August 16 - 21, 2008 The Honeymoon

Our honeymoon was the best ever! We had so much fun and we have really wanted to go back. Nicole did not know where we were going until we were on our way to the airport and I handed her a folder with all of the travel details in it. We flew into Portland on Saturday morning, picked up our car (they didn't have the car we had reserved because it had been in an accident so they gave us a Cadillac SRX for the same price!) and we drove to Cannon Beach, Oregon (near Haystack Rock shown below).

We spent several days there and also visited Astoria and Tillamook. We had a great time at the beach, the cheese factory, the morning market and we definitely had the best clam chowder at the Baked Alaskan in Astoria!

We had such a great time that we were a little sad to leave but we knew that there were many more exciting times for us ahead. We loved the honeymoon and we love Cannon Beach! And...

August 15, 2008 The Wedding

This day was definitely one of the best days of my life. We always hear that saying about marrying the right person, in the right place, at the right time. I think I really got it right! Being married to Colb in the Salt Lake Temple has been the best decision I ever made!

Colb shared something with me the other day from Truman G. Madsen's book called The Temple that I hadn't ever really thought about. It says, "When the question is raised, 'Why be married in the temple? Why not just elope?' we often say, 'Because only temple marriages are forever.' But that puts all the emphasis on extent and duration. It says nothing of the quality and power and intensity of love which can alone justify such duration. So let us rather say: 'Because only in the temple are you placed in covenant-harmony with divine power which will eventually so infuse and fuse your love that it will be worth perpetuating forever.'" I really like this thought and already agree with it after only being married for a short time.

Our sealing wasn't until 4:20 in the afternoon so it was a really relaxed day. I felt like I was walking on clouds all day long and couldn't keep the huge grin off my face. Even though it was August, the weather was perfect and it couldn't have been a better day. We had more pictures and then a dinner with our family and friends.

The day was absolutely perfect and the best part was that I was now sealed to my best friend! I am so happy and think married life is the best thing ever!

August 2, 2008 Vernal Temple

I went through the temple for my first time a couple weeks before we got married. We went to the Vernal Temple and it was so wonderful to be there with all of my family and soon-to-be family. Later that afternoon Katie and Bryn threw me a bridal shower.

July 29, 2008 Bridals

I seriously debated about whether I should have Bridals taken. I had no clue what I was going to do with so many pictures of myself. I was eventually talked into it and really enjoyed the day. It was such a wonderful, fun, girl day with my mom! Plus...how many times in your life do you get to put on a gorgeous dress and feel like a princess? I'd say it was definitely worth it. However, we do now have lots of pictures of me that we have no clue what to do with! (So now I'm letting you look at them...)

July 18, 2008 The Dress

As far as frills and worldly wedding details, the dress was the other item on my list. Mom had been really sick, but Grandma Shela brought her out and the three of us had a wonderful day shopping. Wedding dress shopping is definitely one of those things that every girl needs a chance to experience. It was kind of a hard decision, but I quickly fell in love with my dress. Of course it was almost the first (actually the second) I tried on, but you still have to try on at least half the store. I have to admit that I was a big fan of the veil too!

June 18, 2008 Engagement Pictures

Say cheese! Since we decided to get married on August 15 (2 month engagement), we had to get right on wedding plans. I was just so excited to be marrying Colby that I wasn't really into all of the TONS of wedding planning details. (Mom was wonderful and took care of most of that!) However, I did pick the two frills that were most important to me--the dress and the pictures.

We had to hurry with engagement pictures because we needed to start on announcements, and I was trying to schedule a time to get my wisdom teeth out (and not have chipmunk cheek pictures). It was a great day full of hot sun, big smiles, and kissing pictures. We were pros by the end of the day. Smile--Look--Kiss!

June 7, 2008 Colby's Birthday Surprise

So June 7th is my birthday and I was really excited for it. I was planning on taking Nicole four-wheeling in the mountains that morning and proposing (we had looked at rings a little bit in the previous weeks). I woke up that morning and it was pouring rain! I had to think fast so I called her dad and had him pick up the ring. Her mom then wrapped it and put it inside of her gift for me. I took Nicole to lunch and kept her just long enough that she called home to have her mom wrap her gift (which she had already done). Her family came over to my house for dinner and then I started opening gifts. I got some pretty cool stuff and some really nice cards. I opened Nicole's gift last and pulled out the shirt she had gotten for me. Then I pulled out a little wrapped box and the look on her face was priceless! She was so confused about where it had come from. I told her maybe her mom wrapped it up by accident and it wasn't really for me. I handed it to her, she opened it and then her face lit up. I knelt down, shaking quite a bit, and popped the question. It was such a great and memorable moment with both of our families there. And I will always remember what day we were engaged on, my birthday! (It's kind of hard to forget that date!)