Good Things

First Thing:
My pearls have been missing since August.  Yesterday morning Nate found them in his sock drawer.  Praise!  Nate gave them to me for my birthday three years ago losing them was the worst thing ever.  I cried (more than once).  What's even better than Nate giving them to me is finding them for me.

Second Thing:
I made my way up to NE (again) this weekend for the wedding of a dear friend.  It was a lot of fun and very exhausting.  I can't wait to crawl in to bed tonight, sleep in the middle, and be cozy for 8 long hours.

Third Thing:
This afternoon (after my very first filling at the dentist) I went wedding dress shopping with my newly engaged friend Kasondra.  It was so much fun!  My friend Diedra still works at David's Bridal and she was able to help Kasondra find the perfect dress.  We worked together at my very first job at Hancock Fabrics (when I was 16) and she helped me find the perfect wedding dress when I got married.  It was also fun to relive the experience of wedding dress shopping.  I'm very excited to help with planning and ideas.  After I planned my wedding I thought I would never EVER want to do that again but . . . . it's a lot more fun and a lot less stressful than planning my wedding.  Tonight I will enjoy a glass of wine, an few minutes of Pinterest and wedding blogs, and some Real Housewives.  Yes, this means I will be heading to be around 8:30.  Don't judge.  It's fantastic. 

Wedding Advice

This advice is unsolicited by all who read my blog. . . However, it is solicited by a dear friend/old roommate of mine who is starting to plan her wedding in the next couple of months.  I needed a place to collect my thoughts . . . and that is what a blog is for. . . duh.

First Thing:

This is pretty much the greatest magazine ever.  It has the best time line to figure out when to get things done.  It has everything from your pre-spa visit to buying the gown listed.  Honestly, I would by this before even setting a date.

Second Thing:

 The real simple weddings website.  This is also a cannot live without.  It has checklists for everything.  I'm a huge fan of checklists because then I am less likely to forget something.

Third Thing:

I visited this site pretty much every single day.  What I love about it is that it had so many "inspirational" and diy thing on it, I just couldn't live without it.

Fourth Thing:
Again, with the websites, I fell in love with following blogs.  Wedding blogs.  And to list a few . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weddingbee

Style Me Pretty

 

 

100 Layer Cake

 

Green Wedding Shoes

Southwestern Bride

Once Wed

The Bride's Cafe

Fifth Thing:
I organized and I collected.  I created a folder to put anything I found in, along with receipts, color swatches, and whatever else I deemed necessary to keep.  I also created about a ba-gillion folders for my wedding on my computer along with a folder for all of the photos I collected for inspiration along the way.  Then Google Reader became by best friend with all the blogs I was following.  I was able to star my favorites and categorize blog ideas with their tags.

So, friend, I hope this helps you get started.  If I think of more, I'll post more.  I'm so excited for you!

Fresh water fish

First Thing:
Colorado was a blast.  I had so much fun hanging out with Lauren and Kyle and my grandparents and I'm so glad we were able to share in Ashley and Josh's special day. 

And that is where the fresh water comes in.

They got married up in the mountains at a little lodge tucked away in Allenspark, CO.  It was beautiful and so much fun to spend time with family.  Not only that . . . but Nate enjoyed himself more than we thought he would since he hardly knew anyone.

Second Thing:

We're having salmon for dinner!  That's the fish part. Clearly.  And just for fun, here's another picture from the wedding, although I did ditch the cardigan shortly after we got there (it was merely for warmth purposes) and it was nice and toasty outside anyway.

 It was the first time I was able to wear my pearls out in public (other than to Sarah's house).  And I just love seeing Nate in his suit : )

My project is finished. Mostly!

First Thing:
I finished my project/surprise for Nate!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!
So with my matboard of about $10 and my frame (22x28) that I got half off at Hob Lob for $26 (I love their % off sales) and some rulers and a sharp edge I began.

I used Picassa by Google to blow up my picture by 400% and make a poster . . . creating 16 4x6 photos.

I did probably the most amount of math I've done since my thesis and even then the computer did it all for me, so probably since my research methods class 2 years ago.  It was simple math however and divided the board up in to 16 4x6 squares with 1/4" in between each.

It took forever to neatly slice through each layer of the matboard. I didn't want little flakey black pieces hanging off the mini frames getting in the way of the picture, so it was a very tedious process. 

 This is the final project completed around 1 a.m.  As you can see . . . my face . . . is cut off and you can barely see it on the other picture next to it.  When I was piecing it together it didn't look bad and I thought I'd be able to see it more clearly.  But really it just looks like I have half a face.  However, I so love the design.

Second Thing:
As a result I had to search through all my other wedding photos to find a picture that was just as fun as this one.  I didn't want to settle for a more traditional wedding photo because this isn't a very traditional way to display wedding photos.  So I found this picture.  And I love it because I am only able to see my face and Nate's face and a little of my sister's face and that's it.  The rest are bodies, feet, and hands, which I totally love for some reason.  So with more help from Picassa I rotated a landscape photo to portrait, blew it up again, created a poster and then rotated the pieces back to landscape so I can have a landscape photo when it's pieced together.  . . . and this is what it should look like . . .

Our faces each get our own square and they're not cut up.  Plus it's similar to the other photo . . . we're exiting and it's fun.  I am so excited.  I can't decide if I should hang it up myself above our bed so he can see it when he comes home or if I should lay it on our bed and let him hang it up .  . . after all he's the expert in that kind of stuff.  I'm not sure I could hang something this large and this heavy on my wally by myself.  So I guess I'll lay it on our bed . . . with a bow?

One Week

First Thing:
It is now crunch time.  Literally . . . I need to be doing crunches.  The last week is not the time to miss tanning, working out, and dieting.  However, time does not permit me to tan, work out, and diet as often as I could before.  There is so much to do and so many places to be.  Luckily we have a week in Aruba to make it up.  We sure did spend 8 hours at a marriage prep class today. . . . not as boring and pointless as I thought it would be.  And we had to write letters to each other . . . so I finally got a handwritten letter from Nate.  Now I don't think I'll care if I get anything else every again . . . (except for a headboard and a bottom bed frame with lots of drawers).
I can't wait to seen all my friends!!!!  It's quickly approaching and they will be here soon.

Second Thing:
My family (and almost family . . . Nate) has/have been amazing thus far and I'm not sure how I'd be able to get everything done without them.  My sisters have been so helpful and supportive of this whole process.  I love them all!!  So thank you.

Are you getting married? Are you married?

First Thing:
Today Nate and I accomplished a lot of almost married people things. We combined bank accounts and signed up for a credit card and transfer funds. Our associate asked us "are you getting married?" and I said yes and Nate said no. Then he gave us such a funny look. Nate thought he said "are you married?" and we all had a very good laugh for a very long time.Then we bought groceries for our new house together right across from the new Cowboys' stadium. Yes, we live that close to it. Our new rule: Nate is not allowed to boss me in the grocery store. I am in charge of food. I cook. Therefore I decide what to buy. For the next two weeks he's allowed to get whatever he wants. After that . . . too bad, so sad. ; )
Then we went to Verizon and transferred my number and now we have our own family plan. : ) And I have a new phone (also a plus).And for the past few days we have been moving in and unpacking and organizing our new life together. That, my friends, is so much fun.
I picked up my wedding band/engagement ring combo . . . I am so excited to wear it. It looks beautiful and Nate did such a wonderful job picking it out.

Second Thing:
I LOVE MY DRESSERS AND NIGHTSTANDS! They are fantastic. I promised photos and I have finally taken a few. I can't wait until they are full. (Excuse the mess, there is literally nothing in this room but junk and dressers. 5 to be exact. Don't ask.)

This one is technically Nate's.

This one is mine. Designed by yours truly. The drawers increase in size as they go down.One of our matching nightstands. A drawer and two shelves. Made exactly per my requests.

Third Thing:
Did I mention Nate surprised me with a wonderful Turkish (Persian) area rug for our apartment when he returned from Iraq? Because he did and I absolutely adore it. It is set up in our slightly cramped living room. It makes for cozy living quarters and there's lots of seating for our future guests. It's fun and I don't mind. I so love that the rug makes it look more like a home. It may not look like it matches but the camera obviously doesn't pick up the tiny bit of green in it that ties it all together. The pillows will be recovered and we are hopefully getting slip covers. We have a fire place. It's covered by part of a couch and a lamp but when it's cold I am going to have a fire because that's what I've missed the most when living in the dorms. And then I am going to make s'mores because that is what I love the most when I'm near a fire.

Fourth Thing:This is a congratulatory shout out to my old friend Sarah who I ran in to today at Panda Express. It's been about four years and the only way we keep updated on each others' lives is facebook. Apparently she is three weeks engaged. I am 9 days out from my wedding. She is where I was last July. It's so funny to look back at that time and wonder where all the time went. She'll be apart from her fiance these next long months and I can sympathize (and I know another dear friend of mine can sympathize as well). It sucks but it's well worth the stress. So congratulations Sarah and many blessings.
Fifth Thing:
I realize this might be annoying but today I am 8 days out from the wedding and I finally had a wedding appointment with Nate. Our first one. He said it made it that much more real to meet with our caterer and see everything coming together . . . . I've been at that point for a while now (about 3 weeks) so it's nice that we're both on the same page now. I think he likes living in Arlington and I know he's happy I did a good job finding a great deal on an awesome apartment.

Sixth Thing:
I saved the best for last. Although I am excited that I am getting married in 8 days. I am almost just as (if not more) excited to see lots of my friends and a few of my best friends for the wedding. It's been a long time (for some a very very long time) and I really can't wait. I think just this once it might be okay to say more excited than getting married.

I know there are a lot of things but it's just one of those times where my whole life is changing. And I have the picture to prove it.

11 more days

First Thing:
Nate comes in today and we're going to move in all of our stuff. . . I'M SO EXCITED!  He'll be here in about 45 minutes and then we can start to build our life together.  He left at 12 am last night so we could move in today.  12 am!  Then he slept for a few hours on the side of the road in a big Penske truck with our car hitched behind and then kept driving.  It will take him about 14 hours (just driving) because he left from Omaha and is carrying a big load.  I'd like to think it's because he loves me and I'm pretty sure I'm right.
I'll be move all of the stuff that has been collecting in my bedroom into the Penske truck and my entire family and Kyle (who is basically family) will head on over to help us all move in . . . when did I get so old?!  I can't wait to see my dressers and night stands.  He has put so much time and effort into building them, staining them, and finishing them.  I seriously couldn't be more pleased that he took the time to build them for our life together.

Second Thing:
Apparently Spanish presentations didn't end with high school or college. Luckily I'll be able to keep practicing my Spanish. : )

19 days!

First Thing:
We are now into the teens!  How exciting!  Nate will be here (home) in a week and a half and our home will be set up.  I spent all day working on crafty projects for the wedding and today I'm going to work on my potential hair piece.  Nate and I will pick the vows tomorrow and then we have so many more things to figure out but I'm sure where the list begins.

Second Thing:
Nate will hopefully finish our dressers and nightstands today!  I'm so excited to see them (luckily I only have to wait one more week).  It's going to be a surprise but I did get to pick the color and the size of some of the drawers so it felt like I had a little part in it.  He's worked so diligently on them all weekend and all last weekend. I'm so thankful for my mister and all of his hard work.  I'm so glad that he is such a handyman.  As soon as I get them, I'll be sure to post pictures!

New Chapters

First Thing:
This is all about new chapters, new beginnings, new phases in my life. This weekend I spent a few hours in a coffee shop with two very close friends. It's funny how in high school we were not nearly this close and once college started we became fast friends. They have supported me all throughout college with life, school, Nate, jobs, missions etc. We spent all afternoon catching up on life and reviewing our future plans, sharing our lives with one another. They have been such a blessing in my life and I know that our friendship is not over. We are all in such different places in our lives: spatially, relationally, job wise (financially we're all broke!), etc. but we still have such a strong bond. We're entering a new phase in our life and our friendship dynamics are changing (not ending). I love them and I know we'll still be great friends for many, many, many years to come.
Unfortunately we forgot to take a picture together today to commemorate our last hang out before this phase in our life ends.

Second Thing:
I had such fun at my bridal shower this weekend.  I had the chance to see lots of friends that I hadn't seen in such a long time and I was overwhelmed by the generosity shown to me.  My sister's were so clever and put so much work into hosting it.  And so to recap that wonderful event:

 

Look at these adorable cupcakes!

 

Apparently this is what I'll be wearing on the first night of the honeymoon.

 This is little Sarah and I.  And my amazing silverware the Ramos clan gave me!




And a thank you to those who came (and are reading this).
 : )

Third Thing:
Nate and I found an apartment! We have a new address and he'll move in on June 8/9th!!!  Then we'll get all set up and after the honeymoon . . . it'll be ours!!!  Two bedroom and two bathroom, so we have room for visitors!

I'm so excited! I spent a few minutes this morning looking at HOME magazine and it got me really thinking.  I'm going to have a new roommate and I can't wait.

Happy Birthday Sister

First Thing:
Happy Birthday Lauren!!  She's now officially 21 and that makes her kind of old  . . . just  kidding.  We won't be celebrating her birthday until Saturday night but I'm excited to celebrate it with her.  : D

Second Thing:
I am so excited that my response cards are coming in and it's like Christmas every day.  It's so fun to see the little notes people write on them and to see the people that check "well attend".  Tomorrow will be exactly one month until the wedding!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!  Also, I am more than thrilled to go pick up my dress tomorrow.  I can't wait to see the bustle and plus, I've kind of forgotten what it looks like.

Third Thing:
My family is addicted to Lifetime Movie Network. 

Fourth Thing:
I started P90X yesterday and I love it!!! It's deceptively challenging.  When I finished my workout yesterday I thought why are all these people complaining about how hard this is, I feel great.  Then I woke up this morning . . . . at least I know I'm getting an excellent workout.

Fifth Thing:
I had a wonderful night out with two very good friends.  A merging of the "old" and the "new".    : )  Such fun.

Wasting time

First Thing:
I've been blogging a lot more lately, probably because I'm avoiding anything productive.  Except starting today I actually have to be productive.  But I'm going to start being productive after lunch and after this blog post.  I am in love with my new ipod that Nate got me.  I absolutely love it!!! 

Second Thing:
Nate's wedding band is ready for pick up today!  However, I can't pick it up until next week when I make it up to Omaha sometime.  And when my fiance come back from far away again.  (He has a tendency to leave me a lot.)  Speaking of him leaving.  After we get married and take our honeymoon and come back and settle in . . . he is going to leave me again for about 18 days.  He'll have to make up his guard days he missed while he was in Iraq and the only time he can do that is in July.  Oh well, story of our life.  18 days isn't really that long, and it'll be split up into 9 day periods.  The only thing that's different now is that we'll be married, and I'm sure that adds something to the whole missing each other thing.  Luckily, I think this will be the last time he leaves me for a while.  Thank goodness.  We've spent a week together.  We'll spend two weeks together before I go back to Texas.  Then we'll spend two weeks together right before the wedding.  That brings our actually being in the same place at the same time while we are engaged count to 7 weeks out of the 45 weeks that we will technically be engaged.  Interesting.  I kind of just want to feel engaged.  Is that too much to ask?  I guess it doesn't matter.  We'll be married and that will be a forever in the same place at the same time (mostly).

Third Thing:
I've been thinking about this for a while, but the other day Nate and I made another important decision.  We decided to see each other before the wedding.  I always wanted to wait until the moment I walked through the entrance of the church when Nate and I would see each other for the first time.  Seeing each other before and seeing each other in the church both have their perks and both have their drawbacks.  The more I thought about it, the more I was leaning toward seeing each other for the first time before the actual ceremony.

1. It will be a more intimate moment, just me, Nate, and the photographers.
2. It will save a lot of time (and a lot of stress) in the long run.
3. There will be more flexibility on location and I can get more of what I want in terms of pictures.
4. There are some really adorable "first look pictures".
5. I'll actually be able to see his face when he sees me for the first time up close, which is so much better than farther away.
6. We can kiss before the ceremony! (I don't care if that's silly.)

And so now, I feel more excited about having a first look than I did about sticking to tradition.  Mostly, I'm excited that we're under the two month mark in both date and days (past the 19th of April and past the 60 day count).  It's coming up fast.  I can't wait!

Life is coming together

First Thing:

I know I talk about my mister a lot. In fact I talk about him in almost every blog post, and he's usually the first thing. I can't promise that I'll ever stop. After all, he's just returned from Iraq, we're getting married, then we'll be newly weds, and well, I'll love him forever so I'm pretty sure I'll never stop. Just so you know.
I really do have the nicest fiance. I decided to change the dishes I registered for at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and so he came with me, because we never actually had the chance to register together. So we were looking at two similar dishes and he thought of something I never would have thought about. How big the space on the plate is for food. One plate looked bigger but had a wider rim. How brilliant is that? I guess it's not that brilliant but it shows how different we are. So we registered for the bigger food space dishes.
When I asked him to pick up some Parmesan cheese for dinner on his way home from the gym, he brought me back four ORANGE Gerbera daisies. My favorite color. I'm not one to gush over flowers but he always seems to bring them when I need them/want them the most (secretly). They make my room smile (especially since he's gone again for the next week).

Second Thing:
There are three weeks of school left. There are exactly two months until the wedding. Nate's been home for a week. Where did the year go? Seriously? Where have these last few months gone? What about these next few weeks and months? How fast are they going to disappear? Although I'm excited about everything my future holds (which currently is a college degree and a husband, no job, as of yet), I'm beginning to be a little sad about all that I am leaving behind. I actually kind of got a little sad when I handed over the reigns to the Academy. Thinking about not watching Gilmore Girls or making breakfast with Lg (or when L.A.T.E. would sit around the living room hanging out, going out for drinks or wings at Applebee's) or buying three bags of trips for the road trip home with Lauren or Bible study with CSF girls or Monday night potlucks. It's kind of surreal, my life right now. I kind of can't believe everything that is going to happen soon or has happened recently. Today we talked about nostalgia in Spanish. Apparently once you start to feel it, you're officially old (according to el profesor). Maybe I'm old already. When did that happen?

Third Thing:
I now like my invitations. I don't hate them. I enjoy them. I also enjoy that my wonderful mother and my wonderful fiance are putting them together for me so I can finish what I need to to graduate. Things are coming together. I feel a little less stressed and it's wonderful. Another thing that is wonderful is early morning breakfasts at Panera with Nate. It's probably my new favorite thing we do. I also calculated that I have 80 pages left to write before I graduate. It's a good thing only about 20 of those are in Spanish. These three weeks will go by all too quick.

Good things

First Thing:
WE BOUGHT A CAR TODAY! We did. It's awesome! I'm excited! However, I'm not as excited as for this as I am for the second thing.

Second Thing:
I'M GOING TO ARKANSAS!! Lauren and I are driving down to the University of Arkansas to visit Sarah!!! I can't wait! However, I'm not as excited for this as I am for the third thing.

Third Thing:
3 WEEKS UNTIL NATE COMES HOME!!! 3 short/long weeks!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!
I'm excited. Very excited. However, I'm not as excited for this as I am for the fourth thing.

Fourth Thing:
100 DAYS UNTIL OUR WEDDING!!! AHHH!!!! I am too excited for words for this one!! I can't wait for this. I can't stop thinking about it. Though the wedding seems all a blur to me. The marriage part is clear in my mind and that is what I am looking forward to the most. I'm excited to have an "R" in between the M and the S. in my prefix. R standing for Redhead that is. But really, I'll have a Mr. to call mine!

Here comes the sun with you and me together

First Thing:
I found my father daughter song that I'm going to dance with my dad. It is the best. I love it! (said in Nacho Libre's voice).


Second Thing:
I forgot. Really, I started this blog post with a second thing, but I got distracted and so I forgot.
So I'll post mine and Nate's first dance song. Hello Dave Matthew's, Nate's obsessed with you, and I'm obsessed with this song (mainly because we'll take a boat to the end of the world, promise).

It's been a while

First Thing:
This first thing has everything to do with weddings. I booked my photographer on Thursday and surprisingly enough I am feeling quite confident about my decision (as you know making decisions sometimes leaves me anxious). And then I spent the weekend helping a certain Mrs. Nix become this very Mrs. Nix. I couldn't be more thrilled for Emily and Aaron Nix nor more honored that I was asked to be apart of such a beautiful wedding. I spent time with amazing friends, ate delicious food, and danced . . . a lot (as requested by Mrs. Nix). It seemed like the weekend went by so quickly and the wedding went by even faster. Celebrating the wedding made me realize how excited I am to marry a certain Mr. Norton and spend the rest of my life with him. As he so wonderfully reminded me, we have a little under 6 months left before we are Mr. and Mrs. (we will be married one day under 6 months later than Mr. and Mrs. Nix). It's approaching quickly and I couldn't be more excited.
Second Thing:
School has ended and Christmas has begun. Tomorrow my family will begin our 14 hour drive to Colorado at 5 am to celebrate the season with the Villegas family. I love spending Christmas the same way every year. This is the last year that I'll spend Christmas as a single lady. I get to take down the ornaments with my mom and collect all of my to store in a separate box for next season. I'll spend the days before Christmas (and after) looking for a dress for my grandmother to wear to the wedding. I'll spend the next couples of days laughing and joking with my sisters and enjoying time with my grandparents. The rest of this break with provide the opportunity to apply for jobs, accomplish a lot of wedding tasks, start getting in shape again, write my thesis, and catch up with friends. I couldn't be happier that this is the start of my last official Christmas break.