Kevin & Kari met many years ago in middle school at Andrew Carnegie Middle School and continued to Bella Vista High School together. Although during these years they were just acquaintances (except that year Kevin sat behind Kari in driver's ed - Kari was not amused by Kevin's class clown antics). They reconnected in summer of 2010 when Kari was home for the summer. To her surprise Kevin messaged her on Facebook one night asking why he had not seen her even though she had been home for a week and somehow convinced her to come over to hang out. For the rest of summer their romance started to grow over Baskin Robbins dates, late night talks and the entire Saw series. It was in these days that Kari learned that Kevin was an avid sleeptalker and began egging on conversations with him while he slept! They would spend all their free time together until Kari left to study abroad in Italy in mid August of that year. When they say distance makes the heart grow fonder, they weren't lying. We jumped in together and never looked back.

Over the years Kari & Kevin spent about 5 and a half years separated by long distance. Starting with their first 4 months together, Kari was studying abroad in Florence, Italy. During this time they managed a 9 hour time difference, school, work and travel. Although there was miles between them they continue to grow closer to each other and enjoyed sharing daily adventures from across the globe. After Kari returned from her European escapades, they spent 2 weeks together including their first Christmas and New Years together and their first Disneyland trip together. Although Kevin moved to Irvine for a short time, they spent most of the next 2 years apart as Kari completed her first degree at UC Irvine. Kevin managed to visit Kari frequently even if it meant a 8 hour drive with Kari's mom to get there. Also during these years there were many late night Disney trips including celebrating their first anniversary at the happiest place on earth. After Kari graduated from UCI, she moved home for a gap year while she applied to pharmacy school. This would be the longest they spent together at one time for many years. In August of 2013 Kari moved to Chicago, Illinois for pharmacy school. In these years they would spend 3-4 months apart at a time, savoring their time together when they could. Truly cherishing any time they could spent together, binge watching TV shows together and of course spending plenty of time at motocross tracks. In May of 2017, the long distance life finally came to an end when Kari graduated and moved back to California. Fun Fact: 2018 was the first calendar year they ever spent entirely together!

While on their annual trip to Anaheim Supercross & Disneyland with their best friends, Nick & Brenna, Kevin had snuck a ring, hidden in a shoe, down to Southern California for a very big surprise. On the first day of their trip they enjoyed the opening round of the 2019 Supercross season, even in ponchos in the pouring rain! After the races finished, Kari & Kevin gave Nick & Brenna a ride to their hotel, which is when Kevin was able to sneak the ring to Nick for the following day. On day 2 of their trip, the 4 friends ventured into the Happiest Place on Earth, where they went straight to Sleeping Beauty's castle for pictures. If you know Kari, you know these pictures are a must for any Disney trip. When it was finally their turn to take pictures, Kari & Kevin were posed by a Disneyland Photopass photographer and thought it was time for their friends to join them. However, when Kari turned around she saw Kevin on one knee with a ring. A dream proposal for a very Disney obsessed girl! Luckily they were able to celebrate with everyone watching and our besties for the rest of the day! They celebrated their engagement the following night at the Carthay Circle Theater in Disney's California Adventure!