Our Best Day Ever

Wedding pictures!

Like them?

Check our friends at Clique Photography out here.

LA for the Weekend...

Dan and I flew to LA this past weekend for Nana's funeral. It was a sad, solemn occasion, but also a time to celebrate Nana's life and the family and friends she so loved. I was so touched by the numerous stories about her.

Over and over I kept hearing similar stories- Families that were her neighbors decades ago and still were close friends, even down three generations.

I loved hearing about how she loved to dance and how she and Tata were always the first on the dance floor.

And how she was always worrying about everyone else. "Have you eaten yet?", she would always ask. Even if the answer was yes, she'd still make sure you had something to eat.

When I would stay with her she would ask me the same thing. Even though she was so frail and in so much pain, she worried about my comfort more than her own. I always had fresh towels and linens on my bed and she always wanted to know how I had slept.

One of my most treasured memories was her teaching me how to make rice on her old stove in her tiny kitchen. I may not make it with exactly the same touch, but when I make rice, I think of her.

I was so honored that Aunt Linda asked me to read a short poem after the funeral mass. I may not have know Nana the decades that others had, but it didn't matter to her. She welcomed me whole heartedly into her family as one of her own. And what touches me even more, is her love for Celia. In the short time they knew each other, they developed a very special bond. Celia's name was read as one of her great grandchildren at the mass. I was so touched that they included her. But, after this weekend I understood even more, that's just the way Nana was. It didn't matter if you were a true relation or not. Her love extended far outside the reaches of her immediate family. I hope to follow in her example!

We are blessed to have her as our beloved Nana! She will be missed, but I am so grateful I was able to be there for her funeral. I am so grateful to know that we will be with her someday and I know she'll be with Dan and I as we are sealed this next weekend.

Also this weekend I got to meet more of Dan's family and their family friends.

Good times!!

In Nana's example, they too welcomed me whole heartedly into the family. I don't think I've been kissed, hugged and congratulated so much in my entire life!

And the food! Plates and plates of scrumptious, homemade Mexican food!

I was in heaven!

I am so grateful to be marrying into the Soliz family!

Five days and counting...

9 Days and Counting...

Wow... could we pack any more into the next few weeks??

I'm swamped and that's an understatement!!

I just want to tell my mom and sisters thank you!! They are working so hard to put all the finishing touched on the wedding preparations. I'm going to have to be gone this weekend for the funeral and they have completely taken over. And if doing all my wedding preparations and watching Celia wasn't enough, they even planned a surprise girls night out a few nights ago. I got completely spoiled and was so surprised they had made time just so I felt special.

I really have the best support system ever!!

Mom, Randee and Tawny, thank you so very much!!

I love you!!

Dan and I got our temple recommends last night. We had our bishop's interview Tuesday and met with the Stake President last night. I can't describe what a joyous experience it was. President Jensen gave us the most inspired and beautiful advice and his testimony only added to my excitement to go to the temple.

It's been a long road in coming. But, now that I'm ready, I'm celebrating!

Ring

I just ordered Dan's ring today...

What do you think?

It's a good thing he browsed around. I would have picked something totally different.

I just have to say though... I got spoiled.

Mine's a lot more fun than his!

HE'S HERE!!!

Here that??

It's me celebrating!

My Daniel is officially a Utah resident!

As in he lives down the street from me. I love it!
My mom gave me a ticket to fly to LA Saturday night. I flew in, spent the night,

and then drove with him back to Utah.
So we had 14 hours all to ourselves in the car just to talk, laugh and just be together. I've missed that! With all the moving and visitation crap going on, we haven't had much time to just be together and I've missed him terribly. He's my best friend. I love just being with him. I love hearing his voice and holding his hand. It's the little things I appreciate most. Like, he always tells me he loves me before we say goodbye. I know he means it. I can see it in his eyes and feel it when he kisses me. He loves me. Just me. I don't have to be anyone or anything else and even after 14 cramped hours in the car, he still thinks I'm the most beautiful woman alive.

So I have a brilliant idea...
I think we're going to move the wedding date up!

No sense in waiting too long now!

I bought a wedding dress!!

And you'll never believe what I paid for it.... with tax and shipping, $38! Yep! You read right. I had seen these Monique Lhuillier dresses and fell in love with the designs.
But, since I so obviously don't have thousands of dollars to spend and wanted it temple ready, I knew I'd have to get creative.
So, here's the dress I bought. (minus the awful pink sash)


And with a little creative help from my mom, I'll have a gorgeous dress for under $100. Yay me!
Dan and I have set a budget of $500 total for the wedding. He doesn't quite believe me that we can do it. It's like a challenge now. I'm going to be making the invites and food. Our reception is going to more of a casual celebration with great food, close family and friends and hopefully in the backyard of of the house we want to buy. (Keep your fingers crossed!)
Oh, and we did finally set a date... September 29. Dan and I figured that the waiting, waiting, waiting was for the birds. So, we're going to make good things happen. And it looks like Dan will be here in Utah for good the first part of June. I'm all giddy just writing this. It's finally starting to feel almost real...