Significant Progress

This weekend was pretty big for us wedding-wise.

I moved into our new apartment in Sugarhouse, and we know who is going to seal us on our wedding day!

Our apartment is great, but it feels a little empty (probably because I'm there without my better half for the next seven weeks). Last night was the first time I slept there, and it is going to be an adjustment. Things are mostly unpacked, except our bedroom, which I knew was going to take some time. Oh well, I've got a few weeks :)

Victoria had asked me to watch the boys at the Bountiful Temple so that she and Chris could go to a sealing yesterday, so Sam and I met up to do some proxy sealings afterward. We really liked our sealer (Bro. Briggs), so after the session, we asked him if he would marry us in July. He said yes!

Anyway, I think all we have left to do is take engagement photos, send out invites, and design our centerpieces.

We've got less than seven weeks to go!!

Two Weeks and Seven Weeks

Two weeks from today, I will be finished with my crazy class! I'm SO ready to have my weeknights back (with the exception of Tuesday) so that I can actually do things like cook dinner, spend time with my friends, and paint. I've failed epic-ally as a best friend ever since the semester started; when I'm not in class, I'm with Sam doing wedding stuff, or I'm dead asleep. I can't wait to spend some more time with Meredith and Victoria as we get ready for my bridal shower next month.

Seven weeks from Saturday is our wedding, followed by our honeymoon to Alaska! I have had a lot of fun with the planning, but I really haven't had the chance to just enjoy this time. I'm choosing to attribute that to school, but hey, it's all got to get done somehow. I'm very excited that we found an apartment, and that I'm moving in this weekend. I'm looking forward to "nesting" in the weeks leading up to our wedding as we start merging our stuff together to start the next chapter of our life.

Anyway, I'm on countdown until the end of MAT 602; we have four class periods left. Normally I'm not one to feel like this about class, but the condensed nature is really getting to me. I'm ready to not have class three nights in a row. Maybe we really should start doing yoga...

Our Arizona Adventure

 So, we had a pretty awesome Memorial Day weekend. We took advantage of the paid time off and flew to Arizona to spend some time with Sam's family (it was also his birthday!). We went hiking, played TopGolf, and went to the old family ward so Sam could introduce me to all his neighborhood friends. We are planning to have an Arizona open house in October, and many of them are very excited. I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Arizona. Happy 27th Birthday, my darling!

We went to TopGolf and it was quite the experience!

Hiking in the desert

Gilbert, AZ Temple

We had so much fun! The only setback was our return flight was delayed about 3hrs because the plane was coming from Texas. Oh well, we made it home by midnight and that's all that should matter. We re currently waiting to hear back about an apartment that we like, so I'll keep you posted!

so ends week #2

Oh. My. Gosh.

Only three more weeks of this insane class schedule! Seriously, I'm so over having class three consecutive nights in a row, I have absolutely no idea how anything is getting done during the week.

School itself is going well; I've written a handful of papers and read a small anthology of information for each class already. My fear is that my work for the condensed class will present itself as more urgent, and the term-length class will end up getting the back seat. To remedy this, the hand dandy homework schedule is consulted on a daily basis. I can't help but wonder if all this pressure is giving me a superhero complex.

In other news, I had to stop working at the temple due to time constraints and my overall mental well-being. I loved my work, don't get me wrong, but getting engaged changed everything. I'm relived that I can relax more on Friday nights and actually get a good nights sleep without worrying about a 3:45 am wake up call.

This weekend, we are heading to Arizona to visit Sam's family (it's also his birthday!) and enjoy the long weekend. Time to finish the paper due on Saturday and get a jump on next week's readings.

one week down, four to go

Woo-hoo! My Education class is 20% finished!

Normally I'm not one to count down until the end of class (unless I really don't like the class), but since this class is so condensed, I feel like I'm allowed in this case.

I really like the class, even though we average about 100 pages of reading per class every time (200 a week), I feel like I'm learning SO much. I'll be happy when they crazy schedule is over in four weeks, but I'm determined to enjoy the class in the meantime.

So yeah, class is going all right, and wedding plans are coming together as well. We finished registering this week and I bought Sam's wedding band. It was definitely the week for rings :)

My Official Engagement Ring

My one-of-a-kind ring finally came in! Sam designed it, and I think it's very me. The setting is Rose Gold, and the diamond is absolutely fantastic. A few quick reasons why I like it include: it falls into a category of its own for style (like me!), it is classic at the core but modern by sight (also like me), and it is simple but still special (hopefully like me too).

Anyway, now it's my turn to buy his ring. Wish me luck!

Dead Week/Crazy Weekend

Oh boy, I had thought having one week without classes would be relaxing, but it was just as crazy as ever! The only real difference was that instead of going to class on Tuesday and Thursday after work, I was babysitting. This was the second week since Sam and I got engaged where we were four days on and then three days off. You would think it wouldn't be that big of a deal since that has been our arrangement all semester, but absence is definitely making the heart grow fonder (and more frustrated!).

Anyway, Friday was a long day at work. Followed by a visit to Leatherby's with Kelsey, Matthew, and Taylor (Sam's cousins) and a Graduation Party. I had the worst headache, and tried to sleep it off after Sam took me home (to no avail, I might add). My head still hurt when I woke up at 3:45am to get ready for my Temple Shift, and I couldn't take pain meds on an empty stomach. I did however get some after I had lunch and took a nap later that afternoon, but it really didn't do much for me.

We went to register at Target before heading to Kaylen & Graden's wedding reception, and we spent a good 2.5 hours scanning stuff. I had been a detailed list of things we needed, and it still felt like it took forever. But, we got everything we needed, and I think we did a pretty good job working together to make decisions.

After the reception, we just needed to chill, so we watched a few Studio C episodes at Sam's house and talked for a bit. I was SO tired by the time I got home, but spending a good portion of my day with him makes it worth it :)

As far as wedding plans go, we still need to register at Bed Bath & Beyond, decide on the meal for the luncheon, and start looking for places to live. We're doing pretty well, all things considered.

Tonight is my first class of the summer semester, I can't believe this is the midpoint in my program! Fingers crossed that I don't lost my sanity between now and July 18.

Baby Fever

In the midst of working, waiting for grades, and various tasks of wedding planning, I've been hit with  a full-blown case of baby fever. Normally I can feel it coming on, and nip it in the bud before it escalates. Not this time!

I partially blame Grey's Anatomy, especially after last week's episode when (spoiler alert!) Meredith gave birth to a  beautiful baby girl. Mostly, I blame it on the fact that I can actually hear my internal clock ticking. One of my colleagues laughed when I said that, and wanted to know what it sounded like. Personally, I hear the sounds of an actual clock ticking mingled with the sounds of babies cooing. It's really starting to get to me.

How is this different from any other time I've had baby fever?

Well, in about 10 weeks, being married will open up the possibility of having my own babies. Which leads to the conversation about kids; how many do we want, how far apart, and who will stay home with them, etc.

I'd always pondered the idea of having my own kids, but it kind of faded in and out. I questioned whether or not it was something I wanted, and after months and months of back and forth, the answer was: Yes, I do want kids.

I've often dreamed about my kids, and in my dream there are three of them. Here is a summary of my dream babies, shared straight out of my journal:

Rachel Linnea
Brown curly hair and brown eyes
Loves to read and write stories
Often the one to take charge and lead her younger siblings into their next big adventure

Josie Anne
Blonde hair and brown eyes
Loves to sing and dance, often the star actress in her older sister's stories
Chock full of personality and seriously the sweetest little girl you'll ever meet

Leo Boston
Thick curly blonde hair and blue eyes
Affectionate and observant
Follows Rachel around like he's supposed to be her shadow


Maybe one day they won't just be my dream, they will be my reality.

The Visiting Teaching Trifecta!

So, my Visiting Teachers are awesome. Kaylen is getting married this weekend, and now Kaylie is getting married too! For one whole week, we are all engaged. Kaylen dubbed us the VT Trifecta. Here's the being engaged to the best guys around :)