Hello Mr. and Mrs. Taylor... Best Wedding Ever!

Oh HEY! I'm still alive no worries, just getting back to real life after a week and a half off is super hard. I can't believe that my wedding came and went, it's so crazy. It's something that you wait your whole life for and in 3 days it was over. Sort of a blur, but I'm loving all the pictures that everyone took so I can forever re live that most awesome day(s). I took the week off of work which was the best idea ever, because we were so busy, but B and I also got to have some good quality time together before our big day and before my family arrived. I highly recommend that!

Getting our wedding license

My mom, dad, and Mariah arrived Tuesday night with a truck load of things and from then on it was just go go go! My mom spend all day Wednesday shopping, while we go things set up for the luncheon and reception. By that evening the rest of my family was here and I love that we were all here together! Thanks to Emma's sister all of my family stayed in one house and that helped out a ton too! Mariah, Maddie, and I stayed at Mariah's apartment and just had some sister bonding time before the big day, it was fun, and I was trying to keep my nerves down to a minimum. I hadn't heard from my photographer so I was stressing about that (I know a dumb thing to stress about), but still I think I tripled checked everything. My hair appointment was the next morning at 7:00 a.m. so I didn't sleep that good. I didn't want to be late or sleep in or anything. My friend Tenille got me a gift certificate to get my hair done for my wedding and it was the best present ever, her sister did amazing! The best gift that morning was that my dearest Maid of Honor Jenn walked through the door at 7:00 a.m. too!! She seriously slept maybe 4 hours just to make sure we spent quality time together before it was a blur of things to do! I'm so glad she was there, she made me feel a lot better and my nerves seemed to go away! Plus she bought me breakfast, she's the best seriously, love her!

When I got back to my house it was already chaotic so I finished getting ready and just sort of waited for the time to pass! B just called me once to let me know he was ready and leaving Rigby and then it was time to get to the temple! While I was there I just tried to take a mental note about everything that happened. Mostly though I felt peace and love. When we walked into the sealing room I felt so an enormous sense of love it took my breath away. Which then equaled tears and I don't think I stopped crying until I left, it was so beautiful. There were so many people who I love that sat in that room, and B's Mission President even came (which surprised him most of all), it was overwhelming. Most importantly I got married to my best friend, and that was the best part (even if his hands were a little sweaty)!  I was just so happy to finally be there to finally call him my husband. There were many hugs, tears, and rejoicing, I'd like to think heaven will be a little that way! It was the best day ever, and one I'll never forget!

It was crazy to be the ones exiting the temple together, it's usually the other way around and I'm cheering on the loved one, but this time it was me. I had a lot of those moments actually! B and I were just so happy, and we got lots of pictures taken and the weather was perfect for pictures! It started to rain a little once we left and I was freaking out because our reception was outside, but more on that later! We headed to the luncheon where I actually got to talk to my family and be there with them, and we watched the slideshow which turned out fab thanks to Jenn!

Mr. and Mrs. Taylor

Jenn, Maddie, and Mariah... my bridesmaids!

My brothers and me! Love them!

Baby Gracie... love her dress right?! Cutest niece ever!

My parents and us...

My family (for some reason no one took pictures of B's family, so we'll just have to wait for out photographer to get done with our photos)

The weather turned nasty and quick, it was windy and freezing not to mention rain. I just prayed really really hard it would turn out OK. Guess what?! Right before the reception started the wind stopped and the sun came out and it was beautiful! The Bishop and his wife let us have our reception in their backyard and it turned out amazing. I just love them and they've done so many things for us, so it was perfect! We had a great time, and the Italian Soda's were a hit! It was great to see so many of our friends from the ward and B's family too!

Part of the Rexburg reception

Trying to stay warm at the Rexburg reception!

Decorated car with melted whip cream (oh and cookies that took forever to wash off)

Yes, even the inside!

We spent the night at Destinations Inn (which was so fantastic) and the next day we headed to Parma. We even stopped at the Eastern Idaho State Fair and Twin Falls for ol' time sake. Not an ideal honeymoon, but we made it fun because that's how we roll!

Saturday is also a blur. We literally spent ALL day working on the reception. From the yard to the food. I have an amazing family, they all worked so hard. They put in a lot of time and effort to make sure I had the reception of my dreams and it totally was! It was beyond perfect! Hyrum's yard was amazing, and the food was amazing too! We had homemade tomato soup thanks to my mom and aunt Mary for you know basically inventing a recipe, veggies, grilled cheese, cake pops, brownies, and water! So many people came to give us well wishes and good thoughts, we also got to see the kids for a couple hours too! It was seriously perfect! I didn't want it to end, but with Blaylock tradition we had an awesome dance party, and my siblings never cease to make me laugh. Mariah was especially crazy!

Groom's cake (B's surprise), cake pops, and the wedding cake

Coolest cake ever right?!

Cute boy Parker! Love him!

Mom's old living room furniture we painted for the reception!

Tables, dance floor, and the amazing view of Parma

Oh the amazing Hansen girls, seriously love them!

Mom and Dad under the willow tree!

Love this picture, and cute Liam who loves B more than me, pretty sure!

Cheese ball Tajia, and her cute dress!

Honestly, cutest picture ever, Parker is a mini B!

Shots of the great food!

Yummy cake...

Tossing the bouquet!

First dance...

Grandkids... poor Reece... ha!

Love them and their matching dresses...

Tajia and her new Aunt Mariah and Aunt Maddie

Dancing the night away!

The lights! It was seriously beautiful...

Our new family!

To say it was the best weekend ever was an understatement. Seriously it was beyond perfect and beyond what I could have ever imagined. I loved every second of it, even if I was stressed or worried, it all ended up being perfectly fine. Thank you to everyone who came, and who helped, it was just the best wedding ever! Enjoy some awesome pictures!! I'm sure there will be many to come!

Goodbye Ms. Blaylock!

This is probably the last time I'll have a chance to really write anything down or blog until after I'm married.

Crazy.

Last night I had another bridal shower put on by my dearest BFF Sarah. It was delightful and I had a really great time just talking and spending time with my future family and my dearest friends. I love it because everyone really thought about something I need and want and so I'm taken care for my wedding. Makes my heart full!

Look at that amazing food! All of my favorites!

Red Velvet Brownies!

7 Layer Dip

Of course my beverage of choice...

Amanda and Brittany

It's crazy to think that I'm getting married, and saying goodbye to single-hood. Something I've known for 10 years. I've had some amazing roommates and great memories. Honestly I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. I have learned so much about life and about who I am that is only going to make married life better. Granted I've made mistakes, and I could have done things maybe a little differently but that's part of life. I feel like the last day of the semester when you are all packed up and it's time to say goodbye to your roommates. It's so bittersweet. Knowing you've created awesome memories and you'll miss it but knowing the future is going to be another great and wonderful adventure. I know though that I'm getting  a really good roommate now, HA!

To all those who've helped me this far in life I'll be forever grateful, each person that I have formed a friendship with as taught me something about life and living it. To my friends who have been with me for the past couple years and letting me cry on your shoulder about B and who knows what else (like endless emails, messages, etc..), thank you! To my family who is working so hard to make sure I have the best day ever, I can't express how much I love you. Finally to my B, I love you, I'm so excited to be Mrs. Taylor, and to laugh every day of forever with you!

Don't worry you know I'll take a ton of pictures, and have the best time, we all know I love to party! Hope to see you there!

Much love, 

Savy B

From Miss to Mrs.

Sadly this is the only picture I personally took of my bridal shower. My mom and sisters took the rest. It was a really fun time, and I love the all the people from Parma that came. OK and relatives NOT living in Parma. It was mostly women who have helped raise me or been my church leaders, or friends, and of course family. It turned out really fun, Mackenzie and Emma made food, as well as my grandma, mom, and Mariah. Emma did a "how well do you know Brycen game" and I got all of them right! Booyah. Ok so he missed one because he said my celebrity crush was Justin Bieber. Uh, really?! Everyone knows it's Zac Efron and Channing Tatum. I was like, um yeah I like his music but I would never DATE him. HA! Oh well. For the most part though it was fun to eat, and chat and see all the fun things I can use for my wedding. I had a great time!

I just kept thinking, oh wow this is so weird, this is my own shower. I've been to so many bridal showers I can't even name them, but it was great that it was actually my own! Sort of one of those "whoa this is crazy" moments.

I'm trying not to be overwhelmed, but I get more annoyed because I can't help my family back in Parma. I feel guilty that they are doing all the hard work and I'm here at work in Rexburg, and can't do as much as I would like. I sure am blessed to have amazing parents who know how important this day is to me. They've worked so hard (and so has the rest of my family) to make sure I'm happy and that's so great. I also have a lot of great friends too who are so willing to help and some even let me have another reception in their back yard, it makes my heart full... and I get emotional just thinking about it. Blessed indeed.

So we are 10 days away. Still a lot is needing to get done, but I get to take all next week off and that will help a lot. AH! It's crazy! So exciting too, beyond exciting really, it's awesome!

My Life Changes & Pre-Wedding Pictures!

Another weekend down, only two more to go until I get married. Yesterday at church we had Stake Conference and honestly I can say it was one of the best I've been too. Usually I sort of listen, and I don't take anything really away from it (my fault I know), but this time it was different. I was moved. I was moved to be better, and felt that prompting of get it together Savanna. I haven't felt that in a long time, that motivation to be better, I think I've just used the excuse of "well I'll be getting married, I'll make my decisions then", which is totally bogus and ridiculous. This morning thoughts of what I had learned still hadn't left my mind, and I'm sure that's part of the "do something about it". I'm just a mess of emotions, to feeling inadequate, to the feeling of fear of change, to the feeling of excitement and overwhelming stress. Isn't it just crazy? I mean I take it all in, because I've felt the feeling of "change" before.

I felt it when I graduated high school. I was no longer going to have my mom and dad there. I was moving on and being an adult. I thought I was ready but after the first week of school all I was just scared. I didn't want to make changes, I wanted to stay the same, but again it's that feeling of get it together Savanna. So I did, well and look my life was forever changed because of college and BYU-Idaho. 

When I graduated college and left for Vegas I was scared. Beyond scared. I remembered when I dropped my dad off at the airport, I cried and cried. I think my dad was scared a little because I'm the one who always has it together, but I was genuinely scared. Big town, a classroom full of students, and me just this girl from a little town in Idaho. Scary. I learned so much there, and even though I learned that I didn't want to live there forever, I found Sarah there, and well she's a friend I will have forever. Honestly, if I didn't have her there I don't know how I would have made it.

Then I graduated and I had NO idea what to do with my life. Pathetic I know. So my mom devised this plan for me to move to Florida and to take a job out there and live with my aunt. An aunt I knew but not really, I mean my grandparents were out there but still. When I said goodbye to my mom at the airport I flat out was ugly crying. I mean that cry that is so bad no one should ever really see it. I didn't want to go, but knew that I had to. I cried in the plane all the way there I'm pretty sure, and for the next couple of weeks actually. I had the hardest time embracing that change, but looking back I learned a LOT about what I believe and had the opportunity to share the gospel a TON! I would like to call this part of my life my mission, because essentially that's exactly what it felt like! It was fun to live in Orlando, and I met a lot of great people and grew closer to my extended family. I somehow always knew though that it would temporary!

Enter Idaho Falls and Rexburg, the place I never thought I would end up. A job sort of just fell in my lap and  I experienced so many things up here. I became Relief Society President, I forced myself to get involved by myself, and ultimately finding B and putting myself out there. I did things I never thought I could, and for once I fell in love with someone who fell in love with me. Now well I'm embarking on a whole other change. A change of something that's bigger than me. Something that I'm committed to forever. I am nervous, anxious, excited, and I'll admit scared. It's just a whole new realm of things that at one time I just didn't think were in my future. I am so happy though that this time I don't have to do this journey by myself, I have B. I know I'm ready to be married, it's just sometimes scary to think that now all my decisions involve a Mr. instead of just Me. 

It might sounds like I'm not ready for this next adventure or that I'm doubting but actually it's completely the opposite. I know the feeling of anxiety because it's a good thing, it keeps me on my toes, and makes the actual moment even better, because that feeling of peace knowing I'm doing the right thing in the right place makes it ALL worth it!

PS- now that I've got that off my chest here are some sneak peeks at our wedding photos! I don't want to flood the Internet with our photos yet, because we aren't married, but I can't hold it in very long! They turned out GREAT! Jaclyn Davis from Jaclyn Davis Photography (she also has a Facebook page you can follow) did them and I think they turned out positively perfect! 

And finally my super hot Fiance doesn't he look straight out of GQ?!

Being "Busy"

I love a good "to-do" list, OK so I love checking things off a list because it makes me feel accomplished; however, when you have 10 lists well that can have the opposite effect.

I swear one of my check boxes was:
"finish to do list #1"... pathetic.

Which leads me to something I've been thinking about a lot lately, about being "busy". People at work use it all the time, I'm so busy I can't help you or I'm so busy can you finish this project for me, or more importantly I'm just so busy I never have time to relax. I'm guilty of the latter. When B calls to ask me how my day was I say "busy", and that equates to a fulfilled day, when actually I hussled my way around trying to feel or be busy. When I come home from work I just think of all the things I have to get done, all the bills that need paid, when actually I just want to come home and sit down and enjoy my dinner. Isn't that what's wrong with our society? If we don't feel busy or look to be busy we feel like we are lazy? Uh no, I want to start a movement of relaxing. Relaxing or distressing is essential to your life, and B knows that sometimes I have to tell him to just sit down and talk to me. Granted things need to get done, but sometimes it's OK to just SIT.

So sit down, meditate, watch TV, read a book, or whatever you want, but stop using "busy" and an excuse. I used the term "I was too busy" like 10 times already today and I realized that is dumb. If you have things to do, awesome, get them done, but at the bottom of the to-do list should be this:

Enjoy this moment, relax and take the time to love life. Stop being so busy already!!

Need more encouragement, read this blog:
http://www.thedaybookblog.com/2012/08/a-new-goal.html

Crunch Time!

It's crunch time! 24 days to go! Isn't that just insane! I'm so giddy, but there's a lot to be done! Saturday, Sunday, and tonight I'm sure have been filled with stuffing and organizing announcements. It's such a relief to know that the date we picked will actually work. They turned out great, and I'm more than excited to send them out! I guess that makes it all the more real. My friend Clint did an amazing job creating them, I love that he lives in my head when I ask him to create something, it turns out perfect!

Hyrum and Emma came down this weekend and it was so good to see them, even for a day. We had fun just hanging out and grilling some good food, thanks to B! That Grace sure is a growing. She's seriously so darling and I'm excited to watch her grow up, she's got some catching up to do if she's going to beat Reece!

The puzzled look!

Such a happy girl! Love her bow!

What an exciting time in my life honestly, it's just like one of those moments where you sometimes have to pause and be like, this is my life and I can't believe I'm stuffing envelopes for my wedding, or making arrangements for the reception or whatever. This morning Jenn and I were talking about having faith that things happen for a reason, and knowing that God's timing is ultimately what you always need. 

I'm collecting photos for my wedding slideshow and I found some GREAT college photos. I'm sure my next post will be about all those crazy things I did back then. I mean honestly who jumps off a bridge in the pitch black? Oh wait we did! 

Happy Monday!!

Wedding News and a New Car!

How can it be August? Honestly now. I used to have to countdowns going on in my head one for what my wedding day was supposed to be (August 16th) and one that it actually is (September 6th). No worries though, we received the best news of all last Monday, an official letter from the First Presidency granting us permission to get married in the temple. It was a sweet relief to see that letter in the mailbox. B just happened to still be home so I ran inside and gave it to him and was already bawling. He just opened it up and said "well, there you go". I was jumping up and down crying, he acted like it was everyday news. HA! I guess he just knew it would come in time, hindsight we could have kept the same date, but it's that's OK. I will take what I can get! So it is official, September 6th, 11:00 am in the Rexburg Temple (and it's not MOVING)!

We've also been car shopping, ugh, seriously it was pretty hard for us. We just couldn't agree on anything, and I kept saying if we could make it through buying a car we can make it through marriage. It took compromise on both of our sides but found just what we were looking for at the right price! A 2006 Volvo XC90 with all the bells and whistles, and after getting it all cleaned up it looks fantastic. I love it, and even though it's a family car I still feel pretty awesome driving it. We got it for a great price and I know we'll love driving it for the next 10 years, HA!

We are fast approaching the end of the summer which means only a few more weeks left in Twin Falls, and then school starts. It is so crazy. This past weekend was spent just getting more things ready to go and picking up our car in Utah. We hitched a ride down there and drove the car back, and we even got to visit with Jenn for an hour or so. The last time I actually saw her was Christmas, so she still hadn't seen my ring or anything. So good to see her and her fabulous new apartment! 

I've also LOVED watching the Olympics. It is my favorite. I'm sad it's almost over!

Most importantly, happy birthday to my beautiful mother. She's 50 today! Isn't that crazy, I hope I look as good as her when I turn 50! I wish I could be there to celebrate! Happy Birthday to most important woman in my life, I would be lost without you!