Weston's Birthday

I really wanted to make Weston's birthday special this year. I requested off work so we could have the whole day together. I have a problem with present buying. I tend to want to buy a lot of gifts for birthdays. We are very blessed right now with our jobs and I was able to buy Weston some large gifts this year. I told him it probably won't ever be this big again. I got him a transformer pinata, a new book he wanted, a gun cleaning kit, earmuffs, and a 12 gauge shotgun. I was very against buying a gun because I grew up with no guns in my home. I think because I can't say no to Weston I caved and bought him one. The only condition is that he has to keep it at his parents when we have children. For breakfast, at 11:30am since we both slept in, we went to Hash House A Go Go. I had heard it was really good and wanted to try something new. It didn't really impress either of us as much as I was hoping, but it was still fun to experience it. I bought two all day passes on Groupon for Gameworks a month ago and decided we would spend our day there for Weston's birthday. He told me in the past that he really liked to play there so I did my best to enjoy all the shooting games. We were getting a little tired and still had a couple hours before dinner so we went to the Fashion Show mall to look at some shoes Weston has been wanting since his mission. He found his Puma Ducatis at the Puma store. They were a little over the limit I had set, but I gave in since it was his birthday and he got a free backpack with them. We headed over to the Hilton for dinner at Benihana. Weston wanted to try something he never had before for his birthday dinner. It was a little pricey, but such a fun experience! After dinner we headed over to the Luxor to see the Bodies Exhibition. Weston had commented about wanted to see it and even though I already had it was fun to see it again. We went to dessert at Serendipity 3 at Ceasars Palace for their frozen hot chocolate. Weston loves to get frozen hot chocolate at Dairy Queen so I thought it would be fun to try it there since we were already on the strip. It was a long day, but worth it because my husband was happy.

Newport

Every year Weston's family goes to Newport Beach to vacation at his grandparents' timeshare. It was fun to see everyone from the Milne side the of family and have a week to relax in the sun.

Wedding

The day before the wedding Weston and I went down to San Diego to get our marriage license. It was strange to see all the people dressed in everyday clothes there to get married by a justice of the peace. I was grateful that we were only there to be licensed. I wondered if some of those people got married that way because they didn't have the money to have a nice wedding. Then I thought about how lucky I am to be LDS and have temple free of charge to have a beautiful ceremony in.

We met up with Uncle David, Aunt Karyn, Sabrina and David at their hotel in La Jolla to take bridals. Sabrina was amazing and offered to come down to San Diego to do my hair and makeup for bridals and the day of the wedding. It was a beautiful sunny day in La Jolla, which definitely took a toll on my eyes. I think because I have light eyes I am overly sensitive to the sun. I could barely open them and when I did it was only for a few seconds for Uncle David to get a good shot. After a couple of hours we hoped we got enough pictures of my not squinting.

The day of the wedding Weston and I took the bride and groom pictures in the morning, before our sealing, so our families wouldn't have to stand around for those pictures. We were sealed at 1pm by Grandpa Dougherty. It was such a feeling of calm when Gramps pronounced us husband and wife. I cried the entire time, mostly because I was watching pop cry while he looked at me.

After the sealing we went to a church to have the luncheon. The Milne's had it catered by a guy in Kara's stake who does a lot of their church events. It was delicious food and we were definitely ready to get out of there by the time we were done.

I love to see the temple

The wednesday before the wedding I went through the temple to receive my endowments. Since Weston's brother Jace was going to be leaving on his mission a month later, we decided to do it the same night. It was a wonderful experience I will never forget. I know I was always meant to be married in the temple.

Pre Wedding preparations

DISCLAIMER: contains TMI according to mom


The week of the wedding I wanted to do some manicuring so I would feel good on the wedding day. Weston and mom thought I wouldn't look like myself because of all the things I wanted to do. I was convinced by my fiance not to get a spray tan in the off chance I turned orange.

The first of the preparations was a brazilian bikini wax. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to do this. I have had my bikini line done before and it was an awful experience. I have no idea why I thought getting everything waxed off would be any better. I went to a place in town called the Pretty Kitty. I think because I work in the medical field, and see pretty much every body part, that this experience wasn't as uncomfortable as it could have been. I removed everything from the waste down and laid on the table with everything out in the open. Still pretty awkward. The lady came in and started putting wax on right away. It hurt so bad! I kept thinking through the entire thing, why and how do women do this every month!? I was sore the rest of the night and the next couple of days were not pretty. I got bumps pretty badly and was hoping they would calm down by the wedding night.

The second prep I had done was my nails. I have been biting my nails since I was 2. Mom tells me she tried everything and I remember her putting that nasty nail polish on them when I little. I would just bite right through it though. I was determined to grow out my nails before the wedding. It went pretty well until all the crap hit the fan about my hair lady and I went to town on my fingernails. I have since then given up the attempt to break my habit and how soon I will be able to kick it. I had pink acrylic nails put on my fingers and my toes painted french tip.

The third prep I had done was eyelash extensions. I have a couple of friends who have them and I thought it would be fun to get them for the wedding. I had to lay on a table for almost two hours with my lower lashes taped down while a light was shown in my face. It was not something I would do every month just for fun. It is a really expensive habit and I just can't bring myself to be vain enough to want fake eyelashes. The plus side was that I never had to put on mascara in the morning.

After the wedding I kept thinking about the money and pain I went through in order to look 'better' on my wedding day. Totally not worth it.