"Now its time to say good-bye"

Dahlins,

I am sorry I have been so quite this past month.  To say that things have been different would be an understatement.  There are many changes coming around the corner but I thought I would fill you in on what has been going on. 

First on the wedding front:

My mother, one of my best friends, who will be a bridesmaid, and I went dress shopping.  It was funny to see the three of us attack those dresses.  My mother wanted one with long sleeve to which Jen and I looked at each other like...um...NO!  We steared clear of anything and went instead with more ivory color dresses.  I liked the way the color not only looked but went with my skin tone.  I won't say much more than that it was fun and I found a dress style I really like but have yet to make the final purchase. 

Secondly, Dan and I have started our marriage prep classes through the church.  These have been interesting and to say the least not what I was wanting from this program.  I am scientist by nature so to have to tell you that by God dressing Adam and Eve in leather garments showed that Jesus would some day come makes me shake my head.  OK...I am literal person.  If the flower grows in the corner of the house in my mind its because it's getting enough light and going through photosynthesis enough to allow for it flourish.  I don't see that as a blooming of a relationship.  Just my logical mind a bit. 

However back a few post ago I told you about a test we had to take.  157 questions about things I never thought we would be questioned about but it was an eye opener.  One of the questions was something along the lines of "Do you support your partner in their career aspirations."  Dan answered no.  This made me shake my head and he looked at me and said "You work to hard and they don't appreciate you.  You are worth a lot more then you get credit for at Mad Science."  To say this made me think would be an understatement. 

I am a true believer in fate and with a comment like that in the back of my head and being frustrated with work I applied with a company we have used at Mad Science before.  I didn't think anything would come of my late night application but by 9 the next day I had an interview set up for that afternoon.  I meet with two different people had to fill out a six page personality test and by the end of the week had the job.  Which leads me to the title of today's blog post.

I have left Mad Science in order to go after a new goal.  I have said good-bye to Nucleus Nicole and wore my lab coat for the last time.  On my last day my boss posted four different statistics:
1. I have traveled over 36,000 (that I can bill for) for Mad science
2. I have taught for over 28,000 kids
3. I have covered for 36 classes
4. In my four and a half years I have seen 74 instructors come and go while I have been there.

To see that data was incredible.  I am going to miss some of the kids, my co-workers, but not the job.  I loved my job at points but lately with my other co-workers talking of leaving, Dan pushing me to find something that would pay me my worth, and being ready to find a "big kid job" I was ready to leave.  The new job will offer steady hours, longer days, but better pay, full benefits, a 401K and paid vacations. 

At some point, you grow up...I have finally found a man who is pushing me to be better be stronger and I have never been so happy to have him in my life. 

"But Not For Me"

Todays song comes from thr Broadway musical "Crazy For You.". It's one of my favorites. This song title I felt addressed how I feel while going through all of the hundreds of questions that have to be addressed in the upcoming year.

Do I keep the blonde highlites in my hair?

Is it odd that I don't want china and would rather register with Disney than any where else?

Do I change my name?

Do I ask only two people to be bridesmaids or have four?

Does Cash move with me or does he stay with my family?


These are just a handful of questions that have gone through my head since the engagement. Some I already know he answer to. Yes, I will change my name and become a Curtis. No, Cash will not move with me. It's not fair for me to make him leave his home when I know I will have less time with him now. The hair...um...any thoughts? Bridesmaids I am still pondering since I haven't made up my mind as to if we are going to plan a Disney celebration later. Yet, another question.


As we get ready to register for gifts I know I don't want china and would rather give up fancy plates for a Disney AP. I am a different bride whom needs to met the demands of many traditions and it's taxing. So friends, family and random readers I ask for your help.

What sort of things to you suggest we register for? Anything you wish you had asked for and more importantly what is now taking up too much space in your house that you never use.

I would love some guidance as we get ready for the next step...dress shopping!!!

"Welcome to Our Family"

Well hello!

I am just getting home from a wonderful dinner where my parents met Dan's parents for the first time.  We went to a local place, White Fence Farm, that is one of my favorites. 

http://www.whitefencefarm.com/

The food was outstanding and  I must admit it has a Magic Kingdom, Crystal Palace like appeal to the place.  Most of all it was just so great to sit with my whole family. 

The whole way home my parents were talking about how wonderful they were, and how much they liked them.  It only makes me think that I am truly blessed to not only have found a wonderful man but a wonderful family.  With our wedding I get not only wonderful in-laws, but a sister too!

This weekend we are heading to a bridal expo and in two weeks looking at dresses!  If there is one thing I learned tonight it is that we are getting closer to becoming us and less he and I. 

That, I must say, is a wonderful feeling.

"One Little Spark"

Hello dear friends,

I am sorry I have been away but life and work has gotten in the way of my posting anything lately.  Tonight I thought I would tell you about how Dan asked me to marry him. 

To begin I think I should tell you about the title of today's post.  "One Little Spark" is the song from the original "Journey Into Imagination" at EPCOT Center in Walt Disney World.  I love this song and the original ride.  It makes me think that you have to open up your imagination and allow all of those wonderful details to just take over.  In this situation however, it makes me think of that spark that I get with Dan. 

I must tell you that my passion for Disney as many of you know is deep and something I love to tie into everyday life.  You can't be having a bad day when drinking from a glass with glowing ice cubes in it!  As I have become more involved with the Disney/Disney Podcast Network (DPN) family, the park has become more than a place to have a ride on an out of control train, its my home.  So, when Dan said he wanted to go to Disneyland after my friends wedding I was overjoyed! 

Keep in mind before this Dan had never taken a plane ride so going to Arizona for less than 48 hours only to hop on another flight and land this time in LA was a big thing for him.  So allow me if you will to tell you about the day.

The day before we only saw a bit of each other since I was busy with my friends wedding so what time we did have that day was spent dancing the night away and drinking wonderful wine.  We had to be up and out the door by 7 to get to the airport in Tuscon and ready for our California leg of the journey.  That night, like most before a Disney trip, was met with little sleep and a morning with a slight hangover.  All worth the cost since the wedding was outstanding and beautiful!  Dan was more nervous than he was two days prior an he said it was because he knew what to expect now and was just anxious to get to Disneyland.  Little did I know that he was nervous for different reasons.   

The flight to Cali was nice and quick and I couldn't wait to get down to Disneyland.  However we had the Super Shuttle driver from hell but that's a story for  another day.  Checked into our hotel we got set to hit the parks. 

As we walked down the street I was doing everything not to run to get there faster.  However we took our time and I loved looking at him as he got ready to enter the first ever Disney park.  As we entered the Esplanade "When You Wish Upon A Star" was playing and I started crying.  Here I was in my home with the man who held my heart and I will admit thinking about it makes me cry again.

Dan outside the gates of Disneyland

We got into the park and the whole time I am pointing out all of these details but he keeps telling me "My sister keeps sending me text messages."  I didn't think anything of it but he kept looking at his phone which is making me giggle.  He usually is never that focused on his phone but I figure she was excited for him and wanted to know what we were doing.  As we entered Main Street, the Fire Truck was getting ready to take off down the road.  Since I had never taken the Fire Truck down Main Street I felt this would be a great way for us to get down to the Hub and allow him to see the sights. 

I didn't know however my idea of getting him a personal shuttle down Main Street was throwing a kink in his plans.  In front of the castle we caught a show with Mary Poppins and Bert singing and dancing and I was in heaven. 

Mary Poppins!  (you must yell it like Holly does)

We walked through the castle and headed back to Toontown since our plan was to head over to Mickey's house so he could meet the famous mouse.  Now here is where things get interesting.  I am in full out DF mood, pointing out Small World and all of the villains out the in park while he is giving me no reaction and looks white in the face.  My thought, "Oh crap he hates it."  We grabbed him a bottle of water and I was dragging him back past Small World.  Meanwhile, I am getting text messages from Holly asking where we were and had we found Ryan yet.  I am responding nope headed to see Mickey we are supposed to meet up with him later. 

As we get into Toontown I am pointing out all of the funny signs, telling him to sit in the car so I can take his picture and I am getting these pictures of him with a very serious face.  I tell myself that he is just overwhelmed with all of the details and he will "Get It" eventually...I hope...

I myself never having spent any large amount of time in Toontown I was excited to see Mickey's house when I get a phone call from Ryan.  Ryan, a CM at Disneyland and one of my dear friends, was going to meet up with us in the park, is asking where are we.  I tell him we are walking into Mickey's house and he, in what I know realized is a panicked voice, to get on the train and meet them in Tomorrowland.  I told him ok we will head over when we are done and now Dan's phone starts buzzing again.  (Here is what I don't know Ryan and Dan have been planning a whole thing for us to meet one-on-one with Mickey and I have kind of haulted that event.) 



Nothing like a Mickey mail box to make your day bright



We walk through the house and I am loving the details but I can't wait for Dan to see Mickey.  Being so close to parade time, 20 people were asked to go see Mickey at once and now you can see Dan's face fall. He asked that we be the last people with Mickey and I had no idea why.  To tell you how quick they pushed us through the photopass pictures didn't even register on the card but if you look really close in the one they got with my camera you can see something in Dan's hand. 


Do you see the red box in his hand?



We left and I am thinking OK lets head to find Ry.  He stops me in the garage and tells me wait take my picture.  We joke around that we need a garage for his truck and motorcycle.  He was saying oh look this is my dream garage.  It has all of the tools and everything I would need. 



Mickey's garage

Suddenly, out of no where,  Dan is on one knee.  He is saying "Nicole I love you.  You are my future.  Will you marry me?"  I literally jumped back about four feet, started crying and said "OH MY GOD YES!!!"  We kissed and hugged and for that moment in that garage with no one else around I was in pure heaven.  Here I was with a man I love so deeply and he did it in a way where despite planning and my best friends knowing for months or in Kat's case just finding out the night before, in a unique way.  Because we had been one of the last people to see Mickey the moment was private and as we left the garage the light hit the ring and I saw it truly for the first time. 

All my wonderful DFs were quick to point out that it kind of looks like Mickey

To be honest, he could have given me a ring pop and I would have been just as excited!  When we walked down and out of Toontown I was still in shock and Dan said it was like seeing everything for the first time because he was so nervous.  I can honestly say that garage at the mouse's house will be a must stop every year for us. 

Since, today's entry is rather long I will leave you there and tell you the rest another day but I hope you enjoyed! 

"Tale as old as time"

So last night we went to the church to look at all of the classes that we have to take in order to get married in the church.  It looks like we are going to be able to take two of them online.  With the winter months coming just around the corner it will make it easier then me having to drive home at 9:00 on a road under heavy construction. 

We also were required to take a 157 question quiz about ourselves, each other and our relationship.  Some questions were a no brainier.  Others made me think not so much about what it was asking but the wording.  They wanted agree, disagree or uncertain.  Statements like "I seldom..." made me stop to think.  If I agree it made the question seem like I had thought about it.  If I said disagree did that mean it was more or less than what was stated? 

I had to laugh at questions like "My partner has to win."  For those of you who don't know Dan very well he is very competitive and when we play games it makes it so much fun to watch him lose.  I turned to the Deacon and asked if boardgames counted because a game of Pass the Pigs can really show the true colors of a person.

I know this wasn't the kind of win it was trying to get at but I only proved that the way you read it can change your outcome on the quiz.  We talked about some of the questions over dinner and will wait to see what kind of results come from the interpretation of some of the things we were asked about.  

I'll keep you posted...

Tomorrow we head over to a bridal show in Denver and I will let you know what things we discover!

"I won't say I'm in love"

Well hello dear friends.

I thought today I would tell you a bit more about Dan and how we met.  Looking back 1 year, 2 years, 5 or 10 my life has changed drastically.  I am 28 and just saw the passing of my ten year high school reunion.  My love life has had its fair share of ups and downs but when I first met Dan I was finally at a point where I think I held my head up with pride and was in no way looking for love.  That's the reason for the title of today's post.  I didn't want to say I was in love with him right away but I knew. 

When we met we spent a week or so of just emailing back and forth.  One email I can recall I wrote at 2AM because I woke up to an email from him and couldn't wait to write back.  We did those wonderful little intro details about family, life and our babies, Daisy and Cash.  Soon I think I finally sent him my phone number and told him to text me.  I got a message the next day as I was getting ready to teach.  I was so excited.  I told him to call that night at 6:00 and on the dot the phone rang.  I remember sitting on my bed feet propped up on the wall talking to him.  I hadn't been this interested in someone in a long, long time.  Soon a week of three hour phone calls turned into him asking me out to lunch.  I agreed and that work week couldn't have gone any slower. 

I had a show to perform right before our date and I can honestly tell you I don't recall the event much because I wanted so badly to spend more time with him.  When I finally got to the restaurant I could have cared less about going to eat and I think we may have had three bites of food.  It was a joy to sit there with him and talk face to face.  Holding his hand was something I couldn't believe and the thought of our first kiss still gives me chills. 

We went for a walk and then down to see a movie but that doesn't seem to be what defined our date.  It was the fact that we finally had someone whom we could talk with and have a great moment with despite all of those people being around.  That was on August 8, 2009.  Now almost 14 months later we are getting ready to celebrate a marriage. 

I recall telling my friends I had met someone.  I was scared to say something because the year prior has been such a roller coaster.  Once I finally let myself fall for him I was beyond joyful.  He is such a caring man.  He looks at the world with a can-do attitude that I so love and he makes me laugh like only a few can. 

I am sure I will tell you more as we go further on but I don't look at Dan as someone who completes me but makes me strive to be better, stronger and I am proud to say I am going to be his wife. 

To be honest he still gives me butterflies.  I hope they never go away. 

"To all who come to this happy place, welcome"

Hello!

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you a bit about what this blog will be about.  I wanted to make a place where I could come and post about my life with Dan, our engagement and the planning of our wedding together.  As we progress through the stages of getting everything set up for the start of our life together I would love to tell you what we have planned, the questions I have and a bit more about how we become to be Nicole and Dan. 

I should tell you that people know me as either Nicole, Nic or RaeRae.  The different names make for different personalities.  My coworkers and professional contacts know me as Nicole, the Mad Scientist.  Nic, is for those dear to my heart and have seen my wild and crazy side.  RaeRae is for my Kat dahlin, whom blessed me with the nickname back in high school when we found the joys to a good drink, the park at night and boys!

I live a life full of crazy stories, great laughs, strong drinks and more importantly loving and supporting family and friends. 

As we embark on this journey together please give me time to get this whole blog thing down.  I am open to the thoughts of those who take a moment to read my thoughts and rants (trust me I know there will be some).  I am also going to solicit your words of wisdom as being a bride is not only a joyful journey but a scary one as well.  Please be prepared to hear a lot about my little man, my dog Cash, and my love for Walt Disney World and Disneyland.  (We are already looking at a Walt Disney World honeymoon.  I shall also try to limit our Disney Fanatic, DF, abbreviations.  As you can tell I have already started but I tried...)

So in the words of Peter Pan, "Come on everybody, here we go!"

Dan and I