Let's get some chocolate and get outta here!

So, I wrote this on Sunday, but we got so busy at work I couldn't post my pictures so here they are!

Yesterday, Saturday, Bobby and I went to Bridgman, Michigan, with my cousins Casey and Phil for the 4th annual Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival on Weko Beach . The sun was shining, it was a bit humid but there was not a cloud in the sky. Although our trip started a little rocky (we were supposed to pick up Casey and Phil at 11:30 and didn't leave the house until 11:30 and we still had to stop at my parents) but it was a relax day with no schedule or specific plans other than to grab lunch and then hit the festival.

We had lunch at Redamak's in New Buffalo, and after we ate, we just HAD to play in the arcade.

The festival itself was a little different from what I expected. We bought the tickets about a week before and I figured that was what we would have to pay for tasting. I was wrong. Each taste of wine was a dollar and then, if you wanted, you could buy a glass for somewhere between $5-$7. If wine wasn't your thing, The Round Barn has a distillery and they were offering two different beers for $5 a glass. After about an hour, we headed down to the beach to relax in the sun since it was such a beautiful day. And, believe it or not, we actually did go swimming. It was pretty cold but once we were in it was tolerable.

On our way home we stopped at this GREAT Italian restaurant in Three Oaks, called Capozio's. It was fantastic! The prices were reasonable, portions were huge and so much flavor! It is definitely someplace we will have to go again soon. What a way to end the day!

Casey and Phil at Redamak's

Our Wedding

Bobby and I were married April 18, 2009, at Sunnyside Presbyterian Church in South Bend. There were many reasons we chose this date- while the weather, work schedule and ND home games were all factored into our decision, we both wanted to incorporate our families and ancestry into our wedding. April 19, 2009, Bobby's parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, while we couldn't pick the 19th since it was a Sunday, we chose the day before- as close as we could get.

The church we were married in was where my fathers parents were married in 1941. This was the church that my grandfather attended when he was a child and where his parents had been members of the congregation. As silly as it sounds, being married there helped me feel more connected to my family and allowed me to feel as though I was honoring their memory.

The ceremony went well but everyone knows there will always be something special that occurs to help remember the day. During our pre-marital meetings with the pastor, he asked us if we wanted pew candles that the church provided and said that most people use them for their ceremonies. I specifically asked how safe they were. I wanted to know what kept them from catching things on fire or dripping wax on people. He said they were fine, the candles sat about 5 feet high and he had never had any problems, so Bobby and I said sure, why not?

After the pastor said "I would like to present Mr. and Mrs. Price," we stepped down the steps to make our exit. As I was walking past my parents pew, my dress snagged on the bottom of the 5 foot pew candle holder and caused it to tip. Thank goodness my dad was on his "A game" because he caught the candle holder about 2 1/2 feet before it hit the ground, with the candle still in place. While he was sitting there holding onto this candle, contemplating what he was going do with it, my Matron of Honor walked by and very casually blew it out. Now that's a great friend! Besides, it would not have looked good for a FIREFIGHTER to burn down her great grandparents church!

Our reception was a blast! The cake was beautiful and the photobooth a hit. Before the night was over, the "'ole ball and chain" made it's appearance and the tradition continued. When my parents were married in 1970, his buddies took a bowling ball, filled it with cement, painted it black and made a ball and chain. Ever since then it (well a replica) has reappeared at his friend's weddings and then it was passed on to their children. It is a great tradition that will hopefully continue through the generations.

Bobby and I are very fortunate that we have come from very strong and loving families. One of the qualities that connects and bonds us to each other is the value and appreciation we have for our families; not only our parents, grandparents and ancestors, but also the extended family that has surrounded us through the years. Families help shape who you are. No matter what, they love and support you, even when it might be hard. Our families have helped mold who we are today and in essence helped us to find each other. I hope that as time goes on, the relationship that Bobby and I have is a testament to the love that has surrounded us through the years and that everyday we honor those whose memories we carry.

A Bit About Us

Welcome to our new page! I thought this would be a great way to keep our family and friends updated on the latest with our family.

In a few days, Bobby and I will be celebrating our 2 month anniversary. It is really hard to believe that we have been married for two months! It seems like yesterday he proposed to me on Silver Beach and we started planning for our wedding.

We had a wonderful wedding. After almost burning down the church (how many people can say that?) our reception was fantastic! We both have great families who know how to have a good time so it was very interesting. The photobooth was a hit and we ended up with a great scrapbook of the craziness of everyone.

For those that don't know, Bobby and I met almost 9 years ago in a Basic EMT class. He remembers, I don't. (oops) About 5 years ago, I was stationed at Medic 12 in the county and my ambulance covered his district. We became friends and would see each other on calls and social gatherings and became "MySpace" friends. We both learned that we shared a love of SCUBA diving and always said we should go diving sometime. I was transferred to the city almost two years after I went to Medic 12 and we occasionally sent messages on MySpace.

One day I was unloading a patient at Memorial when I saw Bobby and he said we should get together and go diving. August 1st, 2007, I met up with Bobby at Mr. G's a bar in Osceola. We sat and talked for almost 2 hours. We quickly became friends and began spending more time with each other. We were finally able to dive together on August 8, 2007, at the lake house and it was an interesting experience. We had to hitch a ride with a very nice guy because we were out of air and surfaced almost 1/4 mile away from the house. That would have been a heck of a swim! with all our gear and already being tired from the dive.

Since that day our lives together have continued to be an adventure and I wake up each morning excited to see what is in store.