Here We Go, Steelers! Here we go! Pittsburgh's going to the SuperBowl! Here We Go!

Yes, I have become a Steelers fan. It was bittersweet two years ago when they passed the cowboys in Super Bowl wins. I am still a big Dallas Cowboys fan, but the Steelers win consistently. AND I like to see Andy happy :)

With him being born and raised right outside of Pittsburgh, PA, he is a die hard Steelers fan. He brings his Terrible Towel over when we watch their games. This past year was fun because we found a pub that actually turns into a "Steelers Bar" on football game days. They play all kinds of crazy songs about the Steelers and going to the Super Bowl. It is so much fun! I wish we had gotten tickets to go to the big game. We looked into it, but at $2500 a pop...sheesh.



Andy couldn't stay away from all the festivities over in Fort Worth, so before all the weather hit the week before, we hit up Sundance Square Monday January 31. It was also the same day we finalized our venue selection, so mom was in town as well! It was a great time, and it was fun to be among all the excitement.
 
 

ESPN



Yes people, I know we didn't win :) This post is really delayed. Life is hectic!

Wow...and giggles

On January 28, Andy and I went to this sales pitch thing that I was suckered into. Apparently, you win these prizes and to claim them have to go to a demonstration of a companies’ cooking products. Well, I am a sucker. Andy, not so much.

I talked him into going since we were going to claim a 3 day 2 night stay at a resort (flights not included) as well as some other gifts like free wedding bands, his and her aprons, and an entry into a drawing for a Harley motorcycle.

Never again.  First, I had not slept in 36 hours (worked the night before in the ICU), and then the presenter could not make it for personal reasons (which were given to us in too much detail by the telemarketer who greeted us at the door). The telemarketer, who apparently just rejoined this company, gave this presentation/demo using these cooking products. Stumbling through the presentation (I think we all felt terrible for him) he was not quite the salesman. Then came the part where we claimed our prize….

The salesman arrived at the end of the presentation and had Andy and me sitting there for 30minutes. These people don’t let up. They try to bargain and will do anything to sell you something. Somehow these cooking pots/pans went from $2400 to $1899 to $1499 each time we declined the offer. When we finally gave him our final “no,” this crazy man tries to talk us into a different and less expensive trip. He tried to tell us flights would cost $1200! And he expected us to choose one of the hotel options that we could drive to. Ha! I checked. He was trying to trick us J We received our travel voucher after half an hour of bargaining, and I will never agree to attend anything like that again. Here is my happy little man at the end of a long night...haha.

Very chipper :) but handsome even when he's mad

ELATED!!!

ELATED! I can’t even tell you how relieved I am to have a venue!! As those closest to me know, I am the absolute worst at pulling the trigger on anything. Making decisions is not my specialty. J It feels so good to know (as of 1/31/11) that I actually have a ceremony and reception location!

I always wanted a ceremony/reception at ONE location, and I was determined to have just that…the convenience and ease of having everything in one place is so appealing. Funny how things never go as planned.
I agreed to look at one chapel (thinking that I would still want an “all in one” venue) because Andy suggested it, and his opinion matters. Then I fell in love with Marty Leonard Chapel. The lighting, the straight lines, so intricately designed, beautiful. The tricky part was, there was zero availability! No evenings were available! Devastation came after the excitement…we continued our search of venues and found some that would be very cool and awesome places to celebrate!

Then came the email from Marty Leonard Chapel…a date opened up! By this time, I had kind of moved on and found other places I was happy with. I had the lady hold the date for one week while we searched for reception venues in Fort Worth. No luck. No luck. Nope, not that one either.

We were so stressed out during this time and felt so rushed to figure things out in seven days...breakdown after breakdown, yes, I was unstable...haha.
It was then narrowed down to Hickory Street Annex (very cool/trendy place), Arlington Hall at Lee Park (elegant, beautiful), and Marty Leonard Chapel with either Stonegate Mansion or Fort Worth Club.

After much deliberation, still no decision was made. Yet, another breakdown.

Andy, my mom, and I went to Fort Worth to see yet another possible reception venue we had not checked out yet. We decided to swing by Fort Worth Club one more time since Andy had not seen it yet. He really liked it, and I realized that it was the perfect place for us! It is elegant and beautiful! The decision making process for venue was over. Thank goodness! I am so excited about where we are having our ceremony and reception! No, it is not the all-in-one location, and I am totally okay with that!

What I learned through this process...I am ecstatic to be marrying Andy Harcar, regardless of location! But I have to admit it is nice to be stoked about the location of our union! :)



photo by Brandon Burns



Photo by Greg Hursley







Christmas At the Berg's

Christmas at the Berg’s

Well, Christmas at the Berg House…always a good time. This year was extra interesting.  It was hectic. More hectic than it normally is. Two extra people, two extra dogs, and an extra cat. Lauren spent her first Christmas with us, and it was Landry Anne’s first Christmas! Laura, Matthew, Laney, and Landry all stayed in the front bedroom. Landon, Lauren, and their two dogs in his old bedroom, and I was in my old bedroom with Tink, my Canadian kitty J 

It was a calm Christmas Eve with BBQ for supper, preparing reindeer food and cookies for Santa, and some visiting and catching up. Richard and Virginia Crowell have joined us for Christmas since Matthew and Laura were married. It was a quick trip this year, but we are all looking forward to cramming one more in (Andy!!).

Here are a bunch of pictures of mostly my beautiful nieces, Laney and Landry, and other shots that Laura took over the holiday.

 

Bumpa reading to the girls

So excited about Christmas!!

 





I think this was some ornament from San Antonio

 

Beautiful Crowell Family

Good morning, good morning!!!