Samantha Jaye...

On Wednesday, April 25, my best friend, Jacque, and her husband, Jason, (also a good friend) welcomed their first child!

Here is a photo of the proud parents and the adorable Samantha Jaye.

I'm counting down the days until my plane lands in Raleigh and I can finally meet Sam.

It's unreal how you can love someone who you've never met...but she's done it for me :)

Wedding Celebration #2

The following Saturday we celebrated the wedding of our friends Mark and Barb! It was a FUN night and it was great to see friends two weekends in a row. That doesn't happen very often anymore!

The bride and groom. Barb and Nina dancing the night away.

The girls.

My dance partner and fun friend Jen Regas and me.


Matt Regas and Steve with the groom.

I just realized I always call them both by their first and last name for some reason...


Hacke and Gartelos like to PARTY. Steve was partying until he saw the camera.

Steve was watching over their presents most of the night. So if anything is missing you know who to come to first.

Gartelos and I were the #1 dancers.

After the wedding at Coach's.

My DD was ready to take me home.

Wedding Celebration #1

Four days after returning from our honeymoon, we celebrated the wedding of our friends' John and Jolyn in Kansas City.

They both are from big Iowa families (John especially), so it was definitely a family celebration with kids and adults from all over!

I had a blast planning every aspect of our wedding; with the exception of the snow dump KC received two days before the wedding and when I realized I forgot my crystal trees that my dad and I worked so hard on.
But I have to admit, it was a glorious feeling knowing all of that is behind us and that we can just enjoy being married.

The groom, Steve and me.


Lisa, Ashleigh and me. Since they now live in St. Louis we don't get to see each other very often (considering we lived together for two years) so it was fun seeing Ashleigh and Braeden.


Hacke playing with his twins' toys again.


The guys shot-gunning some beer.


And what wedding is complete without Ted?

Dia siete de la luna de miel

On Monday, our last full-day, we did a lot of walking, relaxing and eating. I spent most of the day on the beach while Steve worked out twice!

Hanging out with an iguana on "iguana alley". Pretty peacock.

Now or never for me...serious beach time.

Now or never for Steve...taking advantage of the free drinks!

It's our last night...why is Steve so happy?

Dia seis de la luna de miel

Saturday was Steve's day. We went deep sea fishing. There were five of us, plus the crew. I was the only female and we were the only Americans so we had a variety of fishers on the boat!


The deep sea fishing adventure started with Steve saving our hotel key that flew away from me with the big waves. Yeah...I probably shouldn't have gone up to the top of the boat until we got out to sea.


Hanging out on top with the captain and my Brittish buddy Shane.


Steve starting the long process of reeling in "the big one".


It was crazy because all of a sudden there were two fish.


Then they had Steve sit down.


Steve caught a 50" Amberjack! Steve and "his fish".


So heavy and a little to close for comfort...


Heading back to shore...

Back at our favorite martini bar.

Dia cinco de la luna de miel

On Saturday we had a low-key day of hanging out on the beach, making a quick trip into the market at Cancun (not recommended) and enjoying sushi that night.

Dia cuatro de la luna de miel

On Friday we spent the entire day at Xel-Ha an ecological jungle water park. Xel-Ha was extraordinary!

We explored the jungle.

We snorkled some more.

I jumped off the "Cliff of Courage".

I relaxed tubing down the lazy river while Steve pulled me what probably seemed like miles and miles.

That night we went to our favorite new restaurant, D'Italia, along with a trip upstairs to our old favorite martini bar.

Dia tres de la luna de miel

On Thursday we went on our first excursion snorkleing in the ocean. Neither of us had really ever snorkled before; let alone in the ocean!

The dumped us off in the middle of the ocean over the second largest coral reef in the world. It was beautiful and a memorable experience.

That evening we enjoyed a honeymoon dinner on the beach. For the love, snorkeling and the sun takes a lot out of you (and your hair)!