We're Engaged!!!

Ok I know a little late on the notice but hey a girl gets a little busy after she gets engaged!!

Gene and I have been together for a little over a year now (ok a year and three months but who's counting), anyway, lets go back to April-ish. We'd been ring shopping quite a bit so I thought he'd propose at some point in the next few months. Well one night on our way to home group he just casually asks me, "You don't really need a DIAMOND do you?", um what, excuse me? Now I'm not really high maintance (I still have clothes in my closet from college and I haven't bought a pair of new shoes in, I don't know how long.) so of course I thought he was serious. I replied, "ARE YOU KIDDING?! We've been out shopping for rings for how long now, we've spent days at a time ring shopping and now you're asking me if I really need a diamond?" needless to say I was a bit peeved. One friend of mine loveingly called this time in my life "diamond gate '09". But then after venting to my sister (who talked me off the ledge numerous times) and a couple close friends I calmed down. I started looking at gemstone rings and actually got on board with the whole "non traditional" ring idea. So I made Gene go out looking for Gem stones with me. He reluctantly trapsed about the mall with me as I forced him to look at all the Gem stones in town (he deserved this and you'll find out why later).

Fast forward a week or so.....Gene says to me, "We're going to Colorado this weekend." Ok do I have a choice, No. So I make plans to go to Colorado, book a hotel and all that jazz for the weekend of May 1st and 2nd. After I get it all booked I realize, HOLY CRAP my parents birthdays are the 1st and 2nd AND my best friends baby shower is that weekend as well. I run to Gene to tell him we have to reschedule and all he says is, "O'well guess you'll have to just call them from Colorado." What? There is no getting out of this trip, what's going on? Then a few nights before we leave we go to dinner and he says, "I have a fun thing planned for you this weekend." I of course ask him what and he tells me a scavanger hunt. Hmm ok. He tells me that he found a bunch of little trinkettes that I'm gonna love and he thought this would be a fun way to give them to me. Okey dokey. I start suspecting but I don't want to get my hopes up and then if it is just trinkets that he put so much thought into I didn't want to be disappointed.

So we get to Colorado and check in to our hotel. Friday night we go out with some friends and enjoy the craziness that our good 'ole Roaring Fork valley has to offer. The next morning (Saturday) he sends me to breakfast with my good friend Laura Vogel (Lauralita I like to call her). He says he'll call me when he's ready. So we go to breakfast and no call, we go look for shoes, no call......finally he calls a few hours later and says ok have Laura drop you off at BB's (best barbaque place of all time!!!). I get to BB's and when I get in the truck there is a little box with a note and an empty charm bracelet. The note leads me to the first place we met........another little box and another love note! Oooo this is fun! So I continue all around town from place to place. All places we had special memories at and the charms to match. Each charm was significant to that place (cell phone for the place he got my number, a little cross for the first place we went to church together and so on.) We end up at the resturant we went to for our first date, Mango's! So yummy. Well I have to ask the bartender for a shot (since that's what I did before Gene got there on our first date cause I was so nervous!) so I get a shot and she brings me a box. Another charm, and she's set up and beautiful table by the fireplace that she's lit just for us! I'm starting to think that this is just a charm bracelet hunt and it's fun and so thoughtful so I'm trying not to be too disappointed that I may leave Colorado ringless. So after lunch the next note lead us half way hanging lake.

This was the hardest hike of my life!!! Here is the view going up....do you see a trail cause I don't. Nope just crawl over the rocks. SHOOT ME!
But the view was just amazing and the trail was awesome. It was raining so we were getting soaked but everything was so vivid! This is a little cave thing that the waterfall was just trickling over. (you can see the rushing water to the right of the cave)

So half way up the mountain we come to a little log hut thing. It was covered in carvings. As I got closer they were all initials. The whole thing was covered with people who loved each other. It was so sweet. Well of course there was a box with a charm and a note to continue to the top! (At this point I'm thinking, so help me if I get my butt up to the top of this mountain and there is another freakin charm and no ring I'm gonna flip out! The charms were lovely and the thought he put into this whole thing was so amazing but this was the hardest hike of my life and I wanted to cry when that note said we had to keep going.) Ok back to the story. So Gene went over to the hut and "imortilized our love." in this little log shack!

Isn't he cute in there! He carved our initials huge and over a couple other peoples but they'll get over it. Ok so we continue to the top. Remember the air is extreemly thin on the top of the world and I'm completely out of shape, so here we go. I'm almost there and almost in tears and I look up, as I'm gasping for air, these little kids come skipping down the mountain. They've been to the top and are now skipping down the freakin mountain. I really wanted to throw a rock in their general direction (but again I digress I was wet and getting slightly grumpy with this mountain.) So we continue on and come to this staircase that has a railing and thank goodness because the side of the staircase was shear and straight down! We get up the stair case and Gene parks me on this little bridge and tells me to wait here. So I took some pictures of the waterfall going under the bridge I was on.

Beautiful isn't it! This was really a spectacular hike and I recommend it to most people. If I can make it up there you can too, trust me! So then I hear a faint yell coming from the direction Gene went off in. I walk through some trees and it opens up into this.....

This place was just stunning! The water is crystal clear and there are even little fish up there. How fish get to the top of a mountain is beyond me but they were there and that's how it is. Then I spy Gene across the lake just standing there with a little grin on his face (it's a crappy picture but he is grinning).........

So I walk around the lake to get to Gene. He lead me back behind the waterfall a little and I see another little box on top of a boulder. I walked over to it and opened it. Another charm, a little engagement ring charm and a note that simply says, "Will you marry me?" I turn around and there's Gene right behind me on one knee with the ring in his hand. I freaked out slightly and cried a little. The best proposal I could've ever asked for. It was a diamond by the way (that whole trick was suggested by Gene's wonderful brother, Thanks Greg!).

So we hung out in the serenity of the lake for awhile and then we too skipped down the mountain like little kids. We had to stop at the little log shack to take a pic with our initials.
We ran back to the hotel to get changed because Gene's brother and sister in law came all the way from Denver to congratulate us and have dinner with us (they may have came for other things but I like to think it was just for us.) So there ya have it. The engagement story. Here is a picture of the completed bracelet and the ring!

We're getting married this September and we are buying a house right now too, hence me not updating the blog for awhile. Hope everyone is doing well.
Love,
Alivia (almost Burgess!!!)

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Thanks everyone! God Bless!!

Gene-days

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GENE!!!!!

So we all know that I'm terrible at keeping my blog up to date and even worse at taking pictures and getting them on here! Turns out we only have a picture of the cake I made for Gene for his birthday and that's it, the only picture we took! We've got to get better at this.

Well Gene has had a week long celebration for his 29th birthday. My family likes to call it Gene-days, or Livie-days for my birthday.....etc.

Gene days began last Sunday night. Every Sunday we have a family dinner at my Mom and Stepdad's house. She gets to try out new recipes on us and we get to hang out with family and have amazing food!! Hurray!

Anyway, we decided to make last Sunday the start to Gene days! So while Gene was off with my Godfather and Dad at the sportsmans show after chuch on sunday, I went to my mom's and created this..............

Pineapple upside down cake!

This is Gene's favorite cake. Well I found out after I made it that I was supposed to make it after a recipe in a cook book that his mom gave him. GREAT!! O'well it turned out pretty good. Way too sweet for me but Gene is a sugarholic so it worked. Wasn't mom's but still good ;o)

My mom made chicken souvalaki, greek rice pilaf and some amazing pita bread! That night Gene got three awesome shirts from my mom and step-dad. (mostly dress shirts).

Wednesday night before we left for dinner he received some awesome cards from his friends and family from afar. The only one I got to see was Kim's beautiful hand made birthday card! Thank you to everyone that sent cards and love!! We love you very much and can't wait to see you! MUAH!!

That night, for dinner, we went to Rodizio's Grill for more birthday festivities. For those of you who don't know, Rodizio's is a Brazilian grill. You get the "full rodizio" and waiters come around with spits of meat and carve you off whatever you want onto your plate. There is a little wooden thing that is red on one side and green on the other. When you flip it to green it's on! Gene was amazed that there was food coming at him from every direction! When we needed a rest - flip it to red. It was wild wednesdays so we got to try some buffalo stew and rattle snake sausage! mmmmmmm!  Gene received more gifts this night. 

• From Erin and Ryan Taylor (my sis and bro in law) he got two tickets to the Dave Matthews Band! 
  
• From me he got a four session fly tying class (that I'm going to take with him) ;o) 
  
• From my God parents and her girls he got a daily devotional book and a great christian T-shirt that looks like this:

In case you can't read it, it says: "Son, I need you to build a bridge, here are all the tools you will need see you soon. Love, Dad

• And my mom and stepdad got him another gift - a tie to go with all those dress shirts. He thinks that maybe my mom is trying to tell him something ;o) He loves them and so do I, he looks pretty studly in all his dress up clothes!

Monday will be the last day of Gene days. My dad and stepmom are taking us out for birthday dinner and MORE presents! He's so SPOILED!! 

WE LOVE YOU GENE-O!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET HEART!!

Pizza night and baby Croix!

Last night was the fun and fantastical make your own pizza night at my parents house! Turns out Gene should have been a professional pizza maker and I'm pretty sure after last night he's in the process of opening his own pizzeria.

Here is our delicious creation!!! My side has pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, garlic, and italian sausage! It was scrumptious!!, Gene's side is a bunch of meat and I don't know what else. This was only the first pizza. Each couple made two pizza's each and so needless to say we have a whole monster pizza in our fridge right now. Good thing it's delicious!

After pizza Gene decided he needed some uncle Gene time.

Little Croix loves his uncle Gene! He just quiets right down and just stares at him. I think he feels pretty safe in those big arms. Here's another Croix pic for your viewing pleasure!

Here's Croix having some Aunt Livie time. This was right after his bath and he smelled like heaven!

If you're jonesin for some more Croix pics. Check out my sisters blog. It's listed on my friends blogs and is called The Shortbus. Enjoy!

Reminiscent of summer

It's blustery wintery snowy disaster outside and all I want to do is bask in the sun! I came across this picture in my stash of photos as I was trying to think of something to blog about, since it's been forever. 

This moment was captured while fly fishing with the boys. Mind you they took me to a place that I'm sure had been planted with a gazillion fishies. Even still my Geno had a hard time catching them. Notice the look of hate and disgust (and possibly a little jealousy) as he looks on at my victory! 

This was taken by Gary I believe, with a cigarette in his mouth and the pole under his arm, I was amazed with his talent. This was such a great day. The boys were such good sports to take my girly butt fishing! I loved it and now I want to do it all the time. If only we had some sun. I know, I know I could go ice fishing, however, that tends to be cold and wet and I'm not really into that. 

Here's another one. This is Gene's sweet sybs. Guys don't hate me for posting this if you hate this pic but I love it! 

Here we have: Gene's sister Diane and her husby David, sister-in-law Kim and husby Greg (Gene's brother for those of you who haven't caught on). Then we have my man Gene and me. (That is not a wedding ring, it's on his right hand.) This was taken by our oh so fabulous waiter at Tequila's in Glenwood Springs, CO. Oh I miss their garlic shrimp, the buttery garlicy deliciousness...........ok sorry let that one get away from me. 

So if you're feeling the winter blues bust out some old summer pics, turn up your heater, have some sort of fruity beach drink with an umbrella, turn up the Buffett, and forget how early you're going to have to get up tomorrow to scrape off your car.

Goodbye Thanksgiving, Hello Christmas!!

Well Thanksgiving is behind us and all those lucky Turkeys that are still gobblin around will live another year. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and is getting ready for the next one coming............or are you yet?

Gene and I have entered the age old battle......when do we start decorating and listening to christmas music?????? Well I of course being the holiday loving lady I am, am ready to start the festivities. I understand no Christmas music before Thanksgiving and all that but, as soon as the dishes are done baby, bring on the Jingle Bells!! Gene however, isn't so keen on the idea. I pondered this for a moment wondering what kind of Grinch that stole Christmas was I living with here?!

Now don't get me wrong, Gene doesn't hate Christmas, as a matter of fact he is the most giving person I've ever met, especially around the holidays. He just isn't quite ready to deck the halls. We discussed this and he thought a real tree would be nice and if we did that we couldn't decorate until a week before Christmas!! There are some problems here, we have two sweet and adorable cats (Gene may describe them differently) and they like to climb Christmas trees, if it were real we would have sap everywhere, not to mention the needles and UG no way. Sorry sweets no can do. I already have an artificial tree so we wouldn't have to spend money on a tree if we went with the fake one, plus decorate only a week before Christmas?! 

So we are going with the fake tree and now we have to decide when to put it all up???? I say now, Gene says in a couple weeks. Now I'm the pouty Christmas kid. We need some help here. Suggestions?????

I hope everyone is having a great holiday season and has already figured out when the Christmas season really starts.

Thanksgiving Fun!!!

Well it's almost that time again, time to eat, drink, eat, be merry and eat. I thought, to get everyone in the Thanksgiving spirit, I would post a few Thanksgiving fun facts.

Did you know..........................

• Fossil evidence shows that turkeys roamed the Americas 10 million years ago.
• Thomas Jefferson thought the concept of Thanksgiving was "the most ridiculous idea I’veever heard."
  
• Here's one of the most unbelievable Thanksgivng facts: The Guinness Book of Records states that the greatest dressed weight recorded for a turkey is 39.09 kg (86 lbs), at the annual "heaviest turkey" competition held in London, England on December 12, 1989.
  
• More than 40 million green bean casseroles are served on Thanksgiving. (Maybe try out another side dish this year.)

• The different nicknames for Thanksgiving Day: “Turkey Day” (after the traditional Thanksgiving dinner), “T-Day” (an abbreviation of either “Thanksgiving Day” or “Turkey Day”), “Macy’s Day (this is exclusive to New York City – it is a reference to the Macy’s Day Parade), “Yanksgiving” (Canadians sometimes call the Thanksgiving in the US as “Yanksgiving” to distinguish it from the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday.)
  
• The First Thanksgiving lasted for three days. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! I WOULD EXPLODE!)
  
• Here's one of those funny Thanksgiving facts: Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force was conducting test runs and breaking the sound barrier, fields of turkeys would drop dead.
  
• A spooked turkey can run at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. They can also burst into flight approaching speeds between 50-55 mph in a matter of seconds. (Granted it doesn't have a heart attack first)

These facts came from http://www.coolest-holiday-parties.com/thanksgiving-facts.html . Hope this kick starts your Thanksgiving excitement!!!!