The beginning of a new year...

2012 sure started out with a bang! Christmas was stellar (I actually got some time off for it!), but stretched from Dec. 17th through the 28th with various family celebrations. I was a bit done by the end. NYE was a blast with good friends and to really get the year going, I led 14 other women on a 7 mile snowshoe trek in the mountains!

This year promises to be an exciting one as we have made some travel plans to visit Washington DC and we have recently been told that 3 close friends are pregnant. :-) "Auntie" Erica needs to drag out the sewing machine!

Despite all the busy-ness, I am still managing to get projects done around the house.

I painted the headboard wall of the master bedroom. We chose the swatch on the left: Behr's Prelude. I received the duvet cover and the quilt, shams, and bedskirt for Christmas, so the yellow-esque walls needed to be toned down. I think the Prelude is the perfect blue with a shade or two of gray. Now I'm waiting for some fabric swatches to come in so I can make drapes. 

The previous owners of our house left this (semi-creepy) dragon guy in the backyard.

We listed him on CL and made some moolah this weekend. Which is great because we are saving money to do some landscape work and to build a 6' cedar fence so that we can get a canine friend:

via

We are still undecided on the breed: Standard Poodle, Springer Spaniel, Australian Shepherd, Brittany Spaniels are at the top of our lists. Each breed has some great characteristics; we want the dog to be a good fit for our lifestyle and vice versa. Have you had any experience with any of these breeds? 

We have gotten a small bit of snow and our indoor cat has been very curious about it, so we let him venture out:

He loved it! I was so surprised. He especially loved chasing small snowballs. We call him our "fenine" because he acts a lot like a dog sometimes! 

This year hasn't been all rosy (because life never is); we've had a plumbing problem (I'll post about it later), and there is a fight between some friends of ours who have tried to drag us into the middle of the conflict, and because we've told them we won't be a part of it in any way, we may be losing some friends too, which is immature and also very sad. I thought high school pettiness would be done by now, guess I was a bit naive! Hopefully everyone involved will realize the power of forgiveness... 

Oh and not to forget, J! He received a leaf blower & sucker for a Birthday gift. It really came in handy for cleaning up after the Christmas tree this year!

8 days and...

My checklist is COMPLETE!

1st night hotel room

BAND! OMG. Seriously, I thought this would be easy! Not if you're on a
budget...

Dress fittings (once it arrives at the beginning of February)

Undergarment/corset/bustier thingy: rent or buy?

Formal portrait We decided not to do one after all.

Finish designing invites. Print. Assemble. Mail.

Programs

Ask family and friends to do readings, solo, gift table, candle lighting, guest book, table/seating help

Finish table runner project

Put sails on 100 miniature sailboats

Assist future in-laws with rehearsal dinner specifics, invites, etc

Procure rope and ribbon for cake and cake table

Ceremony music

Pre-marital counseling

Setting check on my e-ring. Have band sized to match.

Get J's ring engraved

Guest list/addresses for shower

Make veil

Meet with florist again

Meet with venue catering manager to finalize menu

Get marriage license (less than 60 days prior to)

Figure out wish/advice bowl

Order the men's Sperry Topsiders (my FIL found them for $30 each!)

Make 7 boutonniere's

Update

I feel very disjointed from my Blog lately. The inspiration is just not coming.

I do want to thank The Prep-E Girl for bestowing an award upon me. E, you are just too darn awesome! I just can't get over our similar views on so many things!


Work tires my little brain out so much that I don't have the energy to blog about it when I get home...and by the time I do have energy, the stories just don't sound that 'cool' anymore.

The wedding planing has on the back burner for me lately. I am meeting with the coordinator on Thursday so I better get my act in gear! I know she'll want updates from me!

Here's what I have been doing wedding-wise.
*Made a 2-page to-do list! AGHHHH!
*Figured out a number for the rehersal dinner and are braistorming places to hold it. [More on this topic (and it's guest list) later].
*Figured out how many hotel rooms we need to "block." Now we just have to negotiate the cost...
*Made a sample veil! I'll take pictures and blog when I make the real thing.
*Pastor meeting: no results of our follow-up email yet. Darn! I'm sure the pastor isn't happy with our choices.

Where are all you planners at with your lists?