Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

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

I think it's pretty self explanitory =)

There is nothing like a day off

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?

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 =)

Lets see how long this lasts

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 =)

Free WiFi = Free Peace and Quiet

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 =)

Deadliest Catch

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

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

Its not even Wednesday yet???

• 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

A Few Random Facts about Me

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

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 =)

Recap of 2009

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!!!

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

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!

November is an Awesome Month!

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

Let's Try This Again

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!