Breathing easier....

WE HAVE OUR LICENSE! WOOT, WOOT!

And we got it in this beautiful snow, too.

Sparkles!

Yet another Etsy to the rescue moment has happened in this wedding! Can I just say that it is totally fantastic to have so many crafty people at my fingertips! Use this resource! If you take nothing else from this whole silly wedding blog.....take Etsy and use it. Anyhow, I found MiniBelle on Etsy. She makes custom, handmade hair accessories. I wanted simple Swarovski crystal u-pins....as in one crystal on a pin. I asked if she could do anything in the colors I need, and this is the sample she made to see if I liked it. Is it NOT gorgeous?! I must have. Oh yes. Must have. Hehe! And such an affordable luxury! This made me completely giddy for at least an hour. Yeah, I'm easy to please some times. Ha!

Photo from MiniBelle on Etsy.com!

So close!

I had a FANTASTIC planning committee meeting yesterday. Okay, so it was my uncle, a bridesmaid, and an aunt, but I'm calling it the planning committee. That's because their only desire is to see our wedding go smoothing and just as he and I wish for it to go. Not how anyone else thinks it should be, how he and I want it. Period. Now, how cool is that? This was my uncle's idea too. This is not something I demanded in some odd bridezilla moment. He wanted to be certain that he knew exactly what our wishes are, and that we chose a few others as well for that task, to ensure as smooth a day as possible. You just don't know how touched I was by that gesture. I feel so reassured and so loved....it's the best feeling.

And cue the watery eyes. I think my tear ducts have broken during this process. They just let go of the moisture at any old time. Who knew I'd ever be this sentimental?! I am NOT an overly emotional person. Actually, on first glance or if you don't know me well, I seem just the opposite. It's kind of neat to experience such strong emotions, such strong happy emotions. I've definitely had strong emotions the other way. I like this way better.

Twenty days people! Twenty days. I'm ready. Well, no, there's still a ton to do, but I am not sure I'd care if any of it got done or not. I'm ready.

Yes, I think so.....

Superbowl bound! Oh yeah, my Colts rocked it. There will be much partying in this house on the 7th. Oh yes, indeed!

Image from Photobucket.

A good day

Today is going to be AWESOME! :)

It's not off to the most awesome of starts, as I had to get up in the middle of the night to take more meds to keep from actually coughing up my lung. Getting up in the middle of the night messes with my blood sugar, so I am impatiently waiting for the cereal bar to level me out. Light-headed only sounds fun.

The guys will be here to game soon. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it but I make breakfast for them every Saturday. Today, I think they're getting either pancakes or waffles.

Soon after that, hairdresser bridesmaid is coming over to spend the day with me. We're going to figure out if we really want to color my hair. I've never, ever, ever colored my hair. I'm 31 and have never dyed it, not once. Part of that is a heaping helping of pride. My hair grows in red, and I find that natural red hair is a bit rare. The other part is sheer terror! Hairdresser bridesmaid explained how you have to destroy your own pigment for the cuticle to open and accept artificial color, therefore your hair will never, ever, ever be the color it was again. I trust her on this stuff. The thought of never having natural hair again is horrifying. It's just that.....well I am 31. I don't know if you've noticed but redheads grey.......early and a lot. I'm somewhat lucky. My mother is a natural red, and she's been very grey since 17. Her very naturally red cousin has a two inch streak of grey that happened in high school as well. My dad on the other hand, who is also a natural redhead, really never did grey. His hair just faded and faded and now he's blond. While I don't have a two inch streak of grey, I do have quite a bit. And like my father, the red isn't as vibrate as in my early 20s. So, I am so torn and SO VERY SCARED! We'll do what she thinks is best though. She's never lead me astray.

We also get to see my photographer Nichole AT my venue! That's super exciting. The Atriums is hosting an open house today from 11an to 3pm!

And tonight is the Colt's playoff game! We're having two groomsmen, two bridesmaids, and another close friend to watch the game. I'm making one of my betrothed's favorites: cheese rangoons. I'll add panko-crusted, oven-baked chicken nuggets and four layer dip. It's four layers because I have so many picky eaters among my friends. So, I just do the least objectionable layers.

So, that should all lead to one awesome, yet tumultuous day!

As promised

So, for our new year’s celebration, we opted to stay in….where it’s safer and more affordable. I made a special trip to central market yesterday to acquire tasty indulgences. We’ll be having a red and yellow vine ripened tomato bruschetta with fresh basil and garlic on toasted bagette for a starter. Dinner is a bit surf and turf: stuffed crab shells and a shared New York strip (both from their phenomenal fresh meats case!) with roasted fingerling potatoes. (Thanks for the idea Celia!) I took the easy way out for dessert and picked up one of our favorites from the bakery: crème brulee! Yeah, I know I should learn to make it, but then I’d make it far too often! I’ve already gained two pounds this holiday season, I don’t need to learn to make crème brulee and add to that number exponentially! After all, I only have seven weeks to lose this plus the bit of pudge I was trying to rid myself of in the first place! Oh! And the cocktail for the evening….another thanks to Celia. I’m making the Canton Royale she posted near thanksgiving with the Prosecco that was given to us as an engagement gift! My mouth is already watering.

But first, we are attending my baby cousin’s wedding this afternoon. I’ll try my best to get photos. I know I am wretched at that!

Have a safe and happy new year, all!

Photo from Photobucket.

Earwarmers

One more poll.....if you all don't mind. I need something on our honeymoon to keep my ears from freezing off my head. I found two absolutely lovely options on Etsy! Oh how I am loving Etsy.

So.....do we like this? Found here.



Or this? Found here.

They both come in several colors, so be sure to check them out!

Thank you for indulging my shopping cravings!

Photos from Etsy and the lovely hand-crafters behind it!

Boots

Okay, so I have a confession. Though I am frugal to the point of being painfully cheap.....I love shoes, and boots are my favorite. I have a little holiday cash to spend. I think I want to spend it on a pair of boots for our honeymoon. After all, it is going to be very cold, and we will be walking a ton! We're going to Baltimore and Washington DC, and we love to sight-see. My usual skinny-heeled boots simply are not going to cut it. I think I've narrowed it to two options.

Do you like this?


Or this?


Opinions greatly appreciated!

Boots from Zappos.

Little traditions

Every month near the 15th, my betrothed takes me to the restaurant that we had our first date at. It was something he suggested we do, and it has been something that he has made sure we do, without fail. We don't always make it on the 15th, but we always go as near to it as we can manage. It's a very, very sweet tradition to me.

And on one of those traditional outings....he gave me a ring.

We went last night, exactly two months out from our wedding. Very appropriate and very fun to raise a glass with my love in the place where we started to fall and where I changed from girlfriend to fiance.

(And now I've teared up. Let's see if I can manage to keep my mascara from running. Ugh, I'm such a sap!)

SNOW, SNOW, SNOW!!!!

Yesterday there was this strange white stuff falling from the sky! It fell in huge, fluffy puffs that lead to mounds in the yard and on my little box of a car. I squealed back into the house when I opened the garage door and saw it....."BABY GET OUT HERE! THERE'S SNOW!!!!!" And so came my betrothed, in a slight disbelief, shirtless into the cold.

There was indeed snow falling, and heavily, in the snowless land known as Texas. I was absolutely delighted! We haven't had snow since March 2008 (which is when I took these photos...which is when I was falling very hard, very fast, in love with this wonderful blue-eyed man). I drove to work with a very broad smile on my face as the little flakes continued all twenty-six miles with me.


Sadly, it was all completely gone when I got home. The ground was too warm, even in the grass, for any remains to survive the day. How sad. I had so wanted to play in it! Or enjoy a cup of cocoa looking at it at the very least. I don't think that it's only the children that enjoy and delight in snow, because I was giddy all day about it. It brings out the little red-headed, pigtailed girl for certain.

I hope we get it once more this year! (Instead of the horrendous icing we usually get in its place! Wretched ICE!)

Photos by me - March 2008 - after a three hour drive home because ice accompanied it.