20 weeks pregnant today!

Okay so today I am officially half-way through the pregnancy. I would be very excited right now and probably jumping up and down from happiness if not for the worrying I am doing instead.
Yesterday and today, the little one decided to be lazy and NOT kick! And that scares the CRAP out of me! I worry a lot when it comes to the baby.
Another thing I am having a hard time dealing with is the weight gain. I (obviously) wont write down my weight here, but let me tell you, I feel like a whale. I cant wait to get back into shape and meet my son! (I hope he is okay).
On friday, my husband and I are going to the doctor to do an anomaly scan. The doctor will check the heart, liver, kidneys and all that good stuff. He will also confirm (hopefully ha ha) that we are having a baby BOY.
Anyways, for the tips....
1. Write everything down because pregnancy brain is a REAL THING! (I can't remember what tips I wanted to write here....)

I guess it will be Tip Of The Day.... I seriously can't remember anything.

Thanks for reading,
Byeeeeee

Catching up...

So it has been a few weeks since I last posted anything. I am not lazy, just busy. There is much I have to say though!!!
Firstly, the wedding was absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately I still haven't gotten the pictures yet, so I cant post any of them up right now. There is not much to say about the wedding except for the fact that it was absolutely magical!!!! I am sure you all will understand what I am talking about when I post up some photos!
As for the more important news about our little bubba, we found out a few weeks ago that bubba is a BOY!!! How exciting!!! I must say, this pregnancy thing is wonderful but extremely uncomfortable, especially now. I recently started showing quite a bit, and I am only 18 weeks along. Because of all the heaviness in my front area, I have terrible backaches, but it's all worth it!!!!
A few days ago I started feeling the little one move around, which I can honesty say is the most amazing feeling in the whole world! I cant really describe what it feels like exactly, except for the fact that it is quite amazing!
Today he hasn't moved yet so it makes me worried. One thing I can say with a 100% certainty is that when a woman is pregnant, she worries about EVERYTHING to do with her little baby. That's one of the downsides of pregnancy I suppose. This constant worrying sucks big time!
There is not much else to say. In two weeks or so, Jonathan and I are going in for our 20 week scan to see all of the baby's organs and make sure everything is developing properly. That will be very exciting!
Anyway, I will be updating this blog on the pregnancy more often than I have in the past, and I will try to upload some photos of the belly progress. I am not sure whether I will post any scan pictures of the little one yet, I still need to think about it.
Thanks for reading!!!!!

Exciting News =)

So yes, I have been a slacker beyond belief! HOWEVER.....
Jonathan and I are getting married this sunday! How exciting! I promise to write how the day went on here! And another little announcement.... Jonathan and I are going to be parents =) So exciting. As soon as sunday is over and I have posted my last wedding blog, I will start posting on the little things I have learned while being pregnant.
SO EXCITING!!!!

List of Vendors

Hey everyone,
I apologize for the fact that I have not been updating this blog. I have just been accepted to a new university and a lot of other things happened last month. It isn't an excuse however.

After the wedding is over, I will continue writing the blog, which will be focused on "family life".

As for the wedding, it is going quite perfectly. Everything seems to be coming together.

I have already chosen the makeup artist, Monique Powers. From the trial that she did, she is quite great.

The hair stylist is also amazing, her name is Emilie, she is part of Oliver Ifergan's group.

The photographer is the most important because he or she or they will be with you the whole time on your special day. Me and Jonathan chose Peardon Carrillo Photography. Alberto and Lisa have so much to offer. The photography is beautiful.

Music is also important if you want to keep people entertained. We chose Skye Michaels.

Anyway, if you happen to live in LA,  you can look these vendors up if your wedding is coming up. I can guarantee that they all are simply amazing!

Apology

Hello everyone,
I am sorry I haven't been posting anything up recently.
I am going to resume doing that shortly.
Thanks,
Miranda

What To Do Before Finding Someone- First Chapter Of My Book!

So, I have started writing a book, and I would like to post the preface as well as the first chapter in this blog. This chapter focuses on what one must do before trying to find "the one." This is the only chapter I will be posting on the blog because I hope to someday publish this self-help book.

I hope you guys enjoy, and I am sorry I haven't been posting anything for a while!!!!

Preface

I know from experience that relationships require a lot of work. What is even more frustrating, is that not only do relationships require maintenance work, but also work before you find a relationship. I think of a relationship as if it were a job. It requires a lot of investing in yourself, a lot of upkeep and a lot of stress. Think of your partner as your customer. You must sell him your product (yourself) when you first meet him, then you must keep him interested enough to come back (to get dates).

Enjoy this book and remember, everybody has the tools to find love and make it last.

Chapter One: Improving yourself

Before you go and look for someone to spend the rest of your life with, you must look in the mirror. What do you see? Do you see someone who is perfect in every way, including looks, personality and intelligence, or do you need to invest in yourself and make yourself better? If you found that you are perfect in every way, look at the checklist below. If you don’t meet certain criteria on this list, it means that you need to work on it.

• My hair is in perfect shape. (Length, color, shape)
•         My face is clear and clean. (No zits or pimples, no blemishes.)
•         My body is one that I am comfortable in.
•         My closet is full of beautiful clothes.
•         I am not insecure about myself.
•         I am open minded.
•         I am kind and caring.
•         I consider myself smart.
•         I can keep a conversation going.
•         I am NOT too picky.

If you have not checked 2 or more things from the above checklist, listen closely. First of all, you are wonderful. Keep repeating that to yourself day after day until you believe it. Second, you can be better. If you listen to my tips on how to improve yourself, you will be the best you can be, and it will be great. So here are some ways to make yourself the hottest thing that walked this earth:

Looks:

Now many people will continuously argue the point I am going to try to make. Looks are important. They are very important. My cousin has always argued with me on this point because she strongly believes that if a guy or girl is to love you, he or she should love you for who you are, not how you look. Well here is a news flash that all of you should know:

!!!LOOKS ARE WHAT SELL YOU!!!

If you must, tattoo it on your head so that you can see this sentence every time you look in the mirror. The truth, as brutal as it is, is that no guy or girl will go for someone who looks like they don’t care about themselves. As they say, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” but everyone still does. Even if you have a wonderful personality and no cover to sell that, no one will look twice. But don’t be discouraged! I know I might sound like one hell of a bitch, but I am here to help you. There are many things you can do to improve your looks.

First of all, focus on your face. If it is blemished, buy creams and face washes that will get rid of them. I know it costs a bit of money, but you are investing in yourself and I guarantee you that you will not be sorry.

Second, if you are a woman, start wearing makeup. Some girls hate makeup and I understand that, but a little bit of makeup goes a long way. Now I am definitely NOT talking about caking on a lot of makeup, because that looks terrible. I am trying to introduce the idea of natural makeup with simple outlining of the eyes for them to stand out. No coverup is needed if you have clear skin. Lipgloss is also something I would not recommend because it looks greasy. Just try to make your features brighter.

Now if you are a man, you obviously don’t need makeup. What you do need however, is a clear face that is well groomed. A rugged look is not sexy unless you know how to achieve a specific rugged look.

Intelligence:

Yes, intelligence is important even when it comes to finding someone. There is a very good reason why intelligence is key. The reason is that if you are intelligent enough and know things, you will not run out of things to talk about on your date. You don’t want to sit in silence while on a date right? That would just be awkward. Intelligence is also important in later life. Let’s say you meet the perfect person, you are engaged to them, you marry them. Then they need your advice on how to do something or what decision to make. If you can’t give an answer, it will be awkward. 

Personality:

Now this is key. If you are a beautiful person with Einstein’s brain and a disgusting personality, your relationships will NOT last. You must know that after a while, your looks will be meaningless to the person you are with, and your intelligence will not be as appreciated. Personality on the other hand is the thing that holds the relationship together after 5 years. 

Being kind and caring is key. If you are able to relate to your partner in the future and care for him/her, he or she will stay with you for as long as you want. If you act like a monster 24/7, your partner will get fed up in the end and will get rid of you. 

Now many of you will think, “This bitch is crazy, I can’t change my personality because I was born this way!” That is not true in any way shape or form. You can change your personality as easily as you can change your underwear. You need to want it. You need to practice it. You need to transform yourself.

I know you can do it and so do you.

This chapter was a little rough on you and I understand that but bear with me. Just learn to trust me enough to trust that my advice will benefit you and your love life. 

On the next page, you can put your before and after picture, to see what dramatic changes you have gone through. You can also write how you are feeling about yourself and your personality. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this blog, and I really hope it helps all of you who are looking for that special someone!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

How To Deal With A Breakup?

Lets just say that all of a sudden it seems as though your world has come crashing down, and you and your guy broke up. The feeling is terrible. You feel like you will never find another guy, you feel like its the end of the world, you feel like you are the most miserable person on earth. But at some point, you must make the effort to deal with the situation and move on. Here are a few tips on how to move on.

1. Don't stop taking care of yourself. It is very common that when a girl and guy break up, the girl feels like she has nobody to impress anymore and completely stop taking care of herself. You DONT want to do that because if you feel good about yourself, you will get over the relationship quicker. You also need to remember that there are plenty of fish in the sea, and you need to impress those fishes!

2. Don't ignore other guys. It must be hard when you have just lost the guy you love, but it is likely that the guy was not the one for you if you two broke up. Start talking to other guys, maybe you will be so lucky as to find the ONE.

3. Take the time being single to have fun. When you are in a relationship, you will not be as free as you are when you are single. Take the time to enjoy yourself! Spend time with your girlfriends, have fun, FLIRT!

4. Don't EVER sit at home doing nothing after a breakup. Keep yourself busy. From my own experience I know that when you just ended a relationship and sit at home, all you think about is your ex guy. On the other hand, if you keep yourself busy with your friends, hobbies and other things, you will not have time to think of your ex!

So girls, the fact that you just got out of a relationship is NOT the end of the world. It just means that a better person is coming your way. Don't beat yourself up on why it didn't work, don't stress about it at all. HAVE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK. I know its hard but its important to live for the future, not in the past. Goodluck!

Assess Your Relationship! (Helpful Notes!)

So this blog is going to be about healthy relationships. I know I wrote about this before, but that day, I received new information about healthy relationships from my university, therefore the credit goes to Woodbury.


 I scanned two things that will help you know whether your relationship is healthy or not. Here they are!

This will help you assess your relationship

The Equality Wheel

I hope this is helpful!!!!

Is He Cheating? Why?

The biggest fear a girl can have during a relationship is that her guy is, will or was cheating. I know how stressful it can be when you suspect the one you love of cheating. So here are some signs that he is cheating on you, although none of them mean that he is unfaithful for sure. (Credit goes to www.ivilliage.com "32 Emotional Signs That He Is Cheating.")
1. Your guy is much more attentive and loving than usual. Now you are probably thinking, "isn't that a good thing?". Well yes, it might be. But it might also mean that he feels guilty for cheating and wants to make up for it.

2. Your guy is all of a sudden buying you gifts. Once again, it might be a good thing, or it might mean that he is, again, trying to make up for his guilt.

3. Your guy fights with you out of nowhere. This is also bad and might mean that he is trying to find an excuse to leave the house, or wherever you two are, so that he can meet his other girl.

4. Your guy always brings up the topic of your relationship ending. This is never a good thing. Its a big sign that he is cheating and wants another girl.

5. Your guy is always moody around you and acts depressed when he is with you. This might mean that he is just in a bad mood. However if you see that he all of a sudden turns happy when he is leaving, he is probably cheating.

6. You and your guy are living together yet he never talks to you. Thats a big warning sign!

7. Your guy stops complimenting you on your appearance. Either he lost interest, or he finds someone else more attractive.

8. A BIG one! If he stops telling you he loves you, watch out.

9. Your guys starts acting guilty and upset when you do something for him. This is because he knows he is betraying you, and your kindness reminds him of what an idiot he is!

10. Your guy accuses YOU of cheating without evidence. Now I listed the major signs, but you can look deeper into it by going to the website I provided above.

After having read this, you must wonder why guys cheat? Its hard to understand why, but there are a few reasons why a guy would find it necessary to cheat. (Some credit goes to www.divinecaroline.com "Ten Reasons Men Cheat.")

1. It boosts their ego. If you don't make your guy feel attractive or wanted, he will go and try to see how many girls he can get in order to feel good about himself.

2. You argue a lot. Trust me, no matter how much a guy loves you, he wants to feel like he is safe with you. If you don't provide him with that safety, he will find it elsewhere.

3. They just don't love you anymore. This is pretty self explanatory.

4. Your intimate love life is bad. If you don't let him be with you, he will be with someone else.

I know it sounds harsh but most of the time, he cheats because of you. Just try to look at your mistakes and try to improve yourself and then you are GUARANTEED to have a happy, healthy relationship! GOOD LUCK!

Is He The One?

Every girl dreams about finding her prince charming. The only problem with this is, how do you know your prince charming has arrived? Are there any signs that he is the one? How can you be sure that your relationship with him will last for a ver long time? I have some tips on how you can find out whether the guy you met is the one for you.
Now before you read these, these tips are NOT scientifically proven. They are more based on what I, and some friends of mine went through when we realized we met the right guy.

1. Firstly, I strongly believe that if you are looking for someone, you will never find the perfect guy for you. Once you stop looking, you will be suprized at how quickly you find the love of your life.

2. Secondly, it is very possoble that you already know the guy you are meant to be with. It is also possible that you don't like him in that way at the moment. Here is an interesting story for you guys. I met Jonathan for the first time when I was 16. I really didn't think anything of him, I didnt even think I would see him ever again. When I was moving to LA, I knew Jonathan would be here, and in all honesty, I really didnt like him. I can't explain why I was against him, but I was. Three months after we started dating, I realized that I really love him. So your prince charming will be the person that you would never expect to fall inlove with.

3. If you already have someone, pay attention to how he treats you. You know you have found the perfect guy for you when he considers your opinions as well as his. You know youve met the right guy when he treats you like a lady, not like one of his buddies. You know youve met the right guy when he respects you. You know youve met the right guy when he compromises.

4. How do you feel when you see your guy? Do you feel normal, or do you have butterflies in your stomach? I know that sometimes, when I see Jonathan, I am happy but I dont get that weak feeling in my knees or butterflies in my stomach. Does that mean he isn't the one? NOT AT ALL. If your mood gets better when you see him, he probably is the best guy for you.

Now that Ive given you tips on how to know youve met the one, here are some tips on how to know that your guy is NOT the one for you.

1. He disrespects you. If he treats you poorly, mentally or phisically, get the hell out of the relationship. Dont think that he will change. No one changes. Trust me, you can do better.

2. He makes up excuses on why he cant see you. If the guy loves you, he will want to see you as often as he can. He isnt the right one if he avoids you. Trust me, you will get hurt.

3. He makes you feel like you cant hang out with your friends. Some girls believe that if a guy is jealous, that means he loves you. That's partly true. On the other hand, he should trust you enough to let you do your thing. A relationship is based on trust.

4. He demeans you. If he tells you that you aren't pretty enough, or you arent skinny enough, or you dont have a big enough chest, DUMP HIS ASS. Who is he to tell you that you aren't good enough for him? That just shows his insecurity.

5. Do you suspect your guy of cheating? Now this is a big thing for me personally. I believe that if a guy cheats, that means he is not respectful of your feelings.

6. How does he treat your family? If you have found the one, you will most likely marry him. You need to be sure that there wont be family drama when you get married. If he disses your family left and right, you dont need him. This is also a respect issue.

7. Most importantly, does he let you know how much you mean to him? And I am talking about his actions since actions speak louder than words. Is he proud of you? Does he compliment you? Does he consider himself lucky? If he doesnt, then you dont need him.

These are all the tips for today. Goodluck in finding you prince charming!!!!!

Overprotective Fathers vs. Daughters Inlove

Being a girl is hard, and many would argue this point. In society, we are considered the weaker link therefore a man always feels compelled to protect us, especially if that man is our father. I have a very interesting story to share today. About a year and a half ago I was not allowed to date because my dad was so strict. Then I started dating Jonathan and thankfully, my dad was okay with it. When we got engaged, my dad seemed to be happy with me. Finally, when I asked my father the premision to live with Jonathan, he understood that this is a natural part of life and let me. It is very nice to have the approval of your father, especially if you know that your dad is extremely protective and sceptical about the whole love thing. Today, my dad mentioned something I will never forget. I wont say exactly what it is, but what I will say is that he finally understood that I am growing up and that I am mature enough to make my own decisions in life. Some of us, however, are not so lucky.

Some girls have a father who holds strong to his beliefs and is overprotective to the point where the girl cant live her own life without fearing that her father will dissaprove. We all want our parents, especially our dads to approve of our decisions in life. It is hard to keep secrets and even harder to lie because in the end, you will feel bad about it. So here are a few tips on how to get your dad to understand that you are growing up and that you can handle the stress of a relationship.

1. Talk to your dad. Be open with him. Don't keep secrets and try to explain to him that you are mature enough to handle such a big thing. He might be reluctant at first, but after a while he will understand.

2. Dont raise your voice at your father. Screaming is a sign of immaturity. It is also a sign that you cant control your emotions, and if you cant handle yourself, how will you handle a relationship? You must prove to your dad that you are mature by keeping calm. If your father still dissaproves of your decision to be in a relationship, leave him alone. Don't push your opinions on him. Let your dad think things through and after a while he will be on board with you.

3. Make your dad feel involved. A thank you or an I love you goes a long way. You are his little girl, and you will always be that. Make your dad feel as though he is needed because he is. Know that when you are in a relationship, your dad will feel jealousy and sadness because he will feel as if he is losing his precious girl. Make him feel like he is still number one and ask for his advice and opinions. He will be glad to give good advice to you.

4. Dont talk about your relationship everytime you talk to your dad unless he asks. I know you are excited, but it can get tiering for him. Respect your dad and understand that for him it is a hard time, even though for you it is a joyous one.

5. If your dad agreed to meet with your guy for the first time or to hang out with him (if your dad knows your guy), dont hang yourself on your man. It is not appropriate to show so much affection infront of your parents, especially your father. It will only piss your dad off and he wont want to see your guy's face ever again.

So these are the tips on how to handle your father when he doesnt want to deal with the idea of you being in a relationship. Remember girls, your dad is the number one man in your life. He raised you and he supported you, whether it be physically or mentally it doesnt matter.

 Have fun breaking the news to your dad!

Happily Ever After Can Be Real!

Everyone wants their relationship to be the one that lasts forever. It is a known fact that most marriages end up in divorce, and that's a very sad fact. Now most girls wonder what they can do in order to keep their relationship going. Here are some things that you can do.

1. Be neat. I know that a lot of guys out there are quite messy but it is your job to keep everything neat, including his stuff. I know that I used to be very messy and I am improving right now due to the fact that Jonathan has OCD, (Im not kidding.) It is a woman's job to keep everything neat and clean so that he doesn't feel like he is living with a piglet (even though he might be a piglet himself.)

2. Do things for him. A good wife will have food ready for her husband when he comes home. Now I admit that I don't cook every night but I am trying to learn more recepies so that I can do that. A guy thinks with his stomach a lot of the times. When you greet him with a nice dinner, he will appreciate you that much more because nowadays, not many women cook.

3. Take care of yourself. This is a big thing. I know that a lot of girls, after being in a relationship with one guy for a long time feel comfortable enough to let themselves go. Trust me girls, even if he loves you, he wants a hot chick next to him, not a slob who doesn't care about her appearance. You must shower daily, which I am sure all of you do. You must do your hair and makeup and don't go out looking like a homeless person. Always dress nicely. It will pay off. He will want to show you off to his friends and he will be proud that he is with you.

4. Let him do his own thing. Don't be too controlling. A lot of us have that problem. We start thinking, "What is he doing?", "Why isn't he calling me?". Trust me girls, he needs his alone time just as much as you need yours. He is a guy, and there are certain things he can't do with you around. He needs to do boy stuff and you should let him or he will feel trapped.

5. Don't accuse him of things or nag. I know I whine a lot, and it drives Jonathan absolutely crazy. Be a lady. Don't act like a two year old with no life, because thats what he will see when you whine or nag. Also, don't accuse him of things. If you fight, don't accuse him of starting it or continuing it. Remember, it takes two to tango. If you accuse him constantly, he will not want to be around you because he will feel like you will always find something bad in him. It isn't a good feeling.

6. Compromise! I know I talked about this in another post, but I can't stress this enough. Compromise is everything. Your relationship is a partnership. It's like a business, you make deals and sign mental contracts. If you want to buy something and he doesn't, buy something you both like. That's compromise, and it is a VERY big deal.

7. Be giving. My dad always taught me that I shouldn't act like a princess who needs her guy to do everything for her. PAY FOR DINNER SOMETIMES! He will respect you more and see that you aren't there to use him. I get anal when it comes to who pays for dinner when me and Jonathan are out. I want to pay every time. Don't act like a princess. He deserves respect too.

8. Act like a lady. No guy wants a man beside him unless he is homosexual. Don't act like a guy and burp or fart in front of him. Even if you are comfortable with your guy, it doesn't mean that you can forget your manners. You aren't a truck driver. You are his girlfriend. Be a lady and he will treat you like one.

So these are the tips I have today. I hope it helps in making your relationship, or marriage a happily ever after!

Your Life Is Not All About Him, Its About You Too!

Everyone wants a healthy, happy relationship, correct? It seems, nowadays, that many girls (including myself a few weeks ago) believe that a healthy relationship means that you should hang out only with your guy. That belief is actually extremely unhealthy, especially if you are getting married soon. The reason is that after a while, even if you LIKE being only around your guy, you will get annoyed of it. It doesn't mean that you will stop loving him or anything remotely close to that. It simply means that you need to make out time to hang out with your girls, because they will understand you in ways your guy wont. There are several reasons girls sometimes only hang out with their guy:

1. The guy is against his girl being away from him
2. The girl is scared the guy will get mad if she leaves him for a few hours.
3. The girl isn't as comfortable around other people the way she is comfortable with her guy.
4. The girl wants to be a "good" wife, and prove to the guy that she needs no one but him.

The first reason is very unhealthy. Even though you might see it as your guy being protective because he loves you, it wont make your relationship with him stronger. After a while, you will want to break free, and when you do, it will drive him crazy.

The second reason is simply untrue. If your guy tells you that he is okay with you hanging out with your girlfriends, then he means it. Its healthy to get away from him sometimes and talk about girl stuff. You should do it, and after a while, you will be comfortable with it.

The third reason is understandable. But you must know that life and success is all about networking. If you cant be around your girlfriends because you aren't comfortable, how will you be around people who can make you successful? You need to get over your wants and do what's healthy.

The fourth reason is also untrue. A "good" wife doesn't mean not having a life of your own. What defines a good wife is not sitting at home, but being able to balance between personal life and a life together. Let him know that he has nothing to worry about and that you love him. You will be a good wife even if you hang out with your girlfriends.

A few weeks ago I was not okay with hanging out with my friends because of most of the reasons I listed above. Today however, I decided to get over myself and be with them for the day. Let me tell you, it is so much fun and it is such a healthy thing to do! You get to talk about girl stuff without worrying that you are boring someone to death!

Remember, even though he is your main focus, you should focus on your wants and needs too. A day with your girls is something every girl needs!

Compromise is Classy

I don't know about you, but I am the type of person that would rather make everyone else happy and myself miserable than the other way around. This is not the right thing to do however, because after a while, you will start to resent those people to the point of no return. The best thing to do is to compromise. Not only will it help you in the planning process of a wedding, but it will also help your marriage. Compromise is everything. Here is a personal story that happened today.

Jonathan, his mother and I went to the hotel today where we are supposed to get married. Firstly, we had to change the date because the date we picked originally would not work. This is stressful, but after talking to his mother, I understood why the date would need to be changed. What ended up happening was that we are now getting married almost 20 days earlier than we were supposed to! Its great news and its all thanks to compromise. The second issue consisted of the fact that we couldn't decide whether to do the wedding on one or two days. I was very much against the two day wedding because I thought it would be too long. After talking to Jonathan's mother however, I realized that two days is a great idea. In the end, I am the happiest person ever. All thanks to compromise. Here are some tips and tricks of how to compromise the healthy way.

1. Don't be stubborn. Sometimes the other person has a good idea and you should listen. If you don't like the idea, explain to the person what exactly it is that you don't like and try to work around it.

2. When there are two opposing opinions that are very strong, it doesn't mean that either is right. Compromise is about giving up a part of your dream and the other person giving up a part of theirs. In the end, you reach a middle that is good for both of you, or as some call it, the best of both worlds.

3. If you are dealing with the wedding, and the strong opinion number two is coming from your fiance's mother, father or relative, you must be respectful. Don't push your own opinion on them because this will come off as disrespectful. Your future husband must know that you are going to be a good wife who can get along with the people he loves.

These are all the tips I have today, and I hope that they help and make sense. GOOD LUCK!

Being with yourself is sometimes the best thing

As I said before, fighting is healthy if done in the right way. But lets say the fight just happened, how do you make up or cool down? Well here are some ways I know.

1. Isolate yourself for a few hours. It sounds bad, but sometimes you need time to think. I am doing this right this moment and it helps immensly. Firstly, your guy will not be there to provoke more negative emotions. Secondly, you will have time to breathe and think through the argument and cool off. Lastly, you will have time to focus on other things, (for me its writing this blog), and you will slowly put the fight in the back of your mind.

2. Don't be too stubborn. If he says sorry, forgive and forget. Let it go. I know that sometimes its nice to feel powerful and what ends up happening is that you start abusing that power and it develops in another fight. Just let it go, don't try to be the one who gets the last word.

3. Cry. If you feel like you need to cry, do so. But only when you are sure your guy can't see. Once again, crying infront of him will make him feel very bad and you don't want to have to upset him more than he already is. I know sometimes you cant help it and cry infornt of him. If you can hold off the tears, do so. When you cry in private, you can cry more because you wont be as emberassed and you can let all that emotion out. Crying is cleansing yourself.

This is a very short blog, but I hope it has advice that will help you in this situation. I know that I feel pretty bad right now, and I am trying to follow my own advice. I wont say exactly what happened, but all I will say is that sometimes you need to be with yourself to calm down.

Hope this helps!

Fighting is Frustrating

Now all of us get into a fight with the one we love right? We scream and we yell, and sometimes, we even cry, (whether its tears of true and deep pain or "fake" tears to make our guy feel sorry for us). The reasons for fighting vary greatly, and sometimes the fights are really unnecessary. But how do we handle these situations? I know that I either go completely crazy and start yelling until I upset MYSELF and start crying, or I shut down and don't say anything at all until I can't take it anymore, and I blow up. Neither of these situations are healthy. Here are some ways you can handle a fight without blowing it out of proportion.

1. Never, ever, EVER fake cry. Its a bad habit. First of all, you are lying to both your guy and yourself. If you are not upset enough to spill real tears, don't do it. Now I completely understand when you feel like you must make yourself cry for either or both of these reasons:
                                            a) You want your guy to feel sorry for you.
                                            b) You want your guy to feel guilty.

Its satisfying to know that you have such control and power over him, but I still stress the fact that you shouldn't do it. A lie is a lie.

2. Don't blow up! I know you sometimes want to throw a flat iron at your guy when he pisses you off, and I admit that sometimes the guy deserves worse than that, but still, don't blow up! Communication is key. You must learn to talk to your love calmly instead of killing him. He will take you more seriously if you speak in a calm manner because it will be more mature. (A smack on the face once or twice won't hurt though, but only when you are REALLY angry!)

3. Don't do what I do. Don't hold your feelings in. If you hold it all in, in the end you will blow up worse than you would have in the beginning. A flat iron hitting him in the face will be the least of his problems if you blow up after holding your feelings in. What's worse is that you might not blow up, and instead, resent him which is very unhealthy.

 Fights are healthy, but be sure you know how to handle them!

Change: We don't like it, but its for the better.

Today I found out that me and Jonathan have to face a big change! Our wedding date is now not what we thought it would be, and we might need to have a wedding on two days instead of one. Honestly, I hate change. It upsets me deeply and today this change made me want to just get married in court and not go through the whole process of a ceremony and reception. But let me tell you, girls, sometimes change can be good.

Firstly, it made me realize that its not the end of the world if the wedding date is different than I had initially presumed. Its just one day. What is important is the rest of the marriage. Secondly, change is sometimes good. There are valid reasons for why we need to change the date, and Jonathan's mother made it very clear to me what those reasons are. Even though the idea of having a two day wedding doesn't appeal to me, I will need to get over it. So here are some tips of how you should deal with change when it comes to your wedding.

Tip 1: 
Don't overreact. It isn't healthy for you or the relationship. Today, I overreacted and right now I feel pretty stupid because it isn't such a big deal. After all, it is only one day. Why jeapordize the relationship because of that?


Tip 2: 
As Jonathan tells me over and over and over again, the lines of communication must be open. I tend to close up when I am mad or upset, and keep my feelings in until the day I blow up. You must learn how to communicate and express your feelings and opinions. Good communication = Happy relationship.

Tip 3: 
Consider the change as a good thing. Think positive. If there must be change made, it isn't the end of the world. Maybe its for the better. Stay positive. Positive outlook on life = Happy life.

Tip 4: 
Think logically. Is the change so bad that it will ruin your relationship and your life? Is it worth fighting over? Unless the change is where the wedding is called off, don't stress too much about it.

Tip 5:
Remember, a wedding is not the most important thing in your life, the relationship is. Just work towards the bigger goal: making your relationship as strong as it can be.

I hope this helps. I know change is frustrating, especially if you have your mind set on something for a while. But it isn't the end of the world. Don't stress too much. Live for the relationship, not the wedding!

Happy Valentines Day! What to Buy?!

Happy valentines day everyone!

Now it is very difficult for girls to buy guys presents because we just don't know what those guys want!!!! Here are a few ideas of what you can buy your guy for next valentines day!

1. Photo frame- put in a photo of you and him into the frame. Makes a great gift!

2. Mug- a lot of guys like coffee, I know Jonathan does, so buy him a big mug with a quote on it or some cute designs. Every time he drinks his beverage, he will think of you!

3. Boxers- no, its not to intimate. Buy him boxers with hearts or kisses on it.

4. Massager- I don't know about you, but Jonathan LOVES massages. Sometimes I just cant give him his daily massage so I bought him a massager. It is the best of both worlds, it gives me a break and he gets what he wants!

5. Stuff for his technology- does your guy have an ipad, iphone, or any other device that in my opinion is useless? Buy him a cover for it or some add on. He will definitely appreciate it.

These are some ideas of what you can get your love. Now here are some things that you SHOULDN'T buy.

1. Don't buy him alcohol- valentines day is great and you might want to celebrate with some wine, but don't get him a bottle of booze because firstly, it isn't romantic, and second, you don't want to give him an excuse to get drunk. Leave the alcohol for someone else to buy.

2. Don't buy him stuffed animals- he won't care at all. Your guy can be mushy with you but he wont appreciate a teddy bear. He is a guy, make him feel like a man, not a softie. I have made that mistake once, now that teddy bear is mine.

3. Don't buy him chocolates if you aren't getting him anything else- from what I have learned, guys DON'T enjoy candy as much as girls do. I know, its hard to believe. But trust me, the box of chocolates will lay there untouched until it rots.

This is all I have for the time being. Happy valentines day again, and I hope yours was as amazing as mine!!!!!

Happy Hubby, Happy Life

We all get into fights sometimes with our men, and its healthy! But we want to make our sweethearts happy don't we? Here are some things you can do to make your baby happy.

1. Cook for him. Today I cooked my sweetheart dinner and he is thankful for that. Remember that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

2. Do his laundry. I know its a very annoying job but once a week won't kill you! He will appreciate you, and even if he doesn't say it, you will feel it.

3. Do small things around the house. Your touch on your home will be appreciated. A good friend of mine told me that he will feel like something is missing if you aren't there. Folding clothes is a good example! Fold them your way and in a few months, he will want only you to fold his things because you can do it the way he likes it.

4. Let him hang out with his boys. You are the center of his life but he needs his friends. No matter how much he loves you, he needs to spend time doing guy stuff. Don't take it personally, let him enjoy that time he has with his friends.

5. If you two decided to spend the day together, it doesn't mean that it has to be all about you. Here is an example of what happens with me: Today Jonathan took me for a nice ride and wanted to surprise me by taking be horse back riding. On the way though, he got the urge to stop at a couple of car dealerships. I am not a fan but I let him do that because its not only about me. Two make a relationship.

6. Let him know you love him, but don't tell him you do every 10 seconds. He will get annoyed and there won't be any meaning behind the word "love" after a while.

That's all I have for now. Bye sweets!

Invitations; Perfect and Pricey

So my friends, today me and my fiance, who's name is Jonathan by the way, went to look at invitations. Let me tell you, those things are quite pricey! Both me and Jonathan liked the plain pearl boarder invitations that don't have too much on them. The price, however, is around $1500 for 150 people! I must say though, if you are looking for invitations, go to Papyrus. They have a special sale going on right now.

Speaking of invitations, let's discuss the Do's and Dont's when it comes to invitations.

 DO'S: 
 - Go to the invitation place 4-6 months before your wedding day. It takes 1 month to get the invitations in, and you need time to proof read all the names. God forbid there is a mistake, you have time to fix it. Plus, you want to give your guests time to respond.

 - Give yourself the opportunity to browse, but when you find something you like, SETTLE! It sounds strange but if you keep looking, you will simply confuse yourself.

 - Buy a package consisting of the invitation, RSVP, name card and thank you note. That way you will not give yourself a headache looking for everything separately.

 DONT'S:
 - Don't get an invitation with a bow. I know it looks pretty, but when the invitation is in the envelope, the bulging part from the bow will be soiled by the time your guest receives the invitation.

 - Don't make invitations yourself. I know its cheaper but you want to make an impression on your guests. The invitation is a sneak peak at the wedding, remember that.

 - Don't put too much on your invitation. Elegance is key. The less, the more elegant. (But really that's up to you!)

 - Don't wait until the last minute to get the invitations. You don't want your guests finding out about the wedding 1 day prior to the big day!

So that is pretty much it. And remember, the invitation must say something about you! HAVE FUN LOVES!

Budgeting is Beautiful

We know how we can be, right girls? We go to the mall, see something we like and go completely crazy over it because we MUST have it. Now lets imagine ourselves when we find something we want on our big day, and CAN'T have it unless we give up an arm and a leg, what then? Is it the end of the world? No. Is it going to ruin our life forever? Absolutely not! Budgeting, that's what I am talking about. Remember, a wedding is one day. You don't want to spend the rest of your married life in debt because you decided to spend everything you have, (and don't have) on this party! So what to do? Here are a few tips.


 Tip 1:
Firstly, remember that half of the things you want on your big day will not be noticed by many. For example, I want to rent table cloths that are made of a specific type of material because I don't like the ones that the reception venue provides. Is this reasonable? NO! Who in the world will notice the table cloth?! I feel stupid when I get so obsessive sometimes. You must be reasonable unless you want to spend the rest of your life paying this wedding off! So don't focus on small details that wont matter to anyone, including you. Do you really believe that on your wedding day you will be worrying about the fact that you didn't get that vase or in my case, that table cloth? Hopefully not, or you have other things to worry about.

 Tip 2: 
Bigger is not always better. I know that some girls want a HUGE wedding with as many people as they can invite so that the world is talking about this wonderful day. Firstly and most importantly, you must remember that the more people you have, the more money you are spending. People will come to the wedding expecting food. Taking me for example, even though I was never obsessed with a BIG wedding, me and my fiance are expecting around 150 people on that day. Now the food on average costs about 150 dollars per person. That makes $22,500! Its an insane price to pay just for food! Now this does NOT include beverages such as alcohol or coffee, it does not include paying for the valet parking for each person, it does not include the invitation costs, and it does not include the cake cutting fee which is usually around $5 per person! I know you want to be famous, but trust me, you want to invite people who care about you, not a party with free booze.

Tip 3:
Venue, venue, venue. I know that this part is very important to all of us. Here is something I must say. I have been to a couple different venues, and the price ranges. Since me and my fiance insist on being married at a hotel, we went to a few different ones where the prices ranged from $700 a day to $60,000 a day. I know sometimes you can fall in love with a place, but if its out of your budget, don't be afraid to keep looking! I fell in love with the Beverly Hills Hotel, but the price was completely insane. Me and my fiance argued a lot because while I was set on this particular venue, he was being realistic. We went to the Four Seasons after, and even though I didn't think I would ever like any other venue, I ended up LOVING the Four Seasons. It is not as pricey as the Beverly Hills Hotel, and it is as beautiful! So Keep looking, don't settle, and DON'T GIVE UP!!!

Be reasonable. You don't want to look back at your wedding day 30 years from now and remember it as a day where you went bankrupt.

Bridezilicious is not in fashion!

Now, we engaged girls know how stressful this planning is! You want everything to be perfect but sometimes it seems like everything is going wrong! That can be very frustrating. You want to remember your "planning days" as a happy time, not a time where you lost half of your life. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your cool while planning your big day.

Tip 1:

You know how sometimes you want to include your future hubby in the whole process of planning? DONT DO IT! His opinion will overwhelm you. Remember, no matter how many times he says that he doesn't mind being involved in this whole process, its not his thing! Know that involving him will cause you more stress than usual! He will have his own opinions and you will need to compromise your dream wedding for his dream party! If you are prepared to do that, be my guest!

Tip 2:

Be reasonable. Remember, the wedding is just one day. You are aiming for a happy long marriage. The wedding day is important, no doubt, but don't go overboard because remember, your guy loves you the way you normally are, not the crazed bride-bitch ALL of us become when we plan. You want to be aware of how crazy you become when you don't get what you want. Please, please, please remember, the wedding is just one day, a party!

Tip 3:

If you made the decision to include your guy in the process of planning, don't push it. No guy likes to make his life about this one day. Most of them don't find the wedding day necessary, and see it as a party for everyone. If you constantly nag him about his opinion of this and that he will become annoyed very quickly. I catch myself doing this once in a while, "Baby, what do you think about the menu?", "Baby, we need to look at the invitations!", "Baby, blah blah blah." He gets tired of it. DON'T DO IT!

Tip 4:

If your dude is involved in the whole process, don't expect a solid answer from him. You ask his opinion? Be prepared for an "I don't know babe," or a "You know best babe, you decide," or a "Can we do this later babe?" Don't expect too much from him. He can be clueless! It can be annoying but remember, he is a guy.

Tip 5:

Have fun with this whole thing. Don't make it a stressful process. And remember, the sooner you lay down the ground rules of who is boss in this planning process, the better it is for you.

Love you all, and hope you will find all these tips and tricks helpful!

A little about me

My name is Miranda. I recently got engaged to a wonderful guy and we are getting married quite soon. For a while now I have wanted to become a wedding planner. And only today I thought, what better way to jump start my dream than starting a blog about weddings? Throughout the course of my stories, you will not only find out about me and how I came to be so in love with weddings, but you will also get a chance to read helpful tips, tricks and other interesting things when it comes to weddings. Enjoy!