"Pitter patter of those feet...

...movin' and a groovin with that beat." Let Me In by The Sensations

We're back!!! Well, actually, we're off again on another trip tomorrow, but I have been so terrible about keeping you all up to date since we got back from the Land of Enchantment! I'll be catching you up while we're gone this time, and hopefully we can get back on schedule by the time we're back. 

So we went to a wedding. It's the first wedding I've been to without actually putting it on since...oh geez. Probably since my sweet friends TiFi and his gorgeous Canadian bride got married back in 2008 or so. But we still got to help, which was so much fun, since it was all the old home people. I do miss them!

Daddy pointing out the sights.

Momma (right) and Mrs. C decorating the cakes. I got to do the chocolate shavings on one!

Me and my sweetie all dressed up.

Sister Fred and Niece Meggles posing for me. (Friend J on left was on furlough from Kenya, -
what a treat to see her! We are almost never in the same state at the same time when she visits. 

Childhood chums of the bride.Me, A, and Fred. (left-to-right)

Two Grandpas. Meggles and my dad, and Mr. S with his granddaughter. (her Mum, Stef, is there on the right keeping an eye on things. :)

Exhausted and sleeping on the way home. :P

So that was the beginning of the trip...next installment--GRANDMA'S HOUSE!!! (My grandma, not Meggles. Ok, maybe a brief stop at Meg's Grandma, but then onto mine.)

Much love!

"You cut me down to size and opened up my eyes...

...made me realize what I could not see." Swallowed In The Sea by Coldplay.

Assuming I feel up to it, I'm very excited for this week! The weather has been so lovely, my sweet husband promised to take me out to the lake to have a picnic. Yay!

In other news, I am grumpy. No one has actually had the audacity to say it to my face, but there's a conspiracy to guilt me into working out.

For those of you who have never even remotely met me, I loathe exercise. Like, worse than mean people, worse than ugly clothes, worse than poopy litterboxes, worse than cooking, worse than cherries and blueberries, worse than those crazy huge centipede bugs in Kentucky. And I hate exercise much more than I hate having love handles. I would literally squish three centipedes, clean a gross litterbox, cook a feast, and eat it while talking to mean people wearing ugly clothes at every single opportunity--with my love handles--rather than work out. And I'd eat blueberries and cherries. Even in a pie. So they're extra slimy.

Every other post on everything (Twitter, Facebook, Reader, Pinterest, Google+) is about how all these skinny, active girls are loving their latest workout and how nothing tastes as good as skinny feels and how Hunger Games has inspired them to work out and how epic they are becoming and how awesome sweat is and how gyms are the greatest invention since fat free ranch dressing.

Well, goody for you.

No seriously, good for you.

I'm glad you all love being super gorgeous and skinny and dedicating your life to that. That's...nice. There are worse things, for sure. Go for it. I'll show up at your next marathon and cheer you on in someone else's convertible, sipping my sweet iced tea and munching on cool ranch Doritos. (No seriously, totally done that. And because you are my friend, I would do it for you.)

My philosophy on exercise is basically that I'll go "work out" if it's a social activity (and yeah, I intend to look as cute at the end as possible, so clearly I'm not working out hard enough. You go for your reason, I'll go for mine.)

I hate sweat, and I hate having to schedule my day around the grossness that inevitably ensues from strenuous exercise. And I think quite a lot of things taste better than skinny feels. Skinny feels...hungry. Chocolate chip cookies taste delicious.

So yeah, go ahead and be epic. Don't mind me, I'm going to eat a cheeseburger and keep on growing this little human inside me. We're pretty happy over here, reading, watching movies, and going on nice, non-sweaty walks every so often, as weather (and morning sickness) permits.

It's not that I bitter. I'm not. I've been skinny...enough...and I would just as soon be happy.

Speaking of, my husband tells me my Mac n' Cheese is ready.

Love!

"Love...

...was made for me and you." L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole.

Hello lovelies! We made it back, and I have a special post for you today! This was the rehearsal dinner for my brother-in-law and his wife, who tied the knot last weekend! My mother-in-law did a fabulous job coordinating the rehearsal dinner, and I was so delighted to be a part of it, doing the decorations! 

We hosted the event in the beach house where we stayed for the wedding, in Folly Beach, SC, which was absolutely fabulous. We had about 35 guests, and a very kind friend of the family actually served the food (which the family prepped and my MIL planned) so we could enjoy the evening (which I certainly did!) 

We did a romantic beach theme, and I went totally crazy because I LOVE beachy stuff (since it's all new and fascinating to this desert girl!). Below are photos of all the decor. 

Photo courtesy Holly Wolking

Photo courtesy Holly Wolking

Photo courtesy Abigail Wolking 

Photo courtesy Abigail Wolking

Photo courtesy Holly Wolking

Photo courtesy Abigail Wolking

Photo courtesy Abigail Wolking

(All unmarked photos are mine.) It was such a blast to decorate for! Congratulations, Matt and Alisa! I'm so happy for you both!

Love!

"Pretty little angel eyes, I really love you so...

...Angel eyes, I'll never let you go." Angel Eyes by Curtis Lee, 1961.

Hello, lovelies!

I found this blog lying unfinished, and I though I'd go ahead and send it out. The pictures are of the wedding I did two months ago with my peeps over at the Cafe, and the musings were very appropriate for the time - and the book (which I draw from, below) was excellent all the way to the end. Enjoy!

All Photos Mine

All decorations by me (created along with a crew of amazing helpers!) going along with the bicycle theme of the wedding. I love all the tiny flags and pinwheels on the cupcakes! (And by the way, if you ever happen to be near the The Cafe in Columbia, KY, stop into the cafe for any of their baked goods - especially the cupcakes or cheesecakes - ok, actually, any of their food! Your life will never be the same.) All the pennants are white cotton, or, around the cake table you can see little paper roadmap pennants made out of maps courtesy of AAA - they went perfectly with the purple and pastel green color scheme!

"You make me smile...

...please stay for a while now." Bubbly by Colbie Callat

Hey friends!!! I was privileged enough to work with the fabulous Cafe on the Square crew last month as we catered and decorated a wedding! Initially it was going to be held at the Cafe, and I was asked to do the decorations and little touches.

Unfortunately (but it all worked out fabulously in the end!) the venue had to change, but my decorations ended up working out all the same! This Smilebox link is a slideshow of the event and you can see all the little special things we got to do!

Love!

"I can't stop...

...Let's go walkin' and we'll talk about some things." Sunday Sun by Neil Diamond

Starting today, sundae's at the cafe! In honor of this occasion (and to help us try to create our own, marvelous style) I'm posting some pictures of gorgeous sundaes from around the web. :)

Enjoy!

...Let's go walkin' and we'll talk about some things." Sunday Sun by Neil Diamond

Starting today, sundae's at the cafe! In honor of this occasion (and to help us try to create our own, marvelous style) I'm posting some pictures of gorgeous sundaes from around the web. :)

Enjoy!

"I'm taking pictures in my mind...

...so I can save them for a rainy day." You're Beautiful by Taylor Swift

So, it occurred to me that I hadn't told everyone about my fabulous photographer! I am thrilled that for the wedding one of my friends from back in the day (back in the Hitman days, if you can believe it) is a FABULOUS photographer, and when she heard I was getting married, she contacted me. We negotiated and she has agreed to come shoot my wedding! I am more excited than I can say--to the point of giddiness, actually. The more I look at her work, the more certain I am that it will be beyond what I ever hoped for! Her work is spectacular--bright and delicious and inspiring. I'm sure you'll agree if you check out her website.

It made me want to go take pictures of my own and create another "line," like Viva la Revolucion or l'ennui. Instead, I've been doing invitations...

I am 1/3 done.

Aaaaaaaaaaand...another playlist, for the continued making of invitations:

Smile by Uncle Kracker

Tu Veux Ou Tu Veux Pas by Brigitte Bardot

Nature Boy by Nat King Cole

She's So High by Tal Bachman

Much love!

Bridal Soundtrack, Part I

I've just come up with an idea for a little series to throw in my blog every now and then this spring, the Bridal Soundtrack. I will link to youtube versions of songs that are helping me cope with various parts of this whole adventure...and just fun stuff too.

The first "set" of songs is inspired by my friend who writes All The Lovely Particulars (who tells me the album the first song is from will be the definitive indie band of the decade). She often finds songs that she correctly thinks will make my heart happy.

Horchata - by Vampire Weekend.

(Don't let the name hold you back--there's nothing creepy about their sound or lyrics.)

It's Good To Be In Love - by Frou Frou

Dearest - by Buddy Holly

Throw Me A Rope - by KT Tunstall

Brightly Wound - by Eisley

Gotta Have You - by the Weepies

This is my playlist while I've been designing the invitations, which I'm pleased to announce have been designed to the satisfaction of all parties involved! We ended up doing linen-press coverstock paper and cardstock, with a rubber stamps (One and Two) letterpress design and a Martha Stewart bird cutout for the last little "touch." The word design and text were simply done on Microsoft Word.

So yes. Now it's just a matter of making them all.

"I don't know where to start...

...say I'm tired or throw a party." It's Good To Be In Love, by Frou Frou

All right, lovelies. Today is a day of momentous decision.

I have decided to make some belated New Year's Resolutions in reference to The Wedding. (For the hopefully very small number out there that doesn't already know, the wedding date has been set for a mere 70 days from today--March 27th.) Here they are:

I will NOT:

-stop blogging because I'm too busy planning. I love seeing peoples' weddings as they plan them, and I'm going to assume you do too. I may not ALWAYS talk about wedding, but then, I just might.

-have the wedding of the century. Too many perfectly nice weddings are ruined by this attempt.

-freak out when things go wrong. Everything goes wrong, it's like a law written somewhere. The weddings where things don't go wrong are weddings with planners, and they DO go wrong, just the planner is the one who sees it. For goodness sake, I've BEEN a planner, and I know!

-stop wearing makeup until the wedding. Some days, maybe. But just because the fiance isn't here to see me, doesn't mean I have the right to scare the little children.

-cry and moan because I don't see my boy every day. Admittedly I feel like it. I also feel like not getting up in the morning. What's the point? But I have it really good, and by golly I can't be a whiny little baby--if I'm old enough to get married then I am old enough to deal with a month or two of separation.

-be bridezilla. Enough said.

...and since resolutions can't be only what I WON'T do...

I WILL:

-put up pictures and ideas to document the work in progress. Momma scrapbooks; I will blog. More people will see the blog.

-make it mine. This is my wedding and I do have a personality of my own and this wedding will include those special little touches that are because I like them, and for no other reason.

-keep perspective. Some things are worth being concerned about. Some things are not.

-maintain other areas of life besides the wedding. I will not stop maintaining my physical needs nor, and this is more important, my spiritual needs--I will grow closer to God through this, and not just coast.

-miss my boy. Why bother trying not to? I miss him terribly, and I intend to lap up this beautiful melancholy by taking advantage of the romantic opportunities available only through distance--what other times will we have to write horribly mushy love letters?

-put my foot down. This is, after all, my wedding.

So there, that's the momentous decision I came to today.

Oh dear, the cat is about to fall off my dresser and take a mess of makeup with her....

"When I'm worried and I can't sleep...

...I count my blessings instead of sheep." Count My Blessings, by Bing Crosby.

So. The date is set. The Fiancee and I are getting married the weekend of March 27th (hopefully on the 27th, though it depends on venue). So much to do!!! I am moving back home to plan, and my stuff is boxed up and scattered and I'm trying to cling to my sanity as I consider all the details and fun stuff coming up with my limited budget.

Besides the mere craziness of ME being ENGAGED to be MARRIED. Eek! Yay! Eek! and Yay! again.

And to top it all off, I'm an Auntie!?!?!??! And little Meggers is beautiful. She's the sweetest little babykin you can imagine--and yes I know I'm biased, but it's also true. She doesn't fuss, she is so pretty, she is friendly and easygoing...love that girl.

So. About to go to church, but before I left, I thought I'd post a few long-awaited pictures of my darling niece, and my darling fiancee (and me) from our engagement shoot. :) Engagement photos by Mark Allen, edited by me; baby photos by my dad.

The whole entire fam, including newest members at Fred and Balesy's apartment. (Photo taken by Debs Francisco)

Baby Meggles with her "Wubbanub," a pacifier with a frog attached. (She loved it.)

Balesy, Fred, Meggles, and Wubbanub.

New Grampa!

Baby's first bath. She's such a sweetie.

I can't descibe to you how cold we were taking this outside one...but it was fun.

Lovely red wall at the Lansdown Golf Club building.

Probably after we'd tried unsuccessfully to take a "serious" picture.

Again, lovely red wall. Also, strange birdsnest things.

Yay! My precious fiancee in front of a Christmas tree!

As an amusing sidenote--I found this link quoting Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband concerning "Engagement Season." :)

"I've got a jewel set sayin'...

...I'm sittin' on top of the world!" On My Way by the Proclaimers

Well, loyal readers, I have great news...in case you haven't already heard via sighting, facebook, text, phone call, email, or another form of communication...

The Boyfriend is no longer the boyfriend. He is now the Fiancee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, dear me yes, and I am SO excited!!! Soon I will post details, but for now I will let photos tell the story. The first set are pre-engagement (by a few days).

The next set are of The Rock (not the one on my hand, you understand) that TiFi and his darling wifey, Niffy and the Beautiful Director and Mr. Finney painted to commemorate the Fiancee's and my engagement while we were home for a wedding. It was a such a nice surprise!

TiFi painting the rock.

TiFi walking up to my car about to make fun of me not realizing why I was driving out to the gas station next to The Rock.

The back of the amazing Rock.

The side of the amazing Rock.

Me and The Fiancee in front of our fabulous Rock. :) Thanks Finneys!

Proposal Story to come soon.

I am SO EXCITED. This is such a sweet surprise! I had no idea, six months ago, that I would be planning a wedding with the most amazing man in the world and the love of my life before 2010!

And speaking of big news...my sweet sister, Fred, and her husband Balesey are still waiting on Georgie (the baby) to appear. I will post with pictures as SOON as humanly possible after she arrives!

But in the meantime, I got to be with the Fiancee for 16 days in a row--which is a record for us and was simply marvelous. Also, the parentals are out here with me staying in my apartment so as to be nearby when Georgie is born. We had a lovely Christmas together--first Christmas Eve when I got to be with The Fiancee's family, then Christmas Day with Momma and Daddy and Fred and Balesey and The Fiancee all together. Except for a ridiculously uncooperative turkey, it was perfect.

Isn't it ironic?