3 Days. Please go by quickly.

Don't worry, Mom- we have lots of this:

We are so excited for THIS.

For Drew's birthday (March 23), our families all contributed money towards one collective present: A super nice Canon T2i DSLR Camera. He was thrilled (and only mildly surprised)! As my sister, Ann, was so kind to point out, he and I do not share well. Because of course then I wanted a camera. So Drew let me browse the KSL Classifieds, and we found one. And Drew spoiled me and let me get it. The following are pictures I have taken with my new toy. Its pretty fun- no wonder there are so many photographers out there!

Is this face not the cutest thing you have ever seen? And you should see it when she smiles. Oh my. Heart throb.

And these two... they are just best friends.

And this boy... has my entire heart. Just look at that face.

Lately...

The last few months of our lives have been completely consumed by school, work, choir performances, and this wonderful production. In December, we were asked to play Joseph and Mary in our Stake's Christmas Party/Nativity. We sang a simple, beautiful song about Christ as a baby. Then, a couple weeks later, the director of that performance emailed us to inform us that the Stake was going to put on The Sound of Music, and she would like us to audition for Liesl and Rolf.
And the rest is history.

We have so enjoyed doing this together! Pictured is '16 Going on 17', which features the only stage kiss in the entire production. We were asked multiple times whether we actually kissed, if we were brother and sister (Really, people? Really?), and finally if we were married. Everyone was overjoyed by the fact that we are indeed married, we did really kiss, and simply that we were blessed to be able to perform together. Working with Drew is so much fun. Not only is he a very talented actor and incredible singer, but he's also the cutest telegram boy I've ever seen!

Betty

My dear, sweet Grandmother passed away yesterday afternoon, after 91 years, 2 months and 2 days of a wonderful, fulfilling life. She has been the ultimate example to me of generosity, consistency, and goodness. How blessed I have been to have her as such a huge part of my life! 

She received the best Christmas present of all: A reunion with her sweetheart, my Grandpa. He passed away 28 years ago- I can't even fathom missing someone so much for so long. And now they are together again! This solidifies my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; because of the Atonement and the incredible covenants we make in the Temple, we are able to be reunited with our loved ones after this life. 

As her family we have been so blessed these last few weeks. Everything has happened so quickly, with changes taking place every day, we are grateful she didn't have to linger. What a blessing!

Grandmother, we love you dearly. 'Til we meet again!

PUMPKINS!

 This last Sunday my family decided to have a Pumpkin Carving 'Contest'. It was so fun to have everyone all together having a good time and being festive. Naturally "Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin" was playing in the background.


Jacob wanted to help - - - - >

But that pumpkin was too big....

so we got him a  
Jacob Sized pumpkin.

< - - - - -

Jane's pumpkin was a Cyclops.... This is Jane imitating her pumpkin.

Right before we started, Mike picked Vanessa up at the airport... She spent a fun weekend in San Francisco with her sister Krista... and right after that plane ride she was such a good sport to come and carve pumpkins with us!

Jake took care of Jacob while Ann was hard at work on their family pumpkin.

The finished products: from L-R: Jane with her Cyclops, Me with my accidentally decapitated spider, Mike and Vanessa with the Man with a Knife in his Head (Don't worry- on the porch the knife is just a little plastic one rather than the real thing shown here....), The Despains created an Owl, and Drew showed his Utah Man spirit with a 
wonderful U of U! [Photos courtesy of the Parents]

Forgive the blur... My camera was having issues with the flash. BUT! Halloween night will be so fun and festive on my parents' front porch!

 It was so fun to have everyone there... to spend time with each of the family and to celebrate the Fall season! 

HAPPY FALL!

'... A very special day...'

Last night as we were trying to go to sleep, Drew asked me a question.

"What are you doing next Saturday evening?"

"Umm... nothing I think...? Why, whats going on?"

"I'm asking you out on a date, Ali.."

- a few seconds later-

"Its a very special day, and I want to take you out."

"Why is it such a special day?"

"Because its the one-year anniversary of our first date."


I love him. :)

   

BOOKS

Drew loves the look of books covering a wall. 

Like this ----->

Its one of his goals in life to have a study filled with books so that his study will look 

like this ----->                                                              

Collectively, we have a few books. We're getting there. By the time we have a study, 

we'll be there.

I love reading. I don't do it as often as I would like, although I constantly have a book with me that I'm 'in the middle of'- just in case I get bored enough to pull it out. Generally I choose Sudoku instead. I am currently reading like 15 books...

... among which are:

• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Lewis Carroll
• Beach Music. Pat Conroy
• Freckles. Gene Stratton-Porter
• Anne of Green Gables. L.M. Montgomery
• The Catcher in the Rye. J.D Salinger
• Mansfield Park. Jane Austen

Whilst reading a book, I tend to start out REALLY slow. This is the period when I choose Sudoku over reading. But then, the farther I get in the book, the more likely it is that I won't be able to put it down. Once the slow part is over, I finish books like mad. I could probably win a race. 

I've recently finished:

•  A Girl of the Limberlost. Gene Stratton-Porter
• Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte
• Emma. Jane Austen
• Persuasion. Jane Austen
• Sense and Sensibility. Jane Austen
• Wicked. Gregory Maguire

..... All whilst reading all of the previously mentioned books. 

Among my favorites are:

• Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bronte
• East of Eden. John Steinbeck
• Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Thomas Hardy
• The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Heart of Darkness. Joseph Conrad

I am also looking for a list of great classics to read. On my list thus far:

• A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Dickins
• The Importance of Being Earnest. Oscar Wilde [Play]
• Gone With the Wind. Margaret Mitchell
• My Antonia. Willa Cather
• The Scarlet Pimpernel. Baroness Emma Orczy
• To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee
• Doctor Zhivago. Boris Pasternak