Easter Weekend

Easter Weekend was definitely another eventful one! We were fortunate to be able to spend it with both my family and Preston's family.

The day before Easter, Preston's cousin got married and we got to celebrate in the wedding festivities with them. They held their luncheon at Thanksgiving Point. Conveniently, it was at the same time as the annual Tulip Festival was going on! 

I had been dying to go but hadn't had the time so it worked out perfectly that Preston's uncle had already paid for everyone attending the wedding luncheon to browse around the tulip gardens. It was BEAUTIFUL! I had never experienced the tulip festival before and it certainly did not disappoint. 

They had a little Easter egg hunt for the kids and we also got to take advantage of our new camera and snap a couple of shots of all of the couples in Preston's family that were there. I think Preston and I have turned into those crazy, picture taking fool type of people. You know, those tourists that you see with the big cameras hanging around their necks? I feel like that pretty well describes us ever since we have gotten our new camera. We're not ashamed though! We absolutely love taking pictures with it! (We are far from having it mastered or figured out though.) 

After the tulip festival we hurriedly finished loading our car full of our stuff that we are taking with us for the summer and then headed to the wedding reception. They held it at Southworth Hall on Center Street in Provo. It was such a great place - I had never thought of doing a reception there before and I thought that it reflected the couple's personality and style perfectly! 

There was ice cream from the BYU creamery, a chocolate fountain and all sorts of yummy goodies. We did a little dancing and a lot of laughing at Preston's brother, John as he all showed us his true colors as he got out on the dance floor and showed us his moves. From the reception we said goodbye to our house in Provo for the summer until we return in August and then headed to Moab! 

We made it there just in time for my family's annual Easter Egg Hunt. You might think that just the younger cousins and grandkids would be participating in the hunt but boy would you be wrong. EVERYONE joins in. As long as you don't have any kids of your own you are pretty much able to participate. So you can bet that Preston and I were out there with everyone else! Including a select few that really do have kids of their own.....Stephen and Linz. hehe

 It really is so much fun. We have done it for as long as I can remember and it truly is a blast. This year the weather was a little bit gloomy so we had the hunt right in my grandparent's/my parent's back yards. I can't believe we have never done it before! It was absolutely perfect! We used to go to Slickrock until it got overwhelmed with jeepers and then we moved it out to Castle Valley by my grandparent's home out there. But there backyard was such a fun place to do it! 

Some of my dad's siblings always come to town for Easter and it has been the best way for all of us cousins to get to know each other so well over the years. I absolutely love it. 

Easter wore some of us out!

We got to stay in Moab and visit for just a short time but we definitely made the most of it. I enjoyed seeing my nieces, nephews, sisters, parents, inlaws, and grandparents. It is so nice that we all live in the same place that we can see each other so often. 

Our time was cut a little short because bright and early Tuesday morning after Easter, Preston and I began our 3-day roadtrip to North Carolina!!!! But that is for another post..... All in all, it was a fabulous Easter and we just love being able to spend time with our family!

Hello college graduate!

I cannot even begin to describe what a relief it is to be done with college. Can I start by saying that it flew by?!? MAN! I thought high school went by in the blink of an eye until college came along. I can't say I'm disappointed with how fast it went.

Where's Waldo?? (aka Syd)

I do, however, wish that I would have taken more advantage of my education and enjoyed each and every class. Most of the time it felt like I was just sitting in class counting down the days until I could be done.

But why didn't I just realize sooner that if I'm going to be taking these classes, I might as well enjoy them and see what all I can learn! But I didn't. There were numerous classes that I absolutely hated and that I totally took for granted. 

But don't get me wrong. Overall, I loved my experience at Brigham Young University. Members of the church and nonmembers of the Church alike both dislike and have their negative comments to make about this institution. But from personal experience, I think it is one of the finest institutions around. 

Yeah we have to sign the honor code. But how bad is that really? I mean all that that really means is that we agree to be honest, live a chaste and virtuous life, obey the law and all campus policies, use clean language, respect others, abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse, participate in church services regularly, observe the dress and grooming standards, and last of all, encourage others in their commitment to comply with the honor code. Really, not that bad. 

Especially if you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If you're not, then I can understand it would be a little more difficult because you are not used to living your life in that way. 

But members and nonmembers alike - I would encourage anyone to go there. You get such a great education and are surrounded by so many wonderful people. 

Everyone out celebrating over dinner the night of graduation. 

As I participated in the graduation exercises for BYU I just sat there and thought about how incredible it is to have received such a wonderful education. I saw many individuals receiving their masters and doctorates and thought to myself how neat it would be to achieve something like that. Who knows, maybe I will!  

I have my parents to thank for college education. Without them I would have never made it as far as I did. They are literally the reasons why I now have earned my Bachelor's Degree.

And of course my sweet husband. I was able to experience my senior year at BYU being married. I wish I could have been married all four years because I got the best grades my senior year than any other year!! WOO WOO! 

I feel so blessed to have so many people that love and support me. My cousin Sarah and I graduated together and we had quite the cheering section. It was so special to have all of my loved ones there. 

I will forever remember the things that I learned at Brigham Young University. Even though like most, I didn't take full advantage of every single class, I learned some very valuable things from some incredible professors that I will forever cherish. 

Education is truly a great thing and I hope I can continue learning everyday even though I have left that wonderful campus.