tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50534815413165350772024-02-07T04:28:34.125-08:00Tree SapAmberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-58596048030242670972016-04-01T12:50:00.001-07:002016-04-01T13:05:27.161-07:00I got a new job!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">... 6 months ago. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIn48am9Qbm-iHrcPV5hch_S_jEDsOjIDal1LNoYtEhyfP1zHZM9qMETJv9arv344KoqZ5mxVCg66fx3GfJOpR5YjoeMD6sC5JX4EOZGRC_iC5dhqd2ZGZ8LVGLyZ9gV0ouT09yv44TI/s640/blogger-image--1522588326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIn48am9Qbm-iHrcPV5hch_S_jEDsOjIDal1LNoYtEhyfP1zHZM9qMETJv9arv344KoqZ5mxVCg66fx3GfJOpR5YjoeMD6sC5JX4EOZGRC_iC5dhqd2ZGZ8LVGLyZ9gV0ouT09yv44TI/s640/blogger-image--1522588326.jpg"></a></div>But now it's official! I am a 911 dispatcher! I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">just finished my first week by myself after being in training since October.</span><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Happening upon this job was so unexpected for me after a background in PR, marketing, and event planning, but using my communication skills in this capacity has been so fulfilling and such a blessing in so many ways. For one, the dispatch center is a five minute walk from my house, which freed up the car for the dialysis technician job Tyler just got all the way up in Heber. For two, three-day weekends. And most importantly, I get to help provide for my family doing something that I know is important. It's allowed me to develop parts of myself that I didn't know were there. </span><div><br></div><div>One of the really cool things about my job is the opportunity it gives me to interact with police officers, especially during a time when they are so unpopular in many parts of the nation with the media and the public. Before working for the police department, I avoided police officers because the only interaction I expected to have with them was getting a speeding ticket or getting in trouble for something. Now, it is my job to find out as much about a bad situation as I can before sending my officers into it. It is my job to help keep my officers safe. </div><div><br></div><div>It's not something people tend to think about in their normal every day lives. While we sit safely at our desks in our 9-5 day jobs, we don't think about officers spending their 10-hour shifts confronting dangerous people and circumstances, requiring them to use utmost caution and expect the worst from all suspects, all so that their community can have someone to call when they are in trouble. All so that their community can enjoy safety. It is true bravery and I have nothing but respect and gratitude for all law enforcement. </div></div><div><br></div><div>I'm beyond thrilled to be part of an incredible team doing incredible things. </div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-13520867589611169082016-02-27T09:09:00.001-08:002016-02-27T11:13:06.998-08:00Puff Oven PancakesThis was my favorite breakfast meal growing up, tied with biscuits and gravy. And I always forget how to make it, so about once a year when I decide i'd rather make strawberries into an actual meal rather than dipping them in chocolate, I ask my mom how to make them. But I finally decided to document it here. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8Ex8tzOkjNlXNMb8l8Uoq4E_3Idvl3ocCqAvCYQTqzcFYNQHQEBmllsq4nblny8JEEJI71Pbs_NQa8XbhTpMUQ6NhWvTQdJAJWAAlW06UIo0ROuXv-uWsM9vXMhN9i9uZVNqcAsSY1E/s640/blogger-image-1691599081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8Ex8tzOkjNlXNMb8l8Uoq4E_3Idvl3ocCqAvCYQTqzcFYNQHQEBmllsq4nblny8JEEJI71Pbs_NQa8XbhTpMUQ6NhWvTQdJAJWAAlW06UIo0ROuXv-uWsM9vXMhN9i9uZVNqcAsSY1E/s640/blogger-image-1691599081.jpg"></a></div><br><div><br></div><div>1/2 c pancake mix</div><div>1/2 c milk</div><div>2 eggs</div><div>2 tbsp butter</div><div>1 lb Strawberries (sliced)</div><div>1 Can pineapple (pre chunked or cut yourself, and drained)</div><div>2 Bananas (sliced)</div><div>Sour cream (trust me. It's amazing!)</div><div>Brown sugar</div><div>2 glass pie plates</div><div><br></div><div>Mix pancake mix with milk and eggs. Put a tablespoon of butter each into two glass pie plates and place in oven at 400 degrees to melt. Once melted, pour half of the mixture into each pie plate and bake until solid (5-10 min. You'll want to keep an eye on it). While the pancakes are baking, slice the fruits and mix together. Serve warm, topped with strawberries, pineapple and banana slices. Dallop a spoonful of sour cream and sprinkle brown sugar on top.</div></div><div><br></div><div>Make 8 servings</div>Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-37090639092394199682015-09-03T20:30:00.002-07:002015-09-03T21:23:15.604-07:00I Think I'll Go to BostonLast month, I had the happy opportunity to go to Boston with the Needle team for a trade show. It was so much fun and Boston is AMAZING! It's definitely going on Ty's list of places he'll apply to med school.<br />
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In our spare time, we visited Paul Revere's house, the Forest Hills Cemetery, and Harvard Square. Boston is so beautiful and charming, and I completely fell in love with it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxo0zveNM6pakncNFl0KQNSJxT65qO5WrCsL0WHQqNIF0zyYUpSHCQhzAs1op0KGukxn78anGvLEZHXPZCyQ1O3rw9htRvBPsGmry5xTCAhHPTvLDaZtWFfOTcsPS9A5nq8CC_C7BXts/s1600/Harvard+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxo0zveNM6pakncNFl0KQNSJxT65qO5WrCsL0WHQqNIF0zyYUpSHCQhzAs1op0KGukxn78anGvLEZHXPZCyQ1O3rw9htRvBPsGmry5xTCAhHPTvLDaZtWFfOTcsPS9A5nq8CC_C7BXts/s640/Harvard+1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZI2_Rspn4FNVBE_7CHlJuYxygAI7ncrBxiEMieiW77kKkAgMttKwr9AeXqgkJzJZFkkpnMBtSdh85wscPDXjIdFHPBBChCkxsW_UA5JzvPTPb1oXmH64fxSdXcZbWx7E5IUcXsCMwFM/s1600/Cemetery+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was George Washington's house... or something.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBIIWWKIonf22EzD24DVmrAFfS-uHOXaD40lmlxgYaMWAh6d93ABUe0PbjGqk4TaDGRuMOknpM4sViO_GOgEys4Jwkp8VrV_Da1ZPM3h9DtdODgviPBcwJY5BfD059M0LvB21UPcX1oM/s1600/Harvard+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBIIWWKIonf22EzD24DVmrAFfS-uHOXaD40lmlxgYaMWAh6d93ABUe0PbjGqk4TaDGRuMOknpM4sViO_GOgEys4Jwkp8VrV_Da1ZPM3h9DtdODgviPBcwJY5BfD059M0LvB21UPcX1oM/s640/Harvard+2.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the LDS Church got prime real estate right across the street.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't know who this guy is, but everyone was lining up to get a picture touching his foot so I was like YOLO</td></tr>
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In other news, Tyler started his last semester of his undergrad this week! And I have barely seen him since...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Bye Tyler! See ya when the semester's over!<br />
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Guys, I think I married Superman. And not just because of the little curls of hair that fall delicately across his forehead. Tyler works tirelessly. He leaves for work before the sun comes up, goes to school, and comes home around 6 pm if he doesn't have tutoring or research to do. Then he does homework until as late as 11 at night. I'm so proud of him and I'm excited to see his hard work pay off. <3 <3 <3<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-33046070814144394172015-07-22T18:34:00.002-07:002015-07-22T18:34:31.463-07:00Easy Living in Big Rapids, Michigan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tyler's mom is some kind of miracle worker. When she decides she wants to do something, she does it, and she makes it looks easy. She threw us a secondary <a href="http://amberryjuice.blogspot.com/2014/08/arizona-reception.html">wedding reception</a> that was probably a bigger deal than our first. She started <a href="http://www.wellbridgehealthcenter.com/">her own company</a> helping people holistically rehabilitate their injured bodies. So when she decided she wanted to orchestrate a family trip between all of our busy schedules to visit her dad Michigan, you better believe she made it happen.</div>
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Tyler, Juli, and Ryan made the 3-day trek to and from Michigan by car, and Papa D and I flew in later so we didn't have to miss so much work.<br />
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Michigan is a magical place. Tyler's Grandpa Thompson has a gorgeous 80 acre farm right on the creek, complete with a couple old dogs, a barn, a pet goat, a tree house, a swing, and lots of feral cats. It's a really special place because it's where Tyler's mom grew up and the Daltons have so many wonderful memories there. I felt so much peace while I was there, far away from the fast-paced life I'm used to and superficial things that don't matter really but that we start to think matter when we're surrounded by them long enough.<br />
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We went fishing, tubed the river, visited Amish country, went to the fair, golfed, and ate our weight in butter (Grandpa Thompson says it makes everything taste better. And yes, I did gain 5 pounds while I was there). I loved visiting Momma Dalton's family. You can definitely see where she gets it from :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet Grandpa Thompson. He is jolly, sweet, and he always goes out of his way to make other people happy. He made sure we had all the food we could eat and followed us around with a camera snapping pictures until he figured there was probably at least one good one in there somewhere. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first fish! He was a beaut.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Ginger. She has a lot of energy but she's very plump and doesn't move very fast. When Tyler and I tried to go on runs, she would trot after us as fast as she could, trailing behind us until Tyler felt so bad for her that he walked her home.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shucking home-grown peas in true farm life fashion. Nvm my lobster burn (only on my front half from tubing down the river for an hour without sunscreen) and my odd facial expression.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think I like goats more than is normal?</td></tr>
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-65489952905268340092015-06-08T15:13:00.001-07:002015-06-08T15:13:35.258-07:00IRCE in Chicago!As a college freshman, thinking I wanted to be a landscape architect, I visited Chicago with a group from the Landscape Management major at BYU for a landscaping competition. It was so different visiting Chicago now, as a PR alumni with my event planning crew. Quite a different experience, I'll tell you what. It's funny how the way we change as people affects how we experience places and things, and what a difference the context makes.<br />
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We showed up in Chicago Sunday morning with guns blazing, ready to set up our booth. But it turned out we couldn't start setting up until Monday. So we spend the windy, cloudy day seeing the sights. We took a boat tour where the guide pointed out the architecture and the history of all the different buildings visible from the river. So cold... but so cool! Chicago has amazing buildings. I love the layers created by the different heights and shapes. Pictures don't do it justice.<br />
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The trip involved a lot of setup, takedown, running around, standing on achey feet, and perfecting my Needle pitch to curious passersby. But it also involved meeting amazing people, reuniting with Sherry (aka the biggest hoot of all time) eating plenty of Chicago style pizza, fireworks, Uber adventures, shopping, giant cake, and celebrating Carol-Lyn's last hurrah at Needle before she leaves to work for another company. I don't know how many times in my life I'll be able to say that someone is my friend as much as my boss, and it will be very sad not to have her around the office anymore :(<br />
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On a more positive note, Tyler and I handled our separation a little better this time.<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-5055027555217798722015-05-28T17:29:00.002-07:002015-05-28T17:29:46.625-07:00Airy-ZonaTyler and I went to Arizona last week and, aside from my car selfies, we barely took any pictures at all. If you want to stop reading here, I'll understand (no i won't).<br />
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Tyler scheduled his MCAT in Arizona because he wanted to take it in May but there weren't any tests available in Utah in May, so it seemed as good an excuse as any to visit Tyler's family. It was really nice to get away for a few days. It was nice for me, anyway... Tyler had to endure a couple of stressful days before he got to the nice part.<br />
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We are thinking he did really well, thanks to all the prayers from our loved ones and also thanks to Tyler studying his butt off on top of his brutal homework load. He impresses me every day.<br />
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He finished his test early so we went to the outlets for a Treat Yoself day. Cuz we deserved it. Tyler deserved it and I deserved it vicariously through him.<br />
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We spent Saturday in the garden pruning, planting, and replanting.<br />
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Momma Dalton and I got some good walks in and Ty and I really enjoyed spending Sunday with adults for a change :)<br />
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Thanks for reading. For a reward, here's a pic of me practicing my Kylie Jenner pout during our 10-hour road trip.<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-9320568392664415212015-05-06T19:17:00.003-07:002015-05-06T20:01:35.107-07:00Stop this TrainWhoo! Been an eventful couple weeks.<br />
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I graduated from college! I now have a Bachelors in Communications with an emphasis in PR and minors in business management and editing. Or at least I will, after I pay all my student fees so BYU will stop holding my diploma for ransom.<br />
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It was a real treat to celebrate my graduation with my family and Tyler's family, who drove down from Arizona for the festivities. Ty and I took a couple much needed days off. He volunteered to be my personal photographer and took a few lovely pictures of me trying to not look like a big billowy lump in my graduation robes.<br />
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I gotta say, it was a bit of a bummer to graduate without Tyler. The ceremony was kind of lonely without him and I was super envious of all the couples walking across the stage and taking pictures together. But it was still a very cool moment when I heard my name called and I walked forward to take my empty diploma holder and shake hands with college heads I'd never met before. I had made it! So much has happened in the five years I've been at college, and I'm a different person now than I was when I first came. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to attend such a wonderful university and be influenced by so many amazing people.<br />
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After the ceremony, we all went to PF Changs for dinner, then back to squeeze into our teeny apartment to enjoy each other's company. It's such a rare and special occasion when so many of the people I love are in the same space with me, and it made me feel very loved. What a wonderful family I have.<br />
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I had a lot of notions about what being graduated would be like. When I started college, I figured that with my college degree I would be entitled to a great career and that I would have a full-time job offer right out of the gate and that everything would just come together easily. I'm sure it will all come together, but for now it's still in flux and I'm still figuring out where I fit now that I'm out in the world. I also thought graduating would mean waaaaay more free time, but I actually just use my homework time to do freelance writing, cook, clean and take care of my poor hubby who has 8 hours of school work and 2 hours of MCAT studying every day on top of work during spring semester. I am soooo proud of his endurance and diligence but also--and I think I speak for both of us when I say this--soooo ready for him to get a little break.<br />
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Another milestone: Ty and I hit one year of marriage a couple weeks ago! So the hard part's over now, right? ;)<br />
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Tyler and I celebrated one year of marriage by sleeping in, trying new restaurants, and going to the movies to suffer through The Duff together. (It did not live up to our hopes and expectations.) As students and newlyweds, these activities are fairly rare luxuries to us, and we savored them.<br />
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The year has gone by so fast. I am so thankful for my partner who patiently supports me and stands by my side as I learn the lessons I was meant to learn in this life. He has been the constant kind voice in my ear that tells me I am doing better than I think I am, that I deserve good things, and that everything will work out alright. Sure do love that guy. Here's to a great year and many, many more.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-69974880720190195132015-02-11T13:43:00.000-08:002015-02-11T13:43:13.266-08:00getting there<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">I've decided that this stage of life is a lot of putting one foot in front of the other and hoping God puts some ground there.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">This stage of life is also a lot of putting one foot in front of the other and realizing that God has been putting ground there for you for as long as you can remember, and it was silly for you to worry that He would stop now.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">This summer, Tyler will apply for med school. It seems like the competition is pretty stiff, but he is capable and brilliant. He has worked so hard and he deserves to be there. He is meticulous and level-headed and he will make a wonderful doctor. Still, it's a whole lotta stress.</span></div>
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How will we make sure he meets all the requirements?</div>
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<span class="s1">How do we afford the application and interviewing process?</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">Is he gonna get in?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">How will we support ourselves now, and in the future when he can't work while he's in school, and when we have to balance that with raising children someday?</span></div>
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<span class="s1">It's a lot of questions and it's hard to grapple with the fact that there are no guarantees. It's hard not to get lost in all the steps we have to take and all the hoops we have to jump through to reach our goals.</span></div>
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But the Lord has promised us that we're going to be OK. And that's the only guarantee I need.</div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-29344830432234316882015-01-26T19:14:00.001-08:002015-01-26T20:05:03.812-08:00Adventures<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This semester: so far, so good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm really enjoying my classes and I'm pleased that they haven't gotten too out of hand... yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I decided I was gonna treat myself this semester by taking swimming and cycling. I don't regret it per se, but I do feel panicked and anguished and frustrated every day that I have to go to my swim class. I think this is round 4 of trying to get comfortable with swimming and I'm still waiting for it to stop being terrible. I know it sounds like I hate it, but I kind of love it too. Aside from almost drowning twice a week, it's a fun break in my schedule to get moving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This semester I started an internship with a company called Needle doing event planning with their marketing team, and it has been such a blessing in my life. I really respect what the company stands for and aims to accomplish, and everyone I work with is such a joy to be around and learn from. I got pretty lucky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My first week with Needle, I went to New York to help them with a social media game for a trade show. I didn't get to do too much sightseeing, but here are some snippets from the trip.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Booth setup.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Me, Carol-Lyn, and Ron about to enjoy some gooooooood steak</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The restaurant was so fancy it had cloth towels in the bathroom.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Times Square</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZwgROFGOrmCg2LDsYZ4Y3mM3nkum60aoyF0MbnLr2t9pY98X8BK-fbmxi7gh4NCWya5weriu5W5pYEEy_XxRaksBCcZRGBcGD5wi5ODWtX9gY_nJkM6mNhoDkw84c8Lwisa2rP1bzbY/s640/blogger-image--990701101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZwgROFGOrmCg2LDsYZ4Y3mM3nkum60aoyF0MbnLr2t9pY98X8BK-fbmxi7gh4NCWya5weriu5W5pYEEy_XxRaksBCcZRGBcGD5wi5ODWtX9gY_nJkM6mNhoDkw84c8Lwisa2rP1bzbY/s640/blogger-image--990701101.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Carol-Lyn took good care of me after I spent 7 hours on the trade show floor in heels... bad choice.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFs0ImwEMsOnT7RUSF5STrkEjKnFoCQ4LDS514xyq2aE5dOI6L1KClj5ce9eqwxBp84YixvSmgO2DPbbhG4Feh_MF2xcgthLMMPt0UkzzdhCmpyEykbRknH7sH_WEIgzECgQUrDKXZ0g/s640/blogger-image--1331822539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFs0ImwEMsOnT7RUSF5STrkEjKnFoCQ4LDS514xyq2aE5dOI6L1KClj5ce9eqwxBp84YixvSmgO2DPbbhG4Feh_MF2xcgthLMMPt0UkzzdhCmpyEykbRknH7sH_WEIgzECgQUrDKXZ0g/s640/blogger-image--1331822539.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is Sherri, a brand advocate for Overstock.com and probably the sweetest person I've ever met.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My favorite thing about New York was the people. I didn't meet a single person there I didn't like. I liked the extremely enthusiastic bellman at our hotel who always had cookies and an answer for everything. I liked the Uber drivers with their passionate preferences in transportation service. <span style="line-height: 16px;">I liked the waiter at Quality Meats with his charisma and impeccably trimmed beard who, at this fancy New York restaurant, probably makes a higher salary than I ever will. I liked the guy on the phone at the pizza place who could barely speak English. I liked the ladies who orchestrated our Conga line, with their big smiles and even bigger personalities. I liked the accents and the diversity and the energy. It was good feels.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">One other thing about New York... It was Tyler's and my first time apart from each other since we've been married, and it was pretty tragic.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">If there was one thing we took away from the experience, it was that Ty and I needed to get out more. We needed an adventure. So we got a Groupon for a cheap hotel in Springdale and we booked a Martin Luther King Jr. Day trip to Zion National Park. It was awesome! Not too crowded, a bit warmer than Provo, and we got into the park free since it was a National holiday! I don't think it could've </span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">worked</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> out better if we had planned it... which we didn't. We hiked Angel's Landing and it was gorgeous. Nature does a body good :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16px;">Now we just gotta make it to Presidents' Day. Wish us luck! </span></div>
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-12817528131632777622015-01-04T13:52:00.003-08:002015-01-04T13:53:38.825-08:00Christmas in Prescott<div style="text-align: center;">
Road trip. Check.</div>
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Taco Don's. Check.</div>
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Bill's Pizza. Check.</div>
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Waffles n' More. Check.</div>
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Skyping Kyle. Check.</div>
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Desserts. Check.</div>
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And I got my cat fix.</div>
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Our Winter break in Prescott was everything we hoped it would be and more. </div>
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We got into the Christmas spirit by going caroling with the family, the missionaries, and some members from the ward. We baked lots of treats to give away (and to eat ourselves.. shhh).</div>
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We spent Christmas Eve with the cousins, and it wouldn't be Christmas Eve without a nativity, right? As the youngest couple present, we were elected Mary and Joseph. The best was watching everyone try to fit into costumes intended for primary children.</div>
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For Christmas, Santa brought me a light and some curtains for our living room, a Macbook Pro to replace my struggling Dell, and a new (to us) Honda Accord to replace our junky Jetta.</div>
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Tyler got some things he wanted... and some things he didn't want so much.</div>
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The day after Christmas, we went up to Tyler's uncle's cabin to find some snow for sledding.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZECUr1_KrnFzQz0gUncdbwCJkvszD108Ut8NqfJ4jj8HAj2wl9N02MqytLln1LAe4yiAx23VtRri3T9J9Yj4eR2THTo3m7CzNYVFwKMmrIAbq42p1KVTnqRC5im5Ct2GXOBqFFbiXz4/s1600/IMG_1963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwZECUr1_KrnFzQz0gUncdbwCJkvszD108Ut8NqfJ4jj8HAj2wl9N02MqytLln1LAe4yiAx23VtRri3T9J9Yj4eR2THTo3m7CzNYVFwKMmrIAbq42p1KVTnqRC5im5Ct2GXOBqFFbiXz4/s1600/IMG_1963.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is our friend, Aaron. He came home with us for Christmas. Does he look lovable or what?</td></tr>
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Unfortunately the hills were not ideal for sledding. So we shot Tyler's dad's .358 instead.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I drew a target on a Dunkin' Donuts box (in a moving car... don't make fun of it). This was Tyler's first shot. Pretty impressive, no?</td></tr>
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New Years was eventful.</div>
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[Insert lengthy paragraph about allllllllll the cool stuff I did this year here.]<br />
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Mostly, the best part of being home for Christmas was taking a break from schoolwork to hang out with family and friends. We were well fed and well loved and it was just the boost we needed to rejuvenate us for another busy semester. My last semester of school ever.<br />
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Bring it on Winter 2015. </div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-4863455725345255342014-12-05T12:23:00.001-08:002014-12-05T12:23:25.095-08:00Antsy.<br />
Road trip. Taco Don's. Bill's Pizza. Waffles n' More. A full fridge. Momma Dalton's cute chickens and fresh eggs. Daddy Dalton's chocolate addiction and intense need for outstanding customer service. Ryan's cooking. Skyping Kyle. Christmas decorations. Warm weather. Tyler's childhood memories. Hiking. New Years. Desserts. Family. Friends. Kitty snuggles with Indy against his will. Running. Massages. Yoga.<br />
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I can't wait for Prescott. Can that be now already? Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-52617144898639200612014-12-01T07:44:00.001-08:002014-12-01T07:44:12.883-08:00Gobble GobbleThanksgiving break was all family and homework and Netflix and turkey and pies and taking little ones to the park.<br />
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And we hit 7 months of marriage! That's love y'all.<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-52645500168536540042014-11-26T16:13:00.002-08:002014-12-01T07:47:46.792-08:00Friends Thanksgiving 2.0I love my friends. And I love food. And so when Thanksgiving rolls around, combining the two just seems like the right thing to do.<br />
Soooooo this past Sunday, for the second year in a row, we invited our friends to bring a dish to share and we had our own little pre-Thanksgiving feast and enjoyed each other's company.<br />
<br />
Tyler invited friends from his mission and I invited my good friends. Obviously I enjoy both groups, so it was a lot of fun to bring those two worlds together to enjoy them all at once and see them enjoying each other. There were good feelings and good food and it left my heart warm. To me it was just a reassurance of what wonderful people our friends are and how blessed we are to have those relationships. I definitely have a lot to be thankful for.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brett is kinda shy.</td></tr>
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Side note: I'm really proud of myself for neither burning nor undercooking my first Thanksgiving turkey. I'm no Martha Stewart, but we'll put that one down as a win anyway.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-2060203284472654522014-11-17T14:27:00.002-08:002014-11-17T14:40:09.016-08:00This weekendA Saturday of studying, paper-writing and wedding-ing.<br />
A Sunday spent corralling 8/9 year olds while trying to teach them about the Word of Wisdom.<br />
Baking 2 loaves of chocolate chip <a href="http://thefrugalgirls.com/2014/09/worlds-best-pumpkin-bread-recipe.html">pumpkin bread</a> with neither of them looking good but both of them tasting great.<br />
Practicing and pep-talking for a Monday morning job interview.<br />
<br />
And also,<br />
did I mention SHE'S HOME?!?!?!<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-75685536764528272152014-11-12T15:16:00.001-08:002014-11-19T13:18:01.527-08:00Thankful MonthLately I've been feeling ever so grateful. And not just because it's November and Thanksgiving is coming up. I actually forgot it was November until just now. Anyway.<br />
<br />
You know, as much as people joke about Provo being boring and so... "Happy Valley," it is really a great place. I appreciate it much more now that I'm not constantly bombarded by the dating culture. But I love living here. I know I am really going to miss it someday when Tyler and I finally get out and about in the world. I love the cute little houses and how close we are to the mountains. I love having all four seasons. I love how many outdoorsy things there are to do. I love that it's a city but it's not a big city with crazy traffic and lots of shoppers like most college towns. I love the restaurants. I mean you gotta admit, it's a pretty good selection.<br />
<br />
And you know what else I'm grateful for? The free time I have. Yeah, I'm super busy and nights and weekends with Ty are precious commodities, but I know that we are only going to get busier and we will look back on the simplicity of this season of our lives fondly and even longingly. We have the things we need, we have time to enjoy each other, we are not yet under the stress of paying lots of bills and taking care of children and dealing with real life issues. We're just students and all we have to worry about is getting good grades and making enough money to stay alive. I like that.<br />
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I'm grateful we live so close to a temple (soon two temples!). Honestly there are probably 10 temples within an hour drive of me. What a blessing that is that I can drive 5 minutes and attend a session. That is a lot smaller time commitment than it will be if we ever move anywhere outside of Utah where you have to drive two hours just to get to the temple, making it a 6 hour outing. I'm grateful for the convenience of it that I enjoy (for now).<br />
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I've just been seeing snapshots into what I hope our future will be, and it's pretty likely that we won't have the things we enjoy here in our little college town. I know it will be wonderful, but I also know that it's wonderful now. Life is good. Life is good.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-79889355849587609732014-10-30T12:51:00.002-07:002014-10-30T12:51:48.538-07:00Getting a GripI've been doing a lot of introspection lately. I think that's natural for periods of transition. I'm coming to a big turning point in my life--graduating college, leaving school (the only thing I've ever really known), finding a job that hopefully pays the bills and gives me a sense of fulfillment. And that has really made me examine myself. My weaknesses, my strengths, my interests. I'm realizing I don't know myself that well. (There's really no avoiding a realization like that when your interviewer asks you what your career and life goals are and you can't come up with anything better than "Uhm, ya know... I don't really know.") It always sounded crazy to me when people would take time off from real life to "find themselves." But now I'm starting to see the appeal.<br />
<br />
Anyway, as I was looking into these things, I started to realize how little time I have spent exploring my interests. I've been so busy trying to keep up on schoolwork and find relevant job experience that will hopefully make me competitive in the workforce that it never really occurred to me to pursue the things I wanted to do. As it happens, it seems like those are the things that really set you apart in the workforce. Irony, amiright?<br />
<br />
But what have I been doing with all my free time then, if not the things I enjoy? Oh, I'll tell you what I've been doing with my free time.<br />
<br />
Facebook.<br />
<br />
Yup. I bet if you added up all the times I would surf Facebook when I woke up, during car rides, while walking between classes, while procrastinating my homework, and before bed, I was probably spending up to 4 hours a day on Facebook.<br />
<br />
You're gasping with disgust. I know. I am too. How do I live with myself? I don't know.<br />
<br />
Honestly, I don't even know why I let the compulsion get so bad. Facebook is so boring. Roughly 85% of my drama since Freshman year of college has come from Facebook. It's a breeding ground for feelings of inadequacy and judgment and annoyance. It has really brought me nothing but trouble, and it has been stealing hours, days, weeks of my life away from me in the process.<br />
<br />
So no more. Two days ago I decided to pull myself together.<br />
For a month, I will not be getting on Facebook and Instagram. I will not be checking notifications. I will not be surfing my news feed. I will not be stalking anyone.<br />
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Instead, I made a list of my interests so that when I find myself with free time, I can use it to pursue those things that will make my life richer and fuller, and will help me to grow as a person.<br />
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I'll let you know how it goes.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-74119677423784859472014-10-21T13:31:00.002-07:002014-10-21T13:31:28.068-07:00The BluesA few thoughts I've had since I applied for graduation this morning:<br />
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<i>I'm graduating! I can't believe it! I'm going to put on a cap and gown and walk across a stage and shake somebody's hand and after that I will never have to go to school ever again.</i><br />
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<i>I have to get a job.</i><br />
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<i>OMG who's going to hire me?</i><br />
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<i>I'm going to be a secretary for the rest of my life. I got a college degree so that I could be a secretary for the rest of my life.</i><br />
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<i>I can't wait to work 40 hours a week and have the other 128 hours to do anything I want with.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>OMG who's going to hire me for 40 hours a week??!</i><br />
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<i>I better start looking for jobs.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>What do I want to do? I don't even know.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I have no passion.</i><br />
<br />
<i>I am destined to be a secretary. A passionless secretary.</i><br />
<br />
<i>At least when I have nothing but being a secretary to worry about I will have plenty of time to start working out again.</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i>And then I cried.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-19432204823452475212014-09-02T12:56:00.004-07:002014-11-17T14:49:07.476-08:00Smooth SailingWow. Tyler and I got home yesterday only to get slammed with the realization that school was starting the next day, so we spent our Labor Day putting our old textbooks up for sale, buying new ones, and scrambling to get ready for the coming semester.<br />
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Allow me to take a little breather and reminisce on our week of honeymoon bliss before we get completely swamped and overwhelmed with school and work.<br />
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We spent the first 3 days on the cruise ship. To pass the time, we drank pina coladas, saw some cool shows, ate tons, soaked in the pools and hot tubs, went rock climbing, and took dance classes (I made Tyler learn the cha cha and the jive with me. I think we really impressed our instructors).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKMbdQjUFXmANFYvxKrxR9V7wQ5vjAhhSxJH7hyQLPsFWYNvdVgtzFPnW9uz_pxEHXX2PBLt7GaaKRIYhUvDkL69UKSWIgNYYgUWm2xfrblCoN12NXTPlJG81mQaK4eNuojxJ4_jBFbI/s1600/IMG_7111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKMbdQjUFXmANFYvxKrxR9V7wQ5vjAhhSxJH7hyQLPsFWYNvdVgtzFPnW9uz_pxEHXX2PBLt7GaaKRIYhUvDkL69UKSWIgNYYgUWm2xfrblCoN12NXTPlJG81mQaK4eNuojxJ4_jBFbI/s1600/IMG_7111.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We weren't drunk.</td></tr>
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On the fourth day of the cruise, we made our first stop: Roatan, Honduras. And all we wanted was a little beach time. We spent a few hours snorkeling and tanning (well, Tyler tanned.. I burned to a crisp).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#datbeach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried escargot! Not my fave</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_uXIHl4fyOEftNqt73KS6bjTecKMy1qRV-4-ru05e4WczEqhnNWePdIXNHJbnCOwmQ6ag955wc8fTehK92E3HJY4E1NWRHJg84cLTF6ge9XT6pi1_wg2mUjRgcmYUmVTu6FxRlFPrSs/s1600/IMG_7130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_uXIHl4fyOEftNqt73KS6bjTecKMy1qRV-4-ru05e4WczEqhnNWePdIXNHJbnCOwmQ6ag955wc8fTehK92E3HJY4E1NWRHJg84cLTF6ge9XT6pi1_wg2mUjRgcmYUmVTu6FxRlFPrSs/s1600/IMG_7130.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lobster pose because I got burned in Honduras the day before</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our rainy day in Belize</td></tr>
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On the fifth day, we went cave tubing and ziplining in Belize. We used a Belizian company called <a href="http://www.cave-tubing.com/">Butts Up</a>, and they were THE BEST! Half the price of the cruise excursions and tons better. They gave everyone shots of cashew wine on the way to the caves.</div>
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("<em>When you hear wine you probably thinkin the kind you swish around in your glass and smell it and savor it. This ain't that. You just drink it down. If you like it, good. If you don't, it's already over. Things you don't like in life you just learn to live with</em>.")</div>
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We didn't have any cause we don't drink, but if we did...</div>
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They also fed us authentic chicken tamales afterward. No complaints here.</div>
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Before we had a chance to get on the bus back to the ship, it started POURING warm, tropical rain. We got caught in a rainforest downpour--it was a blast!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq41pmi8VZCoqXqaTgmZrhThyphenhyphenrDLZl1jLFX6Qjqkuqxu8hspSvG_hEEdxYV8CDYNHPIhCdb2bT2lKobtIVGeLrgPPiCNIfguMNSwbU9MGWYPLFwr84v3VOB_i155sOfCe5zImkOD8J9Qs/s1600/IMG_7149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq41pmi8VZCoqXqaTgmZrhThyphenhyphenrDLZl1jLFX6Qjqkuqxu8hspSvG_hEEdxYV8CDYNHPIhCdb2bT2lKobtIVGeLrgPPiCNIfguMNSwbU9MGWYPLFwr84v3VOB_i155sOfCe5zImkOD8J9Qs/s1600/IMG_7149.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;">We spent day 6 in Cozumel, Mexico where we visited the Mayan ruins and learned a little bit about the symbolism in their structures. Pretty cool stuff.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeU5BchXAJzJcEOzKcaKEJ81oVKFRYcJ-HJufo-YPvBoVs9VRFfCVe9c0wUAuuJkyiFx_zXRtKt08KqShyRMH11bZT0KxIg6sQOjkxuYccuctaP-KtycX1_lwrcSpbhSe0eqwcz7GB8s/s1600/IMG_7150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeU5BchXAJzJcEOzKcaKEJ81oVKFRYcJ-HJufo-YPvBoVs9VRFfCVe9c0wUAuuJkyiFx_zXRtKt08KqShyRMH11bZT0KxIg6sQOjkxuYccuctaP-KtycX1_lwrcSpbhSe0eqwcz7GB8s/s1600/IMG_7150.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mayan ruins + our tour guide Ivan</td></tr>
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We stopped at a beach for a few minutes on the way back to the ship. This was as wide as I could open my eyes.. Clearly I am not used to sunlight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbN6Vyb0XYk8YmbGO0LK_q5Uk6RL7QqEWNOkz9cZ7mzH2XO3LakkLfKvleovVObL2nYRUP2gyZkp2_wxeRyeYgKLkmXcXNDhkyWFGmMF51q267baDSHzDIQOI3GHBAnfBESF_Z42R-O4/s1600/IMG_7160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbN6Vyb0XYk8YmbGO0LK_q5Uk6RL7QqEWNOkz9cZ7mzH2XO3LakkLfKvleovVObL2nYRUP2gyZkp2_wxeRyeYgKLkmXcXNDhkyWFGmMF51q267baDSHzDIQOI3GHBAnfBESF_Z42R-O4/s1600/IMG_7160.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reeeal Mexican tacos. Plus real Mexican sprite with real sugar.</td></tr>
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P.S. Today I started my last fall semester of college. Um, what??Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-26997840189158068342014-08-06T10:07:00.000-07:002014-11-17T14:51:22.041-08:00Arizona ReceptionI know it's 2 months late..<br />
But here are some pictures from our reception in Arizona. Tyler's mom went all out and enlisted help from so many beautiful strangers who didn't know me at all but still lent us decor and made us a cake and spent hours setting up and cooking food and washing our dishes. She turned a cultural hall into a total dream and I don't even think the pictures do it justice.<br />
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My father-in-law hung an old parachute to create this faux ceiling and was up on a ladder for most of the set-up getting the chandeliers to hang just right and finding ways to get them plugged in and lit up. He and my brother-in-law, Ryan, turned an old chandelier into the cool cupcake stand you see here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV_bAbHHAVKxSSfN5Jyi7leLowgB09d9WLBEfzf0Ilr73zccLw91X0AKgZG-1H_tNHu3YieT_u_sWLMrtIJ9qM5o1CYNAY1GYaQGDntCmBB_XvlScZneMaAmVM6NMJwza-eeedFR_oIs/s1600/IMG_6800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV_bAbHHAVKxSSfN5Jyi7leLowgB09d9WLBEfzf0Ilr73zccLw91X0AKgZG-1H_tNHu3YieT_u_sWLMrtIJ9qM5o1CYNAY1GYaQGDntCmBB_XvlScZneMaAmVM6NMJwza-eeedFR_oIs/s1600/IMG_6800.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have no idea who made the cake and cupcakes, but they were delicious.</td></tr>
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The chairs were decorated with borrowed vintage aprons. So cute!</div>
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Momma Dalton borrowed the furniture to decorate this cute sitting area.</div>
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We thought the window treatments were pretty, so we opened the dividers behind the bride and groom table and put this adorable love sign back there. It was one of my favorite features.</div>
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It was really fun to celebrate our wedding twice, and I couldn't have wished for a more wonderful family to marry into.</div>
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Coming up...</div>
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August 15 (9 days): The Daltons are coming to visit!</div>
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August 15 (9 days): We start our first home improvement project--painting our new apartment! (It's not a coincidence that this is happening when the Daltons are visiting. Thank goodness for in-laws!)</div>
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August 23 (17 days): We leave for our belated honeymoon cruise to the western Caribbean! Woooooooooooo!</div>
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September 2 (27 days): School starts (my last year. Holy smokes.)</div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-15808753667353407922014-08-01T19:15:00.000-07:002014-11-17T14:50:37.761-08:00Our New HomeFinding an apartment was... well, it was torture.<br />
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I don't want to complain, because I think every married couple who has tried to find affordable housing in Provo has experienced this.<br />
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I am fortunate enough to have a desk job where I can browse KSL and Craigslist for homes pretty much the entire time I'm at work. Between tasks, I would refresh the page every half an hour and call or text about apartments within 10 or 20 minutes of their being posted. Tyler and I were always at the apartment on time for the showing, only to be accompanied by 3-5 other couples viewing the same apartment. We would all fill out an application and then never hear about the apartment again. We probably went to see 15 or 20 apartments. It was really frustrating because we were doing our best and nothing was panning out. I was getting pretty discouraged. That's an understatement. I became very anal about seeing apartments on time and filling out applications correctly. My stress was affecting Tyler. He let me cry into his shirt on several occasions. He endured me with patience and compassion.<br />
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Now normally, I don't bother with KSL posts that don't have pictures, but one caught my eye because it was pretty cheap and had washer/dryer hookups. (That was Tyler's and my dealbreaker. We had our hearts pretty set on having a washer and dryer. That, and ceilings tall enough for Tyler to stand up in.) So we inquired about it, and were told we could come by to look at it on Sunday. We had never heard of that happening before. Around here, apartment showings are usually during the week or on a Saturday. But it ended up being such a blessing, because apparently fewer people come on Sundays. Our ward time had just gotten switched from 9 am to 11 am, so we were able to be the first ones who showed up for the 10:00 showing. The apartment was SO cute! Both of us instantly knew we wanted it, which had never happened before. It just felt like the perfect place. We left just as the next couple was arriving, raced home and filled out an application and paid the credit check fee as quickly as we could.<br />
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And what do ya know, two days later I got an email letting me know that WE GOT THE APARTMENT!!!!! I screamed! Tyler, who was just getting ready to shower, came to see what was wrong, afraid I was being raped (we had been watching a lot of Law and Order: SVU lately).<br />
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Our lease started today, August 1! We couldn't wait to go see the place again, and I had Ty take some pictures to share with you guys. Behold! Some of my favorite features of our little home:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbqQ8zrDKsVf1DOakgPW40Mf_fhHM5xvWTLQkAG12D4PGNaEzVefBdlSmBthmqpHalaGZRzV2mY-_c18G-rOAIHkLEg0X5Fi9_KSPsYd8iyVc9v4HZei-j8xYvhkpCXKjxLrSIfD9u2A/s1600/photo+1(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbqQ8zrDKsVf1DOakgPW40Mf_fhHM5xvWTLQkAG12D4PGNaEzVefBdlSmBthmqpHalaGZRzV2mY-_c18G-rOAIHkLEg0X5Fi9_KSPsYd8iyVc9v4HZei-j8xYvhkpCXKjxLrSIfD9u2A/s1600/photo+1(2).JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardwood floors and a fireplace..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">..as well as a charming bay window in the living room!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checkerboard linoleum in the kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our old school bathroom..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">..which will require two shower curtains</td></tr>
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And what makes me the most excited is that we're allowed to paint! We are so excited to make this cute old place our own. All the searching and fighting over apartments and discouragement was totally worth it. I am completely in love with this place and can't wait to build our life here.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-60924334726874614352014-05-30T23:39:00.001-07:002014-11-17T14:52:41.214-08:00WeddingMarriage is the best! I give it two thumbs up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV_0m9E2DbLi4R7af4zjD2p_ISegKcKRizHe3gbQ2D5BCqqFXdS8Gwgq4h6vFRhp0B6sn4BjsKuyoMVOHSpbjldDL06N7wGekgwbi419I9aUlnOTsv5UOKLx9KTigkrua9g0zdk3cH0E/s1600/photos+1040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV_0m9E2DbLi4R7af4zjD2p_ISegKcKRizHe3gbQ2D5BCqqFXdS8Gwgq4h6vFRhp0B6sn4BjsKuyoMVOHSpbjldDL06N7wGekgwbi419I9aUlnOTsv5UOKLx9KTigkrua9g0zdk3cH0E/s1600/photos+1040.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tyler & me playing thumb war during our bridal shoot. I won. Okay.. he won.</td></tr>
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I just got my pictures back from our photographer (my friend, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ajphotography2014">Alexis</a>, who also took roommate <a href="http://amberryjuice.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-holidays.html">photos</a> for our 2012 Christmas card) so to celebrate, I'm going to finally write a blog post about the big day. Woooooooooo party!<br />
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The week of the wedding was a whirlwind. Tyler and I both had to move out of our apartments. We had an entourage come from out of town consisting of Tyler's family, his childhood friend Matt, and his mission companion, Aaron. Torre, one of my best friends, flew in from Colorado too. It was a blast!<br />
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Some of my favorite moments from wedding preparations:<br />
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1. Going to the temple. It was such a wonderful experience and I got to do it with my whole family and the man I love. It was such a special day for me.<br />
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2. Tyler and his friends and family so kindly helped me do the final cleaning of my apartment before moving out. I wish I had gotten a picture of all these big guys scrubbing my apartment! It completely melted my heart. It meant so much that they were willing to come in after travelling for hours and clean my house, some of them barely knowing me. So much kindness. I can't.<br />
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3. On Friday, Torre flew in. Tyler and I were busy moving him out, so we sent Aaron for her. I told her that a big black guy was going to pick her up. She made the mistake of thinking I was joking, and was a little surprised to find out that I wasn't. They met us at Tyler's apartment just in time to witness Tyler's dad get sassy with the apartment manager for trying to fail Tyler on his cleaning check and charge him all kinds of illegitimate fees. (It was necessary. Someone needed to stand up to them.)<br />
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Having Torre here was the best thing ever. She brought with her only the most sincere happiness for me and eagerness to help me make my day as special as possible. She was there to calm to jitters, help me make last minute wardrobe adjustments, and most of all she was a reminder to me of how much I was loved despite all the craziness going on around me. And I knew she was there not only for herself, but on behalf of all my loved ones in Colorado who couldn't make it because of the short notice. Having that comfort helped me be able to really enjoy the experience. I cannot express enough my gratitude for her presence, at my wedding and in my life.<br />
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4. Torre, Momma Dalton, and I were driving to Salt Lake to see the venue the day before the wedding, and we were listening to songs in the car that we could use for the first dance and the daddy/daughter dance. We all ended up in tears.<br />
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5. The bachelorette party the night before!! Britney threw me such a fun party complete with Mormon jello shots (...just jello. They weren't very good for shooting), non-alcoholic alcoholic drinks, and inappropriate eating utensils. My friend Anna came in from Montana to be there for the party and the wedding, and I'm so happy she did. My roommates made it to share the laughs and raunchy gifts. It was fun to have a girls' night in to blow off some steam before the nerves could set in. <br />
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Before I knew it, the day was here! Because the sealing wasn't until 3:40, we had plenty of time in the morning to get ready and take care of last-minute details.. like Tyler's upset stomach. We were a little worried that he had caught the bug I had earlier in the week (during which time, for the record, Tyler never left my side except to get me water and frozen vegetables to put on my hot skin. He even watched Pretty Little Liars with me... and got a little bit addicted. Best husby ever.), but everything worked out. His mom smeared him with essential oils and he was feeling better in no time.<br />
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Then we had another hiccup: getting rear-ended on the way to the sealing. A cute old man accidently hit us. Luckily we were in a rental car with a damage waiver, and the damage wasn't bad, but the police took a long time to get there and we were late to the ceremony. Woops!<br />
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The ceremony was so beautiful. My heart was so full as I looked around at the faces of friends and family, and held hands with my sweetheart, realizing that I get to be by his side forever. There is no greater blessing.<br />
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The day was gray and rainy and a bit cold, but I didn't even notice. It was perfect.<br />
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Tyler and I took pictures outside the temple and missed dinner because the sealing had been so delayed. We ended up snarfing food from to-go boxes right before the reception started.<br />
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The reception was so fun! It was the best sharing the experience with all of our loved ones. Katie's sisters came--even Anna who had to fly out from Oregon! I was so happy to see them. So many people went out of their way to be a part of our day and I am without words. I wouldn't give up those memories for anything.<br />
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My daddy and I danced to My Little Girl. I know. Classic.<br />
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Then Tyler and I danced to Marry Me by Train.<br />
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And then we cut the cake... well we tried to. Word to the wise: make sure you know how to cut the cake before you actually cut the cake. You might think it's pretty self explanatory, but it's not always..<br />
Anyway, things got a little messy.<br />
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<br />
I tossed the bouquet<br />
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and Tyler threw the garter (Tossed? Flung? Shot?)<br />
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And suddenly, as if in the blink of an eye, it was over!<br />
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I thought the day would drag on, but it went so fast. It was the best day. And every day since then has been the best day.<br />
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<br />Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-68058731309313560612014-05-02T12:21:00.002-07:002014-11-17T14:53:34.855-08:00Engagement Pt 2: The Downs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Engagement is hard on couples, each for different reasons. Each couple experiences different trials, perfectly crafted for that set of individuals to test them and make them work for the beautiful gift of marriage that they are accepting. I never really anticipated the challenges of engagement. I tried to safeguard myself against my weaknesses so that I could make it through unscathed, but the truth is that no matter how prepared you are, life will find the spot where you are weak and it will try to wear you down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Something that Tyler said to me when we were working through one of our many obstacles during our brief engagement was that Satan will do anything to get in the way of marriage. Because he knows that it is the most wonderful, powerful and joy-filled ordinance we can enter into, he will do anything to ruin it or overshadow it before it even starts. For some couples, that means tempting intimacy before marriage. For some, it means making the celebration the focus to detract from the spouse and the sacred union, which are the true sources of joy which God has intended for His children. I expected those things, and I was prepared for them. I like to think I handled them pretty well. But Satan threw me a curveball. My biggest challenge was something I didn't ever expect to have to deal with while preparing for marriage, and it was something that I hold so dear to my heart: my friendships began to deteriorate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am one who holds onto relationships tightly, who wants nothing more than to get to know people on a personal level and resolve issues whenever they arise so that I can maintain them. In the time leading up to my engagement and my wedding, it seemed that, due to my own mistakes as well as circumstances far beyond my control, I lost many of those relationships with people who I thought would be in my life for the long haul, and it made it really hard for me to enjoy the journey. And it was hard for Tyler not to take that personally, when I should have been overjoyed to be marrying him but instead I was sad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That was a difficult couple of weeks for both of us. What helped to turn it around for me was a conversation we had with my bishop. He was giving us some marriage advice, and he talked about the commandment to cleave to your husband/wife. He said people often think of that in terms of physical intimacy, but it extends far beyond that--it means to cleave to your spouse above all else. Not to cleave unto money, or your job, or your possessions, or your entertainment. And not to your friends. It was about that time that it hit me that I was clinging too tightly to the things that, although important and worthwhile, will not be the things that I take with me throughout eternity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Throughout this life and forever after, the only one who will stay by my side, witness all of my experiences, go through everything with me, learn with me, grow with me, support me, and let me support him is my husband. From here on out, my friends just won't be a part of me in that way, not because they aren't loyal or don't care, and not because I don't care about them, but because family is the only eternal unit and marriage is the Lord's plan through which we can experience the fullest of joys. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My friends and mentors, even my parents, siblings, and children, though they will have important parts in my life and I have rich relationships with them, will all eventually go their own ways. Everyone is taking a different route in this life, but Tyler and I are on the same route. This experience helped me understand that a little better</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">In that way, losing those friendships helped remind me to put the attention and effort where it needed to be--cultivating the relationship with my future husband that I needed to--and it was a true blessing. It also helped me to appreciate the friends that put up with my imperfections and are patient enough to stick around while I stumble through the learning process that is life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Things got a bit simpler after that. It was still really hectic trying to plan a wedding on a time crunch while finishing a semester, but my heart began to heal and I was able to really enjoy the process and be excited for the end result: an eternity with my favorite person in the world!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">So many people came together and worked really hard to help me create the short notice wedding that I could never have managed on my own. I feel so grateful for my friends who jumped at the opportunity to help, my selfless parents and loving family members who bent over backwards to give me a celebration and find options for me that I felt happy with when the time constraints limited them considerably, and my understanding new mother in law who has such excellent taste and unquenchable enthusiasm (and was probably more excited to plan my wedding than I was).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">And most of all I was able to enjoy the sweet moments with my Tyler--all the laughing, the acts of kindness, the good company. We had so much fun making invitation blunders and registering for gifts, trying desperately to take engagement pictures that weren't awkward or strained when we didn't know what to do in front of a camera. We were able to accomplish so much wedding planning in such a short time and we were able to do it together. He is full to his tall brim with beauty and goodness and selflessness. I seriously hit the jackpot. I can't wait for our forever together.</span></div>
Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-44205593091518690902014-05-02T12:13:00.000-07:002014-11-17T14:54:01.461-08:00Engagement Pt 1: The Decision<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We had it all figured out.</span></div>
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June 28th.<br />
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It was a good, solid date. It fit in with my work schedule and we'd get married right after Tyler finished Spring semester. The boy had proposed. Family members had been told. A Facebook invite had been extended. The ball was rolling.<br />
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And then I experienced my first week of engagement. It was torture.<br />
I was driving Tyler crazy because I couldn't make up my mind about anything.<br />
I couldn't sleep at night because I couldn't stop thinking about wedding decorations.<br />
I was stressed. I was exhausted. It hadn't even been 7 days.<br />
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I am a very laid back person, and I don't like to worry too much about things. I just like to enjoy life. I quickly found that planning a wedding made that hard for me.<br />
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Tyler's family came out that weekend for Spring Break. It was a Saturday, and his mom was helping us make some plans for the wedding. Tyler, Momma Dalton and I were driving back from the Salt Lake area when someone, I think it was Tyler, planted the seed.<br />
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"What if we just did it in April?"<br />
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The three of us sat quietly for a moment, all thinking something along the lines of "... But really. What if we did?"<br />
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I remember that moment so vividly. The road stretched out in front of us. The mountains were so prominent and beautiful and for that moment everything was so simple and easy and perfect. The sky was clear and blue. So, so blue. Every time I see blue skies I think of how I felt right then. After a week of stress and anxiety, that moment of peace and clarity was such a relief, and made a great impression on me.<br />
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We took a couple days to mull it over. We didn't want to make any rash decisions, but we also knew that if we were going to change our date, we had to do it PRONTO.<br />
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We made a pro/con list. Actually several. There was definitely merit to both options. Both of our families were incredibly supportive, and that was encouraging. But what I really kept coming back to was that blue sky feeling of simplicity. That's what Tyler and I both wanted. We knew cutting our engagement period by 2/3 was a pretty bold move, but I like to think we are a pretty bold pair.</div>
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So we did it.</div>
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April 26, 2014.<br />
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Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-79595304979223748642014-03-31T13:25:00.001-07:002014-03-31T13:25:30.051-07:00This just inWe figured out where we're having our wedding, so now I don't hate being engaged anymore.<br />
I am so excited for the party<br />
and I'm excited to eat wedding cake<br />
and I'm excited to move into our first apartment together<br />
and I'm excited to not have to stay up late every night and then watch him go home<br />
and I'm excited for all of our food to be in one place: our pantry<br />
and I'm excited to be out of school for the summer so I can cook him food all the time<br />
and I'm excited to have time to work out again<br />
and I'm excited to read books together<br />
and budget together<br />
and be poor together<br />
and improvise furniture because we can't afford the real stuff together.<br />
Yippeeee marriage! Yay for love!!<br />
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I can't wait.<br />
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April 26 is looking better and better!Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5053481541316535077.post-79382948397245829142014-03-19T02:43:00.000-07:002014-03-31T13:18:17.751-07:00So farengagement is insane.<br />
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Planning a wedding.. Well I don't want to say it's the worst but I will say that we consider eloping on a daily basis.<br />
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Dress, check.<br />
Florist, check.<br />
Photographer, check.<br />
Invitations, in the works.<br />
Married housing, kill me now.<br />
Getting in shape, I've pretty much given up.<br />
Sleep, ha ha good one.<br />
Solid plans on reception vs. luncheon vs. open house vs. absolutely nothing (I've honestly considered it), nowhere to be found.<br />
Wedding date, still not 100% decided.<br />
Money, don't even ask.<br />
Decent grades this semester, growing ever more unlikely.<br />
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I can't make up my mind about anything. I feel like I am teetering on the edge of my sanity. Tyler thinks I'm crazy (and he is rarely wrong). I'm pretty sure he is wondering what happened to the girl he agreed to marry.<br />
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I am wondering too.Amberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13526212983218780697noreply@blogger.com2