Matt and Annie

On the 17th day of December...

2011-12-17T13:33:00.003-07:00

I have been reflecting how grateful I am for the gift Heavenly Father has given me in these sisters...

Kuhni and Tobler girls rock!!!!

On the 6th day of December...

2011-12-06T18:32:00.003-07:00

I know I have been a slacker with my daily pictures, once again! But here are some thoughts about Christmas in Walnut Creek...

It can get quite cold -- some days do require a jacket (like my new North Face one)...

Despite the cold, it is still remarkably sunny (like this day -- a view from the temple)...
And, the same decorations never cease to bring in the Christmas cheer...
Love, love, love to all!!

On the 20th day of November...

2011-11-20T20:08:00.004-07:00

Sorry, I know I have been a slacker.

But today I am SUPER DUPER grateful for this song, this choir, and my testimony of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ...

On the 11th day of November...

2011-11-12T13:30:00.006-07:00

Yesterday, I was grateful for:

My pajamas (I was so tired last night, I forgot to post my pictures)...

This memory (Blue Mountain Triathlon 2010)...
This memory (Wood Day)...
This memory (Disneyland 2011)...
And my Skype session with Ella...

Don't worry, another post will still come later tonight...

On the 10th day of November...

2011-11-10T18:01:00.003-07:00

I am grateful for:

Happiness...

And a light heart (and Jessie who told me I must memorize this song at a young age)...

On the 9th of November...

2011-11-09T21:58:00.002-07:00

I am grateful for:

My handy dandy notebook (take notes in it regarding anything and everything)...

A strong body that can run...
Dollarstore hangers (24 hangers for $4), and Joe-Joes (yum, yum)...
And i-chat (and the people I can i-chat/Skype with -- in the words of Kim Possible, "Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me.")...

On the 8th day of November...

2011-11-08T21:54:00.003-07:00

After some thought, I discovered a really easy way to keep our blog updated is to post a daily picture of what is going on with Toby and I here in good ol' Cali-forn-i-a. I decided that each month I will have a theme for the pictures. This month's theme is gratitude. I am trying to develop more of an attitude of gratitude, and it is November -- Thanksgiving, hint, hint. So here are some things I am grateful for today:

This man...

Study time...

A home...

And a mother (who had me take this picture to PROVE to her that I put my registration stickers on my license plate)...

In Closing...

2010-08-13T09:46:00.012-06:00

Today is D-day, Judgment Day, el Finale Grande, the End -- today we hurtle home towards mountains, red rocks, family, school and ski slopes. Life in San Francisco has become so normal and natural (well, maybe not natural -- what in San Francisco is natural besides the food and recycling?) it is interesting to think we have another life in another place.

Toby ate his "last meal" this morning.

And he...

along with his babe of a taxi driver...

(Excuse my appearance, I am never quite put together in the morning)

traveled to work for the last time...

Looking back at our two months in "The City," I smile thinking of all of our crazy experiences. What a remarkable place with a remarkable personality. I become nostalgic with each move Toby and I make (back to Utah makes#6), so to wrap up our grand adventure, I thought I would make a list of the things I will miss most in San Francisco.

1. Oh, the places you can go! We've been to ball games, plays (Wicked!), movies, restaurants, beaches, outlet malls, boutiques, forests, gardens, parks, luncheons, raspberry patches, wharfs, bridges, golf tournaments.... I could go on and on and on.

2. The culture and the personality. In the witty words my sister Camie once wrote me "this deserves its own bullet point, nay, its own paragraph." San Francisco's personality involves aggressive bus drivers, cranky pedestrians, men feeding fried chicken to their pet parrots on the bus, Victorian houses, naked cowboys, a Starbucks on every corner, bike taxis, party buses, cable cars, hippie neighborhoods and groups of men playing frisbee naked on the beach (thank you, Stephanie, for that story). I can think of no other place in the world like San Francisco.

3. The driving. The thrill, the passion, the drama that is experienced while driving through San Francisco. After my two months training I daresay I could be a taxi driver -- I am that good.

4. Good friends. With no previous planning, we ended up being in San Francisco with some dear friends -- Daniel, Stephanie and Brighton Webb (Daniel is an investment banker in Palo Alto), and Chris and AnnElise Guerisoli (Chris is attending dental school at UCSF). Daniel and Chris are both from St. George and grew up with Matt. Throughout the last 3 1/2 years, Toby and the St. George boys have been a huge part of my life. As each of the boys has gotten married, awesome girls are added to our posse. We have known each other while single, dating, married and now as parents (in the case of Daniel and Steph). What wonderful friends who we will dearly miss back in Provo. What a great opportunity to share our experiences with such dear friends. It is sad to think they will not be back there with us at the Y. The posse is shrinking each year! (We are glad you are back, Derek and Mary!).

The Webb's

(So, I totally stole this off of Facebook. Brighton is the CUTEST boy. Uncle Tobe and Aunt Ann will miss him).

The Guerisoli's
(Again, Facebook -- this is obviously not California)

5. The food. Oh heavens. We had lots of visitors this summer and with each weekend brought new culinary adventures. With each new arrival of family and friends, we had the opportunity to experience food from every part of the Bay Area. (Because of this I was also unable to reach my goal weight for the end of the summer -- DRAT!). We are so happy the Kuhni's, Tobler's, and Ray and Dani came to see us!!

6. The bus. I love the bus -- LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I still love the bus even though bus 30 cut me off this morning. Each step aboard the muni affords a new adventure. I have never experienced greater thrills, greater fear, or greater joy than when I am riding the bus. Thank you and farewell San Francisco Municipal Transportation -- 'til we meet again.

7. Ann and Tobe's daily lunch at Costco. Each day, I would drive into the city, pick up Tobe and head to the Costco parking lot. We would eat our packed lunches, fill each other in on the day's adventures, and arouse serious curiosity from our fellow Costco shoppers. You cannot beat the free parking or the occasional Costco hot dog. Many laughs, good stories and stresses (Annie's near driving misses/bus mishaps) were shared in that parking lot.

8. And finally, being able to experience this all with my very best and dearest friend. I am so grateful for the opportunity Tobe and I had of being together in San Francisco. It has been the greatest experience for us to be here and figure out the in's and out's of city life. What a wonderful person I have married who laughed, smiled, joked and comforted through all of our adventures. I dearly love my husband and I am so grateful for him and all that he is.

So now I bid farewell. Farewell, 2000 Broadway, 100 1st Street, Buses 10, 41, and 45; Farewell, taxis, Chinatown, rush-hour, the Embarcadero, and Fisherman's Wharf; Farewell, San Francisco -- see you through the years as Tobe and I sit down and say, "Remember that one day, long ago in 'Frisco?"

Oh, what a summer.

This is Annie Tobler, signing off for the last time from 2000 Broadway St. #204 San Francisco, CA. See you under the shadow of the Y.

So today....

2010-07-29T15:25:00.006-06:00

I rode the bus into the city to meet Tobe and his co-workers at the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market (held Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday along the Embarcadero).

Woah. Total party.

Supposedly, the thing to buy is a sandwich they only sell at the Farmer's Market on Thursdays. A little truck pulls up for a few hours and people line up by the hundreds to get a spot of heaven -- pork, spinach and special marmalade, heaped onto ciabatta bread. I only had a bite, but it was quite scrumptious. Tom, Tobe's fellow intern, expressed "you don't tell them what sandwich you want, you tell them how many you want."

After purchasing Toby's sandwich, we walked through the market to look at the other items up for purchase -- peaches, onions, strawberries, honey, flowers, coffee, and...drumroll...fresh sorbet. The sorbet is made from fresh produce from farmer's markets around the bay area. They make the sorbet by the quart and each quart comes out differently (because every fruit is different and special, just like people, right?). I am a total and utter frozen yogurt/sorbet/sherbet fanatic (in Provo, Tobe and I frequent Maverick thrice weekly) -- I had to have some.

We got orange chocolate and apricot.
*Note Tobe's sandwich. Nice.

So happy. (Sit up straight, Ann, sit up straight!).

Across from the Farmer's Market, merchants set up tents each day during business hours to sell their wares to businessmen and women on their lunch breaks and tourists as they walk by. One man was selling the most beautiful photographs -- they had the most stunning colors and surprisingly intriguing content. Tobe and I sat in front of his display for quite some time (we were debating whether or not the pictures were paintings or photographs because the colors were so vivid and bright).

As we were walking away, and I was deciding whether or not to take a picture of this man's "pictures" (I didn't want to spark an adverse reaction, yelling, finger-pointing, "that'll be 50 bucks, ma'am" -- that happens to me enough when I'm driving) three merchants almost pulled a Mary Poppins and flew into the sky as they were setting up a canopy. Being near, I quickly grabbed one of the poles and Tobe sprinted to secure another. One of the merchants, an older woman with hot pink lipstick, grabbed onto the pole with me -- we looked at each other with big cheesy grins and lost our breath with laughter as we flailed across the side walk. We watched in hope as Tobe, who was trying to contain the pole causing all of the trouble, leaped over display tables while an elderly merchant tried to direct him in Chinese. Toby finally reached the pole, we secured the canopy and with many bows and thanks, we were on our merry way.

Sadly, as any other day at the end of lunch, I parted with Tobe and headed for my friends on Bus 10 while Tobe crossed Market St. to 1st.

Sometime during lunch, the fog lifted off the city and it became a glorious day. Two weeks from tomorrow we are heading back to Provo. While I am excited to get back into the swing of things in P-Town, I will miss our little urban home.

Redwood O-rama

2010-07-22T17:01:00.004-06:00

For Fourth of July weekend, Toby had both the Friday before the Fourth and the Monday after the Fourth off from work. So, we decided to take a cruise up to Oregon to see Jess, Jared, Jo-Man and Ella Bella.

Since the Redwoods, are kind of on the way, we decided to take Highway 101 up the coast instead of I-5.

It was totally rad -- to say the least.

We may have had some driving mishaps...

We may have gone completely mad after our 16 hour excursion...

But we loved it.

Seriously.

Sadly, Annie (moi) failed to take any pictures whatsoever in Oregon. I really don't know what to think of myself.

Here is our trip in a nutshell.

Arrived 12:30 a.m. July 3rd.
Woke up and attended 4th of July Pancake Breakfast.
Picked raspberries at a local raspberry farm (patch??). This was heaven -- HEAVEN.
Purchased needed fireworks at firework stand.
Made homemade raspberry jam.
Purchased/played Ticket to Ride.
Hit up the park. Jonas and Ella got their "pumps on" -- swinging pumps that is.
Ate homemade Cafe Rio salads (woah, woah -- so GOOD).
Made Brownies.
Attended Church.
Had BBQ -- never had better pork chops.
Watched Jonas perfect his superman in the front yard.
Watched as Jared/neighborhood kids put on firework extravaganza.
Completed lunges at the park with Jess.
Bade farewell, July 5th at 10:30 a.m.

We love the Meyers. We had such a wonderful time and are so grateful we got to spend time with them.

The pull of that raspberry patch, along with the great company may cause us to move there. And if Toby was a little more passionate about environmental law, we probably would.

Love, love, love our Oregonian fam!!

And then I was like......

2010-07-20T15:53:00.003-06:00

I have been sitting here on the couch for the past fifteen minutes trying to think of something extremely witty to post on the blog.

And nothing is coming. And I so desperately wanted to be funny today.

Instead, I sit here, thinking, thinking, thinking then....

*pop* The pipes coming out of that house look like Darth Vader's helmet.

Refocus. Cars, Wicked, buses, running, bowling, ice cream, Redwoods, funny, funny, Tony Horton, thinking...

*pop* I wonder how warm it is in Lake Powell?

Refocus. Oregon, party, Ticket to Ride, fireworks, Jo-Man, Applebee's....

*pop* I am quite possibly the whitest I have ever been in my life. I wonder how tan Randi is.

Refocus. Golden Gate Bridge, Sausilito, Muir Woods, Giants, ummmm...

*pop* My biological clock is ticking. I need a baby. I need a baby now.

Refocus. Golden Gate Park, me holding Matt Tobler's baby at Golden Gate Park....

*pop* Baby is not logical.

Refocus.

And so it goes. I can think of nothing to say.

Just know, Mr. Matt Tobler and I are having too much fun for our own good -- I just cannot process how much fun we are having into a proper blog post.

So until I can write a proper blog post, enjoy this picture of handsome Matt Tobler.

(Winter 2007)

Hopefully one day we will have a son who is as much fun as his dad.

*pop* And what are we going to name that son???

A Note on Stretchy Pants

2010-07-15T15:38:00.008-06:00

The longer I am in the city, the more I notice certain unsaid rules and trends of city life.

Por ejemplo:

1) Never, EVER, EVER have any single, solitary, teeny, tiny, speck of your car cross into the crosswalk on a red light. (Note previous satirical poem).

2) San Francisco public transportation can do whatever it pleases. Buses change lanes without looking, they run red lights, block intersections -- bus drivers basically act like they own San Francisco. So be advised -- don't mess.

3) Always expect heavy pedestrian traffic in Chinatown at any given time of the day. That community has got to be the fittest community around.

4) When possible, wear something from the North Face -- good thing my family's life goal is to become a North Face commercial.

etc, etc.

Now, coming to one of my favorite trends of the City -- if you are going to wear something from the North Face, it is best to couple it with stretchy pants. And when I say stretchy pants, I mean poshy, sleek, black, expensive-looking stretchy pants (heck, why not North Face stretchy pants!). However, before everyone runs out any buys pants for their new San Francisco look, be advised you want pants which are cut off just above the ankle (beware of the flare), or just below the knee. And they must, must be black (you may be able to get away with dark gray).

To complete your look, you will also need to purchase neon-colored running shoes, posh sun glasses, and a three inch stretchy headband. Got it? Perf.

This look was one of the first things Toby noticed about the City.

Something about the look is quite sophisticated and intimidating in all its simplicity. You see girls sporting this ensemble in almost every San Francisco venue at any time of day or night. It is the "thing to do."

(Here is Gwyneth Paltrow modeling the look -- ignore Madonna)

So, with that being said, Thursday of last week, instead of putting on jeans and a sweater, I put on my black running pants (cut off just below the knee) with a white pull over (made out of technical fabric). I donned my big brown sunglasses -- thank you Randi -- my hot pink tennies, and went out on the town to run my errands.

And voila -- Annie is city girl. I am just that cool.

I should've paraded my cool factor during an actual workout on a Saturday morning.

There is a cul-de-sac at the end of the street in which people gather to workout. It is surrounded by the largest and most beautiful houses in San Francisco and has an extremely long set of stairs running through a beautiful garden.

Toby and I noticed the cul-de-sac during a Sunday afternoon drive. People were gathered in their technical gear (plenty of black stretchy pants) doing yoga, push-ups, sprints, stairs, etc, etc.

"Woah," we thought, "impressive."

Group workouts in the middle of a poshy neighborhood, in the middle of a poshy city, with tons of poshy people -- Does it get more sophisticated? We don't know. We had to participate.

So we did. We ran the stairs.

And we loved it.

Two Utah kids, sporting cotton, Spectrum 10k shirts, sans sunglasses, and sans Mercedes -- the cul-de-sac needed some diversity.

We love the City. Stretchy pants and all.

P.S. - When I tried to take a picture of one of the cul-de-sac particpants (a tall, extremely muscular, black man who was jumping up onto a five-foot high wall), Toby asked me politely to refrain. But just know, these people were intense.

A Pretty, Residential Day

2010-07-13T10:02:00.007-06:00

Day 16

The day after our adventure in Oakland, Tobe and I decided to venture out into the surrounding suburbs of San Francisco. My family lived in the Bay Area from 1980 to 1990 and Toby wanted to see where we lived, where I was born, where we used to chill, etc, etc.

Toby also wanted to take on a certain challenge -- The Kitchen Sink at the San Francisco Creamery.

A tub and a half of ice cream, three bananas, 8 servings of toppings, and mounds of whipped cream. If a person dominates the Kitchen Sink in less than 30 minutes, he or she gets free ice cream for a year. WOAH.

This trip to the San Francisco Creamery was a recon. mission. Toby does not want to take on the challenge without an audience, and our friends were not available to come that particular afternoon.

Toby has felt extremely confident about pounding the Kitchen Sink since watching a T.V. special about the San Francisco Creamery on the Food Network in April.

How was his confidence faring after watching four Kitchen Sinks made and served in person??

"It's a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be."

I agree. No picture can quite capture the enormity of the mass of creamy goodness that is the Kitchen Sink.

However, he's still planning to take the plunge. I admire his courage. It is a lot of ice cream -- take the King's Castle and double it (a Kuhni Family feat -- Pittsburgh, PA 1998).

While we were there, we enjoyed an extremely yummy lunch (Chicken Burger -- awesome), and some ice cream.

Toby got the extreme Banana Split.

And I got a small peach-mango sorbet.

(Can you believe this is a small???? Toby had to pound 3/4 of it -- he didn't mind. Training).

We heartily enjoyed ourselves. It is one of our new favorite places. Hands down.

We've decided if we ever come back to the Bay Area, Walnut Creek is the place to be.

Stay tuned for the results of the Toby's Kitchen Sink extravaganza.

We love to see the temple.

2010-07-12T11:48:00.010-06:00

What a beautiful, wonderful, peaceful place.

It was nice to get out of the city for an afternoon.

And move around at a slower pace for a few hours.

And think about other peaceful afternoons.

I am so grateful for the temple.

"City People Could Never Survive in the Suburbs: A Satirical Poem" by Annie Tobler

2010-07-08T10:10:00.010-06:00

"City people could never survive in the suburbs," I say.
Now let me tell you why.
It all started on a very foggy day,
somewhere nearing the beginning of July.

I, a normal suburban girl, while driving in my car,
saw pedestrians crossing without looking.
"Now, this is quite bizarre,"
I think, "what do they think they're doing?"

People step into the street while the light is yellow.
"Utah mini-vans would not stop for that!"
I gasp, no, no, it would be a great big "Hello!"
A bumper's kiss they would receive -- call 911, stat.

However, this would not stop a handsome family of four,
who shouted and glared at me,
as they nearly walked into my passenger door.
Cars are dangerous - don't they see??

When I pulled into a crosswalk, to turn on a red light,
A man hit his fist against my window,
hoping to pick a fight.
I looked back at him with pity, "boy, you don't even know."

"If a man in a truck in Vernal, let's say,
watched you hit his blessed, loyal car,
you'd have a boot in your mouth before you said, 'hey!'"
"That would teach you never to venture that far."

A tradition occurs each day between four p.m. and six.
A group of men on Powell and Broadway,
sit on the curb playing checkers - we actually finally got a pic.
Sitting in the middle of traffic, it looks like they are here to stay.

These people obviously need to experience a faster way of life.
They have no idea what they are doing!
They need more hardship and strife,
more things to do, more avenues for pursuing.

"City people would never survive in the suburbs," I say.
So it is a good thing I am here.
I show them what is like living in a different way--
like how to properly move from here to there.

*wink, wink*

A Night in Oaktown

2010-06-29T20:38:00.012-06:00

Day 15

On day 15 Tobe and I went into Oakland to watch the A's kick the trash out of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The game started at 7:00 on a Friday night -- knowing we would have to travel during rush hour, Mr. Matthew Tobler and I decided to take public transportation to the Coliseum. This took serious, SERIOUS preparation.

While Matt was at work, I researched the best routes to get to and from Oakland. I prepared a list of possible bus routes for the following:

1) Annie's ride into the city to meet Toby at work
2) Annie and Toby's ride on the BART to the Coliseum
3) An 8:30 departure (in case the game was horrible)
4) A 9:00 departure
5) A 9:30 departure
and
6) A 10:00 departure

I didn't want any foul ups.

I also made sure to pack Toby clothes for the game, and snacks for the ride into Oakland.
When the appointed hour arrived, I took my bag full of Toby's goodies and went to meet bus 41. Everything went quite smoothly -- however, still having some public transportation nerves, I dropped my $2.00 fare (in quarters) onto the stairs of the bus upon boarding. Looking at me with concern mixed with annoyance, the bus driver started the bus on its merry way while I grappled for my change on the steps. Man, good thing I've been doing kenpo or somebody would have been walkin'.

Anyway, despite my one mishap, all was well. I made it safely to 100 1st St., Tobe made a quick wardrobe change and we were off to find the BART.

Now I would like to stress to you the confusion the BART transit center can cause. Upon descending underground, the hustle, flashing signs, and massive crowds were so befuddling Tobe and I could barely communicate. After stuttering and hand signaling to the nearest ticket booth, we secured our tickets and went to wait for the BART.

At this point Toby had snack #1:

After Toby pounded his traveling treats, the BART arrived. We were pretty excited. We talked and giggled the whole way to Oakland amidst stoic, i-pod wearing, commuters.

Lucky for us, we were able to get right off BART and take a skywalk directly to the Coliseum.
We got to the stadium right before 6:00. It was pretty peachy.

On the night we went to the game, the Giants were playing the Red Socks. No one wanted to miss out on what was going on at AT&T Park that night, so we were able to purchase AWESOME tickets -- field level for $20 a piece.
Third row, on the third baseline. Word.

Once we found our seats, Toby had snack #2:
He got a hot dog - he wasn't impressed.

So he had to have Snack #3:

What was impressive was Coco Crisp's flexibility...
He must do P90X.

The game was very entertaining. Toby noticed the Pirates and the A's were both playing their worst pitchers that night -- they did not disappoint.

Coco Crisp hit a single, double, triple (and we think a homerun -- we left a little early) -- and in that order. The Oakland resident next to me kept talking about how proud she was of her "Mistuh Crispie Creme."

Since I was a little tentative about taking a bus out of downtown San Francisco late at night, I made Toby leave the stadium at 9:30. Right after we left, the A's scored 7 runs -- sorry, Tobe. My bad.

We caught the BART back to the city right at 9:45 -- we were pretty proud our transportation had gone so smoothly.

We got off at the Montgomery St. station and summited the stairs at Sansome and Sutter (the intersection where my previous bus adventure occurred).

According to my notes, bus 3 was supposed to arrive at 10:15, it was 10:00. Toby and I waited patiently as multiple different buses came to different stops at the intersection. Slowly, 10:15 came and went and it soon became 10:25, 10:35, then 10:45.

I kept telling Toby,

"It has to come, Tobe, it is probably just behind schedule."

I don't think he believed me, but he just laughed and smiled and kept waiting.

We watched anxiously for bus 3 as dozens of buses continued to come into our view. It never came.

I was so happy during this bus mishap I had Toby by my side.

After watching a few homeless men carry their blankets to their resting spot for the night, Tobe made the executive decision to hail a taxi -- also unsuccessful.

No unoccupied cab ever passed our way, and when I called the Yellow Cab Co. they responded,

"Sah-rry, wreng numbah."

And hung up.

Wah?

As we were about to start getting creative, blessed bus 12: Van Ness and Pacific came into view. I knew from my extensive research of the San Francisco public transit system that bus 12 went into our neighborhood.

"Toby!" I gasped. "Bus 12 will get us home!"

Toby looked at me and nodded, already moving to get to bus and we sprinted to the bus's upcoming stop.

We have never enjoyed a bus ride more.

Bus 12 got us safely home. As we entered our apartment, I looked at Toby and said,

"I am never taking a bus from the corner of Sansome and Sutter ever again."

And I am sure in his mind he was giving me a hearty "Amen!"

25 Pounds = Average Weight Gain

2010-06-25T10:21:00.005-06:00

Day 4

On Day 4, I flew back to Utah to go to two of my very best friends' wedding (they married each other, they have been dating since they were 15 and 16 respectively -- I take full credit for their marriage). Anyway, while I was excited for the wedding, I was not excited to leave Toby alone in San Francisco.

After his first day of work, I picked Toby up at the office and he drove me to the Oakland airport, where he had to leave me with red eyes and a puffy face at the security check. It was horrible. I met on a lady on the plane (who is a teacher in Alpine School District) who asked me where my husband was. When I told her he had to stay and work she said,

"How long have you been married?"

I responded, "Almost two years."

She then looked at me with concern, "Oh my poor dear! You are still a new bride!" and then continued, "It will be okay, you are only gone for a couple of days."

It was nice to have someone realize my anguish in leaving my poor, dear husband all alone in the City. I am so needy, am I not??

Anyway, while I was away, Toby was getting to know his way around the office. When he would call me at night, here is what he had to report.

Tuesday -- Toby and the other interns ate breakfast with one of the partners at WTAS. On Monday, Toby was informed this particular partner was a HUGE baseball fan -- he never misses a Giant's game. The AT&T Park employees even have a name for him, "The Commissioner." He has box season tickets and Toby is hoping he will be able to snag an invite to a game sometime during the summer.

So while at breakfast, Toby started asking him about baseball. When "The Commissioner" found out Toby knew quite a bit about the sport, he became completely giddy and immediately entered into a serious conversation about plays, players, etc. Toby felt right at home.

Toby went out to lunch later that day with some of the interns who are law students at the local law school, Hastings. Being long time residents of the city, they wanted to show Toby one of their favorite places to eat. It was a sushi place near the office. Having never really had sushi, Toby thought he would give it a try. However, it did not seem to live up to expectations.

Toby ordered a variety of different dishes and after sampling a little bit of each, he discovered he may not be sophisticated enough for such delicacies. Not wanting to offend his co-workers, Toby ate the remainder of his food, without chewing, with a smile on his face. (I don't think I could have pulled off such a stunt -- I think serving a mission in a foreign country may have helped Toby in this area).

Wednesday -- On Wednesday, Toby discovered the "Break Room." The room contains plate after plate of doughnuts, cookies, candy bars, and other goodies. It also has a refrigerator with an endless supply of Diet Coke, Diet Dr. Pepper and other varieties of drinks. Toby was in heaven.

When I came home from Utah, I asked Toby what he would like for lunch. I packed him a sandwich and a yogurt, and then wondered why he didn't ask for more food. When he came home that day, Toby told me of the wonderful treats he consumed at his desk from 8:00 to 5:00. Mystery solved.

However, a few days ago, Toby hopped in the car at the end of the day with a look of concern on his face. I asked him what was wrong and he said,

"Man, I have to stop eating so many treats."

I replied, "Okay, we'll start putting more good food in your lunches."

Toby then looked at me with an extremely serious expression, "Annie, I just realized how much weight people gain from the break room. I think within the first six months the average weight gain is 25 pounds."

He then leaned back in his chair and stared at me with his mouth open, looking completely aghast.

Ha!

Since that day, I have always packed Toby very large and very healthy lunches. At the end of the day Toby will come home and report to me all of the treats he turned down at the office -- a huge feat for Mr. Matt Tobler as those of you who know him can attest to.

Good thing we know Tobe can take care of himself in this big city. He's not going to let that break room get a hold of him.

Way to huss, Tobe.

(Tobe at lunch time in front of Costco)

(It has free parking... so we eat our healthy lunches together in the parking lot quite often)

Happy Hour and Fisherman's Wharf

2010-06-24T14:16:00.007-06:00

Day 8

Today was an extremely productive day for the Tobler family in the City. After dropping off Toby at work, I decided I needed to root out the best local grocery store -- thus far in our stay I had only been to Costco.

I got home and wrote down the addresses to several different stores in the area and narrowed down my list to the top two options: 1) Cal Mart, 2) Trader Joes.

Having the needed addresses in hand, I hopped in the Camry, entered address #1 into my beloved GPS and I was on my way. Here is what I discovered.

Trader Joes - Top notch - the total heaven of any person who values good organic/sugar free/all natural food (i.e. Camie -- sorry we don't have one in Utah, Cam). I immediately wanted to buy everything in sight. Somehow I was able to control myself.

Cal Mart - Wa-OH! New fave. It is family owned grocery store with BEAUTIFUL produce, bouquets of fresh flowers busting out all over the place, and a rockin' bakery.

I was extremely impressed with both locations.

Below are items purchased at the Cal Mart Bakery....

The pictures below include some flower arrangements I bought at Trader Joes....

And here is the rest of the apartment:

After my morning on the town, I busted out a couple of P90X workouts (I'm in Lake Powell training!) and got cleaned up.

After work, Toby went with his co-workers to a local restaurant for ehm, ehm "Happy Hour." I know, I know, initially I was concerned. However, Toby assured me Happy Hour is when the people from the office get together and eat some snacks and get a drink together (Toby's only option was "Diet Cola").

When Toby got home we put on our walking shoes and headed for Fisherman's Wharf (only about a mile away).

Here is a photo summary of the evening.....

We found tootsie rolls!!!

..... So we loaded up on a few for road trip treats (the next day we went to Pebble Beach!)....

After hitting the hot spots, we ended up at Ghiradelli Square....

....We are planning to go back later in the summer to get a sundae!!

We then walked back up Van Ness St., down Broadway, and made it home in time for bed.

San Francisco is starting to grow on us.

Bus 10 - Townsend

2010-06-23T14:32:00.002-06:00

Day 13

Jumping ahead to day 13 in San Francisco, I would like to share my day's experiences.

8:05 a.m. --

It all started this morning on my way home from dropping off Mr. Matt Tobler at work. I had some things to pick up at Safeway, so I took a new route back home. Whilst driving along I saw a park coming up on my right -- it was a beautiful park with a towering cathedral in the back corner of the half-acre plot. I noticed a congregation of people moving in synchronized form. After further examination I realized it was a group of Asian residents doing some form of marshal arts for their morning exercise -- each wearing slacks and a button-down wool sweater.

I immediately called mother.

"Mother!" I said, "A group of Asians are doing marshal arts in the park!" I continued "They are all wearing sweaters and dress pants!"

Mother responded unsurprised, "Annie, this happens all the time. Its called Tai Chi."

"Well," I thought to myself, "I best be getting myself a nice new sweater and head on down there one morning."

Everyone looked extremely dignified and moved so gracefully.

Having discovered what was going on in the park, I continued on my merry way to Safeway.

10:00 a.m. --

Upon completing my morning chores, I sat down to find out how to take the bus down into the financial district to meet Toby for lunch. I have to say, I was nervous to take this step. I was so worried about taking the wrong bus and ending up by myself in the wrong part of town, I debated all morning whether or not I should just drive into the city (which would have resulted in paying $20 to park). My fears took up so much of my time this morning, I missed my morning workout. I analyzed and reanalyzed each route I could take - Bus 12, Bus 10, Van Ness or Laguna??

As the time to catch the chosen bus arrived, I chickened out. I was all ready to go -- I had Toby's lunch packed and I was wearing about five layers to prevent from getting cold. I sat down at my computer to regroup.

I went to Google and entered in "free parking in downtown San Francisco." After about 30 seconds of perusing different sites, I finally snapped out of it.

"Annie, seriously," I thought to myself, "what will Toby think."

Summoning up my courage, I looked for the next bus going down to the city - Bus 10, Washington and Laguna, departing at 11:27 a.m. I grabbed my duds and booked it to the bus stop.

As I got on the bus, the bus driver gave me an enormous smile. I smiled back and thought,

"This is already better than expected."

The only other person on the bus was a very neat and tidy elderly Asian woman (who was sleeping in the seat just behind the driver).

We went down the road a few blocks and stopped to pick up more passengers. This time a large group of people boarded the bus -- again, neat and tidy elderly Asian men and women. They flashed their orange bus passes as they climbed aboard and quickly took their seats. The trend continued at each block for the next five blocks.

Everyone on the bus knew each other. They smiled broadly at one another, yelled greetings to each other, and rapidly entered into small talk. All conversation was conducted in either Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, or some other Asian language (I am assuming some form of Chinese since we were headed for the heart of Chinatown).

I was so happy I could not wipe the smile off of my face. When I would catch the eye of one of my fellow riders, they would smile at me and give me a greeting I could not decipher.

Man, have I been missing out -- Tai Chi in the morning and now the bus! I need an orange bus pass!!

It was highly enjoyable. Sadly, all of my friends got off the bus at Chinatown.

However, my ride was soon over. I made it to Sutter and Sansome right on time, got off the bus and headed towards Toby's office. Toby and I met up and enjoyed our lunch together and it was soon time for me to again catch the bus back home.

Nervousness again filled my heart. Catching the bus from downtown was going to be a little more complicated. The corner at which I was supposed to catch the bus contained several different bus stops.

I had Toby walk me to the intersection where the bus was to arrive, and then he had to go back to work. I watched him walk away in semi-despair -- the corner had so many bus stops and I did not know which one was mine.

I crossed to the other side of the street and continued to look around, trying to get my bearings. I watched as multiple buses drove by, none of which were Bus 10.

I started to feel out of place as I stood still amongst crowds of people walking by. It was already past the appointed time for Bus 10 to come to Sansome and Sutter.

A boy who was trying to get people to sign a petition to save San Francisco schools, stood in my vicinity the whole time I was on the corner. After watching dozens of people deny his pleas, I walked over to talk with him.

He was a nice boy, trying to get the community involved in helping the educational opportunities of the City's youth -- I am going to be an educator so we were fast friends. However, he quickly found out I could not help him in his quest. I am not a registered voter, and I will be moving back to Utah at the end of the summer.

As I was saying goodbye to the boy and his clipboard, I noticed Bus 10 turning onto a street across the road from me -- I now saw my bus stop. The light was green and cars were approaching, but I was so nervous about missing my bus, I leaped into traffic.

I threw my body in front of a cab, pushed my hands against the bumper and darted towards the bus (I was like a Jedi using the force -- good thing I wore my tennies).

I frantically grabbed the door of the bus just in time. The robust, black bus driver opened the door and gave me a scowl.

"I almost missed you guys!" I said cheerfully.

He continued to glare at me.

I gave him my fare, he gave me my ticket, I gave him the best, "Thank you, sir," I could muster and I took my seat at the back of the bus.

I was relieved. I made on the bus which would take me home.

As we started to enter my neighborhood, my old friends started to get back on the bus. The same greetings passed between the riders, and I felt right at home. I already felt like I was a part of the community.

My friends slowly got off the bus and my stop was just blocks away. However, at Van Ness and Pacific my large, and robust bust driver decided his time driving was finished. He parked the bus, gathered his things and walked down Pacific disappearing into the East. I was left with one other gentleman aboard. A sassy middle-aged black woman then boarded the bus whipped out a walkie-talkie and said:

"Someone needs to get down to Van Ness and relieve Bus 10."

She then took a seat on the front bench.

Seeing I would be waiting for quite some time, I hopped off the bus and started walking the three blocks home.

I could not help but chuckle to myself the whole way.

"That was so great." I kept thinking to myself.

At the corner of Gough and Broadway I truck passed by and one of the male passengers who I never saw yelled out the window, "What's up gurl!"

"What is up indeed." I thought, with a smile on my face.

What a great morning.

Costco, A GPS and a Walmart

2010-06-21T12:06:00.007-06:00

Day Two

We woke up the first morning in our new apartment ready to spring on a list of errands which went as follows:

1) Find Costco - buy food
2) Obtain GPS (see previous post detailing why)
3) Find Walmart - buy apartment necessities

After talking on the phone with my mother, we had directions to numerous grocery locations throughout the city. Our first goal was to find Costco. However, due to yet another translation error (Annie believing Mother said "Kemp" St. rather than "10th" St.), we were lost yet again.

En route to "Kemp" St. (a street which does not exist), we discovered many awesome parts of San Francisco. We found sweet markets off of Mission St., cool community centers on California St., and the Embarcadero Towers (where my Dad used to work when I was a little girl).

We finally discovered our error and made our way to Costco - I "HEART" Costco. We snagged a GPS, various food items, and experienced the absolute BEST Costco box job I have ever seen. That girl sure was an efficient packer. I was thoroughly and utterly impressed.

I now cannot express to you the glorious feeling it was to have our sweet little GPS - how on EARTH did we get by without it. It contains directions by address, points of interest (which include restaurants, lodging, shopping, attractions, etc., etc.), cross street, and so on. We plugged in that bad boy, I punched in an address, leaned back in my seat, and we headed on our merry way, no problem. Alleluia Brother.

Our next stop was Walmart - according to the GPS, the nearest Walmart was in Oakland. We set off over the Bay Bridge and followed the GPS to the outskirts of Oakland's downtown. As we pulled into the parking lot, Toby quickly realized we were the only white people within probably a 10 mile radius. We both looked dirty and tired and we seemed to be wearing neutral gang colors, so we decided we should hopefully fly under the radar or people would at least take pity on us. Coming to a mutual concurrence, we parked the Camry, hid our GPS, and walked inside.

I must say, I have never been so politely treated in my life as I was treated inside that Walmart. I had such a pleasant experience, I think I'll go there on a weekly basis. Even though it was extremely crowded, throughout the whole period I was inside those doors all I heard was "Excuse me ma'am," "Sorry, honey," "Oh no gurl, its not yo' fault" -- I was blown away. Heck, I fit right in -- Sperry's and all.

No wonder MC Hammer is so cool.

It feels good when you know you're down
A super dope homeboy from the Oak Town
And I'm known as such
And this is a beat, uh, you can't touch
-- U Can't Touch This circa 1990

I daresay Tobe and I had an extremely productive and enjoyable day.

"Two Best Friends, Lost in 'Frisco"

2010-06-21T00:44:00.007-06:00

Day One

We departed from scenic Park City, Utah on Friday, June 11^th at approximately 10:30 a.m. Our departure was delayed due to tires which required immediate attention from Mr. Hans Kuhni (Dad, we are ever, EVER, so grateful for your help). After Father took the Camry down to Burt Brother’s Tires and squared us away, we hit the road with tuna sandwiches, apples, chips, Frescas and hot tamales in hand.

We made our way through the salt flats, Wendover, Wells, Elko and Winnemucca with such excitement in our hearts the time passed by with ease. Six small bags of chips, two cookies, one sandwich and plenty of soda later, Toby announced he needed something a little more substantial to help him across the Sierra Nevadas. We took a pit stop in Reno where Toby filled up on an In’N’Out Burger and we continued on our way.

As we made our descent into Sacramento, people were driving faster, the concentration of buildings and houses was getting denser, and we could feel the excitement and electricity buzzing -- we were no longer in Provo. My heart started to tense as we gradually made our way closer to the coast. I did not know what to expect or where we were living.

At 11:00 p.m. Mountain Time, we rounded through Oakland and the Bay Bridge appeared -- the towering San Francisco Sky line and the big city lights overwhelmed us. Tobe shouted for joy and exclaimed, "this is going to be AWESOME!" I cheered as well, but nervousness filled my heart -- Why in the honk did we think we could live in such a big city? In the words of my niece Rozzie, it is "supah hooge."

We whipped out the map my Mother printed off Map-Quest detailing the route to our soon-to-be home. Our anticipation was building as we exited the Bay Bridge and entered the heart of the city. As we turned down the street on which our apartment is located, our hearts relaxed as we saw some dignified looking buildings and clean streets. However, our excitement would soon pass. We rounded another corner and it was as if a can of sleeze exploded on the city block -- we were passing through the red light district of San Francisco.

Crowds of people were spilling out of adult video stores, strip clubs and x-rated shops -- it was Friday night and the red light district was hoppin'. Toby looked at me with his anger in his eyes and said, "I am going to kill the leasing agent," as I scrunched lower and lower into my seat.

We passed through the red light district as quickly as possible and immediately found ourselves on the fringes of Chinatown. Something about the lack of signs in English and the displays of scary-looking dolls and figurines in the windows didn't put my heart at ease. Even when Toby and I tried to crack a few Asian jokes no comfort came. At this point Toby had both hands on the wheel, crouched over in a quazi battle stance. I sat on the edge of the seat hoping with all of my heart I would not have to become a "woman of the night" or speak Chinese to fit in at my new home.

However, a light existed at the end of the tunnel -- literally. At the edge of Chinatown is a tunnel which runs through one of San Francisco's numerous hillsides. As we passed through the tunnel it was as if hope grew afresh in our hearts. We were in a residential neighborhood -- an extremely nice neighborhood. As the Camry idled up to 2000 Broadway St. we were relieved -- no Chinese characters, no flashing lights, but a beautiful building on a quiet street.

It was now our task to find our keys. It was nearing midnight and we had previously arranged to pick up our keys with the 24-hour doorman at another building owned by the same leasing company. With badly drawn maps and newly found optimism, we hit the streets to find Chestnut and Hyde.

The remaining events of the night went as follows:

11:00 p.m. Pacific Time: Using our Map-Quest printout, we decipher Hyde street a mile away.

11:15 p.m.: Hyde street is located, Chestnut is no where to be found.

11:30 p.m.: Annie and Toby arrive at a Shell gas station near the freeway entrance on to I-80. Annie is hesitant to exit the car (again, the city is "supah hooge" and intimidating).

11:35 p.m.: After failing to receive any sort of particle of help from two Caucasian policemen, Annie and Toby receive directions off of the cellphone of a double Red Bull toting Arabic/English man (when I say Arabic/English I mean an Arabic man with an English accent -- his outfit was super stylish I might add).

11:36 p.m.: Our Arabic friend walks into the darkness down a city street never to be seen again. (Where was he going? I still wonder).

12:00 a.m.: After following the directions from the said Arabic man's cellphone, Toby and Annie discover something was lost in translation -- We were at the wrong destination.

1:00 a.m.: After a period of "trial and error" navigating, Annie and Toby discover Hyde and Chestnut. Annie secures keys from doorman.

1:13 a.m.: Second arrival at 2000 Broadway. Annie and Toby discover the keys to the parking garage are not included in the neat "welcome" pamphlet.

1:20 a.m.: Toby executes a prime parallel parking job on an extremely steep incline (seriously, very, VERY nicely done). Annie and Toby start relaying items into new apartment.

2:00 a.m.: With all items unpacked, Annie and Toby blow up sweet air mattress (Costco, $25) and lay down their weary heads.

We were in the City.

Our experience can be summed up in one very well placed phrase. At some point between midnight and 1:00 a.m. on 7th street and Bryant, Toby (who never, ever once became pessimistic or ever complained) looked over at me and said with a chuckle and a smile,

"Two Best Friends, Lost in 'Frisco"

And so begins our tale.

(P.S. I have no idea whatsoever why the font is freaking out in this post. Hopefully it only adds to the drama.)

Enter the San Francisco Chronicles: Summer 2010

2010-06-18T16:05:00.004-06:00

Over the past few months, many things have happened. I finished my classwork at UVU, Matt successfully finished his first year in the Masters of Accountancy program at BYU, and we have moved to San Francisco for the summer. (Woot!)

In October, Matt had the opportunity to interview with many different accounting firms for summer internship positions. Matt secured a position with a firm named WTAS. Last Friday, Matt and I packed up our duds and headed for SF. For the next 9 weeks we will be living in the big city working, playing and experiencing and saturating every aspect of San Francisco we can possibly handle -- for serious.

As you can imagine, two young kids from small towns in Utah do not exactly pull off city life as well as Sarah Jessica Parker. In fact, during my stay in the city thus far, natives of the city have commonly called me "my dear," "sweetie," "my girl," and "cutie" expressed with a tone of concern mingled with amusement. (Was it something I said? Am I wearing the wrong shoes? -- we don't know).

But, with that being said, I thought all of you would heartily enjoy hearing of Matt and my experiences learning the way of life in San Francisco. You may gasp, you may shudder, embarrassment may fill your heart, but hopefully whatever I may write will give you enjoyment and warm you hearts.

Thus comes the beginning of the San Francisco Chronicles: Summer 2010.

Going for the Summit

2009-11-10T13:47:00.012-07:00

Matt and I have recently been reading Into Thin Air by John Krakauer. The book is a personal account of the 1996 disaster on Everest. It is a thrilling book, to say the least. Since we have been reading this book, everything in our lives has started to revolve around "summiting." Our newly written Christmas goals (we're starting early this year!) on the fridge are written next to our new mantra "REACH THE SUMMIT!" We have made a calendar flaunting Everest's image. We even read our scriptures snuggling together imagining ourselves reaching the Hillary Step.

Everest is woven into our everday lives.

Toby made the most recent Everest application.

On Saturday, he completed a solo grocery shopping trip. I was working on a homework assignment at the library with cute Summer Staheli. When I came home Toby approached me with pride.

He stated, "Annie, going grocery shopping by myself, as a boy, is the equivalent to summiting Everest with supplemental oxygen."

I look at him and question, "Supplemental oxygen?"

"Yes," he replied, "I had a grocery list."

Well done, young Matthew, well done.

A Halloween Synopsis

2009-10-30T21:33:00.012-06:00

Halloween Festivies, the Matt Tobler household, 2009

October 30th

9:00 a.m. - Halloween Breakfast

Ghosts and pumkins for little Tobe. Shouts of "Yayyy!!" ring through the apartment complex.

12:15 p.m. - Annie throws together an impromptu costume and heads to work.

5:15 p.m. - Annie picks up race packets for the Provo Halloween Half-Marathon

5:30 p.m. - Annie and Toby purchase early "Christmas" presents - new running shoes. Necessary purchases for early morning Halloween activity.

5:45 p.m. - Young Matthew puts on new hot blue and green running shoes, refusing to take them off even to change clothes.

6:30 p.m. - Annie makes chili for ward Halloween party.

7:15 p.m. - Annie and Toby, after failing to find suitable pajamas for Toby's Halloween, put together yet another impromtu costume -- sweats, a t-shirt, and kisses on the face. (Toby dubbed us jointly as "the early-morning make-out").

7:30 p.m. - Annie and Toby attend the ward Halloween party. Annie fails to win the chili cook-off. (It was rigged I tell you!).

10:00 p.m. - Bedtime and race preparations.

October 31st

5:45 a.m. - Get up and prepare to run.

6:30 a.m. - Meet Mr. Michael and Mr. Darrin Orton at shuttle pick-up spot.

7:oo a.m. - Waiting in line, determing how many bagels Toby could eat before it would effect his race time. (He ate approximately 3).

7:30 a.m. - Catch shuttle.

8:00 a.m. - Arrive at Aspen Grove (just up the canyon from Sundance) - starting point of the race.

8:15 a.m. - Annie uses the restroom -- nerves are building.

8:30 a.m. - Annie and Toby pick up race chips (device which monitors race time).

8:45 a.m. - Annie uses restroom -- nerves are still building.

8:50 a.m. - Annie and Toby watch man dressed as Bill Gates lead group of racers in yoga and aerobics.

8:55 a.m. - Annie uses restroom.

9:00 a.m. - Race begins.

10:00 a.m. - Annie and Toby wonder why they decided to run the race.

11:05 a.m. - Matthew Rex Tobler crosses the finish line. (Time: 2 hours 5 minutes).

11:17 a.m. - Andrea Jane Tobler crosses the finish line. Accomplishes goal of never stopping to walk. (Time: 2 hours 17 minutes).

11:30 a.m. - Toby and Annie go home where they spend the rest of the evening with two new best friends.....
A truly wonderful Halloween.

Toby, Annie, Michael and a 2,000 ft descent..

2009-10-28T22:38:00.003-06:00

This Halloween Toby, our friend Michael and I will be attempting a great feat.

Starting at 8 a.m. this Saturday, we will be working to complete and utterly dominate the
Provo Halloween Half Marathon.

Why a half marathon?.... We don't know.

Why are we not staying home to eat candy, and make homemade donuts?.... We don't know.

Will it be worth it?.... Totally.

Wish us luck.

View the map below....

Provo Halloween Half Marathon www.HalloweenHalf.com
Find more Runs in Provo, Utah

I sense something coming in the air....

2009-10-25T19:20:00.004-06:00

Winter.

It's starting to move past the fall crispiness, and the leaves are rapidly leaving the trees.

That can only mean one thing.....

Winter shenanigans are about to begin.

(Kuhni family January 2009)

Can't wait!

Comments on P-Town, The 'Vo, or Provo

2009-10-12T10:07:00.016-06:00

Miss Annie did not have to attend class this morning, so I thought I would "attend" to my blog. I have been thinking lately about beautiful Provo, Utah. I have many thoughts about this city. How long have I been here? Coming on FIVE years (I can't believe it). How much longer will I be here? FIVE years (Just kidding! Really only four).

It has been a place where many wonderful things have happened for me. I have made wonderful friends, married a wonderful man, graduated from good ol' BYU, and made many great memories.

As Tobe and I have started another year of school -- Tobe at the Y, Annie at UVU -- we have already had so many great new memories and experiences.

Exhibit A:

We have an apartment that is cuter than a bug's ear. Seriously. Although fairly small, everytime I come home I always exclaim in my heart, "This place is soooo cute!" Toby has to study in the same room with me, when I cook dinner we are still in the same room, you can't lose a thing in here (except for Toby's keys), and its just pretty special.

Exhibit B:

Two words: Intramural Sports. Toby is currently on two intramural sports teams, one of which is Ultimate Frisbee. In this particular sport, especially here in Provo, tensions run high. It consists of boys wearing "BYU Math" sweatbands, teams yelling pump up cheers such as "Families are Forever!", and referee-free games where the players call their own fouls. We have seen tantrums, we have seen body slams, and we have seen grown men brought to their knees in despair over a loss. As I sit with the other team wives on the sideline, we marvel at the players' intensity.

Exhibit C:

We have a wonderful ward. Although in the words of Mr. Trent Tipton "it lacks diversity," (meaning all the members of the ward are newly-married, in love, on-top-of -it, BYU students), it is such a fun atmosphere. Everyone loves to get involved, wants to do their best in their callings, and exudes a spirit of happiness. And we do have some diversity -- meaning newly-married, in love, on-top-of-it, BYU students, with children. (I watched the offspring of one of these couples suck cheerios off of the cultural hall floor during Gospel Doctrine yesterday).

Exhibit D:
Oh the glory of the mountains! We have had so much fun being back up in higher elevations. We have mountain biked, fished in mountain rivers, run a 5K under the shadow of Y mountain, and enjoyed the mountain air. We love the mountains.

Exhibit E:
I have a great job! I work as an Administrative Assistant at Mountainland Applied Technology College. I register students, answer phone calls, and take payments. I work with great girls, have wonderful hours and am able to make some money for Tobe and me. (P.S... if anyone is interested in becoming a construction flagger, call me and I'll sign you up for class this Saturday).

Exhibit F:

Our lives continue to progress and we continue to move forward. So many great opportunities have continued to come our way and so many great new editions have entered into our lives. We have two new nieces, Carie's baby Kate and Camie's baby Evie, and we love them so much! Even our friends are starting to become parents (we are happy Daniel and Steph's baby boy Brighton is here to play with us!) Toby has interviewed with Big Four accounting firms, I have realized I will soon be a teacher, and we are getting closer to being in the "real world". We are so grateful for all the opportunities in our lives and Toby and I realize with each passing day how very blessed we are.

(Miss Evie)

(Little Kate)

(Cute little Brighton Daniel (way to win the middle name war, Steph!))

My Dad once told me a bird which lives only in Provo whistles a tune to honor Provo's beauty. The birds sing "Provo is a pretty little place!"

We love Provo.

Who is a bad blogger...?????

2009-09-11T10:27:00.012-06:00

I am a bad blogger....

(Annie, 1997)

So, little Anners has not blogged for approximately 4 months. Who am I????

Geeze louise.

If anyone (like the four people who read my blog) thought that something was wrong with me, the answer is no.

If anyone (again, the four people) thought I was going through some sort of phase of boring events where I had nothing to blog about, again the answer would be absolutely not.

Tobe and I have simply had a wonderful summer in good ol' San Jorge with our wonderful friends and fam. I was so busy with so many things, I simply did not have time to blog.

But I am back.

Tobe and I just moved back to school in P-town and we are back to working towards our futures (academically speaking). I am attending UVU taking education classes pursuing my teaching certificate (woot, woot!) and Tobe is starting his first year in the accounting masters program at BYU. He is also studying for the LSAT and plans to take that in December.. (he is such a smarty pants).

If anyone thinks I am lying about having such an awesome summer, please view the following web album for evidence to the contrary here..

...and these are only half of our pictures...

Recent Happenings

2009-05-17T21:57:00.005-06:00

Well, I have been such a bad bad blogger. I have realized the blogging is a big responsibility and something which I can't take lightly. The other day my sister Camie told me that she was thinking of hiring a blogging intern who could take photos and makes posts for her to keep her blog updated. As she said this I felt an immediate wave of guilt come over me.

"I have completely forgotten about my blog." I thought to myself. I know I need to repent. But here I am. I am back.

So, where should I start?????

Firstly, I, Mrs. Annie Tobler, made it. I graduated from BYU. Party on. What a bittersweet moment as I donned my cap and gown and walked the line in the Marriot Center -- joy at never having to take another test at the testing center, and sadness at never taking another history class again. But a sister's gotta move on am I right??

(TA DA!)

Secondly, Mr. Matt Tobler successfuly finished the Jr. Core of Accounting. ALLELUIA BROTHER! That was quite the school year for my dear little hubby. (And when I say little, I mean big and strong). Anyway, he did a tremendous job and worked SO hard, hard enough that he got into the Masters program!!!!!!!! I am such a proud little wifer. (And in this case little means gorgeous and beautiful).

(Tobe tying flies of elation minutes after finding out he made it into the MAcc).

After we closed up shop in Provo we moved down to St. George for the summer. And it has been a party to say the least. I mean oh my heavens, we've mountain biked, hiked, worked on our tans, seen lots of family and friends, gone fishing, and the fun has just begun. We can't wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store.

So there ya have it. Life is great. Having no further points of interest to report, and no profound words of my own to say, I shall quote Spock (whom we recently watched in the new Star Trek movie) in saying, "Live long and prosper."

"I know the Easter Bunny."

2009-04-12T21:37:00.007-06:00

On Saturday, Toby left the house saying that he had a couple of "errands" to run and that I couldn't come. About an hour later I received a phone call as I was busily typing away on a paper -- it was Toby...

"Annie, I'm just pulling up, close your eyes." click. No more Toby.

I close my eyes, the door opens, and I hear Toby running upstairs.

A couple of seconds later I hear Toby say, "Okay Annie you can open your eyes now!"

I open my eyes just as I hear the door shutting to our upstairs office. "Hmm..." I think to myself, "What could the little stinker be doing."

About twenty minutes later, I wander upstairs hearing noises similar to duct tape being strapped across plywood coming out of our little den. This was a real project.

After putting my hair in some braids, I walked back downstairs and resumed my typing position. Toby emerged from his den of activity minutes later, a smile broadly plastered across his face.

"Annie," he grinned, "I ran into the Easter Bunny while I was out and he said that he has already made your basket because you have been so good."

"Really!" I replied as I smiled in excitement.

He continued saying, "Ya know Annie, I didn't want to tell you this while we were dating, but, I know the Easter Bunny. I wanted to make sure you liked me for the right reasons."

My mouth formed into a broad smile and before I could retort Toby added, "And I was this close [he pinches his thumb and fore finger tightly together] to convincing him to giving you a new car."

"Wow, Tobe." I said in awe as he leaned back into couch, nodding his head with confidence.

He is so cool.

This morning I found out that Toby really does know the Easter Bunny....

I found this at the bottom of the stairs:

It's a no-sugar, all-fruit easter basket (Toby said he let the Easter Bunny know that I've been trying to "glow with health.")

However, little did Toby know that I too know the Easter Bunny...

(However, I didn't get close to getting Toby a car... he might have more connections with our fluffly friend...)

We hope everyone had a happy, happy Easter!!!

Thoughts on a Bright Monday Morn...

2009-04-06T10:05:00.011-06:00

As I sit here on BYU campus this very beautiful Monday morning, my mind is full of many different things.

I have the usual wifely/womanly worries such as:

a) My house is dirty. I wish that I could go home right now and take my apartment to town with some soft scrub and some windex.

b) I have split ends and CRRRRAAAZZZY wispies. What in the world is a girl to do?? It is just out of control. (Christy, Carie, Cicely?? Wanna help a sister out?)

I have the usual list of scholastic things to do:

a) 8- 10 page Utah History paper is due tomorrow. (Did Orrin Porter Rockwell really try to kill Governor Boggs??? Heck yes he did.)

b) 6-page Political Science paper due on Friday. (Should women serve on the front lines??? Betty Friedan thought this idea to be pretty snappy. Was she crazy? Totally).

c) 6-page Sports History paper due next Monday. (What really happened in the Black Sox scandal?? Was "Shoeless" Joe Jackson really as innocent as he was portrayed to be in The Field of Dreams???)

d) 25-page final draft senior seminar paper due next Monday. (What in the honk am I going to do to revise this paper???? Heaven only knows).

But my mind is mostly full of peace, gratitude and reassurance as I ponder the many blessings I have in my life.

a) I have been able to attend BYU. My heart is filled with great nostalgia at this time as I am finishing my last three weeks of my undergraduate degree. What wonderful friends I have made, what wonderful things I have learned, what I wonderful husband I have married, and what wonderful blessings I have received while I have been here at BYU. I will miss my visits to the libe, lunches at the cougareat, starting classes with a prayer, and walking to class with Tobe. However, I look forward to what lies ahead.

b) I am blessed to be a part of two wonderful families - I am both a Kuhni and a Tobler. I am so very grateful for my sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, parents and parents-in-law. I marvel at their goodness and all that they do for me. They are fun, witty, sharp, talented, humble, and comprise all I want to be.

c) I am married to the tot. COOLEST person in the world. He sings (minus hymns), he dances, he juggles, he does laundry, he teases, he loves, and he makes every day so happy. What a wonderful companion, husband, and friend.

d) I am a member of the true Church. At the close of this past weekend's General Conference, my heart received yet another witness of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the Lord's Church restored in its fullness, it is the Church with authority, the Priesthood and Priesthood keys, and it is the Church that is lead by a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. What a feeling of reassurance I felt through each session as I marvelled at the power of each of the leaders of the Church.

During my high school years, my room was right next to the laundry room. Early in the morning I would ofter hear my mother busy and bustling either unloading, ironing or folding clothes. She would often by singing in her brightest and cheeriest voice. Her most common song was -- "Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day!" My mother and her singing would work their way into my room, turning on the light and dropping off fresh, clean clothes. It was the sign that it was time for me to get up and time for me to get a start on my "beautiful morning" and my "beautiful day."

Although during high school I would often rebel against this song in my teenage desire for sleep, today my heart is singing,
"Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day!"

I am so grateful for all the Lord has given me.

Well lookie here...

2009-04-02T12:20:00.007-06:00

This morning I made Toby and me some yummmmy lunches for school. Although you may not believe it, this doesn't occur just any ordinary day. Little Annie is generally about 15-20 minutes behind schedule. Forcing Toby to cuddle with me for the ten minutes after the alarm goes off, singing in my pajamas, showering, picking out an outfit that matches, generally takes a little more time than I plan to take for my morning routine. So this was a special, special morning.

Last night, I took a shower, braided my hair, and planned out what I was going to wear -- My hair would be squiggly and pretty, and getting dressed would be a snap! I had PLENTY of time to make some uber gourmet lunches.

I made Tobe a bagel sandwich, threw in some fruit leathers, a juicy orange, carrots, activa yogurt, and to top it off, some saltines (cuz saltines are da bomb dot com). I was so proud.

When we left for school I presented Toby with his beautiful lunch.
He gasped with excitement, "Is all this food for me?!"
I replied proudly, "Totally."

He looked at his lunch with a big smile and then I watched his brow scrunch in confusion. He looked at me and said, "Are these saltines."
I laughed and said, "Of course those are saltines. Everyone LOVES saltines."

We drove to school, and since my lunch making ended up taking some time (apparently my planning wasn't good enough) I had to drop Toby off right at the door so he wouldn't be late for class. He can't be late or the professors won't accept his work.

As I parked the car and started to gather my things, I noticed something hidden under my backpack and one of Toby's jackets.

"SALTINES!" I gasped.

There they were. Toby's beautifully baggied saltines. The poor little neglected dears.

I immediately called Toby wondering how he could've left perfectly good saltines in the car.

His reponse, "Oh Annie, I left those for you!"

What a nice boy.

"Glowing"

2009-03-26T12:04:00.006-06:00

This past weekend, Tobe and I were able to spend some time with our families in the sunshine of St. George. (HEAVEN). We mountain biked, we swam, we ate fresh guacamole, and started to work on our oh-so-coveted tans. What a glorious GLORIOUS weekend.

While we were visiting with Tobe's mom one morning, we started to talk about my sister and my sister-in-law who are both pregnant. Talking about them made me wonder, "I wonder what I will look like as a jubilant pregnant woman?" (depending on how sick I am, jubilant may be too strong of a word).
When I voiced my self-absorbed question outloud, my wonderful mother-in-law responded,
"I'm sure you will be just glowing with health."

"Well for heaven sakes," I thought to myself, "rosy cheeks, bright eyes, big smile, baby bump, instant weight loss after Tobe and my beloved baby is born -- that would be totally rad."
Pssh, I totally want to be glowing with health. But, who doesn't want to be "glowing," I mean really.

Little does my mother-in-law know that her comment started a new goal --

I want to "glow" with health.

Although Tobe and I are yet to bring a new little Tobler into the world, I have taken on a new charge to take better care of myself. With inspiration from my beautiful, "glowing," wonderful sister, Camie, I have eliminated sugars from my diet. I first started by getting rid of all items containing high fructose corn syrup -- and let me tell you, that cuts out a significant part of my regular foods, i.e. tootsie rolls/hot tamales. (Kuhni girls are known to eat these two items for lunch, seriously). I then took out normal white and brown sugars. This kind of scared Toby who thought this may effect my bake-aholic tendency to shower Toby with all sorts of sweet goodness. (Don't worry, Tobe, cookies will still be baked just for you). What I am left with is all of the wonderful whole fruits, vegetables, breads, and proteins of the earth -- foods which have made my body feel so, so good.

Since I have implemented this plan, I often off-handedly asked Toby,
"So, um, Toby, am I like... glowing?"
His ever constant response, "Totally."

That's what I thought. :)

The "Wet Kitty"

2009-03-13T10:49:00.013-06:00

Thursday morning, 6:30 a.m.:

"Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!"

I grab my cell phone, quickly turn it to snooze, and roll over onto my stomach in anguish. I'm thinking to myself, "25-page paper, only 6 pages completed, Utah History test, need to take by tomorrow, interview for education program, get gas, go to work, don't have enough time to go to St. George this weekend."

Toby starts to rub my back as my brow scrunches under my negativity.

Toby asks, "Are you ok?"

I think to myself, "I feel like I'm looking ok, am I not ok?"

I shake my head, and say "Yes, I'm ok."

Toby replies, "Are you sure? You're not very cuddly this morning." (I'm usually extremely cuddly).

"Yes, I'm ok," and I reach over to give him a hug.

Toby gets in the shower, I stay in bed and pull the covers over my face.

I'm thinking, "I'm in a meadow and I'm surrounded by daisies and I don't have to go to school today."

Toby gets out of the shower and catches me still in bed. "Uh oh," I think to myself, "Caught."

No more daisies.

Toby laughs, I get out of bed and drag myself into the bathroom. I'm still in a pallor of negativity.

I get ready for school, make the bed with Toby, and he continues to ask, "Are you ok?" I finally look at him and say, "I'm stressssssed," and sink my head in his chest. He squeezes me tightly and tells me everything is going to be ok.

I'm embarrassed. I always tell people "I'm low stressed," or "my heart rate's really low," or "I don't usually worry very much."
Well not today.

Toby goes downstairs and I do some positive thinking. "Toby's had a much harder week than me and a long way to go -- three tests, super hard, little sleep, big bummer. He's a champ. Poor Toby."

I kneel down, say a prayer, and try to snap out of it. I start to feel the stress lifting from me and think, "Phew, good thing that always works."

Toby and I start driving to campus and he asks, "How ya doin'?"

I reply, "I'm doing better, I said a prayer, sorry I was such a downer."

To which Toby responds, "Ya, you were kinda a wet kitty this morning."

I laugh. "Wet kitty?" I think to myself. What in the world???

Then an image pops into my head......

Wet. Mad. Stressed. Frustrated. Totally wants to be in a field of daisies.

I think, "Besides the wet, I had been a 'wet kitty.'
Oh my heavens, Toby, you're so funny."

I snicker.

I turn to Tobe and say, "You're right, I totally was a wet kitty."

Let's hope that never happens again. :)

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Party Time!

2009-03-06T09:06:00.005-07:00

The Kuhni family is hitting the slopes tomorrow for some very special ski action. Miss Amelia Jane Woolley, my adorable, wonderful niece, is going skiing for the second time tomorrow!
Party on!

(Amelia, shredding the gnar, Christmas '07)

She is so SO excited.
However, our somewhat anti-snowboarding family has some reason for concern. Amelia called my mother the other day saying in her sweet little voice,
"Guess what Grandma, I'm going to snowboard!"
Uh oh.
I'm going to have to explain to Amelia that goggle tans are only acceptable if you get them whilst skiing -- not snowboarding.
Then she can be cool like her Aunt Annie and Aunt Randi.
(And who doesn't want to be that?? I mean really...)

Goggle Tans

2009-03-03T10:21:00.019-07:00

Throughout my childhood in good ol' Park City, UT, all those I love and respect have told me the importance of a goggle tan (excluding my mother... she would always prefer an evenly tanned face). They told me even truly dedicated skiers will forever be on the bunny hill if they do not receive the so called "coon eyes." Therefore, with each passing ski season I have yearned and hoped for such a defining mark on my face in order that I too may be considered a proven skier. (me, yearning for the tan last season)

But alas, my goggle tan has never come.

At the start of this season I had given up on ever acheiving the staus of "goggle tan-ee." I have skied on many sunny days, with goggles pressed to my face and nothing has ever happened.
However, last Saturday something was different.
It was a hot day. Everyone was cursing the warmth of their coats and hats. Toby's rabbit-furred hat was sticking to his forehead and I wanted to throw my coat off the chair lift. We were grateful for lunch time when we could take off the many layers that were making our tempatures rise.

(The team -- cooler and happier without their jackets)

Despite the heat, we had a wonderful, wonderful day on the hill. We got home sore-legged and tired and snuggled in to watch some "Man vs. Wild" with the fam.
After watching Bear Grylls make an oar from skin off a goat carcass, I looked over at Randi and noticed the lower half of her face was significantly darker than the upper half of her face -- the makings of a goggle tan.
"That figures," I thought to myself.

Later that night as Toby and I were driving back to Provo, he started staring at me. I looked over at him wondering what was going on and he said,
"Annie, you have a goggle tan."
I pulled down the passenger seat mirror and discovered,"yes, yes I do have a goggle tan."
WOO HOO.
A distinct curvy line separated my face -- above the line was white, however below the line was not tan but
red.

Red?? What?? Goggle.. ehm ehm.. "sunburn"?????
Oh well.
I'm still a proven skier.

2009-03-03T08:43:00.006-07:00

Yesterday was another special day!

It was my mother's and Kristen's birthday!

PARTY!

Tobe and I got to enjoy dinner and cake with my family and then stop by to give little growed up Kristen a big birthday hug.
I am grateful that I got to see these two wonderful people on their birthdays.
They mean so much to me.

I hope you both had wonderful birthdays!!!!!

2009-02-24T10:25:00.009-07:00

TODAY IS TOBY'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!

Toby is 24 years old today. It is his golden birthday -- 24 on the 24th. What a par-tay. And let me tell you, he is going to be partying all day long.

Breakfast: Bacon -- need I say more??

Lunch: Toby, Michael, Trent, Daniel, Derek... frisbee golf... yummy food... good company... what a lucky, lucky boy.

Dinner: The Pizza Factory will be calling his name around 7:00 -- along with Annie, Randi, Kristen, Jake, The Guerisoli's and the Rick's.

Dessert: Homemade carrot cake. Thank you, Annie.

(Just a flashback from Toby's very happy 23rd Birthday -- Luau style.)

Happy, Happy Birthday Toby, Dear!!

I love you TONS and hope you enjoy your special day!

A party of a day...

2009-02-20T08:41:00.005-07:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day. It was just an ordinary day (maybe a little busier than usual), but a wonderful day.

It started off with Tobe and Ann getting ready for work and school -- making lunches, finishing homework, picking out an outfit, brushing teeth and piling in the car by 7:30 (piling in the car by 7:30 does not always happen, I might add).

Then off to face the day! I went to work where I handed out muffins to every student employee in the office (no one liked the Costco banana nut muffins), and Tobe went to class where he wowed everyone with his accounting prowess. Then it was homework time, reading time, and class time for Annie.

I then met up with little Coco (Randi) to go pick up a car my mom needed to get fixed while Tobe continued to work on something like "Overhead Budget Price Regulating Factors for the Third Monday of June (except for leap years)."

After failing to get Randi to go to the gym with me because she is just so popular, I, the "Group Gym-time Junkie" that I am, called Tobe (who had now almost finished learning about what to do on the third Monday of June), and persuaded him to come to the gym with me.

Once we had finished our serious running/lifting/making everyone wish that they could be as fast and strong as Tobe and me (just kidding!), we headed off to clean the chapel. (Toby set this up -- he is such a good boy).

After our cleanage, we snuck in some dinner -- chicken spaghetti, which is so yummy (for some reason I always want to substitute ground beef with chicken in everything I make). This part of our night was cut short due to the fact that we are on an inner-tube water polo team.

So, after throwing on our bathing suits and getting on our game faces, we headed to the Richards Building and played some polo (this consists of 2 teams of 7 people in a pool, sitting in inner tubes, attempting to throw a ball into the opposing team's goal located at the end of the pool). We won and it was hilarious.

Not to be outdone, Tobe, the physical specimen that he is, had an intramural basketball game. I kept score and cheered, Tobe played his heart out, and we came away with the victory! Woo hoo!

It was finally time for us to go home. We did the dinner dishes and worked on some homework, and snuggled into bed. By this time it was late (about 11:30) -- super late for me since I seem to start falling asleep like clockwork at 8:30 every night. We were both pretty tired, but for some reason we were not ready to go asleep. So we just laid there and talked about our day, funny things that had happened, and what we had accomplished.

After talking for a while, Tobe got hungry again (he is a furnace that needs to be constantly fueled) and went down stairs to pound some snack packs. While he was down stairs, I laid in bed and thought about how blessed I am to be married to Toby and for all of the things we are able to do each day.

Having satiated his hunger, Toby came back upstairs and handed me a drink of water. While guzzling down my water like a little kid, Tobe looked at me and said, "Annie, we're married." I put down my cup and said, "I know, isn't it great!" With a big smile on his face, Tobe gave me a kiss and a big squeeze.

It was then finally time for Annie to go to bed. It was 12:15 and I was tuckered out. Tobe still had a little more energy (probably because of his big wins that night) and decided to watch some episodes of "The Office," before falling asleep. He went and grabbed a laptop and headphones and came back and sat next to me in bed. He gave me once last hug and I went to sleep with Toby's stifled laughter in the background. As I drifted off I thought, "What a great day. What a wonderful day."

I am so grateful for each day and for all of life's simple joys. I am so grateful for a home, for a wonderful family, for schooling, for my job, for good friends, for my wonderful husband, and for all the blessings I have in my life. I am most of all grateful for the Gospel, for my Savior, and for the simple blessings that the Lord bestows on Toby and I each day. It is these simple blessings which make each day a wonderful, wonderful day.

2009-02-19T08:14:00.005-07:00

Happy Birthday yesterday to....

Dad and Carie!!!!

Tobe wishes he could've gone birthday fishing yesterday...
and I wish I had one of Carie's cakes....

We love you both SOOO much and hope that both of your birthdays were wonderful!!

For Alli Foo Foo

2009-02-17T10:33:00.002-07:00

Dear Alli Foo Foo:

I sincerely apologize for not realizing that you and Edward are in a committed relationship. Therefore, I retract the previous picture of Miss Summer Staheli and Mr. Edward Cullen.

For the true relationship status of Edward, the vampire, is....

Love,

Annie

The Amazing Race

2009-02-10T09:31:00.009-07:00

So, I think most of us have heard of the T.V. show The Amazing Race. For those who haven't, it is a reality T.V. show about a competition of who can travel to different locations the fastest. The teams have to move from place to place in sporty, edgy and interesting ways -- horse drawn carriages, bike drawn carts, motorcycles, boats, dinghys, camels, yaks, go-carts, anything you can imagine. Each team is made up of two people who already know each other. Each season always includes a divorced or separated couple, some brother/sister team, newly-weds or an engaged couple, old frat buddies, and bitter divorcees.

Why am I telling you this you might ask??

Because yesterday Kristen, my lovely roommate of the two years previous to my marriage to Mr. Matt Tobler, wrote on my facebook wall..

"We should go on the Amazing Race.. we could win."

*pause*

Thinking to myself....

"Well of course we could win."

I told Tobe that I'm going to win the Amazing Race at dinner time later that night. At first he thought that it was a running race and that it might require too much training for the amount of time I have to exercise each day. However, after I explained to him that it is a race of wit, charm, traveling finesse, and street smarts, he too believed that Kristen and I could win the race.

So now I'm in training. I'm going to start heading out in morning, by myself, without our car, and try to catch rides to school.

Annie Tobler - Kristen Biegler
Former Bunkbedmates

Look for us in next year's season.

Click here to find out more about Kristen and my next adventure.

Birthdays!!

2009-02-09T08:24:00.004-07:00

Happy Birthday to.....

Grandma Larsen!! (Feb. 6th)

Summer!! (Feb. 7th)

and

Mom!! (TODAY!!)

We love you all and are so grateful we get to be a part of your family!

Mr. Matt Tobler

2009-02-05T09:48:00.004-07:00

Okay, so, I never EVER thought that I would ever do this. I have always been against public announcements of affection for some reason -- I am just too independent for those sort of things. However, for some reason I have this overwhelming desire to let everyone know that..

I love Mr. Matthew Rex Tobler. SOOOOO much.

This may be due to the fact that two nights ago I had a horrible dream. It was the second coming, and a boy from my ward last year kidnapped me and told me that I was his wife. I was horrified. He took me to some cabin in the backwoods and I was to be his cook 'n' clean. I kept telling him that I wasn't supposed to be there because I was sealed to Toby. It was horrible. PLUS, I was wearing the same dress that I wore when Toby and I got engaged (except I was wearing a awful pink shirt underneath it) and I was super mad that I was acting as some other man's wife while wearing it. When I called Toby to come and save me he was skiing and couldn't come get me. So I called Randi. She came and saved me while my back woods husband went hunting. It was a terrible dream. It was horrible to think of not being Toby's wife.

I am so grateful for Toby, for his goodness, for how hard he works, for how fun he is, and for what a wonderful friend and companion he is to me. I am so lucky to be his wife. He takes care of me, gets me to work on time (something which DID NOT happen this morning because Tobe didn't have class), makes sure that I feel safe after watching scary movies, and listens to my endless stories (however enjoyable I feel my stories to be).

I also love him for that fact that he says things such as, "wheat bread makes my mouth hurt."

I am so thankful that I have the honor of being Mrs. Tobler.

2009-01-16T08:34:00.003-07:00

Happy Birthday, yesterday, to.....
Jared "the Mario Master" Meyer!
We hope that you had a wonderful birthday and that Yoshi (Jessie) and Mario (Jared) had a rocking good time last night!
We love you!

P.S. Happy Anniversary yesterday to Cam and Cars!!

Red, white and blue

2009-01-13T08:16:00.002-07:00

Okay, about a month ago I, the great little wife that I am, was doing laundry. We had a big BIG load of whites that day. I had quite the day planned and only so much time to wait around the clubhouse at our apartment complex for our laundry to be finished. As I was sorting through our massive pile of whites, I noticed that I threw in two towels that I had accidentally dyed pink a month earlier. I thought about taking them out of load with our pearly white undies, but thinking of all I had to do that day I thought "what the heck.." and started the load WITH the towels.

You can probably imagine what became of this......

40 minutes later, Annie and Toby had festive reddish, pinkish underwear.

Darnit.

I called Toby and sheepishly told him what happened (I accidentally ruined a pair of his shorts just after we got married -- they too are now pink). As expected, Toby seriously made fun of me (thank heavens Toby never gets mad and is always so patient).

When he came home I showed him the vast array of pinks and reds that now graced our undergarment collection.

Response: "Maybe... I should always do the laundry."

January 11, 2009 -- Toby does the laundry.

It was yet another day with a massive load of whites. The Toblers had been incident free since my last slip up. After multiple trips to the clubhouse throughout the day, good ol' Tobe had completed ALL of our laundry. I was downstairs making some treats for the birthday party we were having for Randi later that day when Toby walked in with a clean load of whites. As he walked past I thought to myself...

"I should ask him if our whites are still white."

I snickered. I thought my comment was just so funny.

As I got to the top of the stairs and walked into our room Toby had a confession.

"Annie, our whites are blue."

And lo and behold spread on the floor was our now beautiful blue underwear.

I laughed.

A renegade blue sock had worked its way into the load of whites.

As I started putting my now blue laundry away, I noticed a certain theme to my previous all-white collection....

All of my whites are now either a shade of red, white or blue.

So there ya have, ladies and gentlemen, Matt and Annie Tobler are now unintentionally some of the most patriotic people you will ever know.

P.S. -- In response to my sister, Camie's, dedicatory blog post to me -- I had a dream about mario cart last night.

Annnnd we're back!!

2009-01-08T08:13:00.001-07:00

After a long and wonderful Christmas break, we are back at school. It would be just peachy if I could splatter an extensive assortment of pictures from our holiday on the blog, but I either didn't take any photos or they are on my mother's camera. Argot, no pictures on the blog (what kind of blogger am I??). Anyway, we had an awesome time, sledding, skiing, and Christmasing in Park City, and a short, but great time in St. George for Brady and Sarah's wedding (yay for the Hiatt's!!) and fun with the family.

But now we are back at school! It is Toby's second semester in the Accounting Jr. Core, and I am in my last semester EVER at BYU (I'm really not sure how I feel about it -- I started thinking about it last night as I was reading my Utah history book and got a little misty). Thank heavens I can still sneak on to campus after I graduate as Tobe will probably be here for the next 2-3 years. I have had a wonderful four years at BYU.

We are looking forward to facing another year. It is such a great thing to be able to have a fresh start and a new chance to become better. So with vigor afresh, Tobe and I in hopes of slimming down, bulking up (obviously just Toby), completing triathalons, and becoming more Christlike, are excited to see what the year 2009 has in store.

Happy New Year to you all!!

We actually DID get married!

2008-12-15T09:35:00.004-07:00

After an extremely long wait, we finally got our wedding pictures! We have absolutely loved looking through them. Here is a little preview below...

(double click to see larger images)

Happy Birthday Christy!!

2008-12-12T16:27:00.004-07:00

Tomorrow is Christy's birthday! We want her to know that we love her and that we hope she has an absolutely wonderful birthday! (We also hope that finals are going well for her -- we feel your pain Christy). Since its your birthday, you get the oh-so-special treat of a card made by Annie on Microsoft paint (I really just can't get over my elementary school habits..) :) Happy, happy birthday!

P.S. We hope that Sydney, Alli and Gracie aren't giving you too much trouble! (Just kidding, girls.. Matt and I know you never cause trouble... right???)

So, this was fun...

2008-12-12T14:54:00.009-07:00

So I was just surfing around different blogs today, and I found a really fun activity. Its kind of like the mad-lib version of creating names. I thought that you guys might enjoy it!

1. Your rock-star name (first pet + current car)

Tiger Santa Fe (grrr)

2. Your rock-star tour's name ("the" + your favorite hobby/craft +favorite weather element + tour)

The Talking Hurricane Tour (Randi should really appreciate this name)

3. You gangsta name (favorite ice cream flavor + favorite cookie)

Vanilla-bean Sugar (Vanilla-bean Sugar yo?!)

4. Your "fly girl" name (first initial of first name +first three letters of your last name)

A-Tob (I frankly prefer the name Tobizzle)

5. Your detective name (favorite color + favorite animal)

Yellow Cat

6. Your soap opera name (middle name + city where you were born)

Jane Walnut Creek

7. You Star Wars name (the first three letters of your last name + the first two letters of your first name)

Toban (I dunno why, but I got the biggest kick out of this name "Toban, you are my only hope..."

8. Your superhero name ("the" +second favorite color +favorite drink)

The Green Fresca

9. Your Nascar name (the first names of your grandfathers)

Ralph Dean

10. The name your spouse calls you (the name of your favorite perfume + favorite candy)

J-Lo Glow Starburst (?????)

11. Your witness protection name (your mother's and father's middle names)

Ralph Larsen

12. Your TV anchor name (your 5th grade teacher's last name + a major city that starts with the same letter)

Beasom Baltimore (a little shout out to Jared)

13. Your spy name (your favorite season/holiday + your favorite flower)

Christmas Daisies (what a happy name huh?! I would never expect a spy to have such a happy name)

14. Your cartoon name (favorite fruit + article of clothing you're wearing right now + "ie" or "y")

Peach Dressy (I don't really like this name, but the only other thing I'm wearing is boots -- and I didn't think that would be appropriate...)

15. Your hippy name (what you ate for breakfast + your favorite tree)

Clementine Aspen (I feel that this name would have had a little more kick if I had eaten bacon, or maybe sausage for breakfast. It would've been pretty controversial to have a hippy named Bacon)

Well, there ya have it! From now on I will only answer to the name Toban ... and any sentence spoken to me must be in inverted syntax (Toban, good, I hope you are doing??)

Christmas Time!

2008-12-07T20:49:00.025-07:00

Its CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

We are so stoked. Last night Tobe and I went on a mission to make our home worthy of this special time of year -- we got a tree, a tree skirt, stockings, an advent calender, candy canes, basically anything you could ever hope for or want for a decorating party. After some hard work, we turned our little apartment into a Christmas haven!

Our first Christmas decoration was our gingerbread house. Over Thanksgiving break, Tobe's Mom made all the fixings for a gingerbread house extravaganza. It was so much fun! This is what Tobe and I came up with.

One of favorite purchases was our sweet stockings. These stockings were the coolest ones in all of Target. We also had to set up one for Randi so she can have some treats when she comes over for Sunday dinner.

However, probably my favorite purchase was the advent calender - 24 days, 48 pieces of candy. Just a happy little treat for each day in the countdown to Christmas!

This is a really special addition to our Christmas decorations which we will always hold dear. When Toby's parents went to pick him up from his mission in Brazil, they went through Machu Picchu before they went home. While they were there they bought a Peruvian Nativity set for Toby when he got married. So here it is! What a special gift!
This window is just a little shout-out to Dad. There is on ongoing battle at the Kuhni household about what kind of Christmas lights should be put up each year. My mother prefers white lights, and Dad loves the big colored bulbs. Dad usually is able to put colored lights on the outside of the house, but all the girls usually dominate the inside with white lights. SO, this is our special window dedicated to Dad -- its just bustin' with big colored lights.
Another wonderful gift from Toby's parents is our first Christmas ornament. Tobe's Mom has created a Christmas wonderland in her house in St. George. She has five Christmas trees and they all have a different theme -- the family tree, the nutcraker tree, the tree of knowledge, the ladybug tree, and the Christ-centered tree. She has had all sorts of ornaments made and she made one especially for us! It is a special ornament which will always remind us of our marriage and our first Christmas together! Thank you so much, Mom!

So, we're midway through stringing popcorn on our tree... therefore the bottom half of our tree looks a little sad (hence why we're not showing you the whole tree). Tobe dubbed himself the official "Popcorn Stringer" and its just a little tiring for him. However, before Santa comes down the chimney our tree will be totally popcorned up. Despite being in need of some popcorn, we have a beautiful star on our tree! Tobe and I are also starting a tradition where we make each other Christmas blankets each year. We just finished Toby's blanket and we couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

So there ya have it! The first Tobler family Christmas is starting out on the right foot!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

P.S... We tried taking a picture of us by our cute little tree to show everyone, but it didn't quite turn out right...

"An attitude of gratitude"

2008-11-26T14:05:00.008-07:00

Tomorrow is THANKSGIVING!!!!! PAR-TAY! Tobe and I are leaving in a couple of hours for San Jorge and we couldn't be happier. We are so excited to enjoy some turkey, watch some football, and see our family and friends!

Since tomorrow is the day of "thanks giving," I thought that I would write down some of the things that I am grateful for....

1. Toby. He takes care of me, laughs at me, he's my best friend and I love him tons. I don't know what I would do without him.
2. Lotion. Utah climate does a number on my skin. ( I am especially grateful for the Dead Sea Body Butter mother just gave me. My hands are so happy).
3. My mother. I am grateful for how she worries about me, and for her constant care and guidance. She is my greatest example.
4. My father. He's funny, he's sharp, he's edgy, he's the BMOC and he loves his girls so very much.
5. Tender mercies. The days when I can't get my reading done, somehow my professors always forget to write up the quiz. Someone is always watching out for me.
6. Hymns. They are such peaceful wonderful things and they fill my heart with love.
7. My Grandparents. I am grateful for the heritage that they have given me -- for their wisdom, their goodness, and for endless meals and hugs.
8. My sweeeet scar on my right ankle. Everytime I look at it I feel so tough. (Shark bite, summer of '02 ;)).
9. My crock pot. Are they not lifesavers or are they not lifesavers? (Thanks for that, Cam).
10. My other parents, my wonderful in-laws. I am so grateful that I am a part of their family and the love and support they constantly give me.
11. Sunday dinner. Randi, Annie, Tobe. It's a party every time.
12. My SISTERS! I now have so many and I love all of them so very much!
13. GRADUATION. April '09 -- there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank heavens for that day.
14. Kristen. She's my best friend and I miss seeing her everyday.
15. My apron. The most stylish thing I own. I wish I could wear it everywhere.
16. My job. My supervisors, Cindy and Shannon, make me feel special everyday.
17. The Gospel. It is the basis and the foundation of my life and I am so grateful for it.
18. My Savior. By myself I can't be perfect but through Him I can be.
19. Hugs and smiles. I am so grateful for the warmth that hugs and smiles bring.
20. All of my nieces and nephews! They all make me so happy! (Especially the fact that Amelia told my mom that she is "grateful for Annie for Thanksgiving").

I just feel so blessed and I am so grateful for my life -- for opportunities, for laughter, for blessings from on high. So this Thanksgiving I hope that I can more fully show my gratitude for all the joy in my life.

Well...

2008-11-17T14:21:00.006-07:00

So, I really don't know quite how to say this... and I didn't want to in the first place.... BUT,
I lost at racquetball last Monday.
I have yet to give Toby his prize, but I really lost at racquetball. I originally refused to post the results on our blog, and Toby volunteered to flaunt his extreme racquetball prowess so I didn't have to do it. However, due to the fact that Toby is a gentleman, he just hasn't gotten around to it yet. So here I am, admitting that I, Annie Tobler, lost at racquetball...
badly.I also have another confession, which also involves a little embarrassment. Yesterday, I was baking some cookies whilst switching between watching "The Legend of Zorro" and "Meet Joe Black" on TV. It was just a good ol' Sunday afternoon. While one of my pans was in the oven, I snuggled back onto the couch to watch the end of "Meet Joe Black." It is a particularly emotional movie involving many delicate matters (I don't want to spoil it for anyone). My heart was pulled by a partiuclar scene and before I knew it I was crying. My eyes were all puffy and I was just letting the tears flow. I didn't think anyone would catch me, but wouldn't you know it at that moment

Toby walked downstairs.

You can probably imagined what happened next....

Lots of laughter and a BIG OL' hug.

The Battle

2008-11-10T14:33:00.006-07:00

Toby has challenged me to a game of racquetball. So, tonight for FHE we're goin' on down to the Richards Building and we're going to have ourselves a full out war. We've been smack-talking each other since the challenge and we've made a little wager.

Winner: ANNIE - Toby has to make Sunday dinner.

Winner: TOBY - Toby gets a big bowl of ice cream and a batch of any kind of cookie he wants.

I can already tell you what's going to happen...

ANNIE

TOBY
Stay tuned...

Halloween!

2008-11-07T17:20:00.003-07:00

Due to popular demand, I am making a special post of the first official Tobler Family Halloween! For this post I would like to a give a brief history of Toby and Annie's Halloween spirit. About a week before Halloween, Tobe and I discussed our past Halloween costumes. My first appearance on the Halloween scene, I sported around town as a mouse (but I also could've been a bunny -- no matter what I was I rocked that costume).

Toby, also was a bunny. (I have a picture of this somewhere and I can't find it. Toby is probably hiding it from me). We continued to discuss and I discovered Toby has decked himself out as a nerd, a girl (way to go Cicely, Carie, Shelly and Christy), and his favorite, a football player. I ran around the Park City scene as a cowgirl, a bride, and my personal favorite a backpacker (I wore sweat pants, a fleece vest, a white t-shirt, rubbed my face with dirt, and wore a backpacking backpack -- I was quite a tom boy in my day and I thought I looked great).

As we have gotten older, our costumes have continued to get better and better. Although my Freshman year did include a showing as a "soccer mom" (not my most shining moment), I have also been a "Wild Thang" and a biker chick. However nothing can top Toby in his role as "Malibu" -- part of the American Gladiator duo involving Trent Tipton as "Nitro."

So, this year we tried our very best to combine our creative Halloween powers and here's what we came up with...

A little tuckered out...

2008-11-03T17:32:00.005-07:00

Last week I hit the wall. It was 9:00 and I just couldn't stay awake any longer. So, I walked into our office (where Tobe was studying his little heart out) and announced that I was going to bed. Toby took my hand, and I followed him like a little girl who had stayed up way past her bedtime into our room. He then tucked me in. Just like this....

(1. He tucked the sheets and comforter under me

2. Surrounded me with pillows to cuddle with and

3. Gave me his very special hat.)

I have never been so warm and comfy in my life.

Toby's Secret Skills

2008-10-23T14:30:00.005-06:00

So, today I was sitting in the library, studying for a test when a get a text from Toby. In the text he explained to me that I will not have to worry about dinner tonight because he and his accounting group are buying pizza. (We will be enjoying this pizza later tonight when we all watch the movie "Ironman"-- all the members of the group and their wives or girlfriends. Just a little accounting group bonding -- we're a family). Anyways, I continue to process the fact that Toby is "buying" pizza, and I wonder, "where is Toby going to get money to buy pizza?" I knew that neither of us had any cash on us. So I text him back, "Do you have money for pizza?" And he replies that he does, because of something he did earlier today. I then continue to inquire, not fully understanding what he "did earlier today," saying "I don't quite understand." He then says that he was involved in a study and got paid for it.

Then a light bulb went on in my head.

Toby got money for playing

SUDOKU.

A couple of days ago Toby told me that he was going to be involved in a study playing Sudoku and solving other numerical and word problems. (Sadly, only accounting students could be involved -- I would've rocked it).

And you know what, he made a whole $13 doing it.

I am so proud of my little sudoku player.

And what's he going to do with is hard earned "moneys????"

He's going to by himself a big ol' pizza and share it with his friends.

Way to be Tobe.

Annie's First Solo Furniture Purchase

2008-10-21T09:12:00.003-06:00

Last week I did something very grown up and somewhat sophisticated (or so I thought). I went on down to the RC Willey Clearance Outlet and bought Tobe and me some FURNITURE!
I cannot believe it. I feel so responsible.
I had to call my mother during and post-purchase to make sure that I was doing alright.... sometimes my actions can be pretty

"ready-fire-aim."

BUT, everything turned out wonderfully!

Here is our new and improved bedroom!!!

Tobe and I have noticed that we sleep extra-well in our new bed.

We are so PUMPED.

Thank you, Mother for helping us to acquire our wonderful new furniture!

Happy Birthday Cicely!!

2008-10-17T16:17:00.003-06:00

In light of the fact that I am still seven-years-old and still highly enjoy coloring on Microsoft Paint, I apologize in advance for the card... but we want to wish Cicely a very happy birthday! We wish that we could be with you today and we love you tons!!

Quote of the Week

2008-10-17T14:28:00.007-06:00

In light of General Conference a couple of weeks ago, Tobe and I have decided to read a conference talk together each week. This week we chose to read Elder Uchtdorf's talk, "The Infinite Power of Hope." We missed hearing Elder Uchtdorf give this talk because we lost radio contact on our way up to Park City, so we were especially exicted to read it.

I LOVED it.

I am excited to listen to it online so I can enjoy Elder Uchtdorf's rich German accent.

I especially like the part when he talked about the things which we hope in and the things which we hope for. Here is my favorite quote:

"The things we hope in sustain us during our daily walk. They uphold us through trials, temptations, and sorrow. Everyone has experienced discouragement and difficulty. Indeed, there are times when the darkness may seem unbearable. It is in these times that the divine principles of the restored gospel we hope in can uphold us and carry us until, once again, we walk in the light."

And its true. The things which we hope in -- the Savior, His atonement, eternal families, the scriptures -- are the things which give us true happiness, joy and hope.

I am so grateful for Elder Uchtdorf's talk and for the eternal principle of

HOPE.

Toby the Taco Man

2008-10-16T09:45:00.002-06:00

A couple of days ago, I came home from work and went into the kitchen to make some yummy chicken tacos. Toby was close at my heels. He approached me and told me that today was the day that he was going to learn how to make chicken tacos.

And he did it.

Here's our lovely little set up.

Sour cream application.

Toby's finished product.

What should I teach him next??

Looks like pretty soon I won't be making dinner around here anymore.

Introducing....

2008-10-16T09:35:00.002-06:00

So. A couple of weeks ago a took a trip down the good ol' DMV. I filled out some paperwork, signed my name, and got my picture taken. And guess what happened....

I am now Andrea Jane TOBLER.

French Toast/Cupcake Sunday!!!

2008-10-13T20:46:00.003-06:00

This past Sunday we had a special treat! Randi, who usually comes to dinner every Sunday, brought two of her friends, Lauren and Kylee. We had a french toast feast and then made some Halloween cupcakes!! I am so upset I didn't take pictures while the girls were still at our apartment, but here are some of our creations!

Cupcakes ala Randi, Kylee, Lauren and Annie

Cupcakes ala Toby

Houston and Amelia: BFF's

2008-09-24T09:35:00.004-06:00

From Amelia and Houston

This past weekend Tobe and I got to go to St. George for our friends Ray and Dani's wedding! We had so much fun seeing friends, spending time with Mom and Dad, and getting some rest. While we were there we got to see Amelia in her primary program! She did such a good job and we are so proud of her! She got to come home with us after the program and play with Houston who was staying for the weekend. Things are progressing quickly between the two -- Houston asked Amelia on a date, (they are going swimming, eating chocolate, and riding bikes), and Houston asked Amelia to marry him and Amelia shook her head and said absolutely. In about twenty years we'll probably be coming to St. George for their wedding! Here are some pics of their fun times together.

Happy Birthday Jessie!!!

2008-09-22T14:43:00.003-06:00

Today is Jessie's Birthday and we want her to know that two people in Provo are hoping she is having a very happy birthday. We made her a special card to let her know just how much we love her.

Happy Birthday Jessie Meyer!!

Honeymoon and Summer!

2008-09-15T10:28:00.005-06:00

From Hawaii and Summer

Here are some fun summer pics from our trip to Lake Powell and our honeymoon in Hawaii! We had so much fun on both of our trips and our so grateful for both of our Mom's and Dad's for providing such wonderful experiences for us!

First Day of School!

2008-09-05T10:21:00.004-06:00

Blurry little Tobe.
Happy little Ann
Pumped little Rands.

Shool is here again! We are so excited to get the year started. I have a bunch of wonderful classes and Tobe is heavy into the Accounting program! This week he has to do a 60 hour project ON TOP OF his other homework. The project is due on Monday. So, he has been buried in the library the past couple of days with his group. It sounds like he's the rebel because he's the only one who wants to take bathroom/water/lunch breaks. We have our work cut out for us, but we're pumped to do well and make an impression!

Here are our first day of school pics (its not the first day of school without 'em!) We were lucky enough to have Randi come and visit us that day so we have her picture too!!

We're Married!

2008-09-02T10:12:00.002-06:00

Hello Everyone!

We are finally married and are so excited to get our blog up and running! Our main goal is to somewhat reach the "cool status" of the Kuhni Family, Woolley Family, and Meyer Family blogs. Hopefully we'll be up to par!