Packing has begun

I leave for my last visit to Texas before the BIG move.  And I am packing for my trip.  On my last trip I packed 2 duffle bags full of things from my desk, things I will not be using so it will be less to haul in December.  So I am packing the 2 duffle bags again so we will be 4 bags lighter :)

This time clothes, which is awesome because it will be so much lighter to carry, holy smokes those papers, desk supplies, and sewing materials were a little heavy.

I leave Wednesday afternoon and with the time differential I will land Wednesday night.  

So far Josh & I don't really have plans, which is crazy for us, I usually have the whole visit planned, and with activities to spare.  

This time I have nothing, Josh actually was the one to suggest an art walk they have First Fridays in CC, TX.  Similar to the one we have in PHX, we went to one once & I really enjoyed it, and he also suggested we go to northern TX and see the Fall Foliage.  

I am also excited bc this visit will be a little longer than my last visit, only Saturday afternoon to Tuesday 4 a.m., I arrive Wednesday afternoon, and leave Tuesday 4 a.m. (not many flights into & out of CC, TX).  

BUT I'll get 3 extra days :) and Josh is taking Friday off so we'll have a 3-day weekend.  

Right now I am just so anxious to leave, don't want to work tomorrow, just want to clean my apartment and sleep. This is exciting because it is the LAST time I'll have to say Good-bye bc next time I see him will be December and I'll get to go home with him BC we're MARRIED :) !!!!

Five Months Engaged

Today Josh & I hit our 5 month engagement mark!

So crazy to think about, already 5 months have flown by and in 71 days I'll be married :)

I have really accomplished a bit lately, got a good bit of the addresses for the invitations, met with Pam and set the times for the ceremony and reception . . . Josh is getting 5 - 7 p.m. I hope it isn't too cold!

I made an appointment to meet with the cake decorator this Saturday after work, and the caterer next Wednesday after work.  I still need to confirm the chairs, the guy & I are playing phone tag right now. . . 

Josh in his sweetest moment told me he thought it through & he thought we should just skip the reception and just have a ceremony and a little bigger luncheon.  

I completely FREAKED out at work, I love that man, I KNOW he meant well, but oh my gosh we can't just not have a reception now.  I've already asked for addresses, already made all these appointments.  He is just so sweet, doesn't want me to be stressed.  

But I told him, it will be awesome, once I reserve the food and chairs, the big things are done and it will be better :) 

And when it is all said & done I am confident that I will be glad we went to all this time and headache to plan this.  So Reception is back on! Yah??

Anyway, I applied for a teller job, not super excited about it, but I need to start applying so it was a good start.  

My Bridal Shower is tentatively set for Dec 14th, a little closer to the wedding than I would have preferred but it will work well with all the schedules.  My girlfriend Kayla is AMAZING and is hosting it.  She is also helping me with the wedding music playlist, and a meal for Josh & I to take after the reception.  Josh keeps scaring me with a camping honeymoon - I told him N.O. 

Still LOTS & LOTS more but the big things will be taken care of.  

I am going to visit Josh October 30th, which is in 20 days.  I am so excited to see him :) 

Engagement Ring

My engagement ring!!!

I love it!!!

It was such a fun visit to see Josh, very sad to leave but happy I'll get to see him again end of October and then again when we get MARRIED!!!

Next visit we'll have to do more practical things like look for an apartment, a job, etc. . . This trip was just for fun, I got the tickets for this trip almost 100% free because of my voucher and a credit I had with Southwest. 

Our wedding plans are progressing, I started my invitation address hunting last night, got a good chunk of it done so that was good.  

Anyway, can't wait for my next trip, I am a very lucky young lady :)

My Trip to San Antonio

I finally get to see my fiance after 4 months of being engaged!!!!  I flew out Saturday Sept. 14th in the morning, and arrived that afternoon in San Antonio, TX!

Josh said for my first trip to TX a weekend in San Antonio will probably be more fun than Corpus Christi.  We had wanted to do the River Walk that night but I was beat after dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and a fun excursion to REI.  We didn't leave REI till closing so it was kind of late, so I figured we'd get some sleep and have Sunday to do more site seeing.  

Sunday morning we went and drove to the San Antonio Temple, SO pretty, but unfortunately SO closed.  Completely gated off, we couldn't even get pictures without the tall metal gate in the way.  Josh was bummed bc we got my engagement ring the night before I left & Josh wanted to "present" it to me there.  

We then head to the River Walk, holy smokes parking here is worse than ASU event parking.  We took this picture to remind us the main crossroad of where we parked.  I have the other cross road pic too but it isn't as clear.  

It was very scenic and pretty.  But I got BIT by TONS of MOSQUITOS!!!  It had been very rainy here and the River Walk to me reeked of urine so I wasn't keen to walk the whole thing.  I imagine I got the gist of it.  Very pretty :)

Even Pretty flowers!

Map we took a picture of so we could go to the Alamo. 

Found Alamo St. 

A lot of people who were suggesting places to visit in San Antonio said not to bother with The Alamo but I am glad we stopped bc Josh & I spent the rest of the afternoon here.  We both really enjoyed it.  

It is surprising how small it is, I imagined something larger but the history behind it is amazing.  Josh and I watched a 10 minute History Channel spot on it in Visitor Center.  We then just toured the grounds and had a nice visit.  Josh LOVES trees, and I'll admit this one was quite grand.  It was HUGE and all twisty and cool looking. We have like 10 pictures of this tree courtesy of Josh. 

The plaque for who the tree was dedicated to. 

More Pretty Flowers.  By this time I was getting tired of walking around, I only had flip flops on and those were not the best choice for sight seeing.  My feet were feeling all the walking so Josh was trying to buoy my spirits with pretty flowers. 

After the Alamo we walked back to the car and headed to Corpus Christi, TX.  Wonderful visit in San Antonio :) 

On our way to Josh's we had some fun rain storms on the way, TX needs the rain, Josh was telling me how they were in a drought so this rain is very welcome.  

Monday Josh had to cover a Life Guard Shift bc now that school is in session his guards availability is a little bit of a joke so like noon to 1:15 he had to be there.  It was fun though going to his work, I met a few of his employees and one of his guards.  This board was in his office and I was so proud, these are the first 3 outdoor clinics he put together and I tried to zoom in on the contact: Josh Bowman part!

So exciting!!!

It was very sad Monday morning though to have to check in already for my flight on Tuesday morning, first thing at 6:15 a.m. 

For Monday after the pool we just headed back and cooked the rest of the day.  It was quite rainy, no lightning though so Josh couldn't close the pool.  But we made Jalepenos with Bacon, and Adobo Chicken which are some of Josh's favorites.  By Monday I still hadn't been "presented" my ring so Josh asks pretty randomly when I wanted my ring.  I thought well heck, whenever you give it to me.  So Josh told me about the ideas he had, but we just didn't have the time and weather didn't quite work with us, but man oh man is my ENGAGEMENT RING GORGEOUS!!!!

LOVE IT, LOVE HIM!!  

I am so exited! 

My Fun Weekend

I had a really fun weekend :) It started out with no work which was awesome!!! And I had a baby shower that was super fun, an old co-worker was also there and I had a blast catching up with her.
I bought new pillows and super excited to try those out.

My Mom & I went to the movie theatres and we saw the new Percy Jackson Movie which was super fun, not totally like the book but it was a fun movie!
After the movies we got yummy pizza and watched the Diamond Backs game.  Holy smokes the game was 18 full innings!!!  DBacks crushed it in the top of the 18th, winning 12-7!!!

I woke up this morning a little late, and made myself this AMAZING brunch :)  Sausage & Egg Breakfast Burrito with fresh cut fruit and yummy apple juice!  So happy right now.

I went to church and then to my friend Kayla's church - she was the Relief Society Instructor and I went to support her.  It was nice, My ward has been great but I was happy to support my friend.  

Josh is on a trip for a facilitator ropes challenge course, he has been gone since Wednesday and I miss him.  BUT I think he is having fun, we were able to talk on Thursday briefly (2 mins) and he said they have a cafeteria that serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner so I know he is being taken care of - at least his stomach. 

I have jury duty Tuesday, I hope I don't have to show up, and my group gets canceled. Think good thoughts for me!!

Wedding Reception Picture Frames

I have been looking for picture frames to have for mine & Josh's Wedding Reception.  Because we have been dating long distance I have liked having pictures of our of time together up at my apartment.  The ones displayed on the bed are the ones I've accumulated over the last 2 years, replacing old pictures for more current ones. . . And the frames on the dresser I just bought at Walmart super cheap, they are all silver, which is one my wedding colors and I'd love to have more, but I think it will have to be enough.  Plus I have another picture frame at work with us in it that is a two picture that folds on hinges.  

I don't know how it will work out, but so far this is what I have decided I'd like at the non-food tables, by the sign in table, gift table, etc. . .  

My other wedding plans are going GREAT!!! Finally asked my bishop to officiate the wedding, he said he'd save the date.  I had my wedding invitations meeting this past Wednesday and once I have more precise times to put on the invitations, and how many I would like printed I can get those bad boys out :) I am really excited to see how they look!  

The biggees left are food :( and chair rentals.  And some other smaller things. But I still have FOUR MONTHS TO GO!!!!!  Seems like forever, but Josh said the time will go by,plus I will see him in a little bit in September and again end of October :) But it is so nice to have a fair bit of it figured out.

Other than that life is good, we had a beautiful rain storm last night and might get another one tonight, I love the rain when it comes.  

DBacks VS Orioles

Monday Night my employer did an Employee Appreciation Night with a Diamondbacks Game, ticket and $5.00 Voucher for food/drink.  

It was a fun night, I forget how much I love baseball until I am watching it.  I told Josh we are going to have to support the closest baseball team in CC, they have a AA team the Hooks affiliated with the Houston Astros.  

My good friend and co-worker RaeAnna had our feet up to stretch while our friends sitting in front of us went on a food and drinks run.  Love this picture!

Me and my team, there were only a few that stayed till the end of the game, use and my pal Roke who took the picture.  BEST game!!! Diamondbacks won with a walk off home run :)

Crazy though, super messed up my week, to make the game they had us work 8 to 5 p.m. instead of my normal 9 to 6 p.m. and didn't go to bed till after 1 a.m. after the game.  I drank a ton of  Pepsi and Jorge bought me cotton candy at the game - which explains why I couldn't go to bed till after midnight...

It is Tuesday and my throat is hoarse from screaming at the game but so worth it.  Go D-BACKS!