THE Dress, Ladies, & Christmas!

 I know it's late but I have some catching up blogging.

This year Paul & I celebrated our first Christmas as an engaged couple! Not only that but my mom & sister made it to town, for Christmas and for.... WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING!

I made sure to tell the doctors that I had to be home on Thursday because I had dresses to try on! Mom & Tess headed out of Colorado the day of a pretty intense blizzard. Their normal 9 hour drive took 12 1/2 hours! I may have had a bag hanging out from my belly but I still made it home Thursday afternoon. Friday, Mom, Tess, & I went to Manhattan to Celebrations of the Heart to begin the search for the perfect dress. The assistant & I put on my very first wedding dress, I looked in the mirror, & the walk down the hall I had to calm my self & held back tears. I knew if I were to start the waterworks my mom would too. That feeling between all of us was amazing. Then I was onto the 2nd dress, I almost had a 'Bridesmaides' moment. Once you see the movie you'll understand, only mine was the vomit feeling. I just sat down, drank some water and I was on to dress number 3. As she clamped it shut I realized this was it, I LOVED IT! I tried on some more just to see different styles but everyone I seemed to, I kept hearing in my head "it doesn't have this like #3 or #3 has this, etc." I put #3 back on and decided.... "I said YES, to the dress!" I am super excited!!!  No pictures though, I love the tradition of the groom not seeing the dress, especially since Paul has only seen me in one dress ever (& that was for Halloween). I was also beat and had to get some grub. McAllisters it was for some awesome soup & sweet tea. I recommend them if you ever see one. We also stopped my girl good friend Lori's house to introduce her to the family. It was nice getting to see her, her mom, & the remodel they're doing. Also getting to see her most recent jewelry, shoutout to Home on the Range Exchange!

For Christmas, this year I got a little crafty (thank you Pinterest once again) and made a card hanger & all my friends University bulbs. I had KSU, OU, KU, & Michigan bulbs. Needless to see it looked like a fairy exploded in my living room. There was glitter everywhere, or as my friend Misty says, "Glitter is the crabs of crafts, it's everywhere & you have no idea how it got there" :)

The card hanger was kind of last minute, but it was extremely easy. A ribbon bow with two strands of hanging ribbon & some clothespins & wallah!

The weekend before, Paul & I picked out our very first Christmas tree together. We got it from the Topeka Optimist club, which they got the trees from Wisconsin. It smelled amazing!



Our first ornament! :) ... I painted it too!

On Saturday, we took mom & Tess to our wedding ceremony & reception location. They loved it! It was also very special as my mom says holding back tears, "it's where I get to see my little girl walk down the aisle to get married." That night I introduced them to Pinterest and now they are hooked! Let the planning really begin!

After the weekend, Mom & Tess made it back safely & under 9 hours. I hope that all of you had wonderful Christmas & New Years as well!



Visitors for a Dress & XMas :)

I just wanted to stop in and wish everyone a fabulous Christmas! I've had plenty of blogging ideas just haven't made it to the computer to sit and write. Hopefully tomorrow I will :)

On another note, my mom & sister made it to town on Thursday. It took them 13 hours to get here!!! It is normally a 9 hour drive. The snow was bad and blowing out in Western Kansas, & Eastern Colorado. Friday, we loaded up and went to Manhattan to try on WEDDING DRESSES! I found one that I'm going to get & absolutely LOVE! It was the 3rd one I tried on and everyone after that the rest just didn't compare to it. I am SUPER excited. Saturday, we took mom & Tess to see the location of the ceremony & wedding. They loved it too! Mom was holding back her tears for sure, which luckily she did otherwise I would've been balling right there with her. The rest of this weekend is rounding out with food, games, & relaxation.

WOW! .... it's been a while

Soo..... Haven't done much writing. Did I mention I don't have internet at my house so the only time I have with the world wide web is either after work, a friends house, or in a library. (yippee!).

Anywho... a little update on what's been going on since the end of Feburary:

- March:

• Went home to Colorado! only upon arriving the Ole Jetta broke down once again! At first we thought it was just the replaced $320 radiator fan. Meanwhile, I barrowed my dad's bald tired ford to go up to meet some fellow Kansans in Breck to get in a little snowboarding. Boarding was fun. Our last night we all went out on the town, a little basement bar for some pool'n beer, we ran into some fellow KSU alumni. Then we strolled up to an Absinthe bar for some $9 swiss absinthe shots. Oh, the drive home was just as eventful. Bald tires + slush + incline = spin out = on shoulder, with traffic, attempiting to put on chains (the 1st time ever). Succeeded after an hour or so of freezing my hands off. 50 yards later threw a chain! So repeat. Finally, on and rolling.... SLOWLY. I just stuck behind a semi, & left them on all the way down the mountain. Once out, stopped took off chains an& had breakfast at a truckstop diner. I was pretty shaken up. Eventually, made it home. After checking in with dad, he informed me that now my car wouldn't start. We took it to the foreign guy in Niwot. When we went to pick it up the technition informed us that it would be $5500 to fix.... I walked out in tears & had to calm down. Turns out VWs, Audi's, & beamers' books all say to change your oil at 10,000-15,000 miles. So, I broke my own 3,000mile rule & did what the book said. What a bunch of Crap!! The tech said to ignore that, no matter what you should be changing at the latest 6,500miles! So, my car could've ranged from just skipping time to busting rods. Well, the ole jetta was staying in CO. Rental Kansas bound, sporting a classy pearl PT Cruiser :p

• In KS, I have some great friends... One that lent me her car for the time being.
• Oh, I'm working a 2nd job!!! A liquor store.... it was an easy catch, because I have "prior experience!" It was a have too. I'm out of a Powell trip AND have a car to fix. Oh well, at least I get a discount :).... I'm dabbling in more microbrews, recently I suggest the Saranac's Summer brew - De-lish!

- April

• Mainly work!
• A little CatFishing!!

• Found out my car had the worse case scenario. F'd up all the rods! So, dropping the dough for a new motor was in call for. I compared just buying a new vehicle but I just don't have the resources. Dad's motor guy found a new-ish motor. So, I will be driving the ole jetta into the ground!

-May

• First weekend, Greyhounded it home to CO. Whew! there are some different folks who ride the bus. Left round 10am, got into Denver round 8pm. The whole family was at the bus stop waiting! They had fun people watching. Then we all loaded into my brothers "redneck" truck and drove around downtown denver trying to find a place to eat. Mexican it was, with Margaritas!! So, the drive out was even better with a drunk backseat driver mom!:) Next day I was back in KS with the ole jetta.
• End of the month back in CO!! For little sis' graduation!! The drive home kinda sucked, AC is busted in the Jetta.... ugh!
• Anywho, that friday back I took Tess to get her first tat! haha with out telling mom! I made her go first (b/c we got matching ones). It was HILARIOUS!! quote, "it feels like I'm having a baby out of my foot!" like she knows what that feels like ;). When we got home I asked mom how her mood was... she responds by asking me if I was pregnant, then if Tess is pregnant, then if I got another tattoo... ha I responded "you should ask your other daughter" She flipped! Then thought it was cool. I drew up our last name in our old trucking font & added a paw & hoof, because that's what Tess & I are all about... cats/dogs & livestock!!!
  
  That night Cory, Dad & I put on the hog... a 266lb gilt!! yeah, mom took in a 300 some lb pig!! That female barely fit in the roaster or truck bed for that matter. She needed 15hours of cooking. I ended up falling asleep in the shop.
• Next day was a burner of a graduation, I swear they're getting longer & longer! than the Par-Tay! A lot of old family friends showed up which was nice.

• Rest of the time home, went fishing & 4-wheeling (my fav!!!) & hit up Estes park like a bunch of tourists. Had to stop at my favorite place.... THE TAFFY SHOP!

-June

• So far not much. Just lots of rain!!! I floated my car a couple times. I need to remember the rule... something about can't see don't attempt you'll drown (It's some rhyme that I can't think of).