Oh hey there!

Been a while, huh? Well, unlike every other blog I've ever had, my absence isn't due to me forgetting I had a blog. This time, it was due to the wedding and that we've been house-hunting for over a year now and we finally got a counter-offer (our first one in all this time) and SO FAR its looking like we'll actually get this house... Which means I've been packing like crazy!

So, the wedding wasn't exactly what I wanted. To be completely honest, I wanted a small- I mean 15ish people small- laid back pizza-and-soda handfasting. But, as planning went on, I was told by many many people that, for lack of a better term, I was wrong. So little-by-little I changed things to make people happy. I know, you're not supposed to do that, you're supposed to have "your wedding your way". But I felt that "my way" meant that I would be fine with anything so long as I am married at the end of the day. I chose three things that I would not change for anything and let everything else go. Small guest list, a Celtic Handfasting in place of 'traditional vows', and no alcohol. Arguing about guest list and alcohol came up a lot. Though many people see me as a "social butterfly", I don't do well in large crowds. So keeping the guest list small was really important to me... I didn't want to be uncomfortable at my own wedding, which is one reason I didn't want the fancy princess-for-a-day crap. I also didn't want to invite people just to get something out of them, in fact I had requested no gifts period. There were many people I could have invited that probably would have given a sizable amount of money. In the end, I only invited people that it made sense to invite: really close family members and a couple of my mother-in-laws closest friends who are like family which came to 40 people... Almost triple my original list. But I was fine with it, because it wasn't too bad.

So one of my three went out the window but I still had the handfasting and no alcohol. Even up until the day before I was told that, just like I wanted, there'd be no alcohol. Well, I couldn't help but notice all the red solo cups around the reception, especially since I had spent SO much on renting fancy glasses to go with the fancy tables, to go with the fancy food I'd ordered. At the end of the night, someone asked me if I was having fun, and if I "saw any alcohol". I ended up saying no because I never did see any of the bottles of wine. They tried to hide it from me because they assumed that me not seeing it, means it magically wasn't there. Even if they'd brought the alcohol and didn't even open one bottle it still would have been there. I had even offered to buy non-alcoholic wine, because they'd made SUCH a big deal about there not being wine with dinner... Silly me, when they asked for wine, I thought it was because they wanted wine... they wanted alcohol.

So, all I got that I wanted from the whole thing was the Celtic Handfasting. It was beautiful, and perfect, and everyone agreed. Since the wedding I've tried to convince myself that my wedding was beautiful and perfect, just like it was supposed to be because the Celtic Handfasting was technically the wedding and the only thing that got screwed up was the reception... But its kind of hard to convince yourself that your wedding was perfect when every time you hear "Bride" or "Wedding" you literally almost cry. My wedding was not mine... it was someone else's and there are no "do-overs". Sure, we can do a vow-renewal sometime down the line... But this was my first wedding, it was supposed to be perfect, it was supposed to be exactly what I wanted... You know what? If I were to continue writing about my wedding, we all know what it would say, so to save myself the tears and keep myself from writing things I may regret, I'm going to stop here.

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Anyway, in the time its taken me to come back to the blog, I found another blog that I've kind of been following called Play At Home Mom. On top of all the fun ideas they have over there, they also have a post called "A Year of Yes". Which basically means you say "yes" to your child every single time there's no REALLY GOOD reason not to... To be honest, I've already been the type of mom to say "yes" when there's no reason to say no... Like letting my toddler (at the time) explore the world of a swivel chair, worst that would have happened was she would have fallen off and bumped her head. BUT there are times when I'm a little too over-protective and say "no" when I don't have to. So, in order to really let the kids be kids, I've decided that I am going to attempt the "Year of Yes" with the kids. I'll be starting it little-by-little before we move, but once we DO move, that's it! I will not allow myself to say no to them when I don't absolutely have to.

In any case, these next couple of weeks should be hectic. I'll try to get pictures of our "Year of Yes" and post them here.... Please know that this means I may not post again until after we're moved into the new house (closing date is Mid September).

Til next time!

Breakfast burritos!

A long while ago, I found this recipe for breakfast burritos through Pinterest that I just knew I had to try! I absolutely LOVE breakfast burritos, but rarely have the time or patience to stand there and cook them up in the morning.

Anyway, I finally got around to making these the other day and they're a BIG hit! I did change it up a tiny bit though.
I used:
1lb of Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage
1pkg. Potatoes O'Brien (pictured below)
12 eggs
1/4 cup of milk
1lb Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
Salt and pepper
20 soft taco sized tortillas

So, yeah, when I said I changed it a tiny bit, I basically mean that I switched out regular hash browns for a package of cubed potatoes, onions and red and green peppers.

From start to finish it took a little under 2 hours but while the hash browns were cooking I was able to make 3 doctor's appointments and unload the dishwasher. That, and cling wrap and I aren't exactly friends, so I'm sure a normal person wouldn't spend nearly as much time on that step as I did.

I tried heating according to Carol's directions but mine still seemed to be cold in the center. Ross just threw two in at once for a minute and 30 seconds with flipping them half way through and it seems to work pretty well. So, basically instead of one at a time for 45 seconds each then switching, we do two at a time for a minute and a half, with flipping them over at 45 seconds. Maybe the difference is because I used Potatoes O'Brien instead of regular shredded hash browns? I don't know, in any case at a whopping 70 cents each, these things WILL be made again, and again, and again.

I would do a full post of pictures of each step, but I think Carol already did a good job of that in the link I provided above. The only reason I'm providing a picture of the package of potatoes that I used is so that if anyone decides to use them, they can maybe find the package in the store easier by knowing exactly what it looked like.

The potatoes I used.


And there you have it. Next time I'll have to double the recipe because only 2 days later I think we're down to like 7 burritos. But to be fair, we're a household of 9 and these things are delicious, so we're lucky they've lasted this long!

Anyway... til' next time!

Wedding Stuff

I thought about the many things I could write about as my first "real" post, and 'Wedding Stuff' is the one that really came to mind.

Ross is really not the social type, and I probably could have easily invited 150 people. However, the average cost of a wedding is something like $60-$120 per person, and well, we're broke. We've been really lucky with sticking to our budget, but to be fair, it was with Shelli's help. She paid for my dress, Ross' ring, the photography and gave us $500 as a wedding gift. Through it all, we're going to be able to get married 20 days from now without our bank account going into the red.

We're mostly ditching "tradition" with the whole thing though. I mean, we live in Vegas, we could easily pick a chapel and do some big reception at one of the hotels, but that's not us. The last thing I want to do, is to stand up in front of my loved ones on one of the biggest days of my life and pretend to be a princess, making promises to be with this man forever and to live happily ever after. I am going into this thing knowing full well that there's a possibility that we wont be together forever. But standing up in front of our loved ones and saying "I promise to stay in this thing for as long as I can stand you" somehow doesn't seem as romantic. So, I took to the internet to find ceremony alternatives. Ross and I are both Agnostic, so not only did we have to find a ceremony that didn't include us making promises we didn't quite agree with, we also had to find a ceremony, and venue for that matter, that didn't have God or Religion as a centerpiece.

After months of "research", we decided on a Celtic Handfasting. We're both Irish, and we loved the idea of going back to real tradition. I'll post the "script" for our ceremony below, but first, some pictures.

The Dress!



The necklace I am wearing in the photos is THE necklace I'll be wearing to the wedding. I haven't decided if I'll be wearing my glasses during the ceremony or not, probably not though.

My daughter's dress.



As for the other flower girls (there will be three) I don't have a picture of their dresses, but I have told everyone in the wedding party to wear whatever they want. The oldest flower girl has chosen a pink knee-length dress with purple and blue butterflies on it and the other has chosen a white dress with little pink flowers on it.

Because I didn't want to have to choose between Ross' youngest brothers, I gave each of them a job for the wedding. Joel will hold the handfasting cords, and Kenny and Gavin will be "ring bearers". They each have their own suit for the wedding, pictured below minus the pants for each, which match the vests. Ross and Eric are just going to wear suits they already have.



The venue will be Ross' older sister and her fiance's backyard. We're going to put the tables out on the grass, and their detached one car garage-turned-theater (the white double doors in the picture are to the theater) is going to double as the ceremony spot and dance floor. The spot with the umbrella over it is meant to be a bar area, but we're going to be using that space to put out the food buffet-style and have the drinks up on the patio near by. The picture was taken from the fire pit, so naturally our favors are going to be smores makings.



Now, onto the script:
Officiant: (This is the opening statement for the Officiant, Trinity's Papa. He hasn't gotten back to me yet on what exactly he'll say but I'm sure whatever it is, it'll be great.)

In lieu of the more traditional vows, Ross and Tyleena have decided to exchange the vows associated with the Celtic Handfasting Ceremony. This is an ancient ceremony that pre-dates the religious sanctioning of marriage. It allows for the visual representation of the connection that has always existed between these two, and the commitment they are making today. One of the main things that attracted these two to the ceremony besides the Celtic tradition was the acknowledgement of both the positive and the negative aspects to inherit in life and in relationships. Ross and Tyleena, please join hands and hold the cord between you. [The cords are placed between us] These are the hands that will passionately love you. These are the hands that countless times will wipe the tears from your eyes... tears of sorrow, and of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear and grief rack your mind. These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. These are the hands that will give you support and encourage you to chase your dreams. Together, everything you wish can be realized.

Tyleena, will you honor Ross?

ME: Yes

Officiant: Ross, will you honor Tyleena?

ROSS: Yes

Officiant: Will you both seek to never cause to break this union?

ROSS AND I TOGETHER: yes

Officiant ties the cord and says: So the binding is made.

Officiant: Tyleena, will you share his laughter?

ME: Yes

Officiant: Ross, will you share her laughter?

ROSS: Yes.

Officiant: Will both of you look for the brightness in life and positive in each other?

ROSS AND I TOGETHER: yes

Officiant ties the cord again and says: So the binding is made.

Officiant: Ross, will you share her dreams?

ROSS: Yes

Officiant: Tyleena, will you share his dreams?

ME: Yes

Officiant: Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?

ROSS AND I TOGETHER: Yes

Officiant ties the cord again and says: So the binding is made.

Officiant: Ross, Will you cause her pain?

Ross: I may.

Officiant: Is this your intent?

ROSS: No.

Officiant: Tyleena, will you cause him pain?

ME: I may

Officiant: Is this your intent?

ME: No.

Officiant: Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?

ROSS AND I TOGETHER: Yes

Officiant ties the cord again and says: So the binding is made.

Officiant: Tyleena, will you burden him?

ME: I may

Officiant: Is that your intent?

ME: No

Officiant: Ross, will you burden her?

ROSS: I may

Officiant: Is that your intent?

ROSS: No.

Officiant: Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?

ROSS AND I TOGETHER: Yes

Officiant ties the cord again and says: So the binding is made.

Officiant: Ross, will you cause her anger?

ROSS: I may

Officiant: Is that your intent?

ROSS: No.

Officiant: Tyleena, will you cause him anger?

ME: I may

Officiant: Is that your intent?

ME: No

Officiant: Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?

ROSS AND I TOGETHER: Yes

Officiant ties the cord a final time and says: So the binding is made.

Officiant, with Ross repeating after each line: Ross repeat after me:

I, Ross Maxwell Gloekler,
take you Tyleena Lynn Fowler
to my hand, my heart, and my spirit
to be my chosen one.
To desire and be desired by you,
to possess you, and be possessed by you,
without sin or shame,
for naught can exist in the purity of my love for you.
I promise to love you wholly and completely
without restraint,
in sickness and in health,
in plenty and in poverty,
in life and beyond,
where we shall meet, remember, and love again.
I will not seek to change you in any way.
I will respect you, your beliefs, and your ways
as I respect myself.

Officiant, with me repeating after each line: Tyleena repeat after me:

I, Tyleena Lynn Fowler,
take you Ross Maxwell Gloekler,
to my hand, my heart, and my spirit
to be my chosen one.
To desire and be desired by you,
to possess you, and be possessed by you,
without sin or shame,
for naught can exist in the purity of my love for you.
I promise to love you wholly and completely
without restraint,
in sickness and in health,
in plenty and in poverty,
in life and beyond,
where we shall meet, remember, and love again.
I will not seek to change you in any way.
I will respect you, your beliefs, and your ways
as I respect myself.

Officiant: Tyleena and Ross, as your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are joined in a union of love and trust. The knots are not formed by these cords but by your vows and your ever-renewing intentions. Either of you may drop the cords, for always you hold in your hands the making and breaking of this union. So I charge you to start every day striving to fulfill the vows you've made today.

Above you are the stars and below you is the Earth. Like the stars, your love should be constant, and like the Earth, a firm foundation from which to grow. Let the powers of the mind and of the intellect guide you in your marriage, let the strength of your wills bind you together, let the power of love and desire make you happy, and the strength of your dedication make you inseparable. Be close, but remain individual. Have patience with one another, for storms will come but they will pass quickly. Be free in giving affection and warmth. Have no fear and let not the ways of the unenlightened give you unease, for love is with you always.

As a symbol of the cords binding them together, Ross and Tyleena have chosen to exchange rings.

[Eric hands my ring to Ross.]

Officiant: Ross, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.

ROSS: With this ring, I thee wed.

[My sister hands Ross' ring to me.]

Officiant: Tyleena, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.

ME: With this ring, I thee wed.

Officiant: (This is where the officiant's closing statements or anything else he'd like to add goes.) You may now seal your vow with a kiss.

Ross and Tyleena kiss, and walk back up the isle still bound.


Aaaaaaand thats pretty much it! :)

Til next time!

Introductions!

Before getting this thing started, it might be a good idea to let the stalkers readers know who's who and what's what and how its all related. First things first though: I am going into this fully expecting to be the only one who even cares what is written. In all honesty, this blog is basically to help me remember (and share) the good things in my life, because with how crazy it gets, some of the best moments are often forgotten.

Now, for the introductions:
Tyleena: That's me. I am 25 years old, engaged to be married, and have a little girl named Trinity. My whole life is planned around my daughter, and my four youngest future brother-in-laws and sister-in-law. Its my job to help them realize their potential, and achieve their goals. Which really is a sweet way of saying I'm a paid stay-at-home mom to five children.

Ross: My fiance. He's 25, the father of my daughter, and my rock. I know it sounds cliché but he's truly like no other man I've ever met. He can be a real pain in the neck sometimes, but a good handful of those times are with good reason, even if nobody else understands at the time. Its possible that he may write some "Guest Posts" on here, but its really unlikely.

Trinity: My daughter. She is the only three year old I've ever known that not only can sing ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and the intro songs to her three favorite shows, but she can also count to 29, she recognizes all upper and lowercase letters, can spell her own name correctly (and by that I mean she capitalizes the first letter only and puts the others in the right order without help), can read the words no, not, now, thank, think, Momma, and Daddy, and can add anything from 1+1 to 5+5 in her head. I know there's more, but those are just the few things that came to mind.

Tracey: My mom.

Grandma/Barbara: When Trinity is involved "Grandma Barba/Bobwa/[insert other variation on how Trini pronounces it here]. I often say she's my "favorite Grandma" while ignoring the fact that she's my only grandma.

Shelli: Mother of 10, the fifth of which is my future husband.

Ross' siblings that'll be mentioned most often: Eric (24), Nya (8), Joel (8), Gavin (6) and Kenny (6). All of these siblings (and Ross, for that matter) were adopted, and none of them are twins.

My siblings: Branden (27) and Tabetha (29), its really unlikely that I'll be posting much about them, but its good to know who they are when or if they come up. There's no big story behind why they wont be mentioned often, just that our lives rarely cross paths these days.

I went furthest into detail on Ross, Trinity and myself because that is really the focus of our little corner of the world. I purposely left some things out because I am posting this to the internet after all. Gotta keep some privacy! :)

If you're wondering where I came up with the title for my blog, I was listening to this song when it came time to put the title in. :)

Well, There you have it. I hope that when I eventually get around to my first "real post" you enjoy it! :)