Wedding Photos

Our wedding proofs have arrived and I am so excited!

There are too many to share and I don't want to bore you to death.  I know I prefer blog posts that are short, sweet, to the point, and include lots of pictures, lol.  So I will post my wedding photos in groups!  Today, I will share with you the procession....

 I think my parents are such a great couple!

They are just such a good match in every way - looks, personality, heart!  I can't express the gratitude and love I have for my parents.  They were, in my mind, the most perfect parents in the world... and continue to be.  Generous, supportive, parent, and as we have gotten older, friend.  I love you mom and dad!

Our good friend Patrick and Moo (Megan).

I love the colors!

These two (and their spouses) are so special to us.  Patrick makes us laugh on a daily basis and has truly become a best friend to Chris.  We have come to know and love him, his wife Amanda, and their baby (soon to be -ies).  Moo - well, you know.  It is Megan's spirit that is a blessing not just to me or our Friends or Habitat, but to the world.  She is an inspiration.  And her family, is our family. 

 Scott and Lauren.  You know Lauren.  Brilliant.  Beautiful.  Hilarious.  She is the sister of my heart and I will forever cherish our life-long friendship.  Her husband was amazing at the wedding too.  He filmed and served and was a great blessing.  Dawson wasn't there, but he got in on the prep.  Scott Kinney has also blessed our lives.  He is such an example.  I don't know a more kind-hearted individual, he is deep, and loving, and the funniest person I know.

Our Lily.

She is the sweetest little girl in the world.  Her heart is pure.  She is the most thoughtful and kind soul at such a young age.  "Our wedding" she calls it.  She makes our hearts sing.

This is the part of our wedding that I thought was most likely to make me cry.  I just knew when I looked at Dad, I would lose it.  But everything happened so quickly, and I didn't cry.  My Daddy is good.  Everything about him to the very core is good.  He is genius, can do anything, can fix everything, and loves with all his heart.

As this point, I just wanted to lay eyes on my husband.  I tried and tried to get a clear view... and finally...

...there he was.  When our eyes finally met, he simply smiled a huge smile and breathed, "WOW."  It was priceless.  At that moment, my heart was at total and complete peace.  There were no tears, just pure joy.

And beside Chris, Web.  Chris' brother of the heart.  Life takes us on wild and crazy roads and busy times and slow, but their friendship will always be constant.  Chris loves him like a true brother.  What a great man to be in our lives.

I feel so blessed to have so many truly wonderful people in our lives.  We can learn from each one of them.  We joyfully share laughs and memories and love with all of them.  The word that continues to come to mind, is... blessed.

It's a Party!

...and you are invited!

As many of you now know, I am an independent consultant with The Pampered Chef and my mom is planning a Pampered Chef Blog Party/Catalog Show!  It's going to be so much fun y'all!  Mom is going to be sharing some of her favorite Pampered Chef tools and gadgets and also some great recipes that are quick, easy, and affordable!  While she's having all this fun, she'll also be earning free and discounted products too! 

While getting ready to help her do her blog show, I thought I would offer you a little something!  I know you all want to join in the party-fun!  So why not?  You could host your very own blog party and/or catalog show!  I can help you host long-distance with the help of my personal website!  My sister, in fact, had a VERY successful blog party while traveling the country in her truck and earned lots of cool stuff!!

If you don't want to host a party, but are looking for a great Mother's day, Graduation, Father's Day (grilling stuff!!!!), or Birthday gift.... or maybe even just need to pick up a thing or two for yourself, feel free to visit this site to place your order (it will be added to my Mom's show, but can be shipped directly to you)!  It'll be a win-win-win.  My mom gets credit on her show, you'll be helping me with my new business, and you'll help yourself get some really amazing products and gifts!

This month is a great month to order from Pampered Chef because of the great Mother's day gifts that we are offering!  Check them out...



Remember, I can set you up to do a cooking show in your home, a blog party, or a catalog show of your own and you too can earn your wish list items for 50-60% off and/or FREE!

So, what are you waiting for?  Start shopping and making those wish lists!  Pampered Chef has TONS of stuff that will make your life in the kitchen QUICK, EASY, and AFFORDABLE!

April Shower Free Days...

We have had our fair share of April showers this year... in fact, we have had quite a few violent storms.  But we have also had some beautiful shower-free days!  This past weekend was one of those and boy, did we enjoy it!  We took full advantage to soak up some sun and do some outside activities!

We started with some bike riding!  Lily is such a cautious  one!  She is very focused on her bike and is careful to peddle slowly and any time she gains even the tiniest big of speed she slows to a stop and starts over! LOL!  It's almost painful watching her because we want her to give in and go fast and enjoy it, but we know she'll get there!  Our goal is no training wheels by the end of summer!  :-)

After bike riding out front, we headed to the back yard to play with a little glider she got.  That led to made up games and cartwheels (yes her daddy and I also did some cartwheels - not pictured, lol)  And then we made a fascinating discovery.

I grabbed up a plastic bat from the garage and a makeshift paper-wrapped-in-tape ball and we decided to give "coach pitch" a try.  Lily has never tried softball, but after attending a practice with her cousin Bentlee, she decided she wanted to play!  She has done soccer, dance, and golf, but really hasn't landed on anything specific that she loves and wants to do again the following year.

Well, it turns out that our little girlie-girl is a natural with a bat and a ball!  The very first time Chris pitcher her the ball (the first time she has every been pitched to in her life) she knocked it over my head and apologized! lol.  Chris and I were beyond enthusiastic and it caught!  She got so excited!

We ended up getting make shift bases out and having a little family soft ball game!  Lily loved every second, she didn't want to go in!  We practically had to drag her out of the back yard!  She is signed up for One Goal coach pitch and we can't wait for it go begin at the end of May!  :-)  In the mean time we'll keep enjoying the back yard "field" and the beautiful spring weather!



Honeymoon...

A week ago today Chris and I were mid-honeymoon!

It was such an AMAZING trip!

We went to the Biltmore House in North Carolina.  We stayed at the Biltmore Inn on the estate and enjoyed an entire weekend being treated like royalty!!

Here is a picture of the Inn that overlooked the winery.

Lavish is the word that comes to mind...

...and check out the view!

We had a king balcony room!

It was so peaceful and beautiful!

Each morning we had a breakfast that was nothing short of extravagant!  I can't even list all of the delicious-ness!  It was INCREDIBLE!  I haven't ever eaten like that in my life!!

We spent out days looking at the house, gardens, winery, and even found time for golf and a few walks on the grounds!  This was Chris' first trip to the Biltmore and he loved it.  I loved rediscovering all over again in a very new way!  I had never experienced the Biltmore like this - we were absolutely pampered every where we went!  No waiting in line, every meal included and incredibly delicious and gourmet, and to top it all off the weather was PERFECTION!

I have never been to Biltmore in the spring.  We timed our trip perfect (inadvertently) and the tulips were at their peak!  Tulips are my favorite flowers and I was nothing short of speechless at the literal thousands of tulips in bloom and carefully planted in beautiful patterns and arrangements all over the estate!

We took a very long walk from the gardens to the bass pond.  I think I could spend all day walking around the estate.  Even the grounds that are more natural, like the woods, seem carefully placed and beautifully planned out for the perfect experience!

Here we are on the back porch of the Estate!  I can't even relate to living like George and Edith Vanderbilt in that amazing home, but staying and the Inn help imagine it!

Here Chris is in our room!

...and the two of us at the wine tasting!

I, of course, took lost of pictures....

...and my new husband drove me around and catered to my every wish! 

It was the PERFECT honeymoon.

I loved every. single. second.

Sneak Peak

A sneak peak of our wedding photos is up on our photographer Joy's blog!  Check 'em out!

"My Wife"

It's only happened a couple times so far.  On our honeymoon it happened only twice... we were called, "Mr. and Mrs. Hooper."  What strange, yet delightful words.  Then came the best part...

...on the golf course, Chris introduced me as his wife.  The words, "This is my wife, Meagan" sounded like music!  It made my tummy tingled down to my toes.  It made us both smile.  As we drove away, Chris looked at me and said, "my wife... I like that."  I said, "me too!"

It's the little things in life.

(Check out my cake toppers!  I loved them!  Mom had made them at my request - she is amazing!)

Vows

Chris and I picked out our vows together. We wanted traditional vows, but wanted them to be unique and to "fit" us. Our wedding was very small, but I wanted to share our vows because they are so special to us and I never want to forget a single word...

I, Meagan, take you, Chris, to be my lawfully wedded husband, secure in the knowledge that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner in life, and my one true love from this day forward. On this special day, I give to you in the presence of God and all those in attendance my promise to stay by your side as your faithful wife in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad.


I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve all of your goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.



I, Chris, take you, Meagan, to be my lawfully wedded wife, knowing in my heart that you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner in life, and my one true love from this day forward. On this special and holy day, I give to you in the presence of God and all those in attendance my promise to stay by your side as your faithful husband in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad.

I promise to love you without reservation, honor and respect you, provide for your needs as best I can, protect you from harm, comfort you in times of distress, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live.

Married...

 

We did it!

I never got nervous.

I didn't even cry.

It was perfect.

I am married to a real fairy tale prince!

The day couldn't have been more beautiful.

Lily was adorable and the best maid of honor!

The ceremony was everything I wanted it to be.

The vows were perfect and genuine,

they were said with heart felt conviction.

We became a family.

This man.

I am still speachless.

...and breathless.

He is wonderful.

Strong.

Good.

Real.

Mine.

I have never felt more at peace or such great happiness.

My heart is at home.

I will post more, but at the moment I am just enjoying life.  My mom has documented this weekend wonderfully and you can visit her blog. Click here to see.