marisa cherie

Fresh Start.

2012-01-05T15:02:00.000-08:00

"The sweet is never as sweet without the sour, and I know the sour." Thank you, Vanilla Sky for that beautiful quote. Here's to a fresh start and a truly happy 2012.

three.

2011-03-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

Happy three years, my love!
I couldn't have asked for a better best friend. <3

First trip to the cabin - spring of '08

wedding planning weekend in pictures.

2011-03-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

We had such an amazing weekend off with my parents. We headed up to the mountains and looked into wedding details like food, bakeries, flowers, and hotels for our guests. We spent Saturday night in the family cabin and woke up Sunday for a stunning walk around the lake, and ridiculous mexican food for breakfast. It was perfect and just what I needed to get my mind off school and stress. <3

"Mashed potato clouds" - via my dad. ;)

Wedding venue view.

Hilarious trinkets at the Crestline grocery store. Plus, my beautiful step-mom, Carol! She's the best. <3

Mexican train and my gorgeous boy!

My "good morning" cabin view!

I hope your week is going great! Happy (almost) weekend!! I'm really looking forward to Saturday night celebrating three of my best friend's 25th!

xoxox,

Marisa

a reminder to myself.

2011-03-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

- Deuteronomy 31:6

That verse and this post from a beautiful girl really helped me today. Like most of you, I have had a really hard time understanding and grasping what is happening in Japan. Video clips and photographs still feel like ugly scenes out of an end of the world movie. I'm devastated and crushed for this beautiful country and find myself in tears throughout the day for the people there. Erin's post was such a great reminder to press on, to pray harder, to mourn, to rejoice, and to give. <3

via

Six.

2011-03-10T21:29:00.000-08:00

Six months from today until I become a Mrs.!

I took the weekend off so we can head up to Big Bear to get a few more check marks crossed off our wedding to-do list (looking into food, flowers, hotel rooms, etc.). I can't wait! We haven't been up to our family cabin for a while and it'll be a much needed break. After an all nighter last night and another expected late night tonight, I can't wait for the time away without any school deadlines hanging over my shoulders. I definitely deserve it after these past few weeks!

I have lots to look forward to and am getting really excited some upcoming events! Staying positive and pushing through has really been helping my state of mind and determination to keep doing my best.

Some more things to look forward to:

Dani and I's 3 year anniversary.

3 of my dearest friend's 25th birthday celebration at the Queen Mary (one of them is this beauty).

A lunch date with a missed friend on Monday.

Spring break!

Things are looking up! <3 I hope everyone has an incredible weekend!

xoxo,

Marisa

hold on.

2011-03-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

It's crazy how quickly life can overwhelm you. This past month has been a complete whirlwind of 6 strong, knock the breath out of you type blows. If you follow me on twitter, you might know a few of them, but I won't go into detail here. While I'm still struggling with all that has happened, I have so much to be grateful for. I'm doing my best to spin things positively and hold on to hope that it can only go up from here. I did, however, tell myself just that yesterday and ended up with a ticket for "using my phone" at a red light when all I did was check the time and change the song on my ipod. ;( It was the tiniest of things (not even one of my "blows"), but it's what broke me. This poor jerk (and liar!) of a cop had to listen to my whole sob story while I cried my eyes out on the side of the road. Oh well. I feel a bit better now.

Now am I safe to say it? It can only go up from here. I'm trying, ha.

Some positives that have come out of this madness:

Daniel and I are realizing that we're a pretty strong team. We are learning to be there completely for each other, pray more together, and find humor in shitty situations. This whole marriage thing may work out forever after all! ;)

I found my wedding dress! Since the Dr. forced me to take A LOT of time off work due to a painful car crash (Blow #1), I took all my crazy prescriptions and headed out to tackle this big wedding check mark. I couldn't have done it without some best friends, Marina and Amy and the amazing women in my family.

I spent some close time with my soon to be mother-in-law. She's a blast and came down for a really last minute, quick trip from Monterey to shop wedding dresses with us. <3

I'm gaining perspective. If I've learned anything throughout my life, it's that you really grow when life tests you a bit. How you deal with these struggles, and what you make of them is when you learn the most of who you do and don't want to be. You change and mature through them. At least that's what I hope is going on here ;).

And since this post has been pretty wordy, here are a few iphone pictures of the few happy glimpses throughout the crap of a month that was February.

1: Trying to document my positive morning yesterday (right before I got that bs ticket). 2 and 3: Corner bakery date. 4: My pretty kitty. 5: Matching boots. 6: Dani looking spiffy. 7: A car ride. 8: The sweetest breakfast surprise, complete with a mimosa. 9: Feathers in my hair. 10: Trying to model a cute shirt Dani bought me.

I'm hoping for a much better, happier, and healthier month! March, I welcome you with open arms.

xoxo

Marisa

my birthday boy.

2011-01-27T05:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday baby!

Tuesday we celebrated with some of his favorite foods, a surprise trip to the batting cages, plenty of Lost (finally on season 4-hooray!), and dinner with my entire family and his brother. :)

It was probably the cutest thing watching Daniel re-live his baseball days at the batting cages. He hasn't played baseball since high school. He was beaming. <3

The 21st was also my wonderful dad's birthday, so dinner was in celebration of both my favorite men.

Daniel,

Happy birthday to you, my love!! You are my favorite part of every single day, and I constantly thank God for you in my life. Thank you for being so good to me. Thank you for treating me the way you do and for being such a constant to me. Thank you for your laughter and our silly fun together. I love and adore you more than you know, and I cannot wait until the day I can call you my husband.

Love you always,

Marisa

wedding update.

2011-01-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

I've been so neglectful of all my wedding updates lately. Here's where we're at!

The date!

September 10, 2011. A little less than 8 months away now and I still have SO much to do.

The place!

Big Bear, CA. We're getting married in the backyard of an adorable bed and breakfast. We fell in love right away, but were completely sold when we found out we had the ability to rent it out and start decorating the day before. I can't wait to visit again soon and share pictures!

The theme!

DIY, crafty, backyard, vintage, rustic, casual, and whimsical. I have no idea how I'm going to pull that off, but little ideas are starting to come together. I've been collecting odds and ends from thrift stores for centerpieces and will start my DIY decorations soon. I do need some tips on where to find vintage hard covered books though. Any links or ideas would help me out a ton!

Our photographer!

I'm so, SO excited to introduce you to Jeremiah! Take a look at his website, HERE. His images are just gorgeous. He is everything plus more of what we were looking for in a photographer. He recently shot Erin and Chad's wedding and the pictures are to die for. We've also hired him to shoot our engagement pictures and the photo booth at our wedding! I can't wait.

Some of my favorite photos from the Erin and Chad's gorgeous wedding:

And their photobooth. :)

All photos taken by Jeremiah Bonjean.

I have a long way to go, but I'm getting more and more excited the closer it gets! The next step is to start looking for my wedding dress!

I also forgot to mention that in the midst of one of my worst weeks stress-wise, my day was automatically brightened when this book arrived in the mail from Daniel's mom. She's the sweetest.

I also ordered this book today thanks to the suggestion from Rachel!

The next wedding post will be on our wedding party! That is, after we finish asking them all to be in our wedding! Due to schedules and distance, we're a little behind. EEk!

Have a lovely day! Thanks for stopping by <3.

xoxo

Marisa

recluse.

2011-01-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

I'm crazy. Either that or I've turned into an over-achiever overnight. For some reason I had the bright idea to attempt the following:

- Working full time. (6 days/week)

- Planning my wedding. (I now have less than 8 months!)

- A 3 week winter course.

- Online biology at a separate school (October through March).

- Four classes during spring semester, starting Tuesday.

"I'm exhausted" would be an understatement. I can't even express how much I miss genuine time with my fiance, my beautiful friends, working out, and SLEEP! All that's getting me through is the thought of how happy I'll be once I finish my degree, my wedding day and marriage, and honeymoon! Such happy times are awaiting me in the year to come. <3

In the meantime, I thank God for this boy daily. He continually amazes me with encouragement, kind words, and understanding. He's been putting up with my sleepless, moody self lately and never complains. He's amazing, and I don't know what I'd do without him. I don't tell him enough, but I appreciate his support more than he'll ever know.

I promise I'll catch up on emails soon! Unfortunately emails and blogging have been the first to be abandoned during this hectic time. I can finally see this to-do list shortening up in the next few days though!!

Hope everyone is doing well and has a great week!

xoxo,

Marisa

when real life friends start blogs!

2011-01-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

One of my new favorite things is seeing good friends in real life start their own blogs!! Here are a few of my favorites....

Amy.

She will forever be saved in my phone as "goolly goolly". I don't even know why now, but we sure thought we were the shit in 9th grade! We've been close friends since we were 13, and she's agreed to be one of my bridesmaids! I love this girl SO very much. She's always been so incredibly thoughtful and one of the most creative out of my bests. <3 Follow her blog for some pretty DIYs, good reads, and fun adventures! Also, she recently started an etsy shop! Stop by and say hello!

http://sincerelyames.blogspot.com/

Erin.

Photo taken by Jeremiah Bonjean (!!) at Erin's wedding (!!!) this past September.

I just found out she had a blog last night and I am SO incredibly excited! :) She's SUCH a sweetheart! I can always count on lots of laughs and having a blast whenever I see this pretty girl (which needs to happen a lot more often!)! Follow her for a peek into her adorable, newlywed life with her hubby, Chad.

http://erinandchadinlove.blogspot.com/

Brenda.

Photo credit: Nico Marino

Brenda is one of the most sincere girls I've ever met. I really look up to her and her close relationship with God. It's truly encouraging to see His love just pour right through her. Follow her for some inspiration, insight, and peeks at where her exciting job at LiNK is taking her next!

http://www.brendaabel.blogspot.com/

Andrea.

Pictured right.

What a beautiful girl - inside and out! I was honored to be in her gorgeous wedding this past year! She's also probably the best chef I know! And her style is ridiculous...I'm counting on asking her a few tips for engagement pictures soon. ;) Follow her blog for some yummy recipes, pictures of her and her hubby's adventures, and a look at some of her struggles and triumphs.

http://hecallsmewifey.blogspot.com/

Heather.

A fellow newly engaged gal! I met her through Daniel and couldn't be happier that I did. She's a very crafty girl who's got some mad sewing skills! I can't wait to schedule our next coffee/wedding talk date! Follow her blog for some wedding talk, sewing projects, and a peek into her and her fiance's life. :)

http://becauseyourepretty.blogspot.com/

Hop on over and say "hi" to some of my most favorite girls! Enjoy!

xoxo,

Marisa

Honeymoon destination!

2011-01-06T16:18:00.000-08:00

Iceland!

Yes, I do realize Dani and I are a bit odd for our honeymoon choice. Some responses from family have been, "why?!" or "that's weird". These pictures might help explain why this little gem of a country is indescribably beautiful. To us, this is the epitome of romantic. <3

All photos taken from here. Thank you Rachel for sharing this blog with me!

Before completely deciding on Iceland, our other top choices were:

Italy

Greece

French Polynesian Islands

Antigua

We're in the process of saving (our tax refunds will help!) to book our flights and reserve our car rental! Every day things are slowly falling into place and our wedding/marriage is getting closer and closer! I am so excited to start sharing more about our big day soon. :)

xoxo,

Marisa

P.S. I had a dream the other night that I met Jonsi and the rest of Sigur Ros. Think it's a sign? ;)

a look back at my year.

2011-01-02T18:50:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite events from 2010:

Sundance Film Festival (part 1, and 2) with my love. We celebrated Daniel's birthday and visited my family up in Park City, Utah. It was a perfect trip!

For our two year anniversary, the boy surprised me with a hot air balloon ride! This is by far one of his sweetest surprises. :)

We had an adorable Valentines Day, complete with home made cards and a night out at Maggiano's. This picture was only at the grocery store that day, but I adore it!

For the 10 year anniversary of my mom's passing, I "mourned" in a way I hadn't ever done. We spent a whole day doing all her favorite things. It's amazing to look back on and was really healing and healthy for me. I only have my current job because of this day. God really works in beautiful and random ways.

We traveled 3 different times to Daniel's home town of Pacific Grove. I love this small town, and we're still hoping to move up there some day in the future.

I stretched myself a bit and participated in Emery's week of fall fashion!

I made some fun little videos of our trips! Before 2010 I had never put together anything, so I'm pretty proud of my mini movies. :) It's great to be able to look back on my trips and re-live such beautiful times. (See more here. P.S. Does anyone know why one of my movies won't play for more than 7 seconds on both youtube and vimeo?)

A visit to Pacific Grove, CA from Marisa Gonzales on Vimeo.

We took a day off and saw The Swell Season play with She and Him, and The Bird and the Bee. This was one of my top 3 shows to date!

I got accepted to and started school at ASU! I don't have a picture for this one, but I'm pretty proud of my hard work and my grades are reflecting that. :)

And my most favorite memory - Our engagement! I'll never forget this perfect day <3.

This year definitely had high and low points and these were some of my happiest. I'm working on taking my lower moments and learning from them as much as possible.

Also, this year I will become a Mrs! I am so looking forward to my wedding planning process, and starting my life with my love! I'll be working on a few goals as well, and might post those in the near future.

Have a great Monday tomorrow!! Thanks for stopping by. <3

xoxo,

Marisa

The countdown begins!

2010-12-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

Nine months from today will be my wedding day! It's time to seriously start planning!

Have a great weekend loves!

xoxo

christmas music

2010-12-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

I haven't really been in the christmas mood quite yet, so I thought some pretty music might help. Press play and enjoy!

xoxo

missing.

2010-12-07T22:55:00.000-08:00

Taking photos like these.
I'm hoping to take my cameras out more now that school has slowed down a bit. <3

*All photos taken via Diana camera in London*

Hope your Tuesday was beautiful.

xoxo

sentimental heart

2010-11-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

Dear mama,

Lately I've been missing you a lot. I've been reminiscing over some pretty memories you left with me. Remember that one day you let me ditch school and we went to Disneyland instead? Or how about every Wednesday when you picked me up from gymnastics and we'd go have In-N-Out together? The other day I remembered how much you loved artichokes. One time you even tried something called, "the artichoke diet". I remember that you loved reading more than anyone and you were so proud of me the first time I finished a book WITH chapters. It was a boxcar children book. I think you'll really love how I'm going to incorporate books into my wedding. Oh, and I'm also going to use those pretty old windows you bought at the antique flea market with nana and I. This whole wedding planning thing sure would've been easier with you here, but so far so good. :) I know you would've had some pretty neat ideas. You always were really crafty. Please tell nana and papa hi. I miss them dearly.

I love you and miss you. Everyday.

xoxo,

riddybird

P.S. I re-found these today. You were a damn cute kid!

thankful

2010-11-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

I'm incredibly thankful today. I am truly blessed with some fun, admirable, and beautiful people surrounding me. I don't know what I'd do or where I'd be without each of their influences in my life.

Some things and people I'm extremely thankful for:

- My beautiful family. My dad, step-mom, brother, and step-brothers, and future in-laws are amazing people. It's rare that people actually look forward to hanging out with their family, but I always do. I love them all so dearly.

- My fiance. It's so exciting to think that next Thanksgiving we'll be married! I adore this man more than I thought I was capable of. He has taught me so much and makes me strive to be a better person. I can't wait to begin the journey of husband and wife with him in a mere 10 months.

- My beautiful friends. I say it all the time, but I got really lucky in the friend department. From my 5 best girlfriends from high school, to my best in London, I always have someone to talk to and count on. They have the most gorgeous hearts and I will forever treasure all we've been through together. I really can't wait to see our futures play out.

- My grandma. She's really one of my best friends. Also, she's the best cook. I'm planning on spending all day with her on Christmas Eve to get those mexican food recipes down :).

-My job and my coworkers.

- My fat cat, Aiden!

- The lovely women I've "met" through blogging. I've gotten all kinds of inspiration and uplifting words/advice throughout my few years with this blog. I appreciate it so much. I really and truly am grateful for all of you!

Happy Thanksgiving!! May you spend it with the people who love you and you love most!

xoxo

Marisa

debbie downer

2010-11-24T22:33:00.000-08:00

via weheartit.com

Today we got some really unexpected bad news. Something Daniel had really been hoping and praying for fell through at the last minute. I'm not going to lie - it left us a tad bit heartbroken. For so long I've watched Daniel excel at his job. He is so smart and such a hard worker, yet so overworked and underpaid. I think it's a little ridiculous that his company boasts that they support "work/life balance" when all I see is him getting sucked into multiple 12 hour shifts throughout the week. This isn't something we want for our first year of marriage. It is what it is though and we must be thankful he even has a job in the first place. Moving on, I'm going to do my best and look at this as a good thing. As horrible as this news was to hear, I'm hoping that soon we'll know the reasoning behind it. I truly trust that God has a hand in all this and we're just waiting to see the bigger picture. We're definitely learning patience. Not everything is on our terms or timing as much as we wish it were. I'm also learning how to be there for him in the way he needs me to be. It's my job as his fiance and future wife to support and uplift him as much as possible during these type of blows.

Last week wasn't much better on my end. I got in a fender bender (my fault) that's going to leave my car in the shop for at least 2 weeks! Thank God Daniel was with me at the time. Right after the accident I burst into tears and was pretty much useless with all the insurance information. Daniel took right over and handled everything for me, including making me feel better.

On a happier note, tomorrow is Thanksgiving! We still have lots to be thankful for even if everything isn't in our ideal place. I can't wait to spend the day with my beautiful family and fiance. I'll be back tomorrow with a bit of a happier post. I'm off to buy us a bottle of wine and some snacks for our night. I'm thinking some late night Conan will cheer us right up! <3

Happy Thanksgiving!!

xoxo

"C" is for...

2010-11-15T17:28:00.000-08:00

Cat Power. I love just about everything that comes out of Chan Marshall's mouth. Her songs are simple and passionate. Beautiful.

Take a listen!

Happy Monday! <3

Marisa

pac grove

2010-11-14T21:24:00.000-08:00

Our trip this last weekend was so needed. Daniel has been really stressed about work and bummed about the fact that he wouldn't see family until after the holidays. I got an urge of spontaneity and surprised him with a trip up to his hometown. Thanks to some amazing coworkers, (seriously - thanks guys!) I was able to get my shifts covered and leave with him for 4 days. Of the many trips up North, this was one of my favorites. For once I didn't fill each day to the brim with activities, and it was amazing to just enjoy my future in-laws and the gorgeous small town life that is Pacific Grove.

Our highlights included:

- Meeting Daniel's childhood best friend (he just happened to be in town from Sacramento) and watching Daniel light up as they reminisced over old times.

- Visiting his incredible family!

- Watching his dad coach the local high school football team.

- Sharing wedding plans and ideas with his mom. I adore that woman. <3

- Having Daniel and his brother both home for the first time since Chrsitmas '08. His parents were so happy to finally have both their boys under the same roof again.

- Driving the gorgeous coastline along Monterey, PG, and Carmel.

- Clam chowder tasting and shopping along the wharf in Monterey.

- Shopping at the vintage warehouse.

Really looking forward to my day off tomorrow!!

xoxo,

Marisa

fill in the blank friday (3)

2010-11-12T11:36:00.000-08:00

Since taking a mini trip last weekend I've been playing catch up this whole week. I've pretty much just blocked the internet with this long to do list of mine. I needed a break, so I'm joining Lauren's fill in the blank friday. This will already be my third time playing along! Thanks Lauren. :)

(Pacific Grove - Asilomar Beach via Hipstamatic)

The most spontaneous thing I've ever done was: Surprise Dani with a 4 day trip home. Last week I spent about an hour on the phone with coworkers and after getting all my shifts covered, was able to leave the next night for Pacific Grove. It was definitely spontaneous for us and he was beyond excited. It was even more of a treat for him because he thought he wasn't going to be able to see his family at all until after christmas.

The best gift I've ever received was: The time God gave me with my mother. I look back at my almost 14 years of getting to know her and I realize how lucky I was to receive even that. I'll be forever changed from knowing such an incredible woman.

A time I was truly and genuinely surprised was: this past week! Daniel always surprises me with little presents here and there. Just this past week he brought home an adorable pair of rain boots he said reminded him of me. Bigger surprises are easier for me to sense, so little unexpected ones are my favorites.

I can't leave the house without: my purse, which includes: wallet, cell phone, chapstick, and my kindle.

My favorite day of the week is: Sunday! I work Sundays, but I love the job! I teach Sunday School and then have the rest of the day to relax, catch up on homework, and read. I also (usually) have Mondays off which adds to the relaxation factor.

Something that can always make me laugh is: (are) kids. Since working at my old (gymnastics) gym I have become even more obsessed with children every day. To say I have baby fever would be an understatement. Everything that comes out of their mouths makes me smile. This video takes the cake though. It'll never get old.

My perfect day would include: Having a full and complete day off with Daniel. No traveling, no errands, just relaxing. I'd probably want to sleep in, go get coffee and breakfast, hit the gym, watch multiple episodes of a tv series we love, read a book, take a nap, make a wonderful dinner and go out with friends for a drink, movie, or game night. A pretty simple day, yet something our schedules rarely allow us to do.

Go take a peek at Lauren's fill in the blank friday and see all the blogs who linked up over there.

best friend's wedding

2010-11-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent in Palm Springs for my best friend's wedding! They only had eight weeks to plan this gorgeous day, but you would NEVER be able to tell. It was her dream wedding and fit them to a tee. The weather, location, and great people all made this day perfect. I can't wait to see the professional pictures that Lane took. And again, congratulations Jaymee and Kyle! You two truly are perfect for each other. I'm so happy I was able to be a part of your big day. <3

Off for a quick little trip up to Pacific Grove to visit Dani's family. We haven't seen them since getting engaged, so this is a real treat! We already have hikes, football games, and wedding talk planned. <3

xoxo

Marisa

"B" is for...

2010-11-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

Week 2 of weekly music posts! My pick for "B" is Band of Horses. They are an amazing and very talented band. If you haven't heard of them before, take a listen below! I hope you enjoy. :)

Fall fashion - Sunday

2010-10-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's the last day of "blog your fall fashion" week! Thank you to Emery for hosting something so fun! I really enjoyed all you wonderful ladies who participated! I got a lot of inspiration and ideas! So thank you! :)

Outfit:

Sweater: Urban outfitters

Dress: Anthropologie

Shoes: Thrifted

Necklace: Marc by Marc Jacobs (christmas gift from Dani)

Belt: Belonged to my mother

Gold ring: H&M

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!!

love,

Marisa

Fall fashion - Saturday.

2010-10-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Fall fashion, Saturday! I adore plaid and think it's perfect for fall. Dani joined me for this fall fashion week post. :)

Outfit: Me

Shirt: Anthropologie

Belt: Thrifted

Pants: Citizens of Humanity (Nordstrom)

Shoes: Aldo

Green Ring: Boutique in Big Sur, CA

Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs (christmas gift from Dani)

Outfit: Dani

Under shirt: American Apparel

Shirt: Converse

Hat: Target

Jeans: Diesel

Shoes: Toms

Happy Saturday! My best friend is about to get married!!!

xoxo

Marisa

Fall fashion - Friday!

2010-10-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

Heading out today to a wedding! I'll be busy in Palm Springs as a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's weddings! I'm super excited for Jaymee and Kyle and am so blessed to have a role in one of the biggest days of their lives. Congratulations you two! :) Love you both and see you soon!

-------------------------

Fall fashion, day 5! I had to squeeze in my last 3 outfits since I'll be out of town. Looking back, I might have changed my choices if I had more time. We were a little rushed. Sorry in advance if I don't comment on all your outfits this weekend - I'll be sure to take a peek and comment when I get home. :)

Also, this is the first time I scheduled my posts (Saturday and Sunday) ahead of time - I guess we'll see if it works tomorrow!

Outfit:

Tank: Ann Taylor Loft (sale!)

Sweater: Urban Outfitters

Chords: BDG (from Buffalo Exchange)

Boots: Can't remember

Headband: Ann Taylor Loft (gift from fiance)

Have a great weekend loves!

xoxo

Marisa

Dani's side: "A" is for...

2010-10-28T16:24:00.000-07:00

Posted via Dani:

"So here is my "A" choice. This is my first weekly band post. A little history: At the Drive-In is the one of the few bands that I never got to see live. I remember being a junior in high school and I found out that At the Drive-In was playing. I was stoked, but my dad wouldn't let me go up to Santa Cruz to go and see them with a couple of friends. Why you ask? Well, I had a baseball game and being an integral part of the baseball team, and having my dad as one of the coaches, I was not able to go. The band didn't last too much longer and ended up breaking up before I could ever see them. When the band broke up, half of the band went and formed The Mars Volta and the other half became Sparta. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this band as much as I do. Enjoy!"

Fall fashion - Thursday.

2010-10-28T00:17:00.000-07:00

Blog your fall fashion, day four! I still can't get over all you sweet, kind girls. This week has turned out to be so much fun. I'm slowly getting over my fear of having pictures taken of me all alone :)

This outfit reminds me of one of my best friends, Amara! She met the love of her life and is now residing in London. I had a once in a lifetime chance to travel and stay with her (in London) last year. I also found a few goodies while I was there. I miss her so, so much and can't wait to see her at my wedding (hopefully sooner though!) :)

Outfit:

Shirt: American Apparel (hand me down from Amara)

Skirt: F21

Belt: On a dress from Top Shop (London!)

Tights: F21

Shoes: Vintage (London!)

Necklace: Antique store - Cambria, CA
Headband: F21

Don't forget to check out Emery's blog here!

P.S. Check out some previous posts from my visit to London!

here and here :)

Fall fashion - Wednesday

2010-10-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Fall fashion week, day three! This is getting to be so much fun! I'm overwhelmed with such sweet words and really grateful for all you ladies. I get so excited to see all your outfits each and every day!

Photo credit to my fiance, Daniel! He's such a great photographer, and has been so patient and helpful while I ask him to take silly pictures everyday. ;) Thank you love!

If you haven't already, pop on over to Emery's blog, link up and share your fall fashion!

I've always wanted to try tights with shorts and what better time to try than fall fashion week?

Outfit:

Tank: Urban Outfitters

Sweater: TJ Maxx

Shorts: F21

Necklace: Antique store - Cambria, CA

Belt: H&M

Tights: American Apparel

Shoes: Thrifted

Fall fashion and the pumpkin patch

2010-10-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Can you believe that before Sunday I had never been to a pumpkin patch? It was so much fun! Dani and I picked out our perfect pumpkin and laughed at the adorable kids running around. We had so much fun! I can't wait for this next year...to marry this beautiful man and start planning out our future. I'm already baby crazy, so I'm excited to see how many years we'll wait before having kids :) It's a long ways away, but it's so fun to think about.

It's day 2 of fall fashion! Here goes...

Outfit:

Blouse: Anthropologie (sale rack)

Black ring: H&M

Pearl bow necklace: Anthropologie

Black skinnies: Citizens of Humanity - Nordstrom

Boots: Nordstrom

(This outfit sounds expensive, but I used to work at both Anthropologie and Nordstrom for a small period of time. Everything besides the necklace was from when I was able to use my employee discount :) )

boot photo via

The boy!

Thanks for all the love and support ladies!

Don't forget to check out all the other blogs participating in "blog your fall fashion" over at Emery's blog!

Fall fashion plus the weekend

2010-10-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a pretty relaxed one. I worked both Saturday and Sunday and our afternoons were mostly spent watching some game or another. Sports seem to have slowly taken over my fiancé's life! Saturday night was baseball, and Sunday was football. Last night we were able to sneak out to go to the pumpkin patch and have a date night in Belmont Shore. We ate at Open Sesame...a delicious, healthy, lebanese food restaurant! We'll be going back soon for sure :)

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I'm really stepping out of my comfort zone by joining "blog your fall fashion". I've always wanted to participate in an outfit post, but I hate posting pictures (and taking them) of myself alone. I have no clue what I'm going to do when engagement and wedding pictures take place. Maybe I can get Dani to take a few pictures with me in case I do more fashion posts this week. That way I won't feel so awkward....or vain.

Outfit:

Dress - Anthropologie

Belt - thrifted

Tights - F21

Shoes - Thrifted

Head over to this cute blog and join in on fall fashion week!

Hope everyone's weekend was a good one <3

love,

Marisa

"A" is for...

2010-10-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at doing any kind of weekly post. I know there are many weekly music posts out there (which I love!), but I'll try to switch it up by going in alphabetical order (still not original, I know). Regardless, it's a lot of fun, and sharing music always makes me happy. Hopefully I can continue this for many more weeks!

For my first week, "A" is for American Football. This band reminds me of rainy days, being young, and discovering new music. If you like Mike Kinsella (Owen, Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc), give American Football a try.

Happy Sunday! I'm getting ready for date night, can't wait!

xoxo

Marisa

fill in the blank friday (2)

2010-10-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

Week two of fill in the blank friday! This might be something I might be able to stick with :)
Thanks Lauren!

I am (we are): focusing really hard this next 11 months (before our wedding date!) to get my fiance and I in the best place possible with God. I've seen so many couples get so much closer to each other through this and although we both love God, our individual relationship with Him could always be better. We're revisiting our pre-maritial class material and focusing on devotionals, etc. I'm really excited for this <3

I wish: I didn't stress so easily. Multiple knots in my back and waking up with a headache every day is starting to get to me :(. I think it's time to see a Dr.?

I love: letters in the mail, reading, taking pretty photos, discovering new music, my best friends, getting crafty (this is rare), changes, being a fiance to the best man for me (!!!), going to sundance film festival, cozy weather, feeling good after working out, wedding talk, and frozen yogurt.

I can: cook really well when it's something I put it in the oven. Stove-top is another story. Dani and I have a deal that whenever we're cooking baked salmon, chicken, or desserts, etc. - I make it. If it's something on the stove then he takes over. I want to get better and quick!

I hope: my relationship with the gym stops being so bipolar. I have a pattern where I go for a good month or two, then one day I just stop. I'm always so back and forth that I feel like my body has never been in tip top shape. I'm determined to get to a good place soon though! I want to feel my best on my wedding day.

I think: my cat is officially fat. I need to put him on a diet! Have any of you ever had a cat that just doesn't stop eating? Since we're all so busy in my house, we leave food out all day for our 3 family cats. Mine is the only one with the problem though!

I was: really busy this week! Actually I'm really busy every week, but I did find time to find a few gems for my wedding center pieces. I'll do a whole post about that later though :)

What are you all doing this weekend?

xoxo,

Marisa

pet peeve

2010-10-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

Lusting after a pair of little t-strap heels! But yet again, I've had no luck because of my size 5 feet. This has proven to be a big problem for me lately. It brings me back to the days between 11-14 and when I was STILL unable to fit in the juniors section clothing! I was literally close to a foot smaller than my best friends. It killed me to know I couldn't dress the way I wanted because of my size.

Yes, I know - this is in no way a big problem. It's just extremely irritating lately.

For now I will continue my search and keep lusting after these beauties....

sincerley,

"Little Foot" ;)

blog love

2010-10-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

Show some love!

It'd really make my day <3

color palettes

2010-10-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

So far wedding planning has been so much fun! We already have our date and venue! Plus, I've already started my thrifting and garage sale adventures for the center pieces. There is just so much inspiration on the internet, I can't seem to finalize our color palette. There are so many beautiful options!

via Snippet & Ink

via design sponge

What were or are your dream wedding colors?

polaroid heart

2010-10-19T16:09:00.000-07:00

Remember this post? Since the second I saw that picture, I made a mental note in the back of my head to keep my eye out for a very large frame. Well, I finally found an affordable frame and for the last few days, have been sanding, painting, and measuring. Here's what I ended up with!!

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! Can't wait to hang it above our bed one day, and also incorporate it into our wedding decor! <3

Have a lovely Tuesday!!!

P.S. In case you were wondering, those aren't actual polaroids...they're instax instant pictures. I wanted to use polaroids, but most of Dani's and my memories were captured on instax film :)

I adore...

2010-10-17T21:52:00.000-07:00

Chan Marshall of Cat Power. Especially this song....

(4-ish month old picture...look what happens when I go red and dani doesn't shave!)

Today was a busy and productive one. I'll share more on what was accomplished later this week <3

Hope your weekend was a great one!!

xoxo,

Marisa

fill in the blank friday

2010-10-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

I've never done a "fill in the blank friday", but decided to try now since I love Lauren's posts. Here goes :)

1. Blogging is: a way for me to document my life. I love going back to see how different I was even just a year ago. Plus, I've met some beautiful and inspiring ladies along the way :)

2. A current fashion trend I wish I was brave enough to wear is: ankle socks with dressy shoes. I can't seem to find the right socks or shoes to make my look quite right. My perfect example would be a fellow soon to be Mrs.(!!!) Mara. Go here to see her adorable look!

3. My greatest accomplishment thus far is: finding the man I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with! I can't wait to begin this journey with him by my side.

4. If I had to choose between mountain or a beach vacation I'd choose: mountains! Dani and I are actually planning on having our wedding in a backyard forest up in Big Bear, CA! We're debating over the honeymoon because we just aren't beach people. Suggestions? :)

5. A talent I wish I had is: singing! I wish so badly that I could sing beautifully.

6. A talent I do have is: flips and splits. Thanks to gymnastics I can still do some of my gymnastics tricks.

7. This week I: set my official wedding date and booked our venue!!! Can't wait to begin to see everything unfold.

I have a bridal shower and bachelorette to attend this weekend for one of my bests!! Can't wait for some more quality girl time.

Have a great weekend loves <3

my ring!!!

2010-10-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

We thought our ring shopping day last week would be stressful and overwhelming. We knew we wanted to head to downtown LA to get our ring and were told by many how many jewelers there were (literally - there are 100's!) We researched a lot about rings, diamonds, and jewelers and read multiple reviews before heading down, but were still unsure of what to expect. All we knew was what we wanted to spend, and the ring style I wanted.

We visited three jewelers, but definitely felt the most comfortable with the second jeweler, INTA gems. We went back and forth a few times to get quotes and they were ones who had the best deal. I can't stress enough how grateful I am to Erika, Connie, and Jerry for creating my perfect ring. I can't stop looking at it! They gave us a great deal, a celebratory bottle of wine, their honest opinions, and no pressure to go bigger or spend more. I won't ever go anywhere else and am so, so happy with how our day went with them. They are an incredibly sweet, family run business who showed genuine interest in our lives and our engagement story. We felt so comfortable and even went back today to have my ring re-sized (I thought I was a 3.5, but I'm even smaller!). The owner greeted us by our first names and his niece, Erika even wrote a blog about us and our ring here. If you are ever in the market for any jewelry and are in the LA area, stop by INTA gems. I guarantee you'll love them as much as we did :)

Quick tips when diamond shopping:

- Know and agree on your budget and stick to it. We even said our budget was $500 less, to give us room to haggle a little.

- Buy a certified diamond. Certified diamonds have been examined by credentialed gemologists who give them a grade in cut, color, clarity, and carat. You can't be lied to when there is a certification attached. Certified diamonds are also conflict-free.

- Research! There is so much information to know or you could be ripped off very easily. Know what areas of the 4c's you're willing to go up or down on. I wanted a slightly bigger ring in exchange for a slightly less quality color. It all depends on what you want.

Hope this was helpful!

xoxo,

Marisa

Photos taken by Daniel Montanez!

weekend collage

2010-10-13T03:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend included...visiting a venue, Oktoberfest, Big Bear, family fun, and wedding talk! We had a blast with my dad and step-mom and can't wait to begin planning such an exciting day. Here's a peek at my ring, possible venue, and weekend happenings:

I'll be posting better pictures of my ring when Dani has a chance to properly photograph it. For now our iphone pictures will have to do.

I'm still too giddy to sleep and have had a lot of late nights searching the internet and reading wedding blogs! If any of you have any sites you adore please send them my way!

xoxo

Marisa

the proposal: his point of view

2010-09-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

written by Daniel Montanez

"I have been told there is a time in every man's life when they realize they've found the girl they want to marry. I had a hunch early in the relationship, but was 100% sure the first time I took Marisa up to meet my family up in Pacific Grove. The way she got along so effortlessly with my family and how they adored and loved her within seconds finally proved what I already hoped for all along. She was the one my parents and I had always been praying for.

While playing golf with my Dad this past August, I finally told him I was about to propose. All he could talk about was how happy he was that I found such an amazing girl who fit me so perfectly. Both him and my mom already considered her their daughter. He also responded with, “It’s about time. What were you waiting for?”

Since I had told my dad and mom, the next step was to ask Marisa’s family for permission to marry their only girl. After some careful planning (and without Marisa knowing), I went out for sushi with her dad, step-mom, and brother. When I finally was able to shake my nerves and build up the courage, I asked Tom for his daughter’s hand in marriage. He was quick to say yes. He paused for a minute and then told me that I would soon be his only son-in-law and I could tell he got a little choked up. This was coming from a man who does not wear his feelings on his sleeve.

Three weeks went by and Marisa and I started planning a little weekend get away to Cambria. Cambria is a special place for Marisa because it was her mother’s favorite place to visit. She always talked about it and Marisa and her family shared some special memories there; like gathering special rocks on Moonstone Beach and antique shopping. Our hotel room was right on the ocean so we went into town, found a couple antique mason jars and walked down to the beach to collect some rocks and fill our jars. It’s the little things like this that I love about Marisa. She wants to keep the memories of her mom so alive. It always brings a smile to my heart when Marisa talks about her mom. I wish more than anything that I would have had the chance to meet her. About a week before we went, Marisa’s dad gave me the ring he proposed to Marisa’s mom with. I knew this would be a beautiful gesture for someone who is so impossible to surprise.

While on the beach, Marisa and I exchanged notes that we wrote each other celebrating 2.5 years together. After reading our notes, I waited until the beach was clear, reached in my pocket for the ring (a ring that had been hidden in my car the whole time), got down on one knee and nervously as hell, asked Marisa if she would spend the rest of her life with me. She started crying and couldn’t even speak. All she could do was nod her head up and down, grab my face, and hug me. So of course I started to cry. This has been the single happiest moment of my life to date. I have never felt the way I did at that specific moment in time. It was perfect."

the proposal: her point of view

2010-09-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Since I met Dani, I have always told him about this beautiful town called Cambria, CA. It holds a special place in my heart because it was my mother's favorite town to visit. My mom, dad, brother, and I would go buy glass bottles and head down to Moonstone Beach to collect moonstone rocks (it was always a competition to see who could find the prettiest ones). It's still one of my fondest memories of my childhood and I had always wanted to re-live that experience with Dani. (I hadn't been since she passed away).

We finally decided to take a weekend and celebrate our two and a half years together with a trip to Cambria. We found a beautiful hotel (Little Sur Inn) and Dani decided to splurge on a room with a patio overlooking the ocean. When we arrived into the town we went wine tasting, visited all the antique stores, then checked into our room. While we were shopping we found beautiful vintage mason jars in hopes we'd be able to find moon stones along the beach to fill them with (there were rumors they had all been picked over the years).

I'll be honest. The entire time up to until the trip I had hopes he would propose that weekend. After hitting the road, my hopes disappeared as he didn't come across as nervous, seemed to have no real plans, and didn't seem to care what time we got there, where we stopped, when we went wine tasting, etc. I definitely felt that no real planning had been done and wrote off the proposal idea entirely.

We settled in, changed, and headed down to the beach. With mason jars in hand, we walked along the beach, filling our jars (there were TONS of moon stones...silly rumors), taking pictures, etc. We had written each other love letters and decided to exchange them there. His letter was so beautiful, sincere, and moving that I finished reading it with tears. He talked about our future, our relationship with God, my mother, and everything he loves about me. It was perfect. He then pulled out the ring my dad proposed to my mother with, got down on one knee and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. Of course the second I saw her ring, I started crying. I quickly said "yes" and we just hugged and kissed and cried together.

I absolutely cannot wait to begin my life with this man. We've been through so much and have always ended up on the other side stronger and closer than ever. I love him dearly and feel so blessed that he loves and adores me back. We are so different in so many ways, but compliment each other so completely. I'm looking forward to this year...to planning something that involves our vows and all the people we love most together in the same place. I'm ecstatic and haven't been able to sleep because of my giddiness.

Our first step is to get me my own ring (I'd love to wear my mother's forever, but it's just not my taste). I can't wait and it looks like in the next 2 weeks I'll have my own engagement ring on my finger. Until then I am so proud to be wearing my mother's. I see both her and my future every time I look down Y

His side of our proposal story next Y

the best kind of news

2010-09-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

After two and a half years together, I can now call this beautiful man my fiance and future husband.

We are so blessed. Stories from both our points of view of the proposal to come Y

I love and adore...

2010-09-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

1)....weddings!! The one I went to this weekend was particularly special because a) the groom and I went to high school together and shared a close group of friends, and b) Dani and I and Erin and Chad went to a pre-marital class at rock harbor (church) together. This amazing couple is one of the few I've seen who puts God first in their relationship. She's one of the sweetest, giving, and most genuine of people I've ever met and they adore and love each other unconditionally. They truly are one of the most perfect couples I've ever seen together. Here's a preview of the wedding photography thanks to bonjeanphotography.

2).... engagements! One of my best friend's, Jaymee Lynn Lopez is getting married October 30th! She'll start a new life with an amazing and supportive husband whose joining the Coast Guard. I'm beyond excited for her and in love with her and the man she's picked to share her life with. They are ecstatically in love and compliment each other to a tee. They have gone through a devastating experience and have come out the other end stronger together. I have no doubt they will be able to get through anything life throws them. I'm getting more and more excited to share this special day with her and be by her side in the wedding party Y

There is so much to look forward to lately. All my friends and I are in such great places in our lives and my heart is forever smiling at where we're all ending up. Can't wait for things to come Y

xoxo,

Marisa

overdue.

2010-09-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

This video was long overdue! Dani, my nana, and I went up to Park City, Utah this past January and I just now got all my clips and photos together for a little video. If you want to read more information about Sundance Film Festival and upcoming films to look out for, check out my older posts and film reviews here and here. I absolutely can't wait to go back this next January (only about 4 months away!)! Until then, I'm saving up for a flip vid so my vacation videos can be made from a better quality camera :)

(Yes, that's an original Banksy in the video! This was one of my bf and I's favorite parts of the trip!)

Mondays are now my Sundays (and Saturdays, ha) and my only day off from both jobs. I had planned on being super productive, but my body needed to rest and sleep in after 6 days of work and school. I'm excited for the week and looking forward to my next Monday already! Hope everyone had a wonderful Monday as well!

xoxo

Marisa

P.S. my hair is finally growing! Compare it now to me in the video! I think my biotin pills must be working :)

my weekend

2010-09-05T23:05:00.001-07:00

My weekend was spent working, napping, and sewing! I enrolled in Home Ec a while ago, but just now got the chance to start on my first project. Before taking this class I had sewn maybe 2 or 3 times and only ever finished 1 project - a cute little owl friend (only with step by step instructions and help from a friend). Reading and watching all the tutorials in Home Ec, I've already learned quite a bit of new information! I'm in love and very inspired to keep going. Between everything in my busy schedule (2 jobs, school, split shifts at work, gym, and bf) I am so happy to have had these Sat and Sun nights to begin my class.

pictured left to right: my first project ever (2 yrs old), learning how to cut fabric properly, Aiden love, my 1st completed napkin

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For labor day I slept in (so rare now), caught up on a few blogs, and started my chemistry assignments for the week. This week will be a busy one and I'm so glad I had a day to rest and prepare for it.

For some reason these past few weeks have been pretty horrible stress-wise. I've had textbook issues (students: NEVER rent books from ebooks.com), money scares, and work miscommunications. I've always been a tad bit overly emotional and let even the tiniest bit of stress get the better of me. Poor Dani has unfortunately had to deal with stressed out me for 3 weeks now and I really need to find a way to calm down and handle it better. Let's hope this week goes more smoothly :)

As for my last post, I think I'm getting a little bit better at time management. I took miss Danielle's advice here and literally write down EVERYTHING in my moleskin planner. I've always used planners but tried my hardest to keep them looking neat and tidy. I've gotten past that ridiculous notion and now schedule all things in my day from gym time to errands. I've found it so helpful and haven't missed a date with the gym yet (if you know me, this is quite miraculous).

I've blabbered on long enough, but I want to leave you lovely readers with one of my favorite songs. I've learned over this weekend that Bon Iver is an excellent companion while sewing :)

Hope your week is wonderful!!

xoxo

marisa

firsts.

2010-08-23T23:19:00.001-07:00

It's been almost two and a half years from this day. It was my best friend, Marina's birthday in downtown Long Beach and the first time he ever held my hand. I was only 21 and so giddy and nervous about this handsome boy. I am very grateful Marina brought her polaroid and snapped this. It might have been our first picture taken together as well.

So, so excited for the future and our big plans for the next year. I can't wait until everything is actually happening so I can share and REALLY plan. ;)

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Until then, I hope to update more. Planning my time better between my job, school, job #2, a best friend's wedding (!!!), home ec class, bf time, and gym time is my ultimate goal.

Any time management tips or tricks are always appreciated :). I truly hope everyone has a great week!!

xoxo

Marisa

PG and Big Sur!

2010-08-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

I made a little video of our trip...hope you enjoy! :)

Pacific Grove.

2010-08-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

Home after a beautiful 5 day weekend in Pacific Grove, CA. Our time was spent taking day trips to Santa Cruz and Big Sur, eating meals and spending time with Daniel's family, and making long term goals together as a couple. I couldn't be more excited and motivated for the small and big changes coming this next year.

I'll catch up on more and post the video we made as soon as I'm unpacked and settled in. Hope everyone's Monday is a good one!

xoxo

Marisa

ireland love

2010-08-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

Here's my first amateur attempt at using imovie. All pictures and videos are from Ireland last July with Dani. Song by the lovely Ms. Lisa Hannigan. Enjoy!

"In these arms"

2010-07-20T21:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago Dani bought us tickets to see The Swell Season, She and Him, and The Bird and the Bee. The show couldn't have come at a better time. I've been so busy with school and 2 jobs and this was the perfect treat in between the craziness of it all.

The Bird and the Bee were adorable. Their version of the Hall and Oates' "I can go for that" was so fun and started off the show wonderfully. She and Him were amazing and Zooey's voice was surprisingly even better live. Even though I adore her, I've always thought her voce was average. I was definitely proven wrong with their cover of "I put a spell on you". Her range and control were amazing.

I was beyond moved by The Swell Season's performance. It was one of the most passionate, honest, and beautiful shows I've ever seen. Dani and I snacked on cheese, bread, and red wine. It was the absolute perfect date night.

This was by far my most favorite song. He had the audience hum a few notes and it was so gorgeous, I cried.

Fast forward to around 2 minutes in if you don't have time for the intro :)

how to stay positive.

2010-07-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

This is so cute, I had to share ;).......

busyness = happiness?

2010-06-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

So much has changed since my last post! It's definitely all been for the better, though I can't remember a time in my life where I've relied on naps to get me through my days. This past month or so I've...

- quit anthropologie :(

- celebrated my birthday

- attended multiple graduations

- started coaching gymnastics!

- started teaching sunday school

- started and completed my first class at ASU

I'm feeling quite accomplished, although my body and mind are still definitely getting used to my new schedule.

Time to get back to work!

xoxo

Marisa

birthday!

2010-05-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

Since it's my birthday week, I thought it'd be appropriate to post what I'm hoping to get...here's all I have on my wishlist:

Kindle 2! I'm dreaming of how many more books I'll be consuming once I own one of these! :) At first I was so hesitant to get any e-reader since nothing can replace the smell, look, or feel of a book! I've known so many people who adore these little gadgets though, and the thought of being somewhere and just downloading a new book so quickly is thrilling! I'll be reading constantly :) Can't wait! Do any of you know where I'd be able to get a cute little case for it?

Oooh and I'm a little obsessed with this commercial. Every time it comes on I get all giddy and sing along to this cute song. Dani makes fun of me every time ;)

And this beauty Fossil watch! I originally wanted a second MJ watch, but this is just as gorgeous (if not more!) and much more reasonably priced! I already know of a certain boyfriend getting this for me :)

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I can't remember if I ever shared what Dani and I got each other for Valentine's Day, but here's the necklace I got. We each picked something out on etsy we adored and this was my choice! I've only ever ordered from etsy twice, but I have gotten so many compliments on this necklace that I felt the need to share :) Here's Brehan's blog and etsy store...go take a peek at her beautiful stuff!

This week has been amazing so far, and I can't wait to share good news soon! All I can say is God is doing amazing things, and I'm getting really excited for the future!

xoxo

Marisa

5/13/2010

2010-05-16T12:19:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday was the 10 year anniversary of my mom's passing. I was determined to make a fun day out of it instead just doing my usual and tearing up all day at every and anything.

What I found out and remembered along the way was astonishing. My mother still has an impact on people today....

First stop, Mario's. This was her favorite mexican food place by far! I haven't been in more than 10 years, but the food tasted just as I remembered...incredible.

I remember my mom always got a margarita, and I always begged her for a virgin one so I could be just like her :)

Our second stop was Barnes And Nobles because she was the biggest reader I've ever met. I regrettably could not find a book that I was positive she had read (besides children's books she read to me), so I ended up with "Where the Red Fern Grows". A classic, and one I know she loved reading to me :)

Third stop, Scats Gymnastics. I practically grew up here...training 26 hours/week with my mom always there cheering me on! I can still hear her yelling, "Go Rissa!" from where all the parent's watched. She was so, so supportive and in love with gymnastics and me :)

The owner, Don, happened to be there and of course, he remembered my mother. He was astonished that it had already been 10 years, and shook his head at what an incredible woman she was. He re-told me stories of how all the gym mom's pitched in for nightly dinners for my family and donated blood marrow. It was truly touching. One of the manager's still had the book my dad made for her funeral, which told her life story. I left in the happiest of tears and an interview to maybe coach there soon :)

For the fourth stop, I wanted to find some gardens. My mom was quite the gardener, and she even won a prize for "Most beautiful house in Lakewood, 1990" because of said gardening skills. Luckily, Dani knew of a beautiful garden on the LB State campus. It was gorgeous, and I'm so happy we had the chance to stop here...

Fifth stop, her favorite nail salon! I haven't had my nails done by anyone but me in years, so I took time for myself and got a mani/pedi. So, so happy I did, because when I walked in it went something like this:

nail lady: Hi! What brings you in today?

me: Oh, I just wanted a manicure and pedicure.

nail lady: How'd you find us?

me: Oh, my mom used to come in here all the time years ago.

nail lady: Who's your mom?

me: Her name was Charmaine.

nail LADIES: Charmaine?! You're Charmaine's daughter?! You haven't been in here since you were about 8 years old!

They continued to tell me all about what a sweet, patient, beautiful woman my mother was. They asked me if I still lived on -----ove Dr., and if my dad had remarried, asked how my brother was, etc. Apparently these ladies became very good friends with my mother and that they remembered her touched my heart. They recalled her being a court reporter, how she always took care of herself and looked gorgeous...they even remembered her tiny feet!

If you've ever lost someone, the fact that strangers still have memories of your loved one is the most comforting feeling. I am so blessed to have a mother who was so kind, that even the nail ladies who barely speak english remember her :)

For the sixth stop, Dani and I headed to the park for some dog walking and book reading! She loved the park by our house, and we often had picnics or just read here.

The rest of the night, we just relaxed at my house, then headed to her favorite Italian restaurant, Ricci's. I was definitely emotionally exhausted, and passed out pretty early.

It was a perfect day, and from now on every year on May 13th, I plan on doing something to remember her, something she loved and adored. Maybe next year, I'll plant a garden or rent one of her favorite movies, go fishing or hiking? Who knows, but I definitely know this is the first time in forever that I've felt her spirit so alive in me and I want to renew this as much as possible. I'm so very thankful for our day together.

RIP

Charmaine Michele Gonzales

7/20/63 - 5/13/00

P.S. I can't forget to mention we listened to all her favorite country songs all day :) "Don't take the girl" and "My Maria" were played many a times!

oh monterey...

2010-05-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

Seriously hoping to move here as soon as possible. Big talks and plans are in the works, and if all goes well, this dream of ours will be coming true before fall.

I'm so excited for the prospect of this huge fresh start! More excited than I've been about anything in a long, long time :)

little foot.

2010-04-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

Thank you Lord for days off together!

Signs of an amazing boyfriend:

He brings you coffee and bagels while you get to sleep in more!

He puts up with you taking constant pictures of your true love :)

He patiently waits for hours on end while you search for sandals that fit you.

P.S. I finally found 2 pairs of sandals....in the children's section, ha!

He lets you make fun of him for entering Hot Topic, then surprises you with this beauty!

He can be silly and have fun and let you take pointless pictures all day :) Oh, and he isn't straight edge, but wants to not drink for a while! I'm a happy camper about this decision! Time to be a healthy, healthy couple!

I love this boy!

prettiest

2010-04-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

I don't go to as many shows as I used to, but this is a can't miss! I absolutely can't wait! The Swell Season, She and Him, and The Bird and the Bee. They're all playing together at the Hollywood Bowl this July! Dani bought us tickets :)

If you haven't already, go rent the movie "Once". Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (of The Swell Season) are quite the incredible duo both musically and theatrically. I promise you won't regret it :)

In case I still haven't sold you on The Swell Season, check out this video too! :)

p.s. sorry for all the music posts lately! i just can't hold back my excitement and love for these bands :)

weekends.

2010-04-26T18:30:00.001-07:00

All I want is a weekend away here:

Cambria, CA. It looks a lot like Pacific Grove (where Dani's from), but it holds a special place with me as it was my mom's favorite place to visit. I remember countless weekend visits and inns right on the ocean...walking the beach with my brother, mom, and dad and picking out pretty rocks on Moonstone Beach. It's amazing, and I'd recommend everyone visiting here someday! There are lots of vintage shops too :)

I can't help but feel really nostalgic lately with the anniversary of my mom's passing looming over me (May will always be my most horrible month), but this weekend Dani helped me do something that made me so SO happy.

I've mentioned in my "meet my mama" post here that she was the biggest animal lover I've ever met. She saved so many stray dogs off the street and found their owners and I got the chance to do the same! It gave me an amazing feeling of togetherness with my mom I've had in a while. Amazing :)

*The owner was so, so happy to have these cute babes back!

This weekend also included a fun bike ride to Seal Beach, frozen yogurt, and beginning to plan a road trip Austin, Texas to visit my oldest brother and sister-in-law. :)

Lots of fun coming up this summer!

Sigur Ros + MGMT

2010-04-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

This is beautiful. Jonsi (singer of Sigur Ros) covering MGMT's "Time To Pretend".

Enjoy :)

warmer weather =

2010-04-17T10:33:00.001-07:00

....bike rides, pool days at nana's, bonfires with bests, getting in shape for bathing suits, road trips, pacific grove, bbq's, baseball games, photo outings, beach with girlfriends, and lots of love. I can't wait!

If the boy isn't too tired, I'm shooting for a photo outing tonight :) I'm hoping our night includes our favorite record shop in Belmont Shore (for record store day!), and him teaching me how to take sunset pictures...I still have so much to learn on my dslr.

What are you looking forward to this spring/summer?!

Have a beautiful weekend everyone!!

xoxo

Marisa

p.s. I take back wanting to move to Iceland! My heart goes out to everyone stranded because of the volcano there :( My friend (in CA) has a bf from London and they were about to celebrate their 1 year when he got stranded...so sad.

can i just move to iceland please?!

2010-04-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

Do any of you have a band/musician that can just cheer you up as soon as you hear them? I think it's safe to say that Sigur Ros is the only band that will ever have this capability with me. I've been feeling extremely nostalgic these past few weeks and this gorgeous music helps me turn my mopey, sappy thoughts into hopeful, beautiful ones. I'm in a great mood now and I think I'll continue listening to them the rest of my night.

Watch this trailor...or better yet, watch the movie, "Heima" and I'm positive you'll fall in love too :)

Other than filling my day with Sigur Ros, not much is new. I'm anxious to start school and get into a new routine. I also wouldn't mind finding a 2nd job in the near future.

Oooh and I finally got a new bang trim :)

xoxo

Marisa

news and pretty songs

2010-04-07T16:27:00.001-07:00

Today was a great day off until Dani had to head to work to close. We enjoyed an early lunch at George's Greek Cafe (sooo yummy!) and took a wonderful afternoon nap before he left for work.

My days haven't been too exciting lately, as I've only had work to keep me busy. I'm so looking forward to starting school again this summer. After my big decision to drop court reporting school, I decided to go back and finish up my BA. I found out a couple of weeks ago that I got accepted to ASU for their online degree program. I couldn't be more excited for this big change in my life! It's about time I finished my degree up.

---

As I've mentioned before, Dani and I have quite different music tastes (although there are a handful of bands we've always agreed on). He made me this adorable mix that he says I inspired him to make. He used to make fun of me for liking some of these bands, but they've really grown on him these past 2 years and I couldn't be happier that these incredible bands remind him of me.

I really love that he put an Owen song on here..."At home with Owen" was the first album we ever fell asleep to, and it still reminds me of the beginning of us. :)

My Easter turned out to be wonderful....our team even won the baseball game! Thank you for all the sweet words on my last post. I love how amazing and kind complete strangers have been on my blog. It's really uplifting and comforting :) So thank you!

Here are some pictures from my Easter day at the park, and also from the Angels game my family took us to on Monday. First baseball game of the season, and although I don't consider myself an Angel fan, baseball games are always fun regardless of who you're rooting for.

Hope everyone's week is going well!

xoxo

Marisa

P.S. Dani also put this gorgeous song on my playlist, but playlist.com didn't have it to add...enjoy!

"cartoons and forever plans"

2010-04-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

Not quite sure what it is, but today I've been beyond nostalgic. Memories of Easter as a child overcame me while cleaning out some old pictures. Flashbacks of my mom still alive and singing her heart out to worship on Easter Sunday, her shopping with me for that gorgeous Easter Sunday dress (my most favorite was a pretty, ruffly lilac one when I was around 8), my little brother and I opening our baskets and hunting for those eggs around our nana's house. I just miss those days. And I'm missing my mom a lot today.

I'm not trying to be a downer in this post though, and am actually quite excited for new traditions which have been created with my step-mom's family. Every year we have a picnic at a park by LB State, eat great food, sneak mimosas, and play baseball! Fun, fun! This year Dani's brother is even joining us...should be a blast.

Whatever you believe Easter means I hope your day is filled with fun, spring weather, and beautiful memories! I'd love to hear some of your favorite easter childhood memories too :)

Some pretty Easter pictures for your enjoyment!

(all images found at weheartit.com)

Also, here's a sweet, sweetheart of a song for you to enjoy. It has absolutely nothing to do with Easter, but I love it and it cheered me up today :)

Maria Taylor - "Cartoons and Forever Plans"

major boyfriend points

2010-03-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

March 20 was Dani and I's 2 year anniversary :) He worked on our actual anniversary, so yesterday we celebrated. He woke me up at 4 am, and took me on a long drive to Temecula, CA where a hot air balloon ride awaited us! This has always been on my wish list of things to do, and the fact that he kept it a surprise is astonishing (I'm a terrible, horrible snooper :( ). Upon meeting at the winery, we drove with a group of about 6 other couples, our pilot tested the winds, and we found a take-off spot in between some beautiful wineries. It was beyond beautiful, and the only way I can describe it is that it was such a gentle and delicate flight. There's no steering, you literally flow with the wind. It was surreal and amazing.

The rest of the day we took a much needed nap, ate Super Mex, and enjoyed our anniversary wine given to use by the winery we visited. It was the absolute most perfect day I could have imagined.

The pictures definitely speak for themselves...it was incredible.

Sorry for so, so many photos! These were all taken on either my fujifilm instax and my iphone (hipstamatic).

it's finally here!

2010-03-12T14:21:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I get to be a part of two of my favorite friend's wedding! Dave and Andrea are getting married tomorrow!! I'm already getting teary-eyed picturing the beauty of this day...from the location, the beauty of the bride, and most importantly the love between these two amazing people. I am absolutely ecstatic!!

Off to get ready for the rehearsal dinner! I will definitely be posting pictures asap! :)

satc 2

2010-03-07T22:48:00.000-08:00

cannot wait for the girl's night accompanying this :)

p.s. i totally made dani watch the first one on dvd, and he didn't hate it...in fact, i think he was quite entertained ;)

bachelorette party and life changes

2010-03-07T12:14:00.000-08:00

Andrea's bachelorette party last weekend was pretty amazing! Andrea's good friend, Gina got us a limo to and from The Edison in LA. It was unbelievable! Such an amazing atmosphere! We ordered great food and drinks, found some sailors (oh my!), and shared memories of Andrea or Dave and Andrea as a couple. It was such a fun night, and I'm so happy that Andrea had such a great time :) Here are the pictures I promised!

In other news, I've finally decided to give up on court reporting. I think I was holding on to the idea of finishing because it was what my mom did, and I was naturally good at it. If she were here maybe I would finish, but as good as the hours and money are, I just can't see myself being happy with the career choice.

I've always wanted to finish my Bachelor's degree, and am looking at my options of online schools. If any of you have any suggestions, or know of anyone who has finished their degree online, I would LOVE some advice. I'm feeling pretty lost and disappointed with the fact that I'm 23 and have nothing to show for it so far. I also need some advice on major choices! Right now I'm just getting my degree to have one, not necessarily for a specific job. I've always been really intrigued with psychology (and the couple psych classes I took), so there's one option. I'm also debating with being more realistic and getting a business (hr management) degree for more job options for the future. I just don't know.

As hard as this all is to change now, I'm still really excited for what my new future will look like. Again, if you have any suggestions I would love, LOVE some advice!

Thanks loves, and I hope your weekend was a fabulous one!

Here's to a new

2010-02-28T14:40:00.000-08:00

and happier me lately. My heart is so full. I give all the credit to working out and spending my time more wisely and with people I love. I can't wait to keep this up!

Lately has been full of some fun stuff! Working out with Daniel, pretty neighborhood runs, the most amazing bachelorette party, Disneyland with Daniel's and my family, girl time, and getting more excited about the future :)

Pictures to come soon!

I truly hope everyone's weekend has been going well! Have a great night and enjoy this video by Rocky Votolato. This is my most favorite song by him..."mix tapes/cell mates". Beautiful, beautiful song.

r.i.p. Ian Lopez

2010-02-25T19:06:00.000-08:00

One year ago tomorrow will be one of the hardest days for my best friend and her family. One year ago tomorrow marks the year anniversary that her brother, Ian Lopez tragically passed away.

Part of the enormity of the tragedy is that he was only 18 years old. He had an entire life planned out ahead of him. He planned on following in his older brother's footsteps and joining the Coast Guard. He had hundreds of friends and family who loved and adored him.

He was truly an incredible person. One of the things his friends and family will always remember the most about this amazing man was that he loved Lord with all his heart. He was a great example to friends, loved life, cherished his family, kept active with surfing, youth group, and his many friends.

His sister, Jaymee always says, "He was the best, sweetest brother anyone could ever have. The day I finally get to see him again in heaven is what makes going on worth it". It's been such a hard year for her. They truly were best friends.

His mom, dad, sister, and brother have been through the worst tragedy of their lives, and still have years ahead of mourning their son and brother. If you pray, please keep this amazing family in your prayers. They'll need it tomorrow more than ever.

R.I.P. Ian Lopez. You are missed everyday by so, so many.

Ian and Randy, the brothers.

His friends at the location of the accident.

Here is the newspaper article that describes the accident.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers ahead of time! Let's hope this might help comfort them even the tiniest bit more tomorrow :)