Another Apology

I obviously didn't do a very good job of scheduling posts for this week. And I'm working this week (obviously working pretty hard since I'm blogging right now) so I haven't had time to write posts during the day. However, we are making some wedding related progress! Last night David and I composed our 'revised' guest list in Excel and started filling in addresses. We've got about 30 done and 150 to go, but I think starting the process was half the battle. We're hoping to get our STDs sent out next week (finally!). I also brought home the materials for the centerpieces, so hopefully we'll make some progress on those while I have David and my mom's extra hands to help and I'm going to be starting on the flower girl tutus (yes, I decided to make them - I'll be sure to post a tutorial!) within the next couple days. We've got quite the to-do list for the rest of the time I'm home:

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  Find 2 hotel options to reserve blocks of rooms for OOT guests - Has been on David's list for the last couple months
  
  
  
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  Attend the bridal show next Saturday and hopefully find a good deal on transportation (limo) - This is one of David's tasks since he's the one who is adament about a limo and will be paying for it
  
  
  
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  Meet with the jeweler tomorrow evening about my custom wedding bands
  
  
  
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  Look at options for our living arrangements after the wedding!
  
  
  
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  Finish the STDs and get them sent
  
  
  
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  Update our wedding website before the STDs are sent out since they have the link on them
  
  
  
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  Register! Likely at Target and Bed, Bath, and Beyond
  
• Book our honeymoon! I think I'm most excited about this!
  
  
  
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  David is arranging a time for him and his guys to go pick out their tuxes and get measured while all of them are in town over the break
  
  
  
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  Meet with the wedding coordinator at the church we're getting married in
  
  
  

What's sad is I think I'm forgetting some things. But I'm so excited to get some of that big stuff checked off our list - It will relieve a lot of stress for me, and a little of the frustration I have about David not getting any of his things done. :) I can't promise that I'll be blogging every day, but I will promise to update you all with the progress we make as soon as I get a chance! Hope everyone is doing well and if I don't blog again before Thursday - Happy New Year!!

Are you using this 'break' (from school - if you still have one) to get some things crossed off your list? And- slightly unrelated-how are you ringing in the new year?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I can't believe it's already been 4 days since I last blogged! I apologize for my absence! I've been seriously enjoying my time at home. David and I have been spending time with family, catching up with friends, working (bleh!) and getting ready for Christmas! It's so nice just being able to hang out with him every evening without thinking about when I have to go back to Lawrence. (I'm pretty sure I said, "I don't have to drive back to school tonight!" at least 3 times on Sunday.) And it's so great to spend time with friends and my family who I don't see nearly enough while classes are in session. It seriously is the most wonderful time of the year!

Our anniversary was wonderful! Thank you for all of your amazingly sweet comments - You guys are great! David cooked me breakfast, we got almost all of our Christmas shopping done, we had a nice dinner, and we set up a meeting for next week with the custom jeweler that our jeweler uses to talk about my wedding bands! David found that he really likes the cobalt rings they had - It looks like white gold and is as strong as tungsten. It was so cute seeing him wear a ring!

I will be honest and say I got some disappointing news yesterday (regarding a certain application), which has somewhat affected my desire to blog. But I've decided it's still just as rewarding to blog for my readers and myself. I doubt that I'll try again, which does make me sad. I've wanted to 'be a bee' since I found the site (several months before I was engaged), and especially after they announced the Miss Paisley moniker. My 'rejection email' - sounds harsh, doesn't it? - said that 'although they enjoyed reading my blog,' slots for new bloggers were currently filled, but that new slots open up all the time. Who knows, maybe someday I'll feel an urge to reapply. I do realize it might be a blessing in disguise with how busy my next semester will be, but it's something I've really wanted. (Let's be honest, something I still want.) ANYWAY - Moving on!

This next week is going to be crazy! I'm going to finish up some gifts tomorrow and get a couple last minute things, and then Thursday will be spent mostly with David's family. Then we'll go to the candlelight service with my family and open presents with them afterwards (and hopefully see my best friend - MOH A - after that since she'll only be in town for a couple days!). Christmas Day we'll be driving up to Lawrence with my family to see my extended family and will be there for at least a couple days. I'm not sure how much time I'll have to blog, so I'm going to apologize in advance. I'm hoping maybe I'll get some posts written on Sunday and have them scheduled for next week. I know this time of year is busy for everyone, though, so at least you guys understand! I will try to be better about commenting whenever I'm able to catch up on my overflowing Google Reader!

Since I probably won't post again in the next couple days, Merry Christmas everyone! Wishing you all peace and joy during this holiday season!

6 Years Ago

Tomorrow David and I will celebrate our 6 year anniversary. I can hardly believe it's been that long! So much has changed since that December night our freshman year of high school, but there are some things that never will. Like the way I get butterflies in my tummy when he reaches for my hand or the way I can't help but smile when he walks into the room. Or the way he makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Here's a walk down memory lane:

About a month after our 1st anniversary

Just after our 2nd anniversary

2  1/2 years

3 years

3 1/2 years

4 years

4 1/2 years

5 years

(The night we first looked at rings!)

5 1/2 years

It's so weird that this is our last dating anniversary! By this time next year, we will have been married for 6 months (and 1 week) already! We plan to spend tomorrow Christmas shopping, looking at wedding bands (!!), and relaxing after a long week of finals for both of us - Sounds perfect!

David, I am so thankful that I have you in my life. You are one of my biggest blessings and I've had so much fun growing up with you. I can't believe this is our last dating anniversary! (We can still celebrate it when we're married, though, can't we??) I am so excited to be your wife in less than 6 months and I cannot WAIT to spend the rest of my life with you! I love you! Forever and ever, babe.

How long have you been with your significant other? Will you/do you still celebrate your dating anniversary when you're married?

Daddy's Girl

I've always been a daddy's girl. (But you know I love you just as much, Mom!) I admire my dad and I think part of the reason I fell for David is that I could picture him being the same type of daddy to our future children that my dad has been to me. My dad and I share the same determination and drive for success, the same heart for kids, and lots of the same interests.

I absolutely cannot wait for the father/daughter dance at our wedding, although I'm sure it will be tear filled. I know I am so blessed not only to have a father to dance with, but to have one that's so loving and supportive. It breaks my heart any time I read about a bride who doesn't have a dad to walk her down the aisle or to share a father/daughter dance with.

As soon as I heard the song "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw, I knew I wanted to dance to that song with my dad. (Although 'I Loved Her First' by Heartland was/is a close second!) There are so many lines in that song that make me tear up when I hear it. I had my mom listen to it a few months ago, and she had tears in her eyes, too. It's perfect.

'You've had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born' - My mom tells me all the time that I've always had my dad wrapped around my finger


'Chase your dreams, but always know the road that will lead you home again' - My dad graduated from KU and knew it was my dream to go there, even though it meant moving away from home, being in a long distance relationship, and leaving all of my friends. He's supported me the whole way, and I can't wait to have a picture with my diploma like his!


'When you were in trouble, that crooked little smile could melt my heart of stone. Now look at you, I've turned around, and you're almost grown'

Not only am I excited to dance with my dad to this song.. I've decided I'm going to surprise him with a slideshow of pictures of us that will play while we dance. There is a large projection screen with a projector already set up and available to use at our reception venue, so this is a perfect way to utilize it! (We might also play our slideshow at the reception during dinner - David prefers this way, while I prefer playing it before the ceremony.) I think my dad will love it - and I'm sure he'll also love having some of the attention taken off of us - and it will be so fun to see all of the pictures while we dance. I'm hoping to go through old pictures while I'm home over break so that I can work on the slideshow sometime next semester. The father/daughter dance will likely be one of the highlights of the day for me - I can't wait!

Have you chosen the song for your father/daughter dance (if you're having one)? Will it be one of the highlights of your day?

The Wedding I've Been Dreaming Of

 I've already posted about how I love seeing ideas that I'm incorporating in 'real life,' so I couldn't help but share this wedding with you all. I happened to find this bride's planning bio, and it was incredible how many of the pictures she used as inspiration I've had saved/bookmarked. She used the same colors and damask theme, had mismatched black bridesmaid dresses, had almost the exact hair and makeup look I want, and had tons of adorable personal touches that I absolutely loved. It's so fun to see how her details turned out in relation to her inspiration!

 

Love the bridesmaids' headbands!

What's that? You'd like to see more details? Ok!

(I have an upcoming project involving damask hangers!)

Love love love her makeup!

All images from her bio and copyright of Studio 563 photography

It's so exciting to see a wedding that perfectly achieved the feel I want! I love being able to see the mess of ideas in my head come together in something so gorgeous - I hope I'm able to do as good a job as she did of making my dream come to life!

Have you seen your dream wedding achieved by another bride?

A Little Something for My Ladies

If you are part of my bridal party and happen to be reading this, don't read any further! You'll ruin the surprise, and you don't want to do that, now do you? Love you all! :)

Beyond Honored

I am beyond honored to have received the Happy 101 blog award from both Miss Pug at Miss Pug's Pawfect Wedding and Em at Burning River Bride!

Here are 10 things that make me reeeal happy:

1. David, of course! :) He's caring and supportive and so darn cute!

2. My wonderful (although sometimes crazy) family

3. Kids, particularly my precious nieces and nephews! Including the three (3!!) that are on the way!

(It's so hard to get a good picture of all of them! Here they are with my wondeful Daddy!)

How cute are my 3 pregnant sisters?

4. My fabulous girlfriends!

5. Crafty projects that turn out better than I imagined

6. Blog comments from you guys!

7. Beautiful sunsets

8. Being one semester away from graduation!

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I'll get to walk through the campanile (for the first time!)

9. Christmas and everything that goes with it!

Our house's little tree :)

10. Anything wedding related, and more importantly, realizing I get to spend the rest of my life with my favorite person!

Whew, ok! Finally done. It's a hard decision, but I'm passing on the award to:

Happily After All

An Enchanted Life While Becoming a Wife

Newport Nuptials

Thanks again, girls!!

A Moment of Prayer

I don't think there's any better way to calm my nerves and to prepare me for what's ahead than to say a prayer with the most important women in my life. At my sister's wedding, the pastor came in after we were all ready and said a prayer for my sister and BIL and their marriage. It was so touching, and so calming right before the ceremony. I'm hoping our officiant will be able to do the same thing right before we all walk down the aisle. If not, I think it would be just as touching for my mom and FMIL to pray. I can't wait to get pictures like this - they're all so full of emotion:

 

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(I love this shot of someone catching her tears! That's actually one of my friends from high school - Wasn't she a gorgeous bride?)

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And how cute would it be if the guys joined in?

source for last 3 photos

I'm really looking forward to a moment of prayer before one of the biggest moments of my life. I'm sure I'll cry, but it will be totally worth it!

Are you doing anything similar?