Let the Countdown Begin!

We booked our trip!

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!!!!

One week. All inclusive. So excited.

I have been begging Derek to go on a trip like this f.o.r.e.v.e.r and we can finally financially afford it!

Friday night we officially booked everything.

When we booked it online we also got a whole bunch of credits to use at the resort.

Massages, Dinner on the Beach, Champagne, Wine, Ocean View, etc.

The end of our trip will also be my 25th birthday and I can't think of a better way to welcome in my mid-twenties <3 drink in hand, with my love, on the beach [[d.r.e.a.m.y.]]

81 days and counting ...

Happy Lovey Day!

Happy Valentines Day!

Today is our 5th Valentines together <3 

(4 in the 3 years of dating and 1 in high school)

Derek and I are going to celebrate on Sunday since he won't be home tonight :(

I woke up to gorgeous flowers and a stuffed animal this morning and D even got out of bed super early to have a 5 minute breakfast with me before I ran out the door.

Throwback Thursday:

Our 1st Valentines day together was in High School.  I was SO nervous/excited all day at school!

I had no idea what to get him. Was I supposed to get him a gift even though he wasn't my "boyfriend"?!

My besties at the time were going to pick up gifts for their boyfriends after school (when I had soccer practice). They offered to get something up for me to give D (legit! problem solved!)

They dropped off the gift on their way home, perfectly wrapped and ready to go.

He came over after basketball practice with pink roses and a teddy bear. 

I handed him my gift (which secretly I had no idea what it was).

Silk boxers.

With kisses.

(and they were sheer)

I died. I wanted to KILL my friends (who had gotten similar gifts for their long time boyfriends).

We put on The Notebook, and within minutes Derek was snoring.

I never let him forget that he never actually watched the Notebook with me.

He loves to remind me that I gave him sheer silk kissy boxers.

And I still have the teddy bear he gave me.

Happy Valentines Day, Squishy. I love you more than pancakes. Xo, Stinky

Fat Tuesday

Happy Fat Tuesday Loves!

Ironically, today is also the day that my order of Girl Scout Cookies arrived at the office.

Yumm.

Weekend Recap:

Derek and I officially live together!

We (and by "we" I really mean D and his friend) moved all my furniture in on Saturday.

I spent the day unpacking the little things (clothes, bathroom goodies, kitchen junk, etc.)

I still have a few boxes to unpack and more clothes to put away, but its really starting to feel like home.

We decided to have a chill night on Saturday.
We went to dinner and then had a PJ Party for 2 (PJs, Hookah, and TV) <3 

Sunday I spent the day with my little munchkins.

I love spending time with my nephews! <3

Me, my sister, and my mom took them to the Harbor to see the "Tall Ships"
Noah's favorite show is "Jake and the Neverland Pirate" so he LOVED being on the boat.

After we toured the boat we got some lunch, I spoiled Noah with an ice cream, 

and we walked around the harbor.

Noah saw a carousel and I've never seen him get so excited.

(like handed-over-his-ice-cream-to-go-on excited)

So of course I volunteered to take him on.

We got our ticket, he picked his seat, and we waited for it to start.

He was SO excited. Then it started.

The ride went up, he freaked, and jumped off into my arms.

...and then I got to hold/hug him for 3 minutes while standing on a carousel.

(but it was the best 3 minute hug ever)

I felt so bad he was scared. melts my heart.

 

Weekend Review and Beginning the Move

Hello my little Pancakes <3

Happy Tuesday!

seriously though, why isn't it Friday already?

I spent Thursday-Saturday in rainy San Diego (working a booth for my Dad at a convention)

boooorinnnngggg

But at least I got to spend some time with my parents.

I came back on Saturday night so I could have a "day off" before heading back to the office.

Sunday, D and I went for Champagne Brunch at El Torito and then started our "big move"!

There is NO WAY all my clothes are fitting in my new closet.

Our new home (aka his parents' guest house) is getting a make over this week!!

Switching out carpet for hardwood floors, painting cabinets, 

fixing tile in the bathroom, painting our bedroom.

I'm so excited for it all to be finished so we can finish the move and put together our home!!

I can't tear myself away from Pinterest these days looking at unrealistic Home Decor ideas!!

Any tips for closet storage? or moving? or home decor ideas?

The Perfect Weekend

Linking up with Sami's Shenanigan's for my Weekend Update:




I seriously feel bad for anyone NOT in L.A. this weekend.

The weather was too perfect.

Sunny, Warm, Clear Skies

<3<3<3

It was THE perfect weekend.

Surprise flowers from my love, Golf on Saturday, Birthday celebrations, Wine tasting...

Yesterday, we spent the day at Malibu Wines and Calamigos Ranch 

with Derek's sister and her husband.

It is so amazing and gorgeous at both locations.

We had 2 bottles of wine and some snacks and listened to live music at Malibu Wines and then

headed down the road to Calamigos for an early dinner at M.Cafe.

MALIBU WINES

CALAMIGOS RANCH

^ This is where his sister got married <3 so beautiful

Hope you all had an amazing weekend!!!

Happy Monday!! and Happy MLK Day!!

Xo, Allison

Our Story

Today Derek and I are celebrating 3 years <3

He is my best friend and I'm so lucky to have him in my life.

We have been through so much together and really grown as individuals and as a couple.

I love him to the moon and back. 3 years down and so many more ahead.

Derek and I met in High School on New Years Eve 2005.

He was a Senior and I was a Junior.

I went to e NYE party and my friend Ashlee and I decided to bail out early.

Problem: Parent's didn't want us driving on NYE - we both had told our parents we were sleeping at our friend's house, so we couldn't go home.

Ashlee called the boy she was dating who happened to be up the street at Derek's house.

We ended up crashing at Derek's that night with his friends.

The next morning i woke up and my friend was gone! She had left me there and apparently Derek had offered to drive me home.

Derek took me to breakfast at Jerry's Deli <3

We "dated" (went on a few dates and hung out like high schoolers did) for a while but then Derek 

went off to college at CSU Monterey Bay.

We never really "broke up" or had a fight or anything... we just kinda went out separate ways.

We kept in touch and were still good friends...

A year later, my senior year, I asked Derek to my prom.

He said no.

(he doesn't remember this...)

I ended up going to CSU Monterey Bay after High School and was reunited with Derek.

Our friend Mike (who we also knew from high school) knew i still had a thing for Derek.

He bet me a fancy dinner that Derek liked me too, and bet me "a fancy dinner that Derek would ask me out on a date"

I should have known something was fishy when Derek asked me out a day or so later.

Mike had told Derek about the little bet and offered to split the fancy dinner with him!!!!!!!!!

I found out (heartbroken) the next day that Derek was dating another girl.

And so to make him jealous I decided to go on a date with his roommate, Carter (the one friend he told me NEVER to go out with).

Derek ended up transferring to a college in Chicago...and I dated Carter on and off for a few years...

4 years ago on my 21st Birthday (Carter didn't want to come) Derek showed up (on a mission)

Derek told me I was meant to be with him and that one day I would realize it.

He took me and all my friends to a club to celebrate my big day. 

and at the end of the night he sealed it with a kiss.

I went back to Monterey and broke up with Carter...

I was single for a while and

Derek and I started talking again (more often, like non-stop) 

On Thanksgiving break right before Derek graduated he tried to 

convince me we were meant to be together.

I was skeptical at first...

But we decided when he came back from Chicago we would give it a shot.

December 19, 2010 Derek got home and we were together.

I was still living in Monterey, but we made it work...

For the first 6 months or so I drove down almost every weekend to spend time with him. Once I graduated I moved back home and now we are getting ready to move in together in February...

 <3<3<3

Happily Ever After...

Words to Live By...

Thanksgiving

Happy Cyber Monday Bloggers <3

Everyone have a good Thanksgiving??

I'm still full from Thursday.

This year Derek and I got to do it all twice.

Wednesday after work we headed out to my parents house for the night.

Thursday morning the Boys (Derek, my dad, bro-in-law, and nephews)

hung out while the Girls (me, mom, and sister) cooked the feast.

After we ate (for the first time) Derek and I headed to his 

family's feast for round 2.

<3<3<3

My Boys watching Cartoons.

 
Turkey #1, Corn Bread, and Pumpkin Pies

Love these Boys!!

Noah (left) and Eli (right)

Turkey #2: Wrapped in Bacon... SO amazing. 

I didn't do any Black Friday shopping, 

but I ended up at the mall on Saturday and did a little damage.

Happy Sunday Bloggies <3

Derek and I had a VERY productive weekend.

Friday night we went to the Laker game! 

One of the perks of working in my office is free tickets :)

One of the bosses in the office has season tickets and 

gives everyone in the office 2 games!!!

Saturday we started to clean out his house.

I am moving into his place in February so we are starting to turn it into our home.

We are using the 2nd bedroom as Derek's Man-Cave so  

we bought two gaming chairs/ottomans with built in speakers.

(I will never understand his video game obsession but if he's happy - I'm happy)

Saturday night we went on a dinner date and went to support his sister Brandi (she blogs here)

dance in the L.A. Unbound show.

And today was my Lazy Sunday!

Derek got called to play in a baseball game so I got a ME day.

Got my nails done and hit the mall <3

(starting my Holiday shopping early)

scarf- gap  sweater - gap; watch - Michael Kors; boots - Guess?

Vegas Baby...

Happy Monday!

Back to the real world after a great weekend in Vegas... I'm not a fan of this time change. The commute home from work was hard enough when it wasn't dark outside! It makes me want to SLEEP!!!!

<3 <3 <3

On the flight over... 

 ARIA

 Afrojack/Bottle service at Surrender

 Spike shoes ...  Love.

 Dinner and Open bar at Gold at the Aria

Xo, Allison