She said "Yes"

This year has started well.  On Sunday, January 26th, Jared proposed to Alisa Ashcroft in Mesa, Arizona. They have been dating for about 6 months. We first met Alisa when Jared brought her here last October. We quickly fell in love with her. She is beautiful, friendly, helpful, and kind. Jared seems to light up when he is around her.  There is a pretty big height and age difference between them, but that doesn't seem to bother either of them.

We got to spend some more time with Alisa and got to know her a little better when we went to Arizona for Thanksgiving. We also got to meet her mother and brother at that time, which was very nice.

So, Jared is engaged, but no date or location for the wedding has been set yet. We are overdue for another wedding in our family, so we are very pleased that we will be having at least one this year.

Don't they look happy in this picture taken shortly after the proposal?

According to Jared, this is how it all went down:

"I took her on a bike ride to a place where we have spent a lot of time together and I said...
Me: Are you nervous right now? 
Alisa: No
Me: I am 
Alisa: why?
Me:because I am about to propose right now
Alisa: No you are not
Me: yes, I am. 
Then I got on one knee and said a bunch of stuff that probably didn't make sense but I got a yes out of it."

Ben's UVU Basketball Game

Right after New Years, Jane and Ken made a quick trip down to California so they could watch their son Ben's basketball game at CSUB (California State University Bakersfield). We live about 1.5 hrs. away from Bakersfield so it isn't that far for us to drive. Alan and I drove there last year to watch the game also. Unfortunately, last year UVU got creamed by CSUB. We were hoping that things would turn out differently this year, and they did. CSUB dominated the first half, but UVU came back fighting in the 2nd half and ended up winning 82-74. It was a great game to watch - mostly because my nephew, Ben, was the game's top scorer. He got a double double - matching a career high of 26 points plus 13 rebounds. He was amazing. That is the best I have ever seen him play - but I don't get to see him play much. In fact, he was named WAC player of the week after that game.

This is Ben in action (not the Bakersfield game)
Deseret News Photo

This photo of Jane, Ben, and Ken was

taken right after the game. They were

very happy about the win. (and so were we)

This is Ben's senior year so we won't be driving to Bakersfield for the game next year. We wish him luck wherever his path leads him after he graduates this spring.

We really enjoyed having Jane and Ken stay with us for 3 days. We always like going places and doing things with them. Sure wish we lived closer to them so we could get together more often.  Oh well...maybe some day we will.

It was fun just being in the car together on the way to the game...

and eating at Black Angus right before the game. Yum!