Dinner & A "Movie": CLUE Style!

CLUE!!!

On Friday, August 28, our great friends, Michael and Kristin came over to our new apartment in Richardson for dinner and a game night. During our move, Ray found the DVD version of Clue still in its original wrapping in the closet. We were unsure as to how long we've had the game or even how we came by it, but felt tonight would be a good time to try it out.

Who would have known that three hours later we'd still be in the middle of deciphering between hints and suggestions. At midnight we determined that we would find out who the culprit was and decided that next round we'd have a better handle on it... This was definitely not a child's game!

Per Kristin, our next round will be one in which we get the situation and clues ahead of time and dress up as the characters. I can't wait! Except as she said... it might be a little strange to be someone like Mr. Green or Rusty... yes I said Rusty... they have a lot of additional characters and items. Plus no one dies. It is a thief instead.

For Dinner Ray found a new recipe online that included peppers, ground beef, rice, and mexican spices. It was delicious. I love that my fiance is such a great cook. Here are some pictures.

Ray in our kitchen making dinner for four!


I didn't know peppers floated?!?!


Kristin and I (and baby Bryson:)

Until next go round...

Love,
Alicia

80 Days and Counting!

Upon a recent visit, my fiance and I walked under the century tree at A&M. It had such a different and more heart-felt meaning this time.

The Century Tree is a thriving live oak and a campus attraction that represents more than 100 years of growth at Texas A&M.

According to an old Aggie legend, if two lovers pass beneath the tree's large, vine-like branches, they are destined to be wed. Similarly, if a couple becomes engaged under the Century's picturesque leaves, the marriage will last forever.

Only 80 more days and Ray and I will be Mr. and Mrs. Zellner. I couldn't be happier to spend the rest of my life with him. My best friend for over seven years! The countdown continues.

Wedding Progress:
1. Rehearsal Dinner: Signing contract.
2. Bridesmaid dresses: Ordered!
3. Groomsmen attire: Information sent.
4. Honeymoon: Finalizing plans
5. Invitations: Ordered!
6. Attendants Gifts: They are soooo us! I can't wait:)

If there are any additional questions about the wedding, hotel, accommodations, please contact me ASAP! I will be more than happy to help!

Love,
Alicia

Corporate Challenge 2009

Go PFS Web!!!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 marks the beginning of Ray's first of many events within the Richardson Corporate Challenge.

You may be asking... "What is the Richardson Corporate Challenge?" And here is the answer.

The Richardson Corporate Challenge is an Olympic style competition involving as many as 22 athletic and non-athletic events held in late August through early October. The event kicks off with an opening ceremony and after plenty of competition ends with a closing ceremony. Companies compete in events ranging from softball to volleyball and billiards to golf. Employees, spouses, and Retirees are eligible to participate. All donations are raised and provided to the Special Olympics. The benefits are endless!

Congratulations to all of the companies who participated in 2008 and raised $120,000 for Special Olympics.

Tonight Ray will be coaching and participating in the Punt Pass and Kick event. He will also be participating in a variety of other events from now until October including Flag Football, Dominoes, Dodgeball, 5K Race, and more.

Janice and Ray at JJ Pierce Fields for the Punt. Pass. and Kick Tournament.


On the way home... a proud coach and his fiance!

Here is a picture from last years corporate challenge when Ray brought home the silver medal for dominoes.

GO PFS!!!

Love,
Alicia

National Cupcake Day!

National Cupcake Day!
The ode to the CUPCAKE!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 was National Cupcake Day.... and sadly I missed it:( I didn't find out until late Tuesday afternoon. As an avid cupcake lover and eater, I was saddened that I had not had the opportunity of sharing that love with others. So in honor of the CUPCAKE, Ray and I made cupcakes for Checkpast late Tuesday night to enjoy all day Wednesday!


More pictures will definitely follow.... so everyone... Go Eat a CUPCAKE:)

Love,
Alicia

Hello Richardson!

Welcome to our new place!
This past weekend Ray, I and many of our amazing friends helped us move from Plano to our new place in Richardson. Thank you again for all of your help. We couldn't have done it without you:) I love the new space. It is quite different from our last home, but still a new and amazing place!

I have included a few before pictures... just so you can imagine what the space looks like without all of our love'n and special touches. I love how cozy it is:) It will be our first home together as Mr. and Mrs. Zellner!

This is the view from the front door into the living room and dinning room.


Outside the back door is our balcony. More pictures will follow when we have the space completed outside. My hope is to include more plants and outside details. In the past I have not been a good plant keeper... so this will be my ultimate test. If not... faux plants will be fine for me:)

This is our beautiful kitchen. I will not be missing our outdated 1950s microwave in the Plano Apartment.

There is definitely more storage space and luckily I can reach most of it:) Architects forget about those that are average height. Maybe in the past I should have just invested in a stair step stool:)

We spent most of Sunday moving final pieces of furniture and getting our new home situated. The next pictures are of the weekends activities.

ENJOY!


Dinner for 2?!?! or 4!

Ray set up the sweetest dinner on one of our end tables b/c we hadn't put together our new kitchen table. He is such a romantic!

Ray trying to find the instructions... of course at the very bottom of the box. I just love that he looked stuck. Everything is humorous after several straight days of moving.


We worked so hard... we tuckered the poor pups out!


View from our front door to our living room...
If you look in the corner you see Toby in his new bed. He loves it!

Entrance into the Kitchen!

While our Richardson home is still a work in progress, I am so happy that the move is officially over. We have a few things to get and what not but the move itself is over. Next weekend... CLEANING!

Until then...

Love,
Alicia

Are you a Bridezilla?

Are YOU a Bridezilla?

Find out if you have what it takes to be a Bridezilla! Take our quiz and see if you should be fitted for combat boots or Manolos!

Take the Quiz >>

While I do watch this show almost every Sunday, I've really never worried if I would be labeled as a "Bridezilla." I took the test just in case and here was the assessment.

Your assessment: You're just an average bride.
What did yours say?


PS: I've decided to dedicate some blog space to wedding planning and "keeping your cool." I'll be honest... planning a wedding and moving in a 3-4 month period has been a little crazy. At times I am absolutely on the ball and I feel like everything is falling into place. In one weekend we are able to cross numerous things off our list and just feel overjoyed at the thought that we were really pulling this off.... and then other times, I feel as though I'm pulling my hair out one strand at a time. There is so much to do and so little time. And of course when you add moving and busy work weeks on top of it sometimes it feels impossible to accomplish. I will have to say that this has taught me many things about myself. It has taught me that it really is ok to ask for help... that you can't do everything alone. I have learned a great deal about relying on my fiance and that communication and organization is key. This will probably be such a great growing experience for both of us and I can't wait to tackle the next task. Ray makes me want to be better and know that I'm not invincible. So my advice to all the bridezillas out there... enjoy this time and know that regardless how much preparation time you have... things will be crazy and exhausting... but at the end of the day it is all about the relationship you have together. Remember communication is key.... also breathing more helps:) So enjoy it!

Love,
Alicia

A Packing We Will Go...

I've come to the conclusion that packing is not a fun thing. It is not enjoyable. No one will list it as one of their favorite hobbies. While in college I think I became used to the fact that packing was an inevitable part of life. Each year or so, you'd gather up everything you had accumulated over that time period and throw it into a box. Then you would store it in the next place until it was time to do it again. This was the process and I guess I gotten accustomed to it.

Sadly, this is not the case. We've lived in our Plano apartment for two years now. We've had so many amazing memories that I will cherish for years to come. We bought our first set of couches, a bed, dresser, side tables... we officially were able to furnish our own place. I was so excited.

Again this is not the case currently. While we have been putting packing off until the very final hour and I have come to the realization that mess multiplies. It actually has cells like rabbits. As the energizer bunny would allude to... it keeps going and going and going... Seriously!

So I am officially going to dedicate this blog space to pictures of my apartment. They are not pretty. If you have a weak stomach I would ask you to look away. But if you want to remember our place as the beautiful masterpiece that it was... there is an ode to our apartment. You choose.

Picture at front entrance... and yes that is an Ab Circle.


Dinning Room


Kitchen entrance


Extra room

I know what you're thinking... but it is a work in progress. Plus I didn't realize we had so much "stuff." Anyway wish us luck. Sadly we'll need it:)

Love,
Alicia

95 Days and Counting!

It seems like every day both Ray and I are able to cross another thing off our wedding to do lists.

This weekend was so amazing having every single bridesmaid in town to try on and order their dress. I am so blessed to have 6 wonderful girls that I love who would do anything for me. I cannot express how much they truly mean to me.

Well this is our week of packing. On Saturday we will be moving to Richardson and leaving our apartment in Plano behind. On top of packing more progress is being made toward the wedding.

Wedding updates include:
1. Dj is officially booked. We will be working with Aaron Lehman: A Very Special Day
2. Florist is officially booked: Blooming Accents
3. Venue: we have almost finishing paying for our ceremony and reception site. We've also figured out set up and details including decor, location, food and drink, and feel for the space.
4. Today Ray and I will go to Tuxedo Junction to put the last touches on the groomsmen's suits.
5. We will finish ordering our Wedding rings! I am so excited! They are absolutely beautiful and I cannot wait for Ray to put it on my finger:)
6. Rehearsal Dinner: in progress: We will be having our rehearsal at City Place at 5:00 and Dinner at 7:00. We are still working out the details but will be having a Friday the 13th inspired Rehearsal dinner
7. Save the dates have been sent (currently still looking to get a few more addresses)
8. Invites will be sent the first week of September. Will find a weekend to work on those

I'm really honestly excited about all that is to come. As of Saturday we'll have exactly 3 months until the wedding. I'm so excited, nervous, anxious... all the emotions in one. The one thing I do know above anything else regardless of nerves about planning and details... I couldn't have found a better person to spend the rest of my life with. He is my constant and absolutely makes me a better person.

So 95 days and counting until I become ... Mrs. Zellner!!!

Love,
Alicia

B is for Bridesmaids & Barcadia!

Saturday, August 8, my six beautiful bridesmaids and I drove to South Lake, TX to Bridal Designs to pick out the bridesmaid dresses for our wedding. While I do not want to spoil it or post pictures of their actual dresses, you just have to know that each dress is absolutely beautiful and I couldn't be happier. So I guess if you want to know what they look like, you'll just have to come and see...but know this... I couldn't have asked for anything better. Thank you girls for everything. You truly have no idea what this all means to me that you'll be there with me on the happiest day of our lives:)

My 6 bridesmaids outside of Bridal Designs!

After a day of bridal shopping... of course... a stop to the local Sonic. This was not any Sonic... it was an indoor Sonic... pretty amazing... except for the creepy kids on the wall. Follow their eyes and you tell me if it's not creepy:) hehe

That night, we all met up for dinner at Mi Cocina at the shops of Legacy. The food was absolutely delicious.

Ray and I waiting to be seated at Mi Cocina

My beautiful sister-in-laws!

After dinner, we decided to go to Barcadia... where they have
LIFE SIZE Jenga!
It was soooo much fun! Here are some pictures of the night.



Toasting to my sisters at the Jenga Table:
Jenga Play at your Own Risk:)

My sister in laws at the Jenga table

Many of my bridesmaids at Barcadia


My Dallas Girlies;)


My Laylan!


Zellner Toast!


Sisterly Love'n:)

The Fants!


The Dukes!

Thank you all for making this an amazing night. I'm so thankful for my best friends and also my wonderful soon to be sister-in-laws who came a long way to be here to celebrate it with us.

Love,
Alicia

Get a Room!

A Hotel Room...


For those family and friends that are in search of a hotel for our upcoming wedding on November 14, 2009, look no further. We have requested blocks of hotel rooms just for you at the Doubletree Hotel Dallas- Campbell Centre for $89.00 a night. The Doubletree Hotel is located near Uptown Dallas near North Park Mall and only 4 miles away from our venue. They offer free shuttle services during the day to many of your favorite locations.

To make things even easier, they have set up a wedding website for you to log on and book space there. Please go to our website at:

http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/DFWCNDT-618-20091112/index.jhtml

The website will provide amenities, directions, etc. Please let us know if you have any issues with booking. Both Ray and I look forward to seeing you there. Thank you!

PS: Today marks 100 days until our wedding. While that seems like forever... next Friday will be exactly 3 months until the big day! Cannot wait:)

Love,
Alicia