My mom says...

that she knows the guy I'll bring home will be perfect, so she doesn't need to worry.

I don't even know how the guy I'll bring home even came up, but it makes me think about a couple things...

Oh! I remember now! We were talking about how some parents (friends of hers, who have children I'm good friends with) are very vocal about doubts/questions they have about their children's either fiancee or boyfriend/girlfriend, while others are not so vocal. Maybe they just face the fact that they have no say over the matter, or maybe they just voice their concerns to their children and don't talk about them with their friends/my mom. I think my parents would definitely voice concerns to me about any guy I was dating/engaged to.

Back to what it makes me thing about...

My mom is teasing/making fun of me and perhaps this should be insulting, but I didn't really take it as such. Is my mom telling me I'm so picky that the guy I FINALLY bring home would have to be perfect? The problem with this is that there are no perfect guys/people, so does this mean I'm never coming home with anyone? I didn't take it as an insult, because I really think that while I realize there are no perfect people out there, I still believe in falling in love -- like head over heels in love. And I believe I will find someone who I think is perfect while in the dating/courtship period of time. (Of course, after marriage is a different story. You are supposed to keep your eyes wide open during dating and half shut after marriage, right? But that's kind of depressing to think about -- that you think he's amazing before you get married and then you realize he's not?) I go to a marriage prep class at church. I think both last week and this week, we talked about a quote from a talk given by Julie Beck. It addresses the fact that many people go about finding someone to date as a shopping excursion. They are looking for someone with specific attributes, rather than how we should look at it as a blessing from God. So, I KNOW that the person I end up with won't be perfect, and that I'm not looking for a specific person with specific attributes, but rather we are looking for someone you'll share in doing God's plan for both of you.

Spencer's been telling me recently that the characteristics of your spouse before you marry don't matter that much, because really the two of you become one and you shape who you both are going to be for the rest of your lives. I agree and see how this is the case. You change and adjust your lifestyles/personality to work with the person you want to spend the rest of your life/eternity with.

I'm done. Enough. It's exhausting to always be thinking about it, and there's no reason to. Life is good. I'm happy.

Love to you all! XOXO

Thanksgiving

I went to my parent's house for Thanksgiving. The day prior my mom and I made the stuffing, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Steph made the rolls and pies. Hunter spent Thanksgiving in Utah, but he provided that turkey that Foulger/Pratt gives him every year. It was a fairly small group; just mom, dad, Steph, Aaron and family, Naomi and Josh, and me. It was nice though to spend some quality time with everyone. 

The second table with Samuel, Paige, and Juliette:

Me and sweetest baby Daniel:

My cousin, Emily, and I maybe look exactly alike and even dressed exactly alike on Friday evening when I got together with Emily, Tim and baby Corinne, Allison, Tim and newborn Ian, Drew, Jen and family, the Osguthorpes, Naomi and Josh, Cynthia and Glen, and me, my mom and dad.

Naomi, me, and Emily:

 Allison holding 3 week old, Ian:

I'm so grateful for my family. They are such wonderful people and I enjoy spending time with them so much.

From Minnesota and the Big House in the Big Woods!

When I was making my summer plans I told Anna (my sister's oldest) that I was going to Minnesota to visit Carter's family. One moment I was going alone, and the next moment I had a travel companion. It was so fun for her to be with cousins, to be away from parents (at eleven years old, I think that's all they want), and to be the only Osguthorpe for a change. We had a great trip.

At the airport about to get on the plane for Minnesota! The person taking it thought we were sisters. We actually had some commotion on our flight there. There was a bad storm in Minneapolis but we were about to land nonethless. We were abut 5 feet from the runway when the plane took off back up again. We had to continue traveling and land in Deluth to refuel before going back to the Minneapolis airport.

I didn't take a ton of pictures while on the trip, but I did on Friday. We went to an exhibit of replicas of the Nina and Pinta ships. They were made in Brazil (Salvador, Bahia) as this is the only place in the world that still practices the 15th century method of ship making. They've sailed all over the world and are now ported at the Hudson River in Wisconsin. 

Davis, Mason, Harrison, and some of the boys from families that went with us. 

Sadie and Harrison 

Mason

We also went to the Mall of America on Friday. It was fun to see the largest mall in the U.S. and to go on a couple rides. My cousin, Travis, also came in on Friday. He's been in Chicago for the summer and decided to  come up for the weekend.

Cute Mason and Harrison

Brooke, Sadie, and Harrison

It was such a fun weekend full of hanging out by (many) lakes and the pool, and in their woods, playing a ton of mafia (the kids are so obsessed with this game), water skiing, camping (the kids -- not me), campfires, pedicures, repeated conversations of who everybody likes (the first night there we couldn't get them to be quiet and go to sleep -- they just wanted to stay up and talk about who everybody likes or is "going with"), and just catching up with Carter and Brooke. Probably the best quote from Harrison for the week is: "Anna, do you want to go downstairs and party with me?" Harrison was just a little attached to Anna and wanted to be near her 24/7. Thanks Cart and Brooke for such a fun trip!                                                                                    

A Johnson Wedding!

I grew up with the Johnsons and they're such an important part of my life. Katie is the youngest of the Johnson girls. I grew up with her older sisters and she was always this tiny girl hanging around who grew up to be totally awesome and hilarious. It was a wonderful wedding and I'm so happy for her!

At the shower at Erin's house in her Matt and Katie Critchfield shirt

Jenny and Katie

Sweetest Brooke

Mark with cute Justin at the wedding reception 

The Johnson family watching Matt dance with his mom, I think

The Champoux fam!

Katie S. made the point that Matt and Katie J. really seem to be close friends. I totally agree and this is why it's so fun to see them together. Congratulations, Katie! 

Ann's Wedding

We did Ann's shower just 10 days after her parents got home from their mission. Nobody moved from the foyer of Page's house for like 45 minutes. Everybody was just so happy to see each other. For some of us it had been a really long time -- even longer than the 3 years since the Coltons were gone.

Ann (front and center) and all of us who planned the shower. 

Page with the buffet.

And again! Adding Liz!

Ashley, Katie, and Bekah going in. 

Love this darling picture of Kathryn and Ann. 

Ann opening presents -- it's a good shot of all the sisters -- Katie, Lynne, Lauren, and Ann.

Catching up with Katie. 

My sister, Stephanie, and baby Daniel. 

Oliver and Jessie, Steph and Daniel, Lynne and Wren, Jenny and Brooke, Alexandra and Porter. SO darling. 

Jessica and baby Dellin hiding. 

The whole group. 

And from above!

Getting pedicures -- just a couple more days now!!

And we get to the reception! The reception was beautiful and was held at the Colton home. Everything was perfect. 

My brother-in-law with Daniel. 

Lynne and her newest addition. 

It was so special to be with Ann on her wedding day. I have so many memories of our growing up years -- I can't even imagine growing up without her and the Colton family. She is seriously one of the very best people I know and Dan has chosen very, very well. I loved seeing their sealing. They walked into the room, and I know everybody says this about brides, but she was totally glowing. Ann is always beautiful but she just looked amazing. Ann doesn't really cry and held it together through the whole sealing, but as people were exiting and saying congratulations she started to cry. It was a wonderful day and I loved seeing the Colton family altogether. Congratulations, Ann! 

A new decade

I'm 30!

Thanks to every one of you for being in my life and making my birthday so special. It was fun to see good friends.

Hunter made me a birthday card and had people sign it. He put pictures of me all over it. He also brought me the beautiful flowers. He put up a birthday sign too outside my house.

My friend made the most delicious ice cream cake ever. My other friend got me a beautiful fruit tart. I went to see Mary Poppins (which was SO wonderful) at the Kennedy Center with friends the day prior and didn't even pay. I received fun little gifts from other friends.

Thank you, everyone! I have amazing friends and family.