Welcome!

This little blog started on our wedding website, which kept family and friends up to date on the planning and details. Of course this is where we will provide all of the recaps of the wedding and everything after. We look forward to keeping family and friends up to date on our lives here in Texas and all of the adventures we share as newlyweds!
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label planning. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Time to knock something off the bucket list?

For the past 9 years I have been involved with Susan G. Komen.


Either through my sorority Zeta Tau Alpha or through the personal impact that breast cancer has had on family and friends I have been as involved as I could be with my schedule.

Each year of the past 9 I have participated in the Race for the Cure in one way or another and I plan to continue that for many more years to come!

When Rene and I were actually trying to figure out where we wanted to live while he was still in grad school Dallas was at the top of my list because the national headquarters for Komen is right here in Dallas and if I could leave my job today and work at the office I would. Oddly enough the office building that we moved to in May 2011 is right next to the building that the Komen office is in....so if I ever did get a job there the drive would be pretty simple!

Since I have yet to land that job however Rene and I like to stay involved still. Most recently this year we volunteered our time at a youth track event to pass out information about breast cancer and raise awareness, it's always amazing to see how many people recognize the pink ribbon which symbolizes breast cancer and how many people have been effected by it....

One of the things that I have kept saying that I want to do ever since we moved to Dallas was participate in the Dallas 3 Day. The 3 day is a 60 mile walk spread over 3 days that are done in a number of cities each year. I have been telling Rene the past 3 years "we need to do it!".

The first year that we were here and settled into the apartment and live was 2009, but the dates for the 3 day fell the weekend of November 6-8th...for those of you that remember we were in Florida for the wedding, so this was a no go. Somehow the walk in 2010 came and went and there were so many things going on we completely forgot. 2011's race is this November 4-6th so it hasn't happened yet but we clearly haven't trained to the point that my feet could take 15-22 miles of walking a day nor have we been able to raise the money to participate.

So today when the email hit my inbox noting that the 2012 3 Day in Dallas was starting to take registration I started to seriously consider participating. The dates for next year are Nov 2-4th....it gives us a full year to raise the almost $5000 (combined, $2300 each) to participate and get our minds and bodies ready to complete the walk.

Oh course as I am thinking of all of this and planning how to raise the donations Rene is in Arizona for work so no definite decisions will be made...but for some reason I feel like 2012 is our year to knock this item off my must do bucket list!!

Think I am crazy for wanting to walk 60 miles in 3 days and sleep in a tent each night as one of the must do things for my life?? Why wouldn't I want to?? I can give you plenty of reasons why I should and so should you....

Because you know someone who is fighting breast cancer.

Because you know someone who lost their fight.

Because you have a daughter, a mother, a sister.

Because its time to put an end to this disease.

Because everyone deserves a lifetime.

If you are interested in seeing if there is a Komen 3 Day near you check out the website and Register Today!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Stop #3

Our third stop for the day was to a by appointment only tasting and tour at
Del Dotto Vineyards where we were able to tour the caves where they age the wine and taste right from the barrel!

It was really different from the other vineyards, unfortunately due to the darkness we don't have many photos...I would highly suggest that if you take a trip to Napa you make this a must stop on the list just because of the unique experience.
Though we did make sure to come home with a bottle of Del Dotto for the wine rack!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Napa Recap #1

Well here is the first of the Napa re-caps! Sorry for taking over a week to get it posted--work has been a killer this past week.
Our first vineyard visit was Clos du Bios! It was a little over an hour from the hotel but well worth the drive!


We did an amazing tasting and blending seminar which included lots of red wines yum!



We spent around 2 hours here just enjoying it and taking pictures after the tasting/tour. I really liked the red wines here especially the zin, we had really only drank the Chardonnay from Clos du Bois because it's the only white while Rene will really drink!

Needless to say we walked out "members" of the winery and will be getting 3 bottles shipped from their reserve collection each quarter--and free tastings when we go back *clearly a reason to plan trip #2 right?*

Don't worry many more to come!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Planning for Day 3

On day 3 we will be visiting MUMM Napa this was actually suggested by a couple of friends who either live in the Napa area or have visited. At first I was hesitant but after looking at the pictures I was sold!We made a reservation for a private tasting with an amazing view with the Oak Terrace Tasting I am looking forward to a cozy chair and just overlooking the vineyard....what a way to spend a relaxing day right?

Friday, September 3, 2010

We’re planning a Paw-ty!

That’s right we are getting ready to plan little Stitch’s very first birthday party. Rene thinks that I am a bit crazy but I figure why not? We are looking to have a little 2 hour puppy birthday party with his little doggie friends (and their owners of course).

It won’t be anything too big but the place where we board Stitch has patio areas that we have rented out for a Saturday late afternoon and they also have a wine and beer bar so that the adults have something to enjoy while the puppies play.


Now I just need to finish up the invitations! (the start of the invite above) And of course make sure that the peanut butter puppy cake is ordered….let the party planning begin!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

A Pause in Recaps

As much as I hate to keep adding in little recaps of the wedding this weekend I must! The main reason being is that I do not want to start the ceremony recap until I have the professional photos for all to enjoy and second because its THANKSGIVING! This will be the 3rd full Thanksgiving dinner I will be cooking for Rene and myself. And while it is never fun to be away from family for the holidays I would like to think that I do a pretty good job of the Thanksgiving "feast" with the little apartment kitchen.

The past 2 years we have done very traditional menus, classic turkey, my grandma's stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes from scratch, biscuts--you know the basics.

This year however I have decided to spice things up a bit. With of course the help of Food Network.
This year's menu includes:

Appetizer: Antipasto Sausage Skewers

Appetizer: Cheesy-onion tarts

Main Dish: Classic Turkey

Side Dish: Grandma's stuffing (a staple when I cook Thanksgiving!)

Side Dish: Cranberry, Cherry and Walnut Marmalade

Side Dish: Baked Sweet Potatoes with pecan and marshmallow streusel

Side Dish: Multicolored Cauliflower

Desert: Carmel Apple pie

Alot of food I know but YUM! I have alot of work to get started on tonight for sure and a full day of cooking tomorrow! Such a great way to break in the new dishes and wedding gifts!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

This Is It

(And no, I don't mean the new Michael Jackson movie)

This will be the last post I make as a "Miss" because tomorrow morning bright and early we are off to Orlando for the start of the wedding adventures!

I can not believe that it has been a full year since we sent out or invites and started planning the big event!

Everything is packed and ready to do, hair highlighted, nails done, boarding passes printed and valet reservation made for the car there is nothing that still needs done-minus throwing our toothbrushes in the bag tomorrow morning. What a relief!

Now its off to the airport and a quick flight to Orlando. We have a couple of last minute things to get done Friday in Orlando, then Saturday after the UCF vs UT game we are headed to Cocoa Beach for the night.

Boarding the ship Sunday Morning!!


Wedding Monday!! after the cruise we are off to Disney World til the 16th...



For tonight however, we are off to a nice dinner for our last night in Dallas as "engaged" next time we are here in Dallas we will be "Mr and Mrs!"

Monday, November 2, 2009

Wedding Day Make Up

I figured while sitting here being non-productive at work what a better time than to post about my "day of makeup".

Let me first say that my make up is pretty fail proof, and I did not want to cake on a ton of foundation and heavy make up and be on the deck of a cruise for our ceremony and hate the fact that I looked all "done up" and not myself.

So off to Sephora I went looking a couple of months before the wedding to find my perfect face!

I sat down with one of the make up artists and explained what I wanted.



1. Minimal products to take on the ship


2. Something that can be casual and also dressed up


3. Easy!



It takes me about 10-15 minutes total now to do my make up! Its great! The only thing that I change up are my eyes to either do a simple sheer pink (casual) or add some brown shimmery colors and a smokey eye to make it a little more dramatic!

Here is what I will be using for the wedding day and really what I have been using on a daily basis because it's just that easy!

All photos from the Sephora Website

1. NARS primer with SPF 20 to help everything stay on and also prevent sun damage of course! Applied all over face and eye lids.






2. Follow this up with NARS Firming Foundation in Syracuse. I apply it to my hand and then warm it up and apply it with my finger tips, super easy to apply and a little goes a long way!





3. This has become my favorite "go to item". Its called The Multiple in Orgasm. It works on cheeks, eyes, and lips everywhere to add a little pink shimmer. I use it on my cheeks and eyes. When looking for a casual look this is all I use on my eyes.



4. Highlighting and Bronzing Duo in Orgasm and Laguna. I apply the pink to my cheeks and the bronzer all over to help set the make up.




5. Apply eyeshadow. I mix it up a little here and use everything from the Ulta Brands, and Cover Girl. I choose a shimmery brown in 2 colors and apply one to the entire eyelid and then sweep the darker shade in the crease (sorry no photos because I use lots of stuff)



6. Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes stay put eye liner. Its waterproof and stays on your eyes all day! I apply it to the top lid and smudge it a bit for a smokey effect.





7. Dior , Dior Show Mascara in Black. I use the waterproof version most days, it comes off easy but doesn't leave little flakes that other mascara may leave.



8. MAKE UP FOREVER HD Microfinish Powder-- I love this, it adds a little sheen and also set the make up very well. I just brush lightly all over my face even my eyelids to set everything.


I promise it's quick and easy, and this is all that I use. Add a sheer lip for casual or a colored lip to add a little something else. But that's it in a nut shell!



Thursday, October 29, 2009

Guest Rooms Finally!

Its down to the wire and finally Disney Cruise Line posted the rest of the "Guaranteed" room numbers to our guest list. Thankfully since the rooms are linked all those guests are in one central location on the ship which will make delivery of "special gifts" so much easier.

I of course had to make sure that I knew where everyone was so I made a little map for myself.




Thankfully all of us are only on 3 different decks, 2,5 and 6 not spread all over the 12 decks!