dear: photos

we've been too busy to blog lately, or anything else for that matter, but we are loving our crazy schedules and are blessed each and everyday. fall is anticipated greatly around here, halloween decorations will be up oct 1, and delicious fall meals will soon to be eaten. but for now, here are some of bridals.groomals , and here are some wedding pictures. thanks lindsey for taking such fabulous photos. just found out that our wedding was chosen to be a feature wedding in the next issue of utah bride, more to come!

dear: elease and joel

your day was beautiful, thank you for letting us be a part of it. we are so excited to explore this time of life with you. x's and o's

dear: lion king, we loved you

Jake's wonderful parents took us to the Lion King broadway musical, while it was in Salt Lake. To say the least, we loved it. You could also say that Jake and I both were wide eyed little children again while we sat fascinated with the animals they have created. simply amazing. If you ever have the chance to see it, GO. I've been to New York multiples of times and never taken the time to go, but i'm so happy i've seen it now.

dear: treat for tuesday

sometimes nothings better then a fresh fruit treat. take my word on this one, it will not disappoint. this fresh blueberry peach (some of lovers and i's favorites) crumble found here is a perfect end of summer delight. and even though i'm so excited for fall, i couldn't have loved this summers evening more. the recipe is easy, and so worth it when done.

dear: dad's little surprises

for those of you who know my dad, he always has something up his sleeve. i love it, his surprises are always the best. last monday for fhe (family home evening) he took us to the miller race park to go kart. i was so nervous, jake was ecstatic, and in the end we had more fun then imagined. we are so lucky to a. have the best families in the world and b. have them so close to us. they make life what it is!

thanks dad, xo.

dear: little dreamer in me

over a year ago, 18 months to be exact, i created a list titled "my mt. ventoux" i stumbled across it and was pleasantly surprised to see that i've accomplished some since.

a famous historian once said: "today you can have the same view easily enough-there is a road and a restaurant at the peak-but that's not really the point. the point is to climb something you were afraid to climb and see something new. what is your mt. ventoux?"

i took this as a challenge to write down everything i one day wanted to achieve, whether it frightened me or just intrigued me. some are things i want to constantly achieve or be sure to do, others are once in a lifetime opportunities. it ended up becoming a bucket list of some sort but a little more meaningful. so here it is:

dress up and go to the symphony, ballet, and opera

go to libraries and old bookstores

read, often.

dance at the edge

dance at steps and broadway

act

tryout for a musical

take voice lessons again

sing often

talk for hours sincerely

never lose spontanaety

walk on university avenue

explore stanford university

take road trips

serve endlessly

love unconditionally

hold church callings

spend time in and at the ocean

take time to enjoy simplicity

be satisfied with only family

explore boston

live in NYC

drive PCH in a convertible from north to south

go to county fairs

perform

listen to byu devotionals

listen to conference talks

go to museums

visit galleries...local

go to town meetings

weekly farmers market

hike

visit quite places and write

walk through old towns

climb eiffel tower

spend time with children

become a homemaker

return to india

celebrate all holidays

create a picture book

run.

run.

run.

learn my camera better

take classes, always

explore different cultures

visit the temple, often

anonymously take care of others

make new friends

spend time with old friends

attend presidential inauguration

learn money management

swim

play golf with dad

achieve the sport of tennis

read the NYTimes and know current events

memorize great speeches

change someones life, for the better

picnics at the park

concerts at the park

take long drives to get small things like ice cream at bear lake

ski

oil paint

get pedicures and facials with mom

plan events

provide a clean home and good enviornment

write hand written letters

leave voicemails

give gifts, thoughtful ones listen to podcasts

attend messiah sing a long

homemade gifts for friends

know local artists and support them

read for story time

african safari

attend poetry readings

sail on a boat

curl up by the fire with someone special

find my someone special, and know he is the one

create my dream wedding

visit havana and dance the streets

pyramids at sunset

salmon run in alaska

road trip across u.s.a.

ride camel in desert

kiss a stranger

live in italy

learn italian

sleep in an ice cave

visita a pub in ireland and kiss the blarney stone

little house by the sea

dance on beach of carribean sea

see ball drop in times square

spend semester at jerusalem center

cruise down the nile

see sunrise on the east and sunset on the west in the same day

run boston marathon

hike inca trail to machu pichu

visit the galapagos islands

scuba the great barrier reef

see the himalayas

ride in a hot air balloon

kiss at night at the eiffel tower

walk on the great wall of china

publish a book

surf in hawaii

love southern utah

hike the alps in switzerland

build a tree house with my kids

see a shuttle launch

ride bare back

dangle feet over monet's lilly pond

master excel haha

list 1001 things to be happy about

know isiah in the bible

memorize all the countries in the world

learn sign language

make my own time capsule

dance inaugural ball with the president elect

be part of a live t.v. show

become a beautiful interior decorator

identify constellations

know my family history

read all jane austin books

be famous for something

sit at the feet of the prophet

record a song i sing and write

fly international first class, how lovely

stay in a secluded cabin and write

spend all day in bed with husband on a rainy day

visit morocco casablanca style

visit stratford-upon-avon

hang glide

visit every temple

play all hymns, perfectly

make a quilt

throw a block party

PTA president

play director

give $100 to a beggar

wear an obnoxious hat to the kentucky derby

celebrate a perfect 4th of july

write thank you's to all my teachers

get my masters degree

own my own company

give something priceless and meaningful away

write a cookbook

become a beautiful cook

raise children righteously in the gospel

become an expert on etiquette

scuba dive in thailand

speak spanish, fluently

coach a team

sleep under a tin roof when pouring rain

learn to speed read

become a motivational speaker

join the u.n.

work for the olympics

swim with dolphins

shower under a waterfall

see a solar lunar eclipse

run to the top of the statue of liberty

make a hole in one

tell someone "i love you" and know they are the one

see a star shower

spend a week in the louvre

hear the "gloria" at st. peter's

heli ski

motorcycle trip

attend olympic opening ceremonies

fly in a private plane

eat a hot dog at coney island

attend world series game

sew

fly a plane

sit front row at a fashion show

attend grammy awards

attend oscars, or just the red carpet

be acknowledged on red carpet

sew my kids clothing

take a trip, buy the ticket at the gate

bowl over 100

homeschool kids for one year while living abroad

ride a donkey in santorini, greece

master cosmetics

whale watch in new zealand

try out for mormon tabernacle choir

take my family to india

spend a day at each museum in d.c.

see earth from space

see the 7 wonders :

see the aurora borealis (northern lights)

grand canyon, donkey trip and raft ride

petra, in jordan

ride bike on the golden gate bridge at sunset

the colosseum in rome

hike havasupi with curtis cousins

go skinny dipping at 12 am in the south of england

be an extra in a film

learn how to take a compliment

plant a tree

learn to ballroom dance

fall deeply in love-helplessly, unconditionally

sit on supreme court jury

go to walden pond and read thoreau while in a canoe

spend a whole day reading a novel

drive the autobahn

put name on bench in a park for something

grow a garden

build and design my own house

serve a mission

spend christmas in paris

thanksgiving in new york

buy a bulldog with husband

attend bcs bowl game

marry in the temple

be a president of an organization

save someones life

be a good friend

wear beautiful ensembles

attend ny fashion week, or be the head coordinator

graduate college

adopt a child, maybe two

to be continued...

some of these i may never see in this life, but it's always good to have that little push behind you to get you going...even if you are somewhat afraid. because it's all about climbing to see something new, or become someone better.

but for now, one step at a time. because it's all about the climb you go through to get there that makes the moment entirely worth it.

what is your mt. ventoux?

dear: weekend

hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. maybe took your lover to the state fair (if you live in sl, if you didn't you still have time) we're going tomorrow, can't wait. i spent the weekend in jackson away from lover but came home and it was a happy day. this is how i've felt lately, giggly of how head over heels in love i've become. most days i just want to stay at home and play house all day, but that's what the weekend is for...sad it's almost over. enjoy!

dear: husband

i love date nights. thank you for taking me to john mayer last week, i couldn't have enjoyed anything more. our summer nights are disappearing and fall is so soon around the corner, and while that makes me so sad...we have so much to look forward to this fall! xo you make me so happy.

dear: lovers paradise

i have had millions (ok not literally) of people ask about our dream honeymoon. jake did it again, went above and beyond. many of you know where we went, but for those of you who dont...we went to the beautiful island of bora bora. yup, i'm the luckiest. many hours of preparation went into the planning process, and he was SO excited to tell me, i could tell as each day got closer. truth be told, i'm surprised he waited so long! here is the moment when he was telling me, during our first dance at the reception.

overload of pictures below.

on our way, so excited. but, did not know what we were in for. it was a loong travel, but definitely worth it. 9.5 hours on 2 planes, then another plane from the tahiti mainland to bora bora, 50 min, then a 30 minute boat ride from the airport to our hotel.

at the little airport, that was a island off of the island.

flying in, this was the view!

top of the island.

inside our room to feed the fish, we did it on an hourly basis.

tahitian sunsets. nothing compares.

this is a picture taken from our balcony.

our days consisted of exploring our little island, jet ski tour around the island (sadly no pictures because it was unreal), relaxing, snorkeling, feeding fish, eating the most gourmet meals, sleeping on hammocks, and just loving our first time together as mr. and mrs.

inside the pool.

beach boy lover.

my 13$ tutti frutti! the food was delicious but unbelievably pricy. only downfall of the entire trip. good thing we were too frazzled and in love to notice.

thank you husband for a dream trip. you are a babe. can't wait for our 5 year anniversary :)

xo

and thank you hilton bora bora for treating us like celebrities, good thing carrie underwood didn't show up until the day after us, we would've been ignored.

dear: sweet little surprise

one of my favorite moments is when i was able to surprise jake in my wedding dress. it took me a while to decide if i was going to stick with tradition or if i was going to show him at my bridals. i finally decided that i wanted that special moment to be before the big day with all of the other distractions, and i'm so happy with my decision. and so is he. i was so nervous, anxious, and excited for him to see me in it. here are a few pictures that our wonderful photographer captured.

i love him.

my dress was something i had put so much time in deciding and designing. i've always known i wanted it made. Penny from Penelope's did such and amazing job in creating my dream dress.

my sweet mom made three bouquets for my bridals, all so different and beautiful. she is so talented. i was also lucky enough to borrow some remarkable jewelry from oc tanner, look at that bling! wish i could've kept it, jake said dream on!