as Johnny gets home, I get the TV turned to Jeopardy!, and last week I was pretty impressed with our skills (except for the category on spiders...stupid).
• I really, really appreciate good friends. My favorite night last week was when I went to Angie's and she fixed us an amazing dinner and, as our husbands whittled away the hours at the office, we watched the fourth HP movie together. Perfect, nerdy, relaxing night.
• This Wednesday is the BYU/SDSU game. I'm freaking out. I can't wait. I'm scared/excited/nervous and whatnot. Weeee!

That's all. Have a happy week!

thoughts for the day

I've recently been taking the pictures from our external hard-drive and organizing them on our big computer, as I call it, which is where the above gem comes from. That picture is from January '07. Johnny and I were dating, he had mono, and apparently I used to choke him back then. Ah, good times.

This has been a weird week. We've gone to sleep at like 3 every night. This morning I was in charge of waking us up, but when my alarm went off, I just kept thinking, "Joanna, you should let Johnny sleep in. He's had a long week." Even my subconscious knows to pretend that I'm being thoughtful of my husband and not just lazy.

The neighbors below us are so strange. I can't even begin to imagine what kind of people they are. Right now songs such as "Dynamite" are blasting and a girl is singing at the top of her lungs to it. And last night as we walked past their door, it once again reeked of pot. This is a weekly occurrence.

At the end of last week, I was going to drop off Netflix, and I saw a car drive by with a Christmas tree stuck beneath it, being dragged along. (Despite it being mid-January, there are still countless thrown-out Christmas trees on the side of the street.) I was secretly glad that I didn't have to be responsible for telling the driver. THEN, I saw the car at a red light, the Christmas tree still there, so I approached the car window and knocked on it. Of course the driver had to be one of those born-and-raised-in-NYC kind of men of whom I am terrified, but I matter-of-factly told him the dealio. He laughed quite hard, and I then continued on my quest to the mailbox.

Anyway, those are all my exciting stories. I must write them down for remembering. Also, I recently began writing on 750words.com all the thoughts that I wouldn't want to look back on and read in a journal. It's good if you tend to brood like I do.

Third Time's the Charm

Well, it's official: we're headed back to Vegas for the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament in March this year. It'll be our third year to go, and I have a good feeling about it. Johnny's brother Will and my brother, Rick, will join us just like old times. Can't wait!

Pictures and a Drawing

This morning we woke to a fresh blanket of snow covering everything. I think we only got about six inches, so Johnny didn't get a snow day (boo!). I had all these expectations of spending the day with him. Alas, one can hope. When I went jogging around the reservoir today, I brought my camera.

In other news, Johnny had a funny/neat thing happen on his subway ride home last night. As he was riding, he saw a man sketching a woman across from him. Johnny was enraptured with the guy's ability and speed. Within a matter of minutes he had finished the picture and handed it to the woman as she left the subway car. Johnny saw the man looking around for a new subject to draw and to Johnny's surprise, the man started drawing him! Haha. Half the subway car was watching this man sketch Johnny! Anyway, below is the picture. Isn't it great?

Winter

Last Friday we had a few inches of snow, which promptly melted, but my view out the window did look like the above picture for a few hours. We are supposed to be getting a rather hefty load of snow tonight. I'm excited---anything to mix up the dullness that is January. Although, so far we have managed to keep things somewhat interesting around here.

• We got a Costco card from Johnny's Grandparents for Christmas, and, feeling extremely ambitious, we decided to take a duffel bag and backpack and make the trek to Costco via bus last week. The thought of the walk and bus ride home left our minds as soon as we entered that magnificent store, and we bought whatever we felt like. Somehow we stuffed almost everything into the backpack and duffel bag, both of which weighed like 50 pounds (not exaggerating), and Johnny carried both. I carried canned cat food, chips, and bread (which was harder than it sounds, people!). We walked the 4 blocks to the bus stop. Waited half an hour for the bus. Rode the bus. Walked the 4 blocks home. It was mind over matter, and Johnny's whisperings of, "Okay, 3 more blocks . . . 2 more blocks . . ." were all that kept me going. I'm sure we were a sight to see. I have never been so happy to arrive home.
• I managed to catch one of our kitchen towels on fire, and Johnny walked into the kitchen to find me precariously transporting a towel all aflame to the sink.
• I'm rereading the Harry Potter books. When I am too engrossed, Johnny gets my attention by reading aloud over my shoulder in a British accent.
• We've been religiously watching/listening to all the BYU basketball games. This is the best I've ever seen our team (ranked 10 in Coach's Poll right now!), and Jimmer is so fun to watch. It gives us something fun to look forward to a couple nights a week.

That's about it. As I write this, I can hear my landlord talking loudly in his office, which shares a wall with our apartment. A couple days ago, I heard him saying, "fuhgeddaboudit, fuhgeddaboudit" and all I could think was, "Huh, people really do say it like that."

Lastly, I will leave you with a picture of Persie, the balancing cat.

Out with the Old

 
During that short span of time after college when Johnny and I lived in a townhouse, we had very little clutter or disorganization. Frankly, several cabinets were completely bare. That's not quite the case in our apartment we live in now. I avoid the following areas: the cupboard under the bathroom sink, the kitchen closet, and my sock drawer---just to name a few. Well, those areas need be avoided no more! I have organized them and thrown out what doesn't belong. And my bedroom closet will be next!


When I visited my friend Lindsay last night, she was doing the same. One cannot hoard anything out here, not even books. I am saying goodbye to 15 books that lined my shelves just yesterday.


This decluttering is not one of my resolutions per se, but Johnny and I made a few of those as well. As part of one of my new year's goals, I went running yesterday around the above green blob. Don't worry, it's only 1.58 miles long. It was beautiful and muddy from all the melted snow. January may be one of the more depressing months, but at least it gives us all a fresh start. 

Back to Life

Johnny and I arrived back to our apartment last night. We were supposed to get back on Saturday, but our flight was canceled, so we ended up spending another day with my family. I video-chatted with them last night, and I already miss them. 

I can't begin to tell you how great it felt to get back home. Even if our apartment is small, it is home. Johnny said it felt like we'd never left.

Our cat, Persie, stayed with our friends Pat and Lindsay, and it was fun to see her after so long. Today she has been rather clingy, and she hasn't allowed me out of her sight. Haha. It is really cute. Lindsay sent me some great pics of Persie while we were gone.

I went back to my natural color while in Alabama. The first few inches of my hair weren't even dyed, so I think the color is spot on. It might not be as stunning as being blonde, but for right now I am just relieved to not have to worry about roots!

I am excited to plan out some resolutions for the new year as soon as I get my life back in order. Johnny and I are back to work, our refrigerator is empty, and I have about a million thank-you notes to write, but it feels great to be back home!

A Look Back at 2010

This past year was a big year for us.

In January we lived with Johnny's parents, and I began working full time. We also got a new niece named Violet!

In February we moved into a townhouse in Pleasant Grove, UT, and we bought our first car.

March brought the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament in Vegas, and Johnny's sister Caitlin got married!

Johnny and I joined his work's softball team in April.

In May Johnny's grandpa passed away, and we returned to California for his funeral.

We celebrated my 23rd birthday and Johnny's 25th in June, and Johnny got a job in NYC! The hunt for apartments began.

We drove across the country in July and moved into a 450-square-foot apartment. We also got our kitty, Persie and went sailing for the first time. We also got a new niece named Finley!

In August we went to see the Yankees and the Mets and went to the beach!

September meant the start of BYU's football season and the discovery of the best chocolate chip cookies EVER.

We had visitors in October, and we loved every second of it.

We spent Thanksgiving in the City in November, and we attended concerts and figured out how NYC radiators work.

In December, we both got new winter coats to brave the NYC winters, and we drove up to Glens Falls, NY, for a BYU basketball game. We also got to visit my family in AL and celebrate Christmas there!

I never could have predicted what 2010 would bring, but it was wonderful. Johnny and I are so thankful for our great life. I can't wait to experience 2011!

More Fleming Fun

Tomorrow Johnny and I fly back to NYC, but before we go, here's a look at our good times with my family in Alabama.

We fished.

my youngest sister, Lia

Johnny

my sister Hannah, multitasking :)

my sister Jill

my brother Rick with a fish

Johnny and his fish

We played Risk.

We arm-wrestled :)

We played Frisbee golf.

And my Mom somehow coerced us into making a pyramid.

We are really gonna miss my family, but we're so happy we got to spend time with them!