Yuletide Amazing-ness!

So, from what I remember, I last said I wasn't going home for Thanksgiving. What a different experience that was! To spend several days and a major holiday with a family that isn't yours. It was a worthwhile experience though. I got to spend several days with two of my best friends. I don't have any pictures from this time, but I have plenty of mental pictures. I was able to talk, laugh, and reminisce with two ladies who hold a very special place in my heart, and that was fun. It was hard to be away from family, but it was a good experience to see how other people do Thanksgiving. We even went Black Friday shopping! Boy was that an experience! First, we went to this second hand store called Lily's Too, which was AMAZING! We went there to shop for dresses for the Jane Austen Yule Ball. I had asked my date a little less than two weeks before the dance. Let me backtrack a little and tell you that story! 

So there is this guy from my home ward up here at BYU-Idaho, and he and I have been good friends for a long time, and I wondered if I should ask him to the dance. So, I texted his older sister and asked if she could do some reconnaissance for me. She was so helpful to me! She called him and in a very sneaky way asked if he would be interested in going to this dance. He answered by saying it sounded interesting, but that it would be something he'd most likely want to take a good friend or family member to. Then came the decision of HOW to ask him. Do I do something extravagant? Or do I do something simple and kind of funny? I knew for sure I didn't want to ask him face to face because that would be way too nerve-wracking! So, I ended up looking on the internet for ideas as to how to ask him. I saw this idea that said to put an invitation in a box, wrap it up like a gift and leave a note saying you'd be honored by so and so's "presents" (presence) with you at insert name of event or dance here. I think I was still torn between this idea and one other, but I ended up going with the box idea. Then begins the search for everything I'd need for this epic invitation. I texted his older sister again, and asked her to inquire as to his favorite types of candy or candy bars, and she got back to me, but he was very non-specific about what he liked so I had to guess. Anyhow, the adventure started at Porter's.

This is the finished product! Look how pretty it is!

I had a friend of mine give me a ride all over town basically! We first went to Porter's in the hopes of finding some sort of box or wrapping paper with which to decorate the box. We asked at one of the checkout desks, and they had a box exactly the size I needed. Then we went to Broulim's, a local grocery store, and bought candy bars, wrapping paper, ribbons and tissue paper. Then I came home and was at a loss as to how to wrap it. I am not gift wrapping savvy! But luckily my roommate Tashina, and my friend Merri, who funny enough is the guy's sister, helped me wrap the gift. What we ended up realizing was that I bought green cellophane, NOT wrapping paper, so we basically had to use the entire roll to get it to be less see-through! Haha anyhow, Tashina and Merri decorated it BEAUTIFULLY! So we stuffed it with candy,  and I wrote a note in the box saying, "I'd be honored by your "presents" with me at the Jane Austen Yule Ball, on Friday November 30, 2012. Yule have a great time so check yes or no and send a note back to Jen Kendall." The next day I took it to my sister-in-law Nicole, who manages the apartment complex he lives in. She then dropped it off at his apartment (except he wasn't there to receive it!), but I received a note the next day and he checked yes!! Oh I was so excited when I read that! I really did not think he was going to say yes! Haha


So he said yes, and the adventure of dress shopping began! I looked online and found several dresses I REALLY liked, BUT they all shipped from China. So, I thought to myself, better safe than sorry! I'm actually really glad I waited to go dress shopping with Candice and Kristi, because not only was it so much fun, and I discovered an awesome second hand store in Idaho Falls, but I also found a dress that I LOVED and it was only around $25. What a steal! Then we went to lunch at this diner, and I had a roast beef sandwich with au jus, and now I really want another one! Haha it was really good! After lunch we went to the mall in Idaho Falls, and I looked around for some new jeans, but didn't find any that I liked, I also was too lazy to change into any pants that I did see that I liked. Haha but I was worried about finding a sweater to go over my dress, because it needed one, however, we went to Ross, and I found this fun sparkly hat that I wore around the entire store, and I also found a sweater for $11 that was PERFECT for my dress! We went to Claire's for accessories of course, and I found a pair of beautiful sparkly, dangly earrings and some nice long gloves to wear with the dress! We went back to Candice and Kristi's house and had a fashion show for her parents, and then I went back to Rexburg the next day. Spent some time with Tashina and her brother who came to visit. Who was a really cool guy.

The silver sparkly hat!

Then the next Monday it was crunch time! Time to decide hair and makeup and all that other fun stuff. Except I was sick that entire week! My stomach felt awful! I was so scared I wouldn't be able to go to the dance because I felt so gross! Friday came around and I had felt fine, until I came home from classes. I got home from classes, and all of a sudden I had fever, chills, and nausea like none other! I called my mom after I got out of the shower, balling because I didn't know if I could go. My mom told me, "Do you want to cancel this date?" I said, "NO!!!!" She said, "Well then you just gotta deal with it. Just put on the dress, get ready for the dance, say a prayer and I'm sure you'll be fine." Well she was right! I was so nervous I soon forgot all about feeling gross! Haha we went to dinner with a group of friends, in my apartment lounge, and it was really good. It was a lot of fun actually. I was nervous that it would seem weird or not be fun, but the dinner and the dance itself were SO much fun! Even my date kept saying he was having fun. I was so glad I had asked him before Thanksgiving though, because his FHE sisters decided to ask his whole apartment to the dance that Monday! But I had prior claim so he went with me! :) That whole night was so much fun, and I'd love to do it again in a heartbeat! I was so glad that he had fun, and that I made it through the night! I felt terrible for the rest of the weekend, but I made it through the night, had so much fun, and wasn't bothered by anything. And the rest of this post will be dedicated to pictures from the dance and our shopping adventure!

Me and my date Jefferson

In front of the Christmas tree at my apartment

  

 

All of the dinner group, minus my best friend Candice and her boyfriend Helaman, they had to come from American Falls, so they weren't quite ready for pictures yet.