I know it has been a long time since my last post but this will be worth it, I promise.......

Scott and I got ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He proposed last Saturday, yes on Groundhog's day, in my parents front porch. He wanted to do it at my parents house because I grew up there and he knows that place means a lot to me.

Even though I knew it was coming I was completely surprised when it actually happened. We had made plans earlier in the week to spend a big chunck of Saturday together just doing something fun. He had taken my parents out to dinner last Monday and my mom told him that if he wanted me to be surprised that he should let me make the plans for Saturday and I would not know it was coming. Smart lady! So I thought of going to an arcade called Nickel City in Northbrook. However, at this point we had no plans of going to my parents house so Scott was working on a plan B. Also planned for Saturday was a dinner between all of my cousins on my dad's side at Linnea and Cam's (a reason I secretly wanted it to happen last Saturday anyways because we could celebrate with my family). Fortunately for Scott, I had to bake something for that dinner but I had previously left my baking sheet at my parents house that I needed to use. So I called him in the morning and asked if we could swing by there for 30 minutes so that I could bake something. He of course said yes and little did I know that I was helping to plan my own engagement. So we went to my parents house and hung out with Elsa and Matt a little bit. Then we started to head out the door for Nickel City. As soon as I shut the front door he stopped me in the porch and just smiled and said "I love you." He then pulled something out of his pocket and started to get down on one knee. I then said "are you flippin' kidding me!?!?!" He asked me to marry him and I am pretty sure I let him finish his question before i said "YES!" but I am not completely sure about that one. So we then went back inside where Elsa had written a little sign that said congrats and we were all smiles. It meant so much to have Elsa and Matt right there when it happened since they are leaving soon and I was in CA when they got engaged so I missed celebrating with them. So we still continued the day as planned and went to Nickel City to spend some time alone. Then we had the dinner with my family, now his family too :), which was perfect. I had always thought that my perfect engagement scenario would be to celebrate with family and friends and that is what happened. All in all, that was the best Groundhog's day I have ever had and will never forget :) Let the wedding planning begin!

This is right after it happened in the porch

The ring. I LOVE it!

The cousin's dinner

So here are the final three guys! Linnea, Elsa and I had always wondered who the lucky 3 would be and we could not be happier. Eric is the only one left now.

Gwen wanted to eat just the olives (like her mother!) so she was sticking her finger in the hole and picking them up one by one.

Jenny, Linnea, Kevin and Cam were over at our Grandparents house during the day on Saturday helping them clean out their crawl space and we got to rummage through 3 boxes of our Grandma's clothes that she didn't want anymore!! Here we are modeling our finds. Thanks Grandma!

For the last several years our family has been going up for Christmas Camp at Point. Scott and I were fortunate enough to go up for the weekend. It is always a great time spent with family and friends and I love getting out of Chicago for something completely different.

This picture of Gwen reminds me a little bit of the kid in A Christmas Story.

Our cabin that we stayed in with the rest of my family as well as the Erik Strom family and the Bassetts.




Scott showing me his hockey skills. He played in High School.

From my figure skating days back in grade school.
Our cabin broomball team. Go Pine Nuts!


Here are some pictures from our last big snowfall in Chicago a couple days ago. They are pre-slush pictures when everything still looks beautiful.

Caramel Anyone???

Last year I started making candy as my Christmas present for my Grandparents and my Aunt and Uncles. This year I made 3 kinds of caramels; plain, with pecans and with walnuts. They were delicious!

It has always been a tradition to go out to tea at the Drake downtown with my Grandma and cousins but in the past few years all the Wallgren ladies have been going together the day after Christmas. This is one of my favorite things that I do during the Christmas season.

The newest addition to our family.....

I would like you to meet our new kitten! Isn't she so cute. My mom and I picked her up at the Heartland animal shelter today. We are not sure what we want to name her yet. A cute Swedish name for sure but which one is what we have to figure out. We have thought of Bri, Elka and Frida so far. Do you guys have any suggestions?? We have had enough Flickas so that is out of the running. She is so playful and very cuddly. We love her already!

Here are some funny pictures of Gwen at church. Oink! Oink!

8 Months.....

Well today is my 8 monthaversary with Scott Bailey! Is that the paper anniversary? Anyways, I can honestly say that it has been the best 8 months of my life. I was a happy person before we met that fateful Good Friday night 8 months ago but since that day I have had a sense of completion that I can't explain other than saying that I have found my better half. I have never been treated with more respect or authentic love by someone in my life. We have such a great tome together and I could not be happier with him right now. I look forward to what our future has in store for us. So here are a few pictures from over the past 8 months.