Yay, Fun Meetings!

Tomorrow I am going to get our marriage licence and then I'm going to an event planning meeting with a coordinator at our venue.  It was SO exciting to take off work to do fun stuff for the wedding instead of something annoying like a doctor's visit.  Sweet! I'll take it!  And since you can only get your marriage licence in Baltimore County between 9am and 3pm, I didn't feel guilty taking off because my work hours go after that, so I just HAD to do it. ;)

Friday I'm meeting with my florists about the flowers.

Yesterday I finalized the menu with the venue and next week I'm talking to our NEW photographer (yes we got that mess squared away thank goodness) about the kinds of shots that we want for our pictures.

Work has been absolutely horrendous.  I hate that I've turned into one of those girls who talks wedding all the time, and I really do try and hold back with texting all of my girl friends and family members about every wedding excitement to make sure I don't annoy or bore the crap out of them (let's be honest, I'm easily excited about anything and everything anyways, so with the wedding it's even worse - heck, I'm excited about printing off the cute table numbers and crossing it off my to-do list!) Wow that was a run-on sentence! Oh well, my grammar hat is off for now.

My point is, that the wedding has been such a source of positivity and excitement for me this year with everything going on at work, that I guess it was inevitable that I turn into a big nerd every time someone asks about the small details of my wedding such as table cloth colors or wine bottle candles.  I'm honestly grateful to have it to escape to.  Last year when I was asked to interview for a different position, I turned it down because I really thought it would be too much to take on with wedding planning and my graduate classes.  Then still, I thought oh man I bet I'm going to hate doing all of the  wedding planning all the time, which will stress me out so much more.  I was wrong, and I'm glad that I was wrong.  It has honestly been a Godsend that I have had it to focus on during times where normally I would have fallen apart.*  I can't really talk about a lot of what's going on at work on a public forum such as this blog, but it's pretty stressful and ridiculous.  I am hoping and praying that my principal hear my plea to move to a different grade next year.  Send a prayer or thought out for me if you can!

*I have had my anxious moments and even anxiety attacks about the wedding, but they are nothing to the ones that I would have had about work...I also would have had way more attacks in general if the wedding wasn't a positive kind of stress.

So I wanted to find a cute photo or image of something that represents loving a great to-do list (even when it's boring to others) to end this post on a happy note.  Apparently that's hard to find.  BUT I did ironically find this awesome gem, that also has the name of a very good friend of mine/my bridesman.  Coincidence? I think not. I guess I was meant to find it and enjoy it! I hope you enjoy it too. (I may have censored part of it, but you get the idea).

This is fantastic.

Battling the Shine

I have an arsenal of products to help keep my shine and oil down on my wedding day! I have been testing a lot of different things out the past couple of months and I think I've got it! Below are the products that I plan on using for my big day (25 days to go!)

1) Anti-Shine Primer from Sephora - So I use this under my foundation and it really helps keep my foundation on all day and also helps me stay shine free! It's great! You only need a little bit so I know it will last me a long time.

Sephora Anti-Shine Foundation Primer

2. De Slick setting spray - I have used this stuff for a while now and I am a true believer!  I actually use it in the morning underneath of my makeup and also on top of it when I finish.  It's great!

Urban Decay De Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray

3. Sephora Blotting Papers - I have used different kinds of blotting papers before but haven't tried this one until recently.  I'm happy with them and it's nice to have during the day to blot away excess oil. 

Sephora Blotting Papers

4. Eyeshadow primer - I have written about this baby for years! It's my absolute staple for every day and it keeps my eyelids from getting oily and also makes my eyeshadow stay creaseless all day long.  I wouldn't go anywhere without it.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

5. Powder - This will come in handy for later on in the night when I'm sweaty from dancing a lot!  It's a super cute mini compact that holds a great powder by Bare Minerals.  I've used their powders for a few years now and it never feels heavy and it never makes me break out either.  

Bare Minerals Ready Touch-Up

I have also tried a ton of lip glosses, stains, and lip color for the big day.  I have chosen one and will write about that in another post! :)

So mad!

I just got an email saying that our photographer has had a scheduling conflict with our wedding date so now we have to choose a new one. 

I'm so mad! We chose the pros because of how much I loved the work of this photographer - the owner of the company told me that she was the best and she won all these awards for the state for photography. And now it's ok after we have already paid for it all for her to cancel on us with exactly a month left before the wedding?!

Wtf.

I'm hoping that when I talk to them more tomorrow about it they can help me put more...ugh!

I love a good survey

1. Were you named after anyone? My middle name, Bailey, is a family name from my mother’s side.  My first name is not after anyone, my father just really liked it.

 2. When was the last time you cried? Maybe a week ago? I’ve had many breakdowns/anxiety fits about everything that’s going on right now (graduate school, work, wedding, family stuff, etc.)

 3. Do you like your handwriting? When I take my time, I like it.  But I don’t like how it looks when I rush. 
4. What is your favorite lunch meat?  Honey smoked turkey.
5. Do you have kids?  None of my own, but I have 25 ten year olds at school 32 hours of the week!
6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? Yes.
7. Do you use sarcasm a lot?  I feel like I should answer this sarcastically…so Nope, not at all!
8. Do you still have your tonsils?  Yes I do!
9. Would you bungee jump?  Definitely not.   If I had to choose between bungee jumping and skydiving I would definitely take the sky diving.  You only fall once and you’re done.  When you bungee you get sprung back and forth over and over. No thanks.
10 What is your favorite cereal?  Honeynut chex, Krave, and Golden Grahams.
11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?  Nope.
12. Do you think you are strong?  Fairly.
13. What is your favorite ice cream?  Cookies and cream or birthday cake. Also cinnamon swirl.
14. What is the first thing you notice about other people?  Their smile.
15. Red or pink? Pink.
16. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?  Either my belly or my acne
17. Any tattoos?  Just one – a small black outline of a heart on my ankle.
18. Do you have any hobbies?
  Plenty! Going to the movies, dancing, indoor rock-climbing (which I haven’t done in forever!), shopping, and reading.
19. What color shoes are you wearing?  I’m not wearing any shoes right now.
20. What was the last thing you ate?  Cinnamon Swirl ice cream J
21. What are you listening to right now?   The sound of the dishwasher running downstairs.
22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?  Purple.
23. Favorite smells?  Fresh laundry, Dan’s cologne, Camu Camu from Scentsy
24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?  Dan
25. Mountain hideaway or beach house?  Beach house!
26. Favorite sport to watch?  College Football
27. Hair color? Currently brown with leftover blond-ish highlights at the bottom of my hair.
28. Eye color? Green 
29. Do you wear contacts?  Nope!
30. Scary movies or happy endings?  Happy Endings
31. Last movie you watched?  Flowers in the attic…Creepy!
32. What color shirt are you wearing?  Purple
33. Summer or winter?  Definitely Summer! I miss it!
34. Hugs or kisses?  Hugs
35. Computer or television?  Hmm a tough one.  I guess computer because I can technically watch tv on there. Ha! I out-smarted the question!
36. What book are you reading right now? I’m “reading” The Art of Classroom Inquiry for my Research graduate class.  I don’t do a lot of reading for fun during the year.  I don’t have the time to invest into it.  I do more reading for fun over the Summer.

 37. What’s on your mouse pad? I don’t have a mousepad.  Haven’t had one of those in a loonnnggg time.

 38. What color is your house?  Well it’s not MY house, but it’s blue.
39. What color is your car?  Dark Blue.
40. What would you go back to school for if money wasn’t an issue? Probably still teaching.

Happiness is...

1. Not wearing a bra for an extended amount of time...ah freedom!

2. Late night workouts with my man.

3. A great manicure and pedicure. 

4. Catching up with good friends.

5. Cinnamon flavored ice cream. 

One thing I will always be grateful for...I am always easily excited about the most simple things. It makes life fun and happy. :)

39 days to go :)

Pucker Up

So I'm trying to figure out what kind of makeup I want to use for my wedding lips...

I am not a fan of lipstick so that's out.

I love lipgloss, but it can be sticky and it would definitely get all over Dan which he would hate.

I have used lip stains before but hated how dry they can be.

Today I took a trip to CVS and picked up two different lip stains to try out.

Revlon Color Burst in Honey

So the revlon one did not wow me.  It was a pretty color and easy to put on, but came off onto my hands later on, so the "stain" part of it is not worth it.  Definitely not what I'm looking for, for my big day.

Maybelline Super Stay 24 in So Pearly Pink

I was pleasantly surprised with this one.  I wasn't expecting much but loved the color.  After the stain dried, I put on the balm which really helped the dryness.  the color did not come off afterwards so it was really nice.  I might wear it to work one day this week to test out how long it actually lasts.

Here's what I still want to try:

Milani Power Lip Lasting and Moisturizing Lip Stain in Moraccan

Benefit Bene Tint in Rose

Do you have any tips for wedding lips?  Or other suggestions for lip stains to try?

If all else fails, I could just wear a regular lip gloss and re-apply throughout the night.  :)

Love for Amazon

I just got *girly* products, shampoo, and granola bars on Amazon without having to leave my house and with free 2 day shipping...

Have a I mentioned how much I love Amazon before?

Oh, and...they sell wine now! Score!

Five

5 Things I Want to Share:

1.  Last week due to my overall abandonment of my laundry I decided to try on some pants that I hadn't for a while on a whim.  I had no idea they would fit.  Get this - I have been a size 9 or 11 for at least four years now.  Sometimes an 8.  These were a SIZE SIX! Woohoo!! Score! (and they were work pants - and that in itself should be an extra excitement because they are higher waisted and tighter on the bum so more of a challenge).

2. I had my makeup and hair trials and they went great.  I switched the people I'm working with last minute due to some disagreements and snarki-ness on their part, and I'm glad I did.  The two girls I have now are fantastic and I know they will help us look beautiful on the big day!

3. Speaking of the big day, 53 days to go.  Oh. My. God.  I just showed Dan the calendar - we are almost done February...then we have the month of March, and then just about two weeks.  That's it.  It's so close!

4. I have such mixed feelings about paying for this wedding.  I have always been very independent financially and have paid for everything of my own since I was in highschool (but didn't start paying rent until after college).  So to say that we are paying for it all ourselves is exciting to me because I feel a great deal of pride knowing that we are doing it on our own.  I also want to whine every time I see the Google Doc I have made with every expense that we have put towards this wedding (literally - EVERY expense down to the last penny).  When all is said and done, I'm so happy that 1) We are only getting married once because it's not cheap! lol and 2) We are doing it together. 

5. The smartest thing we could have ever done is Honeyfund!  The bridal shower gifts helped pay a HUGE chunk of our honeymoon already! That combined with a generous gift from our awesome brother in law/sister and law and a gift from my grandmother we have made serious headway with our honeymoon balance.  It's great! On the days that I am overwhelmed about what we still have to do or anxious about who is judging how we are doing our wedding (I try as hard as I can to not care, but easier said than done), I just picture us on the beaches of St. Thomas and St. John! I am sooooo excited for our first vacation as Mr. and Mrs.! 

I hope all of you have been staying warm and dry with this insane weather!

Getting my sweat on

So nutrisystem has been great for me.  A no-brainer.  I eat nutrisystem all day long and if I don't cheat, I continue to lose weight or maintain.  I have not gained at all since I've been on it.  I cheated a lot the first two or three months on it, so it would probably be more by now had I not, but so far I have lost 13 pounds with it.


I am officially about 5 pounds from my goal weight!


So now it's time to tone up!


I needed something new and heard good things about Jillian Michael's "Ripped in 30" dvd so I got it from Target a few weeks ago for ten bucks.


I tried it for the first time tonight and I loved it!


Here's the jist:


*It's 24 minutes.  That's it.
*It has cardio, strength, and abs.
*I actually liked it.
*I can turn on fun music and still follow along while not listening to her pep talk (I get annoyed with that stuff when I'm working out!)


Yay!


I'm hoping I can stick with this.  I have a spot in my office to workout in all by myself with the door closed, which really helps.  I'm always self-conscious if I'm in a main living area where Dan is around.  He would never say anything or purposely interrupt of course, it's just my own insecurities.


Anyways, wish me luck! I need to get back on the workout train and get some sexy wedding arms!


Which, by the way...


67 days to go!!


omg :)

Must. Be. Positive.

The past two months have been awful.

In addition to the family death in December...

Our pipes froze the other day (we fixed it - but something else to worry about now/keep an eye on),

Dan and I got into a bad car accident on the way back from our relaxing trip to Blacksburg last weekend.

There was a horrible shooting in the mall a block away from us (I knew a couple people stuck there during it)

My car probably needs a brand new starter.

No matter how hard I try, with this new curriculum and crazy behaviors in our grade, I am always behind at work.

BUT

Here are the positives:

Our wedding is only 75 days away from today!

Our St. Thomas/St. John honeymoon is only 77 days away from today!

One of my closest friends/MOHs is due any day now with her baby girl :)

I get to see my uncle from Israel tomorrow!  (he's in town for a few days)

I sold over $2,000 in Thirty-One yesterday with 2 parties, which means more commission money to go towards the wedding! Woo!

It's hard to do, but there is always something kinda positive to look at, right? 

Letting the Numbers Speak for Themselves

This past week has been the week from H-e-double-hockey-sticks, to say the least.

Between 3 anxiety attacks, 2 sleepless nights, major behavior problems at work with students, a lot of stress and negativity at work (which really brings me down), a passing in my family, and wedding stress, I am surprised that I made it through.  

But I'm trying to keep things in perspective...

I am very blessed to have understanding and loving family and friends; I have a great job that I love (despite it being thankless and never stopping at 4pm like it should); I'm going to be marrying my best friend and love of my life in exactly 3 months from today; and I know that I have many guardian angels looking down on me during this rough time.  

I know this is so cliche, but they say that God never gives you anything you can't handle, so I'm trying my best to work through it.

Speaking of working through it, one thing I am SO excited about is my weight!  I have not been able to work out with everything going on with work and graduate school the past two months.  BUT I have been good with sticking to Nutrisystem and also not cheating as much when I go out to eat.

So to really get a feel for the numbers, my highest weight was 2 Summers ago which was 156.

My weight right now is 135! Boo-ya! I've lost 21 pounds since then and I actually see and feel it!

Ok so more recently, I've lost inches too! Since this past July when I measured myself, (I believe I started nutrisystem in September, but I didn't take measurements then) I lost 1.5" in my waist, 1.5" in my hips, an inch from each arm (arm flab), a half an inch from each thigh, and wait for it....TWO inches from my stomach!! (I measured around my belly button)

My clothes are fitting much better and I'm getting a lot of compliments/notice from people around me and those who haven't seen me in a while.  It really means a lot to actually see and feel a difference! I am trying to get back on the workout train too so hopefully I can tone up my arms and abs a bit more so I can really feel awesome in a bathing suit for our honeymoon! :)

I haven't made any drastic changes in pants size yet (that I know of anyways - I haven't had time/money to go shopping), but I have gone down in shirt size! I am more of a small now instead of medium or large.

Woohoo!

On that note, I'm going to bed :)

Simply put.

It's just so hard to live by "it is what it is" and "you can't try and please everyone."  I love saying them and sometimes I'm even able to follow them, but practicing what I hear people preach all the time is really difficult for me. Hoping my the saying "My day, my way" may actually come true in some form.  I also truly hope the same is for my groom too since it's his day as well.  It has been so hard for both of us not to think of everyone else involved in the process and day of, while trying to really focus on what it's all about...our love and union which just so happens to be in front of everyone that we are concerned about.

On a lighter note, a co-worker got me something saucy and fun (my guy reads this sometimes so that's all I'm saying) as a gift since she missed my bridal shower.  

And I opened it up in the front office at work today. At an elementary school! Ha! I was wondering why she was standing so close to me (she told me it was "just in case" anyone saw, so she had my back). 

:)