Wedding Tidbits Update!

Well, wedding life is still cruising along.

All the tidbits now are falling into place!

A few days ago, I just booked the salon for me and my girlies to primp and get ready the morning of! We'll be getting our hair and makeup done at Simonson's, and I'm pretty stoked! Now I just gotta figure out what I'm doing for my hair...Can't decide on a style! 

Also finally figured out my "sorta" bachelorette party!
Friday night, my last night before I become a wife, I am having girls night in with my bridesmaids. 
I don't have time to do a bachelorette party, so I'm just having my very closest loved ones over for the night to party and hang out and have fun.
We'll stay up all not making smoothies, reading Cosmo, and just being giggly crazy girls.
We'll probably get hardly any sleep.
But that's okay - I prefer it that way! 
Then we'll all head over to the salon together the next morning!

We just sent the invitations out a couple days ago!!

Eeeeek!!

That was probably one of the most exciting moments for me!

It's like, really, {really} official now! haha

There's still a handful sitting on my desk that we still need to track down addresses for.

Now I'm just sitting all super excited to start getting RSVPs back!!

I literally {just} ordered the bowls for our centerpieces!

I don't know if I told you what our centerpieces are yet!

And actually, now that I think about it, I don't think I will tell you...

...have to save some details for the actual wedding, right?

My first (of three) bridal showers is next weekend!

I am super excited!!

I have been to perhaps a dozen and now I get to go to my own!

Woot!

Thomas and I still are undecided about where to go for our honeymoon.

We do know when though: we'll be going from [roughly] December 26 to January 2.

I think it's going to be a very very good Christmas for me this year. ;)

We finished putting together our slideshow to play during dinner!

I had my first {official} dress fitting last weekend!

I had already seen Som once last summer to show her my dress on me, and for her to figure out what needed to be done.

If you haven't heard about my dress, here's a bit about it.

It was an old dress at the store, stored in back. 

From last season.

So it was off the rack.

So it was dirt cheap ($371)!!

Buuut, it was a size 8.

So I was literally swimming in it.

It was a little ridiculous.

But I just loved it so much I had to get it, even though it was 8 sizes too big.

So when I went to see Som for the very first time, she laughed her head off at how big it was.

Real self-esteem booster, let me tell ya!

Anywho, so last week she had taken it all in and hemmed it up.

It was {wonderful} to stand in front the mirror in my wedding dress and see how it actually fits.

It was the first time I felt like a bride!

I still need to meet with her one more time, in November.

For the dress to be temple appropriate, the back needs to be made higher.

So, she has to take out the zipper, add more fabric and crystals, and add a longer zipper.

Ooooh! But the BEST part about Som's alterations to my dress???

She made the bussel have five different pin-up points.

So when I pin up my train, it will fan out in the back so you can see the entire design of the train, not just the central part. 

I don't really know how to explain it.

Other than it's simply gorgeous.

Soooo anywho, I think that's about all the updates I have for wedding buzz.

Nothing all that exciting.

Oh, we'll be meeting with our DJ for the first time in the upcoming weeks, and our photographer.

In the meantime, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for those RSVPs! 

What is The Book of Mormon?

The Book of Mormon.

I get a lot of questions about it.

So here are some answers.

The Book of Mormon is sacred scripture.

As Latter-Day Saints, we believe that the Book of Mormon is sacred scripture in addition to the Bible. The Bible, which is sacred scripture written in ancient times, covers the history of the eastern world before, during, and shortly after Christ's life. The Book of Mormon covers the history of the western world, the Americas. It begins with a family from Jerusalem. Lehi and his family (along with another family and a tag-along) are told by the Lord to leave Jerusalem before it is destroyed. After many trials in the wilderness, being instructed by God to build a ship, and crossing the ocean, they eventually arrive in the Americas. From there, the Book of Mormon is written upon plates, which were buried until the proper time to bring to earth the fullness of the Lord's gospel. "The record gives an account of two great civilizations. One came from Jerusalem in 600 BC, and afterwards separated into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. The other came much earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel...After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians" (Introduction to the Book of Mormon). 

Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon.

When Joseph Smith was just 14 years old, he was living in a time in the United States when there were many different churches within his town, all teaching different doctrine. Concerned about his eternal salvation, young Joseph went to ask God which church was teaching the correct doctrine, which church was the true church for him to join. After prayerful study of both churches and the Bible, he remained confused about which church to join, so he went out into the woods to vocally pray to God. God answered him through a vision, and said no church on Earth had the Lord's full gospel, and that the Lord was going to use Joseph Smith to restore His church and gospel in its fullness to the earth. Eventually, this led to the translation of the buried plates through the power and gift of God.

The Vision
The vision of God and Christ in the words of Joseph Smith:
"I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other, 'this is my beloved Son, hear him!'"

Angel Moroni
Moroni was a Nephite, the son of Mormon, the prophet-historian responsible for abridging the Book of Mormon. Moroni was the last known living Nephite, prophet, and writer of the Book of Mormon. He is also the one who buried the plates, and the man the Lord chose to reveal those plates to Joseph Smith. So, just over three years after the First Vision in the Sacred Grove, the Angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith one night as he was praying to help prepare Joseph to bring forth the Book of Mormon. In this visit he explained the trails that laid ahead in his calling, along with the blessings and the importance of such a calling. He also later visited with Joseph on an annual basis at the place where the plates laid, to instruct him in his calling as a prophet of the Lord.

Snippets from the Book of Mormon
"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know yet not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also." (2 Nephi 29: 7-8)


"And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and He hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good." (2 Nephi 33: 10)


"And He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; And this that the word might be fulfilled which saith He will take upon Him the pains and the sicknesses of His people. And He will take upon Him death, that He may loose the bands of death which bind His people; And He will take upon Him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that He may know according to the flesh how to succor (come to the aid of) His people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12)


Jesus appears to the people of Nephi after He has been crucified and resurrected: 

Jesus Christ visiting the Nephites

"Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name - hear ye Him. And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending out of heaven; and He was clothed in a white robe; and He came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon Him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them. And it came to pass that He stretched forth His hand and spake unto the people, saying; Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning." (3 Nephi 11: 7-11)

"Amazing Dip" Dip

It's the Grey's Anatomy season premiere tonight, so I'm having some girls over.

We're eating snackies.

So I have a delish dip for ya'll to try sometime. 

I got this from my friend, Shannon.

So all credit goes to her. 

;)

I call it: "Amazing Dip" Dip.

Here is what you need:

1 block of cream cheese (8oz)

1 jar of salsa (desired spiciness)

1 bag (2 cups) of shredded cheddar cheese

(I actually use mexican blend for the extra zest!)

Now, it's really simple:

Preheat your oven to 350.

Take a glass baking pan.

Spread the cream cheese on the bottom of the pan evenly.

It works best if you soften the cream cheese beforehand.

Once the cream cheese is down, cover it with salsa.

Use as much or as little as you like.

I like lots of salsa because the cream cheese neutralizes it.

Then, spread the shredded cheese over the salsa.

Bake in the oven for about five minutes, or until the shredded cheese is melted.

Serve with chips and enjoy!

Seriously, you will enjoy.

A lot.

'Tis the Season

I'm sitting my dorm room drinking a can Pepsi (with a straw of course) and killing time until Thomas gets off work.

I'm not expecting him anytime soon.

Because, you know how it goes:

On the weekdays, when we can't see each other, he gets off at 8:30.

But it's the weekend.

And he's coming to visit me when he gets off.

So he won't be getting off before 10. 

Right.

Hoooooly MOLY my phone is going off...

It's singing Taylor Swift's "Love Story"...

...it's Thomas.

I'll be right back...

Well that really got my hopes up.

I figured he was calling me to tell me he's off.

Nope.

He's rolling silverware.

*sigh*

So like I said, not before ten...

Anywho! 

The purpose of tonight's blog is

(aside from being a tool of distraction and time killing)

To talk to you about Autumn.

I love the fall.

I told Thomas once, when he asked me what my favorite season was, that it's whatever season we are currently in.

So naturally, right now, my favorite season is fall.

There's something about the crispness of the air,

Walking around campus in a sweatshirt,

The change of leaves...

....ahhh, the leaves changing.

Hands down, the best part of fall, right?

So yesterday I drove down to St. Peter to visit the love of my life:
My Maid of Honor, Christie.

This Girl:

Man, I love her!

Anywho, the drive down there was amazing!

Long, but so amazing!

It was just flooded with trees everywhere,

Well, and a lot of farms too.

But the trees were oh so gorgeous!

Not too many were changing colors yet, but there were a few.

And guess what?

I passed several apple orchards.

Another perk of the fall-time.

Big perk.

I haven't been to one in forever...think I'd like to go sometime in the near future!

Have some fresh apple cider!!

Mmmm!!

And of course, this apple orchard also had a pumpkin patch!

Gah! Another perk of fall!

Pumpkin carving!!

Halloween! 

Pumpkin Pie.

Thanksgiving.

Mmmm...Thanksgiving.....

Sometimes I seriously don't know which I like better:

Thanksgiving or Christmas.

It's a tough decision...

Ooooh!

And Corn mazes!

It's Corn maze season!!

I LOOVE Corn mazes!

Of course, who doesn't, right?

I wanna go to one of those in the near future too!

And of course, it's just cold enough where you can start to make hot chocolate!

Start snuggling under the blankies...

...or, ya know, a snuggie...

Ahh, so much to do before winter hits.

I do love fall.

It's a wonderful time of the year.

Oh, and as a final note:

I started the Christmas music today.

:)

Beautiful Girl

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

Your insecurities are written all over

It's the way you pose

The clothes you wear

The smile you {try} to paint on your face.

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

Why do you try so hard

To sell yourself so short?

Why do you try so hard

To only put yourself down?

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

You stand in the mirror all day long

Pose after pose with your camera.

Pucker your lips, pull your shirt down

Stick out that booty just right.

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

You hike up your skirt

Splash on the makeup

Primp and curl your hair.

Then pose after pose

It's gotta be just right.

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

It's now on the net for all to see

Your glamoured and pampered face.

You puckered your lips, pulled your shirt down

Hiked up your skirt, stuck that booty out

And now you've got what you wanted

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

They're hootin' and hollerin'

Whistlin' and callin'

You all those sexy names.

You're "hot" and you're "Sexy"

They all want your number,

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

They go crazy for that cleavage

They love your luscious hair

The puckered lips tell them "come hither"

They all want your number

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

You got their attention

You know that they want you

So why do you cry and cry?

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.


Beautiful girl, you do so well
You cover those scars that run deep
With low-cut tops and heavy makeup
No one can see the scared the girl within
Every pose you strike
Every smile you flash
A very deceiving act
Top star performance to the girl in the mirror

Dry your tears, so, Beautiful, you'll see

There's so much more within you.

Dry your tears, so the mirror's clear,

Because Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

Beautiful girl, why can't you see?

Why must you knock yourself down?
Beautiful girl, one day you'll learn,

YOU determine your worth, not THEM.

You're smart and you're funny

You're sweet and so charming

You have so much potential within you.

You're going to go places, you'll do wonderful things,

If only you let your soul fly.

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.

Don't sell yourself short, don't ever forget,

There's more to you than what's outside.

Don't let them make you believe

You are ever less than perfect.

Beautiful girl, this one's for you.


Today's a new day
So wash off that face
A splash of fresh cleansing water
Hold your chin high
Smile a {real} smile
Beautiful girl, go soar the sky.

Baby Fever...Animal Style

In three months and three days I will be Mrs. Macmillan.

I'm kinda really excited about that.

But what am also equally excited about?
It means I'm one step closer to soon enough having little baby Macmillans running around the house.
I feel like my baby fever is exhibiting extra high temps lately.

I am going through Mama Madness.

I am ready to be domesticated.

Well, Thomas and I have no money.

And it's going to be a couple years until we do actually have money.

We were talking today about puppies.

And guessing when we'd financially be able to have a dog.

And what kinda dog.

So then I started thinking...

...since puppies are so expensive, and I really need something to take care of my mommy desires, what else could I have?

Don't get me wrong, Winston is wonderful.

But he doesn't exactly fill the mommy cravings I'm having.

I can't canoodle him.

Although I do talk to him.

And I swear, call me crazy, but I swear he understands me.

Anywho. A fish just doesn't do much for me.

So I've been researching what other (somewhat inexpensive) pets I could have.

Ya know, instead of actually being productive with my lesson plan.

Hey, what's the internet for, right?

Right.

So here is what I've found...

I could get a hedgehog.

I mean, just look at those adorable faces!!

GAH!! Sooo cute!!

I've discovered they're still a bit pricy...

...ranging anywhere from $100 to $300.

Still, cheaper than a lot of puppies.

As for caring for hedgehogs, it seems pretty simple.

I need a basic cage, the kind you keep hamsters in.

I need a hiding place for him, and some soft bedding for his cute little feet.

He will love to chew and run, so I'll need a wheel and something for him to nibble on.

He will eat a mix of puppy and cat food, about 70-100 calories a day.

He would be an expensive first buy, but inexpensive to maintain.

And they live 3-6 years...just right until my little mini-me comes into this world.

Or I could get a parrot.

Well, really I couldn't.

I've always wanted a parrot.

A gorgeous bird, so beautiful!

Buuuuut....just about any species of parrot is at leas $1,000.

Ouch.

Definitely don't have that kinda money.

Maybe someday...

So I could instead maybe get a bunny.

I always had bunnies growing up, and I loved them!

Which also means, I know exactly how to take care of them.

And they are inexpensive: about $30-$40 to purchase with minimal upkeep.

I do looove bunnies...

Or perhaps I could get a pet skunk.

Did you know you can have a skunk for a pet???

They're actually kinda really cute!!

They like to be in pairs though, although if you only have one, supposedly that makes them much more cuddly towards you, the owner.

Isn't that exactly what I want?

They are fed lots of veggies, yogurt, and some protein.

And don't worry, the skunks are "descented" by the breeders when they are 2-5 weeks old.

They can be trained to use a litter box too!

But, baby skunks are about $200 to $300.

Hmm...

Then there are miniature piggies!

They are sooo cute!!

And pigs actually aren't dirty.

They're really clean

And smart!!!

But alas, these too are out of my budget range.

Wanna know how much little Porkchop would cost?

Well, the cheapest breed starts at $900.

And the most expensive breed?
A whopping $5k.

Yeah.

Guess little Wilbur is outta the pitcure.

I could get a lizard!

A chameleon would be sweet!

Or an iguana!

Buuut a lizard really wouldn't satisfy the cuddly, lovely, motherly instinct that consumes me.

Maybe not the best idea for me...

How about a sugar glider?

I am in love with these little guys...

Just look at those freakin' adorable eyes!

As I've read more about them, I fall even more in love.

Apparently, they are extremely bonding animals.

As in: once they've attached themselves to an owner or family, they bond very closely and love to be around them.

They will always want to be on your shoulder or in your pocket, and they will follow you everywhere.

They love to cuddle to be held.

Um, perfect?

It's best if they have a larger cage because they're very active

But many people let them wander their house.

They are also extremely social, so you must be able to give them lots of attention, and it's ideal if they can have another glider playmate.

Their diet is simple, and according to one resource, will cost about $4 a month for one glider.

Another plus on the financial side?
They require virtually no medical care - because they carry no known diseases such as heartworm or anything and they don't need vaccinations.

As for the downside of the financial aspect: they are expensive.

The average price is $175 - and like I said, it's ideal to have at least two.

Ahhh, but I'm so in love with them!

I'll keep up my search for an ideal pet for me.

Something that satisfies my cuddly nature,

But also something I can afford.

I just really need a baby.

And since I'm not ready to make my own baby,

I think I need to buy a pet baby in the near future.

With a Little Faith...

I am a big fan of stumbleupon.com.

Big. Fan.

It's probably the greatest procrastination tool created.

I would say even more so than facebook.

That's right.

So if you don't have a profile yet, you should totally make one.

You find some pretty sweet stuff.

So how it works is you create a profile and enter your "interests."

Then this site uses your interests and brings you to random internet sites that relate to whatever you entered as your interests.

So for me, I get lots of sites of amazing photography of nature and animals, animal sites, cooking sites, and online games.

Today I was on there because I was bored.

I coulda been reading for class, but I didn't want to...

And it brought me to this story...

It brought me to tears, so I just wanted to share it with you.

I hope it touches your heart the way it touched mine.

This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with 2  legs - 

He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him. 

 

His first owner also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'. But then, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted  to take care of him. She became determined to teach and train this little dog to walk by himself..   She named him 'Faith'.  

In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfboard to let him feel the movement. Later she used peanut  butter on a spoon as a lure and reward 

for him for standing up and jumping around. 

Even the other dog at home encouraged him to walk. 

Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle,   

Faith learned to balance on his hind legs and to jump to move forward. 

After further training in the snow, he could now walk like a human being. 

 

Faith loves to walk around now. No matter where he goes, he attracts people to him. He is fast becoming famous on the international scene and has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows. There is now a book entitled 'With a Little Faith' being published about him.. He was even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies. 

 

His present owner Jude Stringfellew has  given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to  preach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul'.  

 



 



 



 



 



 

In life there are always undesirable things, so in order to feel better 

you just need to look at life from another direction. 

I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone 

and that everyone will appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day. 

Faith is the continual demonstration of the strength and wonder of life .