The Kids LOVE Mr. Kay

Marshall's students spoiled him this Christmas. Our counter & table are covered in goodies that his students brought for him. He also got this stunning tie, a coffee mug and several gift cards. And he thought he was the mean teacher... pshaw...

Our Gingerbread House

Last Sunday Marshall's family got together to celebrate Marshall's birthday and to make gingerbread houses. Here is how ours turned out.
The front. On our left we have a snowman and on the right we have a guy (with yellow buttons) that was putting up decorations and fell off the roof.
The back. Very snowy bushes and a roof dripping with snow. So clever.
My favorite part is the man on the roof putting up the lights and he is only half way done. Marshall's genius idea!

4 Years to the Day

August 2006

That's right, 4 years ago today Marshall and I had our first date! We saw the Chronicles of Narnia at the Provo mall theater and I gave Marshall some chocolate and he left it in the pocket of his shirt and it melted. Nothing like making a good first impression! Actually, with our upcoming nuptials, this would be a good time to tell our story... I met Marshall in June of 2005 when he came into the hotel that I worked at and asked for an application. He told me that he knew that day that if he was ever going to get married it would be to a girl like me. Anywho... Marshall didn't get hired until September and at that time I was dating someone so we just remained acquaintances. In November my relationship ended and I finally "noticed" Marshall. He came in to get his paycheck and he looked SO handsome! I will never forget, a few girls I worked with and myself were in my office and he came in, we all got silent and the minute he left we all picked our jaws off the floor and started giggling like we were 5. I will just say he made a great impression and from that day on we started talking a little more. He told me how he was new to Provo (from NY) and he was taking a humanities class next semester and he was going to have to go to a lot of plays and ballets and such and maybe I could go with him sometime. I didn't think anything of it. Well, I left the hotel mid-December and as I was leaving for some reason I decided to stay and talk to Marshall. We got talking about the Chronicles of Narnia and I was saying how much I loved it and wanted to see it an he said he did to so we decided to go, and that we did, December 14, 2005. I found out later he has never read the books, it was a total lie, he was just getting me to go out with him.

Marshall and I hung out from December to July and he was one of my favorite people. We went to plays, symphonies, ballets, musicals, concerts, movies, you name it! I thought we were just friends the whole time and we would go out with other, it was never awkward. I just thought since he was new in town he needed friends and I was one of them. (I later found out that he was into me the whole time and he just has an incredible amount of patience).

Late June Marshall invited me to a Gregory Isaacs concert. At the last minute I decided to go and that was a night that changed my life forever. Nothing was different, but mid-concert I remember thinking "I wish Marshall would hold my hand or something" and I kid you not, maybe 2 minutes later he grabbed me around the waist. We had a super good time but I knew things were about to change. That night we stayed at a friends house because Marshall was leaving for N.Y. the next day for his fathers wedding. It was super late so instead of driving home Marshall made me a bed on the floor and he slept on the couch. I remember waking up and his arm hanging off and being on my back and I just smiled. While Marshall was gone it SUCKED. I just wanted to hang out with him so badly, I finally broke down and called him just for the heck of it (he says he knew that second that he had me). The day Marshall came back things were different. We were more flirty, I finally realized that we were not going to just be friends and it was GREAT!

July 4th we had our first kiss and things were starting to get serious. Just in time for me to leave for 2 weeks. I went to NY for a week with my girlfriend and then to Chicago for a week, i had a great time but I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss and think about Marshall A LOT! A couple days after I got back from my trip we went to my friend Kathy's wedding. And on the way we had a DTR (define the relationship). And from that day on we have been together. We have been through tons together and with all the arguments, disagreements, life changes, ups, downs, family issues and personality changes we have chosen to stick by each others side! That says something if you ask me. Through the years we have gotten tons of advice and one of the best pieces we got was someone telling us to marry someone you can fall in love with at least 5 times because people change. I can say that I have fallen in love with Marsh twice now. He is not the same person that I met but don't get me wrong, this is not a bad thing. The changes he as made are for the better and maybe I have just fallen more in love with him instead of re-falling in love with him. He is truly my best friend in the entire world and I am cannot wait to be his wife in 34 days!!

Shower Invites

My friends Amandah and Carrie are throwing me a "friend" bridal shower in a couple of weeks and they sent me a picture of the invites and I though I would share since I think they turned out freaking adorable! Yay for 39 more days!!