Our New Place

Tonya and I are so excited about our new office! We finally moved out of the home office and no longer meeting clients at Starbucks! The office building is great. Its so our style. Very contemporary, hip, modern. The building has little cafe even an exercise room but in my condition (9 months pregnant) I haven't even thought of going inside. We love our neighbors and everyone is very friendly. Here are some pictures if you haven't been able to make up and see it in person.

All Dressed Up

On Saturday, March 15th Tonya, Gretchen Schott (member of the Beauty Bash committee) and I attended the Starlight Ball. This was a fundraiser for the Julian Center. If some of you remember we hosted our own fundraiser last October called Beauty Bash. The Julian Center wanted to "thank us" for our $10,000 contribution so they gave us tickets to this event.

At the event there was a chance to win a 2.5 carat diamond necklace. You purchased a box and if your box number was picked then you won the necklace. I thought for sure I was going to win, only 250 boxes were sold! But when it was time to open the boxes to my surprise my box contained 2 peppermints and not the winning number. OH WELL, the money spent went to a great cause.

Saturday evening was fun for all of us. We got to get all dressed up with our husbands and have and great time with friends. This was probably the last time I get to do something like this before the baby!

AHHHHH Forgotten Engagement Story

This is Vicky and Dan's Engagement Story. I don't know how but never got posted. Its a great story so even though the contest is over I thought everyone would like to read it!


About a year ago my boyfriend decided that he wanted to do something more meaningful withhis life then just go to college. He told me that at the end of his sophomore semester at Purdue he was joining the Air Force. I was devastated because I was so afraid he would be sent overseas, but I soon realized that this was something he needed to do for himself. The few months before he left for basic we spent as much time as possible together, but August 1st came and I had to say good bye. While he was at basic the only communication I had with him were the letters I wrote to him every day and the few that I would get back in the 8 weeks he was there. I got one call to tell me when he would be graduating and those were the happiest 5 minutes in the whole 8 weeks he was gone. On September 19th his big sister, 4 month old niece, and I flew down to see him graduate from basic in San Antonio, TX. We watched him graduate in near 100 degree temperatures while we watched the graduates start fainting from heat stroke. On September 21st we were allowed to go off base with Dan and the entire family decided to go to the River Walk and take a tour of it. If you have never been to the River Walk it is absolutelybreath taking when everything is green and in bloom. We took a boat tour around the River Walk and then had dinner. As we were heading back to the car to take Dan back to base we stopped off at a little island called Wedding Island to take some cute pictures of Dan and I. His dad was videotaping us and his momand sister were taking pictures so that we could have pictures of us being cute. Dan told me that he had a surprise for me and I got so excited because,well I love surprises. He then told me that he had a question for me and my heart stopped. He then proceeded to get down on one knee in his uniform dress,get out a black box, and ask me to marry me. At that point my brain stopped functioning not only because I was surprised that he had asked me to marry him then, but because he had a diamond ring to give me. My brain finally caught upand I said yes! After we had hugged, kissed, said our “I love you” and he put the ring on my finger, we walked back to his family that had been standing there watching. While we were walking back, people from the bridge were clapping for us and others were telling us congratulations from the hotel rooms. When we got back to his family I found out that everyone had known and that he had been carrying the ring around with him since we had gone to his room to see where the recruits had slept during basic. I found out that he had written his sister and told her the exact type of ring I wanted, which surprised me because that meant he had listed all those times we had gone to look at rings. His sister, whom I had flown down with, had to when he purposed. When we got back to Indiana, we had 3 different pictures of Dan popping the question to me and a video tape of it. I could not have imagined a better proposal or more of a surprise. September 21st at 4:30 was the happiest day of my life or it is until July 19th when we become husband and wife.

Thank You!!!!!

We just wanted to Thank everyone for their generosity! We have collected several Prom dresses and accessories to donate to the girls at Charles Tindley High School. We couldn't have done this with you. So again Tonya and I, thank you.
If anyone else would like to donate a dress you may drop your donations off at front desk of the Julian Center just let the receptionist know that its for the Charles Tindley Prom.

Calling out for old Prom Dress

Help us make this prom happen

The donated dresses are for juniors and senior at Charles Tindley High School, this is an accelerated school. This will be the first graduating class (and first prom) with about 25-30 kids making it to graduation. My understanding is that without donations of dresses, shoes and accessories, the prom won’t happen. We are emailing all of our friends to ask for help in collecting gently used formal dresses (in spring colors), shoes and accessories. Our deadline is March 17th. If you know anyone who might want to pass on a gown, please let us know. The girls range in size from 2-28. Thank you! Please email tonya@circlecityplanners.com

WE HAVE A WINNER

Jessica and Josh engagement story won us over. How romantic to have a man get down on one knee on top of the Empire State Building. It just reminds me of the movies. Here's the story one more time.

The love affair started while I was bartending at the local watering hole, and Josh, was becoming a new watering hole regular. After what seemed like eons of flirting, Josh finally got the nerve to ask Union Jack’s best drink mixologist out for a date, me. Little did I know due to our ridiculously hectic schedule, our first date would be a long time coming. I knew Josh was the guy for me when he said those three little words… I love you, first. We dated for 6 years.Fast forward to November 6th, 2008, the first “Happiest Day of My Life”. My sister Julie, her husband Evan, Josh and I planned our very first trip the NYC, that’s right New York City!! We were so excited to vacation with each other because Jules and Evan live in L.A. and Josh and I live here in Indy. Josh and I got off the plane in NYC on Tuesday, a few hours before Julie and Evan were due in from L.A. The city was cold and windy, but we didn’t seem to notice because the sun was shining and we were exploring a fast, fun, loud and surprisingly romantic city. I was so excited just to be there. We found a great Scottish pub and enjoyed some adult beverages with the locals. This turned out to be a nice relaxing way to start our trip. We later met up with Jules and her better half to check out the awe- inspiring sites and try one of the things New York is famous for, PIZZA.After we were full of adult beverages and slices, Josh suggested heading over to the Empire State Building. We all agreed to see the city glistening like a diamond. Now remember, its November, its cold and its crazy windy, especially a bajillion stories up from the street. After running around the observation deck like kids in a candy store, Josh and I huddled in a corner admiring Times Square. Julie asked me for my camera, I handed it to her and when I turned back around, Josh was down on bended knee. I asked (like a crazy person) what he was doing, thinking maybe he was having a back spasm. Nope, he was just proposing. Awwww…I think every little girl dreams of her engagement and wedding, plans it out, acts it out, but when that moment comes, the really beautiful part is that it still knocks you off your feet. In slow motion, I can still see his face and hear his voice say “There is so much I want to say right now, but can’t, so will you marry me?” I still see him on bended knee and hear the words even though I am just watching him sleep. Back on the observation deck, I was in such shock; Evan had to ask what I was going to say! I could not help to scream “yes” for all of New York and the rest of the Eastern Seaboard to hear. Then the paparazzi started a.k.a Julie and Evan. On a dark, cold, windy night the cameras lite up our little corner of deck like Times Square. Josh swept me up in his arms and kissed me long and lovingly and as the first time as my fiancé.

Shae & Chris Engagement Story

So I didn't actually get engaged IN Indianapolis, but here's my story...

I happened to accidentally stumble upon the city of Indianapolis last summer, just passing through on a cross-country move from North Carolina out to California.. and now I am moving to Indianapolis and marrying my fiance there!!

To make a long story short, I ended up having an extended stay in Indianapolis last fall/winter for 5 months. I met Chris in October and we began dating. We dated the whole time I was in Indianapolis. I moved back to North Carolina for work in January, and we did the whole long distance relationship for almost a year, him in Indianapolis and me in NC. It wasn't easy, but we were usually able to see each other every other weekend, which really helped. Things got tougher though when I found out I was moving to California for my job this January. I was having a really hard time with it because we were going to have a 3 hour time difference between us, and the flights were going to be a lot longer. I knew seeing each other every other weekend wasn't going to be very easy or realistic. At the beginning of December I was starting to freak out a bit about moving. I got sad and scared and kind of nervous about it all. I knew things between us were going to be harder being even farther away and not seeing each other nearly as often. So not only was I worried about all this, but I was also in the process of packing up all of my stuff to make the move, AND Christmas was rapidly approaching. Stress, stress, stress. To make matters even worse, I had been unable to get a hold of my mom all week (I talk to my mom when I'm stressed.. she usually has some words of advice, although I don't always follow it, but I at least listen). Anyway, Chris was coming to visit that weekend. I didn't even have anything planned for his trip, figuring we would just kind of play the weekend by ear.

Chris arrived Friday night and on Saturday we decided to drive down to Wilmington, a very cute city along the Cape Fear River (for you WB fans, Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill were both filmed there) to do some Christmas shopping for the day. It was about a 2 hour drive, so we were going to spend the day in Wilmington shopping, go downtown and have dinner afterward, then head back home. After a long afternoon of shopping, we were both exhausted. I couldn't imagine spending 2 hours in the car without falling asleep. Chris seemed to be feeling the same way, and he suggested that we find a a place to just spend the night. I agreed. As we were driving around, however, Chris kept driving past hotel after hotel, which is where I assumed we were going to stay. Instead of a hotel, Chris stops in front of a cute bed and breakfast downtown Wilmington. We were both trying to save money, so it took me by surprise that this is where he wanted to stay. I didn't bring anything for an over-night trip, but I didn't argue, especially after taking a tour and seeing how quaint and comfortable everything looked. So we took the room and rested a bit before dinner.

Dinner was so much fun! We ate at a restaurant that had an outside private 2-person balcony that overlooked the river (very romantic). We ordered appetizers and a bottle of wine.. and of course dessert. Afterward we walked along the boardwalk back to our room, with twinkling Christmas lights illuminating the way back. The whole town was so beautifully decorated for Christmas. Back at our place we drank a glass of wine and sat on the balcony talking and joking, Chris had been joking about silly, ridiculous things he was going to get me for Christmas all day (a pair of old baggy sweat pants, one of his belts, etc). He asked me to come over and stand by him, to check out the view, I assumed. But instead he kissed me, hugged me, and told me, "You know all that stuff I told you I was going to get you for Christmas? Well, I'm not getting you any of it." I thought he was still kind of joking around, not quite sure where he was going with it. Then he got very serious and said, "I'm giving myself to you for Christmas," and then he got down on one knee (yes, one knee!) and asked me to marry him! I seriously stood there for 10 seconds (he said it felt like 10 minutes) in complete shock. I finally kissed him and said, "Yes, Yes, YES!.. put it on, put it on!" (the ring). I couldn't stop smiling! He had had the ring with him all day long in his pocket. He said he had been so completely nervous the whole day.. afraid he was going to lose the ring or that I would say no (silly boy). I had absolutely no idea he was going to propose then!! He had picked out the ring the week earlier, and it was perfect in every way. I still tell him that if I were to pick out a ring for myself this is exactly the one that I would choose. Everything about that day was perfect.. it was the intimate, sweet proposal that I had always imagined. I called all of my family to tell them, but they already knew Chris was going to ask me that night. He had called my parents and asked for their blessing earlier in the week. That's why I hadn't heard from my mom all week! She was afraid that if she talked to me she was going to ruin the surprise!

The next morning we had an amazing breakfast (upside down banana pecan pancakes.. yummy!) at the house. Two other couples were staying at the B&B, too. We were all talking at the breakfast table, and one couple said they were there to celebrate the wife's birthday, and the other couple had just got married the night before. I couldn't help myself and I blurted out, "We got engaged here last night!" We are definitely going back to Wilmington to stay at the same B&B again! It was so sweet and romantic!!

All the stress that had accumulated prior to this weekend disappeared. I was so happy and seriously could not stop smiling. We set a wedding date for October 17, 2008, so I'm only staying in California until early summer, which makes things much more manageable, much less worrying about where things were going between us. I also got all the Christmas presents I needed AND finally talked to my mom.. so everything worked out fabulously!!

...now all I have to worry about is the inevitable stress of wedding planning...