Thanksgiving 2012

We were super blessed to be able to spend 7 full days with our families in AZ.  Jared didn't have class the week of Thanksgiving so we were able to enjoy lots of time off.

The entire break was filled with activities with our families from lots of baking to black friday shopping to the turkey trot to birthday lunches to board games to singing around the piano to hot-tubbing to just about anything we could squeeze in.  Not to mention, Jared was catching up on sleep he lacks during the school weeks.  It was a wonderful week that went all too fast.... that is until our drive home which did NOT go fast.  We ended up driving back to Utah with half of our high school who was also caravanning back to Utah after the holiday.  You know it's bad when you can name over half the people at the gas station in Page, Arizona.  Haha!

Turkey Trot - All of us ran the 10K

We have so much to thankful for this year!  Including our opportunity to gain an education, the long break our educational institution gave us, enough funds to be able to drive home for the holidays, two amazing and loving families, good weather, plenty of food to eat, healthy bodies, religious freedom, this time of year to reflect on our Savior, and SO much more!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Wedding

We got married over a month ago, but now that I have my pictures, I wanted to post a few...

Our wedding weekend was a WHIRLWIND!!

Thursday morning at like 6am (the day before we got married and the morning after Jared flew in), we met with our videographer to record our stories... it was early, but we had to be done by the time the courthouse opened so we could get a marriage license... you know, that one thing you HAVE to have in order to actually get married!  That was easy enough since we beat the rush!  Afterwards, we went out and ate breakfast.  It was a nice little break to a crazy day.  Then the craziness continued... I went to get my hair done for pictures and Jared had an orthodontist appointment. I know, I know - doctors appointments your wedding weekend? - Yep, that's life!  We got to the temple for pictures and we were so blessed.  It was the ONLY day we could take pictures and it ended up being a beautiful day with an amazing sky!  Pictures were a blast!!  Below I have posted some of the pictures from our wedding shoot.  That night, after pictures, we spent time with family that was in town and then enjoyed our last night being engaged!  Being engaged to him was SO FUN!   It was a crazy day but a very fun day!

On our actual wedding day, I didn't get up super early - I always said I would have a later wedding so that I wouldn't have to get up at 4am.  I'll admit, I didn't sleep much that night - I was a bit excited, but I'm still glad I wasn't getting up at 4!  My sister A came with me to get my hair done (I didn't take any pictures! - Ah!).  Then, I ate breakfast, got dressed, packed my bag for the day and headed out the door with my mom.  We picked Jared up and drove to the temple.  Don't worry, we left the marriage license in our car so we had to run back out and get it!  At least we didn't leave it at home!

Our wedding ceremony was really neat and I am SO grateful that I was married in the temple.  It is the only place on earth that has the power to seal you together so that we have the opportunity to be married for time (this life) and all eternity (forever after).  It was also so wonderful to have so many close family members there to support us and even more family and friends waiting outside the temple for us!

We had more pictures afterwards and then went straight to our luncheon.  It was super delicious and lots of fun!  Jared's family spoiled us with his favorite food and their wonderful talents!

That night was our reception.  I had very little to do with the planning for this day so when I walked in to the building, I was blown away with how good it looked!  I was so pleased and thankful to my mom (and dad) who helped it all turn out so great!  We had so much fun seeing everyone who came and it went so quickly!  The food was so tasty (we got big boxes of it to take with us!) and it was a blast!

As we drove away, we could hardly believe the day we had been planning, waiting for, and dreaming of was over!  It was an absolutely perfect day!  And the best part.... I was married to....

him! :)

For more pictures and our wedding video, click the links below...

Pictures

Video

D on a mission

My brother D is on a mission!!  I can hardly believe it!! He left for the MTC on Wednesday, October 24th.  He flew out from AZ which meant that Jared and I were able to pick him up in Salt Lake.  It was so exciting to see him at the airport!  I didn't have the "sad" goodbye experience at the airport... my "sad" goodbye was at the actual MTC. 

 (Picking him up from the airport to take him to the MTC)

We chatted the entire drive to Provo about missions and snow (it threatened to snow the entire day that he entered the MTC - not quite the "warm" welcome he was hoping for) and family and the gospel.  It was an amazing car ride.  He is an amazing kid!  

As we got out of the car to take a few pictures and say our goodbyes, he practically ran off, he was so excited!  As we crossed the street with him, I had to stop him and remind him to give me a hug goodbye.  He was seriously SO ready to begin, that he nearly forgot to say goodbye to us!  

(Goodbyes at the MTC!!  Love you D!!  See you in 2 years!)

He has been there for nearly 3 weeks now.  I love knowing that he is only a short distance away from me!  I love knowing that when we go to the temple each week, he has been in the very same temple that week too!  It's almost like he isn't gone... even though I haven't seen him and can't talk to him!  

He is picking up Italian quickly!!  Here is his testimony from his most recent letter... in Italian...

"Io so che la Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni è la vera chiesa. Io so che Gesù Cristo vive, e che Lui ha espiato per i peccati di tutto del mondo. So che Jospeh Smith era un profeta di Dio, e che lui ha visto Padre Celeste e Gesù Cristo nel sacro bosco. So che io ha avuto chiamto di Dio a insegnarle ai abitanti di Italia. Io so che Dio mi ama, e che Lui vuole communicarci e benedirci. Nel nome di Gesù Cristo, Amen."

(D's best friend found him on the temple grounds and was able to tell him 

IN person that he got his mission call to MEXICO)

From his second letter he said, 

"I've already learned more Italian in two weeks than the amount of Spanish I learned in three years (now granted, my spanish background has really helped because the grammar and conjugations are nearly identical). In fact, the other guys in my district have nicknamed me Garn-asaurus because I'm so tall and they're convinced that I've been speaking Italian since the dawn of the dinosaurs... Haha it's pretty funny. Really though, I know that there's no way I could have learned so much without the Lord's daily blessings. I have really felt Him strengthen my understanding, not only of Italian but of His gospel too. It is truly a joy to be working so closely with our Father in Heaven."

He is an awesome elder and we are so proud of him!  I am so grateful for his example, his love, and his letters.  His letters have already been such a blessing to me!  It is a remarkable thing to have an immediate family member out on a mission.  There is an added blessing felt in my life!  I am so thankful that he is willing to serve our God and go and preach the gospel to those out there that are missing the wonderful blessings that come from this gospel.  It is true.  This is Jesus Christ's gospel and the reason why 19 (and now 18 year old boys) are willing to do what they do - leave their families for 2 years to help others come to know Christ!  
  

(D and a friend from AZ who is also in the MTC)

If you would like to receive his weekly emails, please message me your email address and we would be more than willing to add you to the list! :) 

Status: Unemployed

Time to be very open...

I graduated from high school in 2007.  3 years later, in 2010, I graduated from ASU with my Bachelors degree.  I immediately started graduate school and 2 years after ASU graduation (this year), I graduated with my Masters degree.

I haven't wasted any time in gaining my education.  (It sure helped that I knew what I wanted when I was 14 years old.)  I never took a semester with less than 16 credits in undergrad and in grad school I doubled up on electives to save on tuition costs.

I worked so hard at gaining my education.  I didn't always put in 100% effort (there are days where you feel as if it never will end and you can't put in any more effort), but it was definitely at the top of my priority lists right there with family and my faith.

I have always wanted to work hard at it, finish quickly, and become proficient, so that

1. I could help/support my husband through his schooling (ask any of my friends, since I was a sophomore in high school, I was "getting my masters so I could put my husband through college"). 
2. I could pay it forward: my brothers both needed speech therapy and their therapists had a huge impact on who they have become.  I want to pass that on to other families to help their children and siblings have the ability to communicate too!  

Well, now the time has come.  I have finished my schooling and I have all that I need to be a SLP.  I have a husband that is still in school and I have an overload of enthusiasm in my field that makes me anxious to help others.

Problem: there are NO job openings within 30 min of Provo in any direction.  I look nearly every day!

What does that make me?  UNEMPLOYED

A month ago, I went to a doctors appointment.  I had to fill out my new info.  The form had me declare my status: Employed, Student, Unemployed.  I about threw up as I marked unemployed.

When we were filling out our information for our new ward a couple weeks ago, Jared filled out all his schooling info and his work info.  I fought to hold back tears as I wrote N/A on both.

I have had a job EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE since I was 15 years old.  

Now, I have a Master's degree 

and I am 

unemployed. 

I have struggled with this.  

It has been a very humbling experience!  

Every time someone asks how the job hunt is going, I feel as if I'm being punched in the stomach.  I have had to fight the feelings of inadequacy that have come with such questionings.  I have even had to fight the "why" questions as I say my prayers: the "why has my education worked out flawlessly only to come to a dead end?" or "we really need to start saving up for our future family and I have done ALL I can to be able to do that. Why isn't that righteous desire granted?"  I'll admit, I think the "why" questions have slipped a few times in my discouragement.

I still don't why.

BUT,

I have learned a few things through this trial.

1. Heavenly Father has His own time table.   
2. Heavenly Father's plan is better than our plan! 
3. Heavenly Father has answers that dispel all the "why" questions, but He wants us to learn to TRUST Him.  It is in these situations that we build faith. 

(If only I could just get these lessons down for good, I wouldn't have to keep having "opportunities" to learn them over and over again.)

I listened to Elder Busche's mini talk on YouTube.  If you haven't seen it, watch it.  I practically have it memorized I've listened to it so much over the last year.  A statement he makes at the very end has stuck out in my mind as I have worried and wondered about my work status.

He says,
"When you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now.  But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better."

I know that Heavenly Father is watching over us.  I know that He hears and answers our prayers: on His own time table, in His own way, in His perfect way.  I know that He knows of our needs and is concerned about us.  He knows the desires of our hearts.  He wants us to be happy.  He wants us to be successful and to be self-sufficient.  And ultimately, our lessons here on earth are to teach us to be like Him.

So I have looked for blessings that have come from this experience, and there are MANY!!

1. I was able to plan a wedding, split my time between 2 states, and not have any ties to school or a job that would've kept me from fully enjoying and experiencing this great time in my life.  Honestly, I have not had a break from school/work ever before.  What a blessing that I was able to focus solely on my marriage!!
2. I am taking in every moment I can to enjoy being only a wife.  I have all the time in the world to make Jared breakfast, pack his lunches, and enjoy cooking dinner.  I have had time to figure out all this name-change stuff, and adjust to living in a new place.  When will that EVER be the case again?! - Being only a wife?! - never.
3. When Jared has a break in school, I ride my bike down there and eat lunch or workout with him.  The second he gets home from school/work, we can spend time just enjoying each other instead of throwing in late night loads of laundry or cleaning bathrooms.  That won't be the case when I have a job either.

So for now, I am truly enjoying the tender mercies of God each time I eat lunch with Jared or each time I start dinner early enough to eat at a reasonable time!  I know that these days won't last forever.  I know that I will find a job.  I know that Heavenly Father values education and will help me find the job that will best bless our family.  Until then,  I have lessons to learn, faith to build, patience to develop, and humility to gather, and tender mercies to recognize and give thanks for! 

Halloween 2012

Anyone who knows me well knows I love holidays! Although, I do love some holidays more than others, I don't care what the excuse is to have traditions, I enjoy all of them!

So, we spread Halloween out this year...

Monday - For FHE, we picked and carved a pumpkin.  We also baked the pumpkin seeds and tried all different seasonings on them!  Jared loved the ones I doused in Red Pepper!  I liked the ones doused in cinnamon sugar!  Haha.

Tuesday - I made my mom's homemade sugar cookies with my cousin Clarissa.  Jared helped decorate them with me and we sent most of them off to other places so I wouldn't eat them all!  I also got my yearly fix of candy corns and candy pumpkins!  I have a love/hate relationship with those things!

Wednesday (Halloween) - We didn't do anything.  Lame, I know. 

Thursday - Jared and I drove to Thanksgiving point to enjoy an evening at Cornbelly's Corn Maze.  It is home to one of the biggest corn mazes in the US each year.  Surprisingly, there was a lot more to do there than the corn maze.  We played Pumpkin Checkers, Basketball Free Throws, and Corn Hole: a game that the people in Kentucky (where Jared served his mission) played all the time.  It was a really fun evening full of lots of laughs and amazing weather! Cornbelly's does rock!

Saturday - We went country swing dancing with some friends.  (Country dancing always reminds me of  this season.)  It was Jared's first time country swing dancing and he picked it up so quickly!  It was a blast!  I haven't been in a long time and I forgot how much I love it!

And yes, I listened to Christmas music while typing up this Halloween post.  But I'm not the only one.   Cornbelly's knows how it's done too - look at their Carved Pumpkin Christmas Tree...

  The Holiday Season has officially begun! 

Night in Park City

Yes, I am a married woman and I honestly couldn't be loving it any more than I already do!!  It is awesome!  I will post pictures and a bit about our wedding once I get our pictures back!

In the mean time, this past Saturday, Jared and I drove up to Park City to go to a movie all about Skiing and Snowboarding so that we could get a free (I know Dad, nothing is really free; only included) day pass to The Canyons.  Apparently it is the nicest ski resort and like 30 times the size of Snowbowl.  As a limited Arizona boarder, I can't even imagine how awesome it will be!  The best part: Jared is even more excited than I am!!!

Disclaimer: he is a skier...  

(gasp)

In the snow world, it is taboo for boarders to be friends with skiers!  Well, I guess maybe that is why we are awesome!  I, a snowboarder, am married to a skier and we can't wait to go TOGETHER!!

After the movie, we fell in love... with our food.  We found an amazing Mexican Restaurant there in Park City!  Look at how big my burrito was!!

Despite the fact that it was so delicious, we still made it home with left-overs - that is how much food came with each meal!!  It was such a fun night and a great way to end our first week married!!

Provo Canyon

I'm in LOVE with this place!!

Jared and I went running there a few weeks ago. Yes, we pass that amazing waterfall on our run. 

(See it in the corner?...)

This last week, my family came up and stayed with me for the week to enjoy some cooler weather and help me finish getting everything ready for the day Jared and I are married and living here! 

A huge THANKS to them and Jared's family for all their help!!  

We have the best family!!  

Anyway, I wanted my family to be able to really see all the different colors of the fall leaves so I had them come with us to Provo Canyon.  We walked with them for a bit and then Jared & I went running and my sister A kept the camera and took a TON of pics!!  She is quite the little photographer! 

Look at how pretty this place is...

 A enjoying fall weather for the first time ever...

 My mom's shirt looked so cool with the leaves!

This is definitely my new favorite running place, and both times, I've been able to run here with my very favorite person! 

It doesn't get better than that!

R2R 2012

Last weekend, Jared flew down to Arizona (I finally got to see that handsome man again!).  We got up early the next morning and drove up to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We stopped at the Indian Trading Post and stocked up on cookies (they have german chocolate cake cookies and zucchini cookies!).  The trees were just beginning to change to fall colors as we drove into the North Rim.  It is absolutely beautiful up there!  The Lodge was as incredible as I remembered it and the company was among the very best!  We ate a carb + protein loaded dinner and went to bed early so as to be prepared for the craziness ahead.  Saturday consisted of crawling out of bed at 4:30am to begin hiking at 5am.  This time around, we decided to take the detour and see Ribbon Falls.  It was gorgeous!!  All 36 hikers in our group wore these awesome matching shirts.  Throughout the day, we got tons of comments like, "How many people are in your group?" and "Are you seriously hiking the entire canyon in one day?!" The last question was my favorite!  Yes, we are nuts!  Yes, it took me just over 11 hours of nearly straight hiking to get from one end of the biggest hole in the earth to the other.  Jared was so sweet and stayed with me the entire time!  My dad waved goodbye at 5am in hopes to beat his goal of 8 hours: he made it!  The day ended with one of the worlds best 8 minute showers, the tastiest cafeteria food (but what shower and what food could ever possibly be bad after 25 miles!?!), and a stiff car ride home.  Best part - we hardly demonstrated the "Grand Canyon Shuffle" the next day!  I was pretty excited that I was hardly sore!  It was a wonderful weekend filled with so many good memories!!  It wasn't our first trip through the canyon and I'm sure it won't be the last... :) 

 

North Rim

 

Shirt Logo

 Mile 2, 5:45am, 62*

 The Top of Ribbon Falls

 The Bottom of Ribbon Falls

 Mile 18, 12pm, 100*

 South Rim - FINISHED!

M.S. SLP

Yes folks, that is ME holding MY diploma!!!  

It is official!
I can now wear my NAU Alumni shirt.

My new tittle: 

Kourtney Garner, M.S. SLP

**P.S. That diploma is going to be the most expensive wall decoration ever hung in our home...

(minus when Jared gets to add his up there)!

Bridal Shower

I have been friends with these girls for years and years and they really are the greatest! 

They threw me a beautiful bridal shower.

I got to see many close friends and family - some that I haven't seen in a long time!

 It was a wonderful afternoon!

Thanks again girls, and to all those who came!

Holbrook Trail

Lately, I have really been able to see how intricate and wonderful Heavenly Father's plan is for each of us.

As I realized that I would be living in Utah for the next bit of my future, I was initially worried about how it would all work out so quickly.  However, it has been incredible.

My roommate Cami (from Flagstaff) has spent the last 2 months in Utah too... and will be there until I get married.  And, go figure, she was roommate-less with one extra bedroom.  So guess where I have stayed...

Oh, and my cousin, Clarissa lives near BYU campus and has a spare bedroom. So guess where I have stayed...

It has been such a blessing to have family and friends IN UTAH!!  Who knew I would have so many friends and family there!?!

The other day, Cami, Jaime (another great friend from Flag who now lives in Utah) and I went on an evening hike on the Holbrook Trail.  It was so beautiful and so fun!  Who knew that these two hiking friends would be here in Utah to continue our hiking adventures!?  It has only added to how excited I am for living there!

Thanks so much to all of those who have been kind enough to let me crash at their place the past few weeks!!  Heavenly Father sure knew where I would be and put some of my favorite people there to make the move so much easier and so much more fun!

Life in Utah

I have lived here for nearly a month now.  It has been quite the adventure!!  

• We spent the first week finding a place to live for once we are married. We did!!  What a relief! 
• We hiked part of Rock Canyon

• I have lived out of my car the entire time 
• We have gone to 4 different temples
• We hiked Y Mountain at Sunset

• We celebrated Jared's birthday - love that man! 
• I went to my first college football game... ever. Go Cougars! (yes, D has been visiting too) 

Wedding Dresses

My mom and I found a wedding dress online that I ABSOLUTELY loved... but it was in Utah.  So a few days after I got up here to Utah, I went to try it on... by myself (my mom is an entire state away).  I was a bit bummed to be going alone, but I didn't have many options!

They ended up not having it in the showroom... 

so they ordered it, and a few days later, I was able to try it on.

The blessing of it all?  Cami had the day off and was able to come with me to try it on.  It was SO nice to have someone there with me!  Someone to share that fun moment with!  Mom was on the phone and Cami took lots of pictures and kept sending them to my mom.  Thanks to amazing friends and iPhones, it turned out to be a great experience!

I LOVED the dress as much or more than the picture even!

He is Good, So Good!!

I am not quite sure where to start with this post.  

I am so blessed.  I am so lucky.  I can't even begin to express how happy I am.  I didn't know that life could ever be this good.  My heart is bursting with excitement.  I cannot wipe the smile off my face.

I truly am so blessed!

Just a few months ago, I was dragging my feet as I moved back to the hot valley summer while leaving behind the beautiful Flagstaff and the sense of home that I finally had found there! I did NOT want to move back yet.  I wasn't quite ready to embrace being a college graduate... for the 2nd time, or moving back home (although I absolutely adore my family, there is something difficult from going to living on your own to having parents and siblings again), or (gasp) dating again!  

I didn't think I was ready.  My coping plan: take it slow, visit Flagstaff often, adjust to living at home, and aim to move out come Jan. 2013. 

However, Heavenly Father had a different plan.

Not even 2 weeks into living down here, I was talked into going on a blind date.  My very first date back in the valley.  I was slightly kinda very extremely apprehensive about going.

But I did.

And I can honestly say,

THE REST IS HISTORY!

Jared and I started off slow.  We saw each other every few days.  We kept things casual and really didn't have any reason to let it be anything else: he was leaving again for BYU for summer session.  Slight change of plans:  I fell in love with him and FAST!  The more time we spent together, the more he referred to his summer plans at BYU as, "optional" instead of "set-in-stone".  All I heard was the word, "optional" and I pulled out my "20 seconds of insane courage" (see the movie, We Bought a Zoo, if you don't know what I'm talking about) and told him I liked the idea of him staying here for summer better.  Much to my excitement, he decided to stay.  After that, things didn't move so slowly any longer.  It didn't take long before we were seeing each other every day and spending lots of time together.  Then, hardly a day would go by without seeing each other.  Next, I didn't want to imagine a day going by without him... ever again!

August 3rd, 2012, we got engaged!!

A bit about him...

He is so good to me.  He is kind.  He is a worthy priesthood holder.  He loves kids.  He dislikes dogs.  He plays basketball with my brothers.  He loves the gym as much as I do.  He is a gentleman.  He treats me like a Queen.  He is one of the hardest workers I know.  He values and appreciates education.  He is patient.  He listens.  He makes me laugh.  He is so much fun.

He is PERFECT for me!!

I love him so much!!  I am so grateful for him!!  I cannot wait to spend the rest of eternity with him!!

So my initial summer plan didn't work out so well: I didn't take life very slowly this summer.  I didn't get to visit Flagstaff very often.  I hardly spent enough time at home to even fully move in.  And I won't be moving out in January, I'll be moving out...

tomorrow.

I am moving to Utah tomorrow.

And on October 19th, 2012, I'm getting married

and becoming the luckiest girl alive!

This summer involved the 

BEST.PLAN.EVER!

If you want to hear the rest of the story, I'll be in Utah... with Jared! :)

California Sun

Last week, I postponed my official graduation date another week in order to spend a week with my family in

California.

I begged my family to try a new vacation this summer: anywhere we hadn't been before.

Nope, we didn't go to a new place, or try a new adventure,

BUT, 

we did stay ON the beach this time.

My take on

 not new vacation + beach house = I LOVED IT!!

But what isn't to love about...

starting your day off with breakfast in the sand looking out at the ocean

AND

ending each day with the sunset and even a campfire or two

(We went to Sea World while were there too.)  

Other than that, we spent nearly every minute on the beach!

Can we go back?!