Coffee x 2... or 3

No photos of our goings on because, quite frankly, they're not pretty.

Me and the Mr. holed up in a low-to-middle-end hotel room, hunched over our laptops, cruising Craigslist like a couple of teenagers on Main Street USA. Only, instead of daddy's convertible, we're driving a rented Ford Focus.

Highlights of yesterday:

• Flying in to San Fran instead of San Jose in exchange for $500 in vouchers
• L & L Hawaiian Plate Lunch (!)
• Replacing the best $10 I've ever spent (and then broken)

I leave you with one photo from our last night in Phoenix

Thank you, Aunt Linda!

Life Altering

I keep looking down and marveling at the extra band of white gold on my left hand... I am still in awe that I have been blessed with a husband who knows that it's par for the course when I walk into walls (happened yesterday), thinks it's entertaining that I get a little tipsy off one vodka martini (also happened yesterday) and who thinks that $0.50 McDonald's ice cream cones merits the consumption of three (count them: three!) of them in less than 15 minutes.

totally wiped but ready to party!

We're here in Las Vegas for a little pre-honeymoon after two weeks of best friends, wonderful family and our beautiful wedding. And at 7:30 am (so wrong) I am awake and feeling the weightlessness of freedom that comes with the opportunities we have as start our life as a new family.

In other news: Las Vegas has changed my world view. A man named Victor with a sweaty, bald head actually brought me 4 egg whites, 2 whole wheat (real whole wheat! with chunks!) pancakes and a pile of fresh fruit (that did not include un-ripe melon. what is this place?!) ... at Denny's. Yup. I am no longer a Denny's Hater. Thank you, Sin City.

A little pool time later...




We ate dinner at Aureole at Mandalay Bay last night and had probably the best dining experience we have ever had. We were somehow seated in a private seating area with our own patio and handed a price fixe 3-course menu at $85 a plate... but the staff was amazingly gracious and accommodating when we re-started Brian's heart and asked for a 'normal' menu.

A glass of Petite Sirah and a life changing dish of seared salmon with spinach coulis and chantarelle mushrooms later... bliss. Seriously folks. Nirvana. A chocolate experience for dessert and we wandered around in a haze until we found a cocktail lounge at the Luxor that was offering 2-for-1 call drinks (!) Best. Night. Ever.

Learning to shoot craps today!

More gratuitous wedding photos...

10 min before the ceremony and he is installing software!?

Best Friend makin' bouquet!

got hitched!

Totally wiped and headed to Vegas in t-minus 4 hours to relax and honeymoon it up!

The wedding was perfect - intimate, warm, beautiful and so much fun. To quote the Father of the Bride "What a Hoot!"

More photos to come, I'm sure, and just shoot me a quick email if you want to see the Picasa Album or add some photos. Love you all!

Getting Ready!

Maid of Honor

Walking down the aisle with Dad

We do!

Husband and Wife


Cake by Erin Maples... best gift yet!

Mr. and Mrs. Jelinek

i am...

i am completely exhausted.

i am completely happy.

i am complete.



it's official.

i am mrs. jelinek!!!

*photos coming soon

In the Home Stretch

After packin' up the kitty and catching a taxi at 4 am, we made it to Phoenix on Tuesday! Planning and Errands the last two days, bridal shower this morning and we're headed to the rehearsal... well... NOW!


Arizona: the biggest sky ever.

Pomanders and Japanese Lanterns
Wedding binder, green tea, journal... pretty much all my down time, right here.


Bridal shower cupcakes!

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go!

(Ok. Bags are almost packed. But who's counting?)

Dropped my gals off at BWI this afternoon after a great morning of great weather in DC. Finally! We have been trying to venture out of the back bedroom (for those just joining: the only room with a wall mounted A/C unit) for 3 days and finally made our way into DC.





A walk up the Mall complete with obligatory "use the landmark as an accessory" photos









And a trip to the National Botanical Gardens and Conservatory which was really relaxing! The outdoor gardens are really beautiful.




Then made our way to Chinatown and had a great lunch at La Tasca! $50 worth of seafood tapas for $25 + gratuity thanks to Restaurant.com. (Seriously. If you guys haven't tried this website... DO. IT. Sign up for their emails because I certainly bought this $25 gift certificate for $0.86 thanks to an 80% off promo.) Yummy yummy FroYo + berries from TangySweet was then smuggled onto metro.

Took the girls to Baltimore just a few hours ago and have since been frantically packing. Just remembered to breathe thanks to Amy at Amy Vs Wild who kindly reminded me to continue filling my lungs with oxygen.

Wedding Dress: packed.
Wedding Shoes: packed.
10 Battery-Powered Paper Lanterns that I should have shipped 2 weeks ago: ummmm....

Off to make Brian a sandwich.

Not stranded on the roof...

Bachelorette Party = Best. Night. Ever.

(No photos posted means no evidence on the cyber web. Use your imaginations.)

Number of guests: anywhere between 3 and 8
Number of brightly blinking and/or sequined bachelorette items affixed to my clothing: 4
Number of noise complaints filed: 3
Number of events that shall never see the light of blog: quite a few :)

Can I say more? Except that I was still able to fit in an hour workout this morning? Twisted= Maybe. Day-Long Hangover= Nope. Score one for sweating it out.

Went to see Salt (let's hear it for $6 matinees!) and quite enjoyed it (and the air conditioned theater...) but let me just say to you, military men. When I've just watched a movie about Russian Sleeper Agents blowing things up... don't walk quickly with your matching camo back packs.

I'm naturally jumpy, a bit overtired and extraordinarily over-caffeinated from the "small" Diet Coke I just consumed. Makes for a very vivid imagination.

The sis, bestie and I spent the rest of the day being fabulously productive. We graced 2 air mattresses in the bedroom that has a wall-mounted A/C unit and watched more movies, slugged water and slept.

First class accommodations at the "oh my god, we sold all our furniture and i have guests coming" hotel. Trader Joe's boxed Mac'N'Cheese for a snack, anyone? Who needs the Ritz?

A total of at least 7 minutes in tears over an overwhelming number of tiny details aside... We're rocking and rolling toward the Big Day on Friday! Sis and Bestie leave tomorrow afternoon, then we're packing up Kitty and heading to AZ!