Meet the Parents...week

So...good news. I am engaged!! And life is just plain good. Tony came to visit my family for about a week after Christmas to meet them, and to make us officially official. We had a blast, and created many unforgettable memories. Tony landed late Monday night and I picked him up completely ecstatic. Luckily we got home...I was maybe not paying as much attention as I should have been. My condition that night might have been due to the fact that my future fiance was finally sitting next to me...

The next day we drove out to the coast. Tony and I stopped at the Tilamook Cheese Factory, a must for any visitor/tourist on their way to the Oregon Coast; I had not been there for a couple years and thought it would be a fun detour. It was. However, I forgot just how many cows live in Tilamook. Holy Cow:) Too many, because I almost didn't make it into the factory with the contents of my stomach still inside of me. I managed, and we saw all the cheese makers working to make huge blocks of cheese, which were then cut into smaller blocks, which were then packaged and weighed. I don't think I have ever seen that much cheese in one place in my entire life. This particular excursion reminded me of why I am going back to a blow freezing climate in the middle of nowhere We bought Tilamook ice cream, cheese curds, and fudge (all the essential things in life.)

As we continued on our way it poured, as it characteristically does in Oregon. Luckily, we missed the apparently terrible snow storm that trapped my grandparents back in Tigard and prevented them from coming to the beach with us. We stayed in a house about a block and a half from the sea shore, which, I guess was too far; every time we tried to enjoy the beach it started pouring while we traveled there or shortly after we arrived.

That day we had pizza and watched Ice Age 3, (who knew they even had an Ice Age 2) and went to bed. The next day was Tony's 26th birthday, and I came down early to surprise him and wish him a happy birthday. However, as usual, he beat me to the case and surprised me more with a ring and a proposal, (on both knees of course,) and made me a very happy girl. I don't think I stopped smiling that day...actually, I don't think I have stopped smiling since.

That day was beautiful, considering it was a December day on the Oregon Coast. We took tons of pictures as my feet froze as a result of my bringing only one pair of "cute" shoes, and no "beach" shoes. (Multiple pairs of shoes are the things that I can never seem to remember to bring on vacation.) We drove home that day, stopping to have Tony meet my Uncle Evan and Aunt Theresa and their children. Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Smith's was a blast, and of course, Tony was a hit with them too. Finally we made it home...to a house that was freezing and smelled of our lovely cat. Awesome.

The next day was Thursday, the day we had scheduled for engagement pictures. Once again, deterred by the rainy weather, we went to lunch with my Grandma and Grandpa Reid instead. Tony was again, thought very highly of.

The next day we were off to Bed Bath and Beyond after that to start a registry list. How fun is that? Ask for anything your heart desires and to get some of those things for free!! Yup. Best thing ever. 7 hours later, we had the bulk of what we wanted registered for on amazon.com. The rest of Friday we talked wedding plans...never knew how much planning went into one of these events. Shoot.

Saturday we must have done something right, because it stopped raining for a couple hours in the morning and we took pictures. I was very happy with them...but what can I say? I love pictures, and they love me. After this, I drove Tony to the airport, and mentally prepared myself for the miss I would inevitably feel the next day. Yuck.

Over all the week was super fun. My family loved him, (almost as much as I love him:) They are so excited that I am so excited to take this new step in my life.