Wedding Day Part 2

The ceremony was beautiful. I had Yvonne Pastore (from St. Tim's) singing for me. She has an amazing voice. The liturgy was beautiful. I am so thankful to Jean at St. Anne's for helping me complete this journey to a sacramental marriage. I felt totally comfortable and at peace with the day. John looked so handsome, I loved standing at the top of the aisle looking at him. he was standing so tall and proud. I love him so much.

As many people told me the day would go so fast. It did, really did. After the ceremony we drove down to Seville to begin on taking pictures. The drive was nice to have that time alone with John. We took so many pictures and did not get to participate int he cocktail hour at all. The grand entrance was a blast. I loved be announced and Mr. & Mrs. Jones....so fun. We ate, drank and had an amazing time. I'm amazed sometimes at how things work out. So lucky...so in love!

My wedding day.....

In reflection......
on my wedding day I woke up with an amazing sense of peace. I had stayed in a hotel the night before with my sister, Janice (maid of honor) and niece, Carley (flower girl). Reaching for my phone I had a good morning text from John saying "We're getting married today, baby! I love you!" so sweet...from there I opened my gift from John. Along with that we had written letters to each other in a pre-marriage class we attended in January to be read on the day of our wedding. With my sister and Carley asleep, I opened my gift and treasured letter from my groom. I loved that time of peace and silence to embrace my day. From that point on things got busy. Paige arrived at 9am to start working on my hair (which came out awesome) I was so happy with it. Jessamyn arrived to take pictures of us getting ready (so excited to see them) Lindsay arrived to do make-up. While getting my hair done came the biggest surprise of the day...My friend Melissa, from NY, surprised me and showed up! I was so surprised, it was amazing! My Mom, sister and all the Cook Street peeps were in on the surprise...it was wonderful. The car came for us at 1pm and we headed to the Church. I was so calm...very excited, but very calm. It was a wonderful feeling. I was so excited to get there and see my groom. At the church I was tucked away in the back but was able to sneak a peek at John before he walked down the aisle to wait for me. While waiting at the top of the aisle Jeanne, the wedding coordinator at St. Anne's, encouraged me to stop for a moment and take it all in before I started down the aisle. I am so glad I did that because from that point on the day flew by. I made eye contact with John, looked around to see who was there and really just embraced it all. It was a perfect moment! My perfect moment!

One month away!

The day is getting closer. I will marry my prince one month from today. I am so excited! I was just reflected on how things have a way of working themselves out. A year ago I would have never thought my life would be so amazing different in a years time. I am so thankful that I am getting to spend my life with this man that makes me so happy.

I am engaged!

To the love of my life!

I have been away from the blogging world for quite some time but wanted to post my exciting news in case anyone out there still checks this.

John and I have been on again off again for a long time trying to find resolution on some sticking points for each of us.

Compromise is an amazing thing and we are both super excited with our

decision to spend our lives together.

We got engaged on June 21, 2010.

I have a beautiful ring....

and an amazing man, I couln't be happier~

We will be married on February 27, 2010.

Having a fantastic time in Nashville....

(The Bluebird Cafe)

Day one:

I arrived in Nashville on Saturday afternoon, after getting my rental car and finding my hotel I decided to check out the famous The Bluebird Cafe. It was an awesome experience. I saw a bunch of great performers. My favorite, Natalie Tidwell has a fantastic voice. I bought her CD and have been listening to it as I drive around Nashville. She was very nice and we are now "friends" on facebook. If I can figure out how to upload a song on here I will do that with one of my favorites from her CD.

(Natalie Tidwell)

Day Two:

Was an incredible day..I did so much and took a bunch of great pictures. I Started my day off going to "Cowboy Church" this was an awesome experience and a perfect way to spend a Sunday morning. The wife of the pastor is Joanne Cash Yates...yes Cash...the youngest sister of Johnny Cash and one of the performers was Stella Parton...Dolly Parton's sister. It was a very uplifting service with great music.

Right across the street was the Grand Ole Opry grounds. The Opry was closed for renovations but I was able to take pictures from outside and wander around the gift shop.

After that I headed into the city to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It was absolutley fantastic. I loved walking through and learning all about the stars that were inducted into the Hall of Fame, from Dolly Parton to Garth Brooks. It was awesome!

When I left there, I walked up to the main street of town to see what was there and take some pictures. I saw the hardrock cafe and

Tootsies Lounge which I had read about on line and in my Nashville travel book. It was a really neat old place. One of those little hole in the wall places that you just know millions of people have been there before you. There were old pictures and records on the wall and a great band playing. I stayed for a bit and listened over a beer.

Day Three:

I spent the day in the cutest little town called Franklin. It was the most fantastic historic town with tons of great antique stores and restaurants. This was by far my favorite day. It was the type of town I would love to live in someday. Old buildings, friendly shop keepers, and a true sense of community.

I found this wonderful little cafe where I had a delicious latte and the most incredible cupcake I have ever eaten. It was called "The Curious Gourmet, Cupcake Cafe"

The cupcake I chose was german chocolate...it was so good. I sat in there enjoying my warm beverage and yummy cupcake for about an hour while I finished up a book. This was my least "touristy" day but by far, my favorite!

This brick wall was in the bathroom of the irish pub I had lunch in....loved it, so I took a picture.

New business venture....

Things are moving right along...

I leave for training in Nashville on the 17th of January and am very excited. My business name is "Simplicity Budget Counseling" with the website being www.simplicitybudgetcounseling.com

Just wanted to give you all the great news. Thanks for your support and encouragement over these past 2 years. Now I have the strength and motivation to help others.

My new ride!

Woo hoo! Check her out..she is sweet and sassy, fast and fun.....and...ALL MINE!

Good bye Honda...hello Nissan. That little car was so good to me. So many great trips up to the cabin and never once a problem. But she had a lot of miles on her...174k. I figured it was time to move on. So, I said good bye. I think that was actually the longest I have ever held onto a car. January would have been 6 years.

My new ride is a 2005 Nissan Murano. It has low miles and is in great overall condition. I am very happy with my purchase, I got a great vehicle at a great price. Its definitely a buyers market out there.

I haven't had time to do my first road trip yet but we will...soon.

Just horsing around!

I had the pleasure of going horseback riding Saturday in the beautiful Superstition Mountains. It was fantastic! The weather was perfect for a morning out with nature. It was a two hour ride and there were 3 of us plus the tour guide.

My horse was named "Mouse" he was mellow and well behaved...thank goodness! We started out at about 8am and it was a little cool at that time, but the sun was just about all the way up over the mountain so I knew it would warm up soon enough.

The owners of the ranch also have a bunch of cattle so we had some visitors as we were out there as well....They seemed a bit put off that we were riding in their spot.

They started picking up their pace as if we were chasing them. It was really funny...we just wanted them to move aside so we could pass.

A good time was had by all. It is hard not too when you surrounded by such beauty!

I am always amazed by horses and think they are just beautiful animals. Even though I am not an overly experienced rider, I really enjoy it.

It is really great down time for me...to be able to out in the wilderness...enjoy the beauty around me and feel peace in my heart.

Heading to Nashville....

As some of you may know. I have been working diligently, for the past few years to get all my debt paid off. It has been a very long and rewarding process but I made it. I now only owe money on my home. I am very excited and learned so much in this process. The next step, and its a big step, was to get certified to help other people. I sent my application, with the help of my friends and their letters of recommendation, to the Dave Ramsey group and after 6 weeks of waiting I found out that I have been accepted into the program. I am going to Nashville in January for training. If you are interested in learning more about what I am going to be doing here is a link to the website. I would be extremely grateful for your prayers and support as I start this new adventure in my life. I am very excited and really feel this is a great fit for me. I will be back from Nashville and will be able to start helping people at the end of January. I am in the process now of establishing a business name and website so when I get back from training I can hit the ground running. A special thanks to Evie, Jessamyn and Kristine for writting such amazing recommendation letters for me. I am blest to have you all in my life.

Walk with me....

...through an enchanted garden!

I came upon this wonderful garden while at the Jersey Shore with my family this summer. We were walking through a little town and this garden was next to a fantastic antique store. They had so many wonderful beack finds and nautical antiques. Of course its a little hard to shop when you can only bring one suitcase on the plane, but beleive me if I had more room and a larfer weight limit I would have had some serious fun shopping! I was taken by how abstract and gorgeous this little garden was. It was so peaceful and you could hear and smell the nearby sea. I sat on the little white bench for a few moments and enjoyed this little garden. I hope you do too.

September 11, 2008

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'
You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I.
I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK..I am ready to go.'
I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.
I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said. 'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.'
I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.
I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.
I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan . I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me?
I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.
Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.
I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were ;there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?
Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you . But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'
I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.
God During the next 60 seconds, stop whatever you are doing, and take this opportunity. (Literally it is only 1 minute.) All you have to do is the following:
Stop and think and appreciate God's power in your life, for doing what you know is pleasing to Him. If you believe 'Yes, I love my God. He is my fountain of Life and My Savior. He Keeps me going day and night. Without Him, I am no one. But with Him, I can do everything. Christ is my strength.'

My best friend Evie sent this to me and I thought it was a perfect reminder to post on my blog in honor of the victims of September 11, 2001. We all remember where we were that day, let's never forget!

A week at the beach with my family...

August 9-16, 2008~

I flew out to the east coast to spend a week with my family on the Jersey Shore. We rented a cute beach house, thanks to my sister. The location was wonderful we were just 6 houses away from the bay where there was a playground, swimming area, fishingdock and a glourious little garden, a beautiful place to watch the sunset and see the storms roll in from the mainland. The ocean was only 3 blocks away, it was a quick little walk. We spent most days at the beach soaking up the sun, enjoying the surf and spending quality time with my family. My neice and nephew really enjoyed playing in the sand. Vincent loved the waves and wasn't scared at all, Carley on the other hand would not go anywhere near the water at the ocean. We took a few walking adventures to find seashells and other beach finds.

The house also had a nice big backyard, which was great for the kids to play in. We barbequed a lot and had a few late afternoon cocktails on the deck. It was so relaxing.

The town we were in was Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island. It was a great area. The Island had so many little towns each with their own beaches and towns.

We walked around a bunch of cute small towns, went out to dinner, stopped at the ice cream stand, took long walks and just had a really great time.

At the far north point of the Island was the barnaget lighthouse. Janice, Dennis, Vincent, Carley and myself climed all 217 stairs to the top and got an incredible view of the entire island.

I walked down to the ocean one morning early, to see the sunrise. It was so neat to walk in the dark with a cold breeze in the air. It was incredible. The beach was so quiet and peaceful at that time of morning. I loved the serenity of it. It was a cloudy morning and it was just gorgeous.The sand seemed to glow with the low rays of the sun. I got back to the house in time for everyone to start waking up. It was an awesome to start the day.

Is was a wonderful week with my family. Vincent and Carley are at such fun ages and had a blast with them. I went on many walks with them through the neighborhood, played at the park, built sandcastles, played games and loved on each other. I was so glad I was able to make it for the week. We are already planning for next year.

The colors of my garden

August in the garden...usually not much color, mostly half brown plants struggling to make it through another Arizona summer...Aren't we all?

Well thanks to a wonderful storm and a soaked backyard my rose bushes all have tons of blooms. I guess they just needed a good drink. It gave me hope that my garden will be beautiful again...I can't wait for fall...my garden needs some love.

Bisbee...Here I come!

Wow....what a town. If you have never been you must. It is an awesome little town in the very south east corner of the state. It is unique, eclectic, whimsical and so much fun. You actually don't think you are still in Arizona.

I started my adventure on Saturday morning at about 8am. The car is packed, the dogs are left in good hands and the gas tank is full....I planned my trip to go through Tucson instead of driving past it because there was a store I wanted to stop in down there. So I went out the 60, a much nicer drive than going the I-10 the entire way. At about 9:30 I stopped in a little town, Catalina, just outside Tucson for breakfast. I found this awesome little place "Sunnyside Up Cafe" and it was wonderful....great food, awesome people and oh so cute. It was decorated in Black ,white and yellow. It had a Black & white checkered floor and cheery yellow curtains and decorated in a farmhouse style....totally adorable. The food was fantastic I had a half order of there signiture breakfast special, biscutes & gravy with sausage, scrammbled eggs and hashbrowns.....I was happy I had the forsight to only get the half order. While in Catalina I also filled up the gas tank....only $3.81! Who ever thought I would be excited to see gas at that price.

Then I was back on the road to Bisbee. In Douglas I found a farmers market that I stopped at to get some fruit. Then found an antique store where I found this old railing off a house from the new england area. I had no idea what I was going to do with it but was sure I could figure something out. He had it priced at $30 but when I offered him $20 he took it right away. So we loaded it in my car and off I went. It is now on the plant shelf in my living room although I am not sure that is where it will stay. It might end up in the backyard when the weather cools down and I start working out there again.

From there the drive wasn't too bad. I heard that once I saw the tunnel I was just about there...

The view from the top looking down into the town.

Arrived in Bisbee at about 1:30 p.m. I was so excited to check out the town. I found a parking spot and walked around all the little shops and galleries. I loved looking at all the old brick buildings.

After walking around town for an hour or so I was off to find where I was staying for the night. Thats where the fun really begins. Now, some of you will think I am crazy and some of you will totally appreciate where I decided to stay for the night. Ok, it's called The Shady Dell it is a vintage trailer park. I saw a special abiut this place on the travel channel years ago and have thought about going ever since. I have wanted to own one of these little trailers for years. They are not hard to find but they are very expensive to restore. I just think it would be so fun to hitch up my little travel trailer and get out of the valley....especially since I no longer have a cabin to run to. I stayed in the smallest of the trailers called the "Home made". It was so perfect for me. To make it even better it rained...poured actually. I just loved falling asleep to the pitter patter of rain drops hitting the top of my sweet little trailer. It was awesome!

I had a wonderful breakfast on site sunday morning at Dot's Diner. The diner was adorable, only had 10 counter stools inside and then had some outside dining as well. The diner is part of The Shady Dell and definitly fun & nostalgic.









After breakfast I was off to tour the Queen Mine.
This was an incredible experience. I loved th tour, the guide and just everything about it. If you ever get down to Bisbee this tour is a must! They instruct you to wear a jacket because it is 47 degrees in the mine. It was a bit damp too from the rain the night before but th entire experience was fantastic. You ride the mine train deep into the mine and the guide points out copper, turquoise and gold. He also explains the history of the mine and is very willing to answer questions from the guests.

The entire trip was fantastic. I left Bisbee and headed back to Phx on Sunday after the tour. I really enjoyed my little weekend getaway. If you ever get the chance...check out Bisbee.