Bachelorette Party, Sealing, Reception...A Story in Pictures.

So, this post is a little overdue. Better late than never, right? Here is the story of my trip "down the aisle" and all the fun I had along the way. I stole these pictures from my sister-in-law Melissa's blog. She was kind enough to document all the festivities for me.

My Bachelorette party started with dinner at
Bucca di Beppo. Yum!

My family celebrates most major events at Bucca so we know the manager really well. Lorenzo loves us so he hooked us up with this amazing dessert platter. It was delicious!

The Gardner girls minus Kim. She lives in Salt Lake and wasn't able to make it.

The Scavenger Hunt for my gifts started at the Bellagio.

The Manti Temple the day before our sealing.

It snowed the day before.

The Manti Temple the day of our sealing. It was beautiful, but it was cold!

The temple looks amazing at night.

Our neices Elisabeth, Alison, and Heidi.

My sister-in-law Kim and neices.

Part of the Gardner clan.

Grandma Gardner and my brother-in-law David

My mom and my little sister Mia. The both looked gorgeous

My brother-in-law David and my nephew Ryan

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Gardner

So happy :)

Me and Melissa at the luncheon after the sealing. She and David were instrumental in planning the wedding. We owe them so much.

We were surprised with a horse-drawn carriage ride around Manti between the luncheon and the honeymoon suite at the Manti House Inn.

Love

I look thoroughly pissed but I was actually telling Michael that I was concerned because we didn't say goodbye to everyone.

Waving goodbye to our friends and family.

My brother-in-law Scott and our nephews Dylan and Ryan.

So cute!

Our neices, nephews, my sisters, and my cousin's daughter.

David, Melissa, Ryan, and Bella at our reception.

My Daddy walking me down the aisle.

The groomsmen

Our first dance.

Our last dance.

Our neice and nephew dancing. Too cute!

The ring ceremony.

It was beautiful.

The Gardner Clan.

The Gardner Men




 We finally got our Happily Ever After.

The Temple Challenge

As I was preparing to go through the Temple for the first time in order to prepare to be sealed to my husband, we started talking about all the adventures we wanted to have as a married couple. The biggest adventure we've decided to embark on so far is a life long mission to do an endowment session in every Temple in the world. With 134 Temples currently operating, 10 under construction, and 16 newly announced, we have our work cut out for us. With each passing year the number of Temples will increase and our goal will become more and more difficult to achieve. Since the goal is to experience this together, any of the Temples we've been to before we met don't count for this challenge. As we make it to each Temple, I'll update the list to reflect our progress. Names listed in black are Temples we still need to visit and names in blue are Temples we have "checked-off" our list. Here's the current list of LDS Temples:

Aba Nigeria Temple Accra Ghana Temple Adelaide Australia Temple Albuquerque New Mexico Temple Anchorage Alaska Temple Apia Samoa Temple Asunción Paraguay Temple Atlanta Georgia Temple Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple Bern Switzerland Temple Billings Montana Temple Birmingham Alabama Temple Bismarck North Dakota Temple Bogotá Colombia Temple Boise Idaho Temple Boston Massachusetts Temple Bountiful Utah Temple Brigham City Utah Temple† Brisbane Australia Temple Buenos Aires Argentina Temple Calgary Alberta Temple† Campinas Brazil Temple Caracas Venezuela Temple Cardston Alberta Temple Cebu City Philippines Temple Chicago Illinois Temple Ciudad Juárez México Temple Cochabamba Bolivia Temple Colonia Juárez Chihuahua México Temple Columbia River Washington Temple Columbia South Carolina Temple Columbus Ohio Temple Concepción Chile Temple† Copenhagen Denmark Temple Córdoba Argentina Temple† Curitiba Brazil Temple Dallas Texas Temple Denver Colorado Temple Detroit Michigan Temple Draper Utah Temple Edmonton Alberta Temple Fort Collins Colorado Temple† Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple† Fortaleza Brazil Temple† Frankfurt Germany Temple Freiberg Germany Temple Fresno California Temple Fukuoka Japan Temple The Gila Valley Arizona Temple Gilbert Arizona Temple† Guadalajara México Temple Guatemala City Guatemala Temple Guayaquil Ecuador Temple The Hague Netherlands Temple Halifax Nova Scotia Temple Hamilton New Zealand Temple Hartford Connecticut Temple† Helsinki Finland Temple Hermosillo Sonora México Temple Hong Kong China Temple Houston Texas Temple Idaho Falls Idaho Temple Indianapolis Indiana Temple† Johannesburg South Africa Temple Jordan River Utah Temple Kansas City Missouri Temple† Kona Hawaii Temple Kyiv Ukraine Temple Laie Hawaii Temple Las Vegas Nevada Temple Lima Perú Temple Lisbon Portugal Temple† Logan Utah Temple London England Temple Los Angeles California Temple Louisville Kentucky Temple Lubbock Texas Temple Madrid Spain Temple Manaus Brazil Temple† Manhattan New York Temple

Manila Philippines Temple Manti Utah Temple Medford Oregon Temple Melbourne Australia Temple Memphis Tennessee Temple Mérida México Temple Meridian Idaho Temple† Mesa Arizona Temple México City México Temple Monterrey México Temple Montevideo Uruguay Temple Monticello Utah Temple Montréal Québec Temple Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple Nashville Tennessee Temple Nauvoo Illinois Temple Newport Beach California Temple Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple Oakland California Temple Oaxaca México Temple Ogden Utah Temple Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple Orlando Florida Temple Palmyra New York Temple Panamá City Panamá Temple Papeete Tahiti Temple Payson Utah Temple† Perth Australia Temple Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple† Phoenix Arizona Temple† Portland Oregon Temple Porto Alegre Brazil Temple Preston England Temple Provo Utah Temple Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple† Raleigh North Carolina Temple Recife Brazil Temple Redlands California Temple Regina Saskatchewan Temple Reno Nevada Temple Rexburg Idaho Temple Rome Italy Temple† Sacramento California Temple St. George Utah Temple St. Louis Missouri Temple St. Paul Minnesota Temple Salt Lake Temple San Antonio Texas Temple San Diego California Temple San José Costa Rica Temple San Salvador El Salvador Temple† Santiago Chile Temple Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple São Paulo Brazil Temple Sapporo Japan Temple† Seattle Washington Temple Seoul Korea Temple Snowflake Arizona Temple Spokane Washington Temple Stockholm Sweden Temple Suva Fiji Temple Sydney Australia Temple Taipei Taiwan Temple Tampico México Temple Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple† Tijuana México Temple† Tokyo Japan Temple Toronto Ontario Temple Trujillo Perú Temple† Tuxtla Gutiérrez México Temple Twin Falls Idaho Temple Urdaneta Philippines Temple† Vancouver British Columbia Temple Veracruz México Temple Vernal Utah Temple Villahermosa México Temple Washington D.C. Temple Winnipeg Manitoba Temple† Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple

Playing Catch Up...Again.

Okay. So, clearly I didn't learn from having to play catch up 3 months ago. Life continued to be crazy hectic with school and planning a wedding. I went through the Temple for the fist time on March 19th. It was such an amazing experience! My family, several close family friends, and

most of Michael's family were there. As soon as the session where I received my endowments

was over my family went into the Sealing room and witnessed my baby sister Mia being sealed to my parents. What an amazing, spiritually uplifting day!

On March 26th, my family, Michael's family, and our closest friends traveled to Manti to be part of one of the most important moments of mine and Michael's lives. We both finally got our dream of being married in the Manti Temple.

On April 16th we had our reception in Vegas. (Pictures to come) A week later we boarded an airplane for Miami. Michael and I spent a day in Florida then boarded the Norwegian Sky, the most amazing cruise ship I've ever seen. We spent 4 days in the Bahamas! The honeymoon story will be covered in a separate post once we find the memory card containing all the pictures. I like to blame Michael for misplacing it but, in all honesty, I have absolutely no idea how it managed to make its way out of the camera.

The highlight of May was the end of the Spring semester. Despite planning a wedding, losing my condo in February, having to move, and dealing with 2 deaths in my family, I managed straight A's! I was rather proud of myself when I saw my final grades.

Another great experience was going through the Las Vegas Temple with my brother Brian as he prepares to serve a mission. Tomorrow Michael and I get to take Brian to the MTC! Tacoma, WA gets my brother for the next 2 years. :)

We're making our way into June. Michael is working (ridiculous amounts of hours) and getting ready to start school in a couple weeks. He's looking forward to joining the AFROTC detachment at BYU in the Fall and I'm excited to graduate with a double major in History and Communication in the Spring. After I graduate, it's off to the Air Force Reserves for me! So excited!!!

The year is almost half over. Hopefully the next 6 months will be exciting and full of happiness to make up for the emotional roller coaster the first half has been. Luckily, I married a kind and loving man who makes me laugh every day. :)

I love my husband! :D

Playing Catch Up

So much has happened since December. Life seems to have gotten away from me so I'll only take a moment to briefly overview the past 3 months. Everyone who knows me knows that I never go anywhere or do anything worth doing without my camera so I can share all the picturie goodness with you. Here's what's been happening:

The Det picture for Fall 2010. Det 004 has never looked so good. :)

Our first date was November 8th. To celebrate our 1 month anniversary, Michael and I went to Town Square for dinner. After dinner we walked around and enjoyed the beautiful Christmas decorations. I almost froze. Vegas can get wicked cold in the winter.

Michael and I spent most of Christmas Eve day with his family in celebration of his birthday. That's right, Michael's birthday is Dec. 24th. Coolest birthday ever; with the exception of my own of course.

We spent the last part of Christmas Eve at my sister Lauren's house. I think my parents are under the impression that she's the only one of us kids who is capable of hosting a holiday dinner...Maybe one day when I'm all grown up and married with 5 kids of my own my parents might see me as an adult. One can only hope.

My family spent New Year's at Disneyland and Michael tagged along. :) While at Disneyland I mentioned how gorgeous the castle looked and that it would be an excellent place to propose. I'm not sure if I was hinting or simply making an observation but, either way, Michael was kind enough to "practice" so I could experience being proposed to in front of the castle.

I think my family likes Michael more than they like me and would trade us if his family was willing to give him up. Luckily, his family loves him just as much as mine does so we come as a package deal. :)

On January 6th, just 2 days shy of our 2 month mark, I opened my door to find a castle with the picture of Michael "proposing" at Disneyland on my doorstep. Michael dropped down to one knee and asked me to marry him. As you can tell by his happy expression and thumbs-up, I said yes.

:)

Once Michael and I decided to get married, the fun of planning a wedding began. Here are just a few of our engagement pictures.

Despite the joy of finally finding my Eternal Companion, this year has been extremely difficult and painful for my family. At the end of January my Aunt Terry passed away from cancer.

My Grandpa Jack was diagnosed with cancer the week of Christmas. His doctor found a tumor on the left side of his face and the back of his neck. Sadly, the doctor didn't think it necessary to look further. After 4 weeks of radiation on those 2 tumors, the other tumors on his spine (the ones the doctor didn't know about because he didn't care to look) had grown beyond control. 3 weeks after my Aunt Terry died, my Grandpa Jack passed away in my arms on February 24th. I miss him so much I can barely breathe sometimes.

With only 2 weeks left until Michael and I are sealed for time and all eternity in the Manti Temple, life is getting even more hectic than it's been the past few months. All I can do now is hope and pray that someday soon things will settle down and life will return to some bearable version of normal. As for now, I grieve for my family and the loss we have all experienced in such a short amount of time.

From The Mouths Of Babes

What Love means to a 4-8 year old .

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7

'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,'

Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'

Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling...He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'

Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

I think we can all learn to love a little better. :)