Wedding here, wedding there, wedding everywhere!

It seems as if lately I am hearing about weddings like crazy! Not only will I have the honor of being in a wedding, a couple of my friends have gotten engaged and I am super excited to see them tie the knot, Cameron and I are planning our own wedding, and we just went to one this past weekend! Needless to say, it was our opportunity to start making a list of what we think is truly important at our wedding.

1. Venue. The couple had their ceremony and reception in two different places. This is typical of many weddings. We started the day with a mass and ceremony, and then headed to the reception site, a beautiful mansion with several large rooms, an outdoor space and plenty of parking. Cameron and I discussed this and we would like the ceremony and reception in one place. I think that the guests would appreciate it and it would cut down on the amount of time spent in general.

This venue is a perfect example! I've heard a lot of bad mouthing about the city I live in from certain people (ahem) but there are good and bad things about every town and every city! This is a little gem Cameron and I found located right here and it's beautiful! Last year we talked about wineries, the beach, and even a destination wedding, but honestly, the most important thing is spending it with the people we love the most. Our family and friends.

2. Dress/Ring. The beautiful bride was stunning in a crystal encrusted gown that was floor length then at the reception, she removed a piece from the bottom that turned into a party dress with the same top half! It was awesome! She also made her way to our table to show off her humongous ring. Once she left, Cameron and I just laughed about it. To each their own. In my years of life, I have learned many things. One of them being what is truly important to me. A ring half the size of Montana...no thanks. Cameron's love isn't measured by how much money he spends on a ring, its how much time he spends with me. Not on his laptop or phone, but with me. I cherish all of those moments. He doesn't judge me, doesn't put me down, and certainly loves me for who I am, no matter what. That is what matters. So when it comes to a ring, it has become a joke between Cameron and I. I have given him a "maximum" amount to spend...no more than $2000.00. And even that is pricey for me. I would much rather spend that money on memories than have it sitting on my finger for all the world to see. The dress...haha...well that's another thing. I won't pay more than $1000.00 for a dress I will only wear once. I know I know...its my wedding. But the memories and what I will be getting in my lifetime well makes up for a $1000.00 dress, promise. Here are a few of my ideas: 

3. Food/Drinks. At the wedding we went to this weekend, it was open bar but there wasn't a bartender (which I'm sure was an extra expense). There was plenty of beer and liquor and enough mixers to make your own mixed drinks. Cameron and I weren't sure about this set up. We would like our guests to have a great time but not get smashed at the wedding...not appropriate. So we are still debating on whether to have a cash bar or open bar with just beer and wine. 

We have always said that we wanted our wedding to be catered/served...no buffet! The dinner at this wedding was served but it was Chicken Cordon Bleu, served with red potatoes, and pesto pasta. It wasn't my favorite dish. We want to give our guests an option for beef or chicken. Here are some of the ideas Cameron and I were kicking around for serving at our wedding:

4. Traditions. Traditions were abundant at this wedding last weekend. We saw prayers, a lasso, and offerings at a traditional Catholic mass. At the reception we witnessed everything from the bouquet toss, 1st dance, and bridal party introductions to speeches and DJ and a band! Cameron and I had a long conversation about this Saturday night. We feel that some traditions are more important than others. We do not want to get married in a church and prefer that our nuptials are kept short and sweet, no longer than 30 minutes. I would like a 1st dance with my husband but neither of us care about the bouquet or garter belt toss. So we are looking into alternatives, possibly giving the bouquet and garter to the couple who has been together the longest during an "anniversary" dance. We are debating between a band or DJ but feel it should be one or the other. We want people to have fun at our wedding and not be bored by all of the pomp and circumstance that comes along with a wedding!

5. Pictures/Videography. This is probably the most important item on our list. It is something that will last a lifetime. With how far technology has advanced, the possibilities are endless! I already have a professional photographer in mind (my friend Little Lisa). She is pretty amazing at what she does. I would also like a professional videographer as well. Saturday's wedding came with a photo booth. Cameron and I aren't sure about this feature for the guests. I guess for me, it feels like it's fun, but more for a birthday party or graduation. A wedding I went to a few years ago supplied guests with throwaway cameras. Each guest was encouraged to take random photos of the wedding and turn them in at the end of the night. The photos were then developed by the bride and groom and put into an album. I think I like this idea better! Here are a few of my favorite wedding shots:

 These are all amazing shots!








We still have a lot of planning to do and we are enjoying every minute of it!

Have a great 4th of July!

Talk soon,
M

I've taken a break, but for a good reason, promise!

So It's been a while since I've written anything. I have to admit. The two online classes I am taking this summer are kicking my butt. Medical terminology is NOT fun and Basic Health Pro Skills...well...you can just imagine. But I know that this is just one little step in my path to progress of my life and within myself. I've dedicated myself to eating cleaner (at least trying anyways), working out more with Cameron (the couple that works out together stays together) and focusing on things that I love to do.

Lately, Cameron and I decided to start working on remodeling the house we just bought. When we first purchased the house in November of 2013, we were so excited and wanted to do everything and anything all at once...well that is impossible and expensive! We did manage to accomplish a few things but slowed down considerably. Now we have actually made a list of needs and wants. Things that need replacing and things that can wait. Projects that need a lot of time, and projects that we can do in one weekend.

Surprisingly, this has brought us even closer as a couple and as friends. Working on our house is something we both enjoy doing and neither of us mind the hard work or time that goes into it.

So for Favorites Friday, I have decided to post my Five Favorite Pinterest picks!

We love to entertain! And this is perfect for our backyard! We have already cleared out the space needed and we are working on cultivating the grass so that its much thicker and healthier next spring and summer. We are planning on using a similar stone like the one in the picture and will probably lay out some more pillows to make it extra comfy!

This bedroom reminds me of ours! We have just finished painting it close to the color in this picture. The curtains in our guest room are white instead, and we are accenting the wall with some artwork and some lighting. Whenever I pass the room at night, I feel like I'm passing a sanctuary! The colors are very warm and inviting!

The kitchen will probably be the very last room we remodel because we want it to be our favorite. We spend the most time in this room. We are always cooking together. If we aren't then someone is cooking and the other one is seated in the bar area talking about how their day went. When we saw this kitchen, this is what we envision! Dark cabinets, beautiful counter tops, space for seats, and bright light.

The master bathroom is also very important to us. And these glass panels are very sleek and contemporary. The lighting in this picture makes the bathroom very grand and classic and I love clean white lines of the wainscoting. Beautiful and in the works!

Last but certainly not least. Our sun room. We were very blessed to purchase a house with a built in sun room. We would like to remodel the sun room to make it more like this one. This one seems more lived in and we certainly want it to be a room that is welcoming to our guests.

So many options and those are just a few of our favorites! We have so many more years in the house and I really want to enjoy every second of it!

So far, so great!!

Talk soon!

Monica

Happy Favorites Friday!

So it's been several days since my last post! Sorry! I was in the middle of finals and I rocked them! Now I have a couple of weeks free and I will probably be blogging a bit more, at least until Summer classes start!

Today I am blogging about my favorite fitness tips! These are tried and true and if you've hit a plateau, maybe you can try a couple of these tips!

I have incorporated this into my life and has worked wonders! I feel so much better when I accomplish this every single day! Cameron and I have done yard work, jogged, walked, rode bicycles, cleaned the house, weight trained, and played catch! 30 minutes translates into any activity that will raise your heart rate! Try it!

Squats. Its a love/hate relationship. I love and hate the pain, but I would LOVE my legs to look like this one day! Squats work all the muscles in the backs of your legs (not to mention a few in the front), plus you will pat yourself on the back come summer time!

Who doesn't love crunches? These won't work unless you do them correctly and this quick little guide is the perfect reminder! Don't forget to incorporate cardio into all of your workouts to help get rid of the adipose tissue(fat) covering your rectus abdominus(ab muscles!)

One of my favorite things to do while Cameron and I are going for a walk is taking my hand weights with me! I do shoulder raises or air punches while we are walking and it feels great! Cardio and weights at the same time!

The very best tip I can give you is that being fit and healthy is 80% nutrition and 20% working out. My trainer always tells me that I work out every day, but if I eat crap, then I will not only feel like crap, I will look like crap! 

Hope that these tips help you out! Work hard and play harder!

Talk soon!

Monica

Friday Favorites!

Whoo Hoo! Its Friday and I am SO very happy! Things in my life are coming together just as planned! It's been very easy lately to fall into a rut because I'm in school and work full time, but I don't mind it at all. We have a routine and sometimes that routine keeps me going! When I lived in Los Angeles, the routine was a little crazier!

Speaking of LA, let me get into my Friday Favorites! This morning I had to get all dolled up for an event happening at work. This wasn't difficult. I have plenty of dresses and heels to choose from! But it made me think about all of the trends that have come back around! Here are the 5 that came to mind:

Dolce & Gabbana White Pant. These are very sleek and stylish. You can wear them with almost any color. I purchased my first pair over 7 years ago so I  know that they are a classic style!

Floral short. When I bought a pair at an Los Angeles H & M store, I was so excited! They reminded me of a skirt but more comfortable! I paired them with a cute black tank and 5 inch wedges and danced the night away!

The scarf, tank, and maxi...what don't I love about this look. I used to rock this look on Fridays at my old job because I wanted to look dressed up and NOT wear jeans. Now this is possible in LA. This is NOT POSSIBLE in Corpus Christi. It isn't even possible in San Antonio so I laugh inside when I see girls try to sport this look in 90 degree weather and 90 percent humidity!

A classic look from Michael Kors. I have several dresses like this in my closet. Unfortunately, I don't work in an office that requires I dress like this anymore. It's disappointing when I workout in the mornings and face all of the pairs of heels I have, wondering when I will get to enjoy them For now, its only on date nights and special occasions!

Last but certainly not least! The pointed toe heel. I have plenty of these types of heels. I have always been a fan. Round toe, not so much. In my opinion, this style is much more classy and elegant and makes you taller and leaner!

They always say that trends recycle themselves but I think the ones above are here to stay! Classic pieces that you can wear with anything to almost any function!

Hope you have a few in your closet just like me!

Talk soon!

Monica

In due time...

Its been a few days since I've blogged and I have so many things to blog about, namely handicap spots, fitness and my struggle with my body, and being envious over nothing at all...

A couple of my co-workers have become engaged over the past weeks. It's made me dream about my own wedding that will happen soon enough. Cameron and I have had so many conversations about our wedding. We want it to be right and we want it to happen at the right time. We are completely in love. We just purchased our first home, so we aren't in a rush to do anything just yet.

So today, in honor of that dream coming true, I am staying true to Favorites Friday with 5 of my favorite wedding dresses!

This one is so beautiful! I love the flowers on the bottom of the dress. I think it looks so elegant!

I'm in love with this one too!

I love the detail of this dress. I can really picture myself in this one!

The bottom of this dress is so beautiful. It reminds me of a Spanish dancer!

And finally, this one! Its a little racy for the wedding but I know I could pull it off!

 

 

I know that when the time comes, I will have a hard time choosing the right dress. But I'm excited to enjoy the experience!

 

Happy Friday!

 

Talk soon,

Monica

Happy Wednesday!

Just recently I have challenged myself to give a 100% in anything I do. I have been working out everyday and am cautious about what I eat.

But....that doesn't mean I don't absolutely love food! I'm a closet foodie and wish that I could eat anything and everything and be thin. But that just isn't in the cards for me. Cameron and I have fun cooking together and searching for healthy recipes that we enjoy. Here are a few of my favorites:

Bison burger! If you haven't tried this type of meat, I suggest you do. It is healthier and leaner than regular ground beef and the taste is amazing!

Chicken and cheese tortellini soup. This is fairly easy to make and we added chicken as our protein for the dish.

Fried orange chicken with saffron rice. This is one of my favorites! Usually I grill the chicken for a healthier option but this time decided to lightly fry the chicken pieces.

Huaraches with beef fajita and Mexican rice. Huaraches are a popular staple in Los Angeles and I fell in love with them when I lived there. Huarache translated mean "shoe". Although I didn't shape the masa to look like a "shoe", its still the same!

Grilled salmon with baby shrimp and lemon broccoli. We make salmon at least once a week. It is super healthy and has a great taste!

Tacos Dorados. These tortillas are lightly friend in olive oil and shaped to resemble a hard taco. We stuff them with shredded chicken and top them with some avocado and crema (mexican style sour cream).

Turkey with homemade mashed red potatoes and french style green beans. I left this in the crockpot all day and it was tender and juicy! 

So there you have it! 

We are always looking for new and exciting recipes, feel free to send some our way!

Talk soon!

Monica

So you think I'm pregnant?!

So every now and again, someone will ask me if I'm pregnant. Its not because I have a belly the size of a basketball, or because I am eating pickles and ice cream, or even because I am bloated and wearing maternity clothes! No, no, no....its all because I enjoy wearing the one style that I realize now, can never be in my closet again...The EMPIRE waist.

I wore a cute tank top that just so happen to be empire waist. The material was light and airy and there were lace shoulders to compliment the top. Cameron and I were coming out of a restaurant and two ladies approached us to inquire about the establishment. One women asked what I had ate so I answered, "A burger, but I worked out today, so it was my treat." Her response? "Oh! Are you eating for two?" I couldn't believe what she had just said. My stomach is flat and in this top you can't even tell, so why would she ask? I quickly responded with "No, I just though Cameron and I would pretend tonight." Needless to say she was embarrassed and apologized over and over again. LOL...but I vowed to Cameron to never wear an empire waist again. This wasn't the first time and I knew it probably wouldn't be the last. I love this style because its comfortable but I am realizing now that it may not flatter me like I would want.

So here is an ode to empire waists everywhere...I loved you but you must go now...please don't try to contact me, I won't pick up, I won't answer the door. Goodbye...

Talk later!

Monica