Goodbye "Miss", Hello "Mrs."

Well ladies (and gents... if any are reading this), this may be my LAST post as a "Miss". My girls are getting into town tomorrow and then the fantastic long-weekend celebrations commence, so I don't know that I'll have the time/desire to sit at my computer and update my blog.

The wedding is Saturday, the weather is calling for 74 and sunny (which is HOT for the Oregon coast!). Once I type up and print out my vows (which I'm going to do as soon as I'm done with this), I do not have a single thing left on my "To Do" list! It feels SOO good! And really, really weird!

I'd like to give a shout out to my fellow blogger brides who are also getting married on Saturday: Lisa at CraftMyBride, Sarah Elizabeth and Ms. Wedding Crasher. (I apologize if I forgot anyone else!) Congratulations ladies, and ENJOY this weekend! We have made it to the finish line! lol

Different Kind of Wedding Dream

I had a dream last night that another wedding blogger* and myself were starring together in an episode of Law and Order: SVU**. I didn't realize how big a part of my life you all have become! lol


*I'm not going to tell WHICH blogger it was, 'cause I don't want to freak anyone out!

** I really need to pay attention to what I watch right before I go to bed! =)

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!

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

Chocolate Anyone?

Just look at that and tell me your mouth isn't watering! I dare you! Mmmmm.... I'm hoping to win this cook book from Maria at A Chocolate Lover's Confession. You can enter her contest too by going here. But... if you win, you owe me a fudge brownie! =)

Fresh Hubby of LA

Love, Love, LOVE this video of the story of The Broke Ass Bride and her Fresh Hubby! =)

Holy S*** Times TWO!

HS #1) When I got home from work today I had 84 new blog entries to read... I think I FINALLY have hit the "too many" wedding blog following mark! lol

HS #2) While reading those wedding blogs I ran across this article (sorry guys, I can't remember who's blog I found it on!)

Always Read the Small Print... or Not?

A week or so back I won 250 stickers from the Roddy Bride's sticker giveaway. I had this big plan to use them for our invitation... however, I did not read the fine print. The stickers were only available in three sizes, 2X3.5, 2X4, and 3X3... In order for my plan to work, I needed a 4X6 sticker, which, generally Uprinting does, so I thought I was all set... WRONG! lol

Because I didn't want this free stuff to go to waste, I had to somewhat quickly come up with another idea for the stickers, as I only had about 3 weeks until the prize expired. For inspiration I drew out the sticker size options, revisited the Roddy Bride's giveaway to see what other people were going to do with the stickers if they won (btw, those of you who said you'd use them as address labels, I don't think you read the fine print either! lol... the smallest size available is about the size of a business card... those are HUGE labels!), and then asked my fiance for some thoughts/advice.

I think, together, we came up with a pretty good idea!

Ebonee, at Becoming His Mrs., posted about her DIY accordion programs... I kinda fell in love with the concept. So, Jacob and I decided to make a 3X3 sticker that we could place on the cover of the programs. Then we thought about how we were going to have 250 of these things and probably only make about 75 programs (or less), so we kept thinking.

Another thought we'd had for the wedding was to give away small bags of salt water taffy as wedding favors (perfect for a beach wedding, right?). We figure that we can do double duty with these stickers and make them for the programs AND as labels for the candy bags! So, I went to work creating a simple sticker that could work in both places... and this is what I came up with:

I'm pretty happy with it. For some reason the picture of us looks weird via computer screen, but seems to print out o.k., so I'm hoping this will work out as expected.

Here's the kicker though! I fell in LOVE with the sunflower coming out of the top corner of the sticker, as did Jacob, so we decided to redesign our invitation mock up with the same basic style as the sticker... and we LOVE it! I'm not going to show it quite yet (in case I change my mind again), but, in the end, not reading the fine print actually turned out for the best for us. =)

Yet ANOTHER Giveaway!

Barbara Kua Calligraphy stamp giveaway over at Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bridezilla! Check it out!

Another Giveaway!

The headband... not the bear =) Check out Miss Mojito's giveaway over at With this ring, I thee blog!

TWENTY FOLLOWERS!! (And some other stuff!)

My "follower" count has been at 19 for awhile... I've been watching, waiting for number 20... and today it came! lol... Thank you Born to Be Mrs. Beaver! =)

It's kind of funny how the wedding blog community really becomes a community. I have gained so much inspiration and fantastic ideas of the last few months. I have my "favorites" too... those from who I look forward to reading new posts and can't wait to see their recaps in a few short months. So far it's been a fantastic experience... and I still have 9 months (and MANY more blogs, I'm sure!) before my big day! =)

As I was checking out To-Be-Mrs.-Beaver's blog today, I read over her "get to know us" survey and thought I'd fill it out for myself and my fiance (though, I THINK I may have done something similar in the past, so, bear with me!):

1. What are your middle names?

Lynn and Joseph... we are BOTH named after our grandfathers! Go figure =)

2. How long have you been together?
2 years in January

3. How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We met on Craiglist... I think we "chatted" for about 3 or 4 days before we had our first actual date. =)

4. Who asked who out?
I posted a personal... he responded... we "chatted". He was the first one to actually ask to meet me.

5. How old are each of you?
27 (me) and 28 (him) we are 362 days apart. =) We enjoy our "birthday weekends"!

6. Did you go to the same school?
Nope. Though we have found people that we both know from different times in our lives... it's such a small world.

7. Are you from the same home town?
Nope. He grew up in Eastern Oregon, I grew up on the west side =)

8. Who is the smartest?
It really depends on the subject. He is a sciencey/computer guy and I'm the sociological girl.

9. Who majored in what?
He started as a physics major... and then changed to computer science... and then ultimately left the university to get his massage certification! lol When I inquired about the huge leap from science to massage he said that it was "next on his list". =) I have my BA in Criminology and am currently working on my Master's degree in the same.

10. Who is the most sensitive?
I think we are sensitive in our ways... though mine is DEFINITELY more outwardly visible! =)

11. Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Hmm... we lived in BC together for about a year... though that was only 8 hours from home, it still felt like quite the distance! We went to Honolulu together last spring, and Vegas together the summer before.

12. Who has the worst temper?
Me. And don't really have a temper, but he is a LOT more patient with people/situations than I am.

13. How many children do you want?
I think we are pretty set at two.... We saw a dad pushing a stroller full of triplets the other day and Jacob turned to me and said, "That's not happening... I'll shove one right back in there!" LOL

14. Who does the cooking?
We tend to take turns. Though, I think in the long run I do a little more... but I think that's because I think about food (my aunt's husband mentioned that our family sits down to lunch thinking about what to have for dinner! It's true...) he just eats when he's hungry, so less forethought is put into it and, thus, it's not always the healthiest of meals.

15. Who is more social?
I think I am. I need to be outside with people on a semi daily basis (even if it's just strolling through the neighborhood), while he's perfectly content playing a computer game all afternoon (though, to be fair, he DOES play with other people around the world, so, I guess that's social in it's own way). At the same time though, we are both pretty shy people and have a few CLOSE friends between us.

16. Who is the neat freak?
Neither one of us is particularly neat... but I think we're pretty much the same in this area. Occasionally one of us will get the bug to organize something, and we'll do it.

17. Who is the most stubborn?
I'd say me again. lol

18. Who wakes up earlier?
Probably me... I have to leave the house for work... he works from home, which means he needs exactly 2 minutes to through on some pants and stumble into his office for the day! lol

19. Where was your first date?
Shari's =)

20. Who has the bigger family?
I do... my family is huge with all the extended family members. I have three brothers, my mom has two sisters, and my dad has SEVEN siblings... this adds up to a lot of cousins and aunts and uncles.

21. Do you get flowers often?
No.... in fact, I don't think Jacob has EVER gotten me flowers.... hmmm....

22. How do you spend the holidays?
Usually my family celebrates Thanksgiving on Friday since my dad's work schedule always had him working on Thursdays, so that holiday works out quite well. However, my dad is retired now, so I really have no idea how it's going to play out this year. As for Christmas, it depends on what the situation is. Our families live about 2 hours apart, so it's pretty easy to hit up both households in one day (or between the two) if we can schedule it out right.

23. Who is more jealous?
We are not jealous people (which has kicked me in the ass before, but it's just not who I am).

24. How long did it take to get serious?
We got pretty serious pretty early on (he decided to move to a foreign country with me after knowing me for 4 months!). It made me nervous, but Jacob was so sure that I just went along with it... and now look where we are! =)

25. Who eats more?
He does

26. What do you do for a living?
I am currently a student working on my Master's in Criminology, though I have worked in social services for the past 4 years or so (since getting my BA). Jacob works from home doing database development and other computery stuff for an irrigation company (he also has his massage therapy licenses, but has taken a hiatus from that this past year).

27. Who does the laundry?
Generally it's me. It USE to be that I'd do the laundry and he'd do the dishes... but then we got a dishwasher, so I'm starting to rethink this arrangement =P

28. Who's better with the computer?
Him, hands down. When I'm at work (at my school related internship) and don't know how to do something, I call him for help. lol My supervisor is probably pretty impressed with my "advanced" computer skills! lol

29. Who drives when you are together?
Generally him... he likes it

30. What is your song?
T-Pain's "Low" (the apple bottom jeans song)! lol No... we don't really have "a song", but this one came on the radio EARLY in our relationship and he started dancing around to it in the car. So now, whenever I hear it, I think of him and remember how much I love that goofy side of his! =)

Sugar Doll!

Chocolate Lover (who's blog name I LOVE--and totally relate with!) bestowed upon me the "Sugar Doll" award! =)

Apparently, in order to accept this award, I'm suppose to write 10 facts about myself and pass it on to 10 more blogs... so... here goes nothin'! =)

1) I was in a spelling bee in the fourth grade. I got the word "arithmetic" and somehow messed it up, eliminating myself from the competition. The next word was "toward". EVERYONE that was left got it wrong... so they went to the next word. The WHOLE time I'm sitting there screaming in my head "I KNOW HOW TO SPELL THAT WORD!!!" I was so mad! lol

2) I am the oldest of four kids... my three younger siblings are ALL brothers. I've wanted sisters for SOOO long. I always hoped I'd marry a guy with sisters so I'd have them by proxy. Jacob has one sibling. A brother. *sigh* My brothers better marry girls that I like! lol

3) I have lived in 14 different homes. I am only 27 years old. That's a LOT of moving. When someone asks me where I'm "from" I get confused and don't know how to answer! (The longest I've ever stayed in one place was about 7 years (and I spent about that same amount of time in TWO different places... so where am I "from"?)

4) I started my undergrad planning to become a journalist. I took a year's worth of journalism classes (which I hated) and about two criminology classes (which I loved). So, I switch my second year... and now I'm working on my Master's in Criminology! =) I think I made the right choice.

5) On top of this, I was on the high school newspaper staff for 3 years. When I didn't made editor (and was quite upset about this), the yearbook adviser pulled me aside and asked me to be the editor of the yearbook... something I had NO experience with. So, I jumped ship, edited a FANTASTIC yearbook, and was quite happy to have had that opportunity (though I'm pretty sure that I pissed off a few yearbook veterans who were expecting the job!)

6) I have a goal to travel to every state in the country (on top of any international traveling I can do), so far I'm about halfway there!

7) I played the piano as a child and the saxophone in middle- and high school. I think it taught me a lot and I'm glad my parents forced me to do it. lol

8) Jacob is the third boyfriend that I thought I was going to marry... lol... I guess third time's a charm, huh? =)

9) If I was stuck on a desert island and could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be pizza!

10) Even though I have a love for Italian cuisine, I also LOVE southern style food. I overheard one of my coworkers describe me as a "black woman stuck in a white woman's body"... lol... this was right before he introduced me to fried catfish... umm!

ok... now... 10 more blogs.... that's a tough one (because I follow SOOO many!)

Here is my shout out to 10 more bride-to-be's (if you've already gotten this, than congrats! You get it again!)

Shooting for a $3,000 Wedding
a little birdie weds
And Stanley Makes Three
BP Wedding
Confessions of an Obsessive Planner
Brideschka and the Wedding
Burning River Bride
Once Upon a Dream
Our Destination Wedding at Home
Random Reflections of a Perfectionist

I Won!

I won ANOTHER giveaway! lol... I'm pretty good at these random drawing things! =) Thanks to The Roddy Bride and Uprinting I am the soon-to-be recipient of 250 custom stickers. I think I'm going to try to use them for my DIY invitations.... I'll let you all know if it works. =)

Sticker Giveaway!

UPrinting is giving away 250 custom stickers to one lucky winner! Check out the contest and enter over at The Roddy Bride!

I would love some custom monogram stickers to use as seals for our invitations! Yay! =)

New Giveaway!

Bride on a Budget is sponsoring a new giveaway! 250 custom business cards (or thing business card sized! lol) from UPrinting! Go visit her website to get in on the freebie action! =)

First Blog Award!

I see these little "awards" on blogs all the time and wonder how they get divy'd out and passed around... well... now I know! lol

Thanks to Jillreigh over at Once Upon a Dream for passing this Kreativ Blogger award to me.

It's funny, because I don't consider myself a "creative" person... at least in terms of crafty sort of stuff. I'm more creatively minded... I LOVE thinking of ideas... just not always the best at implementing them! With the exceptions of words and images. I love photography and the written word (reminders of which I'm sure you've seen and will continue to see in my blog postings).

So, if I understand this right, I'm suppose to now tell you 7 things about myself and then pass the award on to 7 other Kreativ Bloggers. I think I'm going to do the pass along first (give me a little more time to think of 7 things to tell you about myself! lol).

Kreativ Blogger Awards go to:

Becoming His Mrs.
a little birdie weds
Confessions of an Obsessive Planner
BP Wedding
Unfolding Grace
Shooting for a $3,000 Wedding
And Stanley Makes Three...

I didn't check to see if each of these blogs is a "new" one to be awarded, so if you've already received one of these, then just be doubly excited. =)

Ok... now for 7 things about me.... hmm...

1) I am doing this on my lunch break at "work". I say "work" because I am a full-time, 40/week, UNPAID intern... at least until the beginning of December. This is what I get for wanting to get my master's degree in a social service arena =)

2) I met my fiance AND one of my bridesmaids on Craigslist. I love "the list" and am very thankful for it for a number of different reasons (i.e. loves, jobs, apartments, furniture, etc.)

3) I am the oldest of 4 children... and the ONLY girl. I was a bit of a tomboy growing up... hmm.. I wonder why? =P

4) All through high school I was involved in journalism... writing, photography, copy editing... even my middle school English teacher that I was going to be a reporter... two terms into my freshman year in college I decided I wanted to study crime instead. Hence, my BA and (soon to be) Master's in Criminology.

5) I lived in Canada for a year... and am currently a student at a school up in BC... even though I live in Oregon. =) BC is gorgeous, but I'm happy to be "home".

6) My high school friends all scattered as far as possible after graduation... the UK, Taiwan, Texas, Iowa, California, New York... hence, I was forced to make some new friends who lived in the same area code! =) Which, was actually quite difficult for me and I'm still REALLY working on creating a supportive social circle.

7) My nickname as an infant was "poopy"... ok... it's out there! My mother can't use this as blackmail any more!! =)

Drowning in Wedding Blogs!

I need your help!

I follow a LOT of wedding blogs... I don't even want to count... the list on the side bar of this page isn't even all of them... I haven't updated the list in awhile.

Problem is, I can't find anything again later (if I didn't book mark it).

I'm looking for a blog post about a survey that one of the bride-to-bes gave her bridesmaids. It had questions about jewelry, food allergies, soda preferences, etc. At the time I didn't think I'd need that post again, but now I want another look! lol

Do any of you lurking brides remember reading it somewhere else?? Or maybe you wrote it?

Help!

New Giveaway!

Bride on a Budget is hosting a new give away for 250 custom greeting cards from UPrinting! Check it out!!

Video Love Note

Thank you SOOO much Louise at The Thirty-Something Bride for posting a link to the Robbins Bros. video love note site. I love, love, LOVE this! I love it so much I made it a permanent fixture on my blog (though Jacob made me change one of the pictures because he didn't look good in it)... lol

Yellow Dresses?

Our wedding colors are blue, yellow and white. The picture in my head was always white table clothes, with blue bridesmaids dresses and yellow flowers. I can just SEE it.

Then I ran across some wedding pictures...I know my MOH will kill me if I put her in yellow, but I am REALLY digging these marigold dresses that the bridesmaids wore for the wedding of We Met in a Bar blogger, Heather.