Wedding Madness!

This weekend has seen the completion of many items on my wedding to-do list. Of the items not completed, they are well on their way to being finished! Andrew and I made a major loop yesterday to visit various places and get things finalized! It feels soooo nice to have things checked off the list, and it will allow for a more enjoyable spring break as the week progresses.

First, Andrew and I stopped at The Vineyard at Riverbend Chapel to meet with our wedding coordinator. While we were there, we made decisions on the order of the ceremony, colors of the linens, and asked some questions about odds and ends. My favorite question asked was from my mom... "Can we replace the picture in the bathroom for the evening?" Ha! Amy laughed when I asked her that... and agreed.

A view of the estate at Riverbend. I love it here. I could spend countless hours here just enjoy the serenity. I cannot wait to get married here!

Andrew and me in the chapel! I cannot wait to say "I do" in 83 days!! It is soooo exciting!

I cannot wait to walk down this aisle to the man of my dreams! It is getting SO close and SO exciting!!! I'm about to burst!

Ok, ok... After I was pried away from Riverbend Chapel, Andrew and I drove to Office Max where I found my new best friend. I don't even know her name, but I love her with every ounce of my heart. I brought in the invitations, RSVP cards, and Fred (my jump drive). She immediately got to work, and in no time flat, I had the most amazing invitations, RSVP cards, and inserts (because she was THAT awesome) ever! The invitation process is what has stressed me the most (Why?! I don't know!), and this lady made the experience so nice! Anyways, I left Office Max a very happy customer and would recommend them to ANYBODY for all of their printing needs!

After Office Max, Andrew and I made a trip to Labadie to eat at Hawthorne Inn. This restaurant is catering our rehearsal dinner (what a fun place to eat while we're finalizing wedding plans!)... and is sooooo good! We enjoyed flash-fried spinach (yum!) and a bacon and onion pizza. It was such a nice lunch!

After lunch, we made a trip to Florissant... home of Wedding Wonderland. Goofy name, but they do a fantastic job! While we were here, we taste-tested cakes, were greeted with the best service ever, and picked out an absolutely gorgeous cake! Not only will the cake taste great, but it will look stunning! This yet ANOTHER business that I would recommend to anyone! Thank goodness for Riverbend, or we would have never know this place existed! Check in after June 5th to see pictures of our awesome cake! ; )

After Wedding Wonderland, we scooted down the road to Cabella's. Andrew had participated so nicely in all of the wedding plans- and never complained once! He had a gift card to spend, and I was more than happy to go with him! He bought a nice new knife, a heavy duty work shirt, and groomsmen gifts while we were there! I also finished up the bridesmaids gifts... although, I'm happy to say that they did not come from Cabella's. Not that it's a bad thing, my bridesmaids just wouldn't appreciate that!

With this, the day pretty much ended... we did a few more odds and ends things, but nothing to really blog about... Until I got home for the evening.

Once I made it to Sullivan, Mom and I got to work on the invitations and quickly figured out that we would need more glue dots... So, off to Wal-Mart we went!

While there, we made a couple more purchases for the wedding, and I finished up the rest of the shopping for the girls in the wedding! It is such a good feeling to know that that part is over with! Once I got home, I finished what I was doing for the invitations, and then I put my tired butt in bed.

Today (Sunday) was a super fun, and productive, day! I found out as soon as I woke up that my niece and nephew were coming to visit! I was so incredibly excited! So, I showered and then waited!

When they got here, my niece... who is also my flower girl... asked if she could help Mom, Miranda, and me with the invitations. I gladly accepted her offer!

She was helping me separate the inserts. : )

What a great flower girl! She was such a big help! I was wishing at this point that I had the stamps for the envelopes... We really could have accomplished a lot!

Mom and the Maid of Honor are hard at work on assembling the invitations! They are gorgeous and EXACTLY what I wanted!

Me and the best MOH ever! I love my sister!!!

My cute little nephew made life better just by being here! It was so good to be able to pick him up and give him a hug when I was growing tired of invitations!

So, overall it was a pretty fantastic weekend. Andrew and I had the perfect time completing wedding plans. We truly had so much fun, and it will be a day that I remember for a long time. Also, it was so nice to have the help of my mom, sister, and niece this weekend! Everything is looking so nice, and I can FINALLY see light at the end of the tunnel! My stress level has decreased immensely, and I know that this break will see a lot more accomplished!

Plans for tomorrow: Visit grandparents!!!

Theraputic Tuesday

I deal with stress in many different ways. I cry. I retreat. I whine. I avoid. But, among these very normal things, I also relieve much stress by making wreath and listening to Norah Jones. I discovered my love for making wreaths during my second semester of college. I was avoid finals, and I really wanted a sunflower wreath. I made a trip to Hobby Lobby and discovered that I could make EXACTLY what I wanted for half of the price of a premade wreath. After successfully completing my first wreath, I was in love. I went on a wreath making spree. Everyone received one. To this day, I make wreaths when I am the most stressed. Sure, it's a way to procrastinate, but it's also a way to refocus. I discovered my love for Norah Jones last semester when a dear friend (who is also my study buddy), introduced me to her during the dreadful finals week.

Today was "one of those days." It's midterms. The wedding is drawing near. Clinic is busy. And, some other things happened today that just made it "one of those days." Amazingly, I made a Hobby Lobby trip yesterday. I had a gift card (thanks, Melissa!), and I reeeaaaallllyyy wanted to make a new spring wreath. I hit the jackpot. So, tonight, I just could not focus on studying or writing the paper I need to write, so I got out my wreath making supplies, turned on Norah Jones, and got to work. I am very pleased with the way my creation turned out. Pictures do not do it justice, nor do they show how cheery and springy the wreath truly is. I hope you enjoy despite the inability of a photograph to truly capture all of the colors.

All of my supplies... floral pieces, wreath, hot glue gun, wire cutters, extra glue sticks, and Norah Jones.

Close up of everything I had to work with!

Final product! As I said, the picture does not capture the varying shades of pinks and purples, the bright yellow, and the spring green berries. But, it's still gorgeous!

Close up to show more details!

I am feeling much more relaxed, and I am now ready to face a night of studying and writing. When I get frustrated, all I have to do is look at my front door and smile.

I love Spring.

Weekend at a Glance

Starting tomorrow, I am going to be kicking myself for enjoying the weekend as much as I did. But, for now, I am going to sit back and reminisce.

First of all, our new desk came in! Since we are getting married in less than three months, we are trying to create the optimal amount of living space. We are trying to organize the house so we can fit everything in without going crazy. This desk allows for more drawer space as well as a better set up for homework.

Andrew is hard at work putting the new desk together!

Andrew is being silly! I love when he does this!

Final product! : ) Since this picture was taken, a large peace lily has found a home next to the desk. Also, several organizational items have found a place on the desk top. We love it!

Now, for even more news... Andrew bought me Pansies this weekend! Pansies are, by far, my favorite potted flowering plant. I love seeing their happy faces as I walk out of my front door. He's such a wonderful fiance!

Getting ready to pot!

Such a happy treat!

A shot as I walk out my front door! : )

I had enough to fill two pots for my front steps! I got these adorable white pots at the Dollar Tree today! It was a rather successful dollar store trip I must say!

One last Pansy shot. This is the one I feel in love with at Lowe's. I think it's the cutest little thing ever! I love it!

While Andrew and I were enjoying the outdoors and doing some yard work, we had the windows in the house open. Theodore loves this time of the year, and he goes from window to window to enjoy the fresh air. He also cries to get outside with me and Andrew. Mostly Andrew... Theodore thinks Andrew is here for him and him alone. He adores Andrew.

So, Andrew decided that Theodore needed to experience the gorgeous weather with us. It made me a nervous wreck, but Theodore loved to soak up the sunshine!

Here he is soaking up the sunshine. He was perfectly still in Andrew's arms! It was hilarious.

Here I am with my gato... I did not realize how HUGE he has gotten until I compare this picture with one taken when I first got him. Oh. my. gosh!!! He's so fat! I love it!

Despite the fun Theodore had inside, we had to put him back in because he was getting a little too adventurous. While inside, I decided that I wanted to play dress up. He was adorable.

Surprisingly, he left it on. The scarf threw him off a bit when he tried to walk and play, but overall, he did not mind. I think he looks like a little old lady. I think he's too cute for words. HAHA!!

And finally...

... Stay tuned to find out what this little surprise is! Andrew spoils me!

Biscuit Pizzas

My week ahead is going to be a busy one. I also have my fiance here for the weekend. So, that means that I wanted to bake this weekend. I love to cook for Andrew, and I also enjoy having easy meals to just pop in the microwave when I am going to have a busy week. I wanted to try a new recipe this weekend, and biscuit pizzas fit the bill. They sounded quick, easy, and I thought that they would reheat well throughout the week. They are also easy on the budget, and I had the choice to make a lot... or just a small amount. I chose to make two cans of biscuits so we would have some to eat on this weekend, and I could reheat them during the week. You can make any type of biscuit pizza you desire, but here are the ingredients I used:

Buttermilk Biscuits

Pizza Sauce

Beef

Mushroom Slices

Onion

Mozzarella Cheese

Flour

Non-Stick Spray

After preheating the oven to 425, follow these quick steps!

First, we browned the ground beef.

While Andrew was cooking the meat, I flattened the biscuits and coated them with a light dusting of flour before placing them on a baking pan lightly sprayed with non-stick spray.

After the biscuits were ready, I began the layering process.

While I was putting the pizza sauce on the biscuits, Andrew was doing the dirty work and chopping the onion for me.

You can put on as much (or little) sauce as you would like. I tend to like a lot of sauce while Andrew likes to have a lightly sauced pizza.

Next, I put a layer of mushrooms on the pizza. After, of course, letting Andrew steal a few out of the can! He loves to do that!

After the mushrooms were on the pizzas, I began to put onions on as well. Yum!

And, now for the most important layer (to Andrew!)... the beef!

Sprinkle lightly with cheese before putting it in the oven to bake.

Mmm!! They're looking good!

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes (we switched racks halfway through).

Let cool...

... Serve and enjoy!!

These little pizzas were a big hit with my fiance (which is a must for a new recipe)!! After we both ate as much as our stomachs would allow, I put the leftovers in Ziploc baggies for easy storage. These little pizzas are easy to grab on the go, and they reheat wonderfully.

These little pizzas are also ideal to make with children, because they can create their own pizza. I would encourage the adult to brown the meat and be the one who puts them in the oven. But, the youngster can enjoy all of the other steps and feel a sense of pride in creating their own dinner.

This dinner was definitely a success, and will be a recipe that I use for years to come! I hope you can enjoy it as well!

New Growth

Oh, how I love spring! Everything about it... waking up to chirping birds, sunshine, gorgeous weather, and the Earth coming back to life! For the past couple of weeks, plants have started making their appearance, and just this week my Bradford Pear tree started blooming. Like I said above, I absolutely love this time of year. I finally had time, and felt well enough today, to go out and photograph the miracle of spring.

This is the start of the daffodils that Andrew dug up and replanted for me last year. As the spring progresses into summer, this whole area will be filled with tall grasses and irises. I love this little area.

Here is a larger view of this area. Like I said, in a month or two, this area will be so fun and full of life!

Here is a shot of the buds beginning to form on my Bradford Pear. This tree is so beautiful in the spring! Last year, this tree suffered greatly after a terrible storm ripped through the area. It used to be perfect... the right shape, full, and tall. Now it is missing almost half of its left side. I was sad when I saw the damage that had been done. I am hoping this spring and summer will bring growth to my tree.

And one more angle. Aren't the skies gorgeous today? I looove blue skies, I loooove this weather, and I loooove this time of year!

I hope you are noticing all the many blessings that God sends in the spring. Take time out of your day to see the beauty of this Earth and marvel at the creation our God has put here for us to enjoy.

First Wedding Package!

I opened my mailbox today and received the most wonderful surprise from my Aunt Elva and Uncle Walt. I couldn't wait to walk into my house and see what was inside! Take a look at the first wedding gift I've received! I had to take pictures because this is a very special milestone!

The package!

The contents! Those are coasters that my Aunt Elva handmade! The book is a flip book of 365 Best-Kept Marriage Secrets! That should be interesting!

I cannot imagine how much time it must have taken to find those pictures, print them, and then create the coasters! What a special gift! Not only was it the first I've received, but a lot of thought and hard work must have gone into it!

And, not to mention, my favorite aunt was the giver!

I just had to share this special moment in the wedding process!

Thank you, Aunt Elva! I love you!

invitations: how i loathe you

This weekend I decided to attempt the inevitable. I began addressing the dreaded invitations for the wedding. Not only did I start them, but I also finished. I was quite proud of myself. With a bit of help from my mom, I completed all four lists of addresses (mine and Andrew's, Mom's, Dad's, and Andrew's parents). I was a good sport for the most part... Well, that may not be quite the truth. But, in the end, they are still addressed and ready for the next phases.

Ok, so maybe I wasn't being the best sport about it. This was at the beginning when Mom was helping to figure out etiquette rules for addressing invites. Thought on that: etiquette (in regards to addressing wedding invitations) is for the birds.

Still not being a very good sport. I think I was still stuck on the first invitation (addressed to my Granny Miff and Grandpa Jack), and I was about to call it quits. haha!

I have finally gotten the hang of things. Hence the smile on my face. The smile is also due to the fact that I'm addressing a very special invitation to a very special flower girl. : )

Ok, now the real effort is in place. This is when I decided that I MUST get this finished or else I will be dreading them for an even longer period of time. I finished half of them this night... with some help from my lovely momma!

Working hard, or hardly working? At this point: working hard. I was one determined bride-to-be. Shortly after this picture was taken, I decided to turn in for the night. However, I did finish the rest on Sunday before heading back home to dive into hours and hours of homework.

Oh the joys of juggling the demands of graduate school and planning a wedding.

So, what's next in terms of wedding invitations?

1. I need to get them printed.

2. I need to assemble them.

3. I need to put my return address labels on the envelope flaps and return envelopes.

4. I need to put stamps on both the envelopes and return envelopes.

5. I need to stuff the envelopes.

6. I need to seal the envelopes.

7. I need to hand deliver them to the post office and ask them to hand sort them in order to keep them from being crushed in the machines.

This process is my least favorite part of planning the wedding. I cannot wait until it's over. Everything else has been so enjoyable (for the most part), and I can't wait to do something that I enjoy again!

It's not all that bad, but it is time consuming and stressful. I have enough stress through school. Wedding planning has been my outlet up to this point, and I want it to get back to that.

Spring Break: BRING IT ON!! Invitations: YOU WILL BE DEFEATED!!!

A HUGE Thank-You!

... Goes out to Norah Jones.

Her album, Come Away With Me, is what got me through my homework tonight.

I had so much on my plate, and I have been trying to play catch-up from being sick. I also went home this weekend to see Andrew off to Phoenix, address wedding invitations, have dinner with my best friend, and see my family.

Too much fun.

And, today was complete and utter payback.

I was in tears multiple times tonight- convinced that I would never be able to finish OR go to bed. Now, here it is, 10:00... and I am blogging. After I decided that I would not shed another tear tonight, I grabbed a bowl of ice cream and pulled Norah Jones up.

Best decision of the night.

So, thank you, Norah. You helped out a complete stranger tonight.