Our First Home: The Hungtington

The Huntington is an apartment complex in south Provo that is very nice for very cheap! It's government subsidized which is why it's the price that it is. As long as you qualify income wise you can get in. However, it's not as simple as it sounds. There's nearly a year long waiting list, but the landlord will send out emails if there are every any mid-semester openings, but those apartments will usually have a weird move in date that not everyone can accommodate too. SO you start on a big list...she sends out an email...you respond if you can move in and pay rent on top of your other rent...and then whoever is on top of THAT list gets the apartment!

We got our first email at the end of September, but we were second on the "second list"! We got the next email middle of October about a place available November 8th. We started out second on the "second list" again, but something fell through with the first people so we got it!! We signed the lease on the 8th and we've been moving a few odds and ends in already so it's not all at once at the end. And by a few odds and ends I mean we went to Ikea yesterday and bought basically all of our living room furniture besides the couch we are inheriting from Dave's parents. :) The apartment is darling and I love it!

One of my favorite parts. Vaulted ceilings upstairs!

We are extremely grateful to have found this apartment! One more thing to check off our list, but Dave's apartment still continues to be on the market right now. Cross your fingers! This week was a big one to get through. I had two test and lots of little assignments. I feel a major weight of my shoulders with all that has been accomplished this week. THEN after next week it's Thanksgiving!! Time is really flying people. Happy Saturday!!

13 days until I go through the temple.

32 days until finals are over.

35 days until our wedding day!

November First

Want to know what I'm doing on this lovely first day of November? Well, I went to my internship, got my eyelashes did, worked out, folded my laundry, went to class, grabbed some dinner with Dave, and now I'm in the library "studying" while he's at work downstairs...

I love studying...can't you tell?!

But then I realized it's NOVEMBER!! NOVEMBER!! And you know what that means...I'm getting MARRIED NEXT MONTH!! DECEMBER!! THAT'S NEXT MONTH!!

Just a little excited haha

I found the greatest guy in the world which makes me the luckiest girl in the world. Now I know everyone says that, but he truly is the greatest guy for me. He's calming when I'm angry. He's patient when I'm annoyed. He's loving when I...should be. He's understanding even when I don't make sense. He's smart in ways that I'm not. He's funny when I need a laugh. He really is my opposite which makes "us" work. As we approach our 10 month anniversary and our 1 month until our wedding I just wanted to share my excitement! (sorry if you get annoyed by all my countdowns and such!) Happy Thursday and Happy November!! Enjoy the final days of fall Provo-ers it doesn't last much longer.

22 days until I go through the temple

44 days until the BIG DAY :)

Plains Of Oklahoma

OOOOOOOOOKLAHOMA!!!

It's official! Dave branched Field Artillery this week which means our first official move out of Provo is....FORT SILL OKLAHOMA! We will most likely be moving there next summer and let me tell you I'm kind of excited believe it or not! There's a song by Jason Aldean that I have always loved and now it applies to me!!

The base is basically in the city Lawton, OK which actually has more people than the city of Gaithersburg! So no, Mom, there's civilization closer than an hour away...However, the google maps do make it look like it's out in the middle of nowhere. 

In comparison to OK City...I didn't even know where that was haha.

Just a closer up view. Notice all the green and brown! :)

If you were to tell me that I was going to be living in Oklahoma at some point in my life I would have chuckled. This is definitely going to be one of many adventures that Dave and I will have! :) Also, because this is just Basic Officer Leaders Course (in English...Branch Training) we actually won't be here much longer than 4 months. After he is done with BOLC (training) then we will be assigned to our first duty station which is then the typical 2-3 years. (From what I understand...my army knowledge is not great but I'm working on it!)

Pretty exciting stuff I must say!! We will know our move date around February. Until then, I'm going through the temple, finishing out the semester, getting married, and doing our first mini move together in Provo. Lots of changes and I can't wait! Happy Saturday!! 

General Conference

Since I was traveling over the weekend I had little time to watch General Conference. For anyone reading this who is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I encourage you to go to THIS site and learn about it and to learn about General Conference where we get to hear from the leaders of our church.

For those who are members... Am I wrong or is Conference one of the best weekends of the year. Am I wrong or does good old Dieter always has the answers!! I have been catching up on Conference today and I wanted to talk about President Uchtdorf's talk.

I'm in a time in my life when I'm counting down days. I am always looking forward to the next day because it means I'm one day closer to getting married. I'm not stopping and smelling the roses.

President Uchtdorf talked about how we need to enjoy each day. We can't start each day waiting for it to end. "There is something in each day to embrace and cherish." I need to remember this because there will come a time when I want time to slow down. There will come a time when I want moments to last forever.

One of his most powerful statements....

"We cannot take for granted one single day. I pray that we will not wait until we are ready to die before we truly learn to live."

Sure, it's OK to be excited and anxious for your wedding day to arrive, but it doesn't mean that good things aren't happening around me right now! My new goal is to have something different to be grateful for each day. Something that might not have happened the day before, or something that may never happen again! Be excited for special events in your future, but don't forget to enjoy the journey along the way :) Happy Monday!

Aunt Carolyn's Shower

This weekend, I have been home because my Aunt Carolyn threw me my first bridal shower today! It was a very nice brunch with some close friends that have seen me grow up over the years. We had some yummy egg casserole and fruit for breakfast, and while everyone was eating they had little cards to fill out about what their first or favorite memory of me is and any advice they had for me going into my marriage. Then as I opened up their gifts they would read what they wrote. I heard some pretty funny stories and also go some great advice. Always remember to laugh and always communicate were the big ones that a lot of people mentioned.

Today really made this whole wedding sink in. I got lots of things that will decorate my future home and lots of kitchen accessories that I will be using to cook my hubby dinner! Yup, I'm going to have a husband! It really is right around the corner and I didn't think I could get more excited, but today added a little more. :D

The shower was kind of hat themed...just explaining why everyone was in hats. My grandmother Loraine (where I get my middle name from) had a TON of hats. So that's what made the center pieces for the dining tables and everyone had quite the laugh trying some of them on!

close ups always look better in b&w to me.

THANK YOU AUNT CAROLYN

I made this gardening hat for tootsie when I was maybe 5-6

My grandmother, Loraine's wedding hat.

Dave's griddle. The one thing he made sure to register for!

Go Army!

ribbon bouquet!

And I had no idea that if you cut the ribbon off the gifts it counts as a future child...looks like we're having at least 6 kids! (I lost count..uh oh)

70 days! Happy Saturday! Also, Happy Conference! I'm so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

WARNING!

WARNING!! DO NOT LOOK AT THIS POST IF YOU DON'T LIKE GROSS/REALLY RED EYEBALLS!

So I decided to get eyelash extensions on Tuesday for my engagement photos next week. Let's just say it's a good thing I got them the week before and not two days before! Sadly, I love my eyelashes...but there's a good chance the process of getting them gave me a chemical burn on my eye. Ouch. Here's a NICE picture of my eyeball:

Don't they look pretty and long and curly! I know don't get me started... So I left the salon with pretty red eyes and my eyes were really tender. I figured it was normal cause she did say the glue burns a little and it causes some redness. However, later that night my eyes were still extremely bloodshot and it was pretty painful to blink or move my eyes in dramatic movements. By the end of day two this is what they looked like.

 

To be honest, I'm not freaking out at all. It's more of my mother that's freaking out. I know it's slowly getting better, but it sure is taking it's sweet time. I sleep fine, I can wash my face now and hopefully get whatever residue was left off, I can see perfectly fine. It's just really red and really tender.

Dave and I went to Walgreens to get some eye-drops. Thought it would give me that soothing feeling...complete opposite. Every time I put the drops in it burns even more. Hence my next adventure (also to make my mother feel better) I'm heading up to student health in about an hour to have them check out my beautiful browns. Hopefully they will give me a steroid or something that will make it go away by this weekend and at the latest next week!

Now for the gross up close picture from today. Please note, I just woke up and had just splashed my face and eyes with water and yeah...it's not that bad right? haha :) I'm all smiles I promise. Happy Thursday! I'm going home tomorrow!!!! Ok...picture time I guess...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!?!?!

It does scare Dave haha.

Pumpkin Time

Happy October!!

I really love fall. I'm 99% positive that it's my favorite season, but that 1% thinks it's suppose to be my birthday season. I do love the month of February and I do love winter clothing over summer, but fall just has the all around package.

To welcome in the glorious fall season and to celebrate October 1st I made this bad boy...

That is pumpkin cheesecake from the cheesecake factory. I found the recipe on pinterest and totally made it from scratch! Sadly, I haven't tried it yet, but Dave says that's what we are having for dinner tonight. Life of poor college students. 

Want to know another awesome thing about the start of fall? I took my first test of the semester yesterday and I got a "Fantastic!" next to my student id number. Now for those of you non-BYUers when you get a 90% or higher you get some type of comment next to your name. Starting off the semester strong!!

Want to know ANOTHER reason why I love fall? It's the most decorated season. Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas! Sadly, I might actually be moving into our married housing apartment in November so we will have to see how much decorating actually happens this year. Lots going on!!

Well, that's all for now. Happy pumpkin eating! Happy decorating! and Happy Fall!!

3 days until I go home!

50 days until I go through the temple!

74 days until I get muuurrieeed!