New Zealand!

Ahhhh New Zealand. The land stole our hearts. I really wanted to update the blog while we were there but internet wasn't the best, we were usually in smaller towns. Instead I kept up with a travel journal that'll just transfer here. Just to give you some perspective, New Zealand's population is 4 million people. LA's population is also 4 million.

Bryan and I feel so lucky. We got to have two honeymoons. The first was a road trip up the coast of CA and New Zealand was our second. Some people think we're nuts to share our honeymoon with about 50 strangers but to us, it was perfect. We went on a Contiki trip. Contiki is a tour group where you travel by bus with up to 50 other people. The trip includes hotels, breakfast, transportation, 5 dinners, tour guide, and stress free holiday. All we had to do was pick which activity we wanted to do for the day. The strangers became friends and the land became our playground. We miss New Zealand and totally have the travel bug!!! I think each day should have it's own post so sit back and get ready for our trip of a life time!

December 21st 2010

Bryan and I excited to get to New Zealand!!!

Andrea and I making use of our layover...a fan was involved.

Getting the news that the plane wasn't going to take off yet...

The past couple of days have been crazy. On December the 19th we got on our plane around 8pm. We meet our best friends Mike and Andrea at the gate before we boarded. We were so happy they wanted to join us on our adventure. They also got married this summer so it was like a double honeymoon. Little did we know there was a problem with it. We waited on the plane for about two hours before we actually took off. I guess this wasn't that big of a deal because we had a layover in Sydney for 6 hours. We had lots of time to kill. It was better to spend that time on the plane where we each had our own TV. This wasn't what I was use to. The seats went back further and the food wasn't that bad either! Once the plane was about to take off Bryan gave me a small pill to help me sleep (Thanks Kristy)! After I took it the world was spinning and I was super happy. I felt great. I pasted out before the plane was off the ground. We all took a little something to aid in our slumber. We slept pretty well, for being on a plane.

When we landed in Sydney, Bryan and I really wanted to try an Austrailian beer. I don't remember what it was called but it was good. The layover went quick, next thing I knew we were in Auckland New Zealand. Arriving in Auckland was thrilling. Everything was so green. the view from the plane was straight out of a movie. the water was crashing against the cliffs. It was green for miles. Driving in a super shuttle was scary. i don't think I'll get use to how they drive on the opposite side of the road. we checked into our hotel and made reservations at the Orbit restaurant at the top of the skytower. dinner was pricy but the view was worth it. It was a great way to kick off the beginning of the trip.

Auckland is so clean. It reminds us of San Francisco, if it was clean. HA. we love having Mike and Andrea with us. It's great to have friends with us that get to share in this journey together. It's also nice to have another couple that cares about pictures as much as we do. This whole trip will be documented in so many ways. It's our once in a life time trip. Tomorrow we meet our whole tour group. We can't wait!!!

The view from the skytower...

The tower was red and green for Christmas.

Bryan, me, Andrea and Mike...Kicking off our trip of a life time!

Christmas came early this year!

Bryan and I went down to San Diego to spend Christmas with my side of the family. It was a wonderful day. We opened presents, had dinner, and played games! It was so much fun. My mom also worked extra had to bake real gingerbread for our gingerbread houses. When I was a kid we made gingerbread houses every year! We weren't allowed to eat them until new years day...It was torture! :) We loved it! Bryan put a dead gingerbread man in the backyard of our gingerbread house.

7 Days until New Zealand :)

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving! Oh Thanksgiving...I'm not someone who cooks a lot, well...I guess at all really. HAHA. I guess I just thought I would start when I was all grown up. I haven't hit that point yet but Thankgiving seems to bring out the cook in everyone. I was put in charge of deviled eggs, and chopping everything. I was way good :) I'm excited for what I get next year!

Dusty, my little brother, and me!

Bags are packed, we're ready to go!!

Our package of Info from Contiki!!!

5 days away from one of the biggest adventures of our lives! When Bryan and I began to plan our honeymoon, we couldn't decide where to go. I really wanted to go somewhere where we wouldn't go again. A once in a life time trip! Bryan wanted to go somewhere where we would be active and not just sitting on a beach :) When googling adventure honeymoon, New Zealand kept coming up. We took it as a sign and looked into it.
I found a trip called Contiki. This group plans the whole trip for you: best cities, sights, bars...they book your hotels, meals, activities and transportation. Below is our trip itinerary so you can all keep up with us on our adventure :)
An extra special thank you to the people who registered for our honeymoon gifts!

Sarah, Em, Mike, Kurt, College team, Rickers, Adam, Jessica Sayers, Jessica Benson, Gini and Erin, Kathy, Patsy, Aunt Terry, Renee, The Rocks, The Santells, Dusty, Janice, Monica, The Barkers, Jeff and Andy, and Will. You guys Rock!!

Dec 22: Hotel, Bounty inn Paihia. Bay of Islands
Dec 24th: Hotel, Kiwi Paka Waitomo. Waitomo
Dec 25th: Hotel, Sudima Hotel. Rotorua
Dec 26th: Hotel, Lakeland Resort. Taupo
Dec 27th: Hotel, Abel Tasman Hotel. Wellington
Dec 29th: Hotel, Bealey's Hotel. Christchurch
Dec 30th: Rainforest Retreat. Franz Josef
Dec 31st: Aspen on Queenstown. Queenstown
Jan 3rd: Real Journeys Milford
Jan 4th: Lake Ohau Lodge Twizel. Ohau
Jan 5th: Bealey's Hotel. Christchurch
Jan 7th: Come home

We'll try and post pictures as much as we can!

Halloween!

Halloween was a bit different this year. Since Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, we wanted to do something low key. We had a BBQ with some friends and his family. Then Bryan's younger brother, Ricky, set up his projector and we watched "Shawn of the Dead" on the side of the garage. We had wine, beer and popcorn. It was so much fun. A tradition I would love to continue!

Kathy (mother-in-law) and I cooking Halloween dinner.

OUr Pumpkins!

On Bryans birthday, Shannon and Jason came with us to pick out our pumpkins. After getting our pumpkins we went out to dinner :)

Labor day Weekend

Bryan and I have been so lucky in life. We have wonderful families and amazing friends! Labor day weekend was extra special for us. We went on a camping trip to Lake Elsinore with both of our families and long time friends. Here is a picture of me and my two best girls. Candace, Andrea and I. I've know Candace since I was two and Andrea since I was six-ish. Everything I have gone through in life, good or bad, these girls have been there for me. It is the best feeling in the world to have their support.









Our friends, Mike and Andrea, brought their new wakeboarding boat that weekend. We couldn't be happier for them! Andrea and I have been wakeboarding together since we were 7 or 8 years old. We always dreamed of the day we could do these trips together. Now those trips are happening and it feels awesome. This is a picture of us girls and our husbands. I can't wait to watch our families grow!

Me and my moms. Mom and Mother-in-law.

Kenny doing a flip! He did such an awesome job :)

Honeymoon Redwoods!

This was our final destination. We were so excited to be in the redwoods!! Our campsite was amazing. The weather was perfect. Next to the campsite was a river with a rope swing. We had the best time on the river and we drove through the Avenue of the Giants and saw a ton of big ass trees. HA!

driving through a redwood

REDWOOD TREE ROOTS!

Our final good bye!

We had the most wonderful time!

Honeymoon campground three

This video was at the beach in Carmel. We took a day trip from our Big Sur campground and went up to the Monterey Aquarium. On the way we stopped here. It was so beautiful we couldn't resist. It was the first time in the whole trip that we felt the warmth of the sun. The water was extremely clear! We took a nap, fed the birds and touched the water.

At the third campground called Clear Lake. We were so excited to go to this campsite because it was a Lake. Sadly we got the wors campsite ever...We still had fun :)

After we went in the Lake...

More honeymoon videos

This is our second campground

This was also part of the second campground in Big Sur. Very beautiful but also it as very cold!

We went for a hike. We could see a waterfall fall on to the beach. I really wanted to get down to the beach because of how beautiful it was but sadly we weren't able to.

Bryan not willing to do a video interview :) This was on a different part of the hike.

Our honeymoon!

We are lucky to have two honeymoon's planned. Our first honeymoon adventure was a trip up the coast to the redwoods.We did this trip right after the wedding! It was the perfect getaway trip. We had never gone camping just the two of us so we were learned a ton about each other on this trip...The trip was 7 days totaly. We went to Solvang, Napa, Big Sur, Pismo Beach, Carmel, Monterey aquarium, Winchester House, Clear Lake, and the Redwoods. The trip was filled with normal honeymoon activites, camp fires, beer, reading harry potter book 7, sexy time, wine, hikes, rope swings and cribbage matches. Our second honeymoon is going to be to New Zealand. That trip starts on Dec 19th. I'll keep you posted. Below or some G rated videos from our road trip.

First campground

Day after the wedding

The day after the wedding Bryan and I got a hotel room down at Laguna Beach.

The drive from our wedding venue to our hotel was filled with conversation about the memories we had from the day before. We had never felt so much love. We both remembered so many different things that day it was wonderful to compare the stories. I was constantly checking facebook from Bryans Iphone to look for pictures. Once we got to the hotel we took a long needed nap. We went to dinner that night at this amazing restuarant where we sat over looking the beach and another wedding. Watching another wedding as we toasted to the beginning of our marriage was fun. I was filled with so many emotions. Bryan and I are so happy. We are family now! This is the beginning of our journey as husband and wife.

Watching the sunset.

Enjoying bloody mary's

On the way down to the hotel in the car.

Our Wedding day

Our wedding day. This was by far the best day of our lives. We couldn't have asked for anything more. The day was perfect. They always say that you can really tell who will be there for you in your life through your wedding. I really believe after living through it. Our families were so amazing. It meant everything to us to have our families there. We know it was far to travel for some, and we totally understand, but it meant the world to us to have family around us. We loved being around our grandparents and parents most of all. Without them, well...we wouldn't be made. haha. Our friends were so supportive and helpful throughout the whole event. We are so thankful for everyone, espeacially the Slattery's, The Brians, Simone and Jamie.



Photo's by Blake Gardner
to look at all our pictures and to order professional ones go to:

blakegardner.zenfolio.com/bryanandkatie
password: 0730bk




of course we had flip cup at our wedding!!!


The Green's


We are sooooo bad ass in this photo!!!
I love this picture of us







Just a couple of my favorite...





















So happy. I'm so happy we have this moment frozen in time.



Family is our everything. This is both of our sides together!!!


our sexy wedding party.





My girls are so beautiful. I love them all. They were all so supportive



Bryan and his brothers. I can't tell you how lucky I am to have all three of these boys in my life :)




Flowers done by Vanessa and Carly. They are the best. I'm so lucky to have their help. I loved my flowers.




My mom was so incredible. So made me a tissue with my new initals engraved in it. She also had sewed my baby ring into it. It was a perfect last touch to my 'something old'. I love you mom



My daddy and me. I felt so lucky to have my father walk me down the aisle. I had dreamt of that day my whole life...

And they lived happily ever after...