Better late than never 30 days of Thanks

At her surprise 60th birthday party.  Me, Sue and Marsha

I know I have been long absent, and I promise more about that later, but I'm going to try this 30 days of thanks thing first!  So I am starting a few days late but these first few days of November I am very very thankful for my future mother in law Sue Donaldson!

These first few days of November have been a little difficult because we found out our wedding venue will be closing at the end of November and we will need to find a new venue and possibly new date for  our wedding.

As you can imagine this was not the best news to receive for any bride.  However, I was with Sue when I came to learn this information and she has been so helpful and supportive.   I can't even begin to describe all of the amazing things Sue does for her family.  She is a wife, mother, grandmother, counselor and friend.  Here is to an amazing woman!!  I am so happy and honored to engaged to her son and a future Donaldson.

Thank you Sue!!!!!!!

Venues and Photographers and Dresses OH MY!

Hello Blogosphere! I know I have been absent for quite awhile, but it seems like I go away for a little in the summer every year and come back in the fall.  So since I last blogged I have been quite busy with the beginnings of wedding planning.  Ryan and I quickly realized that we wanted a summer wedding, and then once we decided to get married in the Seattle area we realized we would need to move fast.  Late summer (July and August) are PEAK wedding months in the Pacific Northwest.  (i.e. must book up to a year or more in advance)  We started our search in the immediate Seattle area, but quickly realized none of these would be for us.  We still really wanted a beach/destination wedding feel but close to home, our answer... The Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Washington.  

The Semiahmoo Resort 

Semiahmoo had all the elements that were really important to us on our wedding day.  Outdoor space, on the water, destination/vacation feel for our guests, and of course affordable!  The staff at Semiahmoo  also comes highly recommended as experts in the wedding business.  We went up for our initial visit in late June.  I immediately knew I wanted to marry Ryan and become Mrs. Donaldson on this lawn.

View from our room on our first visit 

Another view overlooking the ceremony space!

How else do you celebrate finding your venue but a little bubbly!

We have been back once to Semiahmoo and saw a small wedding taking place.  It made me even more excited for next year! I am so excited we have found the perfect venue to become husband and wife. And for our guests to have an amazing weekend away.

We have also been quite busy with other details.  Photography was an area Ryan and I both felt very strongly about making a priority.  While we were visiting wedding venues we looked through photography sample books.  Very, very early on in the process we found Alex Rubin of Rubin Photography.  We felt he captured moments and not just took pictures.  We quickly became stalkers to his blog and then set up meetings with him.  Ryan actually met with him first and it was bromance at first meeting.  I later met with Alex and also knew he was the "one" for us.  We are so excited to work with Alex and can't wait for our engagement pictures in a few weeks.

The other major area of planning has been around "the dress".  I don't want to reveal any details here but I can say I have been dress shopping two different times.  Once in Ohio with my mom, grandma a sister -  a very special moment with them.  And once here in Seattle with Ryan's mom and sister.  I think I am getting closer to finding "the dress" but I think maybe I also have watched a little too many episodes of Say Yes to the Dress.  

I promise to be a better blogger and to update you with all the wedding plans!

I said YES!!!

It's true folks... I'm engaged!!!!!! I am so super excited and in love with the most wonderful man and now we are getting married!  I will tell a quick story here and there will be much much more, this may turn into a wedding blog for a while :)  So here is the story...

Saturday was our two year anniversary of when we met here is a post of our one year anniversary trip to Chicago (Back to the scene of the crime ) and gives you all the background on how we met.  Long story short, we met at John Barleycorn's (recently named the douciest bar in Chicago) where I told Ryan no he could not by me a beer.  Anyhoo...back to Saturday.

We had a trip planned to Lake Chelan for the weekend but since it was so beautiful Ryan suggested we go down to the market to get some coffee before taking off on our trip.  So we did and it was beautiful.  So many wonderful memories in the market on my first trips to Seattle and when I first moved there.  We walked out to the pier area on the waterfront and he pulled out his camera and we started looking at pictures from my first trip to Seattle and his first trip to Chicago.  It was so wonderful to reminisce on those times together.  He then talked about how glad he was that I said no at first because it made him work harder to get to know me at first.  And then went on to how glad he was that I moved to Seattle to give us a real chance at being together.  And then he said "so today on our two year anniversary I want to ask you (he is getting down on one knee at this point - and I am thinking OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH) will you marry me?"

YES, YES,YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of jumping around and oh my gosh!  Hugging and Kissing and looking at a BEAUTIFUL diamond ring!

So pretty!!!! I love my ring!

Right after the proposal! We are so excited!

I promise there will be much much more as we start planning our wedding day and also on our great trip to Lake Chelan.  Enjoy these for now!

The Happiest Birthday on Earth

Our last full day of vacation was Ryan's birthday, I wanted to make it special and wonderful.  I wanted to have fun and make it a memorable day.  I had this small feeling that became much larger as the early morning went by that I REALLY wanted to go back to Disneyland.  But I understood it was Ryan's birthday and was willing to do whatever he wanted to do for his birthday.  As we were getting ready to go rent bikes in Newport Beach Ryan looked over at me and said I don't really want to go rent bikes.  With a little hesitation because I knew what I wanted to hear I asked "What do you want to do today, what you make you the happiest?!" He said "I just keep thinking I want to go back to Disney" And DONE! We were in the car less than 30 mins later headed back to the Happiest Place on Earth!  Best way to spend a birthday hands down!!!!!!

Most amazing sign in Disneyland as you enter

First ride on day 2 - Big Thunder Railroad, so fun

Big Thunder! We had such great weather both of our Disney days

I think this picture sums up, amazing fun even when you are getting soaked

Happiest Couple on Earth on Dumbo ride, my favorite from our Disneyland experience

After 2 days I could not resist these Minnie ears, everyone had them and I needed them too.  Sarah Minnie in front of Sleeping Beauty castle

Birthday boy Ryan on California Screamin' for about the fifth time, after my dizzy and seeing stars experience the first day I only went twice, so I stood on the bridge and took pictures and video

The birthday boy himself at the end of the night in front of his favorite ride Pirates of the Caribbean, I think we went on the ride 8 times over 2 days, I love it too!

Needless to say we had an amazing vacation and Disney experience, and we will be back again soon.  We are hoping to go with Ryan's sister and family in November just in time to see the new Carsland at California adventure and to finally ride Matterhorn!

California Here We Come!

After an amazing day at Disneyland, it was time to hit the beach, Huntington Beach- the Hyatt Resort right on the Pacific Ocean.  Time to rest, relax, and soak up some sun.  We also got to catch up a little with a sorority sister of mine from Miami.  Amanda Johnson and her boyfriend John met us for dinner at a lovely place called Javier's in Newport Beach.  It was wonderful to catch up with an old friend and for the  guys to make new friends, we are hopeful they will come and visit Seattle soon so we can return the hospitality.  Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take a picture of the long lost "sisters"but we all had a great time and hope to see each other soon.  On Wednesday, we took full advantage of the spa at our resort hotel 90 minute massages and all the luxe amenities.  

View of the pool and ocean from our room

It's always Mai Tai time on vacation!

Obligatory feet by the pool shot, I almost look tan!

And now for a Pina Colada!  Reading and soaking up the rays is hard work

The almost birthday boy enjoy a foot soak in the Pacific

Huntington Beach Pier

These beautiful birds of paradise lined the "spa grotto" a separate pool area that had multiple hot tubs and views of the ocean to boot, needless to say this was one of our favorite places to enjoy the sunset

Almost sunset at Huntington Beach

The Happiest Place on Earth

I know, I know, long long time no blog.  But here it goes...a few weeks ago Ryan and I took a much deserved vacation to California.  We road tripped down and had a fantastic trip, we discovered we are very good road trippers together.  Pandora radio definitely helped fill the time 80s and 90s pop reminded us of so many times in our past and we got to know each other even better.  What can I say it was great.  But the best part was Sunday night pulling into our hotel across the street from...DISNEYLAND!  I know it is exciting for people, but I have never been to either Disneyland or Disney World and I was so excited for my first time.  I couldn't even sleep the night before and we were ready to go in the park at 8:45am (the park opens at 9 am ).  I am not even sure if I could describe it in words now, it was incredible!  It seriously is the Happiest Place on Earth.  We spent all day at the park from open until past closing, my only hope was that I could come back someday soon.

Me with Walt and Mickey and Sleeping Beauty castle in the background

Pulling on the Sword in the Stone

Outside Haunted Mansion

Ryan sipping on a new favorite Disney drink - a Dole Whip Pineapple soft serve with Pineapple juice a little rum and it would be perfection ;)

Me with a Dole Whip

Indiana "Ryan" Jones

So sad Matterhorn was closed, guess I will have to come back after it reopens in July

Turkey Leg time!  A Disneyland food staple very yummy

The Happiest Couple on Earth on It's a Small World

California Screamin' there were very little lines on this wonderful Monday so we got to ride California Screamin' three times in a row, sure I was a little dizzy and seeing stars but it was totally worth it.

We hit the Disney Parade at the perfect time.  I got to see all the Princesses on their float, I have to say, I teared up and cried a little.  There was a part of me as a 5 year old girl seeing the princesses for the first time.  But that is that magic of Disney... you are transported to being childlike thus the Happiest Place on Earth

Snow White

Belle and Cinderella

The end of the night Ryan and me with Walt and Mickey.  This was one of the best days of my life! A few favorites: Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain!

Can I Do This??

So Physical Therapy is going pretty well.  I can stand and walk around without much difficulty now, thank goodness, I was going a little stir crazy there.  But I am getting really nervous about being able to do the marathon.  I haven't run in almost two weeks and my doctor and marathon veteran friends are saying I can still do it.  But I am not sure how.  I realize that it might not be the same race I would have run before the injury, but I still want to do this, I have been training and putting so much effort into everything I don't want to lose this dream.  I may not be able to start running until the middle of next week leaving only about 17 days before the marathon, any ideas for a training plan in that short of time?? Asking for help in the great big blogosphere, hopping to get some answers from anyone.