Conference Weekend.

So this last weekend was General Conference

[if anyone remembers our journey to Salt Lake last October for a church conference, this is the second one they have of the year]

& of course it was wonderful..

[even if we had to watch this one broadcasted..]

Our Prophet, President Monson, shared a message about the race of life that really stuck out to me.

“In our zeal, let us not overlook the sage counsel from Ecclesiastes: ‘The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong’ (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Actually, the prize belongs to him who endures to the end.”

 

“In this fast-paced life, do we ever pause for moments of meditation—even thoughts of timeless truths?”

-President Thomas S. Monson

Life gets so fast paced that it is easy to lose sight of what really matters.

If you want to be uplifted you can read some of the conference talks..

HERE

:)

Then between sessions I was reminded that I am definitely 

marrying myself an Idaho Boy.

haha

Something that I really love about Blake is that he is so darn fun.

He drags me off of the couch and makes me go out and DO things.. that I am so grateful for..

[after he gets me up of course..]

My sweet fiance took me four wheeling and gave me a tour of what he grew up doing..

& while he may be a little more adventurous in his endeavors than me..

[I couldn't even get pictures of the really intense hills because I was terrified of losing my phone]

It was really fun and nice to spend some scary relaxing time with just the two of us 

before finals week and the hectic wedding festivities begin.

I hope you guys enjoyed your conference weekends as well

& were able to be inspired and motivated by the great men giving us direction.

This week I will be crying over have finals week..

[& still school work because my dear school likes to cram everything together to shorten our semesters]

So things might be a little hectic as I'm attempting to pass school and packing my life away.

But when it's all over I will be back.

I love you guys.. 

& hope you had a great Monday.

oh. yeah. & tomorrow will be 16 days.

:)

Bridal Shower Bonanza

So this past week I really have felt so blessed to have my "family to be"

& the friends that I have up here with me.

It was so sweet the work they went to to make my bridal showers special.

& with my family and friends that I grew up with being so far away it made me sad that they couldn't be there..

 but it really meant a lot to me that I have the wonderful people that I do in my life still trying to make it a positive experience.

It really turned out SO cute.

Thank you to everyone who came & contributed..

You all are the best.

So.. now..

Something that I learned about Bridal Showers?

People dress you up in things that you wouldn't normally choose to be dressed up in..

[oh.. wrapping paper, ribbon, tissue paper, TOILET paper..]

The joys of getting married.

:)



& these are my sweet sisters to be..

& Bridesmaids of course.

I love you guys.

& then there is..

Bridal Shower take #2



Que.. Wrapping.



& just a warning..

The following [and previous] post contains WAY more pictures of me than anyone probably ever wanted to see..

[I guess when you aren't the one taking pictures you don't get them of everyone else.. note to self]

haha if that scares you..

 I wouldn't proceed

:)

They mummified me alive!
& then proceeded to have me keep it on for most of the party..

It was good practice for the suffocating I will be doing in my wedding dress is I guess what they were thinking..

I also received presents that I definitely never have gotten for a birthday before..

This is Shelby's drawing of her present..

If you can't see it..

it's not you.

There wasn't much there.

:)



Elana.. yes.. Shelby made me open your gift.

In fronnnt of evvveryone.

:)
ah.

haha I love you.

It was quite the experience.
Thanks everyone I love you SO much. 
& to all of my loved ones that weren't there.. 
I hope you know how much I miss you and wish that you would have been.
I love you guys & know you would have been there if you could have.
:)

I hope everyone is having a great conference weekend.

oh.. and..

[This was from yesterday..so..]

EIGHTEEN DAYS.
:)
 

Life. Is. Beautiful.

So first.. can I just say how grateful I am for my Heavenly Father and the love He has for me,

& the fun days He gives me amidst the stress.

I think this weekend was just what everyone needed.

:)

 

This weekend.. With this upcoming week being the start of Spring!

& My dearest Shelby's Birthday of course.

We decided that we wanted to celebrate how they do in India.. 

With a Festival of Colors! 

 

& what a better way to do that than at the closest Indian Temple!

 

To celebrate Spring it is an Indian tradition for everyone to gather together and throw scented powder or perfume at each other.

It's also called Holi if that is anymore familiar to everyone.

 

& If anyone was wondering..

 

Yes. It is fun.

:)

If you ever get a chance I will definitely encourage you to go celebrate Spring!

& life.. and other people in the world who just want something to be happy about.

[Oh.. yeah. Of course we do don't actually know any of these people with us.]

& Since the Festival of Colors this year actually fell on  

Shelby's Birthday 

we figured what a better way to celebrate and take a break from school a couple of weeks before our finals than to take a fun little road trip?

 

So Blake and I, our sweet little birthday girl Shelby, and our other cute roommate/friend Kennedy decided to go..

[We also had to run a big Marriage Preparation Errand so.. they were good friends & good sports..

Thanks Guys. Love you.]

& it was definitely not like anything I had ever experienced before.

Everyone around you is just drowning you with chalk..

until every part of you is saturated and it 

looks like you are there to celebrate!

& although it may not have been the cleanest celebration..

[& may have required a few showers to wash off]

 
 It definitely was a fun one.
So this one's to prepare you guys for when you come..
Because I know you will now.
:)

Before..

&..

After..

Almost the same right?

Happy Birthday my Sweet Shelby 

I love you to death.. & am so grateful for the 7 semesters you have decided it would still be okay to live with me. 

:)

 

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

 

Enjoy your First Week of Spring..

[I have more good news so stay posted.]

oh and..

um.

25 more days!

The Countdown..

30 More Days!

 

This is the picture that Blake woke me up with this morning..

We can "see the end" haha

[Hopefully everything gets done by then.. ah.]

Happy Tuesday Everyone.. Hope it's a good one!

 

"It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come." Dalai Lama

Wow. Wow. Wow.

 This blog has not seen some love in a while huh.. 

I'm sorry guys once all the schooling for the semester and wedding festivities are over all will be better.
[At least I have been telling myself so this last month.. haha lets hope]

But I am back.. & we have some quick catchin up to do..

Well most importantly..
A couple of weeks ago was my sweet Marah's
 Fourteenth Birthday! 

Holy cow you're getting old my cute little sister!
Every time I see her I can't believe how much more grown up she looks..
[These pictures are from last summer.. & she already looks so different to me]
That's the hardest thing for me about being away is missing her grow up.. 

But I sure love her and love our catching up when I do get to see her.

& as you can see she feels the same way of course

:)

Mar I love you soo much and am so proud of the little lady you are becoming.
I'm so blessed to have you.
I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

& For her Birthday..
 I made a little [supposed to be] surprise trip down to New Mexico

& look what I found..

How incredibly talented are these?!
Marah is probably going to be the next Cake Boss I am convinced.. 
She's got skills beyond my beliefs..
& the best part is they actually tasted extremely delicious. 



I'll have to post how she made them later if anyone is interested..

The rest of my trip to the Land of Enchantment..

 

Was just warm and wonderful and full of wedding preparations of course.

& My Momma is just the greatest and helped me find dresses and flowers and center pieces and help me feel a little more prepared for wedding that's happening in a MONTH.

I left earlier than I had been planning.. and came back later. 

& probably  missed way too much school.. loved every second of it.

Other news? Besides the busyness.. 

 I have been learning to sew as a matter of fact.

 & this little beauty.. was my first project. 

[With much help from Blake's kind mother]

I made a table cloth for Blake & I's new table 

[given to us by his sweet Brother and Sister in Law.. what an awesome family.]

I'll definitely post the other projects later too..

& winter in Rexburg decided to come just a little bit later this year..

So instead of being sad about how it delayed my New Mexico trip..

We decided if you can't beat it.. join it.

&  made the most of being snowed in..

 

I hope you all have been doing great & life has been a little more relaxing for you..

:)

I promise to try hard to never leave you for so long again..

Enjoy the rest of your Sabbath.