Fun Planning!

Nothing too much is new, but I did go on my first outing browsing for wedding gowns! We went to Roma Sposa in Birmingham and a little place that had Maggie Sottero gowns. Roma Sposa was incredible, of course. I set a budget (that was higher than most, but there are no $500 gowns at Roma Sposa) and they stuck to it well. I found one gown that I loved, but it wasn't the style I had always wanted. If I could have multiple wedding gowns, that one would definitely be one of them. But it wasn't "the one". It made me appreciate different styles of wedding gowns and realize what I really wanted. The boutique was so beautiful and trendy. We then went to lunch in downtown Birmingham and perused a few shops. The little place with Maggie Sottero gowns was much less than what I had hoped for. It was a really dumpy place and they only had one gown that I wanted to try on. It was a fun day, but unsuccessful. Tomorrow we will be going to Dior in Dearborn, which looks to be a nicer place that has more Maggie Sottero gowns. I feel a little more confident that I may find the dress of my dreams and I am SO excited!

I had been tossing around color ideas and want something that fits well with an August wedding, yet is elegant. I came up with coral. An orange/pink. I thought that I may have some trouble finding bridesmaid gowns in coral, but a couple of my girls have been very helpful and e-mailing me coral gowns they like! Something else that made me solidify this color choice... Upon checking the Neiman Marcus selection of Manolo Blahnik's, I discovered that they now make the shoes that I wanted for the wedding in CORAL! They only make them in like gold, silver and white... and now coral (and pink now too, I think)! It's meant to be!

I have been looking up flowers and linen places and look forward to booking some consultations with them after I find my dress. I'm sure Matt will be eager to help me pick these things out too... Haha! ;)

New House, New Plan, Wedding Plans Progress

SO much has happened since I last wrote! Where to start...

Chris and Nina got married! Their wedding was beautiful and lots of fun. It really showed me how much work goes into a wedding and it kept me (who wasn't even the bride) very busy. Nina planned it very well and it came out to be a great day for all! I had SOO much fun and I don't really know of anyone who didn't. I'm glad that I waited to do much for mine and Matt's wedding planning until after their wedding because it allowed me to focus on theirs. Now that their wedding is over, my wheels are turning...

The next big event: WE BOUGHT A NEW HOUSE! It's about a 1470 square foot bungalow in Grosse Pointe Woods. I LOVE our neighborhood and I LOVE our new home! My favorite parts of the house: The room attached to our bedroom upstairs that I have convienantly turned into a big closet (there is even a walk-in closet in my closet room!) and our dining room with the beautiful chandelier (and the cool table that we bought). Matt's favorite is the basement with the large wet bar, haha. We painted every room of the house and my fabulous parents went above and beyond and painted the upper and lower trim different colors than the walls. It was tons of work, but it looks amazing and now there is nothing much left to do, but keep it up. It's really a beautiful house and, although actually having some bills was a bit of a shock at first, I think it was a good investment :)

Now to the new plan. As you all know, I have wanted to go to CRNA school since before I started nursing school. I love the OR and thought that it would be really cool to actually be an integral part of a surgical team. You probably also know that acceptance to CRNA school is extremely competitive. The CRNA program is so rigorous that you can't work during it, so I would have to take out a loan big enough to cover all of my school expenses, as well as my living expenses. We were holding our wedding off until I got this loan so that I would qualify for one large enough to cover everything. With all of the prerequisites to get in, I wouldn't be starting until 2012... If I got in on my first try. I was taking an Inorganic Chem class that was needed to get in and am still studying to take the CNRN (a neuro certification) exam to spice up the application. I still needed to take a graduate level stats class and was thinking of doing the CCRN exam as well. I was putting in loads of money and completely stressed. So I started to think about why I really wanted to be a CRNA. I want to work in the OR (but also realized that having other options down the road would be good too). I want an advanced degree that's challenging and something I can be proud of myself for getting. I want to be a respected professional and I want my opinions to matter. Then I realized that doesn't have to be a CRNA. Nurse practitioners can work in the OR and also have the option of doing outpatient (among many other things). I can get an advanced nursing degree and still be able to work. I am just so tired of putting my life on hold and being miserable doing things to get me into a program that is only Patho and Pharm, which I'm not a fan of in the first place. Even thinking of doing NP rather than all the bs to get into CRNA school was a load off of my shoulders. So, I began researching programs and talking to NP's. I was told by one of our neurosurg NP's that the head of neurosurgery is trying to get the NP's to do first assist in surgery (PA's do first assist now). I would completely rather do that than anesthesia! I don't have to do any other prereqs for any of the NP programs and can apply now. Then I started thinking: Acute/Critical Care vs. Family NP program? Half of our NP's are Family and half are Acute. Family is more for outpatient (but a lot of them are in the hospital) and Acute is a newer program that is more for the hospital. I have been told that as more Acute Care NP's graduate, the hospitals will start prefering Acute vs. Family. SO, since I know that I want to work in the hospital for now at least, I think I'm going to do Acute. I want to go to Wayne State because it's closest, I hear good things about the program, and it's one of only a few Acute Care NP programs. Wayne has switched to a DNP program. It's a masters AND doctorate Acute/Critical Care program. I went to an information meeting and met with one of the administrators recently. It's 4 years full time, but it's one day a week (just all day that day), so that students can work and have a normal life as well. I could have my doctorate by the time I'm 29! That program has all of the things that I want and I'm not afraid of the work, so I will be applying to start Fall 2011.

We FINALLY booked our wedding date!!! We are getting married at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial August 11, 2012!! We are so excited that the ball can finally get rolling! I can't wait to go look at wedding dresses and I have been checking out linens and flowers online! It is 2 years away, yes, but it is perfect for us to have everything we want!

And, given our trip to Germany and Austria next fall works out (i.e. flight prices drop just a little again! Ugh), we are planning on having some engagement pictures taken in the middle of the Alps in a little town called Hallstatt in Austria (see photo below)! Even if we only go for a couple days, it's definitely a priority of mine :) I found a photographer that is really good (claire-morgan.com) and it would be and AMAZING experience with incredible pictures! Hallstatt is such a picturesque Bavarian looking town nestled in the Alps. We are hoping flights drop again because it would be incredible!

Paris and England 2010

Considering we had been planning our trip to Europe since before our engagement even took place, I suppose I will blog about the fabulous "engagement trip" that we were lucky enough to share with one another. For my warm memories to smile about years from now and for your reading enjoyment.

We flew out of DTW on Saturday, February 27th at night. After a good dinner with my family and Matt's family at Leonardo's by the airport, we checked our luggage, said our goodbyes, and waited to board. Something about an 8 hour plane ride to a far away country always ties my stomach in knots, but the amazing adventure is always worth the mild anxiety I must endure prior to take-off.

We arrived at Charles de Gaulle at about 11:30am. We got off the plane at about 12:30-1pm because they "couldn't open the doors due to high winds." And then we all walked back and forth past the many luggage carousels waiting for our luggage on carousels that were only labeled Mexico. And maybe a couple other countries and cities that most definitely were not Detroit. We waited for our luggage until about 5:30pm when, after a few heated conversations with French airline workers that only half understood that WE JUST WASTED AN ENTIRE DAY PLANNED TO EXPLORE PARIS IN THE AIRPORT, our luggage finally came. Apparently they couldn't open the doors to get to our luggage due to high winds. An art that France has yet to accomplish: operating airplanes in the wind. And we were exhausted. And didn't get to see Les Invalides and Montmartre as we had originally planned to do, after a small nap, on this fine day. We promptly hopped into our cab and headed off to our hotel. Finally!

The exhaustion and frustration magically melted away when our cab arrived at our hotel. Directly across the street from the one and only Eiffel Tower. I smile just thinking about that breathtaking moment. We were greeted by the friendliest girl at the reception desk and I couldn't have said no if I tried when asked if we wanted to spend the extra 100 Euros for an Eiffel Tower view balcony room. Why, yes, we would love that!!

I washed up, got ready, and looked out the window to see the Eiffel Tower sparkling beautifully. :) Although tired, I was with my fiance, in Paris, looking at the sparkling Eiffel Tower, and I was euphoric. We walked under the Eiffel Tower and along the River Sienne. At this point it was about 8-8:30pm and everything was closing. It was freezing cold, so we decided against going up in the Eiffel Tower. Instead we went to a little cafe across the street from our hotel, around the block from the Eiffel Tower. After exercising our lousy French (which is pretty much limited to "Parlez vous anglais?"), we enjoyed a glass of wine, a ham and cheese sandwhich for me (which consisted of one thin slice of ham and one thin slice of cheese between a baguet and nothing on the side), and Matt had a fried egg atop a hamburger patty (no bun for that either). We had the most delicious chocolate mousse for dessert. It was after we recieved our check for this interesting meal, and enjoyed watching the large quantity of Maserati's and Aston Martin's buzzing by, that we came to truly understand that Paris is a very expensive city. Whew.

We slept like rocks and started our first real day in Paris fresh and ready to go! First stop, the Louvre. Oh the beautiful Louvre. It's hard to put into words the beauty of some of the places we went to on this trip. This is one of them. Our day was beautiful and brisk. The sunshine hit the big pyramid and infinity pools surrounding it just right. The architecture of the building is so detailed and intricate. We bought our tickets beforehand, so we went into the side entrance when it opened. I don't know too much about art, but it's hard to not be impressed by long halls filled with Leonardo de Vinci paintings that are so numerous that they aren't even encased behind glass. Except for the infamous Mona Lisa, of course. The ceilings were high and painted beautifully. We saw the Venus de Milo and pieces by Michelangelo and Bernini. Collections that even those with weak knowledge of art can appreciate. Matt's love of architecture really came out here and I regret that I may have rushed him through a bit, as we had so much to see this day. Something to spend more time in if we are ever lucky enough to return to Paris.

Next we strolled down the River Sienne towards our destination of Notre Dame, taking in the little cafes and and souvenir stands. This is when I first noticed that Paris really is the city of fashion. Everyone was wearing cute peacoats and heels and dresses and tights. They sat at the little outdoor cafes and I envied their beautiful conversations in French. We evaded the pick-pocketers and empathized for others across the street that were not as fortunate. Or aware. We crossed a bridge to a little Parisian island, home of Notre Dame and Ste. Chappelle. First we came to Ste. Chappelle. Next door to Ste. Chappelle was a correctional facility that, oddly enough, use to be part of the royal palace prior to the construction of the Palace of Versaille. Ste. Chappelle was a church with incredible stained glass. Each panel of stained glass told a chapter of the Bible. It was another one of them places that you can't really appreciate until you are there. It was amazing. Next we went to Notre Dame. Beautiful as well. Lots of beggars out front, as this is such a tourist destination, but you can't miss Notre Dame.

Matt is a collector of Hard Rock Cafe glasses. He has glasses from all over the world, so Paris was a must. From Notre Dame we hailed a taxi and encountered our first, real language barrier. Apparently, Hard Rock Cafe isn't always understood between countries. It went a little something like this:

Me: Parlez vous anglais?

Cabbie: Uhhh un peu

Me: Hard Rock Cafe si vous plait?

Cabbie: *Silence*

Me: I think it's on the Champes Elysees? Hard. Rock. Cafe.

Cabbie: Oh ok!!

Well the taxi driver took us to the Champes Elysees. However, we came to find out that the Hard Rock Cafe was back by Notre Dame, several miles away. After a 15 Euro cab ride!! Ughhh!! So we were determined to save money, and walk. Our feet paid for this decision for the rest of our trip. We walked down Avenue de Champes Elysees to Avenue de Montmartre. We took in the sites of all the fabulous high-end shops that the Champes Elysees is known for, along with the cute little back roads of Paris. We passed Opera Garnier that we came to find out was the opera house that the Phantom of the Opera was based on. We finally made it to the Hard Rock Cafe of Paris and we were spent! We ate lunch, grabbed a Starbucks, and came to Avenue de Montaigne... my Parisian high-end shopping avenue of choice. Almost bought a gorgeous pair of Chanel heels, but couldn't buy something from the first store I walked into! Wanted some cute Jimmy Choo's, but wasn't as in love with them as I felt I should have been. Then we went into Dior... Paris' very own Christian Dior. The Dior store that is in all of the Dior perfume commercials! And I found the cutest pink wallet. I needed a wallet. So I bought the wallet. And was a happy, happy woman!

We then went back to the hotel and NAPPED. It was such a good nap. I rarely nap, but this nap felt like a little piece of heaven. We forced ourselves to get up and went back to the Champes Elysees. This time we went to the end of the Champes Elysees to the one and only Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe honors those who fought for France, particularly in the Napoleonic Wars. This is where France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located. The flag of France was flying the day we were there because the Prime Minister of Russia and France were meeting to discuss relations with Iran. This was to commemorate that apparently. But anyway, we decided that we hadn't gotten enough exercise on this day, so we decided to climb the narrow, circular, 284 step staircase to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Beautiful view of Paris. :) Climbed back on down, I felt as though I was close to death, and we decided that it was FINALLY time that we really celebrated our 4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! Yes, this day was our 4 year anniversary. :) So filled with history and walking that we needed something romantic and special to remember this day by. And we got that at Pizza Vesuvio. A trendy little restuaurant with a witty little waitor that spoke English very well and a breathtaking view of the Arc de Triomphe, if at any point we were to forget that we were in Paris. I had champaign, Matt had a liter of beer, and we both had meals to die for. After dinner we sat outside on the porch with nice heaters to keep us warm, enjoying cups of coffee, good conversation, and people watching. It was an evening I'll never forget. :)

Tuesday was dedicated to the Palace of Versaille. We had plans to sleep in and not do much this morning, being as our tour didn't start until 1pm. However, due to the unfortunate events of our first day at the airport, we decided to make the most of our morning and head off to Les Invalides. Les Invalides is a beautiful church built by Louis XIV that houses the tomb of Napoleon. It has an amazing gold dome and some of the most ornate and gorgeous architecture I have ever seen. Behind the church is a courtyard and museums and monuments associated to the military history of France. We had another beautiful day, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Compared to what we were use to at home, it was a relatively warm day. After we explored the Les Invalides church in awe we went behind it to look at all of the military exhibits/museums. Not really my cup of tea, but it was there and we were there so might as well look around. After that we began our walk back to the hotel through the quaint little Parisian streets, stopping at a party store to pick up a cheap bottle of French wine and cheese on the way. We made our way through the side streets, past the Eiffel Tower, and to our hotel. Dropped off our goodies and waited for our shuttle to Versailles.

On the way to Versailles our driver gave us a quick, but thorough, run down on what exactly the Palace of Versailles is. Versailles started as only a hunting lodge for Louis XIII, whose royal residence at the time was in Paris. Louis XIII died when his son, Louis XIV, was only 4 years old. Being so young, the nobles tried to take advantage and control France. Needless to say, there was much turmoil in Paris as Louis XIV was growing up, and he grew to resent the City of Lights. When he was old enough, he decided that he wanted his royal residency to be outside of Paris. Thus began the expansion of what is now the grand Palace of Versailles.

We arrived at the Palace of Versailles around 2:30pm (our shuttle was late and we didn't leave until 2pm). Our little Frenchman dropped us off outside of the Versailles chapel, explained that we had a couple hours and to meet back at that spot. He handed us our tickets and we were off. We booked through Viator tours, which included round trip transportation and tickets to the Palace. Looking back I think that we may have benefitted more with a personal guided tour, but guided tours can be a bit pricey so we had to pick and choose which tours we would take. We started off in the incredible gardens. It was such a beautiful day out that we could have just sat in them gardens all day, looking out at the little ponds and rolling hills in the distance. After exploring the gardens, we picked up our audio guided tour headsets and were off. You can't really describe the beauty of places like Versailles in words. I'm just not that articulate. Imagine architectural details in every nook and cranny and covered in gold. That was probably the most impressive thing: the amount of gold throughout the Palace. Gold gates, gold all over the outside of the building, on the ceilings, etc. It was amazing. That being said, it was very touristy. There were terribly large groups of people everywhere and the audio guides just didn't do the place justice. The Hall of Mirrors was breathtaking. Some of the paintings took up entire walls. And the walls aren't regular walls, they are like four stories high. Other than that, it wasn't done up very well. You would go through the Grand Apartments, Louis XIV and his wife's bedrooms, dens, etc... and there would be a single bed. Beautiful ceilings and views, but not much else. I relate places like this to the Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate in North Carolina or the Breakers in Rhode Island or William Randolph Hearst's Hearst Castle in California. Extravagant constructions of individuals that have way too much time and money. Versailles just wasn't as complete as places like those. Just my opinion. But definitely worth seeing!

We got back from Versailles in the early evening. As if we hadn't done enough on this day, we decided to go to Montmartre, another destination intended for our first day in Paris. Montmartre was a cute little area of Paris that is very artsy and quaint. Small little cobblestone streets, open air cafes and shops, and artists with their eisles set up on every corner. It was one of my favorite places in Paris and I only wish that we had made it there in the day and were able to spend more time there. Montmartre was in the very northern part of Paris and our hotel was more south. We got there after it had already gotten dark. We took a taxi and the taxis at this time of the evening were few and far between. And this is where my biggest regret of our trip took place. We saw Sacre Coeur from the side. We thought it was closed. Google Sacre Coeur and look at how cool and beautiful it looks. I wanted to go there desperately, but thought that we were just outa luck. We kinda started to let our imaginations run wild and fabricated thoughts of not being able to get a taxi and then everything closing and getting murdered... So when a taxi finally came by, we promptly jumped into it and were thankful that the above did not happen. This particular taxi took us by the front of Sacre Coeur... where there were hundreds of people going into this beautiful establishment!!! My biggest regrets: 1.) We didn't make the taxi stop RIGHT there and let us out!! 2.) We were too scared to walk around to the front of the building!!! Ughhh!

We went back to the hotel where my best friend Ashley Miller and a couple of her friends came up to visit! Ashley was in London when we were in Paris and in Paris when we were in London. Except for this particular evening, when we were both in Paris! I was exhausted and should have taken it easy this day, so that we could have gone out and grabbed a cocktail with my best friend in Paris, but I was exhausted. So we visited, shared a couple stories, and called it a night.

Our train from Paris to London left at 9:13am on the dot. We arrived at Paris Nord station, got our bearings, then I ran across the street to grab some McDonalds breakfast, while Matt waited with our luggage. Praying for a delicious breakfast burrito, I made my way to the counter and didn't see a breakfast menu. So I asked in my broken French if there was a breakfast menu. The man said, "Yes, the menu is behind me". Well this menu included two meals... an egg McMuffin WITH a coffee and an egg McMuffin WITHOUT a coffee. Uhmm... decisions... so many choices... I'm gonna go have to go WITH a coffee. Prayer unanswered.

We went through customs, hopped on our train, and were off at 9:13. We arrived in London around 10:35, got into the cute, typical English cab and smiled when we realized that we all spoke the same language. :) I cannot emphasize the thrill as we got closer and closer and closer to Big Ben and the House of Parliment and then realized that we had arrived at our hotel! We stayed at the Marriott County Hall, directly across the River Thames from Big Ben and the House of Parliment, and the building that you see directly behind the London Eye. Rooms at this particular hotel, given it's prime/you-can't-get-better-than-this location run between 400-1,000 pounds a night (close to $600). However, my incredible friend Ashley (previously mentioned) works at the Marriott in Ypsilanti and got us a discount unlike any discount I have ever seen. Thus our accomodations similar to the accomodations of rock stars, complete with a view of the London Eye right outside of our window. Thank you Ashley!!

We were met by a cute little English guy in a long, black cashmere-ish jacket, a matching top hat, and a tie. We checked in, however it was too early to get into our room, so our London exploration began. The bell boy helped us get aquainted with the map/tube system and we headed off to St. Pauls Cathedral. St. Pauls was designed by none other than Christopher Wren and is where Princess Diana married Charles, for those trying to picture it. Needless to say, it was beautiful. Unfortunately, they didn't allow photography and had many people keeping a close eye on you to enforce this. I did not like this. The dome of St. Pauls is among the highest in the world (St. Peters in Rome/Vatican City being a bit higher), so what did we decide to do? Climb to the top. Yes, excellent idea. We climbed the 259 steps of the tiny spiral staircase to the Whispering Gallery first. They say that if you whisper something against the wall on one side of the dome you can hear it clearly on the other side. We didn't try this, but my mom and dad did when they went and say that it works. My mission at this location was to get a picture! And while the lady wasn't looking, a picture I took. Haha.

Another 120 steps up we reached the next stop of the dome. It was the outside part of the dome where we were able to look out at the panaramic views of London. We truly realized how much construction was taking place in London at this time. And I also realized that I was famished. Unable to climb any further, we decided that it was lunchtime. We climbed back down and after exploring the memorials/tombs of greats such as Florence Nightengale, Nelson, William Blake, and Christopher Wren, we headed towards Trafalgar Square. Of course we had to stop at the Millenium Bridge (Harry Potter bridge?), just to see it.

We took some pictures at Trafalgar Square and were excited to see it. If I lived in London, I would hang out there all the time. The fountains and big buildings around it are just cool. We then went across the street for lunch at a place called Chandos, where we enjoyed our first English beer. Ahhh :)

After this we headed back to our hotel. We went to our room and were too enticed by the lush feather down comforter and fluffy pillows to continue being tourists. So we napped. Another incredible nap. We woke up just in time to make our London Eye trip. We strolled outside the front door of our hotel and were standing at the London Eye. That's my kinda commute. The London Eye is the huge ferris wheel looking thing with the glass pods. It was kinda freaky being so high in a huge glass pod. We were afraid to get too close to the windows once we made it to the top haha. But the views were incredible and we got some great pictures of Big Ben and the House of Parliment.

After the London Eye we took the tube to Picidilly Circus (the Times Square of England). We ate dinner at a little place that reminded us of Coney Island, in that it had your typical Coney Island food and looked like a Coney Island. We then ventured across the street to this awesome Irish pub called Waxy O'Connors. We went to the bar, got a beer, and thought that it was just a little pub... Until we looked for a seat. We went to the back of the room and went down the stairs to another big room where a crowd of people were gathered around a TV showing a football game (soccer). We went to the back of that room to find another huge room with another huge bar. We grabbed a seat and watched the traditional Irish band playing favorites. If we didn't have an early morning the next day, we could have drank there all night. Instead we just had a couple. Next time we go to England, there will be less site seeing and more Waxy O'Connors :)

Thursday we started our day off enjoying a delicious traditional English breakfast (2 eggs, sausage, beans, fried tomato, mushroom, tea, orange juice) looking out the window at Big Ben, prior to going to Westminster Abbey. We went on a Verger tour and just happened to be the only ones that showed up for the tour at that time, so we had a private tour of Westminster Abbey. The history of Westminster Abbey is unlike anything I've ever known, outside of Rome. It is where coronations of kings and queens have taken place since 1066. Worship on this site began 1,000 years prior to that. The verger showed us around and then he unhooked a rope in front of a stairway and let us through. The three of us went behind the high alter and everyone was looking at us. Apparently the floor of this particular enclosed area is so old and fragile that they don't let people back there. However, since it was just the two of us, the verger let us through. In the center of this area was the tomb of Royal Saint Edward the Confessor, one of the only saints tombs that wasn't destroyed in the Reformation. On the side was the tomb of King Edward I, better known as "Longshanks" to Braveheart fans. This area is the reception area of royalty before, during, and after coronations. Hearing the history of that very place we were standing was unreal.

Next we went on a Yeomon Warder (Beefeater guys) tour of the Tower of London. The Tower of London was a royal palace, fortress, and prison, particularly for London royalty. It's where the infamous Anne Boleyn was beheaded, among many others, and where the heads of those executed would be displayed. We had an extremely witty Yeomon Warder that had us laughing rather than somber at a place where gruesome torture and executions took place. He told us amazing stories and thoroughly explained the fallacy in Braveheart's depiction of William Wallace being able to scream "FREEDOM" as he was being "cut from nipple to navel, disemboweled, and having his heart literally ripped from his body", haha. Matt's favorite part is after this was all explained and then the Yeomon Warder proceeded to talk about the mote that surrounds the Tower. "Much like Christmas now-a-days, other countries would buy England 'gifts' that they didn't really want. They recieved gifts of zoo animals, such as polar bears, that cost England so much money to care for that they damn near bankrupted the country. So what did they do with the polar bears? Put them in the mote. This mote was also used as a bathroom. So polar bears are swimming in a toilet, most of which caught cholera and died." Now, I didn't realize my reaction until the tour guide completely called me out. Apparently, after he told the polar bear story, I let out a sad sigh. SO, he looked at me and SHOUTED, "I talk about people being murdered and tortured and not a peep! I speak of a polar bear getting cholera and it's so sad! Gain some perspective blondie!!" It was funny, yet embarrassing haha. It's amazing how someplace like this can also house some of the most exquisite gems the world has ever known-- the Crown Jewels.

Next, we went to Harrods. The luxury department store that houses floors upon floors of high-end designer items. There were fancy food halls, and anything you could ever want from Louis Vuitton, Versace, Gucci, and the likes. Unfortunately, Paris' Dior inhibited my financial ability to make the most of Harrods, so we just browsed and dreamed. :) After Harrods we went to dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe. The ORIGINAL Hard Rock Cafe. The American restaurant in London that Eric Clapton gave his guitar to and a week later recieved a guitar from Pete Townshend of The Who, with a note saying, "Mine's as good as his. Love, Pete." We had a waitress from California who proceeded to explain how you can spot an American by their excessive ordering of ranch dressing with everything they eat.

We started Friday off slowly and didn't get going until about 11am-noon. We first went to grab lunch at the Plough-- a little pub by the British Museum. We had a few beers and were able to tour the British Museum a little tipsy haha. The British Museum was a little boring to me, but Matt loved it. It houses parts of the Greek Parthenon that the English recieved as a gift (a.k.a. stole) from Greece. Museums in Greece still have spots on their walls for theses pieces, complete with plaques explaining them, but they are actually at the British Museum. I guess they don't feel like going to war over this. We saw ancient Greek and Egyptian art and such. The Rosetta Stone was there (the ancient Egyptian stone from 196 BC that decifered the hieroglyphics).

Keeping with the theme of the day, we stopped at the London Pub for a couple beers before going to the British Library Gallery. The British Library Gallery was probably one of my favorite parts of London. It's still a functioning library today, but some of the things that it has on display are incredible. It displays original written songs from the Beetles, original compositions from Mozart, Beethoven, Handel. It houses one of the original four copies of the Magna Carta, original written studies from Sigmund Freud, Oscar Wilde poetry, original written works from Leonardo de Vinci on gravitation, Biblical literature, and soooo much more! Just seeing their handwriting on original papers where they first discovered what gravity is... doesn't get much cooler than that. I got in trouble for taking pictures, but managed to sneak one of the Magna Carta haha.

We walked by Buckingham Palace after this, but it was already dark so we couldn't take it all in. However, we drove past it the next day on the way to rent our car and the hoardes of people made it clear that we wouldn't be able to see it either way. Dinner was spent in the comfort of our hotel restaurant/lounge, enjoying a pina colada (or beer for Matt), and looking out the window at the beautifully lit up Big Ben and the House of Parliment. By this time, we were ready to be out of the big cities, done walking the city blocks, and ready for the English countryside. Thus begins our next adventure... driving on the other side of the road and the other side of the car.

We rented our car the next afternoon from Heathrow Airport. We got a royal blue Ford Fiesta, that was actually quite cute. I already had our destinations saved into my GPS, so I typed in the "Oxford car park" I found, Matt got into the right side drivers seat and we were off. Matt was incredible in the new driving conditions and I was his co-pilot. Navigating the many round-abouts and taking in the beautiful sunshine and English countryside, we made it to Oxford. Such a cool college town. We went to Christ Church College, where the Harry Potter Dining Hall is. 13 prime ministers graduated from here, along with the founder of the state of Pennsylvania. I wish they had a nursing program, I'd like to go there!! It was so beautiful too... the grass was pure green, blue skies, sunshine, brisk, but warm in the sun. And we weren't in any hurry. We had lunch and then set off to the Cotswolds. Bibury to be exact.

We made it to the Bibury Court Hotel and it was breathtaking. Bibury was probably my favorite part of the whole trip. The Cotswolds are so quaint. Sleepy little towns with thatched cottages. It was gorgeous weather when we were there. We made it to our hotel mid-afternoon and decided to take advantage of the sleepy town and do NOTHING for the rest of the day. We checked in and it was just a big castle looking place, from the 1600s. It was decorated all modern and everyone was so friendly.

We went up the grand staircase, through the back halls, and made it to our room. I got a haunted feeling from the place, but didn't see anything! Haha. We had internet access, so we played on the internet, watched TV, and relaxed for the rest of the evening. We decided to have "bar food" that evening so they jotted our names down for 8pm. We made our way to the bar, where the waitor poured my glass of pink champaign and Matt's beer. We noticed that the Bibury Court is pet friendly by the cute little doggies roaming around the bar and lobby like they owned the place. They then brought us to the den, where I felt like I must be from old money to even be sitting in such a room. Oak walls, the smell of a wood-burning fireplace, sipping champaign, violins playing in the background, old English people talking in their thick accents about spending the afternoon with Winston Churchill's grandson. It was like in the Titanic when Jack first goes to dinner with Rose's family... Kinda like that, haha. We felt underdressed. To top it off, our "bar food" arrived. Please see below. This is my happy place. :)

The next day was our Cotswolds and Stratford Upon Avon day. We woke up, enjoyed our traditional English breakfast in the "reading room" and set off to explore Bibury. It was another brisk, sunny day. We went to Arlington Row to see the traditional thatched cottages that are seen so often when depicting the Cotswolds. The town is just so cute. I have no other way to describe it, but cute and quaint. I felt like I was walking in a painting. The sun reflected off the stream so beautifully, with the little girls walking along the wall and feeding the swans, and the thatched cottages in the background. I could have just sat there on a bench all day and been perfectlly happy.

After roaming around for a while we left for Stratford-- Shakespeare's birthplace. Our drive to Stratford was through some of the narrowest streets I have ever seen. Streets that would be tight for one car, no less two. When passing another car, you had to veer off the road slightly to both fit. Which was rather nerve wracking with so many curves in the road, but we made it in one piece. We started off through a little exhibit about Shakespeare and then made it to his birthplace. Now, I fully realize that Shakespeare was around a long time ago, but this made me see just how long ago it was. They have a guestbook from when this home was open to tourists in the 1700's. Two of the first tourists to visit Shakespeare's birthplace and sign the guestbook were none other than Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Other tourists, just like us, to visit included Charles Dickens and Ralph Waldo Emerson. William Shakespeare has been an icon for that long. After visiting his birthplace we went to Hall's Croft House, where Shakespeares oldest daughter Susanne and her doctor husband lived. We made our way to Trinity Church where William Shakespeare and his family are buried and then to his wife, Anne Hathaway's, cottage. Her cottage was so cute, just like the Cotswolds. :) We grabbed some snacks for the drive home and returned to our hotel.

This is the night that we had our fancy dinner at the hotel. My mom bought us our two nights at the Bibury Court Hotel, as well as a dinner for two, for Christmas because we couldn't afford it. Upon reserving the room, she recieved a confirmation letter in the mail that included directions to the Bibury Court via car or helicopter... In case we decided to take our helicopter. It was a generous gift that we will ALWAYS remember!! :) SO, that evening I threw on my dress and heels, Matt got into his black pants and we made our way downstairs for dinner. Started off in that den again with pink champaign and a beer, followed by an incredible candle lit dinner. It was a night we will never forget. :)

Tuesday was dedicated to Belper... the little town in Derbyshire, England where my dad was born and raised. My grandparents moved to the States when they were in their 30's and my dad was 12 years old, so he spent his childhood roaming the streets we were about to see. We arrived at the Lion Hotel in the morning/early afternoon. It was very modern and a nice place. Once we checked in, I immediately started crying and Matt probably thought that I was crazy. Just thinking of my dad riding his bike around there as a child and my grandparents and great grandparents living their day to day life in this place that seems so far away from my life as I know it now made me kinda emotional. I shook it off and we were ready to meet my dad's Uncle Narvel. My grandma has a sister, Hillary, that lives in the US, and then Narvel who moved to the States for several years before returning to Belper. Narvel is very knowledgable in the history of Belper and agreed to show us around. We grabbed a pint in the Lion Hotel bar, where my grandpa use to grab a drink after work (a little emotional again), and waited for Narvel. He showed up with his man Terry, lol. After meeting one another, we started off on our tour. Narvel took us all around Belper. We saw the house my dad grew up in, where he went to school, the church he was baptized in and where my grandparents were married in, and where my grandparents lived with my great grandparents when my dad was just a baby. We even saw what is now a parking lot, but use to be a big building that my grandparents wedding reception was held at. It was really cool to see and it was good to see it with someone who knows the area and the stories. After the tour, we went to Narvel and Terry's home where they made us a delicious dinner. I'm sure you understand that Narvel and Terry are both men, therefore of the homosexual nature lol. I'm fine with that. Some don't, but I believe in gay marriage. Who am I to judge? But Narvel pushed his sexual orientation quite a bit and I could feel the animosity he felt towards those who didn't accept it as he was growing up. It got boarderline inappropriate, but it was good of the both of them to take the time to show us around and have us for dinner. So that's that. I'm lucky to have Matthew to be there with me for that.

Our final real day of our trip was spent in Lincoln. Lincoln is a cute English town with a beautiful cathedral and castle. It was the only rainy day of the whole trip (we were beyond lucky to have only sunny days in England!) that cleared up later in the day. We checked into our very modern and chic hotel and were so excited to see the view of the cathedral from our balcony! Being sleepy from the drive, weather, and pace of the trip in general, we decided to take it easy for an hour or so before hitting the tourist trail again. England is a big Friends country. They play Friends marathons all day, everyday, on one channel or another. So, we watched some more Friends. We enjoyed the many episodes of Friends we were able to watch. It was a little piece of home in historic Lincoln (and every other city we visited across the pond). After we regained our energy, we set out to the Lincoln Cathedral. It was a very impressive cathedral, just across the street from our hotel. There were a row of townhouses just across from the Cathedral that were the first numbered homes in England. It was still a rainy and drowsy day. We went into the Lincoln Cathedral and, although extravagent compared to most of our standards, it was just another Cathedral. No saints were buried here and kings and queens from centuries ago did not become kings and queens in this Cathedral. It was just pretty. And we were okay with that.

We carried on through the medieval, cobblestone streets of Lincoln that were so cute. Another copy of the Magna Carta is housed in the Lincoln castle, so we enjoyed our lunch at a bar/restaurant convienantly named the Magna Carta. Good, cheap food and an Australian specialty beer we like to call Fosters. Right across the street from here was the castle, one of the best preserved Roman castles in all of England, resurected nearly 2,000 years ago. We made it to the castle just before closing time and saw the prison and Magna Carta. The clouds mysteriously disappeared, the sun came out, and we climbed to the top of the fort/castle to walk it's walls and take in the views of Lincoln.

The Cathedral and Castle were the only two real points of interest in Lincoln, making for a short day. This was our intention. We were tired and saw so much that it was perfect. Back to the hotel we went to relax and watch some more Friends. We got ready, went down to the hotel bar for a cocktail, and then decided to hit the streets of Lincoln for dinner. Being the small town that Lincoln is, few places were open past 7pm. We found a nice little restaurant with delicious pasta and had our early dinner before calling it a night.

Our final day was spent on the long ride back to Heathrow to drop our rental car off and relax at our hotel-- The Heathrow Hilton in terminal 4. The Hilton with the all too rough massage therapist and terribly overpriced food, but the one hotel that we spent the whole day in before leaving for the States bright and early the next morning.

That was the trip, in more detail than you probably care to read. Many people don't understand my love of travel for historic purposes or why such a thing would be a top priority to me, but maybe this will help you to see the magic in it all. My dad calls the trips my mom use to plan as my brother and I were growing up "races across America". We have just expaned it internationally. Not only have I grown up learning about what once was and seeing the beauty and tragedy that this world has to offer, but it also puts life into perspective. People are furiously driven by passion, be it with politics, religion, art, discovery, legacy, love, or power. This didn't start with you or me or our parents, but rather thousands upon thousands of years ago, before the United States of America was even born. There's so much to learn from these people. It's kinda inspirational to stand in William Shakespeare's bedroom, be in the presence of works from Beethoven himself, or stand on the hollowed ground where so many lives were lost at the Tower of London. Or, for me, be able to see that commercial with Charlize Theron walking down the hall, stripping her clothes off, and know that I purchased my cute pink wallet there, haha. That's my kind of happy and I was so lucky to be able to share it with such an amazing man. :)

Bridal Party

Hello again! Well, as promised, I suppose it's time to announce our wedding party :) And a party it will be! We have 8 people standing on each side. In no particular order:

Bridesmaids:

Christina "Nina" Marti- Nina will be my matron of honor and has been my best friend since I was 2 years old. We grew up across the street from one another and she will soon be my real sister, as she and my brother will be getting married this summer :) Nina has always been my best girlfriend and we have more inside jokes then I can count. Halloween Horror, Federov, Osgood, forts, bathing suits against the brick wall, tree tacos, "Do you have any Gray Poupon?", Gina. Nina just graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Education. She is currently living in Rochester Hills with Chris, post-graduation job hunting, raising their new puppy Mozie, and planning their upcoming wedding.

Ashley Miller- Ashley is our maid of honor and she has been one of my closest friends since high school. We have experienced much of the ups and downs of teenage life and young adulthood over a cocktail or two. :) We have shared many tearful phone calls over the trials of finding love, stresses of getting a college degree, transitioning into being career women, learning what we want from life, and discovering how to get it. She's my Sex and the City companion and partner in crime :) Ashley will be graduating from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Restaurant and Hotel Management, and will soon own her very own high-end hotel chain, similar to Mariott or Hilton :)

Kristi Hershiser- Kristi and I didn't become close until our senior year of college, but have slowly become closer and closer ever since. She is the friend I can always rely on when I want to dress up all cute, have a girls night, and talk about nursing/boys/traveling/U of M/shopping/hair/etc. I have discovered a lot about what I want out of my life because of Kristi and her friend therapy, haha. She never judges me and is always there for me. Kristi graduated from U of M's School of Nursing with me in 2008. She is now an RN at the University of Toledo in the MICU and about halfway through her Family Nurse Practitioner program, also at UT.

Kaylie Gerds- Kaylie and I met freshman year of college at the good ole Baits dorms. She lived across the hall from me and we soon became close friends. With a single Mikes Hard Lemonade, Kaylie and I participated in many silly antics, 3am Taco Bell runs in A2, and the unforgettable Bursley/Baits Bash '05 (Oh my, was it really that long ago??). It is through Kaylie that I met my now future husband. :) Kaylie's cousin is married to Matt's best friend and they have many other mutual friends. She introduced us because of our mutual love of country music. Kaylie is one of the most intelligent and witty friends that I have and I love her dearly. Kaylie graduated from U of M with me in 2008 with a degree in Sociology. She now works at a marketing firm in Detroit and is attending Wayne State University for her MBA.

Katie Garcia- Katie and I also met freshman year of college in the dorms. She lived with Kaylie across the hall from me that year until the three of us got an apartment Sophomore year and lived with one another for the remainder of college. Katie and I went to nursing school together and share many college memories. She is one of the most intelligent people that I know and is also one of the craziest! Upon graduation, Katie decided to do Navy Nursing and is living in California. At this time she is in Haiti, until further notice, helping save lives after the earthquake.

Dina Zalewski- Dina and I met through Matt. She started dating Matt's friend, Matt Cammarata, when I had been dating my Matt for a little while. We quickly became close friends. I have always been able to share things with Dina and trust that she will give me her unbiased opinion, whether I like it or not. She was always there for me when Matt and my relationship was at it's best and worst. She is the strongest, and most opinionated, women that I know and I am so lucky to have her as my friend! If I were a conservative, I don't think we would be as close of friends, haha. Dina graduated from Wayne State University and is in her first year of law school at U of D- Mercy.

Jen Riske- Jen and I also met through Matt. Jen is the sister of one of Matt's best friends, Jason. We really hit it off when I was in nursing school at U of M. She had graduated from U of M's School of Nursing a couple years prior and was an Oncology nurse at Royal Oak Beaumont. We shared many U of M and nursing stories and soon shared everything with each other! She helped me get a Nurse Tech position at Beaumont and answered all of my questions as I transitioned into being a real nurse. :) Jen is now an Oncology Certified Travel Nurse. She has been to Chicago, California, and Maryland and I am always eager to hear all of her traveling stories and see her when she comes home.

Melinda Jessop- Melinda and I met in high school through a mutual friend. We didn't really become close friends until after high school graduation, when we started talking all the time. We shared all of the ups and downs of finding love and never really thought we'd actually find good guys, haha. Although we don't get to see each other nearly as much as we'd like, I can always rely on her to give me good advice and share our stories. Melinda works as a dental assistant and is currently attending Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

Groomsmen: (maybe in a little less detail, lol)

Joel Hetzner- Joel is Matt's brother, best man, and best friend. Joel graduated from Michigan State with an English degree and currently works for the Wayne County Medical Society

Drew Jablonowski- Drew is also the best man and has been Matt's best friend for 13 years. They met Drew's freshman year of high school when Drew moved to Michigan from Georgia. They became close friends by playing football together and lived together for several years before Drew got married. Matt was the best man in Drew's wedding in 2005. Drew is a mechanic and has been married for about 5 years to his wife Beth. They have a little girl, Lily, who will be 2 years old this summer.

Jason Riske- Jay and Matt met in 1995 in high school. They also became friends playing football and basketball together, as well as singing together in a number of choirs. They lived with one another at one point also. Jay has a Marketing degree from Oakland University and now lives in Pheonix, Arizona.

Earl Hardy- Earl and Matt met while working together as electricians at Daimler Chrysler about 7 years ago. Earl graduated from the University of Michigan and continues to be a Michigan football fan, making his and Matt's friendship that much closer. Me and Earl both love iKea, also.

Doug Sell- Doug and Matt became friends in high school and have grown closer over the years. Doug is also a Michigan fan and has always participated in our tailgating festivities. Doug graduated from Specs Howard and currently works at Asset Acceptance.

Dave Budowick- Dave and Matt also became friends in high school and played football together. Matt and Dave share a love of sports, except for Dave's clouded judgement with his Spartan loyalty. Dave has a Marketing degree from Oakland University and currently works at Asset Acceptance.

Phil Condon- Phil and Matt also met in high school and played football and basketball together (you see a theme here?). Their friendship really blossomed in Geometry class when Matt and Phil were study buddies. Phil graduated from Grand Valley State University (where he played football and won a National Championship) with a degree in Business Management. Matt was a groomsman when Phil married his wife, Sarah. They now have two children, Kellen and Kylie, and Phil works for Paychex.

John Zois- John and Matt met about 5 years ago through mutual friends. They became close friends also because of their Michigan fanhood and their ability to have inconsequential, yet very in depth, conversations. John moved to New York City a few years ago where he recieved a degree from NYU.

Ushers:

Chris Brown (Amadeus Pullstrings)

Scott Sell (Fancypants)

Matthew Cammarata (Jersey Shore)

Alex Furchak (Schwepps)