Chris: We've had a lot of people ask about our engagement story. To answer your questions we decided to post it on our new blog.
BriAnna: Really, I just wanted to make sure Chris told the story right....
Chris: So it was Tuesday, February 23rd, I had planned on proposing to BriAnna on the weekend of the 26th. Obviously she didn't know this, but she did suspect it was coming sometime soon since she knew I had the ring.
BriAnna: I decided to go to Arizona at the last minute to visit family and I wanted to spend time with Chris before I left the very next day.
Chris: I had made other plans with my family that couldn't be changed very easily, so I decided to tell her I couldn't make it up to visit her. She was devastated. She cried and cried and cried...
BriAnna: Oh stop it! That's not true! You were the one crying you big baby...
Chris: Uh...eh..hmm..well anyway, After telling her I couldn't make the hour long drive up to her place I quickly went to Albertson's and bought her favorite flowers.
BriAnna: I had NO idea he was coming.
Chris: ...yeah you didn't. So, while I was driving up to her place I had my mom check around online for some romantic restaurants. My mom called me with a perfect little italian restaurant just 10 minutes from her house.
BriAnna: I figured I was staying home for the night so I started painting, and ALMOST put on my pajamas. At this point I figured I wasn't going to get to see Chris before I left for Arizona.
Chris: After making reservations at the restaurant I called BriAnna's mom on the house phone to make sure BriAnna had her clothes on and wasn't in her pj's.
BriAnna: My mom suddenly came in and asked me to get her a Diet Coke from the store. I told her "no" because I was upset Chris wasn't stopping by to see me so I didn't want to go anywhere. Little did I know she was trying to get me to put my shoes on. Then I heard a knock at the door. No one else in my family would answer it, so after debating about who was going to answer the door I finally went down-stairs to see who it was.
Chris: With the ring in my pocket, flowers in the car, and a blind-fold in my hand, I pounced on her as soon as she opened the door and blind folded her. "Oh Chris!," she said, "I thought you'd NEVER come!"...and then she broke down in joyous tears.
BriAnna: Oh What-EV-er! That is not what happened at all! I told you I had to get my shoes on you goof!
Chris: Oh yeah, I guess that is what happened....
BriAnna: Yes, I went upstairs and put my shoes on and,
Chris: ..it took forever..
BriAnna: I did not take that long! Then I came back downstairs and let you blind-fold me. To be honest I was a little nervous with you leading me. I had no idea where you were taking me. I think I kept asking you over and over, "Where are you taking me?" didn't I?
Chris: Um, you asked it a few times. Mostly you just laughed because you were so excited to be in my presence.
BriAnna: ...yeah (not). I was excited, but mostly surprised. You caught me 100% off-guard.
Chris: After getting her in the car we drove to the restuarant, with her blind-folded and the flowers in the back seat
BriAnna: It seriously felt like we drove for a long time. I was surprised we were only 10 minutes from my house. I got out of the car blind-folded and he told me to run with him holding my hand. I refused to run because I was scared. Then I saw car headlights through the blind fold, in the distance getting closer. Then I ran...
Chris: Yeah, that was funny...we ran across the street into the restaurant. I gave the waitress the flowers and then took the blind-fold off.
BriAnna: The restaurant looked really, nice and romantic. I was really impressed, but the main thing I kept thinking was, "Man, I shouldn't have just eaten dinner!"
Chris: So we sat down and when they brought out our main entree they also brought the flowers.
BriAnna: I was highly impressed, and surprised you remembered lilys were my favorite flower.
Chris: I know, I know...I'm good.
BriAnna: (rolling eyes)
Chris: After dinner we went to the Snoqualmie waterfall but it was cold and rainy so we looked at it for five minutes.
BriAnna: It was cold, but I just remember being really happy and 100% completely surprised.
Chris: Then we drove back to your house and watched the most romantic movie EVER! Master and Commander! oh yeah!
BriAnna: haha, it was not romantic at all!
Chris: You picked it out...
BriAnna: I had no idea you were proposing that night, plus I had never seen it before.
Chris: Ok, that's fair. At this point I had it all planned out that after kissing goodnight on the doorstep I was going to walk away and let her close the door just incase she even remotely suspected I was going to propose.
BriAnna: After kissing goodnight I closed the door and then I saw him through the window in the corner of my eye heading back to the door.
Chris: My goal was to be on one knee when she opened the door, but right as I got to the door she was opening it. I pulled her outside and said, "I have one more surprise for you." ..man I am romanitic!
BriAnna: (Laughing) I thought you had either forgotten something at my house or had to use the bathroom last minute. He's done both of those numerous times, so I still had NO idea you were going to propose.
Chris: After pulling her outside I dropped to one knee and asked her to marry me. What were the first words out of her mouth? "You can't do it yet!" repeated over and over.
BriAnna: I was so surprised. I had convinced myself you weren't going to do it yet. I had thought you were going to propose when I returned from Arizona.
Chris: After asking you to marry me I put the ring on your finger, but I couldn't remember if you had actually said "Yes" because I only remembered you saying, "You can't do it yet!" Then I sheepishly asked, "Sooo, did you say yes?"
BriAnna: I responded I had said yes! And then we kissed again and you went home.
Chris: Yep that's how I remember it.
BriAnna: I told you I wanted to be surprised and not expect it. And obviously, I had NO idea. So, it was a perfect night. I was so excited I couldn't stop smiling.
Chris: I love you so much! You are the most amazing girl ever! :)
And they lived happily ever after...The End
2. Chris and I have embraced our adventurous side this summer by making sure we make every weekend we have count. This has let us fill our weekends with all sorts of trips. My favorites being.... Our random trip to the city of Bellingham, where we ventured off to an unknown city to explore and see what it had to offer. Our first camping trip, where I learned that just because you're telling the scary story, that doesn't mean you won't get scared. Finally, going down to the beach, where we sat out in the rarely seen sunshine and listened to the calming of the waves. 
3. With Chris gone at work all day I have been able to fill my days with my favorite leisurely summer activity....Reading. I don't know why but there is something about grabbing a good book, coozying up in your favorite chair and reading all summer long. I have never been much of a reader but every summer I can't get enough of it. So far this summer I have read books, such as, Fablehaven, The Candy Shop Wars, When Love Walked In, The Percy Jackson Series and my most Favorite of all...... The Hunger Games series. Each book has taken me to a new world full of mystery and wonder. Right now I am currently reading The Help, I'm curious to see exactly where this book will take me. 
4. My beautiful cousin, Allene, from Arizona, stayed with my parents this summer here in Washington. I have enjoyed every adventure we had together, the memories we created with each other and the friendship we will now have forever. She filled my summer with games of charade, trips to the zoo, museums and movie theaters, hours swimming endlessly in the pool, birthday parties, ferry rides, trips to the beach, Mariner's games and most of all laughter. 
