As of late in late, late June.

*I haven't blogged for a while, I think I was recovering from all this engagement excitement!  I love being engaged to the bestest man in the entire universe.  

*Speaking of which, one of my nephews got married this past Friday.

They were married up in Logan, Utah.  I'm happy for his happiness.  I wish them the very best!  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to make it up there for their wedding, but I'm grateful for all the pics I was able to see moments afterwards.  

*My whole family went up to Utah for the wedding and man, can I just say San Diego felt VERY lonely! I mean, I know I had Levi, but it's a whole different feeling when every single member of your family leaves.  I haven't really felt that since I lived up in Utah for school. I think I'm very much my father's daughter--I need family members surrounding me.  

*I had a wonderful time with Levi, this weekend.  I just love spending time with him!

*Church was good today.  I hung out with Hoddie today. Oh man, she makes me laugh!

*My very good friend Dixie came to town on Thursday.  Hermanita, Arbro, Dixie & I went to Lolita's in Bonita for some super delicious Mexican food!! Oh man, seriously, I LOOOOOOVE Mexican food

*As far as wedding plans go.... we're thinking of next spring.  I'm glad.  I'm not in a rush to start all this wedding planning craziness!!! No way, Jose!  No thanks!  This is a good thing, because it gives us a lot of time to spend at the gym.  Can I just say how much I like working out with Levi?!  Sometimes, it's a lil hard because we make each other laugh, but I'm glad we're doing this!  

*I'm looking forward to the 4th of July. I LOVE Independence Day! It's the best!  I love celebrating this great country......with bbq's....at the beach.....with fireworks!! Love it!

*Ok....I'm out! Peace!

Fiancé & Fianceé

Wow...all I can say is, WOW!!!
My beloved and I returned back from our Disney adventures today.  As I upload all the photos right now, I just can't help but think of what an AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING weekend its been.  It's been PERFECT.  I loved it all, with this man.  There were small hiccups along the way, (like rides breaking down at California Adventure park) but nothing worth fretting over.
I'll just get to the VERY good part, the most memorable part that I'll cherish in my heart forever.
We spent about 8 hours at Disneyland, took a break for dinner and shopping, then headed back for the evening firework show.  A few minutes after we arrived and found a spot, it started. I LOVE fireworks! My eyes always glisten over just a bit and I'm captivated by the pretty sights and accompanying music.  Of course it was all Disney songs, so hearing lyrics like, "A dream is a wish your heart makes...", "I can show you the world...", and "Rest your head close to my heart" makes a sappy romantic, such as myself, blissful and euphoric!
We talked about possibly riding more rides, but just thought it'd be nice to take it easy. Sleeping Beauty's castle was all lit up and looked magical against the night time sky.  We made our way towards it, but it was roped off temporarily until the Disneyland "Cast Members" received safety approval from the firemen crews, following the firework show.  Levi thought it'd be nice to take some photos in front of the castle and I thought it was nice that he was nice enough to ask approval from one of the cast members.  We waited about 5-10 minutes and every so often a cast member would pop by to reassure us that it would be any minute and they'd let us through.
I kept wondering, "Why is Levi so calm about waiting? I mean, it's a great photo opportunity, but we could always come back after riding Indiana Jones...no big deal."  Yet we waited and entertained ourselves by taking our own photos in the meanwhile...

 

Still, we waited around and I wasn't sure what to really say because Levi was so cool about the whole situation.  Soon after a head cast member came over and let us in....just the two of us.  I was wondering how he was able to score such a cool opportunity, just us two in front of the castle.  It was rather dark, and the Disney photographers were trying to tell us exactly where to stand.  With everyone else roped back, there were A LOT of people waiting to also take their photos in the very spot we were standing.{..no pressure, right?!}.  Right when the photographers were about to shoot our photo, Levi said his shoe was untied, which I thought, "Again?? That's weird!"  and when I looked down at him, he was muttering something til I realized what he was really saying... {I'll try to get it right, but crying and in shock doesn't help my memory}...holding up a lit up box with two rings in it...

"Ehu....(my full name), I've had an amazing 9 months together with you and I would like to spend forever with you..."
I just remember correcting him on the number of months, and I remember him saying "forever"...  I remember responding with a "YES!", but I think with all the people cheering, he couldn't quite hear my response.  He was still down on one knee and I wondered why he didn't get up, so with A LOT of tears streaming down my face, I ecstatically exclaimed "OF COURSE!! YES SWEETHEART!!!", then he got up and we hugged and kissed...

I just couldn't believe it!!! I kinda had a feeling it was going to happen sometime in the near future, but I never would have dreamt that it would take place at such a perfect place and  time! I was in shock!! I wanted to cry, so much.... this man asked ME to marry HIM!!! Wow!!!  I cried....We hugged...I cried...we got our photo taken....

Please excuse my face, CRYING + ECSTATIC does not equal PHOTOGENIC.  Whereas he looks wonderful, as always.  We walked around for a minute or two, but between shock and wanting to bawl, I needed to sit down.  My head and emotions were all over the place.  I just couldn't believe it!! This man, who loves me and overlooks my imperfections, wants to spend the rest of his life with ME! He reassured me and I cried even more.

I was in such disbelief that I could (and DID!) find a man that would be SO perfect for me!  He's strong when I am weak, he's patient when I want to unravel, he wants me to live up to my potential and always be myself.  How incredibly lucky am I?!?!? We sat on that bench behind us for about 30 more minutes, til we had to celebrate by doing something! So off we went to Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blaster ride...then Autopia.  Yep, we do it upright!  :)  We grabbed a mint sundae from Dreyer's and scooted off to the Disney photo shop for our pictures.  The nice cashier gave us pins to celebrate our engagement:

I'm still in shock.  It hasn't even been 24 hours, and I love this man more than ever.  Sometimes, when I look at him now, I can't help but think, "This man is going to be my HUSBAND!"  How lucky am I, that I get to love him forever and what a blessing it is to be the one loved by him.  I never dreamt that I'd get this lucky....but I did!! 

8 is GREAT!

Happy 8 months of wonderful, blissful, hilarious dating, my sweetheart!!!  

I love you more and more with each passing day!!

51 years.

 

For years, I had no clue what my Dad was doing in the photo above, til my nephew came home from his mission in the South Pacific.... But that's my Dad, the jokester.  

 

 Happy 51st Anniversary to my parents.  I hope they have a spectacular time celebrating their marriage today!! They teach me a lot about marriage.  I'm grateful that I still get to learn from and be loved by them.  I'm truly grateful that they were married 51 years ago in the Laie LDS temple, so that I can be sealed to them for time and all eternity.   What a beautiful blessing.

Butterfly Knots

Yesterday morning, I had some pretty big butterfly knots. I wasn't exactly sure why, I think it was because I had to pack and I still needed to do some laundry.  Plus, my strength is only about 70% back and my lil health "hiccup" is still a slight issue, unfortunately. 
I think at the core of it all, was the fact that I'm going to be spending the next 72 hours with Levi.  Meaning.....he's going to be the first person to see me awake in the morning.  All those stories I heard from friends waking up an hour before their spouse/partner to get ready & pretty, then jumped back into bed TOTALLY makes sense now.  I'm not hideous or anything, but that's when your guard's down and I think we can all think of how we really look like, in the morning.....I'm sure it's pretty close to my shake face photo:

Plus, I talk/mumble in my sleep...and often dream about falling off a curb, which jerks me awake.  Yep.......I guess after 8 months of being with Levi, it's about time he sees this side of me.  Shikies....