Married and Family Life

So I've decided to jump into family/married life a couple weeks early to prepare myself a bit, and by that I mean budgeting and couponing, Rowdy will be so proud. Many know that Rowdy is shall we say, frugal, but that is putting it lightly. In fact, all Coakley's are like this and since I am a soon-to-be Coakley (thats only the second time I've ever referred to myself as a Coakley, odd) I am trying to teach myself the tricks of the trade. I'm not a mad spender (contrary to what my fiance thinks) but I don't have a lot of bills to pay so I will admit, I spend my money if I have some left over AFTER all bills, tithing and savings are paid and put away for. But I've decided to humor him and the sanity of our marriage and dove right in. I've watched EVERY tutorial on Money Saving Mom, btw LOVE her advice. I've been doing a ton of research and starting to come up with strategies so that I can help alleviate some of the typical stress that comes with being married, especially within the first year. I'm on a bit of a high right now, I hope it lasts and becomes a mind set. I'm also going to try and start adopting the "early to bed early to rise" concept of living. I'm like my mom, I am I night owl usually, but I have found that since I have children half the month, I like to be in bed by ten so that I can be up and ready to start my day when they are (luckily for me, I know my kids well enough that I have been able to train them to stay in their rooms until 8am during the summer, YAY). However, my goal is to be READY to go for the day by the time they can come out of their rooms rather than be rolling out of bed, hair a mess etc. I have found that it is much easier  to plan your day early that way it can run smoothly and you can do whatever you want once you have a plan. I'm trying to be more like my old self, organized. I used to be so great at it, but that's slowly slipped in the past few years, so I am trying to get back into it. For those of you who read and have tips and websites about any of the above topics, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send them my way =D I will need all the help and advice I can get, including how to score a cheap/free Sunday paper for their ads!

Just a Kiss Goodnight

OH-MY-GOODNESS!!!!!! We are a month away, I cannot believe it, can you?! Of course not, a 9 month engagement seemed like PLENTY of time to get ready for this big day, in fact, I thought it to be an eternity, and WHAM! It's practically here! I have two finals this week and then the end of my never ending school year will arrive =D then I can concentrate on only two things, the twins and wedding, well I guess that's technically three isn't it...

Anywho, RSVP's are rolling in daily a few at a time, flower girl dresses are ordered, shoes are ordered, ties are being ordered, favors are ordered, my dress is being altered as we speak. I've been working out a lot with my friend Michael, who is a stud, which is helping to motivate me into pushing myself to my max and i've been doing Zumba, which I love. My body's getting firmer, my tummy is getting flatter but those lb's only fluctuate by a few, sadly, but I guess if I look good, the number shouldn't matter, right?

I'm looking forward to family coming into town that I haven't seen in a while, especially my brother who is stationed over in Okinowa, Japan. Can't wait to dance with him at my wedding to a song he picked out just for us =) Speaking of songs, Rowdy and I finally picked ours out and I'm THRILLED!!!! And I'm making our guest book and I have to say, I'm quite impressed, it looks fantastic!

Tuxes are being fitted, mom found her dress, and we are still acquiring things for the house, which we move into on the 5th of July!!! Yes, the week of our wedding is going to make our heads spin, every single day is jam packed with some activity, be it moving, rehearsal, setting up, family flying in, decorations, bachelorette party, or my actual wedding, it's just nuts, but I'm enjoying the busyness. The week after is also crazy busy. Rowdy was planning on surprising me and taking me up for a pre-honeymoon trip to Wigby Island, but someone spilt the beans on that one so I now know about it, but it's sweet that he worked so hard to do that for us. So we will be at Wigby island Mon-Thurs morning, then we are driving down to Wild Waves and meeting his family and some friends for the day. Thursday night we will be driving down to Mossy rock where my family and friends will be and will be boating and camping there for a couple days. Whew, that's a lot to do in two weeks! Then we will be going home to our own bed, in our own house, *sigh, I can't wait. Instead of just kissing Rowdy goodnight and one of us having to go on our merry way back home, we will get to kiss goodnight, and still roll over and see each other whenever we want, ha!

I'm such a nerd, I love being able to light candles and cook in my own kitchen, i'm actually looking forward to cleaning my house, weird right? OH! We just bought a brand new LG washer, and I'm so excited to use it, and mind you, I have very ill feelings towards folding laundry however, I look forward to the first few loads of laundry and a very low electric bill because of it =)

**Funny story**
I have a cousin who is named after me, she is four. I don't know where the time went, it seems like yesterday that they were a month old and falling asleep on my chest for the night. Anyways, Rowdy and I went over to their house the other night and Taylor and her sister Baylie are 4 and 5 and absolutely love Rowdy. They were playing with him all night long, which Im sure Justin and Noelle appreciated because he wore them out. So Taylor walks up  to me, hands on her hips and says, "You are taking Rowdy from me! Are you cheating on him with another boy? Are you cheating on me with him!" it was rolling on the floor laughing with tears, she was dead serious!


On a more serious note, I feel so blessed to be where I am today! I have great friends and family. I'm so glad I get to share this *epic* moment in my life with so many people! I'm excited for the road unknown ahead of me, for kids, for Rowdy and I to be graduated (oh am I excited for that! but he's got a long road ahead with law school). I'm excited to be able to go over to grandma and grandpa's and also have Rowdy all to myself, forever, Sorry babe but you're stuck with me after July 9th. We have come a long way as a couple. We've been together for nearly 18 months, but been friends for 15 years. Though we still bicker (yes this wedding has brought out the worst in us at times) like any normal couple, we have learned to compromise better and let things go (a huge feat for me, because I am such a perfectionist). I've noticed that when we put God ahead of ourselves in our relationship things go a LOT smoother, it's that whole "Not my will but thy will be done" thing that we both struggle with because we like our way lol. I look forward to so many things occurring on this road I will be driving on with Rowdy. We are copilots to each others lives, now, if only we can agree on who gets to drive first...

Craziness

So we have exactly two months left until my wedding, which is such a crazy thought in its self. Then we have a little under two months before we get everything moved into the house we will be renting and one month left until school is out and my second bridal shower. Although this is the most exciting time of my life, it is also the absolute most stressful and crazy time, ever. However, I am so grateful for those who have been so unconditionally supportive and helpful. I am truly blessed to have the friends and family that I do. They support me and sacrifice their time and energy to make things happen and go as smoothly as possible. They have been there for me through thick and thin and nothing has ever changed our bond, not distance, not change, not difference in opinions/religion/lifestyles etc. Even though I am one of the first of a lot of my friends to get married, many have made the most important time of my life thus far so enjoyable and exciting and I am glad I get to share this with them.

I have a "To Do" list that is a mile long and somehow I have managed to stay sane, although I'm sure Rowdy and my mom can attest, my sanity is slowly slipping away. I hope these next couple months just fly by with ease, and that school and work do so as well so that I can relax on occasion and enjoy the excitement!

Nightmares

So in the last month I've had a few wedding nightmares. The latest, which was last night's nightmare, was that it was my wedding day, we had no food, no decorations, no one assigned to do anything, my dress was not altered and I was at Linfield for some reason in the hot sun and no fiance to be found. To some this may sound funny, but to anyone who is getting married or is already married they know this is a complete nightmare. Things are getting close, 2.5 months away and it seems to all be flying at me. There is so much to do and I feel like I have no time to sit down and do anything with school and the twins. It's just craziness. I am looking forward to my bridal showers in May and June (one for college friends, one for church friends and family) and school getting out the beginning of June. Then I will have about a month off from work with the wedding and vacation to do last minute wedding business, spend time with family, relax and experience being married =D I look forward to all of this with much enthusiasm.

Tres Manos

So we have just under three months left before the BIG day. My dress came in, finally! So now I need to get it altered. Engagement pics were taken and invites will be sent out in the next couple of weeks, oh boy! We have our chairs and tables all ordered, my cousin is planning the bridal shower for my college friends and Rowdy is figuring out what he wants his men to wear. Still tackling the menu and figuring out the music, if anyone has suggestions for garter or bouquet toss music, dancing and dinner music feel free to message it my way! As far as living, we will more than likely be renting a house in Aloha, which I am ELATED about! And Rowdy is still trying to pick his ring. I think it's pretty traditional to have a passion party before your wedding, so of course I had one and it was SO much fun. I'm getting more and more excited every day, go figure. I can't wait to come home (my and Rowdy's home) and light a candle, curl up on my couch or in my big bed or for Rowdy and I to learn to cook together, I can cook and so can he, but we've never actually cooked together before, strange concept considering we have our own mini family with the twins half the time. I'm excited to paint and hang pictures and use our amazingly soft towels we registered for at Bed Bath and Beyond amongst the many other things we've registered for. I'm excited to say "My eggo is Prego!" (credit to my friend, Amanda Gates) and have my own little ones running around. Though I am no fool, I know that marriage is not easy and it's an eternal commitment but I am excited to take on the challenges that come with spending the rest of your life with someone as well as embracing the happy, amazing moments.

You Make Me Wanna Say "I Do"

So we've got about 3 months and 3 weeks left, but who's counting ; ) Stuff is starting to happen and time suddenly seems to be FLYING. We've got dresses ordered, Tux's picked out, cakes are paid for, bridal shower planning among lots and lots of other things. The next big item on the list to tackle is the menu.... oh dear. I'm not gonna lie, I'm getting nervous for the big day. I keep having these strange, almost nightmarish dreams about our wedding and it's suddenly dawning on me that this is it, the day every little girl dreams about, wow. Then I realize that after the wedding, it gets down to the nitty gritty, you know, the real stuff, marriage. The well known "toughest year of your marriage is the first", joint accounts, bills, jobs, a house, school.... yikes! I would be lying if I said that I wasn't scared, because I am. Rowdy and I aren't perfect, and anyone who is close to us knows this all too well. We fight, we have our shining moments of immaturity and selfishness, and sometimes he makes me crazy, as I'm sure I do the same to him. However, I find myself at the end of every night thanking God that he is in my life, no matter how mad I can get with him. We have been through more than anyone realizes and we haven't given up. Something I really admire about Rowdy is his ability to forgive. I've done some things I could never be proud of, and he has always forgiven me, that is love. He cares more about making us work than something stupid I've done. Luckily, I have been blessed to have some of my father's qualities, one of  which is that I can't stay mad, ever. So I'm thinkin' those things will be really useful in our marriage when we are both spent. We have grown up together since I was six years old and we still have so much to learn, but instead of learning on our own, we get the opportunity to learn together, should be interesting =)

We Be Honeymoonin'

So Rowdy and I have been wrestling over what to do for a honeymoon, and because we are a young couple and don't have a million dollar budget, we had to do our research. Thanks to Julie Reid at Blue Window World Travel (travel agent), we were able to get an all inclusive honeymoon to Jamaica!!!! She was AMAZING, checked out a million different ideas we had (or so it seemed) and found something in our budget. She was so great, very timely and informative with everything!!! Rowdy and I decided to go in September because it wasn't "peak" season so prices were more in our range, looks like I'll be turning 22 in a warm, tropical place =) Sounds like an amazing birthday present to me! This is where we are going to be staying: http://www.breezes.com/resorts/breezes-trelawny/ and I cannot wait to go have some fun in the sun!

Long Time Coming.. South Carolina Christmas

So here are the pictures from our South Carolina Trip for Christmas. They are in no particular order but there are some fun ones, some cute ones and some not so cute ones...of me of course. Photos courtesy of my mother in law, Lacey and Danielle.

It was absolutely FREEZING that day.

Boys loved their present from Aunt Lacey

Me and Brety

BumbleBee!!!

Anxiously waiting to go downstairs and see what Santa brought

Cole was trying to see what was in the presents... well before Christmas day

Dance party Christmas Eve in their new jammies from Grammy and Papi

*blooper 1

Gone with the Wind

*Blooper 2

Making popcorn with Grammy

day after thanksgiving with Grandma Iris (rowdys) we both have a gma Iris.

An intense game of Twister at the Coakley house. We get down and we get dirty when we play...it's to the death!

First and only time this has happened. I never last this long, i'm usually too small and not strong enough for the rest of the group. I usually get dominated. BUT Tash and i TIED!

My sister-in-laws, Danielle (L) and Lacey (R)

Writing and sending letters to Santa via Fire and smoke!

Pinata!

"mock birthdays" for all the fall/winter bdays in our family that we couldn't celebrate together because they moved back to S.C. This is Bret and he was super excited about the candle.

Ryan, Cole and Grammy's turn

Now Jakes

Rocking chairs outside a restaurant. They are everywhere in S.C. even at the airport

I was terrified to be up there because the upper left bar was not bolted in at all and we were up super high!

Santa's sweets and Reindeer treats

Bedtime for Coley

Bret, Nick and Rowdy sound asleep on the way to the beach

Christmas Morning!