"Ring"ing in the New Year 2009

For New Years Eve Brian got the two of us tickets to attend the First Night festivities in downtown Salt Lake. He started off the night in a GREAT way by presenting me with a dozen beautiful red roses. They were gorgeous! (He is SO good to me!!!) We then set off for the night. We first went to the Body World exhibit (like Brian said, nothing says romance like a bunch of plasticated? cadavears... ha ha!) Then we checked out some of the festivities at the Gallivan Center but didn't stay long because Brian had dinner plans for us.

He had reservations at The Roof restaurant, up at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. They even sat us at a window table, overlooking the SLC temple, temple square, the lights, etc. It was such a beautiful view and SO romantic. The food was delicious and the company I was in was GREAT. (They had those New Year hats sitting at our table so we had to put them on to take a picture or two!) After we ate (this takes us to about 11pm) we walked through temple square and came out of the gates to find a horse carriage waiting at the curb.

Brian had scheduled for us to go on a horse carriage ride through downtown SLC, isn't he the most romantic and wonderful guy??? I was so thrilled as we enjoyed a romantic ride through Salt Lake. (Funny sidenote but our driver's name was Jackie. She then proceeded to tell us the horse's name was Jerry. As most of you know my parents are named Jerry & Jackie. Brian and I thought it was so ironic that their names were the same as my parents. At the end of the ride she said she hope we enjoyed the ride "even though the parents came along.") It was funny! OK, so now we are at 11:30pm or so. (Brian had tried to get the horse ride to last until midnight but they needed to have the horses back in the barn before the fireworks started apparently.) So we went back into the Joseph Smith building and listened to some of the music and entertainment until almost midnight then headed outside to watch the fireworks that would start up when the new year arrived. As the fireworks started Brian had me close my eyes and make a wish, all the while I feel him putting something on my finger. (Of course as the night went on and all these romantic things are taking place that Brian had planned I had the hope that he would be proposing....) Well he didn't disappoint. As he put the ring on my finger he asked me if I would marry him. I was thrilled and am no dummy and of course said YES!!!! It was just the most incredible night, I still get goosebumps thinking about it. Everything was perfect in every way and I'll never forget it. I feel so lucky and fortunate that he chose to ask me to marry him, he is one of a kind!!! I love you Brian and can't wait for us to start our life together! I can't even tell you the happiness you have brought into my life!! Thank you hottie for the best night ever!!!

On New Years Day my family has the tradition to go to Brick Oven to eat. Here Brian and I are before lunch. (We kind of like to always be touching each other or sitting close. I just love having him there close all the time.)

It kind of felt like a "congrats on your engagement" type of a get together, since we were able to tell all of my family that we were engaged. They were happy for us and really, really like Brian, Morgan and Madi. I was so happy to see how excited my boys were as well as Brian's girls. We are going to have a cute little blended family in just a few months! I can't wait!!!!