Second Annual Christmas Newsletter

A YEAR FULL OF BIG MOVES

(from Lincoln, NE to Des Moines, IA)

By the time Christmas of 2011 rolled around, I had just started my new job as a reporter for WHO-TV in Des Moines. I packed my bags and left my husband of only two months all in the name of following my dreams. Ryan continued working in Lincoln until he found a job in Des Moines. In March, Ryan got the news we were praying for. He was hired as the Director of Sales at the Hyatt Place in downtown Des Moines. For the past year, Ryan has thrived in his position and has even grown to appreciate all that Des Moines has to offer. We rented an apartment just blocks from downtown and have enjoyed the perks of being so close to shops, restaurants, and entertainment. As for me, I truly love what I do. Although I love to communicate, it’s been the people I’ve met and the stories I’ve been able to tell that have really made my job rewarding.

THE AMERICAN DREAM

(Finding a House to Call our Home)

When the time came to start looking for a house, Ryan and I did our research. We looked into what city we wanted to live in, who had the best school districts and the least amount of crime.  When we narrowed down our list we contacted a realtor and began the hunt. As we looked at house after house, we would find things we liked in almost every house, however we both knew it wasn’t “the one.” One day we looked at a lovely home in Ankeny, that’s about 25 minutes North of downtown Des Moines. When we walked in we both knew we had found a contender. It had nearly everything we were looking for!  It was a two story home with an absolutely amazing finished basement. It also offered three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. When we decided it was for us, we made the call and got the process started. I knew the negotiations would be tough but I was going crazy. Ryan stayed strong and made sure we stayed at our budget all without compromising what we wanted. After what seemed like a long couple of days, we got word the home was ours! For Ryan and I that moment was amazing, we toasted with a glass of wine to a future in a home we would have so many memories in. We make the big move to Ankeny on January 18^th and couldn’t be more excited!

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE

(In our Free Time)

Ryan continues to be a passionate football fan! He has enjoyed cheering on the Chicago Bears and the Huskers. Go Big Red! I got involved volunteering at the Veterans Museum, and help interview Veterans about their experience in the service. I also have enjoyed cooking and attempting several craft projects. Together, Ryan and I have enjoyed checking out different restaurants in town, hanging out with our family and friends and staying in and watching the latest movie. We also spent a great deal of the year training for the Des Moines half marathon. It was a goal of mine to complete one, and although Ryan had already ran two in the past, I dragged him along too. The training wasn’t easy but it was fun for us to check out new trails around Des Moines and try and stay in shape! On race day my dear sister, Ashley ran the entire race with me, helping me cross the finish line eight seconds under my goal! Ryan also finished at his goal of two hours. We also celebrated our one year anniversary on October 15^th. We went out for a nice dinner and came home to enjoy a piece of our wedding cake we had saved. Then we reminisced by watching our wedding video, looked through photos and read through the advice and well wishes left by our guests. In all, Ryan and I both agree we have had an amazing year! We both feel truly blessed, and thank all our family and friends for being so supportive over this past year. 2013 will bring more memories and we can’t wait to start making them! May you all have a blessed 2013 full of lots of love, laughter and happiness!

"Oh The Places You'll Go"



 After graduating high school I got the classic Dr. Seuss book, "Oh The Places You'll Go" and although it's a great book, I never really took the meaning to heart until recently.
Most of us aspire to go to college, graduate, land a good job, find  a great relationship, settle down the whole 9 yards.
I always knew I wanted to be a reporter with a top goal reporting the news in my own hometown. 
That dream came close to ending when I left KLKN in Lincoln after my contract ended.  I put 4 years of blood, sweat, and tears into that job. I thought making more money was important, so I took a job in marketing.  It was a GREAT job don't get me wrong, but I felt like something was missing.
Shortly after Ryan and I said "I Do" I got a call there was an opening in Des Moines at the same station I interned at in college.
I knew this was a crossroads---stay with a job with great hours, benefits, great people and a steady income or leave everything for a dream I once had.
After talking to my very supportive husband we decided to uproot our lives in Lincoln and pack up and head East to lovely Des Moines.
Since starting the job at Channel 13-I realize that I'm in the career that I once said I would always achieve and living in a city I LOVE.

It would seem like everything was lining up, except Ryan still didn't have a job.  So as newlyweds-he lived in our home in Lincoln, and I moved in with good old Mom & Dad.  It had been almost 2 months when Ryan got the call he had been waiting for.  The Hyatt Place http://www.desmoines.place.hyatt.com/ offered him the Director of Sales position which is what he wanted!

Just this past weekend I found an apartment for us to move into.  We're going to live in a nice 2 bedroom apartment near both of our jobs and our church. 

The funny thing is I didn't realize how well everything had fallen into place until we picked a day we were moving. In this economy 2 months could have turned into 12 months and although I thought the weeks we spent apart sucked, it could have been a lot worse.

So I come back to that Dr. Seuss book, and can finally look back on my life, accomplishments and future ahead and agree, "we all will go places" and if you're lucky enough it will all happen the way it's meant to be.

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

When you get married most people move in together, settle down, start using the great wedding gifts you got and start a new chapter.  My husband and I are taking a different path.  A month or so after we said, "I DO" I took a new job as a reporter for the NBC station in Des Moines.  I missed my days in television and when I got the call a job was open-I jumped at the chance to get back into the "biz." However, I needed to start right away and although I wanted Ryan to make this journey to Des Moines with me, we had to think smart and have him stay working in Lincoln until a new opportunity opened up for him in Des Moines.  So with my car packed to the brim, I made the trip to Des Moines and moved into the old parents house! I know, living with your parents and you haven't even been hitched for 3 months is a stretch. Ryan said the other day that we've kind of gone in reverse-living separate, calling throughout the day, and facebook messages seem like were back to when we first started dating.
I'm left to "living the dream" at the rents with no cable and some pics of my Nebraska living hubby.

I love this one sequence from our wedding!
I wanted to get the "nice" photo cutting the cake and move on but Ryan had another idea.

He is always making me laugh and I can't help but smile when I see these photos.

Although he promised he wouldn't smash cake in my face that is exactly what he did then proceeded to lick it off me in front of everyone!

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I miss him so much, but am hoping this journey we're on will end up being a good story to tell the little ones someday. The saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" comes to mind and I couldn't agree more.  With distance comes a true appreciation for what you have and what you're missing.  I miss my husband and can't wait until we can start a new-new chapter together in Des Moines--fingers crossed that will be sooner rather than later.

1st Annual Christmas Newsletter

Wine Bottle Ryan used to propose

When thinking if we should write an annual Christmas letter, my first thought was that would be a lot of paper-so in true "green" fashion I'm turning to our blog to tell you about our crazy year!

To begin to understand the whirlwind of a year and a half we've had I'll start back in September 2010, where one night changed the course of our lives forever. Ryan took me to James Arthur Vineyard on what I thought was a Friday night date.  Overlooking the vineyard at a private gazebo we enjoyed some red wine. After a couple glasses, I noticed some writing on the inside of the label "Steph Will You Marry Me?"  I started screaming and Ryan got down on one knee and after saying a million nice things officially asked.  I of course said YES, cried and proceeded to dance around the gazebo by myself for a good 5 minutes.  For the rest of the night I proclaimed to complete strangers that we were engaged! It was perfect!

For the next year I was in total "planning mode" while our story continued to move forward.  



Engagement Photo

At Plymouth Church

Ryan continued his career as the Corporate Sales Manager at The Holiday Inn Downtown in Lincoln-and I was finishing up my 4th year as a television reporter for KLKN-TV; the ABC affiliate in Lincoln. We made lots of road trips back and forth to Des Moines-putting together the pieces of our big day, and after 13 months of careful planning-on October 15, 2011 we said "I Do" in front of around 250 of our friends and family.  The day was absolutely beautiful-we got married at Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines-the same church my parents; Joe & Ginger got married at in 1981.  The ceremony was perfect-there were even a few mentions by the minister of us choosing 10-15-11 because it also was the bi-week for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Ryan's favorite team! It made for some good laughs and a memorable ceremony!



First Dance: "I'll Be" by: Edwin McCain



After the ceremony we headed to the Holiday Inn in Des Moines to dance the night away. In true Costanzo tradition-pasta was served as the main dish along with homemade Italian cookies & delicious wedding cake.  As a unique favor-each 

guest walked away with caramel apples one of our very favorite treats! 



On the beach outside our resort

 After an amazing weekend-we headed to the beach-Cozumel, Mexico to be exact! We spent a week catching some sun, floating in the resorts lazy river, and just getting some much needed R&R. Ryan enjoyed the all-inclusive aspects of the resort while I enjoyed just lying on the beach with a fruity beverage! After an amazing week we headed back to reality and to Lincoln where some big changes were about to happen!
We began moving forward with our new married life in Lincoln-even started looking at homes in the area.  And only 1 month after we said I Do I got a phone call--there was a reporter opening in my hometown of Des Moines. It was the station I interned at in college and the obvious next step if I wanted to continue a career in television. So as I write this my bags are packed and I'll be moving back to Des Moines to start a new opportunity doing what I love-reporting the news, and lets face it getting paid to talk!!! I'll be working for WHO-TV, Channel 13-so all you in the area better tune in!  Ryan will stay back in Lincoln until he finds a great opportunity in Des Moines as well! He has a few strong leads but if anyone knows any sweet sales jobs-pass them along to us! Although being apart as newlyweds will be hard-we decided if we didn't take this leap of faith I might look back and regret not following my dream to report the news in my hometown--so our journey is taking us to Iowa -where a new chapter will begin! So as I write this "green" friendly Christmas newsletter-I can't help but see how truly blessed we are! We have amazing families who are supporting us-friends who are cheering us on-and each other-starting a new life together that has the promise of more adventure-more love and more laughter for years and years to come!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
Love,
The Moore's



The American Dream!

The American Dream--it's something we all grow up hearing about but achieving it can be difficult.  Ryan and I are in the process of starting to look for houses-I just love this painting which looks like the most perfect house! Although I'm sure we won't be moving into a home like this it's good to have dreams right?  We are meeting with our Realtors tonight-I think we are very lucky because the couple we're using have known Ryan since he was in High School.  Their son was an Usher in our wedding just a month ago, so it's nice to know we'll have them on our side :)  Now that we're pre-approved for a home loan we can start looking at homes in our price range.  When I've looked a few websites it's scary to say the least to think you can afford something like your parents have....I'm used to renting small houses and apartments so this is new ground!  Home ownership is an exciting thought but also one I'm taking really seriously-I'll be doing my homework on the best areas, schools, and homes in Lincoln.  Here's to one day saying The Moore's are "living" the American Dream!                                 

Post Wedding!

It's been 3 weeks since Ryan and I said "I Do" and life is getting back to normal. I worked my butt off to get all our thank-yous out and finished those up this weekend.  Although we haven't gotten our official wedding pictures back yet, I had to post this one!  It's an idea my personal attendant found on http://www.pinterest.com/ We hadn't seen each other yet but were just holding hands before we did our "first look"  I think it turned out great and is a unique pic.
     We also had some other big news this week---we got pre-approved for a home loan!  The thought of owning a house is a scary thought for anyone and we are in the same boat.  We've gotten so many great wedding gifts and I don't want to use them in the place we rent if we're going to move--plus we just don't have the space.
I started looking at houses we could afford and it's exciting but overwhelling all at once!  My mom suggested making a list of everything we want in a home then pass that along to our realtors-so we don't waste our time looking at anything that isn't exactly what we want! Good advice Mom :)
Ryan is still working at the Holiday Inn downtown and me at Union Bank & Trust.  Ryan loves his job as Corporate Sales Manager and I'm getting the hang of life as a Millennial Marketing Manager--but I have to admit it's a complete 180 from my old tv gig as a reporter.
So as of now we can't complain life is good and we are excited to moving on to the next chapter of our lives!
We'll keep you posted--

Wedding Guest Book-GREAT IDEA!!!

I wanted to do something different with our wedding guest book and thought why not make it more of a scrapbook.  I found this site... http://www.mixbook.com/ that basically creates it for you-all you do is add the photos!! Now I'll have a record of everyone who came plus a fun book for the coffee table! Check it out and let me know what you think?

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