Arkansas in a jiff!!

So Nick and I drove to Arkansas on Friday... Drove home on Monday... It was a whirlwind of a trip and probably not the smartest idea we have ever had!!! Mental note= take more time to drive!!!!!

Here are a few pictures of the trip. I had 2 bridal showers that were full of family and friends. They were perfect!!!

Driving, Driving, and More Driving

Thank you, Katniss, for getting us 3000 miles!

My beautiful mother and me

My Martha!

My family who made the drip for the showers

(Dana took the picture, but she was there too!!)

Kindness always wins

So on account of I am going to be wed in roughly 4.5 months... I have been thinking and talking a lot with my future spouse-to-be about raising little ones and how to teach them correct things. I found on Pinterest the other day a little something that goes like this..

I really truly want to instill this in my future family. I will be the first to admit that I am too harsh, critical, and judgmental of others when I don't know them, their story, or their life. It is my goal and wish to be more kind... to all. I guarantee that if we all knew what people have gone through in their lives and understood why they are the way they are.. we would be more kind and loving. This is what I hope to do and be... and my kiddos!

Home for the Holidays

Nick and I got to go to Arkansas for Christmas this year!!! We had such a fun time with family and getting to visit the people Nick taught on his mission. It was a great trip... but now back to school!!

Went to see Mamaw during the holiday!

Emily, Nick, and Lauren on Christmas day

Me and Nick on our way to church for Christmas!

Familiar Faces

Had the lovely opportunity of going downtown with my best friend and her family to take their christmas card pictures. Crazy group and still I call them family ;)

Cade, Cooper, Kaitlin, Connor, and Cole

Pinterest to the Rescue!!

So lots of people have the theory that Pinterest is a time waster and that is doesn't provide any useful things... I completely disagree.

To me, Pinterest is

-Teaching me new skills

-Adding to my recipe stash

-Helping me dress better

-Boosting my photography knowledge

AND

-Completed my wedding planning process.

Nick and I needed a breakfast recipe yesterday.... and Pinterest came to our rescue.

We made a low carb-low fat breakfast pizza and LOVED IT!! I think next time we will try the crust out of biscuits for a more fluffy texture, but overall it was a huge success, thus only solidifying my love and PRO Pinterest thoughts =)

Breakfast Pizza Recipe!!

give it a go!

IN YOUR FACE!

Well.. my dear friends...

My lovely fiance decided that it would be a funny little joke to do this on Thanksgiving...

(apparently this is something that people do... hahah. Didn't know it really happened.)

He asked me so nicely, "Madison, does this whip cream smell sour??" And I so happily stuck my face down next to it to take a whiff.... and ended up with pie-filled-nostrils!! =) This however was a good experience for me.. I will be the first to admit that I need to loosen up sometimes!!

Wife'N it Up!!!

So Tuesday was the first day of my Wifey-ness kicking in. Nick called and told me he wasnt feeling well, so I decided to go down to Bountiful and baby him... (so nice right?! haha)

But turns out he really was super duper sick!!!!

Long story short-- His doctor gave him medicine for High Bloop Pressure (which he doesnt have) but it can also be a preventative medicine for renal failure (also which he has no signs of)... and it dropped his BP so low that he was non functional.

--Hard to breath, difficult to walk, fever, chills, dizzy like crazy... NO BUENO!!!

We went to the ER at 12:30am and stayed till about 3:00am and then just took it easy the next day. Thankfully, he is off the medicine and is feeling much better!!! It was the first of many experiences I will have has a wife (even though I'm not quite yet to that title haha) And I can't WAIT!!!! <3

The Pocket Foundation

Hello to my lovely friends and family!!! I did better this time at posting in a reasonable amount of time. =)

This is a special post that is focused on Cole Larson, one of my new nephew's. A foundation has been set up in Cole's memory that is geared toward helping the underprivileged. Cole loved helping others and always wanted to make sure everyone had what they needed. The Pocket Foundation is a foundation that collects necessities such as coats, hats, shoes, school supplies, etc. for children in need.

For those of you who like to donate or help out the less fortunate during the holiday season, The Pocket Foundation would be a great way for you to do so.

Please visit our website!!!

The Pocket Foundation

You can also find The Pocket Foundation on Facebook and like our page for updates!!!

Quick Update

So I have obviously been MIA for the past while... oops. Been busy busy planning my wedding.. and I AM DONE!!! There are a few minor details that will be on my to-do list for the next little while, but other than that... D.O.N.E.

Wedding dress, cake, reception location, bridesmaids dresses, flowers, linens, wedding party clothes, photographer. CHECK CHECK AND CHECK!!

This is why we are made for one another.... this is our

best angle for sure..

Pumpkin carving afternoon!!!

Danny and Sandy for Halloween

Here are a few pictures of events of the past little while!!!

Greatest day of my life

Soooooo last night I got ENGAGED!!!!! To the most amazing man I have ever met in my whole entire life. I love him so much and cannot wait to get married!

For all of those wanting to know the engagement story and how it all went down... here it goes!

--Nick and my mother have been plotting this for a little while now and I had NO CLUE. My mom is coming out to Utah on October 19 and Nick kept telling me that he just didn't feel right about asking me before she came out so they could "formally" talk... and I completely believed him.. I mean why wouldn't I???

Last weekend Nick had a work convention in Las Vegas and came home telling me about this class that was taught at their convention on making a time capsule and that he thought we should do it. So the whole week I gathered odds and ends that reminded me of the love of my life and brought it all to Bountiful so we could bury the time capsule. We decided that we would bury it up on the side of the mountain that overlooks the temple because it is a special place to Nick.

He then told me that we were to attend a wedding reception last night for a girl that works with him. So I put on a dress and some sandals all ready for the reception. He told me that we would go to the reception and then head to the mountain (so I figured I could change clothes that were suitable for hiking up a mountain)::: not so much the case:::

Nick, being the sly man he is, goes to the mountain and says "Let's do the time capsule first because I want you to see the view from up there at sunset and if we go to the reception first we will miss the sunset!" I was a titch upset at this thought because... HELLO... I'm wearing a dress!!! So we gather all of our time capsule items and Nick also brought his guitar. (odd...?? I wasn't really sure but he said he wanted to sing a song for one of his items.. ok I believe that!)

As we are hiking up the mountain, Nick decided to bust out the video camera that we were going to put in the capsule and film me griping the whole way up and being a total brat about sweating and hiking in a dress.. :::so cute of me I know:::

We get to the spot and go back and forth showing and telling about the items we chose all on the video camera. I show my last one and so does Nick and then he says " Ok, now I will play my song for you! I hope you know this song...." Well I didn't know the song.. haha. The song was called "Question" by the Old 97's. The chorus says, "Someday someone will ask you a question that you should say 'yes' to..." He then asked me if what that meant to me.. and I responded in a bratty way by saying " What... like maybe you should ask me a question sometime and I will say yes!!"

Still completely oblivious at what is going on, Nick says "When should I ask you that question??" I say, in a joking matter, "Oh maybe like tomorrow or something..."

Then he reaches in his backpack, pulls out a ring box, gets on one knee, and asked me to marry him. It was honestly 100% the most perfect proposal I could have ever imagined. I was completely shocked, because I thought it would be at least 3 more weeks until we were engaged. And it was truly one of the only times in my life that I have ever been surprised! (which I LOVE!)--

Words cannot express how happy I am to be marrying my best friend. We are getting married on June 2,2012 in the Bountiful Utah temple. I simply cannot wait!

Bear Lake

This weekend while Nick was out of town at a conference in Las Vegas I went with the rest of his family up to Bear Lake for one GREAT WEEKEND!!! We had a blast! Such a great family and I am so glad that I get to be a part of it.

Family blackjack night... ( I won... no big deal.)

Some of my adorable nieces and nephews-to-be!!

Heading out for a day on the lake!

Jayci was my bud the whole weekend. She is the sweetest little thing.

It's Ya Burfday...

Today is the day that the woman I call my mother was born... She is the greatest woman I know. She teaches me daily and makes me want to be better. She has shown me that ANYTHING is possible--whether that is raising children on your own or getting blood out of something that has been there for 3 years--

We do go at it from time to time... which more times than not is because we are more alike than we realize. She taught me how to be independent, how to tie my shoes, how to make my own lunch in kindergarten consisting of a cheese and bread sandwich, cheetos, string cheese, and orange tang.

My mom is wonder woman (if you didn't know). She can pack a suitcase to perfection and make a mean homemade pizza.

She is currently helping me plan a wedding... which I do believe may be the largest challenge she has yet to face =) I can't think of a better person to help me do this.

Thank you Mom, for being the best person I know and teaching me to always love those around me... even if it isn't what I want to do. I LOVE YOU!

Bow to your partner.

This morning at the prime time of 7:30 am I had the lovely privilege of learning how to SQAURE DANCE!!!!

Not going to lie... probably the most fun I have had in a long time. I feel somewhat deprived that being from the south that I haven't been square dancing before now. I wouldn't mind one bit keeping this up till I'm an old lady =)

In my class, we will be square dancing for the next 3 weeks. CANNOT WAIT! We are also going to learn ballroom, the waltz, swing, and aerobic dance. This class is right up my ally!

Back to school it is!!! It has been great the first two days!! Long and tiring but great. Senior year is going to be a blast and I can't wait for it to all come full circle.

Lots of things have changed... friends gone, new friends to come, new roommates, new classes. But as my best friend Natalie always says... " A stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet!" Such wise words Nat =)

Life is beautiful.

So I never really thought I would post about this, but it has happened. I AM IN LOVE!!!!! truly this time...not with like a song, or a food, or a piece of clothing... With the most amazing guy.

Love him so much.

Best trip ever.

I just returned from the one and only NYC and can I just say out of all the places that I have ever visited, it is my absolute FAVORITE!!!!! I will go back... soon.

Lauren, Me, and Emily going to dinner

Oh Hey Utah friends in NYC!

looooooove them

Who couldnt have fun with this group?!?

G-man

My sister Lindsey and her new baby boy Graham came to visit this past week. G had a little photo shoot and they are PRECIOUS!!!!!!!!! He was a champ. And quite the photogenic child if I don't say so myself!

Take a look!

(this is my fav!)

This past week was a very difficult one. I lost my godbrother Scott Van Asche. He was 34 years old and passed away of July 3. He was an amazing person and I loved him with my whole heart. I will miss him greatly and I know that he is still with us and always will be.

A few days before Scott passed away, Nick (the boy I am liking a whole whole lot) came to visit me in Arkansas. He was so great through it all and was so understanding and caring to all of us. I don't know what I would have done without him here. He is absolutely a great person.

Happy Birthday Jack

Today was Jack's 3rd birthday! Can't believe he is growing up so fast. He is currently obessed with grills, grill tools, and tools in general. Rarely does he go anywhere without his channel locks, pliers, or screwdriver. He is such a boy.

Cupcake time!!

Checking out his new grill

Here I Come

NYC

+

Madison

=

VERY HAPPY

7.28.2011