My Fair Wedding: Part 13

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3,

Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, 

Part 7, Part 8, A Hard Decision, Part 9

Part 10, Part 11, Part 12

My Aunt gave me a lot of good wedding advice. Most of her advice was on how to save money or prevent needlessly spending money, but the one thing she said you should never skimp on is Photography. 

I already wrote a post on how wonderful my photographer was (found here) but here's some photos that I haven't shared yet!

Update!

I haven't really kept up on the life part of my lifestyle blog. Or the style part. Or the blog part. Here's a quick update.

I'm not pregnant.

I'm not in France.

I'm not having parties on airplanes.

And I'm not kicking Taylor off those airplanes into the mud thousands of feet below.

However, those were all dreams I had.

I am in Oregon with Taylor's family trying to stay healthy and having fun! We're dealing with regular ol' newlywed stuff, and it's all good. I'm surprised how much I miss my family back in Utah! This is the first time I've been away, like really away from them, and I really miss the family parties, and game nights, and buggin' my grandma after church, and how she always says she hates my shoes when they make me so much taller than her, oh gosh I love them all! It's been really nice to have Taylor's family around to help me out. They're so awesome. And look! My sister-in-law gave me a new do'!

Plus, we get to go do stuff with his family! Like movies, and dinner, and hanging out, and driving around, haha it's so great to be able to spend so much time with such lovely people. Family is awesome. And I love that I have some more family members to love!

Basically, we are doing awesome. I love Oregon and I love my husband. :) I'm counting my many blessings. I hope all of you are having a wonderful summer so far!

I Told the Witch Doctor I Was in Love With You!

I saw a witch doctor today. Okay, not really. But I saw a very interesting lady! She used some sort of technique and technology to find out the inconsistencies within my body. Boy howdy, I sure did learn a lot! Without me saying anything, she knew that I have the occasional (or more than occasional?) Diet Coke. I have so much crap in my body! ...pardon my language. She figured out a lot of other stuff too, but I won't get into all that.

You guys, I'm ready to take control! I've been jogging a few times a week and eating pretty healthy, but I'm stepping up my game! The thing is, who wants to die younger than they need to, feel bogged down and ugly, and get sick all the time? Not me!

If you wanna win the health battle, then the first step is to stop making it a battle! Taking out the bad, putting in the good, moving around, and making these life-style changes is the only way to become and stay healthy, fit, and well! Here's some of the tricks I've learned.

-Cut the Crap-
That sounds pretty harsh, huh? But it's important! If you're serious about getting healthy, then stop making excuses to eat and drink things that are toxic to your body. I think that moderation of stuff is okay, but we gotta be careful, y'all. And no, one intense workout every once in a while doesn't count as staying active. If we justify ourselves out of living a healthy lifestyle, then guess what happens? Nothing. We stay unhealthy gross and not happy.

-Eat Your Darn Breakfast-
A good sized, protein packed breakfast can really help you boost your metabolism, curb your appetite, and stay energized all day long!

-Move Your Body-
Make sure you try your best. If you do the Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred and sit out the harder parts or the parts where you "don't have the equipment," then you'll get a I-don't-have-the-equipment body. Get what I'm saying? GO for it! If you're gonna workout, then workout! Give it your all! This is something I struggle with.

I'm still a newb when it comes to living healthy, but I'm really doing it! It needs to be done! Who wants to do it with me?

Our Next Adventure

      Taylor and I sure do love our adventures! We adventured from Utah to Portland, then adventured from Portland to Southern California, then adventured back from Southern California to Portland! All the while we have been working and figuring stuff out. Our next adventure? School. Taylor's first year of college! And that's a story for ya. One that I'm gonna tell.

Taylor R. March 21:
I'm in! I have officially been accepted into Utah State University! I know it may not seem like a big deal, but to me and those that love me, it is. Even if I graduated 6 years ago with no schooling after high school, I'm doing something. And I'm moving forward. So here we go! Gotta start somewhere! Doesn't matter too much about where I start, only where I go. And I am going places!

Taylor spent his entire senior year of high school as a 16-year-old kid. He graduated days after his 17th birthday. He had barely been old enough to date and now he was expected to go off on his own to college? He thought about school, but decided to work and help his family. As he worked, he grew. He struggled. Life wasn't easy for him. He faced ridicule, pride, empty Christmases and a growing feeling that he was going nowhere. This, of course, was not true. And even 6 years after graduating, he's only 22. He's so young. But people didn't help. Friends, even family, seemed to believe he was never going to get anywhere. This person. This person has been up against heartache after heartache, trial after trial. He has stayed strong in his beliefs, valiant in the Gospel, kind to others. He has easily forgiven those that "knew", and some that still believe, he would be a failure. He forgives, forgets, and continues to try.

And now he's here. He's in. We only have 2 months left of this adventure until he starts the one he has wanted to start for half a decade! He works hard every day! He leaves early and stays out til 10 or so..working and working. He doesn't give up. He never does!

I couldn't be more proud! I certainly couldn't be more lucky.

I give you Taylor Q. Rios. The kindest man in the world. The greatest driver. The best husband. The cutest man. The hardest worker. The 23-year-old freshman. And the guy that happens to have the proudest wife in the world.

I dare you to tell me he's a failure.

...I'll probably kill you.

A Short Library Tale

So, I was innocently putting picture books away when-

Well, actually, let me paint a picture for you.
 Also, why does "putting" look so weird..?

This is the Children's section of the library:

These are the shelves:

And this is the little scootery thing that I sit on to put the picture books away. I scoot down the aisles and am therefore not uncomfortable putting books away on the short shelves.

 

Where was I? Oh yes.  I was innocently putting picture books away when a lady decided to take up an entire aisle by the way she positioned her stroller. 

"Excuse me?" I said. But of course, I am very shy and rather awkward, so she didn't hear me. The logical thing to do would be to ask it a bit louder, but I had already mustered up all the "outgoingness" I could for the day and decided to get angry instead. So, I angrily tried to scoot away down the adjacent aisle and come up behind her. Don't drink and drive! And don't fume and scoot...

I was pushing my little scooter around with the force of a very mad woman, because I was, in fact, a very mad woman, when a wheel snagged on a bit of carpet and WHAM. It flipped over and I was on my back with a lapfull of books scattered around me. Oh boy! Now I was really mad. I got up, gathered the books and slammed them on the bookshelf by the lady. 

She didn't look over. 

I then, grabbed my little scooter, stomped down the aisle and proceeded to put books away.

I got so mad at a woman who didn't even know I was there AND who did nothing wrong!

Moral of the story: Learn to not let little things get to ya! Especially things that don't exist!

YOUR conversion: an LDS post

I have to admit, I love the attention and encouragement I get when people realize my family isn't active in the church and I started going on my own. I like seeing the excitement of people when I tell them that my husband and I are getting sealed this summer. I laugh at myself along with everyone else when I believe things like "temples have gift shops." And I like playing the "primary song" game with my husband (he says the title of a primary song and I make up a song to go with it). BUT I think it's about time that people stop comparing conversions. 

Even the members that are raised in the church have to be converted to it! We can't live off our family's testimonies and so in order to have our own testimonies, we must be converted to the church. For some, it's not very recognizable. One day they believe, the next they really believe. Some fall away and come back. Some live the standards but lack a real testimony for a long time. Some experience something that makes it all clear. Whatever it may be, we all must be converted. 

I admire those that must leave everything behind (family, another religion, their home, etc.) to come to the church. I also admire those that live in a home surrounded by the Gospel for their entire lives, and then grow to have faith and a testimony in that same Gospel.

Let's love and admire the members that had trying, difficult, and amazing conversions.

But don't forget your own conversion. 

Love that too :)

walk. NO foolin'

An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.

Henry David Thoreau

Okay, Thoreau, I don't really know about the "early-morning" part, but boy howdy, you are right! And this is no April Fool's joke!

Taylor and I love going on walks! At first, I did it as a health thing. Walking is at least something, so I'm kind of exercising... But now, it's much more valuable than that!

Every time we start our day off with a walk, the entire day is so much better! Today, for example, we woke up and went on a little walk. Normally my days off are full of lazy..er..laziness, but already today I made a delicious breakfast, started making parfaits for a dinner tonight, went grocery shopping, worked out, took a shower, and cleaned the house! And because of the fresh, happy start to the day, I feel optimistic, blessed, and HAPPY!

Not only that, but it's a great way to take a break from electronics and talk to each other. We have a lot of things coming up! Moving to Logan, summer sales, school, and most importantly, going through the temple! I love talking to my partner in life allllllll about it.

And even though Taylor looks silly, I sure do love him! I really appreciate all he does and the wonderful conversations we're able to have :)

I love all my blessings and I'm so grateful for them!

If you guys want to have a great day, try starting it out with a little walk!

It does wonders for us, oh, and don't forget Henry! It did wonders for him too!