Happy 2nd Anniversary!

Dinner at Gumbo's 3/27/2012

Happy 2nd Anniversary!  This time last year I was pregnant and due in 2 weeks.  Now we have a beautiful family of 5 with the addition of my first child, Ryland.  Looking forward to new adventures and many more wonderful years together!  xoxo

3/27/2010

10/1/2011

1 Year Anniversary!

This past weekend was our 1 year anniversary (well, actually on Sunday 3/27).  How time flies!?  I can't believe it's been a year already, and an active year at that!  After our wedding we went on our honeymoon, sold my house, bought a new house, threw several house parties (housewarming, Halloween, NYE, BBQs), hosted Christmas for both families and became pregnant!  I'd say we were pretty darn busy.  :D

To celebrate we engaged in a weekend of our favorite foods.  Friday night we hung out at Pluckers with some friends.  Saturday we enjoyed a romantic dinner at our beloved Tree House Grill followed by drinks on the rooftop of Hangar Lounge downtown (water for me).  You can imagine the looks I received from some of the women as I walked into the bar at 37 weeks pregnant.  :-Þ  That's right, rocking my baby bump!  Sunday we feasted on crawfish at Sam's Boat and watched some March Madness games.  As a special treat I ordered a cake from the same lady who made our wedding cake a year ago.  The cake was awesome and tasted just like our wedding cake, super moist tres leches with ivory butter cream frosting and a purple #1.  Heaven!

Happy Anniversary Hubby!

Dinner at Tree House Grill 3/26/2011

Rooftop of Hangar Lounge 3/26/2011

Happy 1 Year Anniversary! 3/27/2011

Parent albums

My wedding photo package didn't come with a parent album, so I decided to create one.  It took some prodding but I was finally able to get a list of pictures from my mom.  Last time I used Shutterfly to create our engagement photo book, which we used as a signing book at our wedding and also as wedding gifts for our parents.  This time I decided to try out Mixbook.  I haven't seen the physical product yet as I just ordered them today, but I loved the site and selections!  I will definitely use Mixbook again.

Here's the album I created for my parents.  click

I then took this album and tweaked it for my mother-in-law.  click

Legally a Malek :-)

Yup, that's right, I have updated all my info (well, except my passport...but that one can wait)!

Instead of unpacking Wednesday morning, I decided to update my SS and DL.  ;-)  I went to the Georgetown offices, since those are usually less busy.  I only had to wait 40 mins at the SS office and 30 mins at the DL office.  Not bad!  I should receive them in the mail in about 2 weeks. 

This morning was spent updating all my accounts, credit cards, work, websites, etc with my new name and address.  Surprisingly it went very smoothly.  

Wedding photos have arrived!

Check out pictures from our wedding photographer!
http://www.randytinneyrecentweddings.com/christina.html

When you get to the end there’s another link to click for all of the pictures.
Password is my maiden name.  :-)
Then click ‘continue’ to view all pictures

Our wedding turned out beautifully, so happy with everything.  The venue was gorgeous, the food was great, everyone said the cake was exceptional, and the weather was perfect!  Plus Randy took some amazing pictures of our special day!

Fabulous Honeymoon!!

Ah the honeymoon, so glad we had a short flight to our destination - Mazatlan MX!  As soon as we were off the plane we had a margarita in our hands.  The trip from the airport was only 30 mins as well.  So by 9:30am we were at our all-inclusive resort, the Riu.  Since we couldn't check in until 3pm, we changed into our swimsuits, left the luggage at the counter, and hit the beach. 

The resort was so clean and well-maintained (they've only been open maybe a year).  And the beach was gorgeous!  We headed straight to the swim up bar and settled right in.  Wow, I forgot how quickly drinking in the sun can get to you.  By the time we could check in we were three sheets to the wind and ended up 'taking a nap' as soon as we made it to the room.  :-P  We were still feeling the effects of 'the sun' after our nap as we headed back out for dinner.  It was a good day.

On our 2nd day, we each received a free 50 min massage at a neighboring resort (#73 on my list!).  That was sooooo worth it!  Their spa was awesome and we were able to take advantage of the hot tub, cold baths, sauna and showers while we were there.  A great way to start our vacation after all that wedding planning.  ;-)  The rest of the day was spent lounging on the beach and dinner at the Steak restaurant. 

We also received a free tequila tour which we did on our 3rd day.  It was interesting to see how they make tequila and we each were able to try some cooked agave (which is actually really sweet) as well as some free shots.  I must say after shot #2 you really don't taste the tequila anymore....and by shot #4..... 
We followed up the tequila with an authentic lunch of chicken enchiladas with mole sauce, fantastic!  We also visited a local church before returning to the resort.  Then it was back to the beach followed by dinner at the Asian restaurant.

On our 4th day we did a booze cruise.  Oh yeah...that was a good day.  Free drinks on our catamaran as we headed to our 'private' island...followed by banana boat rides, canoeing, sand volley and yet more free drinks.  They also provided lunch...which I know I ate but can't remember what it was for the life of me.  Things were pretty fuzzy for me by then.  ;-)  So glad my hubby was watching out for me...I don't even remember leaving, though apparently I heard I was a lot of fun on the catamaran ride home.  One minute I'm on the beach, the next I'm waking up from a nap in our room, just in time to get ready for our dinner at the Mexican restaurant.  I can't miss the food right?!  Whew!

Our last day in Mazatlan we spent entirely on the beach, starting at 8am!  We played some sand volleyball, soaked up the sun, took a stroll down the coast, enjoyed the drinks and festivities and I even caught up on some reading.  Now it was my turn to take care of Malek.  Needless to say he didn't make it to dinner with me later that evening.      

We were sad to say goodbye to the beach and Mazatlan Saturday morning, however we were both looking forward to getting back home and sleeping in our own bed.  It was a great getaway!  Perfect weather, perfect honeymoon.

Pictures:  Facebook Album

I can use this for #54 as well on my list!

We're Married!

We couldn't have asked for a better weekend to get hitched.   The weather was perfect!!!!  :-D

Pictures:  Facebook album

Friday morning I managed to fit in my last workout before the wedding.  I must say I am VERY happy with The Shred results.  Around 10am we decided to show our family the new home we are buying, followed by lunch at Ixtapa.  Then mom and I headed to our mani/pedi appointment while the men took all the decor, gifts, and bar stuff over to the venue.  Our rehearsal was at 4pm and went smoothly and the venue was beautiful!  We were able to see our table decor and everything...I couldn't believe that our day was almost here. 

We had just enough time to head back to the house and change for the rehearsal dinner at Salt Lick.  I am so glad they built their restaurant in Round Rock, located right behind my house!  I must say everything we did worked out perfectly, all our venues were within a 5 mile radius of each other!  There was a slight wind, so once the sun went down it was a little chilly, but the Salt Lick turned out great.  We had the outside patio under the a big oak tree (which gave the kids a place to run around), and there were lights strung up over the tables.  There was also a live band that night, which made the atmosphere for the event even more lovely. 

The Wedding day had arrived!  Sara showed up around 10am to start our hair and makeup while the guys were out getting ice and running last min errands.  Around lunch I just had to have a burger..so my cousin Sarah brought us all back Sonic.  ;-)  After lunch most people went back to the hotel so they could get ready, leaving me some nice down time to relax and watch tv.  Then it was 3pm and off to the venue!  From then on the evening was a blur.  We finished getting ready at the venue, then it was time for pictures, and next thing I knew...I was walking down the aisle!  It was an exceptional day!  The weather was perfect, a nice 75 degrees, all my friends and family were there, the food was great and the cake was excellent!  I LOVED everything!!!  After our sparkler exit we headed to the wine & beer bar at the hotel and partied until 1:30am. 

Surprisingly we were up in time for Brunch the next day.  A BIG thank you goes out to my family for taking care of the brunch.  We had Rudy's breakfast tacos, Round Rock donuts, coffee, mimosas, tea and a nice relaxing time chatting with everyone.  I'm just so glad my family cleaned everything up, Malek and I were exhausted!  And we still had a volleyball game to play that evening and we had to pack for our honeymoon!  We did get it all done, even managed to get to bed by 11pm - we had to be up early Monday morning to catch our 7am flight.  :-)  Bring on the beach!
   
   

The chaos a week before the wedding

We are only 2 days away from saying "I do"!  It has been a very busy week.

Friday 3/19 - Malek and I went downtown for SXSW.  Awesome time!
Saturday 3/20 - We had people come view our house and ran errands.
Sunday 3/21 - I packed up the china cabinet while Malek worked on pictures.
Monday 3/22 - My parents arrived!  We created the wedding itinerary and updated the check lists.  I think we stressed out poor Malek.

The rest of this week has consisted of crossing off all the last min items on our checklist, cleaning house, laundry, softball and preparing for our guests!  Not to mention tieing off loose ends at work.  I'm so glad we took Friday off of work this week.  I can't wait for the reception so we can finally relax and party, and then of course the honeymoon!!!!

Got the paperwork :-)

On Friday, Malek and I went down to the Justice Center and applied for our marriage license!  It was a quick and easy process, there wasn't even a line!  Security did tease us when we arrived, saying they were all sold out until April 1st.  I about had a heart attack.  :-P  Apparently when they get bored that's how they amuse themselves.  I can't believe there's only 12 more days until we are married!  Crunch time.

Bachelorette fun!

I had an absolute blast at my bachelorette party on Saturday!  I can't reveal all the nights activities or post all the pictures, but lets just say it was very fun and educational.  ;-)

A special thanks goes to my dear friends Jennifer and Amanda for planning the bachelorette party and coming up with great ideas to celebrate my last single night out.  :-D

Monica found an awesome cake (red velvet!!!), Kim brought the decor, Renee brought the fun tiara and boa, and Emma took me out for a mani/pedi.  And all the ladies made sure I had a drink in my hand at all times.

I am truly blessed to have such wonderful, caring friends in my life.   

THANK YOU!

by cfreund

March has arrived

Wow, how time flies!  Today is the 1st day of March and our wedding is only 26 days away!!!!!

It's crunch time!

Weddings galore...and exhaustion

I'm so exhausted!  Malek and I had a very busy extended weekend.

Thursday we flew to Cincy, OH for my brother's wedding weekend.  That night we had dinner at Buca di Beppo with family and friends who were already in town, followed by Molly Malone's Irish pub.  Fri was the bridal luncheon at Tellers, an old bank renovated to a unique restaurant (we ate in the vault!).  After lunch we had a short break and then it was off to the rehearsal at the church and then the rehearsal dinner at BJ Brewery.  Sat was the wedding (a full days worth of activities) which started at 10am with hair and makeup, pictures, ceremony at the church and then off to the reception in a limo!  The reception was held at The Grand in Covington, KY and was beautiful!  The food was wonderful, service was great and music was pumping (we danced the night away).  Sunday morning came all too soon.  We were off to the airport around noon, arrived in ATX at 3:30pm and immediately had to change at the airport and head straight to Tammy's wedding.  We made it to Angel Springs with 5 mins to spare!  All in all a wonderful weekend!  Now I need a couple days to recover.

*** PICTURES COMING SOON ***

Steve and Christina's Wedding

by cfreund

Tammy & Chris's Wedding

by cfreund

Crazy week!

What a crazy week!  

1st - Yesterday it snowed in ATX!  We actually received 2-4 inches in some places.  Not so sure Sarah really liked it, but I did enjoy making a snowman and trying to hit Malek with some snowballs.  :-)  

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2nd - My brothers wedding is this Saturday!  I can't believe it, my baby bro is getting married.  It's such a big year for the Freunds....with my wedding following 1 month later!  

3rd - My friend Tammy's wedding is this Sunday!  We'll be running around like crazy.  Hopefully our flights aren't delayed coming home on Sun.

Honeymoon in Mazatlan!

Where is Mazatlan you might ask?  Good question, I had no clue when Malek first mentioned it, in Mexico!  We will be spending 5 nights at the all-inclusive Hotel Riu Emerald Bay.  Bring on the beach, sun and drinks!  I fully plan on taking advantage of the swim up bar.  ;-)  We will leave Monday after the wedding and return Saturday evening.  During our stay we also plan on taking a Tequila tour (traveling to various tequila plants and sipping on different tequila) and an island tour (sail to an island for lunch and fun on the beach).  I did notice some info on cliff diving...do I dare?

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Picked up the rings!

Yesterday, Malek and I picked up our wedding bands from the jewelers.  They look awesome!  I'm so excited, can't wait to wear mine.  Hard to believe we are only 50 days away from becoming husband and wife!

Happy New Year!

2009 was a great year!  Went camping with the kids, experienced Carnaval Brasileiro, job change, my cousin Amy got married, Alaskan cruise with Karen, saw Wicked with the girls, Malek's first Clown Crawl, Malek's sister got married, my brother got engaged and Malek proposed to me in San Antonio!  Not to mention our awesome Halloween Spook-tacular, boot camp, our 1st Christmas cards and going to watch MSU play in the Alamo Bowl! 

Now onto an even better year, hello 2010!  The first 3 months are going to be crazy.  I must say 2010 is the year of the Freunds!  My brother moved his wedding up to Feb 27th, my friend Tammy's wedding is Feb 28th and our wedding is Mar 27th!  We are in the final planning stages of our wedding and I must say everything is going smoothly.  :-)  I still have yet to think of New Year's resolutions.  Usually I give up a favorite food or something...but I think this year maybe I should just try to survive!  Relax, be calm and just go with it.  :-D

Happy New Year everyone!

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing and warm holiday!  :-D

Be prepared, below is pretty much a summary of our 2 weeks off for the holidays...and it's very long!

My parents came into town to visit for Christmas and New Years.  Their very first day here we took them to one of our volleyball matches and then to Spring Hill Cafe for the best chicken fried steak in Pf. The next day we were involved in many home projects, gift wrapping and cookie making.  That evening we decided my parents need to experience our fetish for Pluckers, so we took them there for dinner.  They were amazed with all the wing flavor choices and I think they now understand why we visit there so often.   Tuesday we drove up to Copperas Cove to visit my dad's mom, Omi and Opa.  It was a fairly quick trip since we needed to get back for the MSU vs. UT basketball game (#100)!  MSU played a great game, even taking the lead at halftime, however MSU did succumb the last 10 mins of the game. We all had a great time, especially the kids.
  
  
Aunt Deanie arrived on Wednesday.  Her flight was delayed two hours and it took us two trips to the airport to retrieve her.  As soon as we had her, we had to feed her Chick-fila (good stuff!).  That evening we stayed in, relaxed and dined on pizza.  Next thing we knew, it was Christmas Eve!  Most of the day was spent cooking and preparing Christmas dinner, even made more Christmas cookies, murbchen (my fav!).  And wouldn't you know it, it snowed that day!  Of course it didn't stick, but it was snowing, what a treat!  We ate a late lunch at Chuy's and then everyone changed for Christmas Eve church service.  We even took some nice family pictures in front of the tree.  The weather was crazy cold and windy out so we were very happy when we arrived back home and could warm ourselves up again with some spiked nog and a spread of amazing cheeses.  Then we each opened two gifts and it was off to bed.
  
  

Christmas morning the adults were all up before the kids!  How could that be?  We actually had to wake the kids up.  Then it was a flurry of ribbons, wrapping paper and bows as everyone opened their gifts.  I must say it was a plentiful Christmas, everyone made out like bandits!  Then is was off to Jonathan's dad's house for Christmas dinner and gifts with the Maleks.  Saturday morning we made our traditional eggs Benedict before we had to take the kids back to their mom.  This was a new experience for Malek and the kids, but they loved it!  Not sure what we did the rest of the day, but for dinner we made hot burger steaks (#15 - 77/143).  The next day it was time for Deanie to fly back home.  We dropped her off at the airport, said our goodbyes and headed home.  For dinner that night I made chicken and dumplings (#15 - 78/143).  I love this meal but wow was it gross touching an entire raw chicken...ewwwwww!  Monday we headed back up to Copperas Cove to visit with Omi, Aunt Karola and my cousin Heather.  That same day my mom and I found Emma her dress for the wedding, the perfect tie for Evan and ordered my bridesmaid dress for my brother's wedding.  Malek even found Evan a suit.  It was a good day.
  
  

Tuesday was horrible rainy weather and Malek's birthday!  Happy Birthday baby!!!  We were able to sleep in and then my mom and I ran more wedding errands while Malek went to play basketball.  That evening we took Malek to Tree House Grill for his birthday with his family.  Man we love that place!  Wednesday my parents went to SA for the day to visit friends while we went to Pluckers again with Malek's brother and sister.  Later that day we took down the Christmas tree and all the decor inside.  Sniff sniff, it always makes me sad to take down the tree.  I love the soft glow of the lights and the twinkling of the ornaments, the stockings hung on the mantel....just gives me the warm fuzzies. 

  
  

NYE was upon us!  These 2 weeks are just flying by!  That day we re-arranged the house a bit and pulled my favorite kitchen table out of storage.  For lunch we took my parents to Trudy's.  They had never been there before, and they loved it!  The stuffed avocado is amazing.  Then Malek and I headed off to a couple NYE parties.  We made it home just before midnight though so that we could celebrate with my parents.  I think we ended up drinking 3 bottles of champange...and boy were we all feeling it!  Happy New Year!

  



Jan 1st was my parents last day with us.  Mom helped me stuff wedding invitations and then we had Al (Malek's dad) over for home-made schnitzel!  Mom out did herself on the schnitzel, it was amazing!  I made the mashed potatoes and helped some with the schnitzel (#15 - 79/143), we even had black-eyed peas for good luck.  Mom and Dad left early the next morning.  I was very sad to see them go, I even think Sarah was distraught that her pack was separating.  A couple hours later Malek and I went for a run and then it was off to SA for the Alamo Bowl, MSU vs Texas Tech!!!!  I hadn't been to see an MSU football game since college, so I was thrilled!  We had a wonderful day in SA.  Arrived a few hours early, hit a couple bars, and watched all but the last 4 mins of the game.  MSU again held their own and was even ahead in the 4th quarter, however we again succumbed during the last 5 mins of the game.  I was proud of my Spartans!  We finally made it back home sometime after 1:30 in the morning.

  

Sunday was our last day before we had to head back to work.  We joined Malek's family back over at Al's house for some Iranian cuisine and then later that night had a volleyball game.  What a wonderful 2 week holiday.  :-)

Signing Book finished!

Today I ordered our signing book for the wedding.  It contains many of our wonderful engagement pictures taken by Randy Tinney.  We left enough space on most of the pages for our wedding guests to sign.  Ah the memories.  Can't wait to see the book, it will arrive by Christmas!  :-)

Our Signing Book

Woohoo, this also contributes to #39 - make a photobook!

The Holidays are upon us!

Wow how time flies.  It's December and just keeps getting busier and busier.

• Boot Camp is in full swing, we had our 4th class today.  The coldest morning yet (32 degrees or so)!


• All my xmas gifts are wrapped and under the tree.  Go me!


• My work Holiday offsite was yesterday (Wed), we had a wonderful lunch at Fogo de Chão (#65) and a white elephant gift exchange.  Man was I stuffed after sampling all the meats.


• Tonight I'm heading to Renee's Shop, Sip & Share, to help local women going through breast cancer treatment.


• Malek and I are currently going through all our engagement photos, trying to narrow them down to 25 or so to create a photo book (#39) before the end of the month (free if we get it done before Dec 31st).


• Saturday we are going to Malek's dad's house to put up a Christmas tree, then Emma has a Girl Scouts parade followed by Jenn's White Elephant party that evening.


• Sunday the plans are to climb Mt. Bonnell #85, enjoy a beignet #90 and possibly hit up the Trail of Lights.

Engagement pictures are ready!

Our engagement photos are now posted on Randy's website.  Check them out!

Randy Tinney Photography

Click on Recent Weddings --> Christina & Jonathan - Engagement

This will take you to Randy's Photos page.  We are listed under Recent Photos:  Christina & Jonathan Engagement 11/29/09