A {surprise} proposal.

So the other special event that happened last weekend was...

an engagement!

Everyone in the family EXCEPT Shilo knew this was coming, although she may have suspected on and off, requiring a few dishonest responses on my part haha.

Kody had a video call with Bill a couple weeks prior to ask for his permission/blessing, then filled us in on the details as his selected day-of-proposal drew closer... and invited us to be there.

He had sent Shi on a scavenger hunt, and although it seems like that would be an automatic give-away for something special like a proposal of marriage, Shilo swears she had been fooled by Michaela's lies and deception. Nice job, Mic!

After some last-minute shuffling of parks (due to a wedding in the process of set-up at the originally planned park), we barely got into position with super brief instructions before Shi and Mic came walking down the path. Shi was blindfolded until she was in front of Kody. We were standing behind her a ways, as the plan was for Kody to talk to her, then she would turn around and see the cute sign thoughtfully ordered by Kody 's mom via facebook (or etsy? or something like that). Of course, Shi turned around immediately, but the rest of it went down according to Kody's well-designed plan. We couldn't hear his question, and we couldn't hear her answer, but it was clear that it was affirmative.

 Kody got down on one knee, but I totally missed the shot. I think his sister-in-law was snapping pics, so hopefully she captured the moment. (Austin was going to help take pics, too, but... you know... Ellis arrived!)

 The ring... so so pretty!

 The friends were the real heroes of the day... we just showed up and held a sign (it was pretty awesome to be there!) Michaela spent nearly the entire day with Shi, implementing the plan and convincing her this was "nothing that special" and "just another {creative} date."

After the proposal we went to Red Robin for dinner.

I won't mention that the Provo Red Robin is no longer on my list of favorites.

Okay, maybe I will.

We waited over an hour-and-a-half to get seated (we were there fairly early... at 5pm), and it was nearly 2 hours before we even got our "bottomless" fries. As we waited (and waited and waited and waited), I walked through and saw 4 empty booths/tables. Once we were seated, 3 tables immediately around us remained empty for most of the time we were there. They definitely could have done more to accommodate our group of 10 (we're in Utah, for goodness sakes), and to provide better service once we were finally seated.

Needless to say, I won't be back.

If it wasn't for the awesome people we had to wait with, and if it wasn't following such an exciting event as an engagement, it would have been a total bust. 

But it wasn't.

I'm so excited for Shilo and Kody!

Our family is getting bigger every day (literally haha).

Welcome, Ellis!!

Ellis made his arrival nice and early.

I was ecstatic that I was THERE... in Utah... how lucky was that??

Remember how I was talking to Bill when Britt called to tell me her water broke?

When, unbeknownst to me, Bill got his little bod dressed and ready, packed up a few things, loaded up the dogs, hopped in his car and DROVE ALL NIGHT.

 When Scarlett woke up that morning, I told her baby brother was on his way, so she painted him a lovely welcome picture.

I was surprised when, while giving Wonderful Sweet Scarlett her not-so-desired bath, the doorbell rang. Then it rang again. I thought {perhaps} it was a delivery Britt and Austin were expecting, so I ran to grab the door, only to be so so pleasantly surprised to find Billy-my-hero standing there at 8:30am. I was even more happy when it perked up Scarlett's gloomy I-don't-want-to-wash-my-hair attitude because... well, GRANDPA WAS THERE. (He has to do so little to gain the love of those adorable grandchildren, and I work so hard for their affection... so not fair!)

Ellis had not arrived just yet, but we were on a schedule that day anyway. We had planned a day of shopping and wedding planning with Shi. I know, I know... was she engaged? No. But that didn't stop us from pretending hahahaha. And you just never know when your mama will be in town again, and what can happen before she comes back...

We met first that morning at a prospective reception venue. We received word (via text and picture) that baby Ellis had made his grand entrance, and that things had gone well.

"He's here! Born at 8:55am, 6lb 14oz! Everything went smoothly! 

He's got a head full of dark hair :-)"

We had an appointment at a bridal shop, and figured that by the time we were done there (+ lunch), Britt, Austin, and Ellis would be ready for visitors.

 The whole family showed up pretty much at once. Jill and my mom met us at the hospital, then Jason and Lex, Tay and Nae arrrived not long after.

Ahhhhh... 

there is NOTHING like a newborn baby.

As excited as Scarlett was to finally meet baby brother, once she saw him she was very tentative. Maybe it was the reality that baby brother was not just a novel and fun idea. Maybe it was the environment... seeing mama in a hospital bed, surrounded by hospital paraphernalia. Maybe it was the fairly large group of people gathered to welcome Ellis to the world. She didn't want to hold him, and preferred to watch a show while snuggling with mom in bed.

That was okay with everyone else... more time for us to hold him haha.

Grandpa got his snuggle time with the girls.

When I had my babies, I always loved the attention and excitement of family gathered around to welcome a new little soul. So reminiscent of the good days long ago. (Always better for those who did NOT just push a bowling ball out of their body haha!)

Later that evening I took Wonderful Sweet Scarlett back to the hospital by herself. Her purse had been momentarily replaced with a bucket... a gift from Jason and Lex, who had just acquired it at Jason's work party. She also had her shades and her self-crafted binoculars (which, by the way, helped locate our loose and rampant dogs, who had dug under Britt and Austin's fence to escape and run free for heaven knows how long), which drew a plethora of smiles from passers by. That girl comes prepared.

 I still don't think she held Ellis that day. She was just needing a little warm-up to the baby who would now split her mama's time.

 I loved holding him some more...

...and I just can't resist pictures of stray baby feet.

Ellis got to come home the next day, so we all loved on him some more.

Baby brother gave Scarlett a gift... some "Big Sister" books and a camera (seriously, so brilliant... just an old camera Austin had from his mission).

Scarlett was thrilled, which can only endear her to her new brother, right?

That night while we were away at another special event (next blog post), Britt sent this snap:

 Yay for baby brothers and all that baby-holding practice Scarlett has done over the past months!!

On Sunday, we had to head back to CO.

 We snuggled and cuddled that baby one last time before saying good-bye.

We love you, Ellis! 

We are so so happy you joined our family!!

I'm driving back out this weekend to help out, although Britt seems to have it pretty together.

Here are a few snaps from the past couple days:

I can't wait to see them all again!