Engagement Party In Rockford

Before I moved to the great state of Iowa I lived in IL my entire life. I actually lived a large portion of it in Rockford, IL. When I moved to the Quad Cities and started telling people where I was from thy would say "that's a suburb of Chicago" Technically it isnt but I let people think whatever they want. It has become a big joke with the Haluska's as well! Two of my dearest friends from Rockford now live in California. They are also my Maid of Honor and Bridesmaid. They came back a few weeks ago to celebrate the engagement with me in our old hometown of ROCKFORD!

The day started with us meeting at Granite City and the girls opened their Bridesmaid shirts.

During the day we shopped and then headed back to Lindsay's to get ready to go to our favorite dinner place which is a Japanese Sushi Steakhouse JMK!

Lindsay found this PINK Saki and said we HAD to have it since that is color of my wedding! It actually was delicious!

Our good friend Marc came into town from Chicago. We went to High School together and the three of us girls adore Marc! He actually took all three of to dances when we were in high school! IT was great to see him and we always have a great time laughing and talking about the future and past memories.

During the night Sammi would show of my Bling we got this picture of her actually doing it! Cracks me up!

Finally, they asked me what it feels like to be in love and engaged and this is what I did:

Such good times thanks girls!!!!

Holiday Decorating and Entertaining!

Hello Again,

Have I mentioned I LOVE TO ENTERTAIN!!!! I love to create a menu, invite the fun and loving people in my life, decorate, and COOK! Besides Entertaing I like to decorate. Since I started blogging I started following DIY decorating blogs and have found a slew of ideas on them. If you look at Just one check out Thrifty Decor Chick!! She is awesome!

Ok now on to some decorating:

This is a wreath that I started our color scheme for the tree was a bright green and red and I wanted a wreath to coordinate the door. When I first started this wreath I got completly frustrated and Joey took over and what a great job he did! Who knew he was crafty!

This is the banister is one of my favorite parts about the house. It matches the woodwork around the house and for Christmas we put garland, lights and ornaments. It really spruced up the foyer.

Last week on Tuesday night Joey had in my family in for a dinner party to begin the Christmas season.

The menu:

Appetizer: Chicken Bruschetta and Lemon Garlic Shrimp

Main Course: Ribs, Cheesy potatoes, 7-layer salad, biscuts

Dessert: Oreo and Cake Balls

This day our brand new dining room table was delivered from Des Moines and we had to wait over two months but it was completely worth the wait.

Joey had this arrangement delievered the day of the dinner party it matched the tree with green and red colors- He thinks of everything! Thanks Joe!

The Kids Table

The gang eating dinner!!!!

My Mom, Uncle Ken, and Aunt Susan

The name cards I had in front of everyone's plate!!

Next Blog: Christmas with the famalies!

Christmas Tree and Entertaining!

Greetings,

It has been awhile since I blogged but I decided that the holidays should be spent with my family and not the computer. This is going to seem dated but I figured that I would show pictures of our first Christmas tree together.

This was Joey's first "real tree" He wasnt too excited about it at first but once he got going he was feeling GOOD!!! Straight the first try- WAY TO GO JOE (in my cheer voice)

Once Joey got the Tree up he celebrated with some VINO- it seems that the more VINO you drink the better the decorations go up!!!!!! What fun we had !!!!

Our Finished Project:

Many Laughs!!!!

Many Memories

And a Very Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next Blog: Holiday Decorating and Entertaining!

The Meaning of Christmas To ME!

I have been thinking alot about Christmas and what it means to me. When I first think of Christmas I think of my memories as a child. I think about how special Christmas Eve has been to be because of my family and the traditions we have togethter. I think about the rush down the stairs to see what Santa had brough and asking my Poppy every year" how did he get away this year?" Now that I am older I have such a greater APPRECIATION for this time. I realize that we are celebrating one of my favoite people's birthday and if you dont know him on a first name basis his name is GOD!!! Secondly I realize that this time I have with my family is sacred.

The past couple of weeks have been so busy with family tasks, wedding planning and preparing for Christmas. I really hadnt felt excited yet about Christmas until a few days ago when I was at my grandparents (grammie and poppy) having dinner. I was feeling tired and stressed to say the least, when "Charlie Brown's Christmas" came on. I was doing dishes when my Grammie demanded that I come out and watch it with them. It only took a few minutes to relax and by the time it ended I felt completly filled with the CHRISTMAS SPIRIT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the spirit of Charlie and his dear friends who helped him prepare for the season!!!

I wish all of my followers of this blog, family and friends a very Merry Christmas !!!!!!! Hark the Herald Angel sing Glory to the New Born King !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next Blog: GUESS WHAT . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SNOW DAY

Many people experienced the first snow storm of the season last week!!! We were hit hard in the Davenport area and I stayed home!!! I tried it make it a producitve day with decorating and wedding planning!!!!!!





I had to post this below picture of Joey working away. He is always shoveling away!!!!!!!





WAY TO GO JOE!!!!!!!!

Dont you just love the white spots that is the snow falling!!!!!!!!! Enjoy the snow everybody!

Will You Be My Flowergirl???

If you are not famaliar with my She She's let me introduce them to you:

Grace, Caroline, and Madeline our my Uncle Don's three girls! They are my cousins but with such a large age differnece it feels more like they are my nieces and I am their aunt! This past Sunday I headed up to Wheaton to spend the night and have lots of fun and ask two little girls a very imprtant question.

Caroline and Madeline giving each other sister love before the play

Grace and Sue after the play-Grace did a great job and looked like a pro on the stage!

I gave Madeline and Caroline a book called " The Little Flower Girl" and a flowergirl paperdoll book to get them in the mood for the big day!!!!

I had to include this picture because after the two little flowergirls went to bed Grace, Sue and I sat up and looked through my bride magazines and did all wedding talk. I had Grace put my ring on and took a picture. She is a natural. Now when I look at this picutre I know one day that she will be engaged and we will look back at this picutre with such fond memories.

Needless to say Sue and I couldnt wait and the next morning we took the girls to try on dresses!!! What fun we had the girls we such good sports and loved trying on all the different kinds and standing on "the stage" twirling!!

Like Every Flowergirl Should!!!

Next post: SNOW DAY

DRESS SHOPPING!

This past weekend some of my family and I went DRESS SHOPPING!!!!





And what fun we had!!!!!!!!!





This is something that I have dreamt about since a little girl so the antcipation was killing me to get started! I preped that week by working out hard and a little bit of tanning!!!!!


My mom, aunt Karen, and grammie went.

We had a great time!

It was very interesting because I went into the day thinking I knew exactly what I wanted but to my surpise I ended up loving something different.

We didnt find the one that day but I know the one for me is right around the corner! Sorry to say though once I do find "the one" I wont be able to post pictures because my Groom is a frequent visitor of this blog!!!

Next post: Will you be my flowergirl???

Wedding Update #1

I have been busy blogging this week, and I hope I can keep it up. I have decided that once a week I will do a wedding entry. I am thinking it could be anything from what I am working on that week, to my feelings of preparing for the event. ANohter great thing is that Joe has decided to guest write and give the groom's perspective. I am beyond EXCITED to see what he writes. Joe is extremly talented at writing so get ready for some great blogs. We have picked the date:

AUGUST 21st 2010

What the Bride has to say: Well. .. . First I must say that I have dreamed about my wedding since I was a little girl. I would beg my mom to buy me wedding magazines when I was 12 years old and she fed my obession well. One thing I have come to realize is that I want to cherish every minute of this process. I know that I must remember that when I become stressed about something to do with the wedding I must remember "why am I doing this all?" because I want to spend the rest of my life with Joe forever and ever. I promise my next wedding entry wont be so sappy but for all you gushy people out there enjoy!

What the Groom has to say: I may not have dreamed about my wedding since I was 12 but I have always wondered who I would spend the rest of my life with. I found everything I could want in a woman when I met Erin. The wedding process is an interesting one, you would think everything would fall in line for your perfect day but it takes some work. The only thing that really matters is that Erin and I are next to each other on August 21st, then everything will be ok. I look forward to the whole process, no matter how it goes and it looks like I may be updating everyone on things as well as my wife to be on this blog.

Thanksgiving

This year was my first year in Iowa!!! It was great to be with both the Zanoni and Haluska side. Joe and I started our Thanksgiving drive bright and early and made our first stop with the Zanoni's side. We got to meet Tammy's niece Baby Dylin who is cuter than a bug's ear!!!! After that we headed down the road to Pella, Iowa!!!!!

Once we arrived at the Howard House Joey and I were greeted with many hugs from the following:

Ellie and her blue eyes!!!!!

Here is a picture of the whole gang!!!!!

Thank you Haluska's and Zanoni's for a great THANKSGIVING!