A Day Off

Although in actuality today was a thursday, it felt like a saturday because Nathan and I both had the day off. Being the rotating shift worker that I am I rarely get to see a true weekend and so sometimes it's nice to pretend that other days of the week are instead.

We decided to take a trip over to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and go on a delightful sleigh ride through herds of thousands of elk on a nice little national refuge.

 

Getting up close and personal with the elkies.

 

All warm and snug in our sleigh.

 

 

 



These pictures don't really do the whole deal justice but literally there are THOUSANDS of  elk on this refuge, and they'll let you ride right up next to them. It was pretty cool, I cannot say at any other time in my life have I been three feet away from a live bull elk. Definitely worth the eighteen bucks, and the freezing temperatures.

 

The Temple

Every young mormon girl is bred from birth to believe that getting married in the temple should be the ultimate goal of any woman. Seeing as how I was brought up in a mormon home I too was bred to believe such a thing. However it was not until I was actually there within the temple on my wedding day that I realized why that should be the ultimate goal.

 

 

As I walked into the bride's room and looked around and marveled at the beautiful decor and sparkling chandeliers I truly felt like a VIP, or a princess - whichever you prefer. It was right then that I thought to myself, I would seriously not want to get married in any other way!

 

And that same exact feeling came to me over and over again as I knelt across the alter and was sealed to my sweetheart and then again as I walked out of the temple, hand in hand to meet our families.

 

If I were to sum up marriage in one word it would be peaceful.

 

Think of it this way, dating is fun, but also kind of scary, and stressful. Granted, yes you could also use those same exact words to describe marriage but in much different doses.

 

Dating is like 10 parts stress, 10 parts scary, and maybe 6 parts fun.

 

Marriage is 10 parts fun, 1 part scary and varying numbers on the stress factor, I'd say it ranges between 1-5.

 

Maybe being married for only 3 weeks doesn't exactly make me an authority on the subject, but seriously marriage is AWESOME. I would reccommend it to everyone. I have felt so much joy and so much sweetness and so much peace to know that I am bound to the one that I love forever, and I never have to worry again about being alone. We are sealed together within heavenly bounds that cannot be undone as long as we live worthily, and that knowledge alone gives me greater happiness that I have ever known previously.

 

Joy can be found on this earth in large doses by building relationships, by loving others. The most fulfillment I have ever found is with my marriage to Nathan. I am so excited to continue to build on that and to build our family.

 

Now enjoy some lovely pictures

 

 

 

 



Love and Marriage

// Married 12/29/12
// We like to hide away inside our little red log house because temperatures are currently sub-zero. It hurts my face too bad to walk outside. Try living in eastern Idaho for a winter. I dare you.
// We like being married. We actually love being married. It's a lot better than not being married, I will say that.
// Working full time is exhausting but also very satisfying. I just got hired as a checker at the local grocery store. Come visit me. I am currently trying to memorize produce codes. Would you like paper or plastic?
// My husband is a hottie.

I would love to stick around and elaborate on the many wonders of married life; however I am weary and must get some shut eye. Now that we have internet blogging is back in business though!! Woot woot.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Traditions of the PJ variety.

 

 

I would like to know where the Christmas eve jammie tradition all started because it seems like everyone and their dog participates in it. I mean it's like you think its your family tradition until you find out everyone else in the neighborhood does it too. Where did it come from??

 

 

Since the beginning of time there has been the gingerbread house making tradition. The Abbott Family has been having gingerbread parties at our house since before I can even remember. This year I made a barn. Nathan attempted to make a tree house, an ingenius idea if you ask me, but alas, it fell apart and he threw it out; therefore - no pic.

 

I would also like to make it known that I was quite pleased this morning when I parted the curtains of my room and viewed a blanket of beautiful, fresh, white snow. Thank you Jack Frost, you have made my Christmas a magical one indeed.

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

May it be merry and bright and full of presents and Christmas lights.

Brought to You By Pinterest

 

I decided to be awesome and attempt to bring a pinterest project to life.

 

Forgot to take pictures of all the steps, but for those interested all I did was buy multiple kinds of fabric, cut them into triangles and paint the letters on them with a stencil, and then sewed each triangle to some hemp string.

 

 

 

 

COMPLETED. This will be the banner to go on the backdrop at the reception! Woot woot.

Bachelorette Party

I hate to scandalize you all but this is the type of stuff you can't post about on facebook.

JK, really not that scandalous, I'm not sure what type of audience reads this so I will keep it mild.

Let us document the night in pictures.

 

Love all these girls!

 

The married ladies!

 

Apparently it is tradition to be hit over the head with each gift before you can open it?? Thanks Shelby for that one.

 

 

As you can tell I got a wide variety of very saucy lingerie.

 

Here is me being embarrassed by actual lingerie, not Wal-Mart night gowns like in the above picture.

 

Considering it was a Mormon bachelorette party obviously no strippers were involved, and so we just had a group of brazillian people sing me Happy Birthday at Rodizio Grill, the next best thing I guess.

Parting Words of Teenagerhood

When I turned 18 the world told me I was no longer a teenager. Honestly who came up with that whole notion because I don't know if you are aware but 18 and 19 still end in 'teen'. We are a very confused world indeed.

So tomorrow, I believe it will actually be made official that I have left teenagerhood. I will be entering a strange new realm of a brand new decade. I will be turning the ripe old age of 20.

Shiny, golden, sparkling 20 years old.

As I have begun to reflect on the previous 7 years of my life I have realized that through that time I discovered who I was.

Teenagerhood: The Road to Self Discovery would be a good, cheesy, Deseret Book appropriate title to the novel I would write about that particular portion of my life.

 

Being a teenager is awkward but necessary, just like using public restrooms or politely telling the lady walking down the street that her dress is tucked into her tights. It is a very short amount of time for a super immense amount of growth. You really do learn who you are, and you make some of the greatest friends and wonderful memories.

 

While the whole air of carefreeness that I once had will be missed, I am grateful to move onto the next stage in life. Goodbye 19. Hello life.