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Friday, August 31, 2012

Labor Day Weekend 2 years Ago...Our Wedding Weekend

I cannot believe that it is already Labor Day weekend! 2 years ago this weekend, Mark and I were getting married on the Floridian Princess! 


Labor Day weekend happened one week later 2 years ago...This is a little recap of our wedding weekend. 

On September 3rd, 2010

Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner at Blue Moon Fish Co. 
It is no secret that Mark and I love Blue Moon very much... Mark and one of the restaurant owners, Bryce, are buddies and Mark actually used to take care of Bryce's boat for while since Bryce lives out west and Mark had much faster access to the boat living out east. Bryce has always been great to us, and therefore, Blue Moon is like a 2nd home to us. 

Rewind to Dec. 26th 2009, Mark and I were living in Chicago together and had come down to Ft. Lauderdale for Christmas. The night after Christmas, Mark asked me if I wanted to go to "the moon" for some fresh seafood before we had to go back to Chicago. I never turn down down a Blue Moon dinner, so off we went.  That was the night Mark, with the help of the chefs and staff, proposed to me! 





Fast forward about 8 months...and our rehearsal dinner was on 9.3.10. Mark wanted a 3 day weekend for our wedding so Labor Day it was!


A Blue Moon Rehearsal Dinner with amazing food and an open bar (which my abuelo did not allow me to go near - I thanked him later)


My beautiful bridesmaids: Megan Nolan, Michelle Jones, Kelly McManus, Sarah Portuondo, Sarah Waldrup, and my Maid of Honor- Ali Venezia Baker



Then on Saturday, September 4th 2010 it was the Vega/McGuire Wedding Day!!!



Me and my Daddy about to walk down the aisle!




Our 1st dance (well, we actually had two back to back) 
 Mark dedicated these songs to me when we were much younger and from then on they were always "our songs."

The first was I Do by Mark Wills and the second was Amazed by Lonestar. 
 We loved this part...



Our beautiful nautical style cake make from 2 strawberry shortcake tiers and a key lime-raspberry tier. We wanted to keep a light, tropical feel for our cake. 

This was the end of the night when we made our 'Thank You' speeches to our families for making this weekend happen and our friends for being the greatest. Mark wrapped his up with thanking me and saying that he couldn't wait until I was the mother of our children one day. I lost it...started crying of course because I didn't expect him to say that. But by far a great moment to look back on now. 


Then fast forward to a year and a half later, Mark suggested that we start trying to have a baby. 
February was a lucky month apparently because we got pregnant right away!

Now here we are 2 years later, very happy and awaiting our little Ava Loren McGuire to be born!

I am blessed beyond belief to call Mark my husband, and to now be able to say that I will be the mother to our child!



I hope that everyone has a fun, safe, and long Labor Day weekend! Mark and I are getting on the road as soon as he gets home tonight from work. First stop, Jacksonville to stay the night with Jared & Jacki Roche. Then we are all off to Tallahassee in the morning for the season's 1st GAME DAY!!!!  

GO NOLES!


Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What Mark Gets To Look Forward To...

The Father-Daughter Bond

The other night Mark and I were talking about how he is going to be Ava's hero and how little girls look up to their fathers. Mark and I didn't grow up with our biological fathers living with us, but we do have a great relationship with them now. We both understand what a huge impact a father's role has on a child...and especially on little girls. 

I found these CUTE videos of little girls and their dads to show Mark when he got home from work and thought I'd share with you all. 


This could be what Mark & Ava watching the Seminoles in the future may look like this if Ron Cherry is the referee...


Cute baby girl twins see their dad get home from work...




This one (TOO FUNNY) is another set of twins hearing their dad's guitar. Maybe Ava will like Mark playing his drums...




And this little girl and her father have tons of videos now...love watching them and their bond. 



Or...Ava could pull one of these.... 

ha ha



Mark is so excited to meet his little girl just as much as I am. Each morning when he kisses me goodbye he lifts up the covers and kisses my belly to give Ava a kiss too.  He is already a great dad :-)


Monday, August 20, 2012

Congrats to All of The New & Expecting Families!

I just wanted to say a special CONGRATS to all the little families popping up everywhere! This past weekend we had 3 little boys come into this world! With that said, Mark and I have some people to say congrats to...

Congrats to the Chason Family! Clark Davis Chason, welcome to the world!



Congrats to the Bandi Family! Welcome, Peter Goodchild Bandi !



Congrats to the Eller Family! Baby Kole Eller is here!



Congrats to Elizabeth & Allan Camacho on welcoming their 2nd baby girl, Hailey Camacho. 
 Allan with his two girls, Avery and Hailey


Congrats to Justine Dew on the birth of her daughter Karlee!
 
little Karlee!



 Karina and Michael MacDougall holding their baby girl, Maya! Maya is now about 4 months old and as precious as can be. 

Karina (right) and Jessica (left) holding Maya and Maya's cousin. It was so great catching up with Karina and Jess this past weekend over Sunday brunch. 



Kristine and Mike Marseco are old pals from high school who are parents to baby Carter and now expecting a little girl! Kristine and I are both due in November!
A little Miss Marseco is on the way! 


Christine & Jared Mancil welcomed their daughter, Julia, after their 1st child, Carter!
 Carter is now a big brother!





Me & Ellice Martinez. We met through our husbands who worked together... Ellice and Jonathan are expecting a little girl in December! 


Mark and I are very excited to join you all in this new chapter of our lives. Enjoy this special time with your new bundles of joy! I apologize if I missed some families ( I will blame it on "pregnancy brain") 





Tuesday, August 14, 2012

D-I-Y Decor for Ava's Nursery


Hello! Yesterday & today were DO IT YOURSELF DECOR DAYS for me! Last Fall,  I was in some thrift store in Wilton Manors (a favorite pass time of mine) and came across this gorgeous set of old wooden frames. I loved the way they were carved and figured that one day I would have a nursery to put them into... well, TA-DAA...we are now expecting and getting her nursery ready! Time for my frames...at last!  

(Side note: I had sprayed them a gold paint when I first purchased them because I wanted to enjoy them before we decided to have a baby, but they came out the wrong color gold and I ended up holding off until now.)

Also, recently I was in Michael's craft store with my two little brothers in law. We were buying clay for a project that they wanted to do when I came across some plain wooden letters and ceramic birds. I picked those up thinking I could paint them and add those to the nursery as well. 
So here are they are: 

      BEFORE

Birds (2nd shelf) and letters (3rd shelf)

with some Indoor/Outdoor spray paint...

and some pretty fabric I found....

 AFTER


Ready to hang on the walls!

The "V" is actually a purple and the "A's" are blue - the lighting makes them look different

This was a plain white frame that I had in my room in college. With a little paint, it is now fit for Ava's nursery :)


On Monday, I was at my mother in law's house and she gave me this precious little ceramic heart shaped box that she made at Joe Picasso's for Ava! She made it pink and green so that it would match her nursery. I LOVE THIS LITTLE GIFT!!!! So personal and so special. Thanks, Debbie! <3


Well that's it for now, but I have a feeling I will be coming up with some more things to make our little girl. 



Thursday, August 9, 2012

What We Have Been Up To...

Sorry for my lack of blogging... Mark and I just recently moved into our new home and it has taken a little longer than we thought to get things situated. Comcast just came on Tuesday to hook up the internet and cable- so that meant no blogging until then. Plus, I really have been busy with unpacking, throwing all things unnecessary out, and organizing. So here is just a little recap of what has been going on lately. 

On July 14, 2012 Alexandra & Lee got married! It was the most beautiful wedding I have ever attended. Here is just a little glimpse of their wedding until we get all of their finished photos and the completed wedding video. Below is a link you can click on to watch a preview of their wedding video! They did a phenomenal job on it that I cannot even imagine what the whole video is going to be like. (I will upload that one when I get my hands on it for you too!)




Next, I have been working on my baby shower invitations. My mother and my mother in law are co-hosting my baby shower! It will be on Sept. 8th and I cannot wait! Here is a picture of the first couple I made... They are looking a little rough because I was just figuring out how to do the measurements of the paper cutting, etc. Their colors ranged from pink, light pink, lime green, and light purple. I had fun making them with all the colors, ribbon, and even added Ava's monogram to the top of them. :) 

The weekend after Ali & Lee's wedding weekend, we got together with some friends for the Dave Matthews Concert weekend. We do this every year (besides last year because the band  took a year off.) We BBQ'd and hung out by the pool during the day and then did the concert at night. The concert is always on both Fri. and Sat. night in West Palm Beach....and Mark insists that we go both nights each year... Guess who was the designated driver this year? (ha...) Normally I am partaking in the cocktails so we all pitch in and get a limo or party bus to drive us all up. This year it was a much smaller group so I volunteered to drive us. 

the boys in their tacky tank tops...
The weekend after that, Mark and I drove up to Josh & Heather's Engagement Party in Jacksonville. MaryAnn & Jacki (the 2 ladies to the left) and their husbands co-hosted this event for our friends. It was a really fun weekend filled with the boys playing golf, spa time with the girls, a water slide (I did not partake in this haha), a Cajun low country boil, dinner with the gang, and the usual late night drinks and cigar time that the boys always have on the back porch while the girls catch up inside. 
Welcome to the Kappa Sigma Wives Club, Heather! (...soon to be Mrs. Bean!)
Our husbands(or fiances) are all in the same fraternity so we jokingly say that we are in a wives club. 
Heather & Josh

This is me last week at 26 weeks along. Ava has really started moving! Mark and I are loving all of her movements. 

Here is Ava's room! It is painted a light sea foam green and has a border filled with a variety of small wild flowers. She has white wooden blinds, and a tan 
carpet. 

Her crib will go along this empty wall
Her mirrored closet 

Then, last week Kelly came down from NC to visit! She is a teacher now and was off right between teaching summer school and the start of the new 2012-2013 school year. I was so happy to see her. I went over to her house and caught up for a while then headed over to St. Thomas Aquinas High School to visit our friends that work there now. It was awesome seeing the new additions to our amazing high school. Between the new "state of the art" Arts Building, Athletic Center, Practice fields, locker rooms, coaches facilities, etc. the school continues to be one of the very best in the US. We are always very proud to say that we are STA Raiders! 

Me and Kel with Lauren Genduso(left) and Hunter Cambon. (right)

Two days ago, I went over to my friend Lana's home and spent time with her and our friend Sarah. As soon as I got there, Ava started kicking so Lana and Sarah were able to feel her for the first time! It was awesome seeing Lana and Sarah's reactions to Ava moving. I was laughing because I don't think it really hit them that I was having a baby until they felt her moving at the moment. Their eyes bolted open and they each squealed!

 Later on, we went and got dinner, caught up on each other's lives, watched some of the Olympics, and then I gave them these letters that they had written to themselves years ago. All 3 of us went to St. Anthony School when we were younger. From grades 5th-8th, we wrote a letter which reviewed our year and then it was given back to our teacher and put into a locked safe. I picked up the letters a couple months ago because I heard that they were no longer keeping the letters and would be thrown out if they were not claimed and  picked up. Since I am not working, I had time to go over to the school and pick up a whole bunch of letters to mail out to friends. This was the best part of the night. We were cracking up because in some of the letters, we had actually written about each other and other friends of ours that we are still close with today... 

And here I am today right after my doctor's appointment. Now that I am further along (27 weeks), I now have to go to the doctor's every 2 weeks rather than once a month. Once I hit 36 weeks, I'll have to go to the doctor every week! Each time I go, it is usually very quick...they take my weight, blood pressure, and listen to Ava's heartbeat. 


 So there is some of July until the present day. Between Chicago for Ali's wedding, the Dave Matthews Concert weekend, an engagement party, moving, Dr. Appointments, visiting old friends, and baby shower preparations...I have been enjoying this summer :) 

3 moths left until BABY AVA MAKES HER ARRIVAL!