The Holiday Season Is Upon Us...

HELLO friends and family!  I hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday Season.  Can you believe it is 11 days till Christmas?  It doesn't really feel like it's almost here since Joey and I aren't doing much for gifts for everyone this year.  Usually I like to go all out for everyone, but with the wedding being a couple months ago, it's much more difficult.  What we are doing instead is giving everyone a 4gb jump drive with all the wedding photos on there.  I think that's a good gift!

So, I was watching a movie this weekend "Julie and Julia" an realized I hadn't written a blog in so long and there has been so much going on.  

Recently I have taken to photography.  I have always been really interested in it and I think I have finally taken the first step to having it be a much bigger part of my life.  My younger sister, Tabitha, and her friend, Lindsey, asked me to take some photos of them for their Christmas cards.  That was the first time I have actually been paid to take photos!  And it was sooo much fun, I couldn't believe someone would want to pay me to take their photos!  I get all excited thinking about it!  So, after seeing what I could do with their photos with my dinky little Nikon Coolpix P80 camera I wanted a much bigger camera!  I got the itch! haha

Although Joey wasn't thrilled I'm sure, I got a new camera with my Christmas bonus!!  This camera is so great!  It's a Nikon D3000, with 2 different lenses, and a carrying case.  I'm not gonna lie... I feel pretty cool having it! haha

So, if anyone needs photos taken just let me know and I would love to shoot you!  The only thing I am really hesitant about is that I have friends that do photos as well.  I just don't want to step on anyones toes.... 

 This is so exciting to me though.  I have had 4 photo shoots in 2 months and I know I can just get better from here with practice! 

So, besides that, I've been trying to get the house in order from the wedding.  I still have sooo much wedding stuff to sell, including vases (if anyone needs any).  I sure wish I could get rid of everything, mostly so I can have my 2 spare bedrooms back!

I'm ready for the next home project... I really want to expand my closet all the way down one side of our bedroom, add curtains instead of doors to hide all the shoes and clothes, and then paint our bedroom!  I'm thinking a medium gray color!  I just ordered our comforter online... thank goodness for wedding gift cards :)! 

Joey and I have been talking more and more about having children.  We both decided to wait AT LEAST a year until we "stop trying to not get pregnant".  I'm wondering if we'll make it the full year :)  Somedays I'm really anxious and excited and want to have children now, and others.... not so much!  I wonder if I will know when the time is right, or if at some point I just jump in with both feet holding Joeys hand VERY tightly!  I know Joey is ready to have children, he is going to be such a wonderful father.  I'm tearing up just at the thought of it now.  He's such a wonderful man, and I'm so lucky to have him as my husband.

And yes, that's still weird to say... husband.  Will that ever get normal, and will I EVER be able to sign my own name again?  I need to sit down and practice.... I look like a spaz when I sign anything.  I actually introduced myself the other day as Courtney Ralston, then quickly corrected myself, the man I was introducing myself probably thought I was a schizophrenic!  hahaha

Well, right now, life is good.  Christmas is fast approaching, and next thing you know it will be 2010!!  Merry Christmas everyone!  Have a wonderful Holiday!

Here is a few photos from the Fayetteville Square Christmas Light Display, where Ryleigh kept calling the mini horses DOGGIES... and loved it!

 

 

 

 

  

Also, here are a few of my favorite photos from my first 4 photo shoots!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can call me Mrs. Wiltgen....

 

Wow, what a whirlwind of a weekend the wedding was!  We had a major storm come through here the Thursday before the wedding, and rain the WHOLE week before.  We got extremely lucky that it stopped raining and that it actually became a BEAUTIFUL day to be married on!  I am now married to my best friend, the love of my life, and the most amazing man.  But it certainly wasn't as easy as I thought.... The whole wedding day was amazing, I got a great nights sleep Friday night before the wedding, and woke up to head to my cousin Brooke's salon to get ready all day.  My sisters were such a big help with everything all day, my great friend Lucy did everyone's makeup, and Brooke went above and beyond with making us snacks, letting us spend the day in her salon getting ready, AND making us all look absolutely amazing!  I can't thank her and Lucy enough for everything they did for me on my wedding day.  We got to the church on time to get dressed, but we forgot my bouquet at my house, Al ran home to get it. hahaha  I told her that I hid the house key under the propane lid, she called because she couldn't find it.  She says "I'm looking every where and I can't find it, I lifted up the lid and all I can see is the grill"... hahaha.  Joey says "that's bc you are lifting the grill lid, go to the propane tank and you'll find the key"!  I almost died laughing!  I got the munchies before the wedding so I had the only logical thing to eat before.... Sonic grilled cheese!  YUM!  Almost paid for that later though.  After eating and getting everyone ready my sisters got me into my dress (which wasn't easy).  Everything went off without a hitch!  We took all our pre-pictures that we could without the groom, I was so nervous he was going to see me somehow before the wedding.  

Once we finished photos we had to go back into hiding until the ceremony, which was about an hour away.... that's when I started to get nervous!  I'm not sure if it was the grilled cheese, the tight dress, or the thought of having to be in front of all those people, but I wasn't feeling so hot.  I finally had to get back out of my dress so I could relax and breathe!  

Then, Sarah James comes into the room and says, "it's time, are you ready?"  I told her I guess I was, but I still didn't feel so good.  I honestly didn't realize I would get so nervous.  I don't even know what I was nervous about!  OH... and a special thank you to Sarah James and Dawnya Harris for EVERYTHING they did to help with the wedding.  They were there to help setup, make sure things ran smoothly, and so much more, I couldn't possibly thank them enough!  

So, they hid me in the bathroom by the entrance to the church.   Okay, so I didn't think I could get more nervous, but I was wrong.  Then I heard the music play... wow.... it's all happening!  Next thing I knew I was standing in front of the double doors with my daddy on my arm saying hold my hand.  He held it so tightly.  

We started down the aisle to a song by dads favorite artist, Kenny G "The Wedding Song".  I started to look up and saw mom crying at the end of the aisle, I didn't want to cry so I just looked at Dad.  Half way down the aisle I finally looked at Joey, he looked so amazing.  I thought to myself, I can't believe how lucky I am!  I gave my dad a kiss for the last time as a Ralston and walked up the steps to become Mrs. Joey Wiltgen.  

I honestly don't remember much of the ceremony, I just  kept thinking don't lock your knees! haha  Joey of course got everyone to laugh, I was so hoping Brother Rick wouldn't tell the story about rehearsal and the 3rd finger.... too funny for those of you who know that story!

It was perfect, everything was amazing!  I got to kiss my husband for the first time in front of all our closest friends and family.  Thank you for everyone for coming!

The reception was a BLAST, we ran out of the keg within and hour and a half... thankfully for Tabby and Josh, they ran out and got 9 cases of beer!  We are so lucky to have friends and family that would do something like that for us.  I can't thank them enough!  Everyone danced all night, ate AMAZING food (thank you to Kathy Davis for that one), and just had the best time ever.  I got so many compliments on the food, it was more than we had hoped and imagined.  We are so thankful to Kathy for everything she has done for us for the wedding!! 

I know I have said thank you a lot, but you can't possibly imagine how great our family and friends are.  From everyone helping to setup, to tearing it all down while we were on our way to our honeymoon (which was BEAUTIFUL), to the friends who took care of the bar (Mark and Glenda), everyone... thank you so much!  Joey and I are so lucky to have you in our lives.  We love you so much!

And now we begin our lives together!!! 

Here are some post for photos, the photographer Stacy Gough from Phorever Studios did such a wonderful job with our photos, I'm so glad she was our photographer!  I LOVE the photos she captured on our big day!

Phorever Studios Wedding Photos

Here are some photos from my camera, and some friends cameras.

Misc Wedding Photos

Also, here are some photos from our honeymoon!

Honeymoon Photos-El Dorado Royale-Cancun Mexico 

 I hope everyone enjoys the photos.  Also, I will be making everyone a CD of the photos I have taken, so please don't buy any off Snapfish.com.  Just let me know if you would like one!

THANK YOU!!

4 short days and I will be Courtney Elizabeth Wiltgen...

Hey all!  I can't believe it's soooo close to the wedding now!  I am getting anxious and excited, not yet nervous... although thinking about walking down the aisle in front of all those people make me kinda nervous!  Not sure I'll be too nervous up till rehearsal evening! I have a few things left to do: finish mounting the photos, cleaning up the house for guests, and making wedding presents for some girls that have helped me sooo much!  Then the real fun begins, Thursday night Joey and I will meet the rental lady at the Reception site to setup the tables, and linens, and chairs.  Then we'll go home to load up the Mongoose van... for those of you who don't know what the MG van is, it's this van we have at work that is all white with one maroon door and Mongoose graphics all over it.  It's quite comical, but will make it much easier to move all the reception decor!  Then Friday morning we will commence on decorating.  I am lucky to have what seems like a army to help us!  I'm hoping it will be a breeze and not too exhausting.  Rehearsal is Friday night too!  And my future mother in law is going to make us a WONDERFUL dinner at the church!  I can't wait, she is too good to me!  Next time you hear from me... I'll be a Wiltgen, and I'll have a husband :)  

I hope everyone enjoys the wedding, have a great time!

Some of my favorite photos of Joey and myself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making this To-Do list an All-Done list...what a task!

So, I had my bachelorette party this past weekend!  What fun that was!  I am sooo lucky to have such a great group of friends and family to come celebrate with me once again!  I got some AMAZING pieces of lingerie for the honeymoon!  I am so thrilled because I really needed it!  I honestly can't believe I was at home and in bed by 11:30pm!  Can you say OLD???  

This week will be a combination of painting our new french doors Joey and his dad put in for us, they look sooo beautiful!  I will attach photos soon!  Secondly I need to finish up mounting photos take by Ashley Palmero and Cody Smith, they will be displayed all over the reception room!  I can't wait to see how it will turn out!  After that I have to wrap presents, write some notes, and then it's wedding time!

I am really excited for Tour de Cure this coming weekend, mom and I will be walking the 3 mile.  After that Cody has been nice enough to let me walk in the runway show.  I get to wear some super cute workout stuff from New Balance!  I am really thrilled I don't have to wear heels on a runway!  THANK GOODNESS!

After that I'm going to spend the evening with Ms. Cali because the boys will be doing Joeys Bachelor party!  I wonder if he'll get some cute outfits for the honeymoon like I did? hahaha

Here are a few of my favorite photos from Saturday night!  Oh and did I mention only 10 days till the wedding??  yup!

Have a great day everyone!