Graduation Day 2

On Friday, I had my college convocation. My major falls in the college of Health and Human Performance, and it took place in the Smith Fieldhouse, fitting, since it's the building where the volleyball games are played and has the indoor track. My grandparents, parents, Clark, Kelsey and my cousin Scott all came to watch me do my thing.

For this ceremony, I actually had my name read and walked across the stage and received my (fake, of course) diploma. Still cool, though.  I got a little sad to be leaving, but it was mostly exciting!


Backstage before I walked on:

After receiving my diploma!

Best hug ever:  

Me

 

Me and the fiance

  

The building where I had most of my classes 

  

  

  

Afterwards, we went to CPK (California Pizza Kitchen for my favorite pizza ever - the California Club.)

  

  

My cousin Scott

  

Graduation Day 1 (#1!)

I did it! After 5 crazy years, I graduated! Technically, I won't be graduated until the end of the summer when I'm done my internship, but all of my classes are done and I did the whole cap and gown thing.  So, that crosses #1 off my list! My mom came down with my grandparents for Commencement on Thursday, and Clark and my dad came down for my college Convocation on Friday. President Uchtdorf and Elder Nelson (leaders in my church) both spoke at Commencement and it was awesome. President Uchtdorf received an honorary PhD in International Leadership from BYU and he was so cool. I love that man. Waiting outside before the processional was hot in our gowns, but the actual processional was really cool. We walked in past all of the dignitaries and adminstration and faculty, and they all had their robes on for their degrees, and it was sweet. A little humbling, when you realize you're only graduating with a bachelor's degree, and these people pretty much all have PhDs!

These are from Thurday, when Kelsey, my mom, and my grandparents came to Commencement. My aunt and uncle were also there since my cousin was graduating.


Getting ready:

 

  

 My mom and I

 

 

My grandparents!

 

Me and my mom again! I have a picture with Kels, but it's on her camera.

  

The grandkids!

  

  

The Marriott Center (this is where basketball games and big events take place)! 

  

Almost there...

I got our guestbook finished and ordered - I can't wait to see it!! I also ordered the other prints for the reception, and picked up my dress today! I even got a garter for free! Garters - aren't they kind of weird? Whoever started that tradition? I mean, the only point is to take it off and throw it right? I'll do it for my man, but I still don't get it. :)



My mom is coming down tomorrow and I'll probably see her Thursday morning, then the big commencement at 3, and packing and claeaning, and Clark and my dad will get here at 8 or 9ish, then my college convocations at 2 Friday, and out for dinner with everybody, a little snuggle time with Clark, then head for Canada Saturday morning!

I have a job interview on Monday, and then an engagement session and a bridal shower on Saturday afternoon/evening. And then the wedding is closer than I ever thought it could be! When you start counting at over 200 days, the last 20 are kinda surreal.

The Dress.

I had a really fun time getting my dress all done, and my family and Clark are probably sick of hearing about it, so i won't go into details of the past few months, but here's a quick rundown on the latest dress drama:

The dress FINALLY got here (after it was supposed to get here middle of February), and I was so excited to go for my first fitting. Kelsey went with me, I got it on, and she went to zip it up. And it didn't. WORST FEAR of a bride...REALIZED. So, I called my mom and just about started crying in the middle of Allyse's. I mean, I felt like a whale. So yeah. Not cool. I was so excited to fit into a size ? and I didn't. Well, everything but my rib cage. Go figure??

The seamstress told me she wasn't sure she had enough material to let it out and tried to go find a different size, but since it took so much just to get the dress here in the first place, of course they didn't have it in a different size. And neither did anybody else. That's why I had waited so long - no store had the dress in white at all, and ivory just isn't my color. So, she told me she could let it out after all.

I came back the next day and she had let out the sides down to my hips, but the way the dress is made, the hips can't be let out. So, I looked like a had a spare tire around my stomach!! So, she took it back in. And she worked on it for hours, and I still had a spare tire. Which I promise I don't have in real life. A couple of fittings later after not being able to fix it, she decided to bring in the alterations general manager. So I went back in on Saturday, and this lady looked at it, and asked me to come back and she went to work. In the midst of this craziness, my roommate and I asked to speak to a manager.The salesgirl told us that the regional manager would be in for a couple of hours that day, and she could find out when. So, we went shopping for half an hour while they worked on my dress.

When I originally tried on the dress, my mom reminded the saleslady that dresses are eaiser to take in than let out, so perhaps we had better order a bigger size, but the saleslady assured us that I was small enough to fit this smaller size. So, I wasn't too happy when it didn't fit after all, and my mom had been right.

My roommate and I got back and we tried on the dress again, and it was still funky. While we were looking at it, the salesgirl came back with a gentleman and introduced him as the store owner. Perfect!! Finally, someone in person who I could talk to, and my roommate to back me up and not let me be too nice. :) I told him the basic story of the dress, and he listened. He apologized for all the trouble I'd been through, and told me he was going to go look at what I'd paid, etc. and figure out what they could do for me. Result - they didn't charge me for my fittings, I finally got an apology, and I don't hate the store anymore! The alternations manager worked on my dress one more time and it was perfect! No more spare tire. Apparently there were som unpicked seams in there making a bulge, and she had smoothed and evened everything out. At last, this story had a happy ending!

Apparently Allyse's is switching manufacturers, because they totally messed up their whole year's worth of orders, and I wasn't the only bride with a sad story.

And the hips fit fine - I'm not a whale after all.

1 month to go!

Today we hit 30 days on the countdown!!

Here is a little flashback:

A little different than our engagement pictures, hey? :) This was the first Sunday Clark spent with my family. We both went to church in Lethbridge, and he came out right after church. This was in July sometime, so we'd been dating for a couple of weeks.

First time we met: May 2007. Single's ward. He came over to where I was talking to a mutual friend and worked his way into the conversation. We ended up talking a lot about BYU, and of course I was impressed that he graduated from the business school! But, then he moved to Utah and I ended up dating someone else that summer.

Second first time we met: June 2008. Single's ward. I went over to a mutual friend to say hi (same one as above!), since I had been away at school, and then I saw Clark and something was familiar about him. I asked him if I knew him, and he started talking about me living in Montana and working with my dad, and going to BYU, and I was like whoa, what?? So I asked him if we'd been on a date or something, and he was like, "I wish." That got my attention, haha. He ended up getting my phone number from a girl in Taber he knew, breaking up with his gf (apparently it was going to happen anyway), and asking me out.

First date: June 14? 21? Clark has a way better memory than I do. We ate dinner at the Cheesecake Cafe and hung out watching HGTV at his parent's house. We were supposed to go to a driving range, but that didn't work out. Clark was so easy to be around, and it was a fun date!

First HHing: Clark held my hand in his sister's backyard on July 1. We were having a fire and he figured it was dark so no one could see. :)

First kiss: Wal-mart parking lot. Not telling the whole story makes it sound better.

First I Love You: Middle of September, after dating for 2 1/2 months (except for the first week of September where we weren't supposed to be dating, but we ended up talking every night). I was back in Utah for school, and Clark came down for a visit. He had realized he couldn't live without me. :)

First Ring Shopping Experience: Middle of October 2008. It kind of freaked us both out but we didn't let on to each other until later.

And then he proposed! November 22, 2009. And you can find that story here. He was so cute and made it so sweet. For some reason the pictures are messed up, but it's readable.

Anyway, I love this guy and I can't wait to marry him in a month! :)

Done classes!

I am totally done with going to class forever! In a week and a half I'll be home in Canada for good. Crazy thought. I only have a week to finalize a plethora of things, study for 5 finals, take 5 finals, go for my final dress fitting, finish and order our guestbook, and pack!! I can't believe the semester is almost over. Where does the time go?

I am shooting an engagement session as soon as I get home, and I'm tentatively booked for two more shoots, one right before and one right after our wedding. Just a little stress relief amidst the chaos. :) I'm so excited for all of the shoots I'll be doing this summer.

It is raining/snowing here and has been for a couple of days. I splashed down in a big puddle this morning so my pants were soaked when I got to work. Luckily I work in a warm library! I didn't have an umbrella, but I had a hood, and I saw some girls who weren't so lucky. Oh yeah - me yesterday! :) I wore a short-sleeve shirt, skirt and heels to do my presentations, and I took a coat just in case but when I got to campus it was pretty nice so I left it in the car. I might as well have left it at home! Afer my last class I had to walk from the RB all the way to the end of the big parking lot, and by the time I got to my car I was SOAKED. I was dripping all over my car! I just had to laugh - at least it wasn't freezing out!

I was looking at this blog today and wow it really needs a new header! But, I probably won't get to that for awhile. So, I apologize for the ugliness!

My 101 in 1001 list

On my old blog, I posted my 101 in 1001 things list....and I have accomplished 17 so far. However, by the end of August, I will have these ones completed:

1. Graduate from BYU (April 24, 2009!)

3. Run a 1/2 marathon (middle of August)

14. Design a wedding album (my own and my sisters)
21. Coordinate a wedding (May 16, 2009)

25. Shoot 3 weddings (well 1 of the 3 for sure...if you're getting married...call me! :))
26. Make a portfolio book
29. Grow out my nails and get a manicure (for my wedding)

34. Do a photo shoot of my parents      
42. Get a ‘real’ job! (May 2009)

58. Baby-sit for free (two nephews ~1 block away who love my new computer :))
61. Plan and go on a creative date (This is going to be fun - Clark and I never go on dates)

71. Go hiking (Waterton this summer)

93. Go on a picnic

      
These are just the 'for sures' - there are other ones I plan to work on, too. 647 days to go! :) 

Wow.

Clark has been torturing me by telling me how he's been working on this surprise for me. He told me I would get it when I got home after graduation, and that he'd been spending a lot of time on it, and not a lot of money, but a lot of thought, and that I would never guess but that I would love it.


Well...


I got an email tonight while I was working on our guestbook in the library.....and THIS is what was in the email:

Kins

Here is your surprise honey

I apologize for the white lies - I really wanted it to be a surprise

I love you!

Clark

Oh. my. goodness!!!!!!!! I don't care what anybody says, I have the best fiance EVER!!! :)

I'm so excited to have my own computer to edit pictures on! My laptop had died (which isn't the best for editing anyway) and once I graduated, I wouldn't have access to the media lab I've been using, so I was really worried about it. I feel like I'm finally making some progress in my photography skills and I really want to keep going with it. Clark knew this, and he's been so supportive of my whole photography obsession. I'm so glad I found this guy. He gets me!

Okay...new shoes!

We added eggplant to the color scheme, and I was hoping to not hem my dress, so I got new shoes:

My Dress....

....is here!!! I haven't seen it yet, but after many phone calls and delays and worries, I got a phone call telling me it's here. So, I have my first fitting tonight! It's been so long since I tried the dress on - it's hard to remember what it's like! Kels is going to go with me. This thing is finally real! :)

Kind Deed

I stopped by the Cougar Eat (cafeteria) in the WILK (student center) today to deliver a wedding invitation to a cousin of mine. Once I was inside, I realized how hungry I was! So, I went to this place called Sugar & Spice (this is already sounding like wedding diet food right?! haha) and bought wheat 'hot bread.' They sell these mini loaves of bread and you can get a little container of honey butter with it...so good! Anyway, they're cheap. But before I could order, a man came from the ice cream side and paid for his ice cream. Before he left, he handed the cashier a ten dollar bill and told her to use it to pay for the next two students in line. So, I got my hot bread for free! How nice is that? It made me think--I definitely want to be like that man!

Fun Trip to the ER

On Friday night, I was delivering some engagement pictures to a couple in Provo and I got a phone call from my sister, Kelsey. She had been out playing basketball with some guys and had rolled her ankle. She went up for a rebound against a taller guy, got the rebound, and then came down on the side of his foot. She said it really hurt, so I told her I would go get her something to wrap it with, and bring her some supper since she couldn't walk so good. She had it up and was icing it when I got there. I got us Pita Pit, which I LOVE, and ended up bringing her to my apartment for a sleepover since conference was the next morning and she couldn't do much. At this point, I hadn't really taken a good look at the ankle. I get her to my place and she sits down on the couch, and my roommates go, "Oh my gosh! You need to take her to the ER!" and, "Oh my gosh I've never seen anything like that!" I was putting Kelsey's stuff in my room, so I went back out to look, and it did look kinda funny! Kels took these pictures:

 

 

She just had a big marble sized lump on her ankle bone, so I took her to go get it checked out. I took her to the Emergency Room and we they told us it was busy, so we were thinking, "Oh great!" It was already 10 pm so we knew it would be a late night. They got her in for x-rays right away, which didn't show any obvious breaks (according to the technician and I's expert eyes! haha) and then we went back to the waiting room.

At 1:30 we finally got a room! By this time the ER was almost empty, and all of our fellow ER buddies had come and gone. I guess they had more serious problems than a sprained ankle. The doctor confirmed that it wasn't broken, that it was just a bad sprain, and we got some crutches and a prescription for Percocet. We got home to my place at 2:30.

I told Clark it's going to be really hard being a mom because it was hard enough watching my really-tough sister get her ankle twisted around by the doctor; what happens when I have little kids?? Yikes.

So, poor Kels is on crutches for awhile and has some nice bruising and a very big ankle. Just in time for finals and a summer job!

6 weeks to go!

Clark reminded me yesterday that it was exactly 6 weeks until we get married! Wow...just a little crazy! He's spending this afternoon stuffing envelopes at his house and will be having a lot of fun delivering them in Raymond this week. :) He spent most of yesterday in the office doing his accounting thing. He tells me that I will only have a husband 10 months of the year. And, I think I believe it. So, hopefully I can just take a lot of pictures during those months or do a lot of editing and experimenting in Photoshop and InDesign and stay busy that way!

With only a couple of weeks left of school, I'm getting nervous about getting my internship set up before I go home. I haven't really heard back from most places I applied to. No stress! I looked into doing the same job I did last summer, even though it would mean commuting to Taber, but only an assistant position was still open, which means I wouldn't work the whole summer, mostly just the second half. So, I passed on that one, especially since I had to commit just about on the spot, and I'm still hoping for a job in Raymond to work out. So, we've got our fingers crossed!

Clark is waiting to hear back from the CA to see if his classes at BYU transfer so he can start his CA program. If not, he'll have to take a few more classes before he can start, and we're really hoping that's not the case, because he wants to start in May, and he wouldn't be able to finish them in time. The next starting date is September. I think they're a little crazy for not accepting it right away just based on the fact that it's BYU. Hello! Let's see, BYU is ranked 8th in the nation for its business school and 2nd for accounting, but it's not quite as good as U of L?????? Are you kidding me. And Clark's GPA is up there (a lot higher than mine). So, hopefully we find out really soon.

Okay, that's pretty much it for an update on us! :)

Last trip home

I just back from my last trip home before I graduate. We went up to see Bri play on Saturday, and then on Sunday my nephew was blessed so we went to a family dinner for that.


Clark and I at Bri's game:




Clark and I and my nephew:




Sisters!




Brianne played around with my hair and her extensions. I had big hair! We got our invitations ready to go, and Clark was the master of labeling. :) We ordered 750 invitations, and we think the printer actually sent 1000. That's a lot of invitations! Luckily I didn't order that many envelopes, so we only stuffed and labeled 700. Here we are hard at work:

Wedding Shoes!

Clark and I went to Calgary over the weekend to watch Bri play and look for shoes, etc. for the wedding. My little sis played so good (I mean, well)! I love watching her play, and I just love that girl. :) After her game, we hit up good old Chinook Centre and we found these shoes. Clark loved them, and they're actually surprisingly comfortable, so it's one more thing off my list! My flower came in from Australia, and I love it, too! I found another flower at Aldo, and bought it just in case, but I'm loving the new one more.

It's crazy how many little things I still need to get done in the next few weeks. The tie I found for Clark didn't actually work out, so that's fun. I still need to find jewelry, too.Our guestbook isn't finished, so I need to find time to do that in between writing papers and finishing up big projects and studying for finals and going to work and classes. Should be fun!