I realized I had better update on last weekend before this weekend rolls around! Our Friday and Saturday were mostly relaxed, we watched WAYYYY to much Dance Moms (Randy is now OBSESSED) and did some shopping, spent a chunk of our afternoon at Barnes and Noble with a bunch of local authors who were signing books (I now I have a much larger Christmas list) and then….

BRAD PAISLEY.

My sisters got me an AMAZING birthday gift, some tickets to see Justin Moore and Brad Paisley. So Randy and I got in our flannel and boots (Randy wasn’t sure about this part..) and headed up to USANA for the big night!

In a word, it was absolutely AMAZING.

Mickey Guyton opened and she was really fun and had a beautiful voice.

Then. Justin Moore. And wow. He was AWESOME. Bait A Hook, Point at You, Til My Last Day. He just killed it. He was yelling at us for not having enough energy, and told us if we promised to give him 110% of our energy, that he would give us 110% of his energy right back! Well, we did, and he sure did.

And then…the main event.

Brad. Paisley.

Can I just say, he was such a fun concert. There was every single song that I wanted to hear, Cosmo and the Ute mascot made an appearance and even hugged it out, funny videos (Brad Paisley as a bobble head celebrity), serious videos (Perfect Storm had this incredible light show that almost made me cry…) a Mario Kart race, a *fake* FaceTime visit from Carrie Underwood, and Whiskey Lullaby with Mickey Guyton that made me DIE. All in all, it was the most outstanding concert and Randy even had fun (he’s not much of a country fan so I was a little worried.)

So thanks to my amazing, incredible sisters for an amazing pair of tickets, and to my cute husband for an amazing night.

Do you ever have one of those weeks that just seem to have rough edges?

That was last week for me.

So many issues at work that left me frustrated and exhausted, spilling into evenings of being mad at myself because my house wasn’t clean enough and dinner wasn’t done on time and a million other things.

And then, this.

This beautiful, end to end, bright, almost double rainbow. I wanted to drive to the end of it, to stand in the rainbow and enjoy, to soak in all that color and life.

But the point is this; rainbows come. There is a scientific reason there is rain and a scientific reason there is a rainbow.

Similarly the hard, rough edges come. And so does the smooth sailing. All for a reason.

It’s a lesson that we’ve heard a million and one times, and it’s one that’s sometimes hard to remember. But it’s important and vital for our growth.

I am so incredibly grateful for a God in Heaven who loves me enough to send the rain and the rainbows, the rough edges and the smooth sailing. Because he knows exactly what I need, and when I need it.

And if you ask me, that’s pretty something.

Still to come this week: the weekend in review (AKA BRAD PAISLEY), wedding part 3, the love story (I promise it’s almost done, Randy is just adding his words still!), the apartment decorations (I know, five months later. So sue me.) and more!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Our luncheon was at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and it was a blast! We ate salad, AMAZING Lion House rolls, chicken and rice and veggies, sparkling grape juice, and cheesecake to top it all off. Everything was so wonderful. I had written the order of things on a little card for Randy and I LOVED that Elisha snapped a picture of it.

My sisters read the cutest story about Randy and I that my mom had written. It talked about all the reasons that Randy and I were perfect for each other, and talked about our mutual love for Disney to our music and dancing time together. My mom spent the time to find out about Randy’s childhood and compare it with mine to craft a beautiful piece, and I’m so grateful for it.

My sisters then sang a song, “When I Fall In Love.” I sang this song at my Aunt Jill’s wedding, and then we sang it at my brother’s…it’s becoming quite a tradition in our family which is really fun. They sang beautifully and my mom played perfectly. It was wonderful.

We showed our Love Story video that Aubree and Matt had done and it was SO perfect. Randy and I love sharing our story so it was so fun to show it to all our friends and family.

The bridesmaids gave me a gift where they all picked an item and explained how it related to Randy and my relationship, and my friendship with each wonderful girl. It was so awesome to reminisce with my best friends about our time together, and my love with Randy.

Caleb and Alexon wrote and performed a song about our love. It was so so so SO amazing. Caleb had asked each of us for an inside joke or a piece of our story that we wanted to be in the song, and he and Alexon incorporated them both into a beautiful song that told about our story. I almost started crying as these high school best friends of ours sent us off to our marriage.

Spencer then gave a toast and it was so perfect. He talked about the temple and how important it was, and about how it was a good thing that I can cook;) I loved hearing Randy’s childhood best friend talk about how great we were together.

Both of our dads said a few words which was wonderful. My daddy is amazing. I’m so lucky!

It was an absolutely amazing luncheon, we were surrounded by our friends and loved ones and it was incredible to feel all that love and support from the people closest to us. It was the perfect way to start our marriage. And Elisha captured it perfectly, of course.

It’s finally here! I am FINALLY getting around to posting some wedding pictures/the wedding story/the wedding video! Huzzah!

Maddy and I had been working on putting out apartment together. We were moving things from Provo to Midvale and we decided to exchange our wedding gifts and leave them in the apartment. We also wrote each other little notes and they were kinda like vows. I read Maddy’s and it was very real that were actually getting married. It was a really special moment.

The night before our wedding Randy and I exchanged gifts, which was really special. There was a moment when Randy just broke down, and I quickly was trying to figure out what was wrong. All he could say was “We did it. We made it.” After all the hoping and planning and waiting and wishing, we were actually here. And it was perfect.

I also got my parents gifts – some amazing handkerchiefs with personalized messages on them. I got them on Etsy as a very personal keepsake for my parents to remember that day! I also got all of my bridesmaids some pearls, and thank you notes.

So the morning of the wedding, I woke up at about 4 AM. Partially to get ready, partially because I couldn’t sleep another second! I started to curl my hair which was a process, and at about 6 my makeup lady came. It was so fun to chat – she had recently gotten engaged and it was great to be excited for each other.

I packed my bag and made sure my suitcases were all ready, and then headed upstairs, where Randy was waiting! Let me tell you, that was a crazy moment. The last time we would be in my house NOT as husband and wife. I whipped up some breakfast quick, and my sisters came out to eat Oatmeal Cream Pies (like Moon Pies if you’ve read “Sister of the Bride” by Beverly Cleary. It’s a book I gave to both of my sisters as a gift and it’s excellent!) with me before we left. Then, it was off to the temple. Randy and I drove together for some of the few moments we would have alone together that day. We jammed to Taylor Swift, and it was one of the best memories of my life.

On our walk into the temple we just chatted like it was a normal day, which was strange. I kept looking at Randy and thinking “Wow, we made it. We did it.”
We got to the temple and got all ready, and our sealing was absolutely beautiful. We had some time in the Celestial Room before we were married, and that was incredibly special. I don’t know if I can even explain how perfect it was.

As we walked through the temple, I just thought about how different life was going to be after that day. Waiting to actually be married was the worst! Patience was slim and I was so excited to be married. Our sealer was really solid and we had an amazing ceremony. And just like that, we were husband in wife. That’s a really overwhelming feeling. I was so happy. There really isn’t another way of putting it.

After we were married we walked outside the temple to cheers and congratulations from our friends and family. That’s a once in a lifetime experience for sure. We then wandered around the temple, taking pictures and soaking in the fact that we were married! It was so surreal to me to finally, actually be the bride. To be the one in the white dress with the bouquet and the cheesy grin on my face. I wouldn’t trade that day for anything.

Stay tuned for part 2, the luncheon!

https://player.vimeo.com/video/138697270
Maddy and Randy’s Temple Video from Aubree Jones on Vimeo.

Friends! I am 22! What in the world is life?! I swear it was just two minutes ago that I was a little kid playing house with my sisters. Crazy world that we live in.

So Randy and I had a stellar Labor Day weekend that kicked off the birthday shenanigans for us.

Friday we went to Guitar Center and Randy was in HEAVEN. Like a little kid in a candy store. We were seriously running from room to room so Randy could show me guitars and drums and keyboards. Randy is amazing at every single instrument he touches, it kills me. I love watching him in his happy place like that.

Saturday was a FULL day. Randy and I got up and headed right off to the Outlets for a day of shopping. We shopped and shopped and shopped, then went to Thanksgiving Point to stroll around (where we bumped into Randy’s old Japanese professor. Small world!)

We then went off to Puppy Barn and had a blast playing with the cutest puppies EVER.

Then we hit up BYU Campus and spent some time reminiscing and wandering the bookstore – just in time to hear BYU WIN THAT AMAZING GAME WITH AN INCREDIBLE HAIL MARY. What an awesome win – go Cougs!

We then picked up beautiful Lauren and went to get dinner – pho of course! It was awesome to hang out and chat with Lau – especially while eating my favorite food in the world haha.

We then went off to a wedding reception of one of my friends from Freshman year – and bumped into everyone else from my freshman year in the process! It was so cool to see all these wonderful friends and how much we have all changed in the past 2 years.

Then it was BIRTHDAY TIME – we went to The Chocolate (which is my FAVE place in Provo. Try it.) We talked and laughed and ate Cazookies and it was so wonderful to be surrounded by friends. We then went up to Rachel and Lauren’s apartment that they so graciously offered to let us use, and the partying and talking and games continued late into the night. I felt so incredibly loved and it was wonderful to see all my great friends.

Sunday was another full day – we got up bright and early to go pick up my mom from the airport! My mom was in Boston all of last week while sweet baby Candace was born. So let’s sidebar for that story real quick.

Baby Story

Kim was on bed-rest after some complications started to make doctors nervous about when the baby would come. They were monitoring her very regularly to know exactly when she needed to be born. My brother had lots of law internship interviews in California last week – and he and Kim decided he should still go to those. So my mom went to Boston to be with Kim while she was on bed-rest. Well, Tuesday night it was decided that the baby needed to come! SO my brother dashed home on the first flight, and arrived just a few hours before baby Candace was born on Wednesday morning. Everyone is home and doing well, and I am just smitten with my first niece. Can’t wait to meet her in real life!

End baby story.

So back to the story. Sunday we had an amazing birthday dinner and got to hang out with family, eat cake, and enjoy. It was a really wonderful birthday celebration.

On Monday Randy and I headed up to Park City to the Olympic Park for a day of zip-lining, sliding, free falling, climbing, and general adventuring. I LOVE Park City, the drive is spectacular, there’s so much to do and see and it’s simply beautiful. Randy and I had way too much fun doing daredevil things and it’s now got us a little hooked.

NOW for my actual birthday.

Randy woke up super early and made me breakfast in bed which was so sweet. I got calls from my family, headed into work where my desk was DECKED OUT and lots of treats were waiting. I got a little work done, headed to lunch with my office friends at Squatters (SO GOOD!) and then got to leave early! Randy had to go to class so I dropped him off and headed to Kaysville to say hi to my mom and sister for a few minutes. Then, back to get Randy and off to an amazing dinner at Eva. I LOVE THAT PLACE. If you haven’t been – go NOW. Get the Oink Oink Oink, the chocolate truffle dessert (it’s so rich it kills me) and the rosemary fries. AHH so good!

Randy got me a beautiful wedding band to go with my engagement ring, something we couldn’t afford right when we got married and he hit it out of the park, and the movie Age of Adaline which I had been DYING to get. I was so surprised I just squealed and Randy was laughing at me so much!

Birthdays are strange. I love reflecting on the past year of my life on my birthday. It is so crazy to look at all that changed in my 21st year. My missionary came home, we got engaged, then married, I graduated from college, landed my first job. I remember my 21st birthday so vividly. I was missing Randy so much, counting down the days until he would be home. I had just moved to a new apartment, school was getting tough, I was trying to balance work and classes. I drove up to Randy and I’s favorite spot in Provo and just cried, reading my scriptures, praying, and hoping that I was making good decisions. I wrote down some goals for 20-21, and some goals for my 20’s. It’s so interesting to see what things I have accomplished, and what things I still need to do. So I’m busy making goals for my 22nd year now – we’ll see how I do with those ones I guess!

And last but not least, yesterday when my beautiful sister Liv came and picked me up from work, whisked me off to dinner, and came to watch a movie with me and Randy. It was so thoughtful of her to take time out and hang out with me, and I loved it. PLUS she and Bethany got me BRAD PAISLEY tickets. So they go down in history as the best sisters in the world.

I’m feeling 22. And so incredibly blessed.

Happy Thursday everyone!

My lil’ sis is off at BYU having the time of her life in college. And as I scroll through my social media pages and see so many people off at school, it’s got me thinking. What do I wish I would’ve known going in to school, what do I wish I could’ve done differently?

So here you go!

I wish I would’ve spent more time with my girlfriends. I have amazing girls that became my best friends in college. But unfortunately, a lot of our time was spent hanging out with boys or blowing each other off for boys, and looking back I wish I would’ve made more time for those lovely ladies. Except for the guy you marry, most of those guy friends don’t stick around. The girlfriends do!

I wish I would’ve listened closer in class. There were some classes that I completely zoned out in! I was Pinning, Facebooking, etc. when I should’ve been listening. Some classes are a snore, but if I had spent more time participating and actually listening, I would’ve gotten more out of it. I miss going to class now and learning, it’s something I definitely took for granted while I was in school.

I wish I would’ve been more involved in my last ward. My first and second year, I was super involved in my ward, and it was awesome! Especially at BYU, your ward becomes your family. My last year I went in a little prejudiced and I think it hurt me. Go into each new apartment, ward, etc. with the attitude that it will be great and that you’re going to get involved.

I wish I would’ve gotten closer to more professors. I had several professors that I absolutely loved, and I wish I would’ve taken better advantage of their office hours and desire to help people personally. I would’ve gotten more from my classes, and had more professors in my corner as I moved on after college.

I wish I would’ve taken more advantage of University events. There are SO MANY amazing things you can do on campus, from sports events to art events to dance and music events, the list goes on and on. I DID NOT take full advantage of all these fun things while I was at school, and now I’m totally kicking myself. I don’t know when I’ll get to go to a college volleyball game or a production of Hamlet again. Go do all those awesome things while you can! Don’t think you’re too cool, or too busy. Make time, and get out there!

I wish I would’ve saved more money. I know, on a college budget can you even really save much? Probably not a ton, but I could’ve saved more and boy do I wish I had. Getting married and starting out in my job was EXPENSIVE, and I wish I would’ve saved a little more of that money for a rainy day.

I wish I would’ve known it’s ok to do things alone, that friends aren’t always permanent fixtures in our lives, that being sad and homesick is not only normal, but perfectly acceptable, that eating Top Ramen at 1 AM can make you feel better, that cooking for one is harder than you expect, that when you buy a bag of spinach you have to eat the WHOLE thing in about a week, that nobody will judge you for eating brownie batter for breakfast, that it’s ok to sleep in until 9:30 before your 10:00 class, that having a job doesn’t mean you have more money, that you shouldn’t take people around you for granted, especially your family, that you don’t have to apologize for the things you like and dislike, that doing the reading is really important, and that getting good grades is possible if you work hard.

I wish I would’ve appreciated my time in college more. People are so antsy to get out, to not have to go to class, and while I really love not being in college, it’s a time in your life that you never, ever get back. So enjoy it while you’re there!!!!

So to my dear sister and all the other college students out there, learn from my mistakes. And let me know what other tips you have!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Then this handsome husband of mine started classes! He’s so excited and we can already tell it’s going to be a great year. It was the first time that I hadn’t been off to school in 16 years. Let me tell you, that’s a really crazy feeling. It’s weird to see all my friends posting about their first day of school, their classes and books, and I went in to work like I have for the past five months. It’s good but hard to be done with things sometimes. I didn’t think I would miss school, but I do in some ways. Then in other ways I don’t miss it at all.

Randy and I spent Sunday night in Provo to celebrate my darling friend Lauren’s birthday. It was fun to catch up with people that I haven’t seen for a while. We have friends coming home from missions, and since we are in Salt Lake and everyone else is in Provo, it’s nice to get together and see everyone. Marriage has completely opened my eyes about friendship, and that’s a really good thing. I’ve learned there’s a really fine line between missing something, and wishing you could go back.

This post is directed at my darling sister and her friends who have just started their high school adventure.

Dear High School Newbies,

It’s a big day! The first day of the next few years of your life. Some of you are nervous, others of you act like you aren’t, but really are, and still others of you think you run the world. All of these are fairly normal responses, and will probably stick around for the next few weeks while you adjust to your new routine.

No matter how you’re feeling, there are some things you should know. Things that I wish I would’ve known going into high school. So take what you will, and enjoy the days and weeks ahead.

1. School comes first. There are dozens of extra-curricular’s to choose from. So many of you already sing, play piano, do sports, dance, act, etc. and these are all good things. It’s important to get involved with these groups, to find out what you like and are good out. But, school needs to come first. These grades, this learning, it’s what will propel your career forward and help you in adult life. Basketball or cheerleading may be fun, but most likely it won’t be what you major in at college and won’t be the way you earn a living later in life. So find a subject you enjoy, spend time in those classes, study, do your homework, and really learn. After all, that’s the real reason you’re in school at all.

2. Choose your friends carefully. Unfortunately, high school is the time when some of your friends will start, or even continue, making not so great decisions. Don’t let other people drag you down. And definitely don’t be the one dragging other people down. If your friends aren’t making good choices, and want you to join in, then they aren’t really your friends. Real friends are the ones who help you want to be better.

3. Get to know your teachers. They will help you apply for college, figure out what your path is in life, and be at your wedding someday. Don’t decide your teachers are lame or stupid, actually listen to them and let them help you. I guarantee they will be helpful and can make or break your high school experience.

4. Spend time with family. Your friends are awesome. But I promise once you move to college, even more than missing your friends, you’ll miss your family. Spend time with them while you can. I promise if you take one night a week to really be present with your family, not spending the whole time texting or wishing you were somewhere else, your parents will be happier, and so will you.

5. Speaking of technology, spend some time away from it! Do your homework without the phone interruption. Spend a little less time on facebook and more time actually talking to real people. Everyone tells you this, I know. And I should probably take some of that advice myself. But unfortunately, more and more we are learning how younger generations really can’t communicate face to face at all. Once you get to college or get a job, that’s not going to work out for you. So practice now!

6. Decide now how you want people to remember you. In 5 years when people see you pop up on social media, do you want them to say “Oh yeah, she was really popular.” Or “Oh yeah, he was kind of a player back then.” People will remember how you were in high school, and it can come back to bite you. There are some people that I saw again in college, and was haunted by how unkind I had been to them in high school. You want people to always be able to say, “Yeah she was really funny and nice.” Or “Wasn’t he the guy that bought all the girls candy on Valentine’s Day?” Being nice is the best way to be remembered, and if you’re not, people won’t remember how pretty you were or how good at sports you were, just that you weren’t a nice person. And that’s too bad.

7. Everyone feels alone, left out, or sad. You’re not the only one who feels like this. High school can be rough. The people around you can be so mean. You’ve seen it a million times on a million movies and TV shows. First of all, don’t be the mean person who is making everyone around you miserable. Second of all, realize that everyone is going to have bad days too. Be one of the people who turns bad days to good.

8. Enjoy. This is so cliche, but it’s true. High school can be so wonderful. It can also be painful, hard, disappointing, and something you never want to go back to. High school for me is a time full of fond memories. Although it wasn’t perfect, it was still holds some of my most precious moments. Stop caring so much what the people around you think, and start being more confident in yourself. Start being you all the time, not just when you’re alone in your room. Be confident, kind, and 100% authentic. That’s a rare thing to find in high school, and if you do it you’ll stand out like a diamond.

So my dear friends, enjoy your time in high school. Decide now how your experience is going to go, and who you’re going to be. And then buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride.

Happy Monday and happy first day of school!