3 Year Wedding Anniversary!

Can you believe we celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary already?! Me either! It's very cliche, but it's true..... 3 years has gone by with a blink of an eye. We have gone to many places through out all this time...who would have thought we'd move to North Carolina? And we NEVER predicted moving to Georgia! It's amazing all that we have been through, but I wouldn't change a thing. Marriage has really opened our eyes and opened our hearts with so much experience and we have grown so much more in love TOGETHER because of it. I LOVE BEING MARRIED to my husband!

We didn't plan to go all out this year like we have in the past. First, because times are tough economically right now as you can imagine with only one of us working. And secondly, because we were going to Miami for our Thanksgiving trip the very next day. So, we decided that we'd cook dinner TOGETHER after Ronnie came home from work and just enjoy a quiet night with champagne, dinner and dessert and NO TV! I had a hard time thinking of what we could make for dinner, so I went to TWITTER and my Twitter friends recommended we make a homemade pizza together...and that's what we did. We enjoyed Mozzarella and Basil pizza (our favorite), red wine and strawberries with chocolate for dessert. And I wouldn't have had it any other way right now in our life!

Officially "Mrs. W"

It only took me almost 3 years... but I did it! I'm finally an official

"Mrs"!

All the emotions of that day came back to me.... and it felt so good! :) What an amazing feeling it is to be married.... there's just nothing like it! I'm so blessed!

Photo Credit: PS Photography

family room

Just got back from my best friend's Janelle's wedding in Miami.

Janelle got engaged while visiting us for New Years 2009. It was a wonderful, surprise engagement on top of Grandfather Mountain in Boone, NC. It was very important to me that I was able to be a part of it. (I took this picture below) Jay is a GREAT man who LOVES her so much. He did a great job planning his engagement to Janelle.

I helped her plan this wedding. Planning lasted a year and we were so anxious for it to all come together. Janelle is like my sister. Being her Matron of Honor was very special for me. She was my Maid of Honor for my wedding. I even let her borrow my veil for her something "borrowed" and I couldn't have been any more proud to do so. I will blog more about the wedding later, but I just wanted to say how very happy I am for her and Jay. I just think about the wedding and tear up....it was very emotional and special. I was happy to be able to visit my family, as well. It was hard to leave Miami this time. I guess its because I don't know when I will return. Either way, the entire weekend was very special for me and I will treasure it forever!

The weekend before returning to Miami, Ronnie and I went to GA to meet with the painter to get an estimate. We got a great deal to paint our master bedroom, dining room, and some repairs around the house. We hope the painter to get started sometime after we close this month. Things with our current home are going smoothly. We get visitors practically daily, so we are praying everything is successful in the end.

Meanwhile, I'd like to share with you with what our new family room looks like! I am in love with our brick fireplace and built-ins. It's a BIG open area attached to the kitchen. I love the wood floors and I really like the carpeting for those cold winter nights snuggled on the couch. We plan on having our TV set on the wall over the mantle (like we have in our current home). I LOVE the windows that look out to the patio and backyard. And lets not forget the ceiling. I wish I knew what that kind of ceiling is called right now. But I think it makes the room! Here are some pictures.

The only thing that gets us is the fireplace....sorry folks...it's a total FAKE! But it looks pretty! We'll live... :)

View from the laundry room to the open area of the kitchen to family room.

January : where did you go?!

January came and went for us! We were so busy every weekend away in either Florida or Georgia! I was extremely exhausted by the time the month was over. But I am so grateful to God it was busy because of very exciting moments.

First of all, my friends Jackie and Lino were finally married and had the most magical wedding at Disney World! We flew out for MLK weekend. I was a busy BM capturing all the moments and soaking it all in for them. I am so happy for them because I know how much Jackie planned/worried for it to all come together. She was a beautiful bride and he was a happy guy. Everything turned out beautifully and I am so happy for them! I am always happy when my friends are happy. Congratulations J+L ...you finally did it!

Then, my best friend Janelle celebrated her Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party! The following weekend my bags were packed and I was on a plane AGAIN headed for Florida. This bridal shower couldn't have been any more perfect. Forget the theme and decorations (which came out exactly as I envisioned, btw) , I've never seen my sister so happy and overly joyful in my life! She is so in love and so ready to be married to Jay. And that melted my heart to see her so beautiful and content. Jay is the ONE for her. I know he will take good care of her and love her forever. They are truly blessed to have each other. I can't wait for the wedding, which is the last weekend in February!

The Bachelorette party was right after the bridal shower. It couldn't have been any more perfect to do it this way. A full day of celebrating the awaited wedding and Janelle. We head to South Beach where we stayed at Gansevoort Hotel. We partied like crazy! We got beautiful, a little tipsy, went dancing, etc. Again, Janelle lived it up! She looked beautiful.

And finally, I haven't blogged about the exciting news in our lives yet because when we first learned about how our future would change we had mixed emotions. Needless to say it came to us as a big surprise. I haven't blogged about it because we've had a lot of thinking to do and decisions to make and it has not been an easy time, especially since it came right before the holidays and all the wedding planning I was helping in doing. In late July we learned my husband's company had decided to relocate to Atlanta. Our mixed emotions about it all had to do with the fact that we had JUST moved to NC from Miami, we love our home, I LOVE MY SCHOOL, and we felt we weren't ready to make another move. But after much consideration, and after we realized that there were no other jobs hiring, we made the bold decision that THIS OPPORTUNITY was the best for us. I truly believe God handed this to us and He has been the one who has helped us get through it all. We've relied so much on our faith this time. God is so awesome. We had a timeline and we used the entire time to really plan out our future. And it has lead us to make this life changing decision. This has definitely brought us even closer. I have so much pride in my husband. He works so hard and wants the best for ME and US and always puts US first. This was not easy on him at all. I have to admit that I've been his back bone through it all...I tend to be the positive one in our relationship. But it was all because of God. He listened to me and helped me be strong through all of this. Our friends and family have also been very supported and hopeful for us, too. So, that helped us a lot. THANKS YOU GUYS!

So, there you have it. We are going to be "Nesting in GA". I can't believe it! I will be a GA Peach!

I will blog so more later on to update you some more about our transition. We already went house hunting twice in January. I am getting more and more excited about it each day. I am so proud of my husband and I am hopeful this will all be a new and exciting journey! Can't wait to see what God has in store for us next!

dear blogging, how i've missed you!

My fellow blog readers,

I apologize for neglecting you! It has been a stressful and busy past 3 weeks. Back to school madness! And on the weekends, we've been cleaning or just resting. So, not much has gone on. But I am hoping things slow down a bit soon, so that I can plan and think about the exciting months ahead. Within the next 6 months:

-I turn 28! ah!

-My pa's 50th birthday in Miami! BIG FAMILY PARTY!

-Ronnie's best friend's Lino's Bachelor party in Miami in October.

-Ronnie turns 30 in November!!!! The BIG 3-0!

-Our 2 Year Wedding Anniversary! Where does the time go!

-Then, the holidays, of course. We are thinking of doing Miami for Thanksgiving.

-My best friends Jackie's bridal shower in November in Miami.

-Then Jackie and Lino's wedding in Walt Disney World in January!

-And last but not least my best friend's Janelle's bridal shower and wedding in February!

Whoa! Told you there would be excitement within the following months! We are looking forward to everything. There is also A LOT of changes that might be happening in our lives, but I am not ready to reveal what they are. Good changes, but non the less, difficult decisions to be made. We are excited for whatever our future holds. But the "waiting to see" part is very hard.

I will keep you posted on the latest happenings.

Like Mickey Mouse....see ya' real soon!

Wedding Dress Sketch

I found this wonderful website where you can order a custom sketch of your wedding dress to have and to hold. What a wonderful keepsake to display in your home and then why not pass then down as an heirloom. This sweet find, www.mydreamlines.com, makes custom bridal gown sketches done by artists in the South of France! It's a little pricey ($100), but I think would be worth every penny! They can even add an accessory (veil, bouquet, etc) to the sketch for a little more. It's so perfect! I hope to order mine really soon!

PS Please bare with my new background. I am having a blog identity crisis. Can't seem to find anything that I love!

Janelle proposed!

When I decided to ask Jackie and Janelle to be my maidens for my wedding, I decided I wanted to make it a little more "official" than to just verbally ask them. At the time I was into "creating/crafting cards", so I handcrafted cute bridal cards with a poem asking them to my bridesmaids. They loved it! And it was a special moment for me. So, when Janelle came to me to ask me for help on how to ask her bridesmaids like I had done for her, I felt honored. I had the CUTEST idea that I REALLY, REALLY, wanted to share with her. I couldn't contain myself, but then I realized it wouldn't be special for me! So, we made a deal. If I shared with her my idea, she would need to come up with something especially for me! And it was a deal!

Anyways, I still haven't really given up the "hobby" of wedding planning. I still love to read bridal blogs and visit The Knot. I came across a cute way to officially ask a bridesmaid to be in your party a while back. I saved it because I thought it was so adorable. I shared it with Janelle and she took it and ran with the idea. And I must say, it was such a sweet way to ask. Literally!

Janelle "proposed" to her girls with candy ring pops in an adorable ring box and a lovely letter. It came out PERFECT!

WeddingWire.com

I received an e-mail yesterday from our wedding photographers PS Photography. Patty and Susie were asking that I check out their Vendor page at WeddingWire.com and rate and write a review for their services. I will do ANYTHING for these girls because I can not express how absolutely awesome they are and I am just a HUGE fan!

It was then when I realized what a cool website it was! It is a website where you can find local wedding venues, cakes, dresses, invitation vendors & more all rated by brides like you! How perfect is that!? All different kinds of vendors at the tips of your fingers!

After I signed up, the website offers a free gift when you review 5 of your wedding vendors. I was able to score a year subscription to Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods! YES! (BTW, there are several gifts to choose from like gift cards and other subscriptions.) And my very awesome photographers are going to throw in an 8x10 picture from our wedding of our choice! DOUBLE YES!

I wanted to share this website with you because I know this will be helpful to several of my readers who are past Brides and Brides to be. ENJOY! Tell me what you think after you visit the website!

Newly Framed Wedding Portrait...

It has taken us over a year to get our wedding portrait framed. But there are several reasons for it....mostly the $! Also, I had a hard time finding a trust worthy frame shop around here. I am glad we decided to wait because the end result is perfect! It was a little pricey, but it is exactly what we wanted. Ronnie hung it up on the wall on Friday night. I think we found a great spot for it in our family room. Tell me what you think....I am in love!

Jackie's Disney Wedding!!!

It's official and confirmed! Jackie will be getting married on January 15, 2010!!!! But wait...she's not just getting married and having a wedding....NO! She's getting married and having a DISNEY WEDDING!!! Yes...in WALT DISNEY WORLD! I know.... you can believe I am beyond excited!!!! So, the wedding planning has begun. I am very saddened I can't be "by her side" physically every step of the way. But, she knows how much I support her and I will pay back all of the support she gave me through-out my wedding planning. We will be heading to Orlando next year on Jan.14 and staying for the entire MLK weekend.
She will have her ceremony at the Grand Floridian Wedding Pavilion.
This is the view inside. If you look closely to the center window, you can see the castle.

This is the pavilion from the outside.

And her reception will be in Epcot's American Rotunda in the American Pavilion!


It's still some time away, but I am still really excited for her. This has always been her dream. I am so happy she is blessed for it to come true! :))))))

Bride Wars

I finally went to see "Bride Wars" after work this afternoon. I've been anxious to see this movie since it came out. So, you could imagine how excited I was allll day! (I am a dork, I know!) And let me just say how absolutely cute this movie is. I totally fell in love with it. It reminded me much of my wedding planning and the emotions an engaged bride can have. I thought the ending was great, as well. But I won't give that away, of course!

And another thing, Kate's character is named Olivia and Ann's is Emma. These have been definite names on my baby list for girls. I adore "Olivia" and "Emma". :)

Finally,I loved the wedding dresses both girls wore. Personally, I adored Kate Hudson's character Olivia chose. So dreamy!!! Which team are you on? Team Kate? Or Team Ann?

Anyways, if you were a bride or hope to be one, this movie is a must see!!!

Almost One year ago...I married my best friend!

Almost one year of marriage! WHAT? I can't believe it. Can you?!

It feels like just yesterday when I was planning a storm and having panic attacks. Wait. No. It still feels like I got engaged just yesterday! I guess that is a good thing because I am the happiest I've ever been still. I am truly blessed. I love being married to my best friend.

Sure, we've been together for 10 years. But let me tell you....I sure have learned A LOT about Ronnie and myself over the past year. Here are a few things I've learned about being "newlyweds".....

1. 2x the income is great! Sure, it took us over a year to manage 2 incomes, since I recently found my permanent teaching position. But I've learned to appreciate it. Having only one income sucks. Period.
2. Marriage can be both the easiest and hardest thing to ever go through. I'll hold nothing back - sometimes I can't stand him!! (Especially with Election 08' and only having ONE TV!)
3. My favorite part of the day, though, is when we turn off the TV and get into bed and cuddle with each other until we fall asleep. I really cherish those moments.
4. When it comes to that time of the month, I am the worst! I am needy and whiny. I don't know how he puts up with it!
5. I'm not sure if he always thinks what I say is important, but he tries to make me feel that way. And then there are times when I get into those "dream" moments. And he tries to "Dream" with me. And when I go overboard, he makes me know it!
6. Why don't people have a name for the weight you gain post wedding, like the freshman 15?
7. Just because we are married, it does not mean we are ready to have the baby. OUR TIME WILL COME! Please stop asking! LOL
8. I ABSOLUTELY HATE DOING LAUNDRY FOR 2 PEOPLE! But I think many of you know this already. It's cute and fun in the beginning, but forget it. I can't keep up! I am surprised Ronnie hasn't had to wear MY underwear yet!
9. I'd much rather lay at home on the couch with my hubby than go out any day.
10. When we first bought the house, Ronnie had a lot of opinions about how we should decorate or where we should put things. And let me tell you....it hasn't changed. He has a much better eye for that than I do and has an opinion about EVERYTHING! Who knew?!
11. I can't believe it's been one year already...pretty soon it will be 5 years, 10 years, 25 years! And I can't wait!

Wedding Shadow Box

I finally got it accomplished! I put together a shadow box with our wedding memorabilia! Isn't it awesome?! Memories from that day stuffed into this box forever. I figured to put my bouquet in there just last night, when Ronnie and I went to a party of newlyweds like us and I fell in love with the bouquet looked in her shadow box. Anyways, I hope to get a better picture of it soon. Inside I put things like, our wedding invite, cocktail napkin, place card, honey favor tags, rocks that read "cherish", "honor", etc. that I had laid out on the place card table, and my hair piece. Simply perfect!


Tell me what you think. I cried putting it together. Then I cried again when I showed it to Ronnie. ha!

Wedding Anniversary coming soon..

I've begun researching where Ronnie and I can celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. But we have some set backs. For 1. It has to be affordable. and 2. It has to be close by because we don't have any vacation days to spare. I have some ideas. But I think we might decide on visiting Asheville, NC and tour the Biltmore House/Estate. I hear it's gorgeous and it seems romantic. I think it would make a nice weekend trip where we can see beautiful NC in the fall and have a nice romantic dinner.

But I have to take to reflect. It was this week last year where I was getting ready to mail out my invites. And it was this month that I had my bridal shower in Miami. sigh. I can't believe it's been a year already! It did go by fast just like everyone said it would.

Here are some of my favorite pics of the most amazing bridal shower my mom and my bridesmaids could have ever thrown for me! I will never forget the memories from the day!

6 MONTHS

It's been the BEST six months of my life! My heart is totally complete now. Being married is truly a blessing!
Just minutes after our "I dos"!

On our honeymoon!

Merry Christmas! Hanging our first ornament on our first tree!

Cheers to our happy new year!

Welcome our first snowy day!

Let's celebrate our love..happy valentine's 2008!

Finally...welcome spring! happy easter!

Our favorite is here.....BASEBALL SEASON! Watching the Greensboro Grasshoppers....it's the team we agree to cheer for together!

More pictures to come. We celebrate 6 months Saturday and we have plans to spend the day in the mountains with the pretty wild flowers and breathtaking views. :-) I am proud to be Mrs. Wray. I love being married to my best friend.

Wedding Album

We just got our wedding album from our wonderful wedding photographers, PS Photography, Inc. These girls are truly talented at what they do. They know how to capture beautiful moments. I could not be happier. The more and more I look at these photos, the more and more I want to relive it. And thanks to them, I can. We had such a great team of vendors at our wedding, things really could not have run any smoother and things couldn't have been more beautiful. I can honestly say that we actually had one of those fairytale weddings. We are blessed. Here are a few pages from the album. When I go back to Miami in July I will take it. I didn't have enough time this time to share it with everyone. Here are a few of the pages. Thanks Patty and Susie!