Um... hi?

Ok, I know, I know... REALLY long time since I've posted. Hey, I've had a pretty busy life!

I'll sum up what's happened since I last posted:

Rick and I got married May 25th, 2008, and went to Alaska for our honeymoon. All events revolving those 2 weeks of my life were amazing. I can't portray the excitement and joy I felt, and I couldn't have asked for a better husband. Our honeymoon was 10 days of excellent outdoor activities like salmon fishing, horseback riding, grizzly bear viewing, and hiking. I can't wait for our next visit to the last frontier.

Rick finished his thesis, and graduated with his masters (whoop!) and we proceeded to move to Arlington, Tx. Rick got a job up in the area, and I soon followed with a job at a local small custom cake shop. It's been such a great experience, and the people I work with are like family to Rick and myself. After living in an apartment for a little less than a year, Rick and I got fed up with throwing money down a bottomless money pit that is "rent", and found a great place of our own in Grapevine. We moved in late June, 2009.

Currently, we've been working on the house, giving it our little touches, and slowly ridding it of all things 80's. Recently we renovated our half bathroom with new slate tiles, a beautiful vanity with WHITE (not cream) sink, and a water efficient toilet, complete with #1 and #2 flush buttons!

I could claim that I got inspired to blog again myself, but it was in fact Rick who is writing his own DIY blog that pushed me to keep the few that find themselves on this blog up to date. Until next time... (hopefully it won't be another year and a half)

WHOA!!

Holy Crap! 13 days till my wedding day!!

List of things to do before we get married:
- write thank you notes
- pack for the honeymoon
- pack the rest of my room and move stuff to uncle johnny's
- finish last 2 days of work this week
- have a few stress out sessions (just kidding about that one...)
- go back to dallas to prepare for the big day.

Exciting :)

A little less than 2 months left...

Soooo.... Rick and I had a big decision to make. We needed to decide where we would live: Ridgecrest, California, or Dallas, Texas. Drum roll....

Dallas, Texas!!!!

Rick got an awesome opportunity at Lockheed Martin, and I'm really excited to be able to be so close to friends and family on both sides. Instead of a day of travel to see them, it's a short 30 minute drive to friends and family living in Dallas, and a 4 hour drive to Rick's family and friends in Houston. It'll be good to have that support around us.

I guess I should update on the wedding plans...

invitations: done
music: decided today. hooray!
tuxes: picked out with a sage green and cream colored tie
wedding bands: done
bachelorette party: coming up!!
first bridal shower: next weekend. yay for presents... sweet.

Alrighty then. Off to do some more planning.

Wedding plans

A few details of our wedding-

date- May 25th
location/time- Dallas, Tx at 6PM
color- sage green
bridesmaids- 6
groomsmen- 6
cake- yummy
flowers- green/white orchids, peonies
bride's stress level on a scale from 1-10 (10 being the highest)- 3
bride's excitement level on a scale from 1-10 (10 being highest)- 15 :)

I can't wait.

Popped!

The question, that is :) Yes, that's right, Rick and I are engaged!!

The act happened a week ago today (Nov. 11th) while we were camping in Garner State Park. We took a side trip to Lost Maples to see the awesome change in maple leaf colors, and an awesome hike. After getting a bit lost, we finally found a good spot to eat lunch. We sat for a bit, and then that's when Rick surprised me with "will you marry me" and a ring! The whole way back on the hike I was in a dreamworld of "did that really just happen?" and "oh my gosh!".

So now I'm planning, and planning, and planning :)

Jumping 7 months ahead...

We'll just ignore the fact that I haven't blogged in 7 months and move along as usual.

Let's see... the summer was good. Worked 6 days a week at Maddens normally, and then got moved to 5 days a week towards the end of the summer (thank goodness). Rick and I took advantage of his not having classes and just relaxed. After last semester for both of us, we really needed it.

Unfortunately, Matt and Cam left the duplex haven (but got a totally awesome house in Lake Highlands!!), and at the end of the summer, Nellie had to leave so I didn't kill both of my cat allergic roommates.

Diana and Chelsea are awesome, and we've already celebrated 2 of 3 birthdays! Soon to be the third in about a month. We're always cooking, and let's just say that we are not starving college students. Especially with me baking all the time. :)

I'm very much enjoying the time I have to read for myself, watch t.v. shows that I didn't really pay attention to last year, and just all around be happy with life. I'm more and more having the urge to get a dog, but that will have to wait until I move elsewhere and am a bit more able to care for another living being. For now, I can visit Rick's pup Winston at his parents' place.

So for the 3 or so readers that have probably abandoned hope that I would ever write again that haven't heard about my injuries, I'll sum up the last 5 months at Madden's- cut off the tip of my right middle finger, sliced through my right pointer finger with the lid of a can of crab and got 3 stitches, and, most recently, got a 2nd degree burn on my right wrist. I think my right arm will eventually boycott me and detach itself from my body. I'm apparently dangerous... to myself.

On a happier note, last weekend Rick, Rick's parents, my parents, and I all went to Galveston and enjoyed the weekend there relaxing, catching fish, and chasing ghost crabs. It was a lot of fun, and I think everyone involved had an enjoyable time. Many games of cribbage were played, and the competitive side of many came out when we played "rat's ass". So much fun. Too short of a weekend, but allowed me to relax a bit.

I feel wanted :)

So to share a bit of exciting news: I got a job today! Hooray! It's at a place called Madden's, and it's a really nice, fancy restaurant in downtown Bryan. Excellent. I'm very excited to have put at least some of my life together. If you want to see what type of food they serve there, you can go to their website at pmaddens.com

It's fun hearing about people and their exciting news with grad school, jobs, etc., and even more fun when you have a job squared away. Well... almost squared away. Still have to discuss it with the future boss.

In other news, I'm getting ready to enter next week... 3 tests in 2 days. Bummer. But I think I can handle studying hardcore for a week and then having very little for 3 weeks. That's how it's been the rest of this semester. So, wish me luck.

Pet news: Nellie's currently happily eating away at her food after a dance around my desk chair and copious amounts of meowing at me and Cameron. Now she's leaving. We've decided this much: we think Nellie is autistic, has ADD, and has no short term memory. So when you feed her, she doesn't remember. But it's a good thing Aunt Cam is around to keep her company during the day while I'm at school. She really likes that. She also thoroughly enjoys Rick picking her up and giving her tummy rubs :)