Is it summer break yet?

We are definitely ready for summer, that's for sure. It's been one crazy month. Mid-terms, registering for Fall Semester, working on late night projects... I think our brains are oozing out our ears now. These next two weeks will be torturous, as we prepare for finals. I can't believe the semester is coming to an end already. It's gone by so fast.

I was able to receive a private scholarship from the school and a pell grant. What a blessing for us! I am still on the search for a job, and hoping to get something soon with all the students leaving for break. Tayler will continue to work on campus as a Course Improvement Specialist.

The weather has been so nice here! 80s and 90s mostly. It has been very hard to resist not wearing shorts or flip flops when at school...

I've had the chance to participate a lot in the child preschool labs on campus. Oh, I LOVE it!! This is definitely the major I'm suppose to be in. Those kids bring so much joy into my day. I can't wait until I can start teaching in the labs in the upcoming semesters.

I created a Pinterest account, finally. Ha! ...I can't believe it took me so long to get one.

For some odd reason all the spiders like to come out of hiding and crawl up and down our walls once Tayler leaves for work. Seriously!? It's like they all know I'm terrified of them. Good thing I married someone who isn't afraid of killing those creepy crawlers.

Ever since I was little, I loved to dance. I remember taking a balle class, a few hip hop classes, even cheer camps... but never did I think I'd love ballroom dancing! Tayler sort of pushed me into taking a Social Dance class at the beginning of the semester with him. It's become my most favorite class! Fox Trot, Swing, Waltz, Cha cha--Way fun:)

We cannot wait for August to come. We get to go to Wallowa Lake, OR. with my family and then backpacking with Tayler's family afterwards. This will be my first backpacking experience and the first time for Tayler since he's been back from his mission. Fun times ahead! :)

Today, Tayler and I celebrate our 3rd month of being married. WAHOO! Our "quarter-of-a-year-iversary." Or as Tayler calls it, "quarter-iversary."

Striving to be a homemaker, I've been...experimenting with food. Some things turn out better than others. Like this pound cake I decided to make, I forgot we didn't have a "loaf pan" to bake it in. Oops? Plus, it was Sunday and we couldn't go to the store. So I baked it in a sheet pan. Bad idea. Almost burned the whole thing and it was hard as a rock. Fail.

Hey, it's all a learning experience, right? :) Like when Tayler wanted some scrambled eggs and I forgot to spray the pan... (facepalm). Thank goodness for scrub-brushes.

Here are a couple of my successful baking attempts:

 

"Every Love Story is Beautiful, but Ours is My Favorite."

I'm sure you wondering how this all came to be. Some say they met their future spouse at a dance, on a date, through a mutual friend, etc. Their eyes locked the moment they saw each other, and it was love a first sight...
Well, I met him in the back seat of a car... On his lap...
But of course, we didn't say a single word to each other because how completely and utterly awkward is that?! Crammed inside a tiny 4-door car, with 8 people inside, sitting on a complete stranger's lap who is one of the most attractive guys I have ever laid eyes on.  Yeah,  awkward.

It was my first semester as a freshman in college (BYU-Idaho). I had become very close friends with a past co-worker/girl from my high school, Brianne, and her roommate Jessica. We hit it off in no time. Laser pointing random people's apartments, painting our nails, watching ridiculously hilarious YouTube videos when we were bored, dancing in the pouring rain, eating frozen yogurt, walking to the cheap movie theater, laughing like hysterical maniacs that annoyed the rest of their roommates, going to the park late at night, and going to all the awesome dance parties on and off campus--one of which consisted of 8 people cramming inside of one car to go to a off campus dance party. And of course, with just my luck and tiny weight, I was the one to sit on Tayler Christensen's lap. But none of this would have happened if Brianne and Jessica hadn't been Tayler's group FHE sisters. To them I will be eternally grateful. Thanks girls! :)

Call it destiny, luck, fate, whatever you like... One thing led to the next and a little over a month later we began hanging out (officially), and then dating, and then BAM!... we fell in love. Yeah, pretty fast huh? Crazy.

He taught me how to love, and within time I fell hard for him. I didn't know what love truly was until I met Tayler. He loved and cherished me unconditionally. He was a true gentleman and respected me in every way. And within a matter of weeks he became my best friend.

Through much prayer, contemplation, and inspiration I knew without a doubt (and he knew it too) that we were meant to be together forever. Life would just seem empty without the other.

The Fall semester ended, and we were both on break until Spring. I don't know how we did it, but we survived what felt like an eternity of a long distance relationship. Luckily, we lived only 4 hours apart, so weekend trips back and forth from our hometowns were not a problem. I am so thankful that the Lord gave us that tender mercy.

On February 4, 2012 Tayler proposed to me using my own Mother's wedding ring from my parents marriage. It is absolutely priceless.

The entire day was like a dream. We woke up to watch the sunrise on a beautiful day in Sherwood, Oregon. (His family was so sweet to help me feel at home and part of the family. They are the best  in-laws I could ever ask for!) We painted and fired a penny jar that we still have to this day, ate at the cutest little restaurant, road on his family's ATV, received a gorgeous necklace, a bouquet of red roses, got all fancied up, went to an Italian restaurant, took a walk around a beautiful pond with sparkly lighted trees, sat on bench, watched the man I love kneel in front of me with a diamond ring, and I said,"YES!" It was the most magical/perfect day of my life.

Then March 30, 2012 came. And instantly that became the most magical/perfect day of my life. It was the day I married my best friend in the Columbia River Washington Temple. I felt like a true princess, in my poofy white wedding dress, marrying her Prince Charming for time and all eternity in the most beautiful place on earth. BEST DAY EVER!!

I have never been so happy in my entire life. This has been the most right, BEST decision I have ever made. Sure, marriage life may not always be easy. You're dirt poor college students that spend your weekends at home in your apartment making forts out of blankets and pillows, playing card games, drawing silly pictures of each other, laser pointing the neighbors across the parking lot, and saving all your pennies in order to buy a single ice cream cone from McDonalds for a treat. It's the best! :)

Heather