Im Back!! For Real This Time!! :-)

I AM BACK!!! I have sure missed blogging, but life has been so crazy this last couple months. But I am at a new location. I have decided to change my blog, give it a makeover for my new adventures in life. Please follow me now at http://asweetamericanhoney.blogspot.com/
It hasnt got the makeover yet, but soon very soon :-) All new posts will be at the new blog. cant wait to share all my exciting adventures with everyone.

I'm Back...Kinda

I am a married woman now, woo hoo!!! The wedding and honeymoon were absolutely fabulous!!
Well I am in the process of starting a new blog..a new title, a new me :-) Tony and I are moving to Texas in 3 weeks and I decided to start fresh when I move. So I hope y'all follow me still. Once my blog is ready to go I will post the URL here :-)
Also once the new blog is ready I will tell you all about the wedding and honeymoon AND how we chose to move to Texas
So please bare with me these next few weeks,don't forget about me. I will be back with a whole new fresh look. See
you all soon. Also when I get back I'm going to have a lot
of catching up to do on my fav blogs :-)

Almost a Mrs.

The time has finally come....I am getting married THIS SATURDAY!!! So I may be MIA for a bit as this week is crazy finishing everything up.

TUESDAY:

• Coffee date with one of my girlies in the AM
• Getting facial with Aarika and mom
• Aarika (MOH) taking me shopping for bachelorette party :-) (free clothes, woo hoo!!!) 
• Getting hair dyed

WEDNESDAY:

• My best friend, Kylie, flies in on Wednesday from Montana...super excited because I haven't seen her in 2 years.
• BACHELORETTE PARTY!!! (little nervous what my sisters have planned)

THURSDAY:

• Thursday hanging out with family and friends

FRIDAY:

• Manicures and pedicures with bridal party and mom
• Rehearsal at 5:30pm
• Rehearsal Dinner at mom's

SATURDAY:

• WEDDING DAY!!!!!
• MARRYING THE MAN OF MY DREAMS, FINALLY!!!

SUNDAY:

• Brunch and opening gifts at mom's
• Leave for Dominican Republic for a week!!! :-)

Once I have pictures, I will be sure to post!!! And when I return I will be a Mrs. :-D

Work Out Routine

Ever since I met Tony we have been work out partners, well partners in everything actually :-)
He has pushed my little bootie like you can't believe. He makes me work for it, he makes me push through when I think I cannot go any further. He is an amazing trainer, oh did I mention he has a sexy body too!!
It is important to the both of us to lead healthy lives and stay active...and it's perfect that we can share another activity and encourage each other.

Here is our work out routine:

Monday: AM- 20 min cardio, biceps & triceps; PM- 30 min cardio
Tuesday: AM- 20 min cardio, back; PM- 30 min cardio
Wednesday: AM- 20 min cardio, shoulders; PM- 30 min cardio
Thursday: 20 min cardio, legs; PM- 30 min cardio
Friday: 30 min cardio in AM or PM
Saturday: 20 min cardio, legs; PM-30 min cardio
Sunday: any outside activity

For the most part we are pretty consistent with our working out routine. Tony doesn't let more than a day go by without some form of physical fitness. The routine might seem a little nutty to some people, but we make it fit into our lives, so it's jusr a normal thing for us. But don't get me wrong, I make sure I get some ice cream in here at least once a week. :-)

Teeth Whitening

I had this great idea that Tony and I should get our teeth whitened before the wedding, and well yes that day was today. First off you go in and they clean your teeth, then they put this thing in your mouth to keep it open for oh AN HOUR!! You know, kinda like when you get braces they keep it open with a plastic thing. I probably drooled as much as a baby does when they are teething :-( So I am sitting there in 15 minnutes intervals, with my mouth WIDE OPEN and this laser thing basically resting on my mouth. I was ok for the first 15 minutes, but then my mouth started getting tired. And the drool starting dripping onto my chest (I know you all are laughing right now). So the dental assistant kept checking on me every 5 mintues to make sure I was ok.
One thing they didn't do was make sure I went to the restroom beforehand. I had to pee like a race horse and I couldn't move my body, I couldn't get up and releave myself...my bladder was about to explode. Finally the process was over and my teeth are white as can be for our wedding photos next weekend :-D

But can I just tell you how painful the aftermath is?!?!?! Yes, they do tell you your teeth will be a bit sensitive, they tell you not to drink colored drinks (coffee, soda). But oh my word they DO NOT tell you about the numerous numerous shocks you will receive in your teeth throughout the day. Ok seriously, that is not sensitivity, it would make anyone feel uncomfortable. I was driving to work and all I felt was shooting pains, like horrible shooting pains. I was cursing like you wouldn't believe, mind you no one was in the car. By the time I got to work, my mouth area was so red, people were wondering what I had done...some said waxing, some said botox. Botox?!?!?! I'm only 26 years young, why would I need botox????? I am still in lots of pain from this procedure, it's so uncomfortable. Everytime I feel a shock, my entire body gets a hot flash and I just want to scream!!! By the way, I called Tony after my appointment and he asked how it went and if it was painful. I said "Just a little, but you will be fine." He says, "Baby, I don't like that kind of pain. It's not fun." My repsonse, "No one does, but do it for me."

Tony's appointment was at 1pm, it was about 3pm and I still havent heard from him...so I was beginning to wonder. I text a couple of times, but no response, so that made me assume he was still getting the treatment. Finally 4pm roles around and I get this text, 'Biggest mistake I have ever made!! Why the fuck did I do that?' (sorry for the language) Well I guess it didn't go well. He called and told me it was extremely pain and he would never do it again. He could hardly talk he was in so much pain. He had took 2 prescription strength Motrin and it didn't do a thing. Then he took an Ambien about 4:15pm, and I got home at 5:30pm and he was awake. So needless to say that didn't help either. I finally talked him into taking another Ambien, and yes ladies he is now asleep at 7:00pm. I have never seen Tony in so much pain, I wish I could have taken it away from him. His eyes just told it all, they showed pain like I have never seen :-( For his sake I hope he sleeps through the night, with ZERO pain tomorrow.

So just an FYI if you ever feel like getting your teeth professionally whitened, remember this story and the amount of utter pain you will be in. Oh the price we pay for beauty!! And to look good for our wedding!!

For The Love Of Jeans

I like jeans. No, I LOVE jeans. I have actually been told I have an obsession with buying jeans. I am so picky with the way I want jeans to fit. I like them to be tight in the thighs, I like them to hide my loves (loves= love handles, my sister and I call it that. But just like every other girl out there, we all wanna hide those), I like them to be boot cut, and I like them a little longer in length. My mom hated shopping with me if she knew I was planning on getting jeans, I guess I took a really long time picking out the perfect pair. Come to think of it, I didn't own a pair of jeans until I was in the 6th or 7th grade. I was one of those kids that wore stretchy pants with a big baggy shirt that had a picture of Betty Boop LOL. I know you are laughing right now, I am too it's ok. :) (OMG horrible flash backs..how could my mom let me leave the house like that?!?!?)

I was introduced to Lucky Brand jeans while I was in college. They are probably my ALL time favorite brand of jeans. I think I have about 7 or 8 . They fit perfectly in the hips, in the waist, and are the perfect length. The length is great with heels but it is also great with flip flops, thank God!! These jeans are so A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!! And the price isn't too high, I generally spend about $90-110 on Lucky's.

More recently, probably within the last year or two, I have noticed my hairdresser wearing Hudson's. They look great on her! So I have been wanting to buy them for a very long time. But I just couldn't see spending almost $200 right now. Yes if I were back in college I probably would have, but I am a little more cautious with money now when it comes to . Well, about two months ago I splurged!! I bought a pair of Hudson's AND a pair of True Religions. I didn't quite spend $200 on each pair. I probably spent about $220 on both. Remember I said a little cautious. They are just as A.MA.Z.I.N.G as I thought they would be. The money was totally worth it :)

I used to think it was silly to buy expensive (brand name) jeans. I wondered how people could spend so much money on jeans, I mean they are jeans for crying out loud. It isn't like it's diamond earrings or a new laptop...it's jeans!! But the instant I tried the Lucky Brand jeans on, I knew I would never look back. I knew I was going to be the girl who had to spend some extra money on jeans.

Since I have started typing this up, I feel like I should reward myself with a pair of jeans. :) hehe I have just promoted 3 brands of jeans, so I think I deserve another pair...yes? I love wearing jeans. They are a staple in every girl's closet...actually in every persons closet. They are a MUST have for all.

A Creed To Live By

Don't undermine your worth by comparing

yourself with others,

It is because we are different that each
of us is special.

Don't set your goals by what other people

deem important,

Only you know what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest

to your heart

Cling to that as you would your life, for without

them life is meaningless.

Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living

in the past or the future.

By living your life one day at a time, you live all the

days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give

Nothing is really over … until the moment

you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are less

than perfect,

It is the fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks,

It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's

impossible to find.

The quickest way to receive love is to give love.

The fastest way to lose love is to hold on too tightly,

And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don't dismiss your dreams. To be without
dreams is to be without hope.

To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Don't run through life so fast that you forget

where you've been,

But also know where you're going.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored

every step of the way.

~Author Unknown

Nordstroms

'I wish' .... I had Nordstroms as my personal closet and could shop from it daily.

I love love love shopping at Nordstroms. They carrying Lucky Jeans, Hudson Jeans, Free People, Jessica Simpson heels, Laura Mercier Makeup, and tons of other amazing brands. I started shopping there when I was in college, and had a babysit gig that paid me a TON of money ;-) I was probably at Nordstroms once a week, spending my all the babysitting money, plus my other 'real' job paycheck (thank God mom let me live at home with no bills) I.Am.In.Love.With.Nordstroms. I just wish it was a tad bit cheaper to shop there.

Home Alone

We are going on week 2 of Tony being up in Fresno. I have to say I am so not a fan of this little situation. It is awful, I miss more terribly!! And I am bored out of my mind sitting at home. We hardly ever watch TV, but I must admit since he has been gone the TV is always on just so I have noise. I am not a big fan of silence in the home, well ok I am if Tony is here with me. But being home alone, the silence freaks me out!! I guess I could put the ipod on instead of the TV. That will be my plan for tomorrow night. :)
So I am sitting here in front of the computer, listening to The Bachelorette in the background...such a dramatic show LOL Well since Tony has been gone I have started working out in the morning and at night. Yes I know I am a crazy person for doing this. But it keeps me busy and keeps my mind from wandering every where. I get up at 5:15am and work out for an hour, then go to work, come home to an empty house, sad face, go straight to the gym for a 30 minute run on the treadmill. Then I cook dinner and eat alone, another sad face, and either go on computer, read my photography books or watch HGTV/Food Network. Such an exciting life is what I know you all are thinking.
Well this last Friday at 10:00pm my door bell rang. Natural for me to freak out, since I was just about to go to sleep. Oh and dont forget I am home alone. Part of me wanted to grab my gun (oh dad would be proud), but I decided to first look through the peep hole. And guess what...IT WAS TONY!!! He totally surprised me :) He drove down from Fresno to surprise me. He had a bouquet of flowers and ice cream. He totally knows how to win me over :) I was so freakin excited!! I didn't think I was going to see him until a couple days before the wedding. Being that he came home, I had a great weekend!! We spent lots of alone time ;) and date night at no other than our favorite place, the Outback. He left yesterday afternoon. I am hoping he will come home again this weekend. I keep giving him the guilt trip ahahaha
We will see how much working out and reading I can do while Tony is gone. I hope I stick with this work out plan he left me. I gotta get in tip top shape for the honeymoon :) And the reading will help me in pursuing photography.

Taken So Young

Today I went to a funeral of a young man I went to junior high and high school with. I was best friends with his cousin, so I knew the family pretty well growing up. But once everyone graduated we went our separate ways :-(  I remember he was one of those guys that was genuinely kind to everyone, not matter who they were..where they came from. I remember going to Lake Mead with the entire family, and I'm not just talking like 10 people...this family has a M.I.L.L.I.O.N. relatives. Ok that might be a bit of an exaggeration. Anyways, I remember Tyson trying to help me water ski, because he was a pro at this stage in life (junior high). I didn't know him well, but from what I knew of him he was a great person.
When I heard the news last Thursday evening that he died, it broke my heart. I could feel the pain their family was going through, it was awful. I knew what it was like to lose a brother, and it sucks. Since that day I have thought about his family constantly, I have been trying so hard to hold back tears. Like I said today was his funeral, this is the first funeral I have been to since Erich died almost 5 years ago. It was definately not easy, not that funerals should be, but this just really hit home. Tyson was only 28 years old when he was taken from his family. Erich was only 24 years old when he was taken from his family. They were both taken from us unexpectedly, which makes the pain and grieving process that much more difficult.
This morning I woke up knowing I was going to this funeral today, but when the time came to leave work I kinda was getting scared. I didn't want to go anymore, I didn't want to feel that pain again. But I talked with mom, and I ended up going. It was extremely difficult to be there. I cried. I cried a lot. It just reminded me of when Erich died. It brought up all those memories of his funeral and being taken from me/us too soon. There are no words to describe the pain of losing a best friend, a brother, a son. Its heart-wrenching.
There was one amazing thing about today...I was in awe of how this family pulled together and still gave praise to God. They all have such strong faith and know that Tyson served the Lord every day he was here on earth, but he is now in heaven where he belongs. This family has such a deep love for God that they expressed to us all, that there is a reason for Tyson being taken so soon, there is a reason for him not continuing his life on earth. The strength they all have in God and support from one another is amazing, there really are no words to describe how refreshing it was too see each and every one of them pull together and honor his life today and still serve the Lord.
Even though going to this funeral today brought up many memories of when my brother died, I am glad I went to witness such an amazing group of people honoring their son/brother/ husband/cousin/nephew and being a testimony of God's love. This funeral really made me think about my life, how I am living now and the things I should change. You never would think a funeral would do that to you, you would? But this one did :-)

30 Days!!

The countdown has officially begun...Tony and I are getting married in 30 days! Oh my word, in 30 days I will be a Mrs., I will be a wife, and I will have a hubby :-D (that is supposed to be a gigantic smile)
I have been waiting for this day my entire life, ok well not my entire life but a very long time. You see Tony was in the marines, we got engaged August 2008, he left for Virginia for a year in February 2009. So we couldn't have our wedding last year, so I have been waiting almost 2 freakin' years to marry this man. 2 years since we got engaged!!! Tony came home in March so we made plans for our wedding this July. And this July is actually right around the corner. HOLY COW!!!
The day I met Tony, I knew there was something different about him. There was something that made me SO attracted to him...maybe it was his tattoos (a bad boy?) He is not a bad boy at all (well maybe a little before he joined the marines), but he did give that impression off, and I loved it!! I called my friend and just gushed about how sexy and gentlemanly (so not a word, I don't think?) he was. Oh I was smitten from the moment we met. I knew I wanted to marry him and have his baby and spend my life with him.
Tony is a wonderful amazing person. He is caring, loving, sexy, romantic, kind, sexy, honest, loyal, sexy, and treats me like a princess...oh wait, did I mention sexy? I could go on and on, but I think you all get the picture.
In 30 days...4 weeks...1 month, 30 days I will be married. I will have that gorgeous wedding band on my finger, close to my heart and I will get to put Tony's wedding band on his finger, that I mentioned to him he is never allowed to remove ;-)

8:00-5:00

I am sitting here at work, obviously not working, thinking about a career that I could do and be my own boss. I want to be in charge of myself and not have to report to anyone. I don't want to have to be at work at 8:00 or 8:30 and stay until 5:00. Sitting at this desk today, well always, makes me go nuts-o. I need to get out of a job where I am so tied down. Ok, well I am not so tied down here because I do actually have a shit load of flexibility, but it is definately not a career I enjoy by any means. I work as the Human Resource Manager, and let me just tell you how much of a bitch everyone says I am. I am not the right person for this job, I am not sensitive to people when they complain about the tiniest little things.
Get this, why would you complain to HR that you hate clocking in and using the timeclock. When you were hired, you were hired on hourly which means you have to use the timeclock. The only reason people would complain about that is because they don't really want to work their full hours, but they want to be paid for it.
Another thing people complain about is that I bug them on getting all their paperwork in for the personnel files. Ok this is a company, certain things have to be in place if we were to get a surprise accreditation therefore I have to bug the shit out of you because you dont listen and get the things I need. If you can't tell I am very frustrated.
So anyways, I am trying to think of a job I can do that would make similar money to what I make now. Nothing has come to mind because I feel like everything involves sitting at a desk ALL day long from 8-5. I would absolutely LOVE to do photography full time, but I am not experienced enough to make that great of money, if any at all. I feel like I am stuck and I don't like it. :-( I want to have my own schedule and I want to enjoy life, not be at work more than home. I see people at work more than I see Tony, I don't like that at all!!

Outback

The Outback is mine and Tony's most favorite restaurant. This is usually where we go on our date night (Saturday night). Sometimes we like to spice things up and go somewhere else, but honestly it isn't very often. There is just something about the seasonings they use that I LOVE. The seasonings they use on their steaks are oh. so. delicious. Even though I get my steak well done, it is still juicy and tender and yummy!! :) Then of course you have two sides to pick. I always go with a fully loaded backed potato (butter, sour cream, cheese, chives, bacon bites). Let me just tell you, this is the most A.M.A.Z.I.N.G baked potato in the world. The skin is seasoned with their yummy secret recipe, you seriously gotta have one next time you go and if you have never been, get off that booty and go tonight!! :) For the second side I usually get steamed veggies, but everyone once in a while I get a side salad.
Ok, now brace yourself, I am going to tell you the best meal to get at the Outback. I could seriously eat this every.single.day. It is that good! The Queensland Salad, yes that's right...the Queensland Salad. I LOVE IT!!! The ranch dressing they use is not your typical Kraft Ranch Dressing. I have no clue what seasons they put in it, but its A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! I seriously think about this salad all the time, no joke. Whenever Tony suggests we go out or want to get take out, I immediately think Queensland Salad :)
Sitting here typing all this makes me want to have it for dinner tonight. I cant see it in my mind, I am so obsessed with the salad. Tony always tells me, its just your normal chicken salad. Has he lost his mind?!?!? Did he really just say that to me?!?!? It SO is not!!
Oh I forgot to mention the bread. I think it is pumpernickel bread. They serve it right when you sit down. Its fresh and warm, and with a little butter...it's oh so delish!! Now I have to tell you, Tony is obsessed with this bread. He absolutely loves it. When the waiter comes to introduce themselves, Tony warns them how much he likes it, and to just keep replenishing the table with bread. I am not even kidding, not even exaggerating, Tony seriously eats about 5-7 loafs every time we go.
So now don't you all want to go to the Outback tonight and try the Queensland Salad? Because I sure as heck do :) Enjoy!!

Bridemaid Dresses

Today is 39 Days til the wedding!!! Oh my word it is finally around the corner. I cannot believe it, well actually I can. I have been waiting so long for the day to be here.
Everyone has always told me planning a wedding can be very stressful and cause lots of fights between the bride and groom...that is so not the case with me/us. There are very few things I have stressed over during this planning process. The major one is the bridesmaid dresses I chose were awful when they arrived. I'm not even kidding you, they were horrific!!
When you go to a store and try formal dresses on, you have to consider a million other people have tried it on, ok well not a million maybe a thousand. So with that being said the dress is worn in, lost its volume, etc. I went to pick all the dresses up with my mom, didn't bother to look at them or try them on well because I'm not a bridesmaid. LOL silly now that I look back on it. I totally should have opened them up and tried one on.
Well, we get to my mom's house and my sister tries it on. Oh.My.Gosh.!!!! The dress was extremely poofy at the hips, like it added about 20 pounds to my sister. The top of the dress is strapless, but it was too big on Aarika. They seriously did a bad job at sizing the dresses. They themselves, the store employees, measured her. How could they be so off on the size??? Anyways, throughout the next couple of days all the rest of the girls tried the dresses on and it looked just as bad. I started freaking out, stressing out, crying. I was not a happy camper. I didn't know what to do. It was the 3rd week in May, 2 months shy of the wedding. All I could think is 'the girls are going to look ugly. the pictures are going to turn out awful. how could i have picked out such an ugly bridesmaid dress??' My mom called the store to see if we can return them or even exchange them, but of course they said no. So never go to MaryLinn's Bridal in Pasadena. They have awful customer service. They weren't willing to work with us at all. Then Tony's mom called to try and see if she could convince them, they said no. But they offered to cover the rush order charge for us to get new dresses. Are you F***ing kidding me?!?! You honestly think I would buy another dress at full price from you when you aren't willing be be cooperative right now? There is no way in hell I would do that!!
The following week mom and I went to David's Bridal and I tried dresses on. This time I tried long/floor length dresses on. Low and behold, I found a dress that I really like in about 5 minutes. Simple, long black dress. This is the dress, this is what I should have picked out initially. All the girls ordered the new dress, and it should arrive the first week in July. I know its cutting it close, but I am so relieved. A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders :)
One major drawback to getting a new dress is, the girls all had to spend more money. I feel like the shittiest bride asking them to do this. I put the old dresses on ebay and craiglist. I will get the money back and give it to the girls. I will sell those ugly dresses, I have to.
Anyone know of anyone looking for 7 black knee length bridesmaid dresses? just kidding... kinda ;-)

Photo Friday

The night we got engaged 8/26/2008

Tony proposed in a hot air balloon :)

Honeymoon Destination

I am so extremely excited about our honeymoon. We are going to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I just have to tell you (although you can see in pics below) it looks A.MA.Z.I.N.G!!!! This will be our first vacation together. Well, we went to Vegas for New Years 2009 for 2 nights. I wouldn't call that a vacation. So needless to say, I am thrilled to go on our honeymoon. I just know it is going to be wonderful for us to spend that much alone time together...to be able to relax.

I can just see us now:

~sitting in a loung chair on the beach with an alcoholic drink in our hand (for Tony a Long Island, for me a Margarita...oh and of course top shelf per Tony's request). We don't even need to carrying on a conversation, just being there together will be nice.

~swimming in the crystal clear water, not worrying about what I'm stepping on or what is swimming by my legs that I cannot see because the water in California is disgustingly dirty.

~laying on the white sandy beach tanning away :) (this will probably only be me not Tony, he gets too bored tanning)


~enjoying nice meals around the resort.


~best of all, I will be alone with my new hubby :)

Starbucks

Ok seriously, this is a horrible addiction of mine. And I'm sure it is a horrible addiction for other people too (Aarika). There is just something about Starbucks coffee that makes it so good. I never ever used to drink coffee or caffeine, but I think it was probably the first semester of college (9 years ago) is where this awful, expensive addiction started. I have been thinking I should buy some stock in Starbucks. At least I would then eventually get some money in return.
I can still remember my first experience at Starbucks. I went with Andrea and her mom. We were in the valley, the Starbucks on Devonshire and Topanga Cyn. Now remember I never drank caffeine. I got a tall Mocha Frappuccino with whipped cream. It probably took, not even kidding, 5 sips before I was wired. I was cracking up at everything and anything. We got in the car to drive home and I remember sitting in the back seat looking at the car next to us laughing so hard at the guy. No idea why, but I was hysterically laughing. I remember it like it was yesterday. Silly thing to remember in detail, but I totally do.
After having my fix of Mocha Frappuccinos, I moved up to Caramel Frappuccinos. I enjoyed those for quite a while; I still do every once in a while....but they are a bit too fattening for me. Then I started getting an Iced Caramel Macchiato. I was seriously addicted to these, probably for a couple of years. Now I have my signature drink. Ready for this?? An Iced Skinny Vanilla Latte. Oh my, I love love them!! Its so yummy!! I get them ALL the time :) This drink puts me in a good mood. Just a side note: this drink is a great laxative? hehe After a weekend of junk food eating, these work great :)
Funny story, well it isn't really a story. Anyways, last July I drove from California to Texas with my dad. But before we drove, I said dad, "In order for me to stay up talking to you during the drive, and in order for me to be awake enough to drive. You will have to buy me Starbucks." So he agreed, because he is oh so wonderful :) Well little did dad know, how much money my coffee drink really is. He didn't know it costs $3.85 to get a grande and $4.10 to get a venti. I'm sure he would not have agreed had he known the cost. But too late now daddy-o!! :) We probably stopped at Starbucks 7 times on the drive. We finally arrived at the apartment complex he owns, and were there for about 3 days. I think we made about a dozen Starbucks runs. Luckily Starbucks was up the street. :)
I love Starbucks :)

New Recipes

I feel like I have been making the same recipes for dinner since Tony and I moved in together. It gets old pretty fast. Think about how quickly you would get sick of raviolis (from Costco), roast beef dip sandwiches, chicken and rice, carne asada burritos, and turkey burgers. Just typing all these meals is making me sick of them. :) Although it sure makes grocery shopping quite easy...and quick. I need some excitment with my meals!! I eat the same foods all week long. I have an Atkins Peanut Butter bar for breakfast and a yummy ;) protein shake Tony makes me have because we work out like crazy, I guess I need more protein for these huge muscles I'm gaining ;) For lunch I eat salami, cheese and crackers and an orange a little later for snack. Ok seriously it gets so old. I actually get a little cranky because my meals are so boring. As people who are close to me know, when I don't eat or when there is nothing good to eat, I cant get pretty bitchy.
So, I have decided to find new recipes. It is now a mission!! I have emailed some family and friends to see what kinds of things they cook and looked online for healthy recipes. I am in luck...woo hoo!! Well, I guess I shouldn't say luck until I try each one and find out what Tony thinks. It doesn't do me any good to make a meal for a second time and Tony not like it. So my test is to ask if he will eat the leftovers. Good huh? If he says yes, then I know I did good...if he says no, then that meal has failed me. Last night was the first night to try one of these healthy recipes I found online. I have to say I was a little nervous, but he liked it. YAY!! I am 1 for 1 :)

Here is the healthy recipe:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 oz. pkg ranh dressing mix
2 cups rice crispy cereal
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
2 eggs whites

Directions:
Mix rice crispy cereal, ranch mix and parmesean cheese together in bowl. Dip chicken in egg whites, then in the cereal mixture to coat evenly. Arrange chicken on greased baking sheet. Baked until golden brown: 35-40 minutes.
(tip: put foil on the baking sheet or the cereal and chicken will stick)

Side Dish:
A box of Noodle-Roni Fetticini Alfredo that I added some pepper, garlic salt and parmesean cheese to because without it the flavoring was a little bland.

I have a whole list of new recipes to try, and if anyone wants to share some more Im all for it! :)

Wedding Preparations...gone bad

Wedding invites are out!! The turned out perfectly. My mom found this great website so instead of us making them all by hand (not enough time to do so), we ordered them. Black and hot pink!! I love them :) Good job mom!
We found a minister, thank God!! Tony's dad's friend will be performing out ceremony. We go visit him about once a month, maybe every other month down in Huntington Beach (our favorite place) and just hang out in Hula Circle. He is a great guy and I'm excited he will be part of our wedding.
Yesterday Tony and I went over to my mom's house to help cut corks for the table assignment holders. Oh my did this not turn out well at all!! When we first arrived, mom tells us she has cut herself a fews times and that we should be careful. So about ten minutes goes by and then everyone started cutting themselves. I'm not just talking about little paper cuts, I'm talking like full on huge cuts from the razor blades. Tony first cuts himself and is bleeding all over the cork he was cutting. Aarika runs to get bandaids...in the meantime while he is cleaning his fingers off. BAM!! I started cursing and freakin out because I cut myself. Not sure exactly how it happened, but it was bad. Tony got his finger situated, well with bandaids. I'm over at the sink covering the sink with blood. It was crazy, it wouldn't stop bleeding. I finally get bandaids on it, and they aren't even helping. The blood is just going straight through. So Tony decides we should put Peroxide on the cuts to clean them out, and then Neosporin and more bandaids. So we go to the bathroom and do this...but of course mine isn't getting better. The blood is still soaking through the bandaids. So mom goes to get gauze and we tape gauze around my finger. Oh my, this was so much work just to try to get the bleeding to stop. Later we get home and low and behold, my finger is still bleeding. Tony's finger stopped bleeding. Well all night my finger is taped up, and it is kind of annoying to do things when you can't bend it or really bump it on anything without pain.
This morning was a task blow drying my hair, but no worries I did it...I didn't suck my hair in a ponytail :) After I got ready for the day, I decided to take the bandaid off, and WOW so not a good idea!! My finger was gushing blood!! Tony had to hang up the phone with his mom and rushed over to the sink, trying to help me figure out what to do. He gets the gauze, tape and Neosporin out and plays doctor to me. Thanks baby!! ;) All day I have had this huge white thing on my finger, I can't bend it, I can't do anything with it. Sitting here typing is kind of a chore, but I just wanted to share the story. I am hoping tomorrow it heals a little, but at this point the skin is not even close to coming back together.
Oh and the worst part is my mom is freakin me out saying I need stitches. Stitches?!?!?! No way in hell am I getting stitches. I have never had them and I hope I never get them, let alone on my tiny little pinky finger. I mean come on that would be pretty painful since there isn't much skin to work with on a finger. Hopefully one of the nurses at work tomorrow can help me figure something out to help it heal quickly.
All in all wedding preparations are going good, this was just a little bump in the road and a good story to tell you all. :)

This Is Your Life...

Today on my way home from work, I was flipping through my ipod and decided to listen to Switchfoot, This Is Your Life. I haven't listened to them in years!! As soon as I put the album on, I kinda of felt at peace, like all my worries went away. It reminded me of when I was younger, maybe high school age, and everything was simpler. Listening to this song made me think, it made me think about my life, it made me think about what I am doing with my life and if it is really what I want to do. Is sitting in a office building, behind a desk, working as a Human Resource Manager what I really want to do? Is it really who I want to be?? I would have to say NO!! I am not happy doing this. I do not wake up in the morning and get excited to go to work. I actually wake up as late as possible to make it to work by 8:30am...sometimes I look very presentable, other times I do not. I guess I just do not care anymore. I am getting more and more careless about how things go at work. I do not care for it at all anymore. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what my dad and mom have done for me while I have worked there the last 9 years. They have been amazing bosses, but since I am only 26 I feel I need to move on to something I really enjoy. This is my life, am I who I want to be? I want to have a career that I enjoy. Yes, it may make me less money than I make now, but at least I will not dread waking up 5 days a week. I will thoroughly enjoy what I do and in the end that will make me a happier person. I want to be a photographer. I want to capture those moments that people sometimes miss, that people take for granted. I want to be there to tell the story of someone's life, their childrens lives, their love life, their families lives. I want to be the one who is able to capture those moments and make them last a lifetime. I don't want to wake up in 20 years and regret that I didn't make the best of my life, that I didn't follow my goals, my dreams.

To be honest, I want to be a mom and a wife. I want to have a children. I want to be a part of their lives. I want to see their first steps, hear their first words, watching them grow up. I want to be the mom that helps out in their classroom, that drives on field trips, that brings cupcakes to school for their birthdays. I want to be a loving wife to Tony. I want to take care of him, have dinner ready when he gets home from work, be there to enjoy his company, take care of the house, the bills, the kids...life. This is who I want to be.

Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
Yesterday is a promise that you've broken
Don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes
This is your life and today is all you've got now
Yeah, and today is all you'll ever have
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes

This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Yesterday is a kid in the corner
Yesterday is dead and over

This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes

This is your life are you who you want to be
This is your life are you who you want to be

This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

And you had everything to lose

Bridal Shower

My wedding shower was yesterday, May 22nd, at my mom's house. It was so much fun!! Angela, sister n law, made the cutest invites and the centerpieces. Mom did the food, the games, the decorations, the cake(well she bought the cake). Aarika, Kelley, Lauren and Kimberly helped with the organizing the games.
This party was awesome. Tony dropped me off and had to come inside real quick to make the Pink Martini's that momma couldnt figure out. Well, he made them like super strong. Kimberly gave me a pink white glass with a blinged out 'L' and I had 4 of those full of the Pink Martini's....did I say 4!! Ok remember I am a light-weight drinker, so 4 full glasses is a lot. But man were they delicious. I think I had a drink in my hand the entire party. Anyways, at first we played a guess the famous bride/groom or wedding movie game...this kind of game is a typical thing mom would plan :) next we ate yummy taco salad with rolls. oh there was spinach/artichoke dip and regular spinach dip around...so YUMMY!!! after lunch we played a game where you dress someone up in toilet paper and ribbons to look like a beautiful bride. I was the judge so I didnt have to be dressed up, but it was hilarious watching everyone try to figure out what style would work best and how to make their 'model' look the best. First place was Grandma and second place was Aunt Melissa. Then we went inside and mom put a video on. It was Aarika interviewing Tony about our relationship. She asked him questions, then put it on pause to see if my response would be the same as his. It was fun!! I have to admit I didnt get all the answers the same as Tony, but Id say a majority of them :)

Next of course was PRESENTS!!! We got lots of great gifts plus some sexy lingerie ;) Oh and the desert was confetti cake!! Omg Susie's Cakes in Calabasas has the most delicious cake ever! It is so moist and oh so good!!

Thank you to all of you that shared this day with me.

My sisters are growing up....

Next week Aarika will be turning 19. OMG!!! 19!!! Lauren turned 18 in March and Kelley will be 21 in September (legally allowed to buy alcohol, OMG!!!). Now there is NO more kids in the family...we are all adults now. I can vividly remember Kelley, Aarika and Lauren playing in the backyard when they were probably 3 and 4 years old. They were my chunky, innocent, sweet sisters. Not anymore...they are adults now and definately not innocent, growing up into beautiful women.

Kelley, the oldest of the younger sisters, is applying to some pretty prestigious colleges: UCLA and Berkley. WOW!! I know I would never have even thought twice about applying to those schools. She is quite a smarty pants, know it all kinda girl. She is the sister that gives me advice, thinking she knows more about life than I do :D I always remind her I am 7 years older than her, I think I have a bit more experience. That is just who she is and I love her for it.

Aarika, the middle of the younger sisters, is graduating from high school this year. I cannot believe it!! She has matured so much over the years thank God, because I remember she would drive me crazy always wanting to hang out with me and my friends. But being the meanie I was, I always said no or I would say yes, but she would have to keep her mouth shut LOL Anyways, she is so extremely talented in fashion and makeup. I love her sense of fashion, I always ask her to help me improve my wardrobe and give me tips on dressing cuter :D She always looks cute, even when she isnt really matching LOL

Lauren, the baby/dad's favorite (well maybe not anymore lol, just kidding), is graduating from high school this year too. Little Laur...growing up we used to make Lauren go ask dad if we could have pizza for dinner or donuts for breakfast. She was the cute little one that dad always always said yes too. So of course we had to use her. Dad would respond 'Anything for you baby, aww.' And the he would just smile at us and laugh. He isnt stupid, he knew what we were doing, but hey it worked for our benefit :D Not so little anymore, she is still dad's little girl...the baby of our clan.

I didnt live with Kelley and Lauren, so I wasnt able to watch them grow up on a daily basis. I feel like I wasnt there for them, I wasnt that bigger sister that they needed. I hate myself for that, it breaks my heart that I dont know them as well as I know Aarika. I didnt try harder to be around, I was young and wanted to be with friends more than my younger sisters. I hope you two know that I love you so much and I will always be here for you.

Kelley, Aarika and Lauren you three have grown into beautiful young women. You each have a special place in my heart. It is fun for me to watch you grow. To look back at old pictures and compare them to know....oh my how each of you has matured in your looks and personalities. I love you all so much!!

Christmas 2000

Winter 2009

Thanksgiving 2009

Winter 2009

My new blog...

So this used to be my wedding blog, but I was awful at updating it. Anyways, I want to make a blog now about mine and Tony's adventures of preparing for our wedding, having our wedding, and then sharing our lives together. We are getting married July 17, 2010 which is just 2 months away!!!
Stay tuned :D