Wedding in Kansas City!

 Our dear friends Jessica and Justin FINALLY got married on May 2nd in the Kansas City Temple! (This was over 5 years in the making!)

Brandon sadly had finals on the exact same day to finish up his first year of law school and couldn't come. But I really wanted to be there for this special day for some of my dearest, oldest friends. I booked a flight and made it in the night before the big day. (Don't ask me about the rental car drama, dead phone crisis, and driving around lost in Missouri episode of this trip). I got a kick out of the tiny little planes I was on from DC to Cleveland then to Kansas City. There's no place like "home" right? :) haha sorry I couldn't resist a little Wizard of Oz humor.
 

 

Flying into flat, rural, but oh so beautiful Kansas City.

The morning of the big day we took pictures with the wedding party before the ceremony.   

 

I had a blast hanging out with these lovely ladies: Tatiana, Natasha, Chynna, Chelsea, and Shelly! We kept each other company and all love this couple so much! 

  

 

I love this picture of all the Dyer men holding up their new sister in law!

 

 

All of us friends who traveled to Kansas for the wedding! So much love!

After taking group pictures we waited outside on the beautiful temple grounds before going inside for the ceremony.

 

 Tatiana and Chynna! Always the life of the party. :)  

 

How I love this girl! Tatiana and I were travel buddies and shared a rental car and a room at my Uncle Bruce and Aunt Diane's home. Tatiana was only my roommate for 1 year but she is the dearest lifelong friend!! I was so grateful to have more time with her at the wedding after seeing her a for a few days earlier this year on the East Coast!

 

 

Tats is coming east for grad school this fall and I'm so excited she'll be closer by when she starts attending University of Tennessee! We had a fun weekend together! (Plus she was my patient navigator as we drove all over Kansas!)

When it was time for the sealing, we went inside the beautiful new Kansas City Temple! The sealing was absolutely beautiful and was so tender. I missed Brandon so much during that time but am so grateful for those covenants we have likewise made that seal us together forever! 

 

I joked in the sealing that I didn't know which side to sit on to support: the bride's or the groom's. I know and love both of these people so much! I had some time to think and I realized that I've known these darling people for so many years! Justin for at least 13 years if not longer. He was in middle school, high school, and college with me and was in countless musical numbers, classes, choirs, and dances. In fact he took me to our junior homecoming dance! He has been a loyal guy friend for so many years and I am so happy for him to have fallen in love with one of my equally dear friends! 

Aren't they so cute? (sorry for the crappy cell phone quality pictures)

 

Check out that beautiful girl's dress!!

 

This may be one of my favorite photos from the entire day! As Justin and Jessica walked down the stairs to greet all of us, Justin's nephew bowed down and said, "Prince Justin and Princess Jessica" with tons of flair and chivalry! I just about died laughing. What a cute moment! 

 

These two are definitely in love. 

 

I truly love this dear best friend! Jessica was in Paraguay on her mission when Brandon and I got married and it broke my heart that she couldn't be there. So I knew I had to find every possible way to be there with her for her special day! Jessica, Justin, and I were all in the same freshmen ward at BYU and I watched the two of them start their journey together. Knowing Justin as well and as long as I did, I was curious about Jessica and wanted to get to know her better. We had the truly blessed opportunity to live together our junior year at BYU and it was one of the best times of my college life! Jess is so dear to me and I'm truly overjoyed that these two adorable people are now MARRIED! It's just simply the best when two people you love individually love each other so much as well! 

The original roommates from VP7! So happy to be together again!

 

 The reception that night was lovely. Lots of yummy oreo truffles and beautiful pictures of these two lovebirds.

 

In between serving I visited with my oh so fabulous Aunt and Uncle! 

 

Aunt Diane and Uncle Bruce were so gracious to host Tatiana and me in their beautiful home for the weekend! They made our visit to Kansas City so fun (and tasty!).

  

I loved their cheesecake wedding cake!

 

 

My other favorite moment: Justin's dance with his mom.

 

I thought I was going to die laughing! These two were so dramatic and pranced around the dance floor. I know and love the entire Dyer family so well. Who knew you had moves like that Sister Dyer!?!

 

Hurray for such a beautiful couple in love! 

 

Before flying back to California and DC the next day, Tats and I had spent some time visiting with Uncle Bruce and Aunt Diane and getting the cook's tour of Kansas City! They took us to lunch at Brio Tuscan Grille downtown (why I didn't get pictures is beyond me!). Then they drove us by the Hallmark headquarters and few other famous landmarks in downtown Kansas City, all with tour guide narration! We were so impressed!

 

After dropping off our rental car, they were so kind to take us to the Liberty Jail- where the Prophet Joseph Smith was incarcerated for seven months. I had been there several years ago but Tatiana had never been there.

We didn't have a ton of time but we had a quick tour and there was such a sweet spirit there.

 

Tatiana and me 

 

 

A model of the inside of the jail. My love and testimony of Joseph Smith was strengthened so much being at the Liberty Jail again! I know he was a prophet of God!

 

I sure love these people! I have the best family in the world! Aunt Diane and Uncle Bruce completely spoiled us while we were there! Aunt Diane made gourmet dishes every meal and even packed a tasty sack lunch for us on the plane. We loved spending time with them!

 

I am so grateful for the chance to be together and to attend Jessica and Justin's wedding!

Natural History Museum & White House Garden Tour

 

During the last few weeks of April we went to downtown DC and enjoyed some new sights! 

For Family Home Evening one night we met up after school and work and went to the Natural History Museum! We had been to several different Smithsonians but hadn't been to this one yet! (I blame my lack of interest in all things science- related)

 

Gotta love this huge elephant in the center of the Museum. The entire museum reminded me so much of the movie Night at the Museum. I half expected to see Teddy Roosevelt come charging out to greet us!

 

We went to the Rocks, Gems, & Diamonds exhibit and checked out some pretty historic jewelry. If I recall these diamond earrings were worn by Marie Antoinette!

 

 

This is the Hope Diamond- the largest known deep blue diamond in the world. 

And of course a few selfies had to be taken to remember the day.

I really liked the giant animals and dinosaurs.

 

It was one whale of an exhibit! (sorry I couldn't resist)

 

Of course the giant T-Rex is the best part!

Another afternoon, we headed to the gorgeous Washington, D.C. temple! Seriously this place is stunning!

 

I can't put into words how much I love the temple. Just being on the grounds, you can feel such a peace and of God's love for you. I feel so blessed to live closeby this temple and to attend it often!

I've decided that I officially love tulips! 

One Friday night we went out for dinner with our friends Ie Ling and Blake. They took us to BJ's and introduced us to the original pizookie!

 

Isn't this the most beautiful, most mouth-watering thing you've ever seen? This dessert is one of my new favorite treats. Thankfully it's not right next door to us or I'd weigh 400 pounds in no time. 

Last but not least, at the end of April our friends Terry & Kayla gave us tickets to the White House Garden Tour! We seriously have some great friends!

 

We were so honored to have tickets to this special event! 

 

Just hanging on the White House lawn. No big deal.

  

 

I couldn't believe how close we could get to it!

 

 

Hello Mr. President! It's kinda crazy to think of all the famous men and women who have sat on that balcony over the last two hundred years! 

We each got a picture of our favorite spots on the tour: I loved these purple flowers along the staircase. Man I love spring!

 

Up close and personal!

 

Even though there were lots of people around, we were able to ask some kind souls to snap one of the two of us!

The view from the White House. I could get used to this!

 

 

Brandon's selected picture spot: by the Presidential putting green. Pretty snazzy! (Don't worry there were plenty of secret service agents eying all of us to make sure we didn't step one toe onto the grass.)  

 

Check out the Presidential podium for addresses and press conferences! Seriously so cool!

 

The playground for Obama's daughters. I wanted to go swing so bad!

 

The view from the bottom of the sidewalk. It was pretty funny- along the pathway were different volunteers telling us to try to move along so others could take pictures. Some were nicer than others. Well one rather rude lady smack dab in front of the white house lawn kept saying, "This is NOT the center of the white house, there are better picture opportunities if you keep moving! KEEP MOVING!" Haha well turns out exactly where she was standing indeed was the perfect most centered picture of the white house. haha

At the bottom of the sidewalk, the army band performed some classic music. It was so elegant! I felt so refined! Going to garden party on the white house lawn. (hence why I wore my fancy hat)

 

 

 

All in all, one absolutely beautiful spring day in DC! 

 

Check out Mrs. Obama's vegetable garden. (though for some reason I highly doubt she ever actually works out here) 

 

Can you see the Jefferson Memorial across the lawn?

 

I'm so grateful to live in this beautiful place! I always thought it would be cool to live in the nation's capital and I'm so thankful to have this adventure with my best friend. He's a sweetheart and makes everything more fun.