Judgment Day at Our House

Whilst prancing around our room this morning I realized something...

Seeing the way Beau so nicely "lays" his clothes out, one might assume the "rapture" visited our house recently...

Exhibit A:

...aaaand Exhibit B:

With all this "rapture" hype going around,
any normal wife would begin to worry. Right?

But my mind was at ease when I turned to the right to see this:

aaahhhhhh...open drawers...

...pure evidence that Beau is still around
and the rapture, indeed, did not visit us.

Gotta love 'em!

The Road To "I Do!" - Vol. 1-6

I gave up scrapbooking years ago....too expensive and too time consuming for my liking...and since then, Shutterfly has been my new BFF. I started an album right after we got engaged and decided that I would make albums for each "event" that took place along our little wedding journey & titled the series "The Road to "I Do!". I spent ten straight hours this past Saturday (but who's counting) to complete the rest of my collection (to my defense-Shutterfly has 50% off all their 12x12 photo books that ends tomorrow and since I have a ton to make, I had to take advantage). Not to mention, I had nothing better to do on a Saturday night. Lame-I know.

But I won't keep you waiting any longer....I know you're just dying to spend all your time flipping through my plethora of photos. (...just wait 'til I have kids.)

So without further adieu...

The Road To "I Do!" - Engagement Album

Click here to view this photo book larger

The Road To "I Do!" - Showered With Love

Click here to view this photo book larger

The Road To "I Do!" - Stephanie's Bachelorette Party

Click here to view this photo book larger

The Road to "I Do!" - The Final Hours (Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner)

Click here to view this photo book larger

The Road To "I Do!" - Here Comes The Bride!

Click here to view this photo book larger

The Road To "I Do!" - Honeymoon

Click here to view this photo book larger

These make thee cutest coffee table books. My bright orange package should be in the mail any day and I cannot wait! I highly recommend Shutterfly; their website, their share site and all of their products. They stand behind their 100% satisfaction guaranteed policy and they have yet to disappoint!

Toodles!

Monday-a positive note

Need I say more?

Although I was secretly pulling for Ashley S to be the next contender, The Bachelorette is The Bachelorette so when it comes down to it, I don't really care who it is. Countless weeks of televised drunken debauchery at the expense of other people's souls is enough to keep me hooked week after week. Plus, it shines a whole new light on Monday nights!

Anywho-I went ahead and checked out the boys for ya, Ash. Some look like they might hold their own. Others-not so much.

Exhibit A: Tim the Liquor Distributor. ew.

...this boy, on the other hand, looks like a nice
southern boy who might just charm the pants off of you.

Well hello there, Bentley! :)

Ladies, you'll be happy to know that Mr. Bentley's "tattoo count" is 0.
Thank you, ABC, for filling us in on that pertinent piece of info.

OH!...and Beau Howard...if you are reading this: I absolutely, without a doubt forbid you to watch the spoiler! ...cuz if you do...I find yooouuu!

& That's a threat, mister. Love, your wife.

Eyes wide shut.

It's 4:30 on a Thursday.

At this point, there are only 2 things that
could possibly keep my eyes open...

This...

OR this...

If the toothpicks weren't sharp and wooden I would seriously consider them but until I find smooth-ended, squishy toothpicks, I think I'll resort to the latter.

One more day, gils!
...then...
"It's Friday, Friday! Gotta get down on Friday!"
HA! ok-sorry for that.

2nd time's a charm??

I mustered up the courage and confronted my wedding photog about this little "mishap" and just as momma always said, this little Italian spitfire got exactly what she wanted...a wedding day photo re-shoot! Let's just say I'm relentless.

I was just a little, okay-a lot, disappointed at first but the more I think about it, the more I think this is going to be so much fun! Who else gets to wear their wedding dress twice? Who else gets to physically "get ready" with their groom?? Who else gets to "re-live" their wedding day without all the hustle and bustle that comes with it?? I do! I do! And I am SO excited!

Poor Beau...on the outside he acts completely cool about it...
"Yea, babe-whatever you want."

...but on the inside the man probably thinks I've lost it.
"You've got to be f*ing kidding me! I thought we were done."

Poor guy.

Anyways, photog has agreed to do the re-shoot on June 12 so I have plenty of time to find ideas for the man...I mean, obviously he needs it. I've got a pretty creative mind so I need him to meet me somewhere in the middle. Something non-traditional, non-posey but timeless. Gotz it?

1 of the 2 photos of us.
Good. But not great. I've seen better.

In the meantime, if you have any ideas let a sista know!
Shoot an email. Leave a comment. Send a pigeon.
Thanks for ALL y'all's help!
xoxo

Can you blame me?

This is supposed to be a happy post.

This is supposed to be the post where I show off my professional wedding pictures that I have patiently been waiting for and have everyone "Ooooh" and "Aaaah" over.

But it's not.

Well...not this part, anyways.

I'm actually pretty bummed, errr-extremely disappointed, in our photographer. I just don't know what went wrong.

Sure... we have the traditional "formal" pictures of Beau and I with our wedding party, friends and family. We also have a couple shots of cutting the cakes and doing the champagne toast and being on the dance floor so I'm not discounting that. We even have some really great ones of just the two of us from our first and last dance. ((thank God we at least have those.))

...but that's it...

As I flicked through the 1400 pictures on the cd today, I realized something...

There are only two...yes, TWO, posed (not candid & drunk) pictures of just Beau and I-one of us under the gazebo where we had our ceremony and one on a 1953 pickup that I surprised Beau with. TWO, people! And of the whopping TWO pictures, only one is somewhat decent but is still nothing to be proud of.

1400 freakin' pictures and only TWO are posed pictures of just the two of us. Unbelievable.

What happened to the shots of us gazing into one another's eyes, or kissing under my veil, or standing in front of a cool looking wall???

Well...just as any sane happily married newlywed would do...I'm seriously contemplating putting the dress back on, getting my hair re-done, having my makeup done professionally again and having Beau get all dressed up one more time just to get the pictures we were short-changed on our wedding day. No, seriously.

These are pictures I've waited to have my entire life. These are pictures we deserve and I just know if I don't do something now, I will kick myself in the ass for the rest of my life.

Am I nuts for even considering this?

We spent thousands of dollars on this one magical day where everything went so right. How could something so important go so wrong?

Anyways-sorry for being such a brat today. I should be grateful for the photos I DO have and appreciate all the memories they have already created. So while I'm off researching photographers for a "mock wedding day photo shoot" I am absolutely thrilled (no, really!) to leave some of my favorites with you...

Learn from my mistake, girlies: Hire a photographer that comes with TWO people behind cameras, not just one, and MAKE them take every single picture you've ever dreamed of. Choose a photographer that fits your style (mine was too traditional...I should have gone with more creative/artistic). Oh-and if it's in your budget-hire a videographer.

Maybe I'll change my mind and begin somewhat liking the two puny photos of just the two of us but I still wished there were more...

My life (and my collection) are finally complete!

I wouldn't consider myself a "reader" but I do read quite a bit. (Does that make sense? ...Don't answer that.) Anywho-I typically read 2 books a month for work: one business related and one health focused. Clearly, I prefer the health focused books more than anything but it's always nice to have a fun, non-businessy, non-healthy related book to kick your feet up to and flat out enjoy whilst I bake in the sun. ::sigh::

You may think I'm talking about Twilight or even the Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue books...not so much. I've never even done so much as to open the cover of any of these.

I'm all about a good book.

You know-the quirky, mindless, make you laugh out loud kind of book. Books about real people and their lives. I'm just nosey like that...(this explains why I blog and read other people's blogs and only watch reality TV...true story.)

[[Insert: Chelsea Handler]]

I've watched her show (Chelsea Lately) several times but I've never intentionally stayed up to get my nightly dose of Chelsea in. It's usually because it's the only thing on other than the plethora of TV shows the Kardashians have these days or DVRd episodes of How I Met Your Mother (kill me). Oh-about her show...I like it. I like her. I like how vulgar she is. And I like that she calls Chuy her "nugget".

Her book(s), on the other hand, I love.

I've never literally laughed out loud at a book before until I stumbled upon her first "Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea". The title alone sold me and I'm in sales if that says anything.

Which soon resulted in my purchasing of "My Horizontal Life : A Collection of One Night Stands" where Chelsea reminiscences about her past sex-capades.

Which more recently were grounds for me to buy "Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang" which, by the way, I read cover to cover in 3 days. It's a collection of random stories from a more present Chelsea and her boyfriend "Ted" whom is the CEO of E!

Today, my friends, I complete my collection.

I briefly read the first few pages on my lunch break and I know, once again, I will not be let down by little Miss Handler's antics-or should I say "mishaps". I'm probably most excited about this one because it's stories told from her friends, family and co-workers, about Chelsea...not by Chelsea!

Have y'all read any of her books before?
Which one is your favorite so far?!

I have a little something to share with you.

Since Blogger is being a real a$$ right now by not uploading ANY of my pics, I have something better for you.

Although we did not hire a professional videographer for our wedding, Beau's sweet cousin Todd volunteered to tape our entire ceremony (yes, all 16 minutes) from the balcony of his hotel room.

It my not be thee most perfect, high quality video but dangit, I got to watch the past year of planning come together, I saw myself look and feel more beautiful than ever and last but definitely not least, I will be able to watch myself marry my best friend over and over and over again and that, my friends, is what it's all about.

So I hope you can excuse the little bugs, which, for the record, I never knew about until this video, and the glare from the sunlight and enjoy this as much as I do! :)

A few side notes (in no particular order):

1. At about 10:43, you see me giggle. I must spill. When we were repeating our vows Beau said (I quote),"With this wing, I the wed." I die.

2. I am absolutely LOVING the sprays my florist put on the gazebo. That woman is the shizz.

3. At 11:35, when we walk off to the right side of the screen, we decided to do a sand ceremony rather than a unity candle. This, by the way, was thee longest sand pouring experience I've ever participated in... (ok so it's the only sand ceremony I've ever participated in but still...) Also, this is what you see the mom's doing at the very beginning of the ceremony.

4. The 1st reader that stands is my uncle Mark, my dad's brother, who did a memory reading in honor of my dad. The 2nd gentlemen that stands up is Beau's uncle who led the Lord's Prayer.

5. For my music selection, I went with acoustic versions of the wedding party processional and for the bridal chorus. Best. Choice. Ever. And the song that comes on when Beau and I exit is a string quartet version of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" :)

6. We never practiced "the kiss" so I was a little shocked when he planted a second one on me. ;)

7. I don't know whose bright idea it was to put the microphone in front of my bridesmaids but that idea sucked. Period. I mean, really? (My only complaint...)

8. Why did I hold my bouquet at boob-height the whole way down the aisle AFTER both coordinators specifically instructed me to hold it further down?! Jeee-sus!

9. When Beau took my hand from my brother, he whispered in my ear "You look beautiful." *tear* It was so sweet!!

10. I must say I was very proud of myself for not completely losing it. I remember 1 tear falling as my brother walked me down the aisle and a couple more when we repeated our vows but other than that, I did WAYYYY better than I ever thought homegirl could EVER do!

For future brides, I think you will be very surprised with yourself the moment you see your groom...it's such an overwhelmingly happy and exciting moment that you can't do anything but smile! Once you're hand is in his, it's like the whole world disappears. Literally. This probably explains why I never heard any of the music, noticed any of the flowers or even noticed many of our guests during the entire ceremony. It's such a special moment that only happens once :)

Love. Love. Love.

Surprise honeymoon location; he did gooooood!

I could sit here and list off every single detail of each and every day and bore you all to death but let's be foreal...we did pretty much the same thing...everyday...for 8 days...

relax.

Our days consisted of the following: woke up, ate breakfast, went to the pool, ate lunch, had far too many adult beverages at the swim up bar, took naps, got dressed, went to dinner, hit the sack, repeat. (Ok so maybe there were some other adult activities that took place, ughh..you know...like reading & taking long walks on the beach, you know...but I'll keep this blog PG13.)

Everyday.

Oh! And one day we went over to Isla Mujeres (a small island about 20 minutes away by boat) where we snorkled, played on the beach and shopped with our new found friends! (pics to come later)

It. Was. Perfect.

We stayed at the Excellence Resort in Playa Mujeres, Mexico.
(The best part: NO KIDS-muahahaha!)

Read my lips (or my typing, for that matter): GO THERE.

Our bed when we first arrived.

(Those sun things in the background are mirrors on the other side)

Honeymoon banner across our door

View from our back door

Our little terrace

...and these are just the little details...stay tuned!

PS-I swear I didn't copy these off the internet...they are all props to Kristen's bad-A camera she so kindly let us borrow! Love that girl.

Dear Blogger,

If you don't let me upload pics soon, my followers are going to kill me. The end.

I swear-I have NOT forgotten to post pics from our wedding weekend and the honeymoon. I mean, what kind of blogger would I be?? If Blogger would cooperate, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

In the meantime, feel free to enjoy the 1 million plus photos I've added to our Shutterfly Share site. Here you'll find my bridal portraits, rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception and honeymoon photos. None of my professional pics are back yet from the photographer, with the exception of my bridal portraits, so these were all taken with family and friends' cameras. (Thank God for that.)

PS-homegirl is definitely rockin' the au natural look in some of the "pre-wedding" photos...I expect no judgement...

(sorry for the lack of photos...I blame Blogger.)