DigiDude and HerStory (or MathMatriarch)

So, mi mamá needs some really early Save the Dates to send out to some of her friends and our family, but we haven't taken engagement pictures yet, so I asked Lawry if he could design some sort of Lovey Bird Save the Date postcard.  And, let me tell you folks, that man is good with a computer, so much so that I told him that if he were a superhero, he'd be digital.  He said he'd fight spam with his digital powers.  Anyway, through the process of the designing, he became... dun dun dun... DIGIDUDE! Which I think works because of the digital prowess and that fact that he says "dude" often.  I got two superhero names because I want to be MathMatriach, but for now, I'm HerStory.
Anyway, DigiDude finished his Save the Date task, and because the bloggies are my favorite, I will give you a sneak peek.

Holy Macaroni, he's good!

Putting together an appropriate superhero outfit for the D-Dude,
MathMatriarch (I originally wanted "MathMaid," but the "maid" part bothered my feminism gene)

Artifical Green Sunshine

Okay, I don't think I've ever expressed my enamored-ness with Habitat for Humanity's ReStore on the blogosphere before, but it's never too late.  The ReStore is the greatest thing to happen to contributing to Habitat, reusing, and getting really groovetastic stuff.  And, it's heck-a-cheap.  For serious.  You should visit sometime, you find the coolest stuff.  Like this awesome floor lamp!

It was... eight-flippin'-dollars!

Well, plus the two more dollars I paid to buy a new globe thing for the middle light since I broke the original matching one as I carried the lamp across the parking lot.

And check out the little flippy-on things! I wish I had more time in a semester, I would love to work/volunteer at ReStore.

When I showed Lawry my new lamp through cell phone picture he said, "The Wambrano home is going to ROCK!"  Besides his love of post- and modern things, I'm glad we have similar decor ideas.

Flipping my cool new lamp on and off so I can see how the light comes through the milkglass,
MJ

Real Simple = Future Housewife Fairy Godmothers Shining Down Upon Us

So, my Real Simple gets mailed to Indiana, meaning: I hadn't read the magazine ALL SUMMER!  In order to make up for this, I took my four issues, a pen, and a little note-pad and I got my Real Simple magazine on at B&N.  It inspired me to do this:

His and Hers salmon tostadas! Except for that the fact that they were just HERS tostadas.  I'm not ashamed... they were divine, plus who only eats one tostada anyway?  That's like only eating one taco.  It's okay, I had gone running that morning and I ate a banana that day, it cancels out any unhealthy-ness.

A Reason The Sun Feels So Warm

Before Lawry left on his flight back to Texas, he gave me several self-addressed and stamped envelopes so I can write him letters this semester, and few blank envelopes and more stamps so I can write other people, too.  He also wrote a note for me to read the day after his flight.  I'm looking forward to this year, and I cannot wait to be married to him.

Saturday, here's lookin' at you,
MJ

The Post of Your Dreams

For the bloggies, I bring the tale of riding a horse backwards, creating art with our bare hands, and dancing until our hearts were filled with love feelings and happily ever after thoughts

First, le art

You might notice that the red of his new man mug matches the red of his then beard.  I was a fan.

Lawry wanted us to paint pottery that would remind us of our wedding every time we look at it.  Even though that honkin' heap o' diamonds reminds me all the time, I do love my new rice bowl.  I will eat rice, black beans, and umm... maybe avocados (when in season) in it.  Also, cereal.

Now, dancing... Lawry wanted to practice our "first dance" song for the Love Party in May.  Which song did we pick? Come to Denton on May 28th to find out!

Bestest for lastest... riding a horse backwards.  You probably figured this out... cause I did, but when I was guessing in my head I thought, "Surely that's not it, not because it wouldn't be hilar, but I bet that's not it."  But bloggies, we were both right.  And, that's why I don't have a picture of it.  'Cause Lawry got on all fours and I "rode a horse backwards" around his living room.  Being married to him is going to be awe-to the-some.

Riding horses backwards,
MJ

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

I'm getting ready to start another year of grad school in Bloomington and I'm sitting in my apartment reflecting on the past year and thinking forward to this coming year.  Lawry has rubbed off on me, I'm becoming increasingly sappier.  In any case, on the whole I feel blessed and I feel cared for... by family, friends, and Lawry.  I think I'm more prepared for the upcoming school year.  I'm looking forward to it, and I'm glad I spent a summer at home.

Lawry wanted to stop at Five Guys to get a greasy hamburger delight after a 10 hour drive to St. Louis.  Delightful! We split the fries because Eat This, Not That told me to.

Then, we drove to Indiana, and we ALMOST missed the state line... but the bumpier roads indicated our arrival.  We got in to Bton, moved me back in, re-set up the apartment, got half-off a pizza, and some delicious ice cream for dinner.

Sappy greetings from IU,
MJ

Hopeless Bloggeromantic

I'm reading my book about men for our pre-marital counseling and it's all about l'amour! And, then I was stalking Today's Letters, new favorite blog, and one follower commented about how a song made her want to have "84 babies with the misterrr."  Well, I don't have a Mr. quite yet, and I definitely don't want childrens quite yet (read: still too self-involved, if you have questions about that, read some blog entries), but there is a song that makes mi corazon melt for the Almostttt Misterr



Looking for pretty pots for my lilacs and buttercups,
MJ

When I bend my knees, crazy things happen

Lawry and I inadvertently organized a triple date this weekend.  And, it was fun.  We went to Tin Star to enjoy some delightfully good tacos and queso.  I love Tin Star.  It is always on my "Hello Texas!" list and my "I will miss the good food when I leave" list.  Anyway, enough about my love for tacos.  First, Blake, her hilar husband, David, and their not-a-puppy,-not-yet-a-dog, Emma came to visit Lewisville this weekend, so we could see each other before I leave for Indiana (that southern state that parades around as a northern state).  Then, I found out the Leverenzos were going to be in the D half of the DFW this weekend, and well, when you join the forces of Double Davids, their wifeys and Lawz and myself, you get... salsa dancing! Sabroso!

Blake hunted down the guy that took the group photo, well done friend!

Afterward, we went to Fat Straws, only the best bubble tea place the world over.  I have tried others, all pale in comparison to Fat Straws.  Finally, Lawry and I went back to my casa and had another Latin dancing party with my mom, who will stop everything to dance :)

Cheers to good friends, they refresh the soul,
MJ (and Lawster)

Whatever happened to predictability?

Well, not everything is uncanny in San Franny, but this sure was:

But, to be fair, I edited it a little bit and added some extra weird-ness to this sunglasses display.

My first thought about San Francisco? "This DOESN'T look like Full House.  I'm disappointed."  But, then we found the areas that did look like the show and my sister and I staged a reenactment of the opening credits of the show.

I'm listening intently, she's drinking the Dr. Pepper that we saved from the plane on the way over to SF.

I just got owned by the pinball game in the big coin-operated machine museum at Fisherman's Wharf

We found a dollar! What luck! Let's buy gum!

Savoring my last days in the Texas heat,
MJ

This post is diamonds.

The people asked, and a re-energized MJ will deliver.  The text from the Old Spice Date asking-outage.

The setting:

A girl wrapped up in a blanket sitting on a stool complaining about how she's cold and in the background a boy wrapping a towel around his waist.  Girl has her eyes closed and is also giving out various guesses about her surprise.

Boy appears and all text following is delivered by "The Man Your Man Looks EXACTLY Like" or TMYMLEL.

T-L: Well hello Malsi? How are you? Fantastic!
Do you like what you see? OF COURSE you do! I'm the Man Your Man Looks EXACTLY Like. And, I know what you're thinking.  Yes, I do workout.  Why, with these pecs I could bench press the Eiffel tower.  And, with biceps this large, I could uproot a mighty redwood and then caress it back to life with the beautifully full, rich tenor of the my smooth, seductive voice.  And, with these rock hard abs, I could probably do between one and three leg raises before having to take a breather.  Oh yes, the man your man looks exactly like is quite a sight to behold.  So you're welcome for the stunning visual.  But, I digress.  The man your man looks exactly like is here, on a mission!  I am here on behalf of your actual man to deliver this message:

(side note: Lawry memorized the above part, the below part he read from the message)

Dear Malsi... Hmmm... I'll paraphrase...
Dearest love of my life person and permanent someday roommate,
I am proposing that tomorrow, you and I will share a day of sweeping you of your feetedness and romantic happy funtivities.  Should you choose to accept my offer, our day together will include, but is not limited to the following:
Preparing a mighty smorgasbord with you and enjoying the bountiful feast and provisions of our labor
Taming a wild beast
Riding a horse backwards while a fanfare of perpetual guitar solos announce our grand entrance
Knocking down a wall
Serenading you with the soft disarming quality of my voice and instrument playing
Creating art with our bare hands
And finally, ending the night with an intimate dance together that will fill your soul with endless love feelings and happily ever after thoughts.

Yours truly forever and ever, your actual man,
Lawrence R. Welch.

This message is now diamonds!

Malsi, do you accept the offer proposed by your permanent someday roommate, Lawrence?
Me: Ha! Yes, of course I do!
Man Your Man Looks EXACTLY Like: Fantastic!

This was quite long, so stayed tuned for episode three of Old Spice Guy Date when I explain how we knocked down a wall, created art, tamed a wild beast and rode horses backwards!

Enjoying hummus,
MJ

c/o Lawrence R. Welch

First of all, he has shorts on underneath.  Lawry is only a slightly scandalous ginger.  He dressed up as "the man my man looks EXACTLY like" to ask me out on an "Old Spice Date."  This is why I'm marrying him.  That and he still has a stuffed animal lion named "Roary" from his childhood.  Also, he enjoys the Mexican food I make with my bare hands.

Le tired,
MJ