Meet Gwen

This is Gwen. Jasons sister and one of my Maid of Honors. Im laughing as I post this bc I have some fun pictures of Gwen and couldnt decide on a good one. This one has always been my favorite. The bud light cowboy hat makes it what it is. However the following will always be a fav of mine...

We were out at dinner down in Cape Hatteras during one of the many fishing weekends. (Translation? We had been drinking on the boat all day) I was talking about how if you eat a packet of Sweet n Low that it is the best thing ever...so good. (I was trying to get her to try it bc she never had. If you have done this before then you understand this is just cruel of me to trick her but it was worth it.) So I had to capture it on camera obviously....

"Hmm. Not so bad Amanda."

"Oh...wait....thats a little different..."

"OH MAN! BAD! NOT GOOD! Where is my beer....geez!!"

"You suck Amanda! The taste just STAYS there!"

Oh man. I laugh everytime. At her expense of course :)

In all seriousness, I consider Gwen a sister and a best friend. Jasons' family is super close so her and Jason are as close as can be so that means we had some tough times when we first met. Like you-have-no-idea-tough. I wouldnt change a thing though because of us putting eachother to the test the way we did transformed a relationship I wouldnt trade for the world. I not only love her but I trust her and that is huge. She isnt scared to talk to me about anything or tell me she hates my hairstyle. (Thats happened on more than one occasion haha) So I love that. For that I consider her my sister and I knew I wanted my sisters to be my matron/maids of honor. 

Why hello June...you kinda surprised me!!

I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by. Its basically June already. (And 356 days till our wedding...what? who is counting?) Already so much has happened this year and as much as I am excited for the next 6 months of 2010, I am trying to not wish it away too quickly bc I tend to do that when I am really excited about things. We have so many friends and family getting married this summer, Jason and I will begin building our garage/loft on our land in the next few months, my Mabecca's 75th bday CRUISE with our family is in August, and then we will be enjoying the holidays once again. Whew. Looking back this year I met my niece Claire for the first time, got engaged to this kinda great guy, went to Arizona and saw the Grand Canyon for the first time, I was published in a national DJ magazine, saw Jasons best friend James get married to his amazing now-wife Lauren,  and both Jason and I have been training for a bike race that I have no idea if I am ready for or not. (MS 150 is NEXT weekend. 150 miles in two days on a bike. Pretty exciting...if exciting means kinda scary? Also I will call Jason out on this...he hasnt trained at all. He is one of those get on a bike and go. Ugh.) So its been a great start to a great year. Cheers to the next 6 months!! 


A few photos that make me happy :)

Mousse chillin' out in my car...that dopey face just melts my heart.

This is my Mabecca on her 75th birthday! We surprised her and told her we were all taking her on a cruise in August. Can't wait!

Meet Sampson. My familys' cat. He is getting kinda old so my parents have to shave him every now and then. He looks like a little lion, I just laugh everytime I look at it. I love animals with personality and he takes the cake for cats with personality. Know of a well-known grumpy cartoon cat? Well. Sampson might have well been his twin. 

I just dont need to explain this photo. I cant look at it without laughing out loud. (Left to right: Jason, me, Laura and Gwen)

My family knows that I enjoy milk. A lot. When I was younger my dad joked about getting a cow out back so I could at least be semi-satisfied. That craving has not gone away and it excites me that my cousin Tyler (T-man) enjoys it as well. For  my familys' bdays we all go out to dinner at a place of that persons choice then we do a "washdown" at Outback Steakhouse. For my parents its Baileys and coffee, for my Aunt Carla its Crown Royal and coke, Jason has the good ole bud light, Uncle Dan and Sarah switch it up and for me and Tman...its milk in a tall frosted beer glass. Genius. 

This is a group shot of all of us at James and Laurens wedding in MA last weekend. I love this group of people. Pure and simple, they just are amazing. (Left to right: Anu, Kevin, Ryan, Pam, me, Jason, James, Lauren, James bro in the back peeking up, Rob, Gwen, Amy and her daughter Charlie, Chuck, Tiffany, Dan and Ashley.

This is my family at Cheeseburger in Paradise for my Dads bday a few weeks ago. (Before our washdown) (Left to right: Tyler, Sarah, Aunt Carla, Uncle Dan, Dad, Mom, Me and Jason)

This is the motley crue aka The Southeastern Chapter of the American Disc Jockey Association. This was the night I got to sit down with them and have a few and get to know most of em. Robbie Britton (red shirt up front) was the speaker at the meeting that evening. He knew some pretty fly bar tricks that he taught us. Oh and that guy in the blue shirt across the table in the front? Thats AC. He got me into DJing when I was 15. Pretty much my big brother and a hell of a great guy. 

HAHA. I love his face expression. 

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Meet some of the boys...

So Jason has 12 best men. 12. I think it is pretty amazing to have that many people you love and care about  and who care about you up next to you on the happiest day of your life. I'm a little jealous but you didn't hear me say that :) Some of the guys go back to high school and college and the others...well are just awesome. I love all of em' and are so excited to have met them through Jason. I would never admit this to Jason but out of all the things I have learned from him, its the value of friendship that he has proved still exists. So when choosing those who would stand up next to me and him, we decided on the guys and gals that we knew would be a part of our lives for a very very long time. So without further adieu, I am gonna introduce some of the coolest guys ever....(Keep in mind...these are guys. So to get a bulk of them in one photo...is pretty cool. I jumped at the chance to use it)

Left to right: Kevin, Rob, Chuck, James, Dan and...well...this guy isn't important...ha ha (Jason in case you didn't recognize him)

Rob and James went to High School w/ Jason and i guess their bromance wasn't over so they all ventured to UVA and met the rest of this motley crue.

You think these guys are handsome? Well there are more to come. Keep in mind this is only 5 out of the 12.

Meet Shelly

This is Shelly....my oldest sister, amazing mother of my nieces Kate and Claire, someone I admire for her mind and heart. She lives in Michigan with her super fun husband Jamie and living the good life with the bonus of fresh fruit every day. I miss her tons but it makes it that much more awesome when we do get to hang out. 

She will be my Matron of Honor next May and I couldnt be happier that she will be by my side. 

Meet Sarah

This is my gorgeous sister Sarah. She is an amazing artist, has the best laugh, and makes killer cheese crackers. We have had an amazing life together so far...full of ups, downs and sideways but ALWAYS full of smiles.  We share a passion for music, cheese, music, good movies, music, game nights with the family, comfy pjs and...oh...music :) All in all? A great sister. And one of my without-a-question maid of honors. 

Her bday is tomorrow and I hope it is the BEST ONE YET <3

Love you

E-Session!!

Jason and I had our engagement shoot last week and it was EVERYTHING I pictured and more. Our photographer, Ashley, was super cool and chill and just let us...be us. We tried to capture a normal date night with burgers, beer, Mousse and of course, the Marina.

We were so thrilled that Mousse was a part of it too bc he completes our little family. Plus...the burgers were amazing as usual <3