weekend inventory

Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  Ours was packed and went by far too quickly. 

Saturday we got dolled up and headed an hour east to see my friend Megan get married.  She looked so beautiful.  Long ago were the days that my most dear life long friend, Rachel and I would pass along to her little sister, Megan, the amputee Barbies that the dog had got a hold of, or the ones that we attempted a beauty school hair trim on, or the dog biscuit sandwiches.  Now the three of us are married, Megan has a beautiful daughter, Ryan, Rachel has a baby girl, Emma, on the way and I have my little Henry.  Rachel and Megan are more than friends to me, they are my sisters.  I am so lucky to still have them in my life and over joyed to celebrate all these milestones together still. 

The beautiful bride and groom did the cutest thing.  After all the traditional dances the groom and his mom busted out a really fun dance, cut to the grooms entire immediate family and the bride joining in.  It was so awesome!  I was extra proud of my little Meggie poo for choreographing the whole thing!  A former clutz, leading the pack ;)

Sunday, DJ headed downtown for the Tiger's game while Hank and I went to a baby shower.  I stopped at the mall on the way to the shower to pick up a baseball hat for Henry.  How bummed was I to realize that for the second time in the past two months I have gone to the mall on a Sunday and it wasn't even open yet.  Thankfully the sports store I needed to go opens early and I bought the cutest Detroit Tigers hat for him.  We got to the shower and as I picked up Henry I felt a curiously wet spot on his backside.  Of course he had leaked through his diaper and had to be changed out of his super adorable outfit.  I changed him, he smiled and showed off for the ladies, took a brief nap and then charmed some more.  He met his newest girlfriend and sat quietly and listened as she discussed her recent purchase of a farm in North Carolina.  Henry is looking forward to the day he gets to come visit.

After the shower the two of us went home and I started getting things packed for Florida and doing some laundry.  DJ came home from the game and was super excited to show me the hat he bought for Henry.  A Detroit Tigers hat. Figures.  The worst part is that his was way cooler than the hat I bought.  He one up-ed me.  Great minds think alike though I suppose. 

5 more sleeps until Florida!

feeling the nostalgia of december 23rd

On this day, three years ago the man I love so much, asked me the question I had been waiting to hear for so very long, "Will you marry me?".

engagement photo by marianne worlow photography

 I'm sure I've shared this story before, but who doesn't love a good engagement story?  We started the night at a holiday party that one of DJ's friends was throwing at 336, a martini bar downtown.  Downtown Plymouth is always beautiful around the holidays.  Christmas trees fill the park and there are lights and decorations every where.  Holiday music plays on the speakers all through downtown.  It feels like a scene from a movie.  We got to the party and it was packed with friends and family.  We drank and laughed all night and the furthest thing from my mind was that DJ was planning to propose.  See, he had always told me that he would never propose around the holidays.  He thought it was so cheesy.  I had been so disappointed once it got closer and closer to Christmas knowing that it meant I would not be engaged before the end of the year.  I had felt like it was going to happen on so many days throughout the previous months and always found myself at the end of the night texting my best friend, "Still not engaged. :("

As we left 336 and walked across the street to a smaller bar with less people, I had no idea that DJ had already shared with his friend visiting from California that it was going to happen that night.  She was the only person that he had told besides his mom and he only told his mom because she had been holding onto DJ's grandma's wedding ring.  DJ's grandma, Helen, the grandma that passed away this year, had left her wedding ring to DJ many years ago to give to the woman he decided to marry.  I'll give you all a minute to say, "Awwww."

After we left the second bar it was time to go home.  I went right upstairs and immediately put on my pajamas.  I walked back down the stairs and with a half hearted tone asked him what he wanted to do.  He was down on one knee and said, "I want to marry you."  I cried and kept repeating "Oh my God." and he asked, "Will you marry me?" as he slipped the ring onto my finger.  I said, "Yes!" a million times.  It was a magical moment that led to a beautiful wedding.

I will now flood you with photos from my wedding, because I love to share these photos any chance I get.

 wedding photos by marianne worlow photography

Excuse the photo dump, but this day makes me so nostalgic of my gorgeous wedding.  I should note, this was not meant to be the day that DJ proposed to me.  He tried a month before, but I ruined it.  That is a story for another day though ;)

weekend inventory

It was Kady and Mike's wedding weekend!  The weather was as beautiful as the bride.  The dress I planned on wearing (and tried on LAST week) didn't fit due to the ever expanding free loader inside of me.  He has no plans of moving out anytime soon clearly.  It didn't even matter though because I was so happy to see my friend marry the love of her life.  I cried the second I saw her.  They opened the doors to the back of the church and the flood gates to my eye balls at the same time.  It was a really perfect day.

dancing their way into the reception

My friend and fellow redhead Val and her husband Jason

My handsome husband and I

My friends are gorgeous

 Sunday we recovered at lunch with Marianne, her hubby Alex and the teeny bump she's toting around.  That hot mama showed up to eat in her sassy leopard print pants!  So jealous!  Can't wait to fit into my own leopard skinnies real soon.  It was fun to swap hormonal wifey moments and I think it made our husbands realize it's totally normal pregnancy behavior.

Hope you had a lovely weekend!  I'm heading to my 39 week doctor appointment today and I am really hoping for the best over here.  Come on baby Hank!!

eleven

It's been eleven months since David James and I tied the knot.  Holy moly.  I can't believe how quickly the first year is going by.  I have been married to my best friend for almost one year and I still feel just as lucky as I did last year on that beautiful day.  I'm forever grateful for him.

photo by: marianne worlow photography

"I'll be there for you to wish, to want, to wander, to find the sun through rain and thunder. - Jasmin (Aladdin)

Back In The Saddle Again

DISCLAIMER - Try not to puke while reading all the mushy, love parts ;)

I'm back to a normal schedule finally!  The wedding has come and gone and I am a married woman, a happy married woman at that.  It feels incredible to not have so much going on everyday, all day.

In case you weren't there or were wondering, the wedding was beautiful.  The day was amazing and not to sound cliche but it was absolutely perfect.  I spent the night before at my maid of honor, Megan's house, watching "Dirty Dancing" and calming my nerves surrounded by my bridesmaids.  DJ and I spent the night apart, but before he left he gave me a loving kiss.

The next day we were up bright and early and headed to the salon.  Between my bridesmaids and I we killed three bottles of champagne (not even one half gallon of orange juice), gossiped, read magazines and played with the most handsome little fur baby ever, Scout.

From the salon we stopped for a lunch break, packed up our bags and dresses, to hit the road and head over to the house we rented to get ready in before the ceremony.  Besides our driver telling us sob stories and acting like an all around lunatic, the girls and I arrived, put on some music and got our make-up done by the amazing Brian!



After the make-up was done, we put on our dresses, took some pictures and traveled down the street to the ceremony.  We stood inside the Carriage House and watched as guests arrived and then migrated down to their seats.  The weather was unlike what you would ever expect on October 9th in Michigan, mid-70's and sunny!  I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest, waiting for the ceremony to start, but once it did I felt a flood of emotion.  All of our friends and family gathered to watch DJ and I honor to love one another for the rest of our lives.  It's really beautiful.

After "I now pronounce you husband and wife.", the party started.  The food, the drinks and the dancing lasted late into the night. 

I wouldn't change a thing about my wedding day.  Everyone kept telling me that it would be the best day of my life, and I didn't believe them, but to-date, marrying the man that makes me love and laugh everyday really has been the best day of my life.  I really am living my happily ever after.

"This kind of certainty comes, but once in a lifetime." - Anonymous

Wed-Locked

I am guilty of major neglect lately. My wedding is fast approaching and it has become the only thing I can fit on my plate.  Bella misses her daily walks, DJ is tired of talking about pumpkins and fall leaves, my laundry baskets are beyond full and for some reason my To-Do List is still pages long. 

I thought it was only appropriate that I share a few things that I have been working so hard on.

To-Do List

Fall Accessories

Cake Topper

Tiny Red Apples

Tiny Green Apples

Real Apples

Fall Leaves

Orange Pumpkins

Pumpkin Candle Holders

Fortune Cookies

Place Cards

Fall Magazines

Lyrics, Songs, Phone Calls and Emails

And Ribbons...

By no means is that the end so if I don't return your phone call, text message or email, don't be offended, it's my wedding mind that has the best of me for the next 16 days...