Ashley Victoria Photography

Hello All...I just wanted to post links to our "Personal Website" on our wedding photographer's page as well as the link to purchase our engagement photos.  She also featured us on her Photography Blog on May 16th so I've included that link as well :)  I hope you all enjoy these pictures as much as we have.  


http://www.ashleyvictoriaphotographyblog.com/2012/05/16/engaged-jami-pete-pensacola-engagement-photos/

http://jami-pete.photographybyashleyvictoria.com/#/the-slideshow/

http://www.pictage.com/1255212

76 Days...

I can't believe there is only 76 days until our wedding!  Part of me is SOOO excited and anxious, the other part is like OMG how are we ever going to get everything ready in time?!  I'm thankful for my mom who has really done most of the planning and the hard work involved in getting things done.  A week from today I will be packing up my school books and getting ready to hold on tight for the next 10 weeks of the summer semester.  This summer is going to be extremely busy and school will be no breeze.  I will just have to keep reminding myself to try my hardest and do my best and things will all work out.  My amazing parents took me to Disney last week for my "last trip as a child".  I have been going to Disney since I was 3 years old...and I will turn 30 in less than 2 months (SCARY).  It was a fun trip, mostly because I got to spend time with just my parents and myself.  I'm so thankful for them, they've done so much for these last 30 years, I wouldn't be where I am at today if it wasn't for them.  I love you Mom and Dad.


Just a quick wedding update.  We've FINALLY finished our registry's!  We are registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Dillards, and Home Depot.  There are links to the specific registry's on our wedding website www.weddingwire.com/jamiandpete.  My mom and I are finishing up a "To-Do" list of about 65+ items!  My dad has a few carpentry projects to complete. Pete...well Pete is the luckiest in all this planning because he really doesn't have any "tasks" to complete except say "I like it" to everything I show him.  I will spend the next 3 days of my "break" doing countless art projects and stressing over the small details.  I'm starting to really get stressed but I am trying to just work through it because I don't want everyone to freak out.  Invitations will soon go out and that's when things will get very serious.  A reminder to those of you planning to attend the wedding, there are links on the website for hotel reservations, book those as soon as possible and let us know if you have any questions.  Also...this is a VERY CASUAL WEDDING.  Please do not be "shocked" when you show up to the wedding and realize, I wasn't lying, it's CASUAL.  I'm stressing "casual" because I want everyone to be comfortable in what they've chosen to wear.  Men, please realize you are allowed to wear shorts, we will not think any differently of you.  My own dad will be wearing shorts.  Pete and I have made sure through the planning that things stay casual, relaxed, and fun because we feel that represents us.  The wedding is not traditional and neither will the events during it.  We want everyone to enjoy themselves and have an experience unlike any other.  When planning your trip to Destin, please email or call us with any questions you may have.  We are looking forward to seeing most of you in 76 days!  

The Way Things Have Been

Well I have 2 finals left and then second semester is over.  I obviously didn't find time the entire semester to blog at all so I'll try to catch y'all up on anything I can think of.  I'll start with school since that's basically number one in my life.  School has been much better than last semester.  I never had the feeling of intense doom and that could fail at any moment.  My grades have all been about average, I seem to get B's on most tests.  I was in the hospital 2 days this semester which was wonderful.  I truly love the path I am on and I can't wait to be a nurse.  I took care of many different patients with many different diagnoses, saw a GI Surgery, and saw a vaginal and cesarean section birth...and to top it off I can now start IV's, give injections, and draw blood.  I got the chance to spend the day in the ER and quickly learned that was probably not the place for me.  I enjoy the fast pace but what really got to me was not knowing what was coming in off the ambulance at any moment. I saw someone die of Cardiac Arrest and at that moment I knew I couldn't do it, I became nauseated, hot, and started crying...I'm obviously not strong enough yet for the ER.  Every experience has been beneficial though and I am so thankful everyday.  


The wedding is coming along great with a lot of help from my mom and Aunt Polly.  Without those two ladies this would be impossible to accomplish while going to school full time and spending 2 days in a hospital not getting paid.  There are still small details to finish but overall I'd say we are almost there.  It took a lot of talking things out for me to ever come to the place where I was pleased with the "look" of the wedding.  I'm getting really anxious and excited.  The closer it gets though I am going to have to remind myself to "Not Sweat the Small Stuff"...like not being able to control the weather.  As I've said all along, if my hair is perfect, nothing else matters.  I'm looking forward to seeing friends and family and enjoying the day.


Pete is doing well...minus his lack of hair!  I learned a valuable lesson this weekend...never send your fiance' to get his haircut in L.A. before scheduled engagement pictures.  I can't even describe what they did to him, it was terrible.  Needless to say, we had to reschedule the photos and I shaved all of his hair off so we can start over. Maybe now he won't give me such a hard time when I am cutting it.  


US...We haven't had a lot of time to relax and enjoy each others company these past few months which is a big change for us.  But we've taken the moments we could and those times have become even more special. We've played a lot of board games...Pete is the self proclaimed Yahtzee Champion and I am THE UNO CHAMP.  I am looking forward to next year when things are not as crazy and I have time to just sit down and relax.  He's been wonderful through out this semester...although I know he and my parents had it MUCH better this semester than last.  Minus the panic attack the night before my first hospital, I never once cried!  THAT is a huge improvement.  Crying or not, he was still always there and always my biggest supporter and motivator.  I couldn't have asked for a better man to spend my life with.  


These next few months are full of trips and weddings.  I'm headed to Disney World with my parents next week!  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone this summer and am praying that the summer semester takes it easy on me.  I'd love to write more but since I have free time, cleaning the house would be more productive than writing.  Until next time...

I'm Still Alive

Hello again, it's been a while!  Nursing School proves to leave little time for blogging and my 4 week vacation in December was spent visiting family and getting many of the wedding details nailed down.

A little update about me...Well I passed my 1st semester, which I found to be a pretty big accomplishment.  I never imagined it would be as time consuming and stressful as it was but I endured it (along with Pete and my Parents) and WE all made it out alive.  I am already well into the 2nd second semester and though it's more difficult content I seem to have a better grasp on things and I am more prepared.  We are actually in the hospital more this semester which has been extremely exciting.  I really enjoy getting to know my patients and helping them get well so they can return to their families.  This semester I am also taking my FAVORITE class, Mother/Baby Nursing.  I feel that my calling is obstetrics so I am looking forward to learning more about it and seeing if that is where my passion truly lies.  You never know!  Besides school I have very little time for anything but I know in the end it will all be worth these few semesters.  2012 is the year of Weddings and Babies for most of my friends so we will be staying busy with all of that.  And of course my own wedding will be a huge part of 2012.  Time is flying by but I am surely enjoying every moment.

Wedding Updates!  I finally sat down in December and came up with more concrete plans, theme, colors, ideas and got it all flowing and headed in the right direction.  You don't know how many times I've changed colors in my mind, but I think we are stuck with what I've chosen since I've purchased things in those colors now.  I am pretty pleased with where the wedding plans are headed and I feel the hardest is behind us.  I will be posting the links for accommodations over the weekend or early next week.  Our save the dates FINALLY made it into the mail!  It took us a while but they've gone out now.  It's official now ;)  The only thing that I really have left to "worry" about are the flowers and the florist but I have a general idea of what I want, it's just the money issue now and hoping it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  My wedding dress came in over the holidays and I was able to go in and try it on.  I love it so much!  Of course a chunk has to be cut off the bottom but otherwise it's perfect!  I am getting really excited, it's going to be here before we know it.

Pete and I are doing great!  He is the most supportive fiance' ever and I am truly blessed with someone as patient and understanding as he is.  I know I am difficult anyway but school throws a whole new twist on things.  When I am all worked up and in a tizzy, Pete knows exactly what to say to calm me down and help me focus on the goal.  I know I could not be going through all of this without him.  Speaking of us, it's date night and we are headed to my favorite seafood restaurant Felix's so I better go get ready!

I can't promise to update often but when I find a minute again, I'll be back!