Change of Address

Hey everyone (if anyone...haha!)

Since my life has changed recently, I have decided to create a new blog featuring both myself as well as my dear husband, Brandon.


This new blog will be found at:

http://www.brandonandashleywhitten.blogspot.com

Thanks,

Ashley

I'm back...and MARRIED!

Just some of the wedding pictures. :) More pics to come. Especially family pictures. :D

This is my "typical dramatic bride" look. :)

Engagement Pictures. :)

Well, we finally got our pictures taken for our engagement!!! My aunt Carin did them and she did a WONDERFUL job. I did jack-squat. I basically just put them all on powerpoint and tweaked them a TAD bit (ya know, messed with the coloring, contrast, brightness...blah, blah, blah) and VOILA! Brandon and I made our announcements the other day, so we'll be trying to get those ordered and sent out pretty soon here. :) The first picture wasn't my favorite, but I thought it was still cute.

This picture made me laugh. While I do occasionally listen to some good ol' country music, I am not exactly what one would call a cowgirl. And frankly, country music makes Brandon want to puke on a spoon. Obviously the tractor was just a BIT out of place. So I do not at all find this tractor to be sexy, however the man ON the tractor... well that's just another story. One of my favorites. Bob. Is. Adorable. I thought this one was uber cute... Again, not my fave, but decent.

One of my all time favorites! It looks natural to me, so maybe that's why I like it.

Black and White. :)

Bob's face is adorable. Mine makes me laugh.

Another one of my faves. Because who doesn't enjoy kissing? ;)

Another Fave.

Mmmm... I do love my man.

I figure that sometime in the eternity that we'll be married, one of us is going to want to run over the other with a tractor... ;)

Another fave!

:) :) :) :) :)

Another favorite of mine. :)

Way good song. :)

The Engagement: The Long, Non-Nutshell Version

Okay, so just in case you are not a frequent "facebooker," or you are not in my ward, you PROBABLY haven't heard the news...BUT...Bob and I got engaged on Saturday! I was so surprised and so happy! Words could not describe how thrilled I was. I love him so much! More than I could ever explain!

So for all those people on facebook who have begged me to share the proposal story with them: rather than writing out the nutshell version 50 bajillion times, I decided to put the FULL story on here only once. That way, everyone who wants to can read it and everyone will be happy! Sound good!?

Thought so.

This potentially VERY lengthy story begins on Saturday, June 19th, 2010 at about 8am when Mr. Brandon (Bob) Whitten picked me up to take me out for breakfast. Now, some of you may wonder why I did not suspect anything because taking me out to breakfast is not a REGULAR thing that we do. However, Brandon was VERY convincing and told me that we were celebrating me FINALLY finding a job. Of course, I had to believe him, so I went to breakfast with him without any suspicion. We went to "The Grittle" located off of Overland road and it was AMAZING to say the least. We just started out with a side of biscuits and gravy as well as a side of hashbrowns and I was impressed with both things! When we discovered that we were still hungry, we ordered two crepes with raspberry jam and this weird (and yet oh so delicious) cream cheese-like filling. They. Were. Wonderful.

After that we were quite full and then Brandon took me home. (This was not what he had been planning to do, but I had made plans with my dear friend Jen to go out to lunch with her...little did I know that that DID kind of mess with his plans.) I hung out and did some chores at my house until Jen came to pick me up (all the while, Brandon was giving his plasma to earn some extra money) and then she and I headed over to Panda Express where we had a wonderful time eating their delicious food and catching up on everything that was going on in our lives. I had a great time and I always enjoy being with Jen. She's BASICALLY one of the most down to Earth people that I have ever known! She. Is. AWESOME!

Jen dropped me off back at home and when Brandon was done giving plasma, he came and picked me up and we headed out to Melba (yes, all the way out to Melba) where we arrived at "Walter's Butte"...or what I like to call "The Butt." Call me immature...but I find it hilarious. Bob grabbed his backpack (which contained water, a picknick blanket and sandwiches [as well as another choice item that I was oblivious to]) and we set out to hike the Butte. We had both been there before and it was one of my most favoritest things to do. So we hiked and hiked and hiked AND, just to let all of you know, Brandon is probably the cutest person to hike with. He was always grabbing my hand and helping me climb the more difficult parts. I swear, if I didn't already trust him with my life, the trips to the "Butt" as well as Kuna Caves and Smith's Crack that we've taken together sure as heck made me trust him with it! (That's right, even Kuna Caves scared me a wee bit...haha!) Well, we made it probably ABOUT halfway up the butte when we heard thunder and there were suddenly really dark clouds heading in our direction. Me, being the frightened person that I tend to be wanted to turn back. Brandon reassured me that we would be fine and that the lightning (which we hadn't actually seen at that point, but we assumed it was there since there was thunder) wouldn't harm us at all. Personally, I was not too stoked about being on top of a super tall Butte in the middle of thunder and lightning. After a little reassurance (he said that it probably wouldn't rain), I agreed to keep going. We had traveled a little further when it began pouring rain like no other. However, there was a small cave-like spot in the butte that was just so conveniently placed. We sat in there to stay dry as we waited for the rain to subside. We probably only waited for about ten minutes and then, VOILA! blue skies again. Of course, we could still see the small storm (which, by the way, is the coolest thing when you aren't in it) and we could hear the thunder and see lightning, but it was nowhere near us, plus, the weather was AMAZINGLY warm and wonderful. We headed out again and finally, made it to the top. We laid out the blanket and sat there with our little picknick, watching the storm in the distance and talking.

When we were done eating, Bob randomly stood up and pulled me up as well. I know ya'll probably don't want to hear about all the mushy gushy hugging and occasional kissy face, so I won't go into details, but let's just say that Bob suddenly got super cute. Of course, he's always super cute, but he just got WAY WAY adorable at that moment. Kind of like a lost puppy cute. He suddenly seemed vulnerable. Well, he finally started to talk and as he rambled on with his little speech, I regret to inform you that I wasn't really paying as much attention as I should have. He was just being very adorable and I was just lost in his handsome face. True story. Anyway, at one point he was like "I don't want you for a girlfriend anymore" and I totally thought he was breaking up with me. Boy was I sad or what!? Fortunately, my sadness lasted a total of about 2.3 seconds because what he said after was probably the most romantic and cute thing that he ever said. "I want you for my eternal companion." I swear, the words were like music to my ears. He then reached into his backpack and pulled out a little black box to which I exclaimed "Are you serious!!??" He got on one knee (!!!ADORABLE!!!) and opened it up to reveal my darling ring. Of course, I was on the verge of tears so I hardly noticed that beautiful little thing sitting in the box. He asked me to marry him and I said yes! I wrapped my arms around him and just hugged him for what felt like forever! I was basically bawling, but I didn't want him to know that. When my tears had pretty much gone away, I pulled away. Bob looked at me and said "You didn't answer me" to which I responded "I said yes!" Apparently I was just in so much shock that I didn't speak loud enough. Or perhaps I just thought that I said it, but really just thought it. Who knows? I was far from sane at that moment.

BUT, here is a picture of the ring that he got me. I absolutely love it! He had a bit of an advantage because a while back, we went with my brother to find a ring for his now fiance and so Bob got a little headsup on what I like. I really liked this ring because, for one, it's beautiful, but it is not too flashy and busy looking. It's just simple and easy to look at. I. Adore. It. I also adore the incredible man who gave it to me.
I must say, the picture does not do the ring justice really at all. I like it so much more in person and I really enjoy seeing it on my finger! It feels like it has always belonged there! AND, it was a perfect fit! :) I guess that I told him my ring size a while back, though I don't really remember doing that. Whatever I said about it, Brandon was really paying attention because he got it exactly right! I could not have been happier.

After heading back down the Butte, we got back to his car where he showed me the wedding band (in this case it is a wrap) which I, of course, will not actually get to wear until after we are married, and I was even more blown away by it! I was actually very shocked when he showed it to me and I liked it! It was a little more detailed and flashy than I think I would have expected, but I absolutely loved it! Here is a picture of the wrap WITH the engagement ring part.

Again, this is something that looks SO much better in person!!! The pictures just DON'T do it justice!!! I LOVE IT!!!

After all of that, Brandon took me home to change my dirty clothes and then we headed out to Buffalo Wild Wings (yes, that was technically my 4th meal that day...haha!) to have...well, wings. :D I absolutely love that place and it was even better since I was with my super amazing not to mention totally fantabulous fiance! :) We hung out there for a while and then got together with some of our friends (Spencer, Corryne (sp?), and Mary) to watch a movie with them. When the day was over, I was extremely exhausted but VERY happy. It was basically the greatest day of my life and I cannot wait until I can call Brandon my husband!!!

I will keep everyone updated on everything and will let ya'll know when we decide on a date to get married! We're working on that right now and should have one very soon!

Well, there you have it! The long, non-nutshell version of Brandon's proposal to me. ;) I hope you enjoyed it and I hope that you didn't get TOO bored!

Ashley Wallentine