Last fall, we discovered a little camping spot on the Nebo Loop. It isn't an official camp location, so the place isn't surrounded by dozens of other people in RVs and tents. It's a simple clearing with a fire pit and it is perfect :) Except that you have to off road through a stream and occasional piles of cow poop. Those are minor setbacks though, the place really is perfect.
Camping at our spot with the Kraus fam last year!
We went camping there a couple times last fall, and of course we had to go again! We made the plan to go camping the first weekend after school started and hike the next day. After a few people flaked out, we ended up just going with Dustan's sister Taylor and his old roommate Bryson. But it was a blast!
We made delicious hobo foil dinners (and hot dogs because Dustan loves them), ate too many s'mores, and attempted to roast licorice. And because we camped on a Sunday, we had a short devotional and musical fireside. Taylor and Bryson are both ridiculously musical (fiddle and guitar respectively) so that was one of our favorite parts of the evening. Afterward, we did some stargazing then played all ten rounds of Phase Ten until the wee hours of the night.
After waking up on Monday, we continued driving up the Loop toward Nebo Mountain. Nebo Mountain is the highest peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range and up there for highest in Utah altogether, even a little higher than the more famous Mount Timpanogos. It is 11,928 feet high. And guess what? We hiked to the very top!
One of the views on the way up. That's the peak in the top left of the picture. So far away!!
Looking at the mountain to conquer...
And we made it to the top!!
It was definitely one of the harder hikes I have been on. It was about 9 miles round trip with 3,800 feet in elevation gain. And the trail wasn't like a typical hike that just went up then back down after the peak. It was hilly up and down for a large amount of the hike, which only made the elevation gain at the end more steep. But we made it! It was a beautiful hike and the last half a mile or so was nearly like rock climbing as we scrambled over chunks of shale (this was not enjoyable on the way back down). The view at the top was stellar, we could see everything.
Getting down was a little sketchy...
Bryson and Taylor
Even though the way back down wasn't terribly enjoyable because of twisted and bad ankles, it was worth it. Thank goodness for husbands who carry all the water/food and even hold your hand through the hard parts! And looking at the silver lining on it taking me forever to get back down, we got to see a beautiful sunset!
We hope we can fit a couple more hikes in before the snow starts coming this year!!
Fall semester at BYU is officially underway. We are both in our fifth and final year of schooling, and we are proud to call ourselves super seniors! As it was our last first day of school (for me at least), of course we had to take a picture with the Y!
Also, we were cool enough to be featured on #BYUFirstDay, which was neat-o.
We'll just give you a bit of an idea into the life of Dustan and Ellen:
6:30-7:30 am - wake up and great ready for school 7:30 am - bike a couple miles to campus (or drive if the weather is bad) 8:00 am-4:00 pm - classes all day long! 4:00 pm - bike back home 4:15-6:00pm - attempt to work on homework 6:00-7:00 pm - make and eat dinner and relaxation! 7:00-10:00 pm - mixture of homework/family home evening/movies/exercising/ice cream 10:00 pm - personal and companion scripture study, then to bed!
And that is our typical school day! Combine that with job fairs, student teaching applications, church activities, sports, and more...and our semester looks like it is going to be a hectic one!
PS: If you haven't watched the first two BYU football games, you probably should. I don't know if Mangum will continue to deliver the rest of the season, but those first couple games were stellar!
And finally, here is a little picture my mom sent me. From my first day of kindergarten to my last first day of school ever :)
Our real first anniversary trip was earlier this summer, when we went to Jamaica. But when we are both done with summer work and have a few days before school starts, we just had to make the most of it and take a mini vacation! We had spent the week previous with the Kraus family in Castle Rock, Colorado, so we picked a location between there and Provo and spent a few days together. After talking to some friends and family in Colorado, we decided to go to Steamboat Springs! We spent the morning of our first anniversary packing up the car and hanging with the Kraus ladies. From there, we went out to linner (lunch/dinner) to Thai food--which has been a tradition with us, we LOVE Thai food--before heading to the little ski resort town!
Steamboat Springs, CO
Steamboat is seriously the cutest. Some of the things that drew us there for our first anniversary was the promise of stellar hot springs, hiking, and mountain biking. We got into town in the evening and the first thing we did was go in search of some supposedly free hot springs by the river. Either these didn't exist or we got lost, but anywho, instead we grabbed some of our favorite treats at the store, hot tubbed at the hotel, watched a movie, and made a plan for the next few days :)
Unfortunately, our second of four days in Steamboat was raining. Almost all day long. But we refused to let that deter us! We had a late morning, watched a few episodes of our favorite show at the moment (we love Fringe!), and headed out to brave the weather!
Because it was still raining, we took a stroll around the city's botanical gardens and ate at a nice breakfast and lunch cafe.
By then, the rain had died down so we went on a short hike. We hadn't originally wanted to do this hike because there were others in the area that looked more impressive, but with severe thunderstorms in the forecast, we decided to play it safe with a shorter hike. We hiked up to the Emerald Mountain Quarry--and it didn't even rain on the way up! We also learned that this hike had a lot of mountain biking trails, so it was good to scout it out for the future. The view from this hike ended up being beautiful! We were glad we went.
That's Steamboat in the background!
We didn't escape the rain for long, and we got pretty soaked and muddy on the hike back down to the car. We didn't mind though, because the weather stayed fairly warm.
After heading back to our hotel and getting cleaned up, we went on to the next adventure for the rainy day: the Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs! It was a long drive up a muddy mountain road to get there, but it was so worth it. These hot springs ended up being one of our favorite activities of the trip. The area they were in was absolutely beautiful, and there were at least 5 different pools with different temperatures of water--some were even deep enough to swim in!
We went in the early evening because these hot springs were clothing optional once the sun went down... We wanted to stay long enough just to see the stars come out before we bolted, but then we had some other interference.
The thunderstorm we had been dreading all day finally arrived! And we were swimming around in hot springs at the top of a mountain. How safe, haha. Soon enough, we could see lightning flashes in the sky every 3 seconds NO JOKE. And I don't think I've ever heard thunder so loud! We gave it a few minutes to see if the storm was going to pass (it wasn't even raining yet) but eventually decided we didn't want to drive down the mountain in deep mud. As we were running to the car, lightning struck the ground not even 30 feet from us. It was wild! Then right as we slipped into the car, it started hailing. We got there just in time!
Friday was our last real day in Steamboat Springs! We got an early start and went on a hike up to Fishcreek Falls. The hike and view at the end were spectacular. The falls were impressive (there were some at the beginning of the hike and the very end) and we got our feet wet in the freezing water while we ate our lunch. It was perfect.
On the way back down, we ran into a couple who had creeped some pictures of us under the waterfall, and they turned out to be LDS and from Utah! So fun. As we finished the hike, we went off the path a bit and did some bouldering up to another waterfall.
We took a short break after hiking, but went right back at it. We went back to Emerald Quarry and did some mountain biking. The weather was perfect, the trails were pretty (and bumpy and terrifying) and each of us only crashed once! Not too shabby.
Then our mini vacay came to an end :( We took one last look around town before heading out to Provo to start our final year at BYU! Super senior power!
After our summer adventure in Iowa ended, we packed up our stuff and headed to Colorado to spend some time with the Kraus family!
The drive from Iowa to Colorado was largely uneventful except for one awesome experience. We stopped at a gas station to fill up the car and use the restroom. But when I headed to the restroom, I was confused by the toilet.... It was a Bidet! A Bidet is one of those fancy toilets that does everything from washing you to drying you, all the while with heated seats. It was a great experience. Unfortunately, there were no Bidets in the men's room, but I was able to convince Dustan to use the ladies just for the experience and to say he has used a Bidet ;)
Now, one of the main reasons we went to Colorado between Iowa and school was to see Dustan's sister Taylor, who had been serving a mission in Las Vegas. We made some neat posters, cleaned up the house, and greeted her at the airport! I had only spent time with Taylor a few times while Dustan and I dated, so it was great to get to know her a little bit better.
Taylor's welcome home signs!
After Taylor's homecoming talk at church. Me, Mama Kraus, Taylor, and Erin
One day while we were in Colorado, we spent the day down by Manitou Springs. We hiked the Incline first, which is a mile straight up, 2,000 feet of elevation gain, and 2,744 steps. This was probably one of the hardest physical activities I've done in my life. The first half of the hike up, I couldn't breathe. The second half, my legs had lost all strength. But we made it to the top and took a leisurely trail back down! After our hike, we dipped our feet in a creek and drove through cute downtown Manitou Springs and looked at a couple shops. Afterward we drove through Garden of the Gods before heading back to Castle Rock. It was a great and exhausting day.
Doesn't the Incline look wild?!
The ladies of the family.
The boys of the family.
Garden of the Gods/Land Before Time
Also, here is a fun picture of me and my cute freshman year roommates at Garden of the Gods years ago :)
A few other fun activities we did while there was mountain biking, an endowment session at the Denver temple, roasted s'mores, THREE cross country races for the kids, chilled in the hot tub, played card games, and went to many parks.
We loved our time with the Kraus family and are excited to be back this year for Christmas! Coming up soon on the blog: our first anniversary mini vacation and back to school at BYU!
8.26.2014 was a special day. It seems unreal that time is going by so quickly, and yet we have experienced so much.
ONE WHOLE YEAR. 12 MONTHS. 365 DAYS.
I look back on our wedding day and remember a blur of happiness. There were tears in eyes, beaming faces, tight hugs, and dancing bodies. There were sparkling chandeliers, green trees, wood logs, and spray painted mason jars. I wish I remember more of how I felt that day. I had a small feeling of relief that we had finally reached that day, and anxiousness to begin a new life. But most of all, I had an intense happiness that I was now married to the most amazing man, that I was surrounded my family and friends--new and old.
My advice to those getting married: take time on your wedding day to write in your journal. You won't want to. It will feel like a waste of time. But there are few days as important day to document as this one. As convinced as you are that you will remember every little detail...you won't. Write down the advice the temple sealer gave, the love that filled you as you looked across the altar at the person you would spend eternity with, how it felt to exit the temple and see your family and friends celebrate with you. This journal will by cherished by you and your family for generations to come, I promise you.
And though we don't remember all the details, we know that our wedding day was perfect. Nothing will ever change that. I'm sure there were problems that arose, as there are with any big event. But I couldn't have cared less. I married my best friend in the morning, and the rest of the day was made perfect by it.
We never really took the time to write down the details that we do remember. But with us hitting this landmark--being married for a whole year--we wanted to take some time to reflect on the celebration that took place on a beautiful Tuesday.
Our sealing was at 11:00 am on August 26, 2014 in the Seattle, Washington temple.
We kept the wedding small, just family and very close friends. Before we entered the sealing room together (the largest one offered in the temple), Dustan and I were able to spend a few minutes sitting in the celestial room together. We felt so much excitement and peace with our decision :) We were blessed to be married by a temple sealer who was a family friend, someone I had known my entire life. Before he sealed us together for time and all eternity, he gave us a few pieces of advice that can improve any marriage.
Say "I love you" every single day
Continue romancing one another
Hold Family Home Evening each week
Say sorry when you're wrong and even when you're not
Give daily compliments to one another
Then we knelt across the altar from one another and were sealed for not only time, but for all eternity :) we kissed and exchanged rings. It was perfect.
After hugging all of our friends and family, I went to the bride room to change and freshen up while Dustan went elsewhere. I have seen a few different bride rooms, and each is so beautiful. I loved getting ready in there with my mom and mother-in-law to support me.
To learn more about temples, go HERE. To see some pictures and descriptions about places in the temple (like celestial room and sealing room), go HERE.
Word of warning: Only continue if you want to read every little detail about that day and see a plethora of pictures :)
Dustan and I met in the foyer, then we exited the temple together to greet our friends and family. We are so thankful for those who came to support our union, even if they couldn't attend the sealing inside the temple.
After a brief moment of awkwardness where no one moved after we exited the temple doors, it was time for hugs and pictures! And some advice from an old man who no one even knew. These pictures will be down below our portraits before the reception pictures :)
We took some of our wedding pictures the evening before and more after finishing all the group pictures with our wedding guests. Here are some of our favorites--sorry for the overwhelming amount. We just love them all. Also, our photographer was Sara Smith. She is fabulous, and we would recommend her to all in the Seattle area.
And now friends and family groups pictures! I'm glad everyone was such good sports in doing all the different poses I wanted...for the most part at least.
Our siblings are pretty fabulous
All the friends, not family members...by blood at least.
The Nielson side!
My grandparents minus Grandpa Judd
The Kraus side!
Dustan's grandparents
Following our hot and face-hurting-from-smiling photo sesh, we went to our luncheon, which was held at the church building just behind the Seattle temple. There we had a delicious lunch of pulled pork sandwiches, fruit, and salad--we were happy to get out of our fancy clothes and eat.
Our next stop was to the reception place. We can't be thankful enough for everyone that helped with setting up for the event--even with all the help, we barely made it in time! (Dustan and I were getting dressed while in the sketchy bathrooms as the first visitors were walking in!) It was held at the Beaver Lake Lodge in Sammamish Washington, right on a little lake. The many hours of searching for the perfect and cheap reception location paid off ($25 an hour was a steal). Setting up the cabin was truly a blur--I remember so many people asking me how I wanted it to look and just giving up because I'm too indecisive. I ended up making everyone else figure it out themselves, haha. This was the only time I felt stressed out on our wedding day.
I made my mom be in charge of the food, which was the best choice. Costco sandwich wraps, spicy sesame noodles, raspberry lemonade, and a TRIFLE BAR. If it hadn't been my own reception and I was required to talk to people, I would have hid in a corner and eaten the whole time. I'm sad to this day that I only got one small helping.
The cake was from a local Kirkland bakery called Hoffman's Fine Cakes and Pastries. The top layer was carrot cake for Dustan and the bottom was princesse torte with marzipan (my favorite but which Dustan thinks is too fluffy). I could have eaten the whole thing myself. Also, my new sister Erin is magical with clay. She made those amazing figurines! I wish I was blessed with half her talent.
Our reception was scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Right on time, the people came rolling in. Everyone from elementary school teachers, ward members, lifelong friends, and close family who traveled far. We felt such love from those who came to support us--and not just because of the presents ;) Some of them were part of the whole journey as Dustan and I met and began dating, while others we just met on the day of the wedding. But we are thankful for all! (Sorry, not uploading a ton of pics from the reception.)
Then came the scheduled events. Dustan's roommates had arranged a song for us and we almost died laughing (or from embarrassment on my part). Most (Dustan says all) of the lyrics are actually true about our story of how we met, dated, and got married...
Next, we cut the cake. Talk about embarrassing moments. Who knew cutting a cake would be so difficult?! We struggled. I was terrified Dustan would get it all over my dress--thankfully, he restrained himself and simply smashed my face instead and I retaliated.
Our first dance was to "Wanted" by Hunter Hayes. Though it isn't either one of our favorite songs, it was somehow present for some major stepping stones in our relationship. One night when we first started dating, we went for a walk in Provo canyon. At a clearing, Dustan stopped and asked me to dance. After a few moments, he asked what song we were dancing to, and after some indecision, Dustan decided that we were dancing to "Wanted". That was when we shared our first kiss. Fast forward months, after many more instances of dancing to that song in the kitchen, Dustan took me on another walk after a picnic at Tibble Fork Reservoir, this time through American Fork canyon. Again, he asked me to dance and "Wanted" began to play. That was when Dustan proposed :) This song will always have a special place in our hearts.
Then came the bouquet and garter. Congrats to Shaley and Reggie, who should be getting married any day now! ;) Though not necessarily to each other, haha. My bouquet was so large and heavy that I was a little worried about hurting someone with it.
Time flew. Before we knew it, the time had come for us to escape in our getaway car (which had been completely defiled by Dustan's roommates). We hugged our families goodbye, grabbed some slices of our wedding cake for breakfast the next morning (priorities), and began our life together.
Infinity to the Infinity
We are going to be together for all eternity. Forever. That is a concept hard to grasp. But we have our entire lives and beyond to continue learning what it truly means. I know I could not have been more blessed to have Dustan, who is truly my better half. Happy one year of marriage, happiness, growing, and love.
