Some Traditons Never Die... And I'm Glad They Don't

Any person who in some way or other came from the family of Jean Reeder will know exactly what these mean to me.

But for those of you who don't, let me do a little explaining first. My Grandma Jean Reeder past away years ago. She was an English woman who never quite let go of her proper English ways. Which, I think, is only ONE of the MANY things we all miss about her.
I remember sitting in a chair at her kitchen table, watching her shell peas from her garden into a big bowl.
I remember playing under the big willow tree in her front yard, while she sat on the front porch.
I remember her shaking her head and giving a tiny smile when anyone said the word "fart", She always preferred the word "stinker".
I remember she always asked, and waited politely for a kiss before you left her house.
I remember when she lost her leg to diabetes, she never complained.
I remember the one and only moment I saw her let go of her proper ways. I was teasing her, and making her laugh about never having to find a matching sock again. And she quietly picked up the reach and grab tool (you know the ones with the claws on the end to pick things up without bending over) reached over and pinched my boob with it. Then laughed very hard at herself while I sat in shock.
I remember the last day I saw her alive. She was in the nursing home sick. And couldn't even speak to me. I couldn't kiss her goodbye. That was the only time I had ever left her and not kissed her goodbye.
I remember how much I regretted that, and still do to this day.
But one thing I remember most is how much she loved Christmas.
Over the years she made every single person in the family a stocking for Christmas. The girls were always done in white and red, and boys in white and green. I realized how much I missed this when I married Jon. Only I had one of Grandma Reeders stockings to hang. He didn't. I was so excited when it started floating around that there was a little old woman making them out of state. I have never met her, but I picture a cute little old woman much like my grandmother. I hope she knows what she has brought back for me. When I got them in the mail it was like getting stockings right from Grandma Reeder again. They look exactly like what she used to make. AND I L.O.V.E. THEM!!!

House Update

I keep getting told I need to get new pictures of the house up. So before I forget, get behind and the pictures get lost in the big black hole that is the digital world of saved images. Here we go.



Not much has been going on.. We have just been trying to get the roof done. So these don't change a whole lot.



But I have to say.. It does feel good to be this far along!

Dreams, And Roof Top Dinners...

The house is coming along.. I actually have some new pictures that I want to get on here but I want to take a couple more of the progress. I'm thinking tomorrow will be the day to get that done. We have been doing the roof the last couple of days, Last night Jon and I had dinner on the roof. It was actually a lot of fun. You know the norm.. Just chillin on the roof.. having some Mickey-Dees. Not my top choice but for a nice sunset dinner on a roof top but definatley not the worst thing, my cheeseburger happy meal was very much enjoyed!!

The other day Jon and I FINALLY had a morning to sleep in together. We haven't had a day off together in who knows how long! Anyway.. I woke up and told Jon that I had had a dream that night.. He in turn said "HEY me too!!"
He then told me to tell him what my dream was about.
So I went on saying how we were getting married and we were so happy. Blah blah blah... Oh and you know how dreams are totally weird and ANYTHING can happen.. so I also told him how a devilishly immodest lady friend showed up asking for him.. (dont worry it was my dream... He just rolled his eyes)Then it was back to the good parts and all wedding bells again.. Don't ask me where the chick came from for those two seconds. My dream was all warm and fuzzies.. aww....
Then I turned to Jon and asked him what his dream was.. I was sure his was cute too..
He just looked at me smiled and said....
.......... In my dream I came home and you had bought comcast and I could watch football all I wanted..

Nice.....


Love him..

Busy... Busy.. House Busy...

I have been so behind with my blogging skillz (like the Z?) Not so much my skillz, but blogging period. Jon and I have been so busy (title ringing a bell?) with the house. We are out at the house four days a week, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from four to nine thirty. Then here is the mack daddy of work days... We are out there on Saturdays from seven in the bright and early AM to seven in the PM. So much has been done though!! I can't believe how much we have been able to get done! I have to much to catch all of you up on. So here we go!!

This is out little dug lot... Everyone together.. Awww..



Here is Jon standing in the middle of our footings.



Okay maybe this one is a bigger AwWwwWWw.... Jon wrote his name in the footings, even though he knew it would be covered and never seen again. He was just happy to know it's there.



Our foundation...



Our filled foundation.. Yes its different... THERE'S DIRT IN IT!!



The first wall to be put up.. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty exciting!



And now out house has the exterior all framed... YAY!





More has been done, I need to take more pictures.. So hopefully I will have a little more to share soon!

Finally...

I usually don't like to post really small posts.. BUT!! Last night Jon and I found out this next Wednesday.. YES this next Wednesday, 21st of July we go stake out our home! What does this mean? It means we will break ground Thursday or Friday!!!! (but just to be safe, lets not hold our breath, and expect something else to hold us back)Yep, we will finally be starting to build our home! We close on Monday! I can't wait! It seems like forever has gone by while waiting! Most likely because it has.. But any who, we are pretty stoked. We are going to start taking pictures of the progress. I know it will be long, but I'm so excited to just be going. When the happiness runs dry we may have a post on our hands saying how sick I am of the whole process. Well I'm thinking a Popsicle may be in order right about now. I will post more when I know more. Until then, I'm going to go feed addiction.

Helter SW-elter...

Up until about.... TONIGHT!! Jon and I have been able to stay pretty cool; considering we don't have AC or anything that even might closely resemble it. I have a fan that was probably the best purchase ever made!! But now the picture above shows how we have been living. I have a slight addiction to Popsicles as it is, but now that they seem to be the only thing to sooth the warmth that I can't seem to hide from. I need to stand and say.. "My name is Chelsea.. and my last Popsicle was five minutes ago. And my next one will most likely be when I'm done with this post."
There, I've done it. Glad to have finally let myself out into the open. I'm not kidding nor am I exaggerating when I say I eat about 6 or 7 a day!! I tell myself it's okay, because it's better then ice cream... Right? I could be downing a quart a day to stay cool and gobs more calories.. so the alternative, Popsicles are much better..... Right?... RIGHT?!?

Jon and feel like we are so close to getting this house business on the road. We are in the middle of these pre-construction meetings.. Not the most fun thing in the world. But they are kind of interesting in some parts. I like having everything little thing explained to me. Can't wait to start, and get take some photos of the progress.. here are the first ones! This will be where our new home will be!!


This is looking down our street (Madison Lane.. SO CUTE!) towards the East.


Here is the lot we bought!

Since I totally stunk and getting things updated for the holiday here are two of my fave pics I took from the 4th! They're from the phone so the quality isn't amazing.. but you get the point.


These are just a few of my cousins.. They keep me laughing when they are all around. Love them all!!

Our Story..

**Note this post is one day early, But dang it! I have plans tomorrow!!**

Well it has been one whole year! I can't believe the time has gone by so fast!! We have had so much fun together this past year, both ups and downs, but I couldn't imagine doing it with anyone else. Ever since Jon and I were married, I have been meaning to write down "Our Story" of how we met. I have never really taken the time to sit down and do it. But I want it done before I forget all those quirky fun details. So for one year, why don't I start by writing it down here? Then I will be killing two birds with one stone. FINALLY writing it down and getting a post in at the same time.. Pretty genius if you ask me.

Let me take you back to a time of snow and... Just kidding..

In January of '09 I was siting in my bedroom reading, or doing something productive I'm sure.. When I got a call from a handsome young fellow. His name was Scott. We have been really close friends for years. The type of friend you tell each other exactly what you are thinking, no matter how bad. I was used to him calling or showing up at odd hours, so to have him call so late wasn't anything new. If you know Scott, you know that when he wants to say something, it just comes out. Being tactful isn't his strongest attribute.
"I have a date for you!" Is what came out. Now that I have explained Scott.. If you know Me, you know that I'm totally against blind dates. They are awkward and you never get someone to act "normal". So me, being the sweetheart I am very politely said... "NO! I don't do those!" After a few minutes of talking he said that I owed him one chance to set me up on a blind date.. and I reluctantly said yes. Then Scott told me he was going to have "the guy" call me to tell me exactly what day.
A few days went by, and I didn't really give it to much thought. I think I was secretly hoping that the kid would chicken out and not call. I really hated blind dates! I got a call while watching some good ole' American smut TV with Sam, (reality shows) I remember because I didn't want to answer because I would miss it, but I didn't want to miss an important call either.. Dilemma!! I answered, and there was a voice on the other end that sounded a little confident if you would have asked me at the time. I still remember the conversation, because I laughed at it when I got off the phone.
Jon.. "Hi is Chelsea there?"
Me.. While thinking.. Of course I'm here.. You did call MY phone didn't you? "This is her."
Jon.. "Hi! (yes there was that much enthusiasm in his hi) This is Jon.. Well my names Jonathan, but my friends call me Jon. My family calls me Jonathan. So you call me whatever you want. But.. my names Jon."
Me..(Okay crack head Jon) "Hi.... Jon? We already know my names Chelsea."
Jon.. "Do you go by Chelsea, or Chels?"
Me.. "Both, I guess it depends on if I'm in trouble or not." (he laughed.. He laughed a lot actually)
Jon.. "Well now that we know each other, I was wondering if you were doing anything this Friday?"
Me.. "Not anything that I know of at the moment."
I know I sounded really cold, but I really hated blind dates.. Loathed THEM is probably a better term! But promise, I did give him a little here and there. I know a laughed a little. Especially when he went off on his Jon-Jonathan rant. We talked for a little bit after that. I was surprised how easy he was to talk to. I'm sure his rants helped with that a lot. I'm not kidding when I say the kid was all over the place!!
Then Friday, January 9th came. I was late getting home because of work. It wasn't the best day, and I most definitely was NOT in the mood to entertain someone I didn't know. Scott had asked Sam to go, So we would all know each other. Her and I couldn't have been in more opposite of moods. She was excited while getting ready, I was getting ready because I had to. When Scott and Jon came to pick us up, I was still getting ready. Like I said before work kept me late, so he was sitting on my couch when I came downstairs. I put on a happy face and perked up and luckily Sam was the only one that knew I wasn't thrilled with the idea of the date. My first impression of him... I still can't quite figure out. He was wearing a nice gray and white stripped sweater. And his hair was butched short. He caught me looking at it and said. "She went a little crazy."
We went to Olive Garden for dinner. The wait was crazy long! But we were able to talk and get pretty comfortable with each other for the circumstances. At one point Sam and I were both looking at his hair, and Sam asked if I thought it had been Dyed. I said yes, he heard us, waited a couple minutes and said..
"YEP! I was totally a girl and went and got my hair 'did' for my date!" I was laughing so hard! I couldn't believe he fessed up to it! The wait was so long for our table. So Scott and Jon peaked over at the hostess table to see which number our buzzer was. Then like a champ, when no one but us and few other impatient costumers were watching he reached over and pushed our number to buzz us up.. Voila!! We walked up with our buzzer.. buzzing and they took us to the next table. Done and Done!!
Dinner was actually a blast! We didn't talk about anything really important or serious, we just had fun. After dinner we went to a movie, I couldn't even tell you what the movie was. We were late so we had to sit on the front row. It was a horror film I know that. But Jon-Jonathan and I spent our time whispering and laughing. Then the cheese ball reached into his pocket and said "Would you hold this?" I reached out my hand and he grabbed it.. I rolled my eyes at him and just said.. "Really?" He just smiled HUGE and said back "Worked didn't it?" then he wouldn't let go. We hung out a couple more times, and things were going pretty well. I liked him and I knew it! Then I did it.. The one thing every one knows me for. Running.. I told Jon I just couldn't see this going anywhere and it would better if we were just friends. You see the thing is. I had.. received?.. The impression that Jon-Jonathan was going to be around for a while. I needed to open up. This scared me because we had only been dating.. "hanging out" whatever you want to call it for a week. So I stopped it the only way I knew how. Want to know how that turned out?... I'll share a little something from a book no one gets to see.. it's scary in there..

January 18, 2009

Jon and I decided to just be friends... But it was pretty apparent when we were together tonight that there was more there than "just friends". So we will take it slow... I'm so grateful, He said we could take as long as I needed. But he wanted me to know that he was committed. He wasn't going anywhere, and he would wait as long as it took for me to come around. And he was excited!.
He is amazing..

Isn't it funny how when you say your going to take things slow that's when they go fast? It's like the secret saying to get things moving!! My Grandma laughed when she heard I told him nothing was going to happen. I had told her that I knew something else was there, but she just laughed and said, "Nobody tells Chelsea what to do!" Meaning I tried to out-wit fate or something.
We dated you know.. the kind where you swear you're not exclusive cause you don't want to move fast.. but you're turning down other dates that come your way.. Yeah that kind. There were so many other funny little tid-bits that happened. But this post is getting pretty long. So maybe I'll share those another time.. who knows though you may all be done with the mushy dating posts for a while. So I'll wrap this up.

Jon asked my dad to marry me at 4 weeks. Yes.. 4 weeks since the blind date, we had only known each other ONE MONTH!! It still freaks me out. At the same time I felt like I had known him forever. He actually proposed on February 6th, 2009. Five weeks and one day after we met. This was so crazy for me, But I knew it was right. Everything about it was right. I had been proposed to before, I knew exactly what NO felt like. So Yes for me, was easy figure out. And I'm so glad I did. We were married in the Logan LDS Temple on June 23rd, 2009. I love you Jonny, Happy First Year!!