ENGAGED! And it was quite the adventure!

The plan was simple enough: my brother Covey would take his Ellie up the mountain to the spot where they first kissed. Dad and I would head up earlier, get a few things set up, and then hide with my camera. I would take pictures of the on-one-knee deed.


The glitches:

• Do you know how hard it is to transport a delicate red rose up a rocky mountain on an ATV?! We came up with model after model of ways to wrap and protect it, and finally went with model 5C, cotton swabs and a container and towels galore.
• The trail was covered in half mud, half ice. It was a dangerous combination, and I spent most of the trip threatening Mother Nature within an inch of her life if anything happened to me or the little apple inside of me.
• The time we stalled on the edge of an icy cliff. Okay, we were like four feet from the edge, but still. Dad said "if I yell bail right, you know what to do!" (WHAT!?)
• The time we took the wrong fork in the road. We realized our mistake pretty quickly, but when we were turning around, Covey and Ellie zoomed past us. Wait! They can't beat us there! What about the rose and the tablecloth and the fact that we're supposed to be hiding with the camera!

When we finally made it up there, Covey had to distract Ellie with some pretty grand romantic gestures (if you know what I mean ;) as I snuck up into the treehouse there. I had a backpack with hot cider, cookies, a vase, the rose, and a tablecloth. I was about to set it up when I realized the little table was covered in ice. Thus began the crazy act of trying to scrape layers of ice off the table while living in constant fear that Ellie would turn around at any second and our cover would be blown. (I acknowledge that I've watched too many episodes of Chuck lately.)

Finally, I got the table set up and practically jumped down out of the treehouse. Then dad and I had to run and hide in the grove of trees. It was at that second that I realized I WOULD NEVER SURVIVE IN THE HUNGER GAMES. My snow pants swished with every step, I couldn't see because bare branches kept snagging my hair and pushing it in my face, the crunchy snow was the loudest sound I'd ever heard, and to top it all off, I got a bad case of the ill-timed giggles as we ran. Yeah. I would last about five seconds in an arena.

Of course everything turned out beautifully in the end. They came down from the treehouse and walked to the ridge that overlooks the valley. Covey was very sweet, and Ellie is beautiful, and they are so so happy! I have wanted my brothers to get married for years now, and it's finally happening. We are so excited to have Ellie in the family!

^^that one might be my favorite. Ellie's reaction was so cute^^

in the treehouse

And now for the wedding in May!