Mother, Daughters, Sisters & A Bride-to-Be!

Today was filled with wedding stuff... we started at 10:30am and finished up about 4:00pm traveling across this valley starting in the East then we headed down South, then up North and finished up on the West side, SERIOUSLY! Shopping for wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses and venues... laughing, sharing and making memories ~ precious, precious moments that I LOVE! We missed having Tana and Bri with us - hurry home Tana we need you. During our drive times, we listened to all sorts of different songs, voting on what we liked or didn't like for the wedding and reception.

We talked about the wedding party/attendants, decorations, the pros and cons of having a bar, chiffon vs satin... I think we got just as much if not more accomplished during our drive time between destinations as we did during our actual stopping points. You know me, I'm gonna make every minute count - multi tasking, haha! I even starting teaching the girls (while driving) some of the dance steps they will have to learn for one of the wedding songs they are going to have to perform but that's a surprise so I won't say any more about it... But I will say, we were jammin', car rockin', windows opened, music blaring...

I have officially decided that Shanel's future career will be as a Event Planner. She is so, and when I say so I really mean SOOOOOO into planning Mesha's wedding and Shamara's (we are just waiting on an official announcement - hint,hint!) and the baby shower and her dad's 50th birthday party and my 50th birthday party (which isn't even for a few years yet) and any other party or reason to throw a party that she can think of... it's her destiny, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!

Here are a few fun pictures of the girls trying on bridesmaid dresses at one of our appointments... I had to keep reminding Shanel that this wasn't her wedding and that she might not get to have the complete say on what was finally selected for all the bridesmaids. At some point I also had to explain to her - because she was whinning a bit much about ugly dresses and such - that the bridesmaid dresses where all sort of plain because the wedding day wasn't about the bridesmaids but about the bride and so they couldn't outdo the bride. It took her a few hours but she did tell me later that she had never considered that before ~ that's why she's our Princess Shanel.

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The PROPOSAL

New Year's Eve, 20 minutes to midnight, my cell phone rings and it's Reggie (aka Mr. Jokester/Trickster) telling me to hurry over to Valley Christian High School and to bring my camara. If you know anything about Reggie, you can't believe the first thing he says, you just have to make sure he's serious - so with that being said my response to him was like "Yeah Right, it's 32 degrees outside, don't be playing with me." Obviously he knew he wasn't getting me that easy and so he repeats himself and says, "No seriously, I need you to get over to VCHS and bring your camara." At this point I could hear Lisa (his sister) in the background and so I ask to speak with her. She came on the line and verified for Reggie that I did indeed need to HURRY over to the school with my camara. That's all I needed, I jumped out of bed, yelled for Mark and Sabriya to get dress (warm of course), threw on some clothes, boots, jacket, etc. grabbed my camara and we were out the door in under five minutes. With Mark driving and my instructions (haha) we made it to the destination point in record time...

Reggie had sent her on a scavenger hunt around the East Valley to some significants spots - at each destination point she had to find a poem he left which would then lead her to the next stop with her final destination being Valley and the bench outside the gym to be more specific which is where he original ask her to start dating if I am correct...

While waiting for Shamesha to arrive(timed for the stroke of midnight/the New Year) we were instructed on where to wait and what to do. Mark had the video camara going, JB (Reggie's brother) was in charge of the fireworks, and can you guess what my job was???

... and I believe the pictures will tell the REST OF THE STORY!

An engagement right at midnight as we wrung the old year out and rang the New Year in...

Congrats Reggie & Mesha!

Congrats from Family & Friends

Santana Smith Aww!!!!
Nancy Adams Congratulations, Mesha and Reggie :) I am so very happy for you. Now you and your auntie (me) can be engaged at the same time. Do you have a date set yet? xoxo :)
Kandi Andresen Congratulations!!!!
Tiffany Fraley Congratulations to Mesha and Reggie!!!
Eugene E Parker III What!! Tell my lil Gemini I said congrats
Shanel C. Smith Whooooo I called it and she didn't believe me!!!! I can't wait can't wait Whooooo hoop hoooo  -  U little trickster!!! Didn't have me fooled for a minute!!! Congrats, I guess ur Christmas wish came true......I can no longer be mean to u cause ur my 2nd brother.....BUT I can still get irritated lol  -  I'm so excited I can't stop smiling!!!!
Jennifer Scheitlin Yayayayayaya. I am soooo excited! Congrats Reggie and Mesha! Love you guys! Well done Reggie! Congrats ;)
Kayle Michelle Longanecker omg! Congratulations Reggie and Mesha!!!
John Tarr Wow!!
Kristin Stillman SO happy for them!! Congrats Shamesha!!!  SO happy for you guys Reggie!! =)
Lorrie Loomer Congrats, what a great start to the New Year!!!
Aubrey Carter Congratulations to them and the family! That is a great way to start off the new year! ♥
Sheila Young Congrats to Mesha and Reggie! Is she old enough to be engaged? Lol! I guess I'm getting old.
Shamara Smith Yyyeeeeaaaahhhhhh I'm screaming !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everybody knew except me ;) I wouldn't of told her reggie hahahahaha, that was only when we were little lol!!! I'm soooo excited!!!
Wendy Voss Congratulations to Mesha and Reggie! That's awesome!
Pat Foley Oh my...another wedding for the Smith family! Congratulations to you! How exciting!
Sabrina Hill Spence congrats to all i am so happy they will be a wonderful coule and with good arents to help guide   Congratulations
Tina Wolfe Awww Anna!! Congratualations!!
Clarissa A. Miller Congratulations Mesha. Mark and Anna too.
LadyVee Iwebema Congratulations Mesha!!!!!  Congratulations to you and Mark!!!! What a nice way to start the New Year.
Sylvia Michelle Boyer Chewning She's going to be a beautiful bride!
Crystal Hobbs-Houston Congrats, so happy for her!!!!
Corey Botma mesha i heard the good news! congrats!!!
Alaina Stenson HE GOT THE HINT!! Congrats :)
Janelle Meyer Congrats Mesh!!! So So excited for you both!!
Sarah Olinger Yayayayay I need some of your patience haha :) so excited for you mesh!! You will be such a flippin gorgeous bride!
April Samantha How exciting!!!!! Congradulations! I'm very excited for you!
Kim Wigboldy Congrats baby girl! It's been a long time coming ;)
Bailey Voss congratulations mesha!!! :)
Emily Ruiz CONGRATS!!!! SO exciting:)
Shannon Smith I am sooooooooo excited for you guys!!!!! I LOVE weddings and can NOT wait lol!!!!!!
Anita Iwebema Congrats SIS! :)))
Susie Stenson Best wishes on your engagement!
Chavon Boston Congratulations Shamesha! So VERY excited for you and Reggie and both your families!
Bree Bohanon congrats :)
Ricky Stewart HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS BEAUTIFUL LADY!!!!
Jared Stewart Congratulations Shamesha Reggie liked you enough to put a ring on it lol, so happy for you guys!
Toya Pete congrats on ur engagement!!! & Happy New Years...
Tennille Mayfield  i heard congrats happy new yrs:) way to bring it in
Stephanie Ekstrand YAY!!!!!! :D
Symone Mckinley congrats...
Peter Daigle congrats cuz send me an invitation i will come!
Shafer Watkins Congratulations Smith Family!
Amanda Moore Congrats Mesha!!!
BobandBecky Cleckner  Shamesha. Congratulations. God has blessed you and your family.
Mark C Smith II  to who? I didn't even know you had a boyfriend. But I guess you did pick up that clown from the circus a couple years back and he never left.  All jokes aside Congratulations!!!
Shannon Brown What!?!?!?!? Yahhhh contests I'm so excited for the wedding!!!
Mona Ekstrand  CONGRATS! Way to go Reggie you finally did it!