if you like it than you shoulda put a ring on it

So, I was listening to the radio today, and once I FINALLY thought that this song was out of my head, it comes on the radio, and now it's stuck in my head again!

This song is really funny to me. It reminds me of one of my good friends, Brian Stanfill. Before Brandon proposed, Brian used to go around saying to Brandon, "If you like it than you should put a ring on it." And then, after Brandon proposed, quite a few of my friends went around saying, "He liked it so he put a ring on it."

I feel bad for anyone who has to deal with the dumb guy that doesn't realize what he has. I mean, don't get jealous because "your girl" is over there dancing or talking to another guy. If you like it, than you shoulda put a ring on it.

Merry Christmas!

So, I did this last year, and I found it was much easier to do it this way rather than sending out individual Christmas cards. Cuz, let's face it, I'm poor, saving up for a wedding, and it's just as easy to write a Christmas card on here, than anywhere else.

Dear Family and Friends,

As we come to the end of yet another year, I am filled with gratitude for all of the love and support that you have given me over the many years of my life. I have moved back home to California, and although I miss the cold, snowy weather, I love it. I am surrounded by family, friends, and of course, Brandon is here.

In the past year, Brandon and I have had our own little roller coaster ride. From a wonderful, amazing Christmas phone call, to e-mails from home telling him to break up with me, to him actually breaking up with me when he got home, to us getting engaged in September, and finally to us planning our wedding and eternity together. For those of you who don't know, Brandon served a 2-year mission in the Mexico Hermosillo Mission, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a wonderful mission and has great stories to tell about it.

Now, to the engagement part. We got engaged on September 10th and are getting married March 27th, 2010. Brandon completely and totally surprised me with the proposal. We both have known for the past 2 1/2 years, that we were going to get married, but after this summer, I didn't think that we would be getting married for at least another 2 years. Like I said, we were on a bit of a roller coaster. But then, at the end of August, we started talking a little bit more serious about the idea of marriage. We started talking about getting engaged in December, and then married in April. It sounded like a great idea (so I thought). But, Brandon had other plans. Brandon asked my dad for his blessing, for us to get married, on Labor Day, and my dad said yes! Apparently, Brandon had already bought my ring (I had no idea). (And, there are very few things that Brandon does without telling me, or without me somehow knowing.) Brandon asked me 3 days later. We will be living in a house in Lake Elsinore, when we get married. It is a little house, but it is nice and cozy, and perfect for the 2 of us.

I am attending Mt. San Antonio College, again. It's... fun. I feel like I have absolutely no time for anything, but it's kind of exciting to go back to school and people look at you like you're the smart kid. (I think I'll just let them think that :) ) Work has been a blast! I have been working full-time at a school portraits company. I was the office manager's assistant. I'm not really sure if that's the technical name of what I did, but basically I did EVERYTHING around the office. I answered phones, worked computers, sent out the order forms to the schools, printed the pictures, packaged the pictures, and sent them out. It was fun to get to kind of be in charge of things, and get to show how great of a worker I am. I was given MANY responsibilities, especially this last week, when I stepped in as the Production Manager.

Brandon is attending Mt. San Jacinto College, in Menifee. He likes it there. He is working to transfer to either BYU-Idaho or BYU-Provo in either the summer or fall of next year. He works as a manager for the carpet cleaning company: Pure Organic. He likes his work schedule, because it gives him time off for school, and it also gives him Sunday's off. Brandon just moved into the house we will be living in, in Lake Elsinore. He loves being on his own, and he is excited to get to fix up the house before I move in.

We have received some sad news, within the past few months, in my family. At the end of September, we found out that my Nana has breast cancer. Within a few weeks, we also found out that my aunt Jennifer has breast cancer, as well. My Nana went through a lumpectomy and found out that the cancer spread into her lymph nodes. She will undergo radiation treatment, and we are praying that everything goes well. My aunt Jen will also undergo a lumpectomy and radiation treatment. We are trying to keep positive thoughts, and keep them in our prayers.

I am grateful for my family and friends. I know that God has blessed me so much this year, and I don't know where I would be without His love. I hope that you and your family will remember what this holiday season is really about. Jesus is the reason for the season. I love you, and hope that you have a Merry Christmas!

Love,
Terri and Brandon

Giving Thanks

Due to the holiday (which is tomorrow) I have been feeling quite thankful lately. I realize that I have so many things to be thankful for, and that I truly am blessed.

As I was sitting at work this morning, once again bragging about my wonderful, thoughtful fiance, the thought crossed my mind that I am so lucky to have him in my life. Brandon puts up with so much. And, let's be quite honest, I'm not always the easiest person to put up with, but still he puts up with me and loves me. I am so grateful to have his love. I truly feel like I don't deserve him. There are so many better girls out there, than myself, and he could have his pick. Any girl would die for him, and somehow, he chose me.

Some other things that I have been thinking about, and things that I am grateful for are my family. My family is amazing. Sure I get frustrated with them sometimes. And, I'll be the first to admit that they're not perfect. But, they're pretty darn close in my book. We're not perfect in the fact that we don't make any mistakes. But, I think that our family dynamic and the way that we love each other unconditionally is pretty perfect. My brother and sister are my best friends, and we are all able to talk to my mom about anything.

I'm grateful to have a job, at this time! Jobs are hard to come by in this day and age, but thankfully I have never had too big of a problem finding a job.

I'm thankful and grateful to have a Heavenly Father who loves me. He loves me so much, He sent his only begotten son to atone for my sins.

Remember, this is the season of being grateful for the things that you have. Tell the people you love, that you love them. Put any old arguments behind you, and forgive anyone who has said anything bad against you. You never know who will be in your life tomorrow, so have them in your life today.

Things I Miss About Utah...

So, Brandon knows how much I miss Utah. It is driving me crazy, I keep getting text messages from my friends in Utah that say, "It's Snowing!" Or, "I took a drive through Provo Canyon today, and the colors are so pretty!" And, many other "Utah" messages.
I decided I was going to make a list of all of the things I miss about Utah! (And, honestly, I never thought I would miss ANY of these. Am I a California girl gone Utard? I hope not!)
1. COLD weather! I am becoming a PANSY again! I get cold in 70 degree weather. It's ridiculous. While I was living in Utah, I was fine walking around with a sweatshirt, in 40 degree weather. But now, I wear my big coat if it drops below 70!
2. FALL! OK, so people may think that us Californians are kidding when we say that we have no fall, but we're not. Last year, I experienced my first "changing leaves". It was beautiful to watch and see the leaves change colors. I remember sitting outside of the WILK and taking a picture of this beautiful tree. It was orange and yellow. People probably looked at me like I was crazy taking a picture of a tree. But, I had never seen the colors, in a tree, before!
3. People knowing what I'm talking about when I say, "The WILK", that someone lives in Sandy, that when you say around the corner, you literally mean around the corner. I miss my "Happy Valley". I miss the lingo of Provo/BYU/Utah!
4. I miss my friends! Brandon has gotten so used to the phrase, "My friend _________, from Provo." Because, seriously, all of those friends are the ones that I tell stories about all the time!
5. Wondering if it is going to snow! I remember looking outside of my bedroom window and looking out and wondering if it was going to snow. Now, all I do is look outside and PRAY that it is going to rain.
6. Having all of the members of your ward live within a 1 minute walking distance of your front door. I LOVED having my home teachers live just across the parking lot. I knew that if I ever needed anything, they would literally be RIGHT OVER. And, it made visiting teaching MUCH MUCH MUCH easier. Everyone was home on Sunday afternoon, so I would just walk over to their apartment and go visiting teaching.
7. When giving directions, the main streets are either University Ave, University Pkwy, 9th East, a NUMBER street, or an apartment complex. People would ask me, where do you live? I would say: Off of Bulldog and Freedom Blvd, across the street from Alpine Village. Or, you would ask where someone else lived and they would say oh, over by King Henry. I miss knowing where all of those apt complexes are!
8. Driving 15 minutes to work is a LONG way, let alone 30 minutes to school, or 45 minutes to your fiance's house!

There are MANY MANY other things I miss, but I will save those for another day! And, I do have good news... I will be out visiting UTAH in less than a month!!! I'm going to the 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional in Salt Lake, so I will be there! YAY! I will get to fill up my "canteen" a little bit. My Utah canteen that is!

We were made for each other!

After a little thinking, I totally realized that this statement is true for Brandon and myself. Sure, it may not be true for most or even some people, but I definitely think it's true for Brandon and I.
Sure there are MANY differences between he and I, but I think that's what makes us made for each other, and perfect for each other. I think that I was made for him, because he strengthens my weaknesses. He makes me strive to be a better person, and isn't that what Heavenly Father wants for us? He doesn't want someone for us who is EXACTLY like us, I think that he "makes someone for us" who will teach us things and help us grow.
Let's think about this, if we were to marry someone who was EXACTLY like us. Every flaw was the same, every strength was the same, all of that stuff. Would life be ANY fun? Brandon and I have so much fun, because we are so different, but so alike in so many ways!
So, being made for each other or being perfect for each other, I think is amazing. We all have someone. It doesn't mean they are exactly like us, it just means that they are perfect for you! And, Brandon is my other half, he completes me.

Engagement Pictures

So, Brandon and I went and took engagement pictures about a week and a half ago, on Halloween. It was so much fun! Here are a few that I liked that were so cute and fun! There will be more to come!

These ones are taken in Downtown Disney/California Adventure


This one was taken down at the Corona Del Mar beach