Home (?) Sweet Home (?)

The appraisals are in... and guess what?!  In 11 days Kory and I will sign over our lives to a mortgage company and will buy our first home!

While it would seem that it is "downhill" from here, if the past is any indication of the future, there are sure to be a few hiccups before the keys are handed over...  but for now I am just going to bask in the glory that we are one more step closer to becoming homeowners.

(Tomorrow I will contact our mortgage broker and real estate agent to confirm that this is in fact reality and just a very optimistic dream.) 

11 hopeful days until home ownership... and 121 days until wedded bliss!   : )

Family Secret Garden

This would be in the category "Before and After" on Wheel of Fortune.  Pretty clever, eh?

When you read the following article, you will not have to wonder where I get my silly sense of humor.  First read it, then we will discuss... it will make much more sense.

click here for the article


A little background info: Sherry and Mike are my parents.

... Now pay special attention to the the last quote.

... Yep, that's my dad!  And this article was printed on the front page of their local newspaper.  Each time I read it, I can't help but laugh until my stomach hurts. (Maybe you just have to know guy behind the quote. ) 

Map: Fort Lauderdale vs. Miami

For those of us who are visual creatures, here is a map to give you some points of reference. 

Note: The distance between the Fort Lauderdale Airport and the Miami Airport is 25.3 miles and keep in mind that there is transportation from Fort Lauderdale to the Port of Miami.

Getting There: Booking Flights

Now that we've all booked our cruises, it is time to start thinking about booking a flight.  With all the thought and consideration that we put into this wedding planning and making it as easy as possible for everyone, somehow we completely  overlooked the fact that Friday, the day the cruise returns to Miami, is one of the biggest travel days of the year.  The good news is that flights are still fairly affordable. 

Everything I have read and everyone I have spoken to suggests that cruisers arrive the day before the cruise departure.  This would mean arriving on or before November 21, for the Monday, November 22 departure. 

A few flight search Tips

Checkout Southwest.com
While they do not fly into Miami, they do fly into Ft. Lauderdale, which is approximately 30 miles away.  Southwest does not charge for checked bags and has a much more flexible rescheduling/cancellation policy.  (Don't get the wrong idea, you won't be cancelling on our behalf! )  The free checked bags could save you up to $50 per person each way!

Check surrounding departure Cities
For those of living in western PA that would normally fly out of Pittsburgh, this might include Cleveland, Akron/Canton, and even State College. 

Groups
If you're traveling in a group greater than 5 or 6, sometimes the airlines will give discounts.  This of course depends on your smooth talkin' group leader's skills and the dates in which you are planning to travel.  It maybe worth giving them a call. 

Check with Kristi
While she charges a service fee for booking, our travel agent, Kristi, may be able to give you the one-on-one help you need in booking your flights.  Feel free to contact her with any questions.

Book Early!
The sooner you book your flights, the more likely you are to get a good deal... especially considering the high volume of travel that is expected for this particular time of the year
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On a side note, we are working on getting a group rate at a hotel near the Port of Miami and negotiating transportation to and from the airports.  If you hear or read anything too good to keep to yourself, please share!  We're working our hardest to get everyone the best deal possible!

4 Months!

In 4 months from today, Kory and I will be married!  Can you believe it?  I don't know where time has gone!  It seems like yesterday we had over a year to plan out this, "biggest day of our lives," and now we are coming upon it in no time!  This month included our booking deadline for our negotiated rate.  As we had hoped, this deadline has not stopped our family and friends from continuing to book!  Today we are up to 50 guests joining us on our cruise!  We feel so lucky and blessed that so many of our closest friends and family are choosing to spend their Thanksgiving week (not to mention hard earned money) with us, celebrating our marriage on the Caribbean!

Great news, we finally have a color, and dresses for the bridal party!  My sisters got together in Pennsylvania and shopped until they dropped to find the perfect casual beach wedding bridesmaids dresses!  I cannot wait to see them in the dresses! 

With only 124 days until our big day, Kory and I have re-vowed to wow.  We'll see how that goes!

Is a Passport Required?

No.  We chose a cruise from a US port to avoid this hassle. While a passport is not required for our cruise, it is recommended.  Below is an excerpt taken from Carnival's frequently asked questions concerning passports and required identification.

Click here to go to the Carnival FAQs

U.S. Citizens
Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that begin & end in the same U.S. port, travelling with a passport enhances your disembarkation experience, as delays may be expected upon your return to the U.S. if you do not have one. Additionally, passports make it easier for you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation, or need to fly back to the U.S. for emergency reasons.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port to travel with one of the following WHTI compliant document:

• Valid U.S. Passport
• Original or suitable quality copy of a Birth Certificate
• Certificate of Naturalization
• Passport Card
• Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)
• Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card, e.g., Nexus Card, Sentri Card or Fast Card

A government-issued photo ID is also required for all guests, including children 16 and over. For more information, a complete list of WHTI-compliant documents or to obtain a passport application, visit www.travel.state.gov.

When traveling with a minor and both parents/legal guardians are not cruising, we strongly recommend bringing an original, signed letter from the absent parent/legal guardian authorizing the minor to travel with you. This will expedite processing by the Department of Homeland Security. Please note that a notarized letter to this effect is required if debarking with children in Mexico.

If you decide to get a passport, be aware that the process could take up to 3 months. 

4 months (124 days) until our feet are walking down the sandy aisle...

[unofficially] SOLD

On one of our visits to the home we are trying to buy in Pittsburgh, I had the pleasure of meeting our potential neighbor, Mike.  He has been indescribably supportive of us buying the home next to his, and he has not been afraid to vocalize his opinion to the seller and agents!  I have no doubt that having him on our side has helped us get our foot in the door. 
And so appropriately, he would be the one to tell us that the "SOLD" sign was posted today!  While we will not close on the house for another 2 weeks, an outward expression of the house no longer being on the market seems like a pretty big deal!  The last loop in this roller coaster ride of home buying is to get the appraisal results.   We're almost there... and I couldn't be more excited!

Booking Deadline: Today

Today, July 19th, is the last day to book your cruise at our negotiated group rate.  While the rate has expired, your ship has not sailed!  (I couldn't resist!) As long as there is availability on the ship, you will be able to reserve a cabin. 

For those of you that have booked, we are still exploring the best options for transportation to and from the port of call as well as hotels.  When we find the best deal, we, of course, will  spread the word! And if you run across anything worth sharing, please do!

128 Days until we sail into the sunset as man and wife...

Pre-Wedding Weekend Getaway [Cripple Creek. Colorado]

As a means of celebrating our upcoming marriage, Kory's dad (Joe) and step mom (Debbie) came out to Colorado to visit us before we make our big move back to PA.  They generously booked us a room at a breathtaking bed and breakfast in which they planned to stay, in Cripple Creek, Colorado.

Friday, after work, Kory and I hopped in the car, drove Sam to doggie care and headed on our way to Cripple Creek, Colorado - an old gold mining town, 125 miles south of Denver, population: 900, elevation: 2 miles.   The drive to the bed and breakfast included many sharply winding roads, both paved and dirt.  When we finally made it to the top of our final windy dirt road, we came to a hill consumed by a massive home, more like a modern day castle, labeled "Whispering Pines."  I'm pretty sure Kory had to lift his jaw off the dash before exiting the car, as did I. 

It was pitch black outside with the exception of a few dim lights that highlighted the mansion's massive picture windows and the twinkling stars, which appeared brighter than ever.  We grabbed our bags of personal essentials and eagerly headed to the house.  Kory's dad and his wife escorted us into the house where we waited for the inn keepers to check us into our room.  The scrawny man that appeared to be around 60 but acted as though he had the health issues of a 90 year old, by the name of "Ed" greeted us and took us to our room - "The Wildflower Room".  It was exquisite!  The oversized bed frame followed the grandeur of the home perfectly.  When I was done admiring the bed, my eyes immediately fell to the bathtub that was more like an eight-person hot tub!  When Ed finished introducing us to our room, and answering our irrelevant questions, he departed for bed.  We examined each detail of the luxurious room's decor then headed downstairs to see how Kory's dad's room compared. 

We spent a little bit of time chatting before we headed to our respective suites to get a good night's sleep in hopes of getting an early start the following day.  I was dying to see the view that was hidden in the darkness - the view that must have inspired the need for the walls of windows... so like a kid on Christmas Eve, with enthusiastic hesitation I tucked myself into the most beautiful bed I've ever slept in

We started our day with a delicious breakfast overlooking the magnificent rocky mountains.  After meeting innkeeper Ed's wife and getting to know the history of Whispering Pines (all 10,000 sq ft built by Ed and his wife's talented hands), we started our day by touring Mollie Catherine, a historic gold mine.  We traveled 1,000 feet underground to get a better understanding of the evolution of mining.  I had no idea how interesting a gold mine could be... I was pleasantly surprised and without a doubt have a new appreciation for those that go the distance to provide for their families, even when it means risking their lives.

After our underground tour we headed to a nearby ghost town where Debbie and Joe found themselves square dancing in the streets with a team of men and women dressed from the Victorian Era while Kory and I searched for something to tantalize our taste buds.  (We had worked up quite the appetite underground.) With our pulled pork sandwich and Navajo taco in hand, we took a seat on a curb as spectators to those brave enough to dance their hearts out in front of the rest of us. 

Next we followed Joe and Debbie to a vintage store that specialized in old western photos.  While they dressed up as a sheriff and a saloon girl we scavenged through the store's  treasures.  After our day of complete with adventures, we headed back to the B 'n' B to get ready for dinner and the community dance. 

Joe and Debbie made dinner reservations for the four of us at a steakhouse atop one of the town's biggest casinos that they'd discovered the previous night.  The food was incredible!  While the 3 amigos had steak, I ordered chicken rangoon and all I can say is YUM!  I could have sat there for hours and savored each delicious morsel but we had a dance to get to! 

The proud Punxsutawnians that they are, Joe and Debbie sported matching Punxsy Chuck face t-shirts to the dance.  These shirts brought a lot of curious looks and even more questions of, "What is on your shirt?  Is that a rabbit? A chipmunk?  A beaver?"  It was hilarious!  What a conversation starter!

We found ourselves to be some of the first people at the town dance.  We were surrounded by people of all ages from toddlers to senior citizens.  Most of the tiny town had to have been present.   We danced the night away, our dancing just a little wackier than usual since we were surrounded by complete strangers! :) 

The following day was full of little surprises.  We had another delightful breakfast before saying goodbye to Whispering Pines' beauty.  Heading out of town, Joe and Debbie decided to stop spontaneously at an old outlaw jail museum.  My initial response was to wait in the car while they explored.  Somehow I just ended up inside and so glad I did.  So much of the town's awesome history was revealed in our jail tour.  We learned about the laws that came about due to the existence of the gold mines.  This little unplanned adventure led to us touring a historic brothel from the late 1800s.  What an interesting experience!  These unplanned adventures gave us awesome insight to where this little mining town has been and how the world has evolved in the last 100 years.

Before leaving the "2 Mile High" town and heading back to the "Mile High City," we stopped for ice cream and a few last minute souvenirs.  Our first stop - Doggie Daycare to get our Sam.  Our second stop - our house to print their boarding passes.  And our third stop - Fogo De Chau for dinner.  And finally, we escorted Debbie and Ron to their hotel where they would stay for their last night in Colorado. 

The weekend was awesome!  We explored a sweet little ol' western town and an spectacular bed and breakfast, we probably would have never visited or even heard of, otherwise and loved every minute.  The lengths that our loved ones are going to, to make this pre wedding experience amazing for us is so humbling.  We could not ask for more love and kindness... one day at a time, as we get closer to our wedding day, I feel more blessed to get to call my future in laws mine!

Our weekend in photos...

Una Fiesta para Novia de el futura... Mi!

One of the things that I dreaded most about being a "bride-to-be" was the idea of having a bridal shower.  Why? First of all, because I don't like being the center of attention and secondly because I've always thought the purpose behind the occasion would be a bit awkward.  With my bridal party on opposite ends of the country, I didn't think I had anything to worry about... they aren't sly enough to coordinate something, or so I thought.  This is what I get for thinking.  Not only did they arrange to be in the same place at the same time for a bridal shower, they included one of my mom's long lost friends in the mix that would ensure it would be as cliche of a bridal shower as possible! : )   Luckily, it wasn't the embarrassing event I'd anticipated!

Because Kory and I have chosen to have a destination wedding in Mexico, they appropriately chose to have a Mexican fiesta themed party.  Between my sisters, mom, and Pam, they managed to add a Mexican twist to everything from the cake and food selection, to the the games and table decor!  It was hilarious and sweet, all in one!  

The night before the shower, my sisters and Pam returned from some last minute shopping with a bag full of dresses.  My big sis, Kelly, came to me and said, "You'd wear anything to the fiesta, right?"  Hesitantly, I agreed.  To my surprise they pulled out matching Mexican dresses... for all three of us, a gift from Pam.  Mine was blue and my sisters' were identical but in shades of pink.  Amused by their creativity, I agreed to wear the Mexican garb. 

At the shower, Pam coordinated and executed the traditional shower games (think word scrambles, bingo, etc) while my mom prepared food.  My little sister Jazmin kept the crowd on their toes with threats of have to wear a sombrero if they delayed in their responses to her demands, while my big sister mingled and got to know many that she's never met.  Overall, the afternoon was more than I could have ever dreamt of.  I struggled to spend enough time with each guest... though, I don't know if there would ever be "enough" time!  I would have loved to spent hours catching up, reminiscing and in some cases getting to know each person that took the time to spend the afternoon with me.   I was flattered and surprised by the generosity and thoughtfulness of the gifts.  We received everything we would need to get our household running and sweet mementos that will remind us of our loved ones for years to come! 

Thank you to everyone who made my bridal fiesta one to remember and so thoughtfully

helped Kory and I fill our first home with the most wonderful gifts!

Our Week in PA... One Chapter at a Time

Chapter 1 - Her own worst Enemy - Samantha

It is just one thing after another with Sam.  If something can go wrong with her, it generally does.  Keeping consistent, our terror of a dog destroyed the pads on her paws within hours of arriving to my parents house.  The pads on her feet were literally pealing away from her paws.  After brainstorming with the entire family, we came to a consensus that with her unlimited freedom, she must have run so hard for so long that she created a massive blister on the bottom of each paw.  With her recent leg issues, her paws haven't had the opportunity to or a need to form the protective  calluses she had before previous visits.  

These blisters resulted in Sam's inability to run and only walk short distances before needing to lay down.  She spent the majority of her time in Pennsylvania with bandages on her paws and in an unusually calm state. 

Chapter 2 - My Muscle Men - Kory & Mikey

While Sam was ruining her feet, Kory and my helpful brother were unpacking everything we own into a local storage unit.  All I can say is that those are some strong boys.  I helped where I could, but for the most part I just tried to stay out of their way. Within 45 minutes, those muscle men had the entire truck unpacked and we were headed to Pittsburgh to return the truck and sign another stack of papers related to our potential home. 

Chapter 3 - Those who Run for Fun - Kelly, Kelly, Kory, & Mikey

We found ourselves racing home from Pittsburgh in an attempt to make it in time for the 5K registration.  It was one of the hottest and most humid days of the summer... but as planned months ago, Kory and his sister Kelly met up at the annual Punxsy 5K.  At the last minute, my little brother and big sister decided they wanted to participate... so it was a true family affair.

While they started out together....

In the end, Kory's sister, Kelly, crossed the finish line first... winning their long standing bet! 

Chapter 4 - Honk the Musical - Lexi

Kory's adorable niece, Lexi, was a part of the cutest play - Honk!  Luckily, the production just happened to be showing the week we were home and we were so thrilled to get to see it!  It was basically a theatrical tale of the ugly duckling... the best version I've ever seen.  Lexi played a duck sibling named Billy.  Her singing and acting were awesome!   To top off our amazing evening, Kory surprised me with a trip to Buff's Ice Cream parlor!  Yum!

Chapter 5 - Early Risers - Kassy, Kory, & Trevin

On our way to pick up my little sister, Jazzie at the Pittsburgh airport, Kory and I arranged to squeeze in a little bit of quality time and food with his sister Kassy and her little cutie, Trevin.  Kas and Trevin agreed to get up extra early and meet us at Eat 'n Park.  As always, the time went way too quickly.  Trevin is growing up faster than I could have ever imagined....  Kory and I were both shocked by the progress this little man has made since the last time we saw him and especially impressed by his very distinctive sense of humor! :)  The food was fabulous but as always, the company was even better! :) 

Chapter 6 - Friday Fun

We picked up my adventurous little sister from the Pittsburgh airport following her week of aimlessly exploring Arizona and California with her equally adventurous friends.  Kory and I were so excited to get to see her and hear all about her recent experiences.... and as usual, she did not disappoint!  I only wish I could have the "guts" to do 1/2 the things she does...

Immediately following our trip to Pittsburgh, we had planned to meet our dearest Marc and Angela for lunch.  I was dying to see Angela - as she is pregnant!  We didn't expect to get to see each other until after the baby is born (January)... but due to an unexpected family emergency, Marc and Angela just so happened to be in town the same time we were!  What luck!  It was awesome to see them and get to talk face to face about the changes that their lives are about to take!  Angela is the most beautiful pregnant gal and I suspect that she will only get cuter with every little bit their little tike grows.  I cannot wait to meet him or her!  

Our heart wrenching lunch date was interrupted by a call from our real estate agent, Inga.  She had some unfortunate news that the seller refused to fix a fundamental issue with the house which Kory and I agreed was a deal breaker.  Completely disappointed, Kory and I headed to my parents house to tell my family that the deal had fallen through...  Hours later she called back to reveal the seller's change of heart - he was now willing to pay for the modification.  What a roller coaster this attempted home purchase has been!

The rest of the evening was spent helping my sisters, mom, and family friend (Pam) prepare for the following day's festivities.

Moving Day

While Kory and his loyal companion, Samantha, were transporting everything we own from Denver to Pennsylvania in a 20-foot moving truck, I was helping my sister with the daunting task of flying from Farmington, New Mexico to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania with a 7 year old and a 5 month old so they could be present at their favorite sister/aunt's bridal shower. 

Midway through his trip, Kory discovered that he rented a lemon of moving truck with faulty brake lights and no dash lights.  This limited him to driving during the day only.  So while being confined in small cockpits with 2 anxious little girls was not always easy, I think I probably had the easy end of this deal.

A few photos from my adventure getting to PA...

And Kory after arriving  a day later than originally planned...

Movers... and Shakers...

Kory and I might as well be professional movers.  We have moved to a different home, every year, for the last 6 years.  We are hoping that this move will be the last one for a long long time! 
While I delicately packed our belongings, Kory brought me piles of our things to sort through and decide keep: yes or no?  When we started this process, the plan was to get rid of everything that did not hold sentimental value.  I had no idea how difficult it would be to get rid of things that I had purchased with my own hard earned money or even harder to part with were those items that were so lovingly given to us.  It took about 15 minutes to realize that most things we own have some sort of sentimental value and would be towed across the country in the back of our moving truck.  Kory clearly did not agree with my decision to keep 90% of our belongings, but he managed to accept the fact that I wasn't ready to part with them and helped me stack up the numerous totes and boxes in preparation of loading the truck. 

Kory and his "lap" dog, Sam, pose for a photo while they take a break from packing.

6 days as Juror #6

Jury duty is service as a juror in a legal proceeding. When a person is called for jury duty in the United States, that service is usually not optional: one must attend or face strict penalties. Employers are not allowed to fire an employee simply for being called to jury duty. When attended, potential jurors may be asked to serve as a juror in a trial, or they may be dismissed.

This is what I knew of jury duty.  Never again will it be so simple... or seemingly impersonal.

Unfortunately, I was not one of the lucky few who were dismissed...  I was chosen to sit on a criminal case... which turned out to be 6 of the most overwhelmingly depressing days of my life.

Without warning, I was selected from several hundred people, which was narrowed down to a random unlucky 70, to an unluckier 25 to the unluckiest  13 and ultimately the final 12. 

(Kory and I had jury duty starting on the exact same day.  As expected, he was dismissed before lunch on day 1!)

Believe it or not, I was actually excited to sit on the jury.  Knowing so little about our legal system and the trial process, I was looking forward to learning all about it through a first hand experience.  This enthusiasm was replaced by feelings of nausea as soon as the case started and the first witnesses were called and started revealing the tales of secret torture they endured... all because of one individual, the defendant. 

I'm a firm believer in keeping perspective and counting our blessings... and this experience made me so overcome with both overwhelming gratitude for the blessings I get to experience on a daily basis and all the years of my life and at the same time, the most bone chilling disgust that people can be so awful to one another!  It was an emotional rollercoaster. 

Not only were we forced to listen to days and days of testimony about the horrors so many innocent people had to endure but we were also faced with determining if what we were hearing was factual... and if the person on trial should be held responsible for these actions the witnesses spoke of... without DNA... without physical evidence of any type!

When I left the courtroom on the afternoon of day 6, I felt completely desensitized.  Nothing could surprise me at that point.  All of the naivety was gone... the hope and energy just drained out and left behind on the court house steps.   When I turned the corner to walk around the court house to meet Kory at our arranged meeting spot, I ran into the victim.  Shocking.  Mor shocking was when the victim's family greeted me with a warm smile and a welcoming hug.  Is this normal?  It was confusing and enlightening and even inspiring... and just plain weird.  At that point, I felt like I was a character in a Lifetime movie! 

All I can do is pray for the family of the victim and hope that one day I understand why I was chosen from hundreds to listen to the real life nightmares of so many... For now, I still get sick to my stomach when I think about the vivid details that I was privy to as a juror...

This is the beautiful Denver court house... where all the craziness happens! : / My days of flirting with the idea of going to law school are gone forever, thanks to this experience.