Wordless Wednesday - Excited about the Florida Game Edition

Perfect for today, because there are no words.

Couches and Candy

The verdict is in. We went with couch #1. And after driving all over central Alabama, picking out fabrics seemed more a con than a pro. One of the two of us remained totally calm in the face of 497 choices. Bet you can't guess who!

Here's what we decided on. In record time, no less. A lunch looming at Zaxby's might have sped the process along. (mental note - add wings to the list of things not to be eaten on beige sofa).

The two fabrics on the left are throw pillows. The lighter fabric on the right that I'm hoping and praying doesn't stain easily and Namath isn't even allowed to look at is what will cover the couch, chair and ottoman.

Friday nights have become, for the most part, movie nights. So, when this little gem came in the mail from our photographer, I thought it was the cutest thing!

Loved the note encouraging a date night to relax before the wedding draws near. Wise advice - and we are definitely taking it. Twist my arm to drink wine, eat candy and watch Wedding Crashers.

Just more affirmation we made a good decision on wedding vendors - they have really gone the extra mile to show they are excited too. It has made us feel so relaxed leading up to the wedding. 25 days!

Tea Time

Yesterday, the ladies at the church Matthew (always full name at this church) grew up at threw us a tea. This is the church we are getting married at, so both of those things made it really special. After a full day of wedding errands Saturday, it was nice to relax and visit with friends and family.

Do you see the food? It's ALL CAKE. I deemed Saturday was not a sufficient cheat day and poured chocolate sauce on my pound cake. Heaven.

Here's a few pictures from the afternoon.

My mom, grandmother, me and my Aunt.

All the wonderful hostess. Also, good view of the amazing chocolate sauce. Chocolate is low carb, right?

My mom, grandmother, me and Matt's mom.

Me and my groom. He did a great job loading up presents.

One of Matt's favorite gifts. He was so hoping someone would buy it. I plan to report back if/when he uses it. I will be impressed.

It's going to be a busy month, but really exciting! I'm making a point to try to soak it all in. Matt is much more easy going than me and does a great job not sweating the small stuff and getting stressed out. It's a great reminder to me to slow down and enjoy this sweet season of life. It will be here and gone before we know it!

Things I'm Loving this Friday

I am bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning,(who isn't on Friday?) so I thought I would share a few things that have lifted my spirits this week.

1. It's WEDDING MONTH. This is not a drill. I've been waiting for weeks, months even, to feel like the big day was close. I was sure when the invites went out it would hit me. They went out, and nothing. You know what finally did it? The refreshing cool fall air. You know, the air that allows you to drive with your windows down and go out for lunch without turning into a sweaty mess? The seasons have changed, folks. It's happening. You know what I'm most excited about? Going through life with this guy. That makes me very, very happy.

Don't we look like an ad for Great Lash?

2. I'm a big fan of afternoon snacks - I'm usually ravenous come 2 pm. Coming up with healthy snack ideas is hard. Ok, so it's not rocket science, but when I stumble across something new I like, it's pretty exciting. This little combo has put a little happiness in my afternoons this week. All in moderation - you can go overboard on calories here if you aren't careful. And the dark chocolate? It's full of antioxidants! That's my story and I'm sticking with it. (Note - this story also works well for red wine.)

3. I'm a product junkie. I love trying new things, so when I read about this for the 347th time, I figured it was time I give it a shot. Heck, it's only $4! Love at first scrub. I love the way it makes my skin feel and it smells great to boot. Props to you, St. Ives, and your new look. You make my Monday, Wednesday and Friday showers that much better.

Productive weekend ahead! Also pretty pumped about watching my #1 Tide take on the Florida Gators. At least this time we won't have to watch Tim Tebow cry.

Moving Right Along

The to do list continues to grow. It seems like every time I check something off, I think of two more things I need to add. Of course there is no time during the week to run all over town to handle these errands, which means taking full advantage of lunches and weekends. It would do my heart good to come back Monday with a dent in that list.

On the list for lunch today - remember this place? We're going to check out our actual finished unit and take some measurements. So much to hang, so little wall space. Although the cabinet space makes my heart flutter.

Tomorrow, wedding rings. Of course I'm difficult and mine has to be made, so we best get on it. Essential wedding gear. Besides the license, this is one of the few MUST haves. Mental note, add marriage license to list.

Saturday - rehearsal dinner dress, finalize bridesmaids gifts, honeymoon attire, buy furniture, start to remove everything from de-clutter Matt's apartment, test run centerpeices, cook delicious tailgating dip, watch Alabama game. Sunday - Bridal Tea. Enter thank you notes.

While I have ya'll chiming in - any feedback on flower girl gifts? They are 18 months and 3 years old. My thoughts were a bag of things to entertain them during the ceremony - crayons, coloring books, puzzles, etc. But I'm totally open to suggestions!

Aren't they precious? I love that you can see their personalities in this picture. I can't wait to see how they handle the flower girl role. The oldest is most excited about getting her hair done and being pampered. Me and you both, sister!
In some good news - tried the dress on last night. It fits. Short of rib removal, it isn't going to get much better. Whew. Also, tonight is Thursday TV! Hoping to see more Avery and less Owen this week. Also planning on drooling over Addison Montgomery's wardrobe.

Decisions, Decisions

One of the big to do's left on our list is to pick out a sofa and chair. I thought I could almost safely cross this off, when during a "quick run" through a local furniture store last night, we found another option.

Couch and chair one:

We haven't been able to sit on these and test them out, so that's a con. We're working on that. Pro, we get to pick out any fabric. Con, 4-6 week delivery time.

Couch and chair two:

Comfortable. Deep. Available locally, so no wait time. I would really prefer a khaki, but this has khaki in it. Sigh.

I'm very indecsicive. Please chime in with thoughts, opinions, experience. It is MUCH appreciated.

A Grand Weekend

This weekend, I headed down to the coast for a relaxing weekend with the girls. We started off with a Starbucks run for the road, and I got my new favorite...skinny vanilla latte. Delicious.

We were anxious to get to the pool and catch the last couple days of summer rays. Mission accomplished. And we saw the last of the sun as it set on the bay. Hurricane in hand. Not a bad way to start the weekend.

View from the room.

The hotel was obviously on my plan to lure fall in and had the fire pits flaming. Friday we sat outside, enjoyed some seafood and drank some wine.

Saturday was a combination of all my favorite things. Spa, pool and Alabama football!

In case you didnt watch, the game was a nail biter. Thanks to Brad the Bartender for recommending a Bama vodka and diet tonic. It seemed to be lucky, since after ordering we managed to pull through for another W.

We headed back to the room, enjoyed the sunset and played a little "newlywed game" during the lingerie shower. I missed some obvious questions about MS, but I think I got the important ones right.

We went out for sushi and drinks in Fairhope. It was so nice to catch up with everyone! Life gets so busy, so it was so relaxing just to get away and spend time with some friends.

No more time for relaxing until October 31st.