The Big Texas Wedding, A Honeymoon in Greece & Back to Reality

Today's Excitement:
I'm writing in the blog again!!!!! After a two month hiatus..... (which practically killed me...) I am finally able to return to the labor of love i adore so much. There is a fair amount to update on... but with some patience and a significant amount of time, i think i can catch everyone up. Today's post is going to be rather short... but with the inspiration of a fellow blogger (HI JESS!!!) if i do a little bit every day, i can satiate the blog monster inside of me.

The BIG Texas Wedding: 
oh my heavens............ all the prep... all the work... all the crafty DIY projects... all the time and scheduling.... all the father/daughter moments.... all the bride/groom panic sessions... completely and totally paid off!!!!!!!! I cannot tell you how glad i am that i allowed myself the time to go home and prepare. I can barely believe it myself how much i was able to accomplish in a month's time. The wedding was absolutely a DREAM COME TRUE!!!! The decorations were perfect, the food was awesome... and everyone who i love so dearly was there to support us. Now it's time for the BIG thank you's:

My Father (aka Papa Scott, Dad & FOB): This wedding was made possible by YOU. Without your help, dedication, running around matching dress swatches with tux colors, cake tasting efforts, handling all of the invitations, designing centerpieces and place card holders, hacking at your trees in the backyard so i could have branches, list making skills, etc. none of this would have even been able to happen. I don't think it's possible for words to express my thanks, gratitude, and awe at your thoughtfulness. I love you, Dad and these moments were some of the best memories with you that I will carry throughout my lifetime.

Mama & Papa W (aka The W's, MOG & FOG): What a true blessing to marry into such an amazing family!!! Thank you for driving down to Texas from Iowa with car loads of decorations specially catered to dana's and my taste. Thank you for shuttling family to and from the airport. Thanks for spending time with my family, they absolutely adore you guys! Thank you for all of your contributions that made the rehearsal dinner so beautiful. I was speechless at the careful planning of the centerpieces.... they were absolutely gorgeous! We miss and love you and look forward to seeing you in October-ish!

Sarah, Nate, & Sophia Ndjerareou (aka Sister & Brother -in-law & niece): Huge shout out thank you to you guys for housing almost all of the groomsmen at one point. Thank you for opening your BRAND NEW house to help us take care of the many friends and family that passed through for the wedding. Sophia - Thanks for being the BEST princess flower girl and for rockin it on the dance floor all night at the reception!!!

The Aunties... Tricia, Teresa, Diane, & Karen: You guys are so amazing!!!!!! I cannot thank you enough for helping me make the wedding balls for the reception. Everyone LOVED them and several people asked us to take them home. I loved having you guys be such a big part of the wedding with helping in setting up the reception and taking things down. My father was so grateful to Diane and Tricia for coming back to help tear down the festivities. It helped make me feel as if mom was right there with me all along. May my words properly express my gratitude for all of your moral support, prayers and help on this monumental occasion.

The Bridesmaids (Chelsea, Crista, Brittney, Tori, Tabby, & Sarah): I could NOT have done this without you. Thanks for keeping the panic moments under wraps so i wouldn't worry. Thanks for talking to me and calming me down when i got antsy. Thanks for seriously taking advantage of the holiday vacation and enjoying the wedding to its fullest. Thanks for pulling me into the photobooth with you guys so i could get a picture! Thanks for just being awesome all around. Every one of you played such an important part and helps compliment a side of me that isn't strong. I love you all so much and am super bummed that i can't pinpoint a time where we can all be together again. Thanks for being in the moment with me..... these will last me a lifetime.

The Groomsmen (Nate, Paul, Free, Russ, Josh, & PT): Thank you for taking such great care of my husband!!!! He keeps raving to me how amazing it was to get to spend three days with all of you. It is such a blessing to know that my husband is surrounded by such incredible and awe inspiring men. Thanks for giving him a bachelor party and Russ you're a rock star for getting that cowboy hat!!! (: It was really nice to see you all and I look forward to having you at our house here in Germany.

Chelsea & Troy Davis (aka our freaking FANTASTIC photographers): You guys are incredible!!!!!! I loved having you at our wedding as guests and as photographers. You both are a well oiled machine and it was brilliant to get a chance to work with you. Thanks for helping out so much and easing stress when it came. I cannot get over how beautiful your shots turned out. It is everything i could have hoped for and so much more!!!! I can hardly wait to see the rest of the photos! My family, friends, and everyone else is amazed at your wonderful work! I look forward to staying in touch and helping you out in the calligraphy department for your stylized shoots. (: We love you guys!!!!!

For those that aren't aware... Chelsea & Troy have graciously posted a tremendous sample of our wedding photographs on her photography blog website located here: Chelsea Davis Photography Blog. Please check them out!!!!! They're work is absolutely stunning!!!!! I will be sure to post pictures when we actually get them, but for now this sample will have to do! Here's one just for funzies:

The Grecian Honeymoon:
so don't get mad, but i haven't had time to edit the photos yet... so i just did one to give you guys an idea of what's to come! We had such an amazing time... The resort is amazing and the food was unspeakably good. We got plenty of sun and surf and decided when we retire dana's going to teach scuba lessons and i'll have a cupcake shop on the beach. (Score!) So i promise to give a full play by play as soon as i can get some time to edit photos. For now, this one will have to do!

Back To Reality.......
after being in wedding world for the past two months getting back to the daily grind where you have to do things like pay bills and clean house SUCKS. Not to mention the fact that it's hard. I am trying to be so good and get the important things done now so they aren't hanging over my head. Like getting my name changed on my SS card (meant to do that while in Dallas... oops.), and writing wedding thank you's, and continuing to unpack our stuff in the apartment from when we moved here 8 months ago. ha!

On the plus side, it's been great to spend time with our friends here again. It it's amazing to be back home in Germany. We had a righteous thunderstorm yesterday and i was mesmerized by the cloud formations in the sky. Check it out!!!

Fun on the 4th of July in Germany:
One of those rare moments I am super glad to be among so many Americans was on this 4th of July. Spending an American holiday (more less the celebration of the our country's independence) is weird when you're in a foreign country. because for them, it's just another day. I wanted all of the traditional... the fireworks, the barbeque, the watermelon, and the pie!!! unfortunately, i just made do with the fireworks. which is my most favorite part anyway. The base put on a spectacular show and it completely made coming home from greece worth it!!! Here's a sample of what we saw plus some group shots!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand my time is up for the day... actually i took way more time than i should have! I hope everyone has a great weekend and I can hardly wait to post more stuff!!! Lots of love!!!!

Oh the Good Life....

Burns hurt. and i always think it's hilarious how whenever i accidentally manage to singe my skin i vow to NEVER do it again. 'i'll be more careful next time....', 'don't touch the stove, it's hot', etc. and yet... when it happens it's awful. horrible enough to remind me why i'm so careful in the first place and why it was such a big deal the last time it happened. for those of you that don't know, German ovens are tiny. seriously. tiny. i had to ask Dana to buy me new cookie sheets because all the ones i own refuse to fit into our oven. My only saving grace has been a round pizza pan that i actually use to make giant cookie cakes. In addition to the miniature oven, we have an electric stove... also a new experience in cooking for me. we always had a gas stove growing up and in my opinion, it's the ONLY kind of stove to have. don't misunderstand me here, i really am grateful to have a stove at all... i'm merely setting up my story. i had made fajitas the other night for dinner and bought sun dried tomato tortillas. Normally, i'd heat the tortillas on the gas burner. that's the way mother always did it growing up, so that's what i know to do. and don't even have a cast iron skillet to warm them on the electric stove. so in a moment of sheer genius (or stupidity depending on how you look at it) i decided to throw them in the oven for a bit to warm on the racks. trick is, you have to flip 'em. turn 'em over. imagine my surprise when i'm pulling my hand out of the oven only to snag it on the top of the inside.... hearing the soft hiss and smelling burnt hair. yechflhth. my husband, the quick thinker, grabs ice from the freezer and immediately applies it to my hand. ever notice that you never realize how much you use a certain part of your body until you burn that area and have to not brush, scratch, rub, touch, run hot water over, or any where near this part of you? zambloonie.... it hurts. moral of the story is... don't be stupid. wear oven mitts.

THE UPDATE

So, yes. i realize it's been practically a month since i've written. and i'd like to offer my sincerest apologies. dana and i kind of got smacked in the forehead with wedding stuff shortly after the new year and have been trying to bounce back ever since. since the beginning of January some exciting things have moved forward and i'm gonna throw them at you bullet point style.....

OPERATION LIVING ROOM SEATING

we have a couch!!!!!! i managed to find this beautiful piece for a steal on ramstein yard sales... and i have Jessica Aiduk to thank for it because she (in enjoying her newly acquired couch bought and purchased from ramstein yardsailes as well) inspired me to not give up hope and just keep looking. now we can pick out paint colors for the living room!! (:

FLASHBACKS TO MY 17TH BIRTHDAY

i have my drivers license!!!!!! that test was WAY harder than i expected. you study the handbook and study the practice test at the back of the book not to mention the abysmally long list of traffic signs and then sign up to take a written (written?!?) exam while monitored by a proctor. you can only miss up to 15 questions on the test to pass. i went in pretty confident and began sweating bullets about halfway through. because when you go turn your test in he counts your missed questions in front of everyone (trying to be as quiet as he can of course, but sit in the front and can hear him plain as day). people are missing 18, 22, 25 questions right and left and are having to come back to take the test again the next day. and i reeeeeeeeeeallly didn't want to do that. so after arguing with myself in my head and decided not to second guess what i've already written, i turned my test in to find that i only missed 8!!! a 92%!!! woooooOOOOO HOOOOOooooo! i could have kissed the proctor of the exam i was so excited! then dana came and picked me up giving me a refresher course around base. i got to drive to the commissary all by myself and buy groceries by myself and drive home on the autobahn by myself!!! i was nervous about the auto bahn because it's vicious, and our poor honda was made per US specs and was not designed to go from 0kph to 130 kph in 4 seconds. *sigh* but it was still a blast. and i'm going to seriously have to watch it when i get back to the states. driving 90 mph here is normal. i feel like i'm setting myself up for defensive driving..... (:

Date Night

D and i have date night once a week... and we go and do something together. we toss whatever worries are weighing on our shoulders, kiss the world goodbye and go forth through the looking glass into our own wonderland for a night. most of the pictures below are from our random excursions. and have become reasons why i love germany.

wine pong at the wollschlager's. this was a hilarious experience. thank you Thorlund. (:

tasty deliciousness from Thai-rama. OMG. the best thai food i've EVER had. sheesh.

this is my favorite aisle at the BX. the foreign candy aisle.

bliss. pure bliss.

PIZZA ATTACK?!? lol this is an actual pizza delivery place... they drive smart cars to deliver the pizzas. hilarious.

flowers that D brought home for me this past wednesday for date night. total surprise... he's such a sweetheart. (:

the Thompson wedding

one of the guys in Dana's shop got married shortly after the new year.... we were the witnesses for their ceremony at the German courthouse. the wedding was in German and also in English. the amount of paperwork and euro forked over by these two, in order to get married in Germany is inspiring. We had them over for dinner the night before the wedding and i got to meet michael's lovely wife-to-be jamie (the now Mrs. Thompson). She told us crazy stories of how she yelled at the officials and having to overnight a birth certificate from the states (serious $$$) and all of the other fun facts that are forever stamped into their story. Congratulations to the two of them, and we wish them much love, bliss and happiness.

Trier Adventure

we decided it was time to take another trip close to home and asked the Amrein's to come along. Going to Trier that day was a blessing. the weather was beautiful (sushine!!!!!!) and it wasn't too horribly cold. in hindsight we should've gone on saturday because NOTHING is open in germany on sundays. it's like they take that day of rest thing literally or something.... (who does that??!? lol) the highlights of that trip were the church/chapel, the food, and the pink palace/gardens. Here are some photos below. If you want to see all the fun here's our Sunday-funday trip to trier album.

Things to look forward to....

we're close to being in a good place with the kitchen. we finished painting and i managed to remember to borrow the drill from our grounds keeper to drill into the solid concrete walls of our apartment. we're hanging shelves tonight and i should be able to take and post pictures of before and after in the kitchen soon.

we're headed to the cirque dreams show for valentines day, which is super exciting. last time i saw a show like this was cirque du soleil in amsterdam. We're both thrilled.

As far as trips go, we're hoping to get to Garmish soon to see the cinderella castle. I'd love to see it in the snow, but it might be easier to get to in better weather conditions. it's hard to believe that time is flying so fast here. i'll be back home in four months to prep for the wedding in Mckinney. we got our save-the-dates in the mail yesterday so my dreams this week have been filled with calligraphied wonders.... as i am hand addressing every last one. i did manage to find an art shop that has all the calligraphy supplies i should EVER need!!!! i was thrilled. now if i can only find a hobby lobby equivalent here. with my recent pinterest obsession growing stronger by the day, i need to have a place to buy supplies for all of my macaroni glitter crafts!

Well that's all for now! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

New Years 2012 Road Trip to Paris

almost all of my boxes from the states have arrived!!!! it's like christmas all over again at our apartment. my favorite clothes, my kitchen utensils, my coffee grinder, air pump for the car, everything!!!! the only box that has yet to arrive is my box full of spices... which i pray makes it here in one piece. dad's been careful enough when packing things and i am beyond grateful. Here's the funny part... we now have 4 sets of measuring cups, two sets of measuring spoons, over 4 bottles of vanilla, two can openers, two cheese graters, five different corkscrews, and many more random duplicates. lol go figure.

THE PARIS UPDATE

it is truly an amazing feeling to revisit a foreign country... and it was an added bonus to be able to show dana around paris and know where i was going. it makes me super psyched for him to take me to Rome! Paris was beautiful... even though it was rainy and overcast the whole time. i've always wanted to bare witness to paris in the rain... as nothing quite beats walking around hand in hand with an umbrella. oddly enough i do want us to go back in the spring or summer... i saw paris in the summer last time and i'd be hugely disappointed if dana didn't get the chance to see the rosy sunlight. we saw as much as we could in the time that we had... all the big things that people go to Paris to see. what cracks me up is that i kept spouting out architectural trivia and knowledge upon a group of decidedly non-architects. why do i do this? it's like a knee jerk reaction that i can't clamp down on.

my favorite parts of the trip were walking around hand-in-hand with dana. talking about life and the splendor surrounding us. he may not be an architect but he's an old soul. and has the same strange appreciation for beautiful things, history, and world renowned buildings. Dinner was also a highlight as i had smoked salmon sandwhich and salad and also had bites of Dana's duck with potatoes. delicious!!! we had creme brulee for dessert.... YUM! and then savored almost 3 glasses of wine apiece. i'm ashamed to say both of us walked around Paris with mulberry red lips for the remainder of the evening.

seeing the eiffel tower at midnight was a rush... we decided to go there because we figured we'd get the best show... what you never account for in this situation is the 3.5 hundred thousand other people who had the same idea as you. i'd bet that being at the eiffel tower on new years eve pretty much rivals being in times square. so. many. people. but if you take a moment and find a five foot radius you can call your own... and let your husband wrap his arms around you, none of it really matters any more. and then you get a group of fun french people who have champagne and pop the bottle at midnight and sing "Bonne Annee" drunkenly. i loved it! seriously. even getting sprayed by the champagne. the real experience,however, happened after midnight.... because the metro was free, the entire population of paris decided to use it after midnight to get home. so there's a mad dash rush to all the stations and some of them even had the gates closed as to not overcrowd the stations. which meant dana and i had to walk past for metro stops before we found one that was open... which took about an hour. and may or may not have included me scaling a fence to a construction site. and we even had to sneak through the exit. hopped on a train and took it to the connection point between lines... where we waited for another 45 minutes for the train to take us back to our stop near the hotel. we were dying. we'd been up since 4 that morning to drive into Paris, and we had been awake for 23 hours at that point. and i had to pee the entire time... i really do miss free bathrooms. part of me couldn't believe that we had made it back. after showering off the city grime, poor dana collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep on top of the comforter and sheets. i seriously don't believe i have ever been that tired in my life. nor have i ever been as sore as i was the next morning. my brother and i have this weird thing where the ball and socket joint of our hips to our legs doesn't fit exactly... so if we walk for long periods of time we start to limp. because it gets out of alignment. not fun. haha i was so grateful for dana. that i could trust him, and lean on him (literally), and know that he would get me back home safely.

it was a great trip though. i finally got to meet more of dana's friends... Zach is a hilarious cocky gent, who loves to spout movie quotes and random trivia... but his secrets out... i know underneath it all, he's a sweetheart and a good guy. Crystal is my tiny pocket sized curly haired little sister who loves to be goofy but has such a kind heart. Sarah is her older sister who is an amazing outside of the box thinker. Jeremy and Emily are friends of Crystals and are great people. Jeremy likes good beer and Emily has great taste in clothes. basically your recipe for a great traveling crew. i loved that the on car ride home we took the back roads and saw beautiful french countryside.... and told riddles and gave logic problems... and played "what's yours like?" which can unexpectedly be played without a wipe board. all in all, an amazing new years, and a great success of an adventure. if you'd like to see all the photos from our trip this is our "Bonne Annee Paris!" album.

has been a productive week. i've discovered that 3/4 of our remaining boxes are clothes. which means as soon as we can get more storage, that part of our unpacking/apartment cleaning will be easily done. the duvet i want at west elm is on sale... and i'm tempted to get it. considering i've waited for it to go on sale for about a year now. still waiting on the couch... i haven't had a chance to get to the BX to get a photo. i had a dr's appointment on tuesday with dana's PCM to get my command sponsorship moving forward. so i spent most of the day on base editing photos. oh! speaking of which, Zach and i talked about putting our heads together and coming up with a business where he takes photos with his amazing camera and i edit them. he hates to edit photos but has an amazing eye for photography. so cross your fingers... that'd be a dream come true!

this weekend d and i have alot of wedding nonsense to catch up on. we've let it fall to the wayside a bit and decided it was time to get back on the nuptial horse. i have a skype date with brit on saturday which i'm SO excited about! and dana also gave me the okay to get paint this weekend so we can finally paint the kitchen! and then there's studying for my drivers test which has also taken a hiatus this holiday season. all in all, life is good and we're trying to kick off the new year strong. it's weird to think i'll be home in five months. huh. bizarre. time definitely flies.

Happy New Year! love and miss ya'll.