Earls Ever After

Sunday, April 8, 2018

A Trip Around the World

On Saturday night Andrew and I hosted a super fun dinner party!

It started out with an excuse for Andrew to make his spring rolls then it evolved into an idea for

everyone else to share some of their favorite meals.

We have several friends who lived out of the states for a few years and we thought it

would be so much fun to try different foods from around the world.

Andrew and I had such a fun time putting the party together.

We enjoyed planning every detail from the background music, decorations, down to the invitation.

Andrew put this invitation together and it was way better than I ever imagined in my head.

We got such a variety of different kinds of food.

Russia

Germany

Italy

England

Camboida

Mexico

Vietnam and

Hawaii.

We also got pretzels and French eclairs.

European? American? Either way, so good.

We started into games and we played the couple hand game.

All the girls are blindfolded and then we bring one man at a time down the line.

As we bring the man down we have each girl feel the man's hand and just by feeling their hand

they need to identify if it is their husband, or not. If they claim him, the man stands behind the girl

who chose him and he's out of the running.

This all needs to be done without feeling their arms or any jewelry.

I was so impressed; all the women got their man correct! We then switched it and it was the men's turn to guess

their wives hand. They all guessed correctly too! I have never seen that happen. Ever.

We must be more touchy feely than I realized!

I had more planned but some things fell through and people just seemed to enjoy talking.

Some games in the lounge were also brought out and played.

Thanks to everyone who came and brought their foreign dish.

We had so much fun partying and trying all these new foods.

Friday, February 23, 2018

Happy Year of the Dog!

Remember how I was sick with the flu in Disneyland?

The next day I slept the entire day! Poor Andrew.

We travel all the way to one of our most favorite places in the world

and I'm sick and sleeping. Awesome. But he really was the best and I

could not have asked for anyone better.

He got me medicine, gatorade, soda, saltine crackers,

anything to help me feel better and get food in my body.

I told him to try and have fun but he didn't want to travel too far in case I needed him.

(i almost cried when he said that, i mean, this guy is good).

^We went out to get pho that night. I had a tiny bowl and I think it took me 2 hours to eat!^

By the next day I was feeling much better.

You wouldn't even be able to tell except my appetite was still so small.

Eating took awhile.

On Saturday the Lunar New Year Celebration was still happening.

Guys, I'm not lying when it lasts for days! We were not even in Cali

for half of the festivities. It's crazy! We decided to take advantage and we

went to the parade that was happening that morning as well as other Viet activities.

We of course had to visit the beach.

Andrew and I have decided that we need to make a lot of money

and get a beach house. That's our plan. We are currently accepting donations

and of course you could come visit us! ;)

The rest of Saturday and on Sunday we saw a lot of people that we love!

Honestly, it's so hard to see everyone especially when there are his people and my people

and they are scattered everywhere across Orange County.

And we missed an entire day when I was sick.

This is so corny, but it always hurts a little bit leaving Cali

not only because of the most perfect weather

(we were welcomed back to Utah with a snowstorm)

but THE PEOPLE! These people changed our lives. They helped us become us!

I think California will always be our second home.

Thursday, February 22, 2018

Did you hear the joke about the flu?

Well, I'm not going to tell you because I don't want to spread it around. (haha)

ok. i'm awful at jokes, but really.

i probably did spread it around because we went to disneyland when i had the flu.

yes, you read that right. disneyland + the flu.

Most of my day looked like this:

But we did manage to have some fun.

How can you not when you are in the happiest place on earth?

At the very beginning we rode Guardians... TWICE which I have no idea how

because the nausea was real!

At one point I went in the car and slept for a few hours which was so nice and really helped and Andrew went to Disneyland

by himself. When I was finished with my break Andrew met me by the entrance and

we tried to have more fun by doing some of the calmer rides like Haunted Mansion and Pirates.

We were also were able to watch some of Fantasmic. Disney is magical.

Andrew was such a good sport throughout all of this.

He even said allowed us to leave an hour before the parked closed when I once again had to

lie on a park bench while he did Star Tours.

Our fake honeymoon wasn't what we expected but is sure made me grateful

for the man I married.

Our real honeymoon is HERE and it was a much better experience :)

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Lunar New Year's Adam

Because Adam came before Eve, haha!

I love that joke.

Andrew and I went down to California just in time to see the festivities for ringing in the lunar new year.

It is serious business there. I mean, I'm from Utah and I learned about in elementary school.

I discovered that I was born in the year of the monkey and then that's really it.

But since the Garden Grove area of California is also known as Little Sigaon,

the festivities there are everywhere and they lasts for DAYS!!

It was so neat to walk around and completely experience a new culture.

Andrew and I were the only white people there but he knew the language so I

was really out (in???) of my own bubble but I LOVED it! Culture and people fascinate me.

We were able to get some of the best Vietnamese food...spring rolls.

Honestly, they need to bring these bad boys to Asian restaurants out here in Utah.

Andrew would probably buy them everyday. And we would have no money.

But our bellies would be happy.

I loved it so much and I am so glad I had my cultural guide and translator with me.

Saturday, January 27, 2018

Three years ago I came home from my mission in Anaheim, California with the most life changing experience. My mission changed me in so many ways. I have learned how to deeply study the scriptures and I came to realize how much I depend on those words from God. I learned that prayer is something that truly brings me closer to my Father. I saw how miracles still happen and how much God is involved in the details. I learned how to exercise and sleep at the same time. I learned that Christmas is still Christmas without snow and I that I loved it! I learned to try new foods, and that Disneyland has the best fireworks. I learned about other's, their testimonies and how they know there is our Savior, Jesus Christ. I learned how exciting it is to share the gospel. I learned what obedience means and about consecration. I learned that service brings happiness. I learned to love it all and be so, so happy!

Life 3 Years Later

Enjoying:

Exercising and bettering myself
(and I'm actually awake for it now)

Living:

Utah

Looking Forward To:

Using our new camera

Reading:

Work and the Glory #9

Job:

Part time school in Special Education at the USU Orem Campus.

Also working as a Special Education para educator at an elementary school.

Working On:

Homework and fine tune organizing our apartment

Current Church Calling:

Recently released from the Relief Society Presidency

and waiting for my new calling.

How My Testimony Has Grown:

This past year I have truly seen and realized that God wants me to succeed! There have been so many instances where I do not want to even start my day because I am sure to fail. Somehow, literally through miracles, I am able to accomplish the things I needed to and not even half way, but better than I could have ever expected. God has a plan for my life and it amazes me how everything turns out. I have always loved attending the temple but this past year the temple really became a necessity in my life. I was able to go to the temple every month last year and every time I went I was brought so much peace, even though beforehand I didn't realize how much I needed to feel that. By going to the temple I have also found a greater love for family history work for some of my own family names as well as for a friend. Death is not the end. With the passing of President Monson my testimony of living prophets increased and I took time to think of him and his sacred calling. I know that he was a prophet of God and that President Nelson is God's prophet today "for by their fruits ye shall know them." I am so grateful for the continual guidance from God that comes from His prophet and apostles today. God is so real and his love is something I depend on. This church is true and I am so grateful that I am apart of it and I had the chance to share it everyday 18 months.