BUT we also went down to the social security office to OFFICIALLY change my name.
Pretty cool, huh?
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April 28, 2011
official stuff...
BUT we also went down to the social security office to OFFICIALLY change my name.
Pretty cool, huh?
April 27, 2011
do you believe in the easter bunny?!
Yep. I'm that cheesey. I'm gonna blog about our first holiday together as man and wifey.
It was EASTER!!
Big surprise, I know. Anyway... John does NOT believe in the Easter Bunny. I was very upset when I learned that. It almost made me rethink this whole eternity thing - KIDDING!
But I was really bummed out. Easter has always been really fun at my house. Thanks to my mom and her killer basket-hiding skills [that year with the string? genius!] So I wanted to do something special for John to get him into the whole Pagan-y side of the holiday. It only kind-of worked. I'm not as awesome as my mom is - YET!
I pretty much forgot it was Easter until Saturday, and then I was too lazy to go to Walmart during the day [and I didn't want John to come with me so it would all be a surprise] so I went after he left for work. BAD IDEA. Living in a town with one Walmart and waiting to do holiday shopping until 10pm the night before is not a good recipe. There were people everywhere and the shelves were ridiculously bare :( But I managed to find a few tasty treats and a small basket to fill up for John.
Then! the Easter Bunny showed up and gave me a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to add to the basket and told me that John could have a new pair of brown dress shoes too, but we'd have to go shopping for them ourselves since he was so busy that night, what with all the egg hiding and basket delivering and posing for chocolate sculptures...
Anyway - John got home before I could finish the basket and I tried to hold him off until morning but how was I supposed to say "No, you cannot come into the living room and snuggle with me after a long night of work because I am busy creating a treat for you that you can't have for another six hours"??! I just couldn't do it. So he immediately tore into all the candy and treats and I finished making a little banner for the wall and then we went to bed before the sugar coma could get us.
It was a really nice time, but it would have been better if I'd finished before John got home so I could have hidden the basket and put all the decorations up while he was sleeping so it really looked like the Easter Bunny came during the night to do everything instead of just stopping by like he did...
When we woke up on Sunday morning we had to get ready for our first day in our new ward. It was really exciting - until we got there and it was 10 minutes early and we couldn't figure out where to go. Apparently there are 4 wards in our building that meet at the same time and nothing is really marked of where you should go, so we wandered around and then I finally asked some people with a cute baby and they were in our ward so we just followed them. And then I found five dollars.
Church was really nice. We went to the new member's class to meet all the other new people in the ward and some of the important figures [Bishop, Exec. Secretary, RS Pres. etc] and there are a lot of really neat couples in the ward so we're really excited! There was a special musical program during Sacrament and it was really beautiful and spiritually moving and a great way to remember that Easter isn't ALL about candy and bunnies. I also colored a picture.
After church we came home and took a nap :) Then it was time for me to get dinner started. We had ribs and corn on the cob. I'd marinated the ribs the night before - it was SO GROSS cutting them up and squishing them in the barbecue juice...
They started to look a little tastier as they cooked...
I'm not a professional-enough chef to make more than two things at each meal - and we're lucky if I get both of them done at the same time! We had to microwave the corn because it had cooled down too much by the time the ribs were ready... I really should have taken the ribs out sooner because they were just a little dry. I cut the recipe in half, so I think next time I make these I'll make more marinade and cook them a little less... if we die of food poisoning you'll know why!
For dessert I made SHMEEPS!! They're smores. With peeps!!! I love peeps. They're my absolute FAVORITE way to eat sugar. Think about it... they're basically sticky whipped sugar covered in sparkly PINK sugar shaped like snuggly chicks and bunnies. What could be more delicious?!!?!?!
That pretty much sums-up our Easter. We read the Easter story - skipping around the different accounts to read our favorite parts - and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It was a really great first holiday together and now that I've got John's foot in the door on this whole Easter Bunny/Santa Claus/unicorns thing the next few Pagan holidays should be a blast!!
It was EASTER!!
Big surprise, I know. Anyway... John does NOT believe in the Easter Bunny. I was very upset when I learned that. It almost made me rethink this whole eternity thing - KIDDING!
But I was really bummed out. Easter has always been really fun at my house. Thanks to my mom and her killer basket-hiding skills [that year with the string? genius!] So I wanted to do something special for John to get him into the whole Pagan-y side of the holiday. It only kind-of worked. I'm not as awesome as my mom is - YET!
I pretty much forgot it was Easter until Saturday, and then I was too lazy to go to Walmart during the day [and I didn't want John to come with me so it would all be a surprise] so I went after he left for work. BAD IDEA. Living in a town with one Walmart and waiting to do holiday shopping until 10pm the night before is not a good recipe. There were people everywhere and the shelves were ridiculously bare :( But I managed to find a few tasty treats and a small basket to fill up for John.
Then! the Easter Bunny showed up and gave me a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows to add to the basket and told me that John could have a new pair of brown dress shoes too, but we'd have to go shopping for them ourselves since he was so busy that night, what with all the egg hiding and basket delivering and posing for chocolate sculptures...
Anyway - John got home before I could finish the basket and I tried to hold him off until morning but how was I supposed to say "No, you cannot come into the living room and snuggle with me after a long night of work because I am busy creating a treat for you that you can't have for another six hours"??! I just couldn't do it. So he immediately tore into all the candy and treats and I finished making a little banner for the wall and then we went to bed before the sugar coma could get us.
 |
| that's the banner - nothing special. just to make John believe! |
It was a really nice time, but it would have been better if I'd finished before John got home so I could have hidden the basket and put all the decorations up while he was sleeping so it really looked like the Easter Bunny came during the night to do everything instead of just stopping by like he did...
When we woke up on Sunday morning we had to get ready for our first day in our new ward. It was really exciting - until we got there and it was 10 minutes early and we couldn't figure out where to go. Apparently there are 4 wards in our building that meet at the same time and nothing is really marked of where you should go, so we wandered around and then I finally asked some people with a cute baby and they were in our ward so we just followed them. And then I found five dollars.
Church was really nice. We went to the new member's class to meet all the other new people in the ward and some of the important figures [Bishop, Exec. Secretary, RS Pres. etc] and there are a lot of really neat couples in the ward so we're really excited! There was a special musical program during Sacrament and it was really beautiful and spiritually moving and a great way to remember that Easter isn't ALL about candy and bunnies. I also colored a picture.
After church we came home and took a nap :) Then it was time for me to get dinner started. We had ribs and corn on the cob. I'd marinated the ribs the night before - it was SO GROSS cutting them up and squishing them in the barbecue juice...
 | ||
| blec. |
 |
| this is about 20 min. before they were done. so juicy and delicious! |
 |
| i don't have a beautiful platter for meaty things... but this is Easter dinner! |
For dessert I made SHMEEPS!! They're smores. With peeps!!! I love peeps. They're my absolute FAVORITE way to eat sugar. Think about it... they're basically sticky whipped sugar covered in sparkly PINK sugar shaped like snuggly chicks and bunnies. What could be more delicious?!!?!?!
 |
| they start out life like this... |
 |
| and then you SMOOSH them and gobble it up!! i ate 3. |
That pretty much sums-up our Easter. We read the Easter story - skipping around the different accounts to read our favorite parts - and watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It was a really great first holiday together and now that I've got John's foot in the door on this whole Easter Bunny/Santa Claus/unicorns thing the next few Pagan holidays should be a blast!!
April 25, 2011
week one.
i'm blogging right now because i don't want to put my clothes away.
in our first week of marriage John and I were fortunate enough to experience a great many things...
we drove 700+ miles in a U-haul.
and experienced the extreme opposites in hotels.
we shopped for furniture.
and spent days putting it all together.
we were stranded on the side of the busiest street in Rexburg.
and spent two and a half days without a car.
we [read I] lost a cell phone.
and wondered what the world is coming to if there are THIEVES in Idaho Falls...
we get in fist fights [the nice kind].
and rarely eat vegetables with dinner [I claim no responsibility if he dies of scurvy].
as bad as it all seemed while it was happening, we really can't complain. we have a nice-ish apartment and plenty of furniture to fill it up. we have a bed and clothes [that I still need to put away] and food in the pantry. we have each other, in the same place, at the same time, which is really REALLY awesome. we're blessed. we can't ignore that. so whatever happens next, we'll be ready. we'll be fine. and we'll come out laughing [probably].
*since I lost my cell phone, there won't be any pictures from the honeymove or from the first few days at our apartment. i'm sorry. just use your imagination.
in our first week of marriage John and I were fortunate enough to experience a great many things...
we drove 700+ miles in a U-haul.
and experienced the extreme opposites in hotels.
we shopped for furniture.
and spent days putting it all together.
we were stranded on the side of the busiest street in Rexburg.
and spent two and a half days without a car.
we [read I] lost a cell phone.
and wondered what the world is coming to if there are THIEVES in Idaho Falls...
we get in fist fights [the nice kind].
and rarely eat vegetables with dinner [I claim no responsibility if he dies of scurvy].
as bad as it all seemed while it was happening, we really can't complain. we have a nice-ish apartment and plenty of furniture to fill it up. we have a bed and clothes [that I still need to put away] and food in the pantry. we have each other, in the same place, at the same time, which is really REALLY awesome. we're blessed. we can't ignore that. so whatever happens next, we'll be ready. we'll be fine. and we'll come out laughing [probably].
*since I lost my cell phone, there won't be any pictures from the honeymove or from the first few days at our apartment. i'm sorry. just use your imagination.
April 20, 2011
the BIG day.
John and I have officially been married for ELEVEN DAYS! haha. That seems like such a joke compared to the lady I met in Utah who was going on 52 years with her hubby... but we'll get there, eventually.
Our wedding was ah-maz-ing! I loved every minute of the day [except maybe waking up at 7 to start getting ready]. My fabulously pregnant friend Rachel came over bright and early - and against her doctor's strict bed rest orders - to do my hair. And my gorgeously talented friend Jaime came over to do my make-up. I've known both these girlies since forever and I am SOOO grateful for them. I'm not the greatest when it comes to having my hair and make-up done, but these girls are so great and know me so well that I didn't have to worry about coming out looking like a completely different person! And the result was fabulous, if I do say so myself!
After all the prep work was done, John and I drove out to the temple with my mom and Grandma Hazel and started going through all the paperwork to make sure we were all set to be married. The lady helping us was very impressed with how we had everything all organized and ready. She said that another couple had forgotten to bring their marriage license and some other documents to the temple that morning and so things were a little crazy for them - yikes!
But, their poor planning worked out for us in the end! That couple ended up being right ahead of us to be married by the same sealer, so we were about 15 minutes behind schedule. While we were waiting John and I had the opportunity to finish the last two chapters of the Book of Mormon. We'd been reading it together throughout our engagement and really wanted to finish before we were married, and we did! With about two minutes to spare!! So - I'm sorry if anyone was a little upset by the time delay for our ceremony - but it really was a blessing-in-disguise for us!
After the sealing I went down to the bride's dressing room and put on my amazing dress. I love that dress! I'm kind of bummed I don't have another reason to wear it :( And Rachel was there to help re-do my hair. [My hair hates being curled. It tends to fall straight about 25 minutes after being done, necessitating having Rachel pretty much on-call all day]. After I was all dolled-up it was time to take pictures outside the temple! We had a friend from BYU-I come down and shoot our wedding. It was so nice actually knowing the photographer, Kristopher Orr [no relation!]. And he brought my good friend Blake along to assist! I was soooo glad that Blakey could be there!
Right before John and I stepped out of the temple, the rain cleared up and there was a beautiful cloud-cover. PERFECT for taking pictures in the middle of the day, when the sun usually casts some awful-looking shadows on faces.
After everyone dispersed, John and I stayed to take some more pictures with Topher and Blake. We had a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see them! [I'll post a link as soon as I can!]
Then, we headed down to the "Fabulous LAS VEGAS" sign to take a couple pictures with our bridesmaids and groomsmen. As a local, it's kind of unbelievable that I'd never done that before, but I'm SO glad we did for our wedding!
After all the pictures were done, most of us headed back to my house to rest and finish setting up the backyard for the reception. IT LOOKED AMAZING! Seriously, if you'd ever seen my backyard before, you might not have recognized it! The lights and tables and decorations looked INCREDIBLE! [Thank you to everyone who helped! And especially my lovely aunts who were there Friday night AND all day Saturday to help get everything ready!!]
Rachel came back to touch-up my hair one last time before the reception started, and my friend Aubri was there to help me get into my dress!! That lace-up back was tough work!
Once John and I [and everyone else] were all spiffied up, we went outside to see the finished product. And WOW. I know I said it before, but the backyard looked amazing. The food smelled delicious [I never did get a hotdog :( sad day]. And everyone there was totally stylin'!!
It was a FANTASTIC day. We were completely overwhelmed by all the people who came to show their love and support for us. Especially all those who traveled so far!!
Here are just a few pictures [via my Aunt Lori's facebook!] of the reception. I PROMISE to post more as I get them :)
coming soon: the first week as Mr. and Mrs.!! It was quite the adventure, let me tell you!
Our wedding was ah-maz-ing! I loved every minute of the day [except maybe waking up at 7 to start getting ready]. My fabulously pregnant friend Rachel came over bright and early - and against her doctor's strict bed rest orders - to do my hair. And my gorgeously talented friend Jaime came over to do my make-up. I've known both these girlies since forever and I am SOOO grateful for them. I'm not the greatest when it comes to having my hair and make-up done, but these girls are so great and know me so well that I didn't have to worry about coming out looking like a completely different person! And the result was fabulous, if I do say so myself!
After all the prep work was done, John and I drove out to the temple with my mom and Grandma Hazel and started going through all the paperwork to make sure we were all set to be married. The lady helping us was very impressed with how we had everything all organized and ready. She said that another couple had forgotten to bring their marriage license and some other documents to the temple that morning and so things were a little crazy for them - yikes!
But, their poor planning worked out for us in the end! That couple ended up being right ahead of us to be married by the same sealer, so we were about 15 minutes behind schedule. While we were waiting John and I had the opportunity to finish the last two chapters of the Book of Mormon. We'd been reading it together throughout our engagement and really wanted to finish before we were married, and we did! With about two minutes to spare!! So - I'm sorry if anyone was a little upset by the time delay for our ceremony - but it really was a blessing-in-disguise for us!
After the sealing I went down to the bride's dressing room and put on my amazing dress. I love that dress! I'm kind of bummed I don't have another reason to wear it :( And Rachel was there to help re-do my hair. [My hair hates being curled. It tends to fall straight about 25 minutes after being done, necessitating having Rachel pretty much on-call all day]. After I was all dolled-up it was time to take pictures outside the temple! We had a friend from BYU-I come down and shoot our wedding. It was so nice actually knowing the photographer, Kristopher Orr [no relation!]. And he brought my good friend Blake along to assist! I was soooo glad that Blakey could be there!
Right before John and I stepped out of the temple, the rain cleared up and there was a beautiful cloud-cover. PERFECT for taking pictures in the middle of the day, when the sun usually casts some awful-looking shadows on faces.
After everyone dispersed, John and I stayed to take some more pictures with Topher and Blake. We had a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see them! [I'll post a link as soon as I can!]
Then, we headed down to the "Fabulous LAS VEGAS" sign to take a couple pictures with our bridesmaids and groomsmen. As a local, it's kind of unbelievable that I'd never done that before, but I'm SO glad we did for our wedding!
After all the pictures were done, most of us headed back to my house to rest and finish setting up the backyard for the reception. IT LOOKED AMAZING! Seriously, if you'd ever seen my backyard before, you might not have recognized it! The lights and tables and decorations looked INCREDIBLE! [Thank you to everyone who helped! And especially my lovely aunts who were there Friday night AND all day Saturday to help get everything ready!!]
Rachel came back to touch-up my hair one last time before the reception started, and my friend Aubri was there to help me get into my dress!! That lace-up back was tough work!
Once John and I [and everyone else] were all spiffied up, we went outside to see the finished product. And WOW. I know I said it before, but the backyard looked amazing. The food smelled delicious [I never did get a hotdog :( sad day]. And everyone there was totally stylin'!!
It was a FANTASTIC day. We were completely overwhelmed by all the people who came to show their love and support for us. Especially all those who traveled so far!!
Here are just a few pictures [via my Aunt Lori's facebook!] of the reception. I PROMISE to post more as I get them :)
 |
| that large cupcake-shaped thing in the center - ME! |
 | |
| we wrapped all the silverware in vintage-y looking handkerchiefs! they turned out SO cute. please ignore the dirt. |
 |
| mmMMMmMmmmMMMMmmmmMm. |
 |
| super simple centerpieces and ah-maz-ing lights. |
coming soon: the first week as Mr. and Mrs.!! It was quite the adventure, let me tell you!
April 17, 2011
i never did finish reading that countdown chain...
Sorry baby.
BUT we did finish building all of our stuff from Ikea. And our kitchen table from Target. And we hung up our ginormous clock. And the plate rack. And the bathroom is about 95% complete.
Now we just have to finish putting away all our clothes, filling the bookshelves with all our smarty-pants books, organizing the kitchen, setting up the office, hanging up pictures, and arranging the living room so it looks normal.
We also have to go grocery shopping.
Other than that though, we are all moved in and ready for John to start school on Tuesday.
Then maybe I'll start looking for a job :)
BUT we did finish building all of our stuff from Ikea. And our kitchen table from Target. And we hung up our ginormous clock. And the plate rack. And the bathroom is about 95% complete.
Now we just have to finish putting away all our clothes, filling the bookshelves with all our smarty-pants books, organizing the kitchen, setting up the office, hanging up pictures, and arranging the living room so it looks normal.
We also have to go grocery shopping.
Other than that though, we are all moved in and ready for John to start school on Tuesday.
Then maybe I'll start looking for a job :)
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