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Thanks to everyone who helped with showers over the weekend! It was a fun weekend and we got our invitations ordered and pictures too. Can't wait. Check out our pictures on our photographer's blog. If 10 of our friends write comments, we get a free picture so comment away if you'd like.

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Halloween, How do I love thee?

I just can't get enough of this holiday. You know every year, I like to be a fairy or something pretty. I decided to do a bug/butterfly this year. Mark was... you guessed it, a bug-catcher!
The make-up I did with face paint and a little MAC eye shadow. I could have spent even more time on it than I did. Am I crazy?? Yes, I am. So we had a little pumpkin carving, caramel apples (with nuts and choc chips) and scary music. Then we went to a party at a friends house. Super fun day!

Happy Halloween! I hope you all ate your guts out!

Beautiful Fall

If you've never been to New England in the fall, it's a must-DO. This is a picture of Mark and I near my house in Medford. It's by the Mystic Lakes.

A Dream Come True! I'm a MAC Artist!!!

October seems to be a great month for me. On October 14th, I interviewed with MAC cosmetics for a free-lance make-up artist job. They did a one-on-one verbal interview and afterwards a demo. My beautiful friend Colleen was my model and totally worked it with the MAC artists. They LOVED her. During the demo the artist asked me to pretend that Colleen was a new mother of triplets and wanted an easy everyday look that she could put together in 10 minutes. He gave me 20 minutes to put it together. I used shimmery peaches on her eyes to bring out the blue and a sweet pink lipstick (of course with full foundation, blush, mascara, primer etc). If I do say so myself, she looked hot! My evaluator told me he liked my look. Overall I think it went well because they called me the next day to let me know they wanted to hire me. I won't work much because it's basically an on-call position when they get a new collection. I'll probably start after Thanksgiving! YEAH!!!

I wish I had a picture of me after the interview. I wore my black hat with black layered zip up shirt, knee length skirt and high heeled knee high boots. Mark, the sweetie gave me these gorgeous flowers after the interview as a congrats for the interview. He didn't even know I'd gotten the job. What a doll. PS- The pic of these flowers was taken with my phone but you'll see a better pic of them in my Bridal's. These flowers inspired our wedding colors; deep violet, pink, celery green, sage and bronze. Yeah it's a lot of colors but it's a concept right????

December 30th 2008

Friends,
It's official. The wedding will be December 30th at 9:40. Our reception will be at the River Oak's Club House in Sandy, UT. Here is a little sneak peak at the bottom of my dress.

Grandma Ryser

I feel a little hesitant to post this as I know many of you are reading this to hear about the engagement but I had to pay tribute one of the most wonderful women I've ever known. My grandma, Maxine West Ryser passed away today. She was such a kind and optimistic woman. She was never critical of me. She loved me unconditionally and always had hope for me. She told me I was beautiful for years after she lost her eyesight. She rarely complained about her physical pain although I know she was suffering in her body for a while (we recently found out her spine had been fused due to arthritis). Ok, I can't write more now because I want to cry but keep my grandpa in your prayers and read on about Mark's and my good news!!!

It's Official. We're Engaged!

So, Mark's basically the most incredible, kind and generous man I know (No offense to the other men I know). He and I went to "Mormon Night" at Fenway Park (Saturday the 30th). The game was fabulous and the Sox WON!!! It was a magical game. Afterward, we were on the train going home with Shelly when Mark told me we should get off the train early to "get ice cream". We got off at Arlington and Shelly didn't suspect a thing (she thought I was hungry, which is a rational thought BTW). Well, we didn't get ice cream but walked to the Boston Public Gardens (see picture but picture it at 10:30 p.m.). He put his sweatshirt down on the ground for me to sit on and we sat near a charming pond (with ducks, reflections, and weeping willows). We talked how Boston had brought us together and Mark said a few other "sweet" things, then knelt down, which was actually up because I was on the ground and asked me to marry him. I said "Yes" and then we let it all soak in for a minute. It was a sweet experience and the ring was PERFECT! It's a princess cut solitaire with a platinum setting. It was exactly what I wanted and more.

We've now reserved the Salt Lake Temple for a sealing on December 30, 2008 at 9:40. We are so excited and can't wait to share it with you. Any advice??? I'm open for wedding suggestions.

Love Ya!!!

Moving Day!!

Yup. Tons going on right now! Shelly and I decided to move to Medford because it's loads more space, $200 less expensive and closer to my work. Unfortunately we kicked out our dear friends Audria and Tara to stay here ;). We are living with Janae Kraus and we love our new place. Come visit any time. We have lot's of space for you!! 580 High St. Medford, MA 02155. Mail or visit any time!!

Road Trip Day #3

Today was Sunday so we went to church and then stopped back in Palmyra to visit the Sacred Grove (where the prophet Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ). The day was beautiful and the spirit was immediately present, even as we entered. We also saw his log home and farm. This is where the Book of Mormon was hidden for a time and where Joseph Smith saw the last prophet of Book of Mormon (Moroni). Moroni came to Joseph Smith and told him where to find the plates of the Book of Mormon. It was a very sweet place. This is a picture of the temple taken from the Sacred Grove.

Road Trip Day #2

So today is Mark's 32nd birthday! I surprised him by getting him tickets to the Red Sox's/Blue Jay's game in Toronto for tonight. Mark was super excited and I was so happy he was happy. Unfortunately the Sox lost by a landslide but it was still fun to be at the game. Later that night we went to Niagara Falls in ON, incredible! Our little hostel was run by a crazy Canadian named "Charlie" of course pronounced /Sharlie/.

Road Trip Day #1

Mark and I decided to take a road trip for the weekend. On our first day we ended up in Palmyra, New York. We visited the hill Cumorah (where the prophet Joseph Smith received the Book of Mormon) and did a session in the temple. It's a gorgeous temple with amazing stained glass windows. You can see the Sacred Grove from the administrative offices in the temple. Here is a picture of the temple and a picture of Mark in front of the Sacred Grove.

Nantucket

What a fabulous day! Mark was out of town and Jodi flew out just for the day. We took an early ferry to Nantucket, and then biked to shore side beach. It was amazing!!!

Make-up Genius

So, I pretty much rock at make-up. Not that these girls even needed it. The rockin' expressions on their before pictures help too. Honestly, make-up's starting to become an obsession. I do free make-overs if anyone is interested. That is until I become famous and then I'll charge $200 per hour ;).

My French Home

Saturday night we headed up to Lille, France. It's funny how little pieces of home are found all over the world. Lille, France is one of those places, but not so much for the city as the people. Dominique and Claire Degrave have created such an amazing life for their family and the church in northern France. This family gives so much love, it's almost overwhelming. Elise Degrave-Duez (pictured holding Elea) and I met about 9 years ago, she was a nanny in Utah and I spent time with her Family in France. We became instant friends. Strange how certain bonds can form so quickly. Although Elise and I haven't been perfect at staying in touch, when we met again after 8 years, it was like we were never apart. She has such a wonderful life. She's married to Marc Duez (who's freakin' awesome) and they have three kids Luc, Elea, and Noe. It was incredible to spend time with her and see the life she's developed over the years. It's something I think everyone should want.
Church today was unexpected. Being surrounded by Elise and all her family (including her parents) was overwhelming. I felt of their love so strongly (I don't think they even knew they were loving me that much) and also felt the Lord telling me that he hears me and loves me no matter how confused life may seem. I don't know why I tend to be so stubborn and independent. God's tender mercies always come when you least expect it.
Jodi and I spent the evening chatting with their family until late in the night. These Frenchies have a lot of good advice. I will miss them dearly but feel that they will be in my future somehow. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
Monday morning we hoped the train to CDG airport and left my 2nd country. My heart will always have a place for France. Vive La France!!!

Watch me speak in French with Elise's son Noe!

See more pictures of me in France!

Palais de Tokyo, Fragonard, Galeries de Lafayette

So today Denver, Jodi and I decided to split up and finish Paris on our own (as we all wanted to see different things). I commenced the day with a trip to the Palais de Tokyo contemporary art museum. It was a little interesting and dark but soooo something French people would love. This a picture of giant tree scultures. Then I left the museum and went to Fragonard. It's a perfume museum near the opera. We learned the history of perfume making, what they do today and of course I bought some authentic French perfume, albeit small. The picture displayed is a perfume organ. All of the little bottles have different scents in them. When perfumers are creating a scent they combine three or so. It can take up to a year to develop one new scent. There are only 2 perfumerie schools in the world and they are both in France. Perfumers have to baby their nose which means no alcohol, coffee or even being around smoke. Sounds like a mormon!
Later in the day, Jodi and I met at the Lafayette Galeries for a fashion show. Lafayette used to be a train station I think and now it's just an enormous mall. Asiatic was the title of the show and again we see the anime theme. I guess the French really love the Japanese.

La Tour Eiffel, L'Arc de Triumph

Yup, still the same day as Giverny. So, we ended up at the Eiffel Tower which is always breath taking. Life just doesn't get much better than eating crepes near the Eiffel Tower. Shortly after, we sauntered up the Champs Elysee and ate at an outdoor cafe. Mmmm, yummy pizza. L'Arc de Triumph is just at the end of the Champs Elysee and last but not least, the enormous Sephora with MAC inside!!! It was a dream and didn't close until 2am!

Giverny Again.

Well, of course I have to do more than one post for Giverny. The Japanese bridge was just like in Monet's painting. I couldn't get over how beautiful it all was. See the comparison?? Of course I had to take a picture of myself on the bridge. Slowly, my sunglasses crept toward the back of my head until they jumped into the pond. I guess if there's a good resting place for the best pair of sunglasses I ever had, just below Monet's Japanese bridge is the perfect one.

Giverny

Ever since I went to France the first time, I've been dying to visit Giverny. It's where Monet lived and painted much of his work. Well, today was an absolute dream. It's funny how in life you think you'll never get to do something that you really, really want but if you are patient, usually the Lord blesses you with that thing and it's better than you ever imagined. I think I attempted to visit Giverny on two separate Europe vacations but for some reason it never worked out. Well, 8 years later we made it happen. We took the train and then a bus and made it to the Monet mecca. The weather was perfect and the flowers were incredible. We happened to be there until just about sunset and sun shining through the tulips illuminated them. I couldn't get over how beautiful the gardens were and how so much of what we saw really resembled his art to the T. The man in the picture was just painting by the side of the road. I imagine it's much like what Monet looked like.

A Paris!!

So, It's been about 9 years and I'm finally back to the place that holds a deep place in my heart. Paris. There's something so comforting about being here! My French has come back fairly easily and the fashion! These girls know how to dress! tight jeans and flats are all the rage!
So Jodi, Denver and I embarked on our 5 day trip in France. It's been go, go, go since the beginning but soooo worth the pace. We hopped a red-eye to Paris on the 23rd and hit the ground running on the 24th. After checking into our anime hotel (If I wasn't in France I would have thought we were in Japan, the place looked like a Japanese cartoon) we grabbed the metro to go eat in a little cafe near the Musee D'Orsay. It was called Le Cafe des Lettres. The menu was pasted in a journal and we ate outdoor in a little courtyard (pictured). The food was divine! I had chicken with this AMAZING citrus cream sauce. Oh, the French know how to cook! Not to mention the view. Incroyable!
After filling our tummies, we headed for the Musee D'Orsay. I absolutely LOVE impressionist art. Here is the mecca! We saw tons of Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Cézanne, Berthe Morisot, and Edgar Degas. I'm continually in awe of how magical and vibrant their art is.
Finally, we ended up in the Musee de Marmottan. It's exclusively a Monet museum. We saw "Impression Sunrise" (pictured) the painting that coined the phrase "Impressionism". It was a crazy fun day and so worth it.

The Big 3-????

Yup, another birthday came and went. It could have been so much worse but having so many people I love around made me forget that maybe I'm supposed to be sad I'm getting older. My mom and Shelly decorated the house. I even got the "You are special today plate" for birthday breakfast. Granted, it's a makeshift one. I like this version even better. Mom and I spent the day shopping and getting a makeover and then we had a friend's party that night. It was a great day. I feel so loved!

Concord/ Walden

On Saturday we saw a reenactment of the beginning of the revolutionary war in Concord. I didn't realize one of the reasons it started was because of a brawl in a tavern. After braving the traffic we ended up at Walden Pond. It was so serene, I just had to take pictures. So, It's been incredible having my parents out. They have been so generous. I feel very blessed.

Fun in Boston with the parents.

My parents are here! Yeah! Finally, they came to visit. We've had so much fun playing. I wish they could live here. On Friday we went to the Museum of Science. We saw the Lizards, Snakes, Alive exhibit. I'm surprised at how much I loved those lizards. This chameleon was so fascinating. Those opposable thumbs looked so human like and his eyes! They move independently. Then we saw an Imax movie about mummification, saw an exhibition about birds, and one of semi-precious stones. What a fun place to be.

Krisi's wedding, the one day UT trip.

I really do not LOVE flying. I used to. You know when you're going somewhere new and exciting, it's all a part of the adventure. Now that I've taken 7 trips to Utah in the past year, I'm not such a fan any more. HOWEVER, it's worth the sacrifice to see one your greatest friends happily married. Krisi and Eddy were sealed in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple for time and all eternity on March 28th, 2008. It's interesting how much I love friends' weddings, even though I've been to a million and never actually had one myself. Time will tell ;). The trip to Utah was fun but short I wasn't even there for 24 hours. I did end up getting stranded in Phoenix which actually was a blessing because I spent the day shopping with Jodi and in 80 degree weather. Nice.

Restaurant Week.

It comes twice a year and if you are ever in Boston during this time...take advantage. Restaurant week is a period of two weeks where restaurants around Boston have prix fix on new and old items on the menu. This means that they are trying to showcase new dishes or just gain a little more attention. They are normally very pricey restaurants but for only 33.08 (not including tax and tip so...ok $40) you get an appetizer, entree and dessert. A bunch of girlfriends and I went to the "Temple Bar" funny name I know, and it was amazing! I had bluefish cakes, Mahi Mahi (to die for) and a creamy peanut butter tarte with a hard chocolate shell with peanut butter cookie dough ice cream (Lavish and Wonderful).

Growin' Old 'Aint for Sissys!

That's what Grandpa Ryser always says.

'Tis the season for illness, accidents and surgeries. It seems like when it rains, it pours. I spent the past few days in Utah visiting broken relatives. Cub broke his jaw while surfing in Costa Rica (for his birthday) and Grandma Ryser fell and broke her hip. Two surgeries. I just had to visit while I had a break. Spirits were high and it was nice to be with family, what wonderful people. I feel lucky to have been able to make it and even more lucky to just barely make the flight home on Saturday. It was the last standby spot on the plane and the next flight wouldn't have left until Tuesday. What a blessing!