Busy, Budget, Counting Down

We can't believe today is the last day of October. This has been a very busy month of us, and we've been able to check a few items off our wedding planning list (which is very long)! I'm happy to write that we have a good budget and I believe we're staying within that number. This month we interviewed and signed a florist, spoke with a few officiants and DJs and of course VOTED! How exciting this time is in our lives. All I can say is I need a nap and we're tired. So far I have no complaints or had bridezilla moments. We have the same ideals for our special day so like the venue, photographer and florist. I believe all other decisions will go smoothly. I think what helps is I make a list of the things I like and give Anthony a few options and we go with the one he chooses. Okay I know the base of our wedding color is like a mango, coral or papaya but that's about all I got. Not sure on my dress or the bridesmaides. By the way we've already asked our wedding party. I do believe we know that style of cake we want. Cakes by Vickie is our baker she's a close family friend and like a sister to me. Anthony will select the filling, since I don't care for cake and he loves it! And, I think we know what our save the dates are doing to look like, invitations and programs, we've even settled on what we'll have as favors. We have considered a lot of things already so I think we're pretty much on schedule and budget. We plan to pay cash of our wedding and not have any debt from it. Only having nine months left till the wedding we have to make these decision because we have a busy fall coming, Thanksgiving, going to Florida for his sister's college graduation, buying Christmas gifts and traveling all these places. I need to lose some weight by February so I can look fabulous on my engagement pictures. Anthony doesn't need to do a damn thing in that department as he is so fine to me. So we welcome November, just a little closer to your wedding day.

Work, Travel, Dance & Run

Anthony proposed on July 1st and my family reunion was July 3rd. He couldn't make it because I had decided to go last minute. So, he didn't have the pleasure of meeting my beautiful grandmother, wonderful aunts & uncles and crazy cousins. But, my cousin go married this weekend and it was like a reunion all over again (just not in the country). Of course not everyone could attend but it was so great to be around family again to celebrate a lovely occasion. The weekend started off busy. Anthony had worked his night job so I go up at 7am to pack us, walk and feed the dogs so we would be ready to go at 8am, as he arrives home about 7:30ish. We're pretty much on time, leaving Austin at 8am to drive to Houston which is about 170 miles or 2.5 hours travel time. I stopped by my hair stylish to have her curly my hair, put false eyelashes on (first time) and get some beauty products. During that 30-35 minutes Anthony goes running as he has a 10K the next morning. Its 11:30ish I'm beautified and Anthony's back from running so we go to my parent's house. We arrived and were hugged tightly by my mom. She has a bit of separation anxiety but she doing better, my dad is okay and greets us with a hug and hand shakes. My big sister and husband were upstairs but quickly came down when they heard our voices and smelled my mom's superb gumbo. So we all sat down to eat and hear a knock at the door. It's my favorite uncle and wife. The reunion begins! We eat and start getting dressed but got a little late so as I was coming down the stairs in a hurry I totally fell, like missing two steps. Poor Anthony had to come pick me up, (my hero) I was okay, no limp, thank goodness...because I want to dance at the reception. So, we head to the church and see all the family, sit down and attend the wedding mass. An hour later we head to the reception site and the good times start. I introduce Anthony, we eat hors d'oeuvres and sit at the bar as the guest had to wait for all the pictures to be taken. Around 7pm we eat, the cake is cut and the dancing is on. We had such a great time! Everyone asked us how our wedding plan are going and we tell them it's great but we have such busy schedules ahead of us. We just can't wait for our day to arrive! We left the wedding around 11pm and drove back home. I was so tired I tried to stay up and keep Anthony company but failed. We got home safely, let the dogs out and went to sleep. Just to get up at 7:30am Sunday morning, to rush to his 10K at IBM. My baby finished in less than 45 minutes. You Go Boy! Life is good and we are so thankful!

Anniversary Story of Us

Monday, October 13th was our one year anniversary of dating. My honey, Anthony, sent me to the spa for a 60 minute massage, mani, pedi and took me out to eat. We both can't believe how the time has passed by. But they say time flies when you are having fun . . . and we have fun, lots of fun together. So much that we haven't updated our blog. Okay, so this is how the love story started. I've had my heart broken in this life, but I'd never given up on the perfect man, God made for me. Up until the age of 29 I had made some great accomplishments in my life. I finished high school in Houston, college, traveled, found great job, purchased my first brand new home, and changed jobs for career advancement and more money. Not all that in order but it happened. Shy of my 30th birthday, I was contently laid-off and single. I thought there was a need for a change because I had lived in my birth city all my life and something was calling me away from it. Two months after my birthday I started a new job, with a flexible career with room for advancement. But before I stared my job I attended a women only triathlon in Austin with Valerie. The locals called it ATX, I thought that was interesting, as I had hope to one day move to Atlanta, ATL. Later that month I was offered the opportunity to pilot our company in Austin. Wow right!?! I took the job, found an apartment, meet my new colleagues and started my new life with Duncan Punkin in late September. I had meet Anthony on January 2, 2007 via MySpace. He told me he was from Florida by way of Jamaica he finished high school in Miami, college, Marines, traveled and relocated to Austin a year before to launch his investment company with dog, Alexis, and in hopes to find is lost rib. When I told him I was moving, we found out that my apartment was less than 5 miles away from his place. So, we made plans to hang out on my second night in the city. We meet at the Alamo Draft house but he was a little late so we missed the movie. We drove down the street to the mall and caught the next showing of Rush Hour 3, both having a great sense of humor we were laughing the loudest in the theater. After that we saw each other pretty much everyday. He asked me to be his girlfriend October 13, 2007. We moved in together March '08, engaged July '08 and plan to be married 08/29/09 and that's our story.