honeymoon pics

Happy Saturday everyone!

I know, I know, everyone wants to see wedding pics and I'll get some on here but we're still in the process of making heads or tails out of things around here, loading photos on our computers, needing to charge our overworked cameras so they'll let us load photos, etc.  Have patience, have patience.  

But for your viewing pleasure this lovely Saturday I thought I'd show you some fun shots from last Saturday, our last full day in California

Dolphin???

nope, killer whales!

it was amazing!  Adrian took me on a whale watch out of Monterey, CA.  He knows I love whales!  We saw sooo many!  God really blessed our trip and we marveled at these creatures he has made.  So exciting.  We spent 4-5 beautiful hours aboard a ship out at sea on a beautiful, beautiful day!  

I just liked this sign for pelican pizza.  I wish the shadow of the lights wasn't in the picture but what are you gonna do? There was Italian food all over the place in northern California.  We ate in North Beach (San Fran's Little Italy) a couple of times and boy was it yummy!  

There's an old fashioned boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA where we stayed for a couple of nights.   We went last Saturday afternoon and I LOVED it!  It was so neat, just like something out of a book.  This is the GIANT DIPPER that we road.  Our first roller coaster together!  

Finally, pumpkins!  

I have mostly been to CA in the summer and I'm not sure why but I didn't expect to see pumpkin stands all over the place.  To me "fall" and California aren't things that I equate.  I guess I just think of it as endless summer there.  Anyway, of course there is so much agriculture so they have lots of pumpkins. This is from the pumpkin/flower stand where we stopped on our way to the hotel the last night before we flew out on Sunday morning.  They had a big sign that said dozen roses - $5.  Adrian pulled right off the road and bought some for me!  We were on our honeymoon after all!  

We're Back!

from a lovely week on the West Coast!  

Adrian and Kelly are getting married!

That's right!  We are.  Right now!  

God is good and may He bless this beginning of our life together and continue to bless us, grow us and guide us always!  

Kelly

the social

The venue where we got married had a lot of different events all the time so you didn't get to book it for an entire weekend or anything. Basically we got it for the day of our wedding and that's it. I think there was a high school homecoming dance there the night before our wedding.

We didn't have attendants and since our family members who took part in our wedding doing music, readings, etc. are all polished speakers, performers, etc. and our preacher is very accomplished at doing weddings and we certainly weren't his first, we decided that a formal "rehearsal" in the space was not important to us.

We decided that we what was really important to us was actually getting to spend time with all of the wonderful friends and family who were coming to our wedding, particularly the many, many people who came from out of town and who we don't get to see just every day.

My old youth minister, Greg, once said that there are two times in your life when everyone you know and love is going to gather in one place. One of those is your wedding and the other is your funeral. Obviously, you only get to enjoy those people at one of those events. His point was to soak up that time with the people you love and who love you at your wedding rather than getting overly focused on details and things.

So . . .

we went a different route than the norm and had a big social at a park and invited everyone who was invited to the wedding to come the night before and hang out.

We made it simple by getting sandwiches, chips, soft drinks, etc., nothing fancy, and everything was just serve yourself.

That meant we got to enjoy

family

old and new friends

big hugs from people we hadn't seen in a while

beginning to be hospitable together as a couple

sweet conversations

watching our friends and family from both sides join together and pitch in to set out food, etc.

This was actually one of my favorite parts just watching all of the people that we love individually meeting each other, smiling, laughing, talking, working, eating and playing alongside each other. It was neat.

We talked and caught up on each other's lives.

People came from Alaska, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, other parts of Texas and even overseas. I may even be missing a place or two.

It was so very special to us!

We had simple decorations.

Many handmade by friends.

There was laughter,

football

hugs

and smiles!

I think it was absolutely perfect for us and I'm so glad we did it.

What a wonderful night!

Kelly

cake server

Thank you for ALL of your comments!  They really made my week!  I really appreciate hearing from so many of you and from those of you who I didn't know read, welcome!  And if you're just wandering over here and haven't commented yet, we could still make it to 50!  Feel free.  Leave a comment.  :)  

Thanks to those of you who are praying.  All is well in my world.  I'm not stressed, just happy and so excited that I'm the bride!  Wow!  God is good.

 I wanted to show you this cake server that we will be using at the wedding.  Adrian knew I wanted to have an antique cake server engraved with our monogram to use and then keep as a momento and I hadn't been able to find one.  So . . . he got on ebay and scouted out this beauty that matches our antique silver pattern!  I am so excited about using this at the wedding and eating cake too!  

this would be a wonderful time . . .

to leave a comment!

yep, I know there are LOTS of you out there stealthily reading my blog. That's great. I think it's quite flattering. I hear from my mom, friends, etc. that they talked to so and so who said they read my blog. Some of you I don't even know. (Hi Carsen's mom!) It makes me feel good that you'd want to read my blog. I understand not always wanting to comment. I don't comment on every post or blog I read.

If I may ask a favor though, will you all make my day extra special and leave a comment today?

It's getting close to go time on the wedding and I'm sooo happy, excited, overwhelmed with phone calls I should be making right now on my lunch break but don't really want to, tired, happy, happy, excited, happy . . . and all of that rolled into one!

Maybe you don't know what to say. No problem . . . I understand!

say "hi"

if you're married, tell me what was going on in your world and mind the weeks before your wedding

give me your best marriage advice

tell me your favorite part of attending a wedding

tell me how your day is going today . . .

I'm up for whatever!

Think it's too ambitious to see if we can make it to 50 comments today?

I'll bet it's not!

Let's get those comments rolling! Thank you in advance!! Kelly

p.s. what if you don't know how to leave a comment?

click on either "0 comments " (the number will change from 0 to hopefully 50 as the day goes on) or Post a Comment

If you already have a little blank box on your screen as you scroll down, type whatever you want in it, then click the orange button that says "publish your comment" Thank you! Have a great day! Kelly

out of the mouths of babes

I mentioned in the last post that my school shower is today. That fact was just being discussed with my first grade class today and when discussing what a shower is and how there are showers for weddings and for babies, one sweet little boy said, "A baby shower is when your friends come and you have a party and your baby is about to come in 20 minutes." How precious is that! 20 minutes! Hope everyone is having a great afternoon! Kelly

so much going on!

Life is really wonderful! We are so close to the wedding! So many fun things are happening!

Unfortunately Hurricane Ike displaced my family for a bit but we got to have my parents, my Aunt Kim, my brother and my nephew here for a long weekend! It was so much fun!

Sunday was our church shower and it was so much fun!

Today is my school shower!

I am just plugging away every day when I get home from school on wedding projects, phone calls, organization . . .

Last Thursday, in addition to my family, 8 girls came over and helped tie ribbons, make labels, clean jars, make bow bouquets, etc., etc., etc. It was so much fun and got me so energized! I am soo thankful for their assistance as well as that of my family while they were here.

Remember my wondering whether to do the napkins? Well, I decided not to but today heard about this etsy seller. Really cool! Had I known sooner I might have done it.

One more thing on the personal shopping topic: If anyone sees a GREAT, comfy, super cute dress preferably in orange or maybe robin's egg for me to wear to the rehearsal/social, let me know where you saw it! Thanks! Kelly

more link love!

More link love a little belated! Honeymoon related. :) Thanks, Emma! Kelly

ahh . . .

I found these!

to put here!  

So exciting!  

Kelly

personal shopping

I'm starting to think about packing for the honeymoon.  We don't want to be paying a billion dollars just for our luggage (grrrr . . .)  and we're trying to each take a carry-on piece of actual luggage.  So . . . I need a purse that qualifies as a personal item and yet is still a bit larger than my normal purse to take on the plane.  Anyone seen anything cute in the stores for cheap?  I'm not up for spending a lot of time shopping for this.  Thanks!  Kelly

more about programs

Okey dokey, so I'm doing a little lunch break research and I saw the photo here (third photo down, I also love the look of the first photo but it is not about programs!) of programs displayed on the backs of the chairs. Could there be a way for me to solve my chair decor dilemma with the programs?? I was already thinking of laying the programs out on the chairs ahead of time. I really like the ideas that y'all have given me for chair decor, especially using ribbon as i heart ribbon! My only thought is that chair decor is something that can't really be done ahead and would be time intensive day of which is the only time we've got to decorate. There is a Homecoming Dance in our venue the night before. hmm . . .

Check out these programs with the beautiful copper ribbon bows! I really like the look of those!

Now here's another idea. Look at those fun colorful pockets and then the programs could just be on plain paper and slipped inside. hmm . . .

And finally, nothing to do with programs but check out these super adorable cookies!!! Have a good afternoon everyone! Kelly

Project Du Jour: Programs

Today's project is to try to get as much done on the programs as possible before leaving for Bible study tonight. This entails not only design aspects but finalizing the order of the ceremony, music, etc. So . . . in order to "hit the ground running" after school I'd love to know . . .

- what did you love about your own wedding program?
- what do you wish you'd done differently?
- song suggestions for Prelude/Seating and Ceremony
- pics or links to programs that look really cool :)
- what info do you like a program to contain?
- any other talk about programs

Thanks! My blog readers are the greatest! Kelly

cheap candles

The place where I was planning to order ten hour white votive candles in plain round clear glass holders wanted $104 for shipping.  You have GOT to be kidding me.  Looked on amazon, etc. and it seems that candles are just heavy and therefore expensive to ship.  Help me out!  Anyone know of a cheap place to get a bunch of ten hour white votives in plain round clear glass holders?  Especially if it's local and I can pick them up rather than pay shipping?  Thank you!!! Kelly

blog friend

One of my "blog friends", Julie, mentioned me today! So nice! So fun! Kelly

neat thing

Twice this week I have talked with vendors who have the same wedding date as me!  One is getting married on the same day that I am this year in New York and one will have been married 20 years on our wedding day this year!  I just think this is really neat.  

Remember if you leave a comment that I'm not actually sharing the actual wedding date out here on the web for the whole world who I may or may not know is reading.  Thanks!  Kelly

Big Tex

The Texas State Fair is coming up!

My friend Katie posted about the fried food finalists here.

Check it out!

She also entered and placed in contests herself. Go Katie!

the letter R

My friend Jenni made the neatest thing for Adrian and I. I was going to post about it but she beat me to it. You can see it here. Thank you, Jenni! Kelly

to keep or not to keep?

I'm to the point in the wedding planning process where I'm trying to decide what ideas get kept and have money and time put toward them to follow through and what things don't.

Here are some of the items in consideration. What do you think?

1. Printing on the napkins

Check out these great napkins from other brides, here and here.

This bride's cake table runner. I do love it so and think it would be such an heirloom piece! But, I have not started on it. I am not sure what color it should be considering all of the other color in the linens, etc.

ahhh . . . just realizing I NEED to order the candles . . .

I am going to use these and these (the orange ones of course)

If I get some of the shorter ones of these for some of the tables, is that getting too divergent?

Okay, sorry, candle tangent. The candles are not up for negotiation except for perhaps the copper colored holders.

If I'm serving coffee I probably need some kind of stirrers don't I? Do I? hmmm . . . I don't really drink coffee except at places that fix it all for you. I kind of don't want those skinny brown plastic straws. Do you think I can get those little wooden sticks they have at Starbuck's somewhere? in bulk? for cheap?

Okay, back to things I'm debating . . .

bittersweet runners to go along the tabletops

I can't even find a picture on the internet to show you. I think these are definitely about to get sifted out.

I am sad, sad, sad to say it but chair decorations seem to have gone by the wayside. I love chair decorations! Always have. Thought for sure I'd have some at my wedding but I haven't figured out a good/easy/quick way to decorate 375 metal folding chairs.

Here are a few I like: top right photo here

bottom second to the left here

bottom second to right here

I would have loved to have all mismatched chairs like these bottom second to right but who can do that for hundreds of people? But . . . I do get to have really close to that look with the long rectangular tables, the long beautiful table runners thanks to my mom and aunts and the candles, centerpieces, etc.

hmmmm . . . . I would love to know your thoughts. 

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!  Kelly

brown paper packages tied up with string . . .

. . . these are a few of my favorite things!  

I think I could get quite used to getting multiple packages a day!  Of course this doesn't happen everyday but I'll bet this is the most concentrated time I'll ever have of getting fun packages in the mail.  (My mom did do really well sending care packages when I was in college, but not multiple ones in a week!  :)

The other day I had two boxes!  Our nice head of maintanence helped me carry them out to my car.  

I could tell the first one was . . . 

our invitations!!!!!  

I don't want to give anything away but I'll give you the tiniest little peak at a part of the thank you cards!  I am soooo excited about these!  My cousin Jonathan designed the thank you notes and reply cards and he and my friend Meredith both did parts of the invitation!  I am soo excited about them!  

I wasn't really sure what was in the other box.  It seemed awfully big.  

Napkins!   

I had ordered four colors hoping that at least one of the colors would work.  They were sold in packs of 300-500 for only $12 something each!  I must remember that God really does care for the small details of my life.  Look at these napkins with our tablecloth swatches!  

best $2.01 of the wedding budget!

Today I spent a grand total of $2.01 on a wedding purchase.  I'm not even sure I knew that was possible!  First I went to Hancock Fabrics to get swatches of most every shade of tulle they had.  The manager who helped me and cut all my fabrics was so nice and asked questions about my wedding, etc.  She was also nice enough to think of writing little labels for me of each color and tucking them inside the folds so I would know which was which when I came back to buy more after trying them out with my dress to see what matched the best.  

Isn't God good?  The one that matched the best was a discontinued color that thankfully they still had AND it was on sale 50% off!  My Sweetie (my grandma) is going to make a really wonderful hair decoration/mini veil sort of piece for me to wear at the reception since my real veil really isn't practical to wear during the whole reception.  

I am so excited!  Hooray! 

girl times

I am really looking forward to some good girl times like this during our wedding weekend with everyone in town!  

These photos of college friends taken July '07 during Bree Bash weekend!

peace

This photo was taken at my old apartment.  I really like it.  It is just very peaceful to me. I am VERY thankful to God for giving me so much peace during this last week and a half of "back to work" and trying to tie up loose ends of wedding planning as well.  If you are reading this and would like to say a prayer for continued peace and productivity and good relationship connection time in the midst of this busy time of the wedding quickly approaching, I welcome you to!  Thank you!  Kelly

my wedding dress

my. wedding. dress. just. came. in.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so important

Today I'd like to link over to Sandy's blog. She wrote this post a few days ago and I think it's definitely worth sharing. As I read through the comments I was shocked and surprised about how many people turn people down when they ask for help with things. It made me thankful all over again for the wonderful, wonderful people I am surrounded with in my life and made me want to encourage myself and you to be the kind of person who can help someone out from time to time.

I'm thankful today for my friend Sarah who is so thoughtfully having Jenni, Adrian and I over for dinner on the first day of school! Hooray for not having to cook! And it's her first day too!

I'm also so thankful for my mom and dad and my grandma who helped with various aspects of working on the invitations for our wedding this weekend and for my cousin Jonathan and friend Meredith who designed and are carrying them out. I'm very blessed.

Let's all be a blessing when and where we can.

pms?

When I walked up to the check out counter at Blockbuster with this the other day surely the girl thought I was PMSing, just went through a break-up or something, right?  

Truth is, I just started school.  

No really, I guess the only real truth to that is that I did feel a craving for a bit of ice cream after I finished the first half of my first work week back but not really wanting to go all the way to Wal-mart which always has the best prices on Ben and Jerry's, I had what I thought was a brilliant brainstorm.  I had at least three blockbuster gift cards that had been gifts from students and languishing in my purse for MONTHS if not years.  We just don't rent movies.  I knew some blockbusters had an ice cream cart so in I went.  No ice cream cart at this one but I was already there and just wanted to get rid of the cards so . . .

a hair magazine to see if there was any wedding inspiration updos, Red Vines (for Adrian) and pop rocks  (for me) for our next roadtrip (these are some of our faves) plus some chocolate (notice the missing Rocher candy!), etc. for the next few weeks.  :)  

Oh and a ring pop, doesn't every engaged girl need one?  :)  

Happy first week back at school to everyone that applies to!  I pray God's blessing on this new school year.  Kelly

p.s. the hair magazine yielded minimal results.  Anyone got a great photo of a feminine, lovely wedding updo?  Thanks.  Kelly

scents

My bride blog friend Amy has written a post about wedding day scents here.

This is something that I want to incorporate into our wedding day as well but despite having one fragrance shopping trip under my belt I do not know what I will get!  Any suggestions?  

Hope everyone's having a lovely weekend!  Kelly

so many things!

Whew!  What a week so far!  

We spend last weekend in Houston with my family and had SUCH a fun shower on Sunday!  It was so absolutely fantastic.  Pics to come!!!

Monday I started back to school. Lots of meetings, working in my classroom, etc.

Tonight I thought I'd post about bridesmaids.  One of my fellow "blog brides" posted this today.  

I thought I'd "reply" by posting some pics of the route I chose to take.  

You may remember this post from back in April where I was debating whether or not to even have bridesmaids.  You see I am now 32 and I have had a lot of time to make some really great girlfriends.  Who wants to pick people and leave others out?  Not me.  I also did not really care that much about having matchingly dressed people standing up front with us.  

So, I went a little bit different route.  I made some cards for my girlfriends who I'm close to and wrote about why they are special to me, what I appreciate about them, some of the memories we share, etc. and mailed them to them asking them to be my "bride's friend".  I mean really, that's what I want, is wonderful friends (which I already have!) to celebrate this special time in my life with me, so that's what I asked for.  It has been so much fun to get their responses and it brought me so much joy to sit down and write each of them and reflect on what they mean to me and what we share.  

The photo above is of a few of the cards.  

Happy back to school for all of you that that applies to!  Kelly

more shower and another make-up question plus a blogging question

= longest title ever!

I wanted to show you some more of the shower.  My friend Jenni organized the whole thing!  Look at this great table!  It was so neat and so me!  See those little containers of orange and blue jelly bellies on the fiestaware plates behind the cake?  They gave them to me!  Remember this?

This is the neat surprise picture display they did of us!  I didn't even know.  My friend Jenny got Adrian to help her get some pictures.  :) 

My friend Tiffany made this delicious cake!  

Here is the book I bought at Michaels and embellished for our shower sign-ins and writing down the gifts.  Yea for the xyron to help me turn a plain chipboard R into a lovely blue one.  :)  

So here's my blogging question:  I would love to include pics of the other people at this shower besides just me because aren't people the fun of it?  But, I hesitate to put people's names and pics out on the internet for the world to see if I don't know for sure that they're cool with that.  Some people aren't and I totally understand that.  So, for those of you who blog, do you post other people's pics, ask them everytime?  What do you do?  Also, if you're reading my blog and don't care if I post your pic, leave me a comment or shoot me an e-mail and then I'll know.  :)  Thanks.  

I know these two shower guests are cool with it so I decided to post their pic even though Marla's talking and not looking at the camera but look at little Grant waving!  Couldn't resist that sweetness!  

Make-up question:  What is the trick to getting eyeliner on well?

Thanks.  Kelly  

finally done!, shower, question

Whew!  I'm finally done trying to get all of the addresses entered.  Just waiting to hear back from a few people and that part of sending out invitations at least will be done.  It was tedious but it will be so completely worth it when we are surrounded by family and friends on our wedding day!  

I have not yet shared about the shower!  Things have just been busy!  We have another shower coming up this weekend in Houston!  Oh, I am soo excited!  I want to be sure and share about this first one before the second one comes along!

These are presents from Adrian and my mom all ready to go.  Adrian did something incredibly sweet!  He knew I had been searching for antique cake servers to have engraved with our initials without any luck.  He got on ebay and bought one that matches the pattern of the antique silver we were just recently given!  How neat is that?!!!  What an heirloom to treasure!  

My mom got us this neat platter below for our shower!  I love it!  Sorry the picture is a little fuzzy.  Platters are just so much fun!  

One of the hostess gifts was this square cake pedestal in the same pattern as the platter that also goes with our everyday dishes.  I am so excited to host parties, get togethers, etc. and get to use these neat things.  I'm sure you will be seeing pictures of them on the blog once the wedding is over and Adrian and I get back to cooking!  

Opening another present.  It really was wild to be the one who the shower was being given for this time around.  Whoa!

Trying to adequately express my sincere thanks go people who not only have thrown this fabulous shower but have been family to me during the past ten years!  

Here's my question:  I'm looking for some lightly patterned paper that can have addresses printed on it and still be legible over the pattern in either a robin's egg blue or an orange for our wrap around address labels for our wedding invitations.  If you happen to be out shopping at a scrapbooking store or some other place with paper and you run across something like this that might work, will you let me know?  School starts on Monday, I've got to get these things out and I no longer have time to be scouting all over for "just the perfect thing" so I thought I'd enlist the help of my blog friends!  You guys are so great always leaving such great comments and giving good advice!  For those of you who are silently reading out there, feel free to chime in anytime. :)  Thanks! Kelly

another present!!!

I've tried to post about this several times now but for some reason the pictures refuse to upload except for this one.  I guess I'll just have to post with a single picture.  

This is our second present to come in the mail.  It still astounds me that presents can just show up on your door step!  It is from my dear childhood friends Kori and Mindy and their families.  It is a fondue pot!  We grew up eating fondue together at birthday parties, etc.  I love that they picked out something so personal to our relationship and I can't wait to make and eat some yummy fondue in this thing!  So, so very fun!  Thank you, Kori and Mindy!!!  

Do you have a favorite recipe for fondue or a favorite item to dip?  

I'd love to hear about it.  

I must keep my nose to the grindstone today.  We've got to get invitations out for this wedding and I've GOT to finish compiling all of the addresses.  Anyone have any tips, advice, organization, ways to make this part of wedding planning easier?  Kelly

Faithful God and make-up advice

This photo taken at one of my old apts. is a good one for me to think on right now.  

My A/C is out!  

The magic "unpacking fairies" didn't come while we were in Pittsburgh.

Things seem a little hard right now. 

I know God is faithful though and this morning I prayed again asking Him to be in control of the wedding and everything else.  He is.  He will.

Good things for today:  

My friend Rachel, let me spend the night at her place so I didn't have to sleep in un-airconditioning!

I worked out.

I bought a new wallet to replace mine with holes in it for only $11!

 I think I've found someone to do our cakes!  Hooray!

I e-mailed a couple of videographers.

Yesterday Adrian helped me come up with a good idea for the school year.  I needed motivation/organization and I think I have a theme and a system now.

I've taken care of some other wedding related e-mail stuff and talked to a good friend and my sister-in-law who is also a good friend!

There is a delicious breeze coming through the window right now!  

Okay, here's a question:  

Make-up.  I really want to do it myself for the wedding.  I don't usually wear more than moisturizer, concealer, eye shadow, mascara, powder, blush and lipstick/gloss. 

I'd love suggestions for something that will stay on all day and make my complexion look flawless, your favorite eye liner and why, etc.  Thanks!  Kelly

back from our trip

Hi there,

we're back from our trip and tired as can be

why does traveling take so much out of you?

We had a great trip though and wonderful times visiting with Adrian's family and friends back home!  

I realized a few minutes ago that I left my camera and it will have to be mailed back to me so in the absense of the pics of the new apt. I wanted to post upon our return, the above is what I'm looking forward to things looking like around here after a little more "settling in".  

Hope everyone has had a great week!  Kelly

photo taken in the kitchen of my old apt. circa summer 2006 

thank you!

I tried to post more photos a couple different times earlier tonight but alas, blogger was not cooperating.  I have an *early* flight to catch in the morning so I'll leave you with this one.  

My sweet friends Angela and Laura came over to help on Saturday.  In. the. heat!!!  Thank you sooo much!  In the approx. three hours they were hear, not only did we get all of the fridge/freezer/meltables (chocolate, candles, etc.) moved over from the old apt. to the new, we also unpacked ALL these boxes!  These women were on a mission!  An organizing mission.  Seriously, when they left my pantry, fridge and "craft closet" looked like I'd lived here forever!  Again, more pics to come.  Hopefully I'll be able to post while on my trip but if not, never fear, I will return!  :)  Kelly