farewell 2011 ..

dont worry, there is more to come later.

now on to partyin' in 2012!

two months of marriage today and we get these guys for the night.

life is good!

merry christmas from our home to yours!

i almost left it at that but here is the real one for your viewing pleasure.

and lets remember this. always.

this moment makes my heart melt.

i am in love with mr. barlow.

more wedding photos to come.

jacob and i just looked at them yesterday.

we both shed some tears of joy and giggled through the rest.

also i think our wedding is pinterest worthy.

im just sayin!

the coat

mr. barlow showed me this the other day.
i love it.
enjoy.

real newlyweds

we officially moved in to our apartment today!

mr barlow assembled our king size bed, ya you read that right, we invested in a king. i went to target and got us some food and necessities like a shower curtain.

we then celebrated by crackin' a bottle, as Eminem would say.

hallelujah! hallelujah!

miracles DO happen!
so many Christmas blessings this week.

1. mr barlow enjoys his new job here in the 801.
2. i havent frozen to death. yet.
3. ive been able to spend some fun time with my sweet syd, sol, omi.
4. we were able to attend adler & beths wedding reception.
3. WE HAVE AN APARTMENT!!!

you heard that right!
the barlows have an apartment!
finally.
biggest christmas miracle of the week!

did you know we have been living out of suitcases for the past month and 5 days?
it is true.

we are so grateful our family [dad and mom barlow/the memmotts] has been letting us live with them ever since our honeymoon.
you guys deserve 5 gold stars!
but we are so excited [at least i am!] to hang my clothes up in a closet.
also to have a place just for mr barlow and i.
it will be our next adventure!

our new place is in provo, close to the IHC hospital.
thats a plus right?

its a little basement apartment and our landlord is real chill and from south pasadena so thats why he wanted us fellow LA fans to live below him.

my biggest loves of the apartment is my walk in closet that we can fit a twin bed in and having a washer and dryer.
another christmas miracle!
mr barlow even gets his own small closet off to the side!
it also has fancy green carpet.

we will be able to move in by the end of the week and we couldnt be more excited!
dance parties soon to come.

in other fun married news we went on a date to thai ruby, [why did i never eat there when i lived in provo 3 years ago?] and saw Arthur Christmas!

do yourself a favor and see this movie!
it made us giggle and brought us some good holiday spirit.
enjoy!

it is the 1st of December.
let the Christmas miracles begin!

one month of barlowness!

1st .. my husband is just so handsome.

see below.

2nd .. he hasnt shaved since our wedding day.

i love it.

he just accomplished his secret life goal of no shave november.

3rd .. we moved to Utah on saturday.

i know, short notice and right after the holiday but we are here!

4th .. i served in wisconsin so i should be able to handle the cold right?

i am really starting to wonder how i survived 2 wisconsin winters.

Utah is already cold to me and mr barlow is wearing tshirts and sandals yet.

5th .. we are still on the apartment hunt but today as a 1 month anniversary present from apartment heaven we have 2 solid leads.

things are looking up!

things we [i am choosing to speak for mr. barlow right now] love about marriage:

[the following are kinda cheesy/cutesy/lovey, just to warn you]

* not having to travel back and forth from monrovia to burbank

* getting to come home to each other at the end of the day

* falling asleep and waking up next to each other

*  sharing dinner together every eve

* traveling together and getting to stay in hotels together

* reading scriptures together every night

* praying together

* watching our wedding videos almost everyday

life is wonderful.

there are more favorites about why we love being mr. & mrs. but we'll keep it to that for now!

i love this marriage thing. he loves this marriage thing.

win! win!

we are looking forward to the many adventures we will have together.

here are just a few:

* living out of our suitcases for this whole month of marriage! we are pretty lucky to have such great family in California and Utah to let us stay with them till we get an apartment.

* driving to Utah in separate cars, mind you they were filled to the BRIM with our stuff and jacob didnt have a phone. we used the old age technique of flashing our lights and driving around each other to talk.

* mr. barlow taking me to the urgent care 2 days into our move to utah.

do not fret friends and family, all is well with me!

i got some meds and am feeling tons better.

lets just say life is interesting and fun and new.

i love it.

so much thankfulness

i am thankful for another thanksgiving with mr. barlow.

last year we had just been on our 2nd marathon date.

we had thanksgiving at the barlows AND the warners.

this year we are marrieds.

we had thanksgive with the barlows and marmie warner came over to join in on the feast.

i am thankful for family.

my marmie, my sisters.

i am thankful for the 30+ barlows i inherited less then a month ago.

i am thankful for love.

from all my family and my husband.
everyday i am more and more thankful for my mission and that i was able to serve in wisconsin.
i am obsessed yet.

life is wonderful! 

each day there are miracles that happen in my life.

i watched this mormon message the other day and just loved it so much.

enjoy. its beautiful.

savin' me some dates!

a lot happened right before mr. barlow and i got our marriage on.

i like to blog about these happenings but my life was consumed with work and wedding plans.

but here is the goodness that happened ..

MY BIG SISTER GOT ENGAGED!!!

yep that is right.

the last warner girl is off the market.

big bro A will officially be my brother in law and i could not be more excited!

they go together like beaches and the sun.

[cheesy i know but they live in florida.]

night of their engagement!

09.28.11

they make each other so happy and i just love it.

my L showin off her bling!

and some amazingly good Dole Whip.

thank you Disneyland!

exactly 11 months from today my big sister will be ..

Laura Anna Marie Warner Wann!

[and just a btw i made their save the date for them! i kinda love.]

IDEA!

can you and A row off together into the sunset at the end of your wedding?!

AND ..

this next couple just gives me smiles and smiles!

PeyCat!

yes, my best friend Catherine N. Card has a shiny rock on her finger!

i love their engagement story and i am so glad there are so many photos!

on 10.28.11 they got their engagement on.

just the night before the barlow wedding!

cats sister, colleen, did all my hair and make up for my wedding [she is amazing btw!] and so i made cat get up at like 7am while colleen was getting me ready so i could hear all about her romantic scavenger hunt!

i love cat. i love pey.

i love PeyCat.

he treats her like a queen. 

and they rock the HK to LA dating/engaged relationship.

in 6 months and minus a day i will be at the PeyCat wedding of the year!

peyton,

just like cat passed the baton to jacob when we got engaged i pass mine to you for cat. we will always be MelCat but i know you will forever make her the happiest women!

i love weddings and marriage.

especially when its your family and best friend!

marriage & photography = my speciality

as i was in the midst of plans for the warner/barlow wedding a lot of other people were gettin their marriage on as well!

heres to the other recent newlyweds!

first up i was asked to go back to my other fav state for!

I heart wisconsin yet.

Erik & Sara Johnson

August 27, 2011

Green Bay, Wisconsin

next up was just 2 weeks BEFORE my marriage day!

Jordan & April Zepeda

October 15, 2011

Arcadia, California

 

and then just 2 weeks AFTER the barlow wedding was ..!

Spencer & Rachel Su'a

November 12, 2011

Los Angeles, California

so much love!

so much happiness! 

so much marriage!

mark & terri warner

i love that they were born the same year, same month and only a week apart from each other!

i love that my mom started the tradition of a balloon on my dads birthday.

thank you husband for remembering!

thank you marmie for being the best of the best marmies us three ladies could have!

thank you and dad for being born and getting married!

and obvi having us three!

mr. & mrs. barlow

hello!

i am officially now mrs. barlow.

at least according to fb & gmail.

those are the most important right?!

as i have been updating my info to mrs. barlow i decided to take my blog on that adventure of change as well ..

[it really is quite an adjustment seeing your last name as not the one you had for the last 26 years of life!]

so if you are searching for my blog now you are gonna want to go to ..

http://melaniebarlow.blogspot.com/

got that?! i hope so! i like all of you in my life. 

i stalk you. you stalk me.

love it.

now onto the wedding goodness.

mr. barlow and i are pretty much OBSESSED with our wedding!

mostly because we had so much family & friends there to support us in love, song, dance & laughter!

seriously we have some great people in our lives.

YOU!

thank you.

the whole day was filled with so so so much love & smiles!

even getting caught in an hour of LA traffic didnt even phase us this day.

10.29.11 goes on the record as #1 moment in my life.

some video was taken to highlight this wonderful day.

i can watch it over and over. you dont have to!

but at least watch all of the barlow flash mob!

i love watching us come out of the Temple & seeing all the love & happiness of all of you.

best ever.

best surprise to me!

welcome to the barlow in law club!

seriously best initiation ever.

barlow flash mob!

they had been practicing this for 2 months & we had NO clue!

even the warners were in on it!

and i think everyone now knows how much mr. barlow & i truly love to dance!

we have dance parties just on our own. it is just wonderful.

i love our wedding day.

i love this married thing.

i love mr. barlow

thank you hanya for such a lovely blog post & your wonderful instagrams!

thank you marcello for your amazing photog skills & being being able to handle such a large wedding party!

marcello posted some film photos of this great event here >>> jacob & melanie barlow

i love eternity.

more to come later on post wedding life.

i do have more to blog document but now i need to go cuddle with my husband.

tomorrow i become a wife

one last sleep as miss warner.

where did the last 5.5 months go?

tomorrow i become mrs. barlow!

a years worth of footsies & hand holdin!

10.22.2010 marks the first official date of mr. barlow and i.

a whole year has gone by!

did you know he flew down from rexburg just to take me on a date?

keeper, huh?!

our first date was a memorable one where we went to the glendale center theater and held hands.

oh and also watched a play.

then we went to dinner at BJ's.

that night we discovered it was both one of our favs.

pretty sure we have eaten there close to 53 times in the past year!

it really was a grand first date.

well that whole weekend was pretty much a date and getting better aquatinted.

it was lovely and full of giggles.

the next night the G7 had a "Live Clue" game!

i really just wanted to include some photos from that weekend and this is what i got!

cat = award for best photo bomb.

maybe one day mr. barlow will grow a real stache?

and i really am going to miss the G7.

and all the costume parties!

next week ill have on a nice white dress instead of this 80's lace mermaid thing.

[still in my closet if anyone is looking for something fancy to wear!]

1 WEEK GUYS! 1 WEEK!

i am so excited for the future but i sure do love reminiscing about last year when mr. barlow first waltzed into my life.

welcome! welcome!

i would like to take this moment to introduce a new addition to something worthwhile.

welcome mr. barlow!

he will occasionally grace us with his presence as a guest poster.

thank you in advance for your future wisdom, witty comments and funny stories.

i heart you.

slight change in plans ..

remember the time i said mr. barlow and i would be spending our married life together in Bakersfield?!

well that was the plan up.

until 2 weeks ago.

here is the newest news ..

THE BARLOWS ARE MOVING TO UTAH!!!

you know the great trek to the west, happy valley, the 801.

your next question i am sure is WHERE in this almost square state are the barlows moving to?!

let me tell you ..

PROVO!

this is exciting news right!

we are excited.

now we need to find a place to live.

recommendations are welcome.

and thank you in advance.

now you are asking WHY?

here you go ..

mr. barlows company opened a position in their main office in provo that would require NO traveling.

let me repeat NO traveling!

so we said a quick prayer and decided jacob should at least submit his resume.

the next week he got a call and they offered him the position.

we spent the next eve discussing the pros and cons of each.

we said a real long prayer and felt like utah was the place to be!

major pros = 

 my soon to be husband can come home every eve instead of spending his time driving!

AND

grad school sooner for the both of us!

AND 

lots of family/friends everywhere!

we are happy and feel good!

oh and we'll be up there around december 1st ish.

next item of news is i stepped up in the smart category with the help of my mr. barlow!

i am now the proud owner of a smart phone.

and boy do i feel smart!

this is my new friend to be exact and i love it!

thank you mr. barlow for us getting a phone plan together.

and well the getting married part too!

that is all the newest news for now.

besides our wedding taking place in 2 weeks!

here we go!

did someone push fast forward on the clock?

5 months have gone by since mr. barlow got down on one knee, gave me a pretty ring & asked me to be his wifey.

in 2 weeks my family & the barlows will all be here in the sunny california!

then 2 days after that i will be sealed to mr. barlow for time & all eternity.

has 5 months really gone by?

who pushed fast forward? seriously.

there is more updates i need to add but i really must be closing me eyes.
check back tomorrow or saturday.

i promise you want to hear these.

im sure glad these two were born.

i've always looked up to them!

quite literally.

happiest birthday sisters!

avatar - the last airbender

another thank you to mr. barlow for my netfilx subscription.

we, meaning mr. barlow, hannah & i, started watching the whole avatar series on sunday and i cant stop!
hannah & i are actually watching it right now while mr. barlow is traveling to fresno.

my little siblings in utah use to watch this and i would watch a couple minutes here and there.

BUT now i am hooked.

my nickname from my little siblings is momo.

they up'd it to momo the lemur because of this show.

now that i started watching it i love it more!

surprise is on you miss card!

i am so grateful this lovely lady was born.

pretty sure peyton is too.

10.10.11 is her actual birth but i got a text from peyton late monday eve asking me if we could pull off a little surprise for this wonder women on wednesday.

i said no problem.

with the help of liz, max and using the womansion we had it covered!

she thought they were going to get sushi after a quick stop by the womansion but was she in for a treat instead!

dont worry boo, sushiversary on me when you get back!

isnt she a beauty!

the birthday girl.

i can feel love in the air!

i love you boo.

thank you pey for getting the surprisee surprised!

we all love you birthday girl!

enjoy the fall of virginia and turning 23 officially.

>>>

and on a complete side note someone sent me this quote and i really like.

I choose...
to live by choice and not by chance;
to make changes, not excuses;
to be motivated, not manipulated;
to be useful, not used;
to excel, not compete.
I choose self-esteem, not self-pity.
I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the random opinion of others.

do good

i have been a ball of tears today.

this gave me more but in a good way.
the gospel of jesus christ is real.

30 DAYS!!!

time is speeding up.

seriously where does it go?

in just 30 days i will be sealed to mr. barlow for time & all eternity.

this makes me happy. really happy.

in honor of this upcoming event i was showered with love and more love!

my lovely catherine card along with her mama held a shower for me just last night.

cat is the pepper to my salt. the jelly to my peanut butter. the cheese to my macaroni.

i know we say this alot. but it is a true fact.

she is also the hostess with the mostess!

thank you for the beautiful shower my lovely.

this was probably my favorite moment of the night ..

it is a beautiful crocheted decoration for our future barlow home but some people thought it was something else! 

[thank you hayna & granny babs!]

i feel blessed to have some very lovely & beautiful girlfriends from the G7! 

emily you are counted in this even though you left right before this photo!

also it was ever so lovely having my family, future in law family and monrovia ward family there to celebrate!

never knew this was a bridal shower tradition!

now i do!

thank you for your hard work haybo!

it was like my birthday but not!

i feel so loved!

and right when the party ended mr. barlow came by to give me a hug & kiss. or two.

30 days! 30 days! 30 days!

we will see you dancing right next to us.