Kits55

this thread is starting to make me feel a bit better. I will take my cats on trips to FI parent's house because it's only 3 hours away and I'm such a worrywart that i hate leaving them home, even for a weekend. I am the "what if" girl, "what if there's a fire? What if someone breaks into our apartment? what if there's a tornado?" etc. it drives my FI insane. lol I hate the idea of flying any pet in the cargo hold because of stories that I've heard BUT i've also heard good stories where pets arrive safe and in one piece. I know how sick you must feel, especially because it sounds like you have kitties with similar personalities to mine. In the car they ride in the same cage because the nervous nelly kitty is quieter and feels safer with her big sis near. It's not for sure but there's a possibility that we could move to South Africa for FI's work. the ONLY reason I don't want to go is because of our babies. I think that one of them would be OK but the other one would freak out so much I imagine her having a heart attack or something equally as bad. Then we'd come back to the States once a year and would be bring them or have someone babysit them? It's so stressful to me it makes me feel sick to my stomach and like i'll start bawling any second. I could pay $2500 for my ticket and only travel for 19 hours total or pay less but travel for 27-35 hours. I could NOT put them through that, especially with the plane changes and the fact that they have to ride in cargo because SA doesn't allow incoming pets to be anything but cargo. I can't decide what's more important, my babies or a once in a lifetime opportunity. Nothing is for sure yet, but my FI is pretty sure if he really wants the spot he can get it because his bosses love him so much.

i love the artistic vision of this shoot and the music was PERFECT. it should be nominated for SOME type of award, an MTV award? lol

I'd rather speak in public, completely nude, with ratty hair, wearing my glasses, and make animal noises than dance in public to a choreographed dance!! OMG this would be a total nightmare for me! Even the thought of doing the traditional slow dance in front of others makes me feel queasy! I really wanted to do this thinking that maybe it would make me feel more comfortable but now I'm not so sure. I don't like dancing, let alone in front of others so it's not really my thing, although when i see people do it i love SO MUCH. I did pitch the idea to FI and he's down with it if I want to.

My FI makes just over $75,000 a year and when he passes his PE exam next year he will get about a $10,000 raise in addition to his annual raise. He got his bachelors as a mechanical engineer. He worked out in the field from September 2007-September 2008 and in that time he made around $120,000 in that 12 month time time frame. Even at $75K he is making about 5 times what I do. That is SAD. I feel horrible because all of the money that we've put towards our wedding so far (and we're not done yet) he has had to pay. He has to pay for everything of mine except for student loans, credit card bills (i got myself into trouble with those damn things!), and gas. Everything else he pays for and i HATE it. I'm trying to find a job that I can make enough to pay off my credit card bills in about 12 months but it's a tough field out there! Our goal is to erase our student loan debt and my credit card bills and then live off of his salary and put 100% of mine into investment stuff. (You can tell i know a lot about investment "stuff"). He tells me that if anything happened to him right now that I'd be set and have nothing to worry about (i hate hearing this b/c all I want is HIM, not his dumb money). His goal has always been to have the option of retiring at 35 years old (he'll be 28 in December). He thinks if I get a good paying job SOON that he'll be able to make that. Becksy, i'm a rather weepy one sometimes and your post totally made me teary eyed. That is the sweetest thing ever and I think it is so beautiful that you want him to take his dream job if he gets the opportunity so that he won't regret it.

OK, so i had to pick the none, stay at home mom, but i'm not really. (unless staying at home to play and sleep with kitties counts!). am making $0 this week and last week I made approximately $22.50. I am trying to leave one job (where i'm making nothing since it's all commission) and find a new one. The job hunt has not been successful for me but even as "full time" at my current job last year i made less than $15,000. I am amazed at how much money the women are that took this poll. That's totally what I'm after. At least FI makes a lot, so he pays for my stuff right now (mostly). It's the most horrible feeling in the world and it's driving me absolutely insane. I'm getting pretty desperate here and might try for a seasonal job!

Quote: Originally Posted by azhuskergirl Ladies- I've been MIA lately, because last week we adopted 2 adorable little kitties from a local shelter. They are littermates & just under 4 months old, so we've been watching them like hawks (they're teething & we have alot of cords at home). They're also polydactal cats (meaning they have extra toes) so when they bat at something it looks like they're wearing mittens.....it's very adorable. Here are a couple of pictures (we had to bust out the OLD camera, since our camera still hasn't been replaced from our honeymoon (don't even get me started on that one). Here's Raven: And this is Polly: And it's NOT the same cat, they look almost identical though. Will post more pics when we get the good camera back & I might actually get a picture of their faces in good light! They are totally adorable! Right now I have two foster kitties living with me and FI and we got them at 5 weeks old. It's so amazing to have two little sweeties, especially siblings that love each other. I'm SO excited for you! As a volunteer at a no kill, free roaming shelter, thank you SO much for rescuing and adopting from a shelter!

Quote: Originally Posted by Morgan Has anyone else read this? My copy came in from Amazon today & i started to read it. It is about how people express & feel love differently. So if your mate feels love with "words of affection" and you express your love to them with "physical touch" they may not feel loved. The 5 languages are 1. word of affirmation 2. quality time 3. receiving gifts 4. acts of service 5. physical touch I think my love language is Acts of Service. I'm still unsure, but when I think about the things I love about Mike, I usually think about the kind things he does for me. But, maybe it's because that is how he expresses his love. It's probably my love language, but I'm still trying to figure that out. I know mine is defintily not Receiving Gifts. When we first started dating he'd give me lots of gifts & it really upset me. but, it's interesting to me that for some people, that is what makes them feel loved. Maybe that is why I'm a lousy gift giver, because I feel love through Acts of Service. So instead of gifts I like to do something for someone. I haven't figured out Mike's love language yet. I know he feels loved if I bake him brownies. Maybe his is Gifts of Chocolate. The five love languages, as set forth by Dr. Chapman, are as follows: Words of Affirmation Positive verbal reinforcement. If this is your love language, you feel wonderful when someone gives you a genuine compliment. You may feel insecure without encouragement or regular expressions of approval. You feel loved when your partner expresses appreciation for the small things you do. Quality Time Periods where you have complete attention. If quality time is your primary love language, you feel neglected without time spent specifically focused on each other, or doing something together that you love to do. You enjoy sharing things you love with others, and feel special when someone else includes you in something they are passionate about. Receiving Gifts Physical or visual symbols of affection. If receiving gifts makes you feel loved, that does not mean you are superficial. Some people simply respond to tangible illustrations of the love in a relationship. Different from being a "gold digger," someone who speaks this love language appreciates thoughtful, personal gifts, not necessarily dependent on price. A home-made card or tiny trinket can speak volumes, if well-chosen and suited to the recipient. Acts of Service Doing things for a loved one. If this is your dominant love language, you feel loved when someone goes out of their way to make things more pleasant or smooth for you. Examples include: doing chores, cooking dinner, taking care of something that would normally be your responsibility, chipping in without being asked. Most people can relate to this love language, though in very different ways, and it is extremely important to practice this love language out of genuine feeling, rather than duty, to avoid resentment. Physical Touch Bodily contact between people. Not restricted to sexual intercourse or intimacy, this love language encompasses all kinds of touch, from hugs to kisses to cuddling. Physical contact can be its own form of communication. If this is your love language, you need your partner to recognize what kinds of touch are pleasant and which are irritating, and focus on increasing the former and reducing the latter. Morgan: i have not yet read this book, although one of my good friends told me about it back in April. She told me the basics and i'm definitely the gift giver! She is going to give it to us for our wedding so i'm trying really hard not to read it until then.

Quote: Originally Posted by RedDiamond Oh Calia, I'm so sorry! I've been through holding a pet that was passing, and I know how heart breaking it is. If you can, see if the vet has some way of checking for FIV, it's like the human form of HIV and can get transferred very easily. If that is the case make sure everything in your house is clean and new (especially the litter box) before adopting a new kitten. Where was the kitten from? He/she may have been sick the whole time. If it was a breeder/shelter/store be sure to let them know. FIV can only be gotten by cats by drawing blood, so there should be no way that your kitten had FIV (or if he did this is not how they pass away). FIV is the feline form of our HIV and they can live up to 14 years if they are healthy. It kills cats because it wears down their immune systems. There is is FeLuk (Feline Leukemia) which is very easy to transfer but if your current cat had it you'd probably know by now and it doesn't usually act that quickly. (at least if your kitten got it from your current cat, although it doesn't sound likely that either one had it). There is also FIP which can go undetected but no one really truly knows if it transferable or not. It sounds like a poisoning to me. Did your kitten ever try to eat your toothpaste?

Quote: Originally Posted by bridetobe959 wow those came out really big! sorry Im not sure how to resize! Bridetobe: your cats are freaking gorgeous! I am not just the crazy cat lady, but probably the CRAZY cat lady. lol I rescued my two babies too, but haven't figured out how to post small pics on this thread yet. I have two foster babies right now that have been adopted but will be living with me until December, I wish it was forever I think it's really funny that your Storm loves to sleep by your FI, one of ours, Keeva totally loves my FI way more than she loves me, but it's opposite for our other one. Do yours play favorites too?

i can't even handle how many countries some of you have been to! I am amazed and I love it! I also love to travel but don't get much done because I make NO money. In the past these are the countries that I have visited: 1. USA 2. Guatamala 3. Australia (only Tasmania) 4. South Korea 5. Italy 6. Ireland If i count layovers then also England and I'll be getting in Mexico in April!!!

Fantastic review, especially for someone who is not staying at resort in PDC. We are staying near Puerto morelos but want to visit PDC. Thank you!

Thanks Morgan for the list of different cenotes, and the article too. I will be watching this thread for the next 6 months so that I can learn as much as possible from others who have done it firsthand.

Wow, this post is really helpful. My photog is from here in the states and has never shot in a cenote or underwater. Doing a TTD session was something I've only considered doing because of seeing some of the amazing pictures on this forum. If i don't feel educated enough I probably won't do TTD pics because I'm all about protecting the environment and don't want to mess anything up. You photographers are all SO AMAZING. I wish I had an artistic talent like that!

Quote: Originally Posted by lambert13 I got bored so I decided to list all the stuff I have bookmarked on my computer and in my brain to try to help everyone out. There is so much to do and see in the Riviera Maya and Cancun, that it would be a shame to not leave the resort. Lots of stuff for wedding guests to do in order to keep them out of your hair. I will add stuff as I go over time also. Riviera Maya & Cancun Resource list Info sites: Cancun, Mexico. Your Complete Cancun Vacation Guide Helpful site with info for hotel comparison & info, nightlife, restaurants and everything else Cancun. Great forum too. Riviera Maya Hotels, Resorts, Rentals: Mexican Caribbean Vacation Great Riviera Maya site with info for lodging, dining, activities, Mayan ruins, beaches, aerial photos and much more. Great forum too Can-Do Maps and travel guides Hands down, the best maps/travel guides for the area. I own almost every map Laura & Perry make and I would not go there without them. They are part map, part travel guide. Playa del Carmen, Mexico's Virtual Guide Book : Playa.Info The definitive Playa Del Carmen website. Everything you need to know and a great forum. Mostly Maya Everything you could ever want to know about everything Maya. From ruins, to language, to culture, to rituals and much more. IslaMujeres.info - Isla Mujeres Mexico Homepage The best Isla Mujeres site I know of. Reviews and info for just about every restaurant, hotel, guesthouse and activity on the island. Cancun South the opinionated travel guide to the beach towns South of Cancun Mexico Including Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Akumal and Tulum Opinionated site with info about the Riviera Maya. Lots of reviews, info and tips. In particular, their rental car tips are very informative. Sac-Be, the travel guide of the Riviera Maya Lots of great info with an emphasis on eco-tourism and environmental issues. Great map section as well with hotel locations Activities: Riviera Maya Mexico Xel-Ha Ecological Water Theme Park One of the most popular parks in the Riviera Maya. Snorkeling, lazy river, snuba, food, and more Cancun Mexico - Xcaret Park Eco Archaeological Theme Park natural Cancun tour The other big park in the area. Animals, snorkeling, lazy river, cultural shows, and more Selvatica Full & half day tours. ZIp-lines, snorkeling, cave diving, ruins, cenotes and more Hidden Worlds Cenotes Park - Cavern Diving and Snorkeling - Tulum Mexico Cave diving & snorkeling. Karen and I went there last year and had an awesome time. Aktun Chen - Information Cave exploration tours. I have heard fantastic things about Aktun Chen, and plan on going there this summer Adventure Travel Cancun Mexico - Alltournative playa del carmen, cancun, camping, excursions Mayan ruins, zip lines, bird watching, Sian Kaan tours, whale shark viewing tours, camping, etc. Other ideas to look into are fishing tours, Sailing tours, dinner cruises, ferry over to Cozumel, reef diving, ATV tours, etc. Mayan ruins Chichen Itza. The biggest and most well known in the Yucatan. 2.5 hours from Cancun and the Riviera Maya Tulum. Well known site overlooking the Caribbean. About 1.5 hours from Cancun, 45 minutes from PDC Coba. Tallest pyramid in the Yucatan. Huge site with excavated ruins, unexcavated and everything in between. Bike rental available. 2 hours from Cancun, 1 hour from PDC El Rey. Minor Ruins site right in Cancun's hotel zone. Worth a look if you don't want to leave Cancun Muyi.l Ruins site 30 minutes south of Tulum. Relatively unpopular site for some reason. Most days you will have the place to yourself. Xel-Ha. Minor ruins site right across from Xel-Ha eco park. Another unvisited site. Intact murals, frescoes and hand prints on some structures El Meco. Site just north of Cancun. Another unvisited site, with sections still being unearthed. View across the bay to Isla Mujeres Shopping: Cancun: Plaza la Isla LA ISLA, Centro Comercial y de Entretenimiento, Shopping and Entertainment Center beautiful open air mall with canals running through. Lots of stores, botiques and restaurants Kukulkan Plaza Kukulcan Plaza 2 story mall in Cancun with lots of stores and restaurants. Luxury Avenue shopping with high end stores like Fendi, Coach, Burberry, Cartier, etc. Plaza Flamingo Bienvenidos a Plaza Flamingo Cancun. Mexico The lower class mall in Cancun's hotel zone. margaritaville is there though. Plaza Caracol caracolplaza.com Decent mall with a mix of stores and restaurants Coral Negro Flea Market a nightmare to some, and heaven to others. Expect to bargain or you will get ripped off. Mostly tourist aimed souveniers. These are the main ones in Cancun. there are quiet a few other places to shop including some strip mall setups, downtown Cancun and other various markets Playa Del Carmen Walmart, Costco, Sams....they are all there. Grocery Stores a plenty 5th ave is what most people go for. All types of boutiques, shops, bars, restaurants, studios, galleries, tattoo studios, and everything else along its length. Don't forget to explore off of fifth though. Other areas. Anywhere that tourists tend to go will undoubtedly be accompanied by someone selling something. Souvenier shops are everywhere. Little towns like Akumal and Tulum have all the usual along with some neat handcraft stores. Dig around a little and you will be surprised Restaurants/Hotels I will not even attempt to tackle this beast. All of the sites above and of course, Best Destination Weddings, has more than enough info. My picks....... Dining La Habichuela. Cancun. Wonderful Yucatean Cuisine in a garden setting. La Dolce Vita. Cancun. Best Italian food in the area. Outdoor seating available overlooking the lagoon Babes Noodle House. Playa Del Carmen. Great food at even better prices DOn Karonte. Tulum Pueblo. I might be biased, but I had the best night of my life there. Lucy's Tacos. Akumal. Simple taco stand in Akumal that has the best empanadas and tacos on Earth. Oscar Y Lalo's. Soliman Bay. This is where some of the Corona commercials were filmed. Damn good food and drink too Activities Hidden worlds. Snorkeling in a cave filled with 20 foot deep crystal clear water is an experience you will not forget. Not for the claustrophobic. Sian Kaan Biosphere. Virgin beaches, lots of wildlife and a whole lot of nothing. DOlphin Swim. I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS AT ALL!!! I WILL NOT HELP ANYONE FIND OUT ABOUT IT. General Tulum beach road. Magical area with cabanas lining the beach. On top of cliffs in places. I stayed at Cabanas Copal last year for a night. No electricity, no music, no TV, no lights. Just me and Karen in a cabana overlooking the Caribbean waking to the sun rising over the windowsill of the cabana after a night on the beach under more stars than I have ever seen. Truly the most romantic, sensual, relaxing inspirational experience ever. Your description of Tulum Beach Road has me dreaming already! It sounds fabulous, better than camping!

Secrets Maroma Beach is my resort and Cecilia Reyes is my coordinator. She has been very quick at emails and is very friendly. She's really great but the resort itself will not make package substitutions. It's rather unfortunate but I guess it's easier for them this way. To bring in an outside vendor (i'm flying my photog down) it's only like a $90 fee. The longest Cecilia has gone without getting back to me is only a day or so. Sometimes the translation isn't very good but I can usually decipher the meaning. If I write too many questions in one email they won't get answered so i just break it down and send many emails.

at my resort for guests WITH the discount a seven night stay is $2047.50. For four nights it's about $1170 per person. So everybody who comes to our wedding and stays for four nights will be paying just under $2000 per person. BTW we're staying at Secrets Maroma Beach.

Fantastic pictures, I wish there had been more posts like this one when i started looking for resorts, it would have made my choice easier, most likely!

I love all of the suggestions, thank you for the ideas. I have not even THOUGHT about music but know that I will freak out at the last minute about it because i love to procrastinate

I'm so excited to hear your reviews, but I'm especially interested in what you'll have to say about Secrets Maroma

Quote: Originally Posted by syl1115 I second this entire statement for the entire state of Ohio. I third this statement for Kansas and Missouri but would like to add: 4: Pay freaking attention at the stoplights so I don't have to honk multiple times a day 5: Drive the speed limit during rush hour, we all want to get home!

I am flying my own photographer down to the resort. I've seen the website for the resort photographer and very much want to avoid photos like that. Also, i've read on this forum from other girls that he takes MONTHS to get back to people, if at all. Overall, i'm just not impressed but i also knew i was going to splurge on a photographer before we even got engaged.

You were so gorgeous on your wedding day! and i absolutely, 100% LOVE your dress. It is flattering and i love the details on it! I love the pictures of your cupcakes too! I think i want some for my wedding!

Update: I emailed Cecilia about the price discrepancy and she very gladly and graciously said that we could get the lower price. She sent us an updated contract to sign with the newer price so i know that can't come back to bite me later on. She thanked for me for pointing that out so they will probably fix it soon but I got lucky!

This was a great article and I'm glad other girls posted their own ideas, this should me feel like i've covered all the bases!

Hi All: I have a question on pricing for everyone. I am going to be spending a lot of money on my wedding so I'm trying to save it where I can. This is what I found and what I'd like to do. I'd everyone's advice on this whether you have or have not caught this discrepancy. For the blood test on the pricing list it states that the test is $300 per couple. On their website it states the cost of the blood test is only $200 per couple. The cost to get your marriage license validated on the price list is $165 but on the website it is only $100. They are both for 2008, not even 2009 but I think that because of this discrepancy and the amount of money that we'll be spending there that we should get the lower cost. I'd like to send an email to Cecilia gently "demanding" the lower price but I'm not sure how to go about it. Does anyone have any advice on this? Have you caught this too? They don't allow package substitutions either so I feel that FOR SURE we should get the lower price because we'll be spending money on stuff that we don't even use, stuff worth hundreds of dollars. Thanks for any and all help on this matter!