We set a date!

So, Mikey and I have set a date!

May 2, 2009

Yes, ladies and gentlemen we have less than a year! Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spoke to my Uncle Bart, who will be ordained a priest tonight. And asked him to be our officiant (the person who will marry us). He said he would be honored! I was happy and relieved. Under the circumstances (of Mike and I living together) I wasn't sure what he would say. So, he told me to call the church and make arrangements right away. We will have it at Queen of Peace Catholic church, it is where my Grandparents got married and where I grew up. Father Gary was more than willing to let Father Bart (haha!) perform the ceremony and take care of all the paperwork and Pre-Cana. Everything is set for the church! Whew!

Uncle/Father Bart made a joke about Pre-Cana...he said depending on how much I pay him will decipher how strict or leaniant he will be with Pre-Cana. Haha! If thats the case....my Dad is paying for it! LOL!

We have an appointment with Country Squire on Wednesday. They are holding our date until then...and if everything works out we will give them the deposit!

Keep your fingers crossed!

Everything seems to be moving so fast! It's crazy!!!

Oh by the way....the guest list is 250-300 people! That is a lot. Almost TOO many!

Last day of vacation

Tuesday was a good day...but a sad day! It was the LAST day of vacation! Work has been NUTS....I'm wishing I took the whole week off!

Tuesday morning me and my fiancé slept in..and he cooked me breakfast...mmmmm scrambled eggs! Then we ventured out to plant our flowers that my Dad bought the yard. We bought a Korean Liliac for the back yard to eventually block the neighbors ugly shed...its going to be a deep purple.
And for the side of the house we dug out an UGLY bush last year, and we needed to fill it with something pretty! So, we put some Sunray Coreopsis. They haven't bloomed yet, but this is what it will look like. I'm thinking about having a couple of these in my bouquet! :-)
And we also have an open spot in the front of the house...from yet another UGLY bush...So we planted some Petite Delight Beebalm. They also haven't bloomed yet...here is what they will look like...Aren't they so pretty!? They will both come back every year. I'm so excited to see them bloom!

So...after digging and planting..I ventured over to my friend Devon's to see baby Connor and Mahala. He doesn't look so scrunched up anymore! He is so cute! I got to hold him for a good 2 hours!!! He smelled so good..I love the smell of babies.

I'm madly in love with my fiancé

I received the most sweetest text this morning...(and I had to post this.)

"Baby, it's like when we first started dating. I can't stop thinking of you."

My heart sank and I got those butterflies in the tummy.

WOW..this feeling is amazing.

I can't wipe this cheesy grin off my face!

It's been such a great weekend. I keep staring at Mike and THE ring and I just can't stop smiling! Mike and I have been together 4 years, and I couldn't have asked for a better man to marry. Yes, we have had our problems (big problems) but those are the things that make us SO strong. I know we can conquer anything! We are truly in love and can't wait to start planning our wedding!

It was so cute on Saturday...we decided to tell my Grandparents in person (that we're engaged!) and honestly I didn't know how they would react....But my Gramp's said "How bout that!" (his oh so famous saying..) and my Grandma smiled and said "OH thats what you wanted to tell me!". It was so cute...my Dad wanted to know where he was on the "food chain" and of course he was #1! He has been bragging bout that! I was also really nervous to tell my Dad, him and I have never really talked about marriage or even remotely near it. But to my surprise he was SO happy!

I brought over the Country Squire pamphlet...that ever so conveniently was sent to us Saturday....and showed it to my Dad. (I've kinda known that this day would be coming kinda soon...so I've been looking around for reception venues) My Dad started looking over the menu and its amenities...and he started asking how many people I will invite, etc. We estimated maybe 300 people. He is such a GREAT Dad...he said not to worry about how many people..and to invite WHOEVER I want to MY wedding! He started asking me about photographers, which church and the transportation! He is so cute! I think he is just as excited as I am! Ever since Saturday he has been bugging me about my lists!!!

I am so lucky to have such a great Dad. I'm totally Daddy's little girl and always will be. He has done so much for me...and now he is helping me with this wedding. There is nothing I could ever do to repay him. I truly feel blessed.

Chicago Weather Humor

Compared to other cities, Chicago weather reactions .......
60 degrees	Floridians wear coats, gloves, woolly hats & put the car heater on. Chicago people sunbathe.
50 degrees	New Yorkers try to turn on the heat. Chicago people plant gardens.
40 degrees	Italian cars won't start. Chicago people drive with the windows down.
32 degrees	CHICAGO--NO PLACE LIKE IT! Distilled water freezes. Lake Michigan's water gets thicker.
20 degrees	Californians shiver uncontrollably. Chicago people have the last cookout before it gets cold.
15 degrees	New York landlords finally turn up the heat. Chicago people throw on a sweatshirt.
0 degrees	Californians fly away to Mexico. Chicago people lick the flagpole and throw on a light jacket over the sweatshirt.
20 below	People in Miami cease to exist. Chicago people get out their winter coats.
40 below	Hollywood disintegrates. Chicago's Girl Scouts begin selling cookies door to door.
50 below	Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Chicago people get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg.
60 below	Microbial life survives on dairy products. Illinois cows complain of farmers with cold hands.
460 below - (Absolute Zero)	ALL atomic motion stops. Chicago People start saying... "Cold 'nuff for ya??"
500 below	Hell freezes over. The Chicago Cubs win the World Series.

Our 4 year anniversary..

Friday night we went out to Wildfire to celebrate our 4 years together. We have made it a tradition...we go every year to celebrate our anniversary. We LOVE this restaurant. It's my all time fav! The food is fantabulous! But the atmosphere is phenomenal. It's has 1940's decor...and I LOVE vintage/old fashion things! We had the stuffed portabello mushrooms for our appetizer and we both chose steak as our dinner and we had a chocolate souffle for dessert. I had to Pomegranate Martinis....they were delicious! The night was perfect. I didn't think it could get any MORE perfect.....

When we got home I remembered Mike telling me he had a surprise for me...So, I kept asking him for my surprise. But he wouldn't give in. We were about ready to go to a local bar and thats when my came up behind me...and gave me a backwards hug (those are my all time FAVORITE!) and he put this little black box in front of me...opened it and asked "Is this the surprise you were waiting for?" I let out a little scream...turned around (smiling from ear to ear!) and he asked "Will my baby marry me?" I screamed and said YES! And gave him a hug hug and kiss! And I jumped up and down! HA!!! WE'RE ENGAGED!!!



We called all the appropriate people and set sail to the bar to celebrate! My Mom invited us out to Kenosha to celebrate...so we came and had free drinks (Thanks George's!) and went to my Mom's house. We danced to oldies music until 4am! It was so much fun!! And I swear, I canNOT stop staring at my ring!! It's so beautiful!!!! We are going over to my Grandparents house today to tell them the big news. I'm so excited! My Dad seems very happy and excited too...I will admit I was a nit nervous to tell him! Our tentative date is March 7th. However, everyone is saying its too gray during that time...but I have always wanted a winter wedding...so we shall see! I am so happy I have the next 4 days off to celebrate!

YAHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tanning, etc.

I started tanning last week....even if it gives me cancer someday. See in general it makes me feel good. I feel so pale and BLAH! I have also lost 25 pounds so far...yippeee for me! I can definitely tell a difference and I feel much better about myself. And I thought tanning would make me feel even better. So, I bought this lotion. I swear by it. I used it last year...and I held my tan for 2 months after it got cold. I now realize that I got snowed with the price last night when I bought my new bottle. I paid $56. WTF! I could have gotten it off the website for $30!

I have a problems with impulse purchasing. That explains all the 15 million purses I own. Ha!

Happy tanning! I'm hoping summer comes soon!

Sold Out

Can you believe it?! The October 2009 NKOTB concert at Allstate Arena is SOLD OUT! I did wait a few days and I know I shouldn't have....however a girl at work said that within an hour of them going on sale they sold out. So, I don't feel as bad...BUT you have know idea how bad I wanted to go!! Ever since I was 7 years old...I wanted to go to their concert but my Dad always said no since I was too little. Now I'm an adult...and what are the chances they go back on tour?!?!?!?!!!!!!! This really saddens me. If anyone out there has extra tickets or knows someone who can FIND tickets....PLEASE let me know!

May 8, 2008

At 3:35p.m. Connor James Pope was born.

The days following have been quite interesting! While Mom and Connor were in the hospital I was watching his big sister Hala! The first day or two were fun...we went to the park...cleaned up Auntie Jenny's house...watched Alvin and The Chipmunks..we got our nails done...visited my Dad a.k.a. Uncle Buck...By Saturday my patience got a little scarce. I was sick, and I really didn't feel good. And Mahala LOVES to negotiate. Her best line is after I've told her she has 10 minutes of TV before bedtime...she says "How about 10 + 10 minutes?" She cracks me up! Saturday was Unky Mike's birthday...and I just couldn't get myself out of bed to run our errands. So, as I laid down Mikey was the cutest Unky! He took her outside and watered the flowers and let her run wild. I heard hear the pure excitement in her voice! Even though I was sick I had a great weekend with her, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world! I can't wait till Connor get a little bigger so him and I can have an adventure together!

(Mahala and Connor - 1st picture together)

New flowers!

Today Mike and I ventured out to the local flower nursery and found some great flowers to plant in the front of our house. (We want the ugly water meter covered up!) We chose the Celosia "Castle Mix" and a rose bush called Wild Blue Yonder. We had some issues planting the Celosia...I decided to wet the soil prior to planting. Warning: Do NOT do this. It made it so muddy and gooey! And guess who was the one planting and had gooey hands....ME! Mike handed me each flower...isn't he so nice!!! Ha! We had a great time planting.....Mike made the huge hole for the rose bush. I can't wait till it blooms and gets big...it will be so pretty!

(The Celosia castle mix)

(Wild Blue Yonder rose bush)

This is what it will look like..

Here are some other flowers I planted last year....not all of them have bloomed yet..but you get the idea!

I absolutely LOVE tulips. I have them all around my house...all different colors.