Vacation Obsessed.

We spent the 7 days post-wedding with this as our back (actually it was more like side, but you get the picture) yard. I had been very excited about the trip, but I still never considered myself a "beach" person.

Until now.

I am consumed with the planning of a return trip we are going to take next spring. Even though its far away. And I know it won't be the exact same because it won't be immediately following our wedding, but I'm hoping it will be just as awesome, if not a bit better since it won't be their rainy season. (It never rained for an entire day, but it rained every day at some point, hence the awesome price of the condo we stayed in.)

I'm not sure if this is goes to show just how much we dislike our jobs or just how badly we needed a vacation. I can be a pretty high strung individual, but give me 2 to 3 beach vacations in a year, and I think I would be A-ok.

I had been warned about post-wedding blues...how I would be so sad that it was all over. Wedding-wise I couldn't be happier it is all over. I hated wedding planning. The wedding day itself was awesome, and yes, if I could replay it just once, that would be cool. I am however quite bummed the honeymoon trip is over....but the silver lining is the blissful we-just-got-married tone of our lives right now. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before...i sort of reminds me of those first 6 months of dating, minus the anxious "do they really like me" feelings, but that doesn't really sum it up either.

It is just so strange knowing I'm going to go gray with this guy...I mean, we put it in ink and everything (completely his idea, no joke):


PS- Tattooing slightly sunburned skin is a SUPER bad idea, but what can ya do when your new hubby wants matching tattoo's with your wedding date? Oh and I changed the look around here just because a little change sometimes can do ya good :)

Can't Hardly Wait.

(Remember that movie? I haven't seen it in years but now I want to...)

16 days.

I've been teetering back and forth from excited to upset a lot this week....mostly due to PMS but also because I have 16 days to work out lots of things for w-day and we have about $140 to make non-food wedding purchases with...and to live on until next Friday.
And I'm scheduled for a hair cut and color Saturday at 11:30 and thats $65. I was going to get the old eyebrows waxed too, but I think I'll have to cheat on my stylist and go to Regis at the mall so I can shamefully put it on my Visa.

But still, I can't freaking wait until the 29th.
To be married (!)
To be surrounded by all the people who are important to us.
To see people I haven't seen in a long-ass time.
To meet Fiancé's out of state friend from college and to have him meet my oldest friend who lives in Chicago now (hopefully he makes it)
To have a sense of accomplishment that we did it.
To spend an entire week relaxing.

There was a time in my life I honestly didn't think I would ever be doing this, but I've never been happier and I feel more like myself than I ever have in my 24 years and 11 months of living.

32 days...

...til the wedding, and, my dress is being shipped to another store as we speak. It could possibly be there anytime this afternoon and I spoke with the owner who assured me she would call if this is the case.

I contacted the dress designer again last week and they contacted this other shop, whom they do business with in order to have it shipped there. I have to pay what Sharnett Bridal owes the the designer...but that is only about half of what I paid Sharnett in the first place. So yes it sucks, but I would've probably ended up spending that much or more on a new dress and I love my original dress so why get someting different?

We have the bridesmaids squared away as well (since their dresses were also ordered from the store that closed) a la Target online. I love me some Target!!

Somewhat related but pretty random: I came across a forum posting on my bridal networking site where a bride just bought her 4th dress, and its a month from her wedding. It said something like "I'm finally satisfied" or something. I can't imagine putting myself through what I've gone through with my dress in the past month on purpose...but, to each his own, right?

I'm actually getting excited about things...and not just excited for the honeymoon, but excited for the actual wedding day, woo woo!

Secrets, Secrets

post secret really spoke to me today with these two. Especially the second.

My own little secrets: I'm terrified of our money situation right now, I haven't done shit for my Master's Thesis since telling my advisor I want to finish up before August and the BIGGEST one: If one more person asks me "what my colors are" or talks about "MY big day" coming up, I think I might lose it. I HATE being the soon to be bride. I cannot wait for this wedding to be over and to be Mrs. H and be on the beach for a week with Mr. H.

Ahhhhh I feel better. Anyone need to leave a secret? Feel free ...anonymous or not.

Happy freakin' Monday. I'll try to post a blurb about the Wedding Shower and how things went later, but we'll see.

Long.

Long weekends: they rule but have a way of leaving you exhausted and wanting more. 3 days off is not enough. Only about 3 months until the honeymoon week of nothingness on the beach in Florida. It can't come soon enough.
We somehow managed to hang with some friends and see both of our families over the weekend. We were very well fed, but not very well rested and spent a crazy amount of time in the car. My family is about 45 minutes from where we live, and his is about an hour and half, depending on traffic. Very worth it though, we had a great weekend. I think I'm a little more than bummed that it is over. Oh well, must press on with life.

We are going to take the invite materials to the printer tonight...hopefully the price is similar to my calculation of around $30 since money is a HUGE issue right now...there just doesn't seem to be enough for our already low budget wedding.

I've been striving to be as active as possible every day...even if it means doing the free step mode on the Wii Fit for 30 minutes while watching TV at night. I did that last night...but this was after I fell asleep on the couch for an hour. It was one of those "I didn't even realize I was asleep until my phone rang and woke me up" types of naps.

I have work I should be doing but can't seem to get motivated. Blarg.

I promise to have more interesting things to say next time.

Thrice.

I see I have more than the lone follower these days....I think that deserves a huge WOO-WOO! Thanks for making me feel loved followers!

I've written before about how I don't care if no one reads this...because its nice to have a quiet place to spew randomness. Alas, I'm discovering it is also nice to get feedback on the randomness from perfect strangers as well, so keep it coming...and tell a friend if you so choose.

So 100 days from today is our wedding. I'll be the blushing bride, trying to eating breakfast (with a mimosa fo' sho') at this point 100 days from today. I'm excited, but still a bit worried about money and how things are going to be executed.
We are going to Kinko's next week to drop off the invite paper for printing....and Fiancé is (supposedly) going next weekend to choose clothing for the men folk. My shower is next Saturday...and I'm mildy excited about this as well. Plus, Fiancé's mom and sister will probably throw me another one sometime in June for his side of things, since they are all based around Columbus. Woo wedding crap. Overall, I'm still way more excited for the trip to Florida at this point and for everything to be done with.... is that messed up? Oh well if it is.

Crafty time.

Thank goodness I have people who love me enough to help!
The two types of centerpieces:

They will each have three tea lights around them as well....estimated total cost for materials to make 7 of each: $50

My bouquet:

I'm very proud to share I found these little wreaths at Micheals that we took apart and are the orange and green and brown stick thingies...I may not be able to assemble things, but I had a vision and my sister's friend executed it for me.

The girls bouquets all look like this:

They have gold sparkly swirly things sticking out of them, just hard to see in pictures. Estimated total cost of bouquets, man-flowers and corsages for moms and the two g-mas: $50

I purchased the after-wedding vacation airfare yesterday. Two people flying from Ohio to Orlando, nonstops both ways: $354.40. Thank you Airtran. Oh and we don't have to sit by strangers. It was $24 extra dollars, but I think it was very well spent...and I get the window cause Fiance doesn't care, woo!

I revised the ceremony wording a bit and outlined the processional and recessional as well as made a rough outline for the reception. I think I may have the most organized DIY wedding ever. Thank you slight OCD tendencies. The ceremony still isn't perfect, but I'm going to show it to Fiance soon and see what he thinks.

I'm actually getting things done, woo-hoo.