The Engagement

When Mike and I got engaged, we first started talking about a December wedding. I wasn't too excited about a "Christmas" wedding. So we decided for April when Mike was done with his semester up at BYU. One reason for April, was because I love the flowers around spring time. Earlier that year, I went up to women's conference with my mom and I fell in love with the Purple tulips around temple square. So I told myself then, "when I get married, I am going to do a purple wedding so I can have these flowers." Mike was okay with this idea of tulips and purple and a spring wedding. Another reason, we chose April, was because there was another couple in our ward who got engaged a little bit before us, and said that they were getting married sometime in January. So, we couldn't get married before Mike's semester. When we talked about plans for our wedding, I told Mike that I always wanted my husband to wear a white tux, he said that he always wanted to wear a white one. I was so relieved about it because I thought that I was going to have to convince him to wear white. As we were talking, we decided that we did not want to wait until April to start our lives together. So we decided we could do a weekend in February. All the weekends were taken by Stake things or family things. So we finally said we would get married of February 24, 2006 and have our reception the next day. At this time, the LA temple was closed for remodeling, so we chose the San Digeo Temple, my favorite! When I was a little girl, i told my mom that I was going to get married there. We went though the open house and I just thought it was like a castle! So lucky me, the LA one was closed!!

After we were engaged, I went to my cousin's wedding down in San Diego. Nick and Jamie, ended up having a PURPLE wedding. I didn't like it very much. Another thing, was I didn't want to have the same color as my cousin. My mom and I were talking, and as a joke she said that we should do black and hot pink as colors. I LOVED this idea. I love the contrast of the colors, and I thought that it would be fun. I called Mike (he was doing football), he said that he didn't know about the colors, but he said that he didn't care and it was my choice. So that is how we got our color scheme.

Planning was so much fun.

Choosing a dress: I picked out a dress online that I loved, but didn't want to order it because I didn't know what I would look like in it. My mom, sister, and I went down to San Bernadino to a Temple ready dress shop with my photo. When we got there, they did not have that dress. So we tried on lots of dresses that were HUGE on me. I couldn't get a feel of how they wold look on me because they were pinched in the back. So we asked if there were any smaller sample dressed on the floor. Sure enough they had two. One was a two piece, which was pretty, the other was the dress I chose. My mom and I both knew that this dress was the one. It had beautiful beading all around the waist, bottom, and very long train. It had buttons all down the back. It was very pretty. The girl asked if I wanted a vail. I said no. She told me that I had to try one on. So I did. It completed the dress. It veil was down to my knees with little beads that looked like water droplets all along the edges of it. This dress and veil were nothing I wanted for my dress. So you never know what dress you will end up with!

Choosing food: My mom talked about a wedding that she went to that had a nacho cheese dispenser. I thought that was the coolest thing ever so, we had a taco salad bar with a nacho cheese dispenser. It was SOOO yummy!! We didn't have ANY left overs.

Choosing a cake: My dad was so nervous about a cake because he heard all of his co-workers talking about how expensive it was. We heard from a friend that Sister Adams in the 3rd ward did cakes for fun! She only charged for the supplies. So we met with her and found the perfect cake. It was a white tiered cake on separate tiers with a waterfall underneath the cake with the San Diego temple on top. I did not want flowers on my cake, so Sister Adams had frosting flowers and Sister Milhone put just a few of the Gerber Daisies on the cake.

Choosing flowers: One of my clients gave me the idea of the flowers. At the time I did not have a favorite flower. I did love tulips. I told my client my color scheme and she told me about GERBER DAISIES!! So that day, I went online to see what Gerber daisies were all about. That when i fell in love with them. I love the bright colors and the look of the big daisy. So that is how Gerber daisies became my favorite flower. So my bouquet was hot pink Gerber daisies and white tulips. They were very pretty.

Choosing a center piece: We didn't want to have a big center piece, so our guests would be able to see each other. So we decided on small fish bowls with low Gerber daises and we got the fighting fish to swim in the water......it was fun!

The planning of a wedding was a lot of fun.

The proposal!

Basically after two weeks after saying "I love you" Mike asked me if I ever thought about marriage to him. I said YES! He said that he prayed about it and asked if I had and wondered what the answer was, I said I have gotten a yes. And he did too! So we were unofficially engaged. I waited the WHOLE month of August.

On August 27th, 2005 My mom, sister and I went down to San Bernadino to look for wedding dresses. I know, we looked for dresses BEFORE I was actually engaged. (but i knew we were getting married) I just didn't have the ring yet. That same day, Mike went ring shopping with his parents. I found the perfect dress!

That night, Mike came over and we decided to go to concerts in the park down at central park. When we were there, Mike told me that he needed me to go ring shopping with him again, because he didn't know what I wanted, blah blah blah...I told him that I didn't care what kind of ring. All that we looked at were pretty! So I dropped the ring talk. As we were eating, Mike asked me what I would do if he got up on stage and professed his love for me in front of everyone. I told him that I would be so embarrassed. So we continued to eat and enjoy the music. I don't really remember who was playing, but they were playing really random songs. They seemed like old men playing newer songs and I wanted to see what they looked like. So anyway, I said to Mike that we should go up closer and see what they looked like. He said OK! So we went up and danced and had so much fun. After a little bit, Mike said he had to go to the bathroom. So he went, and I waited. When he came back we danced a little more. Then he said he saw someone that he knew that he had to go talk to. I asked if I could come, he said no. I was a little bummed but thought nothing of it. After like 15 minutes, the concert ended and the announcer told everyone that he had a good friend Mike Carr who had something to say. I was shocked!! My heart was pounding. He got up on stage with the microphone and said, "There is someone special out in the audience that he wanted them to meet" So I went up there feeling nervous, and shocked, and he continued saying, "that Anna is the most beautiful girl in the Santa Clarita Valley. And Anna, the past eight months or so, have meant the world to me, and I have had so much fun. I want everyone in the audience to know how much I love you. I promise I will never let you go if you answer this one question." He then got down on one knee, opened up a ring box, which by the way had the most beautiful ring ever! And asked, "Anna, will you marry me?" I said yes! Then he got up and gave me a big hug and kiss in front of everyone! So while he was saying all these nice things about me, the thoughts that were going through my mind, were those of I really hope hes not proposing to me with out a ring! So I was totally shocked when I saw my engagement ring. We went off stage in the back and he put my ring on. It was so pretty and I was still feeling totally shocked. As we walked back to where we were, We felt like rock stars. Everyone was cheering for us and saying congratulations. To this day, there are still people who tell my mom that, "that was your daughter?" Once we got to our seats, my parents and sister were there to congratulate us.

So when Mike came to pick me up, he asked my dad for permission and showed my family the ring. He also told my dad that he was going to propose to me at the concert. As we left for the concert, I asked my family if they were going. They said that they would meet us there. So my family, knowing that Mike was going to do this, they didn't bring the camcorder!! Can you believe that? Man, I wish we had it on tape! That night was so fun. When we left, we went to Mike's parent's house to show them the ring and tell them the good news. August 27th was a very good day!

Our Dating Story Continued and the BEST Summer ever!

When Mike and I got back from Utah, we were having fun hanging out, going on dates and just enjoying one another. My Birthday rolled around and we went to the Magic Castle......which was SOOO much fun! It was fun dressing up and getting carded. The Magic Castle was so cool inside. It was so old fashioned with cool magic decor everywhere. On my birthday, I knew I was in love with Mike; however, I didn't want to be the first one to say it. I was hoping he would say it for my birthday. He didn't But he was such a romantic. I woke up in the morning and there was rose pedals all over my car. He was so sweet.

That summer of 2005, we had a blast. (Even though my circle of friends stopped hanging out with us) It ended up being Mike and me and our third wheel Wes Anderson. We would all just hang out an have fun. I was taking a PE class at COC when Mike had his football conditioning in the morning. So every morning we would wait for each other and walk together for a few minutes. Then I would go to my strategy class while Mike would be at practice. When I was done with my class, I would go and do another session of PE and wait for Mike to be done. I had fun waiting for him. Then we would sometimes get lunch. There were sometimes when I would skip strategy and we would go boating with Mike and Wes and a few of their football buddies. I swear that summer was the best. I fell in love with him even more!

Sometime in July Mike told me we needed to talk. I was so nervous! Those are the forbidden words you don't say when dating someone seriously. I told him that he better not break my heart.....He said that this talk was good. I heard him out. He said that he wanted to be sure of something. He said that we shouldn't kiss for two weeks. He wanted to make sure he wasn't "in lust" with me. Those two weeks were a lot of fun. We went on fun and different dates. We had picnics at the park, went to concerts in the park, movies, and just talked. It was fun. After two weeks of not kissing, Mike took me to the Santa Monica Pier Beach, laid down a towel and said some things that I don't remember and then said the three words I have been waiting for ALL summer. He said I Love You Anna. i of course said it right back. He said that he was nervous to say it, and that I made it easy for him because I said it so fast after him. After that we went up to third street and ate at California Pizza Kitchen.

The next day we went to Laughlin, Nevada with my family. It wasn't a fun trip like ones I have had in the past. It was overcast and monsoon season. We were only on the lake for a half of a day. We drove home my parents truck and sea dos, because my mom and dad took Jessica to EFY and then they went to the Grand Canyon. That week while they were gone, Mike and I had SOO much fun. We went down to San Diego and went to the Zoo. The ride down was fun. Mike asked me if I was totally set on being Allysa's roommate up in Provo. At the time that was our plan on transferring up to BYU and go to school together. My plan was to be Allysa's roommate. I said no, who's roommate would I be? He said I don't know maybe me.......I got where he was going. Once we got to the Zoo, we walked around and had lots of fun. After the Zoo we went to this AMAZING restaurant that was beach front. I don't remember the name of it. All I know the food was awesome and the Volcano Chocolate Cake was even better. During dinner Mike started talking about our future together. He asked me if I liked where our relationship was going. I said of course! I knew what he was hinting at......

How Mike and I met and our dating story.

Mike and I met in January of 2005. One Sunday in the singles ward I saw this really cute guy in church. He had the cutest smile and I though he was totally HOT! After Sacrament, during Sunday School he introduced himself as Mike Car to the whole ward. I was sitting next to my friend Brynn Schinelle and said, hey that's Matt Wride's friend. See I went to a dance a few months prior, and met Matt. He asked me if I knew Mike Carr. I said it sounds familiar. Matt said he plays football for COC. So Here it is in January, Mike shows up in our ward. So after we were released to go to our classes I went up to Mike and introduced myself. How could I resist? He was totally HOT! So anyway, after church my friend Josh was waiting for me to take me home and he was talking to Mike. I asked Mike if he wanted to go bowling with us on Thursday. (My group of friends went every Thursday night) So I HAD to invite him. Mike gave me his number. That morning, I was watching football and told myself it would be really fun to be married to a football player. So after church I went home and told my mom that I met the hottest guy at church. I said he plays football and has a nice body and I was smitten.

So Thursday rolls around and I call to see if Mike wanted to come bowling. He was driving to Utah! I was so bummed. So I had to wait another week! It felt like forever. The next Thursday comes around and he came! We talked the whole night, just getting to know each other. It came up of how Mormons celebrate their 21st birthday and how its really just another birthday. I said not for me! I get to go to the Magic Castle and I could bring a friend. Mike said he always wanted to go! So we joke around that's the only reason why Mike started to date me is because of him having the chance to go to the Magic Castle.

The next day was a dance at the Plummer building and my group of friends were all going together. Mike called to see if we were going and I told him he HAD to come with us. That night him and Matt were "fighting" to dance with me. This got Mike upset and asked me that night if I wanted to go see Coach Carter with him and then go to Lauren's baptism (which was Mikes ex-girlfriend) I of course said YES! I thought it was funny he wanted to take me to his ex girlfriends baptism but also awesome that he wanted to go together!

From that day on, Mike and I started to date. I could tell that he wanted to kiss me, but I didn't let him. Our first kiss was on February 17th during the movie Hitch. I always felt that you should get to know someone before kissing. So we dated and were having fun. I really liked Mike but had second thoughts about him because of my previous relationship. Deep down I knew Mike was right for me. I was having fun being single dating around and I wasn't quite ready to settle down. I was trying to find things wrong with him. One of the things "i didn't like" was that his shoes didn't match. How shallow was I?! I was just being really stupid! So we broke up sometime in March, but still hung out lots. He was apart of my friends. It felt like those few weeks we were broken up, he tried everything he could to make me want him. He says now that he wasn't but I think he was. He told me when we broke up, that he still wanted to go to Utah for our spring break together.

So Mike and I went up to Utah for conference with our friends Wes and Michelle. Mike and I drove in one car and Wes and Michelle in another. That week was SOO much fun. I really started to fall in love with Mike. I feel that when we first started dating, it was going too fast and I just wasn't ready. Anyway, that week we went snowboarding, conference, hung out with friends, movies, the list goes on. The night before conference we were staying in Salt Lake at one of Mike's friends house and I kissed him that night. That night is when we got back together. I just had so much fun with him and like I said fell in love. So the ride home we were a couple! And that is how we started our journey together.

The Start to my Online Journal

I am so terrible at hand writing in a journal. I love to blog, so I thought that it may be better to record my thoughts and things that happen in a blog. The two main reasons I hate writing in a journal is because it takes a long time and I HATE my writing. I really hope that I can keep a blog journal that I can remember al the fun things that I have done. I think what I am going to do, is start with how Mike and I met and our story together. It would be way to hard to go back to my childhood. Besides, Mikes and my story is what really is important. Also what is really cool about blogger, is you can get what you post, made into a book1 Now that is awesome. Way better then a hand written journal........ So for now, good night journal.