carly's b-day

Happy belated birthday Carly!! The big 3-3 on the 22nd!

We celebrated with fancy lunch at Tamayo, wii bowling and boxing and a super fancy night out to the Nutcracker!!

To finish off the night, we had drinks at the Cruise Room in the Oxford Hotel.

the curious case of benjamin button...

Well, the weather in Seattle was colder and much snowier than Minneapolis! I know, shocking.

On the 26th, I went to see Benjamin Button with another flight attendant and we loved it! It was a classic love story about 2 totally normal people, except that Mr. Button ages backwards. It is directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club and Zodiac) and the screenwriter (correct me if I'm wrong) also wrote Forrest Gump. It wasn't dark like Fincher's previous movies, but it is a magical story about life and love and how there should be no regrets. It the kind of movie that has kept me thinking for days now, and it also made me realize just how damn hot Brad Pitt is.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone. It is just beautiful with lovely cinematography and music, and although just under 3 hours, really captured my attention enough to where I didn't get up to use the bathroom! If you know me, that's quite impressive! The visual effects are so amazing that the flight attendant next to me asked where they found an old man just like Brad Pitt.

Hmmm. Anyway... Go see the film and report back on your favorite aspect or what you hated. Then you can dream about Brad as Benjamin on the motorcycle! Hehehe!

merry xmas...

I honestly think our lives are getting back in order. We now have 2 new car windows (or newish from the junk yard) and one new car battery! My car's battery was low, then the stupid temperature was only 0 last sunday and the battery obviously didn't start. After 4 pilots, one ramper and I tried and tried to start the car for an hour, it was clear it wasn't going anywhere. Then the dang temperature set a record by dropping to -19 at the airport, that had nothing to do with anything except it was REDICULOUS!

After all the crud that has happened, I am finally getting into the holiday spirit, and yes, its slightly delayed. Tony and I got the tree and trimmings up two days ago. It is now full of gifts underneath thanks to our loverly family.

On the 23rd, we had some semi-celebs on the plane. Have you heard of Hall & Oates? I thought so. No, they weren't there, but John Oates' parents were! It was just funny to think they were on their way to see their son in Philly for xmas.

I am now going to seattle to brave the rare snow for xmas day. Tomorrow, like a total fool, I will go to the mall of america in Minneapolis, but I am planning on seeing Benjamin Button! I am very excited! I will give the official review after.

Happy christmas!!!

happy holidays and haircuts...

Yep, its the holidays again and of course I will have to work on xmas and new years. I have basically no time off from the 20th until the 2nd of January. It is sad, but I guess it's life. We have been trying to set up the house with xmas decorations, but so far there is one string of lights in the front window, barely visible from the outside. Hopefully I will be inspired in the next couple days to put up the rest.

I did start the holiday cheer by making some super delicious gingerbread people! I was a gingerbread virgin, but I am a total pro now. They turned out super yummy! They are especially wonderful dipped in cool whip, which has spawned an out break of talking like Family Guy and "coowhip". If you haven't seen the episode, then you just don't get it and that's too bad.



Onto the other subject in the title...

I am getting tired of my boring old, grown out dark hair. I am usually changing my hair so often that people at work don't even remember me, and yes, that's a fact. I have hardly changed my hair in the last two years. It is dark and growing, and that to me is just boring! I think I have decided on a new hair style!!! YAY!

Well, the style happens to be Katy Perry's haircut. I love her music, for some odd reason, and Tony just thinks she's super hottt!




But I am worried about the bangs. I usually wear my hair curly at work and most of the time striaght bangs with curly hair looks like crap! What to do!? I am also going back to my original color maybe with some random highlights!

Oh on a totally different note, I finally got a window for my car! I can now drive to work!!!

Yes, I am lame with the bloggin lately! Sorry. A lot has happened, so enjoy the info. Here's the newest news and totally random thoughts...

Well, a couple of weeks ago i applied at Metro State in Denver so I can go back to school. It makes me wanna vomit just a bit at the thought of it. I truely hate school and would love to never attend again, but seeing as I hate my job, I think maybe i should get on it. YIKES! I really really hate leaving so often, and I can't figure out if its from the new house or newly married, but being gone for at least 2.5 weeks a month isn't really doing it for me anymore. I have begun to hate the process to even get to work...laundry, pack clothes, pack food for 4 days, leave 1.5 hours early for work, park in a giant open lot, take a bus to the airport and wait around until i meet my crew. I think the thing I loathe the most is TSA. They are just horrible. I know everyone has dealt with them at one time or another, but to deal with them everyday in every city, really takes a toll on a person. I brought my butter knife onboard as I have done for 2 years, and they took it in Houston the other day. They are so very inconsistant. Waking up early East coast time, then the next morning early morning show on the west coast, really does a number on your internal clock.

OK enough negative nancy!

In other news, I made some super bitchin stir fry a couple weeks ago. It really was fab. Oh Paula Deen you are amazing, even if you usually put 2 pounds of butter in everything!

We had such a wonderful early thanksgiving! Carly, matt, friend faith, tony and I celebrated on wednesday with every fixin. Carly, Faith and I spent thursday in Indianapolis so we went to Australia, the movie, not the country! It was so fantastic but has gotten so many bad reviews, although I have read the reviews in USA today, US weekly, and other smut magazines. I highly recommend it, and no it isn't as romantic like I thought.

On a super aweful note, Tony and I have had two, count them 2, car break-ins in the last month! It has been just terrible. The broke into both cars through the front passenger windows, and took Tony's stereo and ruined his dash. My stereo is stock and the cd player in the trunk kind, so they didn't want it. We still haven't gotten a new window yet as it just happened last week. Carly and I were off to see Twilight when we found my window. I just started screaming. I also found tony's the same way earlier in the month on my way to work. The cops said corner houses in the area were getting hit like crazy! We can't move our house, so we cleaned out the garage and actually parked the car there! Novel idea, I know!

Oh and don't worry, carly is such a good friend, she took me to twilight later in the day, and yes, we loved it!

Hope you enjoyed the lengthy and long-awaited post, I know you have been holding your breath for a new info! Oh and happy December 1st from Austin!

This is Halloween...

Yes, this is Halloween! Sadly, Tony and I are both working tomorrow and don't even have the chance to do anything festive. He is working until midnight, but wearing white and black make-up! I am leaving for hot-lanta tomorrow afternoon and don't return until the 2nd. Poo! I am just putting braids in my hair and I am going as Wednesday Addams! That's about all I can do for work. Good thing my uniform is black!

So we had ourselves quite the ghoul fest tonight, instead. First off, Sleepy Hollow, pizza, daffy apples, popcorn balls, then The Nightmare Before Christmas while carving pumpkins. We might watch Corpse Bride after that.

Here are our pumpkins...




It's Jack Jack the Pumpkin King


"Agent" Skully the Skeleton and Wink the Emoticon!!


Our front door, all halloweened out!

totally random...

Yes, today was crap! Thanks for asking. Are you supposed to be truthful when people are just asking politely? Hmmm, interesting.

I decided to take tony's car to work, instead of mine. I was already running late, of course, when I found his front passenger window smashed out, dash torn up with the cd player gone. I went to work in my car, all the while feeling horrible for leaving tony with a busted out window for 4 days.

I get to work to find out I was overpaid on my last paycheck, so now they will deduct the same overage from my paycheck on the 5th! It keeps getting better and better!

We also realize tonys car only has liability coverage, so the expenses will be out of our pocket!

This isn't bad, but funny...

I read a sarah palin interview in people about herself and husband. She was asked if she heard the person at one of her rallies yelling about "killing Obama." She never heard such things, but would dissaprove of such talk. Well, that's a relief! They interviewer went on to ask what she thought of Obama, and Palins answer was something like, "I have never met him." Oh jeez! I like how she has no response when asked if she likes him. What does she read... Some book on 9/11 for fun! Such great material!!!

I am flying with a woman who is so upset that her daughter is voting for obama and not mccain! Don't you think a parent would be happy that their own child has the freedom and will to vote. Isn't this what adults do? Make their own decisions, even if that's different from the parent.
Be proud of your child for having a voice and the courage to vote in such a historic election!

I must be emotional from the stress of today. I am drinking wine at the hilton minneapolis, watching bourne suppremacy, and blogging like a mad woman on my new blackberry!

I also have to be up at 4, go back to denver, a salt lake turn, then on to kansas city! I will be even more exhausted tomorrow. Maybe I can whine enough to my captain tomorrow to get him to buy me a drink or dinner. Don't feel bad for him, he makes tons of money and it has happened more than you think it would! Good old rich fellas. Don't get any ideas, I am a married lady!

Well, goodnight early, bloggers. I have a long day o' flyin tomorrow!

Nothing says romance like...

having a plumber at your house for 4 hours, just a mere 6 days after you get married!

Here's the whole story...

During the weekend of the wedding, with 6 people staying at the house, the plumbing backed up and basically stopped working. It was great. Tony went to Matt's house to shower and I went to my mom's hotel the day of the wedding! It was fantastic. The plumbing has been ok for the last few days. With all the people staying over, there are lots of sheets and blankets to wash. I took them to the laundromat yesterday, forgot detergent, so I brought my stuff back home. Like the total idiot that I am, I thought one load of laundry wouldn't hurt. Boy, I was sure wrong! I flooded the garage, as the laundry room is in the garage. I was hysterically crying and taking boxes of all my photo albums and negatives (and there are thousands of photos) in the backyard and unpacking them. None were ruined, by the way, LUCKILY!!! Tony raced home and we cleared out the garage. We have been needing to do it for quite sometime, and this was a really good excuse. We also decided to have an emergency garage sale with all the stuff we have been piling up for months now! I called a guy, who is a friend of a friend of the family, and said we could get a deal. He said he could come over at 7:30 the next morning.

So the plumber has been here since 7:40 and it is now 11:30!! I am wondering what kind of a deal we will get, or else what savings we will have to dip into to pay for this!!!

Isn't it the most romantic story?

I am typing this from the garage during the garage sale. I have made a whopping dollar, so far. Good old adorable neighborhood girl bought a purse from me!! I am going to sit out here all day and might even tomorrow. Although it's suppose to snow tomorrow for the first time this season, but whatever. We need this crap gone. I suppose Savers or Goodwill might get a really good truckload full of stuff.

It should be called "help-us-pay-for-our-plumbing sale!!!"

done, finally...

Wow. It only took me 2.5 months to get this stupid extra bedroom perfect and ready to be slept in, but its all over now! JEEZ! I have gone back and forth about the paint colors so many times. It could have practically been a rainbow, but don't worry, its not.

Because I couldn't sleep a couple of weeks ago (all from the stupid colors), I rummaged through all kinds of papers and found just what I was looking for... a paper torn from Domino magazine (an interior design mag, that I just love). It was a beautifully painted room with corals and light pinks. I have always loved it, but never thought Tony would let me paint something so lady like, but he consented (one of the many reasons why I love him) and I jumped on it.

The official colors are Indian Dance (coraly-salmon) and Pink Parfait (baby pink). It is beautiful! Two walls of each color and the doors in pink. I plan on keeping it very clean and tidy, when I am not crafting or wedding-ing, with funky shit on the walls. Good plan? I think so!

Again I will do the before and after, as it is a HUGE change!

before (yipes, so scary!)

yes there are 2 windows back there, if you can see them!

AFTER



Yes, I love the colors. It really makes me feel like an adult just by painting the walls! YEAH!!

It's Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez now!!!

Yes, its true, Tony and I are married after 6 years! We had so much fun with all of our family in town. We had family and friends from Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho, California, Wisconsin (sorry if I am missing any), and we even had family from Norway and Mexico!! I never thought I would get all of the people that I love in one room. Seems like it would never happen, but it did.

I am seeing some random photos, but I would love to see any if you took some. I have set up a flickr site to show all the wedding related photos. There will be hundreds of photos from not only the 4th, but from bachelorette parties, pampering, dinners and more. This is the link... wedding photos. I am still waiting for the official photos from my cousin, Josh, so those will be added very soon. Please email your photos to me at emerald622@msn.com!!

The rehearsal dinner consisted of tacos and all other Mexican related food at our new house in the backyard! We had our immediate families and wedding party there to celebrate. Not only did we have 20+ people at our house, but the plumbing was completely backed up. I think it is too old with too many guests at one time! We rehearsed, ate and chatted for a while. It was great to be relaxed and with close family and friends!

The day of the wedding Tony went with his friends, Matt, Phil, and Josh to get real shaves at Floyd's Barbershop. At the same time, I went with 3 bridesmaid's, Carly, Liz and Anneliese to the MAC store to get our faces painted with their heavy duty make-up. We had lunch and we all met at the Museum to begin setting up. The clouds looked very ominous and stormy, as there was a slight chance of rain that might ruin our outdoor ceremony. It sprinkled for a minute, but cleared up before the ceremony.

I had a freak-out moment b/c of ceremony music, but it was not a big deal! Sorry, to Adam, I love you!!! It was so beautiful outside, I think it was just perfect. The ceremony was very short and sweet. We did the family photos, wedding party photos, and finally made our grand entrance to the reception to David Bowie's "Let's Dance". The buffet commenced, while Tony and I mingled. Tony and I ate a cupcake, then Dad and I had our Father/Daughter dance. We mingled more, the beer ran out, we walked around the museum and took couple photos. The party died down fairly early, so we moved our reception to Matt and Carly's house with about 20+ other people. We stayed until 3am, got back to the house and opened presents until 4:30am.

The next morning, Tony and I met the Kemm side of the family at Annie's resteraunt on Colfax for a breakfast. We had the same group over to the house again that night for all the left over BBQ from the reception. It was great having a nice day to hang out with family.

I fell asleep last night, after everyone left at 10:00 and didn't wake up for a full 12 hours! I have been completely out of it today, just trying to adjust to having the house to ourselves again. I think the cat feels the same way! We did go shopping with gift cards to Target, Crate and Barrel, and West Elm. Wow! We got a ton of such great things. We needed so much of it and really just wanted replacements of the others!

Thanks to everyone who made it to the wedding, or even just thought of us if you weren't able to make it. We had a wonderful time, and I think it showed the real us, with how we organized things! We had so much help from so many people. I do feel bad that I wasn't able to say hello to everyone, but I am just now realizing it, so, sorry!!

I will add some photos once I get some, but please go to our flickr site and download them and print them if you like!

love you all and thanks for all your support...

bachelorette party, wedding plans, and one more stupid trip...

Yes, Carly threw me a Bachelorette Party. Yes, she had me decked out in the most disgusting paraphernalia she could find. And yes, it was a total bust. No one showed up to our little party, so we made a big deal out of it with only 4 people! Carly, Me and yes, Tony and Matt. The brave fiances came out with us when its just a gals night out. Well, since we had some dudes with us, we had to do something crazy and kinda manly. What's more manly than a strip-club! La Boheme is rated the classiest strip club in Denver, if that's even possible. It was a fun and hilarious night. The strip club was fun, really nasty and even more disgusting!

Luckily we moved the night on to a different bar, Double Daughters, after a couple drinks. It was more fun and relaxed for us all. We took lots of retarded pics and drank a lot more! Those guys were a great sport and that's why we love them!!!












Wow too crazy a night! It was a bit hard to recover if you know what I mean!!!

As for the wedding plans, they are all falling into place so very nicely. I am done planning as I better be with 11 days to go. I still have tons to do, craft, buy and finish. I am a bit overwhelmed so I am really mad I have one more stupid trip to do. I will be back on Saturday so I have a full week to get my life in order finally! A total of 2 whole weeks for me to relax or stress and plan the wedding and recover! Perfect!!! I really can't wait.

Are you as excited as I am? Probably not.
Are you as stressed as I am? Probably not.

Yeah that's right!!!

4 and 6.

4 weeks til the weddin! Yowza! It is really getting close. Yes, I am practically counting down the days. Lets see...what do I have ready? Oh, wait that's a lot of stuff done...so, what do I need to do?

set up and decorate the Cupcake Tree for my 200 cupcakes
buy beer and wine
print programs
order flowers
set up and decorate the arch thingy for us to be married under
buy candy for tables
make tablecloths and the veil on my hat
and I am sure many more things to do before the 4th

With all this going on I can't forget the fact that Tony and I are celebrating our 6 year anniversary tomorrow! And of course this wedding wouldn't be happening if it weren't for he and I. It is quite unbelievable that we have been together for so long, and now we will be starting over with a new anniversary and new years.

We met at the Community College of Denver, in our photo 101 class. We have a special place in our hearts for our photo professor, Lincoln, since we started our relationship there in his darkroom. He complimented me on my awesome pink suede Pumas and I told him how bitchin his watch was, and the rest is history.

With in just a few months of dating, he drove me all the way to Tulsa for Thanksgiving. He had driven me to Colorado Springs to take me to the airport for my flight, when it was completely full (and of course I was stand-by, and this was way before I knew all the flying details). I was hysterically crying and he offered to just drive me the 11 hours, and i jumped on the offer before he changed his mind. I was surprising my mom for the holiday, and boy was she shocked. Little did she know we would get married 6 years later!

I am very excited about the wedding, but more excited to call Tony my husband. Although, we are "married" (as classy as common law is) through Frontier to be able to get my benefits, it will be wonderful to be real. I don't know if a wedding is really the best way to show someone you love, but it will be so wonderful to see the entire family and so many of our friends all together in one room.

I can't wait to marry Tony pants!!

yes my thumb is green and thanks for asking...

...But my fingernails are black. It only took me 5 hours and a great friend to get a ton of stuff done in the backyard today! Luckily the temperature was only a high of 70 degrees today, but the damn Denver sun is so blazingly close it felt like 90, then you stand in the shade and tis grand again.

before



AFTER



(I can't pull these tree roots, :( POO!)

There were three large bushes and their roots against the fence and today I pulled all 3!! Each took about an hour and Matt doubted I could pull it off (pun intended), but I showed him. Although each one was so difficult at the end that I needed his help. The last of the roots was the hardest to get out, but it could have been b/c we had been working in the sun for hours! The best part when we finally pulled it out of the dirt, it looks just like baby! Poor little baby roots torn away from its momma dirt! TOO BAD!

I also whacked all those 3 foot high weeds the other day, while tony mowed the front. It is really looking great around here, but, my GOD, there is so much yard junk to take care of! I think I will get it all planned out so I will know how much sod to buy. I want tons of gardens, too, which is all the better for not mowing!

We dug and dug and dug today until we could dig no more.

This is the baby root. Don't you see it? What a cry baby!


next up... ROTO-TILLER FUN!!!

before & AFTER

Ok, I have really been getting things in order around the house. Although I have been working 6 days in a row and this is so different from any normal job, as I am gone for 6 days straight. I had one day off yesterday and I am gone for another 5 days starting in a few hours. My one day off is always the same; unpack, do laundry, re-pack, eat a real home cooked meal, kiss tony goodbye and I am off again. Luckily next month I have a somewhat regular schedule; 4 day on, 5 off, 3 days on, 4 off and so on. I have a lot to do before the wedding, as I want to get the house perfect before everyone gets to town!

We have gotten 3 out of the 5 rooms painted and designed how we want, so far. The living room is Polaris (gray/blue), the kitchen is Rolling Hills (avocado/lime), and our bedroom is Coffee and Sky Gray (self-explanatory). The Bathroom will be sea foam green eventually, once we decide whether the cabinets are staying or going. As for the other bedroom, I am thinking something really crazy like fuchsia, but I don't know yet.

Here are our before and after photos of the rooms so far...

bedroom before

BEDROOM AFTER


kitchen before


KITCHEN AFTER


living room before


LIVING ROOM AFTER



Nothing is completely finished yet, but it looks so much better than when we first started, but you can get a feel of how the house will look when it is going to be perfect! It might seem to take forever, but it has to be done in 6 weeks.

The next huge tackle will be the back yard! It is so awful, but luckily Tony's dad had 2 extra weed-eaters and we get one! Once you see the pictures, you will understand our plight to whack it all down and start fresh...




Yes, that's a 6-foot privacy fence and yes, the weeds are up to 3 feet high. Stupid rainy weekend and too much sunlight. When we walk to the gate in the back, through the jungle, all the weeds pollenate on your pant legs and tint everything green. Great for Tony's allergies!

Good luck, right? HELP!!

Shower, #2

Oh I just love my friends! My oldest best friend asked if she and her mom could throw me a bridal shower in my home town of Broken Arrow, OK! How could I resist? It gave me a chance to see my old teachers, high school friends and my family! It was such great fun. A couple of my mom's best friends helped out with the party. Enjoy the pics...

The "R" cake

The fancy gift table, with my rediculous amounts of presents!!!

These are my wonderful hostesses, Anneliese, Lana, Juli and Paula

Mom's school buddies (aka ex-coworkers)

3 Generations

Delicious spread

Mombo and I

Grandma and I

Loverly Presents


High School buddies

A reenactment of our prom photo

Kathy and Lizzy

The Stockwell Gang

Auntie Nancy and Grandma








I came home with such a haul of really great presents. I got so many kitchen utensils, that my kitchen drawers look like the aisles of Target! Yes, I did get the Jack LaLaine Power Juicer and boy was I super excited! I got more towels in Chocolate Brown, a beautiful vase, 2 sets of sheets, card games and board games, and lots of gift cards! Oh everyone was so generous. THANKS SO MUCH!!!