Lieutenant Dan

Update on Phil:

He has been doing good overseas! It is very hot and he has not gone on any traveling missions but he is in good spirits. He is usually at watch over the General's quarters. Not very exciting but I like it that way because not much happens and I know he is safe. We are able to communicate everyday whether it be through email, his cell phone or webcam. Technology is great! I miss him very much but I just take it one day at a time and keep busy!!

Phil actually got to be on security detail for Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise) when he visited the troops. This is the picture. It makes me laugh because he is not looking at the camera nor is the other security guy. They were watching out for the bad guys!

I love you Phil!



As for other news I just recently moved into the Smith household!!! Has been good so far and it is fun to see the girls all the time!

I also attended the blessing of my nephew Daniel over July 4th weekend! I was feeling very patriotic (of course) due to my fiance and got to go see a fireworks show at an Air Force base. It was great fun! We also went to Newport Beach and In and Out Burger and all the fun stuff!!! The blessing was wonderful and Matt has an adorable baby! Good times for all!

New York and The Proposal

Phil and I had a fabulous time in New York together! Four fun filled days together was awesome and too short!! We met up Sunday night at the LaGuardia airport and headed to the Marriott in Times Square. We grabbed dinner and went to sleep because we had so much to do and see. Of course we visited New York during a heat wave. I was a sweating pig with frizzy hair but Phil said I still looked good. As quoted from the movie Juno he still thought "the sun shined out my butt." despite what I looked like.

We hit many tourist spots such as NBC Studios, Ellis Island, Ground Zero, Central Park, and the Empire State Building. As for the important business.....Phil did propose on Monday night of the trip. We first had dinner at the revolving restaurant in the Marriott Marquis Hotel. It was delicious and beautiful!! After that we headed for Central Park for a carriage ride. However, it was too hot for the horses to be out so we went for a walk in the park. We were on a bridge and had some people take our picture. While I was putting the camera in my purse, Phil got down on one knee and proposed. Of course I said yes!!! It was very sweet and exciting! He picked out a beautiful ring and love him so much and cannot wait until we are married next year in the Manti temple!

Phil will be shipped overseas soon and will miss him terribly. I love him so much and am grateful for the short time we had together this past week!!!

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Phil's Month at Fort Dix

Phil gave me his pictures from his month of training at Fort Dix. I have put this video together from his goodbye party to right before we went to New York! You will see pictures of random people too but they are buddies he is training with!!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Final update from Fort Dix, New Jersey

Hello everyone so I have been here at Fort Dix for a month now and I miss Ali very much! As the seconds turn into minutes and the minutes turn into hours and the hours have turn into days and the days have turned into weeks and NOW we have been apart for a month and I miss her and love her very very much!!!!!! Well our group has finally completed the required training, which will allow us to deploy. I am very happy to be done with this part of my deployment/training. However, we did get to train with some high speed group of guys from the FBI SWAT team and SPECIAL FORCES I think that was the best two days out of the entire month we have been here. Also, while we were at the F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base) Which is just a fancy word the Army likes to use for sleeping in a big green tent, the combat life savers had to stick 3 different people with IV’s I being one of them was able to stick 3 different people on the 1st try! unlike my buddies who took several tries to hit the vain. Unfortunately, I had to sacrifice my arm to an unsuccessful stick, but I did get a sweet looking bruise on my arm from it. Anyway, last weekend we went to the air show it was sweet!!! It was really nice to get away for a couple hours to see the Thunderbirds and watch someone else work. Well I am in the process of compiling a slideshow of all the pictures that I have taken in the last month but in the mean time here is a couple of photos. (I am waiting for Ali to come to New York to help me out with putting the slideshow together). Well my next military update will be from Kuwait!!!! I am so excited everyday that I wake up is a day closer to coming back home!!! I love you Alison ☺

Crazy Week!

This week was kind of crazy for me at work. I normally get to go to my office and sit and answer emails and phone calls but this week I was asked to come to a sales presentation with a prospective client so they could meet me and know who would be there account manager if they chose us. I hate doing presentations and stuff because frankly I am not a salesman. I leave that up to my brother TJ. However, I do surprise myself and can be smart and confident when needed. I was with our VP over sales and he said I did a great job!! Always nice to hear!
The meeting was in Columbus, Ohio so I had to do a lot of traveling for a short meeting. However, I did get to see the Ohio State campus and ate at the "Buckeyes Hall of Fame Cafe". It was fun! I was also only about 6 hours away from Phil:) We were in the same time zone for a short time. Close yet so far!!
Speaking of Phil, I am one week away from seeing him!!! I love and miss him so much!

1st Update from New Jersey

Hello everyone I am sorry I have not written something sooner. However, we have been pretty busy training to go to this place called paradise! I have been told it is kind of warm and sunny there also! There is plenty of sand to build sand castles and stuff like that. In the mean time I have been training in this wonderful state New Jersey. I am sure you can tell that I have been drinking the Jersey water if I think this state is wonderful. Furthermore, we have been training everyday since we got here. We do a lot of stuff that reminds me of basic training. We will be done with the basic stuff soon and actually start training for our mission next week. However, most importantly I am looking forward to seeing the LOVE OF MY LIFE in a few weeks in New York. I am so excited to see her!!!!!!!!!!!

Bachelor's Gulch Ritz Carlton Weekend

My good friend Nikki invited Sharalyn and I to go up to Beaver Creek to the Bachelor's Gulch Ritz Carlton. She did not have to twist our arms much to say yes. Nikki works at the Ritz in Denver and can get great deals on rooms. We drove up Friday after work and went straight to the hot tub upon our arrival. Saturday we woke up and went down to the spa for the Jacuzzi and steam rooms. There was also an ice cold pool you are supposed to go in after the steam room and I was the only one brave to do it but it did feel good. After the spa we went to a yummy burrito place and went and got pedicures. After that we decided we just wanted to relax in our room. We watched Fool's Gold and ate junk food. That evening we went out for pizza and headed outdoors for the hot tub and fire pit. It was a great time!! Thanks Nikki:)

Mother's Day Fun

Here are some fun photos from Mother's Day at my parent's house. We had a lovely dinner together and are thankful for Colton and Torrey taking care of us with all the yummy food!!

Our Year Apart Begins....

Today is the day we had been dreading for the past week. I took Phil to the airport to start his year long mission overseas. He will first be over in New Jersey and then will be headed to Kuwait.
We started the morning in good spirits and know that this gets us one step closer to him coming back and us getting married for eternity. My mom was kind of enough to come with me and be my support so thanks to LouAnne.
I was given a gate pass to see him off and sat with him until he boarded. I was pretty under control until it was his time to board. I was a bit emotional. He kept tough (didn't want to be embarassed in front of his friends) until the end when I gave him the last hug.
We have been able to text a couple of times and he called when he got to Philadelphia. I am so proud of him for serving our country and love him so much and will miss him dearly. Two months until I see him in New York!!!

I love you Phil!!

Unofficially Engaged!!

So this past week has been a whirlwind of things happening in my life. Last weekend Phil and I spent a lot of time together up in Aspen, Glenwood Springs and New Castle. We had a wonderful time being together and talking.

During our many conversations that weekend, we decided we wanted to marry each other as soon as he gets back from his military deployment! I AM SO EXCITED!!

From there many things have happened to get the ball rolling. He asked my Dad permission after a lovely dinner at the Monterrey House. It is a pretty cute story. While Torrey and Phil were talking, Josh came running inside and had a big secret! He desperately wanted to tell Skyler that Phil loves Ali without me hearing it!! It was so cute. Josh finally spilled the beans and asked that I please not tell Phil that he told me!

We have decided that June 18, 2009 will be our wedding date in the Manti, Utah temple. We are so incredibly blessed to have found each other and look forward to our lives together. We have a year apart but know that we are meant for each other and will get through this together along with love and support of family and friends. Here are some photos of us!

By the way, I should get my ring when I visit Phil in New York before he ships out to Kuwait in a month or so.

Phil Thompson

So I am sure most know since words get around quickly and most people who check my blog have met him but I am dating Phil Thompson. He is a 28 year old police officer who is now on active duty orders and is heading for Iraq in two weeks for a year:(

He is so wonderful and so sweet and treats me so well. I feel so comfortable with him and I have known for only a couple of weeks. He has met my family and friends who all really like him which is great!! I have enjoyed these past couple of weeks so much and will be sad when he goes but we both feel if things are going to work out we will blessed with the opportunity to date again when he gets back and see where things go.




Here is a picture of us from dinner with the fam on Saturday!!

Scentsy!!

So my sister, mom and aunt and I all decided we were going to work together to sell this new candle product Scentsy! We are very excited about it and hope to do well at it and have fun together. If not, we are each out $100.00:)

I have added a link on my blog and hope you will check it out and order products from me if you so desire. I can also show you samples in about two weeks when I have my kit and am back from vacation!!

You Are Strawberry Cake

Fresh, sassy, and romantic. You're a total flirt, who never would turn down a sugary treat. Occasionally you're a bit moody - but you usually stay sweet!

What Kind of Cake Are You?

Chicago

While TJ and Julie went to look for a house in Utah I got to babysit my awesome nieces and nephews! Since I was taking on four kids at once I told Julie my goal was to keep them all alive! Julie was even brave enough to leave Reecey with me. I had a fun time and I told Julie how impressed I was that she manages this everyday. There is never any down time!! I now understand why those with children absolutely treasure bedtime! It was super fun to see the little ones and I even braved a Red Robin trip with four kids. We had movie nights watching Karate Kid and the Game Plan:) I hope the kids had fun with me too!

A Letter to Me

So this one was kind of hard for me and brought up some emotions and what not but this is what I would write myself at 17.

1. You can run more than a mile so start running now, you will enjoy it.
2. Treat your sister well, there will be a day that you may think you might lose her too soon.
3. Don't waste your time in college. You won't find your husband there so move on and start your career.
4. Take tennis lessons, you love the sport.
5. You will have to face very hard emotional situations(watching your little brother and sister get married)but there is still a place for you in your family. You will love being an Aunt!!
6. People think you are funny and witty, stop being so shy.
7. You are beautiful so start acting like it.


That is all for me!!!

Katie Bridal Shower, Wedding and Christmas!!!

Lots of good times were had this season!! I was able to throw a bridal shower and attend a wedding for one of my best friends Katie!! It was so fun to be at the sealing and to see such good friends get married:) Now I have TJ and Julie and Katie and Bryce to visit in Utah!! I am excited to visit you both in June if not sooner!!
Christmas was also a great time! It was so nice to have all of my siblings home with their kids!! I wish I hadn't been so tied up at work so I could have participated in more fun but duty calls and I have to pay rent!! I loved the guitar hero playing and I really loved having my Brae Brae (Brady) around! I love how much he loves me!! I also enjoyed my niece spend the night with Natalie and Madison! I love being the cool aunt who can spoil!! My family is the greatest!!

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My Favorite Time of Year, Not!!!

So Lindsay said I needed an update. Well as many know the end of the year is an extremely busy time of year for me at work. I work longer hours and get kind of grumpy. Sometimes I wish I had a more holiday friendly job!! So you can see where I am at most of the time, here is a picture of me in my office.

The Finer Things Club

My friends and I love Thursdays. We have decided we almost get more excited for Thursday then any other day of the week! As you know already we watch The Office and Grey's Anatomy together. We huddle on my bed because I have Tivo and our schedules are such that we cannot watch the shows live. Our favorite thing to do is figure out our quote for the week from The Office. "Are you kidding me?" is definitely one of our favorites from Kevin. He always has great things to say!! Jeff, Sharalyn and I enjoy the finer things in life by watching these shows! Below is a lovely photo of the club:)

I am furious....

Sorry this is going to be quick but I just have to get it out because I was so irritated watching Grey's Anatomy last night. Who tells McDreamy that they are not ready for marriage and kids and all of that after his little speech. I hope Meredith loses him. That is all I am going to say but I am pretty mad. Probably because this goes a lot deeper then tv but come on.

What a Way to Finish My 28th Year of Life!!!

So last May Lindsay encouraged me to run the Denver Half Marathon with her. At the time I was a bit hesitant but after running a couple of small races I decided I could do it! So this morning, October 14th 2007, we woke up on a very rainy and cold day in Denver to run 13.1 miles. Crazy, I know!! In the beginning of training for this race I was really into it and excited. By the end of training I kind of fell off the wagon and two weeks ago I had a really bad 10 mile run and haven't run since til the day of the race. So needless to say I was a little worried that I would not be able to do it. I had very low expectations and told my family to have very low expectations. However, I decided I was going to do all I could to run the entire race and finish in a good time!!! To my surprise I did both of those things. I didn't stop to walk unless I was drinking at a gatorade station and I finished in two hours and thirty two minutes. I was so happy that I accomplished this and so grateful to Lindsay for pushing me to do this!! Athletically this is the biggest accomplishment I have ever had and am so happy about it. I was soaking wet and cold but it was awesome!!! I would definitely do it again. It was a great way to end my 28th year of life since my birthday is tomorrow!!