The Real Journey Begins...

Hey all! 
There's no telling what time I'm actually posting this, because I am having computer issues.  Mainly user error.  I had originally planned to show photographic evidence of the 15 answers, but turns out, most of our pictures aren't digital, and I am WAY too busy being lazy to scan them.  So, You'll have to mostly take my word for it. 


But first, let's tell the story of our "most awesome" date. 
Roon and I had been dating for a little while.  It was our first date that was just the two of us.  When Roon asked me to go out, I asked him what time he wanted to pick me up. 
Since he wanted to make it to a 7:00 movie, at a theater that was 20 minutes away, and I got out of class at 3, he said he would be there to pick me up at 3:30 or 4. 
Do you think he liked spending time with me?
My roommate had recommended a movie to me, and since there was nothing else playing that we were interested in, we chose to go see...

Photo Rights

Partly, we picked it because it was a long movie too.  Since we obviously had time to kill before the movie, we went and got some dinner.  Being a poor college student, all Roon could afford was fast food.  So, we went and ate at one of his favorites...

After dinner, we went to a nearby mall.  The term "mall" is used loosely, to describe a building that contained about 12 stores.  It took about 15 minutes to walk the entire perimeter. 

During the course of walking back and forth, we kept bumping hands.  Not necessarily on purpose.  I have a tendency to not be able to walk in a straight line, and have been known to bump hands with girls too.  One of these times, Roon grabbed my hand, and said "oops".  We held hands the remainder of the time. 

Once we got bored with doing laps, we went and found a bench outside one of the stores, and sat, and talked until we had to leave to make it to the movie on time.  This bench became "our" bench.  It was here that we talked about my parents' divorce, where he told me about his mission, and where I mercilessly teased him for thinking I was 'out of his league'. 

During the movie, he put his arm around me, and we held hands the whole time. 

After the movie, we drove around aimlessly for a while, because neither one of us wanted to go home until we absolutely had to.  He "happened" to find the Idaho Falls temple, and we got out and walked the grounds and talked some more, until it got too cold. 

He reluctantly drove me home after that. 

So, the winner of my little game, wins a Taco Bell giftcard, 2 movie passes, and a copy of the Green Mile to add to their collection. 

Cool, right?

Now, for a little treat, I have prepared (with Roon's help, because computers hate me) a slideshow with some pictures from our special day.  Some of them, even answer some of the questions! 

The music, is a parody that my little brother, Banny, wrote especially for our 10th anniversary.  It is him singing it too.  Isn't he awesome? 

All the stories that make up the song, are stories from our courtship and marriage.  Makes me cry every time I listen to it.  ENJOY!

Here are the answers to the questions:

Were Sami's shoes comfortable?
Very much so!  I wore Tennis shoes. 

Were Roon and Sami's rings yellow gold?
No.  Our rings are white gold, and I picked them both out.
Did Sami have a bachelorette party?
Yes.  The night before my wedding, my sisters and a few friends threw me a bachelorette party.  I thought there was just going to be some snacks, some gifts, and maybe a chick flick.  Little did I know, one of my friends had convinced some male friends of hers to come over to surprise me.  I'm so naive, I didn't know what the Monopoly money the girls gave me was for.  Turns out, the guys were there to serve as strippers.  Not COMPLETELY naked, but enough to traumatize the poor virgin bride-to-be. 
Did Sami have a maid of honor?
No.  I had 3 bridesmaids.  My two sisters and my best friend from the time I was 5.  I asked my best friend to serve as my Maid Of Honor, but she declined.  She didn't want to take the honor away from one of my sisters.  My older sister, Meg, gave the toast at my reception, but officially, I did NOT have a Maid Of Honor. 
Was the backdrop made out of styrofoam?
It most certainly WAS!  It was custom designed for me, by my dad and a good friend of his (who used to teach drama set design, and was therefore very good at building mobile sets that were very lightweight)  They built an AMAZING backdrop for the reception, complete with an archway, and a personalized sign.  ALL OUT OF STYROFOAM!!! 
Did Roon have a bachelor party?
No.  This has been a major sore spot for him.  His father and brothers offered to take him to HOOTERS for a 'bachelor party' the night before the wedding, but he declined.  He felt it was more important to go to bed early, so he would be wide awake and alert for the ceremony.  He was pretty mad when he found out that I was out until after 1 am. 
Did we get married in the morning?
We DID get married in the morning.  Our ceremony time was set for something like 9:15.  We were supposed to be to the Temple by 8:15 or a little bit before that.  This was the main reason why Roon was mad that I had stayed out so late.  We planned it for the morning, so we could have plenty of time to take pictures, and have a luncheon, and still have time to get back to my hometown to finish up preparations for the reception the next day. 
Were the centerpieces made of flowers?
No.  My centerpieces were little glass bowls filled with water, and a beta fish.  This was one of the only wedding details I got excited about. 
Did Sami help make the bridesmaids' dresses?
Yes I did!  I picked the pattern, and had a woman from my church who used to teach Home Economics help me.  I spent several days over at her house working on them.  I learned how to use a surger, and I didn't ruin anything!  They turned out pretty well, even if the bridesmaids hated them, and mocked them mercilessly. 
Did we exchange rings at the wedding ceremony?
No.  Since most of my family could not attend the ceremony (because they were non members, or too young) we opted to have a ring exchange ceremony at the luncheon following the ceremony. 
Did Sami and Roon have a honeymoon?
We did!  My mom found a good deal on trips to Reno, Nevada, so that is where we went.  We stayed at the Sands Regency hotel for about a week.  Since Roon wasn't old enough to rent a car, everything we did had to be within walking distance.  I wasn't 21 yet, so I was technically not allowed in the casinos since alcohol was being served there.  It was very interesting...
One funny thing about going to Reno for our honeymoon, was that 4 years later, in the same town, Bubble was born.  We were living in Fallon, Nevada at the time, and my high risk specialists were in Reno, so it was like a second honeymoon!  Er, somethin...
Was there alcohol at the reception?
No sir!  This is very odd for a wedding reception in my family (as most of my relatives like their booze) but we had our reception at an LDS church, so...no alcohol.  We had plenty of punch, though!
Was there more than one reception?
We had 2 receptions.  One in Vernal (where I was from), and one in Star Valley, Wyoming (where Roon was from) after the honeymoon. 
At the Star Valley reception, I actually had someone ask me how I was related to Roon.  Yup, standing there in the big white dress, she thought I was a bridesmaid.  I hope she wasn't implying that I looked old enough to be his mother!
Did Sami pick her colors because she liked them?
Nope.  Remember, I didn't care about the details one iota.  So, I picked my colors based on what I thought my bridesmaids would look best in.  My older sister was in yellow, my little sister was in a peach/pink color, and my best friend was in a seafoam-y green color.  I thought they all looked great! 
Did Roon and Sami live together before they were married?
Technically...yes.  Since we were doing the long distance thing for a couple months, Roon would come down on occasional weekends to spend some time with me.  His last visit was about a week before the wedding.  He normally would have gone home on Sunday after church, but there was still a lot to do.  We had to get our marriage license, register at places, so on and so forth, so instead of going home, Roon stayed until the wedding.  His mom about blew a gasket!  I don't think she understood the situation.  There were 8 people living in the house, not including Roon.  I shared a bedroom with my little sister, and it was right across the hall from my mom's room.  The room Roon stayed in was practically it's own apartment, sans a kitchen and bathroom.  We still went on dates, and adhered to our strict curfew.  We were never without a steady stream of chaperones, but technically we lived together, under the same roof, for 4 days before the wedding. 

Alrighty! 
So, here is a rundown of everyone's final points. 

MiMi: 18 points + 17 BB =35

Allyson: 17 points +16 BB =33
Shortmama: 10 points +19 BB =29
Emmy: 11 points +15 BB =26Myya: 10 points + 15 BB =25
Jennifer: 14 points +10 BB =24
CJ: 9 points +15 BB =24
Aubrey: 9 points +13 BB =22
Purplume: 3 points +13 BB =16Heather: 7 points
BeckyJune: 4 points
Xazmin: 3 points
Sharon: 1 point


As you can see, it was REALLY close.  But, someone had to win, so... MIMI is the winner!  I already have your address, so I'll get your package in the mail by this weekend. 
Thanks so much to everyone who played my game!  You guys really made this fun for me!

Feeling Patriotic!

 

You know what's cooler than getting a package filled with awesomeness in the mail?  Not much, let me tell ya!  The one thing that could possbily top the list, is having a swap partner that you just love to pieces, and have bonded with enough to acquire their phone number!  That's right, Evelyn!  You're now in my phone...prepare to be randomly butt dialed!  If you don't know who she is, you're missing out!  Her sense of humor is so much like mine, and she currently resides in Nevada, a state I used to call my home!

So, yeah, my awesome RED, WHITE, and BLUE swap package arrived in the mail, and I was so excited!  But... I figured I should wait until Roon got home to help take pictures and/or help corral the kids. 

So, reluctantly I set it on the coffee table, to wait until Roon got home.

But it was STARING at me!

Alright, so I guess there'd be no harm in finding the card, right?  I mean, that just makes good sense!  That way it will be right there to be the first thing I open.  It would be irresponsible NOT to, right?

There!  I feel better now!  Now I can wait to open the rest.

But wait!  What's this?!  A list of the goodies inside?!  Wait!  She got me THAT?! 

Okay.  Maybe just a quick peek...

(Evelyn apologized up and down about her "presentation", but I didn't mind at all!  I always liked sneaking out to where the stockings were, and peeking inside.  Much easier to do than with wrapped presents!)

Maybe I can bribe the baby into moving things around for me...

Boo...What's under the peanuts?  Just lift up the gum...just a little bit!

I AM SO WEAK!!!

So here's a rundown of what I got...

1. 
   
   Red nail polish
2. 
   
   Blue and red(dish) water balloons (the kids will LOVE these!
3. 
   
   Pop-its
4. 
   
   Chocolate truffles (Hellllooooo Gorgeous!)
5. 
   
   Corn-on-the-cob holders/dishes.  (this is the first time I've ever owned something like this!  I think I'm in love!)
6. 
   
   Buttons.  (She explained that she uses these for crafts, but also likes to just play with them for relaxation.  Oddly...I know exactly what she's talking about, and I agree!) 
7. 
   
   Gummy Bears (which are not ENTIRELY red, but mostly.  They are teeney tiny ones, and are delicious!  Roon wasted no time diving into those!  They are his favorite!)
8. 
   
   Strawberries and Cream cereal.  (I may have to get up early enough in the morning just to try this out!)
9. 
   
   Trident gum.
10. 
    
    Sno cone cups and syrup.  I can feel my kids getting sticky just looking at it!  Guess that's what sprinklers are for...
11. 
    
    Giftcard/peanuts/stickers.  There was a story behind this one...
12. 
    
    Willow Tree figurine.
13. 
    
    SPAM!!!

Isn't she beautiful?!  I just love her!  Believe it or not, this is now the one and only Willow Tree figurine I own.  I've always wanted one, but they're not really the kind of gift you buy yourself.  Now Roon knows I like them, so I might acquire quite the collection...I hope!

I'm thinkin' that the 4th of July would be the ideal time to break this in!

Great minds think alike!  I sent her these two things too!

The peanuts may not be blue, but she told me a Fourth of July story from when she and Joe were dating.  They were in love (think red).  The gift card is for GLASS bottles of cream soda.  This completes the memory.  Plus, it's blue, so it works!  Luckily, Roon likes peanuts more than Joe does!

Who knew SPAM came in singles?!  I seriously laughed so hard at this, I must admit, I peed a little. 

Thanks so much Evelyn for being a totally awesome swap partner!  Here's to many more years of friendship to come!

Also, many many thanks to Mamarazzi for hosting such a fun swap!  I think we need to invent a new word for how awesome you are!

Pssst!  You can also find me over HERE today.  No.  I may have a poor sense of direction, but I wasn't lost! Shortmama invited me...

Our Journey To Forever- Part 10

Let's all pretend that it's the 27th, okay?  If we do that, then I won't be a huge loser, who can't keep her days straight.  Alright, whatever.  To make it up to you all, I'm actually going to include the Bonus Question Blowout to the end of this post, so you have an extra day to get your answers into me.  You. Are. Welcome.

So, let's start talking about Roon meeting my family, shall we? 

In the spring, usually in April, there is a weekend dedicated to mothers.  All the mothers are invited to come visit their kids, attend class with them, and participate in specially organized events.  My mom came to take full advantage, (Well, not full advantage, but she did want to see me) and she brought my little sister, Boogs with her.  One of the things on the agenda for the week, was to find a wedding dress.  I would tell you all the traumatizing details, but I'm saving that public humiliation for tomorrow (when I guest blog for Shortmama).  Also on the agenda, was meeting the fiance, and attending a bore-you-to-tears bridal show. 

I think, in the beginning, my mom didn't expect to like Roon.  If he was anything like my past boyfriends, he would prove to be a less than ideal son in law.  Add in the fact that our courtship had progressed at lightning speed, and you have one nervous mommy.  Pretty much as soon as Roon and my mom met, all her doubt fell away.  She could see from the way we acted around each other, that we were meant to be together.  Boogs liked him instantly, because he has such a dorky sense of humor. 

In addition to meeting Roon on Friday, my mom also met my future in laws on Saturday.  I could tell you several anecdotes about shopping, and wedding planning with my father in law, but there's just not enough time in a day.  Mostly, the introductions went off without a hitch. 

Since my parents are divorced, Roon didn't get to meet my dad until several weeks later.  Roon met most of the remainder of my family a few weeks after Mother's weekend.  Everyone loved him!  My older sister, Meg, was one of the few who was not present.  She had been attending school at BYU-Hawaii, and doing an internship in Washington DC, so she wasn't going to be able to meet him until the week of the wedding.  If you knew my sister, you would know that she does not impress easily.  She is also not one to keep her opinions to herself, or accept other people's opinions as legitimate.  Nope.  She would not give me her blessing until she had met him for herself.  Since her earliest chance to meet him would be so close to the wedding, and she wanted the opportunity to object to the wedding with plenty of time to call it off...they had to meet over the phone. 
Everyone was somber, as I handed Roon the phone. 
"Meg wants to talk to you."
I think I heard the sound of taps being played...
I was not in the room for their whole conversation, but I did hear snippets of Roon's side of the conversation.
"Computer Information Systems"
"Well, I'm not exactly sure yet."
" I hear Burger King is hiring"
"I guess if that happened, we could always live in a box behind Burger King."
He said goodbye and handed me the phone.
I think I saw a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.
"Samantha (she's one of the few that can call me that) do you know what you're getting yourself into?"
"What?  You don't like him?"
"No.  I was trying to have a serious conversation with him about how he was planning to support you and take care of you, and he kept making jokes.  How can I trust someone who can't take anything seriously?"
"He was kidding, Meg."
He eventually grew on her, and I dare say that by the reception she even liked him. 

So, the answers to the questions were:
My Mom AND my little sister met him first.
My older sister was less than impressed with him.

Are you all ready for the bonus question blowout?

EDITED:  FYI...If you are not currently on the sidebar as a player in the game (on the leaderboard) you are not eligible to participate in the bonus question blowout.  SORRY!!!

YES OR NO?

1. Were Sami's shoes comfortable?
2. Were Roon and Sami's rings yellow gold?
3. Did Sami have a bachelorette party?
4. Did Sami have a maid of honor?
5. Was the backdrop made out of styrofoam?
6. Did Roon have a bachelor party?
7. Did we get married in the morning?
8. Were the centerpieces made of flowers?
9. Did Sami help make the bridesmaids' dresses?
10. Did we exchange rings at the wedding ceremony?
11. Did Sami and Roon have a honeymoon?
12. Was there alcohol at the reception?
13. Was there more than one reception?
14. Did Sami pick her colors because she liked them?
15. Did Roon and Sami live together before they were married?

Here's how the scoring will work.  Questions 1-8 will be worth 1 point a piece.  For questions 9-15, are worth 2 points a piece. 

Make sense? 
If you get them all right, you can earn up to 22 more points! 
If you don't want to leave your answers in the comments, because you don't want people to copy you, you can email them to me at:  symmetryinmotion616@gmail.com
I will post the answers, as well as the winner on the 30th.  Please have all answers into me by 8 am on the 30th, so I can complete the scoring. 
If there happens to be a tie after all that, I will go back, and the one who answered the most questions right overall, will be declared the winner. 
Thanks for playing guys!

Our Journey To Forever- Part 9

Hello, my name is Sami, and I speak un-thruths.  See, this is what happens when you don't pre-write your posts!  This was supposed to be up at 8, but it's not.  Please forgive me. 


Hang on guys!  You might get a little whiplash with this one...
One day, before Roon and I got engaged, we were talked into a double date with Doofus and his girlfriend.  The date?  Miniature golf.
The excitement level?  Next to nothing.
There are so many details of this date, that I wish I had time to share with you...including a really random question Doofus asked about oatmeal, but that has nothing to do with the story.  Besides, I'm in a hurry here. 
Doofus drove, and Roon and I were in the backseat.  We were having a perfectly nice conversation, ignoring the existance of the Doofuses, when Doofus interrupts. 
"Hey!  You guys like REO Speedwagon?"
Ummm...what?
"Here!  I have a song you two need to hear.  Just listen to the words..."
I THINK that he thought that Roon and I were in denial about being in a relationship at this point, because we weren't making out all the time like he and his girlfriend were.  In fact, we knew we were in a relationship, but just didn't feel the need to make it blatantly obvious to everyone in the surrounding area...
He presses play, and we hear...
I can't fight this feeling any longer, and yet I'm still afraid to let it flow.  WHAT STARTED OUT AS FRIENDSHIP, HAS GROWN STRONGER, I only wish I had the strength to let it show.
Ummm...thanks.
Needless to say, this DID NOT turn out to be our song.  It sure has made an excellent inside joke for us every day since, though!
So, how did we pick our song?
One day, after we were engaged, it reached time for guys out (for those who don't know, we had a school curfew, and the members of the opposite sex had to leave your apartment an hour before curfew), and as usual, Roon and I went out to sit in his car for the hour until we both needed to be in our individual apartments.  We were talking about details for the wedding, including "to dance, or not to dance".
I insisted that there had to be dancing, even though I was a terrible dancer. 
This, however, raised the excellent point that we didn't have a "song" yet. 
"We have to be able to dance to 'our song' for the first dance!"  I had said.  "How are we going to pick one?"
Roon, always ready with helpful insights into every situation, suggested that we pick it randomly.
"How about, we turn on the radio, and the first song that comes on, will be our song?"
I thought about the fact that it was 10:00 on a weeknight in Rexburg, Idaho, and decided that sounded like a pretty safe bet.  Chances are, Delilah would be on, and the chances of hitting a sappy  love song were pretty good.  I consented. 
Roon flipped on the radio, we wait for a minute while the DJ (NOT Delilah) talks, and then the next song begins to play...
Say your prayers little one, don't forget my son, to include everyone!  Tuck you in, warm within, keep you free from sin, till the sandman he comes.  Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight...
You'd think I'd reject the idea of Enter Sandman, by Metallica being our song, but I didn't.  In fact, I convinced my brothers and my cousin to perform it for us at our reception as a surprise for Roon. 
I do remember that when the song came on, I turned to Roon and said "Well, I was thinking something more along the lines of 'I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You', but that works too." 
So, in addition to "Enter Sandman", my brothers also performed the song I picked.  But, officially, our song is, and always will be "Enter Sandman". 
What can I say?  We ROCK!!!
So now the question is, what did Roon say would be our song NOW?


I expected him to say this: 



But as always, he surprised me, and said this:




LOOK AT THAT!  I MARRIED A WIT!

So, in case you weren't paying attention, the answers to the last questions were:

2.  Metallica
1.  In Roon's car.
Enter Sandman
White and Nerdy.

If you guessed Savage Garden or REO Speedwagon, I'll give you 1 point, because those are also kind of our songs.  If you guessed Metallica, you get 2 points.

If you took a stab at either of the 5 point questions, I'll give you a point for each of them, just for trying. 

Okay guys!  It's time now for the LAST QUESTION before the big bonus question blowout which will be posted on the 29th.  That will be the chance for everyone who's behind to catch up. 

Who was the first member of Sami's family to meet Roon?

1. Her Mom
2. Her Dad
3. Her  Younger Sister

BONUS QUESTION:

Who was less than impressed with Roon?

1. Nobody
2. Her Mom
3. Her Dad
4. Her Older Sister

The answer will (most likely) post on the 27th at 8 am.  The BONUS QUESTION BLOWOUT will post on the 29th at 8 am, and you will only have one day to get your answers in.  Winner and prize will be announced on the 30th. 

Our Journey To Forever- Part 8

So, now Roon and I are a happily engaged couple.  I have my ring, and life is wonderful.  Except...Roon hasn't met my family yet. 
Yes, I had told Roon that I wanted him to meet my mom before I would wear the ring, but...it was sparkly.  I like sparkly things.  I called my mom before we went to pick up the ring and asked for her permission to wear it before she met him.  She reluctantly agreed. 
Since we were officially engaged, Roon and I decided to start planning some of the big details.  Date and place.  The date was pretty easy.  The semester was over the end of April, and we didn't want to prolong a "long distance relationship" more than we absolutely had to.  So, we decided on June.  "Doofus" and his girlfriend had set their date as June 9th, so we opted for the 16th, so we would not share an anniversary.  We picked a Friday, because we didn't want to have to have the reception the same day as the wedding.  A little less stress for us. 
When we started talking about a place, we were very responsible.  We sat down and thought about all the relatives who would actually be able to attend the ceremony.  MOST of the attendees would be from Roon's family, as most of mine are not members of our church.  The closest temple to most of Roon's family was in Idaho Falls, which was about 25 minutes away from the school we attended.  We agreed that it made the most sense.  I called my mom, to inform her of our decision.
My mom was less than impressed. 
I suspect that part of her disdain came from the fact that she had not met Roon yet.  She didn't say "no", she just urged us to pick a temple based on what we really wanted, and leave convenience out of it.  If Idaho Falls was what we wanted, she would give us her blessing. 
I soon realized that if we got married in the temple that was closest to school, we would be just another "Ricks College statistic" getting married.  That was the last thing I wanted, because I had a hard enough time with the fact that I was, in fact, a Ricks College statistic.  "Ring by spring" recipient, OY! 
The hard part was deciding which one to go with then.  The only preference I had, was that I wanted to be married in a white temple.  So we came to an impass.  Roon and I just didn't have an opinion. 

One day, Roon showed up at my apartment, armed with a solution.  Postcards from the campus bookstore!  He had bought one for every temple that was white, and in a reasonable driving distance (with the exception of the Dominican Republic temple) to both families. At first we just looked at the pictures, and weighed our options.  When we had narrowed them down to the top 6-8 temples, we were at an impass.  

The solution?

We took the remaining postcards, and threw them up in the air!  The one that landed face up, was our temple.  
No.  I'm not kidding.
This is how we came to be married in:  

Photo Rights

The Bountiful, Utah LDS Temple.

Betcha didn't see that one coming, huh?!  When I told my mom of the alternate plan, she was thrilled.  Not because we had changed our minds, but because we had made the decision according to what WE wanted.  

So, the answers to the questions are:  

3.  Totally random/left to fate, and YES the plans DID change.  

But wait!  We don't have a song yet!  

WHAT ARTIST ORIGINALLY RECORDED "OUR SONG"?

1. 
   
   Savage Garden
2. 
   
   Metallica
3. 
   
   REO Speedwagon 

Bonus Question:

WHERE DID ROON AND I HEAR "OUR SONG"?

1. 
   
   In Roon's car.
2. 
   
   At the New Year's Dance.
3. 
   
   At the bowling alley.

5 Point Bonus Question: 

WHAT WAS OUR SONG?

Obviously, if you were at my wedding reception, you already know the answer to this.  So, instead of answering that question, you get to answer this one:

WHAT DOES ROON SAY "OUR SONG" WOULD BE NOW?

Answers will post on the 25th at 8:00 am. 

Some Randomness

So much stuff is going on around here!

• Our trip west is less than a month away...YIKES!  I've started making a list of mini posts I'm going to schedule, so you can't miss me too badly. 
• Between Quince Quote, my "Our Jouney to Forever" posts, and the regular memes I participate in, I think I've forgotten how to blog.  As in, coming up with something to write about.  Hence, this discombobulated post.  You're welcome!
• I have a to do list that is about a mile long right now.  Topping the list is finishing up a few custom orders, which should have been done FOREVER ago.  Mopping the kitchen floor, vaccuuming, and laundry are also on the list.  Getting dressed in real clothes and taking a shower, didn't make the cut...
• I found out who my partner for Mamarazzi's Red, White, and Blue Swap is!  I would tell you who she is, but I think I'll just say that if my luck continues at this rate, I may be tempted to buy a lottery ticket!  Seriously...awesome! 
• Speaking of Mamarazzi... Right now she is having an awesome GAME GIVEAWAY!  I want to win, so I'm using this time for shameless self-promotion.  If you want to go against me, head on over to enter yourself.  Or don't because that means I have a better chance of winning! 

Well, I guess I'm off!  If I make a dent in my to do list, I will celebrate with a little down time.  Now, if I could only remember what "down time" looks like...

ROON WAS WRONG!!!

Thank you all so much for helping me to prove my husband wrong! 
When Roon first read my latest Quince Quote post, he laughed, and openly doubted that anyone would enter.  "Is anyone even going to know this quote?" and "Who would want that movie?" are just a couple of the snarky comments that escaped his cynical lips. 


Thankfully, you all are fabulous, and proved to my husband that my taste in movies is excellent.  Thank you very much!


Answers first: 


THE MOVIE: 

Photo rights

CHARACTER WHO DELIVERED THE QUOTE:  Leonardo DaVinci

ACTOR WHO PLAYED CHARACTER:  Patrick Godfrey

LINE DELIVERED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE:  "Why, that was pure genius!"

LINE DELIVERED IMMEDIATELY AFTER:  "Gustave!"

OTHER QUOTES:  "Of course not, mother.  I'm only here for the food." 

You all did such a good job of naming some of my favorite quotes, that my list of extra quotes is awefully short this time around.  GOOD JOB!!! 

So, when all was said and done, the list of entries looked like this:

This was the most entries, I've ever had!  Makes me sad I can't afford to give more than one prize!  Unfortunately, I can only afford one, so I let Random.org do the dirty work...

This means that the winner is CJ!!!  Congratulations, Mrs. Simonson "spelled with a Q"!  Shoot me an email with your address, and I'll get this in the mail ASAP. 

Thanks to everyone who entered!  I hope you'll all try again next month! 

Our Journey to Forever- Part 7

Since we are nearing the end of the month, and the end of this series, I thought you all might be interested to know the prize that is yours to be won, should you reign victorious. 

Roon and I both agree that there is one date that we had that stood out from all the others.  To me, it was the date where I knew I loved him, but wasn't quite ready to admit it to myself yet.  The prize will consist of all the things we did on this date.  Obviously, I skipped the details up until now, and that's not going to change quite yet.  It will allow for a fun night out (or in) for you and your sweetheart though!

Okay, so where was I?  Oh yeah, February.  Roon and I continued to spend every spare moment together.  My "dream guy" list hung on my wall, mocking me every time I got home from a date.  One night, I took the list down off my wall, and read through the characteristics.  When I reached the end of the list, and realized that Roon had met every criteria I had for a potential mate, I slumped down on my bed, and said "Ah, crap".  Now it was time to think about this for real.  Now, I know that a lot of you may be thinking, "how can you tell someone you love them, without knowing if you're serious about them or not?" that answer is simple.  My mom taught me from a very early age to tell people you love, that you love them.  Friends, relatives, whomever.  I had to figure out if the "love" I felt for Roon was a long lasting "I want to be with this person forever" kind of love, or if it was more an "I'm so glad you're in my life, we'll always be friends" kind of love.  I knew with my "Ah, crap" moment that he was potentially the one for me, I just had to know for sure.  So, I started to pray about it.  Roon started praying about it too, but I didn't know that. 

I remember one day in particular.  I had been praying about it for a while, and felt good when I was around him, but there hadn't been any real clear cut answer.  Roon came to my apartment to go with me and Becky  to the nursing home.  She worked there, and one of the residents loved to have her come and play games with him.  When Roon walked through the door of my apartment, my heart skipped a beat.  I was overcome with emotion.  But, I was stubborn.  I dismissed the feeling as being just the fact that I was in the early stages of puppy love.  At the time, I was 18.  WAY too young to think about getting married.  We headed to the nursing home to play "Help Your Neigbor" with the resident.  While we were sitting at the table playing, I heard a voice/prompting in my head that said "you're going to marry him."  That was the end of my reluctance.
Roon had a little different experience.  My mom had sent him an email, basically alerting him to the fact that I had been hurt in the past.  She urged him to take it easy with me, and that she didn't want me to end up hurt should we break up.  Roon realized as he read that, that he had no intention of breaking up with me...ever. 

The semester reached the point where I needed to think about housing contracts for the following year.  I went and looked at a few with my roommates, but felt conflicted.  I was reluctant to sign anything, because I knew I was going to get married.  I just didn't know when.  I knew I was supposed to marry Roon, but didn't know if he knew it yet.  I temporarily put the apartment hunting on hold. 

One day, Roon was over at my apartment, and we were talking.  Roon liked to tease me about how young I was, since he has a younger brother who is barely younger than me.  He announced that I was too young for him, and that he should introduce me to his brother. 
I agreed.
He joked that maybe then his brother and I could end up married.
I supposed that was possible.
He said that if I was married to his brother, at least then we could still hang out on occasion.
I guessed we would, at family gatherings...
Then he said:  "Or, you could just marry me, and save yourself the trouble."
Hey!  That works too!

The following weekend, I went home with him, to meet his parents. 

Sometime before I met his parents, Roon and I were talking about rings.  He asked if I wanted to pick it out.  I told him that I would give him a general idea of what I liked, but that I most certainly did NOT want to be involved in the picking and purchasing process AT ALL.  After all, if I knew how much it cost, I would most likely feel guilty about it.  I gave him a general idea, and left it up to him. 

The weekend with his parents went well.  They loved me immediately, and since nearly every member of his family lives on the same street, I was overwhelmed by the names and faces I would have to remember.  The day after we got there, Roon's mom suggested we go into town, to look at rings.  Roon told her how I felt about that.  She insisted that it would just be to look, not to buy.  It would give Roon a better idea of what I wanted, she had said.  So, I surrendered.  We headed into town.  I browsed as much as I could without looking at prices.  I found a set that I really liked, and pointed it out to Roon. 
"Something like this would be great." I said. 
Before I knew it, Roon's mom was summoning the jeweler, and they were sizing my finger, all the while placing the order for my ring.  Prices and all.
What the crap just happened?! 
A week or two later, my ring was ready, so we went back to visit Roon's parents, and pick it up.  I had told Roon that he still owed me a "down on one knee" proposal, and I would not wear the ring until I got it, and he had met my mother. 
The jeweler didn't know this.  When we went to pick up my ring, he gave the ring to Roon (not in a box) and told him to put it on my finger.  I shook my head.  (thinking there is no way in he** he's getting out of a real proposal)  The jeweler persisted.  So, Roon slipped my ring on my finger. 
On the way out to the car, I informed Roon that he still owed me a proposal.
We got back to his parents' house.  I slipped the ring back off my finger, and handed it to him.  I told him when he was ready to ask me, he could do it, and I would say yes, but I wanted a real proposal. 
I sat down on the couch.  Roon came and sat down beside me.  He said "I guess now's as good a time as any." and got down on one knee. 
I can't remember what all he said, but I know it was sweet and hearfelt. 
Even though it wasn't an elaborate, planned out proposal like I always thought I'd have, I said yes.  After all, "spontaneous" was one of the characteristics I wanted in a man...

So, the answers to the questions were:
2:  Spur of the moment, and out of the blue.
2:  2 times he proposed to me.
2:  I picked out my own ring.

Now let's start the planning, shall we?

Roon and I were married in an LDS temple. 

HOW DID WE PICK WHICH TEMPLE TO BE MARRIED IN?

1. Carefully picked it based on geographic location.
2. We didn't, it was assigned to us, or picked for us.
3. Totally random/ let fate decide.

BONUS QUESTION:

YES OR NO?
Did our wedding date or venue change during the planning process?

Generosity

Early last week, Sissy placed a gift bag on our kitchen counter, boasting that it was "for Daddy for Father's Day".  On Friday, while I was making lunch, she brought it to my attention.  Not wanting to ruin the surprise, I didn't prompt her beyond the information she was willing to divulge.  "We don't use it anymore, so I'm giving it to Daddy."
This morning, Roon got to open his much anticipated present...

Among the treasured items, were a foam "DAD" magnet frame, a ripped book we've had for years, a water balloon, 3D glasses from a cereal box, her brother's dinosaur ruler, and a small gingerbread man that had come off one of her Christmas socks. 

While reading the card, and setting the stuff on the table for a picture, the vultures started circling. 

Bubble demanded his ruler back, Bug wanted to play with the glasses, Boo popped the balloon and started peeling the foam accessories of the "DAD" frame. 

Roon grabbed the gingerbread man, and held it tight.  "Thanks for my present, guys!  I love it!"

Guess it's a good thing I'd already taken care of his present...

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Even if he's not MY dad. 

Happy Father's Day everyone!

If You List It, It Will Come... Happiness, That Is!

I've gotta be honest with you guys.  I am grumpy today.  The reasons why aren't really important, but I'm grumpy.  I hate being the bad guy.  I hate having to take away priveleges that I, personally, was looking forward to.  But, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, right?  So, since I'm in a grumpy funk, I thought it would be beneficial to me, to sit down and list things I am happy about.  Since Mamarazzi is hosting, you gotta know I'm gonna join in!  Once you've checked out my list, head on over to check out hers.  Then, link up yourself...it does a spirit good!

1.  Since we got our grocery shopping done last night, we were able to spend the morning playing Wii with the kids.  There is nothing better than watching Bubble jump along with Mario.  Of course, watching Boo dance around on top of a laundry basket, and Bug doing B-Boy moves as they sing "Bet on it", and "Best of both worlds", would be a close second...

2.

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Roon is letting me run away from home!  In September, Roon has to go out of town on business :( so I will be home alone with the kids for a whole week, including Labor Day.  As a reward for not killing them, not throwing a tantrum about it, accepting my responsibilities with grace and dignity, he is going to send me away from home a week after he gets home on a girls only, no kids allowed spa getaway!  WAHOO!!!  I get to spend time with my sister(s) and sisters in law, and have a break.  I know I'll miss my kids within the first hour of the flight, when I can read a book instead of referee fights, or clean up vomit, but I'll try to survive...

3.  I came up with the most fun monthly blog linky party!  I'm so excited about it!  I'm going to wait to give all the details until my blog makeover is done, but just to wet your appetites, here's a taste of what it's going to be... 

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For all of you on diets, have no fear.  I'm right there with you!  This is just a hint, I promise, have I ever led you astray before?  It will be SUH-WEET!!!

Whatdaya know?! I feel better already! Thanks Mamarazzi!