marriage-isms

H: Did you know I was half this weird before you married me?
J: Yes! I knew you were HALF this weird!

Emphasis on the "half."

Jacob's day off

Jacob had one day of freedom before he started his spring term classes. And what did he decide to do with that day? Play Zelda on N64. All I know is that the 15 year-old inside of him is happy.

After playing some tennis for FHE, I could sense that the ocarina of time was calling him back to Hyrule. I told him that if he could come up with a really good way to tie Zelda into the the gospel, I would let him play the rest of the night. He gave it some thought, and then gave me a five-minute lesson comparing the legend of Zelda and the Triforce to the gospel.

I would recap, but honestly, it was much too deep and complicated for a general audience. Let's just say I was impressed, and Link beat the water temple that night.

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I did have an article published in the Church News today...

Click HERE to read it!

kylie

At least three different  people have told me that I remind them of Kylie the opossum from Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Though in my heart I want to be Kristoffersen or the mysterious wolf—i think I would have to agree with them. 

In fact, out of all the characters in any movie i can think of, this opossum's personality comes pretty close to mine. 

I even make that face. 

our engagement story

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the day Jacob got down on his knee and asked me to be his wife. And, of course, the day I said “yes” to this proposal, and have since worn a ring on my left hand that I’ll continue to wear for the rest of my life.  

Yesterday we reminisced about the events of the day: the excitement, the emotions, the memories. And doing so, I realized that I have never written about our engagement story. It is something that I have put off again and again; however, a year-and-a-day later—I have decided to tackle it. If anything, this is mostly for myself and posterity. If you’re not in the mood for a really long, mushy engagement story, I don't blame you. Skip this post. Or just look at the pictures.

Now where to begin?  Let's take the time machine back to April 16, 2011. 

Well, I guess the first thing I could say is that I knew it was coming. Besides the fact that Jacob had told me to keep that Friday open because he had a “special date” planned, I could just feel it. And Jacob isn’t really one to take his time in matters of love. 

 
That said, I was incredibly nervous. I knew it was coming, but not the precise moment. I knew what my answer was going to be, but was I going to be emotionally prepared for that monumental question? Like any girl, I guess I wanted it to be everything I had dreamed of.  I wanted to feel ecstatically happy—perhaps, so happy that I could cry (which I wasn’t sure I was capable of). Most of all, I wanted to say “yes” with all my heart. 

I was constantly on guard throughout the day. Watching for signs. Calculating Jacob’s every move. His intentions. And though my thoughts and emotions were racking my brain in preparation for (then) the biggest moment of my life, I had to act cool, calm, collected, and oblivious. Still, the day managed to go smoothly.

This wasn’t part of the “special date” that Jacob had planned for the night, but earlier in the day we had a picnic by the duck pond and strolled the new garden paths on campus. It was a lovely spring day. The trees were filled with pink blossoms. And the ducks were going absolutely nuts. 

Seriously. We knew it had to be mating season because all of the ducks were running amuck—the males fighting each other and then pairing off with their female friends until there were several “duck couples” waddling around the park together. How appropriate, right? I knew we would be joining the dance soon. Mating season, indeed!

Later in the afternoon, Jacob picked me up for our date and we began driving further and further into the country. I had no idea where we were going, but with all the ranches and stables along the drive, I was starting to get a clue.  And I guess he had told me in advance to dress like a cowgirl. Finally, Jacob smiled at me and asked, “So when’s the last time you rode a horse?”

Being the horse-lover that I have always been, I couldn’t have been more pleased to hear those words and watch us pull up to a little place called “Rocky Mountain Outfitters.”

Soon Jacob was fitted with “Poncho,” his trusty steed, and I was paired with “Duchess,” the shaggy pony.  The woman working there told us that she assigned us those horses because they were friends, which warmed my heart.

Our horses took us up a gorgeous trail overlooking the mountains and countryside. Very romantic scenery—the horses, the mountains…a little too romantic. I found myself thinking, Is this going to be it? Will he propose on horseback? Will he do it in front of other people?? I really had no idea what kind of proposal Jacob had in mind and I hadn’t given him much instruction on the matter, except a warning not to do anything embarrassing.

By the end of the ride, I had become pretty attached to ol’ Duchess, and was sad to go. However, the date was not over yet. Next step was our favorite little Mexican restaurant in town, Maria Bonita’s. This place is a little gem, by the way.  Right when you walk through her doors, Maria (the owner of the restaurant) runs and throws her arms around you, and to the women says “Mi Princess!” and to the men, “Mi Champión!”

Naturally, Jacob and I enjoy being referred to as “Princess” and “Champion,” which is perhaps why he like to eat there so often. But the food is quite good too. I ordered the enchilada Aculpulco, with no idea that I was ordering the most insane enchilada of my life and the biggest plate on the menu. It was HUGE and delicious. With a horchata on the side, we left with full bellies and happy hearts.

And now this is where Jacob attempts to psych me out, and mostly fails. He thought he was being sooo sly and sneaky with this move! On the way home, he turns and asks, “Do you wanna stop and look at rings one more time?”

You'll now find this photo on the wall of Maria Bonita's.

I probably shot him a glance that said, Are you seriously being serious right now?! I mean, we hadn’t been ring shopping for a few weeks. I definitely wanted to believe this was a trick. It looked like one. It smelled like one. But it’s not like I could just call him a LIAR, so I went along with it. Luckily, there were no jewelry stores at the Riverwoods so that was the end of the bluff. We headed home.

Again, Jacob tries to act cool and casual to trick me. (The poor guy was determined to make this a surprise) We hang at my house with some friends. We briefly crash a birthday party. We jump on the trampoline. Things are starting to seem pretty normal. And then he suggests we ride our bikes over to Kiwanis Park.  

Bingo! People get engaged in parks. I’m no fool. Something is up.

We find “our spot” at the park on the big boulder near the playground. Jacob tells me he has something for me and reaches into his jacket pocket.

At this moment, my heart nearly drops to the floor. IS THIS THE MOMENT? THE BIGGEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE?! AM I READY FOR THIS RIGHT NOW?! AHHH!

And then he pulls out large wad of paper and hands it to me. My reaction: a swift sigh of relief followed by a swift Huhh? 

 Not ring. Large wad of papers. Okay.

We perch ourselves on the boulder as I begin to examine the document in my hands. It was a journal. One that Jacob kept for two months, each day writing something that he loved about me. Just at realizing what it was, I began to get a bit teary-eyed and had to restrain the emotions as we sat and read each page together. It was probably the sweetest, most thoughtful thing he’s ever done.

At the conclusion of reading the journal, of course we exchanged lots of hugs n kisses. But I was largely speechless—half in awe of what I had just read, half wondering NOW? IS IT COMING NOW?! IT HAS TO BE!!

Not quite yet.

Jacob helps me off the boulder and guides me to a more secluded area of the park (there were some people near us playing on the playground at this point). After an eventful night, we were finally alone.

My heart was pounding out of my chest. Now? NOW?! HOLY CRAP THERE IS SO MUCH BUILD-UP TO THIS THING!!

Jacob took out his phone and started playing “These Arms of Mine” by Otis Redding. 

"May I have this dance?" he asks.

One night when all my roommates were gone and the house was empty, we shared our first slow dance to that song, swaying right in the middle of my living room. We had a special fondness for the tune ever since. I guess you could say it was “our song.” Not to mention, it is probably the best slow dance song ever invented.

So there we were, slow dancing in the park in tender embrace.

I knew it was coming now! There was no mistaking it. IT WAS SO SO CLOSE.

As the song concluded, Jacob took my hands and looked me right in the eyes. He began telling me all the things a girl ever wanted to hear. I’m sure there was an “I love you so much,” “You’re my best friend,” an “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” But my head was swimming, heart pounding, and eyes so filling with tears that I really don’t remember anything he said—

Until he dropped on one knee, holding the ring in his hand, and asked, “Holli, will you marry me?”

I lost it—my composure, my sense, my everything. I was all tears and joy. It literally took everything I had to cry out my “yes” because I was bawling like a baby. Without even looking at the ring, I threw my arms around him and we embraced and kissed and laughed and cried until I realized—WAIT. I HAVEN’T EVEN SEEN THE RING!

Jokingly, I made him get back on his knee and put the ring on my finger like he was supposed to. And wow. It was perfect. A gorgeous oval-cut stone set in rose gold. Just breathtaking. 

As we both stared in awe at the lovely ring on my finger, he began to say something.

“Just so you know, it isn’t a real diamond, but someday—”

“I don’t care! It doesn’t matter. I love it," I said.

 

I still love it. I love the memory. I love my Jacob. 

And I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world, like I did that night. 

A year later, and I still say “Yes!”

JACOB's TUMBLE JAM!

For Jacob's 23rd birthday, (in honor of Michael Jordan) he decided that he wanted to get some AIR. 

That meant one thing—TUMBLE GYM.

 

Jacob kills it on the trapeze. I have to admit that this one scared me.

the brent + kali show

AIR.

Holli bloopers

I failed pretty hard at getting a cool jumping shot, but I had a lot of fun throwing some flips and passes. It has probably been years since I've executed a back-handspring on a tumble track, so I was a little nervous that my skills would be rusty (and they were). But here is the proof that I can still tumble:

+ crash landing

Superman

Jacob didn't believe that he could learn to do a back-handspring, but he didn't know that for my 7th grade paper I wrote an expository essay on how to do a back-handspring. In other words, I'm a pro instructor and I learned him good.

the tumble gym gang

After the tumble gym, more friends joined the party at our house for cake, ice cream and a backyard bbq.

mini pool time

wes + jamie

 

Want to know a secret? I totally forgot to put oil the birthday cake. FAIL!!

But it still tasted super good thanks to the fact that it was drenched in sweetened condensed milk and caramel.
Everybody loved it—or at least they said so.

Jacob makes his birthday wish

I'd say it was a pretty perfect 23rd birthday. We got the jersey. We got the AIR. We got hot dogs. We got the SPACE JAM. We got the friends and the good times.

We got the happy birthday for my honey.

famous

Oh look who's rotating on the banner of BYU's Daily Universe today? ME!

Man, I look so scholarly.

happy birthday, jakey

smiley face breakfast. i thought it would look more cute and less creepy.

birthday presents!!

Poor Jacob. I made him get up at 6 am to eat his birthday breakfast and open his presents before I went to work.
He was a good sport.

Because it is his Michael Jordan birthday (23), i had to make him a jersey.  I know. I'm such a dork, but he was pretty stoked! WHAM BAM SLAM!

I wish I could spend the whole day with you, but I hope I at least made your morning special. 

 Thanks for giving me a husband to love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

backyard time

The utah weather is still psyching me out from time to time, but I'm pretty sure spring is here to stay. I mean, look at the gorgeous Saturday we had—half of which was spent in the backyard. Happy times for me and the boy.

shish kabobs grillin on the baby grill.

We decided to bbq, but we just couldn't decide what to bbq. so many options! Then I recalled this short period in my 12-year-old life when I used to say that shish kabobs were my favorite food, and that was it! There was no turning back. We bought a bunch of veggies and skewers and made our own marinade for the chicken, an exotic concoction of asian salad dressing, bbq sauce, and whatever other suitable spices/seasonings we found in the cupboard. I boast, it was delicious. I forecast many bbqs this summer. We're gonna need a bigger grill.

jakey built a firepit, and was very pleased with his work. 

kissy + glow worm face.

Then a girl did what she had to do—she roasted her peeps.

the peeps don't stand a chance

carmelized peep

I must say that roasted peeps are kind of amazing. The sugar melts and caramelizes, creating a crunchy sweet outer-peep and completely gooey, delicious innards. Jacob and I decided this would be a new tradition—roasting peeps on Easter eve.

Y90x

not sure what i was trying to be in this pic... mountain lion-pony-eagle? me no know.

sunset over provo.

we could see the roof of our house from up here.

when I'm sick of making myself do p90x for my tri-weekly wannabe workout routine, i hike the Y with my favorite guy.  (loophole!)

he's always better than tony horton.

and outside is always better than inside.
yayyy spring is here!

conference come together

Oh, how I love conference. It always seems to come at the right time every time—when I need a spiritual refresher. This time I had the pleasure of taking my family to a few live sessions in Salt Lake. They had never been before. And especially with Sky getting ready to leave on his mission soon, it was a special experience to attend together.

the salt lake temple.

My friend Kari came down from Rexburg to come with us!

Sky brought his girlfriend, Heather. They are cute.

Mom and Dad in the conference center. We were so close!

It was a fast and furious trip for my family, who drove all night from Phoenix to make it to Provo Saturday morning and drove back Sunday night so they could work on Monday. But at least for me, it was definitely worth it. It was a wonderful thing to attend conference as a family. Memories were made.