Viva Las Vegas!

I just realized I never posted pictures from our honeymoon in Vegas!

Better late than never I guess.

We left Monday July 9^th in the afternoon.

My parents and sisters dropped us off at the airport.

The first night we walked down from our hotel to the Hard Rock Café where we watched local music acts & got to look at work from local artists.

      

We ventured into the casino, where I found the Johnny Cash “case” and Jeb tried his hand at the black jack table.

Tuesday we slept in, went to the pool & stupidly walked across the UNLV to In & Out Burger for lunch. (we’re talking like 2 bazillion miles in a record setting heat of 115 degrees.)

I slept for 3 hours before we headed out of the evening, our first night on the strip!

We ate dinner at Toby Keith’s Bar & Grill & walked about half of the strip.

Jeb gambled some more & I tried some slot machines, with no such luck.

Thursday, we headed to strip late afternoon where we had one of the BEST sundaes I have EVER had!

Wandered the strip some more, and found our favorite game, which was at New York, New York. 

It was called Casino War, & it was as easy as turning over a card! Perfect for me, I won $100.00 on $20. I was pretty impressed with myself but learned what a safe player I am, because every time I was about to spend my 2^nd to last $10.00 chip I would freak out a tiny bit, on the inside only! (I do have an OK poker face!)

One of the most comical & annoying part of the strip was, everyone trying to make a buck.

Some were pretty good, dressing up as Transformers, Iron Man, & other figures that are sure to catch the eye of a kiddo or movie fan.

Vegans Inhaling Porterhouse so funny!

Others… well were just really yucky & sad. My heart twinged every time someone tried to sell a CD or “the next best thing” to us. I was however grateful that most of the offers were directed to Jeb. And that every offer Jeb turned down he used the words “No thank you” and “sir or Maam”

Gahh! Whadda guy!

THEN others were almost offensive. “Your donation keeps me off probation!” umm, no.

The constant tick of the papers that had all the naked girls wasn’t to fun either.

BUT there was no way that we were going to let it ruin experiencing all we could.

We decided instead of a show, we got tickets to a “double feature” in the Luxor to see the Titanic Exhibit and Body Works.

I loved the Titanic Exhibit, it brought me right back to Elementary School, when I was OBSESSED with the Titanic and yes, Jack and Rose!  I was surprised how much the Body Works exhibit made my stomach turn.

 I liked it & would for sure see it again but was thankful when Jeb said we should go see the Aquarium at The Mandalay Bay before eating at a WAYYYY expensive buffet to get the “Vegas buffet” experience.

I was also happy Jeb picked that day to eat dinner at a buffet, so I didn’t waist a good meal on an upset stomach. I did feel a little guilty we paid as much for it as we did!

Friday, we went back to the strip for lunch at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, and let me tell you! We FOR SURE saved the best for last!

If you go to Vegas, be sure to stop by for at least a Pink Cadillac Margarita if not for a burger and fries. So so good!

We went to the M&M store,

 

the Coca-Cola store, took a picture with our “Bride and Groom” hats on at the Bellagio,

 

ate dinner at the PBR Bar and Grill & hit Margaritaville one more time before we said goodbye to Vegas.

Our flight was at 8 the next morning.

Gail picked us up at the airport with flowers in hand. It was very nice to see a face we knew & get into a clean car.

She took us to the Toby Keith’s Bar and Grill in Denver for lunch, Jeb & I agreed that the one in Vegas blew the one in Denver out of the water. But we were thankful for a lower paced meal.

We spent the day spending our wedding gift cards & met my parents at Ikea to spend a little more wedding money!

We met our friend Ian for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner and headed to Westcliffe for the night.

We moved to Alamosa the next day, but I will save that adventure for the next post!  

 I would like to thank Chris and Kati for the trip. It was so kind of you guys to give us your time share, we are still so thankful for what you two have done for us! We love you!

A Week From Today....

 A week from today, I will get up earlier than I normally would to shower, shave my legs & drowned my skin in some sort of moisture rich substance.

I will spend breakfast with 60 of our closest friends and family at a local restaurant

I will kiss my cowboy on his lips one last time as his fiancé.

My nails and toes will be painted & looking very fresh.

Two of my favorite girls from Cosmo School will be on their way to our little home town to make my girls and I look beautiful.

At this exact time, 10:00 am, I’ll be spending time with my girls.

Around noon, we will be pinning curlers in our hair, painting our faces with all kinds of rich colors.

My mom and Jeb’s mom will be scurrying around finishing last minute details.

I can only imagine what the BOYS will do with a day together, after a much to long absence from each other’s company.

My cousin will drive to a neighboring town to pick up flower s to be pinned on numerous “cowboy” shirts & dresses. She’ll also pick up the flowers my two best friends & sisters will carry as they walk down the aisle.

And, she will pick up my bouquet. The one I will hold until it is replaced with my cowboy’s hands.  

I’ll slip into the dress my dear grandma spent hours and hours making just for me, and I’ll love it.

My girls will put their “grandma made” dresses too.

Then, we’ll all put on our cowboy boots!

Shalee will place my veil in my hair and spray everything one last time.

I’ll tell my mom how much I love her & we’ll wait for the photographer to tell us it’s time to take numerous pictures.

As our guests arrive I’ll wait upstairs of the beautiful Beckwith house & maybe sneak a peek or two.

The music will bellow from the speakers as my cowboy makes his way to the front with our pastor.

I’ll watch my girls’ link arms with each boy and walk down the aisle.

And I’ll look at my dad and try not to cry.

I’ll tell him how much I love him and take his arm.

I’m going to stare straight ahead at my cowboy.

Because, if I look anywhere else and see tears, streams will make their way to my chin.

When my dad and I get to the front, I’m going to hug him so tight and tell him “thank you”

And let a few tears slip.

Then I’m going to hand my sister my flowers and take Jeb’s hands.

Forever.

At the end of the day, after everyone had eaten their fill & then some,

 After the cake is cut and gone,

after the DJ has played his set,

& the photographer has had his fill of pictures.

It will just me be me and my cowboy.

We will finally, finally be married.

June

Here some pictures I remembered to capture during the whirl wind two weeks I have had.

Loved it.

 Every second.

But I honestly don’t have interesting stories to go along with all of them,

I did get to spend some extra time with this hunk during the last two weeks.

Headbands for the flower girls in the wedding, not quite sure I like them though. They might be “misplaced” before that day comes a knockin.

 

Made, or “re-made” some jugs.

Politically correct, a pickle jar & a Ranch dressing jug.

One is for change, cuz this isn’t cutting it.

 And the other is for all our “memories” ticket stubs, programs, most recently 3D glasses from Avengers

SAWOOON

  I get to marry him in 34 days.

I think that is enough for one month!

This next month is full of quick day trips to Greeley, for last minute fittings, showers & bachelorette parties.

Baseball games, Karly's State Convention in Pueblo, hair doos, cuts and colors

A little family reunion in Glenwood, a horse show, dog, chicken and house watching.

Getting my hair all ready for the big day and after June, there are only 7 days left until I will be a Stoltzfus.

BRING IT ON!!!

Blogity Blog Blog

I know it has been absolutely way to long since I wrote last, BUT! I have a few Instagram photos to share that should make up for it!

And, may I just say that um, HELLO Instagram is by far the coolest phone app you can ever have! I feel like a real life photographer most days I get the chance to use it!

Oh, and something else, WHERE DID APRIL GO?!? Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love that time is just FLYING BY but seriously?!? Wasn’t it just St. Patrick’s day?

Tomorrow marks 75 days until my wedding.. I have been making myself stay away from my i-tunes account and blank CDs to hopefully not drive everyone crazy with all the oldies that have to do with wedding bells, chapels, & “I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go…”

My Pandora on the other hand… is about Wedding-ed out!

Country wedding

Oldies Wedding

Wedding songs

Love songs

BLAHH you would think I am a sappy lovey dovey person or something, in all honesty I totally am.

I’m such a sucker for romance!

 Alright so things that have been happening for real:

Still loving my waitressing job

Invitations are waiting to be addressed and stuffed into envelopes but other than that are completely done!

I have done more hair in the last two weeks than I ever remember doing  since out of school (AND LOVE IT!!!) I totally miss doing hair every day all day.

Jeb and his boss, Blue, have been working on finding us a place to live in and have almost 100% got something figured out! It’s a 3 bedroom 2 bath house close to an older couple’s home whom we would be renting from. I haven’t had the chance to go down and look at it yet, but Jeb did a great job filling me in on all the details. Here’s what that conversation sounded like:

Me: “So what did you think of it?”

Jeb: “It’s really nice! They have been working on re-doing all the inside, I think you really will like the kitchen.”

Me: “Really?!? (Sheer excitement) what does it look like?

Jeb: “Well they have all pretty new appliances and dark brown cabinets; you know that silver look that looks so clean... That’s what the oven dishwasher and fridge is like”

“Oh! And the guest bathroom is painted green, like the green you like! Not dark green or forest green and not neon either just like you like!”

That’s just a taste but I won’t bore you with the rest J

One of the best parts is that they are willing to drop their rent per month if we agree to do some work once a month.

It’s almost like a dream come true, I CAN NOT WAIT to start projects and Jeb is just as excited he keeps talking to both of our very handy dads about things that we could do and things that the woman we will be renting from has asked him if we could do

.

Now we just hope they let us have a dog. And if not I will put my dreams of naming our bull mastiff Skynard on hold for a few years.

Now for my many DIY projects I finished this month:

These are obviously not a project, these are my wedding boots!

the beautiful "S" my Dad carved 

"Red-neck Wine Glasses"

Bridesmaid bags

Tags on bags

insides include:
A button down shirt to wear the day  of
necklace and bracelet
pearl bobby pins