Cultural Masterpiece

It’s crazy how fast the time goes. I know that I’m not really qualified to say that we’ve been married for a long time, but I can’t believe that it has been over a month since Matt and I got married. I think that the craziest part is that my wedding was something that I had at least thought about for a lot of my life, and now the wedding is finished and we’re married! Sometimes it is hard to believe that it actually happened, and to me. Being married has been the greatest thing that has happened to me in my short 20 years of living. The amazing part is, I think that being married will always be the greatest thing that has happened and will continue to happen forever! That is an exciting thought.

Matt and I are getting ready to move next week before we head out to Wisconsin for our second reception. We are really looking forward to both of those things: moving and celebrating. We are so excited to spend time with my family again! I think that Matt has said that specifically five or six times, because we really are excited! I think that he really enjoys spending time with my younger siblings. They love him so much. Chase is probably the cutest with him. He will run up to him and hug him and sit on his lap and ask him questions and talk to him…so cute! When we were in WI in January Chase was loving asking Matt if he was taller than things. Are you taller than that car? Are you taller than that tree? Are you taller than the door? The height questions didn’t seem to stop! I know that Matt was very happy to feel loved by my family and to feel welcome. Maybe this time Sophie will finally admit that she likes him!

We have been attending our new ward for the apartment that we are not yet living in and it has been great! I’m very excited to get more involved in the ward and to start making amazing friendships. I think that the weirdest part so far has been all of the babies! We are in a student married ward, but there are quite a few babies in the ward – enough for a nursery. Relief society every week is highlighted by the toddlers all playing with each other in the front, and by the chain reaction that is started when one of them starts crying. Matt received a calling to be a district leader over home teaching in the elder’s quorum.

On Saturday Matt and I went to the annual Kamas Demolition Derby! This was our second time going together, but first time married. I asked Matt to go with me last year for one of our first couple of dates. We had a lot of fun together last year. During the closing fireworks was actually the first time that Matt put his arm around me. Cute huh? Last year we dressed up like gangster thugs and this year we dressed up like construction workers. It’s tradition to dress up like a hick somehow, so that we fit in with the Kamas crowd. Matt and I each wore a reflective safety vest and he wore his construction boots.


Matt already had his costume, because he’s a construction management major. I just had to go get a safety vest. We had a great time! It was so fun to see friends again and to go to this ‘cultural masterpiece.’ Demolition derbies are the craziest things. Basically, it’s just cars ramming into each other until they can’t go any more. There were three preliminary rounds, and then the top three from each round, and the top three from the consolation round all made it to the final round. Last car running won.

There were plenty of breaks in between the rounds. For one of them there was a dance competition, then there was a ‘what would you do for 18 free holes of golf’ competition (a man licked horse’s poop…NASTY!), then there was an hour-long interruption for a jousting competition. That may sound at least slightly interesting, but it wasn’t. The jousting was ridiculous. They took way too long and hyped it up way too much. Sir Charles Andrew battled Sir Jay something. The crazy part was that they were absolutely convinced that this was real and that they were real knights. The announcer gave us a lengthy introduction of the sport and of each competitor. When they finally went, they charged each other, their sticks broke, they dropped them, and moved on to the next round. Nothing exciting. They told us to watch Fox Sports this Fall to see them on tv, but I’m not convinced that they’re going to do well, and I really don’t think that the derby people will be inviting them back next year. The crowd was booing them and telling them not to do anymore. Oh well. The rest of the derby was fun. The same car that won last year won again. A black and yellow sportyish car, #59. We had a great time eating dinner and playing horse shoes at the Hewlett’s cabin before the derby, and the firework show was awesome afterward too. I think this is one tradition that we will always look forward to.



Sunday was Pioneer Day. We celebrated by going to Grandma and Grandpa Erickson’s house for a chicken cordon bleu dinner, followed by some wonderful story telling from the fam. Then yesterday everyone had work off to continue celebrating Pioneer Day. Matt, Paul, Jordan, and I went to the driving range and putting green at Eaglewood golf course in Bountiful. This was the first time that I had golfed in 12 years. Matt did a wonderful job teaching me though. He is very good at golf. Just last week he beat the older men that he works with at his internship. What a stud! I couldn’t believe how far he could hit it. He even came really close to getting an eagle on a par 4 (he ended up getting a birdie, but he hit the green from his tee shot!). We played nine holes at Bountiful Ridge after our warm-up. I was glad to be able to go with Matt, because he would tell me what clubs to use and where to aim…which I didn’t do very well, but that’s okay. He ended nine holes with +8, and I had +34. It was my first time! They kept telling me that I did great, and I guess I did for a beginner. I shouldn’t expect to be any better anyway. Matt’s dad took us to Applebee’s for lunch afterward, and then we spent time chilling at the Erickson’s house. We watched Knight’s Tale, which I hadn’t ever seen before. Great movie.

Well, that’s what’s up in our lives right now. We’re getting ready to move next week! Matt is getting a new group of Hungarian missionaries tomorrow and the MTC just released a new curriculum that he is learning right now. Hopefully the transition will go smoothly for him.

Life’s great. I’m so grateful for my pioneer ancestors and for their dedication so that my life could be so tremendously blessed!