January 3, 2012

Ring Bling: A Ring, and a Proposal

I saw this linky flying around the blog world so since me and hubs' three year anniversary is next week I decided I would link up with Happiness Is...!
In addition to showing the ring, I will give our proposal story too since our anniversary is fast approaching! 

Hubs and I started dating in September of 2006, we had known each other for about 4 or 5 years prior - we met through his best friend that I went to college with. He was more seriously about the relationship then I was but I came around after a couple of months. He lived in Austin and I lived here in Houston and I was not keen on getting into another long distance relationship but he wooed me anyway!

He moved here about 8 months after we started dating and him and my roommate became instant buddies (for the record my roommate was my male cousin!) ...and our third roommate. We had talked about marriage, the future, etc.. and even got schooled in rings over the summer of 2007. Around September of 2007 hubs came up with the idea of going on a nice date night every month that he would plan - so of course I would get my hopes up EVERY date night. 

On our December 14, 2007 date night everyone kept saying he was going to pop the question and of course I doubted. I came home from work and he was rushing me to get ready, I kept asking where we were going and I finally figured out we were going to Grotto - where we had our first date, and celebrated his birthday so it was kind of "our place."



We got there and we were quickly seated, which is rare because it was a Friday night and they did not take reservations. After he proposed I saw all the signs that something was going on - quick seating, the hostess kept staring at me like I knew her, Brad getting up to go to the bathroom, not ordering a drink, etc...

We ate dinner and ordered our dessert. Brad kept asking me if I wanted another drink so I ordered one with our dessert. I remember I was asking why it was taking so long to bring a slice of cake out! Right after we ordered our dessert Brad got up to "go to the bathroom" (He was really giving the ring to the manager Paul whom he planned the whole evening with). Shortly after our "dessert" came out. Paul had a covered plated and sat it in front of me and said something like "We thought you might like this better" he took the lid off and the ring box was there. Brad then got on one knee and proposed in front of the whole place, of course I said yes! Everyone at the restaurant applauded, and congratulated us! I kept saying are you serious and asking him if my parents knew! Paul came over and told me what Brad had done, and I was completely surprised by his sneakiness!


My parents and his parents knew - he took my parents out to dinner earlier that week to ask permission and to show them the ring. He went to Grotto earlier that day and gave the ring box to Paul, and he made sure he had a table set up for us. The whole staff knew what was going on and they were gathered around the bar right after he proposed to congratulate us - it was a perfect evening!



The ring was exactly what I wanted. Come to find out he put a down payment on the ring the day I fell in love with it and the jeweler had it for safe keeping up until the week he proposed. Sneaky sneaky man.


Ring Details:
I think it is a 1.1 center stone
Princess Cut
Platinum
With I think 48 pave diamonds around it
Wedding band is also a platinum band with pave diamonds all the way around

I am also in love with the setting - I love that the diamond is set a little different than most

I cannot believe in just a few short days we will be at our three year mark - time really has flown!
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December 24, 2011

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today marks the start of my 30th year - I am going to call it the year of awesomeness.

The last year of my 20's threw some wrenches my way but looking back I could not be more blessed. 

My wonderful husband is getting his paralegal certificate next month from Rice.

My photography business - Fleurish Imagery - has really taken off.

A couple from my last sessions...




and I have the most loving and supportive family - and a pretty awesome cat.

I am looking forward to my 30th year - a lot.

I am not nervous about it at all, in fact I am pretty excited. I have heard from several friends that their 30's have been their best years and I fully intend to make it that way. I am pumped to build my business more, and possibly start looking at the option to start the process of putting out house up for sale (that will be more towards 31, but its not to early to start right?) No babies yet, we are still quite selfish, and we both want to establish our careers a bit more but I believe this year will rock my socks.

Bring it on 30!

Source: google.com.au via Jay on Pinterest


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December 19, 2011

Nail Polish Swap

About a month ago or so Celia over at ...just trying to find my way and Tara over at Fabulous but Evil hosted a nail polish swap. I thought it would be pretty fun to participate so I signed up, a week later I found out my partner was the uber sweet Mandell from Nameless for now... We slacked a little bit but finally exchanged e-mails, what our favorite colors were etc...

A few days later we e-mailed and we both had mailed off our packages - super excited as I love getting anything in the mail other than bills or those annoying coupon papers. 


A few days went by...no package

A week went by...no package

Nearly 2 weeks...no package

She got hers and loved it, and then we finally decided that USPS is horrible and it never made it here. I hope someone got it and is enjoying it! Well Mandell decided to resend the package  - which she totally did not have to do especially when she was trying to get ready for vacation! She e-mailed me and told me that the polish was on its way - this time via UPS...take that United States Postal Service!

My polish arrived the next day!!

Look at all these fab goodies!!
  • Essie's Master Plan
  • Essies's Tart Deco
  • Buffing block
  • Cuticle groomer
  • Liquid exfoliate
Here is "Master Plan" on my finger nails - I absolutely LOVE this color!
Thanks Mandell!!
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December 14, 2011

I have always wished...

That I had grandparents.

I mean obviously I HAD grandparents at one time I just never knew them. Well I knew my mom's mom but she lived in New Orleans and I did not see her much, and she passed away when I was a Junior in college.

Source: etsy.com via Teresa on Pinterest


My dad left Cuba with his sister right after Castro took over, left his family and came to the states, they passed away before I was even born.

My mom's dad died young so I never knew him either.

My grandma - well she was grandma. I saw her maybe twice a year and she would sometimes send cards. She passed away from Alzheimer's in her mid 80's (I think she was 83...or 84).

I was always jealous, and to some degree I still am of my friends who have a close relationship with their grandparents.

Grandparents day at school? I always had my godmother come.

Hubs was close with his grandmother, she passed away almost 2 years ago...at 100!
This was taken at her 100th birthday celebration in Feb 2010 - did she not look amazing?

I always wanted to have that special relationship that my friends have with their grandparents. My parents are older so even though I am not ready for kids (make that singular...) I fear that our child will not have the chance to have that either.

It is so great to see Evan (my nephew) with his Nani and Papi, he just loves going over there spending the weekend and going to the recycling place with his Papi.

I think I was most sad for Evan when my brother-in-law's mother passed away in April because now he is with one less grandparent to make those awesome memories with.

I always think more about this during the holidays so sorry for the sappy post!

I am thankful for the awesome family I do have and I look forward to the next couple of weeks of spending the holidays with them, and seeing how excited Evan is on Christmas!

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December 13, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Recent Session Favorites

Posting on Tuesday night but whateve...I have had a lot of sessions recently here are a few favorites















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December 4, 2011

On Your Feet

This is one of my absolute favorite feet shots. This was from my newborn session with Mr. Owen - I just love his little toes and isn't his mom's ring just gorgeous? Love!


Check out more feet here!


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December 1, 2011

Favorite Holiday Movie

Linking up with the Holiday Blog Challenge....


Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge



Today's topic: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Special
 
Some favorite quotes from my all-time favorite Christmas movie...

"Only I didn't say "Fudge." I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word!"
 
"You'll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid"

"Stuck? Stuck. It's Stuck. It's STUCK!!!"
 
"Fra-gee-lay. It must be Italian."

"NOTTAFINGA!"
 
"The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey A La King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!"
 
 I am sure you guessed it by now...

 
This movie is also one of my most favorite movies ever - I really could probably recite every line. My mom also got me this Christmas ornament last year



There is a button and it plays the triple dog dare scene....love it!

I also love Elf.
I mean who does not love Will Ferrel dressed as a big green elf???

I also love Serendipity - such a cute love story!!

What are some of your favorites??
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