new york: part two

These city streets never get old! So many sights, sounds, smells, and people to watch!

ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL

Does anyone else recognize this church from It Takes Two?? (Mary-Kate and Ashley fans)

I was cracking up at this sign. "Don't even THINK of parking here!" ha!

GRAND CENTRAL STATION

STATUE OF LIBERTY

Who knew the next day he would be my fiance!

 CENTRAL PARK

I could literally spend all day in Central Park. Doesn't this just look serene?

SPRINKLES

Our last morning we were on a hunt to find some things we hadn't yet. My parents had to leave us (so sad!) but we made the most of our time before we headed to the airport as well. Top of the list was Sprinkles cupcakes. You legit can order them fresh out of the ATM. It was the cutest thing of all time! And it tasted delicious. We decided on a red velvet one!

DYLAN'S CANDY BAR

all the heart eyes over the organized colors.

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

We literally sprinted our way through all 5 floors of this museum. Mostly just so we could feel like we were in Night at the Museum. It was a fun little adventure to end our trip!

We bought the explorer pass and I think it was definitely worth it! You get to choose 5 things off of their list and so it gives you a great deal since so many of the sights are so expensive. Be wise about what you choose though because some of the places like museums are "choose what you pay" so you could pay $1 there and then use your pass for something a little more spendy.

To see the rest of our trip, check out these links:

october third

new york: part one

new york: part one

WE WERE SO EXCITED FOR THIS TRIP!!

It was my graduation trip, conference weekend, my 25th birthday, and the first time my parents met Bryan. So much good packed into one week!

My 8th grade English teacher's husband works for Sysco as well so I got to see her all the way across the country. So fun!

Bryan and I got there late Saturday night and so besides some nice pillow talk with my parents, we didn't do much friday night.

Check out this lovely view of lady liberty from our hotel room telescope.

YANKEE STADIUM

such a cool stadium! 

and so different than the last time I was there.

So turns out the one day we were outside for an extended period of time and it decided to be freezing was this day. But we survived!

So we're definitely not engaged in this picture. I should've caught on to the fact that something was up when they said we should get one taken with Robins on the locker room. I was so clueless haha!

9/11 Museum and Ground Zero

This was also so different than last time! We went when I was in 5th grade, just two years after 9/11 happened. I remember security all throughout the city and of course the airports was intense. There was just a fence around ground zero with pictures from that day. We actually talked to a guy who lived there when it happened and it was quite sombering to hear him talk about it. There was a building right next to the trade towers that was glass and completely shattered. 

The museum they've created is amazing! It was interesting to see so many artifacts and hear stories from an event that completely changed our country.

TIMES SQUARE

There is such a fun energy in Times Square. It definitely feels like the part of the city that truly never sleeps. Tons of people, things to see, bright shiny lights, restaurants, theaters, and more!

ROCKEFELLER CENTER

I just love them! They were such fun adventure buddies!

BROOKLYN

We were coming down to see Tim and Laina on Sunday and decided to take a walk near the water. Right as we were approaching we heard fireworks starting. It was seriously one of the best shows I've ever seen and I'm kind of a fireworks chaser. So the whole thing was quite perfect and magical. Especially with that city skyline in the back!

We also heard great things about Grimaldi's and had to try it out! It was quite tasty!

We then came back for engagments/the proposal because Bryan thought it was the perfect place. Such a fun area of the city!

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

book review: a man called ove

I haven’t yet finished this book but I wanted to get the review done before I forgot what we talked about. Book club has been amazing so far because I love how our discussions revolve around people and our perspectives.

The main theme in this book was about judging others and the labels we place on them. I think oftentimes we do it subconsciously do it and let it influence our thoughts and actions.

Greta had us do an activity where we wrote down a label that we have given to someone or that we know people have given to ourselves. It was super interesting to hear everyone's and to talk about the reasons why these labels were placed!

We then talked about how as you get to know people that those labels can often be removed or that if they are negative to begin with, you often gain more understanding of that person.

Usually we place labels if we don't know very much about someone.

Ove was a man that liked things done in a particular way and was a little bit old-fashioned when it came to the way he lived his life. We also discussed if there is value to having a set schedule and doing things the same way or if it's ok to be spontaneous.

I'm anxious to finish the book to see how I actually feel about it. The consensus from book club was that everyone loved it by the end and become so attached/connected with this old man that seems to be so stuck in his ways!

october third

october third two thousand seventeen is going to be a date i will never forget. 

i'm going to work a little bit backwards in this post so *spoiler alert*...I'M ENGAGED.

october third just happens to be my birthday. 

and so. in response to such a momentous event happening on such a special day, my mom replied to my new fiance, "good luck topping this birthday for the rest of her life!"

but now let's start from the beginning. it started off as a normal day in new york city. we made our way to the rockefeller center for our appointment to see the top of the rock. it was absolutely amazing. there is nothing quite like standing on top of the world and looking over the concrete jungle as they call it. skyscapers galore, busy streets filled with taxis, tons of tourists, central park, people going about their business. we took tons of pictures, met new friends, and even spoke some german.

after that we made our way to the manhattan lds temple. the last time i was in new york, this temple was under construction and everyone was talking about how incredible it was that a building that is right in the middle of the city can still be so quiet and maintain the reverence and peace found in the house of the Lord. we did a session in that small, but beautiful temple and enjoyed every second of it. it had been the perfect morning.

our third stop of the day was ellen's stardust diner. this is where broadway hopefuls work as waiters and sing to you throughout your entire dining experience. it was so unique and absolutely worth it! we were serenaded, entertained, and even had the opportunity to sing along. 

we then quickly made our way to the middle of central park for our engagement photos. but wait, you must be thinking, they aren't engaged yet...

yes. this is true. and that's what makes this story so out of the ordinary.

of course there had been talk of marriage but this was the first time Bryan had ever met my parents. and so he kept on saying that he wanted to wait until after we got back from our trip. however, we had kind of already decided on a date and with the holidays coming up and it being a busy time of year for weddings we knew we had to be on the ball about everything. so we may or may not have already had a temple and a photographer. now. said photographer had asked me about our engagement story and i said, "well, we actually aren't engaged yet but he's meeting my parents in new york next week and it will happen shortly after that so i'll let you know!" she replied, "no way, i'm going to be there at the same time as you guys!" and that's when i started thinking that it would be too good to pass up taking engagement pictures in NEW YORK CITY. so we planned it. 

the night before we left we went to walmart and bought a fake $10 engagement ring and our photographer just said that we wouldn't do any closeups of it but it would just be there for looks. so there we are wandering around central park pretending to be engaged while mary, our photographer, is snapping away!

we then changed locations via subway to down by the brooklyn bridge. we had gone to this location the night before and knew it would be beautiful for pictures not just because of the bridge, but because of the city skyline behind it. it was an absolutely gorgeous day and we were so excited. 

mary suggested at one point that we do a fake proposal. i didn't think anything of it because kenzie had said that we should do that anyways. then bryan pulled out a box and said, "my mom said i should bring one just in case" i must be so naive. i literally didn't think anything of it. so we put the fake ring in the box and there i was pretending to be surprised and fake a proposal. then bryan said, "ok turn around like i'm going to surprise you." so i did. while i was turned around, he switched the rings...

*previously*

bryan had contacted mary and said that he was going to propose FOR REAL in the middle of the shoot because it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. he literally had a ring the whole time.

he had also called my dad without even meeting him yet and basically said, if all goes well, i'm planning on doing this during pictures. 

and of course it was all unbeknownst to me because bryan has thoroughly convinced me that it was not happening until after we got back.

so when i turned back around i didn't even LOOK in the box because i thought i already knew what was in it. 

and this is how the dialogue went:

me: why are we still doing this? i'm done pretending

bryan: you don't have to pretend anymore!!

me: what are you talking about? (silly me still not getting it haha)

bryan: look at the box!!

me: are you kidding me??!

then we just kind of smiled and laughed for a while and then...

me: don't you have something to ask me?

bryan: i don't know if i need to

(i think he assumed by my reaction what my answer was)

bryan: will you marry me?

me: YES

and then hugging and kissing and laughing all followed while mary and my parents were there capturing the whole thing!! no pretending there. it was just pure, raw emotion. ahh!

i just couldn't even believe it! i was completely surprised but oh so happy. it was absolutely perfect. i didn't think i would get emotional but it was such a surreal moment that my eyes did water up a bit! and then my legs were shaking and we had to take more pictures and i couldn't even believe the whole thing!

bryan picked out the ring all himself and it is perfect. i know i keep using that word but there's no other way to describe the whole thing. it was everything i thought it would be and more. 

{side note}

there were so many little clues all along that i should have picked up on but i didn't!

1. when my parents were calling the temple and need information from him, he was ring shopping

2. everyone knew except me

3. he kept the ring in his pocket the whole trip because he was so scared it might get stolen.

3a. one time i poked his pocket and asked him what that was and he said, my keys. and i didn't even questions it even though that didn't make any sense!!

4. he wrote me a birthday card and said, i can't wait to celebrate so many more birthdays, assuming things work out. even though he knew it was going to work out hours later!!

5. kenzie texted me happy birthday and said i know it's gonna be a great one!!

6. there was this thing at the yankees game where you could put your name above the locker room. we had to take a picture with robins on it "just in case"

SO MANY THINGS THAT JUST ALL MADE SENSE AFTER!! he was so so sneaky. but i can't even complain because would you really want it any other way??

we finished up taking pictures actually being engaged and then headed back uptown to go see anastasia on broadway. it was the cutest theater and it was an amazing show! i could sit and watch shows all day long. it is such a magical experience and i'm pretty sure there's never a bad seat. this is a newer musical on broadway and it was so well done. there were different elements they added from the movie and so even though you know the story, there were still things to look forward to. i loved it!

we finished the night off at shake shack. pretty sure we got shakes every day. they were divine. 

i was just overwhelmed with all the emotions of theeeee best. day. ever.

i couldn't have asked for anything better than to be in such an incredible city with my three most favorite people in the whole world. 

yay to being engaged and let the wedding planning commence! (even though we jumped the gun a bit. ha!)