Celebrating our First Christmas...

This year was a momentous holiday for me... well for us... it was our first Christmas as a married couple... and my first Christmas away from my family. I have never felt more withdrawn from my family than this previous week... My family celebrated Christmas on Friday since my dad was working on Christmas Eve and Duane only had the girls until Christmas Eve... Ian's family had dinner together on Christmas Eve and then his immediate family celebrated together Christmas morning... and finally I missed the Marf family time Christmas evening.

All in all, our holidays were low key and very nice. We spent the morning cleaning the house and prepping our dinner... then we opened our gifts. I will post pictures later, when I am on my computer.

We selected our first Christmas tree this year and decorated it with ornaments that reflect our relationship. From the Fly-fishing Santa Ian bought me our first year dating to the wedding cake and bridal couple from this year and our wedding! We threw in a few of the ornaments that we brought back from Ian's parent's house and his grandma's house...

I am hoping that next year we will be in Tulsa with our families!!!

Time to Reflect and be thankful

It's Thanksgiving Day, a day to reflect on all the things we are thankful for in our lives. This year has been an amazing year full of blessings!

Today I am thankful for my family. Without them I wouldn't be here today. My family is beyond amazing and is the best sounding board and support system that a person could ever need. My family extends beyond my parents and "blood relatives," my family includes so many more. There are people in my life that have chosen to include me in their lives and their families. These people are my friends and my chosen family. This week I got the chance to spend time with my "cousin" and her kids, my "little brother" and "niece," along with my other "little brother". These people are as much of my family as my parents, nieces and blood relatives.

I am thankful for my safety and my freedom. My friends and family that are in and have been in the armed forces who have fought for our freedoms here at home. I just received word today that one of my best friends that is deployed in Afghanistan has returned to his COP with his unit safely and with his unit intact.

I'm thankful for my new husband. He is my support and my best friend, I couldn't ask for more. Well a steady job but hey, a job is a job in this economy! My husband takes care of our dogs day in and out, cleans te house and cooks for me most days. I've been home in Ok for the last week and while I was away he managed to knock quite a few of my honey-do's off the list to surprise me! I was so thankful to come home to a clean house that was still standing and to did all of my pictures hanging on the walls and other artwork on the walls! I could even see the floor in the basement!

There are so many things to be thankful for, these are merely a few!

September...

It has been a while since I last blogged. Life has been rather hectic and crazy since the wedding. I kept hearing that after the wedding things would slow down... however... after the wedding I had a few weeks to decompress and get my house back into shape before starting my new job. We went back to Oklahoma for a real quick 4 day weekend and reception for our family and friends who were unable to make it to the actual wedding ceremony... after returning home I jumped in head first into work!

My new job... I've prefaced it a few times now... I must say that I LOVE MY NEW JOB! I have something like 35 students on my caseload between 2 schools that range from PK-8th grade. I don't see the PK kids or the "Challenge" class (our severe needs self-contained class) at either school. This announcement made me sad as I truly enjoy the PK kids as well as the challenges presented by the self-contained classes, both elementary and middle school ranges. But my kids are amazing and with luck, most of my students that are at the Middle School (5th to 8th grade) will be on consult or dismissed this year. Jeffco is an amazing school district with amazing support for the staff and students.

This month also brought Ian a new job... FINALLY! I kept telling him that something would come along that would be perfect for him. He is working for a handy man company doing a variety of handy man tasks. He is enjoying his job so far and I am so thrilled that he has a job!

Last weekend we hosted one of my long-time friends, Ana for the night. A night wasn't long enough to fully catch up with my friend, but for now it will have to do. She currently lives in Canada in the Northern region of the Rockies while we are in the Southern region of the Rockies. She and I have been friends since 4th grade and have managed to stay in contact through different high schools, college (her being at Eastern State, Georgia, and Emporia while I was at TU), our living in different states (me Texas and then OK and her in Kansas) and now in different countries! Crazy to think how time brings people together and how friendships last over the years!

This weekend our friend from high school (well my friend from high school, Ian's from middle school) is in town visiting another friend so with any luck we will get to see him tomorrow!

We haven't had much of an update on my grandma Austin since I last posted on facebook, for those of you that aren't familiar with my facebook notes I will repost the newest report that we have on my grandma Austin and her health. So far, she is continuing to be healthy and it appears that the cancer isn't affecting her, for which I am grateful! Grandma update to be posted soon... probably later this weekend!

Formal Wedding Shots

First sighting shots- we are trying to sneak up on Ian... which is relatively difficult to do when you have 5 girls in heels walking on wooden planks!
One of my favorite pictures of us from the first shoot!
So sweet. I loved the variability of background for pictures at the lakehouse!
Ian being super patient waiting for me...
Me and the veil. I was the 22nd bride to wear this veil in the Keelty-Smith family!
Full view of my dress and veil! My train was about 5 feet long... and the veil was something like 12 feet long from top to bottom! Luckily, the veil laid perfectly on the back of my train so I didn't have to worry about destroyin the end of the veil!!!
Our parents! Aren't they just wonderful!!! Note my mom is in a dress!!!
With my handsome daddy! He chose to wear his Tulsa Fire Department dress uniform for my wedding! I am very proud of my daddy and what he does for complete strangers in Tulsa!
With my momma! I am so pleased that she wore a dress! That was probably because she was threatened that if she didn't wear a dress she was going to have to stay at the hotel!
With my parents while Ian was back in the building...
Family photo with both families...
Ian with his parents.
Us with his parents

Us with Ian's parents and his sister Kelly and her husband Jack

With my parents
With Syrina. She is happy to have Uncle Ian in her life!
McKenzie, my little princess and mini-me with me and Uncle Ian! She was so excited that we got married! She said to me on our wedding day, "I can call him UNCLE Ian now!"

Going back to the lakehouse when it started to sprinkle on us!!! Whew! My dress gets to be bustled now!

I love this shot with the veil! The veil is absolutely gorgeous!!

All the guests with us after the ceremony!!!
With the boys. It was Rod's idea for the boys to hold me up, and notice, Rod is the one standing to the side looking on... hmmmm... how did that work out?

With the girls.

Ian and the boys

With my nieces... They are such a blessing in our lives!

The bridal party!
One of my favorite silhouette shots!!! Super cool! Love the clouds and the coloring!!!

KISS!!!! Love this shot! Hard to "dip" when you are in a dress like mine!

It took all the energy he could muster to pick me up for this shot!!!

Ian with the girls... Kenzie just thinks it is funny that they are going to take a picture of them kissing him!!!

Not sure what to think...
It started to sprinkle again near the end of the night so our photographer set up the lights and had us come outside for some fun shots!!!! I love how my hair looks!

Bridal Portraits...

Here are a few of my favorites from my bridal portrait shoot! We started out at the Hotel Boulderado in Boulder. This is a historic hotel and has some awesome lights and beautiful wooden staircases! After we left the hotel we went to a lookout at one of the mountains in Boulder. I LOVE the mountain pictures, especially since I hiked from the parking lot to the summit in my dress and shoes... Had to climb up between the rocks while holding my dress off the ground in my heels for the mountain shots!

A shot to show my shoes... yes they are 4 inch heels... on the rocks...

I love how the wind blew my dress up like a parachute!!!

This is too cute! I love the color of the sky and how I look like I am excited that it was over!

We found this bench on the way between the car and the hotel! I love it!!!

Outside of a BAPTIST church... the same church I wouldn't park in its parking lot because it was BAPTIST! At least that is what Ilene was convinced!!!

At the beginning of the photo shoot... one of the few pictures with my flowers! I love how my hair curled... too bad it wouldn't curl on our wedding day!

A picture for Ian... he LOVES orchids... unfortunately Eli broke the flower off the stem, that is how I ended up with orchids in my hair!

My dress in all it's glory!!!

Introducing Mr & Mrs Ian Stiller

On Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 7:00 pm, we started our wedding ceremony. A day that I don't think that we will forget anytime soon!!! Before I start telling the story of how our weekend went, I will post a link to our photographer's blog for a preview of our wedding pictures and my bridal portraits first!

So... my parents arrived with my nieces Wednesday afternoon from Oklahoma. We had a few errands to run that day before playing with my dress with Ilene. Thursday found my mom and nieces going to the caterer to get the vases/drop off alcohol, picking up pictures and having our nails done before having a spray tan! Friday we kicked my parents out and had the day with the girls! First we went to pick up flowers then we headed to Golden, Co to see the Geology Museum at the Colorado School of Mines. Unfortunately we got there about 10 minutes before it closed but we did see some great minerals! Then we drove home to hang out with Ian and survive another impressive thunderstorm! Ian decided that he was going to be the cool uncle and let the girls stay up late Friday night... yeah... Saturday I took the girls and our dogs to the kennel where the dogs were being boarded for the weekend and the girls left with mom and dad. Mark and Martha met me and we came home to my house to pack... Mark and Ian hit it off and Martha is amazing! Martha helped me get everything packed and loaded into the cars! We ended up not going to the Coors Brewery since it was after 3 when we got to the hotel and unloaded...

The evening was a blur! The rehearsal dinner was SUPPOSED to start at 6... BUT... I didn't get back to the hotel from my "lunch" (chips/salsa and a margarita) with M&M until a little after 4... I showered and got ready in 20 minutes flat and made it down to the banquet room just a few minutes after 6... not too shabby right? The evening was fun and what I was able to eat of the food was great! (Needed some cheese and salsa to make an amazing fajita!!!) We had a good time with our family and friends! Afterward I spent some much needed time in the hot tub with my Momma Liz and Daddy Bill while hanging out with my nieces and parents. Then I set out to finish the slideshow and playlists...

Sunday... oh what a day... Ian woke up at 3 am FREAKING out about all the details he JUST realized needed to be completed before 5:00 when we arrived at our wedding venue. This wasn't a good thing for him. Our hypothesis is that his immune system was very low and the stress didn't assist and he got a bug... on our wedding day... He spent the better part of the evening disappearing to get fresh air or lie down or throw up... :(

I didn't get started on my hair until a little after 3, which should have given me plenty of time, except for the fact that my hair wouldn't hold a curl, even though it was naturally wavy from the night before and had hairspray from the previous night. So... at 4:00 we started straightening my hair... at 5:00 we were still straightening my hair and defrizzing it... mom and I BOTH had straighteners going in my hair at one point while Kenzie was combing another section! We were supposed to be at the venue at 5 and I left for the venue at 5 after... yeah... off to a great start... Ian, his parents and the guys were already at the venue when I arrived. Ian wasn't looking to great, rather pale and clammy to be exact so I immediately became a teacher/drill sergeant barking nice orders on how to set up the centerpieces and etc while I got ready.

On of our MUST-HAVE photos was the first sighting... So Ian was standing on the boardwalk with his back to the lakehouse. I came "sneaking up" with my entourage in our heels to surprise him. After he turned around, saw me in my dress and veil for the first time, as he was taking it all in, he had another round of being sick... It is kinda humorous to think that his initial reaction wasn't shedding a tear at the sight of his bride for the first time, it was throwing up over the railing... :) We finished up those shots, he excused himself, and we finished some shots with the girls. The evening went kind of like that. Set up a series of shots, Ian feel ill, Ian disappear, continue taking pictures with my family, Ian return set up next series of shots.

Fast forward to the ceremony. Ian escorted his mom down the aisle then the procession started. I was shaking while waiting and my dad in typical fashion

Happy Birthday Babe!

Tomorrow, my fiance will turn the big 32... we don't really have anything special planned... at least yet! We have talked about driving up to Boulder and checking out this mountain where our photographer took me during my bridal shoot but that is about it on the excitement scale!

This week we will celebrate Ian's birthday for most of the week... a brief trip to the valley at the end of the week... a movie with friends on Tuesday... dinner... oh and a honey-do list that I really want to be finished before our families get here next week for the wedding!

It is crazy to think that two years ago I posted a birthday blog for Ian that highlighted 30 reasons why I love him... and after reflecting on that post, I honestly couldn't say that there was anything that I missed when I originally sat down to make the list!!!

I love you and am thrilled beyond words that in just under 2 weeks you will be my HUSBAND!!!!

TWO!!!

Our wedding is a mere 2 weeks away... well now 13 days and something like 22 hours... but still... It is crazy to believe that we are only 2 weeks away from something that we have been planning since September! This past week I set out on the task of completing the bridesmaids and mother's bags... they were from the "Sew Easy" Projects and were pretty easy to make... My friend from work (one of the few friends I had at my previous job) allowed me to come over to her house for two afternoons and take over her kitchen table and sewing machine. Karin had no idea how scared I was of using the sewing machine... I hadn't used a sewing machine since before my grandma passed and using it now made me afraid I would cry! Karin was super patient with me and assisted me in making not 3 but 8 bags... and one of those 8 we made smaller for my youngest niece.

Once that project was complete, I set out to make wedding favors at home, and on my own... This was the majorly daunting part of the process... using my grandma's sewing machine, on my own... I locked myself in the basement for about 3 hours while I cut fabric, ironned it and then sewed it together. After 3 hours I had made all the bags that I could out of the fabric that I had. The hardest part was turning the tubes right side out... I went to a feed store and bought 50 pounds of millet, a small grain that is easier to manipulate than whole kernel corn. I also bought more fabric from the fabric store across the street. After another afternoon in the basement and a few hours the next day, I found out that a 50 pound bag of millet would fill 50 corn sacks... 20 tubes (all about 22" long by 2-3" wide) and 30 bags (various sizes ranging from 5-8" wide and 6-10" long). I now need more millet to finish the project. I am very proud to say that I only have like 25 bags left to fill and that should be a breeze now! (Now that I figured out that I could use my sewing machine to finish the seam that I left for filling rather than hand stitching each and every one!)

Other projects going on that are wedding related. We ordered the guys gifts this week and I am so excited to get them soon! I can't say what they are since there is a chance that one of the guys reads my blog (highly unlikely but you never know)- but I will say that since we have thrown tradition and seriousness to the wind with the wedding this gift will define whimsical and fun...

I also ordered the willow for our center pieces and the sand for our sand ceremony portion of the wedding. Those should arrive early this week! Centerpieces finished... YES INDEED!!!

The last project that we have to complete is assembling the bags for guests at the hotel. We ordered labels for water bottles, neat blue plastic gift bags, and stickers to put on candy last week. These should be at our house the end of the week! Once my nieces get here with my parents we will have them help us to remove labels and replace them with our custom labels, placing them in the bags along with various snacks (with wedding related stickers on them) and a cute label on the bag with ribbon. And we will have them help us to put cute instructions on the favors... I am so glad that we will have help with these projects!!!!

On other news, I am as calm as a cucumber... I know that I will more than likely cry during the ceremony and definitely during our vows... I can't even watch a silly wedding related show without tearing up during the vows! Ian is starting to get a very small case of the nerves in relation to the ceremony. Hopefully meeting with the minister this week to go over the ceremony and etc will help ease his mind! We also have a walk through with the caterer and venue this week as well to determine placement of tables and such.

Here's to a wonderful 2 weeks... filled with appointments, house projects, cleaning house and traveling!!!!

Random thoughts while driving...

So I drove to Tulsa and back to Denver roundtrip over the course of 9 days... that is 21-22 hours roundtrip in the car just to-from Denver/Tulsa. When I got near to Oklahoma, I started to see the wonderful orange cones, barricades, and poles, not to mention the orange detour signs, reduce speed ahead and roads closed... Kansas must think that since Oklahoma is doing so much road construction that they need to follow suite... yea Dear Kansas... just because Oklahoma is doing it, doesn't mean you need to as well...

While on the road I had some random thoughts... first of all, if our GPS has the option to avoid highways, tollways, traffic and main roads, why doesn't it have an option to avoid construction? But on the same random thought, it is probably a good thing that Sami, our GPS, doesn't have an option to avoid construction... she would have told me to turn off my car and go inside when I set the destination when leaving for Tulsa!

Another random thought... you know those little lines you see in groups at the sides of the road just beside the lines in the shoulder... ever wonder what they are for? Well I used to... and the memory came back to me while driving to Tulsa of these ridges being explained to me by one of my close friends in high school... the memory came back to me in the construction zones in Kansas where I was becoming peeved at construction knowing that I would encounter more when I hit the OK stateline... I remembered being in high school on the charter bus traveling somewhere with the band... Shane and I always sat together and I remember waking up one night on one of our trips hearing the "rrrrrr" sound as we approached the turnpike toll gate. I recall sleepily mumbling to Shane something about what made that sound and why. (Sleeping on the bus was a rarity and when I could grab an hour of sleep it really upset me to be woken up, especially by a sound that is so horrible!). Shane's explanation of the ridges and the sound still rings in my head when driving... he told me that night (not sure if he was thinking on his toes or if he knew the real reason) that the ridges are there to wake people up if they fall asleep while driving and drift over the lines...

Another of my random thoughts... if Oklahoma were to take all of the orange cones, barricades and poles that they have placed throughout the state and went around the state, we could totally have an orange border around the entire state with some orange cones left over!!!

More thoughts while driving through Kansas... sign that read, "If you die today, where will you spend ETERNITY?" My initial thought- "Hopefully not here... this would be HELL in my book!" Saw a sign that I had to take a double take after I read it... I swear it said DRUNKARD Brethern Church... it really said DUNKARD...

Driving in and around Tulsa is not fun... I left the movie theater at 71st and Lynn Lane headed back to my parents house in Skiatook... to get home I took 51/64 (the BA) to 244 to 75 to 20... my GPS wanted me to take 51/64 to 244 to 169 to 11 to 75 to 20... does anyone else have the urge to shout out "BINGO" or "You sank my battleship!" right about now? The highways being closed and/or rerouted made going to my dad's fire station quite a road trip! Instead of taking hwy 75 from Skiatook to the 244 curve and back to 75 S all the way there, I had to take 75 S to 244 W to the 244 E/ 51/64 E turn off, exit at downtown because I realized I should have taken the West bound option, drive through downtown until I came to the other 75 S on-ramp (the one m GPS sent me to was closed...) so that I could go a mile on it before being rerouted back to city streets to get back on the highway a little ways up... good grief!!!

Who knows when all the construction will end, but hopefully when I come home in August for the Tulsa reception I don't have to endure all the construction in Kansas AND in Oklahoma!!!

Livin' on Tulsa Time... Briefly...

Last week I finished school on Monday (June 6) and loaded up my car to head home to Tulsa early on the 7th. I had a phone interview scheduled with Jeffco Schools at 11:15 am, so I had to plan my trip wisely so I would have phone signal when my interview time arrived. I left my house just before 9 with the intention of being in Burlington, Co for the interview. I passed the time practicing what I was going to say in response to the questions that they had sent me and listening to my awesome new playlist on my ipod from Tracy. My interview came and I answered the way I had practiced, forgetting a few details that I really wanted to kick myself for forgetting and the interview ended... 20 minutes... no idea as to how it went... I called my mom and while talking to her (about 45 minutes later) I had a call come in that was a 303 area code so I took the call... only to realize that it was the area Sped Director calling me back offering me a job!!!! Uh yes I am interested I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs for all to hear!!! So... I left Denver at 9 am (MST) without a job lined up and arrived in Tulsa at 7 pm (CST) with a job in place with Jeffco Schools!!!

The 7 days I was in Tulsa were a blur! I honestly feel like I didn't stop moving or sleep while I was home, but the trip was a success!!! I was home the 8-14th... during which time, I had a hair appointment, meeting with the seamstress to alter my dress for the Tulsa reception, a first "fitting" with the veil and Ian's mom, a final "fitting" with the veil and Ian's mom, two bridal showers, a dance recital, dancing with my little brother, a bbq, two hair run-throughs with my mom, dinner with Jason's family and a movie, shopping and time with my nieces!

The wedding details are coming along super smoothly! Regina Banks of Arjaybi's Stationary in OKC (and one of my good girlfriends) brought me the thank you notes and programs for the ceremony! They are amazing and beautiful and I couldn't ask for a better person to create our invitations, thank you's, programs, etc than Gina! She was super patient with me and shared ideas with us to make our stationary one of a kind!

The first bridal shower was hosted by the McMahon/Thomas families and Emily Renberg. I have always looked up at Carolyn (McMahon) Westervelt, Mary (Thomas) Trotter, and Martha (Thomas) Cobb as aunts and their children as my cousins... Emily has been like a cross between a second mother and an aunt... and Ms. McMahon, another grandmother figure in my life. These ladies are beyond amazing. The things they have done for me since I was born, I will always be indebted to them for their love and compassion, as well as role models for how to live throughout my life. We received some awesome gifts and I had a great time seeing these women that I have called family for the last 31 years.

The second shower was hosted by my "grandma" Glenda and my mom at the church where I was raised. This shower was mainly high school friends and co-workers. It was great to see so many of my Hornet girls!!! I had a lot of fun catching up with everyone. I will post pictures later as Tracy Smith took a few cute shots of her, me and Regina...

The week also brought McKenzie and Syrina's dance recital which I was beyond cloud number 9 to be able to attend! Both the girls looked AMAZING on stage and performed their routines without error! To think both of my girls are shy!!! Ana got to go with us to the recital to see Kenzie, which was fun for both girls!

Mom and I got our dresses ready for the wedding, took Kenzie's back to be re-altered and corrected the error with Syrina's dress. I am looking forward to seeing them all dressed up, and my daddy in his dress uniform for the fire department!

I also spent 2 different times with Sherry, Ian's mom figuring out how to place the veil in my hair! I am so excited about this veil!!! Not only will I be the 21st (that is unless there are other bride's whose pictures are missing from the album) bride to wear the veil since 1934, the veil is going to be a perfect fit for my dress!!! Words can't express how beautiful the veil is, or how honored I am to have been asked to wear the veil! I can't imagine NOT wearing the veil in the wedding!

I drove home on Wednesday just before Oklahoma and Kansas were hit by thunderstorms all day on Thursday! Thursday, my first day back in Co wasn't the most relaxing... it seems like it should have been... a mani/pedi in the morning... spray tan at noon... lunch with my bestie Ilene, drop off and pick up wedding dress from the dry cleaners, pick up jewelry for bridesmaids, pick up flowers for my practice bouquet and bridal portraits and finally relaxing time with Ian... Friday we got up before the sun (or at least before the sun in summer) and had Buddy at the clinic by 8 am for his surgery... came home, took a brief nap (thank goodness I did this!), started doing my hair, finished my hair with Ilene, had a 3 1/2 hour bridal portrait session in Boulder, drove back just in time to start our jewelry party at my house!!!

I can't wait for the wedding! 22 days until we say I DO!!! Until then, we need to order the willow, finish paying the caterer, schedule our final walk through of the venue with the caterer and event coordinator, write thank you notes, clean house, and pick up our flowers to make the decorations for the wedding!!! No stress here!!!

Engagement Pictures

We finally had our engagement pictures the last weekend of May before Memorial Day... the weather decided to cooperate and let us have some fun! We enjoyed our time with Eli, our photographer, and we LOVE the outcome of our shoot! Here are some of the shots... To see his blog and some of the shots he posted, click here

I wanted a shot on the bench... Not sure what I was going for but this is cute nonetheless!

The bridge... this shot looks great when viewed as a bigger shot... click on the picture to open it up larger...

We found a quiet place to sit and rest on campus. A cute Victorian house that is used for the Women's Study program...

I just love this backdrop... we look like we have been photoshopped into the backdrop!!!

So sweet... I love how we both are smiling and you can see our eyes!

I surprised him and he surprised me by flipping me over!!!

Me surprising him... before he flipped me...

My absolute FAVORITE picture from the session!!

These pictures were taken at University of Colorado Boulder campus...