I just finished reading....

Source

This was good! It's about a high school sex ed teacher who is forced to teach an abstinence-only program at the insistence of a conservative Christian church in town. The book dealt with some really great faith issues, namely that of an evangelical Christian whose faith is changing. It was a really fast read, I got in done in a day or 2 and I didn't have a ton of time to devote to it. I definitely recommend it. I read it on the elliptical yesterday and today (I think I have a hairline fracture in my big toe, so I can't run!) and definitely enjoyed it.

What are you reading right now?

Follow up to the Great Bouquet Mock-Up of 2009

So, due to the lovely remarks from Miss Em and D. Marie (thanks ladies, you really helped make up my mind!), I am set on doing my own flowers. My mom is not. She thinks I am going to be losing my sh*t in the days before the nuptials and that flowers have to be done way to close to the wedding for me to worry about it. Anyway, I want to do it because of the amazing amount of money I will save...and I just want to do it. I feel like I can do a good job, and I don't think it will take me much time.

Ryan wants mini Calla lillies for the boutonnieres. Nothing but Calla lillies will suffice (apparently it's a masculine flower, which I kinda see). I found mini white calla lillies at Blooms by the Box for $3.41 a stem. We need about 10 stems, so this would run us around $35.





I want white hydrangeas, as you lovely ladies know, and they are $2.85 a stem, so for the 30 stems that I will need, that will run me about $85.50.



Throw in $20 or so for ribbons and pins, and that is under $150 for the flowers. We aren't doing flowers anywhere else, so this would be it. Under $150!? There's no WAY I'm paying out the wazoo when I can do it for under $150. I might want to do something floral for the church....but that is very undecided.

Anyway! I am too good at digressing. I really think I could handle this. The calla lillies are just getting trimmed and having pins stuck in them (Ryan doesn't want any ribbon to touch these. At all.), and the bouquet I did took maybe 5 minutes, and it wouldn't take me more than 10 or 15 to do a really nice one. When I did the mock-up bouquet it held up very nicely (and I abused it on purpose), and calla lillies are supposed to be very sturdy and they have a vase life of 7-10 days.

I have heard excellent things about Blooms by the Box also. P.S., the photos are from their website.

So ladies, am I kidding myself? Will I be able to do this the day before the wedding or do I need to let it go and accept defeat?

European Gifts

My BFF, aka my maid of honor and sister Allison just got back from Europe! She shopped more for me than for herself (for shame Alli!), and she got me gorgeous stuff!

First up is this way cute gray felt wool mini purse. It'll be perfect for keeping little things together in the depths of my big handbag. The green silk clutch is to.die.for. I am planning an outfit around it for this weekend. I think the bag 100% deserves it, don't you?





Alli also got me this killer pashmina. #1, I love pashminas. #2, I love pink. #3, Polka dots rock my world. Pretty much a match made in heaven, methinks. I planned my work outfit around this for today!


And last but certainly not least, Alli got me this great Calligraphy how-to book and a quill and ink. I am going to feel so cool writing with a quill! She knows I've been wanting to learn how to write pretty for wedding stuff (invitation addressing, place cards, blah blah blah), so now I can do it!

Alli and my other sister Mary had such a great trip, but I am so glad they are home, I missed them both like crazy! Alli totally spoiled me, obviously, but I will think about her every time I write a nice looking letter or wear the lovely pashmina or slip something out of the green purse.

Thank you Alli, you're the best and I am so glad you're home!

It's Really Real!

We booked a date!!!!


July 24th, 2010.


How real is that? I really wanted to jump up and down and squeal when Ryan called to say this was the only date the Polish Heritage Center (our reception site) had left, and did we want to go for it?


We did, and it looks like we're getting hitched on July 24th.


Everything's been so vague, so "I hope we can do this, or this, or maybe this too" ever since we got engaged. And now something is 100% set in stone!

This is how I feel right now!

My New Place of Work

Did I tell you guys I have a new job?

I graduated with my bachelor's degree in Public Relations in December of 2008. I had a part-time secretary job at a big hospital in town that paid my bills in college, and I have been working there while searching for my first career-oriented job.

I started at a video production and marketing firm here in my hometown about 2 weeks ago. I write scripts for real estate TV shows and I do some voiceover work for the same shows. I might (a big might) get to do some on-camera work too.

It's a really laid back office, and so far I like it. They really like what I'm doing writing-wise and my voiceover work is coming along....I even got to record my own show this week!

Me having a full time job has enabled Ryan and I to start planning this wedding, and it's valuable experience for me career-wise. I am sooo glad to be done with the hospital and working on my career!

Beliefnet

Source

Did you know that Beliefnet has a weddings section? This link will take you right to it. It is packed with fun stuff. They have wedding traditions from every faith you can think of listed, as well as meditations for brides and some great articles. They have sections helping you to write your own vows and offer a fabulous and loving toast.

I thought this bit was especially worthwhile. It's from an article called "Goodbye Bridezilla, Hello Wedding Goddess" by Laurie Sue Brockway. You can find the full article here. I thought it was a really neat way to look at the huge life transition that planning a wedding happens to be.

What is it that brides-to-be should be mindful of in between appointments with the caterer and dress fittings?

This is about you going from being a single woman with a boyfriend to becoming a married woman with a husband. This is about growing up and growing into the kind of commitment you once only dreamed about. It is about taking two complete and whole individuals with their greatness and their flaws and merging into a partnership that is beyond any union you have ever had in your life. It's about stepping up to the plate to say, "I do," and being ready to step up to the plate in marriage. The details of planning and the sometimes blinding stress that comes along with planning, I think, are often a diversion from the feelings related to this commitment. Fear and occasional panic are not uncommon.

What are some websites that surprised you with their wedding content?

Weddings and Weightloss

I have been thinking about weddings and weightloss lately.

The day I switched my Facebook status from "In a Relationship" to "Engaged," the ads on my profile page totally changed. At all times, there is at least one weight-loss related ad, usually going something like this:

"Do you want to be a skinny bride? Lose those flabby arms for your wedding dress! Look like you've always wanted to on the day of your dreams!"

You get the picture.

Anyway, I was talking to Ryan about how I'd like to lose about 5 pounds before the wedding. I'm on the higher end of my ideal weight range, and I'd like to be in the shape of my life for the wedding. But it got me thinking today, about how I need to treat my body like a temple, especially in terms of what I eat. And then I thought, it's not all about me anymore. I need to keep myself healthy for Ryan too, because he's counting on me to be there in the long run. I'm not going to be if I shovel grease down my throat with abandon. This puts a whole new perspective on toning up and eating right for me. I need to be healthy not only for myself, but for Ryan too, just as he needs to take care of himself so that he can be there for me. Also, I've always wanted to be lighter and more toned anyway....but I keep putting it off. No day but today, right?


There is so much hype to lose weight specifically for your wedding day, but I am viewing it as a motivator for refining lifelong habits. I run and I try to eat well, but I could be doing much more strength training and I could certainly eat better than I do now.

What do you think? Is the wedding-day weight loss too hyped up? Have you fallen prey to it? How do you view your health and fitness?

Have you ever thought about health and fitness like this before?