True Love!

We are planning a wedding! On January 16, Ryan Nokes proposed to me and I very happily accepted!!! Our wedding is going to take place in the Washington DC temple on April 28, 2012. Ryan and I are both very excited and looking forward to spending the rest of forever together.

So here's the engagement story, though I think Ryan tells it better because he can explain all the thoughts going through his head when I threw him a curve ball! We both had the day off work and we'd done some shopping in the morning and then just finished lunch. Ryan asked me if there was anything I wanted to do that day and I told him I wanted to throw his brother's ninja throwing stars he'd received for Christmas (it sounded fun, and its harder than I expected!), but then I was cool with just hanging at his house, maybe reading a book or something. But then I said, "Oh, Dan, Karin, and Steve want to do a siblings FHE tonight, and of course you are invited too." Then I proceeded to tell him how I felt like it was important that we go because my brother was actually in town. So then quickly in his head he started trying to figure out how to make this all work because he had planned to propose that evening. 

So an hour or so later we were sitting on the couch and each reading our own book, when he put his book down and looked at me and said that he really wanted to ask my opinion on something, but didn't think he was supposed to. I asked him why, so he thought for a minute and said, "Well, this will ruin the surprise, but I was planning on proposing tonight." So then we talked out a little about our time constraints and decided we'd go out to dinner beforehand, and then he'd propose at some point, but that he would at least surprise me with when and where. He took me to Tuscarora Mill, which is a really nice restaurant in Leesburg, a cute historic town not too far from where he lives. After dinner Ryan was telling me how the place used to be an old mill and we were walking around trying to find the old mill wheel. He was thinking that would be a beautiful and romantic spot to propose, but we couldn't find it! So when he finished sharing his thoughts with me leading up to the question, we still hadn't his ideal location, but the place was picturesque anyways. Its a wooden building with a large wooden courtyard in the center surrounded by two levels of shops. The shops were all closed and so we were pretty much alone in the courtyard. 

The picture doesn't do it justice, but its a beautiful ring.

Of course I said yes! I am so happy to be engaged to such a wonderful man. I can't think of anything more wonderful than beginning a life together with someone I love so much who loves me in return. 

Pennsylvania State Farm Show

The first week of January a group of friends went on a quick weekend trip to Pennsylvania. Karin Meilstrup wanted to share with us a piece of popular Pennsylvania culture: the annual State Farm Show. There's a huge convention center that was built in Harrisburg specifically for hosting this event. It's been a state tradition for over 60 years. It's basically a giant state fair, but with no rides, and it's in the winter. It happens every January because that's when all the farmers have free time. The rest of the year they are of course very busy with their crops.There were lots of animals: pigs, cows, goats, sheep, chickens, horses, etc. And of course the food court held the typical fare for such an event, like funnel cakes, barbeque, fried foods, a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch soup, and of course, milkshakes. Everyone was raving about the shakes, and they were good, but not going to lie, they weren't anything that special. But hey, I'm not going to complain about having a shake!

1000 lb butter sculpture. After the farm show, this will be converted to energy to help power a local farm!

Our group kind of splintered as we got into the convention center, but there were all kinds of things to see. There were a couple of arenas with events going on. We missed the junior rodeo unfortunately. But we also got to see a lot of crafts and vendors, which was actually one of the best parts of the farm show. We made sure to see this years annual 1000 lb butter sculpture. We also browsed around the tractor display. It all made for a fun countrified day.

Me and my dear in front of the John Deere.

In addition to the farm show, Karin also gave us a tour of Hershey and we made a quick stop at Chocolate World, the Hershey's chocolate factory which resides in her hometown. Though some of our friends made the farm show just a day trip, five of us stayed Friday and Saturday nights at the Meilstrups. We got Curtis Seare to pull out his guitar and put on a great show for us. It was a great weekend trip with great friends. 

Birthday Celebrations

Ryan and I actually have birthdays about a week apart, and they both happened to fall on weekends this year, so we had a good time celebrating them together. Ryan's birthday was December 10 and he turned 26. I went out toward his house and met him and a couple of other friends in Reston. We went to Woody's mini golf, which is an impressively cool course. Not only do you get a mini golf game, but it's kind of like a whole transporting jungle adventure, complete with Tarzan swinging across the course, automated monkeys in the trees, and gators that come up out of the water and squirt at you. It was pretty cold outside, but a good time, nonetheless. Ryan and I then ran to the store to pick up something we could make for dinner. We ended up settling on grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. He whipped out the Flavor Bible (a pretty awesome twist on the traditional cookbook - you look up an ingredient, like tomatoes, and it gives you a list of complementary things that go well with it) and fixed up an ordinary tomato soup into something a-mazing! I was thoroughly impressed! After dinner we did a firepit outback and made s'mores. It was pretty cold though, so before long we came back inside and had a cozy concert put on by a couple of Ryan's friends, Melissa and Kyle. She's a great guitarist and played a variety of songs she's either written or that were requested by the group. We all pretty much laid down on the floor and at one point she finished a song and looked around and commented that it was the strangest audience she's ever played for!

The next Friday was my 25th birthday. After work Ryan came and picked me up and we went out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. He gave me the most beautiful necklace for my birthday. I didn't take a close up picture, but perhaps you can see it in some of the other pictures. I must say, he's got great taste! I'm lucky to have such a sweetheart in my life. We came back to my house and had several friends over for a small birthday celebration. I couldn't have asked for anything better than to spend the evening with some of the people who mean the most to me. I have a hunch that 25 is going to be a really great year for me!

The next day Ryan and I went to Mt. Vernon as part of our combined belated birthday celebration. We had so much fun! Though it was wickedly cold, we just loved the day together. We saw Aladdin the camel, tasted old fashioned hot cocoa, toured the mansion, walked the grounds, and even learned that George Washington himself was a turduckin connossieur. We are thinking maybe that is how we should celebrate Presidents' Day next year.

A Hershey Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving Dan and I went up to Hershey, Pennsylvania with Steve and Karin Meilstrup. We stayed at their house and joined their family for the holiday. It was a great time to relax, enjoy lots of good music in their home, eat great food, and also tour the town. Thursday was pretty laid back. We just spent time at the house and enjoyed each other's company. It was a really good Thanksgiving, and since I couldn't be with my whole family, it was wonderful to have my brother there and to spend it with such good friends. I'm so grateful fo all my blessings!

Friday morning Steve and Karin took us on a tour of Hershey and showed us the sights. I was really hoping the whole town would smell like brownies, but it wasn't quite like that.We had a fun breakfast at the Hershey Pantry and then went over to Chocolate World. We toured the factory and saw the Hershey chocolate cows. At the end of the tour we spent quite a while in the store. By far, the LARGEST candy store I've ever been in. They also had a really cool gingerbread house built all out of Hershey candies.

Chocolate bar roof tiles, white Kit Kats, Jolly Ranchers, etc.

Club Langley: A Love Story

This past weekend I witnessed probably the classiest ward activity I've yet to experience. The church gym was transformed into a lovely cityscape, with buildings lining the walls and black lamp posts lighting the way. The whole evening was a 40s theme. Many people came dressed to match the theme. One thing I have to say is that girls of the 40s were good with bobby pins. They definitely had hairstyling skills that I lack. I curled all my hair and my roommate Diana helped me do some pin curls. I think it turned out pretty well, though my hair does not know how to hold a curl and by the end of the evening my hair was once again impressively straight!

The gym was impressively transformed into a 40's cityscape.

The evening started with a traditional Thanksgiving meal. It was so good. I'd had such a busy day I'd hardly eaten the whole day, so the meal was even more satisfying. After the dinner was the Langley musical review entitled Club Langley: A Love Story. I was a part of the play and we've been rehearsing the past 6 weeks. I played the part of Princess Buttercup in the opening scene. It was the scene in the movie where she accuses the man of being the Dread Pirate Roberts, pushes him down the hill, and then recognizes it is her sweet Westley and she throws herself down the mountain after him. It is a great scene, but also one that has left me with many bruises. The play continues on, kind of as vignettes of the dating process, many centered around a famous song from a musical. Included in the play are "Matchmaker, Matchmaker,"  "Goin' Courtin'," "All I Ask of You," (which in this play is kind of a creeper song - and oh so funny), "Kiss the Girl," and "Come What May." The play came off almost without a hitch and I thought it was remarkably good, especially considering the time and resources we had to pull it together.

So, a recap of two of my favorite parts of the play. First, in the Matchmaker scene Dan suggested a slight change in the words to make it even more appropriate to the audience. Yenta sang "He's handsome, he's young! Alright he's 32... but he's a nice man, a good catch, true? True!" (The original says 62). That got some big laughs. My other favorite part was the "All I Ask of You" scene. In this scene Dan was on a date with Brittany Wyatt, and Steve Meilstrup was on a date with Wendy Hancock. Brittany plays a forward woman who makes Dan totally uncomfortable and Steve details over dinner what made him decide to become a butcher. Of course both dates end badly and on the walk home Steve is begging Wendy to love him with the All I Ask of you song. When it switches to the female voice of the song, Brittany likewise pleads with Dan. At last Dan and Wendy escape into their respective houses. At first Brittany and Steve look quite dejected, but then their eyes meet and there is blossoming love, with a lot of bodacious black girl attitude from Brittany. It is quite funny to see Steve play opposite her!

The activity was great, but what is even better is that I have had my own Langley love story budding. I've mostly neglected dating stories and experiences on my blog, but news like this can't be held back. Especially because from this point, a lot of things posted will be things we are doing together! Ryan Nokes has been in the ward since before I got here, and while I met him early on, I didn't really get to know him for quite some time. In October, he was away on a 3 week business trip, but we began exchanging emails. The Saturday after he returned we went out on an adventuresome ghost tour of downtown DC and things have subsequently blossomed from there. Ryan is wonderful and I'm so happy to have him in my life. After the dinner and show, we all cleared the floor and had a dance. We started out with big band swing and jazz, stuff that was super fun to dance to. It was so much fun, and I have to say, I think people really took note of us together that night. I heard lots of positive comments about how good we look together!

Fall Festivities

 There has been a myriad of activities this fall to keep my life lively and fun. Mid-October we had a ward activity on a Saturday morning. We drove up to a pumpkin farm and picked out a bunch of pumpkins we could take home and carve for FHE. There was a great turnout at the activity and we had a lot of fun!

The next Monday we all met at the church for an pumpkin carving extravaganza. There were all kinds of creations made. Dan and I worked together and modeled ours after a famous piece of artwork. Now, I don't exactly think I have a lot of expertise in crafting masterpieces from squash, but "The Scream" by Edvard Munch turned out pretty nicely, I thought.

And it's even better with a candle in it!

The weekend before Halloween, there was a multi-stake YSA dance up at the building next to the temple. Karin and I decided we would go. We needed costumes but had no ideas. About 20 min before we were going to leave, we were wandering around Safeway and I was reminiscing about past costumes I'd seen. I saw these cool spiders and it reminded me about how one year James was a bag of trash. Out loud I mused that I could do that costume and I wondered if we had black trash bags at home, or only white trash bags. That sparked an idea and we decided we could run to the thrift store for Karin and we could go as two forms of white trash. I thought it was a clever costume. Although, unfortunately, many people just thought I came as a pregnant woman, which was not quite what I was going for.

But back to pumpkin masterpieces, I did see a pretty impressive display in Vienna this year. There is a house that puts on a great show with nearly 300 carved pumpkins.Apparently it has been a tradition for a number of years. Ryan Nokes and I went to see them and here are a few of my favorites.

"Starry, Starry Night," Classic Van Gogh

Van Gogh and his "Cafe Terrace at Night"

Gooey Melted Cheese Goes with Anything

Friday night, my roommate Diana hosted a lovely fondue party at our home. It was a great group of girls and we had fun spending time together. She whipped up a pot of melted cheeses and we dipped to our hearts content, everything from bread, broccoli, and apples. Perhaps the most surprising of all was how good we decided dill pickles taste dipped in cheese! After lots of good chatting (and good eating) we put in a movie--"Joe Versus the Volcano." Classic Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I forgot how great this movie is!