BlissfulMsMiranda

Hello ladies...so because I can't edit the first post in the original Africa trip thread here I'm making this one so you ladies can take a look at our first batch of pics ... We both made it back in one piece and OMG what an experience! I can't even begin to put into words what a wonderful and amazing trip it was ... truly an incredible, life-changing experience for us both. I really don't have the words to explain it ... so here are two albums from Facebook ... I won't keep them open for too long (I'm private like that hehehe) but I hope you girls enjoy them! The first is just my dinky camera (and really only from the FIRST stop on our trip) and the second album is my husband's professional shots: Out Of Kenya Part I Africa Through Colin's Lens

Time for an uber fast update for you all on Ghost Cat: She's FIV and Leukemia free so she's in the house!!! We brought her in this weekend and although the fur and spit is flying between her and the Rex, we're hoping it will settle down soon! We left them to their own devices today (home alone unsupervised, all together in the house) so we're hoping for very little or no bloodshed when we get home after work! (fingers crossed) Ghost Cat (no christened Seven by my husband ... let's see if any of you get that reference ... hehehe) is the cutest, happiest, sweetest little thing and she is SO happy to be in a home, warm and loved and we're so happy to have her too! And now, finally, a picture! Here she is, curled up on our bed ... she was DYING to get on the bed all day yesterday (I was keeping the door closed so our cats felt like they still had a place of their own ... but I couldn't resist that face and let her in when I was getting dressed for the evening and she ran straight for the middle of the bed and plopped down).

Hey everyone!! Alright so we both made it back in one piece and OMG what an experience! I can't even begin to put into words what a wonderful and amazing trip it was ... truly an incredible, life-changing experience for us both. I really don't have the words to explain it ... so here are two albums from Facebook ... I won't keep them open for too long (I'm private like that hehehe) but I hope you girls enjoy them! The first is just my dinky camera (and really only from the FIRST stop on our trip) and the second album is my husband's professional shots: Out Of Kenya Part I Africa Through Colin's Lens

Wow, that's incredible ... I love the idea ... and the pose on the Cooper! Hope the owner didn't mind paint hand prints on the hood! ;-) Hehehe Can't WAIT to see the rest!

Hey ladies - I have one as well that I doubt I'll use again ... I'm willing to ship it out! It's a small one though ... not sure how big you ladies need the hole punch! PM me if you want me to mail it out. I'm always up for helping out a fellow BDWer!

Hi there - it's a fab idea and exactly what we did as well! It was $35 CUC/per person for the beach dinner, but it was fantabulous. Not only was it the perfect way to eat at a destination wedding, but it made sure we were alone and separate from the rest of the resort and restaurants/buffet. Also, the way our resort was, we had a bar to ourselves because we were right beside the beach bar. So, we had 3 waiters, plus 2 barmen to ourselves for the entire evening. It was utter bliss and well worth the extra money (seeing as the rest of the wedding was free!) You can see the table setup and are in my wedding pic links below.

Quote: Originally Posted by kat_mc13 Thanks for your help Miranda, and I love your pic! And definitely good to know about the bank at the resort. Did you go on any excursions while you were there? Or any can't miss things to do? I just figure since they're beside eachother you'd probably know There were 2 excursions we did - one was with our entire wedding party and it was to a nearby beach that is absolutely pristine and gorgeous ... can't remember the name of it right now ... that also included snorkeling with lots of cool fishes right off a nearby island! The excursion takes about a 1/2 day and it wasn't expensive at all, which is why we ALL did it together. Then, hubby and I did an all-day jeep/boat excursions where we drove jeeps around the area and went on a speed boat tour of the mangroves (we got to drive the boats!) as well as snorkeling (again, really cool fishes and even muskrats which can be creepy, but they were actually really cute!). It was a long day, but the guides were SO nice and it was cool to see more of the area ... Here, I've opened up our album of the day on Facebook: Login | Facebook

Hubby and I took them off for the wedding reception and for the TTD session ... they didn't have a problem with it at all. The wedding coordinator told the front desk we were getting married and snip-snip, off they came. It shouldn't be a problem! Good question tho!

Quote: Originally Posted by KarenM Hey Miranda, I think I would also get HepA & typhoid (transmission via food & water) Here's the CDC recommendations in case you're interested (recommends using Atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine for your anti-malarial since chloroquine isn't effective there) Health Information for Kenya | CDC Travelers' Health Hey Karen - yeah I think we've decided to get Yellow Fever, Rabies/Tetanus, Polio, Hep A/B ... They are all just recommended and since we're only there for 8 days and in a controlled setting on a press trip we're a little less worried. We got an anti-malaria prescription so we'll definitely be taking that. And we got some extra-strength bug spray stuff too. It was just such short notice (only found out this Monday) that we don't really have a lot of time to prep and stuff with regards to all this immunization stuff ... :-p Kinda stressful! But amazing all at once!!

Thanks ladies!!! We are over the moon about this trip ... it's going to be fantastic!! But, now were stuck with which immunization shots to get etc. We just visited the travel clinic this morning and it's all SO overwhelming. We got the prescription for the anti-malaria pills and some super-strong Immodium stuff ... but now we have to decide on the other vaccines we want ... It's all so "what if" I hate it ... I mean, we're there for 8 days ... 8 DAYS!!! And they recommend getting about 11 shots ... like, really?? I'm thinking we're leaning towards just the Yellow Fever and tetanus shots ... the others ... well ... I just don't know. It's going to end up costing us close to $1,000 for both of us to get them ... and really, we don't have the extra for it, especially since hubby is going to drop close to $4,000 on new camera equipment this week ...

Actually, the tour is to follow in the footsteps of the Maasai ... so I'll be visiting a camp for sure! We actually get to do a walking tour guided by Maasai and Samburu guides ... it's going to be truly phenomenal.

OMG I'm going to AFRICA in 2 weeks on a press trip and hubby gets to come with as my photographer!!!!!!!! I've never been to Africa and I never thought in a million years that I would see that continent in my lifetime!! We're going to be in Kenya, mainly Nairobi doing various adventure tour safaris and living in luxury tents ... it's for 8 days and I am OVER THE MOON that my husband can come with ... I'm always the one jetting off to various press events without him and I always feel so bad ... finally he gets to experience something with me!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by Sloan Quote: Originally Posted by BlissfulMsMiranda I'm an editor for an online men's magazine (AskMen.com) and an auto journalist (I test drive cars and write reviews). What a cool job! How'd you get into that? Sounds like fun! I'm not going to lie - it IS a cool job! I have a BA in Journalism and I love cars ... so I stuck the two together and got into the reviewing under the wings of a helpful editor until I built up enough of portfolio to become an editor myself! I've been doing it for about 5 years now. Everyday offer something new and interesting in the online media world ... especially a men's magazine!!

I'm an editor for an online men's magazine (AskMen.com) and an auto journalist (I test drive cars and write reviews). There are a lot of health-care/saving/helping people workers on this forum! Awesome!

Hello again everyone! Alright ... another update on the stray ... because I know you're all DYING to know. So, we got the stray to the vet without a hitch ... some treats thrown into the cage solved the issue of how to get the cat IN the box. Once at the vet, the cat was given a full medical exam (including a stool sample analysis) and the biggest revelation of the night was: Ghost Cat is a girl!!!!!!!!! All this time we've been calling her a he ... poor thing. So, he's a she and she's fixed (so the vet thinks), declawed and she has fleas. So we have her on the Avantage treatment right now and we're keeping her in the garage for another 2 weeks before introducing her to our two because of the fleas and because we have to bring her back to be tested for FIV and Feline Leukemia and for her to get her booster shots. I'll have some pics of her soon, I promise. She's adorable. There's one thing though: I've never had a cat I didn't have from kitten-hood on, so I'm a bit unsure of how to deal with a cat that has "baggage." It would seem that Ghost Cat was abused in her past home ... or maybe she just got really scared being out in the streets ... but she tends to lunge at your arm when you're petting her. It's not all the time, and it's not hard (she did break the skin on my hand a few times), and she's not angry ... she's purring and enjoying herself so she's not hissing or growling or looking aggressive ... she just lunges, bites, then cowers on the ground as if she's waiting for a smack. It's really sad. I told my husband that when she does this to not react to her bite or her cowering on the ground. Just to continue cooing to her and then pet her when she comes out of her balled up state on the ground. Is this a behaviour we can get her out of? I've only ever experienced this once before (my parents rescued a 2-year-old Siamese from a family and he was also declawed and he was a biter ... for no reason ... he would just attack and bite, but he would growl and be angry ... he's Satan's spawn). Thanks everyone!!! And I do promise pics soon ... she's just lovely and SO loving ...

Hmmm ... well looking at that post, it's from January so that sweater might not be available in any collection anymore ... But, Kate Gosselin has said that her favorite designer and favorite place to shop is Ann Taylor ... so it's probably from her! That VS one is super nice though ...

Ha! That's awesome! Love it!! Wish we'd thought of doing something like this ... but then I'm sure I would have forgotten ALL the steps. What a gorgeous backdrop too ...

Wow ... those are truly INCREDIBLE shots. Uber talented photographer and a gorgeous bride make for incredible wedding photos!! LOVE THEM!!!

I wasn't married there, but I was married at the Melia Cayo Guillermo resort right next door to the Iberostar Daiquiri and I was at that resort A LOT for the market place and the bank! The grounds are really, really pretty ... I'll warn you now: The beach is VERY shallow there ... so they don't really do beach weddings, unless it's just the two of you. Melia Cayo Guillermo wouldn't let me, I ended up using the pier stretching into the water ... but the Ibersotar has a super nice gazebo on the grounds and a really nice boardwalk leading out to the water as well ... I could be wrong - but I say this because the Iberostar shared the same beach with the Melia Cayo Guillermo resort! If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a message! Happy planning!!

Hey there! My first trip to Cuba was to the Melia Cayo Santa Maria resort and it is absolutely GORGEOUS. The only down side is the trip from the airport to the resort ... it's bloody LONG. And the resort is very, very isolated in its location ... though it is a gorgeous location! Hubby and I were married at the Melia Cayo Guillermo and we loved it. It's in the same region as the Melia Cayo Santa Maria (they are pretty close) but it's a bit closer to the airport and to other activities and things and it was overall the perfect resort - and we were there for two weeks!! The food was AMAZING at the Cayo Guillermo as well ... and the staff ... amazing! I have yet to put up a review of the resort (I know, I know) ... but if you want more info regarding either resort (Cayo Santa Maria as a visitor, and Cayo Guillermo as a bride) just send me a message!

I'd say No. 1 or 3 for sure ... and I really do like the way No. 3 looks on you! It's super figure-flattering and you have NO stomach whatsoever to speak of ... so it looks stellar on you!

Ha ha! Love it!! Had to drag up a shot from last year's Halloween bash ... hubby and I are SUCH a fierce couple!!!!!!

Update update update!!! Alright, so after not seeing Ghost Cat for a few days, we were worried that he had either been hit by a car or he'd gone away for good ... or we hoped he was actually owned and the owner had smartened up to the cold weather! Such was not the case! Over the weekend GC returned, cold, hungry and rather wet from the rain we'd been having. He always showed up at the worst time (just before leaving for work, just before leaving for an appt. etc.). However, last night he chose to arrive while my husband was home relaxing by the television ... and he managed to coax him into the garage. So, GC is no comfortably renting out space in our garage! He is absolutely adorable and SO happy to be there. He's not crying, not trying to get out, not scratching at any of the doors int he garage (there are two, one into the house, one to outside and the garage door of course). He is so cuddly and happy to be around us. He even started to purr and drool a little when I was petting him. I've made a vet appointment - the earliest they could give me was next Thursday!! So, poor little GC is going to be cooped up in the garage for over a week. But we can't risk him being in contact with our other two ... just in case. We didn't realize how dirty he was until we got him inside either ... his white fur is almost beige with dirt and his little pink paws are all scabby and hard and dirty. Poor little guy. He is VERY happy to be in the warmth though ... he's like an A.D.D. child going from the food, to the water, to the littler, back to us ... hehehehe it's a joy to watch him actually be comfortable and inside! I'll post another update (and hopefully some pics) once he's been checked out at the vet! Again, thanks for ALL your help ladies ... it really did help in the capturing and final decision to take him in.

Hey there! I went a little hardcore and had an alternative satellite radio station playing Lithium ... then after a few glasses of wine, I went for The Heat on satellite radio ... hehehe whatever makes you feel sexiest. Think of the songs that make you feel the most attractive when you're on the dance floor and go for that type of music! That's what I did ...

Hi ladies! I did my own BD book as well with MyPublisher.com and it turned out phenomenally! Oh, and I was a last-minute bride and ordered it in the last week before I left ... so I wrote an email to customer service and they actually managed to print and send me the book in 4 days instead of their allotted 4-day procession, 2-4 days shipping or whatever. I was really happy with the quality of the book and the overall look of the finished product. I'm trying to post a link to the book so you can see it, but MyPublisher isn't being very coopoerative even after I sing all this praise about it. :-p OK so I finally got the share thing to work, but I'm not sure this will work: Miranda's BD Book