Thursday, August 1, 2013

The Proposal!

Yep, today was the day I got engaged!  My sneaky man totally caught me off guard when he popped the question.  He went way above and beyond what I imagined, putting all other proposals to shame.  Here is the unforgettable proposal story:
I had the day off of work so I scheduled a carpet cleaning at my townhome rental property.  I knew the previous renters were the messiest guys on the planet, so I expected to be cleaning the entire day...and then some.  My sweetheart offered to help, so we got to spend some quality time scrubbing walls, repairing broken appliances, cleaning disgusting floors, patching wall holes, and all the other fun things that go along with fixing up my poor, destroyed home.
Mike and I had previously had conversations about the Anniversary Inn (a themed-room bed & breakfast) in Logan, and talked about maybe staying in a nice room there someday.  He asked me if I'd ever seen the rooms at the one in Logan.  I had not.  So he had called and found out when they do their room tours... which happened to be on Thursday afternoons.  He asked me if I would like to take a cleaning break to be able to attend the tour offered that afternoon.  Sure, why not?  That would be a nice break, I told him.
Now what I did not know was that he had sneakily been planning this tour for weeks in advance.  He had been working with a girl at the front desk to arrange an incredibly romantic tour that would end with him asking for my hand in marriage...
So we arrived at the Anniversary Inn at the scheduled time for the tour.  The receptionist told us to have a seat, and that the tour guide would be with us shortly.  We sat there waiting for several minutes...the unsuspecting me kept thinking, why would it take so long for the tour girl to get here?  Aren't they supposed to start right at 1:00?  Little did I know, that she was busily putting together flower petals and candles for the proposal.
Our tour began with a couple of fun-themed rooms that we visited, and I was happily enjoying the tour, as well as the break from cleaning.  After the first couple of rooms we visited, the girl brought us to the Juliet's Balcony Suite room.  She started talking about how this was the most popular room, and how you had to usually book a few months in advance to get to stay in this room.  She then unlocked the door and opened it for us to enter the room.  After we entered the room, she shut the door behind us and walked away.  We started walking through the room, when I noticed that our tour guide was no longer with us.  I asked Mike where she went, and he replied, "I don't know, maybe she had to take a call or something.  I'm sure we can still look around."  I walked around the main floor a little, which had rose petals scattered all around.  I thought maybe this was something they always did for people who stayed in the room...then we turned around the corner to where the stairs led up to the balcony, where there were more rose petals scattered up the stairs.  Mike told me to follow the petals up the stairs.  I told him that I didn't think we were allowed to go up there without the tour guide.  He kept insisting that we go up the stairs.  I was skeptical, not sure if we would get in trouble for going up.  I slowly crept up the stairs, careful not to touch any of the flower petals...I did not want to mess up the work they'd done to make the room so beautiful for someone.  Silly me, I still had no idea what was going on!
Here is a picture of the stairway leading up to Juliet's Balcony:
Beautiful flowers all the way up the stairway...
Once I reached the top of the stairs, I turned to my right to find candles and flower pedals in the shape of a gigantic heart.  I read the words written in the center of the heart, and only then did it finally click what was happening at that moment!
There are no words... this was just so beautiful
Just then I turned to see Mike had knelt down on one knee.  He pulled out the ring box and asked for my hand in marriage!  I truly wish I could remember the exact words he used when he proposed, but my emotions were swirling around like crazy inside of me and the details of what he said are kind of a blur now.  I'm sure he said something about how much he loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me.  All I know is that it was an AMAZING proposal... he asked me to marry him...and I said YES!!!
A pic of us right after I said YES!  I will marry you, handsome man!
I could not be any happier!!
Mike took a pic of me looking down from Juliet's Balcony, his bride-to-be!
I must include a pic of the GORGEOUS ring!  He did a fantastic job picking this ring out... I had thrown some hints Mike's way about what kind of rings I liked.  I had no idea he would design a custom ring that was more me than any ring I could've even imagined.  The middle stone is a marquise cut with blue sapphire baguettes on the sides.  It is my favorite ring EVER!!
This was one of the happiest moments of my life.  I cried the happiest tears of joy.  I feel so incredibly blessed I don't even know how to express my gratitude.  All my hopes of someday meeting a good man who would love me and my girls finally became a reality.  I can picture a life with Mike and the life I picture makes me incredibly happy.  I truly feel like we are soul mates...we share so many things in common, most importantly our love and commitment to our relationship.  I love the way he treats me like I'm his everything.  Every day I am in awe of him, and think how did I get so lucky?  It all sounds like a fairytale, but it is the real deal... my handsome Prince has arrived to journey with me through the ups and downs life will surely bring us.  My family of 3 is about to change in to a family of 5!  Thank you sweetheart, for making this girl the happiest girl in the world.  I love you.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The Happy Couple

Here is just a random shot of me and my sweetheart.  We stopped by the Summerfest in Logan and Mike bought me this gorgeous pearl necklace, just because!  It is beautiful and I am so happy and in love.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world :)

Sunday, July 28, 2013

All Dressed Up!

After the bad hair day post, I thought I should post a pic of the girls all dolled up.  Nana and Papa took the girls to church with them and snapped a photo since they looked absolutely adorable.
Two gorgeous girls posing for the pic
Happy girls all dressed up!

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Logan Rotary RAW (Ride Around the Wellsvilles) Century


I get to add another Century bike ride to my list.  This one I basically did riding solo.  My dad and his neighbor, our good friend, Dr. Firth, also signed up to do this ride.  We all started together, but it wasn't long before I lost sight of the two speedy riders.  I kept on trucking along, determined to finish.  I rode through rain and more rain... it was the wettest ride I've ever done.  Long and exhausting... but I finished!  And I wasn't last again :)  I began to wonder what became of my dad and Dr. Firth, because the course looped back and I was able to see all the riders ahead of me as they headed back toward the finish line/starting line.  I never saw the two of them, which puzzled me.
Once I reached the end of my ride, my sweetheart was there to welcome me in and snap a photo or two of me.  I was dead tired.  I asked Mike if he knew where my dad was and he said that he had to stop early because of some kind of problem with his heart.  Luckily for my dad, he was riding alongside a physician so the kind Dr. Firth took my dad in to his office and tested his heart, which did in fact, have a problem.  After some rest, his heart got back on pace and it was all good.
I was supposed to head to a work bar-b-que that afternoon but I just had zero energy left in me... so I just hung out with my sweetheart the rest of the day...my favorite thing to do :)
For this ride the only shots I have were a couple that Mike took of me as I was riding in to the finish line:
 

Friday, July 26, 2013

Look What We Grew!!!

I get so excited every time I go in to the backyard garden and see how the plants are progressing.  The tomatoes really started to take off...as well as the artichokes and the pumpkins!
These cherry tomatoes are so sweet and juicy!  I pop 'em in my mouth like candy!

Check out our lil pumpkin beginning to grow!!  Future pumpkin pie... Mmmm...

Wow!  Who knew this artichoke plant would thrive so well!  One of the coolest looking plants I've ever seen...
Now if only I could keep up with pulling all the massive weeds... sigh.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Hair Cut Time!

Nana's hairdresser name Lacey lives in Richmond, Utah, so Nana drives all the way up there to get her hair cut.  Since the girls' hair was getting sooo long and hard to maintain, nana brought them with her to go visit Lacey.  These girls were blessed with gorgeous hair.  Here are some shots of their haircut experience:
Avril likes to keep her locks long, like Rapunzel

After her trim...

Gorgeous and shiny hair!

McKel's turn...

She's intrigued

snip snip snip

the finished product!  So pretty :)

Sweet, beautiful McKel

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Pioneer Day

One perk to living in Utah is the extra holiday...Pioneer Day!  :)  The neighborhood held a pancake breakfast with some fun activities for kids.  Arleen and Britt also joined in the fun.  The girls loved the excitement.
Just love seeing this girl smile...

Can't get enough Avril sweetheart girl

I love you as much as the sky (as Avril always says)

Avril played tug of war with her cousin Britt.  They did not last long standing up...


Adorable McKel.  She was hard to snap a photo of, that girl just does not like to stand still!
Happy Pioneer Day!!!