Mojo and I have a new nephew! Casten was born on Monday. Here are a few pictures :)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Engagements!
Mojo and I are getting ready to take our engagement tomorrow. I'm really excited about them! Our photographer is Ryan Pearson. I found him at a bridal show with my sister's and he is amazing. You can find some of his stuff here. We're taking our engagement downtown and hoping that the weather works out for us.
We're meeting him at the Salt Lake Library (one of my favorite buildings) and then we're taking pictures there and he says he has a few other places in mind.
BIG thanks to my best friend Syd for helping me to pick out coordinating outfits. We are going to look fabulous. She's also consented to spending an hour and a half of her time to come with us and make sure we look good at all times. Thank you Sydney!
Also, I need a big shout out to Mojo's sister S. She gave me the excellent idea of going to the Mac counter at Nordstrom to have my make-up done for the pictures tomorrow. I'm excited to not have to worry about that-make-up has never been my forte.
Also, I have to thank my co-workers for being so willing to let me take off a few hours early tomorrow. It really means a lot to me.
I praying for good weather and that everything turns out well. And then Mojo and I are packing up and heading out of town for the weekend to sunny St. George. We're both really excited for this much needed vacation!
We're meeting him at the Salt Lake Library (one of my favorite buildings) and then we're taking pictures there and he says he has a few other places in mind.
BIG thanks to my best friend Syd for helping me to pick out coordinating outfits. We are going to look fabulous. She's also consented to spending an hour and a half of her time to come with us and make sure we look good at all times. Thank you Sydney!
Also, I need a big shout out to Mojo's sister S. She gave me the excellent idea of going to the Mac counter at Nordstrom to have my make-up done for the pictures tomorrow. I'm excited to not have to worry about that-make-up has never been my forte.
Also, I have to thank my co-workers for being so willing to let me take off a few hours early tomorrow. It really means a lot to me.
I praying for good weather and that everything turns out well. And then Mojo and I are packing up and heading out of town for the weekend to sunny St. George. We're both really excited for this much needed vacation!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The proposal--Kari's Perspective
So, first off don't I have the cutest fiance ever? His post about the proposal was adorable.
So here's my version. Friday 2/4/11 Morgan suggested we go on a date on Saturday of the next week, I asked him why we didn't just go on a date that Saturday and he said he would rather do it in a week. That was my first indication that it might be happening soon. The next thing to give me hope about Saturday was that Morgan and I visted my parents house Monday night. My mom, my little sister, Morgan and I were all downstairs talking when he said he had to use the restroom and started to head upstairs. My little sister pointed out that he could use the bathroom downstairs and he said he needed to recycle his soda bottle. My mom informed him that my parents have a recycling but it was only for cans. We were not making it easy for him. Finally he said he would just take the bottle out to the recycling bin outside and use the restroom upstairs. To be honest I didn't really pick up on anything until he had been "going to the bathroom" for quite sometime that I started to get suspicious. Especially because I could hear male voice coming from my dad's office upstairs. So, I snuck to the bottom of the stairs and I could hear that they were talking about how much programmers make....interesting. I was pretty sure by this point that he was asking for my hand. As we were driving home he made up some story about helping my dad with his iphone. I didn't believe him.
But my dreams of a proposal on Saturday were crushed when I spoke with my sister on Wednesday. She told me that when Morgan and I had to been to their house on Sunday they had asked when the proposal was going to be and she said that Morgan had told them that the ring was discontinued and that it was going to be weeks before he would be able to get one (this was lie #1).
That bummed me out pretty badly but I still had some hope because Morgan had been acting....different. I'm not sure how to explain it but he was acting more mischievous then usual. That brings us to Wednesday night. I was over at Morgans house and an add for Kay jewelers came on. That's where my rings from and so I leaned over to Morgan and asked in my sweetest voice if it was going to happen soon. He told me pretty much the same story that my sister had, that the ring was discontinued and that he had to call the stores and try to find one. Well I was crushed! I had been so sure that it was going to happen. To add on top of that a friend of ours invited us to his cabin on Saturday so Morgan cancelled our date saying we could do it any other time I was crushed.
After that I was pretty convinced it wasn't happening. Morgan suggested that for my birthday (which is today) we go out just the two of us on Friday and then we can celebrate with everyone else on my actual birthday. I agreed and looking back he was really excited for this date he wouldn't stop talking about it. That should have been an indicator to me but I didn't make the connection.
I spoke with my sister Friday morning and she made sure I didn't think it was going to happen. She told me that I should read to much into anything because I was just going to get my hopes up and then they would be crushed when it didn't happen. I must admit she was good. So I went on the date determined not to read into anything that happened.
Morgan picked me up that night and brought me beautiful flowers. He wouldn't tell me where we were going to dinner but as we were dring down 33rd I guessed it. He took me to the restaurant we went to on our first date. This amazing little Chinese place, it was delicious of course. Then we started driving around (oh I should mention on the way to dinner he told me his friends were going to see mega mind that night and that maybe we should go see it with them-that worked in throwing me off the scent even more.) After we had been driving for a bit we passed the Grand America. I mentioned to Morgan that I loved that building and had always wanted to stay there that led us to talk about our favorite buildings downtown. I said that I loved the temple and he suggested that we go visit our park. (Its actually city creek park-we refer to it as our park because that's where morgan told me he loved me for the first time) It was then that I put all the pieces together and realized it was happening tonight. We parked the car and as we were getting out I saw Morgan tuck something into his coat. Then as we walked around temple square (we went there first) he would never let me hold his left hand-it always stayed in his coat pocket. That was the last sign I needed. I knew it was coming.
We enjoyed temple square and went to both visitors center. We also went and saw the Christus-and while Morgan was thinking about how much he loves me I was thinking about the ring :) we headed over to the park and sat down on "our" bench. After a little bit he told me he had a present for me. And he pulls a box of cumming chocolates from his coat (my favorite chocolates) I'll admit I was little disappointed. I thought he was going to pull out the ring box. Well I opened the chocolates and in the dark I saw that a few chocolates were missing and in their place there was a little black box. Morgan reached over, took the box and got down on one knee. At this point I was tearing up and so was he.
It was a beautiful moment. I have found my prince charming and am so excited to be able to soend the rest of this life and the eternities together. I love you Morgan Joseph!
Monday, February 14, 2011
The Proposal -- Morgan's Perspective
I feel that both Kari and I felt that marriage was the right decision well before I ever asked her to marry me, but we waited until the right moment to make it official.
The Ring
We went ring shopping a few months ago are more of a fun date and Kari found a ring that she fell in love with instantly. We visited other stores to see what selection they had but Kari would lean over to me and just say, "I liked the other ring better." No other ring matched up, so I knew that was the ring that I would buy her when the timing was right.
Fast-forward a few months and it is just at the start of the year. I had been thinking about that ring quite a bit and I just wanted to see the ring online. To my dismay, all I saw was "This ring is out of stock." I started to get a little nervous and so I decided to call the store that we had visited earlier. The person working told me that I was just 2 days too late. Someone had snatched up the ring just before me. Kari loved the ring so I knew that there was no other ring that would do, so I asked them if they had any other stores with the ring or if they knew if the online store would have any more in the future. They directed me to the online customer support line and the news wasn't good. I asked if the ring was going to be in stock soon, and the reply was that the ring may be discontinued. There was a ray of light, however. They said that with the model number, I could have the ring made and delivered to any store or mailed to me, but with orders like that, I know that it does take a lot of time, and because I would be requesting a single ring, that the price tag would go up quite a bit. I decided to think about it before I made any decisions.
On Thursday February 3rd, I was walking to class and I started to think about the ring. I made the decision that I was going to just get online and find the model number so that one of the stores could make it for me regardless of cost or time. I knew how much both Kari and I loved the ring. Thank goodness for Internet-connected smart phones, because I went to the website to find the number, and lo and behold, the ring was in stock. I was amazed and I knew that I had to act on this as quickly as I could. I bought the ring right from my telephone's Internet browser thanking my Heavenly Father for inspiring me to look at that moment because after I walked into class and opened up the same website on my laptop, all I could see was, "This ring is out of stock." I had gotten the last ring, if not only ring available through their website. I was thrilled and then came to all the planning about how I would ask the love of my life to be with me for the eternities.
Preparation for the Big Question
We visited Kari's sister and brother-in-law's house the Sunday that followed my purchase of the ring. We love visiting them and they are so generous to us. We love playing with their two boys and have a great time doing Family Home Evening with them because of the great activities that Heidi, Kari's sister, prepares. Kari and I arrived at the house while the younger of the two boys was taking a nap. After playing and talking with everyone for a while, Heidi told Kari that she could go in and wake up the youngest boy from his nap. I look back on this now and realize how this may have been planned because the moment that Kari stepped out of the room, it was like lions on a wounded gazelle with questions about when I was going to propose. The ring itself was still being resized but I informed them that I would be receiving it soon and that I would ask the big question some time later that week. Tyler, covering up for the conversation, slyly made loud observations about how his son could sleep through everything. Kari was non-the-wiser.
I didn't know at the time, but telling them worked out very well for me because Heidi was able to convince Kari that I wouldn't have the ring for a while because it had been discontinued and would take a while to make.
The ring arrived on Wednesday and all I wanted to do was to give it to her. It was killing me to have it locked up in our house when it should be sitting on the finger of the woman that I love and want to spend all of eternity with. But we were watching TV together and there was an ad for the company that makes her ring. I told Kari that I really needed to call the company and have them start making the ring because it would take a while to produce and send. I unwittingly had made my story fit perfectly with what Heidi had told her so Kari was convinced that our date scheduled on Saturday would not result in her coming home wearing some extra jewelry.
But like I said, having the ring but not being able to give it to her was painful. So when our friend John invited us to his cabin for that night, I jumped on the invitation and told Kari that maybe we could go on our date Friday instead of Saturday. I wanted to get that ring on her as quickly as possible. And it didn't take long until Friday had arrived.
The Warmup
Kari has gotten me addicted to Carmel Apple Spices. This is basically hot apple cider with carmel, cream and a few spices. It was a drink that she introduced to me in Boston when it was cold and all I wanted was something warm to thaw my bones. So to start out the day, I visited Kari at work and brought her a CAS. She was thrilled and had me say hello to her coworkers. I didn't stay long because I had a bit to do before the date that evening.
I stopped by Kari's favorite chocolate shop and picked up a pound of her favorite chocolates. This would play and integral part of the delivery of the ring.
The Date
I didn't tell Kari where we were going to go for dinner, but we were only about halfway to the restaurant before she knew. I took her to the restaurant we went to on our first date which we both loved and hadn't returned to since the first date called the Shanghai Cafe. We had a great dinner and after we were filled to the brim with delicious food, we got back into the car and began to drive.
I already had the destination in mind but our conversation led us to talk about the beautiful buildings around Salt Lake. Kari has always liked the Grand American and I talked about our Courthouse. But Kari soon said that she loved the Temple and I knew that I could use this as a segue into taking her to the City Creek Park across from the church office building which is where I told Kari that I loved her for the first time.
We got out of the car and walked around Temple Square for a while. We stopped in the visitor center to warm up and look around and then made our way across the Square into the North Visitor Center. We walked up to the Christus and sat together for a few minutes. Sitting in front of this welcoming statue of our Savior brought the Spirit to us and helped me to realize how much I loved this woman who helps me to better myself and develop my relationship with my Father in Heaven and His Son. I could barely hold in my excitement and we walked downstairs and out of the Visitors Center to walk up to "our park."
We walked up the stairs and across the bridge and then moved over to the benches. We sat a talked for a few moments before I told her that I had gotten her a gift. I pulled out the wrapped box of chocolates and handed them over to Kari. She opened the wrapping paper and then the box to grab a chocolate, but she found that there was another box, small and black, sitting among the chocolates. It was somewhat dark so she couldn't tell what it was from the start, but I grabbed the boxed ring, opened it, got on one knee and looked into her beautiful eyes. I could already feel tears start coming to my eyes and the speech about how much I loved her and how I wanted to spend eternity with her left my mind. The only words that I could force out of my lips was, "Kari Fletcher, will you marry me?"
It was the happiest moment of my life when she kissed me and said, "yes." I love my Kare Bear with all my heart and I so look forward to the day when we can say, "let's go home," and say goodnight right next to the most amazing woman that has even been a part of my life. And on May 11, 2011, I will be married and sealed to her for time and all eternity.
The Ring
We went ring shopping a few months ago are more of a fun date and Kari found a ring that she fell in love with instantly. We visited other stores to see what selection they had but Kari would lean over to me and just say, "I liked the other ring better." No other ring matched up, so I knew that was the ring that I would buy her when the timing was right.
Fast-forward a few months and it is just at the start of the year. I had been thinking about that ring quite a bit and I just wanted to see the ring online. To my dismay, all I saw was "This ring is out of stock." I started to get a little nervous and so I decided to call the store that we had visited earlier. The person working told me that I was just 2 days too late. Someone had snatched up the ring just before me. Kari loved the ring so I knew that there was no other ring that would do, so I asked them if they had any other stores with the ring or if they knew if the online store would have any more in the future. They directed me to the online customer support line and the news wasn't good. I asked if the ring was going to be in stock soon, and the reply was that the ring may be discontinued. There was a ray of light, however. They said that with the model number, I could have the ring made and delivered to any store or mailed to me, but with orders like that, I know that it does take a lot of time, and because I would be requesting a single ring, that the price tag would go up quite a bit. I decided to think about it before I made any decisions.
On Thursday February 3rd, I was walking to class and I started to think about the ring. I made the decision that I was going to just get online and find the model number so that one of the stores could make it for me regardless of cost or time. I knew how much both Kari and I loved the ring. Thank goodness for Internet-connected smart phones, because I went to the website to find the number, and lo and behold, the ring was in stock. I was amazed and I knew that I had to act on this as quickly as I could. I bought the ring right from my telephone's Internet browser thanking my Heavenly Father for inspiring me to look at that moment because after I walked into class and opened up the same website on my laptop, all I could see was, "This ring is out of stock." I had gotten the last ring, if not only ring available through their website. I was thrilled and then came to all the planning about how I would ask the love of my life to be with me for the eternities.
Preparation for the Big Question
We visited Kari's sister and brother-in-law's house the Sunday that followed my purchase of the ring. We love visiting them and they are so generous to us. We love playing with their two boys and have a great time doing Family Home Evening with them because of the great activities that Heidi, Kari's sister, prepares. Kari and I arrived at the house while the younger of the two boys was taking a nap. After playing and talking with everyone for a while, Heidi told Kari that she could go in and wake up the youngest boy from his nap. I look back on this now and realize how this may have been planned because the moment that Kari stepped out of the room, it was like lions on a wounded gazelle with questions about when I was going to propose. The ring itself was still being resized but I informed them that I would be receiving it soon and that I would ask the big question some time later that week. Tyler, covering up for the conversation, slyly made loud observations about how his son could sleep through everything. Kari was non-the-wiser.
I didn't know at the time, but telling them worked out very well for me because Heidi was able to convince Kari that I wouldn't have the ring for a while because it had been discontinued and would take a while to make.
The ring arrived on Wednesday and all I wanted to do was to give it to her. It was killing me to have it locked up in our house when it should be sitting on the finger of the woman that I love and want to spend all of eternity with. But we were watching TV together and there was an ad for the company that makes her ring. I told Kari that I really needed to call the company and have them start making the ring because it would take a while to produce and send. I unwittingly had made my story fit perfectly with what Heidi had told her so Kari was convinced that our date scheduled on Saturday would not result in her coming home wearing some extra jewelry.
But like I said, having the ring but not being able to give it to her was painful. So when our friend John invited us to his cabin for that night, I jumped on the invitation and told Kari that maybe we could go on our date Friday instead of Saturday. I wanted to get that ring on her as quickly as possible. And it didn't take long until Friday had arrived.
The Warmup
Kari has gotten me addicted to Carmel Apple Spices. This is basically hot apple cider with carmel, cream and a few spices. It was a drink that she introduced to me in Boston when it was cold and all I wanted was something warm to thaw my bones. So to start out the day, I visited Kari at work and brought her a CAS. She was thrilled and had me say hello to her coworkers. I didn't stay long because I had a bit to do before the date that evening.
I stopped by Kari's favorite chocolate shop and picked up a pound of her favorite chocolates. This would play and integral part of the delivery of the ring.
The Date
I didn't tell Kari where we were going to go for dinner, but we were only about halfway to the restaurant before she knew. I took her to the restaurant we went to on our first date which we both loved and hadn't returned to since the first date called the Shanghai Cafe. We had a great dinner and after we were filled to the brim with delicious food, we got back into the car and began to drive.
I already had the destination in mind but our conversation led us to talk about the beautiful buildings around Salt Lake. Kari has always liked the Grand American and I talked about our Courthouse. But Kari soon said that she loved the Temple and I knew that I could use this as a segue into taking her to the City Creek Park across from the church office building which is where I told Kari that I loved her for the first time.
We got out of the car and walked around Temple Square for a while. We stopped in the visitor center to warm up and look around and then made our way across the Square into the North Visitor Center. We walked up to the Christus and sat together for a few minutes. Sitting in front of this welcoming statue of our Savior brought the Spirit to us and helped me to realize how much I loved this woman who helps me to better myself and develop my relationship with my Father in Heaven and His Son. I could barely hold in my excitement and we walked downstairs and out of the Visitors Center to walk up to "our park."
We walked up the stairs and across the bridge and then moved over to the benches. We sat a talked for a few moments before I told her that I had gotten her a gift. I pulled out the wrapped box of chocolates and handed them over to Kari. She opened the wrapping paper and then the box to grab a chocolate, but she found that there was another box, small and black, sitting among the chocolates. It was somewhat dark so she couldn't tell what it was from the start, but I grabbed the boxed ring, opened it, got on one knee and looked into her beautiful eyes. I could already feel tears start coming to my eyes and the speech about how much I loved her and how I wanted to spend eternity with her left my mind. The only words that I could force out of my lips was, "Kari Fletcher, will you marry me?"
It was the happiest moment of my life when she kissed me and said, "yes." I love my Kare Bear with all my heart and I so look forward to the day when we can say, "let's go home," and say goodnight right next to the most amazing woman that has even been a part of my life. And on May 11, 2011, I will be married and sealed to her for time and all eternity.
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