Wedding Wednesday

You know that time I said I would be a better blogger and I failed at it day 1????

Yea...... it will be hard but I will get back.

I am leaving for vacation Saturday so I will be gone next week and come back with a post that following Monday.

(By the way thanks to all the blogger LOVE on Friday!! Loved it!)

So any whoooo.... in the world of my wedding I paid the second deposit on our venue today! It's not exciting to lose money but yay! It's getting closer!! Only 21 Months to go!!

So the weekend after our vacation is our ENGAGEMENT PARTY!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

I have been looking forward to this for months!! And it is finnaly here!!! I will have a whole post on it after the fact. Maybe even have a lead up of wedding posts before it!

But, this Sunday I am finally annoucing my Bridesmaids on vacation!! I am super excited for that and to see all their reactions!! And my Aunt is in charge of pictures so I will have tons!! I will also let you know what I am giving each Bridesmaid as a gift :) So excited for that as well!!

Sooooo, to end the post will be a picture of the engagement invites that I sent out to everyone :) super proud of them and loved how it turned out! And yes I designed them myself :)

((Where it says "engagement celebration" plays off the decorations of lanterns I will be having! So there is a purpose!!))

Happy Wednesday!!

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday's Letters I have missed you! These posts always make me so happy! Dear Lake Hopatcong I miss you come back into my life (loving photoshoots at work!!) Dear Shea I see you tomorrow which is really Friday but I am posting this on Thursday because I can't post this on Friday....so yea... I see you in 24 hours!! whoop whoop!! Dear Work I lover you lots. I am so glad I found an awesome job which I can't wait to get to everyday! Dear Weather thanks for being horrible and knocking my dish network out at the hotel and boring me to tears!! Not fair :( Dear Dish Network why does anyone have you???!! You stop working at the drop of one rain drop and are in a fight with a different network every week!!! Dear Hotel Can you tell all children under the age of 15 to be in bed by 10pm at least so I don't have to hear them run around at midnight!! Dear Shea (cause lovable fiances always get 2!) Can't wait to go to the yankees game Saturday!!! And have fun summer activities!!

I am back bloggers! Happy Friday and happy weekend! :)

Checking In

I have been the worst blogger ever.... worst in history...

But, then I look back at not blogging for almost a month and I don't feel bad about it.

I don't feel bad about not taking a picture this past weekend when Shea and I went mini-golfing...or on July 4th when all the family came over.

Yes, it would be nice to have a picture to look at that, but then I just love relaxing and having the memory with me also.

That feels just as good. That still feels right.

I am still alive. Still kicking!

Just living in a hotel for 3 MORE WEEKS!! I can't believe it's almost over.

But, then again I am glad it's almost over.

I LOVE my job. LOVE LOVE LOVEEE! 

I just don't love being away from family.

Having to skype my dinners or hear laughter over a phone call and not know why they are laughing.

It sucks, and can ultimately put you in a depression.

I would hate it more or be more unhappy if I didn't LOVE my job, and weren't counting down the days!

Right now I go to work 9-6 then come home and sit in my hotel for the rest of the night. How boring does that sound?? You would think I would have been an A+++ blogger than.

But, I wasen't I would sit here and be unhappy and watch TV. I actually lost 8lbs! Not huge but when I get unhappy I don't eat, not the other way around.

I guess it can be a good thing.

But, Shea and I talked on how we were both unhappy and needed to do things even if we were apart to make us happy. We both couldn't come home from work and sit in front of the TV. (YES!! you heard that right! Shea got a job finally a couple weeks ago!! So proud of him!!)

So here's to more blogging, exercising!, and happiness for 3 more weeks! (And where one week I go on vacation!! whoop!)

I can get through this I can make it and be home in no time, and then look back and miss the hotel life! 

Well you can't have everything :)

A Hotel Life

Helllooooo! I'm back!

Soooo my fabulous news which you probably figured out by now is that...... I GOT A NEW JOB!! yayyyyyyy!!

I am beyond excited for this new job!! My first day was yesterday and it went sooo sooo well!! The people here are amazing and so helpful, and I LOVE working for a coporation over a small company so far! But, that's just me :)

So, my job is out of state right now until they move to New Jersey at the end of August so, Monday thru Friday I am living in a hotel!!

It's crazy! But, the hotel and area are nice and I am loving it so far! The hotel has a fitness center...an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, laundry, kitchens inside the room, It's great!

My fridge is currently stocked with apples, carrots, ranch dressing, deli meats, bread, yogurt, and vitamin water. My grocery shopping will hopefully improved haha!

Below are pictures of my hotel....

Skype is always needed when your away from your hubby to be :)

End of a Very Short Era

Since I graduated college a year ago..

I have been commuting to the city

and working in the city

My dad has been my commuting buddy

Or I actually "his" commuting buddy

We get on the train together and he gets off at Newark Penn Station

Giving me a kiss on my forehead

A whispered "I love you"

And a sweet smile

And I stay on the train till New York City

It was been like that for a year...

You take for granted the time you spend together

The morning commentary

talking about the weekends' events

or the news on the radio

We would listen to music sometimes

Make jokes at each other's expense

Comment on my dad's driving

Some days we would drive in all the way to my dad's work

Where I would then have him drop me off at the path station

and I would continue on to New York

The long car rides were the best

We would talk the whole time

Laugh at each other

Laugh at him as he curses a bad driver

He cracks me up

I have always been a daddy's girl

I have cherished the time I have spent with him this past year

It's moments that the other 4 kids did not get with him

It's the moments that thinking about them make me teary eyed

I have the special bond with him every morning

The commuter bond.

We know how it is to get up at 6am Monday-Friday

We have to be out the door around 7am

Make a 7:30am train

We know how it feels when a train is late

When a train changes from express to local!

When you get on to a train just to find out it's broken down

To not find a seat on a train and have to stand

To have to sit in the awkward seat across from the bathroom (i hate that seat!)

To deal with annoying commuters who talk loud in the morning

the ones on their cell phone screaming

The babies crying

How it feels to have a power outage on the line and no access to New Jersey

Sitting in a hot train station

Waiting for a train for hours

Forgetting your in the "quiet car" and getting yelled at

We have had a lot of memories

Ones I wouldn't trade for anything

Ones that I will miss in the coming months and years

Ones that could never compete with anything else

Now, I take a new job that is not in the city

One that will change my life upside down for the time being

One where I have to drive every morning (without my daddy)

One where I will be living in a hotel for the months of July and August

One that has no train or daddy to comfort me

Last day commuting together :( my daddy and I cried

It's a big change

But, I am so excited to take on this change

excited for this new adventure!

Big changes, and great memories

But nothing

I mean NOTHING

could take the place of my commuter bond with my daddy :)

ooo and ADIOS New York!!

Pictures: Movies and New Car

This week will be light and probably next week and then I can explain EVERYTHING!!!

But here is some pictures from our week :)

 I LOVE us :) He makes me so happy!

After a hefty day of car shopping and Shea's Nephew's 1st Birthday Party we headed to the movies with my brother and his girlfriend to see Madagascar 3.

My brother is leaving to go abroad the whole month of July in Africa so I want to see him as much as possible before he leaves!

AMAZING movie by the way!! We were laughing the whole time!

Well hello NEW car!! To say I am obsessed with my new 2012 Toyota Rav4 Sport with a V6 engine...would be an understatement. I never have fallen in LOVE with a vehicle before!

Soooo Shea about this whole engagement thing.......

That V6 engine is going to get me in trouble!! But, I love owning a car and something that is just mine and no one elses! It feels like such an accomplishment!

I named her "Ellie" because I love that name and Shea's car is Eleanor so Ellie is the new, improved and young Eleanor haha! So, whenever I talk about my car I say, "Aww I miss Ellie so much :(" Shea just laughs!

Already a HUGE fan. Love my Sophie!!

Happy Wednesday :)

Forgiveness

First off...

Happy Father's Day to my AMAZING Father.

I have always been daddy's girl.

Him and I can do anything together

And talk about anything together

We have always had an amazing relationship

After Shea's father passed away suddenly from a car accident 3 years ago

I have looked at family a new way

You don't know what is going to happen

One day your life is rainbows and cupcakes

Next it's chaos and tears

that day is a day I will always remember

How I felt helpless and didn't know how to comfort Shea

I just knew I needed to be there for him

And I always have been

This past Sunday we laid my Grandfather to rest

His wishes were to have his ashes spread under the Brooklyn Bridge

For fear of staying over in the police department

(you don't go around dumping ashes in New York after 9/11)

We decided the next best place was a harbor

Near where his first house with my grandmother was

As my family gathered around my uncle holding the container of ashes

I bowed my head

The ashes were released and a weight was lifted off

I have not seen my grandfather since I was 13

He became secluded from the family and no one saw him

It was heartbreaking, but we had my grandmother who was our shining light

She is an AMAZING person

The most amazing grandmother you could have

My grandfather married one hell of a woman

Without him my mother would not be here

Without him my aunt and 3 uncles would not be here

Without him my 12 cousins and 4 siblings would not be here

I held anger in my heart for him not being around

I held anger when I learned of his death 3 weeks ago

I didn't cry I was numb

I was hurt

But, I can not blame him nor hold anymore anger to him

He wanted to be around he just couldn't

He has taught me a great lesson

That family is number one

That you shouldn't hold grudges against people

Lighten your heart a little and forgive those who have wronged you

I don't want to have a heavy heart anymore

That's why I am forgiving him

I am forgiving him for missing the parties, the birthdays, the good times, the bad

I am saying "thank you" to him for helping me see how important my family is to me

I am saying "thank you" to him for helping me see that there is no shame in saying "i need help"

I hope he can rest in peace and find his way back to heaven

I hope he can rest easy knowing our family forgave him

I hope he can remind me everyday to not take life for granted

I hope I will see him again one day

Rest in Peace Opa <3

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday yay!! You are here! One more week till Shea's graduation! One more week in the city!! One more week till a new job! Whoop whoop!! Dear Shea thanks for the impromptu dinner yesterday night :) And I love how we were going to go to a fancy italian dinner but it was closed so we settled on pizza haha! Dear Pizza Store Lady thanks for staying open past 10pm to serve us pizza! You were the sweetest lady ever :) Dear New Car whyyyy hello new car I will be buying this weekend!!!!!!!! I have never owned my own car this is crazy this is exciting! This is expensive! :/ Dear Keratin Treatment you work wonders and you make me LOVE my hair during the summer! Obsessed!! Dear Daddy today was our last Friday commuting together!! This is so sad :( I will miss my commuting buddy! Dear Shea I will be your DD tonight if you drive me to the dentist tomorrow....deal...okay deal

Linking up with Adventures of the Newlyweds

Week in Pictures: Baby Version

So, on Sunday my brother told us that Victor Cruz was coming to our mall for a grand opening. So, naturally Shea and I had to head there to see our Giant player!! But, since we are not ones to stand in line we went to go eat at PF Changs and then waited on the outside for him to come out. (so this picture is zoomed in considerably)

From Left: Bailey, Avery, Xavier

Last night Shea and I were on babysitting duty! Cassie took Chloe with them so we had to watch Xavier, Bailey, and Avery. They were all fussing in their bouncy seats so I decided "tummy time" would be a good option. Well, tummy time made them all take naps...so it helped right?? Quiet babies for an hour sounds good to me!

 When we got back from AC we got home and babies were in need of feeding so we all took one. I got Miss Chloe and I got to look at this beautiful face all afternoon :)

After I held Miss Chloe for hours I had to feed Avery. (She might be my favorite but don't tell anyone!) Avery is a peanut and considerably tinnier than the other 3. I love it! And she is the best at taking her bottle and burping! She can be done in 15mins flat! New record Miss Avery! 

Shea holding Xavier and Bailey

As I was getting babies ready for a feeding one night when Cassie had stepped out to run errands I had to hand Shea 2 babies. He wasn't totally happy about it, but he is a champ! (And as you can see the Devils were playing that night which they lost :( soo sad and that meant a sad Shea!)

Also, that night I mastered feeding two babies at once!! I was so proud of myself! Apparently I have been deemed to have the magic touch with the babies haha!

I guess I will be one pretty good mom myself :)

Happy Thursday!

A Puppy's Decision

When a puppy decides to run after a squirrel...

Sometimes that puppy runs through poison ivy

When a whole household (except for one person)

Is very allergic to poison ivy

That one person (me) has to bathe that naughty puppy

So then that one person (me) has to put on a bathing suit

and jump into a tub

and bathe the naughty puppy

Then, blow dry the naughty puppy

Then, brush the naughty puppy

And then, the puppy will think twice before chasing after squirrels.

Happy Tuesday

Atlantic City: Eric is Home!

Sooooo this weekend was awesome! Not a lot of sleep gained but amazing! And I got super crazy exciting news Friday!!!!! So, it made my weekend start off great :)

I can tell you the news in a couple weeks. Lets first talk about our AC trip!

We went down on Friday night, and got there around 10pm. Then, we had to wait in lines to check in with everyone. By the time we got to our rooms changed and met people to head out for the night it was one am. Shea and I don't go out at one am! Never! I was already exhausted from the work week, but I pushed myself through and stayed awake!

It was a ton of fun hanging out with Eric and his friends. We went to a place called Dusk at Caesars to dance and have fun. It was a cool place, but it was really small for a club so I don't foresee myself going there again.

We then walked to Bailey's and gambled a little and hung out more. We ended up not getting back to the rooms till 6am. The the only thing that made up for that is that I got to see the sunrise :) I don't think I have seen a sunrise in years!! But, it was beautiful and I got an amazing view of it!

Pictures below.....

Preparing For Future Engagement Photos

As we were driving back the next morning we were so sleep deprived so we sang to every song possible on the radio! And, we made up a dance routine to "Call Me Maybe." I love this man :)

Happy Monday :)

Friday's Letters

Dear Shea you can make me laugh sooooo stinkin quick! I love you to pieces :) Dear AC please don't take all of our money tonight! I would like to come home with money please! Dear Cassie I am ready for baby care Saturday night! Dear Eric I am so glad that you are home! And I am glad that it makes Shea so happy that you are home :) Lets make this upcoming week go slow! Dear Sophie having an accident near the pool in front of dad was not your best move. I have never seen you run quicker away after you did it though! Dear Devils soooo you want to play some hockey and win Saturday?? The boys would really appreciate it! Dear Shea lets win BIG tonight and learn to walk away when needed so we don't lose all our money :)

Linking up with Adventures of the Newlyweds

Afghaniland

Eric, Shea's Brother (Seth), and Shea

So, yesterday we finally got word that Shea's cousin Eric had landed after 4 days of traveling from Afghanistan back to New Jersey. So, as I had baby in arm I picked up the phone and Eric told me he was going to a place to see everyone and watch the Devils game.

So Shea, Shea's brother and I headed over to see him! It was so exciting to see him after 7 months and just hang out! He has some crazy stories about his last 7 months that we were laughing all night about. We are going to AC this weekend to hang out more which I am excited about!

And to top it all off the Devils finally won last night so all the boys are going to the playoff game Saturday! Which means baby duty for me :) Totally okay with it!

Happy Thursday <3 ((Make sure to say thank you to a solider in your life))

Wedding Wedneday!

Just had to post this because......

We put our down payment down!!

We are officially getting married at Perona Farms (aka "the barn") on May 17th, 2014 :)

 Shea signing documents!!

Me signing documents!!!

We are getting married!!!!!

Weekend Lunch

I went to my grandmother's cousin's house this weekend for a weekend lunch with my mom, aunt, and grandmother. Her house is AMAZING! It looks like it came right out of a magazine! I just wanted to stay in her backyard for hours on end.

Then, while we were driving back my aunt got lost and we ended up in Philly. But, it's okay because it was the scenic route :)

Friday's Letters

Dear Shea it's Friday!! We are both in pain because of cross fit (probably me more than you) :( back rub later.......??? Dear Cross Fit you kicked my butt royally I can't move. You know there is a problem when the elderly is walking faster than you. #crossfitproblems Dear Wedding Venue we get to put our deposit down this weekend!! Yay!!!!! Dear Future Wedding in 2014 you seem forever away but I am happy with this decision. You will be fabulous! :) Dear Babies I can't wait to hold each and every one of you this weekend :) Master feeder and Aunt I will be! Dear Friend that I haven't seen in 2 years!! I am soooooooo excited to see you Monday!!!! Ahhhh! You made my week :) Dear Bloggers sorry for all the :) I am in a good mood today! Dear Next Week lets bring some happy fantastic news! Dear Shea I love you more and more everyday! Can't wait to see the gift you got me!

Linking up with Adventures of the Newlyweds

40 Fingers And 40 Toes Are Home!!

All 4 babies are home now :)

It's exciting

It's scary

It's overwhelming

It's tiring

It's a headache

It's wonderful

It's just how I like it :)

Miss Chloe Ann

Miss Avery Kaelin 

 Big Sister Lizzie holding Chloe

 Mommy to the 4 quads, a 13 year old, and a 19 month old ....
I present....the amazing Cassie

Wedding Wednesdays....discontinued for now

So I was just going to skip this week and say something next week but I guess better now than never...

So after conversations this weekend

Things I saw from other people

And talks with the boy

Tears....probably lots of tears

Realizations and happy adventures

Shea and I have decided....

To not get married until 2014 instead of 2013.

Didn't mean to alarm any of you if you thought we were breaking up!

We would never! I LOVE this man more than life itself!

So our new date as of now is May 17th, 2014

Reasons for this is...

new job

too much stresses with planning

money (it's always about money isn't it?)

It's money in the sense of me maybe having to buy a car in the near future

And buying a house

Houses costs lots of money

And once you buy it they cost a lot more money

And we know we don't want to rent

We want to own a piece of that rare american dream

The number 1 fight between a married couple is MONEY!

And we want to be prepared!

We want to be able to get married and have money saved

Be able to buy nice furniture

Be able to start a family

Be able to take some weight off our shoulders

And not run head first into chaos

(those are what the babies are for)

We are still having our engagement party in August

We are still getting engagement pictures done in September

I will still design everything and just be on top of everything in advance

We will still reserve our spot for the venue

Everything will be ready to go out when ready and ahead of time!

I will be crazy organized!

I will LOVE it.

So, we are sad about it

And pretty much told no one about it (were that sad)

But I know we will look back at this and know we made the right decision

We just needed to get out of the wedding craze dream we were in

Think clearly and make better decisions

But, we know deep down it's the right decision

Sometimes the right decision is always the hardest decision

I just always knew the easiest decision would be to say yes to my best friend :)

Happy Wednesday <3

A Thank You To Our Troops

Wow these last couple days have been insane...

lack of sleep

crazy people

big decisions

happy phone calls

new adventures

But, all and all I forgot it was Monday yesterday with all the craziness!

But, all I wanted to say is thank you to all our troops out there!

I could never do what you guys do and I appreciate you continuing to keep our country safe!

And to all the army wives out there! You are amazingly (yea its a word) strong people!

And to say I am sooooo excited for Shea's cousin to come home for leave

from Afghaniland (as he calls it) in just 8 days!

Were going to have a blast when he's home and I know Shea is soo soo excited to see him!!

This might be a light week as I comprehend all the changes of the last couple days...

I will just post pictures of adorable babies and fiances.

They are not crazy

They are sweet and make me smile :)

It's the start of summer

Time for BBQs and poolside and fresh starts

Happy Tuesday :)

Friday's Letters

Dear Shea I am excited for you to come into the city today!! You hardly ever do and I love having a buddy to take the train with! Dear Photographers I am soooo excited to meet you after work! I hope we click instantly and can start planning our engagement shoot! Dear Stevie we will be here for you always! That's why I love my family! No matter what we have each other's back! :) Dear Xavier and Bailey you both are adorable and such great babies! I am so glad that you are home and healthy! Dear Chloe and Avery you are coming home in about 3 days and then we will have even more chaos! But, I am so excited for you to come home! Dear Shirt get used to having baby spit up on you. This will be a crash course in babies! Dear Formula you are the worst smelling stuff in the world!! OMG how do babies eat this stuff??!! Dear Shea maybe we should rethink the whole having children thing.....we might be sick of it already? We already have 8 nieces and nephews!!

Linking up with Adventures of the Newlyweds

20 Little Fingers and 20 Little Toes are Home

Xavier Seth "No pictures please no pictures!" 

Big sister Lizzie Holding Xavier like a Champ! 

Bailey Rae "What did you say?? I'm sleeping here!"

Happy Thursday :)