It's Been A While...

Soooooo I got married! Yay! And I'm the worst at keeping a journal, so (like every other newly wed Mormon,) I'm going to put all my business on the internet. And you, for some reason have chosen to read it! Thanks!

Okay, so the last time I posted here, I was like, "I dyed my hair!" So I should probably back up and start with, "I started dating this guy..." 'Cause that usually comes before a post about getting married.

March 17th, 2013.

Great weekend. It was Chelsea Owens' birthday on the Friday the 15th, so while Pononui, Ho'oulu, Alyssa, and I went thrift shopping (where the girls all got some sweet matching leggins, and I got a super sweet little boy sweater! *see picture* Sidenote: Look at my skinny chicken legs in the top left picture in that collage... Bahaha), Tay and Hailey threw a surprise party mostly for her, but they also got me a present and gave it to me a little late! So sweet. It was this really cute, brown corduroy-type backpack with a big button and it snapped closed. They got Chelsea a red plaid backpack which was also so super cute. (I loved having thoughtful roommates!) So then we set up a couple little tents in our living room (or actually, I think they set everything up while we were gone) and watched movies and ate brownies and snacks and had all kinds of friends and fun happening at our house. So I claimed a little tent of my own that was on the outside of the room, closest to the sliding glass door in the kitchen area. I looked up and saw Ho'oulu across the room sitting in a chair, watching as I laid down, so I lifted my eyebrows and looked at the spot on the ground of the tent next to me. He smiled and made his way across the room to me, and we snuggled for two whole movies (let the records show, I made the first move).  The next day (March 16th), we hung out all day and then went to Tor's later and watched a movie, then she went to bed and Pononui left and all of a sudden, Ho'oulu and I were the only people awake. So he walked me back to my house (across the grass from Tor's), and then we KISSED in my empty living room (with only a tent for a witness)! Woohoo!

The next day, a bunch of us decided to go for a walk on the beach (Ho'oulu, Tor, Gabe, Keryna, Addison, and I, if I remember correctly). We walked all the way down Hukilau and ended up seeing some WHALES IN THE OCEAN!!!! Keryna became known as the whale whisperer, because she would call to them and they would breach, mostly just for her. Haha. Gabe also had a really nice camera, so we took some sweet pictures! (Oh, and it was St. Patrick's Day, March 17th [also a Sunday], so we were all dressed appropriately. Also, I loved my new leggings so much, I wore them for like a week straight bahaha). So we took some group shots, and then Ho'oulu and I took our first official "couple" picture haha. We have a couple (some from Ho'oulu's phone, some on Gabe's nicer camera).
None are super flattering of me, but here's my favorite haha. I love St. Patrick's Day!

(Side note, I used to work out.)
So then we have hung out almost every single day from this point on, except when I was off island for a week in April between semesters, a month and a half during summer (during which I went back to Hawaii for a weekend), and two weeks for Christmas (he came with me to Oregon to drop me off AND pick me up).

But let's back up again. We have had some amazing times in between all that. Like our first big date, which was planned before we were officially together or whatever, was Winter Ball. The theme, for some stupid reason, was Prehistory Romance (whaaaat?), so Tor and Pononui were going as Fred and Wilma, and Ho'oulu and I were going as Barney and Betty... This had been decided a couple weeks before Ho'oulu and I started dating 'cause the 4 of us did EVERYTHING together, so it just made sense (and it was apparently very clear to everyone else that Ho'oulu and I liked each other). SOOO yeah, we went! And I couldn't really find a good Betty dress, so I went in this

I know it looks black, but it's actually really dark blue. BUT, because I am a huuuuge skank, I got turned away. It "showed the top of my knee caps." Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this was a BYU-Hawaii dance. Skanks not allowed. (I'll have you know I was the only LDS girl in my high school; every dress I've ever worn either had sleeves or I wore a jacket. I had a friend in high school who called me Lovebug because that Jonas Brother's song says, "Modesty is just so hard to find," and it made them think of me. So I was mortified and a little offended at being turned away.) But then my darling, wonderful roomie Chelsea offered me a dress that was way more perfect for Betty anyway!

I know it's hard to see, but these are the best we got. Haha. I was so so so super grateful that my amazing roommate Chelsea had this perfect dress, and that she let me borrow it and the undershirt! 'Cause she's the greatest! And I hope I washed in a timely manner, 'cause I was the worst about that when I borrowed her clothes. (She is such a patient human being!)

But yeah, so here was "the group":

Some of my all-time favorite humans! Love everyone here. So then we went on lots more dates, I joined the Hawaiian club and danced at Culture night (he was a musician, along with his bandmates and friends, Jon Ako, Spencer Mau'ai, and Keanu Reeves... Jk, Idk Keanu's last name! Sorry K), he came to basketball games, I went to wedding receptions where he was playing, he won us free tickets to advanced screenings of movies (shout out to Leilani Miller and Oceanic Cable! Thank you!), and we just had TONS OF FUN all the time!! Oh, and in July, he started working for Hawaiian Airlines, which is how I was able to visit him during the summer and he was able to come to Oregon twice over Christmas break... And we were able to go have fun on Maui whenever we wanted! For the day or whatever. ;) Here are some pictures of random fun times...

 (Jon, Ho'oulu, Spencer, Keanu, the Hawaiian Club 2013 musicians!)

 (Free advanced screening of Despicable Me 2!)

 (Free box of donuts for dressing like pirates... ON MAUI! Love those Hawaiian Airline benefits!)

(On our way to Secret Island, where he was performing with Jon and Spencer at... Some event. I forget what. Possibly a wedding reception, but I really can't remember. They're pretty famous!)

(Here is a collage Ho'oulu made of some of the pictures we took this one time we played hooky and went to Maui for a day, just for kicks and giggles! Because we can!)

SO YEAH! I'll do a separate post for the engagement and wedding stuff. But these are just some great pictures and memories I wanted to document. :) Wonderful times with a wonderful man! So much love in my heart! (I'll save the cheesy stuff for the next post.)