Turkey Week

WOW so I have to do a little freak out like I did in the last post...

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!!!!!!!!!
yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya!!!!!
December 29th... you are finally going to be here!!! 
I ♥♥♥ Martin Paul Abbott and I don't care who knows it! :D 


eh-hem. okay I'm good now :)

... now I need to record the happenings of Thanksgiving break 2010.


Friday: Nov 19


I ran home from class. packed my stuff. Grabbed my brother Bryce. Drove home. :)

Saturday: Nov 20


2 Bridal showers in one day!


I had a ward shower in the morning hosted by my dear neighbors Diane Pearson & Jean Just. Both of them have known me since I was a little kid and they have always felt like family. There was a great turn out that was a mixture of my ward family and my mom's teacher friends. I felt so loved. Everyone in attendance had a story about me, I felt like I had actually left a hole when I left for college that I hadn't realized before. It was a funny feeling to look around in a room full of ladies who I have known my whole life and realize that they were some of my dearest friends. Some people had to travel quite a ways to be there and it meant so much to me that they would make the effort. Marty was cute and came with me, usually grooms don't even know when the showers are or even what they are, but he wanted to participate and support me and I was so glad to have him there. It felt more like a family reunion than anything else. It was nice to show him the people who had raised me and helped me become who I am. I realized the truth of the saying that "it takes a town to raise a kid" I had my town and they did a beautiful job of raising me :)

The afternoon shower started at 2 in the afternoon. It was a family shower hosted by Michele Larsen  & Chelese Fasselin. Michele is one of my mom's oldest and dearest friends, they go way back and somehow their lives have been parallel enough that they have kept in touch. She was kind enough to offer to throw me a family shower because she realized that my mom only has brothers. Chelese is Michele's daughter and has been one of my best friends literally since birth. I am 9 days older than her and that's how long we've known each other. I always loved when our families would get together. We have the kind of friendship that can always pick up right where we left off. They both did an amazing job with the theme of the party. Michele and Chelese both understand my love of penguins and also my love of lime green. Their house was decorated so cute and the food was amazing! My mom and I went out to their house the night before the shower to help set up food and stuff - that was probably my favorite part. Chelese got married last January and somehow life has been so crazy that I haven't seen her since... but it was really nice to catch up with her and I even got to see her way cute apartment- It made me really excited for when Marty and I get a place of our own :)
The shower was way amazing and we played some fun games- Marty had to go out of the room for those...
Overall great food, and great company :) Again I felt incredibly loved and supported.

Me and Chelese :) BFFAE

My mom & Michele

Michele & Chelese wrapped our gifts according to the letter they started with and spelled out "penguins"

So cute! Example: P-Pizza cutter

THE FOOD!!! -you can't really tell, but there are rice crispies dipped in chocolate that look like little penguins!

We were 2 for 2. Two awesome showers in one great day! Now I just have to learn how to cook so I can use all the fun kitchen stuff we got... ;)

Sunday: Nov 21

One year anniversary of the day Marty and I met :D
The Great Gatsby Party will always be one that we remember fondly.
I love telling people how we met... our story is definitely one- of- a- kind.
All I can say is I saw him dancing and that's the last I've seen of my heart... ♫

Monday: Nov 22

A day for errands. I went around with my mom getting the things that needed to be done. Not all wedding planning is fun and breezy, there's a lot of work behind it.
I ended the day by driving up to Layton to hang out with Marty :) always a good way to end my day.

Tuesday: Nov 23


I Helped Marty make deliveries for his business experiment Neighbor 2 Neighbor. He has such an entrepreneur mindset and he's always trying to think of the next need he could fill and make a business out of it. Neighbor 2 neighbor was designed to promote local businesses in a friendly way from someone who actually lived in the neighborhood.  Each business involved had the option to put their logo and company info on various household items like pens and magnets and then Marty delivered them in a packaged "gift" to their door. Pretty cool I thought. No I don't have to say that because he's my fiance... I mean it!

Later we went and met with an advisor from Weber State University. I will be transferring there in the Spring to be with Marty. It's been kind of a headache process to say the least. I felt comforted meeting with an advisor and getting some answers. I am finally a registered student! Although I will still always be a TRUE AGGIE!

That afternoon my family and I began our journey down to St George to spend Thanksgiving with my "Gramma" Carol. We beat the mighty snowstorm that hit everyone up north.

Missy and I started taking pictures to entertain ourselves after we had already been in the car about 4 hours... haha

Wednesday-Saturday: Nov 24- 27

Oh my goodness! We got so much done! My grandma finished my dress and altered it a little so it was perfect! AHHHH! I LOVE IT!!!  It's better than anything I could have pictured. It's so beautiful and it's even more special because she made it :)

My sister and I went on a walk to the mall since my grandma lives down the street from it, and we had a blast just getting lost in the St George mall for a while...

Thanksgiving was delicious as usual... :)

I peeled about 63748216437869 potatoes.. or at least it felt like it at the time. 

We had apple pie... mmmmm my favorite! 

I pretty much ate till I was so full that I didn't eat till the next day.

Black Friday, usually a day where you wake up early, gird your loins, and go shopping... right?
Well for me Black Friday consisted of finding the finishing bridal accessories and taking bridal pictures.
Getting married feels a lot like becoming royalty. You get beautiful accessories,  you get all dolled up, people take your picture, everyone asks to see the royal hand, and you're always the center of attention.  It's lots of fun, but I'll be glad when I am back to commoner status.
I got some pictures taken at the pine valley chapel-which is cool because we're having our reception at This is the Place Heritage Park where there is a replica of the chapel.
& because we were in Southern Utah... I had to get some red rock pictures... so we took some pictures in Snow Canyon. I'm proud and relieved that I didn't get any red on my pretty white dress.

Here are some Bridal teasers since Marty can't see me in my dress for one more month ;)

My bouquet :]

The necklace I'm going to wear. It's my grandma's and I also wore it to prom :)

Missy modeling her bride's maid dress wearing the lime green wig my aunt Jean gave me because it was one of my wedding colors.. haha

Saturday we left St George and were lucky enough to have dry roads the whole way home. Once we were back I hurried and did my laundry and sealed all my wedding invitations and headed out for the Abbott's house. It was Karen's Birthday and I wanted to be there.

Sunday: Nov 28

Thanksgiving round two! The Abbott family decided to celebrate all holidays the Sunday after the actual holiday so their kids wouldn't have to worry about in-laws and deciding where to go for every holiday.
We ate a delicious feast after attending their ward.

I hate goodbyes.... I had to leave around 4:00 so I wouldn't have to drive in the dark to Logan.
It's always so hard to get up and leave when everything is so perfect. I'm just so relieved that we only have to endure the emotional roller coaster that comes with long distance relationships for one more month!!! WAHOOO!

My future sister-in-law/ old roomie :) Jill and I caravanned back to Logan. The roads were horrible and slick, but we got back in about and hour and a half. We passed several cars that had rolled over and many more that had slid off the road. We were very grateful to have made it back unharmed.

Monday: Nov 29

Back to school.... I had such an amazing break I never wanted it to end...

However, I woke up an hour before my alarm was supposed to go off because I was so excited that we are finally only a month away!!! :D haha I'm in LOVE. deal with it ;) ♥

Life is full of surprises

First of all.... 40 days until Marty and I are MARRIED!!! afjdskahfjdkshgjkhdsjagkhdsjkhfdsjdbsvhicerywg! :D 
sorry I had to get that out first... :]

This time last year, marriage was the furthest thing from my mind. I was obsessed with my social life and friends and hardly anything else. My family came up to my apartment for thanksgiving- possibly my favorite thanksgiving ever. My mom cooked in my apartment and my family and I had the place to ourselves. Now Bryce is a freshman at USU and heading on a mission this summer. Missy is a freshman in high school. I'm getting married... crazy! Our family is now expanding to include Marty and his family. It used to make me sad to think about all the changes that are happening to my family, but now I have come to realize that they're all good changes. True, our family dynamic of just the 5 of us will be no more, but we're gaining some pretty amazing members of our team. I'm excited for the day that my siblings will find the loves of their lives and we can add them too.

This was taken Thanksgiving of 09

This Thanksgiving we will be going to our traditional Thanksgiving at Grandma's in St George. I'm so excited to have one last Thanksgiving feeling like one of the kids. I will always be a kid at heart. My "Gramma" Carol (as she likes us to call her) was kind enough to volunteer her talents and make my wedding dress. I'm so excited to see how it turned out! I realize I'm already not one of the kids, but at least we can have one last truly Boswell Thanksgiving. I also look forward to years of very Abbott thanksgivings :) I have so much to be grateful for this year.

moments

Since we got engaged one of the most commonly asked questions has been "how did you know?"

"how did you know he was the One?" 

It's true what they say, you do just know.

Looking back on the past year with Marty I realize that it was the little things, the small moments that made me fall for him.

Our first date... his smile when he picked me up for our date was undeniably cute.
I learned that night that he was different from other guys I had dated in the past. Our date happened to be right in the middle of the big finals storm, I warned him but he didn't want to cancel. We ended up spending 4 1/2 hours in the library so I could finish a project. It was so late by the time we got out that the restaurant we were going to go to was closed. When we got in his car to go find somewhere to eat he pulled out a small stuffed penguin ( my favorite animal since I was three) and said he remembered me mention that I liked them. Yep, from the beginning I didn't stand a chance...

On our second date... Marty took me out to dinner at what is now "our restaurant" and then we went to the store and got stuff to make ginger bread houses.. so much fun :) ( I dominated hehe)

Our first Kiss... The kind of kiss where the whole world stops and butterflies and electrical storms pulse through your veins.

The day he asked me to be his girl friend... We were talking with our noses together when he asked:

"hey if people ask.... is it okay if I call you my girl?"
     "yes... and if people ask, is it okay if I call you my boy?"
"No. I'm your man" :)

Christmas day... was the day he met my family, they saw instantly what I saw and he's been a part of my family ever since.

Snowshoeing through Jordan Pines... I was freezing cold and had snow down my pants but I couldn't stop smiling because I was with him. :]

Ice skating.... we had the whole rink to ourselves and when our song came on it felt like we were in a movie and we danced around the ice as he sang to me.. ♫

Holding hands.... I love holding his hand. We hold hands when we go on walks or run errands... and he squeezes my hand to tell me he loves me.

When I discovered we're both summer lovers... We met in the winter so when I found out we were both summer people I was super excited. To make the winter not seem so harsh I created "a day of summer". I love that Marty goes along with my silly ideas. ☼

Riding the grey hound bus... to save money we took a grey hound to St George over spring break. It was an adventure I will never forget.

Sitting on the beach of bear lake this summer... we went on a walk down the beach and ended up sitting in the sand and dreaming of eternity together.

When he proposed... happiest moment of my life. I remember the serious yet joyful look on his face... and the realization that this was finally happening. We're engaged!!! :D

Singing in the car... I think that's when I realized that he is my best friend. neither one of us sings well but we sure love it! we sing loud and proud!

When the phone rings... and I realize it's him an unstoppable smile spreads across my face and my butterflies remind me that they're still kicking.

Dancing in the morning... every time I have gone down and stayed the night at his parents house I always wake up to Marty singing and then he slow dances me awake, best cure for not being a morning person.

Notes and letters... I love all the things he writes to me. I keep them and read them when we're apart, even a simple "I love you" scribbled on a piece of paper is enough to make my day.

When he talks about the gospel... I love the passion and conviction he has with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He lights up from head to toe when he gets into discussions about spiritual things.

Oh goodness. I could go on forever. It's hard when we only get to be together on weekends, but we make the time we have together count. I fall in love again every time I see him...

Next time someone asks me how I knew, i'll just say it was all in the moments.

An attitude of gratitude

Tonight for FHE I decided to give a short lesson on gratitude since Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I took parts from President Monson's talk:

 An attitude of gratitude

This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.

           

Let us reflect gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His glorious gospel provides answers to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where does my spirit go when I die? His called missionaries bring to those who live in darkness the light of divine truth.

He taught us how to pray. He taught us how to live. He taught us how to die. His life is a legacy of love. The sick He healed; the downtrodden He lifted; the sinner He saved.

Only He stood alone. Some Apostles doubted; one betrayed Him. The Roman soldiers pierced His side. The angry mob took His life. There yet rings from Golgotha’s hill His compassionate words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34.)

Earlier, perhaps perceiving the culmination of His earthly mission, He spoke the lament, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Luke 9:58.) “No room in the inn” was not a singular expression of rejection—just the first. Yet He invites you and me to host Him. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20.)

Who was this Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief? Who is this King of glory, this Lord of hosts? He is our Master. He is our Savior. He is the Son of God. He is the author of our salvation. He beckons, “Follow me.” (Matt. 4:19.) He instructs, “Go, and do thou likewise.” (Luke 10:37.) He pleads, “Keep my commandments.” (John 14:15.)

Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude.

My sincere prayer is that we may, in our individual lives, reflect that marvelous virtue: an attitude of gratitude. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

We concluded with writing thank you cards and eating pumpkin pie :] 

I think tonight was a success.

Being a single's ward FHE mom is good practice for the future. 

Thank you to all those who have had such astounding impacts on my life. 

You know who you are.

bitter sweet

My dad texted me on Friday and asked me and my brother to come home this weekend for something important but he wouldn't tell us what it was. Bryce and I dropped everything we were doing and loaded up my little car and went home. It wasn't until today that we found out the big news was that my dad got called to be on the bishopric for my home ward. Those who know my dad know that he does not enjoy being the center of attention. He has always been a very reserved and humble man. Today when he stood to bare his testimony I knew with out a doubt that his calling was inspired. My dad has such a sweet strong testimony. I've only been privileged to hear it a few times in my life, but when he speaks it is with such power that I do not soon forget the spirit that he invites. The cherry on top was when my Marty jumped up in testimony meeting and bore his testimony as well. I am so blessed to have such amazing priesthood holders in my life. The rest of the time at church I was told by every sister how lucky I was and how Marty was a keeper. yeah... I think i'll hang on to him ;)

This weekend was so special. I got to really go home for the first time in months. I got to spend time with the five people who mean the most to me.
I am so grateful for family and eternal marriage.

The lord is so merciful. He knew that we would come to earth and fall in love with our spouses and families. He loves us so much that he allows us to be with them forever as long as we do the few simple things he asks.

Leaving them today broke my heart. I know that I will see them again next weekend and I will get to spend the whole thanksgiving week with them. but, just to leave them for that long was so incredibly hard.

I have a testimony of this gospel. Of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that Christ lives. I know that through God's plan we will all live in an endless state of joy. I know the road to get there is long and bumpy, but I also know that it is worth the ride and we should find joy in the journey. I love my family. I love my future husband. I am a blessed and lucky girl and I have many people who love me. I can't wait to be with them forever.

Thursday Thought

Every Thursday in my marketing class my teacher does "Thursday Thought". He sits in his chair all Mr Rogers-like and teaches us a life lesson. Today's lesson was on:

  Emotional Bank Accounts.

People either add or subtract from our accounts. He then gave us 5 ways in which we can add to someone's emotional bank account.

1. Understand

2. Attend to the little things

    -respect, courtesy, sensitivity, etc. 

3. Keep your promises

    - Reality = the words you say

    - are you trustworthy?

    - "be loyal to those who are absent"

4. Communicate effectively

    - "seek first to understand, then to be understood"

5. Apologize sincerely 

    - "if you're going to bow, bow deeply" chinese proverb

I thought these were things that if we all did them would make the world a better place. Today I am grateful for those who fill my emotional bank account. Or my "love tank" as other relationship books refer to it as. Thank you loyal friends near and far. Thank you family members. Thank you future family members.
And of course, I am especially grateful for my Marty. Today marks 11 months of being a couple. He is so attentive in making sure I have a full emotional bank account as well as a full love tank.
After one of our weekends together I told him that my love tank was full. and I explained that I am like a car that runs off love fuel :) I am blessed. I am loved.

I hope all who read this post will try to make a deposit instead of a withdrawal to the emotional bank accounts of those you come in contact with. I am making this a goal for myself as well.

50 days!

50 days???


seriously? 50?!?!?! 


I remember when 100 days was an accomplishment...


HOLY COW!!!

We're getting married in 50 days!


AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

(scream of joy)

:D

It's still true.

Last night when we were talking Marty asked "do you know when it was that I knew I was going to marry you?"
"tell me"
"Remember when I texted you after church when we were first dating and asked how church was?"
"yeah"
" and you said 'it's still true :)', that's when i knew"

The Church of Jesus Christ will always be true because Christ lives and he is the head of this church.

Tonight I was privileged to hear Elder M. Russell Ballard speak at the CES fireside, and I took down some notes...

The first council he gave was this "Keep the gospel of Jesus Christ SIMPLE"

1. How is your personal faith? Is there anything in your life that you feel needs change?

2. Fix the things that are not right. -Repentance

3. Remember the covenants we made at baptism.

4. The gift of the Holy Ghost
-testifies of Christ
-gives spiritual strength
-brings peace and comfort
-warns against danger
-helps us feel of God's love and direction

5. Endure to the End 
"no one is secure until the very end"

and to conclude he shared a poem:

The Oak Tree

by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

A mighty wind blew night and day.

It stole the Oak Tree's leaves away.

Then snapped its boughs

and pulled its bark

until the Oak was tired and stark.

But still the Oak Tree held its ground

while other trees fell all around.

The weary wind gave up and spoke,

"How can you still be standing Oak?"

The Oak Tree said, I know that you

can break each branch of mine in two,

carry every leaf away,

shake my limbs and make me sway.

But I have roots stretched in the earth,

growing stronger since my birth.

You'll never touch them, for you see

they are the deepest part of me.

Until today, I wasn't sure

of just how much I could endure.

But now I've found with thanks to you,

I'm stronger than I ever knew.

We are stronger than we know. The Gospel is true. I bare testimony that these things will improve the life of anyone who is willing to try them. Take these things in to your heart ♥