More Bridals!!!

Last Friday Gav and I and other friends, Tristan and Suzanne had an awesome oppurtunity to go up to Zions Ponderosa Ranch and take more pictures in our wedding attire.
The story behind it was so cool! Over Christmas break, I got a call on my house phone from my Foods teacher at the college. She said that she had a friend that was turning her house into a wedding venue up in the Zion's National Park and needed brides and their grooms to come up and take pictures for her brocure. In exchange, we would get the pictures, and we would get a free weekend up at their cabins. We got up there and it was so beautiful! It was the perfect day to take pictures. Her home was GORGEOUS! I was kinda bummed my family didnt live closer, but just being there for pictures was a privledge. She went all out and decorated a table with decorations and china and she even decorated a huge cake to take pictures. So I called my friend Suzanne and her husband, Tristan and asked them to come along. The whole evening was fabulous! Pamela was amazing and Tyson, the photographer was wonderful to work with. Here are just a few of the pics... More to come!












Check out the Zions Ponderosa website at http://www.zionponderosa.com/ This is the Ranch.... I'll post the brochure when I get it!

Gardner Bridal Shower

This last weekend, my wonderful new family threw me a bridal shower. My mother-in-law (to be) and sisters-in-law (to be) worked so hard to throw me a wonderful shower. I was absolutely amazed how many people showed up to support me! My mom and sisters came with me and we were running a bit late but when we pulled up to Gavins house, he was there to vallet park all the cars. :) So we ran inside and saw that almost everyone came! We chatted a bit then Shalei started the party by asking me to tell the story of how Gav and I met and how he proposed. They all oohhh-ed and awww-ed in all the right places. Next, Shalei brought out a rose and asked me to give one reason I loved Gavin for each pedal. That was super fun. I started off a little broad in my reasonings and with everyone watching I was trying to come up with a few more reasons for the last few pedals when Grandma Kate said that I should just add them and say that's for me to know. :)
After that, we add a wonderful lunch of sandwiches and salads, and CUPCAKES! It was so cute and so perfect! I absolutely loved it and am so thankful for such a wonderful family to be marrying into. They are amazing. Thank you so much!

Before and After

Finally! I am all moved into our new apartment! We are so tightly packed in here but its nice and cozy. Tell me what you think of our decorations!


Kitchen Before and After











Bed Before and After












LIving Room/Bedroom Before and After










Bathroom Before and After

Family Bridal Shower

My wonderful family threw me a bridal shower this Christmas break. My cute cousin, Megan and her sister and mom put in so much hard work and it was so much fun. We played bingo and each square was a funny thing about myself or Gavin. We also had a awesome dinner of home made lasagna and chocolate molten cake... YUM!!! We all just love each other so much. My family is AMAZING and I dont know what I would do without them! Thank you all so much for your love and support!

Happy New Year!!!

One year ago today was our first date! Can you believe it? It has been such an amazing year! My new years resolution: Make this year even better! I love you Gavin!

Bridals

Bridals was an interesting adventure that is for sure. I will tell the story now and attach the pics as soon as I get them.
To begin, this Christmas break, we have been on a time frame in order to get things accomplished in time for the wedding. So we had bridals planned to go down to Provo Castle, have our carriage there as well as Gavin's horse. But unfortunately, we happened to plan it right in the middle of a snow storm. We had the carriage all hooked up. My hair and make up all done. We had called a couple people to borrow a harness for the horse. Gavin had is tux, I had finished putting beading on my dress THE NIGHT BEFORE and Gavin and his family were bringing the horse and trailer. My mom, my sister and I get in the car and start driving on the freeway and start sliding all over. There are cars pulled over on the right and left. We call our photographer and tell her we are going for it, instead of putting it off. We travel only going about 20 mph the whole way and FINALLY slide (seriously slide) into the parking lot of the castle. I waited in the car while my mom ran in to check in and she comes out with bad news from the mean receptionist lady, they werent letting anyone up to the castle. Gavin had gone and spoken to a lady earlier and made sure we would be good to go and Sarah (our photographer) was just up there. Finally we call security to get them to let us pass. We all start heading up the slippery road and my mom starts sliding on the switchback with the trailer and carriage in tow. She jack knifed and was stuck with the car almost on top of the trailer. So we ditch that idea and decide the horse and carriage will just be somewhere else. So we go back down and get ready in the horse trailer and drive up in Sarah's car to take pics. It was freezing as you can imagine and I was only in my dress. Burr...But it was worth it. OH! I failed to mention that the Provo Castle is near the Provo hospital... The mental hospital that is. There was a weird old man up by the castle with binnoculars and would whistle to the birds. Addie and Sarah claim to have seen him only a few yards away spying at us through his binnoculars... kinda creepy.
Anywho... we begin to come back down to find a place to take some pictures with the carriage and horse. Mike went out to find a place, and in the process, got a flat tire. It was a cold and interesting day, but I think the pictures turned out awesome. We shall soon see! I am so grateful to Sarah, my family and my new family, the Gardners for being such good sports. I sure had fun despite the trials we faced. They sure are awesome. :)

Christmas Time at Our House

Unfortunately I have lost my camera and wasnt able to take any pictures of Christmas this year... :'( But none-the-less, it was a wonderful Christmas. We never knew it would be so hard to balance the holidays between both families but I believe we did rather well. We spend Christmas eve with my family and had a glorious dinner of prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, rolls, and my fav...BREAD PUDDING! Yum! We then woke up bright and early to open presents and enjoy the morning with family. Gavin and I recieved some awesome stuff for our apartment and are thrilled to own such fun things. That morning Gav got to talk to his brother Matt who is on his mission in Switzerland. He seemed to be doing real well and enjoying his mission. Then we got ready and zoomed out to Spanish Fork so we could talk to his twin sister, Kate, who is also on her mission in Oakland. I have only ever talked to her over email so it was a real treat to hear her voice and enjoy talking to her. I am really excited to meet her. She comes home real soon! We then had a second Christmas with Gavin's family and got some more really cool stuff. We really have been spoiled and never expected such an awesome Christmas. Gavin really spoiled me. First, at my house, he whipped out a pretty side table and told me that me MADE it! I was so impressed! It must have taken him a really long time to make. I loved it. I also spent a lot of time into a gift I made for him. In the Disney movie, "Up" the main character and his wife make an adventure book and fill it with things that have given their life meaning. Gavin and I had been intending to start our own book but hadnt gotten around to it. So I had been saving things since we started dating and compiled it into a scrap book and made it our "Adventure Book". I put all kinds of things in it from ticket stubbs to journal entries I started since I met Gavin. It will be something we will be able to keep forever.
Then later in the day, I got spoiled some more... While we were at his house, we had second Christmas and towards the end, he said we should go for a drive. Everyone (I mean his whole family) got in their cars and we all drove to the high school. There, we went into the wood shop and there was a gorgeous canopy bed made of alder. I was shocked. It was beautiful. I couldnt believe he had made it let alone in the time frame he had. He is so amazing. I am so excited to be married to him for time and all eternity.

Happy Birthday Gavin!

Right smack in the middle of finals week, we got to celebrate Gavin's 24th birthday. That morning, we got up and went to the institute building for a wonderful breakfast of cereal and french toast. There, we ran into our institute teacher, Brother Day where he and I started a harmonious round of happy birthday where the 10 other students willingly joined in.
Afterward, we went to our new apartment and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned so we would be able to move in that week.
Then, being the good, hardworking students we are, we studied for some time before using our Texas Roadhouse giftcard and eating our second flavorful meal of the day. Then, of course, we had our waitress bring out the saddle and have all the other waiters and waitresses sing another harmonious (yet not as good as the institute students) round of happy birthday.
I love you Gavin, I am so thankful you are in my life and for all the blessings you bring me. Happy birthday babe!