Greetings from Snowy & Wintery Nebraska

The quick flight home to Nebraska became an 8 hour drive after we feared that more flights would be canceled on Wednesday. Braving some icy conditions and dodging a drunk
driver outside of Council Bluffs. Thursday we saw lots of ice and snow and high winds and that has continued today. Friday saw a great time with family and Grandma who turned 92 yesterday has shown up and is celebrating both her b-day and the holiday.

Missing our Minnesota and Illinois families, but we'll see you all soon! So we're trying out our new flip video camera (Thanks Todd!!!!!!)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!! Tracy and Shaun

CSO

I'll have to admit it... aside from when I go as a photographer, I don't hit the finer things in society often. On Friday we tagged along with the Keeler Clan on their annual trek to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. A rather fun interpretation of the holiday with more tongue and cheek humor than I would have imagined and included a visit from Ole St. Nick too. Prior to that a full on feast at Big Bowl. Not a great deal for my continuing efforts to upgrade my waistline (aka lose weight) before the wedding. I made up some of that today with a 3.25 mile excursion on the treadmill burning 585 calories according to the heart rate monitor.

Tracy has been running the past two weeks with two four-day trips to Vancouver, BC and Mnps, MN. Needless to say coming into the final stretch of the holiday, she can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now we just have to prep for a few days in Omaha for Christmas.

Anyway, if we haven't said so... Happy Holidays to all and Merry Christmas!

Shaun and Tracy!

Has it been that long?

Guess we've been focused elsewhere since Thanksgiving and to that our apologies.

So after a wonderful visit to Minneapolis, bringing me closer to the MN family, we have been working on more and more wedding things. String quartet or more DJ, wedding party gifts, constant calls with the folks, Tracy has scheduled her first dress fitting for next Saturday as well. Also Christmas plans for Omaha and shopping... I've been busy with the photo thing and I can't tell you how busy Tracy has been with ON activities.

Last Friday, Tracy took a break from work and we met the Browns and Tillmans in Chicago at the Multimillion dollar park.... I mean Millenium Park for some ice skating... ask us about the Zamboni driver.... I hadn't been on skates since '99... wow, crazy to think I played Junior A. Good time by all, just another preview for 2-6-10!

Anyway, I'll work on some better consistency on posting... hope everyone is gearing up for the holidays and enjoying themselves!

Retail , Christmas and Pies.

So it's the first Christmas, and we decided to put the tree up today because of the impending retail madness, it started off a bit rough... we had to read the directions...well not really, I just wanted to make fun of her with the totally Charlie Brown tree. In the end after stringing up lights together and then I started cooking for our local family Thanksgiving dinner, I've decided I need to work on my pie technique... I should have blind baked the crusts even though the directions didn't ask me to do it. They're pumpkin pies with a pecan crumble topping... I hope they taste better than they look! I also made two kinds of stuffing, a box from Trader Joes for Tracy and Co. as well as my favorite, a Chorizo and Cornbread stuffing. Although, somehow I made it home from the grocery store without carrots or celery, I made it anyway.

Tracy continued with the tree and our combined ornaments, it looks great. Things are tight in the house, but should be a very nice first Christmas!

Looking forward to a nice Thanksgiving in Plymouth and the rest of the holiday season!

Shaun and Tracy.

Showers are done, Off to San Fran, need your help!

So all the showers are done, and I have to say we are both very thankful for everyone who was able to attend and for all the gracious gifts that we received, we are really just enjoying being with everyone. My surprise visit between photo gigs on Saturday was a laugh and was great to meet a few new people and touch base with a few I've already met on some other occasions. AGAIN, can't say thank you enough to our hosts (Anne, Pat, Judy and Milburn, Jeannette, The Bartling Family, Joe and Kaye, Carolyn, Amy and Julie and to everyone who has traveled far and wide to celebrate with us.

Tracy is now off on more Xcountry ON biz, so I'm solo til Wednesday and well, We are needing your help. A big decision here and Tracy is having a hard time deciding! :*)

Which would be the best pooch to make Wrigley a new brother? Lots of choices with over 300K pets on www.petfinder.com, but here's a start! Please e-mail Tracy and give her your choice(s)!!!

Tank - black lab
Gus - horizontal Yellow Lab
Jed - Yellow in Kennel
Redford - Chocolate

Thanks, Shaun :)

A week at home, and the final of three surprises!

So, the week started with the drive home from Minneapolis on Monday. Just imagine
me as personal driver for Tracy as she conducted work from her mobile office. This week and next were non-traveling for Tracy. But looming on Friday was an event that Tracy didn't know about. I played it as a the last of three big surprises, the first being a new iPod touch for her, followed by remote start for her car, so she can always have a toasty warm car this Winter. So as the week went by, the anticipation was building and on
Friday night it was almost thick like humidity on a summer day in South Texas.

Was it a dog as I had been hinting, something else? Two dogs? (she'd have killed me), nope,it was ballroom dance lessons! If you know her... she dropped ballroom dance in college. So the moment built into a pretty funny situation, but she took it well! Our first dance...well, like the wedding dress, will be a secret, but it's down to three songs, but I'll give you one small hint... the lead singers name is "Paul" "Hope" or "David... but be uses a stage name" :*)

Next week...lots of small things to decide, but it's getting close....

Cheers, Shaun.

PS. Special thanks to Elise Wise of Arthur Murray dance for shooting the pics with my camera!

10,000 Lakes update

So it's Saturday night in the Twin Cities.

We had a beautiful party last night at the neighbors of Joe and Kaye's, the Bartling's, who Tracy use to babysit for back in the day.

There have already been some funny things in our relationship, situations where people knew other people, some hockey ties got bigger when my first hockey coaches Larry Moore and Mike Kemp had recruited Tracy's brother when he was in high school. On Friday it got even more tied in. Larry was the coach for one of Kaye's friends' kid, and my mom has common threads with one of Joe's relatives via teaching in Nebraska and Peter Bartling was born in Nebraska, so it's pretty funny to see come together.

Today was MOA, high school hockey, dinner, trick or treaters... now it's 11:30 and the mom's and Tracy are doing invite stuff, I'm blogging, and the dad's are talking politics, marriage, sports, etc.

My folks are headed back tomorrow, Tracy and I will get up at O-Dark-Thirty on Monday and head home.

Thanks everybody for a great weekend! We'll see you back up here for Turkey Day.

Don't let your wedding end up here....

http://wedinator.com/



Enjoy. Shaun

Boy, another "slow" week.

So I just dropped Tracy off at the airport a few hours ago, realized, no updates recently. So here are a few things to chew on.

Tracy spent two nights (I had to work....waaahhh!) at the Trump with her wingman Carolyn in celebration of Carolyn's 30-something b-day. A day of spa care and then Steve and I joined our ladies on Saturday afternoon. Must say I've never been to a hotel like that, we didn't even spend much time there as I had to work again on Sunday morning. Anyway, I was getting my cameras ready and snapped a quick pic of her lounging as I left...she's probably gonna kill me for this one!

Let's see, what else....

- Hotel block addition. The wedding/reception location the La Valencia also has rooms, but you may understand why my folks, her folks and alotta folks are staying in other locations.

"10% off rooms below $400 and 15% off rooms over $400
Our room rates range from $275 - $595 and suites range from $600 - $1,500
We will set a courtesy block containing a few of each category giving your guests a choice of all room types.

http://www.lavalencia.com/
For Reservations please call 800-451-0772

- I hear there is a question as to my clothing for the big day...did the Orange Tux win? Well, just like Tracy's dress that I can't see.... you'll just have to be there!

- There have/had been some great prices via United and Southwest on airline tickets. I noticed they were headed back up the end of last week. Tracy and I got Wed-Wed tix for about $260 each on United. Because of Tracy's traveling with ON, we get free bags, so keep that in mind.

- If you need help once you land in SD, please let us know. We can help pick up some folks if needed, etc.

- Additional Links

http://www.sandiego.org/nav/Visitors
http://www.sandiegobikeandkayaktours.com/
http://www.seaworld.com/
http://www.balboapark.org/
http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/visitors-guide/

More soon! Shaun

My ring and such

So, it's Sunday night, it was a long week after Omaha and the engagement party. I happened to get an infected tooth, part of a root canal from ten years ago and that was now fractured. So pain, Mon-Thur, then it got pulled on Friday... more pain. Tracy has been making sure I'm behaving myself during that time, and while she took the week off. Not sure we have a ton of news. We did pick up my ring this week, so I'll share that with everyone. I already have a family ring on my right hand that is gold, and didn't want another gold ring, so we found this Tungsten ring that has a celtic themed design that plays back to my Irish heritage.

Next on the agenda this week. Finalizing the music and a few other details that I'm sure Tracy will have me do :) We're really on a good pace to get it all done.

Cheers, Shaun

Omaha Engagement Party

First, thanks to everyone who came and joined our families in Omaha or rather Lake Wauconda.

We're having a slow start this morning, but just finished doing breakfast dishes for everyone.

The girls are going to Omaha for a bridal shower, I'm staying behind with the guys for
an afternoon of football :)

See ya back in Chicago.

Shaun

Video Blog Take One...

So, I am borrowing a camera from Canon for the next two weeks and decided to put Tracy to the test this morning while she works from home... and it's a way for me to learn the new technology too! Here is what our weekend has in store for us... and it's Tracy's voice speaking for the blog!

Enjoy! Shaun

Hotel Block choices

If you've checked out our wedding location/hotel, you'll notice they are pretty proud of their rooms... and yes they are nice. We also understand there are many different budgets out there. So with that in mind, we have put together two hotels with blocks.

The Hyatt in La Jolla and the Best Western also in La Jolla. There are plenty of other options too.

Rooms at the Best Western for the wedding rate are $119 (Sun-Thu) and $129 (Fri&Sat).
The Hyatt starts at $150.

Best Western Inn by the Sea

7830 Fay Avenue

La Jolla California 92037

800.526.4545

Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine

3777 La Jolla Village Drive,
San Diego, California, USA 92122
858 552 1234

There are lots of other choices. My folks are renting a house for a week, please feel free to contact us with questions if you are thinking about going...

Shaun and Tracy

Please excuse me while I skip ahead....

OK, DO NOT MISREAD THIS POST.... IT IS NOT INTENDED TO SCARE PARENTS OR PUT THOUGHTS IN YOUR HEAD, THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED YET. NO PLANNING UNTIL FEB. 7TH 2010.... IS THIS CLEAR? ok..... but little Ian Joseph is gonna have one cool car seat!!!! I wonder if leather and heated is gonna be an option!!!!

U2 and 7 months ago...

Well, it was the eve of a Seven month anniversary.... we spent it with some 70K fans, and my friends from U2!

Tracy is out picking invites and save-the-date cards.... I'm working.... kinda.

Stay tuned for hotel option information and please yell at Tracy if you have any questions or feel free to send me a picture of the dress if you have it :-)

More Pics

A few more pics......

San Diego Rewind and Reveal

So if you've not been on the phone this week with Tracy or myself.... you know we picked a place... The La Valencia it's in La Jolla... more info at www.lavalencia.com.

Have the contract and are ready to send it back with the deposit. A few tweaks here and there and we'll be set to send out the save-the-date cards.... I think I have to design those first!

Anyway, wanted to share a few pics from San Diego which was a 3+ day whirlwind... but well worth it. I can only imagine what the week of the wedding is gonna feel like!

Til next time. Shaun

Oh, and if you have questions about other places to stay, drop us a line or call my mom :)

Too many decisions... we go nuts!

Doesn't the picture say enough? More venues today after three yesterday... way too many considerations... but this was our face when we heard about the $3/slice cake cutting fee... we supply the cake.... guess what? Hope you like cupcakes!

San Diego Recon mission

OK, still no luck getting Tracy to write/shoot for the blog... please feel free to haze her like a Kabul Embassy guard!

So we're in San Diego to review some hotels, meet an officiant and check out a florists. Saturday is three hotel sites, then we move from Casa de Merila here in SD to the Hyatt. Sunday is a chill day with only one hotel visit. Monday is officiant, floral and the last hotel, then back on the plane back to the flat but actually nice weather of N. Illinois. We'll try and update with several pics and posts this weekend.

See you all soon. Shaun

Books of Invites....

Ahh, back for my weekly installment, so far, it's just my perspective on the March to Matrimony... I swear after all the ON Project ONE is done she'll write something!

So we all know Tracy has some very specific ideas of what she wants....no I'm not talking shoes... just the wedding plans here folks. So despite me having to work on short notice yesterday, we still got some wedding stuff done. Just like the dress... my "coutre" will be a secret, so just know it's not going to be a penguin suite! Nor will it be my blogged Orange Tux.... sheesh!

Thus with the time we had yesterday, and despite there being a really cool car show in Geneva, IL yesterday.... I spent two hours looking at paper...yes it was an invite-palooza you could say. I said it it strait out...don't have too much to add here, although upon book 11, I started to talk. Even Tracy was a bit worn out by the choices at the Paper Merchant... a very cool store in downtown Geneva.

In the end no choices were made.... more online looking and other stuff needs to happen... I suppose finding the location before we order invites might be a good start.... and don't fear, soon
a trip to San Diego will give me plenty of fuel for the Blog, maybe I'll even find a good application I can use to post from my iPhone.

Until then.... and an extra special treat of this sweet looking MGB? That is done up like a Jaguar D-type racer.

China is Chosen... a trip through registry madness

So Thursday night was our first trip on a bridal registry... I guess I made the first error. I started the account at Macy's online and used "my" name as the registrant and made Tracy the "Co".... guess that what happens in the new-age of marriage! The fun part of this all was that I'm really the kitchen guy, she's the bath towel and bed sheets gal.... and she probably hates me using "gal" because it's too Nebraska! So after adding a ton of Wusthof knives, some Le Crueset and other kitchen fun.... we moved to her favorite of China and Crystal... I was kinda dredding this, but as we browsed the selection... we were on the same page, which we usually are... unless it comes to mushrooms or food texture issues, but I digress... So in two hours we found a bunch of stuff. Next stop is Target, for the Nebraska folks we've also started a Borsheim's list
and we'll probably do a Crate and Barrell and for me..... Sears! Actually, I'd like to do
Calumet Photo... but I don't think that'll pass through Congress without a veto or serious fillibuster!

More soon..... Shaun

Meeting Grandma

So this weekend we road tripped it to Omaha for a quick three-day mission. Operation Grandma Meet started at 7 am on Friday morning when we jetted west but not via an airplane, but by car... testing Tracy's road trip abilities already proven with air travel, she's less of a car traveler!

Most of the drive was spent with Tracy talking on the phone... I know, big surprise to all of you... but she was working! Aside from some severe downpours from the Mississippi River to almost Newton, it was a good trip. We stopped by my dad's office, then over to the first meeting with Grandma who I call Nette, short for Jeannette. She's 91, in good health but has the beginnings of dementia/alzheimers. In this photo, Tracy is showing Nette the pics of the dress... still unseen by my eyes.

On Saturday while Tracy and Mom were getting their nails done, Dad and I hopped on the motorcycles and went for a 180 mile ride to go see the shootin' range for his cowboy shooting club. Pretty cool place on a very hot day as temps on the bike hit 112 at one point. We returned home, cleaned up then went back to Omaha for a dinner with Nette, her boyfriend Peter (yes... she has a boyfriend, but that's a different blog!). Night's aren't Nette's best time I learned, she really get's forgetful in the evening.

Sunday was back in the car but not before having breakfast with longtime friend Pat Schmid and his wife Albertha who were celebrating their 1st anniv. Wow that was a fast year, I was best man a year ago...wow,what's changed!

Hope to get Tracy to write soon... pressure her if you can :)

The Dress.... Kinda.

So last Friday was dress shopping day. (I wasn't present) Since everyone was in Delavan for the weekend the destination was Madison (the lower tax % didn't hurt either). Tracy, her Mom Kaye and best friend Carolyn headed off to find the dress. The short story, after a few tears and 15 dresses, the right one was found. The picture here is NOT the dress... because I can't see it... if you want to see it... e-mail Tracy! Or wait til February :*)

We also booked our flight to San Diego for Labor day so we can go scout places and meet with staff. We're flying SouthWest... man United really jacked up their prices for the holiday! A bit of a pain to go down to Midway, but we saved $200. I do find it funny using the United rewards card to pay Southwest!

OK, what else is there to share... I'm still trying to get approval to rent the Bentley our Aston Martin DB-9... hmmmm.

Next on the list... photographer, invites, and so much more!

I shopped for what?

Sheesh, so you'd think I could go to Michaels for a little arts and crafts.... I'll explain that later, but there's wedding stuff there too... did you know you can't get away from it? Facebook sees you're engaged and plasters you with ads (hey, it's a free website...shouldn't complain).

Engagement party in Omaha is starting to take shape, still need a location for the big event. Really think we need to go to San Diego to do some scouting, so hard to do via a website. Then it's amazing how folks don't call you back.

Anyway, saw this funny little cake topper tonight, so thought I'd share it... I didn't buy it!

Tuxedo Option? Please Vote

So looking for Tux options that are beach friendly... this was my first choice... I think I have a better chance of renting the Audi R8 that I want.

One Week In

So we're one week into the adventure.... sorry for the lack of posts. This week has been all about guest lists for the two locations and figuring out the two locations. Unfortunately, the Del Coronado is just too expensive... but will be calling on a few other places. Mostly Tracy was in Canada all week, so it's been difficult to start everything with her up drinkin' Molson's all week! Even as I dropped her off at O'Hare...she was on a conference call!

First View

It's been a long run for both of us, both of us, staying single til almost 40. Our first date fell on Valentine's Day of this year and it's been difficult to keep us apart since then.

Lots of planning to do, lots of talking this weekend, can't wait to get a few more things set in stone! More soon. Shaun