Thursday, October 18, 2012

welp...

it's fall.  And it's lovely and I love it.  I have been crunching through the leaves, driving while blasting Spanish music in my car, and enjoying the chilly sun.  I mean people, come on!




The only HUGE downer, however, is that basically all of the people immediately related to me are really, really far away.  The Bourne clan is in Florida seeing wild animals and going on awesome rides and the Davis' headed up to Sun Valley to enjoy my favorite place on earth.  I get to stay in Salt Lake all by my lonesome and take four tests in Provo. yay!

Luckily, I have a way cute husband who leaves me notes....
and awesome moms (in-law) who send lovely pictures to keep me in the know.  LOVE YOU GUYS!


Friday, October 12, 2012

uncle rico time...


today I'm feeling really nostalgic for my mission because the weather today IS my mission weather.  Chilly, a little humid, rain, clouds obscuring the mountaintops.  It just makes me want to tell the next person I see about the Gospel. I, and I'm pretty sure every 18 and 19 year old Mormon have been thinking non-stop about missions.  More especially, what my mission meant to me.
Elder Holland always says that no boy ever loved his mission or was more changed than he was.  I will take over the sister side of that statement.  I had no idea what I was in for when I flew off to Chile.  My mission fundamentally changed me.  It's as though, piece by piece, God cut out a heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh.  Now, I'm not even close to where I want to be, but my mission service altered the course of my life, it illuminated my soul with the glorious light of Christ--the light that can and will outweigh and brighten any dark parts.  My service taught me not to ride the easy wave of apathy, but to actively and brightly seek the Savior.
My service gave me a sense of humor and (hopefully) greater work ethic.  I have confidence in my testimony and even greater confidence in God.  I trust in His infinite goodness and ability to lead lives to their greatest good.  I know God loves me because I am His daughter.  I know that living the Gospel of Jesus Christ is anybody's best shot at real, solid happiness and joy in this life.  
My service carved out a part of my soul that was filled with overwhelming love for people and places at the bottom of the earth.  These people, places, and experiences have changed me forever.  I am different and I am so thankful that Heavenly Father turned my "sacrifice" of a year-and-a-half into the greatest blessing of my life (besides Thayner, of course).  
There is no greater joy than helping somebody come unto Christ.  If you are thinking about a mission, do it.  Don't look back.  Enjoy and relish every second of it because it will make every day for the rest of your life happier and better, you will love deeper, and your work and your glory will be clear.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

thayner's crush...



holy smokes.  Thayne is adorable.  And that adorable little baby he's holding is the newest addition to the Davis family!  Congrats to Katie and John for producing not one, not two, not three, but FOUR beautiful, lovely children who I'm obsessed with.  Welcome to Lucy Ardella Knudson!  We love you. (You make Thayne look even cuter than he already is.)


These two pictures need some explaining.  Cal and Sue (aunt and uncle) had us over for the annual Taylor-monster-making-and-pumpkin-growing-contest. Here's how it goes...everyone has their own gardens and has to make a monster out of the produce that they grow themselves.  Let's get real.  My "garden" is the basket full of aging potatoes and rotten zucchini in the corner of my kitchen counter.  I made the beauty on the far left and Thayner make the creepy one on the far right.  Luckily we were the judges, so we did very well in the competition :).  Second, everyone brings the pumpkin they grew (bahahahah, me, yeah right) and we weigh them and whosever's weighs the most wins a plaque.  All in all, it was such a great, Halloweeny night and I'm grateful to be a part of such a hilarious family! Oh yeah!  The top picture. For his prize, Taylor got a super-evil mask and Brandon got a fake knife.  Taylor is killing Jacob.






 Thayne, Parker, and Glen (and others) followed, hunted, killed, murdered, and ate a giant elk a few weeks ago.  Parker was lucky enough to get a tag for the Manti area (which boasts the best elk in Utah).  The father-sons trio did such a great job, and we are happy to have them home safe and sound and even MORE happy that we get to eat elk steak.

I'm laughing just thinking about what I'm about to write.  My mother got Carrie Underwood tickets for her birthday this year and the tickets were cursed.  Two of the three friends going with her bailed the week of the concert.  By some act of providence, and by that I mean the undying love a a wonderful mother, Thayner and I were chosen to attend the amazingness that IS a Carrie Underwood concert.  Something hilarious occurred.
Okay people, so just look at her.  Gorgeous.  Talented.  Blonde.  Fun.  By the time the concert was over, I realized that Thayner has a big ole' crush on Carrie.  Before the show: "I really like her music".  After the first song: "Wow, she is really talented." After the third song: "This is awesome." Fourth song: "Man, they really always show off her legs."  Midway through: "Is she married? To who?" Ten minutes later: "What a huge wedding ring! Who is she married to again?" 30 minutes later: he sang every word to all the songs.  After the concert: "Wow, she's amazing!"  Walking to the car: "She's such a great performer, that was amazing."  Two seconds later: "Do you think her being married takes the mystery away from her as a singer?  Because now no one has a chance with her." Going to bed last night: me :"I love you, Thayne"  thayne: "I love you, Carrie".

Okay, some of those didn't happen (most of them did). But the ones that did were hilarious.  Thanks to my mom for a great night and for letting us mooch off your birthday present.  We love you.  And Thayne loves Carrie Underwood.

Friday, October 5, 2012

the best thing for a husband to do

Oh my goodness...this picture just makes me SWOON.  There is nothing more adorable/manly/cute/BIG-smooch-inducing behavior than a man (specifically MY man) holding a baby and talking to the baby in a little baby voice.  AHHHHHHH!  (ps it doesn't hurt that the baby in question is Winnie, Sara and Taylor's newest (and so adorably cutest) addition).


Oh yeah,  Thayne caught a really huge fish.  I think the baby is a lot cuter.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

shoot!

Just returned from young women's where I bowled a gentleman's 44.  Okay, so I get up and leave for school usually between 6 and 6:30; this morning I sleepily got dressed in the dark cause I didn't want to blind Thayner with the lights. I was feeling really good about the day, felt ready for my Corp 2 test (fail! It was written by Satan himself) and had a good lunch and a good dinner planned.  I was listening to a really amazing history lecture on my commute to the Happy Valley, when, all of a sudden in American Fork I looked down and saw....



the most ridiculously weird outfit ever.  I cursed myself for getting all the way past the point of the mountain without realizing I looked like a Christmas ornament.  Welp, that's my interesting life for you.  Got some great comments from the fellow accountants. 

OOO! This actually IS interesting.  Turns out Thayner and I have friends.  We went up the canyon with a few lovely couples plus kids in the ward last night and had a great time roasting stuff, cautiously watching daddy moose not care we existed, and enjoying the gorgeous fall leaves.  What a beautiful world we live in.