"How are the wedding plans coming?"

The only thing I can liken it to... I remember the summer before I left for college that frequently someone would ask something to this effect: "How are things going? Are you all ready to leave for college?"

"Oh things are good," I'd respond in a Groundhog Day-type daze and regale them with some repeat tale of packing up boxes or visiting friends...

In a similar fashion, the once, "How are you today" salutations from friends, co-workers, etc. have turned in to "How are the wedding plans coming along" story time. I hadn't realized it until this week, really, when I was once again asked this question and forced to think back on the past week of nights and slightly panicked realizing that only one of my last six nights that week had been devoted to wedding plans or wedding anything, really.


We've started moving. Skyler took possession of the condo we're going to be living in up in Bountiful this week and so a whole new set of plans, preparing, and executions have taken place. I was going to show a slew of before-and-after pictures, but we're still so in the midst of it. Really, we're still working on the afters, but you can kind of see Sky did an amazing job trading out the shiny yellow paint on one of the walls in the living room for a more subdued, moody green that we think turned out great. Come judge for yourself ;)

So, out of the Gateway Northgate apartments (thanks Jed, Chase, Daryl, and Chase's roommate!) while sacrificing the two minute walking commute and in to our condo across the street from-
Melanie's View - Costco
Skyler's View - Chuck a Rama

Hey, it takes all kinds of priorities... our priorities happen to come in bulk and all-you-can-eat packages.

Any way you look at it, we're catching the vision that there are lots of decisions, opinions, and fun-filled days and nights ahead of us.

Here's a picture of us about to have our first meal made at our own new place just a few days ago-- chicken pesto with WAY too much chicken, but it worked. No idea why this turned out foggy, but you get the picture, right?

I'm racing to get this posted before the battery on my computer runs out.

Hopefully we'll have more wedding and housing updates soon... so now there's two sets of "how is the __________" coming along. Awesome.

We just finished putting together our version of an entertainment center tonight and we feel like it looks pretty great. So, I'll get some pictures of that before-and-after moment soon.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!!! We have more than ever before to be grateful for.

Melanie & Skyler

A Visit to Invitation Station

Invitation station in full effect. MANY thanks to the lovely ladies who stayed a good handful of hours one November night and help assemble an even bigger handful of invitations.

Sure you can't exactly tell what's going on in this picture, but I'm sure you'll appreciate the end product all the more knowing that we ran this little sweatshop for a night in an effort to announce our upcoming wedding. Courtney, Erin, Shanna, Jenn, Christy, and Natalie (not shown but loving you all the same)... all my love going out to each of you!! Thanks for the gluing, mounting, addressing, organizing, and stuffing--I just can't tell you how much we appreciate all that you did!!! Well, yes I can. SO much!!!

And extra thanks to Jenn who went out in the cold to check her mail to see if the announcements we'd so carefully assembled that I mailed out yesterday from roughly 3100 S. West Temple in SLC, made it to her house on Capitol Hill in SLC a day later. Thanks for the play-by-play, Jenn and SO glad to know the postage all worked out. Still a few more addresses to get and a handful of additional announcements to send, but less than a hundred. Feeling great about that.

Done and done,
Melanie

Engagement Party Time!

Just a few pics from the engagement party we had at Skyler's parents' house last week. It was awesome. Football, food, and fun. More pictures to come once I get them from Kirsten. Thanks to everyone who could come.

A little more

ABOUT MELANIE
I grew up outside of Dallas, moved to Seattle my senior year, graduated from BYU in Communications and Business, lived in AZ for a couple of years and currently live and work here in SLC. That about sums it up in a sentence.

ABOUT SKYLER
Skyler's from north of SLC in Fruit Heights... right next to Kaysville / Layton area where everyone knows everyone and usually marries someone they went to high school with. Some how he was swayed :) He's living in downtown SLC, too, and working about 2 minutes (walk) from his office. Skyler works in land development.

HOW WE MET
He was roommates with a guy that went to church with us. Somehow he ended up coming to Sunday dinners and just kept coming.

FIRST DATE
After knowing each other for almost a full year, he asked me out on our first date-- Jazz game. It was awesome and we've basically been dating ever since (This would be a picture from a subsequent Jazz game).

ABOUT US
We both love the outdoors and sports and can each dish our own dose of sarcasm, sass, and teasing any moment of the day. He's extra patient and I'm... not. We laugh, we chill, and we've been planning like crazy for the past couple of months. Neither of us is great at mornings. So, probably best to plan your phone calls for the afternoon or evening if you're looking for an amiable response.

WEDDING WHEN & WHERE
December 14, 2007
Salt Lake City, UT

Done and done for now,

Melanie

Bountiful Temple

Trip to the LDS Temple in Bountiful, Utah. Absolutely stunning and an awesome experience all around!!

Apparently I never posted this. For some reason it's been sitting in my drafts folder of the blog. Anyway, this happened back at the end of October... before the snow storms of 2007 and 2008 were upon us and you could still see some flowers and leaves on the trees.

If you haven't been to the Bountiful Temple, go. It has some amazing purple-ish stained glass features and even just being on the grounds is a peaceful experience. Anyway, there's my endorsement of the Bountiful Utah Temple. Enjoy.

More soon,
Melanie

Done and Done

Well, I'll start with the ending for those of you who don't want to have to wade through the chapter book that will inevitably ensue. After months of creating, waiting, and keeping quiet about it... THE RING CAME AND WE'RE OFFICIALLY ENGAGED. Did I yell that? Kind of, but it's exciting, right? Below are some shots of us outside of Coors Field in Denver Colorado just before Game 3 of the World Series. Sky's loved the Red Sox for years, and according to him this little story officially seals us both as Red Sox fans for life. "Our team, not my team. Ours."

I know it's hard to see this gem from this pic, but come for a visit in person. It's an oval shape solitaire with little, pave diamonds underneath that you can't see from this shot. But this ring totally made it to the World Series games 3 and 4... and watched the Sox become world champs in 2007!!

And the story goes:

Chapter 1 - The Tuesday Before THE Saturday
He might tell this story differently, but this is how it went for me.

Obviously, this all came up very last minute being that you only find out what team plays what team days before they actually play, but Skyler had worked out all of the details for us to make it to the World Series and he called to tell reluctant-to-go Me.

"It's the World Series! It's going to be awesome. This will be the best weekend of your life!" Skyler pleaded.

"It better not be the best weekend of my life," I said.

"Well, this will be the best weekend of your life up to this point."

Now, for those of you who don't know me, I'm a sports fan, but I don't love watching baseball on television. I'd much, much rather be watching football. But, like I said, Skyler loves the Red Sox and "it was a once-in-a-lifetime-chance to see them this close to home AND in the World Series."

So, despite the fact that wedding planning and details were in full swing, we were off.

Chapter 2 - Off to Denver, CO
The day started out extra early for us (Me, Sky, and two of his friends - Jed and Brad) on a flight to Denver. And FYI- the lady at the airport Burger King told me they discontinued CinniMinis-- a tragedy that I sincerely hope has been localized to only airport BKs. We got in to Denver around 8 and went straight to the hotel to check in. I stayed in the car while he checked in... which, looking back on it, took an unusually long time, but I was tired so I didn't bother to check on him.

Chapter 2 - To Golden, CO
Home of the Colorado School of Mines, the Coors factory, Buffalo Bill's burial place / museum, and Colorado Mills-- and the first of a handful of schemes to make the ring-giving a surprise. It was while we were at Colorado Mills that Skyler got a text from his mom.
"The ring came!...."
So, the ring had made it to SLC and we were in CO. Not as awesome as I would have liked, but at least it wasn't in California anymore. We made a few warmer clothes purchases for the upcoming extra cold game night and visited the burial place of Buffalo Bill.

Chapter 3 - Back to the hotel

We headed back to the hotel and met up with Skyler's Dad, brother Blake, and friends Luther and Kendall. I was SO in need of a nap and totally crashed for an hour before it was time to go. I remember that he took a couple of extra long trips to the car and was doing who knows what while I faded in and out of consciousness and Blake watched a football game. Somewhere in the midst of these trips back to the hotel, Skyler had arranged to have the ring FedEx-ed to the him there so he could work out the next part of his plan.

Chapter 4- On to Game 3 of the World Series
We went early to watch batting practice... and then didn't, really, now that I think about it. Anyway, Coors Field was packed with Rockies and Red Sox fans. After taking a lap around the lower level of the field, we worked our way up the ramp to the third floor and top of the stadium where you could look out over the city of Denver. Did I mention the extra-cold? I was carrying around that bag of extra layers, gloves, hats, etc. around with us during the Coors Field field trip.

There actually weren't very many people on the upper decks yet because we had managed to get there so early. But I remember at one point Skyler saying, "Why are there so many people here? I hate all these people." Which I thought was kind of weird because there weren't nearly as many as were on the lower level.

We kept walking around the park until we were part way looking over the city and he stopped and asked me if I'd take the keys out of his pocket and put them in my bag. So, I reached in to his pocket and there, attached to a carabiner, was the ring we'd designed-- all done and ready. I hugged him, I cried, he wished I wasn't crying, and basically it was awesome. Bless his heart, I'm usually such a surprise ruiner, but he totally pulled it off.

In my excitement I had totally forgotten to take a picture where it had happened. This was close enough. There were a few people that saw it happen and when we walked back by they were shouting congratulations to us over the railing.

Chapter 5 - The Game
Maybe just a few more pictures here...


Because nothing says, "I just got engaged" like an all-beef, kosher, Hebrew National hot dog with ketchup at Coors Field.






Post engagement at our seats by the foul pole in right field. Seriously, SO cold!! And if it wasn't so cold, you could see the BoSox shirts we're sporting a little better.

Chapter 6 - The IHOP Celebration
Skyler hadn't told anyone we were with that he was going to propose that night, and his dad, brother, Luther, and Kendall had seats all the way across the stadium. So, we ended up telling them in the car on the way home and they decided we needed to go somewhere to celebrate... and the fact that everyone was extra hungry, I'm sure, played a part in the IHOP decision.

It was late and we were heading back to our hotel. Not a lot open in the Denver area around midnight. Don't worry about how hot we look after a lot of hours in the freezing cold. And I'm always up for a little French Toast. Perfect.

All in all, I'll relent that he was totally right in the first place. It really was one of the most amazing weekends of my life... to date.

So, there you go. An ending that more closely resembles a beginning.

Chapter 7 - Addresses
So, we'd love to send you an announcement! We are in desperate need of addresses to get those bad boys addressed, stamped, and out the door to you. So, email me or Skyler your address ASAP!

Check back soon for more info about the future Mr & Mrs Skyler Gardner.

Done and done,
Melanie

--Sklyer's version coming soon....