Numbers

source

74

number of days until I am 24 years old

113

number of days until I'm (legally) married

120

number of days (approximately) until I'm an Aunt

134

number of days until I'm no longer a first year teacher

165

number of days until I'm officially a Mrs.

Childlike Happiness

 

...a more carefree time (also known as 18 years old).

And we have a photographer...

Alfonso Lorenzetto!!! Warning: major photo dump!!! (Click images to enlarge)

 

O.O

I got contacts yesterday and I feel all like, grown up now :)

Everyone's doing it...

And I want to do it too!

I have seen this many different times, in many different variations, but with one resolute conclusion on my part: I want! And now, I can have.. for a grand total of $4.50! Gotta love that magic Internet!

Wedding Wardrobe

As I mentioned in my post Introductions, Chris and I will be embarking on a 6 week long journey this summer in which we will be backpacking throughout Europe, all the while getting married along the way! A lot goes into planning a destination wedding, even when the wedding is very simple like ours will be. This weekend was spent mapping out our itinerary and making final wedding date/location decisions. We have finally decided to have a civil ceremony in the States (May 13th to be exact!) before heading out to have our Catholic ceremony in Venice, Italy sometime during the first week of July. I promise to update as I know more, but for now, something I do know quite a bit about.. my wedding wardrobe!!!

Ever since Chris proposed back in July of 2007, I have had my eye on a certain dress designed by Jim Hjelm. Well, after scouring the internet and various wedding magazines, I could never find anything I liked more than what I am now referring to as THE dress! And doesn't it just scream Italy?! Well, I think so at least.

As for my shoes, I believe I have found the perfect pair. I have always known that I wanted to make a little statement with my wedding shoes, but I also wanted to try to stick with something that would compliment the stone colored sash on the dress. I have been really into the glitter/metallic look that is currently all the rage and I think I found a nice compromise in a pair of Steve Madden pumps.

I am not 100 percent sure these are THE shoes, but I am like 99. Still, I wouldn't mind a little feedback if anyone is up for it.. hint, hint! As far as hair and makeup is concerned, I am imagining soft romantic waves and natural makeup with enhanced eyes. I still am unsure about my something old and my something borrowed, however Chris has taken on the task of finding my something blue. And that's all I've got so far!

Snow Day

The weatherman said it, but when you have lived in Texas your whole life, you know better than to believe what you hear on the news.. Texas weather is as crazy as it gets and I guess that's why, every once in a while, even the weatherman gets it right!

Our little Mission House in the snow

It snowed today for about 2 blissful hours and I felt as giddy as a little school girl! As a matter of fact at one point I really did wonder if this meant no school tomorrow.. I guess some things never change! It doesn't really snow a lot in Houston, where I grew up, and it definitely never snowed in San Antonio, where I went to school, but when I made the move up to the DFW area I knew that there might be more chances for this..

Insert a big Ta-Da!

I also managed to sneak in some pictures with my boys and one of my main squeeze, although both of us had, moments earlier, just rolled out of bed and they really aren't the best photographs ever. As I'm writing this post the snow has already stopped and they are predicting only freezing rain for tomorrow morning. So.. basically not enough reason to cancel school, but still enough reason to have to worry about the morning commute. What a bummer!

The boys in the snow

At least it was (really!) fun while it lasted! Now it is time for me to start tidying up our little home and preparing for school tomorrow. Oh, and look, I have been preparing for our trip throughout Europe this summer: Ciao!

Introductions

Hi my name is Elena. I am a 23 year old born and raised Texan, currently living in Fort Worth with my Fiance, Chris, and our two wiener dogs, Buns and Bowser. I graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio last May and I am now a Kindergarten Teacher working for Fort Worth ISD. Chris and I are both originally from Houston where we met and started dating when I was 15 years old and he was 16 years old.

Vintage Chris and I

Upon graduating from college at Baylor University, Chris moved to Fort Worth to earn his masters degree at the UNT Health Science Center and a year later he started medical school at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is also in Fort Worth. After doing the "long distance thing" for 6 years (we traveled to see each other every weekend!) I made the move to Fort Worth and we moved into our very first place together. Now we have been living here together for almost 6 months and we are currently planning the next phase of our life: Our wedding! We are kind of having an untraditional wedding in the fact that we are traveling throughout Europe for 6 weeks this summer and getting married along our journey. I am so excited about our future and about sharing the many adventures along the way!