One of our first dates: The Ryan Shupe concert at the Sandy Amphitheatre
Our trip to Bloomington, Idaho in June 2006 with Rand's Aunt and Grandma. "Bloomington, ID?...where's that?" Rand replies, "Exactly!" Rand's ancestors settled this area and one day Rand would like to own a vacation home here because it's not super populated, and therefore is a nice, quiet and quiant place to go.
Lehi Rodeo 2006
Yes, I have a black eye. It was unfortunate timing where in one week I had a major mountain biking crash, combined with the inability to catch a frisbee that hit off my hand and nailed me in the face!
Fourth of July 2006
In the beginning of July we went with a group of friends to the Utah Symphony performance at Sundance. It was really cool. They played on a big screen a Charlie Chaplin silent film. The Utah Symphony played the music for the movie live. That was one of the coolest things I've gone to.
Summer Softball 2006
We played on a co-ed intramural softball team. Rand was shortstop and I was 2nd base. We turned a couple double plays together, and the whole season was a blast playing together and with our friends!
Erickson Family Croquet
It's against my better judgement to post this, but it's part of our dating history (and I'm sure it will continue with our married life). In the summer we like to play games with Rand's family at his parents house out in the backyard. Croquet and bocce ball are the favorites. Unfortunately, it seems that Rand is always the winner! Nobody else cares who wins...as long as it isn't Rand. We don't cheer for anyone inparticular, but we all rooting against Rand! :o)
Rand's Braces Off!
So when Rand and I met he had braces to make his post-mission perfect smile even more perfect (it's a wonder why he's going to be a dentist!) Well, he and his friend Ian came over one afternoon when I was busy cleaning the apartment for a bridal shower being held there that evening. They wanted to show me Ian's cool new camera, and so they took a picture (I was a little bugged because I looked, well, not my best in my 'house-cleaning' attire). They took the picture and then Ian ran up to show me how it looked. It took me a second to realize that Rand was smiling big...something he never did with his braces on!
Lagoon, August 2006
We went to Lagoon with some friends and it was pretty fun! Rand was able to eat corn-on-the-cob for the first time since having his braces on. And of course, we ended the night with a little friendly game of air hockey. As you can see...Rand won that one too! I think we need to start taking pictures of board games...I'm the victor far more often in those!
Tim McGraw & Faith Hill Concert
Rand and I met up at dinner in Salt Lake with my boss and his wife and we went to the concert. They had toured about 5 years or so before together and I didn't get a ticket. I'm not much of a concert person, but I told myself that if they ever toured together again, that's one concert I would go to. Well...they toured again and I was able to score some tickets (and some good ones at that...about the 16th row on the lower level.) It was such an awesome concert, awesome company and a great time.
130th Ward Fall Opening Social
This was a fun night. Our singles ward had an opening social out at an indoor riding arena. There was volleyball, country dancing, hay rides, monitored horse rides and other fun! This was also Rand's 23rd birthday, and the one day out of the entire year that we are only three years apart and not four (scroll down).
(my roommates at the time, Janey and Katie)
My Birthday...one day later!
Here we are, back to four years apart. Rand's parents took us to dinner at PF Chang's...it was yummy! Then we went to another Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband concert. One of my good friends, Heather, her husband was in the band and it was his last performance with them. It was a really fun concert to go to (they always are).
BYU Football 2006
Some of my favorite pictures from the 2006 season. Too bad we weren't able to attend (and therefore don't have pictures) the Utah game up at Utah. We watched it on TV at one of Rand's friends place (in Draper...we figured it was middle ground). There were a number of Couger fans and one Ute fan. There was one very happy person there during the last drive. But then it happened...and the rest of us went crazy and poor Pen just sat there stunned and in disbelief. Sorry Pen! Hey...Harline is still open!
October General Conference 2006
One of our favorite pictures together, and yet we weren't even dating at the time (break number 1 of 2). It was a really nice day though. I went to his parents and we watched the first session of conference there. Then we took trax into Salt Lake to go to conference. It was such a neat session. It was the one that Elder Holland gave his talk, "Prophets in the Land Again". It was SO powerful and neat to be there for it. Also, at the end of the session, as the choir and congregation sang, "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet", everyone stood as they sang it...and stayed standing through the prayer. It was so neat to see and be a part of that show of respect for President Hinckley.
(we caught up with our friends after the session...and thoroughly confused them since we 'weren't dating'!)
Halloween 2006
So Rand and I didn't really think out our costumes too well. So, gratefully my friend Trish got me these scrubs at the last minute, and let me borrow her 'tools' she has for nursing, so I could be something for the ward party. Rand also threw his outfit together last minute (a little scary how well he did for just pulling together things he had aready!) He won the "Funniest Costume" award. We all tell him it was actually the "Most Realistic" award. :o)
Utah Jazz vs. Pheonix Suns
We met up with a buch of friends at the game (nose bleed seats). It was a great game. We've gone to a few together and it's always a blast (for Utah vs. Sacramento games that we've been to we are tied at 1 and 1.) I've never been much of a Utah fan, and he isn't much of a Sacramento fan...so we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one, cause I can't see either of us budging!
The WVC Turkey Bowl
Every Thanksgiving, as in most places, Rand and his friends get together for the annual WVC (West Valley City) Turkey Bowl. I had no plans to play because I knew it was 'just the guys' and it was one time I should be 'the girl' and watch. Rand's dad and friend kept telling me to come in and play, but I wasn't budging until Rand gave me the go ahead. Then some other girls showed up and their friend invited them to play...and that was about the time I thought, "Rand better invite me!" Luckily he did! ha ha. I got to play a little bit...threw one pass, it was intercepted and they never let me QB again! But, I did have two touchdowns (including the winning one!)
Rand-om
This is Rand being random...that's the only explanation I have!
Christmas at the Patch's
My roommate's family had a little dinner for everyone (their family and our apartment). Dinner was delicious, and then we followed up with some good Christmas carol chimes! We practiced first in the house, and once we thought we got it down (this took some doing), we ventured out to a few neighbors homes to 'carol' for them. It was halarious! It snowed SO much that night too, so getting up and down the steep street was a challenge, but it was so pretty (the snow, probably not our music).
Michelle, Me, Katie and Janey
Christmas Devotional
We went up to the Christmas devotional with some friends, and as usual, it was really good. I love going to Temple Square at Christmas time with all the lights up! It's a must every year!
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert w/Sissel
We went first with some friends, John and Amanda, out to dinner in Salt Lake and then met up with Rand's family at the concert. It was awesome...Sissel has an amazing voice. Rand's mom loves going to this concert every year. It's getting harder and harder to get tickets!
Christmas 2006
Before I headed home to Cali for the Christmas break, Rand and I went out on one last date together (we always went out in groups, so this was a really nice change). We went out to eat and then Rand took me to a small outdoor ice skating rink that he use to go to when he was little. It was FREEZING, but really cool because it was pretty empty. For about the last 30 minutes it was just the two of us skating and goofing around (we all think we can skate like olympians!)
Miniature Golfing
This was a fun outing for us. I had just gotten back from Christmas in California (2 days after Christmas). Rand and I exchanged presents (he put together a scrapbook of pictures of us for me, and I made him a BYU quilt. His scrapbook was even more meaningful to me because it was the first time he told me he loved me.) We spent a lot of time at his parents house the rest of the break, and one night went miniature golfing. Of course he won! That's him declaring his vistory over me with his "I'm #1" sign.
January 2007 - Jimmy Joe and Joanna FINALLY get Married!
Rand went to the sealing for Jimmy Joe and Joanna with his other buddies he grew up with. I went to his Grandma's house with his mom and helped pack up her Christmas decorations. Then that night we went to the reception and it was a blast. Of course there had to be dancing at their reception!
Rand's first collegiate track meet
Rand decided to try to walk onto the BYU track team. He trained all fall semester with the team. In the beginning of January he ran in his first ever track meet at BYU (he never ran in high school because it conflicted with baseball). It was so nerve racking, and exciting, to go and watch him run. He ran really well for his first meet ever!
Cross Country Skiing in Wallsburg
So my roommate Katie and I decided that we wanted to get people together and go cross country skiing. We just invited a bunch of friends from our ward, rented skiis, and headed up to a cabin of some friends of Katie's family. It's not quite the same as downhill skiing, but it was still fun! And some people, whom shall remain nameless...though they know who they are, gave us some great comic relief as they tried to stay up on their skiis!
Happy Birthday Rachel
Our friend Rachel was in town from out east, and it was just a few weeks after her birthday, so we decided to throw her a little party! It was fun to get everyone together and just hang out and have fun. Rachel is the blonde haired girl to the left of Rand (you can tell in pictures when Rand and I weren't dating...we aren't standing by each other!) :o)
Valentine's Day 2007
So, this was kind of a sweet moment in the midst of confusion. Rand and I weren't actually dating at this time. We weren't exactly sure where things were going and therefore were dating other people. But we still talked alot and occasionally did things together. He asked if I wanted to do something with him on Valentine's Day and we ended up having a nice, quiet dinner together. Rand had worked a plan out with our ward's high-councilman and his wife (Brother and Sister Christofferson). I thought we were meeting them for dinner, but when we arrived at their house, they were, of course, not there. We walked in and candles were lit, music was playing and it was just us. Amid all the confusion and all of our friends wondering what was going on as they'd see us together, and then with other people...it was really nice to get away and have it be just us so we could enjoy some time together without anyone else watching or wondering 'are they back together?' We made dinner together, ate, danced and talked. Then the Christofferson's came home with some dessert and we visited with them for awhile. Funny moment of the evening (besides us trying to find all the untensils we needed in their kitchen): Rand had mentioned early in the conversation that he was most likely changing his major from business to dentistry. About 30 minutes later we got on the subject of my horrible teeth experiences. Rand told the Christofferson's that he told me I needed to marry a dentist. Brother Christofferson's reply, "Well, you say she needs to marry a dentist...and you are going to be a dentist...so I don't see what the problem is!" He always was a supporter of 'Rand and Chelsy'. :o)
Grandma Hart's Funeral 04.19.07
You may think it wierd I'm putting this picture in here...but it's too important to skip. This event is a bitter-sweet one for Rand and I. Rand was very, very close to his grandma. He grew up down the street from her his whole life and talked to her almost daily up until the day she died. I was lucky enough to be able to get to know her for a brief time and grew to love her as well. In fact, even though Rand and I weren't dating, and things were getting more distant for us, I knew his grandma was sick and not doing well and I never had the chance to say 'goodbye' to her when we broke up. So...I actually went and visited her 5 days before she passed away because I was up in that area. I'm SO glad that I did.
Again, though it was a sad and bitter moment because of her passing and her family and friends missing her, it also brought a really sweet thing to pass as well. This is the event that brought Rand and I back together for good. I always knew his grandma loved me and liked the idea of Rand and I (she made me promise to not give up on him, and us, when I had visited her those 5 days before her passing), and I was always grateful for that love and support. But I'll be forever grateful to her for bringing us back together.
Grandma Hart
Nick and Steph's Wedding 04.28.07
Two of our favorite people in the whole world! Rand grew up with Nick, and Steph went to junior high with them. Rand ran into Steph at a dance we went to following the Lehi rodeo (she had just returned from her mission), and it was there that he introduced Nick and Steph to each other (re-introduced...junior high was a long time ago!)
Mountain Biking to Bridal Veil Falls
Rand and I went mountain biking up to bridal veil falls one day in May. We ran into some friends there, so it was perfect timing to get a picture taken. I didn't get to bike as much I would have liked to this summer because of being so busy with work and the wedding, but this was a nice break for us to take! Hopefully we go a lot more next summer!
May 30, 2007 (5 days after getting engaged...see next post for that story.)
This was the 1-year anniversary of our first date together. On our first date we had gone to a work party for Rand up Provo Canyon. We had subway sandwiches, played catch together, played volleyball with his co-workers, and just had a relaxed, fun time.
Fast-forward to 2007: we packed up some sandwiches, grabbed our gloves and headed up to the same park up Provo Canyon. We played catch for a bit (I threw the baseball into the stream AGAIN! Didn't even mean to, and yet we really did repeat the previous years date.) Then we ate our sandwiches and headed home!
Fourth of July 2007
