My Aunt

Life is full of surprises, and the past year has proven that true.  

I'm all about feelings, I usually start an explanation with "this made me feel.." or "I feel like..." and I have to share this experience which brought up tons of POSITIVE feelings for myself.  Note that this is all my perspective.  I don't know the entirety of feelings from the rest of my family, so I speak for myself.  

Let's start at the beginning.  My father's mother passed away before I was born.  She has always been referred to as "GG" by the grand kids, Gorgeous Grandma.  All I knew of her while growing up were stories that the family told and pictures from before my existence.  Even though I never experienced her in the flesh, I've always felt a spiritual connection to her.  I feel like I know her smell, but that idea is based off of a potpourri holder that comes out at Christmas (silly, I know).  I feel like I know her energy just because of the images of her that I've seen.  But I recognize that I missed a lot and don't know even a fraction of who she was, and I'm sometimes sad that I never knew the feeling of her hugs and who she could have been to me as a grandmother.  

As said in the past, I'm not heavily "religious" but consider myself spiritual.  I've always felt like my GG is my guardian angel.  I felt like she was a part of my life even though she passed away about 4 years before I was born.  There was a period of time when I would get this sense of pressure on my mid to lower back.  A feeling like when someone puts their hand on your back, an external feeling, not internal.  The first thing that would pop into my head when I felt that was my GG.  I took that as her sign that she was there walking beside me.  Now it's very likely that I'm a nut and I'm reading into things, but it brings me comfort to think that she's with me.

Jumping ahead...

Last year my brother was contacted on Facebook by a woman who thought she could be our aunt.  I wasn't there when Dominic told my parents about it, and showed them the pictures.  I went to my parents house later that week and my mom told me she had something crazy to tell me (not sure that crazy was the word, but she said it in a way that made me run through the possibility of things she was about to tell me-in a split second).  I never imagined that she was about to tell me that my dad had a sister that no one knew about.  I cried.  I cried because it meant there was a person on this earth that could potentially resonate my grandmothers spirit that I never knew fully.  I also cried because when I saw this woman's picture, I could see my grandmother from all of the pictures I'd seen growing up.  I can't imagine the emotions my dad was feeling and the rest of the family who knew my GG.  Knowing that there was a secret like this that was held on to so tightly by my grandmother answered a lot of questions about what she was going through as a young woman.

Meeting Winnie

Winnie is the woman who contacted my brother on FB.  She is our aunt, and my dad's half sister who resembles his mother incredibly.  She and my dad began getting to know each other over the phone.  As time passed, they completed the DNA process which confirmed that they are in fact half siblings.  Winnie was born to my grandmother just days after her 18th birthday, and as we can all imagine, a teen pregnancy was not something that was as common and accepted as it is today.  Winnie was given up for adoption with very few knowing anything about it.  

I went with my parents to meet Winnie in May.  I had to be apart of that moment when my dad met his sister for the first time.  I describe it as magical, positive, exciting, emotional and strange (haha!).  Winnie is a vibrant woman who exudes light and love.  I personally felt an immediate comfort.  I wasn't comparing her to my GG (besides the physical aspect), since I didn't know my GG, but I felt like she wasn't a stranger...which was strange.  We had a nice meeting at a winery with Winnie, her husband Bob and her son Matt, such a wonderful group of people.  I found myself sitting quietly soaking it all in, a bit in disbelief that life can throw such great surprises at you.  The following day Winnie hosted a gathering with extended family members of ours and a few friends of hers.  It was a beautiful day filled with love and emotion.

First hug

The family gathered watching home videos of when my dad was a kid

I look forward to more get-togethers with Winnie and her family, and getting to know the aunt I didn't know I had.  Though there have been many missed years, it doesn't mean we can't create an abundance of memories with the time we have left!

~Alex~

This is GG as a young woman.  She's beautiful!

Summer Bucket List

Have I ever mentioned how much I love summer?! Oh wait, I'm pretty sure I have ;)

I love that days are longer, the pool is a weekly staple, nights are later and for some reason there's always this feeling of being a little more care free. Now let's not forget I'm not talking about the good ol' days of summer (you know when you didn't have to work)... now THOSE were the days. But... you can still have fun over the summer even if you are forced to be an adult ;)

I love making seasonal bucket lists because it forces me to add some fun into my day-to-day life! So below are my Summer Bucket List items that I'm hoping to accomplish this year!

1. Hike the Incline! Located in Manitou Springs (all you need to do is google is and you'll know what I'm talking about). I have a love/hate relationship with this mountain but always feel so accomplished when done and it makes for a fun day trip!

2. July 4th Fireworks/s'mores. I LOVE Fireworks! I definitely want to catch some this year either in our neighborhood area or a fun sporting event always has great fireworks!

pinterest.com

3. VACATION!!! I can't wait for our vacation and will share more info when it gets closer to the time

pinterest.com

4. Farmers Market. I love going to the Farmers Market especially in the summer! We love going to the one near our church and eating lots of yummy food! (And by eating I mean grabbing the free samples) ;)

5. POOL Days! Nothing says summer more than the smell of sunscreen and chlorine! I definitely want to be at the pool at least 1x/week this year

6. Day trip up to Vail! I love going up to Vail with my hubby, walking around, eating lunch and hiking. It's simply the best and I can't wait to check this one off the list!

7. BBQ with friends! What says summer more than a bbq?! Definitely want to check this one off multiple times this summer!

Hello Summer!?

First of all.... EEEEK So excited for Alex and Nick and I cannot wait for their wedding!!! I can't wait to hear more about planning/prep and fun events!!!!! :) 

Second... I am very much aware of the fact that I have not blogged since... um yea I can't even remember! Yikes, where does time go?! I'm so excited it's summer and we have got a lot going on already! We have planned a trip in August (separate post about that later) & we worked a wonderful travel agent (who also just happens to be a friend so more about that soon!!) and I am trying to soak up every minute of sunshine and pool time. Now that we are officially in the days of summer I obviously decided I needed a new wardrobe because I can't find anything in my closet to wear ;)

Below are some of my finds and wishes! What are your summer wardrobe staples? 

For some reason this summer I'm all about comfort and ease. I like to feel comfortable first and foremost and so this year I am ALL ABOUT the jumpsuit. I cannot get enough of the jumpsuit long or short. I have found quite a few cute ones at Old Navy & H&M. Below are 4 from H&M that I am definitely wanting!

I am also slightly addicted to the thought of wearing a hat, I mean for one to protect my skin but for two,  they are adorable. I always buy hats and then never end up wearing them but with an upcoming vacation I think it's a must. ;) Here are two I found from Nordstrom

And finally what would summer be without some Pinterest inspiration ;) Below all pictures are from Pinterest. To me, these pictures SCREAM summer! I am all about loose fitting comfy dresses, and I am dying to find ones similar to the three below, and those sandals?! Ahhh, I need them now!!! I hope this inspires you for summer because it definitely has me! Now only to convince my husband I HAVE to have these.... ;)

In one year...

On this day, next year, I will get to start my life as the wife of Nick!  I can't wait for that moment!  I am proud of what we have together and look forward to what's to come in the future.

After about 3 months of being engaged we have accomplished a decent amount of planning.  As said previously, we have our venue and date, I have my dress, I've picked out my bridesmaids dresses and bridesmaids (not all have been notified, more to come about my girls!), we have a color scheme, we have a color and an idea on style picked out for our grooms men's suits, we have our wedding bands (Nick's is awesome!!), and we have meetings scheduled with a few photographers and a caterer.  The goal is to get engagement photos and Save The Dates out by the end of summer so all of our out of town loved ones can start planning!  

I must say, this has been an interesting experience.  I always knew there was a lot to think about when planning such a celebration, but MAN it's a bit overwhelming.  I keep reminding myself that it will be a beautiful representation and celebration of our love, and I CANNOT wait to share the day with so many important people to us!

Nick has been such a huge part in our planning.  I'm so impressed at how he jumped right in and started researching venues and vendors.  During the school year I couldn't really devote a whole lot of time to the planning process, so Nick did all of the initial research.  

THANKS LOVE!!!

Let the year countdown begin!

~Alex~

Break Time!

Now that it's summer break I suppose I should use this extra time to blog a little more.  I love writing down what's been going on in life, and in my brain!

The last few weeks of school were jam packed with to-do's and a lot of emotional moments.  I didn't think I would get as attached to my kiddos as much as I did, since I only had them for half a year.  BUT, of course I did.  They are a wonderful group of kids and I wish I had them for a whole school year.  

One of my teammates gave me the idea to do this for each of my students as an end of the year gift.  They each sat in front of the board and the other kiddos wrote nice things about the person of the moment.  They didn't get to see what others said until the received the photo the last day of school.  They all wanted to do one for me too, so this is it!

I learned SO much between student teaching at the start of the year, and taking on my own class for the second half.  I made mistakes, had epiphanies, cried, laughed and hopefully became a little bit of a better teacher.  

I look forward to a new year in the fall, starting fresh with a new group of kiddos, right from the beginning!

I'm devoting this summer to wedding planning, getting back into a healthier life style, and spending time with the little ones that I watched before I started teaching.  

I can't decide how much of the wedding details I want to disclose on the blog before the wedding.  I want our guests to wait to enjoy the final event with me and Nick!  Our goal is to get majority of the wedding planned this summer, so during the school year I don't have much to think about.  

Let's see, what have we accomplished so far?  

We have a venue and a date!

We visited about 10-15 venues before making our final decision.  The location we decided on is not what I ever pictured for my future wedding (probably because I didn't know anything like it existed in Colorado).  I always said I wanted to get married in a meadow, but instead we are getting married someplace a little less expected and with incredible views of Colorado.  It was a toss up between the chosen location and one in Estes Park, but it came down to the proximity to our lives and those closest to us in Colorado.  It seemed stressful and expensive to have a destination wedding in our own state.  Here are a few "sneak peak" photos of our venue.  If you've been venue shopping, or know the area, you can probably guess where this is!!

I have a wedding dress!

I made appointments to try on dresses with some of the women closest to me the first Saturday after the school year ended (I was eager).  We had a fun day of trying on dresses, lunch and girl time.  Our first visit was to The Green Bride, in Downtown Littleton.  This store is very unique.  They sell new and used gowns and a portion of gown purchases goes towards supporting Dalit Freedom Network to help free young girls and women out of human trafficking.  While Karen was incredibly sweet to work with, and I found a gown that I ALMOST went back for, I didn't find my gown there.

Jessica & Katie helping me hunt!

Our next stop was Blue Bridal Boutique in Denver.  I had a wonderful experience and service at Blue Bridal, and narrowed it down to two gowns I liked.  But still, neither of the dresses made me giddy enough to buy.

I finally did what I didn't really want to do, and went to David's Bridal the following Monday…because they were having a clearance sale and I was determined to find a dress on mega sale.  After trying on a few dresses, I walked out in a style that I never imagined would look flattering on my short wasted figure.  The reaction from my mom, God mom, God sister and friend Katie were enough to sell me.  But when I saw myself I was a bit in shock.  I didn't cry or get overly expressive/emotional like I've always seen on Say Yes to the Dress, but I felt comfortable, classy, sexy, and my age!  

It's a winner, oh and Gramma approves too! ;o)

More wedding planning updates to come!

HAPPY SUMMER!

White and black bean chicken chili

It's gray and rainy out and chili sounded good, especially since we probably won't have many more cold days ahead of us for a few months.  I found a recipe for white bean chicken chili on Pinterest, and decided to use that as a base line, but to throw my own concoction together.

Unfortunately, I was tossing everything in as if I really were "concocting" a potion, so some of my measurements are guesses.  Whoops.

Ingredients:

1/2 Yellow onion chopped

2 Cloves garlic pressed or diced finely

1 Tbsp diced canned jalapeños OR 1 small fresh jalapeño diced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 14.5oz Cans chicken broth

1 14.5oz Can navy beans rinsed

1 14.5oz Can white beans rinsed

1 14.5oz Can black beans rinsed

1  4oz Can diced green chilis

1 Rotisserie Chicken 

1/2 Cup salsa verde

2 Tsp Chili powder

2 Tsp Cumin

1/4 Cup fresh cilantro

To garnish:

1 Avocado

Fresh cilantro

Sour Cream

Let's Cook!

1.  Place olive oil in pan and turn to medium on stove.  Add onion, garlic and jalapeños.  Cook until onions are translucent.  Add to crockpot and turn crockpot heat to high.

2.  Add the broth, beans, green chills, and salsa verde and mix.

3.  Pull the white meat off of the chicken in bite size pieces and add to the crockpot.   For more chicken, add the dark meat as well.  I save the remaining dark meat for other meals such as quesadillas, or a quick topper on salad.

4.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil and turn to low until ready to serve, or keep on high heat if it is not at a rapid boil.

5.  Garnish with avocado, fresh cilantro and sour cream! 

Bon Appetit! 

~Alex~

Love in the Dominican

Jessica sure is on top of her posts!  I know how much she's been wanting to complete the Whole 30 challenge, and Jess...I'm so proud that you pushed through it and accomplished your goal!

I suppose I need to post an update on life, seeing as it's nearly May and a lot has happened recently.

SCHOOL:

The last 3 1/2 months have been incredible.  Incredibly rewarding and exhausting.  

I successfully made it through 2 1/2 months of teaching, capped with parent-teacher conferences and spring break, and now onward towards the finish line.  I was extremely nervous going into conferences for obvious reasons: Number one, I am a brand-new teacher and number two, I've joined this class midyear.  Conferences were surprisingly positive. Parents seem very happy with the changes and expressed that their kids really enjoy having me as their teacher.  I'm trying to take the positive feedback as a sign of my skill or potential, but I doubt myself as a new teacher daily. I guess I just need to keep in mind that I am new and I will grow on a daily basis.

We're already preparing for the end of the school year which seems to be flying towards us at full speed.  My kids have shown a lot of grown, but the most obvious growth to me (since I didn't know them last semester) is their growth as capable, responsible, loving little beings.  I get such a thrill when they gain reading levels, when they yell out "Oooooh I get it" during math, or when they tell me how much they love to read.  BUT, the real thrill is when someone includes a friend who is lonely, who uses their manners, who takes the higher road in a sticky situation, and who shows their love in the classroom.  I want nothing more than for these kids to grow up into thoughtful adults that contribute to our society in a positive way.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Over spring break Nick took us on a tropical vacation that we both deserved and needed.  We headed to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for 6 days of sun and warm tropical water.  Before Nick planned this vacation, I made sure he knew that I'd rather "take our relationship to the next chapter" than have the vacation, but that I'd be ok with the vacation if he had a plan.  After 5 amazing years, it was no secret that I was ready for an engagement..after all, I'd known for at least 4 years that I wanted to marry him.  I did my very best to go into the trip with no expectations, but in the back of my mind thought that if he was going to do it, this would be a great opportunity.

Well, he did it! I asked him later if I even said yes, it seems that I did. :)

Now for the details:
Nick apparently had the ring long before booking the trip.  He is SUCH a planner,  I'm not really sure why I ever questioned whether or not he had plans to propose.

The week before, Nick met up with my dad for some "financial advice," aka his daughters hand in marriage.  The following day we had a family night planned, and looking back, I now realize how well my parents and Nick's mom held it together.

We were in Punta Cana for 3 days before he popped the question, so I was losing hope.  The night before, we were walking along the beach and a couple was having a romantic moonlit  meal by the water.  Nick kept asking how on earth they were able to do that.  I became "al-sassinator" and said that he PLANNED it, he called the front desk and PLANNED it.  Which followed by me crying on our rooftop cabana bed saying, "I thought it could happen, but it's just not going to happen."  I'M SORRY NICK, I'M SUCH A JERK, hahaha!!  He told me later that in that moment he didn't know what to do, but that he was laughing inside.

The next day I woke up feeling better knowing that in the end I had my best friend with me and whether or not he proposed didn't change the fact that I love him and I knew we would end up as husband and wife eventually.

We went on a day trip to Saona Island.  It started with a beautiful catamaran ride to the island.  Once we got there, we enjoyed a delicious Dominican lunch and drinks.  Nick and I strolled up the beach stopping for pictures along the way.  We found an awesome palm tree growing over the water and started taking pictures.  Nick set up his GoPro to capture the beauty.  I started to sense something was about to happen when he was looking up and down the beach to watch for people.  Then he started acting a little nervous, I guess...taking deep breaths and being a little sporadic in his affection. Once I realized what might be coming, I too became VERY nervous, but was trying to stay present in the moment.  At one point I felt super nauseous with anticipation, and kept thinking to myself that maybe it wasn't what I was hoping but maybe the rum had gotten to him. :-D

Finally, he took a deep breath and began his speech to me.  I truly tried to stay with it so that I could look back and remember the moment.  I've heard from so many friends that they don't remember anything and practically blacked out as their boyfriends proposed.

He held me close as we were ankle deep in the water.  He said so much and what stands out is that he knows I will be an amazing mother and wife, and that he loves how goofy I am.  I know there was so much more to it, but I guess I did partially "black out" or the adrenaline took over too much and I can't quite sort out what else was said.  Then he got down on one knee in the water, and pulled my ring out of a little envelope he had created to store the ring in his wallet those past 4 days.

First I wanted a hug and a kiss, then I was ready for the ring.  Of course my hands were swollen because of the heat and humidity, but it's a perfect fit.  Nick got all of it on GoPro and he had a plan all along..I should have known!

I spent the rest of the day on cloud 9, with Nick, and I know he was relieved to not have to keep that big secret anymore...or the ring in his wallet.  We took a speed boat from the island to a natural pool where we got to pick up starfish.  They made for some awesome ring photo opts.

We are thrilled to become husband and wife, and continue writing our story together.  I'm so excited to be able to call him my fiancé, and soon my husband...and then after that, the father to my children, YAY!!

I'm sure most of my blogging after this will be wedding related.  We are on the hunt for a venue, and quickly learning how fast expenses add up, ugh!

Until next time,

~Alex~