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Engaged: Registries.

With being engaged - comes along registering. Okay - I thought registering was supposed to be fun? I wish I had been told ahead of time just how tiring it is! Andrew enjoyed the "gun" though. Here are pictures from our adventures at Target...

Here is Andrew all smiles - I think that is because I let him have reign over the "gun".

Here is Andrew registering for the one thing he wanted, and the one thing I said he could have.. a deep fryer.
Uhh... Andrew was enjoying himself a little too much..
What happened to all smiles? Those wore off quickly.
There is that smile.


Flowers.

I love taking pictures, especially of flowers. The Ganem's have this awesome cactus in their front yard that is beautiful at night - each night the blossoms open up. They close during the day so I have not been able to get any pictures of them then but they are gorgeous even in the dark.

Engaged: Engagement Photos.

We were able to meet this past Tuesday and take our Engagement Photos. We love our photographer and are very excited to work with her. If anyone is interested in a photographer - check her out at Why Not Capture It? I think we got some really good shots and am excited. Tonight we were able to meet and discuss what the wedding invitations are going to look like - I'm really excited for these as well. I think the pictures we chose for them are going to look great thanks to Another Leaf Designs. Andrew & I are very blessed to be able to work with such amazing people. I'll stop prolonging it and show off a few of my favorite photos:











Yes - I know I posted just about a million pictures but I love these all. Imagine how difficult it was to narrow these down to one or two. Anyways - thanks to Rebecca for the amazing shots.

Engaged: Bridal Shower Invitations.

As you can imagine with a wedding 7 1/2 weeks away, we had to get working on planning the Bridal Shower. We picked a date and then came the task of making invitations. My sister had a really cute idea for the invitations but due to the short amount of time and the number of invitations that we needed to make, we decided to go with something very simple. The end result is actually what I had been telling them in the first place we should do, but then they threw out the cute invitation idea... either way I love the simple ones. My mom is a good writer and is somehow able to come up with the best rhymes. This is what the invitation reads:

"Noelle (last name) has some exciting news
Soon she'll be saying her "I Do's"!
The questions was asked, and then she replied
That she would be Andrew (last name)'s new bride!
So join us as we celebrate their new life
And help her prepare to be Andrew's wife!"

Genius, right? I thought it was pretty clever. Thanks to Mom, Heidi, Deja, & Katlyn for coming over and putting them all together. I really appreciate it.


Guess what...

I finally received the letter today - telling me whether or not I was accepted into the ASU Nursing Program for the Fall 2010 Semester... I'll let you read for yourselves.

Engaged: "The Dress".

I found "The Dress". It actually was the first dress that I tried on, but I tried on probably 5 others before I decided. I am very grateful for both moms, Linda, & Deja who all went with me this morning. I think we all loved the dress and am very excited. You won't see the dress posted on here (or FaceBook) anytime soon.. but here is just a sneak peak. That is not the color the sash/bow will be either.

& I think I have decided... Gerber Daisies will be the flower of choice.

Engaged: The Date.

As you can imagine, now that we are officially engaged, there is a lot to plan. Most importantly was setting a date. This was difficult - ideally we wanted it to be before started in the fall for either of us. If I get into the nursing program (I should know in a week and a half if I was accepted or not), I won't have any time I can take off during the semester and ASU does not have a Fall break. We could do it one a weekend and plan a trip for winter break... but just dating while both of us tries to focus on our studies is hard also. We did not want to wait for Winter break so where did that leave us?

We have officially set the date....
Andrew & I will be married in the Mesa Arizona Temple on August 7th, 2010.

Yes - that means in about 8 weeks from this weekend, we will be married. Ahhhh. There is a lot of planning to do in just 8 weeks! As you can imagine... we are already making lists and making plans. Until it is all done, my mom & I may look like this for a while:

Engaged: The Ring.

I LOVE my ring, love love love my ring. I usually call it "Andrew's ring" but he always corrects me and tells me, "your ring". He did such a good job in picking it out. I was excited to take some pictures of it this morning with my new camera so I could show it to my family and friends - especially those who don't live near by. Here are a few of my favorites that I took, to see all of them - visit my picasa album The Ring.

(I'm obsessed with taking pictures for those of you who do not know)


Engaged: The Proposal.

***Disclaimer: This is going to be a little long and full of probably pointless details but I wanted to make sure I wrote it all down***

So for those who have not heard - Andrew & I are engaged! We are both really excited and happy! Andrew proposed last night and I, of course, said yes.


We first spent the evening with my family at my brother in law's birthday party (Happy Birthday Neil) and the original plan was to visit the temple afterwards so I could "try out my new camera". I obviously did not know Andrew had other plans for the evening... I knew a proposal was probably coming up but did not know when and where. I also had an idea that he had already talked to my dad about it, but Andrew adamantly denied having doing such any time I asked about it. He was really good about keeping everything a secret. Unfortunately, I ruined Andrew's Plan A and we did not make it to the temple last night because I always have such a hard time tearing myself away from my family and my cute nephews & niece, so we stayed a little bit longer than planned. Andrew still wanted to drive out to the temple - had I known his intentions I might have been more willing - but we wouldn't have made it there probably until around 9:30 last night and I don't know when the grounds close so I didn't want to drive over there and not be able to take pictures like I wanted. Instead I decided that we could go visit the Lake and Star Tower off of Estrella Parkway which was not too far from where we already were. These are both places I could try out my new camera and I could get some cool pictures. All the while... Andrew is trying to decide between Plan B or Plan C - lake or Star Tower. I told Andrew after the fact that he is going to be GREAT at improvising after me because I seem to mess up plans like that a lot lately. Anyways... we walked around the lake to the spot where there are pretty, lighted fountains so that I could take some pictures. I think Andrew was thinking of proposing here because he pulled out the handkerchief (I didn't know what was in it at the time - he told me it was just his handkerchief) that the ring was wrapped up in. He put it back though after he must have decided he would go with Plan C - the Star Tower.

So we headed over to the Star Tower and hiked up top. I took some really cool pictures on the way up - all Andrew's ideas- and when we were walking back down... I was sitting up on one of the walls and Andrew suggested another picture for me to take. This picture was the distraction he needed to pull out the ring... as I was focused on my picture taking, I heard something hit the ground. Yeah - he dropped the ring :) - Andrew hates that detail but I love it. I heard it hit the ground and just by the sound of it, I knew all of my suspicions were true - he was going to propose. He tried playing it off by saying it was "nothing" when I asked what had dropped... but then that is when he proposed. It was really sweet.

Pictures to tell the story:

At the birthday party, I wonder why he could be so happy. He was being a good sport and letting me take pictures of him on my new camera.

From The Proposal

The fountains at the lake. This is where Plan B would have taken place had Andrew gone that route.
From The Proposal

These pictures are awesome. These are the pictures that Andrew told me to take and try and get the "glow of Phoenix over the mountain". They turned out really good. This is from up on the Star Tower. Even though it is pretty light in these pictures - it was about 9:30 at night and really dark at the Star Tower.
From The Proposal

Another awesome picture...
From The Proposal

Here is Andrew at the Star Tower, pre-engaged. It is blurry - sorry.
From The Proposal

Here is me at the Star Tower, pre-engagement.
From The Proposal

This is the picture that Andrew had me take to "distract" me. The camera was sitting too far back on the ledge so you can see the wall that I was sitting on.
From The Proposal

Here is where I was sitting when Andrew proposed.
From The Proposal

The newly engaged, happy couple.
From The Proposal


From The Proposal

Another picture of us, blurry but I still like it.
From The Proposal

Family & things...

Summer is officially here. It is hot outside! I am not taking summer school this summer (thankfully) so I have been working and spending time with Andrew & family. It has been fun still. We babysat my nephew for a few hours last week and I, of course, took plenty of pictures. Here are a few of my favorites! You get to see how much my nephews LOVE Andrew. About a week and a half ago when I spent the night at my sister's house to babysit, one of the first things my nephews asked me was, "Add-dru?" He was not with me and they HAD noticed!

Here is sweet baby Kade - he is a cutie!

Most of you probably don't know this about my Mom, but she is a dork and likes to make funny faces when I take pictures of her. For that - I will post them on my blog for all to see!

Here is Jace with Andrew - he loves Andrew... can you not tell by his face?
I love the middle picture of Andrew.... I think it has to be one of my favorites.
And here is Tate and Andrew having a "serious" conversation - cute.

(: Andrew & I :)

Thanks Jenn-

"Indecision can immobilize or paralyze us, hindering our preparation in mortality. We can become like the people of Nineveh whom the Lord described to Jonah as “persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand.” The Apostle James observed that “a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” An old Swiss saying describes such indecision in these words:

With one foot in,
with one foot out,
You can’t be in,
you can’t be out—
Not warm, not cold,
not square, not round,
More poor than poor
and always bound.
For such a man
will never know
where to begin
or where to go.

We cannot be double minded in our relationships with husband or wife, parents or children. Are we going to savor the enjoyment of our children after they are a little older and we are not so busy? What about the valued friendships that fade because of the thoughtful, lengthy letters we plan to write but never finish and send? Are we faithful in going to our temples regularly? Consider the books we are going to read, the impulses to kindness we are going to act upon, and the good causes we are going to espouse. Are we always packing our bags with the things we value most in life but never leave on the trip? Does tomorrow never come? Let us resolve to begin to live today—not tomorrow, but today—this hour while we yet have time."


-Joseph B. Wirthlin

Cameras and things...

It has been rough lately. I've been having some tough times. I'm actually going to write tonight - I'm thinking maybe that is one of my problems. I've always thought of myself as an "open" person but... I think I am open to an extent. I have been going through a lot it feels like these past few weeks and have had to try and really figure myself out - which sounds like it should be easy... but not for me. I've had to make some tough (I'm using this word a lot) decisions and have dealt with doubting whether or not I have made the correct one. I'm very grateful for the people in my life though - ALL the people - and the support that they give me.

Last night I was able to stay at my sister's house so that I could be there bright and early this morning to babysit. I LOVE my nephews. My 3-year old nephew telling you that he loves you is one thing that always makes me feel better, no matter the circumstances. I was excited to see them because they were excited that I was staying the night. We had fun watching movies... playing.. building a fort.. and yes making sugar cookies. I know it probably seems like I am obsessed with sugar cookies lately (which is odd because they really are not my favorite cookie AT ALL) but I thought the color dough could be really fun for little kids. Have plain shaped
cookies all ready to put in the oven and have colored shapes for the kids to put on top - genius right? What we did today - we made dinosaur cookies with polka dots! They had a lot of fun decorating the dinosaurs with blue and green polka dots, they looked cute too... but I was not
impressed with the recipe I chose though. Even though they looked cute - I warned my sister and brother in law NOT to eat them. They were not too tasty, even though the dough prior to baking tasted fine.

They cheered me up... even if K soaked me with spit up ALL day today.
Cookies prior to decorating and baking..

Polka dotted dinosaur sugar cookies. (Amazing placement of the polka dots huh?)

I am also getting excited for my future.... well soon to be new camera. KaMaili, I guess you are right... I deal with stress by spending money. I have been long waiting a camera like this though. The Nikon D5000 has my eye and I am planning to order it - either tonight or tomorrow. Isn't it pretty? I can't wait to get it and spend much time playing with it. The first place I want to go and try it out once I have it... is the Mesa Arizona Temple. I can't get enough of the Temple lately and it is one of my favorite places to photograph so it is perfect. I'll have to figure out what I am doing with the camera first but.. thats the plan.