Sarandipidy

Say Yes to the Dress

2010-09-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I forgot to blog about this! Two weeks ago, my mom, dad and I headed out to our first bridal store! To say I was excited would be a complete understatement! I was soo ready to try on dresses and get one step closer to finding "the dress". My consultant Maurice was amazing and so very brutally honest, which is exactly what I needed. The first thing he asked me was what I was looking for and to be honest I didn't really know what I was looking for, but I definitely knew what I was NOT looking for. No ballgown, no strapless, and no corset back. Other than that I was pretty much game for anything. The only thing I was sure of was that I wanted it to be fitted (umm I've worked hard for my body and I wanna show it off!).

So he brought me several dresses to try on. Let me tell you, this was amazing fun! I LOVED trying on all the different dresses and imagining myself walking down the aisle to marry my best friend. Now, I am not an emotional person usually so I kinda figured that I wouldn't be brought to tears when I finally found the right dress so I was interested to see how I would react. In total, I think I tried on almost 20 gowns but in the end I kept going back to #5. When I put it on, I didn't wanna take it off. I wanted to dance, I wanted to walk around in it and I wanted to take it home right then and there. That's how I knew. And when I looked at my dad, he was doing that thing that men do, you know clearing the throat, walking around nervously and not really saying much. I guess that that could only mean he was getting choked up... awwww =)

So that was it... One store, 20 gowns and I found the dress. I was sure this was gonna be a very looooong drawn out event but I guess when you find the right one, you just know. So for all you out there dying to know which gown I chose, I'm going to do something very taboo... I am going to post a picture of my dress here =) Enjoy!

Isn't it PERFECT!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

Disneyland Half Marathon 2010

2010-09-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday I did something I never thought I would do... I ran 13.1 miles. In one day. All at one time. Yes, that's right I ran a half marathon! Amanda and I had signed up for this marathon months ago and to be honest, when race day came along, I wasn't feeling 100% ready. The furthest I had run in my training was 9 miles and I think I would have felt so much better if I had just gotten to 10 or 11. But ready or not, here it came and I woke up on Sunday (at 2:45 am!) to drive to Anaheim and be ready to race at 6am. On only 3 hours of sleep I was definitely nervous. But my adrenaline was pumping and I was ready to go. For me, this race was all about me. I wasn't trying to compete with anyone, I only had 2 goals: Finish the race, and to run the whole thing... no walking. And I succeeded! I ran for 2 hours and 35 minutes straight, through Disneyland and Angels stadium and when I crossed the finish line I has almost emotional with pride. I couldn't believe that I had actually done it. The girl who used to weigh nearly 200 lbs was now running 13 miles and feeling pretty darn good too. Amanda and I both finished the run and we both ran the entire time. I was so incredibly proud of us and even thought I said this would probably be my first and only half marathon, I think I may have to just try it again! Amanda and I have decided to make this one a yearly tradition!

Amanda and Daylin on the day we picked up our BIB #'s

Our ginormous medals!

There were a ton of photographers taking pictures all along the course so I really cannot wait to see what I look like after running for over 2 hours =/ but as soon as those are posted, I'll make sure to post them here =)

Things I love about Luis

2010-09-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't noticed, I really love my fiance. After almost 6 years together he still gives me butterflies in my tummy. Hes just that awesome. Granted, there are sometimes when he gets on my last nerve, and when those times come along, I just try to remember all the things that I love about him. Here are just a few that I will share with you:

1. He hates when I buy him anything.
2. He will hug me/kiss me/tell him he loves me regardless of where we are or who is listening
3. He repeatedly tells my parents how much he loves me.
4. He repeatedly tells me how much he loves my parents and brothers.
5.When its cloudy and rainy outside, he will always tell me "its Mami Lupita weather".
6. Anytime we pass a baby he will always look and comment on how cute it is.
7. He doesn't snore and his feet don't smell.
8. Anytime I ask him anything, he always responds with "Yes/No my love".
9. He loved me at 190 lbs and he loves me at 135 lbs.
10. Every time I paint my nails he always picks out the color, and he knows all the names of the OPI polishes.

So there you go.. a little insight to why I want to spend the rest of my life with this man... I think I may have to make this a monthly topic =)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T23:19:00.000-07:00

My dearest friend does this every week and I decided to follow her lead.

I think it's pretty self explanitory =)

Engagement Pictures

2010-08-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

Last week, Luis and I took our engagement pictures with Aurora from Studio Eternity Photography. She often shoots at the UCR Botanical Gardens and after seeing some of the pictures, I knew thats where we had to go. Lush and green, it was the perfect backdrop for what I envisioned. She took A TON of pictures but for now, here is a sneak peek =)

Love them <3

A little recap, and a promise

2010-08-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

So Hi there... yes its me and I'm BAAAAACK! Life has been a little busy and crazy but oh so fun so here is a recap of the last month or so (omg its been that long???)

August started out on a great note. Luis and I attended a fundraising event for Homeboy Industries a nonprofit organization that gives former gang members a second chance. Started by Father Greg Boyle, these former "homeboys" can get their tattoos removed, recieve job training and a safe place to go to if they ever need advice. Father Greg Boyle is hands down the best speaker I have ever had the pleasure of hearing in person. I am so grateful for people like Father Boyle for helping those who society has deamed unfixable.

In August, we also added to our little family. No, I'm not preggo, but we did adopt an adorable little kitten named Teddy. There is no cooler cat ever, seriously, ever... He is amazingly funny and quirky and we just love him =)

Ok, now on to the fun stuff! We (meaning my mother and I) have finally decided on all the paper for the wedding. Invites, programs and escort cards are done! Well not DONE but done in my mind, they are being ordered and we can start getting all those designed and assembled. Luis and I also took engagement pictures last week with Aurora from Studio Eternity Photography who was just awesome! We shot them at the UCR Botanical Gardens which was so pretty and it was like taking pictures at 5 different places. I seriously cannot wait to get them back!

I also have an appointment to start trying on wedding gowns! I am ~~crazy/insane/batty/insanely/cockoo~~ excited about this! I do have somewhat of an idea of what I am looking for, but I look forward to trying on lots of different gowns! I do know for a fact that I DO NOT want a gown like this:

Thats right, no ballgown for me please! I've worked hard for my new body and I'm ready to really show it off!

Lastly, after spending way too long in school I graduated and realized it was at the absolutely worst time ever. The economy sucks, and no one is hiring... no one except Oak Grove, a residential treatment center and school in Murrieta. I got hired on call (they don't hire new employees full time so I've gotta work my way up from the bottom) and my first day was on Friday. I freakin' love it. I finally feel like this is what I am suppose to be doing, I enjoy work and I am excited about working again. What better job is their than just helping kids and making them get better??? I'm so excited about this new chapter in my life and am looking forward to finally feeling fullfilled.

So there is a recap of the last month or so in the life of Sara... and my promise is to keep you all (all my 3 readers) updated much more frequently =)

Caoi

Just an Update

2010-07-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Today was a milestone in my weight loss journey. I have reached my lowest weight in 7 years and I weigh less than my drivers license weight (you girls all know that number is never actually accurate lol). I have a much longer, detailed post coming complete with before and after pictures but I just had to toot my own horn here and celebrate!

A few checks off my list

2010-06-30T21:49:00.000-07:00

"After my fight" is a phrase I hear ALL the time, especially when it comes to anything wedding related. Every time I bring up anything about the wedding, whether its the guest list, the catering or tuxedos, Luis' response is always the same... "after my fight". Usually I wait just a few weeks too long and then sure enough, Luis is already training for another fight so again I hear "after my fight".

UGH!

So this time, I smartened up and ~~asked~~ told Luis that today we were going to get a few things crossed off our wedding list, before he could go back to the gym, back to training or decide to fight again. And to my shock he said yes without even so much as a sigh or a rolling of the eyes! SCORE! So I thought it would be a good time to decide on the tuxedos and go pick out wedding bands.

Now Luis is definitely the "just tell me when to be there" kind of groom and while I am a little bit of a control freak, I really want Luis to at least have a say in what he was going to wear on our wedding day. But of course, I did this in the classic women way, but making him think he was picking out what he liked which actually ended up being exactly what I wanted. Yup. I'll admit it, I'm that kinda girl, but hey, he was happy and I was happy so no harm done right? And these boys are gonna look super hot in their tuxes! You can all thank me in about 11 months.

Finally, we headed to the mall to pick out wedding bands. Now this was definitely something that was 100% up to Luis because he will be wearing this band for-ev-er and I want him to love it. This time, without any womanly coercion, he picked out a super awesome wedding band. Grey, and thick and manly... perfect!

Luis and I then picked out a beautiful diamond wedding band to go with my engagement ring.

So we've made some good progress on ~~our~~ my to-do list. Still much more to do, but I think I can handle the rest of it on my own =)

Luis Fights Again!

2010-06-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, Luis had his 5th Pro MMA fight at Soboba Casino and he won by Unanimous Decision! YAY!!! His opponent was a tough guy (who also weighed in 5 lbs overweight and was WAY bigger than Luis on fight day) but Luis used leg kicks and take downs to win the fight. Here are a few pics of the fight, we have a ton more coming too!

Love this one!

♥So proud of you babe ♥

Eclipse

2010-06-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight is THE night. At 12:01 am I will be (along with hundreds, possibly thousands of other teens/women) sitting in the movie theater waiting to see The Twilight Saga: Eclipse on opening night! I can't even explain to you how excited I am. I have had my ticket purchased for 2 months, I have requested the days off from work and I even will be sporting my Cullen shirt (even thought I haven't officially picked a team yet). Now, before you start getting all Judgy-wudgy on me, just remember that someday you will have an unhealthy fetish for bad fiction and tween heart throbs and I promise you I will be there to support you. This is mine. Why you ask? I have no idea but I love the books (I've read them at least 6 or 7 times each) and I watch the movies at least monthly. There is just something about it that entertains me, and tonight will be no exception!

There is nothing like a day off

2010-06-16T11:44:00.000-07:00

Something about a day off during the week is so amazing. No place to go, no alarm clock, nothing to do at all except whatever I want! The house is quiet, the weather is cool and perfect and I'm sitting here naked as a jaybird, after my 12 mile bike ride, just chillin'... pretty awesome day =) I've got plans to meet up with my friend Silvia for Starbucks (after I get dressed of course) and catching up on the last 6 weeks that shes back in Belgium visiting her family. There is one thing that I suppose I HAVE to do, but it's definitely something that I WANT to do too... I'm gonna officially drop my deposit off for my reception venue for my wedding! YAY! And then after that? Who knows... But I can guess its gonna be a pretty great day!

Wow, it's been that long?

2010-06-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

I just realized its been about 3 weeks since I've blogged! Time to catch up on some things that have happened since then:
- It has been 9 weeks since I've had any soda at all!
- I've lost 10 lbs in the last 3 weeks
- I've booked my church and reception area for our wedding
- Picked out DIY wedding invites
- I've also met with a florist who I just love!
- I have 2 weeks left in school!!!
- Watched Sex and the City 2 with Cassie, Heather and Victoria and had a great night =)
- May have changed my mind (AGAIN!) about our honeymoon haha
- Luis has another fight in 2 weeks

I will definitely be posting more regarding some upcoming wedding details as I check things off my list =)

Manzanillo, here we come!

2010-05-25T20:56:00.000-07:00

After having severe honeymoon ADD, Luis and I have finally decided where we will be honeymooning after our June 2011 wedding. We definitely wanted to go someplace tropical, but June is pretty much the worst time for most places because of hurricanes, and nothing kills romance like a category 3 hurricane! So we will be heading to Manzanillo, Mexico. Located on the Pacific Ocean, June is absolutely the best time to be there! With day tempuratures in the mid 80's, beautiful waterfalls, snorkeling and relaxation, I can't imagine a more beautiful place to spend the first few days of my life as Mrs. Iniguez. Here are a few pics of this beautiful resort town:

My medal

2010-05-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Running my first triathlon in April completely changed my life. I found something I was really passionate about and something I actually enjoyed doing as much as possible. Just completing the triathlon was amazing but I was really looking forward to having a medal to commemorate my first tri. Except, when I finished and went to get my medal I was told they ran out. SUPER BUMMER! I was still on an endorphine high from completing my tri but was pretty bummed I didn't get a medal. Apparently, a ton of people had signed up the day of the event and they didn't have enough. My awesome cousin Dom even offered to give me his but I couldn't accept it, it was his first too! I figured I'd just have great memories of completing it.

Until I told one of my customers who works for the Temecula Rotary which put on the Triathlon that I didn't get a medal. Next thing I know, she was on the phone with Terry, the man who helped put the whole thing together. Not one week later, she tells me that Terry was going to come and drop off my medal to me personally. I was beyond shocked! He felt so bad that it was my first tri and that I didn't have something to take home with me. He actually came to my work, put my medal on me and congratulated me on finishing himself! He was so awesome and gracious! And now I have my first (of hopefully many) medals!

30 Days Sober

2010-05-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Thats right people you heard it. I'm an addict. A Coca-Cola Addict. I drink ENTIRELY way to much, sometimes multiple times a day and not just a glass here or a sip there, I'm talking about a Super Sized cup refilled at least one more time in one meal!. Yes, it was that bad. Just so we know what we are working with here, a large 32 ounce Coke from McDonalds (who FYI has the best Coke EVER!) comes in at nearly 400 calories! That is equivalent to a healthy sized lunch. So no matter how healthy I eat, throw in one Coke a day and that can pretty much double a meal calorie wise . Not to mention what it does to your insides and your teeth. So a week before my triathlon last month I decided that I wasn't going to drink any Coke to prepare for my Tri. Then I didn't have any the next week, or the next. And today I hit 30 days. It has been 30 days since I have had even a sip of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero or any other carbonated variation. Just water and Minute-Maid light Lemonade for me. Sometimes I miss it, but most of the time I'm just happy that I am one step closer to being healthier.

Sometimes its not about how far you run

2010-05-06T21:06:00.001-07:00

The last few days I have been in a running funk. I can't seem to get myself going and I think I may have increased my milage a little too much in one week because I was sore after my nearly 6 mile run on saturday. Today Amanda and I tried to run our usual 3+ mile course but after a mile or so we just weren't feelin' it. A combination of poor meal choices on both our parts and just plain old tiredness contributed to us walking most of our "run". But you know what? It was really great. It was a beautiful evening, the brisk walking was a great way to losen up our legs and we got to catch up on a little conversation, which we never get enough of. So even though I didn't get nearly as many miles in as I wanted to, I realized its not always about how far we run, but about the fun we have doing it.

Ms. Green Thumb? Hopefully!

2010-05-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

I started a garden. I have no idea what I am doing and I've never grown anything in my life, but I figured I'd give it a shot. I planted tomatoes, grape tomatoes, Serrano chilies and jalapeños along with some mint and rosemary in little pots until I can treat my soil in my actual garden to put them in the ground. My friend Cassie started her garden a few months ago and it really got me thinking about how much better this could be. Cheaper (hopefully as long as I don't kill anything) and totally organic. If this goes well I'm hoping to plant some lettuce, squash, cucumbers, cilantro, raspberries and blueberries. Here's a little sneak preview of my mini-garden so far.

Temecula Challenge Triathlon

2010-04-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

I did it. On Sunday I completed my first (of many I hope) triathlons! I can't even explain how much fun and how accomplished I felt afterwards! Out of about 350 triathletes, I came in 261st and I was 12th in my age division. Not bad for my first one I think! This specific Triathlon was a reverse one so we started with the run, then the bike and finished with the swim. I got a personal best time on my run which I was really excited about, since running is not my strongest event. I told myself I would be happy if I did the 3.1 miles in 30 minutes and I ended up doing it in 26:36! I was so excited! The bike was a little tough, considering it was 17 miles but I did pretty well. I lost some times there compared to the other girls in my age groups so I know what I have to work on. The last leg, was the swim which I kicked butt on! I was the third fastest swimmer in my age group! I completed the triathlon in 1:36:55. Here are a few pics from Sunday.... I can't wait to do it again!

The start of the run

Finishing up the bike portion

The swim

My friend Jackie with her medal for placing in our age division! She did awesome!

The best part was that my cousin Dominic and I did our first Tri together and we ran the 5k portion with our cousin Mo. It doesn't get much better than that =)

So Excited!!!

2010-04-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

I've been a little MIA lately especially when it comes to blogging about my triathlon training but it has been going pretty well. My running is getting better and I have been biking about 10-20 miles a week. The only thing that has been hindering my riding is that I was riding my dad's mountain bike that was a little too big for me. Getting off of it was awkward and riding for a long time was painful on my booty and lady parts =D. Anyways, I was starting to dread my triathlon, especially riding the bike for so long and was actually starting to panic. But then, my dad came to the rescue! He texted me telling me that he found a great bike for me on Craigslist, for a GREAT price and we needed to go see it... NOW... because it was going to go quickly! So we met up with the seller and I fell in love! The bike was incredibly comfortable and I bought it right there and then! Here she is:

Another added bonus was the girl selling it was about my age, a pretty experienced rider and was looking for some girls to ride with! I love riding with people more experienced than me because they make me push myself. I took the bike for a little spin this evening and I'm totally excited now! I'm taking her out for her maiden voyage tomorrow morning and I've got 10 days before Tri-time! Can't wait!!!

He's my Rocky and I'm his Adrian

2010-04-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I haven't seen all the Rocky movies, but I have seen bits and pieces of most of them thanks to Luis and *SHH don't tell him* I actually kind of like them. But, I used to hate Adrian, really hate her. She seemed so weak and frail and I just couldn't relate to her. But then, over the course of a few more Rocky movies, I realized her timidness was more like quietness. She wasn't boisterous or demanding, she was just more reserved than someone like me. Last night, as I was watching a part of Rocky III, I really fell in love with her and kind of saw a piece of me. In the scene, Rocky is set to fight Mr.T's character Clubber Lang. Apparently the two had fought before and Rocky took a beating from him. Adrian sees something is off with Rocky in his training leading up to the fight. He's training half assed and is off in la-la land (a little more than he usually is) and she knows it. She asks him whats wrong and hes totally brushing her off and giving her vague answers, but knowing her man better than anyone she knows hes holding back. She keeps pressing and pressing him, she tells him that he's never quit anything since she's known him and finally he yells "I'm afraid!"

GULP *TEARS*SNIFFLE

Seeing Adrian stand up to her man and call his bullshit, not in a demeaning way, but in the most loving way is so endearing and makes me like her so much more. As a fighters fiancé, I know what it's like to never be able to falter from confidence. Sure there are times where Luis has a bad day training, or I feel like this road is just too hard but then I remember that if I don't support my man, who will? If he's not feeling confident, I have to be. If he's worried, I have to be brave. There is never a time where I cannot be 100% behind him because when these moments arise, when he is afraid, unsure, and ready to quit, I have to be his Adrian. I have to remind him who he is and what he is fighting for.

The best line in the whole scene
Rocky: "How'd you get so tough?"
Adrian: "I live with a fighter"

Romance

2010-04-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

Romance.... some guys either have it, or they don't. As the "planner" of my relationship, I don't get to experience a whole lot of romance. Sure Luis is very affectionate and loving and I do get flowers pretty often but he does lack a little in the creativity department. A few weeks ago I told Luis that after 5 years together, I wanted him to plan a special date for us, nothing crazy expensive or over the top, just something I don't have to plan. I think he was a little overwhelmed! The poor guy looked at me like I had just asked him for his kidney (and I'm sure he would have rather done that than plan a date!) But he nodded and I figured he would forget, or at least hope I forget about it. But to my surprise, he didn't, and while it wasn't the most romantic idea in the world, it was exactly what I could expect from the love of my life because he really did think about what I would like.
Redbox movie and BJ's pizza (he said because he knows I love their pizza and we haven't been there in a long time). AWWW... I kid you not, I had tears in my eyes! Its funny how such a simple thing can make me so happy. I can't wait for date night now! ♥

Must be nice....

2010-03-26T23:05:00.000-07:00

This is the bowl of pasta Luis gets to eat every night... I put it next to a regular dinner plate to compare the size... And, he's having a tough time gaining weight! Must be nice...

Lets see how long this lasts

2010-03-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

Time to add a Mid-years resolution... I've noticed that I've become a little attached to my blackberry. I bbm and check Facebook when watching a movie or tv with Luis, when out to dinner with him and a lot of other times when I probably should be appreciating the very limited time I get to spend with my amazing man. He's so amazing that he never even says anything about my constant blackberry distraction but I'm starting to feel a little guilty. So from this day forward I am going to try to keep my phone in my purse when we are out to dinner and put it on silent when we are spending time together. So if I don't answer you message back in as timely a matter as you are used to from me, you know now why =)

I may have found it...

2010-03-13T23:25:00.000-08:00

Now I may be jumping the gun a little but I think I may have found something I really love to do... possibly a passion! A few months ago I decided to enter into my first triathlon and since then have been training for it. My running is coming along very well and my swimming has always been my strong point but I hadn't ridden outside in a very long time. I take spin class about 2-3 times a week but it is not the same as riding outside. After my first bike ride on Wednesday, I felt good but to be honest, a little discouraged. I only did 5 miles and I felt like that took me forever. Granted, I rode on a busy street with tons of stoplights that I had to stop at but still, I felt I should have gotten more mileage in the time I rode.

So Thursday at cardio bag class, my new friend Jackie, knowing I was training for the tri, asked me if I wanted to go riding with her. Of course I said yes and was super excited to ride with someone way more experienced than myself. Having already done 4 triathlons, I knew Jackie would really be able to push me like I needed to be pushed. And push me she did! Before leaving cardio bag class, she told me to meet her at her house at 7:45AM on Saturday (EEK!) and that we would ride about 12 miles and then run 2-3 miles (DOUBLE EEK!!!) 12 MILES?! I had only done 5! And then a run on top of it??? I was definitely worried. I even thought about canceling on her, but my great friends Cassie, Mo and Lish and my incredibly supportive fiance all said they knew I could do it and their faith in my abilities kinda rubbed off on me.

So Saturday morning, with butterflies in my tummy I woke up and headed out to meet Jackie. We got on the road by about 8 and headed up 2 huge hills! I had to stop twice, once because my gear was so hard that I couldn't even pedal and felt like I was gonna fall over and another time because my thighs were just on fire (cardio bag class 2 days before was probably not the best idea but hindsight I guess...) Anyways, we road up to the Santa Rosa Plateau which was just beautiful! It was a little cloudy and cool but great biking weather.

When we got to the top we stopped at a trail head, locked up our bikes and ran about 1-2 miles. My legs actually felt great and the run was fairly easy! After our run, we got back on our bikes and headed back down the hill and back to Jackie's. The whole trip took us 2 hours. I felt so accomplished, even thought I know I probably held Jackie back a little, I was so grateful for her and her pushing me. II would never have ridden that far on my own.

The first thing I did when I got back home was enter my workout onto dailymile.com (think of it as Facebook for your workouts). It's linked up with street maps so you can track your runs/rides and see exactly how many miles you have done. To my surprise, our ride today was 17.19 miles!!! I was shocked!!! If I can do 17 miles up 2 huge hills, my tri (which is also a 17 mile bike ride) should be great! I am so motivated now and I can't wait to get out there and ride again. The best part was, even though I was tired and sweaty and a little scared actually, I had a blast! I loved mixing up the ride with the run and I have never had so much fun working out before! I think this triathlon thing could be something that I am really passionate about! I even mapped out a new riding course near my house (with minimal hills lol) and I plan on getting on the road on Monday. Its only 8 miles but I figure I could mix in short rides during the week and do one long ride on Saturday. I'm thinking about conquering Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet which is a 23 mile loop with little to no hills.

Is someone a little cocky? I think so =)

My Badge of Honor

2010-03-13T14:32:00.000-08:00

Wednesday I embarked on my first outside bike riding experience and it was pretty awesome. I did a short ride near my house and ended up doing about 5 miles. Right when my ride was starting, I was standing at a stop light and couldn't get my shoes un-clicked from my pedals and I literally just tipped right over! I laughed, dusted myself off and kept on riding... so embarrassing! But I ended up with a nice little badge of honor.. my first road rash!

Honeymoon ADD

2010-03-08T15:09:00.001-08:00

Ever since I have been engaged I have been day dreaming about the big day. But often times I find myself day dreaming more about the day AFTER the big day! Waking up with my husband and being wisked away on some romantic adventure where there are no alarm clocks or lists of things to do are thoughts that consume my mind. The only problem is... I have honeymoon ADD. Everyday I change my mind about where I want to go. Spain, Italy, Mexico, Costa Rica, and a million other places are always in my brain!
Sometimes I think how romantic it would be to sightsee the streets of Spain, other times I think about us enjoying the best wine in Italy and then I'll think about laying on a white sand beach in a tropical location. I know our honeymoon is a long time away (almost exactly 18 months to the day)but I really wish I could pin point where to go! Luis of course just says "whatever you want my love" which is sweet but of absolute NO help to me at all. The frugal side of me says to go to the beautiful beaches of Mexico and enjoy an all inclusive resort while the frivilous side of me says "go to Europe! Spend a ton of money and don't think twice about it!" But the problem is, I will think twice about it. I'll think about how I could have put that money towards my home, or let it sit in savings for an emergency. I have a feeling Luis would rather go to Mexico and relax and with that in mind I think I am envisioning little umbrellas in my drinks... But we'll see how I feel next week :)

Some of my favorite pics

2010-03-06T21:04:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my favorite pics from Luis' fight, courtesy of Rebecca Lee who has taken pics of the last few fights Luis has had... She's awesome! She took a ton of pics but these are a handful of my favorite ones:

I love the emotion in his face

Luis Fights!

2010-02-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, February 21, 2010 Luis had his 4th fight and his first representing Team Quest. This fight was very important to him because he really had to win and he had been training so hard for this. The few days before the fight are usually the most stressful. We spent a whole day driving around selling tickets to people and getting all the necessary things for Luis' weigh in and fight night. Saturday, we woke up early and headed to the gym so Luis could cut the last 8 lbs that he was over for his weigh in. Thank goodness it only took him a little over an hour because it was hard to watch. Wearing a sauna suit and sweats and running on a treadmill looks horribly painful, especially when you can't even drink any water. By the end of it, Luis kinda looked like Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

Cutting Weight

After the weigh in we spent a little time with the Team Quest family where the boys signed autographs for people who came by the gym. It was nice because Luis was able to take his mind off of the fight and just relax. We headed home early and went to bed. The crappy thing was we both were sick and we woke up even more sick than the night before. Not a good way to start of fight day =( But the show must go on right? We ran a few more errands, met up with Luis' teammates and corner men and headed out to Soboba Casino. The closer we got to the venue the more worried I got. It was super cold and cloudy and looked like it would start pouring rain at any moment. Not good for an outdoor venue! So I prayed every chance I got that it would not rain.

About a mile from the casino

Like I said, I was super sick and spent most of my night in the locker room with Luis. We didn't speak at all or even really look at each other other than a few stolen glances here and there and the occasional air kiss, but it was nice to spend that time with him. I was kind of worried that he wouldn't like that but I was not feeling like mingling and talking with everyone, especially because I was VERY nervous on top of being sick. The great part was, after the fight, Luis told me that he loved me being back there with him =)

I love this picture

I stayed back there with him until he got his hands wrapped and then left as soon as it was time for him to warm up. Thank goodness one of Luis' corner men Corey brought his girlfriend Wendy! I had someone to stress with who actually understood what its like! I don't think I would have made it through the night without her! We ended up waiting a long time for Luis' fight (he was the 18th on the card) which he loved because 1. He had more time to get ready and didn't feel rushed and 2. He was on the main card =). So finally it was his turn to fight. His opponent was a Japanese Muay Thai fighter who had had 33 amateur and pro fights and he was tough. I didn't get any pictures of the actual fight but I will have some in a few days to post.

After the fight, waiting for the judges decision

The fight lasted 3 rounds and Luis won by unanimous decision! Luis used wrestling and ground and pound to dominate his opponent. I was SOOOO proud of him! He has worked so hard for this win and he earned it!

Luis after his win with Aaron, Corey and Isaias

We are so lucky that Luis had so many friends and family there to support him! He couldn't do it without them!

Just some of Luis' friends and family

Some of Luis' teammates

♥I couldn't be more proud of him ♥

It was a great night! Luis was beaming from ear to ear and as if it couldn't get any better, Luis' fight was put on the Team Quest website!

Free WiFi = Free Peace and Quiet

2010-02-18T18:05:00.000-08:00

I love free WiFi... its amazing. Sometimes when I just have to get out of the house, and be productive without a lot of distractions I head over to my local Its a Grind for some black iced tea and free WiFi. Something about being away from a growing pile of laundry, a house full of people and the guitar hero just a few feet away makes me so much more focused. As I type right now I am enjoying the comfort of a big comfy chair and just me and my lap top... very Carrie Bradshaw =)

Run, Bike, Swim

2010-02-16T00:49:00.000-08:00

I am OFFICIALLY registered for my first Triathlon! April 18th, I will be running a 5k, then biking 17 miles followed by a 150 yard swim. I am sooo excited for this! Its just what I needed to kick up my workouts and have something to work towards. I have 9 weeks to train! Wish me luck! =)

Deadliest Catch

2010-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite reality TV shows will never be the same. Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel documents events on fishing boats in the Bering Sea during Alaskan king crab and Opilio crab fishing seasons. I don't know what it is about this show that captivates me, but I watch it ALL the time. I'll watch reruns over and over again. I just love the dynamics between the crew and between the captains of various boats out in the dangerous Bering Sea. Phil Harris was the captain of the Cornelia Marie and his crew included 2 of his sons. A few weeks ago he suffered a stroke while unloading crab. He was released from the hospital but last night, he passed away. He was 53 years old. He was my favorite captain on the show and I really don't think the show will be the same without him.

Rest In Peace Captain

♥ You will be missed ♥

More Randomness

2010-02-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

1. I hate cuticles. I trim mine all the time.
2. I am very frugal. I hate spending money on things I can do myself, like mani/pedi's and car washes.
3. I have recently begun to enjoy running. I think it's because I never thought I could do it, and now I realize I can!
4. I am a Virgo and I can spot a fellow Virgo from a mile away! I identified 2 Virgos this week!
5. I only like the way I look in pictures if I am photographed from my right side.
6. My feet are always cold, no matter how hot it is outside.
7. I am a serious homebody. A Redbox movie and fast food is my idea of a great Saturday night.
8. Every time the Black Eyed Peas come out with a new song, I don't really like it right away. But after a few weeks, I can't get enough of it! ♫ Imma be, Imma be, Imma Imma Imma be ♫
9. Unlike most people my age, I am actually looking forward to my 30's
10. I wear a toe ring and I haven't take it off since I was 12

I love watching Luis train

2010-02-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

I have blogged before about how inspiring Luis' passion for MMA is and I think that is why I love watching him train so much. I try to go in and watch him at least once a week, mostly because I want him to know that I support him 100% and I also know how much he loves it when I go. I also try to take video every once in a while so we can always remember these awesome times in his life. Here are a few videos of Luis training:

Luis grappling with Tarec Saffiedine who is fighting for Strikeforce this month.. please disregard me teasing JT in the background =) Luis is in the grey shirt and red shorts:

This is Luis sparring. I can't remember the name of the guy he's sparring. Luis is in the red shirt... oh and on the left hand side check out the girls.. they are awesome! (One of them is wearing a white tanktop)

My Brother is Awesome

2010-02-02T09:17:00.000-08:00

Last night, my 21 year old brother Marco came home from his friends house and wanted to tell me something "weird" as he called it. Apparently, his friends older sister had come home from college at Arizona State over the weekend and was getting ready to go back. She got up, said bye, waved at her brother and left.
Marco said he was confused and looked at his friend and said "Is she leaving?" to which his friend responded "yes".
Marco said, "Thats it? You're not even gonna hug her goodbye?" and his friend kinda laughed and said no...
Then Marco said "Man, I see my sister everyday and everyday I hug and kiss her."

Yup... Marco is pretty awesome =)

Its not even Wednesday yet???

2010-01-26T22:57:00.000-08:00

Took Luis' car to the shop.... 2 days and $944 bucks later its working great =/

Didn't go to the gym Monday or Tuesday.... Luis had my car (see first statement)

My laundry pile seems to be growing exponentially

I am exhausted and heading for bed

Hopefully 7am takes it's time getting here

Itzhak Perlman

2010-01-24T21:51:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night, Luis and I were so lucky to attend a concert by world renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman accompanied by Sri Lankan pianist Rohan De Silva at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex in Los Angeles. To be honest, I didn't know much about him, besides that fact that he was my grandfathers favorite musician, but a few weeks ago when my cousin Mo told me she could get tickets from her brother Nick, who is the Marketing Director at the Luckman, I started doing my research on him. Perlman has played at Carnegie Hall, studied at Juliard and has played with nearly every Philharmonic ever. He was the violin soloist for the movies Schindler's List, which won an Academy award for best score, as well as for Memoirs of a Geisha. He is basically amazing! So Luis and I, along with Mo and her best friend Joanna and her boyfriend and a TON of our family got dressed up and headed out for a fabulous night!

As if our luck couldn't get any better, Nick was able to upgrade our seats in the orchestra, 6 rows from the stage and the incomparable Itzhak Perlman!

We sat next to Mr. Perlman's son and several seats away from actor Alan Alda and Matt Dallas from the show Kyle XY, but once the concert started, I couldn't take my eyes off the violin. It was incredible to see how quickly yet effortlessly he played and with so much love in his face. He played for over 2 hours and I could have listened to him for hours more.

Nick and Vlad <3

Afer the concert, (thanks to Nick and our VIP passes) we got to attend a very intimate reception with Mr. Perlman and enjoy some drinks and appetizers. It was a truly memorable night!

My love and I

A Few Random Facts about Me

2010-01-20T23:18:00.000-08:00

1. I make lists for everything. To-do lists, grocery lists, lists when I pack for a trip, weekly workout lists, budget lists, etc... I like order in my life ok! LOL!
2. I FB chat with my cousin Mo almost every night
3. I never sleep with any part of my body hanging off the bed.
4. When I drive at night, I will blast my radio and sing as loud as I can and imagine that I am just as good as the artist =)
5. I have a slight obsession with scarfs and knitting them, and then I end up giving them away.
6. I have developed a severe addiction to Guitar Hero... I might consider rehab.
7. My favorite weather is really really cold days with a clear sky! Perfect scarf weather =)
8. My favorite expression in Spanish is "Me vale madre!"
9. I have a very strong desire to learn Portuguese.
10. I will wear heels whenever humanly possible.

I may add more as I begin to notice more random things about myself =)

Avatar

2010-01-20T00:11:00.000-08:00

Tuesday night Luis and I went to see Avatar, which we were both really excited about! We had heard so many great things about it and we couldn't wait to see it. I really only knew the premise of the movie, which is basically humans trying to take over another planets resources in order to take those resources back to Earth since the humans had used up all their own natural resources. We saw it in IMAX 3D which was visually amazing! It had been a long time since I had seen a 3D movie and Luis had never seen one! It was really cool to see the look on his face when things were flying off the screen at us. After getting over the initial shock of how realistic the 3D effects were, I was in awe of the graphics and just the incredibly imaginative mind of James Cameron.

About halfway through the movie (its nearly 3 hours long) I started to get a Dances with Wolves meets Braveheart flashback. But despite this, it was still so imaginative and like nothing I had ever seen that it didn't matter. I couldn't help but think how much this movie related to events in Colonial America when the settlers stole land from the Native Americans which such disregard for their homes, traditions and culture. I felt myself wanting to be part of the Na'vi tribe as I watched. I wanted to live amongst people who appreciated the things they had, who had respect for everything around them, who acknowledged that everything has a spirit. I think it's something we often forget. We kill bugs without even so much as a second thought, we pluck flowers and kill acres and acres of trees with such thoughtlessness for the forest and the animals that inhibit it. Now, don't get me wrong, I am far from a tree hugger but I do think we should only take what we need. In Avatar, the Na'vi kill their food with such respect. They thank them for their death and their contribution to the cycle of life and pray for them to reach their version of heaven. It was really inspiring.

Avatar also reminded me a lot about the War on Terror. These humans (Americans) come to a foreign land to liberate the natives (Middle East) and by doing so, can manipulate them to steal their most valuable resource (Oil) without any regard for their thousands of years of traditions because the humans have this insatiable superiority complex. Hmmm... James Cameron, you are a smart and sneaky man. But regardless of what you get from the movie, it was absolutely the best movie I had seen in a very long time. There were points where I would just get chills thinking about how amazing it was. It really is a must see... plus you get to wear these super cool shades =)

Friday night in the ER

2010-01-19T10:47:00.000-08:00

Soooo, Friday night Luis went to train at a gym in Hemet that he sometimes goes to if he's out there working late and can't make it to Team Quest. It was a pretty typical day for me. I worked, went to the gym and was looking forward to my 4 day weekend and absolutely nothing to do. I'm laying in my bed and I hear a bunch of male voices in my house and my dogs bark, a sure sign that someone out of the ordinary is here. And then my mom says "Aye, Luis te que paso?"

I ran out of bed and saw Luis holding his back and walking like an 89 year old man. He told me he pulled something in his back and was in A LOT of pain. Apparently, they guys at the gym had to pick Luis up and carry him out of the cage and they even drove him home from Hemet! (I'm bringing them cookies today to thank them).

We were worried that he could have slipped a disk or pinched his sciatica so we decided that it was worth a trip to the ER, especially since he has a fight in 5 weeks. He could barely move and I had to put his shoes and socks on and put his sweatshirt on for him. Poor guy couldn't even get in the car without help. I packed up my usual ER necessities (I'm used to this remember?) like a few magazines (thank goodness I had just gotten my new Glamour), water bottle, cell phone and a warm sweatshirt (the hospital is always freezing!) and we headed to Inland Valley.

We pretty much know the routine there but when we pulled up they were extremely busy and had someone taking vitals (temp, blood pressure, etc) pretty much right in the lobby in front of everyone. So when this hilarious little Philipino woman who had way to much energy told Luis to take his sweatshirt off so she could take his blood pressure, Luis quietly told her that he didn't have a shirt on underneath it. For those of you who don't know Luis, he is very self counscuious about his body (which is amazing IMO) but he doesn't like to "show it off" as he puts it. Well, this woman laughed and maybe even shreaked a little and said very loudly "WHOOHOOO, we get to see those six pack abs now!" OMG poor Luis was mortified! But I was laughing sooo much, as was everyone else in the waiting room. Luckily for Luis, she pulled out a blood pressure monitor designed to go over clothes =) Here is Luis just waiting....

So after maybe 2 hours of waiting for x-rays to come back, they moved us into this room with about 8 other patients and an amazing nurse named Aaron. If you ever have to go to Inland Valley, this guy is the best! He took the time with each patient and really got to know them and he made the additional 3 hours there fly by. He gave Luis some muscle relaxers and and injection of dilaudid which Aaron referred to as "morphines big brother". I think Luis was out before Aaron even left the room and he slept for 2 of the 3 hours we were there.

He woke up just in time to hear that his disks and nerves were fine and that he had a severe lumbar strain in his lower back, similar to an injury that occurs from a car accident. So they sent us home with some prescriptions for muscle relaxers and pain medication, and instructions to do nothing physical for at least a few days. We never even filled the prescriptions because Luis said he was gonna tough it out, and hes at the gym swimming (no impact on the back) as we speak. When will that boy ever learn???

DIY Wedding

2010-01-13T23:30:00.000-08:00

So with my wedding planning underway, it has become very apparent that many parts of my wedding will be DIY. My family is rich in love but our richness pretty much ends there LOL! But to be honest, even if they did have a ton of money, I really don't want them to spend so much money on things that we can do ourselves. Being that my wedding is 18 months away, I have plenty of time to do all my DIY projects and I have a bunch of great women to help me. I was totally inspired by my friend Nancy's wedding invites and she has proven that you can make absolutely beautiful invitations all by yourself, with the help of bridesmaids of course =) So thats my plan! We are going to make our invitations!

I am also lucky enough to have a very talented Maid of Honor who is a flower arranging genius! This is a bouquet she made just for fun! BEAUTIFUL!

So I am gonna take advantage of her talents and the talents of my wonderful bridesmaids and we are going to make all the flower arrangements, bouquets and centerpieces. So my plan is to go to the Farmer's Markets and the Flower Districts in Los Angeles in June of this year to see what flowers are in season and what flowers will give us the best bang for our buck! Then, we can do a test run on all the flower arrangements and in June of 2011, when we are making them for THE big day, it will be a piece of cake! I'm thinking we will also have DIY programs for the day of the wedding as well as favors (if we do any at all) and we will decorate the pews of the church too.

While it seems like a lot of work, I am actually really really excited to be so hands on with all the little details! It will truly be a labor of love and it seems so much more fun than just walking into a flower shop and pointing at things I like. I also think its gonna make for a very special day and some very special bonding with my greatest friends!

24 weeks

2010-01-10T22:33:00.000-08:00

I have 24 weeks of school left! OMG! I need the strength to get through it! Just 5 more months... I can do this (and stay on the Dean's List *knock on wood*)

It wasn't a fluke!

2010-01-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I ran 4 miles again! I beat my best (and only) time of 49 minutes and finished in 46! I am going to try and run 4 miles about 3-4 days a week and hopefully I can get to a 10 minute mile before I attempt to run a 10k in May/June! Oh and this was all after a full body weight workout! *Pats myself on back*

I CAN RUN!

2010-01-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

Holy crap I can run! Not fast, not slow but nevertheless I can run! Friday at work I started thinking that today would be the day that I would run 4 miles. Why? Who the hell knows, but I just decided it was gonna happen and that was it! Have I ever run 4 miles before? Nope! I've never even run 3! But I was actually excited about going to the gym on a Friday night (for some reason, Friday is mentally the hardest for me to get to the gym) and I was ready to push myself once I got there. I ran at a 1.0 incline (because no road is ever compltely flat) and started out at 5.0 miles per hour. I was doing really good a little over 2 miles into my run and I couldn't believe that I had never pushed myself beyond my comfort zone.

My endorphines were just rushing through me and I was feeling amazing. My pace was good but the last half mile I pushed myslef a little harder and increased my speed to 6.5! I saw the treadmill monitor reach 4 miles and I was so unbelievably proud of myself! I ran it in 49 minutes, so about a 12 minute a mile pace. I've never run that far before and I always thought I couldnt run. So now its time to keep pushing myself. Today I'm gonna try and run it in less than 49 minutes, maybe 46! And I'm gonna start training for a 10k (6.2 miles) and see how well I do =)

Chocolate Chip Belgium Waffles

2010-01-03T13:18:00.000-08:00

I really love to cook, but what I love more is cooking for my loved ones. We have had a professional Belgium waffle maker in our house for almost 4 years and it was never used! Last week I decided to pull it out and make breakfast for my family. My mom and dad work very hard and either one of them (usually my mom) cooks dinner every night so I thought I could make a good breakfast for them on their one day off. They turned out really good and were a big hit! So this Sunday, I woke up with a sweet tooth and planned on making breakfast again for the family. I LOVE chocolate chip pancakes but the one thing I do not like about them is how soggy they get with the whipped cream, so I decide to try waffles instead! Plus Luis really wanted some too =) I am not a cook from a recipe type girl at all. I learned to cook from my grandmother and mother who never use measuring cups or recipes. They have this ability to be able to just know what the meal they are cooking needs by tasting and smelling it and it is something that I am slowly being able to do. So don't expect a recipe in this blog! lol!

My waffles started out with just a basic batter recipe. I mixed Bisquick, eggs and milk together until it had a good consistancy, not too thick and not too liquidy. I wasn't sure if I should add the chocolate chips to the batter or just add them to the waffles after I poured the batter so I just added them on top. Next time I make them, I might try them in the batter. If anyone knows which way is best please let me know =)

Here is my beautiful waffle maker! I really love this thing!

This is some of the ingredients I used... pretty self explanatory =)

I just poured all the batter in. I tried to do it evenly so the waffles don't have any missing pieces, but not too full so it doesn't overflow out of the waffle maker

Then I just sprinkled a handful of chocolate chips on top of the batter

The finished product!

I topped them with some whipped cream and a couple extra chocolate chips. I was surprised how yummy they were! They definitely didn't get soggy the way pancakes do and I think it was because the waffles are crispy on the outside.

Luis gave them them 2 thumbs up! I'm thinking next time, I'll try them with blueberries and a mixed berry sauce on top!

The Last Injury of 2009

2010-01-02T22:39:00.000-08:00

The year wouldn't be complete without some kind of injury from Luis' training. The other day he came home with a cut on his lip from biting himself while training. Apparently he was training without his mouthpiece in (he already got scolded for this) and he bit himself. But it wasn't until he got home that we realized he had bitten entirely through his lip! The cut on the inside went clear through to the outside and this is what it looked like when he got home.

Its healing pretty good now and no stitches were needed =)

Stitches from the Heart

2010-01-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

Its time to give back! I initially had thought about starting my own non-profit organization but to be honest I had no idea where to start and when I did start researching it, I felt completely overwhelmed. My Aunt Gaby emailed me regarding a charity organization called Stitches from the Heart. Based out of Santa Monica, Stitches from the Heart is an organization started by Kathy Silverton. After hearing about premature babies going home from hospitals with very little, Kathy started knitting booties, blankets and hats to donate to hospitals.
Stitches from the Heart is now celebrating its 4th anniversary and has 12,000+ volunteers and has donated over half a million items to over 1,088 hospitals and charities around the country! When I read about this amazing charity I knew I had to be a part of it! Luis was born premature, weighing just 3 lbs, and his parents were so incredibly poor so this charity definitely hits close to home for me. I could only imagine how grateful his parents would have been for someone to give them a knitted blanket or hat handmade with love for a perfect stranger. I cannot wait to start and I am looking forward to making someones first trip home with their baby a happy and warm one!

If anyone is interested in helping you can contact Stitches from the Heart through their website http://www.stitchesfromtheheart.org/. Even if you don't crochet or knit, you can still contribute some way so I encourage you all to check out the website!

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

I love New Years! Its a fresh start and an excuse to get reorganized and rejuvenated about life! Last year was the first year that I can remember where I actually kept a New Years Resolution (which was to lose 30 lbs). I have several resolutions for 2010 and I'm hoping to at least keep most of them:

1. Lose the last 20 lbs!

2. Not sweat the small stuff. I have a tendency to get my feelings hurt about insignificant things and/or the way people treat me. I'm thinking that I should start letting some of that roll off my back and not let it bother me =)

3. Contribute to Stitches from the Heart (a blog about this is coming!)

4. Make more time for my friends. I am such a routine kinda person that I get stuck doing the same thing everyday and before I even realize it, it has been months since seeing my friends!

5. I will also gossip less and I will not gossip about people when I hear they are gossiping about me. It kinda goes back to resolution #2. If people wanna talk about me thats great! I'm glad to provide them with some entertainment =) but I will not lower myself to anyone else's level by speaking badly of people. If I don't have something nice to say, I won't say anything at all!

I'm sure there are many other things that I could work on, but I think the list I have is pretty good. I'm looking forward to being able to cross all these off my list!

Happy New Year!

Recap of 2009

2009-12-30T19:31:00.000-08:00

As I look over the last 360+ days of 2009, I realize just how far I have come in such a short time. This year was filled with amazing experiences and life changing moments and I thought I could post my last blog of 2009 by recapping some of the highlights of the past year.

In January, with my weight tipping the scales at about 188 lbs., I decided to get off my fat ass (literally) and start to do something about it. Since then, I have lost 33 lbs and have less than 20 to go! I am so proud of myself for the progress I have made!

In March, Luis asked me to be his wife! He proposed to me amongst tons of flowers and candles and told me he couldn't live the rest of his life with out me. Of course, I said YES! It was the happiest day of my life and now 2010 will be full of wedding planning!

In May, my wonderful parents threw Luis and I a little engagement party (just 80 people! lol!) and I was truly overwhelmed bu the amount of love that my friends and family had for us.

In May, we also headed out to a Dodger game with a ton of my family and of course, the Brunette Mafia =)

In June, my great friend Amanda welcomed her beautiful baby girl Daylin Alicia into the world!

In June, I also supported Luis' decision to try out for the Team Quest Pro MMA Team, something that he had been wanting to do for a long time and I stood beside him with tears in my eyes as he was told he had made it. I was, and still am, so proud of Luis and all his hard work!

In August, Luis and I both turned 27. A few weeks before our birthday we got matching tattoos on our ribs. We fell in love with the Latin phrase "Nunc Scio Quid Sit Amor" which means "Now I know what love is" and we wanted to do something to show our journey in love and our dedication to each other.

September and October were full of wedding festivities for my cousin Kristen's wedding. The months were filled with bridal showers and a great bachelorette party!

In November, Luis and I were a part of Kristen and Ben's wedding and we had a great time celebrating with our friends and family.

After the wedding, Luis and I took off to Playa del Carmen, Mexico to spend 8 perfect days relaxing on the beach! We fell in love with the city and are definitely going to go back!

I also went to the midnight showing of New Moon with my favorite fellow Twilight-ers! And of course, we all went in our Twilight tee shirts too!

My cousin Mo, Kristen, and I also spent a ton of time planning our family's Annual Adult Christmas Party and it went off perfectly!

Thanksgiving was spent at my Aunt Gaby's house with the best family a girl could ask for! I am so thankful for our big family and being surrounded by so many loved ones!

December was jam packed with Christmas parties and precious time spent with family and friends

Luis and I also went ice skating for the first time together and had such a blast! I am so lucky to have someone like Luis in my life who I am able to share so many experiences with!

But for me the best day of 2009 is going to be December 31st. Five years ago on New Years Eve, Luis and I met, and we both knew that this was it. We had found the person we were going to spend the rest of our life with and grow old with. I knew he would be the father of our future children and I knew that he would always stand beside me through good times and bad. This year we will celebrate that day together with amazing friends as we commemorate the end of 2009 and welcome with great anticipation, the beginning of 2010! May this next year bring you all countless blessings and joy! Happy New Year!!!

Ice Skating

2009-12-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

Saturday night Luis and I had a pretty awesome date night! For a few weeks in the winter, Old Town Temecula was home to an outdoor ice skating rink, and Luis and I thought it would be a fun thing for us to do together, since we both had never ice skated. Turns out, we weren't that bad! Luis only fell once and I didn't fall at all *pats myself on back*. It was really cold that night so it made it feel even more like Christmas =)

I'm a pretty lucky girl <3

It's Time to Give Back

2009-12-23T23:19:00.000-08:00

I am a lucky girl. I have an amazing family, a warm place to sleep every night and I don't have to worry about where my next meal will come from. But I realize that not everyone has these luxuries that we so often take for granted. So I've thought of a way that I could give back. I don't have a lot of money, I can't adopt 100 children or feed the homeless everyday, but I can take a hobby and turn it into a way to make people feel just a little more cozy at night.

When I was in college at Cal Poly Pomona, I used to commute about 60 miles each way to go to class. Thankfully, my Tia Gaby lived just 10 minutes away from my school, so I would often times stay the night there if I didn't want to make the long trek home. On the nights I stayed there, my Tia would teach me how to crochet and I loved doing it and more than anything, I loved that my great grandmother Mami Chayito taught her and she was passing her knowledge down to me. Lately I have been crocheting a lot... I'm not great, but I do make a pretty awesome scarf! Basically, at this point I can't make anything that isn't a rectangle or a square but I am determined to learn! I am also determined to use this to give back.

So my plan for 2010 is to start a non-profit organization. I will make scarves, blankets, eventually beanies mittens, and socks and pass them out to homeless shelters and those who are less fortunate. I realize I'm not curing cancer but if my scarf can keep someone warm at night while not having to spend a dime on it, then I have accomplished my goal. So all you crafty people out there who already crochet, or those of you who want to learn (I PROMISE its very easy!) I encourage you to help me in this endeavor. Let me know if you would be interested in helping in anyway, whether it be actually making some pieces over the year, or just donating some yarn. I will be getting all the details set up over the next few weeks so I will keep you all posted!

Now, I just have to come up with a cute name!

It's always something

2009-12-23T08:25:00.000-08:00

Luis came home with a black eye last night..... It looks worse in real life..

He's still cute though =)

Shoes

2009-12-20T23:51:00.000-08:00

Carrie Bradshaw once said "I don't play favorites with my shoes but these were very special." I couldn't agree with her more. I love shoes, I possibly own too many but each pair has a special place in my heart. I have a soft spot for platform peep toe heels and will buy them whenever humanly possible. I have one pair of shoes that I might be able to call my favorites, IF I did have to choose. I love to wear them, but I try not to wear them too much because it could take away from their specialness. I think what makes them so special to me is that I wanted them for months. Every time I went to Macy's I would see them, drool over them, swoon over them. Brown BCBG peep toe, platform with a heel and a gold buckle???? Amazing!

But they were entirely way too expensive for me to seriously consider buying. I'm cheap remember? Its not that I didn't have the money, I just couldn't imagine spending so much on shoes, regardless of how much I loved them. So I started putting money away into my savings account with the hope that when I had enough, they would still be there. I finally had some extra cash saved and went to Macy's praying that they were still there, and to my surprise they were! And on sale for 25% off AND the sales clerk gave me another 20% off. So my $120 shoes cost me $70 bucks out the door! I was so proud of my amazing shoes at an even more amazing price. I especially love wearing them with skinny jeans! Check 'em out for yourself =)

Oh Blackberry, how do I love thee, let me count the ways....

2009-12-16T18:41:00.000-08:00

I FINALLY got my Blackberry. Being as cheap as I am I waited until I was eligible for an upgrade and fortunately Sprint was having a huge promotion at the time and offering buy one get one free for 50 bucks! So Luis and I joined the rest of the world and got BB's and we absolutely love them! Did I truly live before it??? Ok maybe thats a little dramatic but seriously this phone rocks! Once I figure out how to blog from my phone I'll be a bloggin' machine!

Here We Go Again

2009-12-16T18:24:00.000-08:00

The last two and a half years of Luis fighting have been interesting. We've had several trips to Urgent Care and more bumps and bruises than I care to even try to count. But, like I always tell everyone, he just loves MMA so I try to hide my frustration when we have to make yet another late night trip to get stitched up. Last night, he came home with that same look on his face, like the cat that ate the mouse.

I said "UGH, not again" (like I always do) and he said "Eh, its not that bad" (Like he always does).

Except this time, it wasn't that bad. Just a cut under the chin from getting kneed. Not that deep but just split wide. For some reason, the cuts on the chin (this is his second there in about 4 months) seem to split very wide. Probably because the skin there is pulled tight? Who knows, but nevertheless it didn't warrant a visit to our local Urgent Care. Just a little super glue (yes you heard that right) and some butterfly bandages fixed this boo boo right up =). Thank goodness I have the stomach to handle some blood, but I'm hoping I don't have to see it for a very long time (knock on wood!)

testing, testing, 1 2...

2009-12-14T13:57:00.001-08:00

Just testing out my blog on my bb :)

The Basics

2009-12-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

I have been known to be cheap, but I like to shop and I like to look my best. However, I don't like to spend money unless I absolutely have to and I will shop at TJ Maxx, Marshals and Burlington Coat Factory before I hit any department stores. I think there are a few staple pieces that every woman should have and should budget to spend a pretty penny on. These can be mixed in with inexpensive trendy pieces that can be worn for a while and then tossed without the guilt. Today I had a conversation with my cousin about what every woman should have in their closet at all times and here is what we came up with...

1. A great pair of dark jeans that make your butt look amazing and make you feel great. I love dark jeans because they are great for everyday, are super flattering and can be thrown with heels and a top to go out on the town. Whichever brand you like whether its Seven For All Mankind, Joe's Jeans or Banana Republic, every woman should invest in a good pair that will last forever and keep their shape

2. Slacks. Every woman should have the basic colors, brown or tan, black and navy. They are great for work and play. A great pair can make you feel sexy and sophisticated. I love Slacks from Express or the Limited.

3. A classic white dress shirt. Like the slacks, you can wear it to work and on a casual day too.

4. A great suit, either pants or skirt, preferably one of each. Like the slacks, a few different basic colors is best. Even one with a nice pinstripe for an added touch. You never know when an opportunity will present itself and should an interview pop up you should always be prepared. A dark suit is always appropriate and can be matched with something a little trendy to show off your personal style. In my opinion the suit should be properly tailored to fit like a glove. Its worth the extra money to make it look clean and sharp.

5. A LBD. Whether its strapless, one sleeved, long sleeve, backless or V-neck it should make you look and feel your best. At least 3-4 times a year, a woman will stress about what to wear to a Christmas or New Years Party, a cocktail party, a jazz concert or just a date with their man and it's conforting to know that they have their go-to dress and some shoes and accessories can give it an entirely different look.

6. A nice wool coat, no matter where you live. 3 years ago, my mom bought me a beautiful camel colored wool and cashmere calf length coat from Banana Republic. I loved it but I thought I would never get any use out of it. Boy I couldn't have been more wrong. I've worn it every winter and I absolutely love it. Whether its a long or short coat, camel or black every woman should have one (or two!)

7. Heels. Real leather and good quality. My mom always stressed to me the importance of wearing good shoes and taking care of my feet and I never ever where cheap shoes. TJ Maxx and Marshals have great deals on good quality shoes that are super cute. I almost always get my shoes from there! Heels can be worn with jeans, work clothes and even that LBD! A great pair of black and tan or brown is definitely necessary. And those who know me, know that I am a sucker for a platform, peep toe high heel shoe!

I think having these basics can make everyday dressing and special occasion dressing easier and a little bit more interesting because all an outfit needs is a trendy top and great accessories. So stop spending a fortune on cheap clothes and invest in some good quality pieces that make you feel super sexy!

The Knot!

2009-12-10T11:53:00.000-08:00

I am officially a Knottie! I was lurking on the website The Knot for the last few months and I finally posted my first discussion on the board =) Wedding planning here I come!

Things that bug me at the gym

2009-12-08T01:15:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time in the gym, about 10 hours a week, and as a people watcher, I have noticed some things that really bug me about one of my favorite places to go. Here is a random assortment of things that just irk me:

1. If I have my Ipod in, that usually means I don't want to talk... so please don't try to strike up a conversation.
2. Please wear deodorant and bathe... there is nothing worse than working out next to someone who stinks. I realize its a gym but please do your best to be clean and odor free.
3. Put your weights away. Its not THAT hard and hey, you burn extra calories walking them back to their spot =)

4. Put your phone down. There is no way you can get the best workout possible if your chatting on the phone while on the elliptical. If you don't need the workout, get off the machine because someone else probably wants to use it.
5. Stop hitting on people there, really its old and very cliche. There is a difference between a casual conversation and a blatant pick up and most women can tell the difference so just let us get our workout in without having to reject you. Oh, and another thing, stop checking us out in the mirror... WE CAN SEE YOU!

6. Grunting. Really? Is it necessary? Last time I checked my gym was not jam packed with bodybuilders and I'm pretty sure you should probably be putting that energy into your lifting, not your mouth.
7. I am guilty of sweating A LOT. And since I am aware of this, I wipe down every machine after I use it and I even bring an extra shirt with me just in case I need to change. So please, don't sweat all over a machine and then walk away before wiping it down.
8. The narcissist. Don't flex your muscles in the mirror right after working them out. Your abs will not look noticeably different after one set of crunches. Save that for the mirror at home.
9. The guy that goes around and tries to tell people, particularly women, how to workout... and the guy at my gym, is fat. Seriously dude? I wouldn't take financial advice from a poor person, I wouldn't take marriage advice from an adulterer and I most certainty would not take fitness advice from a guy with a beer gut. If I have a question, I'll ask someone who looks like they work out.
10. Those people who think they are the shit. Check your ego at the door please, we are all here for the same reason.

So those are just a few of my pet peeves about the gym... I'm sure I will have more as time goes on.

How do you find a Passion?

2009-12-08T00:34:00.000-08:00

I think I've discovered that I don't really have a specific passion. Luis is lucky enough to have found 2. He played soccer for most of his life and was very good. He was nationally ranked in High School and played College soccer. He quit soccer about 2 years ago when he found a new passion in MMA. He is so incredibly dedicated, training about 30 hours a week and making sacrifices to do what he loves. I am very proud of him, but I do envy the fact that he is so passionate about something.

I don't really have anything that I am that passionate about. I like to do a lot of things but I wouldn't say I have a true passion. I think I should try and find something that I could devote such time and energy into. But how? Luis didn't go out looking for a passion, he just stumbled upon it. So I'm thinking that I need to dig deeper into the things I like to do to see if I can zero in on something that really gets me excited. I really enjoy working out, testing my body and my mind so I'm thinking I should try things that are physical. Maybe a triathlon, or long distance cycling or maybe even try my hand at boxing or Muay Thai on a more serious level. To me this seems like a good way to kill two birds with one stone since I am really trying to get into really good shape. So I am on a quest to find something that I am truly passionate about. Hopefully, I find something soon =)

M.I.A

2009-12-04T23:08:00.000-08:00

So I have been a little MIA on my blog and I'm starting to feel a little guilty. Ever since I got back from Playa del Carmen and getting through Thanksgiving, it has been hard for me to get back in the routine of things. So here is my little blog for now. Playa Del Carmen was abolutly amazing. We could not imagine a better way to spend a romantic 8 days together. We spent the entire time relaxing on the beach and talking about our future together.

This was my view for the whole trip... amazing!!!

I have a ton more pictures on my FB I just didnt have the energy to post them here!

Wedding Colors

2009-11-16T23:35:00.000-08:00

Luis and I have finally decided on our wedding colors. We are doing a jewel toned purple and grey with accents of black and white =)

So one thing check off the list, only 5456461489 more to go!

November is an Awesome Month!

2009-10-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

I am so looking forward to November! Not only is it my Dad's birthday and my parents 32nd wedding anniversary, but it is also jam packed with a ton of other fun stuff!!!

After 5 years without a vacation (minus some mini ones here and there like Vegas and what not) Luis and I planned an absolutely fabulous vacation to Playa del Carmen, Mexico for 8 days of relaxation! We intended to go in January to celebrate our 5 year anniversary, but the rates were soooo much cheaper in November we decide to move it up a bit! We also have a very special wedding that Luis and I are lucky to be apart of! My cousin Kristen is marrying Luis' childhood friend Ben on November 7th! That means we leave very early Sunday morning after the wedding so needless to say I have a ton of stuff to do this week!

I have a ton of Bridesmaids duties to tend to so this stuff has to get done now. We basically have to buy all the stuff we need for our trip, wash all our laundry and start packing today (saturday) in order to have it all ready by next Sunday. I also have to write a 10 page research paper with an accompanying Power Point presentation (due Monday) and do 2 weeks worth of homework so I won't be forced to do any while I am actually on vacation! Did I mention I also work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday???? YIKES!!! But it will all be worth it! I am so excited about the wedding and about the week to follow! If any of you know a Mestas wedding, they are ALWAYS a blast!!! So I bid you adieu for a little while and I promise when I return I will have a ton of stuff to blog about! I will leave you with a few pics of where Luis and I will be heading!!! Ahhhh Bliss!

And just so that I have some incentive to actually return from this trip... I will be getting together with a great bunch of girls to watch Twilight and the midnight showing of New Moon on November 19th!

Such a great month!!!

Ciao! <3

Kristen's Bachelorette Party!

2009-10-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we all headed out to San Diego's Gaslamp District to a great bar called Fleetwood to celebrate Kristen's bachelorette party and we had an amazing time! I think most of the pics speak for themselves so I won't bother you all with describing all of them!

There are a ton more on my Facebook Page =)

Luis' 1st Pumpkin Carving!

2009-10-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

Nothing says fall like cool weather and pumpkins, but since its still practically 90 degrees out, I thought we should carve some Halloween pumpkins to get us into the fall mood. Luis has never ever carved a pumpkin and I was so excited that we got to do this together! We decided that we should start out very simple and do the classic jack-o-lantern face. Here is our little pumpkin before we started carving.

Luis and I pulling out the seeds. We will be toasting the seeds later =)

Luis contemplating his first cut

The finished product!

Our first pumpkin together <3

Happy Halloween!

The 'Maids

2009-10-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

Getting married is something every girl dreams about and every girl has their own idea of their perfect wedding day. Some girls dream of a backyard wedding with a few close people, some a huge wedding with 400 of their nearest and dearest and some people would rather head to the courthouse and share their special day with that one special person. My idea of a perfect wedding has nothing to do with location, number of guests or the flavor of the cake. For me, a wedding is about celebration with friends and family. I am lucky to have friends I consider family and family I can call friends so deciding who would be standing next to me when I marry my best friend was a pretty easy task.

My Bridesmaids

Jennifer Magana

Jenn is my cousin who I consider a younger sister. There is only one word I can use to describe her.... HILARIOUS! She never takes herself seriously and is always up for a good time. She makes me laugh non-stop when we hang out and you never know what your gonna get with Jenn. She is beautiful, stylish and intelligent. She is always up for experimenting with her look and looking oh so fabulous. She is definitly my go to girl when I need a night out on the town!

Amanda Heredia

I have known Amanda for over 10 years. We went to high school together and were acquaintances, often having classes together and even going to the same church, but when we discovered that we both were going to Cal Poly Pomona we started carpooling and the rest is history! We helped each other through crappy relationships and some incredibly hard times but through it all we had an amazing ride and got closer than ever. She is someone that is very close to my heart, and even though we don't see each other as much as we would like, everytime we get together it's like we never skipped a beat! Not only is Amanda incredibly gorgeous and absolutely brilliant, she is a great example of what a wife and mother should be. I am so lucky to have her in my life!

Cassie Berni

Cassie is someone that I met about 6 years ago and really just hit it off with. We started off as coworkers and eventually grew to be amazing friends. I can talk to Cassie about anything and everything. Cassie is an amazing wife and mother and I hope that one day I can be as successful in that as she is. She has a classic beauty that is enviable along with a one of the guys personality that makes her so down to earth. She can be dolled up in jeans and heels while rooting for her SD sports teams (GRRR!) I love having a friend that I can talk about men, clothes and baseball with! It doesnt get much better than that!

Maria Mestas

Maria, know to many as Mo, is my go to girl! She is always a text message away and we can talk about things that many people probably couldn't! She is my cousin on my fathers side and is one of my closest friends. We share the same values and for us, our families always come first no matter what. Anytime we get a chance to help out our brothers or celebrate with family you can count on Mo and I to be there! I love Mo's spure of the moment decisions and her spontaneity! I wish I could be more like that! Having someone like her in my life is definitly a good way to keep me on my toes!

Kristen Mestas (very soon to be Kristen Nysse)

Kristen is also my cousin on my fathers side and is someone that I have grown close to over the past few years. We are practically neighbors and I love knowing that if I need someone to talk to or someplace to cheer on our Dodgers I can just walk around the corner and have a great time! Kristen has a smile and a laugh that is infections and is always ready to have fun! I am so happy that she is just a few weeks away from marrying one of Luis' best friends and we are lucky to have both of them in our lives and to share all of these important moments with!

My Maid of Honor

Carol Colby

I am honored to have Carol as my maid of honor. She is my cousin on my mothers side but I consider her a sister. I have always looked up to her. She was the first to put makeup on me and make me girly! She also kind of set me up with the first person I was ever allowed to go an a real date with! She was and always will be my big sis. Carol is unbelieveably smart and funny! She always has something witty to say! Her syle is classic and chic and I always look up to her ability to look pulled together all the time. She is someone that is always in my corner 100% and I know she will be ready with tons of marriage advice for me!

So there are the women of my bridal party. The best friends a girl could ask for. I couldn't imagine getting married and not seeing them stand beside me and supporting me on the most important day of my life. I love you girls!

Makeup Look: Simple Glam

2009-10-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

I have been known to dabble in makeup... actually, I love it. I love doing my own and doing other peoples as well. I do not claim to be an expert but over the years I think I have honed my skills and have become a pretty good makeup artist. Last week, my amiga America asked me to give her an emergency makeup tutorial because she will be going to the Marine Corps Ball with her boyfriend. Of course, I would have done her makeup for her but unfortunately (for her not me lol) I will be on a plane headed to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico so I am trying to give her the next best thing, a step by step guide on a simply sexy makeup look.

Whenever I do anyones makeup, I always consider their lifestyle and their daily makeup routine. I would hate for someone to look like a totally different person. Makeup should accentuate your features, not be a mask that covers them up. Well, America is a laid back SD girl who is a gorgeous natural beauty. Her daily makeup routine is pretty much just a little powder, some blush and some mascara so I'm gonna do this tutorial with that in mind and give her something quick and easy to do. For something formal, I always recommend using colors that best highlight a persons features and complexion rather than trying to "match" the dress. Here is the beautiful America:
OK so here we go. First, I start with a base on my eyes. I use Urban Decay Potion Primer but any base will do. Cheap Tip #1- You can use a little liquid foundation, anything that will help the shadow stick to your skin better.

Then pick a nice brown color. I used a bronzy color because it is a little more glam (Bronze by MAC) but a plain matte brown is good too. Apply the shadow all over the eyelid up to your crease. You can use a little brush like the one I used or even your finger. Cheap Tip #2- Sonia Kashuk makes amazing brushes that are sold at Target for very cheap. Invest in a few of those and you will be set. Next pick a lighter highlight and apply it with a brush from the crease up to the eyebrow. (I used Ricepaper by MAC, but they also have one called Vanilla and Shroom that I love). Pick a color that ranges from a vanilla shade to a tan one like i used here (because my skin is a little darker). For America, I would recommend a vanilla shade but not one that looks too white or frosty. Cheap Tip #3- Target and Wal-Mart will carry trio eyeshadow compacts that take all the guess work out of finding colors that coordinate and they are usually pretty inexpensive. You will want to find one with a light vanilla color, a brown and a darker brown.
This next part takes a little bit of practice. You will want to blend the lid color into the highlight color. That way, there is not a harsh line between the two colors. If you have a blending brush you can do this by dipping the brush in a little of the brown color and use a "windshield wiper" movement where the two colors meet (which should be the crease of your eye). In this example, I just took the same brush I used for the brown color and did the same movement I just described, then I took the brush from the highlight color and did the same thing a few times until it looked like the brown color was gradually fading into the light color. Next I took a blending brush (you can used the same one you used for the brown color if you don't have one) and I did the same kind of windshield wiper movement but just in the outer corner of my eye. Use a dark brown for this step. Make the movement very small, just keeping the brush in about the outer 3rd of the eye focusing on the outside corner. This will give it a smokey eye effect that is a little more evening. Because America is not a normal eyeshadow wearer, I recommend that she tries the look without this step and then with it to compare what she feels looks better. This is how far inward your brush should go.

This is what it should look like at this point.
Now curl your eyelashes. Then, take a freshly sharpened eyeliner. I always use black but you can use brown if you want to . I always light a lighter and stick the tip of the eyeliner in the flame for just a second. NO LONGER THAN THAT! You will see the liner get shiny and look like it melted. This helps the liner go on smoother. Please note: Do not use a kohl liner for this because that type of liner is meant to be smudged and it will not stay in a neat line. Use a regular pencil liner. Cheap Tip #4- I love Covergirls black pencil liner. It comes in a pack of 2 with a sharpener and it lasts forever. And its cheap! Once you have melted the liner, wait about 30 seconds for it to completely dry. Touch it to make sure before you apply it. Whenever I line my eyes, I always pull my out so my lid is as straight as possible. This makes applying the liner easier and makes it go on in a smooth line.
Now for my favorite part.. Mascara! I love Lashblast! Cheap Tip #5- This stuff is drug store mascara but is awesome. If you love big lashes this is the best. I have had so many people ask if I am wearing false lashes when I wear this. Whatever mascara you have is great so use what you love. I always apply my mascara from root to tip and I wiggle the brush as I swipe the brush. Then I will apply it the same way I do my liner, by pulling my eye out to make sure I get all the little lashes.

The best way to make an everyday look into an evening look is to tightline your eyeliner. This means applying it to your waterline, which is the area closest to your eye between your eyeball and your lashes. You can use the same liner you did for the top (you may have to melt it and let it dry it again) but I use this amazing liner by Makeup For Ever that I bought at Sephora. This one you don't need to heat up and it stays on forever! It is a little pricy so I only use it for my waterline. I pull the top lashes away from my eyeball and apply the liner from tearduct to outer corner. Then I do the same for the bottom. This is what your eyes will look like when you are done.

Then apply your "face". I use MAC Studio Fix but you can use whatever your little heart desires. If you normally use bronzer you can but I wouldn't for an evening look, especially because America has such great cheeks. Using a big powder brush if you have one, put blush on just the apples of your cheeks. Because my skin is a little darker, I use a dusty rose color but I recommend a soft pink for America. It will look most natural for her skin, like she is really blushing. What I do is smile and put the blush with a light hand just on the rounded parts that perk up when I smile.

Final step! Apply a soft pinkish lipgloss. I like the gloss because it makes the look look young and fresh.

OK, so it seems like a ton of steps but like anything, practice makes perfect. I usually suggest doing a test run before the big day so you can get a feel of what works and what doesn't. It would normally take me about 15 minutes to do this.

So there you go Ms. America, or whoever else may be reading this, a simple sexy night look perfect for the belle of the ball!

The day I said "YES!"

2009-10-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

Luis and I are very practical people. We are very routine and always have a schedule. Surprises for us are few and far between. In March of 2009 we had been dating over 4 years so we knew marriage was definitely in the works for us and we talked about it all the time. I had (and still am) battling my weight and I needed to get something going to really motivate me, so I told Luis he was not able to even think about proposing until my weight was in the 140's! Drastic you say? Maybe.. but it was necessary. I really needed to lose the 40 lbs. I was carrying on my 5'3" frame and what better way to get my ass in gear than to put a carrot in front of the donkey! However, Luis was very adamant about me picking out my ring. He wanted to make sure that it was the ring that I absolutely loved, since I will be wearing it for the rest of my life. So we took a day and went ring shopping and I picked out the PERFECT one. He hid it from me for what seemed like forever and I focused my attention on hitting my goal weight. Because I was pretty far from my goal still, I knew a proposal was nowhere in sight.

Saturday March 28th was a typical day for us. We both had the day off and headed off to the gym. Saturday is always our "gym date"... yes, we're nerds =) We worked out for about an hour and a half and on the way home talked about going to get dinner at our favorite pizza place, Sharkey's. When we got home, I walked in first and was taken aback by how different my house looked. There were flowers all along the front entrance and candles lit everywhere. Over the course of the next 5-10 seconds a billion things were racing through my mind. My first thought was that I immediately noticed yellow flowers, and yellow roses are my mom's favorite, so I begin thinking that we had just walked in on a surprise that my dad had planned for my mom. At this time, important dates are running through my mind. Mom's birthday? Nope. Wedding Anniversary? Nope. Did my Pop's do something bad enough to require this kind of lavish apology? Nope. So then I am totally confused and am just thinking that we need to hurry up and leave! As I turn around to tell Luis this, I see that he is on his knee holding a beautiful little box. That's the moment that I realize that it was all for me. After saying some amazing things that shall forever remain between us, he asked me to be his wife and through tears I said yes.

I still cannot believe he actually surprised me! Everyone kept telling me that since I knew he had the ring that I had totally ruined any chance of being surprised but I absolutely was. I had no idea that coming home sweaty from the gym one day would be the day he proposed. He knew he had to make it a surprise for me because that's what every girl wants. Afterwards, we sat on the couch and he held me while we talked a little, cried a little and talked about our future together, except this time it felt so much more real. I wouldn't change anything about that incredible day, and the best part was, we still got to have dinner at Sharkey's =)

For those of you who think Luis is always so serious, he does have a very silly side <3

Let's Try This Again

2009-10-19T18:48:00.001-07:00

So I have returned to blogging. I was motivated by my good friend Cassie's bitchin' blog to start doing this again. I make no promises that mine will be as exciting as hers but I enjoy doing it and I hope you all enjoy reading it. I think I'll start by giving you a little background on me and my life. I am a 27 year old student that comes from a big crazy family and I wouldn't have it any other way! Who else can say they have 50+ cousins on one side of their family???

I am engaged and am currently planning a Big Fat Mexican wedding! I will be using this blog to post some of the exciting moments in that journey as well. My fiance is really the greatest man ever....no really... ever. He was perfectly made for me and I for him. As cheesy as it sounds, he really is my best friend. After kissing a lot of toads, I finally found my prince! We are so much alike and are really just two peas in a pod! We love having our routine and are OK with doing pretty much the same thing all the time... there are very few surprises with us, so when it does happen, it truly is a surprise! We both enjoy working out, him more than me but nevertheless I have really been enjoying it and the losing weight part is pretty great too. I think I will also use this blog to report on my progress with that as well.

My fiance is a professional MMA fighter and has been doing that for over 2 years now. It is so inspiring for me to see him work so hard at something he absolutely loves. Maybe I too will some day find what inspires me that much. So for now, that is me and I welcome you to the world of Sarandipidy!