2014 A Year to be Grateful For

These are the highlights for our year if anyone would like to know what Mr. and Mrs. Whitesides have been up to. 

January: I started a new semester at Weber State with classes in Art, Sales, and Interior Design. I also attended a lecture at the University of Utah by world famous artist Julie Mehretu. This lecture started my love affair with the power of art and visual communications, UMFA, and the wonderful University of Utah. Nick also had his first show at the Century Club which has been a consistent gig for him throughout 2014.

February: Nick Finished his first novel IRIS, and I finally got the courage to sing with Nick and do a cover video with him on Youtube. It was the song Say Something by a Great Big World feat. Christina Aguilara. Nick and I also had a beautiful Valentines Day singing on 25th street, where we fell in love when we were dating. Nick also started working with Kimberly Maycock. An LDS artist who's album Streams of Mercy will be coming out in 2015. She is such a sweetheart and an amazing singer/songwriter.

March: my mom and I attended the first General Womens Meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Conference Center. And Nick and I watched some fabulous productions of my little brother Joseph as the Big Bad Wolf, and my sister Anna as the student director of Annie Get Your Gun with my little brother David as an Indian.

April: Our Nephew Maverick was born. And the Album Believer came out that Nick wrote for Abbey Smith.

May: We celebrated Nicks 28 Birthday with family and friends. And met Chris Carraba who is Nick's hero! His new project Twin Forks is our favorite band ever. We also went to the Chocolate Exhibit at the Utah Natural History Museum with my family so fun! We also moved from Ogden to West Valley which is such a change for our family. Nick also did his first live streaming on YouNow with over 1000 viewers watching and listening to his music online.

June: We celebrated our first anniversary of marriage together. My baby sister Anna Graduated from High School. My brother Joseph Graduated from Elementary School.  My cousin sean passed away. I went to my first Jazz Game Ever.  And Nick and I were models for one of our friends Tori Cloward. Which led to a wonderful lake picnic date. Nick was also able to play for South Ogden Days, and many other city festival celebrations.

July: The Fourth of July weekend was full of Whitesides family fun with fireworks, backyard movies, and delicious barbecue.  We had fun swimming too with all of our nieces and nephews, and cousins at the Dow family reunion. Nick also ran his first half Marathon in two years which was the Morgan half marathon.

August: I started school at the University of Utah with my major in visual communications.  Nick and I were blessed to go to the remodeled Ogden Temple open house with his family. Nicks band Double or Nothings new EP Next to Me came out on Itunes.

September: We set up Nicks studio in our basement. He can now produce all his own music and start producing for clients. He is also including song writing service as he has written over 550 songs.  We participated in the Famous Ice Bucket Challenge. I picked up a camera and started taking amazing portraits, and my sister Anna received her mission call to Albania.

October: I turned 22 the day Nick started his new job at Foursight Capitol we are so proud of him. And he loves working for this amazing company. We also said goodbye to my sister Anna for a year and a half who is served in the South Adriatic mission, which covers Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia.

November: We were able to see my brother David perform in Footloose, Had a wonderful Turkey with all of our family. I finished my first website design, and did several photo shoots. And Nick started working with his first client Jacob Slagowski, expect great things from them.

December: I finished my first semester at the U with a 3.9 GPA which landed me on the Deans list. I also had my first paid photography gigs. Nick and I attended Nick's fancy work Christmas Party where we won massages. Nick also participated in an amazing program at the Brigham City Tabernacle with Kim Maycock, where they performed some songs off her new album, and a christmas song nick wrote.  We had an amazing Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, where we saw all our family in Utah, and we were able to talk to both of our Missionaries.

Merry Christmas 

Love the Whitesides Family

The Fuller Family

And Nick and I 

Have a Wonderful New Year my friends.

Lets all be a little better for 2015

With Love REB&NICK

Fun links:

Nicks Artist and Songwriting Page: http://www.reverbnation.com/nickwhitesides

Nick's Project: Magnetic Romance Page: http://www.reverbnation.com/magneticromance

Double or Nothing Page: http://www.reverbnation.com/doubleornothingmusic

The Website I designed: http://home.utah.edu/~u0738645/completed_site/Muse/

Sweet, Simple, LOVE

Nick and I learned some valuable truths about showing LOVE this Valentines Day

                 

First of all while we were singing on 25th street some super nice girls wanted to take our picture and listen to us sing "Everything has Changed" by Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift. It made our nights to see that our love was touching and inspiring people. And that people liked our music!! But I will get to that part of the story.

                           

Truth 1: Simple things such as dressing nicely for your hubby really make a big difference to them.  I noticed in the past that Nick likes it when I take time to look good for him and he really appreciated it Valentines Day, especially since he had worked all day, it was a pleasant surprise that set the tone for the evening. 

Truth 2: It doesn't take anything expensive or complicated to make a fun surprise for your spouse, it seriously is the thought that counts!! Especially with Nick.  The theme of this surprise was: There are many wonderful love stories in the world, but OURS will always be my favorite. I chose this because I finally wrote our love story in a Shutterfly book to surprise Nick. The chick flick DVD's we all ready had and Nick had previously mentioned the night before that he wanted to watch a chick flick on Valentines with me. He picked "Alex and Emma", which is such a great film. I also got Nick a couple of his favorite treats (Reeses and Doritos) my mom got us the Sparkling Cider (Our Favorite) and Thin Mints. I all ready had the mugs and I got the mini family traditions book, and the things to do once in a lifetime cards, discounted from the Weber State Bookstore. Then there is our traditional Whiteboard we write all our love notes to each other on.  It is such a fun inexpensive tradition we use to show we care. Lastly I wrote Nick a note to bring all of the gifts together.

My Darling Nickolas,

On this Valentines Day I wanted to tell you how I love how your sunflower eyes SPARKLE. You're a wonderful CHIP off the old man's block my DEAR ito ;) 

You are a gentleman and so NICE! I really appreciate and love that! Darling I love you to PIECES more than any KAT. 

I can't wait to shower you with KISSES

And start a FAMILY with you.

There are many love stories out there, but OURS is my Favorite.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=wAZOHLNy1cM2bV2M

(Link to our Story)

I can't wait to spend the rest of my LIFETIME and the rest of Forever with YOU!

LOVE, your Darling Reb 

Since Nicks Love Language is words of affirmation and mine is gifts, this was the perfect way of combining the two, so I could still love him in his language while still speaking mine (by giving a gift). Nick loved this surprise!! 

Truth 3: Make Valentines Day about Family!! Valentines Day is also Nick's Dad's birthday which has been such a blessing because it has helped us focus on loving our family on Valentines Day.  Family has the best kinds of love and often gets overlooked on Valentines Day which is sad.  Whether you're single or in a relationship! Show your family and friends you love them on Valentines Day.  Nick and I are super excited to start or own family that we will teach the real meaning of love too.  I think it's important to keep Valentines Day pure, so many people focus on Physical Love on Valentines Day which I think is fine but sad! If people focused more on their Emotional Relationships on Valentines Day I think it would be more enjoyable for everyone.  But the physical parts can be so fun especially when your married;) So make it fun!! But also focus on giving all your family and friends love!

Truth 4: Do things that take you back to where/how/when you originally fell in love.  It will bring all those original feelings back, plus blissful nostalgia and amazement about how far you have come.  For Nick and I that place was Historic 25th street in Ogden, and the how was through music.  So after Nick saw his surprise, we decided to go for a walk (Because the weather was beautiful) and we ended up going to good old 25th street, and sitting on this adorable blue bench, and singing the night away.  It was so romantic and exciting, we both just let go as we sang our hearts away to each other and to the people around us, allowing our harmony to intertwine through the night air. While we were singing these awesome girls told us that we reminded them of the couple in the "Endless Love" movie they had just seen and asked to take our picture.  So we sang to them.  It was so rewarding to share a piece of our love with them.  I hope we inspired them a little to wait for the one person that makes everything just fall into place. I know Nick was worth waiting for;) And singing with him is one of the most exhilarating and liberating things I have done in a long time. I felt my voice becoming free again, and my anxiety and fears crumbling down. It's incredible what love can do.

So happy Valentines Day Everyone from us to you, may you always recognize the love everywhere in your life, whether you are in a relationship or not.  There are always people their for you, that love you and support you, and Valentines Day is a great way to recognize them. I know we love you!!!! 

So Happy Late V-Day from us to you 

LOVE REB&NICK