The Wedding Planning Commission

Alright, we've been engaged for three days now and I'm already knee deep in wedding preparations. We've got a good idea of the church we want, where we want the reception, the photographer, the florist, and a few other details. After three fracking days!!!

So, I think it's time to make some hierarchy changes to the wedding planning commission. From now on, Angela et al will participate in the brainstorming sessions and detail oriented duties befitting their middle management positions in this organizational matrix.

As someone in a more executive level position, I will have a very broad, high level overview of the entire project. My duties will include implementing the vision of our Mission Statement and making decisions and approvals when necessary. I do not believe in micromanagement.

With that said, I love you baby and I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful woman. I look forward to an amazing life with you and can't wait to be your husband.

Way Too Happy...

So...
I have nothing to post! Anything I try to write seems like a major let down from the last post! : ) I am walking around in a daze. We're both sooo excited & happy. We went out to a celebratory dinner last night to Memories of Japan-- best best best sushi in Tulsa! I want to make sure that I take some time to really appreciate & enjoy the fact that I'm engaged, but I'm also super anal & want to make sure that I'm doing everything I'm "supposed" to do (call relatives & friends to give the news etc). So you married girls, tell me, when do I have to start planning?? Mike & I want a fall wedding (October/November 2006). I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I also don't want to be rushed!! I'M EXCITED!!!!!!!!!

We're Engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're engaged!! Mike asked me last night at around 12:30 am!! He caught me totally off guard (I thought the ring was still in his safety deposit box @ the bank!) I am beyond thrilled!! The light was off in the bedroom & all of the sudden he has this flashlight thing in my eyes-- well, it was the box from Israel Diamond Supply-it has a little light in it when you open the box! He got down on one knee...of course I said yes & tried not to cry, his hand was shaking sooo badly as he put the ring on my finger---most romantic moment ever!!!! We took pictures right afterward, but I looked horrid (he proposed to me while I was wearing an american idol t-shirt- no way is that picture being posted on the blog!) But he did take some decent pictures of the ring-its truly breathtaking!! I can't wait to be Angela Solano!!

sorry they're so blurry- its hard to take a picture of a ring!!

P.S.--- i called my parents & gave them the news- they were thrilled & welcomed Mike into the family...but wanna know what my mom was most happy about?? The fact that my initials are going to be A.S.S. ( angela sue solano)!!! Not fair!! She said she's going to monogram everything!!!

We're Going to the Chapel...

and we're gonna get married!!!

pictures & details to follow...

Lessons Learned

So we went to Octoberfest this weekend (twice). Friday was fun- its a tradition that my parents & I go to Octoberfest on Friday afternoon & eat lunch. Its kinda nice to be there when its not as crazy & the food lines aren't as long. Mike met up with us around 5 o'clock & we all ate german food, listened to music & had a good time.

We also decided we were going to go on Saturday & meet up with some of Mike's friends. I won't get in to all the details of Saturday, but I will say this... Mike has 3 rules when he drinks:

1) no crying

2) no vomiting

3) no fast dancing

People that don't know Mike well might find these rules harsh. If you do know Mike well, then you'll totally understand my rules!! I told him that rule #3- could be ignored (I mean whats Octoberfest without the chicken dance?!)

Lets just say that Mike in fact, ignored all the rules & was hating himself around 3am Sunday morning...

There were a few lessons learned this year:

1) Mike+2 pitchers of German Beer+Beef Wellington+Strudels+Brat Burger+Chocolate Dipped Cheesecake+Schnitzel Sandwich=trouble

2) The most effective way to unclog a bathtub is with a plunger***

3) I hate obnoxious drunk people at Octoberfest

***yes folks, Mike used his best drunken judgement & decided that vomiting in the tub was a much better option that the toilet. I mean the toilet does flush & all...but the tub is a much better choice...***

Keeping Up With The Knights...

So, Brooke's adorable pumpkin display made me feel inadequate... At first I just had a scarecrow in the yard, but being as competitive as I am, I wasn't going to take it without a fight...

Here's a picture of our house- I love it!!

The amazing wreath my Mom made!! Its kinda hard to see in this pic, but she put a little frankenstein guy, a dracula & a skeleton, plus the giant spider at the bottom. You have to see it in person to really appreciate it. She's so crafty!

This is Ralphonzo ( Mike named him). He was our first feeble attempt at decorating our yard.

This is our ghost tree. I made the ghosts last night with Mike's help.

Cute little lantern on our porch...

A few of our pumpkins...I can't wait to carve them!!

Thanks for the inspiration Brooke!!!

Ellie's Halloween Costume

Mike & I had a blast picking out Ellie's costume. She's such a good sport!! Target has the cutest costumes for dogs (only $5!!) I'm getting the Elvis costume for my cat!

***By the way, she's supposed to be a clown***

Boys Will Be Boys...

MISSING:

Have you seen this man? He's been M.I.A. since the release of this:

UPDATE:

He's been spotted!! Mike hasn't moved from in front of the television since the release of that God-forsaken game...

I HATE IT!!!

Unfortunately, my little brother has also become addicted to a horrid video game, Battlefield 1942!!

Oh well, at least I have my Sims 2 Night Life!!

4 8 15 16 23 42

I love this show!!! I didn't think it could get any better, but it has. I'm glad I got Mike addicted to it last season-- its the one show that I don't miss every week. What the hell does it all mean? Every time you think you have it figured out with some complex theory- it gets shot down on the next episode. If you don't already watch it, you should start!!
"Sayid" & "Charlie" - behind the scenes
"Locke & "Jack"-- Locke is our favorite character!!
Another behind the scenes shot-- there's the polar bear!!

My Cat is a Whore

Mike & I just had lunch together (Chinese food, yum!) and we both came to the conclusion that my cat Jinxy is a whore. I rescued this cat almost 3 years ago & have taken care of her ever since. I even kept her after I discovered she was pregnant & I gave her sons a good home. But, since we've moved in together, Jinxy doesn't give us the time of day. The other cats still want to come inside & get love from us...not Jinxy. We actually think that she hates us now! If she sees us outside in the backyard, she runs as fast as her little legs can take her. She comes back to the house strictly for food & water. She would much rather be outside, slutting around the nieghborhood...Mike & I both feel unappreciated! What a horrid cat!!!

picture souce: AP... looks just like her though...my little slutty cat would never pose for a picture!!

Happy Monday!!

We had such a great weekend!! I'm thrilled to be off work today (yay)!! Friday we went to P & B's for a Mexican Fiesta... the food was great, the company was even better. We always have such a great time with them (even though Mike & Paul seem to become 10 years old around each other). We also got to see Kat & Karl for a few minutes on Friday before we got tired & had to come home. I wish you guys lived here, because Kat, you crack me up!

Saturday we had Ken & Bahara over for dinner & games. Ken is a guy Mike & I went to high school with & Bahara is his lovely wife. They are great people & we had a fun time. Mike & I got our ass handed to us in Cranium, but we still had a good time!! I have no pics of this event... mainly because I forgot!

Sunday we went to watch a Brown's game at a bar w/ P & B, and P's mom Pam. I can honestly say I didn't watch a minute of the game, but I enjoyed the conversation!!

Here are some of the pictures:


Mike @ the Fair...(looking like the unabomber)

Me at the Fair...(looking like the unabomber too!)

Paul & Mike at the fiesta on Friday...I loooove the grainy camera phone picture quality!

This, believe it or not, is Kat(& Karl) ! I can't remember what she was doing, but it looks scary!!

The Lovely Hostess, Brooke

Mike & Paul @ the Brown's game on Sunday

Oh yeah...Mike fought with a glass jar of pasta sauce on Sunday at the Wal-Mart...he lost!! And, yes, I made him pose for a picture in the store for our blog!!

We also bought the Dane Cook cd- thanks for introducing him to us, P & B!! It is beyond hilarious!!!

Hope everybody has a great Columbus day!!

Best Date Ever

Mike and I went to the fair last night. The weather was awesome (cold!!), so there weren't many people there- which was great. It was one of our best dates ever. We seriously had the best time- (minus the ferris wheel trauma). He took some pics & will post them sometime this weekend, so I'll let him tell you about the fair. I'm looking forward to a nice weekend! Looks like we get to hang with Paul & Brooke (and Kat?) later tonight- that'll be fun! Saturday night we're inviting Ken & Bahara over to the house to hang out- that'll be fun too! Sunday I want to go pumpkin shopping-- I love decorating for Halloween! Everybody have a great weekend!

Say It Ain't So!!!!

(from www.Gawker.com) Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, America's Newlyweds, have called it quits ... The couple is waiting to make an official announcement later in the month (at the appropriate career opportunity, we're sure), but according to Us Weekly's scoop — kept so under wraps that employees were not allowed to receive their advance issues yesterday, presumably for fear that People might rape and pillage the story — the marriage has been dead for some time.

Boo!! I'm sad... But, I am looking forward to the train wreck that is Ashlee Simpson performing (pretending to sing) on SNL this weekend. Maybe she'll sing a sad song for Jess. Oh and how long till the Johnny Knoxville/Jessica Simpson sex tape comes out?!?

source: www.pinkisthenewblog.com

Finally...more Colorado stories...

Beautiful Aspen trees!!

The Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs

Mike, falling in Boulder

This should be our last Colorado post... I promised more juicy Colorado stories...so here ya go:

Mike, his brother Rob & I stayed with their Aunt Viv & Uncle Steve- they were so friendly, extremely cool & laidback. I have to say that nothing really exciting happened until the wedding on Friday. Friday morning we were supposed to pick up Mike's sister Natalie from the airport-- but she was a no-show...(drama! you'll have to ask for more details!) So--Friday evening I attended my first Catholic Hispanic wedding. The church was tiny- all the artwork was Hispanic-centric (is that a word?) and the priest had the thickest accent ever. Half of the time I wasn't sure if he was speaking Spanish or English- I know that sounds horrid-but its true!! The ceremony itself was nice--I'm not so sure now that I want a Catholic wedding-- it looked so uncomfortable kneeling in that dress!! All of Mike's relatives were so welcoming, especially his grandmother-- she was wonderful.

The reception was actually a lot of fun-- the food scared the hell out of me-- it was all Mexican- but not Mexican food that I'm used to- they served something called "Menudo"-- I swear to God, I almost cried!! It had tripe in it, which I guess is cow stomach or something?!? Hell no! I stuck to a tortilla, rice & beans meal. The funniest part of the reception was the dancing. We did a Hispanic Wedding March-- it was hilarious--basically you have a partner, dance around the room in a line, make a tunnel for the bride & groom to go under etc. This reception was sooo different than any other reception I'd been to-but we both had a really good time.

I also got to see my good friend Leah while we were in CO! I hadn't seen her in ages & it was great. Mike & I met her & her boyfriend Matt(what a cutie!) at a great sushi restaurant in downtown Denver. The sushi was great & it was so fun to be able to catch up with her. After dinner we headed to a place called "Lime". Can I just say how great it was to be in an actual downtown- that was alive & vibrant- with people & cabs & restaurants & nightlife!! It was the best--I have to live in a big city!! Lime was very Sex & the City-ish-- it was a Margarita bar-great drinks & atmosphere. Leah- thanks so much for taking Mike & I out- we had a blast!!

So---I had a terrific time in Colorado. Meeting Mike's family was a big step & it couldn't have turned out better. He has swayed me into thinking about living in Denver once he's finished with school. We have a few funny stories to tell (like how we snuck airplane size bottles of alcohol into the reception) & when we see you in person (Paul & Brooke!!) we will have to share!

Geek in the Pink

Okay-- I'm cheating- I obviously didn't take the first picture...but thats okay. My brother, Connor, and I went to Cain's last night to see the re-scheduled Jason Mraz concert. We've been fans since his first cd & were pissed when he had to stop in the middle of the show in April due to "throat problems" But, none the less, he came back & honored our tickets from April & played a terrific show.

Please forgive my camera phone pictures!! Above is the Cain's sign...The Jason photos are kinda funny- it makes Cain's look like some kind of huge arena-- he looks soooo tiny! We were actually quite close to the stage- but you can't tell from the pics... Connor looking not too thrilled below...

LOL @ the tiny Mraz pics...Jason played around 2 hours--about 20 songs...he's so much better live than he is on his cd's...Connor & I saw quite a few people we knew there...I saw Nick Brunner, who I love!! I hadn't seen him for almost a year--we exchanged numbers & he will have to come over to our house!! Paul & Brooke, I saw your sister & sister-in-law (the same person, of course)- didn't say hi- it was too loud & crowded, but she was there...
Highlights of the show: the music (duh), Mraz's amazing robot dance, the bags for his merchandise were pink & said "big pink bag"- an obvious take-off from Bloomingdale's "big brown bags" & getting to spend time w/ my great little brother

Lowlights of the show: the huge number of people wearing pink shirts (Mraz has a song called "Geek in the Pink") and the number of couples slow dancing--gimme a break people!!

I <3 the Konfabulator!!

This thing is sooo cool!!

The Cure for Mac Envy

I'm bound to dork out from time to time and this is definately one of those times. There are over a thousand of these babies to choose from. You too can cure your Mac envy by getting Konfabulator!!!

Mountain Climbing in the Honda

So, we decided to go to Pike's Peak on Sunday which ended up being my favorite part of the trip. Angela, on the other hand, vows never to set foot on the mountain again. Why? Well, there are no guard rails the entire way up and most of the road above 9,000 feet is unpaved. During some of the tight turns, she had a death grip on the seat handle and was screaming "They're sick bastards for letting people do this..."

We couldn't quite get to the summit due to an accident. One of the police officers who was present informed us they had a "Thelma and Louise" situation at the summit. Because of this, they were blocking the last few hundred feet of the ascent. We got to about 13,500 feet which is well above the timberline. At this height, Angela wouldn't even get out of the car so I took pictures of the scenery. It was like another planet up there.

One interesting thing about being at that height is that you are only breathing about half the oxygen you are at sea level. I could feel my brain working a bit slower and I felt a very distinct pressure on my head. Angela was a little bit worse off. She was confused and very emotional which are both signs of Hypoxia. Needless to say, we didn't stay near the summit for long but I'm dying to go back the next time we're in Colorado.

Anyhow, here are some pictures that were taken during our trek up the mountain.


We got to see the Aspen trees as we begin our ascent up the mountain.


Here's Angela at 9,000 feet as the effects of Hypoxia are beginning to take grip (notice the giddy smiling).


Above the timberline and in the Alpine Life Zone.


Ascending into the Artic Tundra Habitat... Mmm, that's good Lichen.


Alright, now it's beginning to look like we landed on Mars.


Should.... Have sent... A poet...