cason - 3 month sneak peek

right before the wedding I had the chance to hang out with this wonderful family again and document cason at 3 months old!  I'm just now having a chance to look over the pictures.  Here are few favorites so far...

married!

back to life....back to reality...

this is the song I am singing over and over again today as I'm at work, it's monday, and it's dark, gloomy, and storming.  Where is my lazy river? my beach bed? and our pool hammocks?!?!  alas...the honeymoon is over.  That means blogging is back and I've got lots to share!

First up...a sneak peak at some wedding pictures!!! more to come...thanks again to the always awesome Mary Rosenbaum for making sure I remember our special day with the most beautiful pictures!

wedding week!!!

hi friends...so...this is the week!  Here's the countdown...

2 days until these lovely ladies are in town up to no good...

3 days until family starts arriving and are welcomed with Nashville goody bags with info like this...

4 days until we decorate, rehearse and see fun pictures like these...

5 freaking days until I marry this man!!!

6 days until I'm relaxing on this beautiful beach...

source

online shopping

I've never been much of an "online shopper." I don't like to pay shipping...I like to try clothes on and see colors in person...so me and the internet...we never fit well for shopping buddies. 

cue wedding planning craziness...

Oh my goodness!  I love online shopping.  I swear I buy something everyday online (I promise it will end after the wedding Josh...maybe).  It's crazy! I can't necessarily show you all the things I have bought online (full wedding reveal will be post-wedding) but I can tell you where. 

1. Esty
Holy Cow! What did we do before etsy?!  Browsing Etsy has not only shown me things I need to purchase, but it's given me ideas and inspiration for so many things.  I used etsy to order wedding jewelry, bridesmaid jewelry, accesories, gifts, bags, and ribbon.

2. Snapfish and Shutterfly
gotta have pictures...parents love gifts with your picture on it.

3. LLBean
we ordered our new luggage

4. Land's End Canvas
I don't ever shop at Land's End.  But I got a gift card for being at TBCH for 5 years so I needed something to buy.  Their Canvas line is a bit younger and when they have sales, their stuff is reasonably priced...AND if it doesn't fit you can return it to Sears (random, huh?).

5. Anthropologie
Sometimes it's just easier to buy it online ... pray it fits...if not you can return it to the store, no harm done!  It fit though! BONUS!

where do you like to shop online?

a house of cards

as most of you know, I work at a local Hallmark store.  However, I rarely buy the cards.  I know. I work in a card shop, because I love cards, and I never buy them.  The shame.

In high school I started making cards for friends for birthdays and special occasions...and I suppose I really haven't stopped.  Part of me just feels like it means more if I make the card myself...more personalized and special.  So...for the last 18 months I've been making Josh cards, for all different occasions.

here is the first card I made him:

It's fun to see a lot of the cards on the fridge or around the house and think back to what was going on at those different points.  I LOVED the card I made him after we had been dating for 2 months...

you can make a card for EVERY occasion...

more monthiversaries...

for our 6 month dating versary I made a timeline of all of the fun things we had done...

of course holidays get cards as well...

so the next time someone you think is awesome has a birthday, or there is a special occasion I'd encourage you to bust out some glue, tape, scissors (though I tend not always use scissors) and make something special for him or her.

the wedding countdown is 18 days! HOLY MOLY! if blogs are a bit more sparse than I'm more than likely off wrapping, ordering, packing, finalizing, moving, punching holes, tying twine, and everything else!

we're gonna party like it's your birthday...

today is a special day. 

It's my friend Katie's birthday!  My friend Katie...she totally gets me...except my love of my birthdays...and her not so much love of her birthdays.  Here's a blog about why I love Katie, why you should love Katie, and why Katie should love her birthday :)

I met Katie in 2004 right when I was about to graduate from college.  She moved up here from Florida to be an youth intern at the church I was an intern at.  This meant we lived together and worked together.  Sometimes I get in "my life is just too busy to be friends with anyone" mode.  This is how I was when Katie moved in.  She didn't stand for it.  She made me sit down and talk to her and we've been bestie's ever since.

It's why I love Katie.  She always pushes me to be a better person...to love more, to laugh more...to not wear overalls as much...
In the past 7 years she has taught me...
that my faith should be my own faith
how awesome publix subs are
baggage from the past can help mold you and mature you into the person God created you to be
sonic ice is a treasure
hugs are ok
quality time with friends is priceless
dancing is always a must
God truly does put people in your life to simply love you for who you are

see Katie...this is why you love birthdays.  People say awesome things about you on your birthday!

I hope this year is full of life, love, and other mysteries...that you can catch some Dawson's Creek episodes in there, we can spend holidays together, sing some Kelly Clarkson, give me some fashion advise, work jobs that you love with awesome people, travel to a fun place, have many wonderful days full of naps and watching TV, go to hip hop class, and that you daily realize how much people love you and how much God continues to use you to mentor, encourage, and love others.  Happy Birthday! LYLAS!

it happened again...

pretty much 4 years ago (and about a week) my dog...then just a few months old, had to have surgery b/c he ate an entire plush toy.  20 stitches later, he was ok.  In the blog post I wrote about it then, I mentioned he may do it again.  Turns out...he did.

My dog, Bauer, he likes to eat socks and underwear.  He's pretty cool like that.  Typically he will eat it (by eat, I mean swallow the entire thing while you are yelling at him not to eat it) and 2 days later throw it up.  It's a cool trick. not this time.  this time he ate a sock...he didn't throw it up...it got all the way to his colon and began causing problems.  After a trip to the ER, pain meds, an IV, and surgery...the sock is out and he is recovering.  We hope to pick him up this afternoon.

oh...and I'm getting married THIS MONTH!!!!