wed.

welp, I'm a married woman. As such, I think its time to take the plunge to a married blog. Come read about our newlywed adventures over here...

andreandmichelle.blogspot.com

lately...

 

we have been busy sending wedding announcements to the president, 

getting our first wedding present, 

celebrating with balloons and fireworks and parades, 

plus swimming, 

getting crazy sunburns, 

cheap movies, 

shaved ice, 

marriage prep,

picnics

and work-work-working

yay summer!

Flava felons strike again

Remember last summer when the Flava Felons set off to try every frozen yogurt place in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area and give our reviews?

Well, my fellow Flava Felon is now on a mission in Argentina and the new trendy thing popping up everywhere is shaved ice shacks. Luckily, I have a new accomplice for Flava Felons 2.0

We've been talking about this undertaking for a few months, but since temperatures have been over 90 degrees, we decided summer is officially here and we can start. After hours of cleaning a grimy boys apartment on Saturday, we rewarded ourselves with our first stop--that turqouise shack in the Smith's parking lot.

Overall review: refreshing and good, but not our favorite. Plus we don't have much to compare it to.

Pros: good size, flavors, service, they had umbrellas, good people watching in the Smiths parking lot
Cons: deceptive pricing, the girl promised I would like sweet cream on mine and I didn't, we felt slightly WT (white trash) sitting in the Smith's parking lot.

With one place, down we are ready to tackle the 948 other shave ice places. welcome summer!

en-gag-ments!

as in, you'll gag we're so cute.

My dear friend Kylee is a budding photographer and took some pictures of us on the most beautiful spring day. Here are some of our favorites (but no announcement potentials because we're sneaky like that and like to keep it a surprise)

44 days, people!

hobby shopper

Although I started a full-time job this week (I have a retirement plan. what?) I am finding I had a lot more free time than when I was in school. Therefore, I am currently shopping for new hobbies. I've tried lots of things, even going so far as wandering the aisles of Hobby Lobby for some inspiration (hobby is in the name of the store and I came away with nothing.

currently my free-time activities include the following:
cooking real meals
wedding planning
shopping but not buying
reading Nancy Drew books
pinterest

Any suggestions of things I can add to this (somewhat pathetic) list? please and thank you.

a trio of instagrams

 

 

this weekend, we...
played miniature croquet and had a picnic with friends on Friday, when Andre and I matched

celebrated the boy's birthday a few days early with a meat-fest at Tucanos
scouted engagement picture locations in a monsoon (too busy dashing to take a picture)

oh sweet summertime

With Utah finally embracing spring weather, its time to pen the summer to-do list. This is my first full summer in Utah, so exciting things are going to happen.

1. get married.
2. hike the y
3. hike other things
4. ride a tandem bike
5. picnics
6. bonfires in the canyon
7. throw rocks into the lake
8. synchronized swimming
9. get back in touch with my inner runner
10. farmers markets
11. garage sale saturdays!
12. take a trip to ikea
13. make old furniture cute again
14. explore the salt lake public library
15. visit the springville museum of art
16. provo gallery stroll
17. rooftop concert series
18. parade (be in or watch, both good)
19. read real books (that's a separate post in itself)
20. golf
21. hot springs
22. mona rope swing
23. museum of peoples and cultures
24. byu baseball games
25. geocaching 

suggestions? we're always looking for fun things to do!

proof

I got my lovely personalized (fill in the blank) email from the graduation photographer yesterday. Turns out I'm official enough of a graduate to get hit up to order pictures.

Most of them are normal enough, like this:

 But then there is this one:

yes that is real. thanks jimmer, for always watching over me.

wedding planning..the good, the bad and the ugly

Wedding planning in is full swing. Some days are better than others.

Good
I have a beautiful wedding dress that will be ready for pickup on Wednesday!! I just love it so much and am having a hard time keeping it a surprise from Andre
Our announcements are in the works and look lovely so far
We have a married people place to live and are slowly accumulating things
Registering is the best thing ever. Like shopping for free!
Temple is scheduled! (this really should be number one)
Honeymoon planning is going strong and I just get so excited for everything!
After a long, stressful evening of wedding plans, the fiance surprises with a visit to where we first held hands nearly four years ago and we can just chat and stargaze and not think about finding matching shades of navy for everything. that's when things are the best

Bad
still don't know where the reception will be held, thanks to some difficulty working with our top choice location
working, looking for a real job and trying to plan a wedding on a budget is stressful
the aforementioned furniture we are collecting has taken residence in my bedroom, meaning now there is a big desk in pieces in my corner

Ugly
sometimes people have ugly weddings. sometimes I look at ugly weddings as comfort that no matter how things turn out, they will never be that bad. I will not do any of these things:

but seriously. Even though planning a wedding is slightly crazy, I have great help (mainly my wonderful mom who is doing so so much, including sewing nearly all the dresses) and a champ of a fiance, so really it will all be right in the end.

88 days people!

grad grad grad

Well folks, I am officially done with BYU. What a weird feeling! It was fun to have a few days of celebration with friends and family. I was especially grateful that both my parents and Andre's parents were able to come to Provo for the festivities.

 PR friends before we hiked to the Marriott Center for commencement

 

Whitney and I were the only ones from our freshman group who walked, and it was fun to run into her

Lauren and I did a lot together when we were roommates, even graduate together in PR!

 

All the Comms graduates sat on the stage at convocation, which made for a dramatic welcome when they opened the curtains and everyone cheered for us

 

Adam, Andre and I have been great friends since the very beginning of our freshman year. It was great to have both of them at convocation. 

school's out

 

First day of college-September 2007

Last day of college--April 2011

Yesterday was my last day of college classes ever. It was a little surreal to sit in my comparative government class and realize I'm in the last few days of BYU undergrad status.

All that stands between me and graduating in a week is finals, job interviews and moving.

winner winner

want to help us win free engagement pictures?

Go to this page: https://www.facebook.com/PictureMeMine

"Like" the photographer

Click on Engagement Conest Photos

Like our picture (#3)

you can unlike the photographer after that.

Vote early and vote often--we are in 3rd place and the top 3 go to the judges.

thanks!

114 days to go...

I've been MIA from blogging for the past week, because aside from school, work, looking for a job, etc, wedding planning has taken over my life. That's right--I'm engaged!

So for the journaling/self-indulgent purposes of this blog, here is how it all went down.


We planned on reading a conference talk each day this week, and Andre mentioned he wanted to read that day’s talk at a spot he found on a run on the Provo River. Didn’t think anything of it. I showed up at his apartment for dinner on Tuesday (totally normal), but he said he had started it late and it wouldn’t be ready for 30 minutes (very unnormal), so he said we should go read the talk first. Ok. He acted confused and had to find driving directions on his phone, but we made it to the park and walked along the river trail to another, quainter park. 

We crossed the bridge, played Pooh Sticks, checked out the duck pond, then went to find a bench to sit and read. I figured we were looking for a private bench to discuss the talk, so I didn’t think much as we walked into the clump of trees. Andre picked out a bench that happened to have his piano keyboard on it, and then I knew what was up. He played me Train’s “Marry Me”, which was wonderful. Half-way though I realized this would be a really dumb move if he wasn’t proposing.

After the song he got quiet (I later found out his mind blanked and he forgot the speech he had prepared), said some cute things, then proposed, then got on one knee (in that order). I was shocked and thrilled and said yes right away and we were just so so happy. Then he sang me a song he wrote for me, which was lovely and we soaked up the moment, then headed back for a delicious dinner (that had been ready the entire time, that sneaky boy) and to talk to our families.

We are so so so excited and probably haven’t stopped smiling since. We are planning for July 28th in Seattle and just can’t wait!

separated at birth

the two biggest things to hit BYU lately: 

Jimmer 

Mark Zuckerberg 

 

separated at birth?

minus the chin, I think so.

both wildly successful and famous

both slightly awkward

both have a unique sense of fashion (Jimmer wears uggs and cargo sweats in public, Mark chatted with a senator in front of 10,000 people in a hoodie and jeans)

the only difference--Mark couldn't shoot a three worth beans.

then and now 2.0

a continuation of my nosatalgia.
one month til graduation, folks!

sports

 

first BYU football game--August 2007

 

last BYU football game--November 2010

BYU basketball November 2008. the good old days when we only showed up 30 minutes early for good seats

 BYU basketball February 2011--showing up 2 hours early for somewhat decent seats

luck of the irish

yay for St. Patrick's day.

we celebrated with march madness and green eggs and ham

then and now...

since I am feeling nostalgic as graduation approaches, here's a look back at the last four years and how things have changed. It's crazy to think how the last four years have flown by.

Roommates

Freshman--dear Kylie. It was fate when we randomly chose the same room in good old Hinckley Hall

 

 Sophomore--the Cinnamon Tree days with these colorful bundles of fun

We had a room of foreigners, a room of curly haired girls, and then a room of leftovers

 

 Junior--I just had one semester at the Riv with these girls, but we loafed it a lot and made up the best apartment song ever.

Senior--tried something new with the Condo Row girls. All from Washington, all lovely.

rise and shout.

I got a little emotional during the final home basketball game Saturday.

This video for the seniors gave me chills.


There's a lot of love in my heart for this team, espeically these guys who I've been cheering on for years. "Shimmer for Jimmer"? Yeah, we created that when we (and Jimmer) were freshmen. "Woosh Cecil" after freethrows? We were the pioneers. Now everyone does it and he gives us a thumbs up each time and its sweet.

It's hard to pick a favorite moment from this game, let alone this season. But on of the most epic things was getting all 5000+ students in the student section to dance, flash-mob style during a timeout. We practiced, we stretched, we were pumped. It was awesome! A standing ovation from the entire crowd, even President Samuelson and Elder Nelson? even better.

Watch this one to get the epic magnitude:


and this for the detail:


it was a rough week for Cougar fans, but today made it all better!

so proud to be a Cougar!