Showing posts with label Adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adventures. Show all posts

12.31.2012

Engagement Story

The Story by Me:
I knew Devin had planned a date for this night, but I didn't expect it to be a date filled with a proposal. It was the Thursday before Fall Break, and for some reason I was sure that the proposal would happen over the break while we were up north visiting my sister. 
I first started to get suspicious that this wasn't just any other date when Devin arrived to pick me up. I noticed that he had changed his shirt from what he was wearing earlier that day. Small detail, I know, but it seemed out of the normal to me. Then he blindfolded me and took me to the car, and I remember strongly smelling fresh flowers as I sat waiting for him to get into the driver's seat. This definitely added to my suspicions. 
I knew we were going up the mountain even though I couldn't see because I could feel the winding mountain road. I may even have made a joke about him taking me somewhere into the mountains to kill me. When we finally stopped he lead me to a perfect little picnic spot he had set up. 

He had went to St. George earlier that day, for what I had believed was to have work on his car done, and he was so kind to pick up bowtie chicken ceasar salad (one of my favorites) from the Pasta Factory for our picnic. 
We sat and ate and talked about things that I can't even remember now. I could tell he was nervous which made me nervous. Not a bad  nervous... but an anxious nervous. 
Finally he told me that he had a present for me. And he pulled out a box of Toms. As I opened the box I saw a pair of toms custom painted with mustaches and the phrase across the feet "I mustache you a question."
As I looked over to see what the question could be Devin got down on his knee and said some really sweet things, (which I also can't really remember; I was too much in shock) and asked me to marry him.
 I told him "of course."

  The Story by Him:
About a year and a half ago I started looking for ideas to propose to Aliza. As I was looking for options my mom noticed that Aliza had pinned a picture on pinterest of a cute picnic area underneath a tree and Aliza commented on the picture saying “I would die to have a picnic here.” This was the best idea because Aliza would have no idea what I was going to do to propose. 
So at the end of the spring semester 2012 I decided that it was time to save up money to buy a ring. So for all of the summer 2012 I worked and saved my money. As summer ended and the fall 2012 semester began I started narrowing down when I wanted to propose. After a lot of thinking I decided that October 2012 was going to be the month. I wasn’t exactly sure about what day I was going to propose due to the fact that in Cedar City you never know what the weather was going to be like. So as October began I started narrowing down days and decided upon the date of October 18th. I chose this day because it was a day or two before our fall break and we were going to visit Aliza’s sister Lindsay and her husband Greg. I thought it would be really fun to propose before we left for fall break so Aliza and Lindsay could celebrate and squeal haha. 
In order to pull of the picnic idea for the engagement I started going to stores and finding materials. The hardest item to find was an unfinished door. The door was to serve the purpose of being the table for the picnic. So now that I had all of my materials for the actual picnic I needed to buy a ring. So one weekend Aliza and I went down to St. George to go ring shopping. We first went to McCarthur Jewlers and looked at what options they had. Aliza picked out her top 3. We then went to the jewelry stores in the mall. After looking at all of our options I told Aliza I would surprise her with what one I bought when we actually got engaged. 
So the day of the engagement was here. It was the morning of October 18th, and I still had a lot to do to set up the picnic. After my morning classes I loaded up my explorer with all of the picnic material and drove up Cedar mountain to set up the picnic area. About a week before the 18th I had driven up cedar mountain to find a location and found a perfect spot. I found a spot that had a big grassy area overlooking the edge of the mountain and a grove of trees where all of the leaves on the trees were changing to beautiful yellows and oranges. It took about an hour to set up the picnic area just the way I wanted it. 
I then had to drive down the mountain to St. George to pick up the ring because It had gotten sized and all ready to go. After picking up the ring I stopped by the Pizza Factory to pick up some bowtie chicken ceasar salads to eat at the picnic. I then drove up to Cedar to pick Aliza up. I had arranged with Aliza’s roommate Sydnee for her to be the secret photographer. When I got back into Cedar I had Sydnee get in the back seat of the car while I went inside to blindfold Aliza. I then lead Aliza out of her apartment and into the explorer. 
As we drove up the canyon to the picnic area I asked Aliza if she knew where we were going, and she said she had an idea but not exactly where we were headed. When we finally reached the picnic area I lead Aliza over to the table and took her blindfold off. I served the salad and we ate and talked about how pretty the trees were and about school. After we had eaten I told Aliza I had a present for her. For the present I had painted a pair of cream toms with mustaches and on the very front of the toms I had painted the words “ I Mustache You a Question.” As she was opening the toms I got the ring box out of my pocket and got down on one knee. After she had read what the toms said I asked her if she would marry me and go on adventures with me and get old with me. Aliza said “of course” and we kissed for the first time as an engaged couple. 


Octobcer 18th, 2012


October 18, 2012 was a great day. 

I got engaged to my best friend.



I've known that I love Devin for quite sometime now. I can even say that I've known that we would get married one day for quite awhile too.(No one would say that this engagement was a surprise.) But I can't say that I can pinpoint the exact moment that I knew he was the one I was ready to spend the rest of my life with...  

It might have been when he first kissed me on the forehead during the bus ride back from senior sluff.

Or when I cried the whole drive home after dropping him off at the airport when he moved to Florida.

Or when we fled to the Cape squished in the back of Lindsay's little blue Honda Accord and he protected my head from falling pancake boxes.

Or when he visited me in the ICU; and held me until I finally could fall asleep.

Or when he thought I was at work but I was actually hidden in the back of his dad's truck nervously waiting for his flight to land.


We've had several years of dating to get to know each other. We've had our disagreements and fights, but we've always worked things out. I constantly find myself falling even more in love with Devin. 
I couldn't be more excited to finally marry this man and to be able to continue our adventures together!

8.25.2012

Moving In

I have officially moved into my apartment in Cedar City.
 I have my own bedroom, my own bathroom, and a washer/dryer right outside my door. I live with 3 other girls (Alex, Janelle, and Sydnee) and we're all 21. Our apartment is literally across the street from campus. It takes less then 5 minutes to walk from my house to any of my classes. So far I'm loving SUU! The campus is beautiful and everyone I've interacted with is wonderful!
It's great, and I'm excited for what's to come!

5.22.2012

Reunited in MA

We went to the Cape
We visited "Make way for Ducklings"
We walked in the Boston Commons
We ate delicious cannolis from Mike's Pastry shop
We spent a day on the beach
We had an authentic lobster fest
And we went to Prom!
(Just kidding - but we did get to see Janelle's little sister Alexis off to prom)

What could be better then visiting one of my most favorite cities to spend time with some of my most favorite people?! 

I dearly love these girls! We had so many laughs and had such a good time! It was like we had never been apart! 

I hope that we can continue to find ways get together for the rest of our lives! These girls are some of my very best friends!



4.09.2012

Roos N' More

Who knew that such a random zoo in such a random town would turn into such a fantastic adventure!! Animals of every kind that you are able to touch and hold. 

Just to name a few: I got to check seeing a living/breathing armadillo off of my bucket list, got to meet a friendly bearcat named Frito, got beaten by a monkey wielding half a carrot, got to hold a baby kangaroo, and got to have an otter climb into my lap. 

Since I'm not so good with words and describing all the details I'll just let the pictures do the rest of the talking. Enjoy.

And if you are interested in seeing video of my monkey beatings check out my sister's post of the day's events here.
Go ahead. Laugh at my pain. 

3.12.2012

Spring Break Ski Adventure

We had SO much fun spending a couple days of spring break up at Brianhead. Devin is pro and unfortunately for him he was stuck with my pathetic uncoordinated self. The first run was definitely scary for me and I was worried at what I had gotten myself into as I SLOWLY inched my way down the hill. But after heading to the bunnyhill and getting a few easier runs under my belt I began to feel much more comfortable.
We didn't have the best weather while we were there so we were only able to ski one day. I was kinda disappointed because I was really starting to enjoy myself! But we still had a blast watching movies and playing games in the condo.

And we couldn't miss the tradition of signing the bathroom wall.
Plus we found our names from the last time we we're up at Brianhead!
(Faded but still there! 7/4/97)

2.23.2012

Memoirs from a phone

1. Woody is quite the charmer
2. Delicious waffles from Iron Chef Cat Cora @ the Boardwalk Resort
3. Sketchy looking bloodborne pathogens pamphlet 
From Disney? Hidden Mickey bloodstain? Sorry that was too far
4. Florida roomies reppin Dad's apparel
5. My dearly beloved owl mug
6. Custom Toms for my Beatles loving sister
7. One day I decided to make a quilt. This is it
8. Roommate phone messages
"Janelle the pope called. Please call back at your leisure. 
He said you have his #"
9. The Biebs playing Buzz Lightyear
Obtaining pictures like this happen when your roomie works in Tomorrowland
10. "My favorite & my best" collage for Devin's room @ SUU
11. How the Randall boys spend Sunday afternoons
12. A beautiful castle and an empty park
13. Despicable Devin @ Universal Studios
14. The happiest carmel apples on Earth
15. Remember that one time I lived in Florida and took this picture in December
16. Even if he doesn't care...
Everyone should have a picture of The Honey Badger

1.07.2012

2011

Brought in the year dancing MJ
Had a wonderful Valentine's surprise
Made a new Diabestie
Had an epic Easter egg hunt
Graduated with my Associated Degree from Dixie State College
Turned 20
 Traveled to Europe
 Learned to make French macaroons in Paris
 Went on a Church History Tour with the Randalls/Jezeks + Erin
 Said some tough goodbyes
 Packed my stuff and moved across country
Said many new hellos
Worked at Disney World
Celebrated Halloween Pocahontas style
Saw some celebrities
Spent the holidays in the most magical place on earth

I learned a lot.
I grew a lot.
I made all sorts of decisions.
Had some bad times.
Had some even greater times.
And made many new friends.


All in all 2011 has been one heck of a year!!
A year I will definitely never forget!


Can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for me!