Baby Connell 2.4.13

We are so excited to finally announce that we're having a baby!!! We couldn't be happier!! Kasey is beyond thrilled! I am so excited to start our family! We feel so blessed to have the opportunity to bring this little baby into this world! Here's how we found out:

It was a Wednesday evening and I had just gotten home from work. I was 2 days late and had been having the thought for about a week that I was pregnant, but I thought I was crazy. (Come to find out, Kasey had been thinking the same thing for about a week!) When I got home that night, I went upstairs to change and figured I'd take a pregnancy test so I would stop thinking I was pregnant and I could get that off my mind. I took the test and it came back almost immediately and said pregnant on it! I covered my mouth and gasped! I yelled for Kasey to come upstairs and then met him halfway up the stairs because I couldn't wait for him to make it to our bathroom!! We hugged and kissed and celebrated the fact that WE ARE GOING TO BE PARENTS!!! After that, I ran to the grocery store to get more pregnancy tests just to confirm. After three more tests, we were positive that we were having a baby!! We sent a text and picture to our families letting them know our good news and have been starting to prepare for this little person to come into our lives. Our baby is due February 4, 2013, which is our anniversary! Pretty impressive timing if you ask me! This was the hardest secret I think I've ever had to keep! I just wanted to shout it from the rooftops that I am going to be a mom!! It is the most exciting/scariest time in my life!! I don't want to do anything to mess this up! So far we're right on track and our baby is growing right on schedule!

We are now taking guesses on if it's a boy or a girl. We should know August 25!!

February 4, 2012

Well, we finally got our internet set up at our house so I have no excuses for not blogging anymore! I have a list of posts that I need to do, but we'll start with our wedding. It was the perfect day. These are only a few of the thousands of pictures I have to go through. More to come!!

Here's our story, the week leading up to our big day:

Kasey and I flew to Colorado on Monday and spent the week getting ready for the wedding! There were some last minute things I had to finish up! My mom and I also went and got our teeth cleaned on Tuesday and Kasey joined us because he had a toothache. Wednesday he had a root canal!!! He is such a trooper and never complained about it! Other than that small bump in the road, it was a fun week, and I loved spending so much time at home with my family!! I miss seeing them and it was perfect to spend so much time together. There were lots of errands to run, lots of people to see, and plenty of things to do before Saturday!

We heard that there was going to be snow towards the end of the week, but it's Colorado, so we didn't know what to expect. They hadn't had a huge storm all winter but, of course, the day before my wedding there was a blizzard! Flights were cancelled and roads were closed. Thankfully all of our guests made it by Friday night-better late than never!! Friday night we had our rehearsal for our ring ceremony and then my mom did a dinner at her house for both sides of our family to meet one another. It was such a fun night and a perfect way to spend our last night as single folk. Saturday was absolutely perfect!

We started the day with breakfast at Mimi's Cafe. All of our family and bridal party were there. It was nice to spend time with our family and friends before we went to the temple. After the brunch we headed up to Denver. The temple was beautiful. It was great to have our friends and family with us for such a special day. I can't imagine not being with Kasey forever. I am so grateful that we are sealed for time and all eternity. It was so fun coming out of the temple and seeing all of our friends and family waiting for us! We took tons of pictures and I was so cold by the end! The weather was perfect, other than it was cold! Our pictures were beautiful thanks to the fresh snow!

After we took pictures, Kasey and I headed back to the Springs for our ring ceremony and reception. We were both starving so we stopped by Chick-Fil-A on our way back. It was so good! I had napkins laid out ALL over my dress to make sure I didn't get anything on my dress. My mother would have killed me!

Once we got to the hotel, where the evening festivities were, we got inside just in time to get everyone organized and ready for the ring ceremony. The ceremony was really nice. It was great to have so many of our friends and family there to support us. After our ring ceremony we went straight into our reception where we had an amazing dinner! From what little I tasted, the cake was good too! :) Our reception was so fun! We had a photo booth area where all of the guests could take funny pictures with the different props that we had! There was a lot of dancing and I think everyone had fun! I know I did!! Our day was perfect and I can't imagine a better day with a better person. I am so lucky to be married to my best friend! We are so blessed!!

More updates to come!!  :)

Is it February yet?

I AM GETTING MARRIED!!!!

We are so excited!

I never could imagine anything that felt more perfect or right. I never imagined that I could love someone so much. We have too much fun together, we really do.

I feel so blessed to have found such a great man who wants what's best for me and for our future together.

Here's our story:

We met right after I moved to Utah, in May of 2010. We dated a little over the summer but when he wanted to get more serious, I wasn't ready and so we stayed good friends over the fall/winter. Having the same group of friends, we hung out all the time and I quickly realized that he was one of my best friends. We started doing things together, just the two of us. Why would I keep looking around for someone to date when I had everything I'd ever dreamed of right in front of me? Kasey taught me how to ride a motorcycle; we've had a few too many water fights in his mom's kitchen; we play football with his little brother, Cole; sing in the car at the top of our lungs; we like trying new things together and just enjoy spending time together. After "officially" dating for a little bit, we decided we wanted to be together forever and start a family together.

Kasey proposed on Monday, September 12, 2011, in front of the Mount Timpanogos Temple. We will be sealed together forever on February 4, 2012 in the Denver Temple.

I am not only in love with him, but I love his family. They are my family. It has never felt awkward being around them or going to family functions, with or without Kasey. I love his grandmas like my own and am thrilled to finally have a younger sibling. Not a day goes by that I don't thank my Heavenly Father for this great family that I am now a part of.

I'll keep you updated with the wedding planning!!

As of now, I have:

a dress!

bridesmaid dresses

a groom

....I've got a lot of work to do :)

Happy 23rd, Goose!!!

Crystal and I turned 23 yesterday. It's crazy how fast time flies! 23 years ago (it was also a Saturday) we were born, seven weeks early in Gallup, New Mexico. Crystal was born with a condition known as duodenal atresia. She needed surgery immediately and was flown to the closest out of three hospitals in the nation, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a couple months in the hospital, I was finally reunited with my best friend and partner in crime. Since then, we have caused too much mischief, laughed until we cried, played pranks, gotten in fights for one another, traveled the country, won state championships, and so many other things. She's my best friend and feel blessed that I was sent to this earth with her. I couldn't imagine my life without her.

This was the first birthday that we spent apart, and it was much harder than I thought it would be. 22 other birthdays were spent together, and it was so weird not to be with her this year. The Lord blessed me with a new family and my soon-to-be mother in law to share the day with! I miss my family, but it makes it so much easier to have a good family out here in Utah, too.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is trust someone else. I like to get things done, and do them my way.

Over the last few months I have had the frustrating pleasure of seeing the hand of the Lord in my life. I say frustrating because it is incredibly difficult to let things in my life go they way they should go, not necessarily the way I want them to go. It's funny how He knows me better than I know myself, and He knows what's best for me.

This week I was reminded of why things work out they should. It doesn't mean that it's always easy to deal with, but it makes it easier.

I'm Proud To Be An American.

Happy 4th of July, folks!! I love this holiday and I love this country even more. I am grateful for the sacrifices made so I can live my life doing the things I love. I think the older I get the more I come to understand and appreciate the incredible sacrifices that were made so that we could be a free country. It's truly incredible and I can't wait to someday thank those that have sacrificed their lives on my behalf.

There is a book that I've been reading and I definitely recommend it! (And yes, that's Snooki's book under it. That's another one I'd suggest you put on your list to read.)

I am proud to be an American!!

8 inches later...

It grows back, right? I miss my long hair, and I want it back!