Wonderful Honeymoon

The good doctor and myself returned this past Sunday from our delightful honeymoon.  We traveled down to Mexico for a week in paradise.  Our resort was all inclusive which meant we ate ourselves silly.  Chocolate cake room service at 10 pm, why not?  A full plate of sushi followed by spring rolls THEN our main course, bring it on!  We decided to not partake in any excursions on this vacation and just enjoy the beach.  Chris surprised me with a "swim up room" which basically meant when you walked out your back door, you were welcomed by a lazy river.  So, mornings were spent on the beach, after lunch we would head back to our porch and enjoy the pool.  We had a wonderful time and are already dreaming of where our next vacation might be (skiing this winter perhaps?). 

Here are a few pictures from my phone, I can't find my camera at this moment, I will put those pictures on facebook. 

At the Italian restaurant with my handsome hubs.

The infamous towel creations.

This was the pool outside of our room.

Chris demonstrating the distance from our back porch to the pool.

Leaning against our back porch.

We read A LOT on our trip (he read Lord of the Rings, I read three books).  Love us some Kindles.

View from our back door.

Last but not least, the beautiful beach.  We hung out in one of these nifty beach beds a couple of days, under some grass huts on others.  It was bliss.

Looks Like We Made It!!!

Thanks Katie!

Ahhhh, the day after our wedding.  Chris is all moved in, we are packed for the honeymoon, we stopped by the parentals to say Happy Father's Day, opened our gifts, and talked about the wedding.  I think all of you Mrs. out there can empathize with me, the day after is filled with emotion. 

I cannot express how thankful I am for all that our day turned out to be.  Our parents are amazing.  The wedding day itself was just a small symbol of their love for us and their giving spirits.  My parents listened to my vision and did all they could to make sure their "baby girl" received the wedding of her dreams.  Chris' parents took care of areas of the wedding without being asked, and our rehearsal dinner was amazing.  While I know I am somewhat bias, I felt our wedding was very personal, expressed a lot of love, and was so much fun, all because our parents worked so hard.

Our bridal party, Ah-Maz-Ing.  From the wonderful showers I received, the laughs, the sharpie marker all over Chris, the golfing, and bending over backwards to make sure our days were fun.  This is why we wanted these folk to stand up with us.  While we could have easily had 50 friends on each side who have been so significant in portions of our life, these are our peeps.  Our prayer warriors, the people who "get" each of us individually, our siblings who we love, the ones we have shared a million laughs with and several tears with as well (yeah, this applies more so to my girls than Chris' guys).  We love you all SO stinking much.  Thanks for being there for us and we are so glad we are there for you as well.

To Jack, who I never in a million years would have thought would have been a part of my wedding, but at the same time fit right in and made it that much more meaningful.  I love you too buddy and cannot wait to see you next month.  Thank you Ann for flying out and helping in so many ways. 

Our grandparents, aunts, and uncles.  You, along with our parents, have been such amazing examples, we are the luckiest bride and groom in the world.  All of you have been married, never divorced, which is an amazing thing to proclaim.  You have showed us that no matter what life throws at you, the person you are married to is the one who will go into battle with you, not who you should go into battle towards. 

Our guests...  Thank you SO much for coming and enduring the heat and looming rain clouds.  You were invited for a reason.  We had neighbors from childhood, teachers, friends from high school, under grad, and grad school, coworkers, church members, and several others.  Some of you may have known Chris a little better, some of you were closer to me, but we couldn't have asked for a better support system.  We love you!

We hope you enjoyed yourself at the wedding.  That you were able to sit and chat with friends who you might see every day or perhaps a few who you were able to catch up with over some good old BBQ.  Thank you again for being there on our special day.  We fly out tomorrow for Mexico and will return in a week.  I am so excited to share some pictures when we return as well as stories behind some of the details. 

Our blog now gets to become about Chris and Ashley, the married couple.  Pictures of our home, perhaps a few recipes, silly stories we would like to share, and overall information for those who we love and would like to keep informed.  Starting yesterday, we really get to begin the process of sowing love towards each other and those around us and we couldn't be more excited.  Adios for now, will see you in a week!!!

Weather, Toilets, Carpooling and Gates

It's sooooo close!!  We picked up Chris' friend Andrew from the airport last night, Amy picked up Wirth and will be arriving later today, Jordan is headed into town this afternoon, Britt and Jenny get in tomorrow, sister is already here, holy cow!  Never thought I would make it, but here we be!!

Wanted to inform our guests of a couple of items before things get so hectic up in here and I forget to type it up.

If you haven't noticed, Saturday is going to be HOT.  The temps are saying 94!!!  (however 0% chance of precipitation which I am ALL over)  Our ceremony begins at 5:30 and will be in a sunny portion of the yard.  So, wear something comfortable, fans will be provided, and you might stick some cold packs down your shirt, just sayin.  The reception will be in the tent and we do have access to the house, so if you feel like an egg on a sidewalk, you can step in for a breather.

Now, about the toilets.  Our wedding is being held at a house, but really, would you want 240 people using your bathroom??  I think not.  So, there will be porta potties available.  However, if you are anything like me, you might pull the whole mom routine before going on a road trip and make sure you go before heading out.  Again, just sayin.

In an effort to go more green, I am asking that our guests carpool if at all possible.  Not really, but with the music festivities occurring up the road and my next point, you might find it easier to be a passenger rather than a driver.  (by the way, the directions which were included with your invitation will take you around the music festival so you shouldn't have a problem with traffic)

Last but not least, the gates.  Tuscan Hill has gates at the end of the drive.  I know, fancy right?  These gates will be closing at 5:35.  This is not a ticket to be late people, but just letting you know.  If you happen to arrive late and the gates are closed, you can chillax in your car for a while until the ceremony is over.  Since our ceremony is in the front yard, we thought it might be a little distracting if someone where to pull up the drive while I am walking down the isle or Skyler and Chad are singing.

Ok, I think that's it...  Wear something breathable, use the bathroom before you come, load up your cars, and get there on time.  This will probably be my last prewedding post unless I happen to continue waking up at 4 in the morning and something washes over me that I just have to share.  Thank you for all the well wishes, the prayers for perfect weather, guests coming in from out of town as well as those in town.  We are so excited to see everyone and celebrate!!  Hooray for wedding day!!!!

A Couple of First

Last week Chris and I did a couple of fun things:

First things first, we got our marriage license!  It was much more simplistic than I expected, we were in and out in 15 minutes.  The lady who is designated to hand out the licenses seemed very sweet and excited to share in the nostalgic feelings that encircle this occasion.  However, there was a couple in front of us so the lady down the way said the whole, "I can help the next in line" and informed us things would go much more smoothly if the other lady wasn't quite so chatty.  So, she typed and spoke quickly, had us take an oath that we were not related (seriously, cracked up) and we were on our way.  Something so significant was given to us so quickly and mindlessly.  Makes a person think...

Anywho, after running a few errands we had to take the Jasper dog to see the good Dr. Boschen for some shots.  I am not a HUGE fan of the vet clinic, I've got a soft spot for animals, but not for their stench.  I mean, you have to get used to the smell in there and I cannot stand to watch Jasper freak out. 

However, there was something bold within me on this particular day.  I roamed through the back area and Chris' dad informed us he was getting ready to do a c-section on a little dog.  So, curiosity got the best of me and I watched.  Before I knew it, I was in the room, with a towel, cleaning off the pups and desperately wanting to take one home.  I mean, aren't they cute?!?!

Successful day?  I think so.

Just a Little FYI

Our reception is going to be just dandy... food, washers, dancing, conversation, a little photo booth action.  However there is one small item at our reception that might drive parents nuts.

A pool.  While this salt body of water is pleasing to the eye, we thought it best to let parents know they might be keeping an eye on it throughout the night.  No kiddos in the pool =)  With 240 people there, I believe there will be plenty of watching eyes, however you have been warned. 

Also, a note to our silly friends... no pushing anyone INTO the pool. 

Guest Information

Several of our guests are locals, however we do have a few special folk coming in from out of town who may not know the area all that well.  Most of our special folk will be Chris' optometry friends who will have Katie to guide them through the ins and outs of the booming Springvegas.  Others will be in our wedding party and Chris and I will get to show you around. 

However... if you happen to be here, wondering where in the world to grab a bite to eat, I wanted to share with you a few of our favorites.  Thank you to those of you who commented, many of your suggestions mimicked what we indulge in from time to time.  Here are some local favorites that Chris and I enjoy if you would like to partake.

Breakfast:

Gailey's. 

I will not even entertain another suggestion.  Gailey's is located downtown on Walnut and is our favorite place to eat breakfast.  It has an old time retro feel and the best darn pancakes in town.  If you go on Saturday, be prepared for a wait, but it is WELL worth it.

Lunch:

Tea Bar and Bites

This little hole in the wall is located on Pickwick in Springfield.  I haven't been there in quite a while and it is more of a place I will go with my girlfriends than Chris.  Very dainty, but lovely.  Love their sandwiches and such.

Galloway Station

This little bar and grill could be a great place for lunch or dinner.  I love their outdoor seating area and their fries are the best in town.  It is located on Lone Pine, right across the street from a fun park. 

Arris' Pizza

The grand daddy of them all... Arris' Pizza.  This is another possible dinner outing or a great take out for the hotel.  Arris' original location is in Jefferson City where my mother grew up.  I have had Arris' for as long as I can remember and you can only imagine the excitement my family had when they decided to open a location in Springfield.  

Dinner:

Mijuri

We love sushi... love.  Our favorite place to hit up is Mijuii located on South Campbell.  There are several nicer sushi locations (Kai, Nakato's, Umi) but we are simple folk. 

Little Tokyo

This is the definition of hole in the wall.  Little Tokyo is a Japanese Steak house that we frequently visit.  It is located towards the north end of town right on Glenstone, which is convenient to where most of our guests are staying.  Hole. In. The. Wall... but SO good.

Hong Kong Inn

This might be a better location for lunch, but they are open so late I had to include it for dinner.  Can you tell that we enjoy our Chinese/Japanese cuisine?  Hong Kong Inn is also located towards the north end of town on Glenstone and serves up some yummy (and cheap) sweet and sour as well as cashew chicken.  Now if you want the ORIGINAL cashew chicken, check out Leong's on the south end of town.  He invented the stuff and it is the best. 

Maria's

Maria's is located down town and has great fried tacos.  When you are done you can cross the street to the Bistro and get some dessert or down to the Mudhouse for some coffee. 

For your sweet tooth:

Andy's

Just had to include this in...  Andy's is a local favorite.  There are several locations around town and it is a perfect stopping place before heading in for the night.  Now my favorite flavor will not be out during wedding time (Key Lime Pie) but with so many things on the menu, I think you'll be just fine.

Now, Springfield has TONS of other options, these are just a few local places we frequent often that we thought we would share.  Of course the BEST food will be at our wedding, so wear your fat pants.  Can't wait to see everyone!













Oh Goodness

Oh my!!!  Yesterday marked two weeks until wedding holy cow how are we going to get it all done, I might go insane day!  It is a surreal feeling.  Chris has been over to the house a lot lately in attempts to put the final touches before guests arrive, family wants to come see, and he moves in.  Yesterday he set up a book shelf in the living room (we have way too many books), I spray painted frames for the wedding, we sanded my beloved tulip chairs in preparation for a fresh coat of paint, and Chris organized. 

Yup, that Christopher is a neat freak and I love it.  He wants everything to have a place and will move, shuffle, and tear everything apart until it does.  He has been a dorm/apartment living guy for eight years, now is his time to shine with a whole house full of sharedness.  It is quite interesting to watch.  I will admit, I was a little control freak esc at first, but he is doing very well.  All of my books are arranged by topic and height, the games are systematically placed, now all the kid needs is a label gun and some plastic bins and he is set to go. 

In other news...

Last night we were sitting at the dinner table with Chris' parents, discussing restaurants that are local and are a must to recommend to our guests.  Here's the sad thing...  we could only think of like three.  So, I turn to you, my non commenting blog readers, if you are a local lass or lady, what do you crave?  Now remember, we want local classics.  GO