Passing the time...

SO we are at 4months & 3 days til the big day...and my big stressor has become physical! It's not just me, it's Justin too. Of course I am 1000x more intense, but Justin did go for a run/walk with me thru the city over to Newport and back home on Sat because he wants to work on his "windedness." ;-) Me...I am terrified of not looking 'amazing' in my dress. I feel that I have not been constant like I used to be with my workout and eating plan. I find it really hard when you have another person to eat with. Justin can eat SSOOO much more than me, and does not have to worry as much about the fat content...but I do! And I feel like I have gotten less tone and bit flabbier. I hate the scale though, bc it does not say that I have gained tons of weight...but I am going on the muscle weighs more than fat, so that is why the scale is not high...my fat doesn't weigh as much. haha..dumb I know!
I miss having my routine and a lot of times the self-control/motivation/discipline that I used to have that gave me the sculpted legs and tighter tummy. I also miss my gym buddies. I used to have @ least 2 girls that I could go to the gym with and workout with...there is that amazing motivation and push when someone is running/lifting or working next to you...the competitive spirit pushes you! I have tried to find a new buddy, but all my friends have opposite schedules of me and Justin has a lot on his plate plus 3 sports a week so he rarely has time to go with me.
I just wish that I could get a regular schedule down that I could plan a workout into that became like a ritual. Maybe once the summer begins I will have that wish granted! What would super cook would be if Justin could become a health/nutritious cook ;-) Some days I come home and see the boys chips, candy or food items that are not on the healthier side and I want to take a bag and throw all of it away! The other day I took the bag of Reese's Eggs in the freezer and put them in a Tupperware container and placed it under the frozen chicken...out of my sight when I open the freezer. I know that it is there but "out of sight = most of the time out of mind"
SO we are 4 months away and I am hoping by that by Sept I am feeling great, tight and tone, and then just have a month that I am just maintaining and having the alterations to my dress to fit around by cute lil body ;-).

Hope everyone is doing well and feeling splendid!

Countdown Begins

Planning Planning PLANNING!!! (and a lil venting)

It is so hard to make sure that you are pleasing everyone, while at the same time pleasing yourself! Right when I think that we have something finished it feels like something else pops up and Nope I still have more to do or figure out! I seriously took a relaxing breath for maybe a day...then the weight of planning fell right back on my shoulders. HOWEVER, I am super happy for school to be slowing down, I think I might actually find some time to get things done with out having that "don't be late to class, don't forget to write that paper, research, write up that report...blah!" I think once all the bridesmaid dresses measurements are in and ordered I will feel lighter...then the reality of having to collect $ from the girls will build up...but one stressor at a time haha!

Honestly I love all this most of the time...it is when those around me nit-pick at my choices, question what I want and make me second guess myself! I just want to make a decision and feel happy and confident about it! Can just once someone say "I think that's great! That is really pretty! I am excited about this." Instead I get the "it's nice BUT..." No one can just have something nice to say with out adding in that BUT or HOWEVER...hate to say it but I just wish those thoughts could be kept to themselves at times (unless it's truly necessary). I just want someone to say that I made a good choice, that they like the dresses and colors and it will be beautiful!!! It's not that hard!

ON a lighter note, I am extremely happy to say that my sister has really stepped up through this wedding process. She has just been a good friend in listening to me vent, run around the Tri-State with me as I thru dresses at her (on numerous occasions) and at times said the nice/right things that eased my nerves when they began to boil! My sis and I have had our ups and downs, but at the end of the day she is always my big sister and one person I believe would drop anything to help me when I am truly in a time of need! YES, we still have our 'sister' moments but in relation to the wedding she has really been awesome, especially more recently as we get closer...(knock on wood that I do not jinx myself).
Alright I am off to make some phone calls, write some emails and plan a wedding!

Miracle!

A miracle occurred yesterday around 3-4 pm...I had decided that on Tuesday I was going to visit all bridal stores-David's/Wendy's all of them and I would pick out a dress. Though knowing myself I asked my sister to come with me bc if i had gone alone I would probably be where I was on Monday...with no Bridesmaid dresses! I ran to David's & Wendy's solo and as soon as I walked in I walked back out...nothing new nothing I wanted to even give a chance...just the same dresses I had seen every where else. Don't get me wrong there were good dresses just nothing that met what I was looking for.
After leaving there I picked Megan up and we traveled to the Reading Wedding District. I was on a mission @ Carrie Karibo's Bridesmaid store! My mother and I had gone to this store last fall when the search first began and found dresses I really liked but they were on the $$$ end, so I chose to look else where. I was so hoping that the dress would pop out and not be too expensive...once that never happened I found myself right back where I started. So I spoke with the consultant, she pulled a few dresses and while Megan got changed into them I looked through fabric swatches. First dress...Megan would not come out of dressing room haha...not her style. Second dress, she came out with a huge smile! Which for my sister is rare! She is not the dress kinda girl...not to mention the dress was blue with a pink sash! NE who, it looked great on her. Complimented her body nicely and you could tell that she looked comfy in it. As she puts it, "I can wear normal underwear, eat dinner and dance in it." It's funny!
I got the price, took a deep breathe and compromised by getting the smaller sash bc the one we loved was $65...wow! But the sash we got we still really like. So I decided to go for it! I filled out paper work on all the girls and called JDS to see if we could just pay for the dresses and have the girls pay us back. Now the dresses are in the higher$$$ so we decided that we will help the girls with paying for them. I am super excited!
FINALLY!!! I feel like a weight has been removed from my body! Now all I have to do is get on the girls to get their measurements in and pay for the dresses. It's an extra chunk of change we were not anticipating using, but I am extremely grateful that JDS is allowing us to do it! Now I just hope that the girls are happy with my selection, I know Megan is so that's a step in the right direction.
I am trying to have the motto 'Do what you like, not what you think everyone else likes or wants.' It's Justin and my big day...not others...and when those others try to rain on our parade I am trying to just dance around and not let it bring me down. Side note: politics of a wedding can drive you crazy! AND it really shows you who your true friends are...which is good & bad all at the same time! Ladies next time you are in a wedding please be a nice bridesmaid, especially if the bride has given you the title Maid of Honor! Smile and be nice...not rude! It's not about you! Sorry I just this lingering thought of frustration and needed to vent a lil!

I hope that everyone that reads this...if anyone...is happy, healthy and received our Save the Date! ;-) Have a great day!

hmmm

Deadlines for bridesmaid's dresses SUCK! They are enough motivation for me to get it done! I DID go and meet with the bridal consultant who helped me with my dress on Monday to see what she could pull in ideas for me. She gave me a good idea, however, I am not sold! And she even said, "This is your day, one day in your life, when you should not have to compromise in certain areas..." And I feel like I am compromising & I hate that. I don't want to compromise, I will in other areas but I don't want to with the dresses/clothing! I want to be able to look at our photos 10yrs from now and still love the dresses that I chose...not think "they were ok for then but I wish I would have gotten the other ones..." This stinks! STINKS!!!
Maybe I can make lots of $$$ this summer and just pay for 1/2 of them...
I think that I might try to go out to the Bridesmaid Store in Reading again and see how much their dresses were that I liked, my mom swears they were cheaper than other I have looked at. So maybe I will get one last quote from them and go from there. I HAVE TO GET THIS DONE ASAP...I am cutting it WAY too close!
I just want the girls to wear pretty dresses that make me smile and hopefully them too...but we will see I guess. I am trying to not be picky, but cheaper dresses don't make the color I want. Maybe the green but not the orange! Deep breathes! I am more willing to compromise by not having the guys wear colored ties (though I really like that) but I rather give that up then the dresses.
My mom told me, "What if you did it all green or with an ivory sash..." No No! I wear the whites not them! Dumb I know but...poop. This would have been so much easier if we eloped on the beach, then my bridesmaids could have worn sweet/simple and cheaper dresses. Everything happens for a reason...but I am wondering when I will find the dress or at least get this figured out! I was hoping I would find some expensive dresses but with time (like by NOW) I would find the cheaper dress that made me happy!
O off to research a little bit more. Hope everyone is having a lovely Spring!

Oct can't come soon enough

I am super excited for the wedding...I can not wait! I am ecstatic about being Justin's wife and officially calling him my husband. Now being Mrs. Stone will take some time...it's just weird! I am so excited to take this huge new step in life, a step that I am taking with my best friend. All through life we take these steps of growth but we usually take them alone to gain independence and autonomy. For the past 25 years have been taking steps in my life by myself- and yes I had support and cheerleaders along the way- but I made the final say in where I went and what I did. Now a days I look at future steps and adventures in life and instead of consulting with my support networks, I am looking at Justin and WE are making the decisions together. We agree on the house we choose to bid on or live in, we choose what dishes to register for, we decide what to buy at the grocery store. And the best part of it is that I thought that I would absolutely HATE that...but I LOVE it!
I love looking to Justin and appreciate that he respects me enough to look towards me before taking leaps. I guess that's what really matters and what I truly enjoy...Justin and I don't have to ask one another about things, we could just do them. However, we choose to ask one another about opinions, likes/dislikes, we even ask one another if the other would mind if we do something like get drinks after work with friends. Rather than telling each other "I am doing this..." we talk about it or at least communicate to each other. I am so excited to spend the rest of life with Justin!
I find myself getting so excited that I feel frustrated because I want so badly to start this new chapter in our lives. Our first home, first dog, then eventually first child together! I can not wait to watch him coach a sport or play ballerina with our daughter ;-). I look forward to cooking dinner on a beautiful sunny Spring day, watching the kids play out back and having Justin return home from work to greet me with a huge kiss on my forehead (he does that now). I just can not wait to truly start our lives together as Husband & Wife, dad & mom, best friends to the end!
Screw the dresses, the music, the $$$. I have what I want most in life...Justin! I just need the added bonus of Crouse saying "You are now man & wife."
Gosh I love him so much...kinda makes you want to vomit (in a good way...haha)

Monday Update

Hello All! I thought that I would take a moment to let you know what Justin and I have been up to since I last wrote.

So far I still have not got the bridesmaids dresses, my goal/date is within the next 7 days! Wish me luck...I am trying to optimistic! Justin and I went to the baker last Tues and really liked the bakers and their cakes. They were very straight forward and very helpful! I was a fan! Plus, I enjoyed eating their cake! So we still have to sign the contract and what not but am 95% sure we are going with them. BUT get this, the lady that I was hoping to use but was MIA for a month...Well I got home Wed from class to have Justin hand me a package and when I open it up there is a cute black hat box sealed with a purple ribbon and a personal note to us. It was the lady! She had mailed us four mini cakes to sample! The presentation was amazing though! This little box full of color full tissue paper and the cakes looked nice. Anyways, of course I dug right in (actually I only took a bite out of each then wrapped them back up for later). They were pretty darn good! I loved the carrot cake and this chocolate with whipped choc moose on top...which is weird bc usually I don't like choc cake! Anyways it was very good and then made me feel weird...like I had cheated on her...haha! O well we had to do what we had to do I guess!
As for house hunting, we looked at about 6-7 more this past Saturday. Our realtor had us look at the best one first, which was funny looking at this larger home and comparing it to the houses in Oakley/Hyde Park which are not tiny but not comparable! So, we are getting serious and closer I believe to potentially making an offer on a house! And I am learning more and more about the house hunting/buying process...it's interesting. Plus, I think we have a great realtor in our corner...and a great friend who is looking out for us! This is one instance I feel that working with a friend is working best for us.
Alright well off to do Monday things... O and if anyone has dress suggestions I am ALWAYS OPEN!!!

Things to be excited about

SO apparently I am allowed to tell people this, I thought JDS wanted to keep on the DL. We are looking at houses!!! WE went and looked at 2 last Saturday in Hyde Park/Oakley. The first one was a NO NO...JDS had to duck on the 3rd level and basement...plus the basement was like a scene out of SAW. Seriously, there was a door that had a bent nail closing it. We twisted the nail to see the secret room and it was a room with junk and a toilet in it...creepy...we all went back up stairs with a bit of pep in our steps. HAHA!!! It was not all that bad but not for us! NOW the 2nd one was great! The landscape needed work but my dad is the "Ron Wilson" official Yardboy. ;-) But once you walked in WOW!!! The owners had music playing and a lovely lil note to us about the house. The entry way was large and welcoming, with detailed stain glass windows. There was a lovely dining room, and the living room was an unique/beautiful shape (instead of square walls). The kitchen ironically had a red theme...We are registering for a lot of red kitchen items...'ironic don't you think...a lil too ironic...yes... I really do think' sorry ADD moment.
The walls are a beautiful paint scheme. All original wood floors! The 2nd floor has an office, 2 bdrms, 2 full baths all pretty spacious. THEN the 3rd floor has 2 rms and 7 FT CEILINGS-JDS can stand up :-). My lil brain was running...I could do this and this or maybe this... I was just smitten. We have looked at houses before in the past and walked away shrugging my shoulders and thinking "it's ok."
I am just really excited and trying not to get too excited or as JDS says "Get your hopes up..." But whatever...one day we will buy a house and that is SUPER exciting. SUPER exciting!
Side note for wedding: going to a tasting at a different bakery Tues (hopefully not alone...JDS has not been to one yet...damn Liberty Mutual). I kinda feel bad bc I know that Patty (other baker) really wants to assist us...but I feel like I need to look at other places that are able to give me a tasting and assist me faster...plus their prices maybe better over all...but still feel bad like I am cheating on a friend. As for bridesmaid dresses...haha that just makes me laugh. I am hoping once next week is over, big exam is over, then I can zone in on the dresses and make a decision. Lets all cross our fingers!
K well time to watch The Real World! Have a lovely day/night/week...LIFE!!!

Thoughts and Thank yous for Friday

So I feel I should apologize to y'all that read our blog. Justin brought it to my attention last night that you have been leaving comments on the blogs and while he has read them and apreciates them, I had no clue! SO I read all of them last night and would like to say THANK YOU! THank you for your support, kind words and jsut making me laugh!

So today I got the 2 contracts in the mail and hopefully can cross those off my list. Then I sent an email to the baker who I have been talking with since probably Nov, asking her if she dropped off the face of the earth or what (not really but wanted to). This woman and I have had numerous emails, IM and phone conversations about the cake and ideas for what I want and what she could create...then I don't hear a darn thing from her. I send her an email asking about the big couple's tasting she invited us to...and no response! I am kinda sad bc she was the first person that was super sweet and appeared to get what I wanted- or at least pretended to understand me. So I sent her an email asking that she respond otherwise I will have to start ALL OVER and find a new baker. I met this one lady at a Bridal Show my aunt dragged me to, and her carrot cake was pretty darn good but she is a bit $$$. And I am all about saving $$$ ESPECIALLY when it comes to the cake that I care the least about! I mean don't get me wrong if Justin and I were on Platinum Weddings on WeTV I would get some fabulous baker to create a carrot cake Elephant cake like the one in Rachael's Getting Married (see that movie if you haven't)...I mean it was this fabulous blue elephant with the basket on top and a male and female lil elephants sitting on top as bride n groom! It was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH AWESOME!!!!! But ne ways, that's that on the cake situation!
I have got the registry under way, I went to Macy's Wed and put some towels and such on there. And I got the Crate & Barrel registry started...I just hope ppl get stuff off there bc I love what I put on there (plus the linens/duvet cover are sale right now ;-) ) haha! I have to be honest bc of the economy right now, a lot of the stuff we registered for is marked down and what not...hope it stays that way. I do wonder though...things change with the seasons so how do we know that the dishes and towels and linens will still be there this summer/fall...bc lets be honest ppl don't start buying their gifts til closer to the wedding (I know JDS and I are famous for it). O well ppl do this every year so I am sure that it will be fine!
Well I think that I am going to go stress my self out and look at dresses for the girls online since I have to get on top of that ASAP!!! blah! :-P
(and Tracy O hope that reading my blog doesn't stress you out about the new engagement and future planning of your own wedding...hee hee).

Love you all, have a great weekend!

190 Days left...

Well the wedding is coming up fast...only 190 days left so a lil over 6 months! There is still SO much to do! We have contracts on the table screaming "SIGN me and feed me a check!" Vendors that I need to track down or stalk at their business..haha! But I refuse to cry or break down in frustration...it's my own fault!
However, I can happily say that we do have a photo shoot set up for this Sunday and have been tossing around dates for Engagement pics with our photographer. PLUS, my gal pal super talented Sabrina was in town from TX a few weeks ago and we created a few sample invitations! And because she is SO awesome, so is now back in TX and creating a mock up sample of what we came up with and agreed we liked. So Justin and I will have Save the Dates and invitations to invite ppl, as well as, beautiful pictures of ourselves...haha! I am pretty excited though to have pics of us that are professional and not at a bar or such!
I have to get on those bridesmaid dresses though! O goodness they DO stress me out! O well they will be chosen some day ;-). Well I need to get ready for work/internship...Hope y'all have a great week!

Wedding Wedding Wedding

Well I still have not picked out the dresses or the cake. I have not even attempted to make progress on either...however I did email the cake lady but never heard back... SO now the decision is do we continue to pursue her or seek other location? I don't know, I have not been the best at making decisions these days!
But I do have hope that it will all come together and be amazing!
We have gotten the letters and contracts from people though. The florists contract, the musicians contract and a letter reminding me that we owe more $$$ for the ceremony/reception site by certain date. O how fun! SO we need to get signing and check writing or handing $$$ over ;-) haha!

I am very excited that Spring is almost here because that means Summer is that much closer...and FALL is drawing closer too! Never thought I would want Fall to get here so fast! But I do! And I am pretty sure that Justin does, too! If anyone has any suggesting for me shoot em my way!

Hope everyone is having a lovely day, week, life!

Spring Break...or so it's supposed to be.

Well it's been awhile since I have written anything...life has been *#!*@#*&@# and such!
As a catch up: 2 Thursdays ago, Feb 21, I was groggy and tired but getting ready for work when Justin walks in the door carrying this HUGE bag and then my best friend Dana pops out from behind him! I just stood there staring at her! I was like, "What the ***...how did you get her?" I have not seen Dana since last May, which sucks because I have gotten engaged and not been able to celebrate or doing anything with her. Dana is my maid of honor and I have been really sad that she lives in NC and unable to do anything wedding with me. SOOOO...the sneaky kids flew her in and surprised! I truly have the best fiance EVER!!! I can not wait to marry him!

SO, Dana was in town for 5-6 days in which we picked out suits/tuxes for the guys (Justin was there, too), had a nice dinner which Justin planned where she got to meet our closest friends and others in the wedding, and I got to play dress-up with her with brides maid dresses. O and she wanted to do cake tasting but I had already done that, so I took her to my favorite bakery BonBonarie to create our own lil tasting! O it was super overwhelming but so great to be able to do!

Sadly I did not get the girl's dresses BUT I do now know what looks good on Miss Dana and what to steer away from. As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, I have a spectrum of body types in my wedding party! But Dana aka: Boobs I needed to make sure fit and looked lovely in the dresses! I think that I got a good grasp of what to look at and am narrowing items down. I just wish that someone at one of the stores we visited would have shown me how I could pick the color and fabric and then the dresses that the girls could pick from, that way they may feel more comfortable in their dress. I am not 100% that that is what I want to do, but would have like to have seen my options! My friend who is getting married this June did that, she picked the designer/color/fabric and then the girls had 5 dresses to choose from. When my mom and I went looking a few months ago I found a store that showed me that option, BUT of course it was the store with $$$ designers!

O gosh I just want to find the damn dresses and be DONE!!! Plus, the one store was getting on top of me about it, "YOU HAVE to order them by April or they will not be in in time..." My anxiety levels made me want to vomit! I don't understand why this has to be so freaking hard!!! Justin was like, "Why don't we just have the girls wear black dresses from White House Black Market, and everything else can be colorful?" MEN!!! If it was that simple I would, and I have contemplated with the idea but can not except it! I like the color, not black! I look at these other weddings that have the color dresses I want, where the H did they get them? And I hate when Dana and I would find a dress we liked they would hand me this swatch book and either there was not my colors or the swatches were an inch long and 1/2 inch wide...I have no clue what that would look like on a dress!
Some times I just wish that I could go to the fabric store find what I want and have my mom make the dresses...she would need a long time for that though!

Currently, I am on my Spring Break from school...but that means poop! I still work, still read/write for classes, and have lil time to run around to do wedding stuff! It's awesome...don't get me wrong I LOVE not having to go to class, I just wish I could actually take a break! And ppl will say to me, "You will get a break come May once classes are over..." WHATEVER!!! I want one NOW!!! Even when Dana was here and Justin got me off work Fri/Mon, I was non-stop! And by Sunday night I was behind my computer typing a DAF for school, I just couldn't stop.

It seems like I just wish the wedding was here already! Then I would not have to worry about picking out dresses, cake, entertainment, BLAH! Or at least I wish school would disappear and I could concentrate on going to work then planning the wedding!

Well, better look at the registry online to get some ideas...I will be battling Justin tonight as we register at the store, maybe stores...we have already looked at a few dishes and such. I like the unique colorful items, he likes the unique shape but boring colors! And is set on "Stainless steel" BORING!!! Hopefully my mom will be a good guiding light for us! And we can meet in the middle...colorful mixer... ;-)

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods and you & your family are happy, healthy and warm with love!

Flowers!!!

Went to the 3rd florist this morning and O my goodness I think that we FINALLY found some one that is capable of giving me THE BRIDE what I want! When I told him that I did not want specific flowers he did not even flinch or give me the evil eye, like others, he just moved on to what I do like and want! And I got out my pictures and list of plants/flowers that I liked and he found them for me and showed me how we could use them. Like I had this specific berry that I wanted to use and when I showed him he got the book out and showed me how we could use it! PLUS, my favorite flower can bruise easily, and instead of freaking out about that fact like the last florist...seriously she tried to get me to not use the one thing I have ALWAYS known I wanted the flower...so I was upset that she tried to get me not to use it. But this florist reassured me that he takes extra measures to keep them safe and was glad to use them for me!
Also, he gave me the "Ahh-hha" moment by reading my mind in a way. He was willing to give me the flowers and accent foliage I liked and wanted. Plus, when creating the guys flowers he totally used the flower that I was thinking about AND right on the spot created a unique lil something for the groomsmen! It was just really nice to have someone listen to me and be willing to work with me VERSES telling me what to do or trying to create something that I had JUST said that I did not want! Plus, he knows the venue and was like, "I will run down there later this week to refresh my memory and draw out where and how we could decorate..." I love the above and beyond attitude and willingness!
SO I am pretty smitten with the guy...3rd time IS a charm!!! Now lets just hope that it's not an arm and a leg cost wise! ;-)

Thinking out loud

Sometimes I wonder what this life is going to bring. If I am taking the paths that are the best, most prosperous.
Justin is the best path that I have ever taken...the off beatin path that I ventured down and never looked back!
But I wonder about the other paths that I have or currently am walking down. Grad school, it's a path that irritates and brings more tears then anything else and has a way of breaking down my world in just one night of class. Though, it is a path that is to better educate me, make me look better to the world and individuals that make up this nation. Though this MA will not bring in the money unless something magical occurs...haha! Plus, I am in this internship that does not tailor to the area that I would like to work, so I find myself frustrated or feeling like I am not putting my best foot forward. I know that I have to take these steps that I may not enjoy, but what is the point at the end of the day when you are not fulfilled? What is the point when you come home grumpy? Dread class? I try to carry optimism around me the best I can but then there are moments when I have to Qin it all.
I am 24, college grad, engaged, but working as an ABA therapist and in a sense nanny for one family. O and counselor trainee who makes little for her hrs. I feel like I should be more in this world or at least contribute more to the economy and my household. I hate that little of my earned money is going towards this wedding and because of that other dreams Justin and i have must be put on hold. Like buying a house! He loves looking at houses on the market, like a hobby, and I hate that we can not be serious about looking into them. Not even next fall after the wedding. We can not wait to begin our own family together, but want to have a house over our heads not our apartment. I am fine with the fact that we will still be living with our rmmt after we are married, but I don't want to live with him for too much longer.
Basically, I wonder sometimes if I should get another job and consume my life of work and school only for the time being...or if I should look for a full time job and put school on the back burner...I just feel like I could or should be doing more to attain our dream. I know that I am still young (25 in a month ahhh) and have plenty of time to do so much...I just wonder. It's Sunday and I have had a lot of time to think.
I love my life for the most part right now and LOVE where it has brought me thus far...I just wonder sometimes. I am so excited SOOOOO excited about the wedding and starting my life with Justin. It will be the most beautiful event of the beginning of our lives as Man and Wife!
I just really needed to spill out my thoughts...irrational or rational...taking my advice for my clients ;-)

***I hope that everyone is happy, healthy and taking the paths that are paved or unpaved that make them feel fulfilled!***

Only 237 days til the BIG DAY!!!

Thanks for listening to me vent...Love to all!

8 MONTH COUNT DOWN

***ONLY 8 MONTHS TILL THE WEDDING***
Thus far on the wedding...we got another contract for reception signed and paid! Yay! AND Justin took care of it!!! I made ONE more meeting with the 3rd florist to see what they say, think, and compare to other two.
The 1st one: woman did not listen to what I said I wanted/liked, in her proposal she added flowers I said multiple times that I DID NOT WANT.
The 2nd: She was cool and creative, but a lil condescending and rubbed Justin wrong (which I guess my dad caught on to, too). Plus, we met right after I left work/internship and I was flying trying to make the apt so my mind was FAR from wedding flowers so I could not think straight or be affirmative...though Justin and my dad did a great job painting the picture of what I wanted.

SO now we are meeting with the 3rd florist on the top 3 list. I spoke with him today and WOW he is going to be entertaining! Gay and very vibrant! I have a feeling that I will be smiling and giggling a lot...as well as Justin and Dad. I love new people who get super excited with me/us about the wedding. And hopefully I will get that "YES" feeling with him unlike the other's. Or he will at least see what I am seeing! And be creative...basically have the positive aspects of the first 2 with an added something special I have been looking for...if not then we will see (probably go with 2).

As for the bridesmaids dresses I found one that I really like, just need to get the ONLY store in OH to get back with me about if I can see it or at least the color swatches of the fabric. What sucks is that those stores don't open til 12pm, which by then I am at work or getting ready for school and I work Sat morning into the afternoon, which after Iam usually running home to get ready for something we have planned...therefore I have limited time to run all over the Tri-State to stores, especially if they don't have what i want to see!


Well that's what's going down on the Wedding Planning Front! Hope everyone is staying safe and warm this fridged winter!

Snow Day!!!

SO the weather ppl were FINALLY right! Starting at midnight the flakes poured down, so I thru my scarf/gloves/coat on and danced around in the street under it...while Justin snored in bed ;-) It was fun! Then @ 6:30am Justin got a text that UC and XU were closed for the day=Snow day for us...kind of. He still had to work at home, but at lunch we froliced in the snow. More of him tackling me into the ground and me falling trying to take him down! Haha! Here is my lovely
Snow Angel:
Then while warming up with grilled chz and soup, I pulled up potential Bridesmaid dresses and consulted with Justin. I tried getting the thoughts of the girls, but one would get excited and another would give me the "that's...cute..." I have decided, no offense to the others, that I will consult Justin, Dana and my sister only. SO I tried to get pricing from the bridal shop on a specific designer they sell..but they suck and won't return emails or calls! Which I don't understand! Don't these ppl want the sale and commission? I mean when I have Qs about suits for the guys I have sales ppl fighting to answer or help me...too bad we have an in at the shop in CVG...as long as our rmmt doesn't screw it up (he is dating the girl now)...though she is pretty cool so I am going to assume that she would take the sale either way. Gotta love connections with good ppl!

So the florist we met with 2 wks ago called me today to make sure things were going well and that we did not have any further Qs. This really made me smile and love them more. Other florists just send emails and seemed like they could have cared less about us. This florist and her team seem to really want to be a part of our wedding! Wonder if that's because of my dad and his affiliation within the plant business or what...either way I love that they took the time to CALL us instead of an impersonal email or nothing at all. I feel that they will get a good referral from us...but not saying 100% until the Wedding and I physically am holding the bouquet that I dreamed and floral I envisioned! Hate to say it but I am questionable until I see it! Like my dress...I loved it when purchasing it, but while waiting for it to get made I was full of Qs and emotions. Then it came in, I put it on and showed it to my parents/sister/JDS' mom and I cried a lil in excitement! It was never doubt just concern. This is one day that I would like to be perfect to Justin n I.

Speaking of perfection, I am working to get my body tighter and toner. I started meeting with Justin & my mutual friend who is a Pilates teacher. I was tryin to get Justin to come with me but that was mission impossible. NE ways, I met with our friend for the 1st time last night after class. OMG pilates is...wow! The start was good. We started on the mat or this table that looks like one in a physically therapists table, using my own body weight and teaching me the correct moves. Then moved to the machine or sled. Though I excelled on the mat, the sled was another thing. At first I did well, but then I could tell Mike (teacher) was getting frustrated with me...though did a great job of not verbalizing! haha! He was telling me to curl my hips in, lift torso up, abs in and up...I was trying SSOOO hard not to get frustrated but there were moments when I thought my hips were curled in and had no clue how they could move any more! Being an athlete and used to cardio and weight lifting kinda screwed me I felt. I have the ab and body muscle, which he told me, but there were areas/ muscles he wanted me to engage and I had no clue how! Though I can say that I am a bit sore today..it's awesome! I have been trying to practice holding my abs in and lifting my torso w/o shrugging my shoulders or arching my back! HAHAHA..he would tell me to sit up tall and I thought I was but really I was arching my back like crazy! I was comical relief for sure! I hope to continue meeting with him 1/2x a wk, but I feel I need to get better at it...mainly bc as we were leaving he told me that he refused to charge us until I could do the workout correctly and get all I could from it. I thought I did well., but I am not a Pilates Master like Mike! He is crazy awesome! I am hoping tonight to get Justin outside to run and frolic more in the snow...nothing like 3-4 inches of snow and ice to run thru to engage the muscles! ;-)

Well, enough rambling for the day! Hope everyone is enjoying the snow or environment they are in! (I apologize for any grammatical mistakes...Justin told me that I can make a few when I type fast...hope no one thinks I am an idiot, I try to spell check).

Love to all!
*Carly*

Procrastination

So today I am having one of those days...the day where I am at work but actually have time to do HW & read for class, BUT instead I want to do anything BUT school. SO I have been looking at bridesmaid dresses online and driving myself crazy.

I find something I really like but then it's WAY too expensive! Or I find something but it's not in the color I want... For the past 5-6 months random females have been telling me, "You have to shop around and hunt for the bargain..." Well I have been hunting and looking around...but find myself at the same place every time. I just hope that one day I will be 'hunting and shopping around' and have that "TA DA" moment where 'the' dress is there...right color/style/sizes!

Sizes that's another hard part. All my girls range in height, weight, curve and bust. I have tall & stick like, tall & built, short & busty, tall but curvy, and maybe one girl that is relatively similar to my size. Try finding a dress that fits and looks good on all of them, or at least they feel good and comfortable wearing! AND I KNOW...I can pick a color and fabric then let the girls find a dress they like from that criteria. Which at first I was all for. But looking at it now I am not sure that I want or will like that at our wedding...where we are having it and all. O I don't know! It's crazy! Well that's my battle of the day: Finding dresses and the motivation to read for class.


Hope everyone has a great Friday and weekend!

*LOVE*
Carly

keeping all posted

I decided that instead of sending multiple emails all over the place, I would throw stuff on a Blog for all to view.
Justin and I are doing better with keeping sanity with lil over 8 months to go til the wedding! Though, we still have our moments of strain and stress. Weddings are not cheap or easy to plan...unless you are doing the court house (but who knows that might be a handful, too). For those who are not or have not planned before let me tell you...everything you say/said that you would do get thrown out the window for the most part. If your lucky some of the ideas come back around, but just be prepared that it's not as easy as one hopes...coping skills and patience are key!

I have to laugh bc while I am working to assist children and thier families to have healthy coping skills, good self-talk and retaining their sanity...I find myself doing the opposite in my own life @ times! However, I have made the oath to try not to get so overwhelmed now in 2009, as I was at the beginning in 2008! ;-)

So far Justin and I have done a pretty darn good job on our own. We have the venue for Ceremony & Reception + food/drink, photographers, MY DRESS!!!, and some other fun stuff.
I am attempting to finalize the florist...though I really liked the last woman I met so we need to just cross the ts and dot the i's. And I think we have the bakery for the cake/desserts...but honestly that is not at the top of our list (JDS and I are not some much cake ppl).

SO that's a summary of what is/has gone on thus far. Justin and I are busy, not only with the wedding, but with School (class+practicum+internship 4 me) and work, but we are getting thru it together...which is a great start to our future lives together!

Love to all!