“Our Song”

Today my husband and I are celebrating 8 years of marriage. As a lifelong Taylor Swift fan, I had the fun idea to re-write the lyrics to “Our Song” with events that happened in our love story.

Just a little side note, T. Swift was born just 15 days before me, in my home state of Pennsylvania. I was actually born in New Jersey, but moved to PA at age 8, and spent the rest of my childhood there. Where she grew up (West Reading), was less than an hour from where I lived, so I sort of consider her my “soul sister”.

Anyway, not to get sidetracked by Taylor, but I had to set the scene. Surprisingly, we didn’t play any Taylor Swift songs at our wedding. Perhaps my husband orchestrated it that way, HA.

Although T.Swift is QUEEN of telling a good love story, I have to say, hers doesn’t hold up against our actual love story.

To my husband, I hope you enjoy this version.

xo, ❤

“Our Song” by Angela Ribeiro

I was riding shotgun with my hair all done

in the front seat of the getaway car

He had two hands on the steering wheel, but not a clue of where to go 

I look in the rearview, and I’m grinning from ear to ear 

I say, “Do you know where you’re going?” 

And he says “Yes”… although we both know he’s taking the long road

Our song is the slamming car door…catching the first sight of you across your parents driveway

Walking down the aisle, arm in arm, two strangers united at a wedding

Sneaking off to the Inn’s laundry room, speaking Portuguese to an audience of one 

Our song is “Call Me Maybe”… because that’s what was playing when you finally got your chance to dance with me

When I lay on the pullout couch that night, ‘fore I said Amen, asking God if he could play it again 

I woke up the next morning after what had been the best day of my life

We had stayed up sharing secrets and stealing kisses

Both unsure of what it all meant 

On the drive home, I listened to your father tell stories about you and I began to fall

When we stopped at the gas station and you ordered pizza, I couldn’t help but laugh

Our song is the slamming car door…catching the first sight of you across your parents driveway

Walking down the aisle, arm in arm, two strangers united at a wedding

Sneaking off to the Inn‘s laundry room, speaking Portuguese to an audience of one 

Our song is “Call Me Maybe”… because that’s what was playing when you finally got your chance to dance with me

When I lay on the pullout couch that night, ‘fore I said Amen, asking God if he could play it again 

I’ve heard every album listened to the radio

Waited for something to come along

That’s been as good as OUR song

‘Cause our song is a cross-country move… 

A California wedding and a Hawaiian honeymoon 

When we’d stay up late and dream big dreams, ’cause we were young and it was only us two  

Our song is the way you looked, sleeping with one arm across our firstborn

When we signed the deed and got the keys …and you mowed your very first lawn 

Our song is a second plus sign…and a baby girl with your middle name

I was lying awake with my hair undone

Between our two kids in bed

I grabbed my MacBook and the laptop desk

And I wrote down our song

“Our Song” by Taylor Swift

I was ridin’ shotgun with my hair undone
In the front seat of his car
He’s got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel
The other on my heart
I look around, turn the radio down
He says, “Baby, is something wrong?”
I say, “Nothing, I was just thinkin’ how we don’t have a song”
And he says

Our song is the slamming screen door
Sneakin’ out late, tapping on your window
When we’re on the phone, and you talk real slow
‘Cause it’s late, and your mama don’t know
Our song is the way you laugh
The first date, “Man, I didn’t kiss her, and I should have”
And when I got home, ‘fore I said, “Amen”
Asking God if he could play it again

I was walkin’ up the front porch steps after everything that day
Had gone all wrong and been trampled on
And lost and thrown away
Got to the hallway, well on my way to my lovin’ bed
I almost didn’t notice all the roses
And the note that said

Our song is the slamming screen door
Sneakin’ out late, tapping on your window
When we’re on the phone, and you talk real slow
‘Cause it’s late, and your mama don’t know
Our song is the way you laugh
The first date, “Man, I didn’t kiss her and I should have”
And when I got home, ‘fore I said, “Amen”
Asking God if he could play it again

I’ve heard every album, listened to the radio
Waited for something to come along
That was as good as our song

‘Cause our song is the slamming screen door
Sneakin’ out late, tapping on his window
When we’re on the phone, and he talks real slow
‘Cause it’s late, and his mama don’t know
Our song is the way he laughs
The first date, “Man, I didn’t kiss him, and I should have”
And when I got home, ‘fore I said, “Amen”
Askin’ God if he could play it again, play it again

Oh, yeah
Oh, oh yeah

I was ridin’ shotgun with my hair undone
In the front seat of his car
I grabbed a pen and an old napkin
And I wrote down our song

A trip down memory lane because it’s fun… our first dance together in New Harbor, Maine.

Our first walk down the aisle together (He was Best Man, I was MOH)…I was so serious because I was trying not to cry!
Dancing at our wedding, in Mountain View, California.

Happy 8 years love!

Photography: Bri Cibene

A Newlywed’s Top 10 Tips on Building a Better Marriage

*Today’s post is brought to you by my friend Alli Hoff Kosik, the blogger behind Finding Plan A. Alli lives in Brooklyn and is a freelance writer for media companies such as Brit+Co., Refinery29, and Bustle (SO cool!). We both went to the same high school, and re-connected on social media after college. Her husband, Matt, also attended our high school and they were married last June! 

It’s been one year since starting my blog, so, in honor of my very first post  AND Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I reached out to Alli to have her share with us her own tips for a healthy marriage 😉 

 

Hi, everyone! It’s great to be spending some time with you today on Mrs K-Fit! I feel super lucky to have gotten to know Angela so well over the last few months… I only wish we’d known back at our 2,000-student high school that we should find each other and be friends 🙂

When Angela invited me to share some thoughts on a successful marriage with you, I felt a tiny bit unqualified, since my amazing husband Matt (seriously, how cute is he?) and I got married just six months ago — but then I remembered that we’ve been together for nearly eight years! In that time, we’ve definitely learned a lot about what works for us and how to keep our relationship happy and thriving. Here are my ten (newlywed) tips for marriage!

    1. Be silly! One of the distinguishing characteristics of our marriage is a little playful weirdness. I think my maid of honor said it perfectly in her speech at our wedding: “The three of us were sitting on the couch chatting, and then there were a few silent moments, and you just looked at each other and made a few faces and burst out laughing.” Matt and I never cease to crack each other up, and sometimes we spend weeknights just sitting around sending each other into fits of giggles with the most random jokes and comments. It’s important to keep that kind of fun and lightness in a marriage!
    2. Know the right time to step away from a difficult conversation. I’ll be honest — this one doesn’t come easily to me. My instinct is to talk all. the. way. through a challenging discussion. As I become more emotional, I tend to talk more, while Matt tends to get quieter. You can probably imagine that this combination can often lead us to an impasse! What’s been working well for us instead is to agree to take a break (usually at the point when one of us can sense that we’re no longer being productive) and to set a time (usually about 30 minutes later) to come back and talk more calmly. It gives each of us a chance to organize our thoughts so we can redirect in a more positive, less emotional way.
    3. Find passion in your personal pursuits that you can share with your spouse. Matt and I find that we are most likely to bring our best selves home to each other when we are each fulfilled in our individual jobs and activities. When I was miserable in my corporate career, I wasn’t able to be the kind of wife I wanted to be, and it was hard for me to even have a conversation with my husband after work because there was so little from my day that I actually wanted to share. Now that I’m writing full-time, I can’t wait for him to come home so I can fill him in on what I’ve been working on. Since I’m happier, I also have the emotional energy I need in order to go above and beyond and be the type of wife I want to be. Additionally, I carve out time for exercise and dates with my girl friends, too, both of which help me be the best version of myself. Matt and I both like that version better 🙂
    4. Be intentional with your words and your tone. While we are not perfect, Matt and I are very thoughtful about the way we talk to and about each other. Your spouse should be your biggest cheerleader! We notice that there are couples who use teasing and subtle jabs at the other’s expense as a common pattern of conversation. We firmly believe that this should not be part of our rapport. Of course, we’re only human, so sometimes we slip up, but for us, this is usually a symptom of a larger tension that needs to be worked through and not a casual, offhand comment.
    5. Sometimes, it’s easier to let things go. Let me tell you about something that we call “The Zone.” The Zone is an L-shaped area of our bedroom that starts on Matt’s side of the bed and extends across one wall and into his closet (the doors of which are never closed). Within one week of moving into our apartment, I realized that Matt had very efficiently covered The Zone with t-shirts, clothes hangers, scrap paper, and other random items. I am extremely clean and neat, and at first, I fought against The Zone. Fast forward a few months, and I’d decided that it really didn’t matter. Matt has given me total license to keep the rest of our apartment just the way I like it, and he happily cleans The Zone whenever we have visitors — so what’s the point in constantly arguing about something so silly? It’s important to really think about the battles you want to fight — and for me, it was OK to let The Zone go.
    6. Be comfortable with quiet. One of the first things I noticed about my relationship with Matt was that silences never felt awkward. Very early in our dating life, Matt offered to drive me from Pennsylvania to Washington, DC, where I went to college. A four-hour road trip is bound to include a few quiet moments, and I was worried that all of that time in the car would be uncomfortable. It actually felt very natural! Day-to-day life can be pretty low-key and uneventful, so it’s important that you and your spouse can relax into quiet time without feeling awkward. For newlyweds, it’s also important to be comfortable in the post-wedding calm, which can be a strange adjustment after months of chaotic planning!
    7. Find great “couple friends.” We are so lucky to have jointly befriended a few pretty incredible couples over the last few years, and I wouldn’t trade those relationships for anything. Having great couples to hang out with makes for lots of fun double dates, but it has also given us a chance to learn from other relationships.
    8. Check in regularly about long-term plans. Matt and I try to talk about big picture topics (money, kids, where we want to live, etc.) approximately every three months (sometimes we even schedule it on the calendar!). We never want to get into a situation where those conversations feel more stressful than necessary because one of us feels like they are up against a deadline, so regular chats help keep things casual and authentic. To make it a fun date night, we splurge on our favorite take-out and buy a bottle of wine!
    9. No-phone time. Just like most other twenty-somethings living in 2017, Matt and I are both guilty of getting a little caught up in our phones. While we were on our honeymoon, we started implementing “no-phone time.” Any time either he or I feels that we’re both a little too distracted by our Apple-branded friends, we are allowed to invoke the no-phone rule. We also try to leave our phones at home when we go out on a date.
    10. Don’t forget the importance of being best friends. Naturally, marriage comes with perks (wink, wink) and responsibilities (budgeting, anyone?) that fall outside the realm of typical friendships, but Matt and I really do try to keep our best friend relationship at the core of our life together. Ultimately, there’s no one in the world that I would rather do anything with than Matt, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to make him happy. When all the other stuff gets stripped away, it’s important that the integrity of those feelings stay intact so you can remember what’s really most valuable.

 

Thanks so much for reading! You can find more of my thoughts on marriage, life, work, etc. at Finding Plan A and on my Instagram! xo

alli-and-matt

Photography credit: Bri Cibene 

Our Second Year

 

 

 

View More: http://bricibene.pass.us/ribeiros

Photo credit: Bri Cibene Photography  . View more photos of our day here.

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 2 years!! There sure have been a lot of changes happening, and as I reflect on how far we’ve come, I can’t help but smile. I’m sure every wife says this, but I truly have the best husband in the world. He’s constantly surprising me every day. If you ask him what his motivation is to work hard, he’ll say me; and now…our soon-to-be family. Over the past year, he has set a goal for himself to read 50 self-improvement books…and he finished with 2 months left! I am so proud of him and his dedication to continue bettering himself.

I never have to ask him to wash the dishes (his momma raised him right!), and he won’t complain if I ask him to scrub the tub or put gas in my car. If I don’t feel like cooking dinner, he shrugs it off and says, “Ok, let’s go out.” I feel undeserving most days because he is so good to me. I often ask myself, “What did I do to deserve such a love?”

Shortly after we were married, I had a quote from Kendrick’s vows to me framed. Growing up, I had written about my future husband and fantasized how we would meet and what he would look like. I wrote a list of qualities that I hoped he would have and prayed that he was out there…somewhere. It’s funny because Kendrick doesn’t even compare… He is more than what I could have ever imagined. He possesses qualities that I didn’t even know I wanted. God certainly knew what He was doing when he brought us together… I wish I could have been there, sitting next to Him when He saw all of it unfold. He must have been grinning from ear to ear.

“Everything you are is everything that I couldn’t even allow myself to dream of, because I never thought I deserved it.” -Kendrick, 5-23-14

This past year has been full of amazing blessings. And our most recent blessing…our little one that will be joining our family in December. I thought it would be fun to look back at the highlights/ adventures we had during our second year.

  1. My sister moving to California! I am so grateful to have her here, even more so now that we are pregnant. She is the only family we have on the west coast, so she has a very important role to play once this baby comes 😉

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2. Our belated honeymoon in Hawaii! In September, we finally got to take our honeymoon. Kendrick had been before, but it was my first time! We stayed on Oahu, and rented an AirBnb guest house in Kailua for 4 nights, then spent one night in Waikiki Beach. The best part of renting an AirBnb was all the sporting gear and equipment we got to use for free! They had a two-person kayak that we used to adventure out to the Mokulua Islands. My favorite part of our trip was our amazing sunrise hike in Lanikai. We had to get up super early so that we could watch the sunrise over the Mokulua Islands. It was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen.

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Arriving in Hawaii

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Hanging on Moku Nui Island in the middle of the Pacific. This is where we kayaked from Kailua Beach

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Beautiful Kailua Beach

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Pillbox Hike in Lanikai (pardon my poor Panorama skills)

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Pre-sunrise

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Here comes the sun!

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3. Kendrick running the NYC Marathon! I could spend a whole post writing about this weekend, but I will try to make it short. We have a close friend and client who was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease. For those who don’t know what it is, it has been described as a combination of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s mixed into one. She came to Kendrick shortly after he started training her, and asked if he would be willing to run the NYC Marathon with her. She wanted to complete this lifetime goal before her symptoms progressed.  And guess what?? She DID! You can read more about Christy and her inspirational story here. 

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Kendrick and Christy at the Finish Line!

4. Starting my blog! 

5. Finding out we are pregnant! 

ultrasound with writing

angie holding tummy.jpg

 

 

Happy Anniversary babe! To another chapter in our book…I love you.

Our new addition: Baby K-Fit!

 

The Ribeiros are expecting!

I am so happy to announce that Kendrick and I are expecting!! Baby K-Fit will be arriving in early December! It’s been a whirlwind past couple weeks, and I am so relieved to finally share the news.

As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I wrote in my journal and detailed everything from that day. I want to share with you my first journal entry, but before I do…here’s a little backstory…

Kendrick and I were on the same page with children; we knew we both wanted them, we just weren’t sure when exactly that would be. I love kids and actually worked as a Nanny before we got married.  I could have been ready for kids as soon as we got married, but I’m glad we decided to wait a couple years. I didn’t want to rush into motherhood, but also knew that starting a family was something very important to me (and Kendrick). Our first year of marriage flew by, and it wasn’t until last September that we got to finally take our belated honeymoon.

I have a friend who had a baby in September, and my sister-in-law had her first child in January, so unfortunately (or fortunately) I started getting baby fever. By the time we went home for Christmas, I had already stopped taking birth control and the plans for Baby K-Fit were in full swing. We weren’t sure how long it would take to get pregnant, so we just assumed that it could take up to a year, and if it happened earlier, then we would be just as happy!

Fast forward to April 5, the day we found out the news! I want to share with you the excerpt that I wrote in my journal.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Today I found out I’m pregnant! It feels so surreal. The reality hasn’t sunk in yet…but if this baby is healthy and able to grow …I’m going to be a mom! So here’s how it happened…

Kendrick and I have been preparing for this. So it was not a complete surprise. I took an ovulation test last month so I knew that we had “done it” when we were supposed to. I didn’t think we would get lucky and it would happen on the first try! Kendrick said I had been irritable with him over the weekend. I didn’t think too much of it as I have not experienced any other symptoms except a slight increase in appetite. I was supposed to get my period on Sunday; and when it didn’t come I just thought, “Oh I’ll get it…there’s no way I’m pregnant yet.” I’ve been cognizant of the fact that getting pregnant is a miracle and not every woman is blessed with that opportunity. I recently read about a blogger I follow who had a miscarriage…and I am still worried that will happen to me. So today, when I realized I am 3 days late, I decided to buy a pregnancy test. I told Kendrick and he was getting excited about the impending possibility. I went to CVS, bought a test, and drove quickly home. Kendrick wasn’t home yet, so I took the test alone. Right after I did it, I placed it on the counter and waited. This particular test had a countdown…so I saw that it was reading the test. Then, it appeared.

pregnancy test

Could it be?? Is this how simple it was?? A life changing moment in a matter of seconds. I tried to act calm… I knew Kendrick was on his way home and wondered how I should tell him.

I decided to wait and let him see the test for himself. I heard his car pull up and got anxious…then heard him turn the key- his eyes met mine.

“Did you do it?” he asked.

I smiled. “You didn’t wait for me?” he teased.

“I have something I want to show you…” I said.

We walked together to the bathroom where the test was sitting on the counter. He looked down at it.

“Oh my gosh…” he said. “I know…” I replied and we embraced. I could feel tears forming in my eyes.

“I think I’m going to cry.” he said.

“Me too.”

“I’m going to be a dad.”

I nodded. “I want to take another test to be sure..but the test popped up pretty quickly. I think I’m pregnant.” I said still stunned.

me and K with test

Kendrick couldn’t have been more excited. I am so blessed to have a husband who can share in this joy with me- and it’s something that we both want.

Shortly after all this happened he went for a run. When he returned he was already starting to worry about our child’s future.  I told him that’s where we just have to do our best and pray that God takes care of the rest. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” -Jeremiah 29:11

Thank you to our family and friends for your support and prayers for us.

We are thrilled to be starting our family and lucky to have you along for the ride!

xo

Mrs. K-Fit and Baby K-Fit

Why My Mom Is My Hero

 

View More: http://bricibene.pass.us/ribeiros

In honor of Mother’s Day…I want to write about the best mother of all time – my mom.

The last time I got to see my mom was in January during the holidays. She lives in Pennsylvania with my dad, and so we usually only see each other twice, or if we’re lucky, three times a year. These visits are often short, less than a week, and they always go by too fast.

Growing up my mom was my teacher, literally! My sister and I were home-schooled until I was in 3rd grade and she was in 2nd grade.  We usually got our school work done by lunch, and then we were able to have “recess” in the backyard! My mom also ran a daycare out of our home. I never realized it at the time, I just thought all the neighborhood kids came over to have play-dates with us.

There were times though when I didn’t like being home-schooled. Particularly as I got older and realized that all the other kids got to walk to school…yes, I complained about not being able to walk to school. And so, my precious mother would zip up my backpack, lace up my shoes, and take my sister and I for a walk to the school. Of course, when we got there we would turn around; but I always wondered what the kids inside were doing.

When I was 8 years old, I finally got to go to school for the first time! My parents moved us to Pennsylvania the summer before I started 3rd grade.  I still remember my first day of school. I was wearing a lime green jumper and a pair of Sketchers. I don’t look very happy in the photos, probably because I was so nervous and had no idea what to expect. I remember sitting in the cafeteria and thinking, “Oh, so this is where the kids eat lunch.” It was all so new to me.

Anyway, back to my mom, whom this is all about. My mom and I had a great relationship through the rest of my grade school years. We never fought…even when I was a teenager. I’m sure there were times when I got mad at her, but I can honestly never remember having a screaming match or anything with her. It’s just not like me. She and I are very alike in our personalities; I think that’s what makes us get along so well.

My mom has always been a woman of faith, and has trusted in the Lord through every phase of life. She always stands up for what she believes in, which makes me admire her that much more. She loves to run, and can easily beat me in any long-distance race.

She embodies health and well-being for me in such a positive way and continues to defy age and use the gifts God has given her in extraordinary ways…like running half-marathons!

She turns 50 this August, and will be visiting us in California during that time. She signed up to run the Water to Wine 10K in Napa, and being the faithful servant that she is, God has pressed on her heart to raise money for the non-profit: Christmas Box International. They serve children who are victims of abuse and neglect; and their assistance ranges from providing resources such as food, clothing, and other supplies; to safe houses for those who have been neglected and abused; as well as mentoring relationships for those moving from the children’s to the youth programs. Her goal is to raise $2,500 by race day in August. If you would like to donate, please visit my mom’s fundraiser page here.

 

My mom will be receiving a surprise this Mother’s Day…

Guess what Mom???!

I’m coming HOME!!! 

I’ve been planning this trip for a couple months now, and it has been SO hard to keep it from her! I couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing her until August, so I booked a long weekend home.

I am planning to share the news via FaceTime during her lunch break today; I can’t wait!!

 

Here’s a poem I uncovered back when I was home in January and going through my Memory Box. I can’t remember when I wrote it, I think it was in middle school but apparently I didn’t know how to spell “role-model”, haha.

mom poem

me and mom 1

I want to wish all of you moms a very happy Mother’s Day…we wouldn’t be here without you!

xo

10 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding

 

10 Ways to Save Money on your wedding collage (2)

Photos by: Bri Cibene Photography

Ahh…wedding planning. I remember it all too fondly. My first piece of advice I received after I got engaged was, “Delay wedding planning as long as possible. That’s when the stress begins.”

I think most of us (women) start planning our wedding before we’re even engaged, or dating! We think about what dress we’ll wear, what flowers we’ll carry, and what kind of cake we’ll serve. When you start planning, there’s a collision that happens…between what you’ve been dreaming of your whole life and what is now realistic. For example, growing up my family had a beach house on Long Beach Island, NJ. My grandfather built the house, and I have vivid memories of my summers spent there. The car rides would seem so long, but when we finally got to the bridge leading onto the Island, my heart would skip a beat.

As I got older, and started to dream of my wedding day, I would imagine it taking place at the Yacht Club located at the entrance of the bridge. I would gaze out at the grand estate, and think “there’s no where else I want to get married but here.”

Well, 15 some years later, my dreams were crushed. I had almost forgotten about this place, until the memory hit me one day as we were venue searching. I didn’t know the exact name of it, but I knew the location and so I did what all of us do…I consulted Google. I found out it was called the Mallard Island Yacht Club. It looked a lot more prestigious than what I had remembered. I clicked on the Weddings tab, and found out that the estate rental fee was almost $20,000! (that wasn’t including food or drink). Unfortunately, this was way out of our budget.

All our lives we dream of our wedding as a one day event. However, when we find our dream man (or woman), the ultimate prize is not the wedding day, but getting to spend every day for the rest of our lives together.  

No matter what you do, or don’t do…the most important thing is who is waiting for you at the end of the aisle. 

Here are 10 things that helped me save money when I was planning my wedding.

  1. Not Using A Florist

My mother-in-law had warned me about how expensive flowers would be…but I couldn’t bring myself to use fake flowers. After getting a few estimates from florists, I knew I would have to get creative. That’s when I turned to Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods has an amazing floral department and employees who specialize in floral arrangement. Because they’re a large retailer and they buy in bulk, they can get flowers from the wholesalers at a cheaper cost. I personally used the Whole Foods Market in Palo Alto and worked directly with a specialist  who was able to give me an estimate that was less than 1/3 of what the florists told me. Since we got married in the Spring, I had a wide variety of flowers to choose from that were in-season. I got to have beautiful, fresh flowers at a fraction of the cost.

2. Using One Venue

What appealed to me about the venue we chose, was that they had the capabilities to do everything on-site. That meant we could have our ceremony and reception in one location and cut the costs needed to transport the bridal party and guests. That also meant less time wasted in the car, and more face-to-face time with my family, friends, and most importantly.. groom.

3. Not Using a (Traditional) Caterer

We got very lucky with our venue. At the time, they did not have a vendor list like many places do, that required we use one specific caterer or photographer. After securing Whole Foods as our florist, I thought…Why don’t they cater our wedding too??  I can’t claim I was the first person to think of this, but I did feel pretty savvy at the time 😉 One thing to keep in mind is that they do not serve the food. They will drop it off for you, but you have to have a venue that either provides wait staff, or you have to hire them on your own.

4. Not Buying an Expensive Dress (or shoes)

Every bride is different, but for me, I personally didn’t place too much emphasis on what I would be wearing…a shocker I know! I didn’t have the luxury to spend thousands on a wedding dress, nor did I want to! The most important thing to me was that I felt comfortable. It’s important to think about how and where you want to spend your money. To me, I wanted to put more money into our reception and entertaining my guests instead of wearing an expensive dress. When it comes to shoes…the reality is, no matter how “comfortable” you claim your heels are, you’re going to be kicking them off on the dance floor.  (I ended up purchasing my heels from Nordstrom Rack for $50!)

5. Borrowing from fellow Brides

This is the best! If you have friends who have gotten married, it’s most likely that they have something you can borrow. I was extremely lucky to have some amazing friends who lent me decor, candles, and even a veil! Every little bit counts and most of the time people are eager to help and happy to see their things put to good use.

6. Skipping the RSVP cards

I didn’t see the point of printing extra paper for RSVP cards when people could just go online and do the same thing. Ultimately, when the wedding is over, think about what you’ll want to save; most likely it will be your wedding invitations or program…not your rsvp cards.

7. Making your own Decor

Yes, we’ve all gotten sucked into the DIY movement…but there is something really rewarding about doing this. For the things I couldn’t do, I enlisted the help of talented people on Etsy. The biggest thing I did (with the help of my friend Kelly) was make ALL the table runners for our guest tables. It definitely was a labor of love but so worth it in the end!

View More: http://bricibene.pass.us/ribeiros

 

 

8. Not Having an Open Bar

We chose to serve beer and wine to eliminate high alcohol costs. We purchased all our alcohol from BevMo, and the best part was, whatever bottles we didn’t open (and weren’t chilled)- we got to return!! I ended up returning over $100 worth in alcohol; which was a welcome surprise after so much spending!

9. Hiring Your Friends

Most of us have at least one or two super artsy or crafty friends. My sister-in-law happens to be one of them! She handmade decor for her own wedding, so I asked her to make a banner and cake topper for us. She also did my make-up, which was a huge help (and cost saver)! I had a friend from high school, Bri Cibene, who started her own photography business, so when it came time to choose a photographer, I hired Bri because I completely trusted her and knew she would do an amazing job! Our videographer was also a personal friend, and I can’t tell you how comforting it felt to be surrounded by vendors that we knew and trusted.

10. Being your own Planner

The beauty of planning a wedding these days, is that we have Pinterest! My decision not to have a wedding planner was mostly due to finances, but if I had to do it over again…I wouldn’t change a thing! Planning a wedding is something you’ll do once (hopefully) so all the ups and downs are just part of the process. I felt more comfortable making decisions knowing that I wasn’t being influenced by someone who maybe had ulterior motives. I tried to incorporate our family and friends as much as possible, and when I look back at the photos, I see the love that surrounded us that day…and every day since then.

And that’s a story I can share with our kids and grand-kids for years to come.

xo

 

 

 

10 Tips for a Healthy Marriage

 

10 tips for a healthy marriage

Photo by: Bri Cibene Photography

Hi! I’m so excited you’re here and so thrilled to finally put out my first post. This blog has been a long time coming, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my amazing husband, Kendrick.

In the United States, researchers estimate that 50 percent of all first marriages will end in permanent separation or divorce. After witnessing some of the people closest to us go through really tough marriage/relationship struggles this past year, I felt convicted to write about what Kendrick and I are doing to keep our marriage strong. 

Media outlets and television shows often portray marriages as a stressful thing and as a joke; an apathetic husband and overbearing wife; but it can be the best thing in the world. We’re always bombarded with negativity in the media, and it’s easy to settle into a relationship that is mediocre because we feel pressured to meet social norms.

Kendrick and I have been married for under 2 years, so I’m certainly not an expert nor do I have years of wisdom behind me. But, I’ve compiled 10 things that Kendrick and I have done/continue to do to keep our marriage healthy. Maybe you already implement some of these things too…or do something different! I’d love to hear what you do in the comments section below 🙂

  1. Learn your spouse’s Love Language. I read a great book, “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Chapman shortly after we got married. At first I thought it was silly, but as I read, I realized that it is true that all of us receive and feel love in different ways. I feel love by physical touch, whereas Kendrick feels love through acts of service (for example, me cooking him food). I highly encourage you to read this book, it may either verify what you know about your spouse, or enlighten you with something new.
  2. Refrain from airing dirty laundry. This is a biggie… If I have an issue with Kendrick, I talk to him directly. I don’t find it healthy to exploit his faults to my family and friends. 
  3. Admire each other. Yup, you read that right. Kendrick and I spend at least 1 minute just looking at each other before bed. If you think about it, we probably spend more time a day looking at our phones than our spouse…so go ahead, and bat those eyes tonight 😉
  4. Learn when your spouse is having an off day. I’m pretty good at reading Kendrick, and know when he’s having an off-day. I don’t pry or interrogate. We often like to amplify our happiness on social media, and people forget that we’re human- we have sad days and bad days- it’s okay to have those emotions and OK to let your spouse work through them.
  5. Be honest about your spouse’s weaknesses…there’s a second part here- and offer suggestions to how they can combat bad habits.   Kendrick is always honest with me, even if he knows it will hurt me.  Your spouse should be your number one fan, and in being that, they want to see you succeed and be the best person you can be. If they are pointing something out with good intentions, don’t get defensive or shut down. They have your best interests at heart.
  6. Schedule a weekly date night. 
  7. Read a book together. One of the best decisions we made last year was getting rid of cable (TV is poison to the brain anyway). We started reading more, which translated to learning more, which translated to sharing more together.
  8. Budget together. Before we got married, we did what many couples do; which is to create a spreadsheet, and add up all the outstanding debts (like student loans). It’s never fun, but after we saw all the numbers, we both had a wake-up call and realized that in order to tackle our debt, we had to get on the same page.
  9. Exercise together. I want to live as many healthy days as God gives me with Kendrick by my side…exercise and eating healthy are two ways to ensure that happens 🙂
  10. Give back together. After hearing a sermon by John Ortberg at our church on the power of giving, we drastically changed our perspective. How often did we give more than what we felt comfortable? It was after that realization that we decided to actively give and trust that we would see that generous spirit come back to us.

 

For those who have been following Kendrick Fitness for a while, you may recognize the term, “K-Tips”. I’m not sure when exactly these “K-Tips” began, but basically they are fitness and nutrition tips that Kendrick posts online.

For his brother’s wedding, (the one where we met) Kendrick incorporated in his speech, “The K-Tips of a Happy Marriage“.

Here they are below…

speech page 1speech page 2speech page 3

K-Tip: Let love be your remedy. The world can be an unforgiving and stressful place often times…so make your home and the time you both spend together a haven, a peaceful place where you can listen to your hearts and savor the comfortable closeness you share.

 

I’d like to challenge you, to try 3 of these healthy tips for the month of February.

I love this quote from the movie, The Wedding Date with Debra Messing.

“Every woman has the exact love life she wants.”

So…let’s make our love life the best yet!

*This blog post was inspired by blogger Audrey Roloff‘s post, “6 Questions for Marriage“. Check out her new marriage blog, launching February 14!

#beating50percent #stayingido