Pictures!

Here are some wedding pictures. Blogger is a little weird about pictures, so I'll only upload these for now. Maybe I'll put up some more later. Enjoy!

Two months!!

Stephan and I were married two months ago today. We are currently spending the weekend at my in-laws--they are all in Disney Land and we're house sitting. Stephan did a little bit of homework and then we took off for the mountains to see the fall colors. It was beautiful! I've got some issues with Utah, but it sure does know how to do scenery! Now Stephan is making dinner, and I feel like reflecting on my wedding day, a la my friend Amy (who I remember best as Sister Hanson when she was a missionary in my home ward).

Hats off to The Silver Hanger for providing my wedding dress, veil, and shoes (well, temple ones at least). I first went to Allyse's Bridal in Orem with my cousins, but didn't get anything there because they told me it was too expensive. I have since learned that they are not that expensive, but rather Mormons are cheap. Anyway. My mom and I went to The Silver Hanger out in Katy, TX when I was home for a break between Winter semester and Spring term. It was a small store, but they had a nice selection and we went during the day when there was almost no one there. We got great service from the lady who owns it! I finally selected my dress, which was a semi-popular dress, but not so much. Hats off to my wonderful mother who altered my dress and replaced the too-tight cap sleeves with much more flexible tulip ones.

A wag of the finger goes to China, for not having the material for my sleeves ready until the middle of JUNE!!!! As if my mom didn't have a busy enough summer getting my brother ready for a mission besides. Another wag of the finger goes to all those people who thought it was terrible that my mom wasn't making my wedding dress. While my mom is an amazing seamstress, she wasn't going to be able to pull off making my dress in only a few months and with me being away from home for most of that time.

Tip of the hat to Le Jardin for being so helpful and not being too expensive. Seriously, I highly recommend having your wedding reception here. They aren't outrageously expensive (especially if you have it during the day like I did), and it includes setting up, linens, and all that jazz. They also did our flowers (my bouquet and the various bouttenieres) and they were beautiful!!! You get the beauty of nature without worrying about the weather, which goes to...

Wag of the finger at the weather. When I decided to have my wedding in August, I assumed it would be like all Augusts past and be BLAZING hot. Nope. When I woke up on my wedding day, it was cold and windy. And then it started raining right before my sealing! I was upset. But thankfully, the rain let up for pictures, but it was still wet out. And our photographer still got some amazing pictures despite the rain.

Tip of the hat to Rachel Spencer, who took our engagements; Jacey Jensen (my cousin) who took my bridals; and Scott Jarvie, our wedding photographer. Rachel was in my ward when I lived in Glenwood, and she's really good with a camera! We were very happy with our pictures, and had a hard time choosing which ones to go on the announcements! My cousin Jacey was very accommodating with my bridals--especially when I didn't know when I would have my dress (my mother was altering it). The wait was worth it, and she took some really beautiful pictures!

I searched long and hard for our wedding photographer. It always seemed like photographers were too expensive or did not take good pictures. My mom suggested having an aunt take pictures, but I didn't think that was a good idea at all. I have certain relatives who would hijack the picture-taking process and take forever if she were the photographer. I reminded my mother of this, and she agreed that a professional would be best. I finally found Scott Jarvie through a facebook ad. He had some amazing pictures and his asking price wasn't too shabby either. I got him for the last available Saturday in August he was available! I am so glad I hired him because he knew how to operate in the rain. And he was really mellow and easy to work with. I would highly recommend him to all my friends, and not just for wedding pictures! And certain relatives kept their mouths shut during our pictures. Our pictures turned out wonderfully!

Tip of the hat to my mother-in-law Kathy for doing our cake. We basically decided to have her do the cake before we were engaged because she had done it for Heather's (Stephan's older sister) wedding, and she does good work! We saved a ton of money having her do it, and the cake was beautiful! Plus, it was tasty. And if you know me, you know I don't usually care for cake.

Tip of the hat to my brother-in-law Alex for desigining our wedding announcements for the price of a $25 iTunes gift card. He also offered to do a slideshow for the reception, but unfortunately we never got around to it. We got a lot of compliments on our announcements, which honestly weren't so different from others! I guess Stephan and I just look that good together ;)

Tip of the hat to the Maywood String Quartet for performing at our reception. It also turns out we had a celebrity cellist in that group--Steven Sharp Nelson. I didn't even know! My parents were the ones who booked them, and they definitely didn't know! My dad also jumped in for "Sunrise, Sunset" (he plays violin). Everyone (including me) loved it! Although wag of the finger at the quartet for playing "Canon in D". As a violinist of several years, I think it's one of the most OVERPLAYED pieces of all time. I thought my dad explicitly told them not to perform it...oh well.

Wag of the finger at the many people who did not read their invitations and assumed that the reception was going to be in the evening. You have NO IDEA how many people e-mailed me later to tell me that they were going to come, except they thought it was in the evening and didn't know until they looked at the announcement and saw that it was that afternoon. To be brutally honest, all I can really say is: LEARN TO READ!!!!! Honestly, it wasn't hard to see that the invitation specifically said 1 to 3 PM. Gee manee. Okay, I got that out (it has been bothering me for a while). Please don't think I hate anyone, I just don't have patience for people who "assume".

Tip of the hat to the many people who provided me with transportation during the wedding planning. Tiffany, Tia, Kerry Andersen, Anika, and if there is anyone else I am forgetting, forgive me! And for those people who listened to my rants and worries during the whole process, namely my roommates, and especially Jessica.

But really, the most important part of my wedding day happened at ten o'clock that morning when my great-Uncle Herschel Pedersen performed our sealing. One of the reasons I chose the Mount Timpanogos Temple was because Uncle Herschel is a sealer there, and my Grandpa Slack (who had been the family sealer for years) passed away almost two years ago and couldn't perform mine. And my entire immediate family was there, which I was very pleased with because we were afraid Paul wouldn't be able to come because of his school schedule (he's a teacher). He caught the last flight out of Yuma, AZ the night before the wedding just so he could be there! Plus, his aides were determined that he would make it to my wedding, so they really helped him get everything ready. I was so happy to have him there, along with the rest of my immediate family. I know it is a great blessing for my parents to have sat in the temple with all four of their children. I am grateful that we all kept ourselves worthy to be in such a holy place. I was also grateful that so many of our relatives could attend.

On the road again

So a week went by without hearing back from the car rental agency, and it was annoying me slightly. But I thought that it wouldn't be much longer before I got the car back, so what would be the point of having a rental for only a couple of days? Well, I decided to call the body shop to get an update on the car. Well, they found out there's more damage than they thought and that implies it's probably going to take longer. After getting that information, I called the rental place and asked for a car they had promised. They had one. One of the agents picked me up and I signed a bunch of papers when I got there, and they put me in a Hyundai Sonata since I'm used to driving a Honda Accord. Let me tell you that it was freaky to be behind the wheel again, especially since the rental place was on a very scary section of State Street that I am not familiar with. So, I was driving a car I wasn't used to driving; it had been a week since I had driven; and rush hour was beginning. Not a good mix! I was a nervous wreck, but I managed to get home all right. It's nice to have a car, but now I'm kind of a nervous driver and I don't want to be!

It's been getting cold around here, which has been nice, but this morning it was so cold that Stephan didn't want to ride his scooter to UVU. He asked if I would drive him, and I didn't want to be so selfish that I wouldn't drive him. Marriage is about sacrificing for the other, right? I managed to get him to UVU with little difficulty. My difficulty was the sun. It was about 7:45 or so in the morning and the sun was getting in my eyes! It hurt and I had difficulty seeing! My transition lenses were not helping very much. But all was well and Stephan got to UVU and I managed to get home in good condition.

It turns out Stephan just wanted me to drive. He could have gotten to UVU on his scooter. Oh well, it got me back on the road. I think for now, I will try to do most of my driving with him and I will stick to familiar areas. I have never prayed so much while driving in my life.

P.S. We have seen our wedding pictures on our photographer's website! We should be getting the CD really soon. Be expecting to see pictures on this blog really soon :) :)

Life without a car

It's been a week since my car accident. On Wednesday, I was on the phone for a few hours talking to the necessary people, and then got a phone call from a car rental agency telling me that I was on top of their list for getting a rental (my insurance company called them). Well, six days later, still no car. Never have I been so grateful for Stephan's scooter in my life. But as it is, I'm stuck at home a lot. I probably should call them really soon to yell at them, but I'm currently sitting in the UVU library. There was a job fair today, and Stephan encouraged me to attend, and obviously I checked it out. Stephan is at work right now until one, so I'm just trying to use my time wisely until then. I found one good lead at the fair, so that's encouraging.

But the good news about the car is that it is repairable! They should have it done by the end of this week or the beginning of next. That makes me happy. But for now, it's my feet or Stephan's scooter.

I was pretty sore for a few days after the accident. A couple days after the accident, I found some bruises on my hips. That was probably from the impact. My back still hurts a little bit. I was also emotionally messed up for a few days. Thankfully, I am married to someone who is very patient and understanding. I don't know what I would do without Stephan.

Let's see, what else? I went to the Relief Society Broadcast with Kathy and Heather (Stephan's sister) on Saturday. It was really good. I went to Mimi's for the first time with them--the French Onion Soup was really good! I had chicken parmesan, which was pretty good, but not the best I had ever tasted. I developed a lovely case of heartburn later on :( Italian food does that to me, but I still love it.

My mother-in-law taught me how to cut Stephan's hair this last Sunday. Stephan has SO MUCH hair!!! And it's wiry. Cutting hair is a challenge, but Stephan thinks I did a good job (Kathy helped). Although it's shorter in front than he usually wears it. Oh well. We'll save a lot of money this way. It's more money to get *my* hair cut. Our children are destined for thick hair. I hope we don't have to name any of our children Esau...ha ha ha.

Here's to living the poor newlywed life! But being married to Stephan makes it all worthwhile. He is so good to me, and he says I'm good to him too (I do try).

my car accident

For those who are not on facebook or who have not heard yet, I was in a car accident yesterday. I am not injured, though yes I am a little sore. Unfortunately, the accident was my fault and the car had to be towed. And thankfully, it is still under my parents' insurance until I have a job.

Here's how it happened:

I decided to go to Target around 5 yesterday to look at picture frames and other decor items. Stephan was doing homework, so I thought it would be a good time to give him some quiet. I didn't exactly know where the Orem Target was, so I thought I'd just trust Jay (what we call the GPS). Unfortunately, Jay thought that the closest Target was in American Fork. I did not want to drive all the way there when there was a Target in Orem! So, I just drove around hoping I'd find it. I did not, so I thought maybe I'd go home. But then I went the wrong way, and it looked like I was getting close to the Lindon Wal-Mart. I was gauging my location on State Street, and I guess I wasn't looking ahead when before I knew it WHAM! I rear-ended a stopped car in the street and caused it to rear-end the car in front of it. My airbags deployed and I was screaming bloody murder this entire time. I was afraid that the car was totaled and I knew that the accident was my fault. That was when I started crying. A witness called the police and came to check on me and he checked on the other drivers. I called Stephan in a panic and he stopped everything he was doing to come to me. He also called his parents. The cops arrived, and I was ordered to stay in the car because since my airbags deployed, I was required to be checked up by paramedics. I was fine except for a sore leg. The officer asked me if I had been texting or talking on the phone. I was happy to say that I was not. The paramedic asked me some questions, they towed the car, gave me some cards, and I could go.

This was a traumatizing experience to say the least. I am grateful that the damage to the car was not serious and that it can be repaired. I am grateful that we also have a very good car. I don't know if anyone remembers, but Stephan and I had a disagreement a few months before we got married about our car situation. What I wanted to do was let my parents do what they had done for my older brothers: buy us a Honda from our next door neighbor who owns a Honda dealership. The agreement with all this is that we have to pay my parents back over time (before you think we're spoiled rotten). The neighbor has given my parents the best deals on the cars they have gotten from her. However, Stephan was not comfortable with this. He wanted to buy a car with the money we both had, which would basically buy us a junker. We compromised and asked my parents if it was possible to get a slightly-used car from Stacy (the neighbor). What ended up happening was I got my dad's 2007 Accord (still going to pay them back) and my dad got a new car. If I had been in a junker, I probably would be in the hospital right now. So basically, I now think everyone should get a Honda because they are good, sturdy cars!

Anyway. I am happy to be alive and mostly unhurt. It's an experience I never want to have ever again. But I think I am less judgmental of other drivers now. There are many, many things I'm grateful for right now that I may list at a later time.

If you want my advice, here it is: Know where you are going so you can plan accordingly. Keep your eyes on the road at all times (that was my biggest mistake). If you are lost, just get back to familiar roads and just go home. Target wasn't that important anyway. Or park the car and call someone for directions. Don't drive aimlessly. Oh, and don't text or talk on the phone while driving. I wasn't doing either, but I think that was one of the reasons the cop didn't give me a ticket. Plus, it's illegal to text while driving around here.

Sorry for my long post :)

no more coin-op!

So after about a month of living here and using the coin-operated laundry room in our complex, I was sick and tired of it. There are only two washers and dryers in our entire building, and one of the washers is STILL broken. But I had accepted this fate because we could not afford a washer and dryer...or so we thought.

I vented my frustrations to my dear husband, and he just randomly decided to go on craigslist to look at washers and dryers, basically to prove that we indeed could not afford any. I decided to get on too, and then I saw a listing for a washer and dryer being sold in Orem for $130. Stephan had not seen this--the ad had just barely been posted! Stephan did the math in his head, coming up with the cost of using the coin-op in our building and comparing it to the cost of the washer/dryer. Basically, we'll be saving about $100 with our lovely additions. They're used, yes, but we should get good use out of them. And our bills shouldn't be too bad--they already are not bad. That's the plus of living in a little one-bedroom apartment.

Let's just say that it is amazing having a washer and dryer all our own. No more do I have to lug laundry baskets down the hall. No more do I have to groan every time I see that "out of order" sign on the broken washer, although my heart goes out to the other residents who must pay to do laundry. I never thought I would love appliances so much.

In other news, I have gotten two job rejections so far. Kind of a bummer, yes. But Stephan keeps assuring me that we should be okay for a few more months at least, as long as we are careful. My mom is acting like I must have a job right this very second and should therefore apply to Wal-Mart or something for the time being. Uh, no, I refuse to work retail and Stephan will not let me besides. He worked retail before he left for his mission and hated it. Don't worry, Mom. Blame the government for making my job hunt more difficult. Of course, don't get me started on the government ;)

Stephan and I have callings now. We're in charge of the ward newsletter. The couple who worked on it last had the calling for FIVE years! Holy cow. I guess my editing skills are being put to use. Yay. Can I get paid for them yet?

We have also opened up our own checking account. I know, it's the "in" thing to have separate checking accounts, but I got tired of the whole "Who's paying?" deal whenever we went shopping and such. Plus, I know people who have separate checking accounts and they fight over money ALL THE TIME. I'd like to keep the arguing to a minimum, thank you. Just thought I'd mention that it was never our plan to have separate accounts, it's just that we hadn't gotten to the bank deal until last week. I wanted to change my name on my account (we mainly just added Stephan to my current account with the bank), but I had to have our marriage certificate for that. My mom is mailing that as we speak (we had it sent to my parents).

So, we have a washer/dryer. I'm still looking for a job. We have a calling. And we have a joint bank account. That's all for now!

Getting better

On Tuesday, we decided to celebrate our one-month anniversary by going out to dinner and catching a movie. We went to Chili's, where I had some ribs (mmm) and Stephan had a really good steak. We also had some lovely strawberry lemonade...mmmmmmm!!!! After dinner, we went to the dollar theater to see the movie "Up". Unfortunately, I started feeling ill in the middle of it and we had to go home because I was afraid I'd throw up. Stephan called his mom (she's a nurse) and she recommended some peppermint tea, and he went to the grocery store and got some. Thank goodness I like peppermint tea, and I started feeling better. It was a mild case of food poisoning, we think.

Today we just went to a ward cookout in the playground at our complex, and I think I'm finally making some friends here! Hurray!

I'm also cooking more often. On Monday, we were supposed to go to a Beatles reenactment concert at the SCERA with my in-laws, but then Stephan's brother and sister both had a ton of homework and then it started raining. Stephan was working until seven that night, but when he got home, I had prepared a lovely Japanese style dinner of chicken katsu, rice, and edamame. It was so good! My brother Scott let me have his panko crumbs, tonkatsu sauce, and Japanese rice when he moved out of his apartment. Stephan loved the dinner--he said it reminded him of the katsu he had on our third date. On Wednesday, deciding I needed to use up some leftovers, I made a chicken teriyaki stir-fry (with veggies) and served it with the leftover rice and edamame. Yummy.