Monday, December 23, 2013

Scenes from a Beautiful December

It's been a busy December, and I've been awful at blogging because of it.

But here are a few little glimpses into what December has looked like around here-so I don't ever forget how happy this December has been

Festival of Trees

Taking Nate to see the lights at temple square for his first time




Sledding with my best friend


 An ice skating triple date with some of my very favorite couples (and my fiancee!!)



Making Grandma's sugar cookies (note the flour on us both)


(even our cookies are in love)

It has been the happiest Christmas season of my life-and I feel so blessed for my fiancee, my family and my wonderful friends who have made it so wonderful.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

A Christmas Engagement


It's taken me a little while to post this story, mostly because I feel like I can't find the words to really do justice to how happy and perfect it was, and how extremely happy I am because of it. However, this story makes me so happy that I can't help but share it. 

..........................

I've known that marrying Nate was a possibility for quite awhile. After all, I wouldn't have kept dating him all these months if marrying him wasn't even a possibility.

However, whenever the subject of a potential future would come up between us Nate was pretty quick to steer the conversation away from that particular subject. Knowing that Nate loved me, I figured he just needed more time, that he was stressed with school and work, and that soon enough he would ask me what I thought about marrying him.

However, that is not what happened.

As sometimes occurs in life though, what actually happened was far greater, and far more wonderful than anything I could have imagined. 

Friday night found me, my sister Megan and my parents downtown to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert. I was sad that we hadn't had luck finding an extra ticket-for Nate. However, we had a plan-after the concert he would meet up with us at our house, and stay for some of the weekend. So I put on a smile, a pretty dress and off we went to the concert. The concert was amazing, and I was so glad that I came. After the concert Dad suggested we head over in front of the temple to take a family picture. 

As we approached I started scanning the crowd, looking for someone to take a picture. All of a sudden Nate was in front of me! I gave him a big hug, thinking it was so sweet that he just couldn't wait another 30 minutes to meet me at the house, and had come to meet up with us here. 

As I hugged him though, I looked over his shoulder and saw that my family had kind of scooted back from us, and they were all on their phones. Now, anyone who knows my Mom knows that she would have been right there behind me to give him a hug and chat with him. The fact that they all stood so far away, seemingly uninterested in him was weird.


"Did anyone know you were coming?" I asked

His reply- "Your Dad did."

At that moment I knew.

From there Nate started whispering all the lovely wonderful things a woman always wants to hear, and then some more. Words that made me smile bigger than ever before, and made me feel so loved. As he pulled away I asked "Are you serious?" The words "Dead serious" came out of his mouth as he dropped to one knee.

"Nicole Elizabeth London, will you marry me?"

Never had a question been so easy to answer.

"Yes!" I said. Not once but many times as he hugged me, kissed me, and slipped a ring on my finger.

What happened next was a blur. We laughed, and hugged, and kissed and a few people around cheered. My family came and hugged us, our friends Chase and Jordan who had helped Nate and been taking pictures came and hugged us. We took pictures, outside and then inside. 





After a little bit my family left us, to have some time alone. Nate and I found the quiet empty chapel in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and had one of the best conversations of my life. It was there that it really hit me-I had known that marrying this boy was a possibility for a little while, and more recently I had come to conclusion that if he asked I would have no hesitation in saying yes. However he had never talked to me about it, and so I tried not to let myself think about it too much. But here we were-engaged. That whole time I had known this is what I wanted he had wanted it too. And when I gave him opportunity to discuss that future, and he had passed on those opportunities he knew it was hard for me-but he also knew that, being the romantic that I am, a surprise engagement would mean so much to me. So he had shot down the conversations, while the ring sat in his room, in an effort to make proposing everything he knew I would love. And it was perfect. The biggest thing though that really hit me, was how badly the man I loved and wanted to marry, wanted to marry me.

I had never felt more loved than I did in that realization.


It really was the perfect proposal. I loved that he whispered beautiful things for just me to hear-but that also my family and some great friends got to watch and be a part of the excitement. I love that it was a surprise, that he got to do it exactly like he wanted to, and that it happened the day it did. Even the ring he picked out for me was perfect. 

Since that night I've grown more and more happy. The memories of staying up late talking about what the future holds for us, the phone calls to friends and family, booking the temple for our sealing-all of those are so special to me, and I can honestly say that each day with him makes me a happier, better person. I can't wait to marry him.



PS We're getting married March 27th in the Draper LDS temple

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Thanksgiving in Oregon


This year I got to celebrate Thanksgiving in Oregon. Although I missed my family, and all of our traditions, I had a great time with Nate and his sweet family. I loved getting to meet more of them, and I loved spending time with him.

We were busy all week- cooking, shopping, watching movies, playing games, and wrestling and reading to his cute nieces and nephews-and I loved every second of it. 

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to spend this holiday with them. It was absolutely perfect. I'm so thankful for each of them-for their kindness, and for making me feel so welcome.

And for Nate. He's pretty great too.




Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving



There is something special about Thanksgiving. Something completely nostalgic and romantic about spending an entire day cooking one meal-to share with those you hold most dear, and then pausing, collectively as a nation, to remember the many blessings we each have.

I’m not much of a blogger these days, but I can’t let something as wonderful as Thanksgiving pass by without a little post on the beauty of this tradition. This year, for the second time in my life, I am not spending Thanksgiving with my family. Because of that I'd like to use this post to let my family know how very thankful I am for each of them. 

I’m thankful for my mother-for her brave attitude, her unconditional love felt by so many but especially by those fortunate enough to call her “mom”, and for not only being a wonderful mother but for also being an incredible friend to me as I’ve grown.

I’m thankful for my father-for his sweetness, kindness and love for me and the other girls in his life, for how hard he has worked for so many years to provide for his family, for his patience with us, and for the stunning example he is to me of being a true believer and follower of Christ.

I’m thankful for my sister-the one at home-for being an excellent example to me of what sisterhood means, for always watching out for the underdog, and for loving everyone she comes in contact with. Her kindness is unparalleled, and I marvel at it daily.


I’m thankful for my other sister-the one in Indiana-for the ability she has to always make me feel better when things are rough, for the light she gets in her eyes right before she gets to the punch line of an excellent joke, and mostly for her beautiful desire to always do what is right. She also is an incredible example.

Mostly though, I'm thankful for the knowledge I have that no matter where we spend Thanksgiving, where we live, or where this life takes us each-we can be an eternal family. One that can be together, forever. I feel so very thankful for this knowledge, and for the many blessings that are mine. Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Things I'm Terribly Thankful For


Family. Hot showers. My car. Prayer. Chocolate. Missionary letters. Diet Coke. Rainy afternoons. Cozy sweaters. My boyfriend. Good books. The gospel. Lazy Saturdays. Beautiful words. My job. Sunday dinners. Friends. Temples. Twinkly lights. Traveling. My home. Kind strangers. Good dreams. A cozy bed. My health. Unexpected notes. My education. The Book of Mormon. Weekends. Technology. Long phone calls. 
How incredibly happy I am.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Autumn


Saturday was one of the most perfect fall days. 
And Nate and I decided we were going to make the very most of it. 
Here is how we did just that:

Free Waffle Love for breakfast

A trip to the petting zoo at the pumpkin patch
       
                      

Pumpkin picking


Pumpkin carving

and

Caramel Apple Cider cookie baking


(Ron Swanson and a "boo"-tiful jack-o-lantern)

It was a day that, in looking back upon it, was the very definition of Autumn, 

 and Autumn has always been my favorite.



"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."


-Anne of Green Gables


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Lately Around Here

A lot has been going on around here lately. A lot, and also not so much.  All of that "a lot" and "not so much" though has added up to a very wonderful, very happy life that I live.

And here are just a few things that make it so very happy and wonderful.

Bridal showers and flowers that live for THREE weeks....




Football games and Farkle... 



Crafts and Conference....

Wedding receptions, corn mazes, and yes-more football....







And all these things-they are making my life pretty wonderfully happy.

Thursday, October 3, 2013


"Sisters I testify that the Lord has a plan for each of our lives. Nothing that happens is a shock or a surprise to Him. He is all-knowing and all-loving."
-Sister Reeves

These words were some of my favorite spoken at the General Relief Society broadcast this last Saturday night. Just think about this for a moment-----

"nothing that happens is shock or a surprise to Him."

How beautiful,

How happy,

How perfect,

to know that someone much wiser than I has a plan for my life, and for what I can become.

And I can't wait to learn more about that plan this weekend.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

A House Divided

Yep it's true. I cheer for the blue. However those boys in red, and especially their awesome coach still have a special place in my heart.

They have my families whole heart though. Making our family a little bit divided.

This year though we proved that a house divided can still stand, and that makes me one happy girl.

Even if my boys in blue lost.

Glad I got to be with this lady

Dad doing the game ball give away with Elder Bednar

The Red, White and Blue....

Between Jamal's injury and BYU's devastating loss Nate and I had a lot to be sad about that night...

But actually we were still pretty happy, after all it's football season! 

Ho Hey


Now, I'm not trying to sound like a hipster, but I loved the Lumineers long before they were cool. I discovered them through a blog-and watched a few youtube clips of them. I purchased their album immediately, and it became the soundtrack to my 2011 Summer.

And a couple weeks back a dream came true and I got to see them live! There was something magical about being out on the shore of the Great Salt Lake, the fall breeze coming in, listening to some amazing musicians bear their souls through song.

Sadly-there was some crazy wind the night of the concert, and the Lumineers only made it through five songs before they got kicked off due to weather, and safety concerns. I was heartbroken to have it cut so short but for the time they did play they sounded absolutely wonderful. So even though it wasn't for very long-I'm sure glad I got to hear them perform.



It was seriously the most stunning view for a concert

 Nathanial Rateliff

 Dr. Dog

 So glad I got to go with my dear friend Allison

 The Lumineers


"I don't gamble but if I did I would bet on us. 
Like the dead Sea 
You told me I was like the Dead Sea 
You'll never sink when you are with me 
Oh like the Dead Sea

Whoa I'm like the dead sea
The finest words you ever said to me
Honey can't you see, 
I was born to be, be your Dead Sea."

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Fall Favorites

Some of the very best parts of fall are back in full swing....

Football games....



























Pumpkin bagels....


and

Rainy evenings full of fall reading...


I've been enjoying mine by wearing sweaters (my office is freezing!), escaping to Park City, and creating a fall bucket list. I hope yours has been as happy as mine so far!



PS. Look who I ran into at the game!