Saturday, May 8, 2010
Hungry guests!
Chad and I met with Spice of Life catering last Tuesday. They are a catering company out of Boulder that is rated really well for their food, service, and presentation (http://www.aspiceoflife.com/). We tasted a menu created for us by Kathy, our personal coordinator. It consisted of bruschetta, olive tapenade, spring salad with strawberries and jicama, rosemary/lemon pepper chicken breast, asiago mashed potatoes, fresh spring vegetables, beef tenderloin, and cheesecake lollipops. Everything was delicious! We will likely go with this menu...with a few surprises! We're looking forward to feeding all of our hungry guests - and hopefully getting some for ourselves!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Engagement Photos
On March 17 Chad and I had a great time taking photos with an up-and-coming photographer named Reu Ben Lau. He was a former student of my Mom's who is now pursuing a degree in photography at Front Range Community College. Reu Ben was awesome, and from that day we got several great pictures that we've since used in our "save the date" announcements as well as in the wedding slideshow. We spent about 3 hours up at Horsetooth Park in Fort Collins - it was a beautiful day (we got really lucky!) I hope you enjoy the pictures!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Got the place, got the dress, got the groom!
On January 10, I visited a tiny dress shop in Fort Collins with mom and sister in tow. It didn't take long for us to start rummaging through the racks of beautiful gowns and to get a sizable pile to start trying on! I tried on several dresses that day, but there was definitely one that caught everyone's eye. That special dress was put aside at first as I continued trying on gowns of all different styles, lengths, and prices. But I came back to that second dress a second and then a third time. On the third look, with the veil and jewelry in place, a smile came across my face that I just couldn't wipe. I felt like a bride, and I knew I had found my gown. It needs no alteration, it came in well under budget, and it is perfectly suited for an outdoor summer wedding. I'd love to post a picture, but you know the rules!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Getting Hitched
Since the engagement on 11/19/09, the wedding planning has been like a rolling stone...gathering moss as it makes its way down the hill! After a few weeks of reading, researching, and touring, the location for both the ceremony and reception have been selected. Chad and Amanda's wedding will take place at the Della Terra Mountain Chateau in Estes Park, CO. We found the location in a book provided to us by Lindsey, Amanda's BFF and one of the lovely Matrons of Honor. We visited Della Terra one Saturday morning and fell immediately in love. The location is perfect - directly neighboring Rocky Mountain National Park. Mountain views to the West, water falls, and even the possibility of animal visitors during the outdoor ceremony. The staff are friendly, and the decor is very "us" with its indoor and outdoor water displays and combination of stone, wood, and tile. It should be a wonderful day and we are so looking forward to spending it with our family and closest friends. Don't forget to save the date: September 2, 2010 :)
http://www.dellaterramountainchateau.com/
Monday, December 14, 2009
The First Date
She said:
After a few conversations over the phone, I decided it was OK to move forward with date #1. Chad left most of the details up to me (which I admit, was a bit of a turn-off at the time), but I came up with the plan to meet that Saturday at Starry Night at 5:30. In my mind, a coffee date had the perfect contingency plan...going well, leads nicely into dinner; not so good, well it was nice meeting you.
In getting dressed that day, I chose comforable. A green long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans with a light jacket (my Colorado Rockies jacket...little did I know, this was a perfect conversation piece). I walked into the coffee shop and locked eyes with Chad immediately. I was worried that I wouldn't recognize him (or he wouldn't recognize me), since the day we met we were only face-to-face for 5 minutes. But the minute I walked in, the worries left me. I smiled, and he smiled back. I sat at his table and we instantly started up...the typical "What do you do? Where are you from" How many pets do you have?"
As you could have guessed, the coffee date went well. We decided to get dinner at Suehiro sushi restaurant (Chad's suggestion). What I remember from that night is that I laughed until my cheeks hurt, Chad didn't know how to eat edamame, and when dinner was over, I wasn't ready to say goodbye. So we didn't...we continued our date at Mug's Coffee. There we sat in the basement playing "Battle of the Sexes" and drinking our hot beverages. It was perfect! The evening ended and I knew I wanted to see him again.
A few days later, a bouquet of flowers arrived at Countryside Animal Hospital. The ladies at the front desk brought the flowers back with smiles across their faces. They handed the bouquet to me and waited eagerly while I read the card. I opened the tiny card and read aloud, "Thanks for taking a risk."
He said:
I remember being excited on the day, however, not very nervous. When the time came, I wanted to be early. I thought the initial meeting would go better if I was already there. I was certainly concerned I would not recognize her in plain clothes, since I had only seen her in scrubs. However, to this day, I remember exactly what she looked like entering the coffee shop. The bright sun shining in through the windows behind her, hands in the pockets of a Rockies hoodie and a coy smile, one I now know well. I did recognize her and the introductions were smooth. Once settled with an arbitrary conversation beverage, the discussions flowed naturally. The Rockies sweater was definitely a bonus, some instant common ground and a girl who likes baseball is definitely a notch up in my book.
Dinner followed, and a playful mood struck me as Amanda seemed to smile and laugh at every joke I tried to make. To say we hit it off would be an understatement. I had only ever had sushi once, maybe twice, before, but it seemed like one of Amanda's favorites, so we went with it. Chopsticks were not my strong suit and some high protein beans were certainly displaced, projectile style, to the displeasure of some of the other floor-seated diners. Amanda took all this silliness in stride, and we finished the evening with a night cap of coffee and awkward inducing board game questions.
When saying our good-nights, I offered Amanda one of my CD mixes. She found one she liked as I dropped her off at her car. It seemed like we were both unsure of how things would end that night, maybe because we did not want them to. Upon leaving for home, I know I spent some time thinking about how to make a gesture that would certainly allow us pick up where we left off. Remembering that Amanda had told me the girls in the office encouraged her to go that night, to "take a risk", I finally devised the perfect plan.
After a few conversations over the phone, I decided it was OK to move forward with date #1. Chad left most of the details up to me (which I admit, was a bit of a turn-off at the time), but I came up with the plan to meet that Saturday at Starry Night at 5:30. In my mind, a coffee date had the perfect contingency plan...going well, leads nicely into dinner; not so good, well it was nice meeting you.
In getting dressed that day, I chose comforable. A green long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans with a light jacket (my Colorado Rockies jacket...little did I know, this was a perfect conversation piece). I walked into the coffee shop and locked eyes with Chad immediately. I was worried that I wouldn't recognize him (or he wouldn't recognize me), since the day we met we were only face-to-face for 5 minutes. But the minute I walked in, the worries left me. I smiled, and he smiled back. I sat at his table and we instantly started up...the typical "What do you do? Where are you from" How many pets do you have?"
As you could have guessed, the coffee date went well. We decided to get dinner at Suehiro sushi restaurant (Chad's suggestion). What I remember from that night is that I laughed until my cheeks hurt, Chad didn't know how to eat edamame, and when dinner was over, I wasn't ready to say goodbye. So we didn't...we continued our date at Mug's Coffee. There we sat in the basement playing "Battle of the Sexes" and drinking our hot beverages. It was perfect! The evening ended and I knew I wanted to see him again.
A few days later, a bouquet of flowers arrived at Countryside Animal Hospital. The ladies at the front desk brought the flowers back with smiles across their faces. They handed the bouquet to me and waited eagerly while I read the card. I opened the tiny card and read aloud, "Thanks for taking a risk."
He said:
I remember being excited on the day, however, not very nervous. When the time came, I wanted to be early. I thought the initial meeting would go better if I was already there. I was certainly concerned I would not recognize her in plain clothes, since I had only seen her in scrubs. However, to this day, I remember exactly what she looked like entering the coffee shop. The bright sun shining in through the windows behind her, hands in the pockets of a Rockies hoodie and a coy smile, one I now know well. I did recognize her and the introductions were smooth. Once settled with an arbitrary conversation beverage, the discussions flowed naturally. The Rockies sweater was definitely a bonus, some instant common ground and a girl who likes baseball is definitely a notch up in my book.
Dinner followed, and a playful mood struck me as Amanda seemed to smile and laugh at every joke I tried to make. To say we hit it off would be an understatement. I had only ever had sushi once, maybe twice, before, but it seemed like one of Amanda's favorites, so we went with it. Chopsticks were not my strong suit and some high protein beans were certainly displaced, projectile style, to the displeasure of some of the other floor-seated diners. Amanda took all this silliness in stride, and we finished the evening with a night cap of coffee and awkward inducing board game questions.
When saying our good-nights, I offered Amanda one of my CD mixes. She found one she liked as I dropped her off at her car. It seemed like we were both unsure of how things would end that night, maybe because we did not want them to. Upon leaving for home, I know I spent some time thinking about how to make a gesture that would certainly allow us pick up where we left off. Remembering that Amanda had told me the girls in the office encouraged her to go that night, to "take a risk", I finally devised the perfect plan.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
It's Time
This blog was created to keep our family and friends "in the know" about all of the fun happenings for Chad and Amanda's wedding. We want those who have shared in our lives and in our story to be a part of this journey, from the proposal to the first wedded kiss. So what better place to start than a walk down memory lane...
She said:
It all began on Tuesday, January 31, 2006. Tuesday was typically Amanda's day off from her job as veterinary technician at Countryside Animal Hospital, but her good friend and co-worker Jenn asked her to switch shifts so that Jenn could do inventory that day. It was a typical day at the hospital--seeing appointments, preparing for surgery--but without their knowledge, the worlds of Amanda and Chad were about to collide...the Universe was unfolding just as it should.
The girls of the hospital were a little rowdy that day, and Sharon (front desk supervisor) put the 11 o'clock appointment in Room 2. She came to the back of the hospital and handed Amanda a file for the next appointment: Kabo, 9 year old male collie, routine physical exam, vaccinations, and heartworm test. But Sharon didn't just hand Amanda the file and walk away--Sharon added a commentary, "Cute guy in Room 2. You'll want to take this one."
So Amanda, single and curious, did what we like to call a "drive by." She cruised by the front door of the exam room and peaked her head in the window. She came to the back of the hospital where the rest of the girls were waiting with anticipation. "Yeah, he's cute," Amanda nodded. The girls squealed. Dr. Catharine Speights came out of her office, intrigued by the noises from her staff. She put on her white coat and took the file. "Oh Chad, nice guy," Dr. Speights said. "Do you want me to introduce you?"
Amanda felt her cheeks warm and the butterflies begin to take flight. But she agreed to accompany Dr. Speights into the exam room and assist with the appointment. Dr. Speights did as she said she would do--a simple introduction. Chad looked up from his dog and smiled at Amanda. Amanda kneeled on the floor beside Kabo and held his leg for a blood draw. A quick conversation about Kabo's propensity to lick, a few nervous laughs, and Amanda fled the room feeling increasingly embarrassed. Little did she know, Dr. Speights was doing more than a simple introduction once Amanda had left the room. She came out of the room, handed Amanda a notepad, and said, "Write your phone number down."
The squealing reached a new height. Amanda wrote down her number and took off down the stairs, hoping to hide her newly red cheeks from her co-workers. Chad gathered Kabo and placed the folded paper in his pocket. He left the hospital that day a little confused, but he stood a little taller and smiled a little brighter--he got a number!
Amanda really didn't expect Chad to call...after all, they barely spoke two words that day. She was sure he wouldn't even recognize her if they bumped into each other at Starbucks. But little did she know, Chad was a man of his word. He respected Dr. Speights and knew he had to call because he said he would. Two days later, he did.
He Said:
It all started about mid January, 2006. Chad got a card from Countryside Animal Hospital; Kabo was due for his routine checkup and bloodwork. Chad called to make an appointment and was given a couple options. Typically, Chad would have made the appointment for first thing in the morning, to get the boys' day off to a fast start. But this day, for some reason, the later appointment seemed like the better option. Chad made the appointment for eleven o’clock on the thirty-first and did not think about it again, until the day arrived.
On the day, Chad packed up the Bo-Dogger and set out towards Fort Collins. Everything seemed pretty normal, a weigh in and an escort to Room 2. But then, something did seem a bit out of place. Chad thought to himself, it must be someone’s birthday, or other similar celebration, as there seemed to be more commotion and laughter than typically associated with a veterinary hospital. Dr. Speights came in the room and introduced the technician that would be helping with the exam, a very lovely young lady named Amanda. Chad noticed Amanda’s pretty smile, her gentle manner and the care and concern she had with Bo-Dogger. The exam proceeded as usual, with Amanda and Dr. Speights leaving the room to perform the tests and prepare the results. Dr. Speights returned and indicated the bloodwork was normal, however…
Fearing bad news, Chad was a little confused when Dr. Speights said “I have one more thing for you, do you remember the tech that was just in here? She thought you were pretty interesting and wanted to get to know you a little better… would you like her number?” Being caught off guard, time felt like it was passing at speeds that were incomprehensible, immeasurably fast. Chad simply said, “Sure” as the capacity for rational thought was lost somewhere in the previous minutes. Dr. Speights left, momentarily, returning with a slip of paper with Amanda’s name and number. She asked, “Are you going to call her?”. Chad said yes and started to long for just a bit of normalcy in what was a spinning delusion of surreal comprehension. After quickly exiting the hospital, the miles home passed slowly as memories of the morning’s events were recalled and analyzed from every conceivable perspective.
For the next couple days, Chad was unsure of what to make of the situation. Was this just a random act; an impulse that Amanda was hoping would not resurface? Or was this something else? Finally, Chad had the thought… I said would call, so I will call. Chad called and left a message, a short and nervous narrative falling miserably short of the cool, confident and funny script that was planned.
With a few more nervous communications… Chad saw that smile again… walking into the Starry Night Café, a site never to be forgotten.
She said:
It all began on Tuesday, January 31, 2006. Tuesday was typically Amanda's day off from her job as veterinary technician at Countryside Animal Hospital, but her good friend and co-worker Jenn asked her to switch shifts so that Jenn could do inventory that day. It was a typical day at the hospital--seeing appointments, preparing for surgery--but without their knowledge, the worlds of Amanda and Chad were about to collide...the Universe was unfolding just as it should.
The girls of the hospital were a little rowdy that day, and Sharon (front desk supervisor) put the 11 o'clock appointment in Room 2. She came to the back of the hospital and handed Amanda a file for the next appointment: Kabo, 9 year old male collie, routine physical exam, vaccinations, and heartworm test. But Sharon didn't just hand Amanda the file and walk away--Sharon added a commentary, "Cute guy in Room 2. You'll want to take this one."
So Amanda, single and curious, did what we like to call a "drive by." She cruised by the front door of the exam room and peaked her head in the window. She came to the back of the hospital where the rest of the girls were waiting with anticipation. "Yeah, he's cute," Amanda nodded. The girls squealed. Dr. Catharine Speights came out of her office, intrigued by the noises from her staff. She put on her white coat and took the file. "Oh Chad, nice guy," Dr. Speights said. "Do you want me to introduce you?"
Amanda felt her cheeks warm and the butterflies begin to take flight. But she agreed to accompany Dr. Speights into the exam room and assist with the appointment. Dr. Speights did as she said she would do--a simple introduction. Chad looked up from his dog and smiled at Amanda. Amanda kneeled on the floor beside Kabo and held his leg for a blood draw. A quick conversation about Kabo's propensity to lick, a few nervous laughs, and Amanda fled the room feeling increasingly embarrassed. Little did she know, Dr. Speights was doing more than a simple introduction once Amanda had left the room. She came out of the room, handed Amanda a notepad, and said, "Write your phone number down."
The squealing reached a new height. Amanda wrote down her number and took off down the stairs, hoping to hide her newly red cheeks from her co-workers. Chad gathered Kabo and placed the folded paper in his pocket. He left the hospital that day a little confused, but he stood a little taller and smiled a little brighter--he got a number!
Amanda really didn't expect Chad to call...after all, they barely spoke two words that day. She was sure he wouldn't even recognize her if they bumped into each other at Starbucks. But little did she know, Chad was a man of his word. He respected Dr. Speights and knew he had to call because he said he would. Two days later, he did.
He Said:
It all started about mid January, 2006. Chad got a card from Countryside Animal Hospital; Kabo was due for his routine checkup and bloodwork. Chad called to make an appointment and was given a couple options. Typically, Chad would have made the appointment for first thing in the morning, to get the boys' day off to a fast start. But this day, for some reason, the later appointment seemed like the better option. Chad made the appointment for eleven o’clock on the thirty-first and did not think about it again, until the day arrived.
On the day, Chad packed up the Bo-Dogger and set out towards Fort Collins. Everything seemed pretty normal, a weigh in and an escort to Room 2. But then, something did seem a bit out of place. Chad thought to himself, it must be someone’s birthday, or other similar celebration, as there seemed to be more commotion and laughter than typically associated with a veterinary hospital. Dr. Speights came in the room and introduced the technician that would be helping with the exam, a very lovely young lady named Amanda. Chad noticed Amanda’s pretty smile, her gentle manner and the care and concern she had with Bo-Dogger. The exam proceeded as usual, with Amanda and Dr. Speights leaving the room to perform the tests and prepare the results. Dr. Speights returned and indicated the bloodwork was normal, however…
Fearing bad news, Chad was a little confused when Dr. Speights said “I have one more thing for you, do you remember the tech that was just in here? She thought you were pretty interesting and wanted to get to know you a little better… would you like her number?” Being caught off guard, time felt like it was passing at speeds that were incomprehensible, immeasurably fast. Chad simply said, “Sure” as the capacity for rational thought was lost somewhere in the previous minutes. Dr. Speights left, momentarily, returning with a slip of paper with Amanda’s name and number. She asked, “Are you going to call her?”. Chad said yes and started to long for just a bit of normalcy in what was a spinning delusion of surreal comprehension. After quickly exiting the hospital, the miles home passed slowly as memories of the morning’s events were recalled and analyzed from every conceivable perspective.
For the next couple days, Chad was unsure of what to make of the situation. Was this just a random act; an impulse that Amanda was hoping would not resurface? Or was this something else? Finally, Chad had the thought… I said would call, so I will call. Chad called and left a message, a short and nervous narrative falling miserably short of the cool, confident and funny script that was planned.
With a few more nervous communications… Chad saw that smile again… walking into the Starry Night Café, a site never to be forgotten.
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