Monday

Here we are: Monday again!
This weekend was pretty fun for me. We went out Friday night with some friends, and after dinner the the girl-counterpart of the couple and I went and had a few drinks - which is something I haven't done in a long while! It was nice to catch up with her, sans our fiancees. Saturday, we went to a warehouse sale during the day and picked up some good deals (box of 2 large pillar candles - $2), and that evening we went to the wine tasting which was a lot of fun. There were even a couple reds that I liked - usually I'm a white-wine drinker. Sunday we relaxed, cooked out, and did a few chores.
Sunday we also performed our good deed: we found a TIIIIIINY Yorkie wandering around by our house, so pitiful. Kind of dirty, no collar (she was teeny tiny, so I'm not sure if one would fit!), and NO TEETH. Seriously. This dog was pitiful. After giving her some water, we decided to drive around the area and see if someone had put up flyers since this little doggie couldn't have made it too far, or survived out by herself for too long. Sure enough, about a block over, was a flyer. "Bambi" was returned to her owner promptly, and I was happy I didn't end up with a 5th dog! ;-) Evidently, she had escaped sometime in the early morning through the fence when she was let out to potty. The lady was so happy to have her back, and as I told Chris, I would hope that someone would do that for us if one of our dogs ever got out.

This week Chris is gone again, getting back Thursday night. This week is a short week for me at work because of the holiday - so hopefully it will go by quickly! I will be focusing on cardio in the evenings as my dress, while it still fit, was a little tight!! AAACK!!

Have a good Monday!

Tablescapes

I did a post I think is pretty good over at Elizabeth Anne Designs today on centerpieces and tablescapes... Go check it out! It should be up around noon or one.

Chris got back at 2 AM last night/this morning, and of course all the dogs went crazy barking. So I'm tired this morning! It's good to have him back though. This weekend I'm going to the dress shop with 2 of my bridesmaids (my sister and a friend) to try on bridesmaid dresses and get them fitted. And I'm going to try on my dress again! I will be horrified if it doesn't fit this time! It should, though, so I'm not tooooooo worried. But there is a little in the back of my mind. Tomorrow night we've got a wine tasting party a friend's throwing in Dallas. We've got ourselves a pretty exciting weekend!! At least for us! ;-)

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Being an adult isn't all it's cracked up to be

Not that there aren't perks (like being able to legally drink!), but it's just not as cool as I thought it would be! ;-)

I got nada - my life is pretty uninteresting this week. I DID mow the yard (front AND back!) Tuesday night, which I am a little proud of since I've never done that before. Having an MP3 player on really does help. Last night I cleaned on the house and gave one of the dogs a bath. Watched a little TV - "the Baby Borrowers" on NBC (I think?). I didn't really have high hopes for this show, I thought it'd be along the lines of "Wife Swap" or something, but it's actually pretty good! I think it really struck a chord with me with the wedding coming up and the talk of babies in the next few years. I pretty much feel like the 17 and 18 year olds on the show still, but the problem is that I'm 32!! Yikes - that sounds so old! But it was really interesting to see how some of these kids handled themselves in the face of the challenge - some were really really bad (and I hope their parents are watching and plan to give them a good lecture when they get home!), but some were so mature and really giving. For the most part, it was the guys who really stepped it up! Some of the girls on there.... wow. I hope I wasn't that bad at that age!

Anyhoo, the show really adds fuel to the inner struggle going on inside me - the "I want kids" vs. "Hmm, maybe not". When I say that I feel like the kids on the show, it's because I've decided that I am worried and kind of nervous to start that next big phase of my life. When you have kids, it's no longer all about you. You're a PARENT now, and I am not sure I am up for that just yet. It's not that I'm super selfish. As crazy as it sounds, I don't like the notion of getting older - and having kids pretty much cements your place in adulthood. There's no turning back. Argh! I sound crazy, awful, and just stupid right now! So, I'll stop.



Chris gets back really really late tonight, and I'm excited to have him back. Wisconsin gets him back again next week. I don't mind him being gone for a few days, really. It gives me a chance to kind of do my own thing. Plus, we're racking up the airline miles and saving on food costs, since he can expense his food while on the road.

Good Tuesday morning

The weekend went well. We didn't really get a bunch done, but we did work on the list. Chris is out of town this week, and is supposedly working on his side of the list while he's gone. We were at a friend's house for a barbeque on Saturday night, and noticed that they had a Save-the-Date up on their fridge for another couple getting married the weekend before us! I'm starting to think at this point that we should maybe not bother! I wanted to send them out 2 weeks ago, but as of now, we don't even have a list!!


On the invitation front, I'm thinking I may change the colors of our invites to either solid black or a solid brown/sepia tone - or possibly a gold. Reason being that I could just buy one color of ink for the gocco (sort of like a silk-screener for paper), AND I could back the cream card stock with a really cool orange/terracotta paper and not have to worry about matching that color to the ink color. Originally, had thought black would work, but a co-worker brought up that it would look kind of Halloween-y. Don't want that. So, I thought about gold or a sepia tone. But whichever I choose, I think it will still look nice, and it will solve my problem of what I'd like to do with the invitations. Yay!!


Here is what the reply card will look like:

The invitations will have the same flourish at the top (and *maybe* at the bottom as well...). As you can see, right now it's orange and champagne colored. I'm wanting to do all of it - the flourish and the script- in one color. I just think it's going to be a headache to get 3 different colors, possibly having to mix colors to get the right orange, etc. Plus, this way I can back the invitation with the orange (which I like the look of) without having to stress about matching paper.

Chris is out of town this week, and I vowed to be really productive and busy. I'm even going to try to mow the yard! I need to clean the house, too, and weed the back flower bed. So last night, after I worked out, what did I do?? Watch "DESIGN STAR" episodes I had on the DVR. And then "THE MOLE 5". Yeah, real productive.... I did organize the medicine cabinet though. But that was really a last-ditch effort while brushing my teeth so I didn't feel absolutely lazy. Tonight I think I'm going to tackle at least the front yard with the lawnmower. It's not that it's hard, it's just I've done it all of twice in my life. Wish me luck!

The gallery wall

I've been thinking for a while that I would like to do a gallery wall on the back wall in my living room. Sadly, I did not think ahead properly and actually take a picture to show you guys my living room.... I will though. But just know that my living room is dark (like a cave), and this back wall only has 2 sconces on it right now (which we installed because of the previously mentioned cave-liness!) For a while now, I've been battling with what color to paint in there, what pillow fabric to get (and if that would affect my paint choice), and what to do on that back wall!! It's big, so it needs to be something that has some weight and fills the space. A mirror would look great there, but I already have 3 mirrors in close proximity, not to mention the bar area which is mirrored, so I don't want to put up another one there. I was over at Style Court earlier, and she has a post on gallery walls. I love them, and that had been one of my favorite options, but it was really nice to see these pictures for inspiration. I really like the idea of the mis-matched frames!

I REALLY love the last photo of the loft.... it makes me miss mine!! I guess next post should be pics of my old place and of my house now. It makes me sad sometimes that I'm not in my downtown loft like I used to be, that I'm now in my suburban ranch. But honestly, with 4 dogs and wanting to start a family in a couple years, the loft is just not practical. Not to mention there was no way Chris' stuff would have fit!!! ;-)

This weekend?? THE WEDDING INVITATION LIST. (duh-duh DUNH!) It will be done.

Happy Wednesday!
Well, after some consideration I think I'm going to drop the table runner/topper idea for now. First of all, I don't need to figure it out right now. And I'm not exactly sure which tables I'm going to use (probably round, but maybe rectangular long tables too??), so it really does me no good at this point. And if I end up with white, off-white, ivory, champagne.... it'll be fine. I'm meeting with my day-of co-ordinator on July 19th up at the YWCA to go over table arrangements and centerpiece ideas, so I should have a better idea of what tables I'm using and whether or not runners are even really worth it.
I find that wedding planning can be really all-consuming if you let it be. I feel like I go through these periods where I'm excited and motivated and really into it, but then they're followed by phases where I just don't care. Not that I don't care, I just am not motivated to think about it all. I'm glad I started early and have 5 months left!! This is a list (and I'm probably leaving stuff out that I don't even know I need to do) of things I still have left to do:

1. Figure out honeymoon plans and book vacation.
2. Buy wedding rings
3. Order bridesmaid dresses
4. Finalize guest list
5. Send out Save-the-Dates
6. Buy blank invitations
7. Send out invitations to be gocco-ed
8. Send out invitations to guests
9. Figure out and set aside hotel rooms for out-of-towners
10. Music/Playlist?? (or do we tell DJ what type of music we want, give him "do not play" list and be done??)
11. Figure out how much and buy alcohol (beer and wine)
12. Seating chart???? (Figure out table arrangements first, and number of people coming)
13. Do I want programs??
14. REGISTER!! (Gifts - yay!)
15. Make jewelry for my 'maids and me
16. Make sure my Mom has enough glassware for the centerpieces - if not, buy more
17. Buy lots and lots of candles
18. Talk with our friend, who's officiating, about the ceremony and how/what we want
19. ....... (I'm sure I'm forgetting something)
20. What do I want to do for a guest book?? What if I did a (nice) scrapbook, where we have them sign, but after the wedding we can use the book to put in some things/pics/information we want to save about the wedding (like the brochure from our venue, random guest pics, etc.)

Yep, I guess I should get movin'.... Maybe today over lunch I will go and scope out the paper place my friend recommended. No Paper Source here - well, not for another month or so.

Last night I DID accomplish sorting through the pile o' bills and crap on the table!! I didn't really want to do it, but it didn't take as long as I thought. I didn't work out :-( but all that sorting made me feel like I at least accomplished something. We also watched "AMERICA'S GOT TALENT", and I have now decided that it would be cool to be an opera singer (did you see that guy at the end??????)...... I just need to learn to sing first. In the right key. Hmmm.... could be a problem. ;-)

Hope you guys have a good day!

Yes, I was a little unrealistic

So, on the guest list front we did get the list from my Mom, and we did talk about the list.... but we didn't really finalize it. There were so many things that I wanted and needed to get done this weekend, but it just didn't happen. With Father's Day on Sunday, we went to my parents' house and spent the day with them, so there went that day. Saturday, we caught the matinee of "THE HAPPENING", and I went to look at table runners and table cloths. We also gave a couple of the dogs baths and did some laundry (I know hearing about our chores is exciting and all...)

Looking at the options for the table runners or topper was kind of a downer, actually. I saw a picture of a wedding where they used orange/terracotta tablecloths, and really thought it looked awesome. So, my thought was that since my caterer doesn't carry the orange/terracotta tablecloths, I would or could find a runner or table topper to use on top of white tablecloths. But the "big" rental place in Fort Worth didn't really have the right color that I needed, and it was really going to be a little more money than I wanted or need to spend on that. The closest was an iridescent orange with a crinkly texture table runner/sash. It will be $5 per sash/runner - but with approx. 20 tables, that'll be an extra $100. Not that $100 is HUGE, mind you, but I could buy a lot of beer for that. Not to mention, they didn't just 'WOW' me. If they were exactly right, I'd probably be a little more heartbroken. My other option would be to make the table runners, but I'd need to find the fabric for under $7 a yard to be able to make them for the $100 or less. I'll keep looking, but if I don't find anything, oh well.

This week, my task at night is to go through the stack of papers/old bills/crap that is sitting in piles on our table. And stuffed into our antique bar thing - it has openings that we use for our bills, but we have been really bad at filing..... I can't stand all that clutter, and also I need to get more organized on all of that so that we can TRY to catch up (ha!!). Since there's nothing really on TV, it'll give me something to do (other than working out!). Catching up on the bills seems like it will take quite a while, which is so depressing. I'm tired of getting the calls from all the "UNKNOWN" callers. I've come to the conclusion I really really need to search for a new job that pays more. Not that I LOVE my job now, but it is comfortable and pretty easy, and I've been here almost 9 years. But at the end of the day, it doesn't pay enough (and since it pays commision, they don't give raises). You'd think this would be easy as my dear fiancee works for a staffing company (not temp, but more like a headhunter). But no. When he asks "Well, what do you want to do?" my response is "Anything that I can make more money at." I think it's a valid answer, but he insists that I need to figure out what it is I want to do. In a perfect world, I'd love to open up my own shop! But, as we have no money, bad credit, and the economy really isn't booming, that would probably not be an option for me right now. So I guess I'll job search on my own for now and see what's out there.

Tonight is the workout with the trainer for this week. It'll be upper body and abs. I have about 2 months now to lose as many inches as I can before they begin the alterations on my dress. Then after that, I just need to maintain. You know, I should be totally enjoying that I can go to the gym and work out with a trainer, seeing as though I have no money. I tell myself this, but truth be told, if I could get out of my membership I would. I'm stuck with it until the end of the year at least. After that, no trainer. But I still would like the membership, and as it's only about $30 ( a little less, actually) a month, hopefully we'll be able to keep that.

Hope you all have a great Monday!

It's Friday!

Okay, technically it's late Thursday night... but you'll be reading this on Friday, so it's all good.

Why is it that the weeks seem to go so slowly sometimes, but then look at the calendar and *gasp!* it's the middle of June already??? 5 months 'til the big day, people!! I missed the 6 month mark, I guess.

We really really really need to get on the guest list, like this weekend. Do you think I'm being unrealistic by thinking that we can get it done this weekend?? Ha! Probably so, but I'm going to try. We need to get the Save-the-Dates ordered and sent out before the invitations. But, oh, I am not looking forward to trimming down Chris' list. Well, I should say his mother's list. It's 147 people. And we're only thinking we'll have like, oh, 150 TOTAL at the wedding. So, there's some trimming to be done for sure. And then there's my mother, who hasn't even gotten me her list yet! Seriously, I know my sister just got married last year, so she has to have it somewhere. So frustrating. It's like this cartoon I saw over at {Furi Kuri} weddings:

Ha!! It may come down to this, folks...

This weekend we plan to just lay low (i.e. save money) and stay in. Sunday we'll go to my parents' house for Father's Day and hang out... maybe I'll finally get the list??

Hope you all have a great weekend!! Tracy - I hope your weekend is as fun as last one was!

Engagement pictures and Save-the-Dates

I just wanted to share some of our pics from our engagement session and the Save-the-Dates our photographer Melanie Johnson designed for us (because I like them and want to share!!).

Other than that, nothing really new is going on.... mid-week sameness.... blah.

Maybe I'll be more interesting tomorrow!

Inspiration picture

I have a picture here on my work computer that is sort of an inspiration pic for my bedroom - color wise. I just thought it was really pretty. I'll have to pull more pics for it.

Color schemes

Since this here is my little blog, and really, not many people read it, I'm going to free some of the random thoughts that go through my head. Many times, because Chris is a guy - and like most guys doesn't really care THAT much when it comes to decorating or wedding planning (which are close cousins, I tell you) - he doesn't really care about these random thoughts and ideas when I discuss them with him. Like about seeing the color palette board last week, and how that made me re-think some of the color accents and side table arrangements. He doesn't really care. Unless they're hideously ugly. But being able to just type them out helps me to sort them out sometimes. Not sure why.

The subject of most of my random and day-dreaming thoughts is decorating. Colors, patterns, furniture arrangement, lighting..... It's something I can focus on and think about that doesn't really require a decision right away, something that is light - it's my escapism. Sometimes I ponder over and over color choices for the kitchen. Sometimes, it's the truly ugly bathroom. Lately, it's been fabric for the throw pillows in the living room. What makes me happy is when I get a bright idea and it works out, like our bedroom.

Being in the design industry, I get tired of colors and some things probably more quickly than others. I'm crazy, I know. But I have had my bedroom furniture, as the mis-matched suite exists now, for over 10 years. I've used the same coverlet/duvet cover and color on my walls for like 4 or 5. So I wanted a change. Chris of course thought I was crazy as I just painted the room last year after we moved in (it was "perfectly fine" white before), and he had just come to "kind of" like the color. Plus, as he explained, it matched the painting his grandmother did (another story for another time...). The color I painted it was a light aqua blue color, kind of Restoration Hardware silver sage. So, instead of going the inexpensive route and re-painting the room the more neutral palette I wanted (beiges, creams, taupes), which would have allowed me to keep the linen duvet and headboard cover, I had to come up with another plan. Since Chris loves his grandmother's painting so much, and it is framed in a gilt gold frame, I decided to introduce straw yellow. Not too bright, but pretty and kind of subdued. To punch it up I have an orange orchid (I love orange), turquoise glazed pot for our plant, and plan to add a touch of a brighter yellow on a pillow or chair seat. It's not 100% finished yet - I still have the pillow and chair seat fabric to find, plus drapes, but I love it. I didn't really think I liked blue and yellow together so much, and I don't really in a traditional sense. But this combination, because it's more muted and they're not exact shades, is so pretty. It makes me happy. It's a change for me, but it keeps the wall color and painting for Chris.

When I'm finished I'll post pics. But for now, it's on to the pillows in the living room..... This is why I think it is hard for me in the planning of the wedding details. I can think of so many different ways to do something - all of them really cool - but it's hard to get myself to narrow it down and choose JUST ONE. Thinking about color schemes and decorating is like my crack, I tell you.



Workouts are coming along. Tonight was a good session with my trainer - upper body, mostly shoulders and arms. Thursday will be legs and will be killer, no doubt. Between now and then I hope to get in cardio AT LEAST once. But you know what they say about the best laid plans... My slim fast plan is also coming along well. It would have been a great day today had it not been for the ICE CREAM I ate after dinner. But, that's just more motivation for me to get up to the gym tomorrow night and work it off!

Other than that, we were pretty boring this weekend. We did sit down and talk budget, and yes - we are as poor as I thought. But we'll get through it, and we have each other. (But until we do, there will be no new pillows for the living room!)



Have a great Tuesday!

Oh crap.

Damnit!!

Okay, I thought I had my head all straight on the color scheme and "look" of our wedding decorations. And really, the color scheme is staying. But I saw this picture and I'm wavering on some of my decorations....

See, I like that flower arrangment - it's very pretty. And it would go so well with my "original" idea for a bouquet....

But, I have since decided (or so I thought) to go with a monochromatic bouquet and use arrangements that are those large tropical leaves with just a few curly willow twigs sticking out. Tall, pretty, elegant, inexpensive - and it's in keeping with the 1920's Spanish style of the building.

What hasn't really changed is what I'd like to use on the tables (the leaves or the flower arrangements would be on side tables, by the guest book, etc.) which is this:

I swear, I am the MOST indecisive person in the world on this. I like them both. I can't really have both because it will look odd. Leaves are less expensive. But if I can DIY the few floral arrangements that I'll need, I could do those. Excuse me while I scream..... ARRRGGGHHH!!! It's so stupid to be caught up on such a silly little detail, really. But those cranberries are cool....

Okay, enough ranting for the day. Really, I think partly why I'm so focused on this (other than the fact that I read lots of wedding blogs) is that I'm still stressed out about money. Really upset to the point where I want to blame Chris. And part of it IS his fault, but part is mine too. I know this. I just want to scream though, and I don't really know what to do. I would like to get caught up on everything and be able to stay that way. I just don't see it happening though, and that scares me. And we still *STILL* have not sat down together - things always keep coming up. Tonight is supposed to be the night though, and if he doesn't, well..... I don't know. Okay, I might scream again...

Wednesday

Well, summertime is here. I knew it was after we got back from Cleveland a few weeks ago and it was in the upper 90's. Yesterday was 99. Yep - 99. And it doesn't even really cool off at night, it stays in the upper 70's. I hope we're not in for a doozy of a heatwave this year, but it is starting early.
So with all of my good intentions last night of working out, Chris' friends called and wanted to meet up for some beers and dinner. Since we don't really have lots of money, and they were buying, we decided to go. Out went the workout, and in came the hamburger! But, really, from the menu, I think that wasn't the worst way I could have gone. It's a pub-like place, and the menu is full of those things that you think are "healthy" but then find out they are worse than, say, a regular hamburger! And I didn't eat all my fries. Okay, shouldn't have had any, but at least I didn't eat them all!
Tonight will be the smoked turkey salad and workout. Oh, and I need to clean house sometime too. And finish working on our sad little no-money budget. But I will have the salad tonight and I will try for the workout.

Well, that's about all I have for now. It's a Wednesday. Halfway through the week, but not quite the weekend yet. Hopefully it'll go by quickly.

Tuesday

Well, last night's workout was good! Met with my trainer and got in a good upper body workout. Tonight I am really going to try to get in some cardio, and maybe some legs. When I get home, and I'm not dead, maybe I'll work on some abs. I hate doing abs, but I really need to and should. Plus, they're pretty quick. Chris has said that he's going to go with me tonight - we'll see. That boy has been to the gym all of 2 or 3 times. And he hasn't been there to work out since like January or February! He's usually 1) tired 2) not feeling well 3) working late 4) not really interested. It totally sucks that he has a membership, but yet doesn't go. Isn't interested in slimming down the beer belly - because he doesn't care! Argh!! Guys!!
I've really got to start focusing on some cardio. I would really like to slim down some more, and the way to do that is to get moving! I've got 2 and a half months - and then I can slim down no more! I don't want my dress to fall off me (as great as that would be for the ego, not so great for walking down the aisle in front of lots of people!).

I've been thinking that maybe I'll start using this here blog for some of my creative thoughts and output too. Ideas for rooms, color combinations, cool things I see. I am going to try to get back into doing some watercolors, and maybe I'll post them here. Kind of like an online inspiration book for me. It seems like it could be good to corral all of my thoughts into one place! I must work on that tonight. After working out!

Hallelujiah!!

The dress fits!!!!!

Thursday night I got a call from the shop where we ordered my wedding dress, and they told me it was in. Even though I'm not getting married for another 5 months or so, they told me I should come down and try it on and take a look at it. (Although, I think they just wanted our money since you have to pay the balance due once it's in!) Anyways, I was really nervous that the dress would be gaping and too big on top and way too tight down below - but lo and behold - IT FIT!!! The top was a little big, but not gapingly so. And I still would like to lose about another 10 pounds so that I won't have to worry about "shapewear". But I could have worn it out of there and it would have looked fine!
This is such a huge relief to me!! Not only did I get to see how I would really look in the dress (since the sample I tried on was too small) - and I LOVE the dress - I now don't need to worry about not being able to actually fit into it! Every extra pound I lose at this point is icing on the cake! I'm still sticking to my workouts, and I'm trying the Slim Fast diet, kind of, this week. I say kind of because I'm still having my oatmeal in the morning. I don't need to start the alterations on it until mid to end of August, so I still have time to lose more pounds and tone up - which really is my big focus now. I'd love to have toned arms and shoulders, and no back bulges - yeck.

Other than that, my sister and I went to see SEX AND THE CITY yesterday at a matinee. It was really good - kind of like a whole season wrapped up into one movie. It was really funny at parts, but also very dramatic and sad in parts as well. Very good movie, although it did have me feeling kind of sad that I'm getting "older", as well as missing that fun single part of my life that is now over. I actually woke up in the middle of the night kind of upset at those thoughts. Plus, add on to it that my skin tone is not looking great these days (sun/age spots, dicoloration, texture), and it just really made me kind of wistful. Not really super sad or upset, just a little wistful and down. Yes, it was a mini-pity-party, and I'll get over it, but getting older just sucks!!!

I'm actually in such a great mood for a Monday! It's June, my dress fits, I'm more motivated than ever to tone up and look great, I burned myself a couple new mix CD's to listen to...... hey, those make the 20-30 minute drive to and from work almost enjoyable! Things are looking up this Monday - hope they are for everyone.