Update

Sorry I've been lousy at posting lately. I don't know what it is...I just go through spurts of having too much to write and wanting to write it all...Or having too much to write and not really caring if the world knows.

Anyhow...it's December!! I used to be the kind of person who absolutely would not tolerate anything Christmas related until after Thanksgiving was over. But I have to admit that this year I have taken a different approach and I'm finding I'm rather keen on starting earlier. I figure Christmas is about celebrating Christ...and shouldn't that be the theme all of the time?

That's how I justify it.

Not to worry, though, I have always and will always give Thanksgiving its proper place. After all, it is my favorite holiday.

But now that I'm a married woman, I have to make sure my other half has a Merry Christmas. And it turns out that takes a lot more planning than I'm used to. So between making stockings and trying to find a new place to live (it still looks like we'll be living in a cardboard box come January...), we have been pretty busy.

We weren't planning on getting a tree this year seeing as how we're spending Christmas in Springville and moving immediately after. But after much deliberation we decided to get one. And I'm so happy we did! I love it! Observe:

Eh? Eh? Yeah. I'm pretty much in love.

These were my favorite ornys. Ben didn't want me to get the feather. But I begged.

Isn't it lovely? Ben drove me all around town two nights in a row. The first night I didn't buy anything (I like to find the deals and make sure I'm getting just the right thing. So judge me!)...which is pretty typical for all my shopping trips. So the second night Ben insisted I buy at least one thing from every store we stopped at. Between that and Ben's sister telling us we needed A LOT of ornaments to fill the tree, we bought almost 2 times more than we needed (any craft ideas for leftover ornaments???). But it's beautiful and everything we bought was 50-60% off so I can't really complain.

Ben's been working out of town a lot which means that I stay up late. And work on too many pinterest projects. If I didn't have to wake up in the morning, I swear I'd stay up til 2 every night. So here's a handful of projects I've finished (there's more coming).

I found this from my cute new cousin in law's blog. You should check it out.

My sister in law actually gave me this idea. Her's is way cute and has scrap-
book paper mod-podged on.
I went the easier route and just painted and sanded.
Best part is I found the window in Ben's parent's shed. Free!

Cute tree, eh? Found on pinterest. Didn't buy a thing and took me like 30 minutes.

Cheesy I know. Quote and idea found on pinterest.
(The key to taking those letters off is tweezers. You're welcome.)

I kinda made up my own pillow based on ones I'd seen on pinterest.
The flower took a bit longer. Especially because I had to re-glue.
Ben insists on actually using the pillows. Unfortunately.

I hate having my husband go out of town. But that seems to be the only time I actually get stuff done. You win some and you lose some. At least now I have some pretty fantastic decor items :)

Okay this has been the most random post ever. I hope you enjoyed it!

It's Official...

After lots of deciding and re-deciding...

Choosing and then chaning minds...

 

and a whole lot of general confusion...

Ben and I have finally decided we're going to Rexburg.

Which, if you recall, was our original plan. However, once we got married, we started throwing out a bunch of other options to consider. Like what about Boise State University? That sounded pretty good.

Or BYU-Provo. Closer to my family and friends (always appealing). With the option of me going for a masters.

Or SUU, my old, beloved alma mater complete with awesome professors, familiar faces, and possible job opportunities.

To be completely honest, BYU-I remained on the possibility list, but was always the most unattractive option.

If I can be frank, Ben calls it "Sexburg," a more direct form of the common "BYU-I Do." Referring to the fact that most there are hungry for all things marriage, relationships and dating.

Plus it has a distinct reputation as being completely and utterly freezing in the winter.

Anyhow, our confusion led us to so many possibilities. And for months (I'm not kidding people! Months!) we have vascillated (big word, eh? eh?) from option to option.

Finally, at the end of October, we heard back from BYU-Provo. And they didn't want Ben. And even though my family took it pretty hard knowing we wouldn't be moving close to them, we were absolutely relieved to know that Provo wasn't even an option. It narrowed things down for us.

After a few more days of contemplation, I realized that BYU-I seemed and felt right. When I told Ben this, I didn't expect him to agree with the idea. He had been a die hard SUU fan from the beginning (before he even met me). But when I brought it up, he said that he had felt the same way.

So he accepted his track (Winter/Spring), I told my job that I had to peace out earlier than planned, and Ben and I are currently making plans to move to Rexburg at the end of December.

We have yet to find a place to live...but we're pretty freaking stoked.

 Even if the ever present, hand holding zoobies induce vomit on a daily basis.  ;)

More on the Dress

I thought about more stuff to say about wedding dress shopping...so you guys are going to have to endure through another post...Lo siento...but not really. Cause this, afterall, is my blog...So here's my list of random advice.

You first need to decide if you actually want to buy a dress. Warning: they can be pretty expensive. But I feel like that's something you already know...I know a handful of people who were completely happy renting a dress or borrowing.

Now (probably having something to do with my dad...), I'm a pretty substantial penny pincher, so buying was a scary option for me, especially because I wanted to pay for this by myself. And I didn't want to regret having spent money on it.

But I'm pretty nostalgic. And I married Ben. And he lives under the motto, "If you're going to spend money on something, you might as well get something you really really want." So I decided to buy it, and I haven't ever regretted that decision (the whole 6 months I've had the dress ;).

Something I didn't realize, though, was that buying a wedding dress includes accessories (shoes, jewelry, veil, etc.) AND your alterations. And you've got to be careful with alterations--I heard that some places have a base rate they charge for any alterations. So even if all you need is a bustle, you'll end up apying $100, just because that's how they roll. Laaaame!

I budgeted $500 for my dress. You guys already know that I found The One with just the 2nd dress I tried on. However, it was just above my budget at $550. But when I went on my crazy shopping ravages in Provo area, I tried on this one.

And I really liked it. And it was only $400...My true stinginess came out and I started debating between The One and The One That Could Be The One If I Really Wanted.

I'm uber traditional when it comes to weddings, so I refused to let Ben see anything I tried on. But I told him my predicament and he told me to go for the one I LOVED. And I'm super glad that I spent that extra $50. It was worth it.

I got lucky with my alterations lady and only had to pay $40 for a french bustle and for her to hem all EIGHT layers of my dress. Plus I borrowed a veil that matched perfectly. (Side note: you get so blessed when you get married. Yeah, Satan tries to get you down, but Heavenly Father totally has your back).

Random Advice: Look online at the places you're going to shop at before you actually go into the store. One site I looked at said they were offering $100 off any dress bought in the month of March. I went to that store at the very end of the month and I didn't notice any signs announcing the promotion. So I mentioned it to the guy and he said that I was the only one who had brought it up. I didn't buy from them, so nobody took advantage of the awesome deal!

Final Piece: Remember that your wedding has got a feel/tone/theme...whatever you want to call it...and your dress should match. I tried on this dress...

And loved it (almost as much as The One). I tried it on twice, that's how much I loved it. But when I got to thinking about it, I realized that my wedding was a backyard, garden wedding. And I feel like a dress like this calls for a classier affair and definitely something indoors. So I opted against it.

Anyhow, dress shopping was definitely one of my favorite parts of wedding planning. And my dress was one of my favorite parts of my wedding. So take time and enjoy it! Cause it is super wonderful stuff :)

My Big Fat Wedding Planning Advice: The Dress

I tried like 5 times to write a post about keeping a budget but I kept coming off as a snot...so I gave up on that for the time being and have resolved to write about the thing that I'm most excited for: wedding dresses!

Shopping for a wedding dress was definitely one of my favorite (if not my very favorite) parts of wedding planning.

Ben proposed to me while we were living in Cedar City. My plan was to head home (to Springville) for dress shopping so that I could include my mom and Heather. But let's be real: I was an engaged chick with the opportunity to try on wedding dresses with full purpose and legitimacy. I needed to take advantage. So after being engaged for a few days I set an appointment at a little shop in town and made it a date with my roomies including my best friend ever (minus Ben), Petey.

You can tell a lot about what your experience is going to be like right from the second you walk into a dress store. And let's be real: it is my opinion that when wedding dress shopping, you are shopping for the right experience JUST as much as you are shopping for the right dress. You know you want a "Say Yes to the Dress" moment. Don't deny it.

Anyhow, from the moment I walked into this store, I felt way special. My consultant was incredibly helpful and she gave me her full attention. To me, this was really important. I went to other stores where I walked in and no one helped me or even talked to me. Another opinion I have is that the people you work with while planning your wedding should be happy for you...especially if they are specifically in the wedding industry... See what I mean about coming off as a snot...but really... weddings should kind of be a big deal.

I fell in love with the 2nd dress I tried on. I mean, it was totally the aforementioned "Say Yes to the Dress" experience. When I looked in the mirror, I totally fell in love. I loved how I looked. I loved how I felt. I loved the fact that Petey teared up when she saw me (I've known this girl for like 10 years and I've only seen her cry twice). It was the best.

See? I loved it!

But...

It was only the 2nd dress.

Obviously, I couldn't just pick that one. I tried on more. And more. And then I tried on Dress #2 again. I loved it... probably even more than the first time...but I still couldn't commit. Not yet. And then, in a semi-freak-out, I planned an impromptu trip home so that I could shop up north with Mom and Heather.

I drove home the very next day (peacing out to classes and work) and hit up as many dress stores as possible in a short, one day trip. Here's me being honest: I wanted a repeat experience. Just with different people.

And, really, truthfully, my mom and I have verrrry different tastes.

I didn't get exactly what I wanted when I went home. I didn't get another "Say Yes to the Dress" experience. My mom and I liked different dresses and different features. She liked lace and I liked tulle. And Heather ended up only being able to go to one store with us. However, going up north was not a mistake. I found dresses I liked. I got to shop around with my mom and sister. I got wedding dress shopping out of my system. And after that, I knew that the one in Cedar, Dress #2, really was The One. The trip was well worth it.

I've got lots more to say on this topic...but it's getting late. Trust me, I could keep writing...but I'm trying to be responsible...

Best Job Ever

Somehow I landed the best job ever. In the whole world. Ever.

I got to work as an assistant cross country coach.

It. Was. Awesome.

I mean, where do you get to do exactly what you want to do/what you would be doing anyway AND get paid for it???

Those kids are hilarious. And so so sweet. Plus, I look just like I'm on the team. So if there is ever an angry motorist wanting to chew out the coach, they never come to me. They assume me to be another high schooler. See how sweet this deal is?

They kids even stole the clipboard during one of our meets to draw this really lovely picture.

Isn't it beautiful (in its own sort of way)? We're standing by the bus we take for all of our practices. Coach Grindstaff is the main guy (he's the head coach). The caption they have for me is "I'm the cool coach." Eh? Eh? Yeah...it's pretty much the best.

Anyhow. The season is over now. We had our XC Banquet tonight to end the season. And gosh, I'm going to miss those kids. I am excited to not work until 6 every night (think of all the time I'll have getting off by 3:30!). But I'm definitely going to miss these guys.

..................
Go Bruins!

My Big Fat Wedding Planning Advice

I think it's fair to say that almost every girl likes wedding planning chats. I just think that whether you are at that stage of life, not quite there yet, or completely passed it, you still don't mind kicking around ideas for you or friends. I mean, I remember planning hypothetical weddings with Petey clear back in our high school days.

I've been wanting to write about the specifics of my planning for a while now, so that I can reference it later. But writing in a journal is so tedious. So I figure this is my blog, I write what I want. Readers, feel free to give additional advice or anecdotes. If you aren't in the market for wedding advice, feel free to gander at your leisure.

My first post on wedding planning advice is specifically about that:

Advice.

When you announce that you are engaged, a million people are excited for you. And half of that million already got married, which means that they have been there, done that. They had crazy experiences while wedding planning, and they want to share their wisdom with you!

Really. Here's the warning: You will get SOOOOO much advice the whole time you are planning.

You'll get advice on what your wedding should be,

What your wedding shouldn't be,

What you should do when you go to the temple (if you go that route),

What you should do to make your marriage work,

etc. etc. etc.

And here's my advice on advice:

Listen to it all. Take what you need. Leave the rest.

I loved hearing all the advice I got. Every piece came with a story. You really get the feeling that this person is so excited for you when they are offering their story. Not only that, but you feel so much more excited for your own wedding. If this person is so eager to talk about it, it must be awesome, right?

Some advice really was absolutely awesome. Like Bridgett who told us to make it our wedding and do what we wanted (honestly wish I would've listened to this a little better). Or the half a dozen people on facebook who let me know whether or not they regretted buying their wedding dress. Or Petey who let her marketing experience speak wonders on color ideas and themes. Or Whitney who, honestly, gave me so many good tips that she should just write a book.

Then there was the advice that reaffirmed my own opinions. Like Bridgett who told me to stay away from the super trendy mustache-bearing photos. She explained that, sure, they're cute now, but what about it 10 years? I never was a fan of those anyway.

There was also advice that was just straight up opinion. Like hearing that I should absolutley not serve fruit at my reception. I honestly don't even know if they served it or not. But if they did, I'm fine with that.

Some advice comes with a good story but that's all you can use it for. My hilarious boss told me about how right before she walked down the aisle, her maid of honor told her she has lipstick on her teeth, which, let's be real, was a good thing. But through the whole ceremony (which they got on video) is filled with her running her tongue up and down and over her teeth to make sure there wasn't lipstick. Her advice to me was to wear a non-smear, waterproof lipstick. Fact: I don't wear lipstick period. Verdict: Good story. Don't need the advice.

And then there are the tips that are just straight up wisdom. My wonderful Aunt Merry Lynn took Ben and I aside and told us that Satan would try to work his way into our marriage. He would make little things seem so big to plant resentment. She told us to not let Satan in. Ever. My Grandpa told us that more than 50 years ago he married my Grandma and it was the best decision he's ever made. He said that it wasn't always easy. But it has always been worth it.

No matter who's telling you what, it is worth listening to. You never know when you're going to pick up a piece of info you wouldn't want to go without.

Cruising to Paradise...and Ensenada

Oh my gosh, you guys. I feel like I have a bazillion things to write about and not enough time to actually sit down and write. Let's be real: I barely have enough time to clean my house (yep, it's looking pretty rough). And right now I could be cleaning. My out is that it's Sunday. And, as we taught our CTR 5 Primary class today--cleaning the house on Sunday is not resting. So blogging, here I come.

Today's lovely topic is the cruise that Ben and I went on for a honeymoon. Yes, we did our honeymoon four months later than regular honeymoon standard time (you know, the week after wedding festivities). And we loved it. While we were wedding planning we really had a hard time deciding on a honeymoon. We wanted to do something awesome while keeping it affordable. And frankly, summer time is not necessarily the cheapest time to travel.

We kicked around so many ideas. We loved the idea of a cruise (neither of us had been on one) but we had such a hard time figuring out the details and keeping that idea within budget. Long story short: we finally realized that booking a cruise in off season is waaaaay cheaper. Plus it would give us time to plan details and save a little bit more money. Couldn't ask for a better deal. So we went ahead and booked it.

Was I sad that we didn't go on our official honeymoon until 4 months after we got hitched?

Absolutely not.

It was the best decision ever. I don't regret it all. And I would highly recommend it.

Only problem with waiting was that honeymoon phase has long passed.
As you can see by the fact that Ben was not at all discreet about his nose picking.

Cruising was definitely a different brand of vacationing. Anyone who knows my family knows that we are NOT the sort to be waited on or even to just sit an relax. Our "vacations" usually consist of backpacking. And Ben's family is pretty similar. So taking it easy on a ship was a bit of a difficulty for us. Here are the things we liked and didn't like about cruising:


We loved hanging out in the middle of the ocean. The sunsets were extra awesome.

 We, however, weren't the biggest fans of the sea sickness. It didn't hit us bad, thankfully, but that first night we felt pretty dizzy and a little disoriented.

We loved Catalina. The town is super cute, very well kept,
and just all sorts of fun.

Ensenada was another story. Don't get us wrong-
we still enjoyed it. But the city was kinda trashy
and it wasn't really authentic Mexico.
I guess that's what you get when you only
go 70 miles south of the border

We loved the towel animals!!!!!
And, not to brag, I'm pretty sure they loved us too.

But we weren't the biggest fans of the fact that our room was right above the anchor. Hello shaking and crashing at 6:30 in the morning. I will admit that the porthole windows almost made up for this.


We loved snorkeling in Catalina. Pure awesomeness.
We didn't love how dehydrated we got while wandering the streets of Mexico.

We loved elegant night. It was so much fun to dress up for
dinner,a show, and some dancing
(interestingly enough, our dancing attracted some older Asian women to party with us.
They were completely infatuated with Ben. Kinda hilarious).
Anyhow, pretty classy, right...?

Unless you were these skanky chicks.
Yep, look closer. That old man is capturing wind swept photos
of these obviously teenage slu...I mean... girls.
Ew.



Loved the food.
Breakfast and lunch were all you can eat deliciousness.
And dinner was three courses of elegant dining.
Best part: you're never the only one eating more than you probably should.



Won't beat around the bush on this one:
LOATHED the "churro" in Mexico.
I've been to Mexico once before and that time I got churros from a street vendor.
They were to die for. A million times better than any churros you'll find in the states.
This time I saw a vendor that advertised churros. Couldn't let yummy authentic churros pass me by.
 So I let my fluent husband order me some.
I received a cup filled with candied peanuts, crouton things, pig fat and tomato juice.
What the hell, Mexico? Yep, it's worth cursing for so I'll say it again:
What. The. Hell?

Luckily, that night the ship had a Mexican food night where they served real churros. Helped relieve some of the trauma.

There were lots of other things we loved and a handful of things we didn't care for as much (trust me, I'd keep going but I feel like I'm competing with one of Whitney's uber-posts...and I really think she's the only one who can pull those off so I'll stop). But overall it was a rockin' awesome time.