It's a Date!

(So I started this blog to mainly write about planning the wedding of the year my big day and I've done a terrible job about sticking to it! But I'm determined to get it in gear and kick my own blogging ass!  Without further ado, we return to your regularly scheduled wedding content)

After John and I got engaged, we had to start plotting out points on the drawing board. The first step: choosing a wedding date! When we started to brainstorm wedding dates, there were a few factors to take into consideration:

1. Neither of us wanted a wedding in the same month as our birthdays. March and September were knocked out of the running.

2. As far as I can remember, I've always wanted some part of my wedding to take place outdoors, so it couldn't be a month where it's freezing. Farewell to November-February. Idaho winters can be brutally cold!

3. As much as I love summer, I hate outdoor weddings in the sweltering heat! 100+ degree weather + wedding dress + hair/makeup = a hot mess! With that being said, we kicked out July and August.

4. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone wants to be a June bride.

After we laid out our demands, we were left with a few months for a suitable wedding date: April, May, and October. Now, I should probably say that I've always, always, always wanted a fall wedding. So we decided that we would go with October for the month. The tricky part was choosing a specific date.

Anyone who lives in Idaho knows that the weather changes every 5 minutes. In order to have a partially outdoor wedding, we had to choose a date in the first half of the month. Initially, we decided that October 4th would be a good day but after we did some venue shopping, we changed our minds and settled on a Friday evening soiree. In 352 days, on October 3, 2014, I'm going to become Mrs. Straight!

Here's to having fingers crossed for a warm breeze and blue skies!

What was the weather like on your big day? Am I a total freak for having so many rules for choosing a date? Did your date have a special meaning for you?

Finish the sentence....

Because I routinely cyberstalk read Holly's  blog, I've decided to participate in her linkup today! It's also has a little something to do with the fact that I can't post a blog weekly to save muh' damn life!

My happy place...the shoe department of Nordstrom! I could sit on the floor and be surrounded by designer shoes all day, errday. I'd try on every damn pair of overpriced, too tall heels that they had (...except I have to work for a living, womp womp).

Whatever happened to... 

So what if I.... am eating Costco pizza for lunch for the 3rd day in a row! Yeah, that's right...leftover pizza people! Also, I'm aware that I do need to fit into a wedding dress next year...I'll run it off later!

E! needs a reality show about... people who's first and last name doesn't start with a damn K. 

My go-to fast food meal is...oohhh...the options are endless! But if I HAD to choose, I guess I'd with a big bean n cheese burrito, cheddar fries, and a ginormous Pepsi from Tony's Mexican Food in Riverside, CA. Oh goodness...I'd hop in the car and drive there now if I could!

You might not know that I... secretly like working all the time. I have a really hard time being at home with nothing to do so work keeps me occupied (and paid...holla)! 

The hottest quarterback in the NFL is... honestly, I'm kinda feeling meh about NFL QB's but if I had to pick...Colin Kaepernick! Hello GQ cover!

If I could... afford to have a hair stylist and makeup artist work for me daily, I would do it in a heartbeat! I'd love to have a team getting me ready for work/life everyday and I hate blowdrying my own hair!

My personality is awesome because... I say it is! Ha, but really folks, I've been getting better about not sweating the little things and getting rid of the negative in my life. It's been exhilarating :) 

Twerking is.... the new bump n' grind. Every generation has a little dance that scandalizes/horrifies parents and this is it! 

I think it's super gross when... women don't take care of their eye-yi-yi-brows! Get those things waxed, tweezed, or threaded! Eyebrows should be nice and groomed and accentuate the face, people! 

Someone needs to tell Miley Cyrus.... be your damn self girl! Haters gonna' hate! Madonna scandalized people, Britney scandalized people, etc. She's an "artist", let the girl be!

I'm still alive!

Well, it's been an epic fail on my part...I've been MIA for a few weeks from this ol' blog. So much for meeting my goals, eh? Life has been busy while I've been on my hiatus. John was gone for 16 days doing Army training and I've been working/surviving in the meantime. I head out next Monday evening to Seattle for a 5 days to partake in and celebrate Aaron and Ilia's big day! I am really excited and can't wait though I will miss my love while he stays home and starts school.

Anyway, some good things happened while away, including getting our engagement photos! Woohoo! We took our photos back in June and July, thanks to the weather, we had a 2 day shoot. I was super excited to hear from Angie that our disc was ready and we met up as soon as I had a free minute! This was my first time working with her and overall I was pleased. By picking out my favorites, she was able to see which ones I loved and what style I'm wanting for our wedding pics. Also, neither of us were creepily over edited and the photos actually look like us. I don't have the full disc with me (another fail) but I'll share a couple of the photos that I have saved (from facebook, so sorry if the quality sucks) and absolutely love:

We took advantage of getting our pics back and designed our save-the-dates! We'll be holding onto them for a few more months before they hit mailboxes but it was definitely exciting to make them! I can't wait for all of our guests to receive them, I think everything will start to feel more real. 

Well kids, that's it for now but I'll do my best to touch base on a more regular basis!

Date Weekend Recap

For the first time in I don't know how many months, I had an actual weekend off and it was GLORIOUS! John also managed to get the entire weekend off and we took full advantage of actually being able to spend time together, hence date weekend! This summer has been a crazy whirlwind and I really feel like time has flown by! My other half is leaving me for 2 weeks at the beginning of August for military training and we get to spend a whopping 7 days together before I jet off to Seattle for Ilia and Aaron's wedding week! Anyway, we had a date weekend to make up for the lack of time we have. Here's a list of my favorite things from this weekend:

1. We went wedding ring shopping! This was by far my favorite moment of the weekend. We were at the mall and went to every single jewelry store they had but Fred Meyer Jewelers stood out by far with the best selection and customer service. Plus, they have an onsite goldsmith who can help make something custom to fit my ring! John is much more easy to please and wants a Tungsten band. I loved seeing John with a ring on his hand! I can't wait until we buy our rings :)

2. Since it was ridiculously hot outside, we went to the movies: Pacific Rim (which was actually good) and This Is The End (hilarious). I would've preferred to see Pacific Rim if it was at Northern Lights, they have the best food and desserts. Overall, 2 awesome movies in the nice, cold AC.

3. End of summer shopping! We managed to score some good deals on stuff for our honeymoon! I snagged some really pretty swim cover ups while John got new swim trunks! Jamaica...why must you be so far away?! Next summer is when I'll really be going crazy looking for a honeymoon wardrobe.

4. Lunch at Mickey Ray's BBQ--delish! Their mac n cheese was topped with bacon and so good! The portions were huge and the drinks were served in mason jars (which I love).

5. We got to sleep in! I haven't slept in until 11 or later in a long time, so it felt good to not have to wake up to a beeping alarm clock! My body actually felt rested and I didn't want to take a nap midday. Plus the cat enjoyed getting to sleep in with us and not being woken up because one of his humans had to leave for work or school.

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and I'm glad we had the opportunity to spend some quality time together. It definitely makes us appreciate one another more when date nights are scarce. We'll definitely be trying to squeeze in a date during our one week together in August before summer is officially over!

Friiiiii-day!

I'm still alive! I was lame and totally forgot about posting last week, therefore already breaking one of my goals for this little blog. Sad day, I know.  Let's get you up to speed with a quick recap of what's going on in my life.

Last week was the 4th of July and I took full advantage of having a day off! I went floating on the Boise River with John, Kasey, and Jordyn. We rented a six person raft and it gave us so much room to lay out and work on our tans while floating. Also, it has been officially noted that I can't paddle to save my life, so let's hope there isn't any paddling required of me for the rafting trip in September! As a result of this floating trip, all 3 of us girls got a nice case of swimmer's itch aka a rash on our arms and legs. It is terrible! Despite that, if you are ever in Boise in the summer...float the river!

I've also started working on a few wedding crafts! Current projects in motion: creating mint mason jars and barn wood signage. I've been working on the mason jars while watching tv in my spare time and they are turning out really good! I have about 1-2 dozen more to go but luckily, I have some amazing friends who keep volunteering to help me with my crazy schemes! Thank goodness for them :)

Our wedding website is now up and running! I finally uploaded pics and put in all the important info that is currently available. I even started our registries...woohoo! We decided to do a honeymoon registry for our excursions/extras and an Etsy registry for the bridal shower. I know it's still more than a year away but we cannot wait!

That's really it...work and wedding, those 2 things are a constant in my world. But to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way!

High Five for Friday!

Another week has come and gone! Hello weekend! This week has been another busy one per the usual. Here's the top 5 things that have made my week!

1. Passport holders: Our honeymoon isn't until December 2014 but I've been looking for an excuse to buy a cute passport holder for myself and John. Cue the Kate Spade Surprise sale and my new passport holder!

Next up was finding a masculine but still nice passport holder for John. Naturally, I turned to Google and it suggested this little gem from Pottery Barn. Leather and a monogram?! SOLD! It arrived a few days later and he loved it!

We weren't planning on any out of the country vacations until our honeymoon but we may need to take a quick trip to Canada to break these babies in!

2. I got to meet baby Dylan! I have been friends with Dylan's parents, Kenny and Tiffany, since the 7th grade. I'm also pseudo-aunt to his big sister, Sophia, my favorite 4 year old in the world. She's going to be one of my flower girls next year! Anyway, I finally got to meet the little guy a few days after he was born and he looks just like his dad!

3. We had our 1st day of engagement photos over the weekend. When I had been checking the forecast the entire week before, it had said 88 and sunny. Let me tell you, that day was not 88 nor was it sunny. We were able to get all of the pictures done at Wood River Cellars and a few done at the Greenbelt. We are having our other day of pics done on July 3rd and the forecast currently says it's going to be 99...ugh. Here is my favorite photo of the sneak peeks that I've seen so far:

4. John is going to drill this weekend, so I'll be flying solo. Luckily, I have tomorrow off so I'll be starting the day with my favorite Zumba class at Nampa Fit Studio, the best gym ever! I'm excited since I rarely am able to make it anymore due to my ever changing weekend schedule for work. I'll also be heading to Indian Creek Winery with my good friend Jacqui for some wine and crafts! We'll be making a "redneck wine glass" and just enjoying girl time.

5. John, my mom and myself got to meet with our wedding designer this past week! We are going to be working with the amazing Heidi from Ira & Lucy Vintage Rentals and I am so excited to see what she comes up with for our big day! We got to talk to her about how we want the overall feel of the day to be, what little things are special to us, and every possible detail in between! We also got to tour the venue with her and get a better feel for what we can do to transform it just for us. I can't wait for everything to come to fruition within the next 15 months!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Just Checking In

So, in keeping with my goal for this little blog, I'm making my minimum weekly post! What a week it has been!

For the past year and a half, I've been working 2 jobs which is how I end up working consistently 60-70 hours a week. I work my full-time, grown up,enables me to buy designer goods job and then I work part-time at JC Penney, in the men's suits (and sometimes fine jewelry) department. I started the p/t job to help pay off my student loans faster but since I've gotten engaged, the flow of money has shifted to help pay for this big day. Sometimes working these crazy hours sucks but I have a light at the end of the tunnel, so it's worth it. Anyway, I don't how I got on this tangent, other than to say it's been a crazy/busy week! 

I spent last night shopping for a dress for my brother's girlfriend to wear for our wedding because the bridal store where I purchased my dress from is having an amazing sale! My dressmaker/seamstress, Shera, is absolutely amazing! I feel like I just mesh well with her and she gives legit criticism of a dress and doesn't just try to sell something, which is something I found at a lot of other bridal salons. Also, she is so freaking creative and helped me figure out what to do for my bridesmaid dresses! I chose 5 amazing but differently shaped girls and she is going to create something fabulous for me! I only wish that we were getting married this October so that I could see everything sooner! 

Last night, one of my oldest friend's (since 8th grade!) had her sweet baby boy! It also happened to be her 29th birthday, so happy birthday Tiff! I co-hosted her baby shower last month and it was so adorable! Welcome to the world, Dylan Marshall Patchett!

In other exciting news, John and I have our engagement photos this weekend and I cannot wait! I've spent all week trying to prep and figure out what to wear! John's outfits are all hung up and ready to go while mine are in the "narrowing down" phase. I've been scoping out pinterest trying to see what other people have worn or suggest. Our wonderful photographer, Angie, has chosen the beautiful Wood River Cellars for our location, which is awesome! I'm really looking forward to our shoot since we plan to use the pictures on our save-the-dates and I can't wait to be able to share them with everyone! 

One more day until the weekend!! 

High Five for Friday!

Woohoo! It is the end of what seems like the longest week ever! But really, that's something I say every week. Anyway, I've been reading Kate's blog for the past year or so and she always does a "high five for Friday" post and I love that idea! Also, she has the most amazing hair ever and I'm jealous!

Here are my Top 5 highlight's of the week/coming weekend:

1. I finally got the Old Navy tank top that I had been coveting since seeing Mama Laughlin wear it a few weeks ago! It turns out that the tank is sold out online and there are very few left in stores! Luckily, my wonderful fiance snagged one for me! I had to wear it that night for a nice 3 miler. (Don't mind the flyaway hair and sweaty, red face- this is post run.)

2. Jason Aldean/Jake Owen/Thomas Rhett concert tickets arrived! Tickets went on sale last week and I was lucky enough to get a presale code from Taco Bell Arena and able to order them a day ahead. It paid off and we got floor seats! I'm looking forward to going to this show with my good friend/old roomie, Jamie and my brother's girlfriend, Kim.

3. It's Father's Day this coming weekend! I am lucky enough to be blessed with both an amazing dad and a father. My dad has raised me since I was 3 and I truly am lucky to have him in my life. My father and I have developed our relationship later in life and we are at a really good place now. He was just blessed with the birth of my new little sister, Olivia, last month!

4. I placed my 10th order with Kiki La'Rue on Monday and now get an awesome discount with every order! I absolutely love this boutique! The clothes are fabulous and the customer service is incredible! I ordered my dress Monday and had it on Wednesday! Did I mention the boutique is in Texas?! That's some fast shipping! Also, Becka, the owner, answers any and all questions about the clothes and always posts pics on Instagram so you can seem them on a real person!

My 10th Purchase: The Modest Dress, it's so perfect for work! I think I need the pink one next!

5. I bought an awesome deal this week for whitewater rafting! I've always wanted to go and finally get the chance! Due to my crazy schedule and lots of stuff going on this summer, it looks like John and I will be going last minute during Labor Day weekend. I can't wait!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Review: "Something Blue" Influenster Vox Box

Woohoo! I am excited to say that I got my first vox box from Influenster yesterday! I only signed up for Influenster a month ago after seeing some of the stuff my other friend's were getting, so I was surprised to get a vox box so quickly! Also, most of the time when I get free stuff, it's nothing too great or even stuff that I'll use but I can honestly say that is NOT the case with this vox box! Now, without further ado, let's review the contents!

1. Luster Now! whitening toothpaste: Last week, I had my 6 month dental cleaning and was talking to my hygienist about what I could use to whiten my teeth before engagement photos this month and voila, this arrives in my box! It couldn't have come at a better time! John and I both started using this last night and will use it 2x/day until pictures in 11 days, I'm hoping to see some definite results from it. The toothpaste, which comes in Fresh Mint,  doesn't have a bad taste like other products I've used in the past. It's also only $7.99 which is a good price compared to some of the other options I had been looking at. If this does the trick, I'm going down to Walgreens and stocking up!

2. Dr. Scholl's For Her Ball of Foot Cushions: I have used Dr. Scholl's for Her products in the past and have been really pleased with them, especially the inserts for flats. I wear high heels or flats 5-6 days a week and coupling that with running, my feet get pretty jacked. I actually think that I'm going to put these in my wedding heels, which I've already purchased 16 months ahead (second wedding purchase!). I can't imagine wearing/standing/dancing/posing for pictures in them all day long and not being comfortable. I'm really excited to try these and am sure I'll love them.

3. Kiss Ever EZ Lashes: I am a huge fan of fake eyelashes and cannot wait to try these! I got a set of KPDO4 and KPD05, which seem to be the right length and fullness. (I always worry that I'll either look like Honey Boo Boo or a tranny when wearing falsies!) Anyway, these come with applicators for easy application, hence the name, and I am super stoked for that because I have been known to glue my lashes together before by accident. I definitely plan on wearing a pair of these for my engagment pics!

4. Q-tips Precision Tips: Who doesn't love q-tips? These precision tips are perfect for fixing makeup, especially at the inner corner of your eyes, or cleaning up excess nail polish from an overzealous pedi. Also, because these are the real deal q-tip and not some cheap knock off brand, the cotton swab won't tear or fall apart during use. The vox box had 2 packages of these and I'm definitely going to be tossing one into my purse!

5. Urgent Rx Fast Powders: This is probably the product that I am the most excited to try! I tend to get really bad tension headaches that make me nauseous, even after taking medicine so I'm really hoping that this will be effective. It's a powder that you just pour into your mouth-no water necessary! If this works, I'm heading down to the nearest store and stocking up for my purse, desk, and house!

6. My Trio Rings: Now this wasn't an actual product but a brochure about their rings. The concept is really cool: engagement ring, her wedding band, and his wedding band for one set price. They have some really gorgeous looking rings too! I already have my e-ring but I am loving the vintage feel of this ring for a wedding band. I think it's a wonderful idea, especially for a couple who might be on a budget and does not want to sacrifice taste.

Welp folks, there it is, my review of my first and hopefully not last Influenster Vox Box.

**These products were provided to me at no cost by Influester for the purpose of reviewing them and providing feedback. I was not paid for any of these reviews.**

My first blog post!

I've decided to bite the bullet and start blogging. I love to read other people's blogs about their goings on, so why not do the same? I'm not going to lie, a lot of my posts will probably be wedding related for the next 15 months or so, so don't say that I didn't warn you! Besides work, wedding planning is pretty much taking over my life and by extension, this new blog. 

As with any new venture, I do have a few goals for this little blog of mine:

1. To post weekly. I definitely don't have enough time to post daily, or to quote the ever wise Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time fo' that." Truer words have never been spoken. 

2. I'd like to provide my family and friends who are scattered over the country/world with a better glimpse into my life than facebook and/or instagram can provide. 

3. Somehow Influenster considers me to be a bit of critic, so I'll be using this blog to review the cool little Vox Box that they'll be sending my way. I'm actually anticipating the arrival of the "Something Blue" box any day now, so stay tuned for some product reviews! 

Anyway, I hope to keep you all informed and at least slightly entertained by my life...so here goes nothing!