Engagement Day! - Gougane Barra, Ireland - October 10th, 2011

*waves* I'm back! Did you miss me?

So maybe the weekly posting thing isn't going to work out....? YA THINK?! It's been a MONTH and a WEEK since I last posted, guys. That's terrible. And if I think that's terrible than you must think it's horrid. Unforgiveable. Unbelievably sad.

I'm so sorry. This year has had far too much busyness for my taste. And not enough alone time. Or simply just being home time.Trying to fit in the things I've been wanting to do lately has been ridiculously challenging. We're almost half-way through October, people! I still haven't even posted what happened in July, August and September. *facepalms* Where does my time go? Seriously.

Anyway, I hope you missed me a little bit, but not so much that you're dying of deprivation. That wouldn't be good! I love you guys, I really, really do. I just don't think my life is going to slow down...and that makes it hard to make time to blog :P *sigh*

Okay, so awhile back, I promised Treskie that I would share pictures from my Ireland trip and seeing that the trip happend Oct. 6-16 of 2011, I thought this month would be a good time to post them! Today (Oct. 10) is actually the third anniversary of my engagement to Robert. He proposed to me in IRELAND, people! IRELAND. It's still hard to believe. He's just so awesome. I couldn't have planned it better myself :) So I will be sharing those pictures today even though that was our fourth day in Ireland.


October 10, 2011 - Gougane Barra in Ireland

Gougane Barra was in-between the drive from Kinsale to Killarney.



This was my first glimpse of Gougane Barra. I was in the backseat taking pictures on the way to Killarney, when I saw it. I then commenced to excitedly hyperventilate because I had seen it before. Four days ago. On the computer screen at my parent's house!!!! It was just a random picture of Ireland that we had found online and just happened to set that one for our desktop background. We had no idea where it was located or what it was called. AND I FREAKIN' GOT TO GO THERE!!!!!

The wallpaper background back home. Significantly better than mine. *sniffs*

The sign.

The no camping or picnics part just ruined that whole sign.

It was VERY windy.

The Loch. Gougane Barra is almost like an island, but not. It feels like one with all the water surrounding it.

The stone building turned out to be a small chapel! Which was awesome, since I'm Catholic. I love these kinds of places :) The walls were also painted in my favorite colors of course I loved it!

The altar was BEAUTIFUL! I have never seen anything like it. I'm a big fan of Celtic knot work and this was just breathtaking. I tried to convince Robert to agree that this was the church we should get married in, but he didn't go for it. I wonder why? ;) IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO AWESOME.

I forget what this was called, but apparently monks used to live in stone caves like these way back when. These were not the original caves, but similar to what they would have lived in.

The 14th and last Station in the Stations of the Cross. "Jesus was laid in the Sepulcher".

 See how windy it was?

I'm not sure what this was supposed to be, but it looked cool.

This is where I was standing shortly before he proposed.

I took this picture right before I turned around to find Robert on his knee with a ring in is hand! :) If I hadn't been so dumbfounded, it might have occurred to me to take a picture of him like that :P He couldn't have picked a better place or a better time because at that moment there were no people around and his Mom had gone back to the chapel (she knew he was going to propose in Ireland, and so did everyone at home because he had e-mailed my parents to ask their permission. That may sound weird, but it was kind of spur of the moment so he couldn't ask them in person.) I was sixteen at the time, and we waited about 2 years to get married.

My ring! It's a white gold ring with an oval natural sapphire in the middle, with two little diamonds on the sides. I love it :) It felt weird to have a ring on that finger and I was so afraid that one of the gems would somehow fall out and get lost in Ireland and I'd never see it again. I'm ridiculous, I know.

And here were are, a few minutes after the proposal. He was 19 and I was 16. That day will always be one of the most happiest days of my life :)

Settlers of Catan Cupcakes, Anyone?

Happy May Day!

May 1st always seems to creep up on me. I always say "This year I'm going to make a may pole!" and I always run out of time :P Someday, I tell you.

Well, April has just flown by!It has certainly been a productive month. Lots of stuff happened and I got lots of stuff done. I think all of it will be better described through pictures!

Here's what happened this month:

Selfies with my new-ish teddy bear :) He is a build-a-bear I found for an awesome price at a garage sale last year. I plan to make some outfits for him. Or her. I haven't decided yet. Thus it is a nameless bear.

First little purple flower in my myrtle patch.

A little friend was outside my window :) I love squirrels. They look so huggable, but sadly not :P

It snowed. In April. I have to admit it did look pretty awesome on all the tree branches. God is an amazing artist that is for sure. He has a good sense of humor too :D 

My brother recently became a deacon  and this is what I wore to the ordination :) I'm so proud of him! I can't believe how fast the years have flown by. He should still be in college! Haha ;)

My nails for the day! I bought nail stickers for the first time. I loved them! I took step-by-step pictures of how to put them on but I'll save those for another post.

And this is what I wore for the party the next day. Gotta love mirror pictures :)

My sisters and I joined forces and made these Settlers of Catan cupcakes for my brother and my Dad's birthday! (They have the same b-day) Even my niece and nephew helped! I'm thrilled with how they turned out :) We found the idea on pinterest, of course.

Another view. We used licorice for 'bricks', oreos for 'ore', marshmallows and black frosting for 'sheep', shamrock sprinkles for the 'forest', crushed up graham crackers and blue frosting for the 'desert',  rice puffs for 'wheat', and blue sprinkles for 'water'. I think it turned out smashing :)

 

Here is my main spring display.

My friend made me the 'alice in wonderland' tea cup with the clock and the flower for my bridal shower! Isn't it adorable? :)

The lighting was just perfect in this pic!

April was a nice month. I like months where lots of things happen and I'm constantly doing something. After such a long winter I don't mind being busy so much anymore. I was so burnt out after all that cabin fever :)

It's hard to believe that Robert and I will be celebrating our 1st anniversary in just a couple of days! Where does the time go?

We'll be taking a weekend trip to celebrate the day :) I don't think we've done anything except maybe a couple of day trips since our honeymoon and some relaxation is much needed! It'll be nice just to forget about work for awhile :P

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Cheers!

P.S. Keep an eye out for lilacs! They should be making an appearance soon around here. BEST FLOWERS EVER!