New Year's Eve/Carly's Birthday

My sister already blogged about this here, but here is my version of the story ;)

Around Thanksgiving, I had the thought that maybe I should go up and visit Carly for her birthday. She would be very pregnant by that point, and really not be able to celebrate like the 22 year old she would be ;) haha. So I told Jen and Mom, "Don't tell Carly, but if the weather is good we are going to go up to Rexburg for New Years' and surprise Carly!" 

So all through December I prayed and prayed that the weather would be good so we could go up. And about a week before, when I could finally check the weather, it looked good! So, I called Bryce, told him our plan, and he was in on it! Carly wanted to go to Olive Garden for dinner, and then play games after. Sounds good to me!

We left Provo around 12:30 or 1pm on the 31st, which put us in Idaho Falls (where Olive Garden was) about 4:45pm. So, we swung by Sean's Aunt Karen's house to hang out until it was time to go to the restaurant. We got to Olive Garden at 6 and they got us seated pretty quickly. But, Bryce and Carly (and Todd and Jessica) weren't there yet! So I told the waitress, "we are waiting for my sister and her husband and friends. She has long red hair and is very pregnant. She doesn't know we are here, so when they get here will you lead them back to the table?" They did, and it took Carly a minute to figure out what was going on. We both cried when she did :)

 

We had a delicious dinner (Mason had some yummy green beans and a bottle), and then drove back to Rexburg. We stopped at the store for breakfast supplies and New Years treats, then went home and played games. We played Cards Against Humanities (the edited version: Carly and Bryce went through and threw away all the questionable ones) and laughed a lot! Then we watched the countdown and went right to bed. Mason broke in Oakley's crib for her haha.

What's with all the pink, Mom?

 Happy New Year! Now let's go to bed...

The next morning we got up, watched some of the Rose Parade and ate french toast and sausage and bacon. Mason learned a new trick, and decided he likes Uncle Bryce because Uncle Bryce gives him candy ;)

He was pulling the funniest faces...

This game is called Flash Pad. If anyone wants to get it for me for my birthday, please do. 

New trick!

We left around noon or so and drove back to Provo. It was a quick trip but was so fun to surprise my sister! Little did I know I'd be headed back just 5 days later…

Oh and Mason did this all on his own that morning:

Gratitude-a-Day 19, 20, 21... and an announcement :)

Day 19: I'm grateful for surprises :)

Surprise 1: I'm engaged! To Sean Parker. He is the most wonderful man I've ever met and understands me so completely it is kinda scary. But in a good way of course.

Surprise 2: Sean totally surprised me with his proposal. I totally thought we were going to get engaged over Thanksgiving break when we went to CA to visit my parents. Nope. Apparently he skyped with my parents last week and asked for permission. 

We had already been ring shopping and had picked out the ring and stone (Custom Ring Design on 9th East in Provo. They were so awesome!) So I knew he had the ring already but I really thought I wasn't going to get it until we were in CA.

I got home from work on Friday and he was standing in my kitchen with a dozen red roses. He had printed a bunch of pictures of us and strung them across the kitchen, and was playing our song. Then he told me he had talked to my parents already, got down on one knee and proposed. I immediately started crying (well, more of a hyperventalating/crying thing, it was weird; but I was exhausted), said yes, and there you go! We are getting married March 22 in the Mount Timpanogus Temple.

(he did a really good job. i was totally surprised by the whole thing!)

Day 20: I'm grateful for Sean's family and how welcoming they were with me, right from the beginning. They are so much fun to be around and I love them.

Day 21: I'm grateful for paid time off. And that I only have to work 2 days this week and get paid for 5. Yay for vacation!