bridal shower

last weekend, we threw a bridal shower for

the lovely, soon-to-be bride,

Kailey Larsen

Breakfast line up:

mini frittatas, quiche, waffles, fresh fruit, juice and dessert

(all thanks to my mom-couldn't have been possible without her).

Game line up:

get-to-know you games, famous couples throughout history, newly-wed game, bubble-gum game (you know the drill-ask the bride questions about the groom, having to chew more gum for every wrong-answered question), and of course lots of talking. and some more eating, naturally.

kailey even got to wear a crown!

we were well fed and all gamed out. Randy even joined the party by surprising kailey at the end

(he just happened to come as she was opening

something that was more for him than her ;)

thanks to everyone who came and helped with the shower:)

let the countdown (only 4 weeks) begin until the big day!

so very excited for you guys.

recap of 2010

January

flew to London

(the place where I would reside for the next four months)

celebrated my 20th birthday

in the Muslim community on a culture fieldtrip

February

bustled around Rome for a weekend

March

visited the beautiful sites of Paris for a week

April

fieldtrip to all of Northern England, including Preston, Liverpool, and the Lake District

Easter and general conference

at 27 palace court in London

trapped in London because of overactive volcano--

visited extra sites

May

swimming in St. George, lots of tennis playing and BBQs

June

road trip to Idaho

met this boy playing tennis

July

John Schmit concert, Dyer trip to california, John Jackson's farewell

August

bridge jumping, massive slip-n-slides, and bonfires in Idaho

September

moved back to provo, stitches on foot at ER, bonfires up canyon

October

Celebrated Kailey's birthday and engagement, roommate halloween parties, and family pictures

November

mom had a total hip replacement--babysat her while dad took breaks to golf

December

ugly christmas sweater parties, surviving finals, skiing and christmas with the family

2010 has been good to me. who knew so much could happen in a year? this has definitely been the busiest, craziest year of my life! before it began, i had no idea of the adventures to come in europe, the career paths to unfold at BYU, or of the boy that i would fall in love with.

i'm sure that this will be the best, most exciting and momentous year of my life. i also love the start of a new year because of the new goals and resolutions that come with it.

i'm excited to see what this year will bring and i'm determined to make this a memorable one. hope you are too.

here's to 2011!

happy holidays

preston and i spent christmas apart, him with his family and me with mine.

i had a wonderful christmas, but nothing makes me happy quite like he does.

he came back last night,

and i was a happy girl.

the past few days, i have spent lots of time with the family-- seeing movies (don't see "how do you know?"), playing games with cousins, watching grey's anatomy with my mom, and painting nails.

in the next few days, i hope to do some ice skating, skiing, and sleeping-in before returning back to p-town.

my parents say they have a "christmas hangover". we all just laughed when they said that! but how true is that? i'm sure most parents do.

i am loving the holidays. hope you are too!

xmas cheer

kristen and i were quite cheery this morning. can't you tell?

we woke up early to open presents (9am to be exact. my parents were just happy it wasn't 6 am like all our neighbors)

but really, the pictures don't do it justice...we really were excited! we opened half of our presents, made abelskivers, and we are now "resting" while brandon and aj go to her parents house. we will open the other half when they return. it's like two christmases! what fun.

it couldn't be christmas without the sappy part too...so here it is. this is one of my favorite xmas hymns.

"How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given !

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming;

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in."

I'm trying to let Christ into my heart so I can have a heart like His. I'm thankful for the wondrous gift He gives to me and you, and I'm not going to take that for granted this next year. I hope everyone has a peaceful and warm christmas with their family!

merry christmas!

winter wonderland wedding

the week before christmas, most people are frantically strolling the mall to buy last minute christmas presents.

Normally, I would admit to this, but this year I had something much more important on my agenda...

A wedding!

I finished up finals and then jetted off to California with my family for my cousin Jennie's wedding. They got married in the LA temple and had their reception in the Music Hall in down town LA. The biggest rain storm in 10 years also decided to come the day before the wedding. Thankfully the photographer was able to snap a few pictures in between the gusts of rain. We danced the night away at the beautiful dinner reception and caught up with cousins. My aunt tina decorated the whole reception hall with her martha stewart skills.

It was lovely!

Congratulations Jennie and Aaron!