Life Lately :)

Here are some fun picture updates of my life lately... actually... now that I look at it, it's more like other people's lives lately ;)

Karly went to sweethearts with her sweetheart Gavin (aka, Gavie-poo as we like to call him)

They're pretty cute wouldn't you say? This is that dress's second time to sweethearts! 

We went to Austin's farewell. Found that amazing picture of him and ate a lot of food ;)

Of course there would be a baking picture in here.... haha these are chocolate cupcakes with chocolate chip cookie dough frosting :) 

Ashley's last basketball game. On senior night. 

Isn't this a beauty? They hate it. 

This one isn't about Ash...

This will not go center or the other pictures comes in front of it... so sorry... Katelyn and her team got third place in their region!!!

Jackie and I went to the BYU game :) I kinda like that girl...  ;)

Saw this AMAZING movie!

This.... 

Turned into this! Minty chocolate cake balls

Bought some things at this great place!

So.... beautiful. 

140$ shoes. Worth it? I'm not sure yet... ;)

Had a really fun time with these two :) we laughed so hard! 

Russ... this was him and Jackie before. Crazy huh? Almost 3 years ago! 

Did fireworks in winter ;)

Babysat these amazing kids :)

Held this cute dog :)

I started putting a scripture every day on my instagram :) my instagram name is- ncalder44 if you want to follow me ;)

Having trust in Him.

I love playing the piano. I don't know if you knew that, but really that's because I have no idea who reads this... but I can play most of the hymns (known hymns.. not like I'm a Pilgram I'm a Stranger) and if I haven't played it before,  I usually don't have a hard time playing it (Exception- True to the Faith)
I have been playing the piano for about 10 years. I know, that sounds like a long time. You would think I would be this really good piano player. Well, I'm not. It's not my talent or skill even a little bit. I do not come from an extremely musically talented family... I have had to work like a crazy person (I usually sit and play the piano for about 30min-1 hour a day) just to be able to play the hymns. The thing I hate about it, I can only sight read. I have no musical ability whatsoever; so sitting and making up a song will never happen. I can't even hear it or pick something out... I can only read the music. Which has been a very good thing for me, and I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has given me the ability to do it.
Ok. Enough on that.
I was thinking about it the other day... I am probably going to lose a lot of my piano playing ability on my mission. We won't have a piano (obviously) and I will probably never have to opportunity to go to a church on my p-day to practice for a while. Besides that, how much do you think my companion would like that?
So it was kind of bumming me out. But then I remembered a conversation with a costumer at Costco that I had a while back. She was telling me about how her granddaughter wanted to serve a mission, but was an amazing gymnast. She was afraid that she would lose everything if she went on a mission for a year and a half. The grandma then told me that she explained to her that if she had faith, did what Heavenly Father wanted her to do, and trusted in him, that it would all work out for the best. The best meaning that she could come back and pick up where she left off. Or come back and be even better than she was before. Or maybe come back and not be able to do it anymore, but find a different path to go on.
When I remembered that I was soooooo happy. That little dumb fear of losing my piano playing abilities was completely gone. I know that what I am doing is exactly what my Heavenly Father wants me to be doing. And that's all that matters. If we follow him and do what he asks, everything else will work out the way that it is supposed to. :)

The Gift :)

Click on this to listen to my parents song for inspiration while reading :) then you might actually understand the title of this post ;)

  

(ok. They didn't have a song a long time ago and all of us were appalled. They would always listen to this song and sing it. They decided that it was their song a while back. I think it reminded my dad of my mom)

I thought for Valentine's day I would share the story of how my parents met. :)

When my mom was 17 she started working at Macey's. My dad was a manager at the time. I asked her what she thought when she first looked and him and she said- "Wow. He's really cute, and he's really well dressed." I thought that was kind of hilarious thing for my mom to say. 

She tried to get to know him but he actually transferred to Smith's. He would come visit his friends occasionally so she didn't see him too much. My mom's friend knew him pretty well and she told my mom that whoever he would marry, he would treat her like a queen. 

All my mom could think was- I really want to be treated like a queen. 

Look at that stash!

From then on she tried really hard to get to know him, but she knew that she was too young for him (they are 8 years apart). 

She said that my dad told her his friend told him that he should ask my mom out because she was really cute. My dad was a little bit shy when it came to those things so he didn't right away. His friend and his girlfriend were going to go to Lagoon in a couple days. They wanted my dad to ask a date so he could go with them. His friend finally convinced him to ask my mom because he told her that she REALLY liked him (everyone could probably tell. It's my mom haha she doesn't hold anything back). 

The sad thing was my mom had just barely agreed to go on a date with one of her friends on the day he was going. She was distraught because she had been waiting for him to ask her out. She told him that he better ask her out again, even though she knew he probably wouldn't because he was so shy. So a few days later she found out that her sister Karla was having a Lagoon day with her husband Jack's work. She asked my dad to go with her right away (I think this is hilarious because he had just asked her to go there so it was kind of perfect). He said that he would love to, but he didn't want that to be their first date so they went on another date to dinner and a movie before Lagoon. 

This was before my mom cut all her hair off ;) Look how cute they are in this blurry picture

A little while later (I really mean little though... after they "officially" started dating 3 weeks later they were engaged) my dad took my mom to our annual Flaming Gorge trip.

I love this picture for 3 reasons. The tie-dye. My grandpa.  And the love beaming from their faces ;)

A couple days later he "proposed."

Here is that story-

They were walking around the Provo Temple and had stopped to sit on the grass and talk. 

*My mom had mentioned in conversation earlier that this was the temple that she wanted to get married in. It was special to her because her grandmother had worked in it, and it had a special place in her heart. 

But just a a couple days before they were driving home from Flaming Gorge and she told him that she didn't want to get married until she was like 25. She was 19 at the time (they got married 2 months after she turned 20). So I bet she was surprised when my dad said this to her. 

He told her this story about a boy growing up and finally realizing what he needed and wanted (or something like that... I can't remember. It had to do with getting back to Heavenly Father though). After the story he looked her in the eyes and said, "Kristin, you are what I need to get back to my Heavenly Father." 

So he didn't "really" propose.... well not a "normal" proposal anyways. It was perfect in every way. The main one being that it was inspiration. My mom says he wasn't even planning on saying that at the time, but it was perfect and was meant to be through inspiration (I think my sisters and I just aren't patient enough. We knew what was going to happen and we wanted to get down here as soon as we could;)). But that is why he didn't have a ring or anything. It was simple and sweet. Which is exactly like my dad :) plus, this is the girl that didn't even want a reception. The proposal was perfect. 

A few months later on February 14 1992 my super hero duo were married and sealed for time and all eternity in the Provo Temple. 

21 years later here we are :) and still going strong!  

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to have the best pair of parents anyone could ever even dream of. I am who I am today because of their examples and kindness. They showed me who I could become, and how I could get there. Giving up on my dreams was never an option, and I always knew that. 

I wish I learned how to do my makeup and hair just a little bit sooner... 

Nothing in this world makes me happier than knowing that I get to spend eternity with my family. :)

Couple side notes... 

How cute! I think it was on the napkins or something

I love that they put their kid pictures on the invitation

This is just hilarious and super cheesy but SOOOO my mom! Especially the theme... isn't she just brilliant? 

Mission Prep

I absolutely ADORE mission prep. Like, I would seriously go to it if it was every day. No. Joke. But sadly, it is only once a week. I look forward to it every single time though. Even though I only have it once more before I leave.... reality check..... wait.... no.... it still hasn't hit me. Sorry.

This month they had us go and actually be with a companion and teach a family from a different ward! Crazy huh!? The weird thing was... I wasn't even scared at all. Everyone else was freaking out and so nervous. I was just excited because it was going to feel a little closer to actual missionary work! Ashley and I got assigned to the same "mission" (aka- the Harvest Hills 3rd ward) and family.
I felt the need to pray together before we went in. I just wanted to have a good learning experience and bring the spirit into their home.
Oh, and by the way, the family agreed to do this before hand. They knew we were coming and all were very active. The sprit was already strong when we walked into their house. They had 6 beautiful children and were such a cute happy couple. We introduced ourselves and got to know them a little bit. They even had this adorable little 1 week old baby :) we taught them about the atonement and about forever families. Even though I'm sure they knew all of the things that we taught them we tried to go deeper and just bring the sprit. It also felt very natural to me. I felt like I could share my feelings and that the words were just coming out of my mouth. It is one of the stronger times that I have felt the sprit speak through me. We ended with a prayer and all the kids were smiling. Ash and I were beaming. The father thanked us for bringing the sprit into their home and we I think we both left on cloud nine :)
Overall, it was a wonderful experience. It made me even more excited to go out and teach those who don't know these truths that we have and help them understand and give them hope and comfort for the future :)

Weekend at USU

I had such a fun time with Zach up at USU for the weekend! I left around 9:00pm on Thursday. I was nervous driving up the canyon in the dark, but everything went great! I stayed with my wonderful Aunt Kathryn and got settled in that night. I then met up with Zach and we talked with him roommates and watched The Office. The next day we did some of the same things. I wanted to go to the temple while I was down there, but my temple dress zipper broke.... so that sucked. I ended up just reading my scriptures outside the temple for about 45min and then going to lunch with my aunt and cousin. 

I had a lot of fun especially because Zach and his friend drove home with me in the snow storm and his friend drove. It made me so much more comfortable. :) 

Sitting in front of the temple :)

Ate good dove chocolate :) 

The place we were going to eat... that was not... there.

We went to the Pepperidge Farms factory and got all of this stuff super cheep! 

I want to do this one day! 

One of my new favorite missionary scriptures :) 34-35

Eating lunch with my aunt and cousin ;) this was some of the best pizza I've ever had! 

Amanda's Engaged!

One of my bestest and longest friends is ENGAGED!!! I almost feel like I got engaged myself ;) I am beyond happy for her! She is my first really close friend that is getting married... I will be missing the wedding on August 10th in the Salt Lake Temple :( it is very sad; but I couldn't be more happy for her! :D like, it is almost weird how happy it makes me! But I feel like that really is what true happiness is :) Being so happy for someone else that you can hardly stand it, and you feel like you couldn't even be as happy on the day you get engaged as you were when you found out she found her true love ;) 

I love you Amanda and I can't wait till you get to start your forever family with your prince charming :)