#250: MARRIED!

We are married!!!

I will post pictures and a recap later but being the dedicated blogger that I am, I'm writing this in the town car my Aunt Stacy got for us on the way to our hotel!

I just had the best day of my life!

#249: Rehearsal

It was hot. At our rehearsal. I think I sweat a whole gallon. Luckily, it soaked into my dress and no one could tell...


We had a very busy but productive rehearsal today. Then we had a delicious rehearsal dinner thrown by J's parents. With a seriously heavy assist from Grandma Page, Uncle Randy and his girlfriend Joan. It was amazing. A bunch of people shared funny stories and words of encouragement. Then Josh stood up and thanked everyone for everything. Then everyone asked me to say something.

And the waterworks started. I couldn't speak for what seemed like a long time because I was crying so much. All the emotions I've held in for the past 18 months of planning (and 23 years of my life) all seemed to come flooding out at that time. I felt an immense rush of thankfulness for my parents, my girls, J's family, and J's guys. These people helped to shape us into who we are today. We wouldn't be where we are (ONE DAY FROM OUR WEDDING!) without even one of these people.

I love you all!
Here's a blurry, but lovely picture of me and my girls at the rehearsal dinner :)

#248: 2 days to go!

This is insane. ALL my family is now here. Thirteen of us in total sleeping here tonight. I'm loving it.

The rest of our flowers came today. Red roses are my favorite, but obviously red isn't one of our colors, so we went with white. These are some gorgeous flowers!

J and I had a hot date this morning. We had breakfast at Panera, hit up the car wash AND filled my car up with gas. How romantic. Then we came back and did a little painting DIY job that was still left to do and then I sent him home to spend time with his family.

ALL of our projects are done. Every single thing wedding related thing is done. Tomorrow is a play day! I do have a few gift related things to do, so I'll need to steal some time away from my sister and cousin (both bridesmaids) to get those done, but it should take no more than an hour or so.

Tomorrow, most of my bridesmaids and I will be getting our nails done in the morning and then spending the day together. I'm ready to just relax and be pampered! Our rehearsal is at 4pm, and then I can't wait to see how beautiful (and yummy!) our rehearsal dinner will be!

Can't believe in 44 hours I'll be a married woman!

#247: Look What Came Today...

Remember this post about giving my first born for a certain flower?

Well, I never updated you on the flower situation.

THESE came today:

This is actually how they came:

It's crazy how a couple hours, clipped stems, a bucket of water and a cool basement can transform a flower. I am ecstatic that I got my peonies! AND I didn't have to promise my firstborn. I just asked my mom to look around for different vendors. So glad, I was kind of looking forward to getting to know my first child...

These beauties also came:

Green lisianthus! My momma picked out this flower and it's gorgeous!

In other news, this is what my closet now looks like:

There are:
-an outfit for breakfast with my love tomorrow morning (our last date before the wedding!) and shorts for later in the day
-an outfit for Friday morning/afternoon (mani/pedi and lunch!)
-rehearsal/dinner dress (seen here)
-dress for the day after we get home from Mexico (we fly in the night of 4th of July and are staying with my parents overnight and then driving home the next day)

I packed  up the rest of my clothes, so my dresser drawers are empty as well. Strange but happy feelings ensued! 3 days until I am a MRS!

#246: 25 Years

Today is my aunt and uncle's 25th wedding anniversary! Since my aunt is here and my uncle is at home in San Diego, we wanted to make today special for her. We got her a bouquet of flowers, a chocolate cake (that was to die for!), and we all signed a card.

I made a delicious salad for dinner. On a bed of fresh spinach, we piled up red onion, cucumbers and strawberries with grilled chicken. It was amazing. And to top off the anniversary day, we toasted to 25 years with some champagne.

I am so grateful that my aunt is here, helping us get ready for the wedding. I'm sad she had to miss her actual anniversary, but I'm selfish. So I'll say I'm glad she's here instead :)

Happy 25th Anniversary, Auntie Kim and Uncle Greg! I love you! Can't wait to be celebrating 25 years with J when you're celebrating 50 years together!

#245: Park It!

Your butt, that is. On our new couch! My cousin Kristin (seen here) and I drove down to Richmond for three purposes today:

1. Show Kristin our apartment
2. See J's handsome face
3. Go with J to buy the couch he picked out ALL ON HIS OWN. Major points here. He went to multiple furniture stores, without having been asked, and proceeded to send me picture after picture after picture of possible couch candidates. I am happy to announce the birth of our new couch:

I can't wait to have this in our home! It will be delivered (Lord willing they don't run out between now and then...long story) the day after we return to the States from Mexico. Can't wait to spend my last week of vacation on this baby while J heads back to the grind.

Please note: we haven't named her yet. him yet. we don't know the gender yet.

Tonight we pick up Grams from the airport. So excited! Haven't seen her in almost two years. That's way too long to go between Grams visits.

#244: Getting Stuff Done!

It feels so good to cross things off a to-do list. Crossing them off a wedding to-do list is even better.

Today I/We:
-packed for honeymoon (About 75% done)
-finished half of centerpieces (The really hard ones! And the other half are 90% done)
-finished ceremony wording (I lie. I'm doing that after I post this.)
-worked on favors
-ate popcorn (This was a huge one. I've been craving it for four days!)

Ok, that doesn't seem like a lot. But I did more. More that I can't share just yet :)

SIX DAYS!

#243: Festivities

Sorry I'm late posting tonight! I've been hanging with this girl:

This is Kristin :) She is my cousin and one of my best friends. Picked up her and her momma at the airport tonight. They flew in from San Diego and are staying until the Monday following the wedding.

Crazy to think that in ONE WEEK I'll be an old, married lady!

#242: Betcha...

can't guess what this is going to be:

Any takers?

#241: Last Minute Details

Remember this post about music? Well...the ceremony music was all that I had done. Sad face.

So, ten days before the wedding, this was happening:

J drove up yesterday to get some music off my computer (to make the playlist for our DJ), rather than having my stressed out, computer illiterate self try to send it to him via dropbox. And we missed each other. Three days feels like an eternity now!

I am happy to report: all of my favorites for the reception are in our playlist and ready to go!

Can't wait to dance the night away!

#240: Last Day!

Today was my last day of work. I have been at this job for five years, six months and eleven days. Yes, I counted.

I absolutely love/adore/respect everyone I've worked with here over the past five-plus years. My boss and I have had so many laughs, so many cupcakes, and SO many burrito bowls from Chipotle. We've been through some tough times too and I knew I always had a sounding board in my him and my other coworkers. We've said goodbye to some of our little family, and welcomed a few new faces, but we've always remained the tight knit group I grew to love.

I'll miss the comfortableness of working with my patients. I'll miss chatting about celebrities and recipes, and I'll miss seeing some of the smiling faces of strangers turned into friends. I know I'll keep in touch with everyone, but the day to day life of being in the office can never be replaced.

This place and all the people who work/live/get treated in this office have changed my life forever. They will always have a special place in my heart and I cherish all the memories made here.

But, in the words of my replacement's little sister: "Peace out, beansprout!"

Now, onto the next big adventure! Marriage in TEN days!

#239: Piddow

I love the adorableness that is my youngest nephew. He is so much fun to be around. We've been teaching him awesome new words. Last week it was athletes: Dirk Nowitski (go Mavs!), Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. This week it is even better: whiskey, bourbon, vodka and rum. He likes the word "rum" the best. Just like his auntie :)

I can't wait to see what he does during the wedding ceremony! He and my other nephew and my niece are going to steal the show!!

#238: Last Monday

Remember this post? It was about how many Fridays I had left at work.

Now I don't have any more Fridays.

Today was my last Monday.

This is SO weird.

Tomorrow is my going away lunch with all my coworkers.

Bittersweet is the only word that comes to mind. So happy to be getting married and starting a new life. But sad at the same time to be leaving my work family.

12 days!

#237: Bachelorette Party!

A and A threw my bachelorette party on Saturday night and boy, did we have a blast!

Here's a few pictures:

Me in my getup :)

 Georgetown Cupcakes! Yum!

 The spread!

A and A! Beautiful hostesses!

In the elevator heading out to dinner!

 All of us girls at dinner

 A, J and me

 K, A and me

Me, A and M :)

 Waiting for the other 3 girls to meet us at dinner

 All of us outside the restaurant

End of the night! 

So much fun! Thanks to A and A for a wonderful time :)

#236: Moved In, Part Two

When we left the apartment on Thursday (well, J stayed), this is how it looked:

 Dining room (and my awesome pops!)

 The kitchen was FULL of boxes. Thanks to Ma G and Beth for getting those all emptied and the stuff put away!!

 Guest room. Obviously missing a bed. Because I'm still sleeping on it here. The cedar chest and chair in this picture will eventually end up in the master bedroom.

 J's office. It looks MUCH better now :)

Our room! Notice the bed...

 It helps to have a power cord for the pump for a Sleep Number bed...I forgot it at home. So J had to sleep on top of all the foam we could find for two nights. But I'm happy to report that all is well now.

Daddy and I on the way home!

J and I made awesome progress with unpacking on Sunday, but I was too tired to take some pictures. But trust me, it's looking like a home!

#235: I Can't Help Myself

I did it. I changed my hair again. Don't worry though, I left the color alone this time.

I went back to my old hair stylist, Erika, for a much needed "trim." By "trim," I mean four and a half inches. Don't be alarmed...I asked for that much to be chopped off. My hair was a hot mess. The color looks awesome, but I felt awful putting it onto dead hair. My ends were split and dry and my hair just felt gross.

After an hour of Erika's magic, it has been transformed!

 Blunt bangs with the blond highlights

Sideswept bangs again with darker color (taken this morning)

Enough hair to cover a small animal

After!

I promise you. No more hair changes in the next FIFTEEN days!

#234: Moved In!

Since there's so much to share, I'll be breaking this into two posts! Lucky you.

We moved into our apartment today! J and I were so blessed to have such great help today. Our dads and my brother (along with us) loaded up all the stuff I had (that was packed) at my parent's house into a trailer (thanks to my boss, Dr. Stinson, for loaning it to us!) and a van borrowed from one of J's friends. We made the trek down to Richmond (I was wayyy ahead of the pack and arrived about 30-45 minutes before they did.

J's mom and I arrived at the apartment at literally the same time. I backed my car into the parking spot and put my car in park, look up, and see her doing the same thing. Love it. She met us down there after loading her car with some of the stuff J had at their house.

We unloaded our cars in time for our third mommy, Beth and my brothers from another mother, Ben and Bryce, to arrive with even more of J's stuff. We were in the process of unloading their cars when J and the dads arrived with the trailer and van.

Coupled with the heat (heat index of 105 today!) and the small set of stairs we had to constantly go up and down, we were pouring sweat. I'm happy to report that I smelled WAY better than the boys. Trust me. And I got a good whiff of J...blech. But he loves me when I smell bad, so I'm happy to reciprocate. That's what love is all about, people.

All in all, it was a 12 hour process from the hitching of the trailer to our return home tonight. We spent the majority of the afternoon building furniture (and by we, I mean the boys), doing laundry (me) and unloading, washing and putting away kitchen items (thanks to J's mom and Beth for that!).

Fun fact: when we moved from San Diego to Virginia 14 years ago, my dad's mom (my mom's mother-in-law) unpacked our kitchen and put everything away. Today, J's mom (my future mother-in-law) did it. Love it. Those mother-in-laws are awesome.

Ok, I know you're itching for some pictures:

 Getting on the road!

 

View from the front door (dining room)

View from the front door looking left (living room)

 My beautiful kitchen!

 It's really not super dark. There was a bulb out in the track lighting.

 

My favorite part: the laundry room. I seriously love doing laundry, and having its own room makes it that much more fun. Call me crazy if you want. I call it awesome. 

Another view of the living room. 

Tomorrow, I'll show you what it looked like when we left today. So much stuff, yet we still need so many things

#233: Auction Hunters

After I got to Richmond last night, I plopped on the couch and watched what J had on tv. It was a show called Auction Hunters. I wasn't thrilled that it was on the Spike channel, but it looked super interesting.

After watching about two hours of it, I'm hooked:

Auction Hunters Trailer
Tags: Auction Hunters Trailer

#232: KEYS!

I drove down to Richmond last night, so J and I could go sign our lease this morning. I didn't want to attempt to get up early and potentially fail, making me late to work. So after work, I got on the road.

This morning, we got up early and got dressed and ate breakfast. Unfortunately, neither of us felt very well. J was in worse shape than I was. I'm not sure what it was, but it was not fun. I'll spare you the details.

So we get to the office of our apartment complex, and our leasing agent tells us she doesn't even have our lease typed up yet. No biggie, we were ten minutes early anyway, so we just sit and wait. About fifteen minutes after our apartment time, she brings us a few papers to read and sign while she works on the rest. After all the papers were signed (except for the one we sign after the inspection), we headed over to our actual unit.

We met some new friends in our apartment. Namely, a dead roach, a spider with a huge web and four egg sacs AND a huge HUGE HUGE bug. I didn't venture in the bathroom to check that one out, but the view I got from the bedroom across the hallway (J's office), I still got the heebie jeebies. Blech. gross. disgusting.

Marie (our leasing agent) handed us our keys (after taking our money, of course) and now the place is ours! It still hasn't sunk in yet. The whole getting married in seventeen days thing hasn't sunk in yet either. But I am on cloud nine.

Move in day is set for tomorrow. It's supposed to 105 degrees outside. Please pray for us (totally not joking). J stocked our fridge with water today, and we're planning on getting pizza to feed everybody helping us, but I'm hoping and praying no one passes out from the heat!

 New keys on the key ring! The red one is our pool pass.

Our apartment key is almost identical to our current house keys (my parent's and the M hive!)

#231: Happyness

Since my recent days have been filled with stress, I decided to make today's post about things that make me happy.

 1. Engagement night. I love this picture because: a. I was so completely oblivious the night we got engaged, b. J was so calm and cool and c. my hair looked awesome.

 2. Apartment. I love that in just two short days, this kitchen will be mine. I cannot wait to make meals in this kitchen for my husband.

 3. iPhone. We are almost done with having to FaceTime!

 4. My engagement ring. Every time I look down at my hand, I'm reminded of just how much J loves me. He loves me so much he wants to marry me!

 5. Shellac manicures. This stuff is the ish. I'm telling you. A manicure that lasts over four days is amazing. But this takes the cake with lasting over fourteen days!

 6. Graduation. So happy and proud that J and I are both college graduates.

 7. My dark hair. I absolutely love the color. I adore it.

 

8. My wedding shoes. Cannot wait to wear these ALL day on June 25th! 

What makes YOU happy?!