SHOES!

MY SHOES ARE SUPER AWESOME. I tell myself this at least once a week. I decided early on that I DID NOT AND DO NOT want white shoes. I’ve worn white shoes so few times in my life it seems like a waste. Now, blue shoes I could wear again. And they’d be in our color scheme. And they could be my something blue. Now, I have to admit, my mom has been great with all of our quirkiness and the amount of traditions we’ve thrown out. That said, my mom hated my shoes. I don’t think this has changed but she doesn’t threaten to burn them anymore. I personally think they are the epitome of awesome and their price tag only sealed the deal (7 bucks + tax. I love you Walmart!). Still not sure if they’ll work with my dress but at $7, I think I can take it as a loss if they don’t ;-)

not exactly the most flattering photo of them, but it'll do, it'll do. I searched online for a pic and silly walmart doesn't have the same color shoes in any of their pages but I STILL LOVE MY SHOES

bling bling ;-)

The anique looking $40 pin I bought from Lily's Bridal ^_^ loved it so much I just had to have it. It's a little gawdy, but man, i love it.

^ my mama's pearls are lovely but I wanted to add a little something to them, you know. Well sifting through my Grandmonther's old costume jewlery I found this little blue treasure. It's really a clip on earring! I need to add a little something to keep it from slidding down some but I love the way it looks.

^ the (not so good) close up

life upate and weekly finds

!!!!!!!! Been a while since I posted and I have good news and bad. Some good first! We founds rings we love!

mine^

his^

I'm totally thrilled about them. My ring is completely different from what I expected to like but its fantastic all the same and we really have our hearts set on these, BUT...

Kevin's job of nearly 7 years just went downhill and out and now he's out in this scary, recession heavy world, looking for work. I am proud to say that he's already out and actively looking but we're both starting to worry. How can we plan anything on one little paycheck like mine? I keep telling him that we must have faith and need to be strong and that something (anything) will come along and I still believe it will but boy this economy has really fallen into the crapper....

ON A HAPPIER NOTE: the day after we received that lovely news, I was scheduled to go out and buy my wedding dress. Needless to say, I was (am) terrified. How could I justify spending so much (honestly, not that much, but I'm kindda a penny pincher) after that? But w talked and realized that the loss would not affect our CURRENT bank account balance it would just take a while longer than normal to jump back up... and I bought the dress.

shhhhhhhhh but it's not REALLY a bridal gown. It's a bridesmaid dress! I ordered it in ivory and it should be here by Sept or Oct (obviously I can't post pics of it seeing that Kevin is a religious reader and Mom says of all the traditions we're nixing, THAT one CAN'T go). I'm totally thrilled! I also bought a pin for the dress Saturday (will post pics later) and should be getting my shoes soon :)

anywho: here are some more interesting/inspiring/swoon worthy photos that have captured my eyes these past few days. Enjoy!

found these lovelies on Etsy! would make an awesome unity candle

I love this idea for table numbers (Kevin and I being the comic book, cartoon loving nerds we are) from this wedding but I'm thinking we might name tables after famous couples (think Fred and Wilma Flintstone, WallE and Eve, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Lucy and Ricky Riccardo). Any suggestions?

loving the balloon-lined path from this baby shower

also love this white themed party (mostly those giant balloons!)

hehe it's CHEESECAKE! loving this great idea for a non-traditional (and non-sweet) groom's cake from here

web-crush

I am really loving realsimple.com
I'm seriously, totaly enamored. This is every domestic woman's dream site. Literaly simple to the point of minamalistic sometimes, I love the uniqueness. All pics below are from them.

^ super simple and effective

^also pretty (AND edible!)

^ these two would be great for a Thanksgiving dinner or a Fall Wedding

^ game night (which is totaly awesome to me, knowing my Darling's love of all things game -not sport- related)

^ GREAT idea for a Mexican Fiesta! (or Mardi Gras)

DIY thank you cards

This past week has been crazy! Our church just finished Vacation Bible School and I helped in the morning before going into work at 1. It was a blast! We had a ton of fun and it went really well. Our theme this year was Gadget's Garage and we decorated with gears, cars and (mostly) homemade robots ^_^ I'll have to post some pics of them later.

And over the past week we received our first wedding gift (THANKS AUNT PAT!) and finally got to work on the thank you notes. I personally think they look fantastic :) I made them with stamps from A.C. Moore and cards from Staples. The cladagah symbol is the one we want to use on the invites.







195 days to go!

registry obbsesion

When we went last Saturday to register at Target (which we occasionally refer to as Targay due to the complete lack of respect a friend of ours was treated with when she worked at one such store, which will remain unsaid) I was thrilled. And we had a blast. Yes, Kevin snapped at Cousin after the fifth time she said ewww to the color blender we admired *rolls eyes* and yes we were hot and sweaty and hungry but it's just good plain fun when you get to run around a store (you don't work in) with a scanner gun and scan anything your little heart desires (though I DID tell both of them - more than once- that NO, they could not put a bag of potato chips on our wedding registry).

And now, three days later, we are finally at a position where we could possibly leave it alone. We now have a decent amount in every price range (under $10 = logical. $11- $30 = logical. $31-$50 = also logical. $51 and UP = not so logical....) but I have to say, it is so difficult to leave it alone! And now that we registered for a blender, food processor, can opener, and crock pot from there, when we go to Sears/Macy's/JCPenny next weekend, do we register for ANOTHER blender/food processor/can opener/crock pot?

Anywho, I wanted to share some brainstorming. I have a fairly large amount of vases on our registry and was thinking of what I could do with the things (aside from the obvious, clearly) and google presented me with these lovely photos (which might also make great center pieces)....






http://www.weddingobsession.com/2008/09/14/do-it-yourself-jell-o-centerpieces/



http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/plants-flowers/terrarium-in-a-vase-at-nouveau-classics-054559




http://vowweddings.wordpress.com/2008/05/26/interestingcenteriecesgalore/





http://kabloomofsandysprings.blogspot.com/2008/04/bridal-shower-good-advice.html





http://www.thecakeblog.com/2009/04/party-must-have-hurricane-vases.html

Ode To Strangers

I love meeting new people.
Really, I do. I don't get to do much of that being cooped up in a small office everyday even if I love my job. All today and yesterday we had meeting after meeting and to one of them, a shareholder brought his girlfriend. As she couldn't go into the meeting but didn't want to wait in the hotel alone she stayed in the office with me and we chatted. Well between then and this afternoon, I think it's safe to say I've made a new friend.


Being my super-introverted self, sometimes I forget how great it is to meet new people and how fun it is. We talked about everything from what color my bridesmaids dresses would be to religion to her teenage daughter and even to President Obama and war in Iraq. It's not very often you met someone you are so different from but can communicate so well with.


When Kevin and I met we were little more than strangers. And I just smile when I remember what that strange IM became over time. It makes me truly appreciative of serendipity and chances and strangers when it occurs to me that's what we were. We were strangers that met under fairly common circumstances that likely could have ended in one awkward conversation and never gone further than that. But something pushed us to keep the conversation going. To learn more about each other. To truly know each other. That's what I want our marriage to be like.


Weddings and marriages are not the same thing. A wedding comes and goes and often is a once in a lifetime thing. A marriage is a lifelong commitment. Weddings are about telling the world "HEY - I love this (wo)man and I'm here making a public display of that". Marriages don't have to be so public. In fact, I think it's the private, intimate parts of a marriage that make it worth so much. When she packs his lunch for him even though she doesn't have to be up for work till 7. When he takes the laundry upstairs because he knows how heavy the hamper can be. When they simply TELL each other how much they care and love each other. That's the truly beautiful part. That's what I want. I don't just want a fancy party. I can't wait to look at the man I love and say "Yep, he's the one I married." and be totally and completely proud to share his name and be his wife. And you know what? I am still (and always will be) totally and completely proud of him and thrilled to be his girl.