Four Years

Haaaaappy anniversary to me and C! Today marks four years since our wedding day - it was truly the best day of my life thus far, surrounded by my favorite people in the most beautiful setting. It exceeded my dreams and it holds such a special place in my memory. It was not only beautiful but it was FUN! It is kinda nuts to see how much weddings and styles have changed just since our own special day.....but looking back on it I still wouldn't change a thing (except maybe the lavender toss at the end......that stuff went all down my dress and in my hair, lol).

Our wedding day was perfect but our marriage is what really matters. This year had its fair share of challenges, both as individuals and as a couple, but I'm thankful that with each struggle we've faced we have strengthened our relationship and become stronger as a team. I'm so thankful to have someone I can face the world with, side-by-side and hand-in-hand (or as the kids say these days, someone to "do life with"). Someone who shares the same views on the big things, has the same long term goals and helps me to be the best version of myself. Someone who keeps me accountable and balances out my strengths and weaknesses (and vice-versa). Yes, we have our own struggles, but I think we make a pretty great pair.

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14 Things to Look for in a Husband

Happy Valentine's Day to you! Yesterday was my wonderful husband's birthday and today is THE day of love so I thought it was only natural to devote this post to him! Last year on Valentine's Day I shared 14 Reasons I Love My Husband (all of those still hold true - I'm seriously the luckiest!) .... today, I want to share 14 Things to Look for in a Husband. 14 because it's February 14th, clearly :)

I'm gonna be honest, I kissed a few too many frogs before finding a prince. Some of them weren't so bad (they just weren't so "right" either) but others....yikes! All that to say, I truly believe that there really is someone out there that is made for you. They say marriage is work, yes, there is some give and take, but it shouldn't be hard work or strenuous work...ya know? The right relationship should come naturally and be a perfect fit for both of your personalities, characters and lifestyles.

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Three Years

Photo by Candi Coffman Photography

You guys! As of tomorrow, June 5, C and I have been married for three years. THREE YEARS. Time seriously flies when you're having fun. Our wedding day is still my favorite day that I have ever lived. It was magical and perfect and everything I ever dreamed it would be. Every day since isn't always quite that magical, but that's what we have each other for! To lean on and encourage when times are tough and to celebrate and laugh with when times are swell.

In our three years of marriage (and 6.5 years of being together) I've grown to be so grateful to have a husband who enjoys the same things as me and who has the same long term goals as me. We have the same overall opinions and beliefs on the important stuff, but we are able to balance each other out on the not-so-important stuff. We've learned how to communicate and how to fight, when to leave each other alone and when to go full speed ahead. Marriage is work and it takes time and effort, but it is the best thing ever to have your favorite person by your side. This year was filled with travel and adventure - one of our favorite things! I'm not sure if I enjoy the planning and anticipation or the actual vacations more. Of course, life threw a few curveballs like unexpected surgeries, doggy + human health issues and home repairs, but that's just how it goes. You take the good times with the bad and make it through hand in hand.

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14 Reasons I Love My Husband

Happiest of Valentine's to you! We aren't huge celebrators of Valentine's Day around here, but I always love an excuse to eat a little extra candy, wear pink and spend some quality time together. February 13 is C's birthday, so we typically celebrate that first and foremost. Our Valentine's Day tradition has become a simple one: Chinese takeout on the couch by candlelight. Romantic, huh? It is something we both really look forward to each year! Sesame chicken is good for the heart and soul.

Since yesterday was C's birthday and today is the day of love, I thought I'd share 14 reasons I love him (and keep on loving him). I don't give him enough credit or attribution around here most of the time! Without his help and support, this blog wouldn't even be in existence and I would be living off Kraft mac and cheese and sloppy joes...coincidentally, I made him sloppy joes for his birthday dinner because its all I can make, HA! He is seriously the best (plus he's super attractive). I'm truly the luckiest! Scroll on down to see why he gives me all the feels.

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two years

Two years ago today I walked down to aisle to say 'I Do' to my favorite person. June 5, 2015, is still the most exciting and magical day of my life! Our wedding was beyond perfect - everything I ever dreamed of. Every day since then hasn't always been perfect, but that's what marriage is all about: blending the good days and the bad days and sticking it out together, side by side, regardless of what life throws at you. The past two years have been filled with so many things, good and bad: tons of travel, our fair share of fights, injuries and medical issues, big decisions and some disagreements, buying and renovating our historical home, getting the world's cutest puppy, loving hard, eating a lot and enjoying life. C said we are no longer "newlyweds" which kind of makes me sad (currently taking it off my bio on all social platforms...booo), but it is so fun to experience every stage of marriage with my favorite human by my side. I can't wait to see what year three has in store!

To celebrate our anniversary, we brunched at The Drake and sipped cocktails at some of our favorite places around Oklahoma City (Hi, Sidecar + Oak & Ore). We got ice cream at Roxy's (I've decided its a tradition since they served dessert at our wedding), I tried on my wedding dress (it fits), we read through our guest book and then watched our wedding video. It was such a fun Sunday Funday together and I'm excited to continue the celebration tonight on our actual anniversary with presents and dinner a la Cole.

Two years is the cotton anniversary -- any guesses on what C got me? I told him a Lulu tank would be a great cotton item and he can accessorize with some accessories like a clutch or jewelry. :)

Last year I posted this little questionnaire as a glimpse into our first year as Mr. and Mrs. It was so fun to look back on, so I wanted to keep it up year after year! Year two, as follows:

Places we visited:
Seattle, Arkansas, New York City, Belize

Restaurants we loved:
GoRo Ramen, ShakeShack, Catch, The Drake, Chick-fil-a

Things we did:
Bought and remodeled a historical home together, moved into said home, sold our old house, hiked Snoqualmie Falls, dressed up the whole family as Star-Wars characters for Halloween, road a ferry, ate the world's best mac and cheese (twice), ran through downtown OKC in our undies, ice skated in NYC, road bikes through central park, saw Tim McGraw in concert, watched Aladdin on Broadway, ate at a three-star Michelin restaurant, hiked the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail, whispered across the walls of Grand Central Station, tried authentic NYC pizza, stayed in an ocean-front cabana, hosted a brunch party and celebrated alongside a butt-load of friends and family as they got married

Shows we watched: 
Game of Thrones, Catastrophe, Master of None, Fixer Upper, Better Call Saul, Stone House Revival, Jessica Jones, Goliath, The Night Of, Westworld, Big Little Lies

Movies we saw:
Rogue One, Girl On The Train, LaLa Land

Our favorite homemade meals: 
Bobby Flay's Cajun Eggs Benedict, salt cod omelet, protein pancakes, smashed burgers, tacos of all kinds, elotes, edamame (or black bean) noodles with carbonara and chicken, Kenji's Mac & Cheese

Gifts we gave each other:
Nike Metcons, Electric Kettle (lame)
Monogram Necklace, lots of Lululemon

Favorite treats:
Oreos, Chick-fil-a Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cereal (Protein Cheerios especially), Braum's Ice Cream

Favorite pastimes:
Working out together (in the same building at least...;), trying new foods and restaurants, drinking coffee on the couch on weekend mornings, riding bikes, dog stuff

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one year

June 5, 2016, marks 365 days of marriage. What a wonderful adventure it's been so far!

To celebrate, we brunched at Cheever's and sipped cocktails at our favorite places around town. We ate freezer burnt wedding cake for desert and watched our wedding video. The cake was less than delicious, so we headed to Roxy's for a double scoop of salted caramel. They served desert at our wedding, so it seemed fitting.

Considering it's our paper anniversary, we exchanged tickets to Seattle. We'll be boarding a jet plane in ten days - YAY! You can follow along on our adventure via snapchat (@abradley15 - yes, my snap is older than our marriage) or on Insta. I'm still working on a hashtag; maybe #sweetheartsinseattle? Tee-hee-hee.

Marriage is really fun, you guys. I recommend it.

And now, a glimpse into our first year and Mr. & Mrs. Martin!

Places we visited:
The Bahamas, New York City, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Austin

Restaurants we loved:
OKC: Stella, Oak & Ore
Elsewhere: ShakeShack, VooDoo Doughnuts, Doughnut Plant, Momofuku, Izzy's

Things we did:
Swam with pigs, remodeled our kitchen, went to a Broadway play, dressed up as Brand & Andy (from Goonies) for Halloween, competed in a couple's crossfit competition, ran through downtown OKC in our undies, tried a new diet plan, got a puppy (!), paddleboarded

Shows we watched: 
Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Catastrophe, Master of None, Fixer Upper, Better Call Saul

Movies we saw:
The Martian, Mockingjay: Part 2, StarWars: The Force Awakens (twice!), The Nice Guys

Our favorite homemade meals: 
Bobby Flay's Cajun Eggs Benedict, salt cod omelet, protein pancakes, burgers, tacos of all kinds

Gifts we gave each other:
Fossil Watch, Nintendo 3DS
Kate Spade Purse, Bracelet & Necklace

Favorite treats:
Doughnuts, Oreos, Peanut Butter, Chick-fil-a Chocolate Chip Cookies, Hot Fries, Movie Theatre Popcorn, Hotwings

Favorite pastimes:
Working out together, trying new foods and restaurants, drinking on patios, doing dog-stuff

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the best day of my life

It's true what they say.

After months and months of anticipation, planning,  and stressing over every intricate detail, your wedding day comes and goes in the blink of an eye.

It's over? Already? But I'm not done, yet!

Surrounded by our closest friends and family, June 5, 2015, was truly the best day of my life.

I woke up at my normal hour of 7 a.m., wide awake like a kid on Christmas. I sat criss-cross-apple-sauce in bed with several of my bridesmaids and chatted about life, love and boys, like thirteen-year-olds might. We ate brunch and drank coffee, like adults, and relaxed until it was time to get our hair done.

That's when the day went into fast-forward mode.

Hair, makeup.... (blo. gets lots of thumbs up on my bridal hairstyle. absolute perfection.)

The dress? Allure.

Something old, new, borrowed and blue.

Before I knew it, my dad arrived to whisk me away to the McGranahan Barn. We chose this venue partly because of the historical background, but the outdoor ceremony setting and the rustic, yet classy feel inside the barn didn't hurt matters any.

The boys had a good day, too. At least it looks that way.

Yes, we elected to do first look pictures, and I fully support it.

As you can see, our photographer, Candi Coffman, gets all the gold stars.

We had the cutest of ring bearers and flowers girls. I can't even.

Our wedding party wasn't so bad, either.

The ceremony was just as I always dreamed.

As was the groom. [insert heart eyes emoji]

We sneaked away for a few sunset photos before the party started.

Can you say amazing? This puppy is getting blown up on my mantle. When we get a mantle, that is.

We ate Roxy's Ice Cream in lieu of a groom's cake and played yard games.

We danced the night away... Well, Ryan and I danced.

And before we knew it, before we even got to talk to half of our guests, the night was over.

And we lived [are living] happily ever after.

It was the best day, you guys. Better than I could have ever imagined. I'm sad it's over, but so happy about what the future holds for us. Thank you to everyone who played a part in it.

All my love,

Mrs. Martin


P.S. Happy one month anniversary to us! Time flies when you're having fun.

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married life? i'm a fan

Question of the month: How is married life?

Fantastic, duh.

Of course married life was wonderful in the Bahamas; it's easy to be happily lovey dovey in paradise when you're literally waited on hand and foot and all you have to worry about is which bikini to wear or which tasty beverage to order next.

What's really fantastic, though, is married life in the real world. It's like playing house and never having to stop.

Our "normal" hasn't changed much (besides that whole living together thing), but man is it nice to get back to it. The weeks months leading up to the wedding were mentally and physically exhausting (we still aren't quite caught up on sleep), so a little mundaneness was welcome with open arms. We are basking in the norm.

For us, normal means working out and eating healthy M through F. And of course there's weekend patio brews, a few anticipated cheat meals and Roxy's on "Ice Cream Sunday." It's nice to not be on a 100% wedding diet, ya'll. A new favorite cheat meal spot for us is Roxy's neighbor, Oak & Ore. One of our wedding showers was held here, as was Cole's pre-bachelor party dinner - they just can't get rid of us.

With a constantly rotating chalkboard of specialty beers on tap, unique and flavorful twists on normal foods (think beer cheese and plantain chip nachos, YES) and decor that perfectly matches my dream home Pinterest boards, Oak & Ore is the perfect Sunday-Funday dinner stop for the Martins (the Martins - that's fun to say).

Married life....I'm a fan. It's full of fun and laughter, laziness and adventure, chasing dreams and eating delicious food (most of which he cooks). Of course I don't exactly approve of Cole's dirty socks stuffed between the couch cushions or his shoes left scattered around the living room, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

And that's probably good, 'cause I'm stuck with it for life.

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honeymoonin'

The feel of a cool ocean breeze on your skin. The sand between your toes. The taste of a pina colada [heavy on the rum] on your lips, sweet and refreshing. The sound of the waves, slowly crashing at your feet. The sun, soaking in to your skin as you shut your eyes and doze off on your beach chair.

Ah, life in the Bahamas.

We were welcomed in to our Emerald Bay Honeymoon Suite with champagne, flowers and a breathtaking view. A full week spent being awoken by the sun, slowly creeping in the shutters. Coffee on the patio, overlooking the bright turquoise water. Days on the beach, drinks in hand, basking in complete relaxation. Nights spent dressing up for romantic sunset dinners, sipping wine...simply enjoying each other and no one else.

In one day, we boated across clear, shallow waters, swam with pigs, fed iguanas, got a shower via blow hole, snorkeled above endangered coral, spotted a baby barracuda and hiked to the top of an island for a 360 degree view. It was worth every penny.

Another day, we visited Exuma's historical sites, swung by the Tropic of Cancer, and posted up at Santana's Bar & Grill for lunch. The best meal of the trip: fresh caught lobster and conch, with Ma's vanilla rum cake for desert. Holy taste buds.

Santana's is not only delicious, it's also almost-famous. You see, it was the meeting spot for the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean. Johnny, Orlando, Keira and the others would hop on boats in front of the restaurant that whisked them away to smaller nearby islands where they filmed scenes for the movie. After a day's work, they'd return and enjoy dinner with a view....this view.

Honeymoonin' is nothing short of wonderful. I highly recommend it. Married life is even better.

More pictures and videos coming to the Facebook world soon, courtesy of GoPro Hero 4.

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Not cut out for a K-9 modeling career.

Growing up with a professional photographer as a father meant that I fell in love with photo shoots from an early age. Regardless of whether I was behind the camera as a five-year-old styling my Barbies, in front of the camera for senior pictures, or behind the camera again shooting local landscapes or action shots,  I loved it all. Still do.

It's no surprise that I was almost as excited to take engagement pictures as I am for the wedding. Almost. It was the best day, you guys. At least for me.

I got my nails and hair done, shopped for the perfect outfit (or outfits to be exact), cleaned my ring and pinned 67 engagement picture ideas to my wedding board. I'd had my heart set on Candi Coffman Photography for quite some time, and I knew she wouldn't disappoint. 

Cole put on his patient pants along with a smile and put up with my need for cliche kissing photos.....aaaand a few other "corny" shots. OK..... a lot of corny shots. But it made me happy and that's what matters. What a guy. 

Chloe, however, ... bless her heart. She made her debut at our last stop, a wooded park with a bike trail. Although very well behaved, she made it clear that she is not cut out to be a K-9 model. 

I mean, look at those crazy eyes. 

You woulda thought we just got done beating her or something.

At least we got one good Chloe picture out of it. This one's going above the mantel. 

Maybe her soon-to-be puppy brother, Guinness, will be more photogenic. 

Here's to hoping! 

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The Wedding Planner

I once heard someone say that planning a wedding was like a full time job. I laughed.

I shouldn't have laughed.

Planning a wedding is incredibly overwhelming and time consuming. There are SO many decisions to make, so many people who have opinions and so many other brides wanting the same date, same venue, same photographer etc. It gives me stress zits just thinking about it.

Don't let that fool you, though. Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting things I've ever done.

The important things are complete:

Date: check
Venue: check
Photographer: check
Honeymoon: almost check

Here's a sneak peak!

When the above big list items were decided on, it was a huge relief. With no more need to rush, we can now focus on the funner things like engagement photos and registering for gifts. After that, the dress!! With the knot dot com at the top of my favorites tab and my hidden wedding board on Pinterest, I'm right on track planning my dream June wedding.

It's a whirlwind, I tell ya. And I'm so glad I'm in the middle of it.

Sincerely,

Soon to be Mrs. Martin

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On October 3rd......

.....he asked me to marry him.

You have no clue how excited I got when I thought of that play on words. It's a Mean Girls quote for those of you that have no idea what I'm talking about.

Now let's back up.

After nearly three years of dating, I was anxiously awaiting the proposal. I knew it was coming, I just didn't know when.

Cole mentioned to me that his parents would be coming into town and wanted to go to dinner with us on Friday night. Strange, considering there was an OSU game Saturday morning and we would all be heading to his parent's house in Stillwater after dinner. I was suspicious and hopeful, to say the least.

When he text me Friday morning to say his parents wanted to eat at The Coach House, I knew it was P-Day. You see, The Coach House isn't exactly our typical date-night local. We're more Groupon discount type of people. The Coach House is nice....I mean really, really nice. We'd be dressed up, eating a fancy dinner and his parents would be making a special trip to OKC. My chances were looking pretty dang good, ya'll.

I was lucky enough to have Friday afternoon off after being at a conference all week, so I got my nails done, tried on every outfit in my closet and made sure my hair and makeup were flawless. I was ready. I headed over to Cole's house to meet him before heading to dinner. This is what went down....

Cole: "So, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that my parents aren't coming. The good news is that my mom knew how excited we were to eat at The Coach House, so she said we can still go and they'll pay for it."

Amanda: (complete disappointment showing on my face) "Oh.....OK..."

Seriously? They aren't coming? I got my nails done for nothing. So much for that idea. I tried to not be too bummed....I mean, at least the food would be good.

We got to The Coach House, enjoyed some cocktails and ordered our food. I made a [not very funny] joke about the lack of diamonds in my life. I tried not to pout, really, I did.

The waiter came out to check on us. He had a plate on his hand covered in a silver dome (I assumed it was someone else's food). He put it down on the table and yanked the dome off and there it was. A [very, very sparkly] diamond ring.

"Oh my gosh."

It all happened so fast. I was frozen, I couldn't move. It was really, finally, happening!

Cole came over to my side of the table and got down on one knee. Sweet and simply, he asked, "Will ya marry me?!"

I said something along the lines of, "Yes, you loser, of course!" before jumping up to hug and kiss him.

I'm not sure why I called him a loser. Its a term of endearment, right?

Cole enjoyed the rest of our gourmet dinner while I stared giddily at my ring. I was too excited to eat. I couldn't stop shaking. I was the happiest I'd ever been in my whole life, ever. Turns out his parents were never coming, it was just a trick! 

The days since have been a whirlwind of celebration. Watching the OSU game was difficult; I was blinded by the sparkle but doing the waving wheat after every touchdown was pretty enjoyable. Being engaged is just as wonderful as I always imagined it would be. I'm the luckiest and I am insanely excited to spend the rest of my life with Cole. He makes me laugh on the daily, fills my life with joy, cuddles with me when I'm moody, cooks the best breakfasts (and lunches and dinners), loves Chloe and all other puppies as much as I do and makes me the happiest girl in the world. Amanda Martin has a nice 'ring' to it, don't you think??

Thank you for all the well wishes. You guys are the sweetest.

And to answer the question everyone asked us immediately following the proposal, we're tentatively thinking a late spring wedding in home sweet 'homa.

Now let the planning commence!

P.S. Cole picked out the ring at BC Clark all by himself with the help of my Pinterest board. Smart man. It's exactly what I always wanted. How many ring Instagrams is too many ring Instagrams? I'm sorry. I can't help myself.

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