2 Years Later...

One thing I've been meaning to do for a while was to start and finish a book with our wedding photos. We got the CD with all of our photos on it when we got married but I hadn't had them framed or put in a book. Then, I decided I definitely wanted to finish a book before the baby comes because I know after that, there will be baby pics all the time.

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from Groupon selling $50 worth of products on Mixbook.com for $15. I figured that would be a good deal and get me motivated to do it.

Once I got put on bed rest - I decided, I had the time so, no more excuses. Friday, I got our book in the mail and I was not disappointed.

The cover

I had a lot of fun putting it together because it was fun looking at all of the wedding photos again. It was such a fun day. Here are a couple more of the photos - wish I could show you the whole book but if you are ever at the house, it's on our coffee table for your enjoyment :)

I love these two pages - me dancing with my brothers, dad and Brian

At the end of the book.

I'm very happy that I finished it before our 2 year anniversary, which is in a couple of weeks. One project complete. Many more left.

Our Engagement Story

Today's Show Us Your Life from Kelly's Korner is Our Engagement Story. I love telling the our engagement story because Brian worked so hard on planning it and surprising me. He did an excellent job! He flew to Tampa to surprise me and asked me to marry him on August 16, 2008. I'll never forget it as long as I live!

Click the picture to take you to Our Engagement Story

I know I took many photos of the ring on my finger so I could show all my family and friends since we weren't flying back to Texas until the next morning. He did a wonderful job at picking out the perfect ring. It was one of the best days of my life!

Picture Frames

Brian and I registered for two really pretty frames from Macy's and I've had them in the boxes for a while until now! I finally ordered the pictures I wanted them to go in and put them in their frames. Yes, after 5 months of marriage, I have pictures in frames and I still need to put my photos in a book. Maybe I will have time during the Christmas holiday to do that. We will see! One small victory at a time!

I love the invitation picture frame!

What To Do With It All...

I have received the DVD with all of the wedding photos as you have seen in an eariler blog and I have to say right now Thank You to Melanie from Melanie Johnson Photography for all of the wonderful photos and all of the time you put in to help Brian and I have the most special day. You were fun, kind and above all - the pictures are amazing!

Now, it is time to organize them and put them in an album. Sounds like fun but there are over 1200 pictures and it's sometimes it's hard to choose between black & white and color. Decisions, Decisions... I know it will take time and I need to sit down and tackle it but I can't concentrate that hard sometimes ... haha

I'm also trying to decide which online album services to choose from. I've heard MyPublisher was good as well as IPhoto - but I don't have a Mac so that may not work. I would have loved to have my photographer do it but it was too much $$$ for us right now but of course, I don't want the cheapest thing out there. Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.

I will finish it! ...at least hopefully before the end of the year :-)

Wedding Photos!

Hello blog friends - sorry I took a little blog vacation but I'm back and with photos! We got our Wedding Photos in on Thursday. I'm so exctied! I've posted most of them to Facebook but put a couple of my favorites on my blog. Thank you Melanie Johnson Photography for everything - you were wonderful!

Hope you like them as much as I do!

You can click HERE and HERE for the rest of the photos!

Wedding Pics Preview

Our Wedding Photographer, Melanie Johnson, sent us our wedding photos to look at and there were over 2,000 photos to choose from. I enjoyed looking at every single one and she is now working on our album and DVD that we get. When I get the DVD, I will be able to post more photos but until then we only have a couple to preview. She did a wonderful job and I am loving looking at the photos. *I love the photo below of Brian praying in the parlor before the wedding. It was such a great day! I can't believe we will be married two months tomorrow - time is flying by! Enjoy the pictures!

What's In a Name?

A lot! And as I learned, to change your name is a process. One I didn't know about before I got married ( not that I wouldn't have married Brian b/c of it but come on! ) You don't realize how many things have your name on it until you try to change it.

So I have made my trips to the Social Security Office (which wasn't too bad b/c I ran into Shannon), the Driver's License office, the bank - to get our checking account together and many other places to change from Bradley to Estes, all the while Brian just went on with life. I think I have most of it done, some things will have to wait like my passport, etc...but maybe, just maybe, I have changed my name on most everything.

Now don't get me wrong - I am VERY THRILLED to be an Estes - and I feel I have been for a while before we got married but just for clarification, my name has now legally changed to Amanda Estes - how fun! And all of this was All Worth It to now become Mr. & Mrs. Brian Estes!

Wedding Slideshow

Our Wedding Slideshow is finished!

Click here to enjoy!

Thanks to Melanie Johnson Photography!

Really wishing I could dip a strawberry in the chocolate fountain now :-)

Day 7 - Last Day at Sea

Day 7 - Saturday - was our last day on the cruise. It was a day at sea as we headed back towards Galveston. We weren't ready for the vacation to be over but we were ready to see our families. We slept in and relaxed all day long. Nothing planned but enjoy our last day at sea.

We walked to the Lido Deck to get food and all week long I had been staring at the big slide. I really wanted to do it but all I saw were kids on there but Today I saw about 10 adults standing in line so I knew if they were doing it, I was doing it. So a quick change and I was in line to slide! It was really a lot of fun - I did it three times...haha. I know I'm a grown up kid but it was really fun. I met a little boy in line who was so excited everytime he slid - he made me watch him the whole time. It was great.

Saturday night we went to dinner at the restuarant to enjoy the delicious meals and dessert one last time. I didn't even want to think about packing. We walked around to try to make sure we saw everything and remember it all.

Sunday morning, they called us by deck to get off the boat. We went through customs, shuttled to the airport and waited there for a while for our flight back home. It was delayed a little because of the rain on Easter but we made it. Rob, Stephanie, Caleb and Cade came to meet us and take us home - it was so great to see them when we got there. The boys were so excited to see B - so sweet. We had a Whataburger run and then it was off to our house - back to the Real World!

Our cruise was fantastic - if you've never been on one, I would highly suggest taking one sometime. I would also suggest to get a room with a balcony - we loved being able to sit out there at night and enjoy the sunsets and relax. It was very nice. I'm glad we decided on a cruise for our Honeymoon - we enjoyed it all and we have memories that will last a lifetime.

I put a video at the bottom - it is a tour of our Room...dumb me waited until the last night and it was dark outside so you don't get the full effect but you can see what our room looked like.

Our buffet we ate at alot!

Brian LOVED their French Toast; I could only eat cereal in the mornings b/c I was always so full from the days before

My view from the top of the slide; Me getting ready to go down

Relaxing on our last night

The map showing where we had been and where we were going - Green = where we had been; Red = where we were going

Day 7 Towel Heart

Tour of our Room

Day 6 - Cozumel

Day 6 - Friday - was our last stop at Puerta Maya, Cozumel. We docked early in the morning and Brian and I went to see what Cozumel was all about. We did most of our shopping and buying in Cozumel since it was our last stop. There was store called "Drugs and Deli" where you could buy all of the medication you needed and snacks. I laughed so hard in this store. I could stock up on all of the Amoxicillan for a long time and never go to the doctor. It was just a thought!

We shopped for a while and then decided to head to the beach. There were a list of places you could go so we just picked one and took the cab to Carlos and Charlies. We found cover and two chairs and just relaxed. Brian enjoyed a hamburger on the beach. It felt really nice and we just enjoyed the beach for a long while. I know in all the pics I'm wearing my white cover up - I wore it all week. It was the best thing I bought for the cruise!

After the beach, we went back to shop some more. We bought our soveniers for ourselves and others and then headed back. We didn't go to the restuarant Friday night - we just enjoyed the buffet. We really enjoyed Cozumel - it was my favorite out of all of the three places we stopped. The beaches and the shopping are nice. We had a great time there!

Cozumel from our balcony

Our cruise ship docked at Cozumel

Shopping at Cozumel

Brian and I with our guns

Drugs and Deli - all you could want!

This is a real person and he scared Brian really bad - it was funny :-)

Carlos and Charlies

Us and our Sprites

Shots from the beach

Time to get back on the boat

Sunset Friday night - So Beautiful

Day 6 Towel Animal