Engagement Anniversary

      

It was two years ago today that Ben proposed. Yes, he proposed on April Fools Day! He had originally planned to propose earlier that weekend but after realizing that April fools was just a few days away, Ben being Ben, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell our future generations that we got engaged on April Fools Day.

Because it was General Conference that Sunday we lounged around all day and I never bothered to get ready. In fact I spent the whole day in sweats (his sweats mind you!). Later, Ben told me he kept waiting for me to get ready but finally gave up.  Earlier that day that he had mentioned he had a special surprise for me. I remember thinking who does that! Who tells someone that they have a “special surprise” a.k.a JOKE to play on them. I spent the rest of the day watching my back and worrying.

After conference was over he asked me to come outside with him. “Oh no this is it” I thought. As we got to the drive way he asked me to show him where we first kissed. As we stood in that spot he pulled out a ring box, told me how much he loved me, and asked me to marry him. I asked if he was serious and he said, “dead serious”. After what was happening sunk in I told him the answer the Lord gave me after I prayed about it weeks before. And of course a YES was tagged onto the end. 🙂 

After kissing in the drive way for awhile we decided we should go tell everyone. My parents of course knew because Ben had already asked my dad for permission.**  Ben’s parents, however, were a different story. Ben hadn’t told anyone, except his cousin/best friend/roommate, that he had bought a ring and was planning on asking me. When we showed up at his parents house and announced we were engaged no body believed us. (Keep in mind that I had only been home from my mission 5 weeks!) They inspected the ring to see if it came out of a cracker jack box and told Ben they knew his humor and didn’t think this was funny. Finally Ben’s dad said, “I don’t care if it’s real or not I’m getting a granddaughter.” (Ben’s dad loves babies.) After every thing settled down they believed us and were in shock to say the least. (A happy shock I’d like to think.) 🙂 

Three months later we were married in the Salt Lake Temple and it has been BLISS ever since. 

Thanks Ben for loving me!!

**Funny story- Ben had called me a couple weeks previous to him proposing asking for my dad’s phone number. He claimed that he had information for my dad about his truck that needed to be fixed. I didn’t bat an eye. A few days later while with my family I asked my dad if Ben had ever called him. He said, “No, what for?” I responded, “Oh he was going to ask you for permission to marry me!” Both my parents’ mouth dropped open as they stared me down. I started laughing and told them to relax I was just kidding. There was no way we would get engaged so soon. 

Little did I know that Ben had in fact called and talked to my dad. They knew already! We all still laugh thinking about how right I was with out even knowing it.

If one more **** person runs into my car…

…they would probably improve it. 

HOT!

Yes, I know I can’t believe I drive it either! I try to forget what it looks like while I’m inside it.  My level of disgust is equal to the level of Ben’s pride. I should have known what would happen if our car was ever wrecked. Just look at Ben’s old car. (Notice the different color driver’s door.)

It was fate.

7 Months (2 weeks ago)

Hallie turned 7 months old almost two weeks ago. (Better late than never–I’ve been busy believe it or not.)

DSCN2078

  • She crawls ALL over the apartment.
  • She pulls herself up using anything she can find. (I’m sure she will be walking by 9 months.)
  • She has become a little pintcher. (ouch, they hurt!!)
  • She is as happy as she has ever been.
  • She still sleeps only with me.
  • She is as clingy as ever.
  • She eats peas, squash, fresh bananas, and carrots. (carrots are by far her favorite.)
  • She doesn’t like peaches, pears, prunes.
  • She has discovered the flower headbands on her head and pulls them off to my dismay.
  • She squints when she smiles. Soooo cute!!
  • She is getting more hair but it’s blond so it is almost invisable.
  • She has dark blue eyes
  • She is still the queen of cat naps.
  • She loves little kids and other babies.
  • She has the most hilarious laugh. (I will post a video later.)
  • She gets into EVERYTHING.
  • She already knows how to unroll the toilet paper. (stand up using the toilet, reach over and play with roll until some comes loose. Then PULL.) It was like Disneyland for her. She was all smiles and laughs…..until I took it away and washed her hands-she touched the toilet!!
  • She is the best part of our lives!

Mac Virgin

On my last post I announced the fact that instead of using the money from the insurance company to fix our door we used the money to buy an iMac computer. (Don’t worry I’ve come to grips with being white trash and driving a car with a different colored door.)

After I consented to buying the new computer Ben became ecstatic. (F.Y.I Ben doesn’t get excited about anything really.) I was very amused at Ben’s excitement because I hadn’t seen him get that excited since our wedding night. 😉 So naturally I started calling him a Mac virgin.

A week after our car was hit we couldn’t wait any longer to get our new computer. We went to Best Buy but they, surprisingly, were out of iMacs. Next, we headed to the Apple store (40 min. drive). We walked in told them what we wanted and didn’t wait to hear any of the salesman’s tactics. Ben had done his research! The sales guy couldn’t get the surprised look off his face. (I doubt he had many sells as easy as ours.) Here are some pictures:

Mac store

Mac store

We LOVE our new computer!!!

P.S. Thanks Mom and Dad for the old laptop. It got me through College and beyond. You guys take such good care of me!! Toe Heart

What are the odds?!

We have lived in DC for about 9 months now and we are LOVING it.  We love the diversity of people, the weather, the shopping, the historical sites, all the trees, and most of all our ward. However, there is one thing that we do NOT care for- the drivers!  In the nine months that we have lived here our car has been hit 4, count them 4, times!! We checked to see if there was a sign written on our car that says, “Hit me.” but there isn’t. People must just have it out for Toyota Camrys.

My parents bought me the Camry when I was 16. It is a 1996 green family machine. And I just have to say that I am attached to it. It was seriously the best car that my parents could have bought me. (Thanks Mom and Dad!)  Anyway back to the story.

We had been in Virginia for maybe a week when a girl rear ended us while waiting at a stop light. Don’t worry she didn’t have her driver’s license! Lucky us the damage was minimal. No money collected.

The second time happened while at Church. We came out to a hand written note informing us that a truck had backed into the front of our car. They were sincerely sorry and had even left a phone number for us to call. After checking out the damages we took one look at our car (pay attention to the hood in the pictures) and decided that it wouldn’t be worth the hassle to get the insurances involved. Strike #2!!

The third was quite the doosy. Again the setting is the Church parking lot. This time after a Women’s Conference on a Saturday. Hallie and I, along with my friend Stacey, were walking out to my car when we WATCHED a Ford F150 back into the driver’s door. I was in shock as I watched my car just fold in. After the shock and frustration wore off we decided to turn our “bad luck” into a “dream come true”  (Ben’s dream come true. I will blog about this later.) With the money from the insurance company we are going to buy a junk yard door and Ben will install it and with the excess money we bought an iMac computer. (Like how we bought the computer before we fixed the car.) 🙂

(Written by Ben) The fourth time happened just a week after the door got smashed in. I (Ben) was waiting to turn left at a stoplight when a an old Chevy Lumina, loaded with four black guys, ran into the back of me. The hit was harder than the first time we had been rear-ended so I thought it must have cracked the bumper. I got out and saw that there was no noticeable damage other than more lost paint (not unusual on our car). The driver was very apologetic and asked me not to report it (I thought this was reasonable since the damage was so minimal and the car so ugly). I told him to get his driver’s license and insurance card so I could write down his info. He didn’t have either (he had some BS story about why, but I didn’t pay close attention).

I decided to call the police and report the accident (at this point I was back in the car). As soon as I did two guys got out of the Lumina and popped the trunk. They loaded up a green duffle bag with who knows what and tore off down the road on foot. The other two guys sped off in the car (I forgot to mention they had handed me their registration certificate—I was still holding it as they sped off). I reported everything as it was happening.

The dispatcher told me to stay put—totally rained on my first chance to go on a high-speed pursuit. I listened on the phone as the dispatcher radiod back and forth with other police officers. She told me they had a trooper in pursuit right as I reported it. I swear it was 10 minutes later when the trooper flew by me with lights and sirens blaring. I sat there for 45 minutes before the dispatcher told me they couldn’t find the “suspects” and the trooper was en route back to me.

In the end, I got nothing but a “Good job son. Thanks for calling.” That made me feel safe and protected! 😉

    Poor car!

    smashed car

    where'd the paint go?

    Tagged by Lindsey

    My five 8 things: (In no particular order.)

    8 Things I Did Yesterday:

    1. Took a nap with Hallie
    2. Went over to Stacey’s
    3. Cut out and started sewing my “project” (will post pictures later)
    4. Went to Young Women’s
    5. Ate a piece of cake AND a brownie
    6. Snuggled with Ben
    7. Checked blogs
    8. Talked to my BF on the phone

    8 Movies I Love To Watch:

    1. Borne movies
    2. Penelope
    3. A Walk to Remember
    4. Iron Man
    5. Swiss family Robinson
    6. Madagascar
    7. Step Up 2
    8. The Fugitive


    8 Things On My Wish List/Look forward to:

    1. Hallie sleeping by herself
    2. Furniture
    3. Perfect Health
    4. Beach Vacation
    5. New Car
    6. House with a yard
    7. More kids (ones that sleep!)
    8. Debt free

    8 TV shows I like to watch:

    1. Lost
    2. American Idol
    3. College Football
    4. Little House on the Prairie
    5. Oprah
    6. Regis and Kelly
    7. Rachael Ray
    8. Martha Stewart

    8 Favorite Restaurants

    1. Applebees
    2. Cafe Rio
    3. Chile’s
    4. Wendys
    5. Boston Market
    6. Famous Dave’s
    7. Panera Bread
    8. Chic-Fil-A


    Fun Little Game

    Here is a little bit of fun…..

    Here is how it works-the 1st 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive at some point during this year a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive is a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment here write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going( or cut and paste..no one will judge you, cause that is what I did). Then come back and let me know you are going to play, and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift. Remember only the 1st 3 will qualify. Good Luck!!!

    Half a Year Old

    Hallie Bug

    Hallie is now 6 months old. I can’t believe it.

    Here are her stats:

    Weight: 16 lbs 7 oz. (66%)

    Height: 25 inches (55%)

    Hallie can roll over back to tummy and tummy to back. She can also scoot and spin circles on her tummy. Any time she is by us and on the floor she reaches for our hands because she knows we will pull her up so she can walk around. That is her favorite new thing-walking around (holding our hands of course). Hallie’s new foods are peas and carrots. (Yummy!) I know I’ve said this before but she really does get more personality every day.

    Benton, Brittany, Hallie and Kyle