DC & Engagement Pics

So we went to DC to meet up with some missionaries that I served with. It was fun. It was a long trip, but so worth it. I got to spend quite a bit of time with Chelsea Cordell, one of the sisters I trained. I also got to spend a lot of time with Craig & there is nothing that is better than that.

Craig had the awesome idea of taking engagement pictures at the DC Temple since that is where our parents were sealed. So here are some of those pics.

It's Christmas

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, for sure.

2. Real tree or artificial? I've always had an artificial one, but next year we're going to have a real one.

3. When do you put up the tree? Last Sunday afternoon

4. Do you like eggnog? Ewww, nope

5. Favorite gift received as a child? I got lots of cool things as kid. I'm not sure I could narrow it down to one.

6. Hardest person to buy for? My Mom

7. Easiest person to buy for? The little boys

8. Do you have a nativity scene? No I don't. I should add that to my list.

9. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? Christmas cards? I should work on that.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Hmmmmm, I don't know.

11. Favorite Christmas movie? The Santa Clause

12. When do you start shopping? Black Friday usually

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Who hasn't?

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sausage cheese balls

15. Lights on the tree? Heck yeah

16. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star this year.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Morning, or whatever day my dad isn't on duty

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crazy traffic

22. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? To be with the ones I love

Thanksgiving

We had such a good time camping for Thanksgiving. We spent all week at Jekyll Island. Craig came with me & we had such a blast. Turkey was so good. My Dad smoked it. Playing with the kids was the best. Tag at the playground is a tradition I had missed terribly. You don't realize how much you miss the little things until you aren't there for them. Being gone for 18 months was hard, even though it was worth it. So I intended to enjoy every minute of my family time at Thanksgiving, and I did. It was a good time. A little cold, but that gave us a chance to sit around the fire. We played more DS than I have my entire life. 8 people playing Mario Kart is one heck of an adventure.
Black Friday: oh I missed getting up before the sun and going with Alice & Melissa to fight the crowds at Wal-Mart. Ok, really watching Melissa fight the crowds is how it really goes down. I had missed that too. I got some good deals. Got quite a bit of my Christmas shopping done as well. It was great. I love my family. How grateful I am for the knowledge of being sealed for ever.

It's Official

Well, it's official. Craig & I are engaged!!! It happened last night & it was so sweet. Here's how the day unfolded:
First of all I was sick. Craig came & took care of me & took me to the doctor. He dropped me off at home after my appointment & "went to see his parents." At least that's what he told me. Little did I know he was running another kind of errand.
I was sleeping on the couch when there was a knock at the door. I groggily answered the door to see Craig who brought me Gatorade and Dawson's Creek (I was missing the 6th season).
Then he went back out to the car & came in with a dozen roses:
8 yellow ones for the 8 hours we spent talking the very first time we hung out
3 red roses for the 3 months we had been dating
1 white rose for the eternity we would spend together.
He got on one knee and asked me to marry him.
Of course I said yes, through my tears. It was the sweetest thing ever.

I'm really excited. I could not ask for a better fiance. He's truly the love of my life. He is such an amazing man. I'm look forward to a wonderful life & eternity with him.

Wedding updates to follow regularly.

Blogging

So I'm new to blogging, but it seems to be a good way to keep a journal. I'm so bad about doing that. Plus it's fun to keep up with my friends & what they are doing.
Life is so good right now:

Cool house, GREAT boyfriend, good job, awesome friends. It doesn't get much better. School is going pretty well considering it's been 4 years since I've been. Nothing like jumping right back in, right? Right!

Life after a mission is an interesting thing, but I think I'm slowly figuring it out. I've been home for 10 months now. My last companion comes home in 4 weeks. Talk about how time flies. Companions and DL's are getting married & life is just wizzing by. Sometimes I sit & think about how life was less complicated on a mission. But as uncomplicated as it might have seemed compared to "real" life, I wouldn't trade real life for anything in the world. I learned so much about myself on my mission, and continue to learn about myself in the "real" world.

This will be fun. This whole blogging thing. I think I could get used to it.