wonderful weekend!

This weekend was a blast! I went skiing *for the first time ever* yesterday. Embarrassing considering I've lived in both Alaska and Colorado. But hey- only took me 22 years to find out its not as hard or as scary as I'd always thought :)

Yesterday, I went with D, his best friend & his girlfriend up to Pennsylvania for a day of skiing. It snowed all day which was nice but FREEZING! Overall a great new experience and an awesome workout- I am HURTING today!

Sundays are my favorite days- D and I were lazy today and just hung around the house cleaning and doing laundry, made a trip to Whole Foods and he just left to go back to school for the week. Tonight, I'm hanging out staring at the TV alllll night :) currently catching up on the newest episode on Big Love. I just love love love Ginnifer Goodwin as Margene.



Here is to a wonderful week! my amazing father turns the big 5-0 on Wednesday!

xoxoxoxo

engagement pictures :)

D and I made the trip to Austin to meet up with our wedding photographer (he will be traveling to Dallas for us) in late December for our engagement pictures- and it was AMAZING. Francis (his website can be found here) did such a wonderful job at making us feel so comfortable and relaxed. I really cherish these photos and know I will for years to come. Thought I'd share a few of my favorite with ya'll....






If you can't tell- I have a serious obsession for black and white photographs! I already ordered a guestbook on blurb.com, I'll post that another day. I will say it turned out beautiful and I'm so excited to use it in our wedding!

This weekend, D and I will be spending some much needed time together, hopefully making a trip back to DC (I have so many things I want to cross off my list before we move in June!) and also he will be going to a Bikram class with me tonight! Happy Friday and HAPPY WEEKEND :)

xoxoxoxo

let the beat build

No, I'm not talking about Lil Wayne. But if you do have a soft spot for raunchy rap like I do (embarrassingly enough- D can't stand it) you recognized my title. If not, good for you!

Lets talk wedding music.

I still remember the exact moment I knew what song would be played at my wedding. I was 7, my mother and I were in the Nordstrom shoe department and the pianist was playing Canon in D. I looked up and told her that's what song I wanted in my wedding. She still remembers this moment. Pachelbel's Canon in D is just a very beautiful and traditional song- an obvious choice for a wedding. I've decided to have our wedding party walk down to this. For your listening pleasure:

Canon in D

(Sorry I'm slow and don't know how to post it as a video...)

However, the song I want to walk down the aisle to is a bit different. My mother and I would watch Legends of the Fall for HOURS growing up. Don't get me wrong, it was a great movie- but the music was BEAUTIFUL. A bit dramatic- but hey we are tying the knot right? Honestly, it makes me tear up a little every time I listen to it.

Ludlows

xoxoxoxo

Get a grip!

Okay I seriously need to get it together. I've been obsessing over something for the past 3 months and I just can't get it out of my head. I need it. I want it. I MUST have it!

You see, I need a dog. I need a dog so bad I've almost been convinced by my roommate to get a cat because its 'kind of like a dog.'

I love dogs. I'm what people would call a 'dog lover'...not to be confused with this girl (ps she's too cute).

Anyways the problem is this: I live in an apartment and I work 10 hour days. Thus, no puppy in its right mind wants me for its mother. But, I made D promise that once we're married and living wherever we might be come July- we can get a puppy :) We will still be living in an apartment/loft but I won't be working super long hours and will have more time to spend with the pup.

So, ever the planner I have a few breeds that I'm looking into:

The Goldendoodle. Petri Dish puppy? Yes, please. SO CUTE and no shedding? Sign me up.


Westie.Yellow Labrador. D is beyond preppy so it makes sense he would want a lab. I grew up with labs- so I know exactly how messy they are and how much work they require. Which is why I'm a little hesitant on the lab deal.

What about ya'll? Any favorite breeds/ones to stay away from?

xoxoxoxo

finally made a decision!

We finally decided on bridesmaid dresses!

Having 9 bridesmaids (the result of joining a sorority)- it has been really really hard finding bridesmaids dresses. Everytime I found a dress I liked- say at White House Black Market- it was a race to see if the sizes were available/if the ladies had a store in their region (we all live in 4 different states)/and if the dress would properly fit them (all different body types).

I have to admit when I started shopping for dresses I didn’t want to go with David’s Bridal. Call me snobby but I don’t like the look of most of their dresses- and I’m not a fan of their sales staff. But a few weeks ago I was getting desperate. So, I looked online and founds these beauties (in black):


They’re simple, black, and I know every bride says this but they really CAN wear them again. The ladies went and tried them on/ordered them this weekend and sent me picture messages- they look too cute!

I’m planning on having them wear black pumps because I have a weird issue with open toe/strappy sandals. One of my quirks- I only like them on some people.

Also, we decided on a hair style which I’m really excited about. As a bridesmaid gift, I’m going to be giving them a white hair flower pin to wear for the wedding. They will wear their hair like this:
Isn’t it so cute? PS: Dear Carrie Underwood I love you. It also works because even girls with short hair can get extensions and look very pretty. I’m so in love with the hairstyle I’m even thinking of wearing mine like that! My hair is medium length, will be long by the wedding, but I still think I’d like to wear extensions just for it to look extra long. Any of you ladies have any experience with hair extensions?

Happy Tuesday!

xoxoxoxo

crazy weekend ahead...

My prayers came through! Yoga last night was not as nearly excruciating as Tuesday night. I think it had a lot to do with my eating during the day (no junk!) but also drinking 3 nalgenes of water, and half a coconut water before class. Because I wasn’t so sick all throughout class, I was actually able to get a great workout and stretching in- leaving me super sore today. It might just be me- but I love the sore feeling right after a workout  I’m not going to go to class tonight, but I am toying with the idea of attending the 6AM class tomorrow morning…umm we will see about that though ;)

Tonight I am going to my weekly cooking class (that started last week!) with D’s sponsor mother. She is an AMAZING COOK and used to be a chef so I definitely took her up on her offer to teach me. Last week we made cheese stuffed peppers, marinated chicken, and an orange marmalade salad dressing. AMAZING! Tonight she said we’re going to try a pasta recipe…I’ll keep you updated on that!

I’m very excited because one of my best friends, K arrives in town tonight for the weekend. I haven’t seen her sense I moved which has been 6 months! She is in the Peace Corps and is leaving in February for Armenia, so her coming to visit really means a lot. Katie and I plan on taking her to a winery (!!) and then just around town. My old college roomie, M from Seattle also gets in town tomorrow night! M is such a sweetheart and I always really enjoy my time with her.

Overall a VERY BUSY weekend!

On the wedding front: We found an organist! I’ve been worried that we might not be able to have live music during the ceremony, but D’s mother bbm’d me the other day to let me know she was able to find one :) Very exciting- I think the ceremony music really sets the mood.

Happy Thursday ya’ll!

xoxoxoxo

hit by the yoga bus...

Ohhh myyy..

#1 I am so out of shape it is embarrassing.

#2 I got hit by the yoga bus last night.

Overall, exactly what I expected. I made sure to drink plenty of water and tea yesterday, and took an emergen-c with me to class (usually helps me tremendously!)but honestly it did NOT help. I felt like I was going to die about 15 minutes into the 90 minute class. I thought I was going to throw up so I had to squat for a few of the poses (which has never happened before). By the end I couldn’t wait to run out of the room- at 105 degrees it definitely isn’t paradise, but when the instructor walked around with ice cold washcloths I thought I was in heaven! Its funny- no matter how miserable I am during the class, the second the instructor turns the lights off and we relax on our mats, no matter how sore by body is- it’s all completely worth it. Like child birth. HA I kid I kid…

After class she asked me how I felt, and I responded with “ehhh awful,” and after laughing she replied that its totally normal. In fact, the goal of your first class is to stay in the room. I barely did that.

I’ve been chugging water today and have a coconut water that I’m going to drink before class. Pray for me tonight’s class goes a little smoother!

xoxoxoxo

back to bikram!

I’ve been feeling super stressed out lately, anxious about EVERYTHING. I think it could be the wedding- I did have an awful nightmare this weekend that a funeral was happening at the same time of my ceremony, and my dress had hideous poinsettia embroidered all over the bottom(!!).

Well, I was talking to D about it and he agreed I seem really edgy/moody lately. Soo…

D surprised me with a month membership to Bikram!

I used to practice Bikram in Colorado, but since moving here I haven’t been able to because the tuition is so expensive.

I am so so so excited to get back into the grove of Bikram. For those of you that haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it. Its not for everyone, Katie said she was uncomfortably hot and didn’t get a workout. But I just love it, I love the heat and I love the stretching after a long day sitting in a computer chair! Wish me luck, my first class is tonight from 7-8:30…

xoxoxoxo

the clarisonic!

Okay. So there may have been some confusion between myself and the court. Turns out I don’t have jury duty until tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that goes well.

So I had said I would FINALLY do a review on my Clarisonic cleanser. And let me just tell you- this thing is AMAZING. I ordered mine through QVC, and they were offering a great payment plan for 3 months. Basically, I’m paying about $50 dollars for three months. Which meant it hurt a little less when I finally purchased this puppy! I started using the cleanser day and night on December 25th (yes Christmas day!). And to be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure if I was totally sold on it. My skin WAS the softest I have ever felt in my entire life- talk about the best exfoliation ever. But, I started breaking out about a week and a half after I started using it. Nothing MAJOR (like the nightmares I’ve gone through on birth control) but still, I was breaking out. I googled “Clarisonic Purge’ and found that many other women had experienced the same thing, and they said that after awhile it stopped and they had amazing results. Well I am happy to say that 3 weeks after starting to use the cleanser, I AM IN LOVE WITH THE CLARISONIC. I’ve never really experienced clean until now. Currently, I am using Cetaphil as my cleanser. I was using a Rare Minerals formula, but it was too harsh for my skin to use with the Clarisonic. Especially you ladies that are getting married soon, I would definitely consider investing in this- as I said before I am giving up facials for this and LOVE the results. My face look smooth and a few color pigmentations/scars have started to fade.

I hope ya’ll found this helpful, let me know if any of you purchase the system!

xoxoxo

xoxoxoxo

growing up...

Welp. That’s it. I’m really an adult.




Tomorrow I report for jury duty. Might I just say that sending an envelope to an unsuspecting young woman labeled ‘court summons’ is really quite rude!

Honestly, I’m a little interested in how the day will go. I’ve never been to a courthouse (for real isn’t that a little weird?) so I’m definitely looking to this an a learning experience!

If you remember, I mentioned a few days before Christmas I bought a Clarisonic. Welp, I’m giving it another week or two before I review it. I read online about a ‘purging’ (um gross) stage your skin goes through and I think I am just ending mine. I’ll keep you updated though and give a full review in the next few days.

In other news, I’m making dinner tonight, spaghetti squash! I LOVE spaghetti squash because I’m a pasta addict and this is close to it without all the calories and carbs. If ya’ll haven’t tried it I definitely recommend it!

As for the rest of today, I ran to Target at lunch and intend on drinking a bottle of Day-Quil and endless Emergen-C drinks (acai is my favorite flavor!) at work today. I. Feel. Like. Crap.

xoxoxoxo

obsessed.

Katie and I recently upgraded to Comcast On demand (this was HUGE HUGE HUGE for us lol) and I am rather embarrassed to say I've been parked on my couch ALL WEEKEND. I will say that I had a hang over from hell all day Saturday so didn't feel like moving much at all :(

MY NEW OBSESSION:


Big Love is seriously just so good. If you haven't seen it GO WATCH IT NOW. I will say that it takes a few episodes to get hooked, but you won't regret it I promise!

Hope ya'll had a wonderful weekend!

xoxoxoxo

a blessing!

Exciting news!

D’s sister called last night and had us put her on speaker phone for an announcement…

SHE IS HAVING A BABY GIRL!


We are SO HAPPY & EXCITED for her and her husband and we feel so blessed- her tests have all gone well and the baby is growing and healthy! The doctor says the baby is looking big so she might move the due date up :) Currently, she is due a few days before our wedding! The last week of May and first week of June are going to be such a wonderful time- D will graduate, we will be blessed with a niece and get married!

PS: did any of ya'll collect Anne Geddes as a child like I did? It was RIDICULOUS my room was covered in babies LOL.

xoxoxoxo

first post of 2010!

Happy 2010!

I am finally back after my nice LONG 11 day vacation!

Texas was AMAZING and I am a little sad to be back at work (aka reality!). We had such a great time in Denton with D’s family. Christmas was WONDERFUL. D surprised be with a pair of Hunter wellies! They aren’t here yet but once I get them I’ll be sure to take a picture. He also got me a beautiful pearl ring that I’ve been wanting for awhile. AND a nice watch- I had been dropping hints and he picked up on all of them :) Such a sweet man! His parents got us a bunch of things off our registry which was so sweet- I never thought I’d be excited to receive a spice rack for Christmas!

I was able to meet with the cake baker and finalize our cake design :) I’m looking for something very classy and traditional, nothing too crazy or trendy. This is the photo I gave her (from theknot.com):




After Christmas we drove down to Austin for our engagement pictures. I’d never been to Austin but had heard amazing things- and the city definitely lived up to my expectations! Even though we are friends with our photographer on twitter and tweet back and forth, this was our first ‘real’ meeting. Luckily we just love him! We met at a bar (I had D drink a few beers before the shoot-lol he needed to loosen up a little!) in downtown Austin, and from there we went around 6th street and took some great pictures. I must say I was a little nervous at first, making out and staring deep into D’s eyes generally isn’t something we do in public! But he made us feel so comfortable and we really had a great time together. I can’t wait to share them after he sends them over!

From Austin, we went to Houston where Navy was playing Mizzou in the Texas bowl. SO MUCH FUN. D’s best friend and his gf actually DROVE down from Chicago so it was great to spend time with them too. All in all it was a great week and I’m sad its over :( Luckily D doesn’t have to return to school until next week so we have all week together (minus my work). We find out in a little over a month where we will be stationed when he graduates so that’s very exciting! OH, AND we get married 5 months from today!!!!

Happy Monday!

xoxoxoxo