What have the Butler's been up to?

What have we been up to you ask?  Well I am super excited to tell you all that I am now officially a Butler.  Last Friday I went to the social security office and walked in and out in 5 minutes.  How did I do that you ask?  Well my dad's coworker's wife works there and got me the hook-up.  It is the only way to do it.  There were at least 50 plus people waiting in there.

Then Monday I went to DMV in Carson.  It is the only way to go to DMV without slitting your wrists.  Ok I am being a bit dramatic here, but it is the best option.  Then I made a million phones calls, faxed in a million copies of my marriage license, and emailed them off.  I have most of my banks, credit cards, insurance, rapid reward accounts, etc. taken care of.  So I am now officially a BUTLER!

We also took a trip to Los Angeles for the Nevada Wolf Pack game and to support a friend of ours that is making it big (or at least we think he is).  Babe and I decided since we couldn't go on our honeymoon right away, that we would have a celebratory dinner in LA the night we got there.  After getting recommendation from Anthony, we went to Tar and Roses in Santa Monica.  Ummm yum.  So amazing.  We had the bruschetta with heirloom tomatoes, yummy cheese and balsamic vinegar.  With that appetizer/special, we had two different cheeses, nuts, mini grapes, spicy pickles and fruit cracker things (I know so technical).  Then we had our real appetizer which was tempura soft shell crab with a papaya and mango salad and this delicious sauce.  Next we opted for the whole fried snapper for two.  I went back and forth on what I wanted and looked at what everyone else was having before deciding.  Best decision ever.  Check this thing out.

Basically you take your fork or fingers and pop out a section of the fish (a chunk) and dip it in this amazing thai/garlic/spicy dipping sauce and chow down.  I was a champ and ate my entire side.  No I didn't have the eye (gross), but I even got down on the cheeks and head area.  So good. It came with soba noodles and we ordered some corn on the cob with goat cheese, spices, lime and cilantro.  Best mini moon dinner.  

From there we headed back to Pasadena for some Wolf Pack fun at a local bar called Barney's Beanery.  We were downstairs watching football, drinking beers, cocktails and shots.  There was some karaoke (not by my husband and I) and lots of fun and making fun of others.  

Saturday was game day and I have always wanted to go to the Rose Bowl.  Amazing.  Even though we lost got annihilated, it was still a great experience.  Too bad they don't sell alcohol inside the stadium for second half's when we can't even pull off a first down.  Ouch.  Here are some pictures of the hubby and I enjoying ourselves before the game.

 So happy to be here.

Yes I know I am Kaepernicking on the wrong side, but this one is so much cuter than the other photos.  Go Pack!

I did some awesome shopping as I haven't shopped for myself in many months.  I got new heels, new shirts, new socks, new flats, jewelry, sweat pants, a skirt and maybe a few other items, but there is still so much more fall stuff I want.  Hence why I am shopping for black boots today.  Hello Fall is almost here.

We saw amazing friends, drank some amazing wine and brews, and enjoyed life as a newlywed.  I wanted to go to my dearest friend's bachelorette party that weekend, but these plans were made so many months prior to her plans.  So sad I missed that.

Here is one last photo that we took the day before heading to LA.  We were supposed to go to the Rib Cook-off for dinner, but the smoke was really bad that day, so we went to Campo instead and watched preseason football.  I don't even regret it.

Life After Being a Bride

I have a confession to make....I was sad to have my wedding planning end.  I have been reading blogs, posting about weddings, stalking Pinterest for wedding ideas and going to the ends of the moon to do DIY projects for my wedding.  I didn't know what to do with myself after the wedding.  But I made do and looked at photos and videos everyday.  Yes, almost 4 weeks after getting married, I look at them everyday.

I had a co-worker get married this last weekend and she got a few teasers.  I was jealous (not about her wedding), but her getting some photos.  So I did what any irrational bride would do, I begged for photos.  Ok I didn't beg, but politely asked.  And she sent us 14 teasers.  After looking at them, I was in awe.  I said thank you and got an update on when our photos would be ready.  And they will be ready two weeks ahead of schedule it is looking like.  And she informed us that these were very lightly edited and when we get them all, they would be fully edited.  So without further ado, here are some wedding teasers.

 This is one of my favorites. LOVE.

 Stunning.

 Best day of my life.

 Goregous.

 Isn't he handsome?

 I dreamed about this day since I was a little girl.

 We opted out of first look for a first touch. Best decision EVER!

 My beautiful mom and I.

 Myself and my beautiful bridesmaids.

My groom and his men. So dapper they are!

I can't wait for the rest of the photos. Such an amazing day.  Now I can get excited about my honeymoon which is in 16 days!  And my beautiful friend Stacey is getting married next weekend!  And we hope to get pregnant in the next few months!  Life is going to be amazing after being a bride.  I am going to enjoy every last second of being a newlywed!

Eyelash Extensions

Before my wedding, I decided to get eyelash extensions.  My friend Stacey (her blog is at It's not you, it's me) recommended I get the living social deal and try it out.  I went to It's a Perfect Touch and Terri did my eyelashes.  They felt very natural and I love them.  What I don't love is how careful I have to be with them.  I have had them for 2 weeks and my left eye still looks amazing, but my right eye has definitely lost more of them.  I never see them come out (I should say see the eyelashes come off when cleaning my face, doing my makeup, etc.), but the right eye is definitely lighter.

They fell really natural, are long and gorgeous and I don't have to use mascara.  Big plus right there. I can have no makeup on and my eyes still are bold and beautiful (haha soap opera reference).  I have a touch-up appointment set up and I can't decide if I should do it again or not. While I love them, I am not the most gentle person when it comes to nails, hair, makeup, etc.

What do you think?  Keep them or leave them?

Here is a picture via her yelp site.  The picture doesn't do it justice.  The eyelashes are gorgeous.  Once I have my wedding photos back, I will have a better close up of them on me.  Touch-ups are $50 (per her site), but I thought she said they were $75.  I would be good with the $50 price, but I still have to make that final credit card payment from the wedding. Ugh.  Decisions.

Boring, I think not

So I am still coming down from my "wedding high".  I am constantly looking over my wedding photos and videos people have sent me, no I don't have any pro-pics yet.  I was finally able to go on other wedding websites and check them out again.  I know that sounds weird, but I think after you get married, you want to live your wedding over and over and you don't want other weddings messing with your head.  I loved my wedding.  Best day of my life times a billion, but I am sad it is over.  So that leaves me to shop, look up recipes, DIY home projects instead of DIY wedding projects, hike (if the stupid smoke would leave Reno) and travel a bit.  My life, boring, I think NOT!

I can't wait to go to LA this weekend for the Nevada vs. UCLA game, seeing my good friend Anthony (who came to my wedding, but I saw for a micro-second) and SHOP.  I haven't shopped for myself in what seems like forever.  I had wedding stuff to buy, yo.  But I thought I should kick it off early and buy something off a new site I am obsessing over.  It is like Whiskey Militia, The Clymb, Steep and Cheap, but only better for us ladies.  Sure I love the gear from the other sites, but this one is my favorite.  It is called Very Jane.  Today I bought two things....I could buy a ton more, but my pocket book and husband wouldn't like me very much.

The cardigan (in teal) was only $19.99, normally $39.99 and the bracelet (the coral and teal one) was $7.99, normally $16.99.  There were two items I wanted this morning, but they were already sold out.  Stuff sells fast, but I make do.

This weekend I can't wait to shop the LA scene.  I can see new fall skirts, boots, jeans and sweaters in my future.  And it is payday Friday this week.  Life is pretty good.

I am a Married Woman!

I am back here to let everyone know...I am MARRIED!  And I couldn't be happier!  I had the most amazing, special, blessed, loving dreamy, beautiful, promising and magical day of my life.  I have been dreaming of this day my entire life and now it has come and gone.  I am constantly looking through my photos and videos that my friends and family have sent me reliving every moment I can.  I married my best friend and heard the most touching vows ever.  My husband surely does love me, and I am absolutely head over heels in love with this man.  Marrying Rory was my dream come true!

I am waiting on the professional photographs, but I do have plenty of non-pro pics that I want to start sharing, but that will take a bit, so I will leave you with these two gems.  The first one is my father walking me down the aisle.

And the second one is our sparkler exit.  This was so much fun as evidenced on my face! I am happily married woman!

Isn't my husband handsome?

Let's Talk Teeth

I want to talk about teeth for a second if you will.  Prepping yourself for your wedding day is grueling and fun.  I have been thinking of all the ways to make myself my tip top self without overdoing it.  Yes I am getting somethings over the top, who isn't, but I still want to look like myself, just even more spectacular.

I went on the Marriage Carriage back in April for free courtesy of On the Go Bride.  When I was traveling about on the bus, they were doing giveaways, and I won!  I won a free teeth whitening kit worth about $400.  I was super excited as I wouldn't have to do the Crest White Strips, which was great, but this was even better for my lazy self.  I went to the provider and they took impressions of my teeth.  I waited a week, got those babies back in the soft plastic invisalign looking things, and set them aside.  But now that I am close to the wedding, five days out, I have been using them at night.  They are super easy as I just use a syringe to put a small amount of gel on each tooth area, put those babies in, go to sleep and take them out in the morning.  They have done an amazing job and no sensitivity.  Score!

But as Rory didn't get this awesome deal that I have, he has been using Crest White Strips.  He hasn't been that good about doing it twice a day, heck I wasn't either, but you get into a routine and do it.  He has done two treatments (one in the morning and one at night, two times), but has forgotten a bit.  But he is already seeing results.  Super stoked for the whitest teeth.  I drink way too much coffee and wine for white teeth on my own.

                                                              Image via teethzone.com

This is the strength and kind he is using.  I will take after photos to show the difference he has made with these.

Did you use any teeth whitening kits? Professional?

Wedding Explosion

My house is covered in wedding items galore.  Lately I have taken up the dinner table for crafting projects, I have a room filled with wedding stuff, and I am constantly trying to put wedding stuff anywhere I can.  And that is because my wedding is in 11 days.  Awww I am so excited and nervous at the same time.  Super excited to be marrying my best friend, but nervous to have all eyes on me.

But back to the wedding explosion in my house.  I have been crafting my seating chart.  I have agonized over and over again on this project.  I have looked at Pinterest too many times at inspiration photos.  I love so many designs, but frankly, it will be thrown out after the wedding and I am over budget on said wedding, so I needed a easy DIY idea.  So I let my Pinterest inspiration work itself into a easier DIY project for cheap.  I used Michaels and Joann's Fabric coupons and I made my seating chart for $6.  Yes you read that right and I am so proud of my final product.

Here she is:

In hindsight, I should have taken photos as I did my project, but I wasn't sure if it would turn out and that I would even use it.  First I bought white foam board from the dollar store.  Then I ventured to Joann's Fabric to buy more lace.  I bought lace for the table numbers, so I went back, but this time for silver/gray lace.  Then I bought cute thick alphabet stickers from Michaels.  I had ribbon on hand from another project.  The card stock came from my nail girl as they just opened their own salon a few months ago and had extra that she gave to me.

So I started with the foam board and glued the lace on both sides.  I let it dry and glued the back side.  Once that was dry, I cut the leftover lace around the edges.  Then I used word and created my actual table numbers with names, printed them on the free card stock, and cut them.  I used a paper cutter as I can't cut straight for the life of me.  I glued those on and then needed to add the stickers.  Rory loved it, but said it needed some more color, hence the navy ribbon.  And there you have it.  Our lovely seating chart for $6.  So proud.