Basketball Rivalry

Since day 1 of Tanner and I's courtship, there has been a little bit of a basketball rivalry. I love the Lakers and he loves the Celtics. Tanner doesn't just love the Celtics, but he really hates the Lakers..one person in particular, Kobe Bryant. I happen to just love Kobe and think he has swag and is an amazing player! (Yeah I just wrote swag on my blog) Tanner thinks he is a big jerk and I agree, cheating on your wife is jacked and he has definitely made some dumb moves in his personal life. My love for Kobe Bryant all started years ago when (former) Vanessa Bryant would bring their cute daughters to the games and they would be wearing Laker's outfits all decked out in rhinestones and just looking so adorable. She would also shop in the childrens boutique I worked at. Anyway, I digress. I love Kobe and Tanner hates him. Just a little (humorous) story to explain:

One January evening we were snuggled up watching a Lakers vs. Clippers game and afterwards Tanner reccomended we go for a walk. (Mind you it was about 10 PM) We headed out the front door and I just thought my future hubby was being so romantic, wanting to talk about our future and where we will live in 10 years and how great our wedding day will be. He casually says "So babe, I really want to talk about this Kobe Bryant thing. This is a big deal to me". I have to admit I was a little taken back and shocked by this sentence. (I thought he was going to tell me how beautiful I was and maybe ask if I preferred pearls or diamonds?) He says "This is something we definitely need to talk about, I don't know how you could like someone so much who is such a jerk." I was a little bit speechless- were we really having a chat about Kobe Bryant and my love affair with him? Was Tan going to dump me because I love the Black Mamba?? I casually explained to him that while I loved the Lakers and Mr. Bryant, I would willingly cheer for his favorite teams too, all in the name of love. He seemed a little bit happier with this answer, but still needed more. I explained I just can't give up my love for the Lakers because I LOVE LA. I also had to explain that while maybe one day I could also be a Celtics fan, for now I just can't give up my purple and gold. We ended the conversation on a "lets agree to disagree" note. My sports loving (and sports genius!) man simply wants his fiance to be on his side when it comes to all things basketball. I totally get this, I want him to be on my side when it comes to loving Target and Nordstrom. So this where the C word comes in: COMPROMISE! A little thing I hear works great in marriage. I am willing to make a compromise and not (talk about my) love for Kobe Bryant as much and love the Celtics more, so Tan can know his fiance is on his team when it comes to sports.
Tonight, both of us will be happy as we head to the Staples Center to watch the Clippers take on the Jazz. This is because we both like the Clippers (Can't wait to see Blake Griffin) and he likes the Jazz too. So we won't be taking any romantic walks this week discussing our basketball rivalry.

I am excited for a hot date night tonight with my man and some basketball!!

Here's to loving your fiance's favorite teams just as much as your own, and watching Blake Griffin dunk tonight!(And compromising on your love for Target and Nordstrom, too. I am workin on this one)

Sun and Beach

It's official.. Fiance booked our honeymoon!! We will be headed to Cabo San Lucas on July 22 to enjoy 1 week in the Mexican sunshine.. Cannot wait to spend 7 days here with my Hubby to be!!
It is called the Riu Santa Fe, a gorgeous, all inclusive resort right along the beach in Cabo.. neither of us have ever been to Mexico (other then stops on a cruise ship) so we can't wait to go. 3 months and 26 days better get here really fast because I am ready for a vacation with my man!! (Now I gotta get my bikini body back in order here!!)

Stress and Smiling

I wasn't too worried till the General Manager of my hotel said the following to me today:

"Do you realize you are doing the 3 most stressful things you will ever do in your entire life all at once? 1. Graduate school and find a real job 2. Get Married 3. Move? How are you smiling?"

Today I am feelin it. I am feelin the major stress of trying to complete 1 more (16 unit) quarter at Cal Poly all so I can walk and graduate June 9th. Trying to think of going through another quarter of school including midterms and finals freaks me out a wee bit, while trying to work full time, too. Also, during this time I need to get lots of wedding planning done so I am not a hot mess come July and so you guys all have some sort of party to show up to. (Because after all, if y'all didn't exist, Mr. Nielsen and I would be getting hitched this Saturday in Vegas and honeymooning for a year in Fiji). And of course Somewhere in the midst of all this, Fiance and I need to find some sort of apartment to move into, so we aren't living in Chateau-de-Anne's-childhood-bedroom or Tanner's-bachelor-pad-that-needs-to-be-vacuumed.

Today is the 4 month mark till July 21 and peeps, I am feelin it. Mr. GM wasn't lying when he said these were some stressful times. But how am I smiling? Well, I have a fiance that simply tells me to make a list and he'll do it. He helps me make decisions when I am freaking out (Because it was up to me, we wouldn't have to make decisions ever and we would get to change our mind 13 times). He is doing our honeymoon and I love him for that. I have a fabulous maid of honor sister that ran all over town, scouring Targets for the proper flower girl outfit sizes and reported in to me via text while I was at work. I've got another fablous maid of honor sister that has searched high and low for bridesmaid dresses and is my go to graphic design girl for all things invitations. I have another maid of honor (Do you see what I mean about the decision thing? I couldn't pick 1 maid of honor, I had to pick 3 because decisions are for losers) that has already planned a Palm Springs girls weekend bachelorette getaway. I've got a grooms family that freakin rocks and is planning an entire separate reception for us in Utah, and helping in every way possible here! I've got supportive and wonderful parents, beautiful bridesmaids, and lots of help from lots of people.

So through all this stress, it is definitely easy to smile. Unless I think about moving into the fiance's-bachelor-pad-that-needs-to-be-vacuumed. That might be biggest stress #4.

Chopsticks and Soup Bowls

On Saturday, the iphone rang and fiance asked me out on a hot date for that evening. He had the sweetest idea to hit up the Ranch Market by mi casa for a little japanese inspired sushi date. I came over (after a 3 hour Saturday nap) and we made our way over to the store. We wandered the aisles and picked up everything we needed including sushi mats and immitation crab. He had to drag me out of the kitchen aisle kicking and screaming while I begged him for authentic chopsticks, Japanese soup bowls and spoons for our future apartment. Come on, doesn't that sound dreamy? We could have been sitting on pillows on the floor eating out of our soup bowls. Anyway, I wasn't successful on that pitch. Moving on!

We got back to Mr. Nielsen's bachelor pad and started our sushi fun.

All of the ingredients for California Rolls, Sushi Mat and Seaweed, Miso Soup and Wasabi!

Sushi was much easier to make then we originally thought. We boiled our rice and added the proper ingredients, rolled everything up, and were amazed at how pro we were.

Our finished product..California Rolls!

Pretty sure on the way home from the Ranch Market, I said to Tan that I never knew I would find my soulmate, a man who would ask me out to make sushi in his kitchen. He is the best. Now can we go pleeease go buy those soup bowls and pillows to sit on? Arigatou Gozaimasu!

Coming along.

We've got a date set, a guest list coming along on excel, a beautiful location reserved, the cutest photographer booked, colors finalized and pinned (Love pinterest), a DJ ready to play, and our loved ones asked and ready to be in our bridal party. But, there is still lots to be done. We need a florist, I kinda need a dress, perhaps some food to feed y'all, fiance needs a suit, maybe some invitations so people know where to show up..Ya know, just a few of the essentials. But I am okay because most importantly, one thing is for certain, I get him.

The best choice I could have ever made, and am certain that I will ever make.

He puts up with (and loves) me and all of my crazy.

Love him to the moon and back.

(Above photo is us in Vegas months ago, moments before Tanner won $250 playing bingo. We. have. so. much. fun. )

Some crazy story.

Moments after My Man Popped the Question.
(We are clearly thrilled. And I am clearly a hot mess.)

I think when people ask, they expect some crazy story! The most commonly asked questions once you get engaged are the following:

"How did you guys meet?"
"How long have you dated?"
"How did he propose?"

...and before you know it you feel like you have told the same story 54 billion times. When people ask, I just look at Tanner and give him the signal to go for it and share the story. Or sometimes, he nudges me first and its my turn to give the scoop. We met through church friends, we dated for exactly 6 months&4 days before he popped the question, and he proposed to me after a romantic dinner out, on top of a hill in Irvine that overlooked the city, where he pulled the ring out of his sock. And it was perfect.

Nothing too crazy happened in between, other then the fact that we fell madly in love and can't wait to spend this whole life together, by each others side. No crazy story, but thats perfectly fine with us! Stop by this blog anytime you want to catch up with the Nielsen's. Mrs. Nielsen is wrapped up (and loving!) every second of wedding planning and Mr. Nielsen is wrapped up (and loving!) every second of March Madness. Together they make a perfect pair. And for the record, anytime you nudge me babe, I am thrilled to share our perfectly boring love story and will be forever.