Short Hair Don't Care!!

Well hello there, it's been a long while since our last post. 

While this post will be short and sweet, our next will provide an update on what's going on when life is just right.

Last week Connie cut off 19 inches of her to make her yearly donation to Locks of Love! 

Check her out ... 

And there is the ponytail. It makes Connie's heart smile to help someone feel special. 

Til our next post.... 

Lots of Love

The McKenna's

Happy Thanksmas!

1.

Thanksmas

The celebration of Thanksgiving and Christmas with family that will not be able to be together at Christmas.

Justin and I are so excited to be heading back to good ole Tejas soon! We will have our first Thanksmas with our families and friends who we miss so much. Work has been extra busy, we are very sorry for the delay in posts! 

This week especially has been challenging. We are learning the ropes of owning 1 dog, 1 cat and 1 Houdini dog goat (that be Cali). Cali was a naughty goat and escaped her crate several times this week. We came home several days in a row to ransacked house to find she had ate including but not limited to chocolate cupcakes, compostable forks, foil, Christmas gifts, new boots & clothes, one baby sock, her pumpkin hat, anything from the compost bin, a cardboard box, tax returns, W-2’s and likely our sanity. While this was very upsetting, it was more worrisome that we could of possibly lost our dog. She is a part of our pack and life wouldn't be the same without her. 

On a lighter note, Cali started training two weeks ago and has had some major improvements! She is a anxious little thing and only want her to feel happy and safe. She's almost there! 

Also, Happy Veterans Day to all those who have protected this country, my family, your family and the people in need around the world. May God Bless All the men and women,  who choose to work, fight and protect our countries freedom! Thank you all ♥ We should also thank their families for having the courage to stand by their loved one as they stand up for us! 

We leave you with a few photos of our silly pack: 

Mammacita  in the not so fun Pumpkin Hat 

Rotten Pumpkin Cali

Boootiful Bella 

Love,

The McKenna's 

Yosemite National Park

Happy September everyone!

We hope everyone is enjoying the month and had a nice Labor Day weekend. Connie & I took a mini vacation to Yosemite National Park. This was our first trip here together and we really enjoyed ourselves. The roads leading into the park were windy and mostly positioned on the edge of deep ravines. I had a blast driving!

We were able to bring Bella & Cali with us on a few trails, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Both had grins from ear to ear and were pooped when we got back to the lodge. In total, we hiked about 12 miles the first day, and 5 the next before our long drive home (Traffic was the worst I've ever seen).

Check out the trails we hiked here.

We hiked the following trails:

1st day - Bridalveil falls to base of El Captain to Yosemite Falls and back.

2nd day - Curry Village to Happy Isle to the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls and back down.

A blog post wouldn't be complete without pictures, enjoy!

View from turnout as we entered mountain roads to Yosemite

Photo from Happy Isle bridge

Stream alongside El Captain Bridge

The grandiose El Captain in all its glory.

A deer spotting between the El Captain Bridge & Bridalveil Falls trail.

Bridalveil Falls.

The weather was in the 90's and all blue sky.

Beautiful trees, mountains & skies again.

It's been awhile...

It's been awhile since our last post. Hope everyone has been enjoying 2011 as much as us. San Francisco living is great. We can't complain about the weather, we've actually grown quite fond of watching the fog roll in from our patio at home.

view from our desks

Not to mention we have a great view of Treasure Island and the Bay Bridge from our work desks! Lucky!

We've added a new addition to our Pack McKenna. Bella & Mammacita now have a sister named Cali!! Completely fitting right? Cali is almost 7 months old. She is a Terrier/Hound mix - when she howls she sounds like Chubacca is in the same room. She's been a handful, we forgot how much work a puppy is; but we love her dearly and couldn't see our lives without her.

Taking the dogs to the beach together has been a joy! They want to meet & greet every single dog and human they can. Cali enjoys running ahead and then running back to meet us, while Bella enjoys investigating every smell that comes across her nose.

We are really looking forward to Connie's mom, aunt and cousin's visit - they will be visiting in late September! Don't forget to bring a sweater and your walking shoes!!

Last but not least we'd like to wish Connie's mom Rebecca a speedy recovery!! You have a new lease on life. We love and support you 100% and are so proud of you.

Time to finish up some work and head home to our babies!! We leave you with a few pictures of our recent adventures in the city and hiking. Life is good.

Japantown

San Bruno Mountain Trail - Top of Mountain

Amazing architecture near Civic Center

Legion of Honor on a very foggy evening

Love,
Justin & Connie

Word to yo Motha!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers out there. We would be lost without ours. There are no words to express how much we love each one of you. Our special moments are what bonds us together, even though we are far you are near in our hearts.

We love and miss you! Have an amazing day!!

I found this neat application from Polaroid to make any current photos into a Polaroid snapshot. You can check it out and download it by clicking here. Thought I would share my creations.

las fotos de abuelas y las madres hermosas

Love,

Connie & Justin

Celestial Events website live!!

Justin and I owe many thanks to Kathleen Arellano of Celestial Events for all her help planning & executing our wedding so seamlessly.

She listened and understood our concept and wants! Kept our budget in line and gave us all the advise to help plan our special day. Celestial Events made the day unforgettable, perfect and plain fun!!

Thank you for all your hardwork Kathy, it wouldn't of been the same otherwise.

Help me support and spread the word on Celestial Events!! Visit the website buy clicking here.

Bella is so Hollywood :D

See her first motion picture here at Fort Funston in California!

Don't worry she loved every moment of it, even the water!

Enjoy!

Family first!

There is nothing like seeing your family after moving or being away for awhile. We've been so lucky this passed weekend and week to not only have JoAnne come out to California to help us take care of the condo and our babies at the last minute, but also see Jess while in Boston.

Last Saturday, JoAnne flew in to San Fran. We took her to Fort Funston on a hike! It is so nice to have her with us. The next day we to Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiradelli factory, and the Muir Woods preserve. We also enjoyed the loaf of sourdough bread we bought at Boudin's. Mmmm Turkey Melts!! They were amazing. Obviously I (Connie) had no part in making them - it was all Justin & JoAnne!

On Tuesday, we flew to Boston for our company's global kickoff. I've never seen so much snow! Pictures to come. We were super lucky to see Jess. She took us to dinner and bowling. We couldn't wait to try candlestick bowling, but were unable to due to the lines! It must really be popular!! It was still well worth the little time we had were able to spend with her.

From there we went back to our hotel and enjoyed the much needed sleep we would need for the remainder of the week. Finally it is Friday, and we can't wait to get home!! Hopefully we will make it out tonight with the snow that came in this morning!!

Also I just learned that my dad (ALFERDO) has been very sick and was in the hospital this week. Please keep him, my mom and my family in your prayers!! He is an amazing man and I know he will get better. Feel better Alfredo, Justin and I love and miss you dearly.

Happy travels and see you in sunny California!!

Love
Justin & Connie

New Year, New Beginnings

My how time has flown by...We can't believe its 2011 already. Justin and I have been extremely busy since the wedding, so we apologize for not updating our blog in so long. We hope to continue to share our new adventures here and hope you all will stay tuned!!

First, many many thanks to those all who attended the wedding! What a beautiful day and way to celebrate. And many thanks for the wonderful well wishes, cards, gifts and gift cards we received. We will be resending some of our thank you cards, I just found out over half of them were stolen from the mail drop box we used.

Since the wedding, Justin and I have traveled to Jamaica for our honeymoon. We enjoyed 10 days of lovely weather and time together. We visited Rick's cafe to see the cliff divers and sunset - we didn't end up seeing the sunset because of the weather, but we did see a group of dolphins playing!! We also trekked our way up Dunn's River falls in a human chain, my the water was cold but well worth the hike to the top. During our last few days there, we saw rain fall every which way it could, trees blown to the side, plants end up on one side of the resort and a roof blow away!! Crazy tropical depressions!! Luckily we made it home before the weather became worse.

In October, I had a chance to travel to California to spend a few days in our California office. It's so beautiful, I fell in love. Shortly after in November, I learned my manager was retiring. She told me I should apply for her position. I did and I got the job!!

Now Justin and I are acclimating to California and both of our new positions. That's right we both got promotions!! Go us! :)

While we miss our families, friends and Texas more than anyone could imagine, we seem to be adjusting to Cali pretty well. On Christmas we went hiking at the Muir Woods National Preserve and on New Years we took Bella to Fort Funston. Fort Funston is a place near the beach were hundreds of dogs run and play off leash!! Bella had the time of her life!! It was so wonderful to see her having so much fun. We couldn't help but enjoy ourselves as well, who wouldn't with beautiful scenery and of course great company :)

New pictures and video coming soon!!

Til next time...signing off from San Fran!! Happy New Years to all!

5 days to go....Weather Update

5 days to go...

The rain has stopped for now in Texas, and we are definitely looking forward to Colorado & Jamaica mon. 2 weeks away from work is going to be crazy and amazing at the same time. I just hope our building is still standing when we return.

Weather Update:
We just wanted to give another weather update for those who are trying to figure out what to pack or wear while they are there.

The forecast is:
Mostly Sunny
High 84° - not to hot at all
Low 54° - may want to bring a light sweater for night time activities you plan
10% Chance of rain (no specific time stated)

You can check weather updates at www.weather.com
Use zip code 81212/81215 or city Canon City for details near the wedding.

We believe its going to be a beautiful day! And we are continuing rain or shine!
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Justin or I.

Countdown
5, 4, 3, 2 - MARRIED!

Peace & Love,
Connie & Justin

9 days to go...Weather Update & Work Shower

9 days to go and we are almost ready to jump in the car and drive!

Last night tornadoes were all over Dallas. All I could think of was my family and hope they were ok. One even touched down across the street from my grandma's high rise. Luckily my aunt was there to help her move to safety. I'm so thankful that no one was hurt! I hope Hermine moves along and there is a lot less rain.

Today our co-workers thru us a lovely wedding shower. It was very thoughtful and we feel honored they put so much effort into making us feel special. Everyone pitched in and gave us a beautiful card and gift certificate to Bed, Bath & Beyond! We also received a set of champagne flutes, and flutes for our toast at the wedding, a set of wine glasses, a gift card to Target (Thanks Jason W.)and even a trip contribution to our wedding (Thank you so much Jarrian James).

We also had food (special thanks to the managers Teresa Rogers & Cindy McMillan) and a beautiful wedding cake designed to look like a present (Thank you Christine Payne) from Meringue Bakery. So yummy. She was suppose to order a standard cake, but splurged for the wedding flavor for us. Seriously the sweetest person we know! <3>

What a wonderful way to start our afternoon, it has put us in such an amazing mood.

Special thanks also needs to be sent to Aunt Carol & Uncle Ed Heinrich for the lovely cooking set we received yesterday!! And to Aunt Marcelline & Uncle Gaylord for the check they sent. We couldn't be more excited and thankful for these gifts. Please look forward to a special note in your mailboxes soon.

MOOD: BEYOND THANKFUL, SO HAPPY and SO IN LOVE!

See you all in 9...8.. 7...

Keep the countdown going!

Love,

Connie & Justin

10 days to go....What is love?

Wow, weather in Dallas has been a bit on the wet side. Hermine has brought us some much needed rain; on the downside lots of flooding and bad drivers. But what else should we expect...it is Texas after all!

As I sit here at my desk pondering a conversation with a co-worker, I can't help but think about her question...What is love to you? This instantly made me think of the classic newspaper comic strips, Love is...

What is love to you?

To me:

Love is knowing when not to let that special person get away.

Love is never going to bed angry

Love is always telling each other you love one another before you leave

Love is being patient, kind and understanding..even if things aren't going "your way"

Love is looking back and realizing how far our relationship & love has grown for each other

Love is accepting every flaw without notice

Love is knowing you can count on each other

Love is not worrying about time when you are together

Now, please comment on this post and let us know what love is to you?

I leave you with a few Love is... comics! Enjoy!!

Love is

the reason we are here on earth!

Love is

walking the dog together

Love is

two hearts beating as one!

11 days to go!

Only 11 more days to go...

We hope everyone had a wonderful labor day and extended weekend. While we had three days off work, it seems like the weekend flew by us. Friday night was the first time in awhile that Justin and I were able to spend alone. We went out to eat and had a nice relaxing evening in afterwards, much needed.

Saturday was so much fun! I took all my DIY crafts to my grandma's and we had a craft party to help me finish up some items for the wedding. It was a major fun and a great success. With the assistance of my wonderful mother, Franny, Grandma Gonzalez, JoAnne, Vanessa, Asaia, Arnetha & Breeya; we were able to knock out the favors, programs, treat bags and some of my photo booth art! I can't thank you all enough for dedicating a few hours of your time to help out! It's much appreciated.

We were so happy that we were able to see Justin's uncle Steve before he left Texas. We had a wonderful breakfast at JoAnne's on Sunday morning. The eggs, ham and cheese mix was so yummy. I've been thinking about it every morning since....

Monday was busy day too, we started packing and making sure the house was clean. Checking off our list as we go!

The days keep trickling past us, as we grow closer to the wedding. We are counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds til we are out of here!

Colorado weather is looking great. We are looking at a high of 80 and evening lows about 47! So be sure to dress accordingly. I'll be updating the blog and wedding website daily for the next few days to alert everyone of any weather changes.

XOXOXO

Connie & Justin

33 more days to go

With only 33 more days to go, we are on cruise control, obviously counting down to our special day. It seems like we've been planning a wedding for years now!

We wanted to provide a quick update regarding hotel room blocks at the Holiday Inn Express in Canon City. We have the following rooms still available for booking.

2 rooms - Double beds (two beds in room) for Sept. 16-19

2 rooms - Double beds (two beds in room) for Sept. 17-18

3 rooms - Double beds (two beds in room) for Sept. 17-19

1 room - Single Queen w/pullout sofa bed for Sept. 17-19

If you'd like to book one or more of the following rooms, please call:

Shannon Hinton @ (719) 275-2400 Be sure to refer to the Gonzalez-McKenna Wedding Room Block

If for any reason you are having trouble booking, please call Connie at 817-240-3929

Love,

Connie & Justin

36 more days to go.. Happy Birthday to all my August babies!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you!! Happy Birthday dear August babies!

Happy Birthday too you!

We wanted to send lots of birthday wishes to many of our family and friends with August birthdays. Some past and some coming up.

On a side note, many have been inquiring about gift registries for the Bridal Shower and Wedding. We are registred at:

Crate & Barrel

Target

Bed Bath and Beyond

Honeymoon Wishes

Victoria Secret

Please click here to be redirected to our wedding website for links to our registries.

Hope everyone has a very Happy Friday!

Love, Connie & Justin

There are three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.
- I Corinthians 13:13

Updated due to formatting issues: 38 days to go! Travel and Accommodations Update

Hello Family and Friends,

Only 38 more days to go! We are beyond excited and ready to see you all. As you can see we are very close to September 18th. Travel and accommodations should be booked as soon as possible.

There are still 5 rooms available to book with the wedding block at the Holiday Inn Express. Please either call or email myself so I can set you up with a reservation, or call the hotel directly.

When calling directly please ask for Shannon Hinton, Sales Manager and refer to the Gonzalez-McKenna Wedding block. You may also email her if that is easier. Note that her days off are Friday and Saturday, in which you can leave a message for her. Her contact info is below:

Holiday Inn Express

Shannon Hinton

shannon@hiecanco.com

(719) 275-2400 (phone)

(719) 276-0101 (fax)

Lastly, here are some airline travel deals from Kayak.com. I'll be posting these frequently, since I get a deal alert daily. I'll only post things I feel are a good deal and can save you money on your travel. Please visit Kayak.com to take advantage of these offers.

Sorry all, the deals would not format correctly.

Updated Section:

1. Flights from DFW to Colorado Springs Roundtrip leaving the 16th or the 17th and returning the 19th are $209
2. Flights from DFW to Denver International Roundtrip leaving the 16th or the 17th and returning the 19th are $311

My apologies for the many post being sent to your email address

We sincerely thank each and everyone one of you who will be coming out to the wedding.

Love, Connie & Justin

44 more days to go .. Low Flight Fares

UPDATE:

A quick update on flights:

Thank you JoAnne for the information! Flights from DFW to Colorado Springs Airport are now at a low price.

Go thru CheapOair.com to find flights with Frontier and Midwestern airlines for $193 round trip. This does not include taxes and other airlines fees. This price is if you are flying into Colorado Springs Airport on Sept 16 or 17th and departing back to DFW on Sept. 19th.

Flights into Denver International Airport from Sept. 16-Sept. 19 are as follows:

American Airlines & Frontier Airlines $266

United Airlines & US Airways $267

Continental Airlines $281

Flights into Denver International Airport from Sept. 17-Sept. 19 are as follows:

American Airlines, US Airways & Frontier Airlines $261

United Airlines $267

Continental Airlines $281

Again, please remember that each airport is between 1 to 3 hours away from Canon City and a car rental will most likely be needed.

Good Luck!!

47 days to go...Lodging Update

Hello All,

We have secured a group rate at the Holiday Inn Express. Please be sure to book your hotel now as this particular hotel is filling up fast.

Please contact me or the hotel directly to be added to our block of rooms. Block is limited.

Phone: (719) 275-2400

Rates:

Single beds $77.40 a night

Double beds $81.70 a night.

Please ask to speak with Shannon Hinton in Sales or to be added to the block of rooms for the Gonzalez - McKenna Wedding. If you have any issues please contact us immediately.

In the event our block is full, please click here to view other possible lodging arrangements in Canon City, Colorado.

Kindly,

Justin and Connie

PS: If you have booked your hotel, please send me information on the site so I may spread the word to other guests. Thank you all and see you soon.

Hanging with Grandma G!

Happy Friday all!

I had the pleasure of hanging out with my grandma this week during lunch. She was so excited and showed me all of her paintings which are awesome. She confessed that she sometimes would much rather stay up til 1am painting than watching TV. I feel the same way :) I love anything art related. Justin and I are planning to visit her at least once a week to play some games, help her with some chores and just hang out. If anyone wants to join, let us know, she would love to see everyone.

By the way, if anyone knows where to get the velvet drawing color ins and markers she uses (Rose Art or Fuzzy brands I believe) please let me know. I've searched online and can't find any place that carries them. She is in need of a pink, orange and tan/nude color in the markers, I believe is what she said. Send me and email if you find any related items please!!

It feels good to finally have time away from work to do the things I love: spend time with my family, exercise and just relax.

Some of us are planning on going to her house on Sunday morning for breakfast. Alfredo is cooking menudo and eggs & potatoes. MMMMMMM. Justin and I can't wait. Hopefully there will be rounds of UNO or Crazy 8's. Everyone is welcome to come, so please contact us if you need her phone number or address. The more the merrier. Just don't forget to bring your own drinks.

If you'd like to bring something for grandma she likes: Dr. Pepper (in the bottle), bottled water, crossword book (large print please), maxwell house pre-packaged (original, no grounds please) and puzzles of any kind.

Love,

Connie & Justin

59 days to go! Update on Flight Prices

Hi All,

Just a quick tip for those who are intending to fly to the wedding, from Frances, Maid of Honor.

Tickets for flying to Colorado have dropped $62 today! It's $249 into Denver International Airport and $288 into Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. This info is available from Kayak Travel Site. Click here to be redirected.

Distance from DIA to Canon City: 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive (about 133 miles)

Distance from COS to Canon City: 1 to 1 1/2 hour drive (about 50 miles)

For those intending to drive. Your drive is approximately 12-14 hours (leaving Dallas to Canyon City) or 723 to 849 miles depending on the route you take.

If anyone has any questions please email or call either of us. Our contact info can be found on our wedding website by clicking here.

Happy Flight Hunting and Road Trip Planning!

Love,

Connie & Justin