With 163 Days To Go

.....we are crossing a lot of things off our list! Today we went to a Tuxedo shop to get Chris fitted with the right sizes and see what styles of suits he liked. It was so exciting! We decided what style, just haven't decided on whether he (and his groomsmen) will be wearing a tie or bow tie. I think we're both kind of leaning towards the white tie, with a white vest etc. I'm still not sure about a bow tie.....

Another thing that kind of sucks for us is that there is no Men's Warehouse or Al's Formal Wear, so it makes it SO hard! Now, what we have to do is, send his sizes to Men's Warehouse, decide on the style that we like from what they have online then he will only have like a window of about a week and a half when he gets into Houston for the wedding. Ugh!! Seems a little frustrating right now, but it will all work out :)

Next thing on the list is the bridesmaids dresses. Yes, I know I thought we already decided on one, but I think my girls changed their minds. Hey, we're all girls! It's totally normal. This dress stays with the classy look that I want and is elegant at the same time. I love the belt instead of the silver jewel which was on the other one.
My girls will look great in anything, but I think this style will suit them all and I've heard a yes from five out of six. Just waiting on my other and I think we should be good!!

Now, we're trying to decide how to print the invitations. Should we go with just plain (but still looks good)? Should we add a gold foil stamp (our favorite so far)? Do embossing? Lots of decisions but printing them a certain way, will of course cost more money. Since we're trying to help my parents out as much as possible, we're trying to stay as affordable as possible. So we're still trying to decide. Because invitations are important. It is how your guests will see the theme and your overall wedding impression for the first time. We want it to look classy and elegant while at the same time not breaking our bank (or our parents). Stay tune....

I feel a lot better that we got Chris all measured up and decided on the style. We have a little more time for him and the guys, but the sooner we take care of everything the better. It is never bad to be early, just bad to be late :)

I'm still on the look out for some white shoes for the ceremony and of course my splurge for the wedding a pair of crimson Blahniks or Louboutin's. Anyone who knows me knows I love my shoes so of course I have to have a pair of gorgeous crimson (the color of the wedding) ones for me :) If anyone knows of a good website for affordable pair or knows someone who knows someone who knows someone.... let me know PLEASE!!!!

We are also taking our engagement photos tomorrow! FINALLY! We are so excited to get some really great shots of us together and what a better place to do then on this beautiful island of Maui on one of the best beaches of the world. It's ok, you can be jealous. Check back later as we post our photos from the wonderful Sean M. Howard.

That's all for our wedding update for now. Stay posted on the rest of our decisions and check back in the next couple of days as we peruse the island on a zip line tour this weekend, YAY!!

Six Rules: Eating Healthy Everyday

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/6-rules-how-to-eat-right-on-the-job-1307786/

Ok, I know this article was titled How to Eat Right On The Job, but after reading it, I thought all of the advice applies to your everyday life. For those who don't have time to read the whole article right now, I will keep it short (as short as I can) to get all the important and fun! information for ya!

Things you will need:
A new food attitude: Carbs are not the enemy. Neither is fat. Eliminating certain food groups may help your waistline, but it will hurt your brain functioning.
A stash of snacks: To keep your brain well fueled, you can’t let yourself get too hungry. Have a ready supply of trail mix, peanut-butter crackers, or Snickers bars (yes, but only half a bar) at work. The combination of carbs and protein in these snacks will stabilize your blood sugar, fill you up, and keep you energized.
Some willpower: Big meals actually reduce the supply of energy to your brain and leave you feeling sleepy for hours. Eat half of what you order, and take the rest home.


1- Balance What You Eat, Whenever You Eat
Besides the basic four food groups meat, dairy, grains, and vegetables we should be having, nutritionist today about a different set of food groups "proteins, carbohydrates (which produce glucose), fats, and fiber — and a different way to combine them." I know it may sound hard, but they recommend having a little serving from every group every time you sit down to it - that's where the new attitude come in :) And yes including the carbs, which some diets normally restrict. "Why? Because the combination of carbs and protein (and to a lesser extent, fats and fiber) regulates your glucose levels and keeps your mood and mental ability on an even keel." If you cut back on either group, you’re missing half the benefits that food can offer.

2- Neglect Carbs at Your Own Peril
Brain cells require twice the amount of energy needed by other cells in your body because they never rest. And high-carb foods like pasta, bread, fruit, and rice produce the brain’s favorite fuel — glucose. “Your brain only wants to burn glucose,” says Shawn Talbott, a nutritional biochemist and author of A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements: Magic Bullets or Modern Snake Oil. It can burn protein if it has to, Talbott adds, “but it’s like trying to run a gasoline engine on diesel.” Shawn Talbott is a nutritional biochemist and author of A Guide to Understanding Dietary Supplements: Magic Bullets or Modern Snake Oil Long story short: CARBS ARE NOT THE ENEMY!

3- Pack in the Protein
This is SO important! Because protein (and fiber) keeps you fuller for longer, thereby eliminating big meal times and grazing. Proteins such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans, and nuts slow the absorption of glucose so your brain gets a long and steady flow of fuel, rather than the brief blast you get from eating carbs and sugary foods (fats and fiber also help with this). And protein also brings its own set of brain boosters to the party. Great snacks are FiberOne bars which contain 35% of your daily value of fiber, have one along with your breakfast or as an afternoon snack; and toast with peanut butter and bananas - delish!!

4- Eat Smaller Amounts, and Eat More Frequently
A lot of people, especially people that are close to me, always scoff when I say this advice. But I eat 3-5 meals a day including snacks, I exercise daily and don't drink ANY soda (I swear!) and I would like to consider myself has healthy. "Too much food — even if it’s well balanced — is going to make you drowsy because it introduces too much glucose for your body to handle at one time." When was the last time you ate so much you wanted to take a nap as soon as you were done? Yea, not a good feeling. Eat well-balanced meals (and yes even tasty) and that feeling will soon subside. “Five to six small meals tend to make people perform much better than three squares.”

5- Fat Is Beautiful ... for Your Brain
You probably know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart. But they’re great brain food, too. The fats found in salmon, walnuts, and kiwi improve learning and memory and help fight against mental disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and dementia, according to a 2008 report from the Brain Research Institute at UCLA. The fats support the synapses in the brain where much of our cognitive functioning occurs. Enough said

6- How to Keep Things in Proportion
This is such an EASY and great way to measure food servings, and all you need..... YOUR HAND! Your fist is the size of the carbs; your palm is the size of the protein. Make an OK sign with your thumb and index finger, and that’s how much fat you should have. Open your hand as wide as it can go; that’s the amount of fruits and vegetables. That’s going to be a well-balanced mix.”

I know that was probably a little longer than you would like to read, but I like to include everything that is important and super easy to incorporate into your life. Trust me 5-10 mins of reading is worth adding extra years to your life. Sounds good to me!

ENJOY AND HEALTHY EATING!

Take Time to Listen Today

This Sunday, we went to church like we do every Sunday (well me every Sunday, Chris not every Sunday, but I'm happy when he does go). It was a great mass. I love feeling the way I feel when I'm in church and when I leave. Besides praying and thanking God everyday, I feel especially close to Him when I'm at church.

Besides feeling joy that I was in church on a gorgeous Sunday, with the love of my life, the homily was great once again. I love when the Father relates his homily to everyday life. Today he based his homily on this verse "My Sheep hear my Voice" (John 10:27) He said that sheep are raised to hear their owners distinctive voice and answer only to them, not to anyone else. Though they aren't that smart of animals, they will only respond to their owners voice. Sheep's listen, that's what they do. The Father then asked "When was the last time you really listened to someone?"

We are inundated with words, words, words everyday from our Blackberry emails and texts, to jobs, clients and complaints to our family and significant others. But when do we actually listen? A relationship, friendship is not only based on trust and communication but we have to be willing to listen to each other. Think of the last argument or "discussion" (that's what I always call them... haha!) and I bet both of you were talking over each other, not letting the other person finish their sentence. Therefore when this happens, we aren't actually listening to what the other person is saying. We are too wrapped up in what we want to say and the point we want to make that we aren't listening to the other person. Once I realized this, it changed the way I discuss things with Chris or just communicated in general. We rarely argue or get into fights about anything. We always communicate what we want to say and we listen to each other. It feels great to be in a strong, mature and healthy relationship like this and I thank God everyday for putting him in my life.

The Father said "This world isn't quiet enough to hear God's word." And it's true. If we stop and listen for just a second, I think things and this world would be just a little different. And yes, YOU can make a difference.

When was the last time you listened?

The Strongest Woman Role Model in My Life

We found out today that my mother, who has undergone intensive chemotherapy for Uterine Cancer, is DONE WITH CHEMO!!!!!!!! She has been strong throughout this entire process and hasn't had a self pity day at all. Lot's of people would be down in their life and completely depressed. But not my mother. She is the happiest person you will meet, even through this. I think her family has a lot to do with it, if I may say so myself :)

I honestly have looked up to my mother my entire life, and why not? She is the strongest woman I know and I can only hope I am and will be as strong and caring as she is. Her and my dad have always supported everything my sister, brother and I have wanted to do. They have been married 28 years and couldn't be happier. All my strength for my self, how I view things in life and my relationship with Christopher comes from them.

I am a big believer that prayer is a very strong and powerful thing. My strong faith also comes from my parents. Chris and I have prayed and continue to pray for my mom throughout this entire process as well as my dad and his parents and those closest to us.

Take notice of those who you consider a strong, influential person in your life and continue to pray for them or hold them close to your hearts. They will continue to inspire you each and everyday, just like my parents do. A simple "Thank you" goes a long way. Have you thanked your favorite person today?

I know I do everyday.

Like I tell my mother everyday:

STAY STRONG NOW AND ALWAYS!

Bridesmaid's Dresses - half check!

Wedding Update: Some of my girls have tried on AND ordered their dresses! YAY!!!!! That is, among many other things one of my "to do's" this month. I am soooo glad they went! Thanks to my MOH (my sister of course!) and Steph! Two down, four to go. I love these dresses and my girls love them too. Things are coming together. I keep saying that, but we are just so excited!

Ok that's it. I just had to share my excitement :)

Sandwiches don't have to be boring!

http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/slideshow/deli-counter-survival-guide#title

Chris and I try to save money any way we can, especially with our wedding coming up. So we bring our lunch to work everyday, I'm not kidding. We may go out for a nice lunch every now and then, but this way we save money and get to spend time with each other and not feel bad about spending money "we don't have."

Even though we may get tired of sandwiches sometimes, they are so great for you! We eat it on whole wheat bread (though, after reading this I am going to be trying my sandwiches on a whole wheat English muffin). I actually used to eat a lot of ham, but after knowing how much more sodium ham has then turkey, we have switched to turkey. Chris always liked turkey better, so that was an easy transition for him.

Now, the biggest thing for him was getting him to stop using Mayo (don't even get me started on how caloric and sodium filled this is) all together and start dressing up our sandwiches with mustard. Let me tell you, this was such an easy thing to do! One, I have never like mayo and two, mustard just tastes that much better and IS so much better for you! "A scoop on your next ham sandwich will bolster your meal with selenium, magnesium, tryptophan, and omega-3 fatty acids—a group of nutrients that help your brain, muscles, and nerves function properly." Who doesn't want that?

Then comes the vegetation. I L-O-V-E lettuce and tomatoes. Tomatoes have to be one of my favorite veggies. Tomatoes "lauded antioxidant (called lycopene) that fights off cancers, improves cholesterol, and protects your skin from the UV rays." So good for you! As for the lettuce, this is my rule: anything green is super lean and excellent for your body. Especially avocados - my absolute favorite. Yea, they may be a pain in the butt to cut sometimes, but they are so good for you. You may also have heard that 'cados are loaded with fat. Yes, but it's the healthy fat that your body needs. Plus, foods you can have fun with and are good for you? Yes, please!

For the accents. I am such a HUGE cheese (and sweet) person! I was used to eating Cheddar and American - two of the worse cheeses for you. They're processed (which is super bad for you) and contain more than a third of your day’s saturated fat in a serving. No, thank you! Now, we eat Swiss or Pepper Jack. If you're getting Swiss, get the ones with the bigger holes "because bacteria in the cheese release carbon dioxide during the aging process, and the bigger holes signify conditions more favorable to flavorful cheese." Chris also introduced me to Pepper Jack. He loves spicy foods. Ever since we met, my taste buds I think are thanking him, because I CRAVE spicy foods. I feel even better eating it when I know how good it is for you. "Along with the typical protein and calcium push of pepper jack cheese comes a dose of fiery hot capsaicins, the pepper’s health-promoting phytochemicals that boost metabolism and lower bad cholesterol." If you normally don't like sandwiches because you think they're boring, trust me, Pepper Jack is FAR from boring and your 'buds will thank you just like they have done for me.

That's my opinion on one of the healthiest foods you can eat. I thought I would be the one to teach Chris things about eating healthier, little did I know he can teach me a few things too :)

Hopes this helps and....

HEALTHY EATING!

6 Months To Go!

Wedding time!!! Our wedding is less than 6 months away - I can't believe that already! We couldn't be any happier! Everything is coming together so well, we can't wait till the big day.

Right now, we have finished the invitations (after some persuading from myself!): wording, check. Design, check. Colors, check. It looks so good! Sorry, no previews! The things we are trying to decide on now are the size of the invitation and the size of the envelopes - there are so many options. We are waiting on quotes from some printing companies, mostly from some Houston companies (wouldn't you know it). But we have already received a quote from Colorado Printing Company which is pretty decent. Our guest list is almost final. Things are coming together and it makes us so excited!

Meanwhile, my parents are having a blast purchasing things for us and going crazy at Hobby Lobby. Even as I'm writing this, it brings a smile to my face. Both of our parents have been so supportive with everything for this wedding. I get calls from my mom every day asking me things like "this would be great for the punch, don't you think?" "we bought several more bottles of wine for the reception," "do you want a really cute bag that says Bride on it in rhinestones (yes, please!)". My parents have always been super involved in our lives and I thank them and God everyday for the person I am because of them. We really do have the best parents in the world.

Just a little wedding news front!

People always ask us how things are going with the wedding. We definitely couldn't do it without the help of everyone back in Houston. If we ever had an doubts about coming out here to Maui, it all subsides when we speak to our family and friends and they convince us we are doing the right thing.

Next thing on my list for this month: get my girls to try on and order their bridesmaids dresses. Who knew it would take so long for girls to go shopping and try on dresses?! lol! They are all making plans to get their butts to David's Bridal so that part of my mind is set at ease. Did I mention, I have the best girls?!

One other thing we did get done this weekend, was get Christopher fitted for his ring size. We looked at several rings stores and he tried on lots of rings. I think his favorite was a Paladium cut ring at Ben Bridge. BTW, they have excellent customer service (she even shined my ring for me!). We will be back. He also needs to get fitted for his tuxedo and style as well. Seeing as how there isn't a Men's Warehouse here, that might be a little hard. What he probably will end up doing is getting his measurements done at a wedding shop here and chose his style online so his guys can do the same.


Whhhoooooo.... that's a lot!

OK, Stay tune for more wedding news as we decide on the invitation size and ship it off to get printed :)

Just Don't Do It.....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20100412/hl_time/08599198101900

There is nothing, or anyone in this world who can convince me that spanking is a good thing. Read this article. Finally, there is hard evidence that shows spanking leads to detrimental effects later on in life. No, it doesn't instill a "healthy fear," or "they stop as soon as I warn them." Ok, wonderful, but what does that teach them? Do they know what they did is wrong? No. They probably already forgot what they did that made you mad in the first place.

Children need to be taught the reasons why they got in trouble, what they did to up get you and what they can do to fix it. Timeout is such a great thing for children. Just like the study suggest, it gives them timMy suggestion (and also Supernanny's) It should last one minute for how old they are. Your child is five, then they're in timeout for five minutes and so on. This doesn't just apply to parents, it applies to babysitters and nannies.

Yes, things are going to be hard at first. If you need help, watch Supernanny. I am telling you, parents, parents-to-be, babysitters this show will open your eyes to super easy changes to make, that will give you long-lasting results. Sound familiar? I am all about quick fixes with long-lasting results, especially me and my fiance's lifestyle.

People think changes like this (eating better, their problem child, even an unruly dog) can't be fix, taught or changed. I am here to tell you that it all is completely fixable. I have seen results with easy changes to our eating lifestyle, parenting tips while I'm babysitting (no kids here yet!) and even teaching my two-year-old Yorkie new tricks and better behavior.

Back to the article. Just don't spank your children. It may make you feel better because your child stopped crying or doing the bad behavior, but it doesn't help them in the long run. Results from the study: spanking leads to more aggressive behavior later in life, it also makes discipline for a child even harder when they have outgrown spanking and it teaches them to do it to their kids. No, I wasn't spanked and I turned out just fine :)

Thanks for listening!

HEALTHY EATING.... FOR SPRING!

I have always been pretty into eating healthy. For as long as I can remember, I don't drink sodas. I drink water everyday, we eat healthy snacks (peanut butter and celery is my favorite!, fresh fruit, hummus and fresh veggies) and we don't eat fried foods. So, I am always on the look for interesting articles and advice on how to continue to eat healthy. Not just for my health, but honestly, I feel so much better and I have so much more energy. Chris even notices a difference. He has lost 20 lbs since we have been here in Maui! And it doesn't hurt that we have an upcoming wedding to get ready for :) Six months to go people!!!! I'm so excited and I don't think we could be in better shape!

To make a long store short, here is another link that I love. The "Today Show" nutrition expert, Joy Bauer gives some easy and quick tips on how to eat healthy for spring! Honestly, I wouldn't even consider these diet tips. I would consider these tips to live by, especially when you're trying to change your eating lifestyle for the first time. I hope you enjoy and like always HEALTHY EATING!!!

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/the-thread/7-spring-diet-tips-1240192/

What The Hell Are You Doing Here?!

So, it finally happened. After four of Chris' friends came and visited him and his parents already booked to visit us here in June, I was getting really depressed with no one coming to visit for me. But then it happened - MY TWIN SISTER CAME AND STAYED WITH US FOR TWO 1/2 WEEKS!!!!! YAY!!!!

Let me tell you that it was all kept a surprise! Obviously my parents and fiance were in on it, but no one else. So when she appeared on our doorstep - after Chris picked her up from the airport - you could've imagined my surprise and some shock. Because I'm telling you, I had dreams about her coming here, honestly! I thought that Chris and my parents would surprise me with her.... and they did! When I saw her, I literally just stood there and ask "What the hell are you doing here?!" lol It was priceless.

For those who don't know, my twin sister and I are super close and have been our entire lives. You really don't understand the bond of a twin unless you have one. It's amazing to go through life with someone your same age, going through the same experiences but having different views on everything. Yea, you may think, "we'll I have a friend who I grew up with since we were like 6 and we're like sisters/brothers." Well, it's not the same.

We've ALWAYS done everything together! So me moving here with Chris was a really big deal for both of us. We would no longer be just a 10-15 min drive away to meet up for coffee; couldn't have our family lunch and dinners together; couldn't go to Mass and teach Sunday School together; have double dates or sister shopping sprees. We would now be Skyping every week; having to catch up and rely on text messaging (yea, we pretty much text every day). But honestly, it's like nothing has changed. I am always going to be there for her and she is always going to be there for me.

When she came here, it was like nothing changed. We laughed about stupid things together, had seriously talks about life, my wedding, our future, our jobs (and hopefully jobs in the future!). I think Chris and I exhausted her, lol! Her first weekend here, we took her to Hana and camped out. This isn't something you can really put into words. Hana is an experience. It stimulates EVERY ONE of your senses from the beauty of the waterfalls, to the smells of the fresh fruit and flowers at every stop to the sound of birds and the ocean. It's just an amazing experience and I am so glad we got Marina to be a part of it.

That Sunday, we took her to one of our favorite towns, Lahaina. The best place to get swimsuits and "surfer style clothes." With stores like Volcom, Billabong, Roxy, Hurley, Quicksilver you wont leave Lahaina with out SOMETHING! Of course, we took her to Cool Cat's to have "one of the best burgers on Maui." I don't think we dissapointed her!

The next couple of days, she came to work with me at The Grande Wailea Resort and Spa. Yes, my sister was in town, but I still had to work. But what I place to work. Marina got to relax on several of the best beaches in the world. Honestly, the beaches here in Maui have been voted number 1 several years in a row. She loved it and she even got to see her first couple of whales!

We also had a chance to cook dinner together, how we used to cook with our mom. We cooked Marina's famous French Onion Chicken, our Taco Tuesday and Honey Mustard Tilapia. It brought back a lot of great memories and we had so much fun doing it together. We wouldn't know how to cook if it wasn't for our wonderful mother!

On my days off, I took her to another great beach, Napili Bay. Yea, we spent about 5 hours on the beach that day, with a nice lunch on the beach and just time relaxing in the sun and playing in the water. We shopped at the mall (both malls here, that's right we only have two malls on the island. And they aren't anything like the Galleria. Oh, how I miss you!), bought all kinds of souvenirs and gifts.
Shopping is something we love doing.... what girl doesn't?!

One thing for sure, you can't come to Maui and not go snorkeling. I didn't work till 4 on the weekend before she left so that Saturday we went snorkeling over by Makena. Granted it was a little cold, yes, I can be a baby about snorleing in cold water, but we still had a great time. And we even saw some turtles! Marina screamed (even with her snorkel and mask on) her head off the first time she saw the turtles. She scared Chris a little, lol! We also saw lots of coral and fish. It was great! That day we also took her to 808 Deli. One of Chris and my favorite lunch places to eat. She loved it!

That Sunday, I worked all day (boo!) so Chris was great and took her snorkeling again at a stop on the way to Lahaina. They didn't see any turtles (I'm the good luck charm) but still had a good time. They went shopping some more in Lahaina and they ate lunch at Da Kitchen. A pretty authentic place here, Da Kitchen is not my favorite, but they liked it. That night, I was writing a restaurant review for 808 Bistro so we went there for dinner. The food was delicious and we all even got to eat for free. A Maui Cordon Bleu, Mahi Mahi and a New York steak - not too bad!

I was off the last two days she was here, so of course that meant more time to act like beach bums. I also took her to Paia. Another one of our favorite little "hippie" towns. Cute little shops, a great gelato place and happy hour cocktails. Another great day!

Her last day was on Tuesday, April 6. We finally didn't have to take Chris to work. It's a little bit of a challenge having one car here, but we're working on it :) We slept in a little, watched Beverly Hills 90210 (yes, we did and we're not afraid to admit it). I made her homemade breakfast tacos and fruit. Next, time to get some beach time in before she left. We spent the next couple of hours at Kamoale 1 and the water felt great! She had some packing left to do so I went to grab us some lunch at another one of our favorite places to eat, Coconuts. She loved her Blackened Mahi Fish burger and my Mahi Ceasar Salad was so fresh.

Time to go to the airport: I couldn't believe it had been two weeks already. We did so many things and experience so much. All in all, we had an amazing time and wont ever forget it. I think we both needed it. We missed each other a lot! Coming up, I know she is going to be super busy with the family she nannies for and I am going to be slammed at the hotel for summer. So it was much needed and well deserved. Even though we gave Chris a hard time "having to deal with us two" he had a great time with us and spending some time with his soon-to-be-sister-in-law. Which by the way, she also helped me with wedding stuff! I don't think we would've had time to do anything else if we wanted to.

Another great thing (see, there were too many) all three of us went to a really nice Easter mass together. I love going to church every Sunday and it was even better to be able to spend that time with my fiance and sister.

That's all for the adventure we spent the past two weeks doing. Stay tune for the next things we'll encounter while living on the beautiful island of Maui.