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Adorbs

Our home teacher is my good friend Erin‘s husband. So, that’s awesome. Sometimes if his companion can’t come Chris brings Erin and it’s the best home-teaching in the world. Last month they had us over for dinner.

A full out turkey dinner with beautiful dishes and the cutest place setting you have ever seen. Check it out.

Thanks, guys!

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A Night at Provo Canyon

On Friday, September 16, we headed up the canyon when T.J. got off of work and met some friends for a fire pit. It was a beautiful evening and was the perfect time to go because it hadn’t gotten too cold yet.

Don’t worry, those are mushrooms with our hotdogs, not marshmallows.

Eva bug is sporting a vest… she’s obviously a real outdoorsman.

Dustin (T.J.’s brother with his daughter Holly), T.J., and Nate (old roommate)

Me and my bestie

Gorgeous color-changing trees!

That’s Provo

I love living in Provo. It’s perfect for our situation as T.J. finishes school. We’re still surrounded by students and other couples in the same situation as us. But it comes a price. Living in Provo means people are constantly coming in and out and, of course, it’s always so fun when you grow close to new people, but it is always so depressing (no matter how often it happens) when people move away.

This summer is no exception. I have some of the best girlfriends in the world, but a handful of them have just moved away, or at least moved out of my ward. The latest, Chelsea Paxton! She and her husband moved to Kansas last week.

Chelsea was so supportive and caring to me and Eva this summer! I can’t count the number of times she offered to hold Eva at church (which is appreciated more than I can even express) or went on walks with me. We’ll miss you guys!

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Happy Birthday, President Monson!

President Monson turns 85 on August 21 and to celebrate, there was a celebration for him at the Conference Center in Salt Lake last Friday night. My friend had extra tickets and invited a couple of us girls to join her. I was able to get a babysitter and go!

The program was incredible. President Monson loves broadway music and so the night was filled with some of his favorite tunes from Annie, Les Misérables, The Music Man, Phantom of the Opera, and Cats. The Choir sang, in addition to several guest singers: one from the Met., one who was Christine in the Phantom on Broadway, and another was toured in Les Mis. I teared up in every single song because they were just so talented and the Spirit was so strong. At one point, Boy Scouts came out singing while holding flags. It was precious.

Between the songs, they showed clips from family and friends saying Happy Birthday and sharing memories of President Monson. I am always blown away when I hear about the service that he has given to the church. He is an example to us all!

After the event, we walked around Temple Square and then had dessert at The Cheesecake Factory (conveniently right across the street now at the City Creek Center… I love that place!).

Thanks, Sarah, for inviting me! It was so wonderful to have a night out spent with good friends and a wonderful concert!

(Thanks, Sarah, for the pics.)

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Grand Opening

My friend Ashley owns the Awful Waffle, a little waffle and crepe shop in Provo. It has done so well that they moved locations and expanded their menu with pizzas and gelato (to die for, btw). This week was their grand opening and the night before it opened to the public she had a friends and family event and I was lucky enough to be invited!

The new restaurant at The Village (a brand new apartment complex) is stunning! It is such a fun atmosphere and the food was fantastic. Thanks, Ashley, for inviting us and congratulations on this new stage!

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I Can Hear the Bells

Four years ago, on a late night in April, my brother dropped me off at my new apartment complex. I knocked on the door and a girl came to the door. I wasn’t sure if I was at the right place or if it was the right time for me to move in, so I seemed a bit hesitant when I said, “Hey, uhh I think I’m your new roommate? Are you Bethany?”

Bethany and I always look back at that evening because I was this little 19 year old who arrived on a newly returned missionary’s doorstep and from there, we both changed each others’ lives! Ever since that night, we have been the type of friends who don’t necessarily need to see each other every day to stay close. We can just call and catch up every once in a while and it seems like no time has passed. Aren’t those the best types of friends?

That summer that we lived together in Chathamtown, she helped me grow up and mature so much and really helped me grow my testimony in the gospel of Jesus Christ and I helped her get out of her awkward RM phase. 🙂 It was the best mix, and I have loved her ever since. She is one of the most special girls I know and deserves the absolute best.

Well, she found the absolute best and as you can tell, is incredibly happy! Last evening, I attended their sealing in the Mount Timp. temple and got to be at her wedding dinner following. I am so grateful that she has found her perfect companion! I don’t know him too well yet, but you can just tell that they are perfect for each other!

Love you, Bethany!

SYLYB

This past Tuesday, my BFF and RM packed up her life and drove back to Texas. Hannah is starting grad-school at TWU this fall and although I could not be more thrilled for her to start this next step, it is very hard to see her leave!

Cubby’s and the Olympics on our last night together

Friendship bracelets

Matching nails

The best Nanny Hanny in the world! Miss you already, Hannah!

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The Borrowers Lost a Car

Let me tell you a story.

It was Monday night. I had put Eva to sleep and was about to unpack from my Boise trip when I received a text from my dear roommate Hannah.

“I didn’t want to tell you because I wish it didn’t happen but I saw a tiny mouse in the kitchen when I was leaving today… It was traumatizing.”

I was in my bed when I got that text and I couldn’t get myself to move for about an hour. Then I convinced myself I was going to find it and somehow get it out of my house that night because I could not live in a mouse house.

So, what is the first step when you want to hunt a mouse? You put on your mouse huntin’ outfit of course. Underwear and boots. The boots were the key, obviously. I called up my friend Erin who lives down the street and asked her to help me. I put on my pajamas, don’t worry.

Erin and I proceeded to look around the house, open all the cupboards, drawers, crooks, and crannies. Picture me wearing the mouse huntin’ outfit, banging the broomstick throughout the whole house like the awful girlfriend in the Parent Trap when they camp.

There was no mouse to be found, so I prayed hard that I’d be able to stop thinking about it long enough to fall asleep and that we’d be able to catch it.

Fast forward to the next morning. I was in bed working, Eva was napping. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a littttttle black speck move on the carpet. My heart stopped. I couldn’t be sure that it was the mouse, I was hoping my eyes were playing tricks on me. But I jumped up on my bed, called Erin and told her the sitch (short for situation).

“Erin, I think the mouse is in my room but I can’t be sure, what do you think I should…”

At that point, I screamed louder than I’ve ever screamed in my life. The little wretched mouse, or the natural disaster (the name we gave the whole thing), peaked its head out from behind my dresser. Each time I screamed, it would go back behind it. I got off the phone, cried like a little school girl, and had a mental break down as I watched it run out of my room and into the living room/kitchen where there were countless places to hide.

If only the traps were set up already, I would have caught him!

I set the traps up immediately, grabbed whatever I needed for the rest of the day, including Eva in the middle of her nap, and headed to T.J.’s parents.

Wow, this story is long. And awful.

I’ll speed it up. I slept in Hannah’s room that night because I couldn’t be upstairs without wearing my boots. The next morning, we walked up the steps together. Trap one. Nothing. Trap two and three. Nothing. Trap four. Nothing. Trap five. Nothing… WAIT YES…. THERE IT WAS! We got Annie!

I started singing, “Ding dong the witch is dead,” to celebrate and I had my next door neighbor, a retired man (who told me he’s had a couple lately and thinks there’s a nest in the bushes in the front yard) to take it out for me. It was the worst thing I’ve ever gone through, which my mom made me realize that my life must not be too hard. But guys, it really was awful. Awful.

When there’s one, there’s usually more, so we will see. Just in case, I’m always on the edge of my seat, curious of noises around me, and ready to run out of the house.

To end the story, Hannah lost her shoes the other day. I told her the borrowers probably took them. Then we joked about how they are probably moving a lot slower lately now that their car (the mouse) is gone. Not as funny when I write it, but at the time it was so funny.

Hopefully this is the only chapter of this story that will ever be written.

The end.

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Thoughtful Friends and Family

Guys, T.J. has already been gone for a month. We are 1/4 through the internship! Obviously there were times that were hard, but it wasn’t horrible because I had so many friends and family help out all month long.

Thanks to my in-laws. They have watched Eva countless times so I could get out and have some time to myself, and had me over whenever I’ve needed some company.

Thanks to my visiting teachers. On my anniversary, they brought be chocolates and a dozen roses. Seriously, they’re the best.

Thanks to my roommate, Hannah. She has helped me with Eva, kept me company, brought me home surprises, and even let me sleep in her bed when we had the natural disaster.

Thanks to the “widow’s club” aka Erin and Chelsea who’s husbands are also gone. They have helped with me Eva, and kept me busy with dinners and walks.

Thanks to everyone else who have thought of me by sending texts, calls, and messages.

I’m really overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of my friends and family. I don’t want this blog post to sound like that Seriously, So Blessed blog… but I think it’s too late. This month has flown by and actually been a pretty good one, thanks to all of you!

 

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Infestation

Last week, Hannah and I went for a walk down at Utah lake in the evening. We were so excited… it sounded like a great plan.

“How come we never go down to the lake?” We kept asking.

“It’s like we’re going to the beach on a vacation!”

We strapped Eva in the stroller and started our walk, admiring the beautiful sunset, the sailboats, and the mountains.

Then it happened. Bugs were everywhere. Just tons and tons of gnats. It lightened up a bit until we heard this loud buzzing. Hannah asked if it was a boat. I couldn’t understand where it was coming from because the trees were far away and it almost sounded like surround sound.

I looked up. It was a HUGE swarm of gnats. A big black cloud of them!

“RUN!!!”

That’s the last time I’ll be going to the lake in the evening.