The Good Year.

It's been a long time since I have written on here. I have decided that rather than spend my life pinning away, I would throw up a blog post now and then.

It has been nearly a year since I last blogged. So I have a lot to rehash with myself. Starting with our sixth month anniversary: December 15. Chase got me two dozen roses and we went skiing and then went to the Roof for dinner. So perfect :) Oh, and I also went back to blonde, wahoo!!

Then there was Christmas last year. First Christmas married! We had the cutest little tree, so Charlie Brown. I wish so bad we would have saved a sliver of the trunk (pinterest addict... this girl!) We spent the morning at our apartment, and the day with family. I love Christmas! To bring in the new year we went to a black tie party (somewhere in time black tie got changed to frumptrash-in-a-can style), but hey it was fun.

January was awesome. Why? I got a phone call from my sister Lauren.
"Do you have a minute?"
"Yes."
"Go somewhere where you are alone."
<MIND EXPLODES with what she might tell me>
"What's up?"
"I'm Pregnant"
<Knees promptly hit the floor and tears hit the cheeks>
That was about the best news I have ever heard! Keeping that a secret for a couple weeks was like trying to contain a heard of cats in a room full of yarn balls. I loved baby Fowler from the second she said those words.

We also said goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa Reynolds. They headed to Sweden for 18 months. The night they got set apart, I told Grandma Nolene how great of an influence the missionaries in my ward in Colorado had been. They were my grandparents for that 9 months. We had a sweet moment. I miss them both so much. We get to see them in December for about a week! Then they will come home for good in July.

We spent Valentine's Day in Park City, which is becoming a tradition that I love. We spent my birthday at home with family. No getting crunk for this 21 year old. Sober is hottest! Chase spent the spring coaching Bonneville Track and Field. He loved it! I got to go with him a few times and the kids love him! I know Chase is a great athlete, but I had no idea what a great teacher and coach he is. I was really proud of the athletes as well as Chase. The boys won region! Chase is going to do that again this coming spring and he is really excited.

We went to visit Lauren and Sean in Las Vegas in March for Sean's birthday. I about died when I saw Lauren's little belly! We love love love love spending time with Sean and La, best friends for life.

My dad, Zach, uncle Will, and Tom Burton all spent time that spring in Asia climbing Mt. Everest. Say WHAT??? Yep. Will and Tom summited. So incredible. Zach had broken his hand playing soccer and Dad took his pins out on the mountain. Talk about rugged! How cool of an experience for Z-man and Dad. Will had a crazy death defying experience that we are so glad to hear from his own mouth. I am so jealous of the opportunity and really proud of all of them.

State track was fun this year. Avery kicked ace. I cry every time she or Zach races. Z-man was recovering from Mt. Everest and a broken hand, so sat this one out. Chase was coaching and his kids performed awesome and they are stoked for next year.

During the summer, Chase and I both "went to school". Summer school sucks. Flat out sucks. It was good to get credits out of the way, but we were in summer mode for sure. We also celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Park City. It was so perfect. I just love being with Chase. He is the perfect person for me. I just can't stand how much I love being with him. We have so much in common, and the differences we have are absolute strengths when we put them all together. I am so grateful that I have the chance to get to know him better for years and years. I also spent the summer at an internship at Autoliv in Ogden. I was part of the Internal Audit team. I learned a bunch and it prepared me for the coming year and taught me what I need to look for in a job. I also spent a ton of time getting ready to host a baby shower for Lauren with Avery, Samantha and Mom. It was so so so much fun! I could do that forever and be so happy, maybe one day :) The best part was how many women came to support Lauren and Sean and baby Hudson. It was a blast!

Then school started. I am a senior, Avery is a senior, Zach starting his sophomore year at Ogden High, Chase is starting the accounting program at WSU, and Lauren and Sean are having a baby. And Mom is in school too! She is going to be the best designer/architect ever. She already kicks but. I am excited for her to help me design a home one day. Another HUGE family item right now are the winter games! Megan and Jeff are getting married! December 18th is the big day. We are so excited! There will never be a winter wedding like it :) It's a big year for our family.

Then, the big moment. On September 6th, at about 4 am, we got the news. Baby Hudson is coming! We showered and raced to the hospital in Murray. Lauren was in a lot of discomfort, but so excited. We only had to wait about 90 minutes of more laboring until the doctor arrived. The delivery was about 30 seconds long. I tell Lauren all the time now that she a baby making machine! She did it so perfectly. And Sean was adorable. And that baby's face!!! I will never forget it. Hudson Barry Fowler: 8 lbs, 8 oz. and 21.5 inches long. He was chubby! I only got to hold him for about 1 minute, so when Chase and I went down to visit a couple days later, I bawled like a baby when I held him. So perfect. I didn't anticipate how much love I would feel for my nephew, I love him to the moon and back!

The latest family concern was OHS athletics. Soccer; Avery is a beast. She played center mid and destroyed all season long. They were undefeated until the semi-finals when Park City beat them 1-0. It was an amazing game. I loved the crowd that showed up to support. The alumni game next year is going to be a joke! The 7 seniors on the team are a fun group to watch. And seeing a couple freshman kill it in varsity was really fun, especially Audrey! Cross Country; Zach is a champ. He improved all season and OHS swept region with girls and boys, varsity and jv. Luckily he didn't break his foot until after the season ended! He will come back swinging for track!

Chase and I are as busy as we can handle and still have fun. We are both full time in school and we are both involved with WSU Student Association. I am nannying for 12 hours per week and working 2 nights per week at Bistro 258. Chase is teaching supplemental instruction classes in history and working 4 nights a week at Sonora grill. Wow! We protect Wednesday night so we can spend that time together. The last six weeks I have spent lots of time participating in fall recruiting for accounting in order to secure an internship for the spring. It was really successful! I got 5 offers! I was really happy with it. I decided to go with Tanner in Salt Lake. Hopefully when the internship is over I will be offered a full time job when I graduate in the spring. Crazy! I am also starting a GMAT prep class in November so I can take the test in January. I will be applying for the Master of Tax program at Weber State so I will start that in the summer or fall.

I love life. I love looking forward to the next thing, while still enjoying and making the most of today. I have seen myself improve in so many ways, and I have found other ways I can improve in the coming year. In lots of my interviews I was asked, "What are three words that describe you?" I said adventurous, futuristic and progressive. I love trying new things! I love having a plan and looking forward, and I love doing things today that will help me get where I want to be.

The most important thing is to be happy, and I... I am very, very happy.