The Honeymoon

For our Honeymoon we went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We loved it. In fact, Adam liked it so much that he wants to move to Mexico and sell time shares. I told him to stick to law school!

We got to stay in the Grand Mayan Resort. It was amazing!

This picture was taken in the main lobby where you check in. When you first walk into the resort, you enter this dark room with Mayan drums playing. There were these statues of Mayan warriors lining the walls. Each statue was around 100 feet high. I loved that room!

There was a lazy river that went around the pool area of the resort. It was a great way to relax after a long day of sight seeing.

The rest of the hundreds of pools were amazing as well. There were almost too many to choose from!

Here is the inside of our room. We had a kitchen so we make waffles for breakfast most mornings. That table you see is the table where I humbled my new husband many a times in our favorite card game, Rook!

We had our own little pool on the deck. It was little, but so novel!

And lucky me...the bedroom was green!

Here is another one of the many pools. This one is a wave pool. We never really swam in it, but walked through it often to get to the beach.

Here is a nice beach picture with Adam's white skin and my "lion like" hair! A man on the beach took it for us. What a nice guy!

Next to the beach, they had a bunch of these beds (I don't know if they have a proper name). We meant to read the afternoon away out here, but both of us ended up falling asleep.

Our first excursion was a canopy tour via zip line. It was so much fun. We drove forever up into the mountains and worked our way to the bottom using 12 different lines.

Here we are gearing up!

I was the first one in our group to go. I loved it! On some of them you get going pretty fast.

Adam was next. We got lucky thanks to the Swine Flu. There weren't very many people down in Mexico. Most of the tours had very few people in them.

It was an amazing view from up there!

When we got to the bottom, we rode donkeys back to where we began. I think I could have walked faster than that donkey, but it made for a good picture!

When we got to the top we ate some lunch at this cute little place over looking the canyon we just went through.

The food was delicious! We shared these chicken fajita's. I loved them!!!

We had some time later to just lounge around. Luckily, they had a bunch of hammocks just lying around!

I think that we both agreed, however, that our favorite day was just walking through the city. It was a lot of fun, and so pretty. We went to a lot of flea markets and found a luchador mask for my dad!

Puerto Vallarta at it's best!

We walked down the sea wall and found lots of sand art.

I think a big beautiful church is a required photograph from any vacation.

This old hanging bridge looked a lot more sturdy than it was. I almost fell down several times!

We found this amazing restaurant on the beach. I have already forgotten the name (it started with a "P"). Their food was amazing and the view was just as good. Adam insisted on getting the "sampler" dessert because he couldn't make up his mind. He was happy with them all!

Our last excursion was a snorkeling trip. We took a two hour boat ride out to some islands. It wasn't the best snorkeling I've ever done, but fun none the less.

We were able to see a HUGE manta ray. I didn't get a picture, but it was unreal. I've never seen one that big.

The time went by so fast. I know I wasn't quite ready to come back to real life...but it only got better from there!

The Houston Reception

We all know that the best part about a reception is the food. I thought it best to put the food pictures first!

My cousin, Jen, made our cake for us. She did a smashing job. I was so pleased with the way everything turned out. The colors all went together so well.

My mom took over when it came to the reception. She planned the food and bought it and prepared a lot of it. I think that it looked (and tasted) so nice.

These three ladies (along with a lot of others) helped out a ton with the reception. My mom said their got in there and wend to work. Amazing!

Whitney and Jared were good sports and hung around the whole night...and they even had these smiles on!

Adam and had a little talk before the reception. I was really afraid that he was going to smear it all over my face. He didn't...and I love him even more for it!!! He really is a sweetheart!

Any excuse to kiss, right?!

I was so excited that my whole kindergarten team (past and present) showed up. It was great! I hadn't seen Dana (all in black) for a few years. These ladies are some of my favorite people ever. Having new co-workers is going to be hard after working with all of them.

Another surprise song...Kim and Kirsten sang us a song at the reception. I had no idea about it. The Beauty and the Beast song at my bridal shower was a decoy. Bishop Chappell played the piano for them. It was amazing.

Before the wedding, Kirsten had asked Adam to write the last verse for the song...and he did. It was so sweet. I have never had anyone write me a song before. It was such a tender moment. I don't think I'll ever forget it. Here are the lyrics that he wrote:
As a soft glow in the darkness
As the star that guides me home
As the blush behind the smile
So are you to me
As the warm rays of the morning
As the hinge on heaven's door
As the arm that cradles my heart
So are you to me
As the arm that cradles my heart
So are you to me
So are you to me.

We gave them big hugs for that one! I miss them already!

I had quite a few of my students come to the reception. It was so fun to have them there. Kindergarten has been part of my life for 4 years. They all looked so little - out of that little kid classroom. It made me feel loved.

This is definitely one of my FAVORITE pictures from the reception...maybe even the wedding! The bouquet toss: you think all of the single girls would want to catch it...but at our age you just go up there because of tradition. No one really wants to be there...as shown by this picture. Kim, the only brave one, the only one with her hand even in the air, caught the dreaded bouquet! Perhaps she'll be next!

This, I have to admit, was a little awkward. I purposefully put it pretty low! We'd only been married a few hours!

Adam's brother, Jared, was the lucky bachelor who caught the garter. Lucky boy!

I didn't get a better picture of the Chappell's, but here is a picture that caught a good moment. The Chappell's are some of my favorite people ever (I know...I have a lot of favorites). It is at their beautiful house that this reception took place. They have helped us out so much. I wish I could have brought them with us! Thank you, Chappell's!

The Wedding

June 6th couldn't have turned out better if I planned it. Actually, I did kind of plan it, but it went so smoothly! It was a beautiful day. I woke up early and went to Kelly's shop to get my hair done and then came home and finished getting ready (Alona already posted those pictures). Then we headed over to the temple. Adam came with my mom and Alona and myself. The boys had gone earlier to drop off the food for the reception.Here we are walking to the temple. I was a little nervous, but mostly excited. It didn't seem like that was the day we were really going to get married.

My cousin, Wendy, took our pictures for us. They turned out so good. I love this shot of the Houston Temple. I've been going to this temple for 6 years. It is kind of like home.

I love this picture of Adam. He rarely smiles for the camera. I am so glad that he was there with us! I love that kid!

I remember waiting to go into the sealing room and looking at Adam. He looked nervous for the first time. It was a good nervous...not a scary one. We talked for a while and just sat by each other for a while. Then it was time to go in. I loved walking into the sealing room and seeing the faces of so many people that mean so much to me. It really was a little piece of heaven. Adam's mom was crying already, and I almost lost it. I did fairly good at keeping my composure.
I don't remember a whole lot of what was said in the actual ceremony...so if you remember, let me know! It was so fun walking out of the temple as "husband and wife". What a phrase!

This was my first real experience with paparazzi. I felt a little famous.

Here is a big group picture of most everyone that came. A few people sneaked out early...(Chappells!!!).

Here is a group of most of my favorite girls in the WORLD! I really have been so blessed! Idaho girls are going to have a lot to live up to!

I LOVE this picture. In fact, it is framed and hanging up in my house already!

Here is a big family shot. The Bushman's and the Warr's.

I was so excited that my best friend, Kym, from growing up was able to come. Kym and I used to walk to kindergarten together and find horseshoes on the trails! Her and her sister Laura helped us out so much. What a blessing!

Why wouldn't we take a shoe shot?

The next few shots are just some plain ole cute wedding shots. No explanation needed!

Adam gets a little grumpy without his afternoon snack and phone calls!

That's right, Ladies...He's mine!

And here we are...leaving, just as we came. Except, when we left, we were one!

Bridal Shower

I know, I know...I am MONTHS behind in my blogging. I have fantastic excuses...like, getting married and moving across the country, and not having internet on my computer until 10 minutes ago. I hope that the next few posts subdues everyone's anger at me for taking so long!

Well, as you all know, I have the BEST sister in the whole world. She threw me a fantastic bridal shower back in May. I had so much fun. Alona is an expert when it comes to throwing parties.

Katherine and Kirsten helped Alona get the food ready. We had chicken salad croissants, salad, chips, and probably a lot more that I didn't mention.

We had a good turn out of people show up to party. Here are a few of them. I was glad that my cousin, Daciana was able to make it!

More fun friends!

Lesley and Cynthia got the "green" memo. How'd they know it was my favorite?! Sister Chappell even make it over. She had the busiest day, but I was thankful she made time for me!

A few days before the shower Alona had talked to Adam and asked him a bunch of questions about himself. At the shower everyone was given a question or two and throughout the party they would ask me them. If I got it wrong I had to put a grape in my mouth. Luckily they were small grapes! I actually think I did pretty good...and I really hope that Adam did not expect me to remember the name of his mission president!

Kim and Kirsten had a surprise for me. Before we opened the presents they told me that they had prepared a little music number for me.

They did a kareokee version of "Beauty and the Beast". It was so cute! I laughed...and almost cried! As you can tell from the pictures...they were really into the song!

When it got to the part when they sang the words "Beauty and the Beast", they each held up a picture (Adam was the beast, of course). They had cut the picture down the middle to make a puzzle piece. Then they would put them together! It was adorable...and not just because I was Beauty! In fact, I have that very picture hanging right in front of me at my computer desk!

I then opened the presents (which I'll refrain from posting...thank you everyone!). After the presents we went to the kitchen and made some jewelry.

Some of the pieces were so creative. I had to copy a few of them...and I still wear them! Thanks again everyone! I truly feel like I have been blessed with incredible friends. I miss you already!