Fred and Steph: the Blog

Looking forward to what's to come

2007-12-31T08:10:00.001-08:00

Looking forward to what's to come
Originally uploaded by steph.fred

The photos are now posted on line for anyone who wants them. To download the photos, just click the one above to go to our Flickr site and follow the path to the pictures you want. There will be a link "All Sizes" at the top left of the photo that will bring you to the download section.

We are also asking everyone to upload any photos you may have taken to the site too. Here's how you do it:

1. Email Stephanie to ask for the username and password for Flickr. Steph's email is stephanitely@charter.net

2. After you click the photo above, sign in on Flickr.

3. Before you click on "Upload Photos", I recommend that you click on the "or look at our uploading tools" link. They have an upload tool that allows you to upload as many files as you want at the same time rather than having to do it one at a time. It will save you lots of time.

4. Either way you choose to upload, please create a new "Set" for your photos. This will help everyone get the photos they don't have.

5. After you're done, please sign off. I think Flickr only allows one person to be on at a time.

Thank you everyone for being a part of our lives and the fun we had in Mexico. Have fun with the pictures too.

Wedding Photos Part 2

2007-12-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

Wedding Photos

2007-12-21T10:55:00.001-08:00

Barcelo Maya Photos!

2007-11-09T14:30:00.001-08:00

Some photos that I hope will get you all in the mood! Link 1, Link2.

One Month Count Down to Mexico!!

2007-11-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

This is it- we're in the one month countdown to leave for some celebration in Mexico. If you are starting to pack for the trip, here is a useful weather site.

Visits, Laughter, Family

2007-09-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

After a Long Absence from the Blog....

2007-09-11T13:29:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the long pause between this post and the last one. We have had a 3 week week time preiod to catch up with each other, rejuevenate and put in some much needed time with work. Tristam has been with his biological mother in the Hamptons in NY visiting with her family. We have taken advantage of the break; getting sleep, cleaning up around here, getting those 1/2 done projects completed, catching up on work and having a ball with each other. It's so great being with your best friend and knowing that you're about to make a life long commitment to each other. This photo was taken last Saturday around a bonfire in Avila.

Brian and Marlies

2007-08-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

These happy beautiful people are my parents, Brian and Marlies. These two have been blissfully married for almost 42 years. It was love at first sight for these two about 43 year ago in Berlin, Germany. They are still in love and still having fun, laughing,learning, enjoying life and looking forward to so many good things. I hope that Fred and I will have a relationship like them- they are truly inspiring..and now I'm getting all choked up and need to stop writing before I blubber all over the keyboard. I am proud that they are my parents.

Tom and Kris

2007-08-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

I am so completely thrilled that these two are soon to officially be family. It is the rare couple that truly make me feel like they have connection like these two do. These two are such special people...they so enjoy each other's company, they travel , explore and learn together and they have so much joy, laughter and positivity between the two of them. When you meet them you'll feel lucky to be around them.

Kris is going to be my mother-in-law and I couldn't have asked for a better one. I know that over the years we're going to have a special and close relationship- we already do.

Scenes from Home

2007-08-12T13:28:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends and Family

2007-08-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

At this time I would like to thank those people who have been positive and supportive of Fred's and my marriage. We are so extremely happy and wanted to give a shout out to the people we respect and love and for their kind and loving words and actions that let us know that you understand the journey we have been on and the truly positive and loving road we are going down. It means a lot to us that the people who are truly important people are on board with our joyous and happy celebration. It's been a long road through a lot of mistakes and muck, but we're finally together and we thank-you for your support!! I so look forward to being able to celebrate with all of you.

And More Photos...

2007-07-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

These are all photos of the resort from webshots.

And Yet More Photos

2007-07-30T14:16:00.001-07:00

Invitations

2007-07-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Wondering about your invitation? Fred is a perfectionsit (yes, I'm going to blame this on him...he might as well get used to it!). Anyhow, they are in production- perfect, measured, color matched, layered and full of information production. We hope to get them out this week. They really are very nice- thanks to Fred....if you had me doing them, I would have slapped something together and sent it off to you all.

The Boys

2007-07-19T11:02:00.001-07:00

Family Photos: Peter and Liz

2007-07-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

This is my cousin Peter and his love, Liz. I'm really hoping they can come to the wedding. Look how adorable they are- I'm going to squeeze the stuffins out of 'em when I see them.

More Pictures

2007-07-05T15:23:00.000-07:00

Last weekend

2007-07-05T10:26:00.001-07:00

Sea Turtles in Xcacel

2007-07-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

There is a stetch of beach called Xcacel. It's one of the last remaining nesting areas for the endangered Atlantic Green and loggerhead turtles. Wouldn't it be cool to see one?

Cenote

2007-06-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

An underwater cave in the Mayan Riviera.

Better Pictures of the Bling

2007-06-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

I love this ring. Fred and I designed it together. The stones were designed locally.

Xcaret

2007-06-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

There is an ecologiacl theme park called Xcaret in the area. It used to be a Mayan port. It's 250 acres and includes and area where you can swim with dolphins.

The Trip to MN

2007-06-27T15:27:00.002-07:00

Our trip to Minnesota was perfect. The whole family was together including my Uncle Norbert from Berlin. We ate the best food, laughed a lot and had a really great time...and Fred officially proposed.

Official

2007-06-27T15:27:00.001-07:00

Slide Show

2007-06-19T15:15:00.001-07:00

Slide show

Stephanie and Fred, Fred's Version

2007-06-17T23:19:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first posting to this, and also my first ever posting to a blog. I figured no story is good unless you hear both sides (not that the sides are much different). So on that note, I wanted to tell everyone about this person that I consider my best friend, and how we met years ago.

Back in 1999 I was looking for an apartment to rent a room in. I decided Shell Beach was the place I wanted to live and I was going to rent a 5 bedroom house and sublet the rest of the rooms (I don’t always choose the easy path). On a whim, I looked through the paper and saw an ad for a room in a clean apartment right around the corner. When I called and there was a girl on the other end of the phone, I thought I’d better be pretty formal and polite; there’s lots of weird people out there and I didn’t want her to think I was one of them.

The day we met to go through the apartment I had just finished a big project at work and had not gone to sleep the night before; I was firing on 2 cylinders at best. Stephanie answered the door with a welcome and an explanation that she hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before because of a big project she had just finished. For two people that were just barely conscious, I remember being totally interested in everything she had to say. I called my friend Scott in Massachusetts after I left to ask him his opinion: rent a 5 bedroom house and sublet, or live with this cute and really interesting girl. For years Scott asked me why I even bothered asking.

Wow, so much has happened over the past 8 years. I think I knew I was in love with Stephanie after the first few months of living with her; we never touched but our conversations were always more intimate and interesting than any other relationship I had ever had; we weave conversation so easily around almost anything. However, she had a thing for the bad guys, surfers and drummers in the band. I was about as far away from a bad boy as you could get. She became my best friend and I so totally enjoyed the time with her.

Stephanie and I lived together for a couple years the first time. When we talk now, both of us wanted to go someplace else with our friendship but both of us thought it was inappropriate for one reason or another (she was in a long-term relationship, we were roommates, and of course I couldn’t play the drums!!!). Six months after moving out, after an introduction from Stephanie, I started a relationship. During that time, she got out of her relationship and went through a few others, I grappled with mine, I had an awesome son Tristam, and whenever we got together we always managed to fall into sync with each other even in the hardest of times.

I have always wanted to come up with something more complicated to describe us. After so long and so much thought and writing, I have come to only 3 thoughts about our relationship… easy, simple and absolutely beautiful. After so many years of having reasons to part paths, I am so happy that we have the years ahead to enjoy them together.

There is so, so much more than this. After reading through it and trying to condense where I can, I have come to the conclusion that I will just have to post more comments.

Travel Info

2007-06-17T17:26:00.001-07:00

Here is link with some travel tips. Here is a good one on weather.

Playa Del Carmen

2007-06-17T13:42:00.001-07:00

The natives

2007-06-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Just so no one is surprised, these things live all over the place where we are headed.

Xel-Ha (pronounced shel-hah)

2007-06-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

Means "where the water is born". Located near Tulum. Here is a link to the Xel-ha site. Here's another good link.

Mayans

2007-06-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some links to learn more about the Mayan culture: Mayan Civilization Page, The Maya Astronomy Page, The Mayan Hieroglyphics Page, and a page about the ruins we'll be relatively close to.

Passports

2007-06-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to the US gov. passport page. Everyone coming needs to have a passport to go. The lead time is running 3 months right now.

Call for Ideas: Tristam

2007-06-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

2 years after Fred moved out, this little guy came along. He's 3 and will almost be 4 at the time of the wedding. We've been looking for something to give him after our part of the ceremony- any ideas? Some sort of jewelry? (Yes, another sushi fiend in the making...that was his first oyster on the half shell. He loved it.)

The Dress

2007-06-14T14:43:00.001-07:00

Simple, simple. I love it!

The Early Years

2007-06-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

The Story of how Fred and I met is this: I was looking for a roomate and put an ad in the paper. A man called and in a very business like unemotional conversation told me that he wanted to come check out the room. Fred arrived wearing an assortment of gadgets around his belt and was just short of having a pocket protector. I was going through my "surfer girl" phase and was surrounding myself with beach people, I perceived Fred as being pretty uptight and was already thinking, "no, I don't think so, " when he was here looking at the room. THEN, my friends Phil (who is coming to the wedding) and Penny showed up. Phil started engaging Fred in coversation and all of sudden this stiff sort of business like person was animated and let out the goofiest laugh...I still love that laugh. That was 1999. The beginning of a great friendship. Here are some of the only photos in existence from the 2 years we lived together.

Pictures of Tulum

2007-06-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

Tulum

2007-06-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a great link to the Mayan ruins in Tulum.

The Color Palette

2007-06-13T14:13:00.000-07:00

This is the color palette for our wedding. Fred and I will be in white and we are asking that everyone else wear bright tropical colors. It will be a beach wedding- weather permitting.

Pictures of Barcelo Maya

2007-06-13T13:52:00.001-07:00

The Place

2007-06-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

After months and months of lookg at various possibilities for a location for our wedding, we came up with The Barcelo Maya Tropical and Colonial.

Barceló Maya Colonial Beach
Ctra. Federal Chetumal - Puerto Jurez, Km 266,3 (Q Roo)
Mayan Riviera
Mexico

http://www.barcelomayacolonialbeach.com/

The Barceló Maya Colonial Beach and Maya Tropical Beach are upscale hotels offering guests the services and amenities provided at all four hotels.
The resort is encompassed by 500,000 square meters of lush, tropical forest, and opens to pristine sandy beaches stretching as far as the imagination.
The Barceló Maya Colonial Beach has 2 kilometers of private beach running alongside the glassy, turquoise waters of the Caribbean.
This beautiful hotel is ideal for couples looking for a warm climate and breathtaking natural surroundings to host their Mexico destination wedding. The Barceló Maya Colonial Beach provides an onsite chapel, as well as a wedding planner to ensure a successful event. Newlyweds can begin enjoying their honeymoon immediately with one destination satisfying both needs. This hotel is also an excellent vacation spot for guests traveling with children with various fun-filled activities and a Kids Club for children 4-12. Guests with small children also have the option to utilize the services of a babysitter (upon request) so they can enjoy the active Mexico nightlife.

Location

The Barceló Maya Colonial Beach is situated on the Mayan Riviera near:
25 km from Carmen Beach (Playa del Carmen)
35 km from the city of Tulum, a famous archeological site with Mayan ruins
75 km south of Cancun International Airport
85 km from the city of Cancun, known for its ancient Mayan ruins, thrilling nightlife and world-class shopping

Highlights

Handicapped accessible
Gourmet cuisine
Convention center and meeting room onsite
On-site chapel

Rooms

480 Guest Rooms (420 Standard Double, 50 Junior Suites, 6 Suites and 4 Master Suites) featuring:
Air conditioning
Hairdryer
Bathrobes
Ironing board
Safe
Telephone
Terrace or balcony
TV-SAT
Mini bar (stocked daily with water, soft drinks and beer)
*Connecting rooms and extra beds available upon request

Services & Amenities

3 Swimming pools with Jacuzzi and protected kids area(one for water sports)
Convention center which seats 850 people, or can be divided into 3 meeting rooms
2 Theaters on the property
Babysitter (upon request)
Barber
Beauty salon
Boutique shops
Business center/services
Chapel
Children’s area in the swimming pool
Commercial square
Currency exchange
Dance club
Diving shop
Doctor on call
Entertainment program
Internet access
Hairdresser
Laundry services
Meeting room that seats 150 people
Nightlife in the area
Shopping Center in the area
Souvenirs shop
Sports track
Theme Parks in the area
Souvenir shop
Sports track
Turkish bath
Tours

Dining

2 Buffet restaurants- Colonial and Tropical buffet
Mare Nostrum* restaurant featuring succulent seafood
Bali-Hai* restaurant offering delectable Oriental cuisine
Capri* restaurant serving sumptuous Italian-Mediterranean cuisine
Santa Fe* a sizzling steak house
2 Lobby bars, 2 bars in the theater, and 2 poolside bars
*Reservation required- subject to availability. (Restrictions apply: 4-6 night stay = two tickets are given for either restaurant, 7 night stay = one ticket given for each restaurant, 2-3 night stay= one ticket is given for either restaurant. Dress code: semi-formal).

Activities & Tours

Aqua-aerobics*
Aquatic bikes*
ATV tour in rainforest
Basketball and multi-sports court
Beach volleyball
Big-piece Chess
Billiards
Bocce ball
Catamaran
Darts & archery
Diving
Fishing
Horse riding tour
Jet Ski/ Wave runner
Kayaking
Motorboats
Paddle boating
Sailing* (Sunfish sailboats)
Snorkeling
Table-tennis
Tennis
Water polo
Water skiing
Windsurfing*

Barceló All Inclusive Program

A la carte dinner at specialty restaurant- Bali-Hai**, Mare Nostrum**, Capri**, and Santa Fe**
Breakfast, lunch and dinner at buffet restaurants (Colonial & Tropical)
Daily and nightly entertainment activities
Diving (1 lesson free per week in swimming pool)
Free entrance to dance club
Lunch, snacks and domestic beverages at Mariachi and Palmers restaurant and wet bars
Mini golf (18 holes) (equipment included)
Pitch and Putt (4 holes) (equipment included)
Snorkeling (1 free hour of equipment use per day)
Tennis (equipment included)
Use of sauna, steam bath, Jacuzzi, and gym
Use of sun-beds, beach towels, and hammocks
Welcome drink upon arrival
* Reservations may apply, minimum skills required
** Reservation required- subject to availability. (Restrictions apply: 4-6 night stay = two tickets are given for either restaurant, 7 night stay = one ticket given for each restaurant, 2-3 night stay= one ticket is given for either restaurant. Dress code: semi-formal)

We have and amazing travel agent who has been helping my sister, Kim, out with travel arrangements for years helping us put this all together. Her name is Jody- contact us if you want her contact information.

We Have a Wedding Date!

2007-06-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

We are getting married on December the 12th of this year. It's taken months to come up with a date that would work for the majority of people coming to our wedding.