Birthday...love...happiness

Well now that I finally figured out the camera situation, I can put up some photos, as of late!

My goodness, my hubbie is now a whopping 22. ;) Who would have ever thought. We had such fun on the birthday festivities {ha, and it wasn't even mine!}. Ryan and KacyAnn {bro and sis-in-law} took us out to Oliver Garden, which was fantastic, especially when you're newly weds. After dinner, they took us to Nickelcade and we had such a great time! His mom took us to Los Hermanos and Chad got nachos that were the size of France. Literally. It took him a week to eat them all! After that delicious dinner, we went to Comedy Sportz, which is always a deep pleasure. 

The two of us went to a movie {which was so-so} and afterwards I took Chad to the mall to get a new outfit for life and fun. :)

Look how stylin' he is! And yes, those are red pants. :)

Myself for birthday happiness. Get this! Chad TOTALLY picked out those smokin' pink pants on our honeymoon! He's got style...

So for his birthday we didn't have a cake or anything, so we got him a Krispie Kreme donut. :) What could be better on a birthday than a donut, spider-man cup, and a wife? So his birthday deemed spectacular.

About a week later I went on a weekend trip to Hurricane with the fam. Unfortunately, Chad couldn't come because of work :(, but I had a good time catching up with family. I just love Hurricane. It brings complete rest and joy in my soul and I always feel refreshed when I go. Seeing my grandma and cousins just makes the world a better place. 

I'm amazed this picture turned out like it did because in reality, I was a gross, sweaty mess on that car ride!

This past weekend I performed a solo for a "Best of Chamber" concert at UVU. The chamber choir is raising money so that we can go on tour to CHINA {I know, RIGHT!} this year, so we put on a fundraising concert. Everyone came with solos, duets, quintets...you name it and we all performed. It was actually super fun! It was so great to hear all my colleagues show off their stuff. I sang, "Astonishing" from Little Women. I've always wanted to sing that song, but it's a beast. But hey, I thought I'd give it a shot and it actually went pretty well. :)

My hair for the performance. :)

I think the best part of the evening was when I was sewing a button onto my vest before the concert started and one of my friends said, "You really ARE a little woman! Look at you sewing!". :) That's RIGHT!

Before the show, my Daddy and Mommy took Chad & I out for dinner at my favorite...The Old Spagetti Factory. Ah. Let me tell ya. Special dinner is a GUGILLION (yes, gugillion), times better when you're married. Yes, anything in regards to food is wonderful. So I was triple-foldly glad for my parents and their love. It was so good to see my parents! I miss them like crazy and don't see them very often, so any sighting is fantastic.

So yeah for some happy times of August/September. Here's lookin got October! My birthday month!

Love. Love always.

Ally Jo

Little Tender Mercies

 

Sometimes....you get really inspired. And it's a wonderful feeling. 

Then other times you feel pretty down and sad. Which isn't such a great feeling.

But then you remember what inspired you, and the pretty downs turn into pretty ups:

And then you get happiness. :)

These past few days I've seen countless "tender mercies" put in my day. Because let's be honest. It's been a rough week for Mrs. Johnson. The fruit has tasted a little bitter. But I'm a fighter. And Mrs. A.B. Johnson doesn't quit. No siree.

So I've been given a few little things to brighten up my day. And I KNOW for a fact that He knows what I'm going through...and how hard it's been...and so He gives me little gifts that He knows I love. 

Like fall weather. The bursts of color on the mountains were lined with puffy clouds the other morning and it just made my heart melt and smooth over. I was definitely Mrs. Grumpy Gills before but after that, my heart was softened. :)

Like ColdStone. :) Ha. This is sort of Chad Edward and I's little splurge. Well, it's not really a splurge because it's all paid for with gift cards {thank you dear family and friends!}, but it's always our little treat. This past Saturday we went in for our fix and who else was there but the sealer who sealed us on our wedding day! Ah. Seeing him lifted my spirit. We said hello and he got the biggest grin on his face. We met his wife and his grandchildren who were there with him. He's just the most amazing man. I feel like he was my own Grandpa! What a way to celebrate Chad & I's marriage and love for each other. 

 

Like a movie night with my hubbie to the GREATEST movie ever! The Amazing Spider-Man. It's been such a long long long long time since I've seen a really good film, and Spider-man, you did it for me. :) I couldn't have been more pleased. 

Like a good conversation about SUU. I didn't realize it till we started talking, but I needed that conversation. I needed to remember my sweet and dear times in Cedar City. My colleague and I talked of professors there and I thought of how I missed them so. I remembered late night Walmart runs for chocolate and milk. I remembered when my friend from my singles ward bought me milk because I was low on cash. I remembered waking up 5 minutes before class because I lived across the street from the music building. I remembered my first weekend in college where I stayed up till 4 AM watching scary movies with new friends and eating ice cream in the church parking lot and chatting with a police officer. 

 

Like finding out you live really close to someone you admire and look up to so very much. I read through the night reading her book this summer. I read her blog everyday. I screamed very very loud for her and her adorable family in the Freedom Parade in provo. I have felt continually inspired by her story and message she gives to all women and families. I have such a great love for her...so whether or not I get the courage to walk a street over and knock on her door with some cookies in hand and tell her how amazing she is...it gives me strength to think one of my role models spirit is so close. 

 

Like my sweet nephew, Carter. I can't explain what joy and strength it gives me to receive a picture on my phone from my sister of my cool little guy. :) He brings such great happiness on the cloudiest days. 

 

Like my visiting teacher. She came JUST at the perfect moment. I couldn't have asked for a more exquisite answer to my prayers. Thank you, Kaitlin-and Mandy!

 

Like the book I'm reading. All the little stories within remind me of what I want to be.

 

Like my husband. Always so sweet and quick to serve me at the drop of a dime. 

 

I receive so many little gifts, and I am so very grateful for them. I'm happy for the life I've lived. And may I look forward to the rich life ahead. :) How grateful I am for my little tender mercies. 

May we love always. 

ABJ

 

Keeping a float

It's time to get back to blogging.

I miss having a place to tell my stories to and it's sorta my outlet, so I decided it must be done more often. Not that I really have a choice to WHEN it will happen because this semester, kids....is a toughie.

Welcome to my Monday:

6:00 AM-first alarm goes off. Chad groans 'cause he has to deal with my alarm. Sorry, Hun!
6:10 AM-second alarm. I drag myself from my oh so comfy bed and sleeping husband and say my prayers.
6:10-6:50-Get together my stuff for school {if I wasn't smart and packed up the night before}, stuff some food in a container for lunch, attempt to do my hair {poor Chad, I NEVER really get ready that often. I mean, I get ready and such, but I curled my hair for the first time in a month the other day. Sad!}, and pull on some type of outfit. I like to be creative with my clothes, but lately I just haven't really had the time or thought to, so usually a t-shirt and jeans have to suffice.
6:50-7:06-I make my almost daily jaunt to the bus stop on BYU campus. Except today, since it's Monday, I get to take the car. Wahoo!
(On Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday I take the bus. I always sit in the back corners and pull out a book or read the newspaper or do some last minute homework. People are so interesting on the bus..haha)

Back to Monday.

I'm driving, so I leave more like 7:10
7:10-7:30 I drive up University Parkway to UVU. Usually I'm lucky because it's early and there's not much traffic, so I'm a happy puppy. Except the fact that it's WAY too early for normal humans.
7:30-7:45 I walk from the free parking lot that's 5 YEARS away from campus. Oh my. Remember I'm short, kids, so the distance is hard for these little legs! Plus a stuffed full back-pack on an owie back definitely doesn't help. I'm sweating in my shirt before the day has even begun.
8:00 Fundamentals of Conducting with Dr. Colonna. He's fantastic and I really like this class. Let's be honest with myself here. Every time I pick up my baton, I think, "Swish and flick!". Ha. HP nerd all the way. Chad saw me practicing my conducting in the bedroom one night and said, "You look like a wizard!"

That's because I AM a wizard.....

...technically speaking, witch......

9:00-Music History. And my brain is history. I promise I'm fascinated with all that chant and stuff, but Ally isn't a morning glory, so I'm afraid any class at this hour with result in a retention rate as slow as a mole eating dirt. But I make some wicked sweet doodles on my notebook. :)
10:00-FREEEEEEE for an hour! Unless it's Wednesday. Then I have voice lessons with Dr. Hurtado. He only the greatest voice ever. Ah. Die.
11:00 Group Piano 1. Welcome to actually having to do the RIGHT fingering.
12:00 FREEEEE! Unless it's Monday or Wednesday. Then it's Practice Room time.
12:45 Eat lunch like a vulture.
1:00 Chamber. Mmmmm....sweet Chamber. Nothing like being surrounded my brilliant musicians and a over the moon phenomenal conductor who came to my reception. Yeah, that's right. The busiest man alive came to MY wedding reception! What a guy!
2:10-3 Break/Octet rehearsal/practice French Horn
3-3:50 Brass Practicum. I think my carpet pad has collected more spit that my toothbrush. Eeeeewww for slurpy horns. Ha. But hey, I'm actually playing songs now! So yeah for progress!
4-5:30 If a Monday, go to Orem Maceys and Provo Maceys and do inventory for Johnson Brothers Ties.
THEN I'M HOME.

And do homework. And make dinner. And do some dishes. And smoochie smooch my husband and have some SWEEEEEEET Family night. :) Then prayers and scriptures together, goodnight kisses, and lights out.

So, my life is kinda crazy. That's only 1 DAY. But somehow, I feel satisfied in moments. That's what keeps my going. I'll have a certain song I sing in Chamber that just takes my breath away and reminds me WHY I sing. Or I'll see the face of relief from another student when they hit that note just right or pass a test. Or a little kid will come up to me while I'm walking home with a black sparkly cloak over his face and just stand there.

Or my husband will be the most sweetest, perfect guy ever and do ALL the dishes and wash ALL the clothes just because and pick me up from the bus stop late at night so I don't get killed. And he'll get me ice cream. Lots. And he'll take me to the temple. Over and over and over again. :)

And we cry. Marriage definitely shows you what you need to improve on as a person. It's awesome, because we all want to change initially, but to actually REALIZE you NEED to change and you do....it's sorta an amazing thing. No wonder Heavenly Father has a plan for a man and a woman to be together forever. He knew what he was doing!

And we laugh. A LOT. I absolutely adore the fact that I'm married not only to my one true love, but to my very bestest friend. We do just what friends do. Make fun of each other {in a good way;)}, sing to the radio, poke each other, dance in our living room spontaneously, listen to each other's days, laugh about our lovely Lexus. I mean, it's awesome. I couldn't imagine life more perfect. Maybe a hot tub in our bedroom and some closet space....but other than that, perfect. ;)

Life is good. And I'm glad I'm writing this right now because it makes it more true. I realize it the more I think about it or write about it. Some days are just plain awful, and I know all who are reading this can relate in a heartbeat. But the good days definitely make the sicky ones worth it.

So we're surviving. With our water noodles and floatie devices AND our rubber ducky. Named Steve. :)

Take care, all. I would post some pictures of us as of late, but....we're still working out the camera transfer to computer issue. But for now, adieu! Happy Sunday.

Love. Love Always.
Ally Jo

Soccer. My new social network.

 Isn't this just wonderful. Ah. Look at what a hunk my husband is. MAN. I adore him.

Right now Chad and I are living in a lovely little basement apartment in Provo. It's in the neighborhood right between the Provo Temple and the Creamery, and 5 minutes away from good ole BYU. {Photos to come ;)}. I personally love it. Of course it's not a palace, but it's ours. :) Not to mention we have a completely carpeted bedroom, which is an added bonus. Yes, ceiling, walls, and all. Haha, quite classy indeed. Not to mention pretty sound proof.

We love it here. Yeah, we're STILL organizing things and such {DON'T look at the living room right now}, but it's our own little place and that's why it's perfect.

So I wanted to share an experience I had a couple days ago. Chad Edward signed up for an intermural soccer team 2 Sundays ago. Let's be honest. I was SUPER excited for him because one, I know he's been dying to play soccer again {his blood runs soccer!}, plus I would get to actually see him play since I only saw him play once in high school, plus plus I would get to see him all....manly and quite attractive. :) Great! Sign right up, hunny!

Well, after 30 minutes of trying to find the field, we finally made it to the field. It was turf, mind you, which felt super great to rub my legs against. But worth it! Anyway. Chad Edward and I feel sort of awkward 'cause....we know no one and Chad Edward doesn't even know who's on his team. Ha! We looked super cool.

Eventually we found boys on his team, which also meant other married women were close by....

...they found me. :) To my left sat a blanket full of girls chatting away a mile a minute. You better believe their hubbies' were playing soccer too. A girl named Jessica called me over and invited me to sit with them.

So sometimes I'm sorta....non-social...not so outgoing....ya know. Just odd. Ask Chad. He'll tell you all about it. ;) Then other times, I can talk to anyone or anything and have a great time and thoroughly enjoy myself. It's a Jekyll and Hyde thing for me and it kinda bothers me at times because I never know how I'm gonna be till I get to the situation. "What's wrong with me! I really can be a nice, sweet person, not a grouchy grouch".

However, I felt quite at ease with these girls. Yes, they were talking non-stop, a mile a minute, but they talked to me and I absolutely got a thrill out of hearing all their stories and opinions on certain topics. I think my most favorite moment though was a girl bringing news. "Guess what, girls, I'm pregnant!"

Oh boy.

Of course I could not be happier for her. Seriously, I'm in LOVE with babies forever. It was just a change of gears for me because I'm used to being in a group of girls that are talking about who's dating who, how cute that couple is, singles wards, and all that jazz.

But, my friends? I have entered the new realm of married women.

And it's quite a change of pace. :)

I actually really got a kick out of my evening, sitting with my new married friends. It made me excited to continue on in my married life and make married girlfriends. Who would have thought?! But the day is here! Chad Edward was THRILLED to see me socializing with some new girls from the field, haha. Love you, Hunny. Glad you liked my "putting myself out there thought I may feel slightly awkward" night.

So, I'm married. Wow. It still catches me off guard, but it's beginning to become so real. There's nothing like having a very very very stressful day and coming home to your husband popping out behind the door to lift you up in a big ole hug and big smoochie smooch. :) It's da best!

Take care, all. It's a busy time for everyone, but we can make it! Cheers.

Ally Jo

Don't worry. I still exist.

 

So. It's been awhile. :)

Much too long, but definitely good reason for being absent from the world. Yep, I went and became a Mrs. Ha! Who would have ever thought I'd actually be able to say that someday. I think I thought I was gonna be playing in the sandbox forever and ever. Well, I can still do that now. I just got a permanent playmate next to me always. ;)

What do you even say after getting married? It's such a blow-the-mind-of-cosmos thing. I mean, I could say, "Yes! Marriage is great. I love it. I can't explain anything else that could make me happier".

Which would be totally true.

But it feels kinda empty when you say it like that. 'Cause you know it's so much more than those little sentences.

Well, everything was perfect regarding our marriage. The sealing in the temple was absolutely exquisite. I wouldn't trade that sacred experience for anything. I'm so glad I am sealed FOREVER to my dearest, most loving husband. Ah. GO TO THE TEMPLE, my friends.

Chad & I have been married for 2 weeks and and 4 days now. Wow. Only that long? Well it's been a bit of a whirlwind, that's for sure. A week honeymoon {which was obviously wonderful}, then moving into our new place the next day, then scrambling to get stuff ready for school, then BAM! So much school and work, not to mention dinner making, cleaning, and doing laundry. Whew! It's been such a whirlwind, and I just love Chad more and more everyday because we survive.

This last week we finally had a few hours for just us, and I think we just about peed our pant with excitement! We actually got to see each other! Seriously. I feel like we see each other less now that we're married instead of more.

But it is all worth it. I love being married. I love cooking for my husband. I love snuggling up together before we fall asleep. And I love that look we give each other when we have 30 seconds to just breath and remember we got each other.

Love is great. And I wouldn't trade giving and recieving it for anything.

Hopefully I'll be writing more now that we'r settled a bit! Here's to it. :)

Loves,
Ally Jo

I Love To See The Temple

So, kids. Alison is going to the temple. On Wednesday. In, counting today, 3 days.

I was sitting and thinking about this experience yesterday during church. When did my own personal desire to go to the temple start? Was it from the moment I left the womb? ;) When? When was I first taught about the temple?

Well, I have AWESOME parents. The best. {Haha, get it?} They've always had pictures of the temple in our home and I was taught from a young age in Family Home Evening. So really, it was as early as I could comprehend the concept. In nursery, my leaders taught me about the temple. My mommy sang "I love to see the temple" to me every night. I sang about the temple in primary. I had a picture of my own of the temple. My mom showed me pictures of her and my Daddy outside the temple after they were sealed for time and all eternity {they looked so classy!}. There have been so many lessons in young women's and relief society about it.

One of the most important things I could ever say about the temple is that I always had a desire for myself to go. I never felt like I was being pressured into it or anything whatsoever in that sense. I had the burning desire within me from a very young age, and couldn't wait to go all on my own. I had the great blessing to have such a nourishing environment around the temple-so blessed. In the end, though, it was my own decision.

So the day came when I turned 12. My mind was exploding with happiness. I could actually go and do baptisms for the dead! What would it be like? My Daddy took me for my first time, and it was wonderful. Just wonderful. Yeah, everything was new, but it all made sense. I loved the pure, sacred feeling I felt within me as I did those ordinances for, really, my family on the other side. I'll never forget that first time. I hold it dear to my heart.

I've been back to the temple more times than I can count. Every experience has been absolutely beautiful and brought me great comfort and given me guidance when I needed it. The temple is where I can go to always feel the spirit. There's never a question if I'll feel it there. How amazing is that?

I made a goal with myself to try my hardest to go to every temple in Utah and do baptisms for the dead in all of them before I graduated from high school. I remember going in my room and writing down all the temples in Utah. There's actually more than most people think! The usual Fab 5 came to mind- Salt Lake, Timp, Logan, Manti, and St. George. But there are SOOOOO many more! [SIDENOTE: Including ones under construction, there are 16 TEMPLES in Utah alone.] I was astounded! I am so blessed to live so close to so many temples! I started on my quest with eagerness.

Being honest here, I didn't reach my goal. But I got close! The most important thing is that I gained such a strong testimony of temples, and had so much fun with the experiences that came along with travel and the people who were with me at each one. Also, what a cool thing- that so many temples need to be built to accommodate the faithful saints.

Overall, my experience of temples thus far has been splendid. Awe inspiring. I can't explain the feeling I feel every time I gaze upon the temple. From New York, to Idaho, to California, to St. George- I feel something that I can't find anywhere else. Forever.

My whole heart and soul is aching with happiness with my upcoming entrance into the temple to be endowed, and then days later, sealed for time and all eternity to my very best friend, Chad Edward.   I have such a testimony of the temple. I will sit and chat with anyone anytime about it and the blessings it brings. Call me up anytime. Being worthy to enter the temple has made me such a better person and have the greatest perspective in life. I get to have the knowledge and peace that forever? Is real. COMPLETELY 100% real. Do you realize the power that holds? Great power.

I can't wait to enter the temple and enter into sacred covenants with my Father in Heaven. And the greatest part is that my family will be able to be right by my side. The ones forever is all about.

I am so excited. That's a total understatement, but it'll have to do. This is the most important part about this whole wedding thing. Not the flowers or the centerpieces or the yummy reception food, but THE TEMPLE. Oh yes, the temple.

I'm so grateful for the wonderful examples I have all around me of temple marriage. {Get ready for a million photos!}

                     

All my grandparents, Mommy&Daddy, almost ALL my aunts and uncles and cousins have been married in the temple as well.

The power of forever is real. And I'm so privileged to be apart of it.

"I love to see the temple

I'm going there someday

To feel the holy spirit

To listen and to pray

For the temple is a House of God

A place of love and beauty

I'll prepare myself while I am young

This is my sacred duty"

"I love to see the temple

I'll go inside someday

I'll cov'nant with my Father

I'll promise to obey

For the temple is a holy place

Where we are sealed together

As a child of God I've learned this truth:

A family is forever"

Forever. :)

ABJ

Happenings as of Late 2

Due to a tragic disease that both my mom and I's cameras have caught, I've realized and confirmed that I haven't done a lot of posts lately with pictures of current events. I promise this will definitely end when I'm all hitched and moved into our happy place. :)

But without pictures, things are moving along slowly. Wedding planning is super fun, and then not so much on days where you're driving in an un-air conditioned car all over the universe and your knee pits are sweating up a storm. Then you get grumpy gills sickness and hate everyone that talks to you.

I went to UVU yesterday {for the 3rd time, which is a whole other story to get mad about, but I'm deciding to look over it} to get everything finalized for FAFSA and all that jazz. Ya know, making sure I don't start school and they say, "Oh! You didn't pay this random fee that you never saw...". And let me tell you, I am NOT doing all that fun stuff on my honeymoon, so it was going to be completely solved! My financial counselor is just the best. Good ole Melissa. She makes everything so much better and happier. My mom and I sat down like a pair of trolls from driving in the heat and that stupid kid that clearly took our spot by cutting us off on purpose  {which I never really get mad about driving stuff, so this was a big deal for me}, and it was like Melissa was our fairy godmother. Magic! We left all pretty like princesses and happy as could be. Ah. I love good service!

I adore the fact that I get to hold my little nephie {nephew} every single day. We get to have Auntie/Nephie bonding time and I just love it. He's already so different that a few weeks ago! He's building up some muscles, making new sounds, making little smiles-just so cute. I'm seriously having withdrawals about moving into our apartment because then I'll only get to see him once a week! But, alas,  I'll just have to enjoy the weekly growing upness I get to see from my little guy.

I go to the temple in 5 days for my endownment and I am just the most exciting thing ever. Seriously, folks, I have been waiting and preparing for this since I was a wee little one, and now the time is here! It's so surreal and I just can't believe it. What a wonderful gift Heavenly Father has given his children.

Well, I must be off to accomplish other things! Here's to being bride in 11 days!!!

ABJ