Group date night.

Cami and Chris invited us over for dinner with some other couples last weekend. We ate yummy pork tacos and salads (Cafe Rio style) and then went bowling. By the time we made it to the alley, it was time for disco bowling! It was so fun to hang out with these guys. We had a grand time.

And for the record, I still have yet to outscore the hubby in a round of bowling. . . 

but I'm getting closer everytime!

The story of the happy china cabinet.

Once there was a china cabinet, worn down from years of abuse. She had chips and cracks and her wooden accents made her look less-than-desirable. She was sad and dreamed of finding new owners to polish her up and treat her real nice.

One day, she met a young couple who saw her potential and wanted to take her home. They gave her a refreshing bath (scrubbed off the dirt),  a good massage (sanded down all her surfaces), and a nice manicure (rolled on a fresh new coat of white paint). They bought her a new dress (happy fabric) and some accessories (yellow knobs!). 

They gave her a lot of tender love and care. She felt beautiful and wanted in her happy new home. She made friends with some plates and bowls, and they lived together happily in the corner of the kitchen.

The end.

Ps. Even though most of the pictures are of JD working hard on this project, I helped too!

Isn't she gorgeous?!

Better late than never.

On Mother's Day, I worked my first 16-hour Sunday shift. I love being around the girls, but 16 hours is a really long time! (especially when all I could think about all day was how I couldn't call my Mom) So I know it's a few days after the fact, but I still wanted to express how grateful I am to be my mother's daughter.

She is smart and funny and goofy. Today, I am painting my craft room yellow and it reminds me of her. Love you, Momma!

Yum.

Last week, JD and I went out to a vietnamese restaurant with Brad and Abby to try Pho, a hot, spicy soup.  It was really yummy and satisfying.

After dinner, we went back to their place to make dessert crepes.

Good friends. Good food. Yum!

Best man.

Last week, one of JD's best friends got married. Jeff and JD were friends in high school. They worked together for two summers. They snowboard together often. JD has Jeff on his speed dial and Jeff asked JD to be his best man. JD organized a "bachelor party" for Jeff; basically, all his old friends from high school got together to pig out and watch home videos from their Taylorsville days. JD was pretty stoked to get all the guys together again. They had a really fun time.

On Friday morning, we went to the temple ceremony. . .

and on Friday night, we danced and celebrated at their reception.

It was a perfect day to get married. Clear skies and a little zip in the air! Oh, and if you recognize some of those boys,it's probably because you saw them at our wedding :)

Same groomsmen. Same tuxedo rental shop. Same florist. Same photographer. They're off to a good start! Congratulations, Jeff and Jamie. We're so excited for you.

Love your body.

I found this list while I was studying about eating disorders for my test and thought, "This totally rocks!" Thought I'd share in case you're feeling down about your body.

1. Your body is extraordinary- begin to respect and appreciate it. 2. Create a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read and add to it often. 3. Become aware of what your body can do each day. Remember is it the instrument of our life, not just an ornament. 4. Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments. 5. Walk with your head high, supported by pride and confidence in yourself as a person. 6. Don't let your weight or shape keep you from activities you enjoy. 7. Wear comfortable clothes that you like and that feel good to your body. 8. Count your blessings, not your blemishes! 9. Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance. Try one! 10. Be your body's friend and supporter, not its enemy. 11. Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. 12. Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day. 13. Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day. 14. Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don't exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. 15. Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age. 16. Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself- without mentioning your appearance. Add to it! 17. Put a sign on each of your mirrors saying, "I'm beautiful inside and out." 18. Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself. 19. Start saying to yourself, "Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way." 20. Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty. -Margo Maine

Love your body! It really is extraordinary.

Back at BYU.

I'm back at BYU tonight. JD's busy throwing Jeff's bachelor party (he gets married Friday!) and I needed to study for my big test in two days. I've been cramming so much the past few hours and my brain is starting to hurt from thinking too much. I feel so strange being in this library- on this campus really. I still have to pinch myself every few days. . . am I really a college graduate? Where did the time go? I must've missed my life. It feels like only a few weeks ago that I made my dad pull over at the "Welcome to Utah" sign for a picture on our way up to Provo with all my stuff for college.  Just weeks ago, I swear, I was dressing up for dance parties, seeing a counselor about what to do with my life, flirting with boys I didn't like to try and get over ones I really did, carving pumpkins, taking aerobics, spying on the guitar-playing neighbor boys across the street, and dreaming of being an EFY counselor and serving an LDS mission. And then, oh! The glorious summer. Wasn't it just weeks ago? I was serving queso with my favorite girls, staying up late to watch the stars, jumping on the trampoline, receiving flowers, letting my heart learn to love again, soaking in the sun with my sisters, and sharing my faith with someone new. Weeks ago, really, I was moving in with 5 new girls, having roommate basketball wars, discovering a profession that totally intrigued me, fighting my head for what I knew in my heart, going country dancing, dressing up in themes for Halloween, inviting a boy home for Christmas, and accepting a marriage proposal. My life plans changed. I was pushing my emotional and physical limits working with a hard population, planning a wedding, fighting my fears, living with my future in-laws, and preparing to go to the temple. Weeks ago, I was making a promise, using a passport for the first time, painting furniture, seeing a boy in the nude, managing bills, adjusting to having a new family, and cooking meals for two. Oh! how the time has flown! I am back at BYU tonight and my thoughts are skipping and dancing in and out of old memories. The test I take the day after tomorrow is the capstone of my academic growth and learning at this university. I'll get a degree in the mail in the next few days. Hopefully, I'll get a license to practice what I've learned. But more than anything, what I'll take from BYU is a deeper, more powerful understanding of my Savior, a stronger faith in Him, a handful of friends who mean more to me than words can express, a collection of experiences and life lessons to buoy me up in hard times, a strong work ethic, and a profound appreciation for God's hand in my life. My BYU experience didn't turn out exactly how I imagined it, but it was beautiful and wonderful nevertheless. And, tonight, my heart is full.