tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76083641863308782942024-03-14T01:48:34.373-06:00Though This Be Madness, Yet There Is Method In’tMy madness online, available with or without method.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.comBlogger403125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-70274298286031537852013-03-20T10:10:00.000-06:002013-03-20T10:10:40.478-06:00New BlogSince Andrew and I are now a married couple, I figured it was time to retire my blog about my single life and start a blog about my married life. I want to document the goings on of our little family as we have new adventures. It's still under construction and I'm trying to figure out what all I want to do with it, but there are a couple of posts up at the moment and I will do my best to be diligent in updating it. Go and follow if you want, and I hope you enjoy reading my updates.<br />
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<a href="http://theconellys.blogspot.com/">Where You Invest Your Love, You Invest Your Life</a>Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-89334337188129974162013-02-15T12:52:00.001-07:002013-02-15T12:52:56.192-07:00So Close!Today is Friday, February 15. That means there are only four more days until I become Andralynn Conelly. I have a little over four hours left of work, and then I will be gone for two whole weeks. The past couple of weeks have been a little crazy. I had bridal showers and temple recommend interviews to attend, not to mention packing up my apartment and trying to get moved out. I was stressed and anxious, and my emotions were always close to the surface. Luckily, Andrew is amazing and simply lets me cry when I need to.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday night, I went to the temple to take out my endowment. Let me just say that the temple is amazing. It was such a wonderful experience. My parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and my roommate were all there to support me, and while it was a small group, it was a good group. I felt the Spirit so strongly, and all my stresses and worries melted away. I have felt so much better the past two days, and it has been a real blessing. Being in the temple with Andrew made me so incredibly happy. He just kept grinning at me, and I can't wait to see just how much we'll both be grinning and crying when we enter the temple together again to be joined for time and all eternity.<br />
<br />
And now, it is the weekend. The weekend before my wedding. Tomorrow, Andrew and I will pick up his parents from the airport and head to my mom's house for my family bridal shower. Monday we have our luncheon. And Tuesday . . . well, you all know what Tuesday is. Thursday we fly out to Washington. Saturday we have the open house in Tacoma. And Sunday, we fly out to Hawaii. I cannot wait.<br />
<br />
I can't believe it's already so close. So close! A mere four days away. When we first got engaged, four and a half months seemed like an eternity. But it's here. The day is fast approaching when the rest of my life will finally start.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-52190242732129358192013-02-08T11:14:00.000-07:002013-02-08T11:16:22.118-07:00Random Music MomentI'm bored. Work is so sllllooooooow. Even knowing that I'm leaving at noon isn't helping it go by any faster (mostly because I'm not looking forward to driving to Salt Lake in potentially bad weather, so leaving early is no fun). So to temper my boredom, I give you the next 20 songs that come up on shuffle.<br />
<ol>
<li>"All the Way Down" by Glen Hansard, <i>Once</i></li>
<li>"If I Didn't Know Better" by the Civil Wars, <i>Live at Eddie's Attic</i></li>
<li>"Mind Eraser" by the Black Keys, <i>El Camino</i></li>
<li>"Paranoia in B Major" by the Avett Brothers, <i>Emotionalism</i></li>
<li>"When You Got a Good Thing" by Lady Antebellum, <i>Need You Now</i></li>
<li>"Bad Romance" by Lady GaGa, <i>The Fame Monster</i></li>
<li>"Funnyman" by KT Tunstall, <i>Drastic Fantastic</i></li>
<li>"Round and Round" by Imagine Dragons, <i>Continued Silence EP</i></li>
<li>"Garbage Truck" by Sex Bob-omb, <i>Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</i></li>
<li>"Houdini" by Foster the People, <i>Torches</i></li>
<li>"I've Got This Friend" by the Civil Wars, <i>Barton Hollow</i></li>
<li>"Closer" by Ne-Yo, <i>Year of the Gentleman</i></li>
<li>"Where Are You Now" by Mumford & Sons, <i>Babel</i></li>
<li>"Dust Bowl Dance" by Mumford & Sons, <i>Sigh No More</i></li>
<li>"Kick Drum Heart" by the Avett Brothers, <i>I And Love And You</i></li>
<li>"Fairytale" by Sara Bareilles, <i>Little Voice</i></li>
<li>"Fired" by Ben Folds, <i>Rockin' the Suburbs</i></li>
<li>"Whispers in the Dark" by Mumford & Sons, <i>Babel</i></li>
<li>"One Flight Down" by Norah Jones, <i>Come Away With Me</i></li>
<li>"Lovelier Than You" by B.o.B, <i>B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray</i></li>
</ol>
<div>
And . . . there you go. If you read this pointless post, kudos to you.<br />
<br />
(On a separate note, I get married in 11 days! It's coming so fast, and I still can't believe that I'm actually going to be <i>married. </i>It's so weird. But I'm so freaking excited.)</div>
Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-62780040016494391502013-01-07T16:57:00.001-07:002013-01-07T16:57:25.562-07:00I've Been Engaged Too LongI know I've been engaged for too long when another couple gets engaged and announces that they're getting married in two months, and my first thought is, "Dang! I'm so jealous!" If Andrew and I had done a two-month engagement, we would have been married for nearly two months by now. Which would be so nice.<br />
<br />
But at the same time, I know that we did what worked best for us. Everything has fallen pretty perfectly into place so far, so I can't complain too much. And besides, it's only six weeks away! In 43 days I will be a married woman. And I seriously cannot wait.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-9212446826767207302013-01-03T16:35:00.000-07:002013-01-03T16:35:15.765-07:002012 Year in Review2012 was such an eventful year that I thought I would post some of the highlights. And because this makes for a bit of a change from the regular resolutions posts.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>JANUARY</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Apartment 330 (and one Andrew Conelly) were put into my FHE group. I had no idea how significant this would become at the time.</div>
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<b>FEBRUARY</b></div>
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Did this amazing alien balloon head dance with Cora and Brittany. Because we're amazing.</div>
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<b>MARCH</b></div>
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Went shooting for FHE. It was my very first time.</div>
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<b>APRIL</b></div>
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Met a duck at the park.</div>
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Was in a photoshoot.</div>
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Got a new hairdo.</div>
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<b>MAY</b></div>
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Saw the Black Keys live, and it was loads of fun.</div>
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Saw the Civil Wars live. And they were amazing.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Got myself a boyfriend.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>JUNE</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Left my boyfriend for ten days to go to Disneyland with my family.</div>
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Saw the Avett Brothers live.</div>
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<b>JULY</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Turned 25 and got an amazing gift from my amazing boyfriend.</div>
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<b>AUGUST</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Saw Mumford & Sons live, which is where I decided I was in love with Andrew.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>SEPTEMBER</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Met Andrew's parents. And got engaged!</div>
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<b>OCTOBER</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Found my amazing wedding dress that I love oh so much.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>NOVEMBER</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Found an apartment for Andrew and me.</div>
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Celebrated Thanksgiving with my family.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>DECEMBER</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Took engagement photos.</div>
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Celebrated a wonderful Christmas with both of our families.</div>
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Is that a great year or what? I have no complaints. I can't believe how blessed I've been.</div>
Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-1524543347665715272013-01-02T16:15:00.000-07:002013-01-02T16:15:02.057-07:00Movies of 2012While being engaged certainly negatively affected the number of books I read this year, it created a substantial increase in the number of movies I watched. I love cuddling with Andrew, and that is best done while watching movies. There were probably countless more movies I could have added, except that I fell asleep during them and couldn't bring myself to truthfully say that I watched them. That's another thing Andrew has done to me. I never used to fall asleep during movies until I started dating him. He's just so comfortable. And then he falls asleep, and I just can't fight it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>MOVIES</b><br />
<ol>
<li>17 Again (Okay, I know this is a goofy teen flick, but Zac Efron is hot.)</li>
<li>Moneyball x2 (I'm a total sucker for inspirational sports films.)</li>
<li>The Help (OMGosh, this movie was amazing. I cried. A lot.)</li>
<li>Night at the Museum: The Battle for the Smithsonian (I may have fallen asleep halfway through, but I'll count it anyway.)</li>
<li>O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Still funny. Always and forever funny.)</li>
<li>Ironman 2 (Robert Downey, Jr., is SO HOT.)</li>
<li>Real Steel (Hugh Jackman is SO HOT.)</li>
<li>Amazing (I miss Jimmer. I really, really do.)</li>
<li>The Hunger Games x4 (Yes, twice. In 24 hours. I liked it better the second time.)</li>
<li>The Woman in Black x3 (This movie was weird. And creepy. I'm still not sure how I feel about it.)</li>
<li>X-Men: First Class</li>
<li>Crazy, Stupid, Love x2 (Ryan Gosling. So. Hot.)</li>
<li>Sydney White</li>
<li>Much Ado About Nothing</li>
<li>The Avengers x3 (Awesome movie with so. many. attractive. men. Yeesh.)</li>
<li>Footloose (I'll stick to the original, thanks.)</li>
<li>10 Things I Hate About You (Love this movie.)</li>
<li>While You Were Sleeping</li>
<li>Back to the Future Part I (These movies simply never get old.)</li>
<li>The Illusionist</li>
<li>Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</li>
<li>Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones is the best. Hands down.)</li>
<li>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cowabunga!)</li>
<li>A Goofy Movie (Ah, childhood memories.)</li>
<li>Stranger Than Fiction</li>
<li>Brave (Super cute movie. I very much enjoyed it.)</li>
<li>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (Go ninja, go ninja, go!)</li>
<li>The Amazing Spider-Man x2</li>
<li>Back to the Future Part II</li>
<li>Batman Begins</li>
<li>The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition x2 (Four hours of pure awesomeness. I love these movies.)</li>
<li>Back to the Future Part III</li>
<li>The Dark Knight</li>
<li>The Dark Knight Rises x3 (SO. EFFING. GOOD. OH MY GOSH.)</li>
<li>Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom</li>
<li>The Devil Inside (Super dumb movie with a horrible ending.)</li>
<li>Paranormal Activity 2 (Freaky, yes, but not quite as scary as it was built up to be.)</li>
<li>Juno (Love this movie. So much.)</li>
<li>Tangled</li>
<li>The Muppets</li>
<li>Zombieland</li>
<li>The Artist (Really good, but didn't quite live up to the hype surrounding it.)</li>
<li>50/50 (Way better than I expected it to be. Though there were far too many f-words.)</li>
<li>The Two Towers Extended Edition</li>
<li>Warrior (LOVE this movie)</li>
<li>Premium Rush (Pretty good movie. Plus, I just love Joseph Gordon-Levitt.)</li>
<li>Country Strong</li>
<li>Memento</li>
<li>The Princess Bride</li>
<li>Cabin in the Woods (What a freakin' weird movie.)</li>
<li>This Means War</li>
<li>The Amityville Horror (Who knew Ryan Reynolds could be so creepy?)</li>
<li>Paranormal Activity 4 (Pretty dang creepy, I must say.)</li>
<li>The Incredibles</li>
<li>Contagion (I've never been more aware of just how many things I touch throughout the day.)</li>
<li>Hocus Pocus</li>
<li>Tower Heist</li>
<li>V for Vendetta</li>
<li>Black Hawk Down</li>
<li>Event Horizon (Such a weird movie.)</li>
<li>Skyfall (I thought this movie was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it.)</li>
<li>Silver Linings Playbook (This movie was fantastic. I loved it.)</li>
<li>Looper (This was far more intense than I expected. Some parts were rather difficult to watch. But it was a fascinating premise.)</li>
<li>Lawless (Good movie, but almost too much for me to handle.)</li>
<li>The A-Team</li>
<li>National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation</li>
<li>Lincoln</li>
<li>The Hobbit</li>
</ol>
<br />
<b>TV SHOWS</b><br />
<ol>
<li>24 Season 4</li>
<li>24 Season 5 (Ho.ly.crap. Just when you think things can't get crazier, they...well...just do.)</li>
<li>24 Season 6 (The crazy just gets crazier.)</li>
<li>24 Season 7 (You'd think the writers would run out of crazy at some point. But they don't.)</li>
<li>24 Season 8 (It ended in a very 24 kind of way. Jack Bauer on the run. It makes sense.)</li>
<li>Parks and Rec Season 1 x2 (How have I not discovered this show sooner?! So dang funny!)</li>
<li>The Walking Dead Season 2 (I watched it live, but I'll include it because HOLY CRAP. What a way to end the season.)</li>
<li>Parks and Rec Season 2 (I am officially in love with this show. It's fantastic.)</li>
<li>Parks and Rec Season 3 x2</li>
<li>Harper's Island (I think watching this show has become a summer thing now.)</li>
<li>Breaking Bad Season 1 (This show is INTENSE.)</li>
<li>Parks and Rec Season 4 x2</li>
<li>Grey's Anatomy Season 1 (This is quickly becoming a guilty pleasure.)</li>
<li>Dexter Season 7 (It's the only season of the show I've watched. And it's kind of crazy.)</li>
<li>Grey's Anatomy Season 2</li>
</ol>
Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-64259420193432074972013-01-02T16:10:00.000-07:002013-01-02T16:10:24.213-07:00Books of 2012I might as well continue what I started in 2011, so here is the list of books I read in 2012. I am quite disappointed that I didn't beat last year's number, but I guess getting engaged is a good enough reason not to read quite as many books. At least I cracked 30. For a while there, I wasn't sure I would even reach that point.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li><i>Monsters & Mormons </i>by various authors (This is a compilation of sci-fi, fantasy, and other genres with Mormon tropes. Some stories were really good, others not so much.)</li>
<li><i>Psion Beta </i>(Psions #1) by Jacob Gowans (Eh, it was all right. It was most definitely self-published.)</li>
<li><i>Lost Boys</i> by Orson Scott Card (This book will stay with me for a very long time. It tore at my soul.)</li>
<li><i>The Oz Principle </i>by Craig Hickman, Roger Connors, and Tom Smith (I had to read this for work. It was really repetitive. And kind of boring.)</li>
<li><i>Life of Pi </i>by Yann Martel (Wow. The ending completely threw me for a loop.)</li>
<li><i>The Book of Lost Things</i> by John Connelly</li>
<li><i>A Monster Calls </i>by Patrick Ness (I loved this. It was beautiful. Ness is definitely one of my favorite authors.)</li>
<li><i>Atonement </i>by Ian McEwan (Okay, so I didn't actually finish this book. But because I made it halfway through [to the sex scene, awesome blossom] and then made a conscious decision not to finish it, I'm including it on my list.)</li>
<li><i>Fablehaven </i>(Fablehaven #1) by Brandon Mull</li>
<li><i>Rot & Ruin </i>(Benny Imura #1) by Jonathan Maberry (Zombies! With a human twist. Definitely enjoyable.)</li>
<li><i>Speak </i>by Laurie Halse Anderson</li>
<li><i>A Thousand Splendid Suns</i> by Khaled Hosseini (What a beautiful, hopeful, and heartbreaking book. Loved it.)</li>
<li><i>Bossypants </i>by Tina Fey (Tina Fey is hilarious. I seriously love her.)</li>
<li><i>Rise of the Evening Star </i>(Fablehaven #2) by Brandon Mull</li>
<li><i>Eats, Shoots & Leaves</i> by Lynne Truss (A book about punctuation. Right up my alley.)</li>
<li><i>The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet </i>by Jamie Ford (What a beautiful, beautiful novel.)</li>
<li><i>Partials </i>(Partials #1) by Dan Wells (Awesome book. I seriously love Dan Wells.)</li>
<li><i>Grip of the Shadow Plague </i>(Fablehaven #3) by Brandon Mull</li>
<li><i>Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary </i>(Fablehaven #4) by Brandon Mull (These books definitely get better as they go.)</li>
<li><i>Keys to the Demon Prison</i> by Brandon Mull (Fablehaven #5)</li>
<li><i>Okay for Now</i> by Gary D. Schmidt (I <i>loved</i> this. Absolutely loved it.)</li>
<li><i>The Wednesday Wars </i>by Gary D. Schmidt (New favorite author. So good.)</li>
<li><i>The Maze Runner</i> by James Dashner</li>
<li><i>Dust & Decay </i>(Benny Imura #2) by Jonathan Maberry</li>
<li><i>The Hollow City </i>by Dan Wells (Super interesting. Schizophrenia is scary, man.)</li>
<li><i>Rumors of War </i>(Children of the Promise #1) by Dean Hughes</li>
<li><i>Since You Went Away </i>(Children of the Promise #2) by Dean Hughes</li>
<li><i>Far From Home</i> (Children of the Promise #3) by Dean Hughes</li>
<li><i>The Mark of Athena </i>(Heroes of Olympus #3) by Rick Riordan</li>
<li><i>Wicked </i>by Gregory Maguire</li>
<li><i>The Alloy of Law </i>by Brandon Sanderson</li>
</ol>
Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-33596352719866280762012-12-21T16:03:00.001-07:002012-12-21T16:03:23.977-07:00Some CountdownsDecember is always an exciting and busy time of year. There always seems to be something to look forward to, and the wedding plans just give me even more things to do and look forward to. Therefore, I present some countdowns.<br />
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<ul>
<li>4 days until Christmas</li>
<li>11 days until New Year's</li>
<li>15 days until we move Andrew into our new apartment</li>
<li>22 days until I do my bridals</li>
<li>54 days until I go through the temple</li>
<li>60 days until I get married!!</li>
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More things will come up, I'm sure, but that's what I can think of right now. And it isn't including all the little wedding things that still need to be done. But we're at less than two months now! I can't wait. It's coming faster than I thought it would, but it's still not fast enough.</div>
Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-85662222555304221792012-12-06T16:34:00.000-07:002012-12-06T16:34:36.705-07:00BabysittingLast night, Andrew and I babysat my brother's two little ones. Ethan and Chloe were so excited to see us, and they didn't stop jumping for 15 minutes. They are such funny little kids.<br />
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But the best part of babysitting was when Chloe started asking Andrew for things and to do things and wanting to show him things. Without even being prompted, she called him "Uncle Andrew." And it melted my heart.<br />
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I can't wait to marry this man in 75 days.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-80525104511691998072012-12-03T15:44:00.000-07:002012-12-03T15:44:21.322-07:00Photoshoot FunOn Saturday, Andrew and I went up to Salt Lake to take our engagement photos. We were supposed to take them the week before, but our photographer got sick, so we had to postpone. I was beyond excited to take engagements. I've always thought that it would be a blast to take engagement photos, and I was not wrong.<br />
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Our photographer was <a href="http://www.alyssiabphotography.com/">Alyssia Baird</a>. You should definitely go check out her stuff because she's awesome. And she was so much fun to work with. She always had ideas for poses and what to do in photos, so it never really felt awkward. One of my favorite instructions that she gave us was to stand close and be into each other. That made me laugh. I'm super excited to work with her for my bridals and on our wedding day. I think I'm going to love our photography.<br />
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We started the shoot at the Salt Lake Library, which is such a cool building. We took pictures in the aisles of books and around the building so you could see the cool architecture. Then we went out to take some pictures on the city streets. I am so excited to see how all the pictures turned out. We couldn't have picked better locations—Andrew and I both love to read, and I absolutely love the city. We'll get access to the proofing site tomorrow to pick the pictures we want to be edited, but in the meantime, Alyssia posted a couple of images on Facebook.<br />
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I can't wait to get the rest.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-53486655639521111762012-11-26T17:13:00.001-07:002012-11-26T17:13:47.567-07:00Thanksgiving Day . . . wait, what day am I on again?Okay, friends. I'm giving up on the daily posts. I know, I know, it's sad, and I'm a quitter, and blah blah blah. But let's be completely honest here. I haven't written a post in thirteen days. I have a week's worth of drafts saved, but for the rest, I'd have to think back to the specific days and postdate the posts and all that jazz. So, I'm giving up. I'm too busy for this. I'll still hopefully blog on occasion, but I've got other things on my mind. And I'd rather spend my evenings with Andrew than worrying about my daily post.<br />
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But that doesn't mean I'm not thankful for everything I have. As any reader is well aware, I am so thankful for my incredibly wonderful fiancé. He is amazing and so patient with me when I'm ornery, which has been more frequent than usual lately. Not because of him, though—he is always so understanding. When I just need to cry for some unknown reason, he doesn't question it. He just offers his shoulder and lets me cry. And then he talks to me so I can pinpoint what's wrong. I love him so much.<br />
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I am also thankful for my awesome family, which I got to see quite a bit over Thanksgiving. Andrew and I spent a few days at my parents' house, and it was fun to see my nieces and nephews and spend time with my family. It was a relaxing few days, and it was a much-needed break.<br />
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In other news, Andrew and I have an apartment! It's a basement apartment, and it has a lot of space. The kitchen, master bedroom, and master bathroom are huge. There are two bedrooms, so we should have plenty of room for all our crap. The family that owns the house and lives upstairs seems really nice, and I think it will be a good situation for us. I'm so happy that we have a place to live! Our own little space. I can't wait to move in and start making it our home.<br />
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There are a mere 84 days until I get married to the love of my life. That's a little less than three months. As of yesterday, we have been together for six months. And it's been six of the best months of my life. Really. I'm so happy. And although 84 days still seems like a long time, I know it will go fast. We take engagement photos this Saturday (and I am so excited!). We have a bazillion Christmas parties to attend during the next few weeks. Then it's Christmas and New Year's, when we can move Andrew and hopefully a good portion of my stuff into our apartment. Then I'll be taking bridals, and we'll be getting our announcements out. Then I'll have to worry about getting everything ready so I can take my endowments out. And then it's our wedding day! So when I think about it in terms of what still needs to be done, 84 days isn't long at all.<br />
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I apologize again that I fell short with my month of thanksgiving. But it's all in my heart, I promise.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-45606224537477140822012-11-13T23:58:00.000-07:002012-11-14T15:23:42.387-07:00Thanksgiving Day ThirteenTonight was a very low-key kind of night. Andrew wanted to play his new video game, and he told me he'd like some company, so I went to his place prepared with a book. I spent a good portion of the evening with my legs over his lap, reading my book while he played his game. That may sound boring to some, but I thought it was very nice.<br />
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So while I am thankful that Andrew and I go out and do things, I am also thankful that we are capable of doing our own things, and doing them together. I didn't necessarily need to have 100% of Andrew's attention tonight, but I wanted to be near him. He makes me happy, and I like knowing that he's near. When he had a break in his game, he would rub my leg, and I loved that little acknowledgement of my presence. I'm thankful that we're comfortable enough with each other that we can do our own things while still being together.<br />
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And yes, most of my thankful posts this year are going to be about Andrew. Because he's amazing, and I'm thankful for him every day. I'm marrying him in 97 days, so he's on my mind. All the time.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-38608098366152965292012-11-12T22:48:00.000-07:002012-11-13T17:04:49.050-07:00Thanksgiving Day TwelveTonight we had FHE at my apartment. We played Rock Band, and since the game is mine, it made sense for me to be there to set everything up. My roommate bought some pizza and we were set to have a grand ol' time.<br />
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And then people showed up. There were a couple of people who were fine and just had fun, but there was an entire apartment of giggly, air-headed girls that were flirting with an apartment of tools. I don't mean to be mean or horribly judgmental. I'm sure these people are perfectly fine people. But the combination of personalities there made for an . . . interesting evening, to say the least. Everyone was really loud, and there was one guy who was particularly douchebaggish. I'm sure he thought he was something else, but anyone who calls me "girly" is automatically put on my douchebag list.<br />
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Believe it or not, this is leading to something that I am thankful for. Which is the fact that I am leaving student housing and singles' wards forever in a little over three months. I am so thankful that I don't have to deal with the dating game anymore and that soon I won't have to deal with the drama of other people who are dealing with it. I no longer have to worry about who's dating who and who likes who and who has a history with who and who hates who, and I can't tell you just how happy that makes me.<br />
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Also, as much as I love my roommates (they're some of the best girls I know), I am so thankful that soon I will have my own place where everything will be mine and Andrew's and we won't have to label food or clean up other people's messes. I can't express just how wonderful that thought is after having spent seven and a half years living in student housing.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-63664112488234802182012-11-11T17:13:00.000-07:002012-11-12T13:47:19.189-07:00Thanksgiving Day ElevenIt is Veteran's Day today, so I feel it only appropriate to be thankful for the brave men and women who have served and currently serve in the military. Those men and women have my utmost respect and admiration, as do their families who support them from home. These are the people who have fought for our freedoms and given their time, talents, and lives to make America what it is today. I'm thankful that there are people out there who are so willing to serve their country and who do so with such dedication.<br />
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<br />Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-53004224217292414102012-11-10T23:55:00.000-07:002012-11-14T10:56:10.514-07:00Thanksgiving Day TenGoodness gracious, the weather is bad outside. Andrew and I spent the morning running errands and looking at apartments and stopping by my parents' house and doing various other things that we needed to do. Most of the time that we were driving around Salt Lake, it was snowing. A lot. And I was super glad that Andrew was driving and not me.<br />
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After we got back to Orem and relaxed at Andrew's for a little while, we headed down to Provo to meet my brother and sister-in-law. BYU's last home game was tonight, and we were all going together. So after grabbing some food, we bundled up as best we could and headed over to the stadium. It was SO COLD. Holy cow. And snow was still piled up under all the bleachers, so getting to our seats was treacherous. I was slipping and sliding all over the place.<br />
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Andrew and I only stayed for the first half. Because by halfway through the second quarter, BYU was beating Idaho 42–7, and I couldn't feel my toes or my face. On our way back to my place, we stopped by the Cocoa Bean and got hot cocoa and cupcakes. It was delicious.<br />
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All of this leads to what I am thankful for today, which is a warm house and a roof over my head. I'm so thankful for my working heater and all my blankets and a fiancé who is more than willing to cuddle with me to keep me warm.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-47882481271936403102012-11-09T18:48:00.000-07:002012-11-12T11:55:23.783-07:00Thanksgiving Day NineYesterday was Andrew's birthday, so tonight we are going out to celebrate. We're going to gorge ourselves at Tucanos and then go see the new Bond movie. I've been looking forward to tonight all week, and even the snowy, icky weather won't stop us from going out and enjoying an evening together. (As a side note, I'm also thankful that Andrew is willing to drive tonight. Because I hate driving in the snow.)<br />
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So today I am thankful for date night. For a reason to go out and splurge a little bit and just enjoy life. I'm thankful that Andrew and I like to go out and that we do so fairly regularly. There are a lot of things that we like to do, and we enjoy doing them together, and I'm really thankful for that. Relaxing and cuddling at home is nice, but it's also nice to go out on the town once in a while.<br />
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<br />Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-2833445485184328292012-11-08T21:21:00.000-07:002012-11-12T11:35:34.625-07:00Thanksgiving Day EightTonight Andrew and I stopped by the mall so we could pick up his ring. Andrew wanted it engraved with our wedding date and "Always and Forever," which I thought was super sweet. He's just super sweet. My favorite part about that engraving is "Forever." Because it's true. Andrew and I will be getting sealed for time and all eternity in the temple, and I am so thankful for that. I'm thankful that I have the truth of the Gospel and that I will get to be with my family forever.<br />
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I'm so thankful that my upcoming marriage to Andrew won't just be for time. Death won't part us. I will get to be with him and grow with him for the rest of eternity, and that thought fills me with warmth and happiness. The children we have will be ours forever. What an amazing blessing.<br />
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<br />Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-50521472824623359602012-11-07T15:35:00.000-07:002012-11-08T15:35:54.150-07:00Thanksgiving Day SevenToday I'm thankful for my job. In addition to simply being thankful for a full-time, steady job that allows me to take care of my needs, I'm also thankful for my own ability to do my job. I've been with this company for nearly four years, and in that time, my position has shifted and changed as I have gotten more responsibility and learned more about what goes on in the company.<br />
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For the rest of this week, I am covering for one of my coworkers who is on vacation. It's stressful work. I don't do it every day, so I'm not completely comfortable with what I am being asked to do, but at the same time, it's nice to know that I have other skills at work that help me contribute more. I'm thankful that I've learned so much here and that I've really been able to make myself an invaluable member of my team. My boss tells me that I can't ever leave KLAS, and while I know she's joking, it's nice to know that I'm appreciated.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-52426925785536883482012-11-06T11:51:00.000-07:002012-11-06T11:51:43.428-07:00Thanksgiving Day SixI feel the need to start this post with a disclaimer, which is that I am a terrible citizen. I am not voting today because I am not registered. Why am I not registered? The answer is simple: I forgot. That's truly it. I completely forgot until it was too late, and then I was up the creek without a paddle. I am fully aware of my own apparent apathy toward the election this year, so do me the kindness of not judging me too harshly. In my defense, I recently got engaged and have had plenty of other things on my mind.<br />
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Despite my own lack of obvious patriotism, I am immensely thankful to live in a country that has an open election that requires its citizens to get involved. I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to form my own opinions and share them with others. Where I can do something as simple as write on this blog without worrying about whether what I say might get me in trouble. Where I am free to practice my religion and cultivate my beliefs. Where I can have a job and create opportunities for myself.<br />
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I know that I often forget about the amazing opportunities I have been given simply by virtue of where I was born. I often take for granted how blessed I am to live in a country whose government allows me to do what I want to do without fear of retribution. What we have here in the United States is truly amazing. So while I dropped the ball this election day, I am thankful for all those who didn't.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-22765675904139382632012-11-05T20:52:00.000-07:002012-11-06T11:19:31.887-07:00Thanksgiving Day FiveToday I am thankful that my wedding planning is going well. Even though I wouldn't mind it if Andrew and I were getting married earlier (being engaged is really no fun because I just want to be <i>married </i>already), I am thankful that we still have three and a half months to get everything figured out. We have a venue, my dress, a florist, and a photographer. Andrew just did the final fitting of his custom-made suit tonight, and it's going to look very good. I'm excited to see how we'll look together on our wedding day.<br />
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So while I'm not a huge fan of this wedding planning business, I'm thankful that things are coming along. We have most of the big things figured out, and now we just need to focus on the details. You know, the little things like finding an apartment and budgeting and combining our incomes. Those are just minor things, right?Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-56400914087058685392012-11-04T19:46:00.000-07:002012-11-05T14:56:10.954-07:00Thanksgiving Day FourI'm afraid that today's thankful post will be a little shallow, but sometimes that's just the way it goes. Today was fast Sunday, and I have church at 1:30 pm. It's always difficult for me to fast that long. I get a little shaky and <i>super</i> hungry. So by the time I got home from church, I was famished. And to help satisfy my hunger, Andrew made some delicious fettucine alfredo. It was so good. And probably really bad for me, but I didn't care.<br />
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So today, I am thankful for good food. And for a fiancé who likes to cook and spoils me rotten with how often he cooks for me. Even when we're supposed to be cooking something together, he usually ends up doing most of the work. Because he's a sweetheart like that.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-28674211434453932522012-11-03T21:22:00.000-06:002012-11-05T14:46:40.645-07:00Thanksgiving Day ThreeFor a couple of reasons, today I am thankful for my education and my steady, full-time job. And to piggyback on that, I am also thankful for Andrew's education and steady, full-time job. We went to look at some apartments this morning, and we drove past a complex that looked nice, so we decided to stop in and check it out. The lady in the office showed us the prices and amenities. After a 10-minute explanation, she finally got around to telling us that it was income-limited housing, which meant that we had to make less than a certain amount in order to live there. Together, Andrew and I will make about double the limit.<br />
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While it kind of sucked to be forced to miss out on some nice, affordable apartments, it was also nice to know that Andrew and I have been smart with our money and that we have given ourselves the opportunity to be successful. We should be able to afford a decent apartment, and we won't have to live paycheck to paycheck. That is definitely one of the benefits of waiting until after college to get married.<br />
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Another thing that made me thankful for my job was that I bought Andrew's wedding ring today. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment decision to get it tonight, but there was a sale, and it worked out best to buy it then. I'm very thankful that I have enough money set aside that I could buy it right then without it breaking me.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-66426641595915845782012-11-02T22:38:00.000-06:002012-11-05T14:20:34.676-07:00Thanksgiving Day TwoToday, I am grateful for the little things that entertain me every day. For instance, Andrew recently got my Wii to connect to the internet. (I've had the Wii for five years now, and I'm just now getting that figured out.) Naturally, I had to go see what kind of fun old-school game were available from the Wii store. And there were plenty, let me tell you. I ended up spending more money than I should have, but I got Super Mario World, Startropics, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Donkey Kong Country.<br />
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This may be a goofy thing to be thankful for, but I was so happy to have this little bit of nostalgia. It's nice to have a little goofy fun sometimes.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-42075411069115562442012-11-01T16:53:00.000-06:002012-11-01T16:53:17.557-06:00Thanksgiving Day OneMy goodness, I cannot believe it's November already. That's just crazy. Time seems to be dragging and flying all at the same time, and I'm not quite sure how that's possible.<br />
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At any rate, November means a solid month of thankful posts! I have countless things to be grateful for right now, so I have more than enough material to do a fourth year of these posts. I have found that it is a great way to remind me to count my blessings and remember all that I have been given.<br />
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So today, day one, I am going to start with probably the most obvious thing I am grateful for, and that is my fiancé.<br />
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I know I've already gushed about him on my blog before, but this man is so good to me. In everything he does, he shows me that he loves me. I have no doubt about his feelings for me or my feelings for him. I love spending time with him. We don't even have to be doing anything; I just like being near him. He makes me feel safe and secure, and I know that he will always be there for me to help me with whatever I might need. He also makes me laugh all the time, and we have so much fun together.<br />
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Andrew had to work last night, so I didn't get to see him yesterday. I always get a little bummed about that, though it was nice to just relax, watch the Jazz game, and attempt to write in my journal. But now I'm anxious to see him again. It may have only been one day, but I missed Andrew. And I'm excited to see him tonight. He means everything to me. I love him more than I thought possible, and I can't say just how thankful I am to have him in my life. I can't wait to marry him in 110 days.Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7608364186330878294.post-28179022304871292752012-10-22T15:45:00.000-06:002012-10-22T15:45:14.523-06:00Planning a WeddingDid you know that planning a wedding is stressful? Well, if you didn't, now you do. I know some girls who think it's really fun, but I'm not one of those girls. Of course I'm excited to create an evening that's all about me and my new husband. Of course I'm excited to choose my colors and create a style for my reception. Of course I'm excited about getting all dolled up and getting amazing pictures taken.<br />
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But getting there is a lot more stressful than I thought it would be.<br />
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That's mostly because there is an incredible number of things that need to be done and because it is all rather expensive. And because we have to plan one thing in order to know what our budget is for another thing. Did I mention that there's a lot to do? And to coordinate? And to pay for?<br />
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But things have progressed this past week. Three major things were crossed off this week:<br />
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<li>The temple is booked.</li>
<li>I have a dress!</li>
<li>The venue is reserved. (Which means the food is taken care of. I'm so glad we're not doing it ourselves.)</li>
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Yay for making progress! Especially when my dress only cost $300. And it's <i>perfect</i>. Simply perfect. I still can't believe I found a dress that's so perfectly <i>me</i> and what I want for such a good price. And I didn't even get it at some out-of-the-way shop—I got it at David's Bridal. I'm so excited about it, and I can't wait to get it the end of next month. Now I just have to figure out how to accessorize it.</div>
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There are still some big expenses that need to be taken care of (like a photographer—you know, just a little thing), but I'm so happy that we are actually making some progress.</div>
Lindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12896436219430146524noreply@blogger.com0