Weekend Recap

We had a great weekend. Sometimes they just don't get any better.

Saturday Taylor and I went  dress shopping. Again. This time Ranee and Joel went with us. I thought it was so sweet of my brother to go wedding dress shopping with us girls for 6 hours. Yep that's right. 6 hours! We went to three stores and tried on about 20 dresses. I am so happy to finally be able to say . . . I found THE DRESS. 

After trying on so many dresses I was starting to get nervous that I may not find the right dress and I would end up feeling like I settled for one that I just liked. But I knew as soon as I tried this dress on that it was going to be the one. I have fallen in love with every detail of the dress. I think I could honestly just sit and stare at it all day - or just wear it around the house - I love it that much! I can't wait to share my dress with the rest of the world! And Taylor was so cute throughout the entire experience.

After dress shopping DJ met us down at The Ale House for lunch. It was so nice to sit and relax and just talk over good food. I think we both needed that. After leaving dinner we went to St. Nick's to buy our annual Christmas ornaments. I'll post pictures of them when I post pictures of our tree. I love that store and I think if anyone is lacking that special Christmas magic this season they should just take a trip down there. It did the trick for me! I found the perfect ornament for myself too . . .

We bought our Christmas tree Sunday morning. I love the way it makes the house smell and it is beautiful when it's all lit at night. I must say though, this year our tree is just about as perfect as it gets. This little guy was there. I think I should have brought him home with me . . .

Sunday was an extra special day for us. Joel and Ranee were out in our area and stopped by for a bit. We ended up spending the whole day together hanging out, snacking on food and playing games. It was so fun to watch them play the xbox Kinects with us . . .

I swear our living room has pictures and stuff on the walls! These pictures made it look so bare!

I wish we could have weekends like this every week. In my book there's nothing better than spending lots of quality time with family. It meant the world to me to have these guys close with us all weekend!

A Little Engagement Stuff

I'd said in the original post that I would show you all a better picture of my ring. And since I can finally start posting more pictures again here it is! Still not the best picture but a lot better than the first one I took. . .

I'm also working on a shadow box to display the baseball we got at the game, the tickets from that day and pictures. I'll post it when I have it all done. But right now I love just looking at this . ..

One Year and This Weekend

I woke up this morning to see snow. Not a whole lot but the ground is sprinkled white and the roof tops are white. Taylor was so cute when she saw it. She looked out her bedroom window, looking over the backyard and saw her trampoline was covered with snow. She said, all sleepy still, "I don't know how it got up there but I am going to go shove that snow right off it". Too funny. Does anyone else think it's still a little too early for snow? This time last year we were closing on the house and moved wearing t-shirts. 

I can't believe we have been in our house for a year. We moved in on Taylor's birthday and everyone said we set the bar really high last year by giving her a house for her birthday. I wouldn't disagree with that! Some days it feels like we have lived here forever and it just feels comfortable. Other times I look around and see all the projects we'd like to do and realize we have many, many years ahead of us here. I wonder how many years it will take us to have all our projects done? When you own a home, the work never stops. But I like it. I love knowing that for the next 10 years or more, Taylor will come walking through that front door after school and we'll keep building strong family memories here.

We sure have come a long way since then.

Speaking of family, my parents are on their way in from Kansas City. I couldn't be more excited. I love having them here - just wish it could be more often. I love that they come for Taylor's birthday. It makes this day that much more special. And while we didn't buy Taylor anything the size of a house this year we did get her a very cool gift. I can't wait to share what it is.

Thinking of special days. . . this weekend is a busy one. We are having Taylor's birthday party tomorrow. I plan on posting lots of pictures on it. We are also looking at a wedding venue and going dress shopping. So maybe after this weekend we will have a wedding date set. Just maybe, no promises yet. It was really important to me that my mom be here for dress shopping so we're squeezing it in while they're here. I've never tried on a wedding dress before. This will be interesting!

That's about all that's going on here. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! 

   

Our Engagement Story

To really tell our engagement story I have to take you all the way back to 1999 when I was 13 years old. I had the BIGGEST crush on DJ. A crush that began the very first time I saw him walking through the halls of our middle school and I knew I wanted him to be my boyfriend. In fact, just about every girl I knew felt the same way.  That summer I was lucky enough to have my very first date with DJ at Coors Field watching the Colorado Rockie's take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. I wish I could tell you it was a perfect date - just magical. But I can't. You see, that first date between us was horrible. I'd never been on a date. I had no idea what to say, how to act, what to do. So the entire game I sat there, staring at the field, not talking. This was the extent of our conversation:

"Do you want a drink?" - "No"

"Do you want a hot dog?" - "No"

"Are you having fun?" - "Yes"

We both laugh about it now because I honestly don't think I said more than 3 words to him the entire time. In fact, during the 7th inning stretch he went to the bathroom and thought about hopping on the bus and heading back home, just leaving me there. He was sweet enough to come back and finish the game with me. He's always joked that a baseball game is a horrible first date and all guys should avoid it and every time we go to a baseball game we joke about how bad out first date was. I'm not sure how I ever recovered him after that date either :o)

So fast forward 13 years. . . another date at Coors Field.

While it technically wasn't a date, we were going to another baseball game. Paul had told me he got tickets for the entire family and we were going to make it a family day so we all had to be there. Nothing about this seemed odd to me. DJ kept saying all week he wasn't sure if he was going to go. I just rolled my eyes and thought it wouldn't kill him to take a day off for family stuff since he had seemed to be super edgy the past few weeks. I've been talking about getting married almost nonstop. Almost to the point where I knew he was going to tell me to just shut up one day. To be honest, on our drive home Saturday night from Paul and Carrie's he asked me why Jess and I have been talking about the two of us getting married all the time. I told him I was just ready for it to happen already because it's already been 7 1/2 years and at this rate we'll be together another 7 before we ever get married. He told me talking about it all the time was not going to make it happen any sooner.

When we got to the game I was so excited when I realized the team we were playing that day was the Arizona Diamondbacks. When I pointed this out to DJ and he just laughed and said, "Our first date is all you ever talk about when we come". So we kept enjoying the game. Taylor got another ball given to her. It's her third one so I guess maybe the third time is a charm!

It was the 5th inning and if I'm really going to tell this story I need to say that I was a little irritated with DJ at this point. He seemed so tense, stressed and irritable. I just wanted him to lighten up and at least enjoy the day since we don't get many family days together. DJ was sitting on my right and the jumbo-tron was to my left. Out of nowhere DJ got very excited, pointed to the score board and said "hey, Look! Look!". As I looked over the first thing I saw was "Ann Griffin, Will You Marry Me? DJ". I was shocked. I just thought, "that's MY name!". When something shocks you this much you must lose your brain filter because I just blurted out, "NO YOU DID NOT!!". And when I turned to face DJ he was there on bended knee and said, "I think I've made you wait long enough. Will you marry me?". I was in so much shock that I couldn't even talk. I instantly started crying and shaking horribly. I managed to kiss him and mumble out "YES!" As he tried to put my new ring on my finger I was shaking so much that he just had to hold my hand in place.

Once my ring was on and we hugged he stood me up, had me turn to the left and said, "Now look who's here for you". Standing up, waving to us were my brother Joel and his girlfriend Ranee and our best friends Chad and Amanda. I was in disbelief. I couldn't have asked for anything more. We left our seats and met everyone to take pictures. (Thanks Gabe and Carrie!)

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better he added more! We were back in our seats after the 7th inning stretch and Dinger came running through the stands with a dozen red roses DJ had delivered to the stadium for me and a sign that read "She Said Yes!"

One of my favorite parts of the entire day was when Taylor told Joel "We're going to get married!!". (I'm having trouble not crying now!). As a girl you always wonder what your proposal will be like: if you'll cry, if he'll stumble over his words. I wouldn't change a thing about how he proposed to me. It was absolutely perfect in every way. I love my FIANCE!

 DJ was actually very thankful that certain things worked in his advantage. For the past 7 years I have been wearing a Tanzanite and Diamond ring he gave me for our first Christmas. I wore it on my ring finger until last Thursday when I got it cleaned and they told me the stone was loose and I shouldn't wear it. What a strange coincidence. He was wondering how he was going to get that ring of my finger and even thought if I ever took it off he'd sneak it away and tell me I lost it.

I was so happy all of these amazing people were there to help us celebrate:

(I'm just missing a picture of Paul and Carrie)

I'm so excited we are going to finally be married! Now the fun part of planning starts! :o)

I'm going to take a better picture of my ring later today and I'll be sure to post it very soon.

I can't help but stare at it!

September 23, 2012 was one of the best days of my life.

I Love You, DJ!



Attention Attention

I SAID YES!!!

After 7 1/2 years together, DJ and I are finally going to get married!

I'll share our engagement story tomorrow :o)

A Wedding

No, not mine. . .

But a few weeks ago now DJ and I were part of one of the most beautiful weddings I've seen. Our friends Chad and Amanda got married on August 6th.

DJ served as Best man and I was a bridesmaid.

The rehearsal/dinner was the night before and it was so much fun. After dinner the bride, myself and Amy (the maid of honor) stayed in the bridal suit downtown at the hotel and hug out in the hot tub drinking lemon drops and enjoying the views of downtown. There isn't a better way to spend the night before your wedding.

You could see the church from a window in the hotel - wow. It's the oldest church in Denver. I'm sad I didn't get a picture of the sanctuary because it was gorgeous.

The day of the wedding we woke up, ran down to the lobby for some Starbucks and hung out in the room. We ordered room service and relaxed. It was a great time.

Then came the prep work . . .

The girls Amanda had do our hair were amazing. They were like an army of two.

 We headed over to the church to change. I've never experienced getting a bride into their gown and let me tell you - this was not easy. There should be classes on this for bridesmaids before the wedding or something. It took me forever to get the corset tight enough so Amanda wouldn't lose her dress all night. I loved her dress though - absolutely breath taking. . .

Amanda's mom is wonderful.

(She babysits Taylor us when we need one)

 Chad's niece was the flower girl . . .

I'll try to add more pictures of the wedding party etc but unfortunately when you are in the wedding there isn't much time to sit back and take pictures. . . So on to the party!

Taylor was so excited about being able to go to Uncle Chad and Aunt Amanda's wedding. She talked about how much she was going to dance there for a few weeks before hand. . .

DJ was so handsome in his tux . . .

And lucky for lil' Miss Taylor her best friend Emma and her family were there . . .

 Me and my Baby. . .

The view of downtown was amazing. . . Can you tell Taylor was excited?

Amy, the maid of honor, and her boyfriend Chris. . . (they'll be next :o)

The bridesmaids - Ann, Chrystal (the Grooms Sister), Amy

Chad was nice enough to cover her dress with a napkin before smashing cake in her face . . .

DJ and the Bride's mom . . .

As hard as anyone tried, they couldn't get Taylor off the dance floor that night. . .

So to steal a line from DJ's best man speech (which was amazing by the way) - Here's to a life of love and happiness for Chad and Amanda!