Visiting Adam in Roanoke

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

After the semester was over, I went to visit Adam in Roanoke. It was so much fun and I really enjoyed getting to see where Adam lives! Since he's been there, he hasn't really had a lot of time to go exploring and see what all is around. So we did this together. Friday night Adam had a surprise planned...we were going to Benihana for dinner!!! :) After dinner we went to Grapevine to walk around the Christmas display downtown. Adam read online that Grapevine is the Christmas capital of Texas. It was so pretty and festive! They had a light show right in the center of the downtown square. There was a singing tree and lots of fun decorations! Here are some pictures from the trip...

Me and Adam in front of some pretty lights that lined a walkway. I really liked the walkway and the way it looked! :)

Side view of the light walkway.

Looking into the light walkway.

The gazebo in the center of downtown Grapevine.

The light show was set on a timer and the lights were set up to change with the music.

The Christmas Tree in the center of downtown Grapevine.

The same tree, singing Mr. Grinch.

Decorations above the street...cute reindeer. The decorations above the street kind of reminded me of what Hobbs used to look like when I was younger, not so much anymore.

Also, during my trip to visit Adam I got to see some friends! We went to dinner with William, Kristi, Erin, Josephine, and one of Kristi's friends from church, Tesia. We all met up at Chuy's in Arlington. It was a lot of fun! Since Kristi has been in New York for school, I like to take every opportunity we have to get together! I didn't think to take any pictures. :( After dinner me, Adam, and William went bowling at Splitsville. None of us had ever been. It was different and interesting. There are about 15 lanes (I think) and they are all split up into two or three lanes. It's also a restaurant/bar.

Here is a picture of me and William, my best friend since 4th grade!

TD Ameritrade

Adam took me to TD Ameritrade to see his new workplace. We went on a Saturday so there weren't a lot of people there. It wasn't what I pictured at all. For some reason I thought he would be in a high-rise building, which I can honestly say made me kind of nervous. The building is just one story and pretty long. We looked around inside, but I had to get a visitor's pass first. It was nice. It seems very different from Adam's previous job, but he really seems to enjoy it. The lunchroom has a Wii for the workers to play during lunch or breaks. How awesome is that?! I took some pictures, but am just realizing I didn't think to take any of the Wii. Here are a couple of the pictures...

TD Ameritrade, completely different from my imagination. :)

Me with my visitor's pass.

Weekend with Adam

Adam came to visit me this weekend! I was so excited. He was coming in Friday night and I had this elaborate plan to make dinner. I would start by baking whoopie pies (devil food cookies), then I would make lasagna, and finally I would cook some crescents. I was going to do the crescents last so they would still be warm and fresh when Adam got here. The whoopie pies taste best cold so I started with those. I was checking the second batch of cookies when I encountered an oven problem. The heating coil was shooting sparks up like a fireworks show! :o I called the office and the maintenance man came right away. He's working on getting me a new oven. :) Needless to say, the plan changed. I had all the fixings to make spaghetti and that was the new plan. I finished making the icing for the whoopie pies, iced them and put them in the freezer to get cold. I took a break for a little while and when I was about to get on it again, I had to take my roomie to the ER. She's much better now. Thank goodness. The spaghetti was put on hold until today (Sunday). I made spaghetti for lunch for Adam, his friend Jim and my roommate before the guys headed back to Dallas-Fort Worth. They loved my spaghetti and whoopie pies. It was a hit, despite my setbacks. :) Here are some pictures from my baking adventures before my oven "exploded"!

The first batch of cookies...

The second batch of cookies. They turned out better than the first.

The icing/filling! So yummy! :)

The finished product...

A side view to see the filling! They are a little thin, I will have to make more icing next time.

Me with a plate of whoopie pies!

Can't believe my oven went up in sparks! :o

Texas Tech v. OU

Adam and I went to the Tech game on Saturday! It was at 11:00am. Crazy, I know. The things I do for the boy I love! ;) I made breakfast and we headed out for our day filled with fun.

My adorable future husband!

Adam and me...

Jones AT&T Stadium. Home of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

After the big win of 41-13.

"Tech's win makes MIKE LEACH Tech's most winningest coach!"

I am so glad Adam was able to come for the last home game and of course to see me! Two more weeks and I will be on a plane headed to see him. :) I'm excited to see the area where he lives and go exploring.

Adam's Big Move

The February before we graduated in May 2008, Adam accepted a position with New York Life. He worked as a financial services specialist (or as I like to say, a financial advisor). While there, he completed his Series 6 and 63 exams. He passed both on the first try with flying colors. I was so proud of him! He achieved a lot his first year, but decided to resign in September of this year. He took a position with TD Ameritrade which meant he would have to move to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I did not realize how quickly this move would take place. He accepted the position in about the middle of October. He started on November 2nd, which meant moving the last week of October. Everything happened so fast.

TD Ameritrade

It's been about two weeks since I have seen Adam, but we talk everyday. I am so proud of him! He is training to take the Series 7. I don't know much about the exams and certifications, but I think this is his last series test that he needs to be fully certified to do investments. I have no doubt he will ace this one as well! :) He is disciplined and studies hard everyday. He seems to really enjoy the company and atmosphere so far. He was telling me about the cafeteria and he was excited because they have two Wii's in there. Ha ha! Also, he really likes where he is living. That's always a plus. I can't wait to go visit him in December after the semester is over. Also, I'm really excited because he is coming to visit this weekend (and to go to the Tech game)! :)

Second Day In A Row...I'm Doing Good

Engagement Pictures

Starting in February 2009 I began working with a local photographer, Amanda Keys. She owns a franchise for Images 4 Kids. I have always been passionate about photography and love working with her. On October 14th we took engagement pictures. She took some pictures at her studio and some at Buddy Holly Park. Adam and I both had fun. I made signs that said "Save The Date August 14, 2010" and "Thank You". After we were done, Adam said I should've made a sign that said "Finally!". (We've been dating almost seven years.) Ha ha! I should have, but I think we will be taking more pictures in December when Adam comes home for Christmas. So, I think that will have to be added! :) I am so excited about our pictures and cannot wait to do some fun, creative things with them. I will have to find out if I can post a few on here.

Also, I'm going to have to figure out how to post pictures on here. I tried on my post from yesterday and did not have any luck. The picture made it on the post, but not where I wanted. Every time I tried to move it, everything messed up. I'm going to have to practice and maybe get some help from my friend and fellow blogger Kristi!

It's Been A While

So, needless to say I haven't done too well with keeping up on blogging. Haha. I'm going to have to make a conscious effort to make time and remember. A lot has happened since the last time I blogged. So this one might be a little lengthy.

The Proposal and Engagement

Adam and I got engaged on December 22, 2008. Yes, it's almost a year since it happened. Even before our engagement, Adam and I decided we would wait until I was finished with school to get married. So, you can imagine my surprise when Adam popped the question last December. That meant a year and a half engagement, but that was okay because I knew it would give me plenty of time to take care of things while going to school. :) The proposal was perfect. Adam did a wonderful job. I was completely surprised and impressed with his creativity. Here is a description of what happened taken from our wedding website:

Being that it was December, I was already home in Hobbs for Christmas break. Adam was still in Lubbock finishing up work and Christmas shopping. I had to make a trip to Lubbock for some errands and to help Adam with his Christmas shopping. When I got to Lubbock that cold morning, I decided to go by Adam's before going anywhere else. When I got there, he came down to meet me. I thought he looked strange, but just figured it was because it was freezing outside. When we got into his apartment, I saw several Christmas gift bags hanging from the ceiling. Adam told me to wait a minute while he turned on our song. I anxiously waited to go through the bags. Once I began, each bag contained a heart with a piece of measuring tape and a message. The bags led me through his apartment. The final bag had a Christmas card with the sweetest message. (I thought Adam was just giving me a Christmas card in a very clever way!) Next to the final bag was a piece of measuring tape with a heart that said "forever" on it. When I looked up at Adam to thank him for the card, he got down on one knee and pulled a box out of his pocket. I immediately knew what was going on and I was so happy and surprised. Adam said the sweetest things and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes!

Wedding Planning

The wedding planning didn't really start to take off until Summer of 2009. In April I came across the apple orchard which seemed like a wonderful place. It was just a little small. We don't want a huge wedding, but it would have limited the area for the reception. So, we continued looking in the beginning of the summer. We went to the wineries in the area, as well as a few historical buildings. Nothing really grabbed me. In July me, my mom, and Adam attended the Bridal Associates of Lubbock Bridal Fair. This was really helpful and got us motivated. About a week before the fair, I had come across The Spirit Ranch and had it on my list of places to look at for a possible venue. Well it just so happened The Spirit Ranch had a booth at the fair. I talked to them and immediately fell in love with the area. I found out it is where County Line used to be (I really liked the restuarant County Line and always loved the property.) I called soon after the bridal fair and set up an appointment with a really nice lady who showed us around on a weekend (which they don't normally do) since that was the only time my mom has free. It was perfect and we booked it that day! So, our wedding will be at The Spirit Ranch Pavilion. I love the fact that their are peacocks roaming the property. :)

Also, at the bridal fair I met the women who run Puttin' On The Ritz. They are a decorating company specializing in chair covers and linens. A friend of mine used them for her wedding and the decor was beautiful. So, since then I have met with them and they are going to do the chair covers, linens, flowers, candles, and other tables decorations at our wedding. I like their enthusiasm and creativity. I can't wait to see what they come up with.

I was so thankful my mom was there at the bridal fair to help me with all the details. She kept a tablet and wrote down things I liked and was interested in checking out later. We tasted some samples of cakes from different bakers. We found one that we were both excited about (Adam could care less because he isn't a cake eater. Lol.). I cannot remember the name of the bakery, but my mom wrote it down. I will be checking into that soon and will update about the details.

Also, Adam and I have yet to find a Church "home" here in Lubbock. We kind of float around and attend different churches. This concerned me because I want to be married by a minister. Also at the bridal fair was a minister who performs at weddings for couples such as ourselves (those that don't have a church home, are from differing denominations, etc.). I immediately filled out the information to reserve Rev. Fred B. Baker. I have not heard back from him yet, but will update as soon as I hear something.

As for now, the wedding planning has stalled again. Adam recently moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and I have been extremely busy with school. I hope to get back on track once the Christmas break is here. :)

The Wedding Dress

Okay, I know this is part of wedding planning, but I think it deserves a section all of its own! On September 12, 2009 my mom made a special trip to Lubbock to go with me to look at dresses. After getting engaged I registered online with David's Bridal and it prompted me to make an appointment to look for a wedding dress. I figured, why not! I made an appointment for August, but as usual, things came up and I ended up changing the appointment twice. Finally there to look for dresses, my mom and I assumed this would be one of many times that we would be doing this. I assumed this would be a day of getting ideas, likes, dislikes, and so on. I went into the appointment with preconceived notions about what I liked, did not like, and especially what I wanted. I looked through a catalog and picked probably about 10 to 12 dresses. Okay, maybe it was more like 8, but it seemed like a lot. I even, with the suggestion of my mom, picked out some that were examples of what I didn't want, but thought it couldn't hurt to try. I tried and the first dress and immediately knew I did not like it. I tried on the second dress and felt really pretty and elegant. I continued to try on dresses and narrowed it down to four. They were all very similar and surprisingly, everything I said I didn't want at the beginning of the appointment. It was amazing to see that what I thought I didn't want was what made me feel the most beautiful and elegant. With all four of these dresses, it kept coming back to the second dress I tried on out of all of them. (The second dress was one of the four top contenders.) So, that was it! I had found my dress on the FIRST TIME I ever looked and it was the SECOND dress I tried on. I was amazed and elated all at the same time. I didn't even have to think about it. I purchased it that day before we left. :) I guess it's kind of important to note that I am somewhat an indecisive person so, everyone including myself was a little shocked to learn that I found my dress the first time I looked.

Well, I think that's good until next time. Hopefully it won't be so long before my next post. :)

Gonna Give It A Try

I'm new to blogging. Following the suggestion of my friend Kristi, I've decided to start. Kristi told me I should blog about wedding planning because it would be fun to go back and relive the experience. I thought this was a great idea! However, I've decided to blog about all events occurring in my life. So, here it goes...

A little bit about myself...I'm a graduate student working on my master's in forensic science. I am very family-oriented. I love my family and friends very much. They mean the world to me. I like creative hobbies like taking pictures, designing things, scrapbooking, etc. I also like stationery. I have a passion for photography and design. Maybe some day I can combine the two and incorporate them into a career.

"Two are better than one..." Ecclesiastes 4:9

My fiance, Adam, is my best friend. We have been together for almost seven years. I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together.