January + February Photo Dump

Wow I can't believe we're already halfway through February 2016!  This year seems like it might go by just as fast as last year.  This won't be an involved post - just a few pictures.  I haven't taken very many this year, though.

I have like no pictures from the beginning of January.  We had a New Year's Day party, but I did not feel well that day, so I didn't really take any pictures of our friends who came to party with us. 

 Towards the end of the month, we had our first show at Hale Center Theatre - Beau Jest.  It's the story of a Jewish girl who hires an escort to play her made-up Jewish boyfriend.  It was incredibly funny and  a lot of fun.  We took a selfie before the show started.

This is one of the scriptures I've been "ponderizing" lately.  I love the message that the Lord will lead us throughout our lives towards the promised land if we keep His commandments and that we will know He is in control.  It is a great comfort to know He is guiding my steps.

On the Sunday of the Superbowl, Peter and I dressed to support our teams.  

Me, the Carolina Panthers (of course!), and Peter, the Denver Broncos.

I also made blue Carolina Panther snickerdoodles to share with his family (who are mostly Broncos fans, although one or two of them support the correct team). 

 Dressed in our teams colors that evening for the game.

This week, Peter sent me flowers at work for Valentine's day!  He even remembered that calla lillies were my favorite flower from our wedding! 

The 

Last night, Peter took me on a surprise Valentine's Date to the Utah Symphony, who was doing a 75 Year Celebration of Broadway with guest vocalists.  It was really fun.  Our two favorite numbers were "Defying Gravity" from Wicked and "Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera.  Morgan James sang "Defying Gravity", and she definitely had the power for that number.  Peter said he got goosebumps.  Hugh Panero, the singer who performed "Music of the Night" had played the Phantom on Broadway for 2500 performances!  When he started that song, we knew why.  It was gorgeous.

Summer Wedding

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in my cousin's wedding.  As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I have mainly been to weddings that are held in our Temples, where we don't have the typical ceremony with bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower-girls and ring bearers.  So this was a new and perhaps unique experience for me to participate in a wedding ceremony as a bridesmaid.  It was really fun!  She was a beautiful bride, and I was grateful to be included in the ceremony.  The wedding was in the groom's parents' backyard, and the groom's father, who is a Bishop in the LDS church, performed the ceremony.  Listening to the words he gave to the couple, I was touched with the feeling that marriage between a man and a woman, when both parties enter it willingly, is sacred to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, no matter where the ceremony is held.  I am grateful to be sealed and married to my kind husband, and I'm so glad my cousin has found a man to love and be loved by.  

Congratulations, pretty lady!

Valentine's Day and Other Events

(This was supposed to be posted last week.  Oops...)

Well, I was right about one thing.  I do have more to write about this week.

For Valentine’s Day, Peter got me this extremely lovely bouquet and the second book in a series I’ve started reading.

We got all dolled up, went out to eat, and went to our stake’s Sweetheart’s Dance.  You can't really see it in this picture, but this is my Senior Prom dress, which I love.  I feel so pretty and elegant when I wear it. If truth be told, though, it was feeling a little tight.  Oh, no! 

I love getting dressed up, and eating out with our fancy clothes on was fun.  We had high expectations for the dance, though, and were somewhat disappointed.  Last year we had a ton of fun at the dance, but this year, not so much.  We came home kind of bummed, so in the morning, Peter decided to make up for it.  He had planned on making me breakfast in bed Friday morning, but forgot to get up early enough (lol), so he made it for me Saturday! 

(He used our heart-shaped waffle maker—aww!)

Then we went up north to see Peter’s parents.  They had just bought a new house and were very excited to show it to us.  It’s very nice.  They were still trying to sell their old house while we were there, but they sold it the afternoon after we left. 

We also got to visit Peter’s Grandma who went into the hospital with a stroke a few weeks ago.  She’s doing well.   She is in rehab, and she walked all the way to dinner while we were there!  We left the in-laws’ place on Monday (it was President’s Day, and we didn’t have school), stopping by Target for a little shopping and Café Zupa’s for lunch before heading back down here.

This week has been a little crazy.  I guess weeks where you have Mondays off tend to be a little on the crazy side.  Amazing what one day does, huh?
Thursday, Grandpa came to town, so we met him as well as my cousin and her fiancé at my Great Uncle's house and went to dinner with all of them.  We hadn't been to see my aunt and uncle probably in nearly a year, despite the fact that we've been back in town since August.  Terrible, I know.  We really enjoyed our visit, though.  I had a really good conversation with my aunt about family history work.
Friday, we went with our friends Adam and Carly to see the Lego Movie.  It was pretty cute, although I think the others enjoyed it more than I did.  We came back to our house and played games, visited, and had dinner.  Peter made an Indian curry that was very good.