Wedding, Blessing, Sealing, and Christmas!

We went to Utah for about 9 days for Christmas and it was the most action-packed week we have ever had there! Shad and I got there on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday we went shopping in Farmington with my mom and Alex and got outfits for my brother Andrew's wedding and then had lunch at Zuppas. Yum! Thursday we went shopping at Target with my sister Holly and her sweet Olivia, and we met my mom there for lunch. Shad and Olivia loved riding in the cool cart.

Friday was my little brother Andrew's wedding in Brigham City and we added a new member of the Grose family: Megan! She is a darling girl and hopefully one day she can teach me how to have such cute style!

That night was their wedding dinner in Ogden, it was quite the party! Shad definitely busted out some sweet dance moves:

Shad and me

They had a photo booth instead of a signature book to show that you came to their wedding. Cute idea! Here is our little family of 3:

Afterwards, while we were waiting for the happy couple outside, we lit sparklers and floating lanterns. 

Shad and I also started getting sick that day with really bad coughs and sore throats, and I lost my voice completely for about a week after that. But that didn't stop us from having an amazing vacation!

The next day on Saturday we had the opportunity to be sealed to Shad in the Bountiful temple. The drive there was crazy in a blizzard and we passed 5 car accidents on the way, witnessing two of them, and Shad was really sick and did not look well. We were really worried that it might not be a good day. But we made it safely and when he entered the sealing room all dressed in white with his hair combed he looked absolutely perfect and angelic. It was the most spiritual experience I have ever had. The happiness and joy I felt is beyond words and I am so so grateful that Heavenly Father placed him in our family forever.

It was too cold to take pictures in front of the temple, so we had to settle for taking some pictures inside the rotunda area. My best friend Sierra came to his sealing and took these beautiful pictures for us. 

Is this not the most angelic face you have ever seen?! And those eyes!

 My sisters and parents, and Jared's parents

 My parents

 Jared's parents

Sweet Grandpa Grose

 The Masons

 The beautiful and talented Sierra (click on her name to see some of her amazing work!)

It was an absolutely perfect day and we wouldn't have had it any other way.

The next day was Sunday and we blessed Shad at his parents' church. Sierra came again and took a few more pictures for us. She really is the best!

Besties

The next day, Monday, was Christmas Eve Eve, my mom's annual Christmas party complete with the nativity. Shad was a shepherd and left the thing on his head for all of 1.5 seconds (if that). I love that my mom does this every year so we can always have all the siblings there at the same time. 

Tuesday was Christmas Eve, and we spent it between my Grandma's and Jared's Grandma's house, but we only stayed at each for a few minutes because Shad had a fever of 104 at this point. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of this day. Shad and I were both feeling pretty awful still so we went home and slept for almost 12 hours.

Christmas day was nice, we spent most of the day just chilling at my parents' house. This was our first Christmas together as a family of 3 (Shad joined our family on December 27th last year!)

Shad opened some presents and then went back to sleep for another few hours. He got his very first train set. It was so much fun even though he's still a little young to realize what was going on.

The next morning we left early in the morning to go back to Michigan. It was probably the most exhausting yet the best Christmas vacation we have ever had (well I guess you could say it's tied with last year's Christmas vacation when we came home unexpectedly with a baby!) 

It's official!

As of today, exactly 8 months from the day Shad came into our lives, he is now officially our SON (on paper, anyway. We really knew a long time ago.) Here is proof:

Our awesome friends Jessica and Kayli (and baby Ella of course!) came to the court house with us.

Jessica was able to film the last part where the judge made it official. I still have to pinch myself sometimes to think that I really was so lucky to become his mom! I don't feel like I did much to deserve it. We have been so blessed with Shad in our lives and can't imagine what our world would be like without him! He was always meant to be a part of our family and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving us the opportunity to become his parents in such an amazing way. Anyway, here is the video. Enjoy!

Six years

Yesterday Jared and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary. We decided that we should get a babysitter since we have only been on one other date since we have become parents. It was so worth it!

First we stopped and got gas and Jared really wanted to get a car wash. I was checking him out as he was getting gas (isn't he a hottie?)

 We took a picture of us getting the car wash. I tried to get it when all the colors were on it that looked like superman ice cream, but you couldn't see it. Darn.

Then we went to a sushi restaurant that had some pretty amazing sushi. It was the bomb-digitty!

 

I got the "Papa Crema" roll (crab, smoked salmon, avocado, cream cheese, fried with tempura garlic sweet potatoes on top)

I forgot to turn off the flash, so it doesn't look that appetizing, but boy was it goooood!

 

Jared got the "Cosmo" roll (shrimp tempura roll with tuna, scallions, masago, and spicy mayo) Yum!

 

After dinner we decided to stop at the store and get a redbox and some ice cream. Jared really wanted banana splits, but I was still thinking about that superman ice cream from the car wash.

 

 





So he got his banana split

 

And I got my superman ice cream. With some bananas on the side. :)

 

We came home and watched a movie on the couch while we kicked our feet up and enjoyed each others' company. It was a good day. I love this man of mine so much! Here's to many more!