Engagement Pictures are IN!

I suppose I could try to find a website to post all the pictures, i love the blogs that have a little slide show on the side-bar, but lets face it i have no idea how to do that nor do i have the time. Here is a sampling, we got a roll of 36. Now we need to find a good one for the newspaper, Save-The-Dates, and to hang-up up in our house:)

Getting these pictures was definitely the highlight of the weekend. I feel like I haven't posted in a while, last week was uneventful but o so busy at work. I was in training all last week without an ounce of time to do anything but work. On friday, we got out of training early and I went up to the old stomping grounds to meet with two old college friends. One who i havent seen since her wedding 3+ years ago. She live in Ft. Wayne... it was nice to walk around and spend some quality time with them. P (is actually in my wedding)

Here is a picture of the three of us in Humanities Plaza-- a popular place on campus to hangout on a nice day. One of the things that hasnt changed a bit.

Saturday morning I woke up at 5:15 to meet J and A (also in my wedding) at 5:40 at Perkins to head out the Harsha Lake. There we were to volunteer as Dock Masters for the scholastic regatta, a huge regatta with over 2500 crews. Waking up that early + standing on a dock yelling at rowers for 6.5 hours = one exhausted girl. I didnt do much Saturday night, and sunday matt and I spent the day at his parents washing out my car, playing with odie, and hanging out with the family.

Lots on my mind right now, ill try to start posting a little more. I feel out of touch. Hopefully it will be a good week.

Welcome May

May 1st. Hello, May. I cant believe you are here already! I cant believe almost 5 months have passed since i got engaged, I cant believe the cold weather is pretty much behind us now, I just cant believe it's May. In my head May is the start of summer. And once summer starts, fall is next. And fall is the season of the wedding.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

I seem to be in La la land when it comes to realizing that i actually MUST start doing something. I always feel bad talking about the wedding because i havent really done much lately. People ask me about it and in my head i am thinking ' you really dont give two shits.' I admit, the people around me are polite. I recognize the courtesy.

I have some big things i gotta do now too. Like order invitations. Figure out the wording. Bicker with my mother also falls on the list. I know these things are meaningless, but for some reason i wish the process was simpler. It most definitely is not. We also need to finalize the guest list. Matt has done nothing. We also need to order our favors. O ya, WE ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TIME THE WEDDING IS!!! This above all things is stressing me out. Due to time constraints I dont believe we have time for a receiving line. The wedding starts at 2, we need to be out by 3:30. Which gives us a half hour for pictures in the church. My mom says we MUST have a receiving line. Or we move the wedding up to 1:30. I don't want to move it to 1:30 because since people may be travelling that morning, I feel like 2pm is a lot more comfortable if you are driving from cleveland. My mom and I already had a fights about it. I don't know what to do.

This decision needs to be made before i cant print the invitations.

I need to order the invitations soon.

But back to May. I do love May. The flowers, the warm but not hot weather, the longer days. Time is just flying too fast. I need to slow down and take the time to enjoy things. Slow down, but not ignore my ever-growing to-do list. I hope this weekend in DC with my family isnt stressful. I cant only imagine what kind of arguments are waiting in the wings.

Enjoy the first weekend of May. It supposed to rain all weekend..... hopefully the forecast changes a little brighter.

things are good

This

Weather

is

AMAZING!!!

My favorite part of the weekend: Walking outside at 10:00 in the morning on Saturday with Matt and Odie, the sun was out, the wind was lightly blowing, small cup of coffee in hand... and we sat by the river just sitting. The temperature was the most perfect temperature. Warm, not humid, sun wasnt too hot, the air felt so good. Not too many people were out yet; it was peaceful. I loved it.

This entire weekend was filled with absolutely perfect weather. Maybe a little hot in the afternoon, but for the first time it felt like summer. Of course, the weekend flew by and I can barely remember what I did. Friday I had the day off so i searched around for a cute shirt to wear for the engagement session Saturday afternoon. I honestly cant tell you what i did that night, i think i just hung out, made a healthy meal, and watched a movie with the windows open... it felt nice.

Saturday afternoon started out wonderfully; In the late morning I went to get my hair cut, came back and went to Habeneros with Matt to have lunch. He just loves that place. It felt like we were in vacation or something because tons of people were out and about on the levee in shorts and tank tops. And i am pretty sure at one point i was listening to Bob Marley while eating my chicken quesadilla.... mmmm vacation. haha

Our engagement pictures that afternoon was SO much fun! I just love Michael bambino... he was always making us laugh. He took us outside and he shot a roll of actual film on us... black and white film! We had pictures sitting on a stoop, on the rail road tracks, all these benign places that I would have never thought to be 'pictur-esque' and I am guessing will be lovely. It was unfortunate it was so windy, my hair felt like it was all over the place. I hope it didnt ruin too many of the pictures. I CANNOT wait to see them! He told us it will take a couple of week. I AM DYING to see how they turn out! And the best part? When i asked him if his staff ever does those slide shows you see at weddings, the "love stories" where there is rolling pictures of their childhood though the point in their lives together. He said no, no, he doesn't do that silly stuff. But he is going to put together an actually Love Story movie that he will direct and shoot us again in COLOR!.AND FOR FREE!!!! Yes, FOR FREE!! I have no idea why he was so generous.... but he usually charges $750 for that, he is throwing it in. WOW!! I CANNOT WAIT!!!
(aaah another outfit to stress out about) haha.

It definitely put a skip in my step the rest of the weekend.

Yesterday morning was also another fantastic day. Since i am going to bed earlier on the weekends, i find i wake up earlier, rested, and full of energy. Yesterday i started the day off before 10 am again! I ate breakfast, matt and I did yard work together, did 2 loads of laundry, I went to the grocery store and got food for the week, played with odie outside. We even went out to lunch together. Took a long walk and got ice cream, and even even went swimming at the very end of the day. The whole day i was productive! I folded and put away all the laundry, cleaned up my entire apartment, made my huge salad for the week, packed lunches, washed dishes. my apartment is looking fantastic.

I have a clear head right now when things are in order in my life. It feels good. I am rowing tonight, i am looking forward to that. Matt and I started a pact to eat healthy and workout during the week. Only on weekends are we allowed to splurge a little bit (but not too much). last week we did great. A few of my rowing friends decided to have our own little "workout club" for which we will make a schedule to row AT LEAST 2x a week together. Regime is good. Things are good.

things are good

Life as usual

I have been horrible at posting lately, not that i have nothing to say just that I am unmotivated to do so. Life has been busy. Work is busy, life is busy, i am ready for a little break. I had a pretty good weekend, got to spend time with matt, got to spend time with Matt outside, and got to see a WHOLE bunch of my friends at a birthday party a J's apartment downtown.

Saturday morning we closed on Matt's house, now my house, and went to the Sharonwoods and spend hours and hours outside. We rented a pedal boat and had a blast hanging out on this little lake. Then we walked and walked, probably for 2 hours all over.... it was wonderful! I even got a little burnt on my shoulder:) Saturday night was the party and i love, love, LOVE hanging out with J, S and A-- from Dayton. I miss them, they are so good to me. True friends.

I continue to be bothered by one friend that doesn't seem to put any kind of effort back in my friendship, but i am learning to thicken my skin. Things change, you can only do so much.... and things will only keep changing.

This weekend we are getting our engagement pictures! I am so excited! Next weekend we are in DC.... lots of good things happening. Ill try to post more when i have a little more to day.


**P.S. summer is almost here, the warm 80+ degree weather will be here this weekend! YAY!

Easter weekend and more SURPRISES!

last week was such a lazy and exhausting week. I had a difficult time posting and i did try. this weekend totally flipped things around... and i look ahead to a VERY busy week and weekend ahead.

I took yesterday off to drive home from an EXCELLENT Easter weekend. Matt got lucky and had the day off on friday since the markets were closed and we got a head start. We got in around 4 on friday and got to hangout with my parents and sister the whole night. And we at Thai that was soooo good! Saturday afternoon i had plans go visit my best friend's apartment for a lunch date around noon. I almost didnt get showered, i threw on some clothes and grabbed a bottle of wine to share for a relaxing afternoon. When i arrived....

ANOTHER SURPRISE!! This time, a surprise WEDDING SHOWER PARTY!!!! And both sides of my family were there, my cousin who i havent seen a couple years, J and A drove up from cinci, and so did Matt's mom and my future sister-in-law. I was SOOOOO touched!!!!

The cute little decorate tables we ate lunch

The cake!

The AWESOME GROUP! My family, some of matt

s family, my friends, grandma's!

Grandma G and Grandma V (a rate photo opp)

5 of the 7 Bridesmaids!! YAY!! LOVE THEM!

The Fab 4-- and longest friends! E and C are my non-blood sisters and this could not have taken place with out them. They are so precious and wonderful!

Showers are a little embarrassing, and the whole time i was worried if people were having an OK time. I was also relieved that i took the 4 minutes to at least shower that morning. I am just so lucky!

The rest of the weekend just flew by-- Easter was a total haze, so much driving and eating and running around. Saw both sides of the family and that was nice, but i think my stomach hurts from all the chocolate and buttery/fatty foods i ate. Plus i havent been sleeping all that well the past few nights. I hoping that will change. I have a busy week coming up, lots of birthdays this week and plans for everyone. Plus writing TONS of thank you notes will take up lots of time. But i hear it's suppose to warm up! Summer is coming!

ugh!

tough week.

I started to write a post monday.


Wrote some more on tuesday

thought i finished it this morning.


And an error message pops up and nothing i wrote today saved.


I need a vacation!!!

Ode to the Odes

I was thinking about my other bloggy friends, posting about their animals, and I realized I have never posted about my adorable, fury little 4-legged family member, Odie. In fact, i barely acknowledged his birthday, which was a date pick by Matt and I, two weeks ago on March 15th. The ides of March, easy enough to remember. He turned 4... i think.

Matt is not as in love with my pup as I am, but that's ok. And the rules of my apartment will definitely have to be modified when he moves into our house when we are married. But he is really a great dog. He barely ever barks-- making him a perfect apartment dog, he loves to snuggle up on me, and is the most affectionate dog i have ever had. He certainly knows how to communicate with me, he can be a trouble maker, and boy is he smart! He has tons of energy, he loves to play (although he is not much a retriever), he can be vocal when he wants attention, and he will eat LITERALLY anything!!! I like to think i make him healthy when i give him leftover vegetables. Yes, he even eats vegetables. He is one of the few dogs I've seen that actually gets excited about his dog food, everyday. The same food he eats every day. He is patient and forgiving, and the long days when he has to go 10+ hours before going to the bathroom.

I love him so much, sometimes i wish i didn't work during the day so i could spend more time with him, having a dog is so rewarding. I did celebrate his birthday with lots of treats and a yummy dinner. He probably has no idea what his birthday means, but another day he can feel loved is a good day.

These pictures don't even do him justice, they are just a couple of the few I have on my work computer. I have tons of cute ones at home, that really show his personality. This is my favorite one at work. And yes, he has a Halloween costume too. Some people think it's cruel to dress up dogs, I think Odie likes it because he gets TONS of attention and he loves to be fawned over.

*And yes, he was named after Garfield's Odie. I think he resembles him a little bit, too:)
Other names he responds to besides, Odie: Ode, Odester, Odie-Miester, love bug, little man and Birdie..... dont ask.