Well it was just a little over 6 years ago in July of 2001 that I was working as a manager of a Subway in American Fork Utah. I had just gotten out of a really dumb relationship-I decided I was completely done dating and I was SET on going on a mission for my church. My bishop was understanding...understanding in a way that was more like-"let's see what happens in the next few months, and see how you feel." I knew I would feel no different-I was going on a mission in January and that was that.
Then a friend of a friend came home from his mission, his name was James, he was also set on not dating-so we became fast hang out buddies. He was working with a mechanic in Alpine and one day he called me up at Subway and asked me to bring up 3 sandwiches when I got off work to the guys at the shop. I made the sandwiches, stopped at home to change out of my ugly clothes and put on some skanky ones, (back then, I didn't think they were skanky, they weren't all that modest-but to hear Chad describe my tank top and holey jeans that day-you would think I was auditioning for a Vegas strip show)! When I got to the shop you guessed it one of the 3 guys was Chad.
Chad was working on a car the whole time I was there, barely said hi and thank you, and to be quite honest, I barely noticed him, except for his SUPER blue eyes, which still can take me by surprise! The owner of the shop, Kyle talked non-stop to me and I had a good time for a bit, before I headed home to hang out with my best friend.
I can't be sure if it was the next day or the one after that, that Kyle and Chad came into Subway for lunch. Kyle again talked to me for a long time, but the only thing I got from Chad was what toppings he wanted on his sandwich. I saw a lot of them over the next couple of weeks-and I was completely oblivious to Chad. He was a nice guy, but just a nice guy who came in for lunch-there were a lot of those...
Then Thursday, July 26th, I got a phone call at work and the guy on the other end asked me "how I felt about older guys", me, a little confused at who it might be-he might have even said, but it hadn't registered at that point answered, "I LOVE older guys". Then he had the nerve to ask if he could take me out that night, as soon as I said "yes" I regretted it. What was I thinking? I was not dating anyone anymore!!!
Well that night, I was COMPLETELY dreading the upcoming date, and when it was about 5 minutes past the time he was supposed to pick me up, I started getting ready to leave. I didn't put up with people, especially dates being late-this wouldn't have been the first time that I wasn't home to receive a late gentleman caller...My roomate and bestest friend Melissa tried to talk me out of leaving, and when Chad called to tell me that he was going to be late (DUH!), I wouldn't talk to him, Melissa did, and she pretty much told him, that he had about 30 seconds to get there or I would not be there. (I think I thought pretty highly of myself at the time...)
When he finally came and got me, I think the only reason I went was because he was driving a jeep. He took me to Cabo Grill, I had never been-but turns out, I loved it-the food that is, him, not so much-hating the whole first date questions and counting the minutes till he dropped me off.
After dinner he asked if I wanted to go get a movie and go back to his place-typical, I thought-he totally just wants to make out. When we pulled up to Blockbuster, we sat in the jeep and talked for a minute, and it was then that he told me that he had 2 kids. I know that's when most girls would start running, for some reason, it had the complete opposite effect on me, for some strange, unknown reason I always knew that I would marry someone with kids. Not that I thought I would marry this guy, but I was more intrigued at that point. It was at this point that Chad asked if I would rather just drive and talk.
We ended up driving up American Fork canyon and stopping at a place called Tibble Fork, we talked for hours while Chad did flips over the ro-bar. We had lots in common and it was so easy to be myself with him. At one point Chad asked me to marry him jokingly and I jokingly said yes, but at that point-I don't think either of us was entirely joking.
When he took me home, we found out that his youngest brother was my age and that I knew him, one of my friends Sara had gone to a dance with him, and they were in our group. Melissa was gone when we got home she was hanging out with a friend of ours, Matt, so I asked Chad to wait until she got home, because I was scared to be home alone, (our house was HAUNTED_NO LIE!!!).
Well we ended up talking on the couch for a long time and I guess I fell asleep with my feet on his lap. He stayed awake and watched me sleep forever, when I woke up, I was embarassed to see that he was staring at me. He was just too dang sweet, I don't know if I was just tired or a big old hussy-but I sat up and totally started kissing him!
Well he didn't stop me and about 3 days later we had said that we loved each other, in about a week we were talking marriage, 9 weeks from our first date we were engaged at the same spot he had asked me to marry him on our first date (Tibble Fork). 15 weeks and 3 days from our first date, it was November 10 and we were married in the Mt. Timpanogas Temple, and haven't looked back since.
It's been a fantastic 6 years and I am SO glad that Melissa talked me into staying and waiting a few more minutes for him. He was so worth the wait!
After what seemed like forever-Christmas finally did come. We are not a patient family when it comes to Christmas-we are all like little kids and just can't wait for Christmas morning. No one was disappointed either-we all got spoiled rotten from Santa, each other and of course Grandma Julie! With all the craziness of opening gifts we didn't get many pictures-but lots of memories! 
Bekah got an easel from Santa and a WHOLE box full of art supplies and paper, she got lots of Princess and Disney stuff too, we're going to Disneyland in a couple weeks, Santa must have known...
Christopher got cars, and stuff that goes with cars-like a garage for his little people, and an airport with more cars, helicopters and planes for his little people. He was so excited and cute about it all, I thought it might overwhelm him, but he was having a blast right up until the last gift was opened at Grandma's and couldn't stop saying "WOW!"
I got spoiled with scrapbooking stuff, cute shoes, an external hard drive for my computer to keep all my pics on and so much more and that's just from our house. My mom went a little nuts-sound familiar? From her, I got a new crockpot, shoes, a necklace from Tiffany & co, a dress and who knows what else-I had a huge stack by the time the morning was over. Jim even got me something super fun-a new cartridge for my Cricut machine! Yippee! :).
Now Chad got pretty spoiled too-lots of fun games, treats oh and a new Tom Tom GPS unit from my mom and Jim! Super excited about that!
One thing, I am still trying to get excited about was what Santa brought for Bekah and Topher to my moms house...A new fish tank complete with fish! The kids are thrilled, we have already had one die though-and surprisingly Bekah was okay with it. I think it will be a fun thing for them-as long as Topher stays out of the tank, and as long as I don't have to clean it-or pull dead fishies out and flush em...yech!
Then we came home and decorated my mom's little tree-okay so it's not little -IT'S HUGE!!! 
Bekah was all excited about decorating another tree, but got seriously bored after the first 1/4 of the tree was decorated-and I couldn't blame her the tree stood about 10 feet with the angel on top and was about 5 feet around. It takes up half her living room! 
Topher was loving the train they set up and was pretty much on his tummy the whole night, unless he was sitting in a snowman bucket, next to the train.
Just your typical cute kids (and one random one of me, just so you know I was there too) decorating the tree pics, then of course putting the star on top with dad.
I know these are never the best quality-maybe some year when I get me my Rebel, but for now these will do. I love seeing my kids play with the lights before we hang them on the tree. They are always so fascinated-for me it's another very magical moment of the Christmas season...
We went for our annual trip to cut down the perfect tree! We found Martin's U-Cut last year-and LOVE it! They have lots and lots to choose from and the people who run it live there-and are so sweet. They have a wreath shop out of their garage and have free hot cocoa and cider and give candy canes to everyone. We found the perfect tree not long after getting there. Even though Bekah had her heart set on getting a small tree (translated: a twig) We did finally convince her that we had to get a big tree to put a star on top and put presents under-and I told her we would put a little tree on her side table by her bed. 
Bekah by one of the small trees she tried to convince us was "just right".
Topher LOVED this activity-he was having so much fun finding all the trees and trompin around in the mud and the rain.
Chad by his victim. So proud!
The kids enjoying their candy canes outside the wreath shop.
Such a fun tradition!