Day with Erock

Jerry and I watched Erick, our nephew, today while his parents went Christmas shopping. We started with breakfast at the Hangar Cafe then Jerry remembered that Travis Pastrana was in Gilbert doing autographs so we stopped by. He was at the new Subaru dealership where there was a rally car show. We decided to go ahead and get in line for an autograph but got stopped at the door while Travis took a lunch break...after 2 hours waiting we got what we wanted and even scored a picture with him. I have to admit that I did not really know who he was until we stopped at the event. I'm glad we did because Erick was happy to have gotten an autograph!! It was a fun day :)

A little update...

It's been a while since I have updated my blog. We really have not been up to too much over the past 2 months. The weather has finally turned pleasant and the Holiday's are finally here. Our Thanksgiving was very quiet. Jerry and I went to his brother's for a mid afternoon turkey dinner. It was nice to visit with the family and eat some yummy food. The Broncos were on TV too, so I enjoyed watching the game as well. I really missed having my family here this year even though they haven't been here in the recent years past. Maybe next year will bring us together for the Holiday's; one can only hope :)

Jerry and I decorated the house for Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend. The house is filled with Christmas cheer which is enjoyable to come home to after work each day. The lights are up on the house too. It is so beautiful to drive through the streets this time of year and see the decorations bursting out from so many homes. Christmas sure has a whole new meaning as I have gotten older. It's not about the presents received but rather the laughter and joy I get from being with Jerry and loving our new life together. We have so much to look forward to in the years to come and hopefully next year will bring new beginnings and happy endings. This year has been filled with lots to be thankful for but has also brought some enduring times. I believe 2010 will be a big year for us in so many ways and look forward to every moment!

Charlie's Surgery...

My little guy had surgery this past week. He had a tumor on the top of his head that I wanted taken off. They also cleaned his teeth which lead to him having two teeth extracted as well. Poor guy. I cried when I picked him up because I wasn't expecting such a big incision or the shaved head. Not sure what I was expecting but I was shocked none the less. He is back to his old self now; well actually he was never not himself. This guy sure has lots of energy even though he is aging. I can't get enough of him. His wagging tail says it all, that's for sure :) Gotta love him!

Some fun old pics of Char..

My sister-in-law found these and sent them to me! I almost cried when I saw them because it's hard to imagine he was that small and Jerry and I don't have any pictures of him at this age. He must be about 10 weeks here. Wasn't he so dang cute?!

I'm a little obsessed but it's ok because I don't have any kiddos yet ;)

Tis the Season (almost)... :)

It's almost that time of year again when I can decorate the house for Fall! I'm so excited to find some new decorations and festive items that bring the warmth of the season to my home. I can't believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. This year has fLoWn by and has been wonderful thus far. I hope that the conclusion to this year remains blissful and is full of love, friends, family and fun!

From the heart.

My bestie came to my work today and brought me my birthday gift. What a special thing she made for me. She is so thoughtful and kind. Creative too. :) Love her lots and am thankful for all she does for me!!

Lots of love my friend! <3

Carter Wesley

My little guy will be here for a visit starting next weekend with his parents. They are moving on to their next adventure in Mississippi due to a job transfer for my brother. Erica and Brian are very excited to be moving FAR away from Eureka! They hate it there even though the scenery is beautiful. I'm stoked to be able to see them all for a few days as I have missed them greatly.

Here is a current photo of the little guy who is now 18 months old :) My the time has flown....

Cali Trip.

Jerry and I took a long weekend and headed over to San Diego. We layed on the beach, ate some yummy food, walked the streets, and enjoyed not having to do anything :) The weather was superb and I can't wait to go back again soon!!!

**These pics are not great. My new camera should be here this weekend!

I'm a year older...

Well, today is my birthday.....another year older and another year wiser ;) Life is great and I have had a wonderful day thus far. I received roses from my hubby and lots of birthday wishes from friends and family. Tonight we are heading to my Dad's for some dinner. Tomorrow we head out to San Diego for a fun filled weekend of doing nothing but relaxing! I couldn't be more excited. I'll post pics when we get back.

**Note: this balloon that my coworker got me has exactly 26 candles on it...creepy or good luck? who knows ;)

Perfection

I love this little guy so much and it breaks my heart that he is getting older every day. I cherish this pup so much and love that he enhances my life. Mans (or womans) best friend for LIFE!

A big Thank You!

I just wanted to take a moment and thank my wonderful parents for giving me and Jerry the most amazing wedding we could have ever imagined. From the beginning of our relationship they have stood by us and encouraged us to do what's best, to not rush into marriage, and to follow our dreams. We are doing just that and now we have a whole new chapter to begin, and I'm so grateful that they are here to help us and guide us.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you and appreciate you both for all that you have and will do for us on this journey!

We love you!

Your kids :)

A little wine and relaxation....

On May 20th Jerry and I took off to San Francisco and Napa for 5 days. After getting out of AZ late we finally arrived in California at about 11:30pm. We made it to the Westin San Francisco after midnight and were delighted to find our view of the city to be extraordinary. On Thursday we took a long walk to Fisherman's Warf and spent the day there shopping, eating and taking in the views. We even snuck in a glass of wine! The day was finished by taking the trolley car back to Market street where we grabbed some pizza and headed for the hotel to relax.

On Friday we took a boat ride over to Tiburon, which is a city across the bay. It was nice to have lunch over there. We ate at a place called Sam's. They had a big patio that looked out onto the bay which was neat even though it was a seagull attack zone. We were lucky they didn't steal our lunch, though ;)

Saturday morning we rented a car and headed over the Golden Gate bridge to Napa. We stopped in one of my favorite cities, Sausalito. It was absolutely freezing that day but we still walked around, had lunch and enjoyed some coffee at a little restaurant. Continuing the drive was beautiful and was awesome when we got to the hills with all the vineyards. What a sight. Picture perfect actually. We spent the evening relaxing and hitting the Main street area for dinner. The restaurant was called Zuzu's, which was Jerry favorite part of the trip. It was a tapas style dinner and we ended it with the most amazing dessert. Jerry had tres leches cake and I had an apple empanada. By far the greatest thing I have ever tasted! In all it was a great night.

Sunday and Monday were spent at the wineries. Sunday was Sonoma and Monday was Napa. By far Napa was the better place to wine taste. Every place that we tasted we got a wine glass to go with. That way we can look back and remember where it was that we stopped. Our favorite winery was Rutherford because their wine was delicious and our favorite winery for its looks was Castello Di Amoroso. This place was a castle, literally. Any one that knows me knows that I have always loved the architecture of castles and will do anything to see them. It was beautiful!

In all, our time in California was amazing and was a perfect setting for our much needed honeymoon!

2 weeks til honeymoon...

We are so excited that we are able to go on a honeymoon at all. Even though it is 3 weeks after our wedding, we are still thankful. Jerry was unable to get off work any other week, so we have to take 5 days over Memorial weekend. We have booked our flights to San Francisco and we leave on the 20th at 8pm. Our plan is to stay in SF for 3 nights then head to Napa for the other 3 nights. Wine tasting, SF Giants game and yummy food here we come! It will be nice to spend some alone time together with no worries of work or wedding planning :) Thank God that is over.

Colling photography

If you are interested, please go to www.collingphoto.com and click on the blog. There are some photos from the wedding. The rest should be done this week! Enjoy!

We did it!

April 25, 2009 was a wonderful day! Jerry and I were married at FireSky Resort and Spa in Scottsdale with many of our friends and family. I, unfortunately, had been really sick the week prior and ended up with laryngitis on my wedding day. This didn't stop me from enjoying the best day of my life! I squeaked out my vows and we said I do at around 5:30pm and then were swept off for more pictures and a wonderful evening of great food, dancing and fun! The feelings that we had on our wedding day will never be forgotten as we venture on in our marriage. Life is beautiful!

Here are a few pics from the weekend. I have hundreds more and we are still waiting to see what our photographer captured. I will post those when I get them :)

My Mom and I at FireSky pre rehearsal.
My Dad and I practicing.

Pastor Renee and us running through the service.

Clarissa did an awesome job on my hair.

My beautiful Bridesmaids and little Hayley.

During the ceremony; we look good!

Mr. and Mrs. Munguia

Father daughter dance; "I Loved Her First"

Our dance; "Bless the Broken Road"

Cake!!

Reflections...

Our wedding is vastly approaching. Life is good and reflection is necessary. We have been busy for sure these past few months but I am trying to remember that these moments are passing by so quickly that I fear I wont remember them all. I am surprisingly calm these last few weeks. The anxiety has weakened, my mind is clear and focused. I pray each day that what I dreamed of is coming true and that all this dedication will bring the outcome that was set in my path. What is meant to be will be and that is all I can ask for.God has his plan. I have so much support from those closest to me. My family is my world. I am peaceful that this journey I am about to begin will bring me more happiness and fulfillment than I could ever imagine. My life will change in more ways than I can count and I plan to live it to it's fullest and be happy. Life is bliss.

Girls will be girls

I heart the fact that I went to San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter with 3 chicas for my bachelorette weekend. We left on Friday March 27th and came home on the 29th. The weekend was filled with pedicures, Pinkberry, beer, fun and food. On Friday, we ate dinner at Nobu in the Hard Rock where we stayed. It was delish. We all looked fab as we had a crazy night.

On Saturday we were supposed to go wine tasting in Temecula but the night before was a little rough for me so drinking more liquor was out of the question. We ended up in Old Town for some Mexican food, then we walked around the Quarter and finally ended the night back at the hotel for some watching of Sex and the City~ the movie. I had a great time and can't wait to go back someday soon.

Thanks girls for a fun-filled weekend!

Today is Special...

Today is special for 2 reasons...

1. It's my big brothers 28th BIRTHDAY! I hope it is a great day. I miss him like crazy but I'm lucky to have him be apart of my wedding next month :) He is one of the most important people to me and I grateful that him and I can be so close yet so far in distance! He is the BEST.
2. Today is the 1 month mark until my wEdDinG! I received my ring today and it blew my mind. I was so overwhelmed with happiness again. I have the greatest Fiance and I am thankful that he has been so good dealing with my anxiety and nervousness about the wedding and all that comes with it. He is trying to be helpful and it is so cute! I hope our journey continues to be so blessed. :)

It's gonna be a wild ride for the next month but I wouldn't change it for the world.

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."~~ Abraham Lincoln

new happenings

This past week has really been trying on me. My job just about killed me. My boss resigned from her position but is staying with the company. This news was really hard on me and my close co-workers. We love Ane and are really going to miss her guidance and support. Not only were we told she was leaving but that the execs had already replaced her. This "new" boss starts tomorrow. eeeek! A little nervousness has hit me. I don't enjoy change at all but I know that things can and may be better than they have been lately. We have all been on edge with anxiety at my work, people have been let go, others have been moved around...it's just all a little unsettling. The day after my boss resigned I was told that I had to switch offices so that the new boss lady can have my office. At that point I was like "ok!"; whatever happens, happens. I'm worried about how and if my job will change in the next few months...I guess time will tell. My resume is ready to go if needed ;)

~~In other news, my new ring will be here Wednesday! FINALLY! I have missed it :(

~~On Friday Cristal, Chelsea, Victoria and I are headed to San Diego for my bachelorette weekend. We are staying at the Hard Rock Hotel in the Gaslamp District. On Saturday we are driving up to Temecula to go wine tasting. It should be a good time :) It will be nice to get out of AZ!

I will update when I get back with photos!

here's a story for you....

We received my wedding band last week via the mail, I opened it and thought is was gorgeous. I put it on and took a picture for Jerry to see since he was in Vegas. The picture sucked, but I assured him that it was pretty and that I loved it. Well, he got home on Sunday and I showed it to him...I put it on again so he could see it with my my engagement ring. As I looked closer I noticed that the band and engagement ring had different size side stones. I thought to myself, why would they be different sizes if it is the matching band...?? Jerry and I looked at each other and both had the same thought; one of the rings is wrong! Jerry went and got the ring information for my engagement ring and it said it was the one that he had ordered, the same goes for the band he bought. Now I don't know much about diamonds and rings and such, but when you order the matching band it should match, right? It seems to me that the wedding band is the correct one but the ring that I have been wearing for 8 months is not what he ordered.....This irked me a little. If Jerry didn't get what he thought he ordered that's crap! Jerry called yesterday and they said to send both rings overnight to their quality assurance department and that they would get it looked at and determine what happened. I KNOW what happened, they sent us the wrong engagement ring ( smaller side stones) and the right band. I will fight them if they say otherwise. So, Jerry came to my work yesterday and stole my ring from me so he could overnight it to the company. :( I feel so naked without it and am anxious to see what they say about it. I hope to have my ring back by weeks end and who knows, I may have a brand new bigger ring when this is all over. Either way, I love my ring and paired with my band it will be exactly what I want :) I'm a happy girl!!!

Stay tuned for the outcome...

***As my mom said when I told her; well at least you have another wedding story to tell. Ahh the joys of being a consumer ;)

All alone and loving it... ;)

This past weekend was very uneventful and I loved it. I relaxed, snuggled with my pup, hit the gym and had ME time. I really wasn't sure how this past weekend would turn out since Jerry was is Vegas for his bachelor party, but much to my amazement I really enjoyed it. I didn't HAVE to do anything. I like those weekends. When Jerry is with me I always want to be out and about doing things with him. I just love to be with him. I needed a weekend to myself and I got it.

I was somewhat productive though; I shopped for Jerry's birthday on Sunday and actually did some wedding stuff too. Not much, but some at least.

Jerry's birthday was on Sunday! He turned 28 :) This is the 8Th birthday that we have celebrated together. It's kind of crazy to think that we have been together since I was 17 and he was 19. CRAZY! We have been through so much together. We have had some rough times but it's those times that I look back on and think; if we made it through that, we can make it through anything :) It's comforting in a way. I'm so thankful for our relationship and I hope his birthday was wonderful. I love you, sweetie!

Oh to be domestic :)

So, for my bridal shower my Mom gave me a Pampered Chef cook book. I don't cook much if you know me at all...

Anyway, I looked through it and had Jerry look through and pick 3 things to make this coming week. The finalists were:

-Margherita pita pizza

-Some turkey spinach salad and smashed potato soup and

-Lemon bars

We made the pizza last night but instead of using pita rounds we used flat bread. It was so yummy. We used bell peppers, Roma tomatoes, ham and mozzarella cheese. They turned out really good, as you can see from the photos. We will be making this again :)

Now to the salad, soup and lemon bars made this evening....The soup came out pretty good, the salad was OK and the lemon bars were a disaster. I got the ingredients right, I think, but for some reason they came out ALL wrong. I am no baker unless it is pre-made and this just proved that right. I will try again sometime soon. I'm just bummed they didn't look like the picture. I did try them and believe it or not, they taste good but just aren't in the form they should be... :(

On to something else next week...I think I will tackle the Grilled Halibut with Mango Salsa and the brownies with frosting!!

~~I had made some cookies last Friday with Cristal and put them in my cute pastry display/cake display that was a gift also. I love this thing, it makes me want to bake :)

Jerry also decided to make home made lemonade last night. It was so cute to see him get excited to make it. It turned out really good too. The pitcher is also a bridal shower gift!!

I got all kinds of fun kitchen stuff, just have to learn to use it all~~

What an awesome weekend...

Here are a few photos of what went down this past weekend...

This past weekend was very entertaining...My mom came in on Thursday night and fighting with the airport traffic was super fun, not! But it was nice to see her again. On Friday morning my mom and I watched Carter while Erica got some things done for my wedding shower. Watching Carter was so much fun. He is a busy bee and is so observant of what is going on around him. He is definitely an independent little guy already. It was a joy to spend some quality time with him and my momma.

On Saturday was my wedding shower. I started the day at my final hair trial. It turned out so cute thanks to Clarissa :) After that was my shower that was thrown by 3 of my bridesmaids; Cristal, Chelsea and Erica. They did a fab job on it all, the food, the detailed decorations, the games and the cupcakes and chocolate fountain, mmmmm! It was all so delish. I especially loved the daisies that were used for decoration. They were so darn cute!! I really appreciate all that they did to make my day special and I loved each and every one of my gifts. Some of them have already been put to use ;)

Once we were done with the shower the actual wedding stuff began...my mom has done so much for me and I am so grateful. I have a lot to do between now and April 25th but I think since we have figured out most of what we are going to do that it should be easy to finish. Time consuming too!!

Well for now that is it.
love to all.