La Petite Chic

Fingers Crossed

Whew!  Life has been a blur since last Thursday!  I'm resorting to bullet points...

• My spa day on Friday was absolutely perfect!  If you ever have the opportunity to have a hot stone massage, definitely go for it.  It was just like a regular full body massage, from my head to my toes, but with the added benefit of the heat and pressure from the stones.  AMAZING!  It was such a great way to relax after all the recent stress and craziness in my life.
  
  My haircut was scheduled after my hot stone massage and I didn't know what I was going to ask for until I sat down in the chair.  Sorry to disappoint most of you, but I kept my hair long.  I know, I know, I need to be a bit more daring, but as I pondered haircuts, I remembered how I always end up regretting major cuts.  We're talking tears, people.  So I ended up with long layers and that is just enough to satisfy my urge to chop for now.  You can see the new cut below from a photo Jon took while house hunting on Sunday.
  
  

  

• Speaking of house hunting, in case you missed my ecstatic tweet on Sunday, we found our dream home!   It's in a neighborhood we love, has the perfect patio for all of our entertaining, a great backyard for our future kids and more bedrooms and bathrooms than what was on our wish list.  It also happens to be a foreclosure, which means the price is great (grand! wonderful!), but the road to get it will be a long one paved with a lot of uncertainty.
  
  Basically it's a dream come true but I swear to God it's already giving me an ulcer.  As much as we're trying not to get emotionally attached, it's all Jon and I can think and talk about.  We're so afraid that someone else is going to come and snatch it away from us so that's making our offer strategy really difficult to formulate.  Offers are not being accepted until this weekend, which gives us a little time to think about things, but that also means it gives us a lot of time to stress over things. 
  
  Bottom line: We are in love with a house and will cry very, very hard if we don't get it.
  
  (I'm not posting any photos of it until there are keys in my hand for fear of jinxing us.)

• While we're talking about house hunting, let me mention how hard it is to locate a W-2 from a job I held in 2007 when it's packed in some box in my parent's basement.  Poor Jon has had to listen to a lot of shrieky "This is why we need our own house because I would know where it is!!" rants from me lately.  Also, I had a very major cry and breakdown tonight as Fidelity would not let me access my (also required) 401(k) stuff online because I forgot my pin.  The call center wouldn't help me because even though I could supply them with my SSN, I did not have my account number on hand because guess what?  That stuff is also in a box in an undetermined location! 
  
  Buying a foreclosed home requires a whole lot more evidence of funds and documentation and general jumping through hoops than a regular home sale.  Thank god my emotional state is not affected by pregnancy or Clomid just yet because I imagine my reaction to things would be a lot worse than what they've been.  DEEP BREATH.

• Oh, and I turned 28 yesterday!  Since I've been too busy crying over missing W-2's I have not yet had the chance to cry over the fact that I'm so close to 30.  It was really a lovely birthday though and I was generously spoiled by my loved ones.  I think my favorite gift was imported olive oil from Jon.  You're probably scratching your heads over that, but what you don't know is that it's a very special olive oil that we discovered while in France last year.  Eating crusty French bread and olive oil is one of our favorite after-work rituals and we just recently ran out of that special one.  Jon searched for it and actually found it online and spent more than I would like to spend on a freaking jug of olive oil, but believe me, it is so worth it.

• Finally, I also started my new job yesterday.  I'm in orientation until Thursday and then I finally report to actual work on Friday.  It is so nice to leave work at 4:00 and be home by 4:30!  I'm not going to know what to do with all of this free time.  Actually, I do.  I'm not going to be able to check blogs at work anymore, so you won't see me around on Twitter or your blogs until the evenings.  That's okay though...it's about time I got a job that will occupy all my time during work hours!  I met a really nice girl who will be working in my department and that's a huge relief for a nervous Nelly like me.  I hate being the new girl in the office, so I'm thrilled that she'll be a newbie with me.

How Lovely to Be a Woman

Tomorrow is my last day of work and if you're wondering why I chose to leave on a Thursday, my only answer is D.C. rush hour traffic on a Friday is to be avoided at all costs!  I actually gave my four weeks notice based on that.  Thursdays aren't much better, but a two hour drive home versus a three hour drive home is reason enough for me.

I also have some errands to get done before I start my new job on Monday, the most important of which is finally getting my car titled and registered in the state of Maryland.  Yes, we've been living here since April and I'm just now getting it done.  Apparently I haven't learned my lesson at all!

To make up for a morning spent in the DMV, I'm devoting my afternoon to getting pampered.  After my mother-in-law and sister-in-law learned about our miscarriage, they went right into action to find a way to cheer me up since they couldn't be here in person.  They sent me a very generous gift certificate to a local salon and spa with the instructions to pamper myself.  We've been so busy that I haven't had any time to schedule an appointment, but I'm finally going on Friday, which incidentally marks four weeks since the D&C. 

After pouring over all of the spa treatments, I ultimately decided to go for the Hot Stone Massage.  I've always been curious about them and decided now was the perfect time to try it out.  The last massage I had was on our honeymoon (a glorious couples massage on the beach in Jamaica at sunset - swoon) so I am really looking forward to this.

The pampering doesn't end there, however!  When I mentioned to my mom that I was considering getting my hair cut with the gift certificate rather than getting a spa treatment, she insisted that I get the massage and that she would treat me to a hair cut.  Love!  I really am a lucky girl to be surrounded by all of these caring and thoughtful women in my life.  Now I just have to decide on a cut. 

I'm really leaning towards going short again.  I adore my hair long and love all that I can do with it, but it's a pain in the butt to take care of, not to mention that I'm losing it like crazy due to the sudden drop in pregnancy hormones.  Seriously, thank God I have thick hair because I swear I should be bald by now.  (Another lovely miscarriage symptom they forgot to mention!)

The only trouble is that I have this weird, romantic attachment to my long hair.  I'm a very feminine girl and I tend to attach my femininity to the length of my hair.  Stupid and archaic and so un-Gloria Steinem, I know.  (And this is coming from a girl who almost minored in Women's Studies!)  This has nothing to do with Jon's preferences, either.  He actually prefers my hair short and is always begging me to cut it.  And honestly, I love short hair too.  I think it's so cute and chic and fresh-looking.  And I can pull it off too! 

February 2007, after chopping it off to donate to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths

But you can't pull it back in a ponytail, and lord knows I'm a ponytail girl!  What's a girl to do?  HELP!!

The Other Side

Almost exactly five months after selling our condo Jonathan and I are finally ready to begin house hunting for our second home.  Can I get a collective "HOORAY!" for that, please? 

This has been a long and eye-opening experience for us.  We borrowed from our 401(k) and depleted our savings to avoid a short sale.  We scrimped and budgeted every penny that goes in and out.  We got creative with alternate ways of bringing home some extra bacon.  We moved in with my parents to save money and replenish said 401(k) and savings accounts.  We have grown as individuals, as homeowners and as a couple and though it was an experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone, I'm grateful for the lessons it taught us. 

The funny thing about all of this is that the few trolls I've had on my blog have all come out from whatever nasty bridge they live under when I post about this subject.  Well, and the one who commented on our completely unrelated financial situation on my baby post, as if they really know anything about our finances except that which I decide share.  (Which is very big picture, mind you).  (Also, note to trolls: You get deleted).  It's absolutely puzzling.  We have never asked for pity or a handout from anyone and the only reason I decided to share our story is to show a different side of the housing situation from the ones they usually highlight on the news. 

We pay our mortgage every month, on time and in full.  We don't keep a balance on our credit cards.  We have a very strict and elaborate budget that we stick to every month which tracks every last cent.  The vacations and travel that we love?  They're all saved for, usually a year in advance.  The little things that we buy?  Jon and I each have a monthly budget that we're allotted to buy whatever we want, no questions asked.  Both of our cars are paid off, we use coupons and we shop secondhand or discount, first and foremost.  Financially, we do everything right.

Truth be told, we adored our little condo.  We lovingly made it our own by tearing down walls and installing granite countertops and bamboo floors with our own hands.  We painted and hosted parties and decorated it for the holidays.  It was close to work and Washington D.C., close to great shopping and restaurants.  The only thing it couldn't do for us was make room for a baby, nor was it near our families, whom we are very close to.  And above all else, family is most important to us.

We bought at the tippy top of the inflated housing market, never expecting it to crash so hard and so quickly.  When we sold our condo, the market was nearing bottom.  If we knew then what we know now, would we have bought back in 2006?  Of course not.  But we did and there was a price to pay if we wanted to move to start our family and that was a price we willingly paid.  

We're at a place now where our savings account is replenished and we've made a significant dent in Jon's student loans.  With the current mortgage rates and the difference in home prices between D.C. and Baltimore/Annapolis, we can afford a home with four times as many bedrooms as what we had, with a lower monthly payment to boot.  People are still desperate to get rid of their homes so we'll thankfully get a break on this side of the deal. 

We're in a good place, a very good place.  I've learned a lot about saving and patience and need vs. want, lessons I won't soon forget.  Our goal is to be in a home by the holidays, though we're being non-specific on whether that means Thanksgiving or Christmas.  We're going to take our time and slowly dip our toes into the housing market the second time around and hope that we'll find our dream home, the one we'll eventually bring a baby home to.  HOORAY!

Reporting Back

Since so many of you liked last Friday's Fabulous Finds from Target, I wanted to report back with the skinny in case you were considering purchasing any of those lovely things.  And also, before I start, I just want to state for the record that going into Target, $40 gift card in hand, with the intention of not purchasing anything in-store is the hardest thing ever.

First up,

The Kaley Tall Cuffed Boot in Gray from Mossimo at $34.99

 

These boots are just as cute in person as they are online.  I should mention a few things, though.  The folds aren't as noticeable nor are they as symmetrical as they make them out to be in the photo.  I would say they're a bit slouchier and "unintentional" if you will.  While the material does a pretty good job of mimicking suede, it's not suede and you can tell when you're up close and personal.  These boots are knee height (on me, anyway) and the cuffs were a bit loose around my skinny calves.  I don't think you ladies blessed with calf muscles would have a problem fitting into them.  I tried them on over jeans and that helped them fit better on my legs.  As for sizing, I went down a ½ size because although my usual 7½ fit just fine, the 7 fit nicely too but with a smaller cuff.

The Kady Boot in Cognac from Mossimo at $34.99

 

These boots are just beautiful and definitely look like you paid more than $35 for them.  If you're wavering between the Cognac color and the Black, I would recommend Cognac because it really looks like real leather, while the black does not.  They fit true to size and aim to please ladies of all calf sizes, thanks to the adjustable buckle.  I actually convinced an older (60-ish) pair of sisters to each buy a pair when they saw me trying them on.  They didn't follow my advice to go online and get the Buy One, Get One 50% Off deal, but they adored them. 

Cuckoo Clock Ring from Anna Sheffield for Target at $29.99

 

I wasn't seriously considering buying this ring because I really needed new boots more than anything, but I stopped by the jewelry counter to check it out.  Unfortunately, my Target didn't have it in stock, but I can say that Anna Sheffield's jewelry line is super cute.  She has a lot of fun pieces and what I imagine would surely be conversation starters. 

The Military Trench Jacket in White from Merona at $39.99

 

I really loved this trench coat.  Not only does it come in the white patterned version, but also the same pattern in black as well as solid light blue and solid purple (they call it blue online, but it's definitely purple).  The only problem with it was the fit.  I'm a petite girl and I was swimming in the XS, not only in length but in actual girth.  I usually have this problem with Merona sizing though.  The coat hung well past my knees and just didn't fit me well.  However, it's really beautiful and I think you taller ladies would look great in it.

The Striped Cowl Sweater Dress in Gray/Black at $24.99

 

I searched and searched but couldn't find this dress anywhere!  Sorry I have nothing to report on this one.

And so, the final verdict?  I went home and bought both pair of boots online and the final cost to me was only $15.50, thanks to the aforementioned deal and free shipping.  I can definitely handle that.   My feet will thank me once it really cools down!

Edited to Add:  Neither boot is tight on my leg (ankle and calf), but I'm okay with that.  If you have skinny legs too and are looking for something tight, these might not be the boots for you, but I would definitely try them on in the store.

Fabulous Find Friday - Target Gift Card Burning a Hole in My Pocket Edition

For my 9/11 experience, please refer back to this post.  Never, ever forget...

I was recently awarded a $40 Target gift card for a "job well done" on a work project and I think I've set a new personal record for how long I've had it.  Unbelievably, it's been three whole weeks and it's still in my wallet!  I will be spending it soon, however, as I need to make a few updates to my fall wardrobe and have found plenty of things to use it on. 

Such as...

The Kaley Tall Cuffed Boot in Gray from Mossimo at $34.99

 

I heart these boots so darn much.  I haven't seen them in person yet, but I really hope they look as pretty as they do online.  The only trouble I have with tall boots is that I have skinny legs.  Hence, it's hard to find a boot that's not too loose around the calves.  My fingers are crossed for these.

The Kady Boot in Cognac from Mossimo at $34.99

 

Have you noticed that I'm on a boot kick?  I love the color of these and think they would look sensational over a pair of skinny jeans.  I also plan on checking these out in person to evaluate the fit and quality.  And you know what's great about both pair of boots?  They qualify for the Buy One, Get One ½ Off deal at Target.com currently.  Not to mention if you spend $50, you get free shipping.  I could get both pairs for just $52.50 with free shipping, making my total cost in reality only $12.50.  Woo-hoo!

Cuckoo Clock Ring from Anna Sheffield for Target at $29.99

 

If I were being completely impractical with my gift card, I would so buy this ring.  Can you imagine me in my dirndl at Oktoberfest with this on my finger?  So whimsical and cute! 

The Military Trench Jacket in White from Merona at $39.99

 

Take a little peek in my coat closet and you'll know that I harbor a deep love for trench coats.  I own one in black & white polka dots, in navy, in pink and in khaki.  But don't you just adore the details on this one?  I can't justify spending my precious gift card on this since I already own four, but won't someone please buy this for themselves?  It's too cute to pass up.

The Striped Cowl Sweater Dress in Gray/Black at $24.99

 

Now that I've spent more time out of college than I actually spent in college, I've been a little more aware of things like hemlines and necklines.  This sweater dress seems a bit short, but I'm hoping it just appears that way because I'm sure the model is at least 5'9".  Surely this 5'3" soon-to-be 28 year old (10 more days!) can pull this off without looking too smutty, right?

P.S.  Those boots on the model?  Also going on my list!

Someday

I think one of the harder things about losing a pregnancy is that all of your planning and preparations for the baby's arrival immediately comes to a screeching halt.  It's all on hold until someday when it happens again for you. The few pieces of teeny, tiny clothing that were purchased are folded into boxes, rather than dressers.  The registration form for your impeding hospital stay is thrown in the trash rather than mailed in and filed away.  The stacks of baby name books that you had already accumulated are put back on the shelf rather than on your nightstand for a nightly perusing.  

These things are all constant reminders of all that you lost and all that will never be.  It was helpful for me to pack most of these things away until we need them again, but there's a part of me that wants to keep preparing for the baby we know we'll have someday.  We still have the "Baby Fund" in our budget, but I want something tangible, something I can see and touch.

I want to gather things and stockpile them like a squirrel does with nuts before the winter.  I want to have a few little treasures to share with my child and someday say, "I bought this for you before you were created, before you grew in my belly, because I already loved you so much and couldn't wait to give you everything."

I think I found the perfect solution to my sentimental (and practical) desire to gather: children's books.  Books have always been an important and beloved part of my life and it's something I definitely want to pass on.  I bought the first book for our someday baby this weekend.  This book (by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary) is set to the lyrics of one of my favorite childhood songs, Puff, the Magic Dragon, and has gorgeous illustrations and an accompanying CD sung by Peter and his daughter.  Although the ending still makes me cry (I am such a sap), I can't wait to read it to our child someday.

(via Amazon)

Cautiously Optimistic

Fair Warning: I'll be sharing TMI in this post, so feel free to skip it if that's not your cup of tea!

I had my follow-up doctor's appointment yesterday and left the office feeling cautiously optimistic about Jon and I getting pregnant for the second time.  Since I didn't have any complications from the D&C, we were given the green light to go ahead and start trying again (hooray!) which we are completely thrilled about.  (Cue mood lighting and Barry White.)

Ahem.  Surprisingly, it appears that I've already had a period since the procedure.  I only had light, minimal spotting for the first seven days post-op and then exactly a week later I started bleeding actual period-like blood.  Thanks to Dr. Google, I assumed that my doc had missed something during the D&C and it was now coming out on it's own, but that doesn't seem to be the case based on my pattern of bleeding.  My doctor thinks it sounds like a period so that's what we're going with. 

This is great news, especially given my history of irregular periods.  Something that I had never shared with all of you is that I only had my period once (February 2009) between the time I had my IUD removed (October 2008) until the time we got pregnant (June 2009).  That, my friends, is crazy and also why we were so shocked to find ourselves knocked up!  It would have made it very difficult to date our pregnancy had I not been careful about noting our "marital times" and pregnancy symptoms.

My doctor wants us to wait and see if I get my period again next month and if not, she gave me a prescription for Provera to jump start things.  She also gave me a prescription for Clomid if we are so inclined to accept a bit of medical assistance to help us conceive again.  (Hint: We are!)  She said that it's obvious that at least one Fallopian tube is working and that at least some of Jon's swimmers are swimming since we were able to get pregnant on our own, absent period be damned.  So!  Those are all good things and we are excited to try again.

As you might imagine, there's the fear and thought in the back of my mind asking, "What if we lose another baby?" but it's a chance that of course we'll take for the opportunity to be parents.  My doctor assured me that my body is completely capable of carrying a pregnancy and said that we were just terribly unlucky that I contracted the swine flu.  We already knew that, but it's still nice to be reminded that we were progressing quite nicely until then.

Like I said, while cautiously optimistic, we are elated to get the go ahead to start trying again so quickly.  Who knows?  Maybe we'll get that summer baby we always dreamed we'd have.

Make Your Own Chic Cocktail Toothpicks

There is a really cute preppy and beachy store near my parent's house that is my go-to place for hostess gifts or any girly gift.  I absolutely love their merchandise and to Jon's chagrin, I can never leave that store empty-handed.  They sell little packages of cocktail toothpicks with seashells on the top, but they're a little overpriced in my opinion.  Rather than pay their price, I decided to make my own toothpicks with mini seashells and starfish (to go with the bridal shower theme) and was thrilled with the way they came out.  The toothpicks were so easy to make, yet they really dress up an appetizer plate.

Seashell and Starfish Cocktail Toothpicks

Supplies

• hot glue gun
• large sandwich toothpicks
• mini seashells or starfish (we found ours on Ebay)
  
  

Directions

1. Squeeze a small amount of hot glue onto the flat end of a toothpick.
2. Quickly, before the glue dries, stick the gluey end of the toothpick into the seashell, or for the starfish, press the gluey end onto the center of the starfish.  Be gentle; little shells are fragile!
3. Place in a small cup (shot glasses work great) to allow to dry. 
4. Stick in your favorite appetizer (that would be cheese for me!) and voilá!  Instant charm!

Note:  Since our seashells were so teeny tiny, I had Jon hammer the end of each one to flatten them out a bit.  This allowed them to fit into the seashell opening and also made it easier to stick to the flat starfish.

Amanda's Bridal Shower

All that talk about amazing cocktail toothpicks and guess who forgot to upload those photos?  I'm blaming the one and a half glasses of wine (yes, I left a half glass behind) I had with our anniversary dinner last night.  Apparently three months without any alcohol will make you a lightweight.  I'll just post those pictures tomorrow with a quick (and terribly easy) tutorial on how to make them instead.  Onward to the bridal shower recap!

I daresay it was a smashing success.  We had just about fourteen people in total which in my opinion was the perfect size for a bridal shower.  Everyone was able to mingle with the bride, have a good view for the gift opening and split up into manageable sized teams for the games.  My mom and I got rave reviews on everything from the food to the favors to every last little detail that we made sure was perfect.  We live for party planning!  It was such a fun-filled day and the best way to officially welcome Amanda to our (crazy) family. 

Mike and Amanda are getting married on a beautiful beach in Naples, Florida.  When we started planning this party, my mom decided that starfish would be an ideal theme for the shower.  She found a bulk lot of starfish for sale on Ebay and we decorated them with ribbon and rings.  We finished them off by sticking them in a sand-filled large antique-y tub for guests to grab on their way out.  They were simple, yet elegant, favors.

Rather than doing a cake, I baked two batches of cupcake bites for dessert, half in chocolate with devils food cake and the other half in vanilla with funfetti cake. 

Since I had over a hundred of them by the time all was said and done, I individually wrapped some in cellophane bags (found in your local craft store), tied a ribbon on them and set them out for guests to take home.  They were very well received!

Here's a wider view of the favor table.

One of our favorite ways for Jon and I to spend time with Mike and Amanda is to go to all of the local wine festivals in the fall.  They are our wine partners in crime!  Again, my mom found the cutest starfish wine bottle stoppers online and bought them as the perfect game prizes for our wine-loving bride. 

You can't have a bridal shower without games, so we played three: How Well Do You Know the Bride? (guests answered questions about Amanda), Famous Couples Match Game (guests provided the name of a famous person's better half) and a simple drawing of a guest's name out of a basket by the bride. 

As I mentioned before, I didn't want to do a cake for Amanda's shower.  I wanted something cute and delicious and bite-sized.  Last Christmas, I baked wonderfully easy mini cheesecakes and thought they would look so darling on the dessert tray.  I baked a double batch and topped one third with fresh raspberries, one third with mini chocolate chips and the last third with a raspberry and chocolate chip combination.  They were delicious and taste just like the real thing!

Here's a close-up of the two versions of cupcake bites I baked.  It was so much fun to play around with the colors of the meltable candy!

And finally, the guest of honor, Amanda, opening a package.  She had on the most gorgeous, flowy dress and was such a graceful bride-to-be.  Notice the "sea" of starfish hanging on ribbons of tulle behind her.  Another one of my mom's idea.  She is so crafty!

My favorite part of any bridal shower is when the groom comes to pick up the bride.  Men are always so afraid to enter the realm of bows and ladies and estrogen!  Mike was a good sport though and even donned the ubiquitous ribbon bonnet.  These two are adorable together!

As promised, here is the recipe for the white sangria we served.  We had a red one too, but the white version was definitely the belle of the ball.

Just Peachy White Wine Sangria

Prep Time:

5 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of white wine (Riesling, Albarino, Chablis, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)
• ½ cup of Peach Schnapps
• ¼ to ½ cup of sugar (depending on how sweet you prefer your Sangria)
• 2 sliced peaches (frozen peaches work well)
• 1 sliced orange
• ½ mango peeled and sliced
• ½ liter of ginger ale

Preparation:

Pour wine and Peach Schnapps into a pitcher and add sliced peach, orange and mango.  Next add sugar and stir gently.  Chill mixture for at least one hour.  Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.

If you would like to serve your Sangria right away, use chilled white wine and ginger ale and serve over lots of ice. 

Addition Ideas: 

Sliced strawberries, a handful of fresh raspberries, kiwi slices, a shot or two of triple sec, a cup of citrus soda pop.

 

Three Years

I wasn't nervous about marrying Jonathan.  I never had cold feet nor any inkling of anxiety nor any of the typical jitters one might get before one of life's major events.  On the day of our wedding, even with Tropical Storm Ernesto raging outside ruining our perfect wedding day weather forecast, all of my bridesmaids kept asking, "how are you so calm?".

The truth is, marrying Jonathan was the easiest and most natural decision I've ever made.  I've never been surer about anything else in my life and on that day, our wedding day, I was filled with the greatest sense of peace and conviction and elation that I can't imagine being anything but calm that day.

Honestly though, I'm not usually a calm person.  I'm a perfectionist, and what perfectionist is calm?  I worry and nitpick and get stressed over the littlest things causing me to have minor breakdowns about stuff like mini muffin tins (right, love?).  But you know what?  Ever since that rainy, beautiful day three years ago, Jonathan has been my calm in the storm.  He soothes my soul and brings me so much serenity and happiness, and above all else, unconditional love.  He is my perfect partner in life and I can't imagine weathering any storm, or any day for that matter, without him.     

Happy third anniversary, Jonathan.  I love you more!  XOXO.

One of my all-time favorite photos of our wedding day.  Notice how Jon is shaking my Dad's hand, but beaming at me.  So cute!

Our first kiss as Mr. and Mrs. D

 

My favorite wedding photo

 

Honeymoon in Castries, St. Lucia and Montego Bay, Jamaica!  (this was St. Lucia)

 

First Anniversarymoon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica

 

Second Anniversarymoon in Riviera Maya, Mexico

Third Anniversarymoon...coming soon to Key West and Orlando!!

P.S.  Another reason why we're perfect for each other?  We decided to change our first dance song to what we originally wanted, "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40.  We ended up switching it for various reasons before the wedding, but we've always regretted that decision.  So I said, "Why not change it?  It's our wedding and it's our song!  Who cares if it's three years later?!"  Jon added, "Plus they played it anyway and we danced to it!"  My husband, he gets me.  And so from this day forward (well, last Saturday actually), our song is UB40's "Can't Help Falling in Love".  So perfect for us!

"Like a river flows, surely to the sea, darling so it goes, some things were meant to be..."