Rings?!?

Ok, so as much as i luv my mother for getting my solitaire ring made in hong kong.. i thought and told her that we were going to pick our wedding bands here in the states.. so we went to several places and someone at work suggested to check out shane co.. well, i never thought of going there eventhough i hear their commercial ALL the time on the radio.. so, we decided to check it out.. they have great customer service and to my surprise quite a bit of wedding bands.. they even had what my fiance wanted, titanium (which lots of places do not carry).. so, after about an hour and half of picking, i found a tini tiny band with tini tiny diamonds that fits my tini tiny fingers.. after about a week, they had all our special orders ready.. migosh their customer service is def. phenomenal.. they even guarantee if u lose a diamond for life and would clean ur rings for free every 6 mo... that's a great service every jeweler should have.. so, when i picked up the rings, i was so excited, i decided to share the "excitement" with my aunt e...

first thing she said when she opened up the box was "OMG? that's ur ring?! it's sooooooooooo tiny.. i can't even see it" or something to that extend..

well, my fingers are tiny, so i like tiny rings.. next thing u know, she decides to call my mother in hkg.. and told her my ring looks tini tiny.. my mom, was totally fine with it.. BUT she failed to mention untill this moment, that she already bought 2 other bands to go around the solitaire too.. and to top it off, she also told me yesterday that she had another band to go in between for days when i don't wear the solitaire and put it in the bank.. thinking she'll surprise me.. eventhough i told her we would go out and buy our wedding bands like 3 times and told her when i bought the band and how much they cost..

so, now thanks again to my family, (not that i'm not happi or grateful for it) but how is a girl going to wear 5 wedding rings on one tini tiny itty bitty finger (as seen above)?!?! since my mother can't return hers in hkg, and it's more value and cheaper then what i paid here, i just sadly went and returned my ring that i liked.. hey, i'm a simple girl, i'm happi with anything.. to my surprise they let me return it w/ no questions asked (even after i resized it).. now that is amazing customer serice!!!!

we still kept my fiance's ring since it's titanium.. which i'm surprised my mother didn't try to go out and just buy his too! which i may get a surprise the day before my wedding! just watch! with my family, you definitely get things done.. but u wonder, who's wedding is it now?!

funny thing is, my manager said to me, just watch after u get married, ur mom is going to come to u with a basket.. in it would be a baby.. "look i got u a baby"!!!! classic! just classic! ;p

NOW: gratitude challenge d3

OMG! i am super duper truper stressed today.. so many great opportunities flooding in, but so little time!!!! so, i decided to do a minute of destressing and think gratitude, think happiness, think gratefulness, think gratitude challenge.

So, today's post is suppose to be about something we feel grateful for in life, i can certainly list a gazillion things, but i'm not going to take up more time that we all don't have, so i'm just going to list like 10 things..

1. grateful for: FAMILY - despite the fact that they can cause more stress, i know they will always be there for me.. esp. with this wedding, they def. do get things done..
2. grateful for: FRIENDS - w/o friends life would be so lonely!
3. grateful for: FIANCE - if he weren't around, i'd have no one to vent and complain to
4. grateful for: MY JOB - in this day and age, i am grateful for something that does pay my bills and put a roof over my head.. eventhough huge stress in my life, i just keep thinking it all pays off
5. grateful for: TV - helps take my mind away from things.. need i say more?
6. grateful for: TKB - when i think of a destresser, this is the best way to just let all frustrations come out
7. grateful for: INTERNET - so we can stay connected with everyone all over the world
8. grateful for: NICE WEATHER - the weather is just perfect today, with some sun out..
9. grateful for: COMPUTER - without a computer, i'd be lost!!
10. grateful for: GRATITUDE CHALLENGE - feel better already!

a gratitude post a day keeps stress away! ;p

Grateful for those around me.. ;p

so, before this challenge begins next week, i just wanted to start with just saying thanks to some ppl i am grateful for in terms of my wedding plannings, after all this is not my wedding, it's everyones! ;p

-my mom: despite her "you are getting married" push for the last how many years, i will always be grateful for her after all she is the one who bore me and gave me life and she is the rock/foundation of my family.. getting married is just a small thing i can do to make her happi.. i will forever be a million times grateful for her even though many times i do not show it.. despite our arguments or fights, she always forgives me the next second.. showing me her unconditional luv.. and always worrying & caring for me across the world away regardless of how busy or tired she may be.. .. i luv you mom!

-my dad: the other half of the gene pool, which made me who i am today.. my dad has always been a very supportive person.. he definitely treats me like his little girl, always giving me advice and being the logical one, teaching me how to be reasonable and thinking things through.. despite my temper, you never ever really ever get mad at me.. you've supported me all these years through school so that i never had to worry... of course, the person who's paying the bills for this wedding! hahaha ;p j/p.. he's the one who actually wanted me to have a proper ceremony.. so, in a way thanks to him i'm sure when i look back i'll treasure the "day".. i luv you dad!

-aunt e.: despite her coming off to others as being bossy sometimes, i know she always has very good intentions.. she is one of the closest aunt to me, took me in during my "pia" high school years, took my family in when we immigrated and just has been in a way, the head of the extended family.. taking charge and making decisions and always out of her heart doing things for me, making sure i have the little details of my wedding taken care of so less things to worry about.. -like, beautiful picture frame, cake knife, late night call abt numbering my rsvp cards, helping me w/ guest list, etc.. thanks for everything!

-uncle j.: another person who has always been so giving and generous.. in a way like a second dad since i grew up in their household.. and always feeding me and exposing me to many finer things in life.. of course, the fun uncle that always shows how to be the life of the party, def. teaching me to look at life with a glass half full.. half full with wine or beer or alcohol of course! hahaha.. cheers! ;p

-aunt s.: she was also part of the "joyce u should get married" push.. despite that i didn't really feel like getting married, i am still grateful for her.. if it weren't for her, i would still be looking for a venue for my ceremony.. so, in a way it has relieved a huge chunk of stress on me and one huge thing to check off my list.. to top it off, she cooks the yummiest food in the world.. ;p

-aunt y.: she let me live in her home for free when i graduated from college.. i think without her i wouldn't have been able to save up enough money to get my own place! she's always been very generous not only with her things, but with her luv and care.. thanks to her, my whole place is furnished and well stocked.. i don't even need a registry! ;p

-all my other aunts and uncles, cousins and relatives: all who have been very supportive and have sent us well wishes.. this wedding is obviously for all of you..
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-one of my bestfriends, s.: of course she's my bridesmaid and she has been there for me when i first caught site of this hot boi at my gym.. i think if it weren't for her, i would've never seen the moment of my fiance helping his mom at the restaurant (which i guess touched my heart).. she's always been such a caring person and is always there for me as a perfect friend.. we've gone through party days and now i guess through the "wedding" days.. thanks s. for going with me for my scary makeup trial to co-organizing the "engagement party".. hopefully, u won't hate me after all this is done.. ;p

-one of my close friends, y.: what can i say, if she didn't just have a baby, i would also make her my bridesmaid.. she has done everything she can as a bridesmaid already.. from going with me to the reception venue to searching linen places for me, to co-organizing the "engagement party" to planning my bachelorette before i even broke the news.. hahaha ;p (i think she just wanted to party).. thanks for being more excited then i am!!

-all my other friends: thanks for all your friendships and having been there through the heartaches and fights and good times! i can't wait till we just party and drink, that's what the mohitos will be for! ;p
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-my manager, l.: for trying to convince me for months to get married and even giving me great advice! also, for letting me have time off during the busy season.. for listening to me rant about my family and the wedding.. most importantly, inspiring me to start this blog to vent... ;p

-our intern, a.: thanks for always helping me and keeping us sane when we have a million things to do at work.. w/o u i would have more things to stress abt..

-my friend/coworker, y.: who is like mama y., always feeding me, gosh i think i may need to go on diet now.. one of the most caring ppl that i know.. she shows me everyday how to be a giving person.. giving everything she has + more and never asking for things in return!

-my froyo/string cheez buddy, k.: thanks for always taking me out of the office for lunch and making me take a break! hahaha ;p i think i would be way more stressed if u weren't around...

-my bb/ot buddy, glee: u are seriously one of the most carefree ppl i know.. always bubbly and full of glee! hahaha ;p def. glad ur around to make things happi! ;p

-coworkers: thanks for all your great ideas from florists to center pieces and willingness to help with the invite, decor and favors..

-other coworkers/ppz: thanks for offering ideas and suggestions for the wedding, if i didn't have those, i would be lost and not even 10% there w/ the wedding plans!! ;p

-last but not least, my fiance: i would most likely have to write on forever, but i don't have the time nor space.. so i just want to say that i will always be grateful for having u in my life.. u make me laugh, cry, get mad, get happy, feel surprised, feel luvd, feeling all the emotions...

i am forever grateful for just the ppl in life.. that's why this blog is "Not Our Wedding", it's really for everybody around us..

engagement party

Thanks to my close galfrds Sarah & Yuni, they organized a great engagement party for Chuongy and I...

I luv B Street & Vine... they have a great selection of wines, the yummiest bruschetta ever! it's such a great atmosphere.. so, we decided to just get together and have a party in their patio area in the back.. it was a great way to just celebrate and of course DRINK! i think we may have scared off some of my coworkers considering that my family is loud and consists of many alkoholics! thanks to my cousin from hong kong, all my coworkers are now initiated in the buffalo club and of course with no choice of their own! so, if any of you buffalo clubbers out there catches someone drinking anything from h20 to wine with their right hand (lucky lefties), feel free to call them out, point ur fingers and yell out "BUFFALO CLUB".. of course that poor person will have to down whatever it is they have in their glass.. for those of you non bufffalo clubbers, if u ever hear "buffalo club" whatever you do STAY AWAY from it.. otherwise u may find urself passed out with tons of pictures of u and fingers pointed at you somewhere on the internet.. ;p

THANKS to my wonderful family, coworkers and friends for coming to support us.. always the best to just have an excuse to get together and celebrate.. even better with many glasses of wine!!! ;p