Friends, I have been a savage.

I haven’t taken any pictures for such a long time.

I look at my photo album to know what to blog about – and YIKES. Nothing there.

So here’s a quick catch up – and then a bigger and better kick-off.

This weekend held dinner with friends, relaxing, cleaning our house, grocery shopping, heading to Kaysville to spend time with Randy’s family and then my family, seeing Bethany perform in the One Act Play festival at Davis (she was absolutely incredible. That girl can act my friends) games with the fam, then Sunday Randy was pretty sick, so I ran over to teach my class and then we lazed around. Some of our Sunday School kids came to say hello which was a party, and then we had friends over in the evening for a treat which was wonderful.

Randy and I have these crazy decisions and it’s hard. But I don’t want to dwell on these big life changing things that are ahead for us. I want to dwell on FEBRUARY which is one of my favorite months!

I have a cute pillow and a cute sign, and a cute candle holder allll decked out in hearts. I think it’s so perfect that we have a month where the major holiday is all about love.

Some people ha-rumph and wrinkle their nose at Valentine’s Day. But I happen to love it (and I still loved it when I was single folks!)

So I have officially been bitten by the Love Bug.

And I’m going to be posting about things that I love/definitions of love/stories of love/etc. for the next few weeks.

Get excited.

So today, let’s start with something that I talked to my Sunday School class about yesterday.

Our lesson was about learning about our Heavenly Father from the scriptures.

We talked about His characteristics and how to learn more about Him, and how to get to know Him on a personal level.

At the end, I asked the kids to think of a relationship that’s very important to them, or one that they wish would be better. I then talked to them about how if they would put their relationship with God FIRST, the other relationships would get better and stronger.

That’s why my marriage to Randy works. Because both of us put God first, and know that the other person is going to do the same.

That’s real love my friends. I know I come second in Randy’s life, because Heavenly Father will always come first. And that’s how it should be.

Loving our Heavenly Father, and recognizing His love for us. is the most important love we will have in this life. Because if we love Him, we will try to keep His commandments. And because He loves us perfectly, we can entirely rely and trust in Him.

Happy love month my friends:)

hello friends.

long time no post, am I right??

SO

this weekend was a lazy Friday

and a CRAZY Saturday.

Saturday my darling cousin got married! We spent the day at the Payson temple to watch them get sealed (which was absolutely amazing), then off to Highland Gardens in Cedar Hills for the luncheon and reception. It was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and our family had the best day.

My aunts, mom, grandma, and my sister did ALL the cookies and treats for the reception. Our family ran around making hot chocolate, filling up plates, clearing tables, and cleaning up after the whole event. I also did some videography for the big day!

It was SUCH a busy day that I didn’t even have time to snap a picture of Randy and I with the bride and groom! SO SAD.

But I have to give Randy the biggest shout out. He seriously was a champ, running around and doing absolutely everything to help. He was on top of everything and I’m so glad I have him by my side. I’m the luckiest.

Pictures/video from the wedding will come once I have time to get working on them!

Just trying to keep our head above water over here, with Randy’s school and work, my work and freelance work, our church callings, family time, and sometimes a little time for each other.

It’s a good life friends.

Happy Tuesday everyone, happy wedding Marie and Jake!

weekending consisted of spending some much needed time with Randy’s brother and his wife, laughing our heads off with Rebecca and Jett, and having deep talks with Lauren and Rach.

it also consisted of a lazy Saturday, lots of cleaning, shopping, and feeding the awesome missionaries in our ward.

today has been filled with church and being lazy as can be.

more coming this week, i assure you! i’m thinking I might finally get around to an apartment tour, but we shall see I guess!

Happy Sunday all!

I have faced several situations in my life where I have prayed, asked, and sometimes just told Heavenly Father about a situation, and then gotten an answer that I didn’t expect, or like. This has tested my faith beyond measure. But I have learned so much in the process of not getting answer that I want. So here are the things that I do when I don’t get the answer that I want.

1. Spend a lot of time talking to Heavenly Father. And I don’t just mean morning and nightly prayers. I mean honest to goodness, all day communication. I pray on my knees, and then I pray in my heart while I drive to work, while I run to the store, during every minute. I ask for my heart to be open and for any little thing that can help me, to help me. I have been inspired and comforted while vacuuming, cooking dinner, and working out. It’s amazing the times that Heavenly Father can speak to us. I find it’s so important for me to make very specific, on my knee time, and also make ALL the time a time when I can be inspired.

2. Read, read, read. Flip open your scriptures anywhere. I made a goal to try and read a verse or two instead of checking out instagram when I ride in the elevator, or when I’m standing in line. Eating up the words of the Lord and his prophets have often been the way for me to find the comfort and reassurance that I need.

3. Look at what prophets have said. We once had a lesson in seminary about Hiram Page in the Doctrine and Covenants. It was the chapter where the Lord talks about the “seerstone”. Hiram Page thought he was getting revelations through this stone, and that he was being called to take the church in a different direction. In my lesson, we discussed how the Lord handled this situation. He specifically says that Hiram should not be chastised publicly. He is told that he was mislead by the Devil, and that he really thought he was doing the right thing. The Lord then speaks about Joseph Smith as the prophet, and mouth of the Lord. We then discussed how if you are getting revelation, answers, or insights that are different from what the Prophet is saying – you should reexamine. The Prophet will not be allowed to lead us astray. I have such a firm testimony of that. So when I am getting an answer that I don’t like or want, or even any answer for that matter, I compare it to what Prophet’s have to say.

4. Lose my pride. This is SO hard for me to do. I’m stubborn. I’m convinced I’m always right. I hate looking silly, backtracking, or apologizing. I have learned that if I’m going to do the things that Heavenly Father REALLY wants me to do, I have to lose that attitude. I have to check my pride at the door when I come down to kneel in prayer. If I have that pride with me, I won’t listen no matter what the answer is. I won’t care what the answer is. It is only the times when I have made a conscious effort to say “whatever it is that YOU want me to do, I’ll do it,” that I get comfort.

5. Determine to figure out why. When I realized that I wasn’t supposed to serve a mission, I was angry. It was when I decided to figure out why I was on the path that I was on, that I started seeing more clearly. If we have an attitude of trying to understand what the reason or purpose is, instead of being upset with that answer, we are able to see. I woke up each morning determined to find the reason behind my call not to serve. And I found them. I have such a clear understanding of the reasons and the plan that Heavenly Father made for me. It came from changing the whiny “why not??”, to a sincere desire to know why, and what I was to do instead.

Not getting the answer you’re looking for can be hard, hurtful, and confusing. But I know that when you combine your personal revelation with the word of the Lord, his mouthpiece, and His quiet words to you, you’ll understand and be able to accept. Even if you don’t get that full understanding, he’ll give you the capacity to accept and be patient. It’s truly amazing what He can do with our stubborn hearts and minds, if we just let him.

We said goodbye to my niece and sister-in-law on Sunday. So sad. We won’t be seeing them again until this summer, so it really was quite tragic. By that time, my niece will be a whole person who has stranger danger and stuff. No bueno. But it’s good they’ll be reunited with my brother and be home, back in the swing of things!

Also Friday night was delightful. Randy and I got a gift card from his parents for Christmas, so it was off to Red Lobster for a delicious dinner, followed by a night of fun skating at the Gallivan Center. Randy is an AMAZING skater (thanks to his talented mom) and it was so fun to watch him, and then skate with him, and then watch him show off even more!

Saturday we got to welcome home Miss Kira from her mission, which was wonderful, and then we got to see our friends Tim and Candace! It’s so fun to catch up with high school friends, but it’s weird when we realize we aren’t little kids anymore!

What a wonderful weekend with wonderful family, and friends. Hope your weekend was awesome, and happy Monday everyone!

We sat in the back of my Nissan Altima in silence. We had just exchanged gifts, little things so that we could hold on to each other. We recorded a video and cried all the way through it, like a couple of babies. (I had no idea I would watch those last few videos hundreds of times in the next few years)

Some of you will read this story and think I was a crazy, dramatic, unaware, little kid. And in so many ways, I was. But in so many other ways, I wasn’t. I knew what I could potentially lose. I knew what time and distance and space could do to a little, teenage love like ours.

So we sat in the back of the car reminiscing and making plans and dreaming. When it was time for me to drive Randy back to his house, we looked over the ledge at our little spot in Kaysville and tried to smile.

We drove back in mostly silence, letting the sequence of our many songs fill the car.

I went inside Randy’s house for a few minutes to say hello to his family. He wrote his email and mailing address on a piece of paper (that I would have memorized in a few weeks).

I walked out to my car for our real, final goodbye. I climbed in the front seat and had the strangest mix of pride, and extreme heartbreak.

Just down the street from Randy’s house there was a stop sign. I stopped at it, and was crying too hard to continue driving. I just waited for a minute, and looked up just in time to see Randy sprinting down the street towards my car. I rolled down the window for one more “I love you” and kiss, and that was it. I drove home to Provo and cried the whole way. I would pass places, our places, and break down all over again.

The next day I got a farewell text, and that was it.

Randy entered the MTC on January 9th, 2013. And it changed both of our lives forever.

I’m so thankful for Randy’s mission, for our letters, and for everything that has happened because of it.

Macaroons and my love. That made for a pretty wonderful Wednesday after a fairly difficult day at work. (also, i can’t rave about Eva’s enough. both the tapas restaurant and the boulangerie are to DIE for)

I’ve heard a lot of people say they don’t like New Year’s Resolutions. It can be difficult to make a million promises and then break them in the same month. I kind of like the whole “new year, new me” idea. Sure, by the end of the year I have slipped back into some not so great habits, but I feel that in at least a couple ways, I greatly improve. I get to make goals, and while some goals have stayed on my list for years (work out X amount of times per week, read X amount of books per month, etc.) others I get to see myself accomplish. These goals become habits, which become lifelong commitments. And it’s really wonderful.

A part of my “new year, new me” ideals this year includes being happier. One of the ways that I’m trying to do that is be more positive, and recognize the wonderful things. I have a book from Blogging for Books that I’ll be reviewing soon that is really helping me with this. I SUPER love it and can’t wait to review it:)

So the point of this long ramble, is to talk about a few things that I’m adoring in 2016.

-Macaroons from my love
-Dreamy, foggy mornings
-Warm blankets
-Pulling our mattress into the living room for a camp out
-Willing the dying aloe plant in my office to live (I’m actually watering it too, so that may help)
-New clothes
-Getting home and seeing packages on the doorstep
-Long discussions at work about pop culture, the beliefs of society, stereotypes, and the best restaurants.
-Delicious candles
-Tea-tree shampoo that makes my head tingle
-Playing games in the grocery store
-Planning lessons for my amazing Sunday School class
-And a million, billion more things

Happy Thursday to all my lovely friends!

2016 has already been a wonderful year! Let’s take a look how we celebrated, shall we?

New Year’s Eve day was a leeetle hectic. Randy and I both went into work (I only worked for a while) and then I went home. Later that night, Randy called me when he got off work like he always does. The first thing out of his mouth was “Guess who has a flat tire.”

So my wonderful Randy changed the tire by himself, drove 50 MPH on the freeway to get home, and then took the tire in to get fixed as soon as we could. He’s a champ.

[Insert 2016 resolutions and sappiness here]

Randy and I had the best 2015. It was hard, but also wonderful. I am so excited, and looking forward to 2016 and another year of just having the best time with him. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us this year! This year my (general) goals are to read my scriptures more often, work out more often, excel at my job, read at least one book per month, and always always ALWAYS put Randy first.

[End of sappiness]

So after the whole tire SAGA, Randy and I ran off to our New Year’s Eve party! It was so fun to hang out with our friends, play games and catch up, and then ring in the New Year. It was so wonderful to have my New Year’s Kiss with my best friend and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Randy and I partied with the gang for a bit, then went home because we were EXHAUSTED.

The rest of the break was full of family time, which was SO much fun. We had to say goodbye to my brother on Saturday which was really sad. I was getting used to not having him thousands of miles away. And the thought of not having my sister-in-law and sweet little niece around is making me so sad! But I still have a few more days with them, so I will be strong.

Randy and I got back for church on Sunday where we had an awesome lesson with our Sunday School kiddos, and then later that night had a hot chocolate night with some of the other couples in our complex! It was crazy fun to get to know some of the newer people, and we had a blast.

And now it’s back to the real world. Which is no fun. But we are happy to kind of get back into a routine.

Good luck to all you students who started your semester today!

Good luck to Randy and the other Utah State folks who start next week.

And, Happy Monday everyone!

It’s the last day of 2015, and I can’t help but feeling a bit nostalgic. This has truly been the most amazing year of my life, and probably always will be. So many things happened in 2015, and they all happened so fast.

I remember vividly sitting on my couch one year ago, eating McDonalds and watching Spider Man with Randy. Then it was 11:59 and we started the countdown. I remember thinking “This is it. This is OUR year” and it has been.

So let’s quickly reminisce like every single other person in the world, over the past year.

-I became an anchor for BYU Eleven News. I reported. produced, and then spent a semester anchoring on live TV. It was pretty sweet.
-I spent the weekends writing for even more TV news at KSL. Except this one was broadcast to more than my mom and grandma. So that was also cool.
-I got engaged to the love of my life on February 2nd. It was perfect and magical and ya’ll don’t want to hear the story again.
-I planned a wedding. Which was fun and also stressful and wonderful.
-I graduated Magna Cum Laude, from BYU.
-I landed a job at Ken Garff, THEEE greatest place ever to work. There I met my work besties Becky and Jordyn, and continually have an amazing time with them.
-I got married to my best friend on May 30th. I had been waiting SO long for this day, and to say it was the highlight of my 2015 is a complete understatement. It’s something that I can’t possibly explain. To sit in the temple with the love of my life, and know that I never have to be apart from him, was the most amazing moment of my whole life. And I think it always will be.
-We traveled to Vegas, California, and Idaho. Plus ran around Utah, hiking and discovering like crazy people.
-We watched other friends get engaged, married, and start their lives together along side us. We watched other friends take on school, go on missions, come home from missions, have babies, and all of us are growing up. It’s crazy, but so fun!
-We moved to a brand new apartment which we are obsessed with. We love our apartment, our neighbors, our ward, the city, everything.
-I spent a wholeeee bunch of time with my best friends. We have game nights, I trek down to Provo to spend time, and a few of them finally returned to me from being gone for far too long. 2015 felt like a settling period, where I adjusted and got settled into these amazing friendships.
-I got a new niece. The first niece. And she is perfection. I will spoil her absolutely rotten and I don’t care if she turns out like a crazy.
-I spent SO much time with my wonderful family, and Randy’s wonderful family. My family has come to mean more to me this year than ever before. They took Randy in as a son, and brother. And I am SO thankful for that. They supported, helped, and loved me through every moment of this year. I can’t thank them or share my love for them adequately. Joining Randy’s family was a wonderful adventure, and I am loving spending time with his brothers, chatting with his parents, getting close to my sister-in-law, and spending lots of time with extended family. We are so blessed to be in such wonderful families.
-Randy got called to be the Elders Quorum Secretary, and I’m teaching all the youths in Sunday School. It’s been a roller coaster, but I wouldn’t change a single thing about it.
-I blogged, worked, did freelance work, while Randy tackled full time school and a full time job. We were busy bees, but it was so wonderful to get to be busy together.
-We were happy. This year has been full of major changes, serious decisions, and huge adjustments. But there isn’t one single thing that I would redo, take back, or change.

I am so thankful for 2015. It’s been the best year of my life. Now, bring on 2016!

Christmas 2015 was WONDERFUL. I honestly don’t think it could have been any better!

Let’s talk about how it all went. (disclaimer* I didn’t take very many pictures. Shame on me. That’s one of my goals for this year, to find the balance between living in the moment and capturing it!)

Christmas Eve, Randy had to work:( BUT he didn’t have to go in for very long and I got to help my mom prep everything, I got to spend time with my sisters, run around and go shopping, and we had a very unfortunate mix-up in the Smith’s parking lot (like getting into the wrong car mix-up)

We then headed over to my family Christmas Eve get together which was too fun! Cousins running around, my new niece meeting everyone, and lots of yummy food. Then it was over to Randy’s parents house for their Christmas Eve dinner (lamb, turkey, potatoes, gravy, rolls, the works!) We had a blast hanging out with both our families that day.

Christmas Eve night at my parents house meant opening a new book, surprising our parents with matching “thug” PJs, and staying up reading the Christmas story. We finally got to bed, anticipating Santa’s arrival!

Christmas morning was with my parents and my siblings, and was amazing. We sang a hymn, read a story, dove into some awesome presents, and Randy and my family nailed my Christmas gifts. It’s so fun to watch everyone open their gifts, get excited and happy, know that you made someone else happy. It was wonderful to see my niece laugh, and then sleep through most of Christmas. Quiche, candy, and lots of laughs.

Randy and I then raced over to the Low’s house for Christmas morning there, where they were WAY too sweet to us. We really have the best families ever! Pancakes, Japanese omelettes, and video games with all the boys were some highlights. Then it was BACK to my parent’s house for Christmas Day Lunch (prime rib, rice, potatoes, green beans, THE WORKS)

We were really well fed this year.

Then, back to the Low family Christmas Day gathering. White Elephant, MORE FOOD (I swear to you I gained six pounds this year) laughs and some wonderful gifts surrounded us.

Randy and I have felt so blessed to have two wonderful families who made our first Christmas together wonderful. I can’t even explain how perfect it was to hear my first “Merry Christmas” of the day from my cute husband, still half asleep.

The day after Christmas was more running around between families, hanging out with cousins and playing games, singing songs, and watching movies.

And then Sunday, my beautiful niece was blessed! Lots of people at our house, a delicious soup bar, and a beautiful little girl to celebrate. Hanging out with my cousins was a blast, and we love spending time with my big family.

Randy was worn out LOLZ

This season it’s always easy to get caught up in the details. My family has a tradition where we read a scripture each night to count down to Christmas. My mom decides a theme for our family, and then the scriptures all relate to that theme. This year, the theme was courage. On Christmas Eve, we talked about all the courageous things that our family has done this year. Moving far away, college, jobs, marriage, babies. It was really wonderful to reflect on those things, and how the Savior helped us to have the courage to make all these big and important decisions. I couldn’t help but think how much courage it to Mary and Joseph to welcome the Son of God into their home. It took Christ courage to take this important first step that would ultimately lead to being away from his Father, and eventually lead to the Atonement and his death. It takes all of us courage to have faith, and to rely on him. Christmas is a wonderful time to think about the gift He gave to us that day. I got to spend some time thinking about Him this year, and I hope you did too.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, and I wish you all a Happy New Year!