Well, as most have heard and read, Drew and I had been talking about dates for our wedding (even though we aren't officially engaged yet) and have set a date for December 27th! Our reception will be on the night before the ceremony: Friday, December 26th. Details are still slowly coming together, but now that we've set the important dates, we can get things rolling!
Drew and I went ring shopping and we found a beautiful ring and wedding bands for each other, but am still trying to stay surprised for that special moment! Apparently, Drew's plans are to visit my Dad (to have a little... chat) while he is home in Syracuse at the beginning of September! I sure hope he's not nervous. My dad LOVES Drew. We'll be the 4th couple married on my side of the family, but Drew is numero uno in his family to be married-- being the oldest son of three! We are both so lucky to be marrying into such wonderful families! The Barrons have already graciously welcomed me into the family... I am so blessed! My family also loves Drew. My brother, Dirk, is good friends with him, and I am sure they will continue to be great pals!
Anyway, here's an update on what plans I've been exploring...
Since Drew and I are marrying in the LDS Temple in Palymra, NY, we have lots of family and friends who will be unable to attend. Unfortunately for our non-member loved ones, only worthy members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are able to attend the wedding and sealing ceremony inside the temple. We love our family and friends and wish all could be at the ceremony with us, but since this cannot happen, we are planning on having a little program/simple ceremony outside the temple to involve ALL of our family and friends. Details are still coming together and we're not quite sure what we'll plan, but it will be lovely! For any questions about temples or the wedding/sealing ceremony, visit this link.
As for other wedding planning, I've been thinking about colors for the wedding, and have been trying to choose between these combinations: navy blue, white, and silver... or plum purple and cream... or red, gold, and cream. Look to the left-hand side of this page for a survey; I want to know your votes!! I'm also trying to figure out flowers and such that would go well with these colors... if anyone has any ideas of good winter flowers, let me know! I'm also wondering if I should just go with the everlasting fake flowers... I don't know! I still have awhile to get this down, so I'll explore my options!
Invitations: I found a few really nice and simple invitations! Go to this link if you want to see the silver one or this link if you want to see the gold version!
Wedding dress: I'm thinking about looking on the BYU-Idaho bulletin board for a dress. I don't want anything too fancy or expensive. I'll only be wearing it once, and I probably won't even keep it, so why spend A TON of money on one, right? Again, still exploring my options.
Honeymoon: Drew and I have been talking about where and when to honeymoon. We were trying to think of places to go in New York that would be pretty during the holidays, and he came up with the idea of going to Niagra Falls! So I think we'll be spending a day and a half in Palmyra and then heading out to Niagra for a few days. We'll see!
So, I hope you're having fun reading about our plans! Feel free to ask questions and give suggestions!! I look forward to it!
Until another [boring] day in Rexburg...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Moments with Drew...
Well, as most have read, I am dating this amazing guy--his name is Drew Barron. I have been having the most amazing times with him!!
Let me tell a little of our story... or maybe all of it... : )
We met when I was a Sophomore in high school, he was a Senior. I think we met at a Church dance during that school year. My sisters, brother, Drew, and a bunch of his friends and I started all hanging out and had a really great time! The fall after he graduated, Drew went to school at BYU-Idaho, here in Rexburg, and stayed there for 2 semesters. The following fall, in 2005, he left to serve a mission in Hong Kong for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the "Mormon" church)... he was gone for TWO years! Meanwhile, I had been living my own life in New York, occasionally writing Drew while he was in Hong Kong. I remember being SUPER excited every time I'd get a letter! We only wrote about 5 times, but it was still absolutely wonderful (I had always had a crush on Drew... he's such a stud. haha)!
Once I got things completely in order (fall of 2007), I applied and was also accepted to Brigham Young University-Idaho, and was preparing myself for the big move! Drew returned home from Hong Kong on November 16, 2007, and I was SO excited! The following Tuesday, after his homecoming, I saw him at a church class I attended every Tuesday night. Without restraint, and with a bit of embarrassment on my part, I jumped up from my seat immediately and gave him a HUGE-and slightly awkward-hug! That same night, I found out he was planning on heading back to BYU-Idaho that January, just like I was! Drew and I only saw eachother about 3 times from the time he got home from Hong Kong and the time we came out to Idaho, but they were fun times (we weren't even THINKING about dating by that time. . . . Ok, ok, I had been. Haha)!
Eventually we both made it out to BYU-I. I found out on that first Sunday that we had been placed in the same congregation to meet for church (we call them "Wards"), arranged by apartment complexes! Little to his knowledge, the wheels in my mind had started to turn... how convenient this situation was for me, right? Haha! And so it began. We made sure we got each other's phone numbers to stay in contact and maybe hang out a bit.
The first time we ever did anything together, it was about the 2nd Sunday of the semester. There's a fun thing to do on Sunday nights around here... it's called "stadium singing". It's a time when a whole bunch of students gather underneath the stadium and sing Hymns. It's really great! I was all excited because Drew said he'd go with me... I didn't want to go alone and he has a wonderful singing voice!! : ) So that was our FIRST...
Coincidentally, Drew and I were both enrolled in a class called FA100 (Fine Arts 100), where we would get credit to go to all sorts of performances and displays on campus. Every couple of weeks or more, we would go to one of these events together. I remember our first--I suppose it could be called "our first date": The Vienna Boys' Choir. It was wonderful!! We got some pizza before the show and then walked over to the huge Auditorium on campus. It was so much fun! I remember thinking how lucky I was to be out with him... He made me feel so special.
So after going to quite a few of these events together (probably about 5 or 6) and not really having them "count" as dates, Drew finally asked me out for the first time! It was actually an FA100 event, a Chinese film called "The Road Home", but he paid for the whole night. He came by to "pick me up", a.k.a. walk with me to campus, and we went to the Art building on campus, watched the REALLY good movie, and then went over to our friends' house for a party. (Mormon parties are clean fun... don't you worry! Haha!) We met up with his best friend, Tyler, and then we all went back to Drew's apartment to watch a movie and eat pizza! I don't remember what movie we watched, or if we even watched a movie, but I remember having such a great time with him!
From then on, we would go on dates and be together a lot. He has told me a couple of times that, back then, he would talk to his roommate and tell him that he liked me more and more every time we spent time together. I "made him feel comfortable... and it wasn't awkward". Haha!
After all this time, Drew and I had not held hands or anything of the sort! I was beginning to wonder if he actually liked me (we had never really talked about that, either). Finally, while we were in the cheap theater watching "I am Legend", he put his arm around me. It was so silly... I couldn't get my mind off of it! Two nights later, we held hands (a BIG deal!), and our hands have been inseparable since! Over a week later, on March 27th, we talked about becoming "us"... a couple. Another week went by and he kissed me! Not that you wanted to know that... Drew came to visit from Boise (where he is working summer sales) for Memorial Day weekend and we told each other the big L word! : )
And so here we are... we've been dating for over 3 months and I am so in love with this amazing man. Drew treats me so well, and I've just recently realized that he is someone I deserve. I am a daughter of God and I deserve nothing but the best: and, for me, that means Drew. : )
Well, to much of our surprise, Drew and I are now talking about marriage! We have been ring shopping, and have talked about when and where we'd like to get married. I found a beautiful ring at a great price and will most likely have it on my finger in the early Fall (that's still something he'd like to surprise me about). We are planning on getting married in Palmyra, NY, in late December!! Drew and I are praying about every decision, and are confident that we are on the right track.
I love Drew so much and am so grateful for the wonderful man he is.
Well, I hope you all feel a little more informed and maybe even feel like you know us as a couple a little better.
Until another windy day in Rexburg...
Let me tell a little of our story... or maybe all of it... : )
We met when I was a Sophomore in high school, he was a Senior. I think we met at a Church dance during that school year. My sisters, brother, Drew, and a bunch of his friends and I started all hanging out and had a really great time! The fall after he graduated, Drew went to school at BYU-Idaho, here in Rexburg, and stayed there for 2 semesters. The following fall, in 2005, he left to serve a mission in Hong Kong for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the "Mormon" church)... he was gone for TWO years! Meanwhile, I had been living my own life in New York, occasionally writing Drew while he was in Hong Kong. I remember being SUPER excited every time I'd get a letter! We only wrote about 5 times, but it was still absolutely wonderful (I had always had a crush on Drew... he's such a stud. haha)!
Once I got things completely in order (fall of 2007), I applied and was also accepted to Brigham Young University-Idaho, and was preparing myself for the big move! Drew returned home from Hong Kong on November 16, 2007, and I was SO excited! The following Tuesday, after his homecoming, I saw him at a church class I attended every Tuesday night. Without restraint, and with a bit of embarrassment on my part, I jumped up from my seat immediately and gave him a HUGE-and slightly awkward-hug! That same night, I found out he was planning on heading back to BYU-Idaho that January, just like I was! Drew and I only saw eachother about 3 times from the time he got home from Hong Kong and the time we came out to Idaho, but they were fun times (we weren't even THINKING about dating by that time. . . . Ok, ok, I had been. Haha)!
Eventually we both made it out to BYU-I. I found out on that first Sunday that we had been placed in the same congregation to meet for church (we call them "Wards"), arranged by apartment complexes! Little to his knowledge, the wheels in my mind had started to turn... how convenient this situation was for me, right? Haha! And so it began. We made sure we got each other's phone numbers to stay in contact and maybe hang out a bit.
The first time we ever did anything together, it was about the 2nd Sunday of the semester. There's a fun thing to do on Sunday nights around here... it's called "stadium singing". It's a time when a whole bunch of students gather underneath the stadium and sing Hymns. It's really great! I was all excited because Drew said he'd go with me... I didn't want to go alone and he has a wonderful singing voice!! : ) So that was our FIRST...
Coincidentally, Drew and I were both enrolled in a class called FA100 (Fine Arts 100), where we would get credit to go to all sorts of performances and displays on campus. Every couple of weeks or more, we would go to one of these events together. I remember our first--I suppose it could be called "our first date": The Vienna Boys' Choir. It was wonderful!! We got some pizza before the show and then walked over to the huge Auditorium on campus. It was so much fun! I remember thinking how lucky I was to be out with him... He made me feel so special.
So after going to quite a few of these events together (probably about 5 or 6) and not really having them "count" as dates, Drew finally asked me out for the first time! It was actually an FA100 event, a Chinese film called "The Road Home", but he paid for the whole night. He came by to "pick me up", a.k.a. walk with me to campus, and we went to the Art building on campus, watched the REALLY good movie, and then went over to our friends' house for a party. (Mormon parties are clean fun... don't you worry! Haha!) We met up with his best friend, Tyler, and then we all went back to Drew's apartment to watch a movie and eat pizza! I don't remember what movie we watched, or if we even watched a movie, but I remember having such a great time with him!
From then on, we would go on dates and be together a lot. He has told me a couple of times that, back then, he would talk to his roommate and tell him that he liked me more and more every time we spent time together. I "made him feel comfortable... and it wasn't awkward". Haha!
After all this time, Drew and I had not held hands or anything of the sort! I was beginning to wonder if he actually liked me (we had never really talked about that, either). Finally, while we were in the cheap theater watching "I am Legend", he put his arm around me. It was so silly... I couldn't get my mind off of it! Two nights later, we held hands (a BIG deal!), and our hands have been inseparable since! Over a week later, on March 27th, we talked about becoming "us"... a couple. Another week went by and he kissed me! Not that you wanted to know that... Drew came to visit from Boise (where he is working summer sales) for Memorial Day weekend and we told each other the big L word! : )
And so here we are... we've been dating for over 3 months and I am so in love with this amazing man. Drew treats me so well, and I've just recently realized that he is someone I deserve. I am a daughter of God and I deserve nothing but the best: and, for me, that means Drew. : )
Well, to much of our surprise, Drew and I are now talking about marriage! We have been ring shopping, and have talked about when and where we'd like to get married. I found a beautiful ring at a great price and will most likely have it on my finger in the early Fall (that's still something he'd like to surprise me about). We are planning on getting married in Palmyra, NY, in late December!! Drew and I are praying about every decision, and are confident that we are on the right track.
I love Drew so much and am so grateful for the wonderful man he is.
Well, I hope you all feel a little more informed and maybe even feel like you know us as a couple a little better.
Until another windy day in Rexburg...
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Good Friends--Shopping--Spray Park--Stadium Poles--and Playgrounds!
I've been having so much fun here in Rexburg! My favorite part is that, even though this is a very very small town, there's always something to do: we make our own fun! Recently... in just 3 days, I had the time of my life!! Let me tell a little more about it...
Saturday: I found out that I didn't have to work... like I thought I did. So Michelle and I (you'll have read about Michelle in my first post) decided to spend the day together shopping in Rexburg and Idaho Falls! We had a great time and became even closer friends than before! We also saw the new Incredible Hulk at the movie theater! We both LOVE the Marvel (super hero) movies, so it was perfect! It was a really good movie... in my opinion. So we had SUCH a great time shopping and such that we forgot to eat! We stopped at a cute little 50s Diner on the way out of Idaho Falls and had some really good food in a fun atmosphere! When we got home, we got out all of our shopping treasures and tried on our clothes and watched a movie! That was the end of day 1.
Sunday: I woke up early to go to a church meeting at 8am, had the Ward (church congregation) Choir meet at 8:30 before church started at 9, and we practiced the song we had put together for our Ward Conference--the leaders of the Church in our area were scheduled to meet and visit with us that week to see how we're doing, etc. . . . We had some really great meetings/lessons that Sunday! After church, Annabel, a good friend and nextdoor neighbor, and I thought it'd be fun to go to the park in our dresses and have a picnic! We gathered up some food, blankets, and books, and headed out to Porter Park (which is only about a block away). We found a nice little patch of grass in the sun, layed down our blankets, and ate our picnic lunches! We were getting a bit hot sitting in the sun, so we decided to leave our stuff and walk the 300ft over to the Spray Park (a VERY MINI water park with slides and water spraying up from the ground) that Rexburg has generously set up for families in the area. We cooled ourselves by the water and then took a walk around the park. We also had a super fun time on the swings too! Little known fact: I love swings. : ) Anyway, Annabel and I went home after about 3 hours of outdoor time... boy was that fun!!! When I got home, I was feeling spontaneous and maybe a little generous, so I decided to make up some chocolate cupcakes for some friends of mine in the men's apartments! My friend, Heather, came down from her upstairs apartment and helped me distribute the goodies onto red plates decorated with hearts, and we were on our way to see our friends! We got to the guys' apartments to deliver our treats at just the right time, too. They were all headed out to visit one of our leader's children because it was his 10th birthday! We were able to go with them and sing "Happy Birthday" to the adorable Cameron White. What a cute kid! It made me a little sad, though, because my little brothers, Scott and Nathan, are almost 10 too, and I can't be with them!! Anyway. . . It was a lot of fun to gather about ten or eleven of us to go over and celebrate with the Whites! They are such a sweet family. Once we got home, it was about 9:30pm, so Heather and I just sat and visited for a little while. Heather has become one of my favorite people! She's fun and sweet and just an all around great girl!! End of day 2.
Monday: It was just another regular day at Subway... until I got off work an hour early because business was slow. I changed my clothes and went over to Michelle's to sit on her couch, watch TV, talk, etc., and we ended up watching some show on Food Network. At around 7:30pm, some guys and a few girls from her Home Evening group (a group of members from our Ward assigned to meet together every Monday night to have fun/learn together/have more fun) came over. I decided to hang out with them-whatever they decided to do. We ended up eating creamsicles and went to the Spray Park at Porter Park!!! We all went in full clothing and just had SUCH A BLAST acting goofy and feeling like little kids that night!
(Michelle, Jessica, me, Annabel at Porter Park before we hit the Spray Park!)
After we realized that we pretty much took over the water park, we all went back to the apartments for watermelon. So... you know how water and sun make you hungry? Well, watermelon wasn't enough for us. Haha! The boys left, so it was just me, Michelle, Annabel, Heather, and a fun girl named Jessica! We decided to walk over to a cute little family owned fast food place called "The Backyard", which is located across the street from Porter Park. (I love how everything is so conveniently located!) Well, walking wasn't enough for Jessica... she just NEEDED a piggy-back ride. Haha!
(Jessica riding Heather piggy-back!)
After we were goofs on the way and IN the restaurant, we thought it'd be fun to go to Porter Park again! So we went across the street (it was dark by that time) and played on the swings and the playgrounds! Jessica wanted to show us a trick she used to do on the monkey bars when she was little, so she... did. She wasn't very successful on her way down, though. It took all of us to get her down without letting her fall on her head! Haha She's such a nut!
There was a little boy on the playground, who was waiting for his dad to stop playing tennis, that wanted us to play tag with him. So Heather and I decided, "Hey, why not?" This kid was GOOD. Manipulative and everything. Haha! He'd fake being hurt so that we'd come and see what was wrong... then he'd tag us! That stinker! : ) It was still fun, though. I love tag! Meanwhile, Annabel, Jessica, and Michelle were swinging. Jessica wanted to show us ANOTHER trick she had done when she was little: spider swinging (two people on a swing-the top person straddling the other). Believe it or not... she got stuck doing THIS trick, too! Haha! I was such a brat and decided it'd be funny to document these disasters... I'm such a good friend! Hahaha!!
After that shinanigan, we went to Jessica and Heather's apartment upstairs. Annabel cracked all our backs and gave us these amazing back and shoulder massages that made us melt... gosh, I wish I had a personal on-hand masseuse! We sat and talked for awhile... but that wasn't enough for Jessica. Oh, no. She wanted to take us "pole sliding" at the school stadium. We were feeling spunky and spontaneous, so we agreed to try it out! We walked over to the...unlocked... stadium and climbed the bleachers to the top! Jessica showed us how to do it first. She threw her leg over the hand-rail, head first, and slid all the way to the bottom with perfect balance! We were in AWE... was this the Jessica we knew??? Michelle and I were the only ones to try it... Michelle made it all the way to the bottom going feet first. I tried both ways, but only went a few feet each way! It was still fun and I'm happy to say I had that experience! I lived on the edge! Hahaha!! We finally went home after trying out "pole sliding" at the stadium. We all got good nights' sleep that night!
So that's the end of my amazing weekend here in Rexburg... I hope you're all at ease that I'm not bored to death while I'm in this little po-dunk town I currently call "home".
Until another day in Rexburg...
Saturday: I found out that I didn't have to work... like I thought I did. So Michelle and I (you'll have read about Michelle in my first post) decided to spend the day together shopping in Rexburg and Idaho Falls! We had a great time and became even closer friends than before! We also saw the new Incredible Hulk at the movie theater! We both LOVE the Marvel (super hero) movies, so it was perfect! It was a really good movie... in my opinion. So we had SUCH a great time shopping and such that we forgot to eat! We stopped at a cute little 50s Diner on the way out of Idaho Falls and had some really good food in a fun atmosphere! When we got home, we got out all of our shopping treasures and tried on our clothes and watched a movie! That was the end of day 1.
Sunday: I woke up early to go to a church meeting at 8am, had the Ward (church congregation) Choir meet at 8:30 before church started at 9, and we practiced the song we had put together for our Ward Conference--the leaders of the Church in our area were scheduled to meet and visit with us that week to see how we're doing, etc. . . . We had some really great meetings/lessons that Sunday! After church, Annabel, a good friend and nextdoor neighbor, and I thought it'd be fun to go to the park in our dresses and have a picnic! We gathered up some food, blankets, and books, and headed out to Porter Park (which is only about a block away). We found a nice little patch of grass in the sun, layed down our blankets, and ate our picnic lunches! We were getting a bit hot sitting in the sun, so we decided to leave our stuff and walk the 300ft over to the Spray Park (a VERY MINI water park with slides and water spraying up from the ground) that Rexburg has generously set up for families in the area. We cooled ourselves by the water and then took a walk around the park. We also had a super fun time on the swings too! Little known fact: I love swings. : ) Anyway, Annabel and I went home after about 3 hours of outdoor time... boy was that fun!!! When I got home, I was feeling spontaneous and maybe a little generous, so I decided to make up some chocolate cupcakes for some friends of mine in the men's apartments! My friend, Heather, came down from her upstairs apartment and helped me distribute the goodies onto red plates decorated with hearts, and we were on our way to see our friends! We got to the guys' apartments to deliver our treats at just the right time, too. They were all headed out to visit one of our leader's children because it was his 10th birthday! We were able to go with them and sing "Happy Birthday" to the adorable Cameron White. What a cute kid! It made me a little sad, though, because my little brothers, Scott and Nathan, are almost 10 too, and I can't be with them!! Anyway. . . It was a lot of fun to gather about ten or eleven of us to go over and celebrate with the Whites! They are such a sweet family. Once we got home, it was about 9:30pm, so Heather and I just sat and visited for a little while. Heather has become one of my favorite people! She's fun and sweet and just an all around great girl!! End of day 2.
Monday: It was just another regular day at Subway... until I got off work an hour early because business was slow. I changed my clothes and went over to Michelle's to sit on her couch, watch TV, talk, etc., and we ended up watching some show on Food Network. At around 7:30pm, some guys and a few girls from her Home Evening group (a group of members from our Ward assigned to meet together every Monday night to have fun/learn together/have more fun) came over. I decided to hang out with them-whatever they decided to do. We ended up eating creamsicles and went to the Spray Park at Porter Park!!! We all went in full clothing and just had SUCH A BLAST acting goofy and feeling like little kids that night!
(Michelle, Jessica, me, Annabel at Porter Park before we hit the Spray Park!)
After we realized that we pretty much took over the water park, we all went back to the apartments for watermelon. So... you know how water and sun make you hungry? Well, watermelon wasn't enough for us. Haha! The boys left, so it was just me, Michelle, Annabel, Heather, and a fun girl named Jessica! We decided to walk over to a cute little family owned fast food place called "The Backyard", which is located across the street from Porter Park. (I love how everything is so conveniently located!) Well, walking wasn't enough for Jessica... she just NEEDED a piggy-back ride. Haha!
(Jessica riding Heather piggy-back!)
After we were goofs on the way and IN the restaurant, we thought it'd be fun to go to Porter Park again! So we went across the street (it was dark by that time) and played on the swings and the playgrounds! Jessica wanted to show us a trick she used to do on the monkey bars when she was little, so she... did. She wasn't very successful on her way down, though. It took all of us to get her down without letting her fall on her head! Haha She's such a nut!
There was a little boy on the playground, who was waiting for his dad to stop playing tennis, that wanted us to play tag with him. So Heather and I decided, "Hey, why not?" This kid was GOOD. Manipulative and everything. Haha! He'd fake being hurt so that we'd come and see what was wrong... then he'd tag us! That stinker! : ) It was still fun, though. I love tag! Meanwhile, Annabel, Jessica, and Michelle were swinging. Jessica wanted to show us ANOTHER trick she had done when she was little: spider swinging (two people on a swing-the top person straddling the other). Believe it or not... she got stuck doing THIS trick, too! Haha! I was such a brat and decided it'd be funny to document these disasters... I'm such a good friend! Hahaha!!
After that shinanigan, we went to Jessica and Heather's apartment upstairs. Annabel cracked all our backs and gave us these amazing back and shoulder massages that made us melt... gosh, I wish I had a personal on-hand masseuse! We sat and talked for awhile... but that wasn't enough for Jessica. Oh, no. She wanted to take us "pole sliding" at the school stadium. We were feeling spunky and spontaneous, so we agreed to try it out! We walked over to the...unlocked... stadium and climbed the bleachers to the top! Jessica showed us how to do it first. She threw her leg over the hand-rail, head first, and slid all the way to the bottom with perfect balance! We were in AWE... was this the Jessica we knew??? Michelle and I were the only ones to try it... Michelle made it all the way to the bottom going feet first. I tried both ways, but only went a few feet each way! It was still fun and I'm happy to say I had that experience! I lived on the edge! Hahaha!! We finally went home after trying out "pole sliding" at the stadium. We all got good nights' sleep that night!
So that's the end of my amazing weekend here in Rexburg... I hope you're all at ease that I'm not bored to death while I'm in this little po-dunk town I currently call "home".
Until another day in Rexburg...
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