I had to tighten my belt up a set of holes last week... and today Jacob commented that my love handles had almost disappeared! Woo hoo!! I really wish I would have taken some pre- pictures so I could see the overall differences so far.
(Only problem is, the new bras I bought a couple months back to fit my *finally* C cup are now too big, too.... bah.... gotta choose your battles though, right? lol)
I can't wait to try on my wedding dress again! It's being stored at the bridal boutique about an hour south of my apartment. I'm headed down that direction at the end of February, so I think I might take a pit stop. ;)
P.S. The only thing I'm doing (for those who care to know) is eating a low-cal diet (same foods I ate before, just smaller portions and I'm actually paying attention to, and writing down, the food going into my mouth) and walking a couple miles a day to work and back (4 half-miles, 1/2 from my front door to the train, 1/2 from the train to work and then back again at the end of the day).
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Why Do I Do This To Myself?
From time to time I'll sign onto craigslist.com and search for houses in a price range that I *feel* like I should be able to afford. I want a house SOOOO bad. I want to paint walls. I want to have a dog. I want a yard for my (someday) kids to play in. And I find sooo many that I instantly fall in love with by their photos. And they are so cheap these days! The prices are fantastic!
Problem is, even though they are cheap, I still can't afford them. I work in social work. It does NOT pay well. I love my job, I'm not complaining about that, but I pretty much have to come to terms with the fact that I am never going to be wealthy doing what I'm doing and it's going to take a LOT of finagling to get a house on my income!
Jacob is currently making a really good hourly wage at his job, but he only works part time... with no real chance of extra hours which means, at this point in our lives, we are making ends meet and that's about it (not to mention trying to figure out how to pay for a wedding). He's currently looking for a new job... it would be awesome if he found something that he loved that was full time for a decent wage, but the job market still kind of sucks. (Though, he did have an interview yesterday for a FANTASTIC job.... so keep your fingers crossed for us!)
We need to sign a new lease for our apartment next month... I think we're going to sign for a year and make it a *goal* to both have decent incomes and start house hunt toward the end of that year, but I can't help but think that we still won't be able to afford anything since I'm sure the market is going to have to turn around at some point... bah.
I hate being poor sometimes.
Problem is, even though they are cheap, I still can't afford them. I work in social work. It does NOT pay well. I love my job, I'm not complaining about that, but I pretty much have to come to terms with the fact that I am never going to be wealthy doing what I'm doing and it's going to take a LOT of finagling to get a house on my income!
Jacob is currently making a really good hourly wage at his job, but he only works part time... with no real chance of extra hours which means, at this point in our lives, we are making ends meet and that's about it (not to mention trying to figure out how to pay for a wedding). He's currently looking for a new job... it would be awesome if he found something that he loved that was full time for a decent wage, but the job market still kind of sucks. (Though, he did have an interview yesterday for a FANTASTIC job.... so keep your fingers crossed for us!)
We need to sign a new lease for our apartment next month... I think we're going to sign for a year and make it a *goal* to both have decent incomes and start house hunt toward the end of that year, but I can't help but think that we still won't be able to afford anything since I'm sure the market is going to have to turn around at some point... bah.
I hate being poor sometimes.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
This picture popped up on "My Parents Were Awesome" last night and I just had to share. Such a sweet couple. I hope I look (and feel) this comfortable on my wedding day and keep a firm grasp on my sense of humor!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
We Will Have Flowers!
Just had a lunch meeting with our to be florist! A friend of Jacob's family, the woman we're using is going to GROW THE FLOWERS WE WANT and do all of the arrangements for us at a discounted price that we'll be able to cover by bartering services.... yay! The primary flowers are going to be sunflowers (surprise, surprise, eh? lol) and then we'll have a variety of others in there as well. I don't know much about flowers, so, as far as fillers went, I'm trusting her judgment! But here's an idea of what some of it MAY look like.... =)
Now I just have to start shopping for flower girl baskets and vases! =)
Now I just have to start shopping for flower girl baskets and vases! =)
Oh the Choices!!
Just made our list/spreadsheet of bakeries for cake tastings!! Talk about making a girl crave some chocolate!! lol Our list is currently at about 10 bakeries... for the sake of my waistline and our blood sugar levels, I think I may need to narrow down the choices a bit!
How many different bakeries did everyone else check out before deciding on "the one"?
How many different bakeries did everyone else check out before deciding on "the one"?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
DJ? Check!
Up until this past weekend we had pretty much come to terms with the fact that we couldn't afford a DJ and so were going to go the Ipod route. Then we went to a bridal show and I started to think that I really wanted a DJ.
I did some shopping around (DJ websites and Craigslist... gotta love "The List") and the cheapest DJ I could find was about $200 over our max budget... and some were AT LEAST double what we had available to spend. In a last ditch effort I e-mailed an old friend and coworker of mine (who DJs at different clubs back home) to find out what he charged. His response to my question was something along the lines of "What's your budget? You know I'll look out for you". And he TOTALLY did.
My buddy, DJ Sipp, agreed to do our wedding (which he needs to travel about two hours to get to) for our $400 budget! Woo hoo! I'm pumped! One last thing Jacob and I need to worry about! Yay for great friends! Our friends and family and really pulling through for us for "our day"... we are more than grateful.
I did some shopping around (DJ websites and Craigslist... gotta love "The List") and the cheapest DJ I could find was about $200 over our max budget... and some were AT LEAST double what we had available to spend. In a last ditch effort I e-mailed an old friend and coworker of mine (who DJs at different clubs back home) to find out what he charged. His response to my question was something along the lines of "What's your budget? You know I'll look out for you". And he TOTALLY did.
My buddy, DJ Sipp, agreed to do our wedding (which he needs to travel about two hours to get to) for our $400 budget! Woo hoo! I'm pumped! One last thing Jacob and I need to worry about! Yay for great friends! Our friends and family and really pulling through for us for "our day"... we are more than grateful.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
I'm a Wuss
I really, really tried! (well, kinda anyway...lol)... but "The Shred" kinda went out the window after two days... just not my style working out in my living room in front of the TV. I much prefer going to a gym or riding my bike/walking/hiking outside. Although, I do need to do some serious arm toning for my beautiful strapless dress... so my goal is that when I AM hanging out in front of the TV I'll be pumping my little 5 pounders, too. =)
HOWEVER, I have been watching what I eat since December when I stepped on the scale at work and realized just how many bags of Doritos and chocolate ice cream I must have consumed since my senior year of college (the last time I actually took account of what I weighed).
I've been on a calorie counting "diet". I hate that word 'cause no one ever sticks to a "diet". But, what I like about counting calories as opposed to other fad diets is that I'm not NOT eating anything. I still eat all the same stuff, just in smaller portions and I'm aware of what I'm putting in my body. And, on top of walking about 2 miles a day to get to and from work, I have lost approximately 10 lbs AND had to cinch my belt up an extra set of holes today!! WOO HOO! =)
On a very opposite note... it's about time to start scheduling cake tastings... I can't wait! ;)
HOWEVER, I have been watching what I eat since December when I stepped on the scale at work and realized just how many bags of Doritos and chocolate ice cream I must have consumed since my senior year of college (the last time I actually took account of what I weighed).
I've been on a calorie counting "diet". I hate that word 'cause no one ever sticks to a "diet". But, what I like about counting calories as opposed to other fad diets is that I'm not NOT eating anything. I still eat all the same stuff, just in smaller portions and I'm aware of what I'm putting in my body. And, on top of walking about 2 miles a day to get to and from work, I have lost approximately 10 lbs AND had to cinch my belt up an extra set of holes today!! WOO HOO! =)
On a very opposite note... it's about time to start scheduling cake tastings... I can't wait! ;)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Ceremony Venue.... Check?
Sitting here, on my desk in front of me is the signed, sealed, ready-to-deliver Miscellaneous Use Application and Permit form for our beach wedding!!!
As you MAY remember, we couldn't get any information or apply for a permit for our 2010 wedding until 2010.... so, for MONTHS (we've been engaged since July!) we've been sitting around wondering how much it was going to cost and what we needed to do to make it happen. Finally, a couple of weeks back, Jacob was able to get the information and application form sent to us (it took two weeks for us to get an e-mail... go figure)... and tonight I filled it out, signed the check, drew out our required "site plan" (check out my very awesome artistic handiwork below! lol) and tomorrow I'm sending it out!
I will be SOOO happy to have the permit/approval in hand... one less thing to stress out about! (Then I can focus on the tides and weather! lol). Let's just hope I did it right!
As you MAY remember, we couldn't get any information or apply for a permit for our 2010 wedding until 2010.... so, for MONTHS (we've been engaged since July!) we've been sitting around wondering how much it was going to cost and what we needed to do to make it happen. Finally, a couple of weeks back, Jacob was able to get the information and application form sent to us (it took two weeks for us to get an e-mail... go figure)... and tonight I filled it out, signed the check, drew out our required "site plan" (check out my very awesome artistic handiwork below! lol) and tomorrow I'm sending it out!
I will be SOOO happy to have the permit/approval in hand... one less thing to stress out about! (Then I can focus on the tides and weather! lol). Let's just hope I did it right!
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Bridal Show Take Two!
I took Jacob to the Portland Bridal Show today! I wanted to share the "wedding planning experience" with him. ;) We got there at about 9:45 (doors opened at 10:30) to stand in line to buy tickets. He quickly looked around and said, "Am I going to be the only guy here?" I told him it was a real possibility! lol
I saw at least three or four other guys there though! =)
We walked around, tasted cake (mmmm... I can not WAIT until that part of the process! I tasted the BEST chocolate chip cake with fudge frosting... mmm) talked to DJs, looked at suits and tuxes, entered contests (I forgot my labels... so I wrote my name and address down a LOT) and got bombarded with vendors!
I wasn't sure how Jacob was going to handle it, but he was a trooper! He even entered a couple of contests himself... one for dance lessons! (This I was pleasantly surprised by!) Also, Men's Wearhouse was having a bridal show deal... rent 5 tuxes get a suit valued up to $400 for free (to keep!). So Jacob put down a (refundable) deposit.
Originally we were going to go the suit route for the groomsmen, but Jacob really wants a NICE suit (who am I to question this? I get a fancy dress, why can't he have a nice suit?) and, as our budget can't really handle anything super fancy, we may have to rethink our plans and put our groomsmen in tuxes. I searched around their website and found a couple of more casual tux looks (I'm really digging the grays) so we might be alright. =)
Has anyone else taken their guys to a bridal show? How did they fare? Jacob mentioned that women kept smiling at him. lol Maybe this will be a good piece of info to get your guys a little more interested in a girlie afternoon? ;)
I saw at least three or four other guys there though! =)
We walked around, tasted cake (mmmm... I can not WAIT until that part of the process! I tasted the BEST chocolate chip cake with fudge frosting... mmm) talked to DJs, looked at suits and tuxes, entered contests (I forgot my labels... so I wrote my name and address down a LOT) and got bombarded with vendors!
I wasn't sure how Jacob was going to handle it, but he was a trooper! He even entered a couple of contests himself... one for dance lessons! (This I was pleasantly surprised by!) Also, Men's Wearhouse was having a bridal show deal... rent 5 tuxes get a suit valued up to $400 for free (to keep!). So Jacob put down a (refundable) deposit.
Originally we were going to go the suit route for the groomsmen, but Jacob really wants a NICE suit (who am I to question this? I get a fancy dress, why can't he have a nice suit?) and, as our budget can't really handle anything super fancy, we may have to rethink our plans and put our groomsmen in tuxes. I searched around their website and found a couple of more casual tux looks (I'm really digging the grays) so we might be alright. =)
Has anyone else taken their guys to a bridal show? How did they fare? Jacob mentioned that women kept smiling at him. lol Maybe this will be a good piece of info to get your guys a little more interested in a girlie afternoon? ;)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Getting Tired....
.... of getting screwed over.
Our perfect wedding-night hotel (The Wayside Lodge in Yachats, Oregon... I REALLY want this to come up in google searches!) just informed us that they are revoking our reservation because we only plan on staying one night, and not the two that they have determined to be their minimum.
They aren't not allowing us to make a reservation... they are TAKING AWAY the reservation we already made!
Is this legal?? It's certainly not good business practice... we haven't responded to their e-mail yet... does anyone have any good ammo I can use??
Our perfect wedding-night hotel (The Wayside Lodge in Yachats, Oregon... I REALLY want this to come up in google searches!) just informed us that they are revoking our reservation because we only plan on staying one night, and not the two that they have determined to be their minimum.
They aren't not allowing us to make a reservation... they are TAKING AWAY the reservation we already made!
Is this legal?? It's certainly not good business practice... we haven't responded to their e-mail yet... does anyone have any good ammo I can use??
And the Winner is.....
The winner of 250 business cards from Uprinting is....
Bee from BPWedding!!! Congrats!!
Your e-mail address has been sent to Uprinting and you should receive a message with further directions on Jan 23rd!
Your e-mail address has been sent to Uprinting and you should receive a message with further directions on Jan 23rd!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Ceremony Venue Woes
I have seen MANY blog posts from bride-to-bes about where the light is going to be during their ceremony/reception... I have bigger worries...
Will there even BE a site for my ceremony?
Having my wedding on the beach I need to take more mother nature into consideration that I would like to, i.e., tide tables.
For instance, here is the tide prediction for the day of our wedding:
Our wedding is planned for 5, 5:30 or 6ish pm... which means that we will be DIRECTLY after high tide.... meaning, I may not have a beach to stand on! Or, at least, not much of one! ='(
I'm slightly stressed now and kind of wish that I wouldn't have looked at this. We can't change the time of the wedding too much... it just doesn't make sense as we want to serve an actual meal... and I am NOT going to get up early enough on my wedding day to have everything done by lunch time =P I need my beauty sleep!
Jacob and I are headed to the coast in March for a relaxing weekend after I turn in my thesis (hopefully). I checked the tide table for that weekend and, if we go down to the beach at approximately 10:53 am the water should be at about the same point as it will be at 5:30ish on our wedding day... so I can actually see how much of the beach is left at that point... I just hate to wait that long...
Will there even BE a site for my ceremony?
Having my wedding on the beach I need to take more mother nature into consideration that I would like to, i.e., tide tables.
For instance, here is the tide prediction for the day of our wedding:
Our wedding is planned for 5, 5:30 or 6ish pm... which means that we will be DIRECTLY after high tide.... meaning, I may not have a beach to stand on! Or, at least, not much of one! ='(
I'm slightly stressed now and kind of wish that I wouldn't have looked at this. We can't change the time of the wedding too much... it just doesn't make sense as we want to serve an actual meal... and I am NOT going to get up early enough on my wedding day to have everything done by lunch time =P I need my beauty sleep!
Jacob and I are headed to the coast in March for a relaxing weekend after I turn in my thesis (hopefully). I checked the tide table for that weekend and, if we go down to the beach at approximately 10:53 am the water should be at about the same point as it will be at 5:30ish on our wedding day... so I can actually see how much of the beach is left at that point... I just hate to wait that long...
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Lots and Lots of Giveaways!!
I have a BUNCH of great giveaways for you!!
Jem-Aqua Bride is giving away a free handmade card box!
The Dining Diva is giving away a Target Gift card!
And the New Mexican Bride is giving away 100 invitations, thank yous or save the dates from Vistaprint!
These all just kind of made my day! =)
Jem-Aqua Bride is giving away a free handmade card box!
The Dining Diva is giving away a Target Gift card!
And the New Mexican Bride is giving away 100 invitations, thank yous or save the dates from Vistaprint!
These all just kind of made my day! =)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Bloggerland... I Need Your Help!
I MAY have found my wedding ring... but I need some opinions. One thing that sucks about planning a wedding when you live in different towns (and states) from your family and your friends... there is no one for me to call up and say "come over here and look at this ring!" So, that's where you come in! =)
So... take a look at these pics and give me your honest (but polite, please!) opinions! As you can tell from the sapphire/diamond engagement ring, I'm a bit non-traditional... but I really wanted a little more "bling".
The other option that I've been thinking about was just a solid white gold band... something like this:
What do you think???
I found the ring super cheap on overstock.com! I bought it (just because I couldn't pass up the deal), but if I decide to go a different route I'll just sell it again on CL or e-bay.
So... take a look at these pics and give me your honest (but polite, please!) opinions! As you can tell from the sapphire/diamond engagement ring, I'm a bit non-traditional... but I really wanted a little more "bling".
The other option that I've been thinking about was just a solid white gold band... something like this:
What do you think???
I found the ring super cheap on overstock.com! I bought it (just because I couldn't pass up the deal), but if I decide to go a different route I'll just sell it again on CL or e-bay.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Two Years....
Yesterday Jacob and I celebrated our two year anniversary. I wanted to do SOMETHING special, but our budgets are tight and we couldn't really afford a fancy evening out. So, I put my thinking cap on... and had the best idea! We would relieve our first three dates in a single night!
BACKGROUND
Jacob and I met via a personal ad I posted on craigslist. We "talked" online for a few days until one evening Jacob asked me if I wanted to meet him for dinner somewhere... however, at that point it was already about 9 PM on a Wednesday so our options of open restaurants was somewhat limited. So, we decided on Shari's!
source
BACKGROUND
Jacob and I met via a personal ad I posted on craigslist. We "talked" online for a few days until one evening Jacob asked me if I wanted to meet him for dinner somewhere... however, at that point it was already about 9 PM on a Wednesday so our options of open restaurants was somewhat limited. So, we decided on Shari's!
sourceI remember how nervous Jacob was that night... he couldn't even finish his breakfast dinner! Which, I know now, is NOT the norm! lol I, on the other hand, had absolutely no problem scarfing down whatever it was that I ordered... I've never really been the "eat a small salad on a first date" type of girl. I love food... I'm not gonna hide it! =)
Our second date was just a few days later (our early relationship moved REALLY fast). My friend (and now bridesmaid) Holly was meeting people at one of the local bowling alleys and invited me to come and bring a date... so, I did. =)
source
Our second date was just a few days later (our early relationship moved REALLY fast). My friend (and now bridesmaid) Holly was meeting people at one of the local bowling alleys and invited me to come and bring a date... so, I did. =)
sourceJacob bowled horribly that evening. I am NOT a good bowler (my goal is always to simply break 100... sometimes I do, sometimes I'm far, far away) and, if I remember correctly, I beat him every game! Though, as you will see later in this post, I'm not sure if this was completely due to nerves or if he just isn't the best bowler either! lol
After bowling, Jacob and I went next door to the Baskin Robbins. We are both HUGE fans of ice cream.
source
After bowling, Jacob and I went next door to the Baskin Robbins. We are both HUGE fans of ice cream.
sourceWe sat around eating ice cream and talking about ourselves and the similar futures that we had pictures for quite awhile until we parted ways that night (I wasn't about to ride in a car with a guy that I'd met online after just one date! lol)... only to log onto google and "talk" to each other for a few more hours!
A few days later Jacob asked me if I wanted to go out again (I told you... we probably averaged about 2-3 dates per week for the first month... and then seeing each other almost daily after that!). We decided to go see a movie, I got to choose the film, but Jacob wanted it be a gentleman and pick me up at my apartment. Since we'd now been on TWO dates, and my friend had seen his face (lol) I decided to go for it.
I chose "The Bucket List"... it was a great movie; really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed watching Jacob continuously try to hold my hand that night... lol... I wasn't really being to helpful. I was still getting to know the guy after all! =)
TWO YEARS LATER
So those are the dates that started the "courting" part of our relationship... and I wanted to honor these. So, for our two year anniversary, I found a Shari's, a bowling alley, and a Baskin Robbins all on the same street near our apartment, and had Jacob get a copy of 'The Bucket List"... but things never do seem to go as planned when it comes to us... lol
Our evening started out well enough. We made it to Shari's and had dinner (however, I think I must have picked the trashiest location in the area... our hostess was wearing a hoodie), and then made our way to the bowling alley...
...which was having a Monte Carlo bowling night!
We asked for directions to another bowling alley, which turned out to also be on the same road, just past the Baskin Robbins that I found, so, we decided to stop for ice cream first and then head to bowling...
... but the Baskin Robbins was closed for construction!
So, we went straight to the bowling alley and played three games... I just want to show you these scores... ;)
(Sorry in advance for the quality... can only do so good in a poorly lit alley with a camera phone!)
If you'll notice... the B (me) won twice! =) Jacob wanted me to take a picture of the ONE time that he won, but this is MY blog! lol
P.S. Jacob thought it was funny to put our initials in this order on the big televised score board... you never really can take the 12-year-old boy out of the 28-year-old man, can you? lol
After we finished our third game I asked one of the alley employees if there was another ice cream place nearby... their only suggestion was DQ... which is NOT the same thing! So, we headed over to Fred Meyer, picked up some ice cream and went home to eat it while watching "The Bucket List" (still thought it was a really great movie!).
And that is how Jacob and I celebrated our two year (and last dating) anniversary! =) I really enjoyed the opportunity to spend some quality time together... we don't take nearly enough time out of our daily schedules to just enjoy each others' company. I hope we can change that in the near future!
A few days later Jacob asked me if I wanted to go out again (I told you... we probably averaged about 2-3 dates per week for the first month... and then seeing each other almost daily after that!). We decided to go see a movie, I got to choose the film, but Jacob wanted it be a gentleman and pick me up at my apartment. Since we'd now been on TWO dates, and my friend had seen his face (lol) I decided to go for it.
I chose "The Bucket List"... it was a great movie; really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed watching Jacob continuously try to hold my hand that night... lol... I wasn't really being to helpful. I was still getting to know the guy after all! =)
TWO YEARS LATER
So those are the dates that started the "courting" part of our relationship... and I wanted to honor these. So, for our two year anniversary, I found a Shari's, a bowling alley, and a Baskin Robbins all on the same street near our apartment, and had Jacob get a copy of 'The Bucket List"... but things never do seem to go as planned when it comes to us... lol
Our evening started out well enough. We made it to Shari's and had dinner (however, I think I must have picked the trashiest location in the area... our hostess was wearing a hoodie), and then made our way to the bowling alley...
...which was having a Monte Carlo bowling night!
We asked for directions to another bowling alley, which turned out to also be on the same road, just past the Baskin Robbins that I found, so, we decided to stop for ice cream first and then head to bowling...
... but the Baskin Robbins was closed for construction!
So, we went straight to the bowling alley and played three games... I just want to show you these scores... ;)
(Sorry in advance for the quality... can only do so good in a poorly lit alley with a camera phone!)
If you'll notice... the B (me) won twice! =) Jacob wanted me to take a picture of the ONE time that he won, but this is MY blog! lol P.S. Jacob thought it was funny to put our initials in this order on the big televised score board... you never really can take the 12-year-old boy out of the 28-year-old man, can you? lol
After we finished our third game I asked one of the alley employees if there was another ice cream place nearby... their only suggestion was DQ... which is NOT the same thing! So, we headed over to Fred Meyer, picked up some ice cream and went home to eat it while watching "The Bucket List" (still thought it was a really great movie!).
And that is how Jacob and I celebrated our two year (and last dating) anniversary! =) I really enjoyed the opportunity to spend some quality time together... we don't take nearly enough time out of our daily schedules to just enjoy each others' company. I hope we can change that in the near future!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Benefits of Being an Obsessive Planner
Our photographer (who we booked in October) has since DOUBLED the cost of his standard package! I must say, I am patting myself on the back for being a type-A planner. Had we waited until now to sign the contract with him, he would have been outside of our budget.
Go Me! =)
Go Me! =)
Sleep Talkin' Man
Has anyone else seen this Blog of Note?? lol... HILARIOUS
P.S. I really should be working on my thesis.... but surfing the net is just so much more entertaining!
P.S. I really should be working on my thesis.... but surfing the net is just so much more entertaining!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Really?
My giveaway has been up for two days and only two people have entered it? Really? I'm feeling slightly rejected. =(
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
My Plans
psst!! Enter my giveaway!
I saw this on a couple of different blogs and thought I'd join on this bandwagon. I don't make resolutions for the new year because I know they aren't going to pan out.
But I DO make plans... I LOVE to plan (hence this whole "neurotic" wedding planning of mine... which my dad called it this morning... while e-mailing me information on the Mayan calendar and where the sun will be on my wedding day in August. Now... who's neurotic? lol)
So, here are my plans for 2010!
I saw this on a couple of different blogs and thought I'd join on this bandwagon. I don't make resolutions for the new year because I know they aren't going to pan out.
But I DO make plans... I LOVE to plan (hence this whole "neurotic" wedding planning of mine... which my dad called it this morning... while e-mailing me information on the Mayan calendar and where the sun will be on my wedding day in August. Now... who's neurotic? lol)
So, here are my plans for 2010!
One thing I will learn: My new city! I am slowly starting to get accustomed to my new home, but I still have sooo much to explore! It's really important for me to continue to learn about different social service community resources for my clients as well.
One place I will go: New Zealand!!!! GOOOO HONEYMOON! =)
One physical habit I will break: I want to say that I'll quit biting my nails... but I know that won't happen, so I'm going to change it to, 'I'll quit biting my nails for the month or two leading up to the wedding". This I know I can do.
One physical habit I will cultivate: Taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator! Are we really so lazy that we can't walk up one flight of stairs? However, if I need to go up to the third floor, I'll probably still take the elevator =)
One mental habit I will break: In the spirit of plans over resolutions, I'm not going to answer this question, because I have no PLAN to do so.
One relationship I’ll repair: I don't think there are any. The important people in my life are still important and will always be that way.
One work habit I will change: I've been at my job for less than a month... I don't have any bad habits yet! lol I'm too scared of messing up!
One thing I’ll throw out: Stuff in the boxes marked "misc" that haven't been unpacked yet in the 4 months that we've lived here.
A second thing I’ll throw out: Clothing tags. When I buy a new shirt and ripped off the tag the morning I'm going to wear it I tend to just set it on my bathroom counter or my dresser... maybe I should put a trash can there! lol
One thing I’ll eat more often: Fruits and veggies
One thing I’ll eat less: Fast food and BIG portion sizes!
One thing I’ll drink more: I already drink a lot of water and I don't really think I want to increase my consumption of anything else since I rarely drink anything else anyhow.
One thing I’ll drink less: See above. I rarely drink anything beside water.
One resentment I’ll get over: I won't get over it. lol
One person I’ll treat more respectfully: Probably the fiance... I've been a bit stressed over the past few months.
One thing I’ll spend less money on: I'm a poor college student (or, at least I was until the new job!) so I'm forced to budget tightly... I don't know what I'll spend less on... I actually hope to be able to spend MORE on stuff and actually get some quality. OH! I know! After August I'll spend less money on things wedding related. ;)
One other change I’ll make in my finances: Wow! JUST TODAY I set up an automatic transfer twice a month to my retirement account.... I felt like a grown up =)
One thing I’ll spend less time doing: I'll spend less time NOT doing the things around the house that need to be done (I am NOT the housekeeping type).
And a thing I’ll spend more time doing: Enjoying life! I LOVE taking in new experiences and I hope to be able to do that EVERY DAY!
Free Stuff Alert!!!!
Do ya' want 'em?? =) I'm REALLY excited about this one! As a sponsored blog I get the prize, too (woo hoo!) which is awesome for my budget-ness as I was planning to order some anyhow. I'm going to create these cards to go in our announcements with our DOC info (my cousin, the event planner, is going to do this for us!) so that people can call/contact her on the day of if they get lost/have questions/whatever and don't hassle me! lol But these could also be good for things like seating cards, photo sharing cards, or even... *gasp* BUSINESS cards if you are in need of those too! =)
What would you use yours for?
Leave me the answer (and your contact info) in a comment to enter once, be a follower (and let me know in a SEPARATE comment) for a second entry, and blog about it with a link back to me and one back to Uprinting (and leave me ANOTHER comment about that with a link to the post) for a THIRD entry!
Unfortunately this contest is only open to US residents.... and the winner has to pay for shipping. But, it's still an awesome deal!
Contest is open until until the end of the day on Friday, Jan. 15... I'll have the "winner post" out that weekend! =) Yay!!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Happiness
Bee, over at BP Wedding, honored me this morning as one of ten wedding blogs that makes her happy. =) Go me! lol
The conditions of accepting this award are that I must (1) Tell you all 10 things that make me happy, and then (2) name ten bloggers who, in turn, make me happy. Let's see if I can do this!
My Ten Happy Things
I just want to preface by saying that these are in no particular order... only the order in which they come to me! =)
1) Jacob. I have written the "why" for this about six times so far and keep deleting it. It's simple... I love him and I can't wait to create a life together with him.
2) My parents. They raised four kids and I think they did a pretty good job instilling strong values and morals. They have been great role models for me in every aspect of my life. From a wedding and marriage standpoint, they have been together for 29 years... not too many people can say that these days.
3) My brothers. I have three of them... all younger... all with very interesting sense of humors. I am forever laughing when I am with them.
4) My cat. He's a big goober but I love that he sleeps at my feet and is always happy to see me when I come home from work. Plus, I love watching him and Jacob chase each other around the house! lol
5) The beach. My solitude place. I go to the beach and a sudden calm and peacefulness sweeps over me. When I was in high school I use to go sit on the bleachers at the school, close my eyes, and listen to the traffic of the nearby road visualizing the waves crashing against the shore line. I still do this sometimes when I'm sitting at home with the windows open and hear the freeway next door (literally).
6) My job. I am FINALLY doing something that I feel completely suits me. I've been in the generally area for a few years now but was never sure exactly which route I wanted to take. Granted, I have only been at my new job for about a month, but already I am feeling whole.
7) My apartment. Dishwasher AND a washer and dryer IN THE UNIT within walking distance of the light rail that takes me to work in the morning... and, I have a big blue wall! What's not to love?? lol
8) My girlfriends. I have never been the type of person who has a LOT of friends, but rather a few close friends. And, all through school my friends were primarily guys (specifically the guys I dated and their friends). It has really only been in recent years that I've been able to expand my friend circle and cultivate strong bonds with some fantastic females. Plus, I am pretty lucky to still be in contact with some of my best friends from high school (even though life has taken them all around the world!).
9) Airplanes. I LOVE to travel. If I don't get on a plane once every six months or so I start to get a little antsy... which is going to make the next 8 months pretty painful! Jacob and I went to Hawaii in April/May last year, but, with the wedding and honeymoon we have decided that we really can't afford another vacation until then.... which is this September!! So, I'm going to go 16 months without being on an airplane!! I hope I can handle it!
10) Life. I really am just, generally, very happy these days. Things are going fantastic for me. I have a wonderful fiance, a good job that I care about, and I'm only months away from completing my masters degree (I may get a little less happy as thesis deadlines/defenses approach! lol). I don't really think I could ask for anything else.
Now... the 10 blogs (11 really) that make me happy are (I've tried to name a few that I haven't named in the past... and steering away from wedding blogs as I've been branching out a bit recently):
Cupcake Wedding
Misadventures of Newlywed
MummyTime
Overheard in PDX
Peony :: Love
Random Reflections of a Perfectionist
Temple of Groom
The Thirty Something Bride
Groom Wedding Planning Blog
My Parents Were Awesome
Wedinator
The conditions of accepting this award are that I must (1) Tell you all 10 things that make me happy, and then (2) name ten bloggers who, in turn, make me happy. Let's see if I can do this!
My Ten Happy Things
I just want to preface by saying that these are in no particular order... only the order in which they come to me! =)
1) Jacob. I have written the "why" for this about six times so far and keep deleting it. It's simple... I love him and I can't wait to create a life together with him.
2) My parents. They raised four kids and I think they did a pretty good job instilling strong values and morals. They have been great role models for me in every aspect of my life. From a wedding and marriage standpoint, they have been together for 29 years... not too many people can say that these days.
3) My brothers. I have three of them... all younger... all with very interesting sense of humors. I am forever laughing when I am with them.
4) My cat. He's a big goober but I love that he sleeps at my feet and is always happy to see me when I come home from work. Plus, I love watching him and Jacob chase each other around the house! lol
5) The beach. My solitude place. I go to the beach and a sudden calm and peacefulness sweeps over me. When I was in high school I use to go sit on the bleachers at the school, close my eyes, and listen to the traffic of the nearby road visualizing the waves crashing against the shore line. I still do this sometimes when I'm sitting at home with the windows open and hear the freeway next door (literally).
6) My job. I am FINALLY doing something that I feel completely suits me. I've been in the generally area for a few years now but was never sure exactly which route I wanted to take. Granted, I have only been at my new job for about a month, but already I am feeling whole.
7) My apartment. Dishwasher AND a washer and dryer IN THE UNIT within walking distance of the light rail that takes me to work in the morning... and, I have a big blue wall! What's not to love?? lol
8) My girlfriends. I have never been the type of person who has a LOT of friends, but rather a few close friends. And, all through school my friends were primarily guys (specifically the guys I dated and their friends). It has really only been in recent years that I've been able to expand my friend circle and cultivate strong bonds with some fantastic females. Plus, I am pretty lucky to still be in contact with some of my best friends from high school (even though life has taken them all around the world!).
9) Airplanes. I LOVE to travel. If I don't get on a plane once every six months or so I start to get a little antsy... which is going to make the next 8 months pretty painful! Jacob and I went to Hawaii in April/May last year, but, with the wedding and honeymoon we have decided that we really can't afford another vacation until then.... which is this September!! So, I'm going to go 16 months without being on an airplane!! I hope I can handle it!
10) Life. I really am just, generally, very happy these days. Things are going fantastic for me. I have a wonderful fiance, a good job that I care about, and I'm only months away from completing my masters degree (I may get a little less happy as thesis deadlines/defenses approach! lol). I don't really think I could ask for anything else.
Now... the 10 blogs (11 really) that make me happy are (I've tried to name a few that I haven't named in the past... and steering away from wedding blogs as I've been branching out a bit recently):
Cupcake Wedding
Misadventures of Newlywed
MummyTime
Overheard in PDX
Peony :: Love
Random Reflections of a Perfectionist
Temple of Groom
The Thirty Something Bride
Groom Wedding Planning Blog
My Parents Were Awesome
Wedinator
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Day One Kicked My Ass
I'm a fan of the Biggest Loser (though, I tend to find myself watching it while on the couch with a bowl of ice cream) and I've heard good things in bloggerland about Jillian's "30 Day Shred"... so... I got myself a copy, put on a t-shirt and some pj pants and decided to give it a try.
It kicked my ass. I think it kicked my ass more in 20 minutes than any hour long class at the gym ever has. It kicked my ass so hard that I laid down on my bed directly afterwords and COULDN'T make myself get up to take a shower for another 20 minutes or more. AND THEN when I did finally manage to get in the shower, it took EVERYTHING I had to hold my arms above my head long enough to wash my hair.
I am very out of shape and know that I need to start taking better care of myself (especially since, in my late 20s, my metabolism isn't what it use to be when I was 17 *sigh*). I was going to wait until after Valentine's Day to start the "Must Look Good in My Wedding Dress" regiment since that will be the 6-month mark, however, I made the mistake of stepping on the scale at work (what kind of OFFICE job puts a scale in the bathroom? Talk about poor morale! lol) and realized that I was THE HEAVIEST I have ever been my entire life. This is NOT ok.
I don't see myself as an overweight person. I still love to get out and do things. I love to hike, kayak, bike and just generally enjoy nature. But, unfortunately, I also love chocolate, pizza and french fries... which makes me "overweight" in the eyes of the medical community. So, with that knowledge I've been watching my diet for the last couple of weeks and am now going to complete the 30-Day Shred. I went out and bought myself a weight loss journal (which helped me lose about 30 pounds a few years back) and, while we were out, we got another set of hand weights so that Jacob and do the shred with me. =)
Tomorrow evening you can probably find us both flat on our backs on the living room floor huffing and puffing and unable to make our muscles function. =) Good times! lol
It kicked my ass. I think it kicked my ass more in 20 minutes than any hour long class at the gym ever has. It kicked my ass so hard that I laid down on my bed directly afterwords and COULDN'T make myself get up to take a shower for another 20 minutes or more. AND THEN when I did finally manage to get in the shower, it took EVERYTHING I had to hold my arms above my head long enough to wash my hair.
I am very out of shape and know that I need to start taking better care of myself (especially since, in my late 20s, my metabolism isn't what it use to be when I was 17 *sigh*). I was going to wait until after Valentine's Day to start the "Must Look Good in My Wedding Dress" regiment since that will be the 6-month mark, however, I made the mistake of stepping on the scale at work (what kind of OFFICE job puts a scale in the bathroom? Talk about poor morale! lol) and realized that I was THE HEAVIEST I have ever been my entire life. This is NOT ok.
I don't see myself as an overweight person. I still love to get out and do things. I love to hike, kayak, bike and just generally enjoy nature. But, unfortunately, I also love chocolate, pizza and french fries... which makes me "overweight" in the eyes of the medical community. So, with that knowledge I've been watching my diet for the last couple of weeks and am now going to complete the 30-Day Shred. I went out and bought myself a weight loss journal (which helped me lose about 30 pounds a few years back) and, while we were out, we got another set of hand weights so that Jacob and do the shred with me. =)
Tomorrow evening you can probably find us both flat on our backs on the living room floor huffing and puffing and unable to make our muscles function. =) Good times! lol
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Video Games
I'm not a video game playing person. I haven't regularly played a game since the FIRST Mario brothers... so, I was a little confused when I saw a game disc in my stocking the other morning (we did "Christmas Morning" on New Year's morning with Jacob's family). I thought for sure that I'd accidentally gotten one of the kids socks... but, no, it was for me. My FMIL saw my confusion and said, "Don't worry... you'll understand".
And I sure did... lol... the game was:
And I sure did... lol... the game was:
Wedding Dash! Rings Around the World!
The point of the game is that you have to plan and cater weddings for multiple couples in a game about a wedding planning reality show... and you don't want to get voted off by Mr. Biggie! lol You deal with picky guests you don't want to sit next to certain people (or REALLY want to sit next to others), screaming children, pigeons picking at food, people choking, grandfathers who can't remember what and when they ate... all while keeping the bride and groom happy and making sure the photographer gets the right photos (I actually got a GROOM-zilla at one point... lol... I was REALLY sucking at that level!).
This game may keep my occupied for awhile... lol... you really need to pay attention though, and I can't say that's my strong point after a full day at work and/or writing a thesis!
P.S. Jacob was watching over my shoulder for awhile and kept laughing at me when people started to "boil" (what they do when they get upset because I didn't seat them next to the hot guy or it took to long to serve them their cake!) and just kept saying "you're cute". lol
This game may keep my occupied for awhile... lol... you really need to pay attention though, and I can't say that's my strong point after a full day at work and/or writing a thesis!
P.S. Jacob was watching over my shoulder for awhile and kept laughing at me when people started to "boil" (what they do when they get upset because I didn't seat them next to the hot guy or it took to long to serve them their cake!) and just kept saying "you're cute". lol
One Thing About Vacations....
Is that, no matter how brief, by the time I get home I am over loaded with blog posts and facebook updates to catch up on! lol (I know, I know.... I do this to myself). But, as I was reading through my blog posts, I ran across this list of top wedding videos. I posted about the proposal one already, but I also love this one (THIS is true, joyful love... I love it! lol):
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