Leopard Print (don't get me started)

So, when does "being prepared" turn into an "over-the-top, totally planned, fanatical, organized, methodical, (okay David! I get it already!!) obsession?" When I first chose a theme for our Girls Weekend and told my daughters, they laughed. "You're having a PRINT for a theme??" Yup. And once I had that, leopard just starting popping out at me everywhere. "Buy me!" it would say. {growl?} And not wanting to make it feel neglected, I did. Suddenly the house was being taken over. I bought pillow cases, pj's & slippers, a beach towel, a swimming suit, tissue boxes, Japanese lanterns, table runner, cupcake liners, boxes, soap and lotion dispensers, dish towels, dishes, even balloons in the leopard print. {And those are just the first few things I thought of right now.} David even gave me the cutest purse in leopard for Mother's Day. And he gave it to me three days early so I could have it for the whole weekend. Score!! (And by the way, I already had a few outfits in the requisite print to wear something new every day. I knew you'd be wondering.)

This is me and my girls. Nothing says "bonding!" quite like leopard print. And do you love Cheri's maternity blouse? Her husband even asked her: "Are you wearing that to the airport??" {He's learning fast though, with me as a mother-in-law.} Carly went out to breakfast with her fiance that morning before flying to L.A. and TWICE the waitress commented on how cute her shirt was.

So I've already thought of a theme for next year -- and no, honey, it's not "diamonds." But having a whole year to prepare might not be a good idea either.. . .you know how "obsessed" I can get . . . . .

The "Story"

I asked Carly for her version of their story and both she and Michael wrote back. So here it is in their own words:

Carly:

Michael and I met in September 2005. A lot of his friends from Las Vegas were in my freshman ward and he came to visit them before he left for his mission to London. One day after work I came back to my dorm and my roommate told me that some "random cute guy" named Michael had come over looking for me and had wanted to take me on a date. I thought it was funny but figured he was just acing like a funny 'freshman' and I would probably not ever even meet him. The next day I went to a dance party that the guys' hall in our ward was throwing. While there with my roommates, someone came behind me and said, "Carly?" When I turned around he said, "My name is Michael Byram and I tried desperately to get a date with you." I was surprised by how cute I thought he was. After talking to him, I found out that he was a UNLV student and would be leaving for his mission in about a week. He then asked me out for the next night. I already had plans and also had to work so I turned him down. He said something like, "Okay, well it was nice to meet you," and walked away. I was a little bummed I would never see him again but figured it wasn't a big deal since he was about to go on a mission anyway. About two minutes later he came back to me and said, "Okay, how about lunch tomorrow?" I was impressed by his persistence so even though I was going to have to miss a BYU football game to go out with him (gasp!) I agreed. The next day we went to lunch at Brick Oven and saw the movie "Just Like Heaven." We also got ice cream at Cold Stone and played a couple video games at Best Buy. He was quite the charmer. When he dropped me off at my dorm he got my address and told me he'd write me. I figured I would never hear from him again, but he ended up keeping in touch with me for his whole mission. When he got back from his mission he decided to transfer to BYU and we became fast friends. A couple years later we started dating and now here we are!!!

Michael:

I met Carly before she met me. Visiting some friends at BYU I saw her teach a Sunday school course on...you'll never guess... eternal marriage. When I saw her and listened to her testimony the Spirit spoke to my heart and I knew that this girl was special. Of all of the girls that I have ever met I had the hardest time getting Carly off of my mind. I knew that I was leaving on my mission in a little over a week, but I also knew that if I didn't at least go find out about this amazing woman that I would regret it for the rest of my life. I did not want to spend forever wondering what might have been so I took some initiative and went to ask her on a date. It took me over a day of telling myself that I had to go talk to her before I was able to muster up the courage to ask her out. After an interview with her roommate and then her RA, seeing if I was fit to take her on a date, I was told that she wasn't home.

I strongly dislike dances and parties, but "she" was going to be there, so I went the next day. I kept asking people when she was going to come and looking around for her, but when she got there I was mortified again. Not only was she special, but she was the most breathtaking beauty that I had ever seen. She was beautiful enough to intimidate a 19 year old, very cocky Michael Byram. So I came up behind her and started talking. "Carly, my name is Michael Byram and I tried desperately to get a date with you yesterday." I found it easier to talk to her if I didn't have to make eye contact. I asked her out for the following evening and she told me she had a "mandatory meeting" for work, which, as everyone knows, means a date at 7pm on a Saturday. Finally beaten, I wished her well and walked away. A friend of mine asked me what happened as I was walking away and when he found out said, "I knew you couldn't get a date with her." I stopped, looked at him, and turned back around. Much in the same way as I had begun talking to her before I said, "How about tomorrow afternoon? Don't make me beg, I will beg in front of all of these people and then you will just look mean if you tell me no."

As we sat across from each other at Brick Oven the next day I couldn't eat my pizza. My stomach was all tied up in knots. I seriously only ate one slice while Carly sat across from me and ate over half the thing. I was seriously so nervous. Never in a million years did I think that I could have been on a date with someone so pretty. As the date went on it got worse. Not my nerves, but that she was so enthralling. I wanted to hear everything that she had to say. I was having the time of my life. Terrible timing. So I went on my mission. I wrote her almost every week; she wrote me bi-yearly. I returned home two years later and sought after her ever since. After a couple of years of convincing I got my chance. I am so lucky for the way everything has worked out. I often wonder what would have happened if I hadn't found the courage to approach the woman of my dreams.


Okay, it's Carly again. Michael's is way more entertaining and cute, but mine is the correct one of course. :-)

And now you know the story. Is that cute or what??

Wedding bells!!!

This is Carly and her fiance Michael Byram. It's official -- August 7th!! We are so happy for them. Michael is from Las Vegas and will be going to graduate school in Nashville this August. They have a cute "story" which I'll post later on. But in the meantime . . .Congratulations you two!!

And away we go . . . .

Okay -- here we go doing our own blog now. We've been doing one for our missionary son, but we think we have enough cool things going on in our own lives (and in our childrens' lives) that we can share on a regular basis. And really, isn't it all about bragging about your kids and grandkids? I am SO into that! So check in once in a while and see what we're up to.