five years (happened in vegas}

We have been married 5 years!  

We decided to celebrate in Las Vegas. 

We started out the long weekend with some golf on our actual anniversary, October 11th.  I smile because I wonder how many girls would be excited to go golfing on their anniversary... this girl, I was stoked!!

The weather was perfect!  It was a beautiful day and we had a blast!

That night we (I) got all dolled up to go out to a fancy dinner.  We went to a Thai restaurant just off the strip. On a spicy scale of 1-10 we ordered a 3.... and some of it still burned my lips off!!  I can't imagine a 10!!

The food was delicious, we will definitely go to Taste of Siam again!

We walked along the strip after dinner before turning in for the night.

For our 5 year anniversary Jake gave me two wedding bands to wear on each side of my ring!!  I am in love and can't stop staring.  It looks like a completely new ring!

The next day we did a little shopping and then got ready for the Cirque de Soleil show.

Neither of us had ever been to a Cirque show and we were excited because we have heard so many good things about them.  We went to The Beatles LOVE, and it did not disappoint.  One of the most amazing things I have ever seen.  We loved it!

We walked around the Belagio Gardens after the show.

We also watched the Belagio fountains, they are mesmerizing!

One of my dreams was to have frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity... and we did it!

We got a cookies and cream frozen hot chocolate, it was so good!!

Out last day we went shopping a little and headed on our way home back to chilly SLC!  I'm so glad that we can spend so much time together and we are still so in love.  We have so much fun and I'm excited for 50 more anniversaries with this hunk!

{downtown} date night

Ya know after you've been married for a few years, you start to be okay with just staying in and renting a red box for a "date night"?  We never do that... 

Jake surprised me when he planned this fabulous date!  

He picked my up is this hot little number...

We drove up emigration canyon and ate dinner at a fun little cafe with live music.

We walked around downtown SLC.

We stopped to pick up some snacks... can you guess whose is whose?

I went with a homemade carmel apple and Jake chose sushi :)  

We shared the coconut gelato.

We stayed at the Hotel Monaco for the night.

The next morning the new iPhone came out and we waited in line for Jake to get his new toy!  Like a kid in a candy story, a really expensive candy store ;)

It was a fabulous romantic date out on the town!

the fair & the ferris wheel

We went to the Utah State Fair, because it is just something that you have to do in the fall.

We also rode the ferris wheel.  Something that you have to do with that special someone that you love.... and to be honest, I have never rode the ferris wheel with a boy....

So we did!  It was just as romantic and amazing as I imagined ;)

Jake had never ridden a ferris wheel and was a little nervous...

We also decided that we needed to be drawn by a caricature artist.  This is also something that I have always wanted to do.  It was so fun!  We both felt a little funny because there was a crowd of people just staring at us while we were being drawn, smiling and whispering each other.  

We love how it turned out and it will hang on our wall for sure!!

We love the fair, even if it's just for the people watching :)

LOTOJA

A bike race from Logan, UT to Jackson, WY

206 miles

3 states

1 day

Sounds a little nuts rights!?  This has been a dream for Jake and I, sort of a "that would be really awesome but will probably never happen" kind of a dream.

We signed up in April as a relay team and because it is a lottery to get in, we knew it was a long shot.

The next day I received an email saying that I was in...

We called to find out how I was in and the rest of my team hadn't received an email. They told us that the only riders who had received notification were past winners, members of a prestigious club or large donors... which I didn't fall into any category, but they assured us there was no mistakes made.

I decided to google my name "Courtney Larsen LOTOJA." Apparently I am a male who won a few years ago!  Ha Ha!  

So our team made it in by a fluke... be we were excited and nervous to ride this crazy ride!  We trained all summer and felt pretty good by the day of the race.

Jake rode the 1st leg from Logan to Preston.

Here he is at the starting line!

He killed it. The next rider was Jill, Jeff's cousin. 

She rode from Preston to Montpelier.

Kathy, Jake's aunt rode the 3rd leg from Montpelier to Afton.

We saw Jeff and cheered him on as well!  He was riding in the relay with another team.

Jake and Jill split the 4th leg from Afton to Alpine.

Jake rode with me during part of my leg, 

the last and final stretch from Alpine to Jackson!

Crossing the finish line!

My parents came to cheer me on as I crossed the finish line. Carolyn drove our support vehicle and followed us the whole day.  It was so fantastic to have the support of our parents throughout the day! 

We had an amazing time!  It was such a great accomplishment and something to cross off my bucket list!  I hope that we will be back for many years.

girl time

The weekend after our short backpacking excursion, Jake went on a "real" backpacking trip in the Unitas with his dad and a few other guys. 

So I had a few days to hang out with my girls!

One night I went and got pedicures and dinner with a couple of my best friends from high school!  

It is always a party when we get together... even if the other two are pregnant :)  

We went to the Mandarin in Bountiful for dinner... so delicious.

I just love these girls, I am so grateful for my good friends!  

They just know the real me and love me anyways.

Another night that Jake was gone I got to go to one of my old roommates wedding.

Congrats Jessica!!

She was a beautiful bride. I'm so happy for her and her lucky new husband!

It was so fun to see these girls!  We have so many good and funny memories together.  

We lived together for 3 or 4 years of college at Utah State.  

These girls know the good, bad and ugly and love me anyways as well.

We have been through so much and I will never forget all of the good times we had!