Congratulations Angela & Jimmy!!!

I'm blogging via the iPhone so please forgive any gramatical errors. Carrie and I are in Arcadia for Angela and Jimmy's wedding. Angela attended nursing school with Carrie at Samuel Merritt University, Jimmy also attended Samuel Merritt University where he studied for the discipline of Physician's Assistant. Naturally Angela met Jimmy while they were both at Samuel Merritt, today we are privileged to watch them wed and we can't believe that it's going to be us in exactly one week. Can't wait to see you all soon. Congratulations Angela & Jimmy!!!

Pre wedding festivities

If you're going to be in Tahoe on Wednesday the 17th, we're tentatively planning on golfing nine holes in the morning (if there's enough interest) and rafting the Truckee river that afternoon. These activities are open to all and we encourage anyone who wants to participate. An email regarding golfing is forthcoming, forgive me if I dont have your address. If you're interested in golfing and/or rafting on Wednesday the 17th feel free to reply to this post or send me an email (joshshelton139@gmail.com). We can't wait to see everyone soon!

July 19th, that means August 19th is 1 month away

The past week in summary; bridal shower, making limoncello, bottling limoncello, tasting limoncello, first dance lesson, delivery of an overwhelming amount of wine and champagne and finalization of the rehearsal lunch menu.
The coming week in summary; marriage license, haircut, tux fitting, meeting with Alison, bachelorette party and the clock continues ticking.
Did I mention the limoncello? Hope you like it, we do. Okay, seriously, that's it, I'm going to bed now.

Bridal Showers - Not Just For Brides

Back in February Carrie said, “Honey, I put my bridal shower on the calendar, it’s on July 16^th at the Toser’s house”, my reply, “Great, is there anything I need to do?” “Nope”, “So this doesn’t affect me in any way shape or form?” “Nope”, “Noted, have fun”. Then I hear a few weeks later, “I know you’re supposed to work that night, but do you think you might be able to show up for a while to play some games?” Well, we know where this goes; of course I took the night off. I’ve heard from some people that recently it’s become trendy for the groom to make an appearance at the bridal shower… I don’t know who sets these trends or how they become trends, I haven’t seen #groomsatbridalshowers trending on twitter, but hey… Carrie figured I was keeping some sort of secret when she asked if any of her sisters had called me for an interview prior to the bridal shower and my answer was a truthful, “No”.

Early on, I figured I was going to need male moral support, you see a bridal shower is, traditionally a large gathering of women. I’m not quite accustomed to said gatherings, but Dave is an expert, every day of his life for the past 24 years has been a large gathering of women, so it was nice to have the support of a seasoned professional and some good advice; grab a platter of hors d'oeuvres or a bottle of wine and make the rounds serving or pouring, it’s an excellent way to say hi to everyone.

I didn’t quite know what to expect, I envisioned a lot of women sitting in a circle watching Carrie open gifts, jeering unsolicited advice at unnecessary decibel levels while spilling copious amounts of chardonnay and riesling.  I was way off.

We played a fun game with totally off the cuff results, although I’m told Carrie may have snuck a peak a few times. We sat back to back; I had one of her shoes in one of my hands, one of my shoes in my other hand and vice versa for Carrie. Natalie and Alex asked us a series of questions, i.e. Who is the most grumpy in the morning? Who is the first to apologize after and argument? Who takes the longest to get ready? Who has better taste in decorating? We had to raise the shoe of the person who we most thought fit the description in question. With roughly fifty questions the general consensus said Carrie and I were pretty close to par with a few comical discrepancies. To make a long story short it was incredibly heartwarming to see such a great group of women all of whom are very important in Carrie’s life, come together to support her decision and surround her with the immense love that she so clearly exudes everyday.

Linda, thank you for the sincere toast.

Kim and Nancy, special thanks for hosting.

Every single one of you awesome ladies that was in attendance, thanks for including the groom, I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Stag Party

First off… I haven’t intentionally been a bad blogger, I’ve had plenty of material, and I’ve wanted to sit down to hammer at the keyboard with our plans and activities several times now. Unfortunately for this little blog we are keeping a lot of details on the hush, so you’ll just have to show up and see for yourself.

Bachelor Party, last weekend, Las Vegas (Enough said, right? Nope, keep reading). All six of the wedding ninjas made the trip plus another four cohorts made for a total of eleven guys. I had an incredible time and everyone in attendance had a great time, not once did I look around and see a fellow stag party participant not rallying in sixth gear wide open.

There was a lot of sun and enough cheap beer to put the Kalahari’s dunes three feet under. When all was said and done, someone’s cell phone had the black screen of certain electronic paralysis (FYI, cell phones are not made to pace laps while swimming in a resort pool), no one married a stripper, no one extracted any teeth and no one was stranded on a roof, at the end of the day no movie clichés were fulfilled, but I did lose my voice. I found it a few days ago, it arrived on my door step via first class mail, post marked from the 12^th floor elevator lobby of Caesar’s Palace, where Charlie Sheen may or may not have made an appearance and destroyed some hotel property. Short of a baseball game (Go Rivercats!) one excursion with 11 guys wearing matching shirts, glue-on costume mustaches, aviator sunglasses and a scramble golf tourney, it was impossible to keep eleven grown men together. I don’t care if you’re giving away free beer and NFL tickets, you could tell 11 guys that if they show up at the same place at the same time, they’ll all get two hundred dollars in cash, I guarantee you at least two of them wouldn’t make it, so apparently we’re going to have to hire a sheep dog for the rehearsal and the wedding.

Bottom line, good times were had by all and it was just a prequel to the impending celebration that will be our wedding. 

 Editor's Note* On the 18th hole we had a bet; whoever had the shortest drive had to buy drinks, naturally, I was up first and I was foolish enough to let one of the fellas tee up the ball for me. You can probably see where this is going, but I didn't, I smashed that ball so hard it should have carried all the way to Reno, but it was a gag ball, I pushed it no further than the ladies tee box (those of you who golf, know what that means) and it erupted into a streaming ball of pink ribbon. That is what is wrapped around my head in this picture, pink ribbon from the gag golf ball. Thanks Guys.

Wedding Website - it's not the Wedding Blog

I've talked to a lot of people recently who haven't visited the wedding website or weren't aware it existed. The wedding website is separate from the blog, Carrie created it through theknot.com. Think of this blog as the editor's section and the wedding website as your go to factually reported, informational site. I posted the link in a previous blog post (see, Race Ready), but here it is again. Be sure to bookmark it and check back often. See you all in 85 days.


click on the link below
Carrie and Josh's Wedding Website
or just simply cut and paste the text below into your browser's address bar.
http://weddings.theknot.com/pwp/pwp2/view/MemberPage.aspx?coupleId=4546311839825137

Happy Birthday Mom!

  Last time we talked I was just getting over a cold, we just finished a duathlon, we were prepping for engagement pictures, Carrie was just getting started with the aforementioned cold, Animal Kingdom had just won the derby and everyone was seemingly obsessed with the royal wedding.

  Our engagement session with Penny Sylvia was phenomenal. She is an amazing photographer, I am far from the naturally photogenic type. I don't have a "go to pose" that always works for me in every picture. I often look intoxicated when I'm not, I have an uncanny tendency to cross my eyes and give a faint tooth smile like I'm breaking wind when photographed so I was a little apprehensive about the engagement photo session. Penny shot Carrie and I primarily in two different locations, both locations each had a half dozen different environments, we had six different wardrobe changes and pretty much felt like a celebrity couple as people gawked, pointed and snapped away with their cell phones like we were Brad and Angelina strolling along the cobble alleyways of Venice. The first location is super secret squirrel, for Penny's sake, I just can't release it online, otherwise every weekend the place will be overrun by weekend warriors with their brand new digital rebel EOS DSLR who claim to be the next Ansel Adams.

  My profile picture on this blog is a photo of me in front of the Ballycarbery Castle in County Kerry, Ireland. Change the spelling and it's pretty ironic, really. When Carrie and I were trying to think of locations for our engagement pictures, I envisioned bright sunshine with rays and beams of light dancing through the lens into a photograph (clearly, Penny saw my vision and made that happen) with light winds blowing nature's otherwise invisible wind pattern onto tall blades of grass on lush green rolling hills... I was thinking of Ireland. The next best thing is over 3000 acres of hilly land that sits north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
   Marin Headlands played an active role in defending our country from foreign invaders from the 1890's well into the 1970's. I personally find irony in the fact that some of the most destructive missiles mankind ever created sat idle for so many years, only a stone's throw away from the most liberal city in the country, but I digress. Today, the military sites have all been decomissioned, while some of have been preserved for historical purposes, most have been thrown to the elements, fallen into disrepair and stand as a reminder of days gone by, surpassed by politics and technology. The masonry and stone at Battery Mendell was built before the first world war, it still stands, it has passed the test of time and it provided the gritty, palpable texture that was just right for some of our pictures.
   After a full day, exhausted by kissing, strolling and smiling together, Carrie, Penny and I enjoyed a glass of champagne in the bitter cold wind, but bright sun on Rodeo Beach. When all was said and done, Penny had roughly 2500 photographs. These four are just the teaser, I know Carrie and I both can't wait to see the rest in the near future.
 P.S. ...Yes, today is my Mom's birthday, so she get's a shameless happy birthday plug on the blog.

Race Ready

Lot's of happenings the race is on, the big day is only 102 days away. Carrie and I have been busy as always. This last weekend we competed in a duathlon in Sonoma County, it was a two mile run through the Vineyards at Asti Winery a fifteen mile bicycle ride through winding wine country roads followed by another two mile run through the Vineyards to the finish line where much needed and hard earned wine tasting awaited us, fortunately we were able to make a weekend out of it and spent the rest of the day tasting delectable wines in the Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley with good friends. On Friday, I played a round of golf with Carrie's dad, Dave and the pastor that is marrying us, Ted Smith. Tomorrow Carrie and I are meeting with Penny Sylvia to shoot our engagement pictures, no less than a half dozen outfits are strewn across the guest bed as you can see in the picture below. I encourage everyone to visit the official wedding website (note this is merely the unofficial wedding blog). I'll get back to you soon with more news, details and pictures.

30 days later (a.k.a. Time Minus - Four Months)

   First off, I need to say that I consider myself quite lucky, Carrie and I just returned from a ten day trip to the east coast. We visited Boston and New York, we were lucky enough to see my aunt, Lilly and Carrie's sister, Alex while we were in New York. Let me give you a quick run down of our trip; well frankly without all the verbiage, it was basically a lot of beer, and a lot of sports. I of course look at the majority of our other friends and conclude that they could not enjoy this kind of a trip with their significant other,  at least not without atomic fights that leave lasting effects well after the vacation. I can't think of a single one of my friends who's wife, girlfriend, fiancee, special partner, non-exclusive dating friend, etc... etc... would be content figuring out subway systems, touring breweries and sampling their fruits, attending sporting events at the oldest baseball park in this country and traveling by train between two of the biggest cities on the east coast. We did, but more on that at a later point in time (perhaps in Josh's travel blog). Never the less, while having only looked at the iPhone clock on Pacific time again, for less than 24 hours, I'm turning around and heading to Oakland with friends to watch the Red Sox (who we just saw) play the A's. I'm lucky because I can do all of this with the support of Carrie, not only does she tolerate my borderline fanaticism and frequently irrational obsessiveness but she encourages it and loves me for it. The above reasons are why I consider myself lucky. I'll post some pictures from our east coast trip over the next few days. 

   This morning Carrie and I met Linda at Classic Party Rentals, Inc. in the lovely commune of Natomas where they refer to industrial complexes as neighborhoods and none of the neighbors open their windows during spring time. We saw round tables, square tables, rectangle tables, oval tables, upside down tables, astronaut tables, chiavari chairs, folding chairs, samsonite black, mahogany, white, walnut chameleon, and le fleur chairs, dazzled, dupione, lucianno, magnolia, patterson, redondo, satin, crinkle, topaz, firenze linens, napkins, flatware, unflatware, foldedware, moonware, chargers, but not the ones from San Diego, square, round and isosceles plates.    

   We know... We made decisions and we're going to go for another visit after everything is ordered and assembled so we can see a mock up before the wedding. But I'm not going to tell you what we chose. Some things, okay, a lot of things must remain a mystery and a surprise. See you in four months. 

Time Minus - Five Months

   Carrie has met with several florists on multiple occasions, the floral details are yet to be determined. We have made our honeymoon plans (more on that in a future post), the groomsmen and groom's attire has been chosen (see Delightfully Tacky, Yet Unrefined), we have booked the Take 2 party band for our reception and I'm feverishly trying to lock in the music for the ceremony. Over the past few weeks, we've looked at invitation sample after invitation sample after invitation sample, I'm not sure which style of invitation we'll choose, but I know it will fold, it'll be in an envelope and have intricate details.

   27 feet of snow has fallen at lake level this season. In five months when you're sitting in a chair at the ceremony or dancing at the reception, take a moment to think about that and appreciate the beauty and awe that Tahoe provides. Another reminder, lodging is quickly booking. Always more to do and of course, I'll keep you posted.  

Groom's Attire, Delightfully Tacky, Yet Unrefined

My idea of elegant groom's attire is formal highland wear (see google images). Naturally, Carrie was less than thrilled by the idea of her groom wearing a dress. Needless to say, my dream of wearing a formal kilt was quickly shot out of the sky.
When we found ourselves in need of tux rentals, the first place that came to mind was of course, Mens Warehouse. Our visit was a little less than awesome, I'd rather spend an entire day candle shopping at Wal-Mart than try to set up tux rentals with the mongrel employees at Mens Warehouse. The selection was quite limited,  pretty much black, white, fluffy, poofy and shiny then you have the option of a colored bow tie or skinny tie.
Carrie was envisioning a dressy three piece suit in gray tones as opposed a traditional black and white tux.
Our search led us to Joseph A. Bank Clothiers. We were quite pleased with the friendly staff and large selection. Without too much pain we decided on a Calvin Klein two button slate gray tux with a pleated shirt and flat front slacks. I'll have a "some shade of white" vest and bow tie to match Carrie's amazing dress. The groomsmen will be wearing the same tux but with a celadon vest and bow tie to match the bridesmaid's dresses.
The bottom line is this, we will look awesome. Can't wait to see you there.

Red Velvet Cake (we wouldn't subject you to it)

   First off, I apologize for neglecting my duties as a blogger. I realize that it has been nearly a month since the last update. Secondly, prepare yourself for the barrage of information that will flow to your screen in the form of this blog over the next few days.
   Now... let's talk wedding cake; as is almost everything in the wedding realm, it is steeped in tradition. From what I can tell the wedding cake concept is convoluted at best. During the Roman empire a groom would literally bash a loaf of bread over the bride's head as a sign of dominance, the French refined things a bit more with the cromquembouch, that started when a pastry chef disguised as a red coat watched a groom and a bride try to kiss over a giant mound of dessert rolls piled between them without disturbing the pile (a public exam of their parental tendencies). Apparently this turned into a tower of pastries and cookies at a later date in France. Later, the tradition of providing a sweet treat to the wedding guests found it's way to Ireland, being the stoic drinkers they are, they decided to add dark beer and honey wine to the menu. Their concept was the sweeter the wine, the sweeter the couple, the darker the beer, the more satiable and therefore a smaller meal and cake would suffice. By providing a sweet wine and less food, the sweet couple would have more money and be better prepared for their endeavor together (apparently they didn't have Visa, white zinfandel or 24 Hour Fitness). How these interpretations have meshed into the 20th century wedding cake is truly beyond me, but one thing is known, I like cake.

  Apparently there is a craze sweeping this nation's wedding receptions faster than we can forget the macarena, it is commonly known as "Red Velvet Cake". I just want you to know that behind that sexy name is nothing more than a chocolate or vanilla cake with massive quantities of food coloring. Carrie and I have tried white chocolate strawberry cheesecake, the best carrot cake you've never had, Boston cream pie from Loomis, shamrock chocolate, lemon, triple chocolate, strawberry champagne (frankly, an oxymoron), mango, white chocolate raspberry, and orange chocolate raspberry with Grand Marinier. We've looked at round, cushion, square, off set square, square-round-square, three tier and four tier plus a sheet, we've looked at basket weaved, Swiss dotting, piping and pulled or spun down sugar. Through all the trials Carrie has decided she likes the off set square, but she also likes spacers and flowers. We both agree that fondant tastes like sugary cardboard, therefore we'll use butter cream. I think a half sheet of carrot cake is certain and orange chocolate Grand Marinier will likely have some influence.
   The above mentioned creations were prepared by Javier Aguirre, owner and master pastry chef at Divine Desserts on Walnut Street, in Loomis, California. I have attached some pictures of the different cakes Carrie and I tried several weeks ago. In addition to these cakes, we were lucky enough to score an "in bakery tasting" with Carrie's Mom, Grandma and Sisters today. If you think I'm just writing with diabetic desire, ask them, they can attest to the quality of these goods. When we commit to a particular cake, I probably won't blog it, we'll surround it with hype so everyone asks us about the cake on our big day.
In the mean time, stay tuned and thanks for reading.

P.S. I built a garden box today.
 

Time Minus - Six Months

  We will have chosen the linens, centerpieces, tables, chairs, a particular style of napkin folding, dinner menu, floral arrangements, the honeymoon, seating arrangement, groomsmen and groom's attire, music, lighting accents, desserts, wine, spirits and many other particulars that I am still trying to grasp. We will have conquered the beast that our culture refers to as modern day wedding planning. We will have sworn to honor each other, be true and share in all that life has to offer in front of our most important friends and family. Lastly we will be in the midst of celebrating our love and it's formal public recognition with you (undoubtedly with a glass of wine, a spirit, a malted beverage, and a delicious meal or perhaps an apertif with a dessert of divine quality).
    Exactly six months from this moment. We look forward to it.

The Crew

  Carrie and I certainly like to make nearly everything we do fun and entertaining, we always try to go the extra mile for a smile or a laugh. So naturally, every step of planning has some sort of flare to it. Carrie decided she was going to ask her bridal party via sugar cookies. I freely admit that when the package arrived on our doorstep containing seven dress shaped cookies bearing, "Will You Be My Bridesmaid?", "Will You Be My Maid Of Honor" and "Will You Be My Flower Girl?" I was tempted to sample the goods for security purposes (you know, just to make sure they weren't tainted or poisoned), yet I resisted.
  Shortly after the cookies arrived I found myself talking to the surprisingly friendly folks at Gerber Knives. I was in need of a unique way to ask my groomsmen if they would accept the challenge of playing critical roles in our wedding. The Gerber paraframe unibody integrated lock folding blade engraved with "8/19/11 CAN YOU MAKE THE CUT?" seemed a fitting way to ask some of my oldest, most trusted friends and family to be a part of the most important day of my life. Without further delay, I give to you;

The Crew

 Bridal Party

• Natalie Coward 
• Alex Coward
• Stephanie Coward
• Stephanie Borrowdale
• Annie Bland
• Holly Holtz

 Groomsmen

• JP Williams 
• Stephan Mindermann
• Justin Ubaldi
• Travis Higgins
• David Gibson
• Nick Holtz 

   And for those of you who are wondering... The Flower Girl will be my seven year old Sister, Kate and yes, she is very excited.

Location, Location, Location!!!

As you can see in the picture above, the save the date postcards have been sent, hopefully you've received yours. Now, I'm excited to announce that the ceremony will be held at the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion located at  Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park located on the west shore between Tahoma and Meeks Bay. The reception will follow at Gatekeeper's Museum in Tahoe City. Exact times are still to be determined. In the coming days we'll be planning engagement picture sessions, choosing the attire for the groomsmen and the bridal party, invitations, table cloths, flatware, registries, etc... etc... Next up, "The Crew". Can you make the cut?

More Fun & Excitement

In the past week, items have flown across the wedding desk at a rate that would overwhelm the New York Times' Business Bureau Chief. Carrie and I (along with Linda) have been tasting with the caterer in Tahoe (a seven course extravaganza), we've met with the photographer, chosen our save the dates and researched live entertainment. The incredible Mike Ferrier wooed our palettes with a dazzling array of appetizers, salads and entrees starting with roasted chicken breast jack scallions in a quesadilla under a cilantro lime sauce, parmesan risotto cakes topped by smoked chicken-apple sausage under a marsala honey glaze, phylo cups filled with gorgonzola, leeks, pine nuts and a cider reduction, citrus smoked diver scallops with a chipotle lime aioli on a pita chip, a baby green salad with sherry maple vinaigrette, sun dried pears, gorgonzola and toasted pecans, grilled chicken breast with a mushroom marsala sauce and finally the grilled Atlantic salmon with tomato caper relish under an orange pesto glaze. We've opted to work with the incredibly innovative and lovely Penny Sylvia to capture the inexplicable highlights of the day. Penny has a charismatic energy that goes far beyond the proverbial "extra mile". I'm confident that she will seamlessly transfer some of the most memorable moments of our lives into a forever state that we'll always be able to reflect upon.

This is a picture of Carrie and I in the kitchen at As You Wish Catering while sampling the incredible, succulent and delicious menu. We hope that your lodging plans are solidifying as we type this blog. We are excited to provide you with more information soon.  

The West Shore is The Best Shore

We hope you all had a great three day weekend. Carrie and I were fortunate enough to both have the time off from work. We were able to escape the morbid tule fog in the central valley and spend some efficient yet enjoyable time in Tahoe. Dave, Linda, Carrie and I met with the infamous and amazing Alison Ulshoffer and Gina at Granlibakken Lodge & Ski Resort on Saturday morning. After a thorough inspection, all parties agreed that Granlibakken was just not capable of accommodating (or should I say, containing) us. We spent the rest of the day enjoying blue skies and bright sun that would make any San Diegan jealous, really the stuff that California is famous for. We pulled out the snowshoes and hiked over miles of foot deep packed snow to survey sites for our ceremony and reception and after some adventure, we availed. Contracts will likely be signed later this week and, naturally, the exact locations will become public. Tahoe in August can be similar to Times Square on New Years Eve (minus all the faux, environmentally hazardous glitter, confetti, litter, dazzling lights and audacious ball atop a flagpole) or Yosemite in July. Lodging sometimes books, literally, years in advance. Do not be discouraged, just be aware that it can be an issue for those with the tendency to procrastinate. I've listed a few lodging options here and will list more in the future, but this should be a solid starting point, PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE BOOKING for any further disclaimers.

 Top Notch - Sunnyside Steakhouse, Lodge and Marina
 B & B - Tahoma Meadows Cottages
 Budget - Pepper Tree Inn
 Budget - Tahoe City Inn


Please keep in mind that this is not the "Official List" of our approved/preferred lodging suggestions, just a starting point for those of you who are ready to jump. Below are some pictures from our weekend.  Perhaps you'll recognize this in August?

 

When you planned your wedding, did your site selection involve snowshoeing? 

The Dress

 This just in, Carrie found the dress. I know nothing, apparently it's pink, fluffy and has bells, but I think that's misleading sarcasm. We're headed to Tahoe this weekend, meeting with representatives at our venue sites. We'll certainly keep you posted.

Save the Date

Ealier today we learned that Friday, August 19th 2011 has been secured for our wedding in Tahoe. You'll all know more as soon as I do. 

Pictures

 Several of you have expressed your disdain over a lack of pictures. I actually meant to include some pictures with my first post (see "Welcome") but forgot, possibly related to the time of the post being 0436 AM, Oh the joys of shift work. Never the less, ask and ye shall receive, the picture of the two of us in the carriage was taken in July of 2006 near the Bijou shores area close to the Nevada/California border on the South shore of Lake Tahoe.
 The picture of the two of us snowboarding was taken the day we got engaged, two or three hours prior to the proposal at Homewood Mountain Resort on the West shore of Lake Tahoe. Surely, there will be more to come in the near future.

Welcome

Hi everyone, welcome to our wedding blog. Hopefully if you're reading this it's because you are one of our friends, relatives, co-workers and you're looking for information and humor about Carrie and I. If you don't know me or Carrie, please don't be creepy, stalk another couple. I know... We're cool, we're attractive, we're in love, we lead very active, interesting lives and we're just generally awesome, but please, browse elsewhere.
Okay, now that we're past that (and FYI this text box format won't let me indent, so don't hold it against me). For those of you who have not met both of us or who are unfamiliar with our story, here is a brief dossier;
Carrie and I met through mutual friends in Sacramento in July of 2004. After a significant amount of convincing she agreed to a first date in December 2005. Our first date consisted of driving around the few infamous Christmas crazy neighborhoods of Sacramento, Roseville and Rocklin, looking at Christmas light displays followed by dessert at Rick's Dessert Diner (where Carrie, naturally refused to eat anything in front of me). In the months to follow we continued dating and not too long after our second or third date, an ultimatum was proposed. Not by Carrie, but her mother, Linda. Apparently if I had any desire to continue seeing her daughter, my attendance at a family dinner was necessary. Little did this only child know what he was signing up for when he agreed to family dinner with the mom, three sisters and dad. In February of 2005 I went to Dinner at Dave and Linda's (now soon to be my Mother-in-law and Father-in-law) for the first time. I didn't know it was possible for one dinner to change my life, but it had a lasting impact. I was overwhelmed by constant boyish and boisterous conversation between the four sisters and a moderate level of inquiry from everyone, at the time I was still a fairly plain eater, my diet consisting of mostly Kraft macaroni and cheese, Foster Farms corn dogs, bagel dogs, pizza, Chipotle and most foods commonly transferred from the freezer to the microwave with an occasional dabble into the realm of the Mongolian BBQ (I assure you, not the case today, thanks to Carrie and the girls). I was exposed to Pear Salad, before that night, the thought of sitting down to eat a salad was about as much fun as airport security the day before Thanksgiving. Dave, Linda, Natalie, Alex and Stephanie were extremely gracious hosts and Pear Salad became a daily lunch for the next few years. Apparently my behavior, demeanor, general appearance and odor were not so obtrusive that I was forbidden from seeing Carrie again.
In June of 2005, my work led me to Lake Tahoe. Carrie and I spent a great deal of time along the West shore throughout the Summer as dating led to a very unexpected exclusive relationship.

Carrie moved to San Diego for her freshman year of college in August of 2005, we decided to try and maintain a long distance relationship. Over the next four years our relationship grew stronger. We both moved numerous times to multiple cities. Between Tahoe, San Diego, Moraga, Oakland, Roseville and Sacramento we managed to see each other every second we could and valued the time we spent together immensely. In May of 2009 Carrie graduated from Nursing School in Oakland. She moved to Sacramento, rented an apartment downtown and took a job at a hospital in Roseville. For the first time in nearly five years, we lived close to one another and worked similar hours. We always discussed the fact that our relationship was effectively a cooperative of love. In order for it to flourish, we each had to contribute to it equally and before we could contribute to a relationship or to one another, we needed to be self sufficient and independent. We really have fallen in love together and we haven't strayed from that philosophy since day one. While we both enjoy our friendships with others, we really have found a best friend in each other.
On December 15th of 2010 we spent the day snowboarding at Homewood Mountain Resort. The day was idyllic, the kind of day that can't adequately be described by words, the skies were baby blue with a few peppered clouds that looked like puffs of smoke from an old locomotive, thanks to an unprecedented early winter storm the previous night, the movement of air over your lips as you whisper the word "wind" was the only semblance of it, the landscape was engulfed by fluffy, white powder, not the usual sierra cement, high water content concrete snow that is typical in the Sierras but the lighter than air, large picturesque unpacked construction paper cutout flakes of bottomless airy white snow. The waiting period at the lifts was the amount of time it took to get from top to bottom. It was an EPIC day, incredible conditions that you're lucky to see once a year, maybe. At the end of the day, on our last run down the mountain on Rainbow Ridge in a clear cut between The Ivory Face and Zari's run at an elevation of 7300 feet, nearly 1100 feet above the most photographed lake in the country, the jewel of the sierras, we stopped to take a picture. While Carrie was trying to switch the camera to the appropriate setting, I got down on one knee, removed a little black box and presented a ring, I told her that I loved her more than anything, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her and asked her to marry me. Fortunately she said yes (hence our "wedding blog"). Also in my handy dandy camel back was a bottle of 2006 Schramsberg blanc de noirs
Prior to that day, I had asked Dave and Linda for their blessing, I called Natalie, Alex and Stephanie and ran it by each of them for a final stamp of approval. Short of the amazing conditions snowboarding all day, in the hours leading up to the big question, my nerves of steel turned to a flimsy aluminum foil and I was so nervous that I had stomach pains (bearable) for most of the day. The hours and days following were a flurry of elated phone calls to relatives, friends, family and other loved ones to share the news.
We are currently planning our wedding. It is fun, stressful and exciting at the same time. Stay tuned to our blog for further details.