one day in may

Birthdays, Birthdays Everywhere!

2009-02-18T08:19:00.003-05:00

This post is a shout-out to several people:

First, my new cousin, Abby Marie, joined us February 15. I can't wait until I can meet her and play with her and Carter!

Second, today is my dear friend Sarah's birthday. I won't embarrass her by gushing too much, but she is a very special person who makes me laugh and exhibits the meaning of living for others every single day. Sarah, I hope you have a relaxing day full of Office reruns, your favorite ice cream, and time with your hubby.

Third, my brother's birthday is on Friday. He doesn't read this, but happy birthday, Mike!

And fourth, I need to shout a belated happy birthday to another dear friend, Aletha. I wasn't able to attend her shindig, but Aletha, I hope your day was as special as a birthday should be (I'm with you, girl--I LOVE birthdays!).

So now everybody go out and celebrate!

I'm Currently Looking Forward To:

2009-02-03T10:37:00.004-05:00

1. The arrival of my new cousin, a little girl, this month!

2. Finding out the sex of Leslie and Chris's baby on Friday.

3. Planning a baby shower for Leslie and Mel.

4. Competing at the Midwestern Sectionals. *The picture on this post is the dress I'm wearing. It is my favorite dress ever and was made by Leslie.

5. Continuing to prepare for the Adult Figure Skating Nationals.

6. Finishing our bathroom. I still have to put on one more coat of the sage gray paint and one more coat on the ceiling, paint and install quarter round, and touch up paint on other trim.

7. Maybe someday getting caught up at work.

8. Seeing my kitties and Matt tonight.

9. Hanging with Emily this weekend.

10. Getting manicures with Anne next weekend. Yup, we married ladies are spending Valentine's Day getting manicures! (In our defense, Anne's husband is on call at the hospital and I will hang out with Matt later in the day.)

11. March 1, when I know we're over the worst of winter.

12. Lunch

13. My birthday in March so I can have another Sweet Cakes cake.

Things I Love: The Dining Room

2009-01-16T09:38:00.002-05:00

Oh, my. I drool over these chairs every time I see them. I love the circle cutout, I love the wood, I love the cushion. I do not love the price, but oh, my. I think I could make them last for sixty years, so maybe they're worth it. I say they are if I drool over them every time I see them in my house, as long as I don't drool directly on them ... gross.

*Chairs from here.

*My number-one reason for finally making a blog post is so I don't look so lame in people's sidebars when it says my blog was last updated 4 months ago. That's pathetic.

The Things We Do for Love ... and Cake!

2008-09-02T10:50:00.003-04:00

Here is a picture of Matt's birthday cake. It was inspired by an old SNL skit, "Brian Fellow's Safari Planet." If you don't know what this is, make sure to google it--I think it's the funniest thing ever.

Once I brought the cake home, Matt laughed for about 30 full seconds. Exactly the reaction I was hoping for! And the cake tasted as good as it looks! Thanks to Barb and Sara for listening to my crazy vision for the cake. You made it incredible!

Getting the cake wasn't all fun and games though, boys and girls. I headed out to Sweetcakes to get it after work on Thursday. I knew there would be a lot of traffic heading north through downtown, and I was prepared for stop and go traffic. However, the young man behind me was not and rear-ended me in the lovely S-Curve. Thankfully there was no damage and no injuries--just a little paint on the car's bumper. My biggest concern was getting my cake in time, which I did.

We went to the Whitecaps game to celebrate Matt's birthday and then enjoyed our yummy cake. The rest of the weekend's activities included taking in a Tigers game, skating, and hitting the water with Dave, Mel, and other friends. A lovely birthday and Labor Day weekend!

This evening we're going to check out our top four choices on our house hunt. We're not sure if any of these are "the house," but it will be fun to look at them again. Stay tuned for more about that!

Feeling Inspired

2008-08-28T10:44:00.005-04:00

I'm feeling inspired today. To write, to arrange, and to update my blog. Finally.

I'm feeling inspired at work today too. I've got some exciting projects that I feel invested in.

In other news, Matt and I are house hunting and have found 4 very good possibilities. It's a little scary, and your prayers are appreciated. We hope to have wisdom to make the right decisions and to manage our money well.

Last weekend, I spent the day in Detroit at a spin and footwork seminar led by Alissa Czisny--who is pretty much my favorite amateur skater. She is so amazing. The seminar lasted four hours and consisted of a warmup that was more like 45 minutes of boot camp, and then 3 hours with skates on. The things I learned though were life-changing for my skating. I left there feeling completely exhausted and hurting, but my motivation was flying high. Now it's Thursday, and my legs finally don't hurt anymore. Just in time to get back to the skating tomorrow. So far, I've been off this week since we've been house hunting.

Check out Aletha's blog today. She has a post that mentions the typewriter we used at our wedding! My precious grandpa gave me this typewriter and it's one of my most treasured possessions. And while I'm on the topic of weddings, I know I promised to make more posts with our wedding photos. Well, that's in the plans, but if I'm going to be posting right now, those posts aren't going to happen. I'm working on making a Blurb book of our photos and am hoping to have it finished by Christmas. I also want to make a slideshow with ShowIt. So many things to do with Amy's wonderful photos.

And finally, and most importantly, today is Matt's birthday! We made omelettes for breakfast this morning and he opened his presents. Later today we're going to the Whitecaps game and then having friends over for cake from Sweet Cakes Design--the lovely bakery that made our wedding cake. The decoration of the cake is a surprise. I can't wait for Matt to see it! Happy Birthday Matt!

And if you're reading, can you throw me a comment? I know I'm sorta pleading here, but a girl needs some love and motivation to keep on blogging. Love y'all.

*The photo is one I snapped on our honeymoon. Matt is watching the storm come in.

Anyone Know?

2008-07-08T10:14:00.002-04:00

I'd like to make a slideshow/video of wedding pics. Anyone know a good (and free) way to do this?

And yup, I cut my hair!

Long Beautiful Hair?

2008-06-25T09:32:00.007-04:00

Okay, it seems to be common among my fellow bloggers lately to raise some questions and pleas for advice on hairstyles. I grew my hair pretty long so I could have it all fancy for the wedding, but once it gets too long, it starts to drive me crazy. I can see the split ends, and combing it elicits not-so-nice words out of my mouth.

I've got an appointment for a haircut tomorrow, but I'm sorta getting cold feet. Here's what my hair looks like now (with my lovely friend Aletha here; I'm the one on the right):

And here's how I want to cut it (the girl's hair, not Evan Lysacek's, though I do admire his skating):

The front (but maybe have mine a little longer):

The back:

Now keep in mind that I am not the ice-dancer extraordinaire that Tanith Belbin is. She's gorgeous and has the perfect facial features. So take this haircut and picture it on my face. Anyone who's good at Photoshop can feel free to take a crack at it! :)

In the end, I'll do what I want to do. But the advice of my friends always helps. So thanks!

And don't worry--I will have MANY wedding posts up here soon. I'm taking my time so you can get the whole visual!

Just the Beginning

2008-06-18T09:05:00.004-04:00

I know I'm WAY late in posting this, but better late than never, right? Anyway, I'm sure most of the loyal readers here have seen the preview of our wedding photos. If not, check them out: http://amycarrollphoto.blogspot.com/2008/05/becky-matt-wedding-preview.html

Amy Carroll and her assistant, Angie, did a wonderful job with everything and couldn't have been more fun to work with.

The week of our wedding was more stressful than I could have imagined, but our wedding day was perfect to us. The week of, I had very stressful work things going on, plus all the last-minute things we had to do (programs, placecards, seating chart, buying ceremony flowers, etc. etc.). Thank goodness my mom arrived in town and went to work. Seriously, she was a lifesaver and pulled out the Mom juice in full force. She's awesome. Not to mention she fixed my dress for me, which we realized was much-too-much big the week before the wedding. And my wonderful alteration lady had jury duty all week and couldn't fix it for us. Let's just say that you could see down the front of my dress, and while I wanted to share this important day with my loved ones, I certainly didn't want to share that much. So my super Mom was able to take the dress in and it fit perfectly the day of the wedding.

I'm going to try to give a review of all our vendors and such, a little at a time. So stay tuned. I'll post many separate entries rather than one big one (this is my goal anyway).

Hallelujah

2008-05-20T12:23:00.002-04:00

Babies!

2008-05-19T07:42:00.004-04:00

Here they are! Our adorable babies that inhabit the pond behind my apartment. Matt took these awesome pictures. I love the fact that I can just step out on the balcony and watch so many creatures in action. It's like our very own petting zoo!

On Saturday, Matt pointed out the baby geese that are also out there! They haven't been in the water but just kind of wander around the grass, looking for food. The babies are cute, though I don't care much for adult geese. They can be kind of mean, and they're trying to take over the pond, and I'm siding with the duckies. There was also a big, beautiful blue heron out yesterday. I was sort of afraid it might go after some baby ducks. If that had happened, Mr. Blue Heron, your rear would have been mine.

Much of the weekend was spent peeking out the window every few hours to see what the animals were up to. But we did get a lot of other stuff done too. Friday night we went out to Holland and then decided to eat downtown at the New Holland Brewery. I had a fantastic burger and the best chardonnay I've tasted. It's from the local Fenn Valley winery so I'm going to have to see if I can get us some more.

On Saturday, Matt and I joined our friends Dave, Melissa, and Scott for a 5K walk called "Stomp Out Stigma." It's designed to educate people about mental health and treatment. A cause I very much believe in. After the walk, we went out to eat at The Grand Coney, a local place with amazing food. I had a yummy omelet and English muffin toast. Other Saturday activities included running errands, cleaning, organizing wedding stuff, and doing a little work at the office.

On Sunday, we went to church and then I enjoyed a nice long nap. Oh, how I love naps! I did a little more work, dusted, organized the closet (and made room for Matt's stuff), printed menus for our wedding reception, worked on some DIY projects, started packing for the honeymoon, etc., etc. I feel very good about what we've accomplished.

My mom will be in town today and staying for almost a week! I'm off work after tomorrow. Can't believe I'm getting married this weekend! Woo hoo!

I Am Thankful ...

2008-05-16T07:44:00.003-04:00

Every so often I like to make a list of things I'm thankful for--just to keep it all in perspective and to remind myself how blessed I am. Today I am going to share my list with you:

I am thankful for:

1. My really cute new notecards from Papyrus (they're thank-you cards for wedding stuff).

2. Getting to dog-sit the PAWS dog, Daisy, in my office the other day (a really sweet black lab!).

3. Spring weather. This is my favorite time of year. I just hope it holds on for the wedding.

4. My facial the other day--pure relaxation. This was a splurge for the wedding. I'd never had one before, and I would highly recommend it.

5. Sleeping in (this one is always on my list).

6. My mom. She's pretty cool to say the least. And Matt--for obvious reasons. They are my best friends.

7. The baby ducks in the pond behind my apartment. They are the tiniest little duckies I've ever seen in the wild. They swim around and explore and are about the size of a rubber duckie. I'm tempted to live in the apartment forever just so I can see them every spring.

8. The awesome HUGE clock my colleagues gave to me at my work shower yesterday.

9. Handwritten letters.

10. My brother's chocolate lab, Oscar.

11. Getting married next week!

12. Being able to say I'm getting married next week!

13. Homemade strawberry jam on my PB & J.

14. Watching The Office on Thursday nights. Made better by the fact that the next day is Friday!

15. Gilmore Girls on DVD.

16. Driving with the windows down.

17. And so much more! This is just one installment. Maybe I'll do a regular post, like "Thankful Thursdays" or something.

18. Oh yeah, I'm thankful for my blog readers too!

People Who Are Too Much

2008-05-14T10:00:00.003-04:00

There are a few people in my life who are too much. And by too much, I mean very generous and kind. I love their too-muchness. It reminds me that people can be good even when life hurts.

One of those too much people is an author of mine--Karen Spears Zacharias. Karen is an extremely generous, tenderhearted woman. She's a talented writer from the South traveling the country to impart her wisdom to other students and writers. Though she's an author I'm supposed to edit, I very humbly realize that she has more wisdom than I, and I relish the opportunity to learn from her about writing and about life.

Things I love about Karen:

She is real. She doesn't put on a certain "author" persona or have a big head.

She is socially conscious, involved in her community, and generous with her time.

She is near to God. This is evident very quickly after you read her writing or talk to her in person.

She is very accessible as a friend. I've never met her in person, yet I know I could call her up at anytime or show up on her doorstep for a glass of iced tea (if only I liked tea; sorry to you southerners). But for Karen, I would drink all the iced tea in the South.

What has made Karen a too much person for me? Her generosity has overwhelmed me. Ya know when I was leaving for Lake Placid to compete at the Adult Nationals? She sent a lovely flower arrangement to work for me, with a note telling me to skate my heart out. And now, 10 days before my wedding, she sees the pretty clutch I posted about last time and sends me a note that it's in the mail. What? No way! How cool and kind is that? I'm planning to carry this on my wedding day. It will add a bright splash to my outfit and remind me of Karen--and of how I want to be like her in my life and in my marriage.

And lest you think it is only tangible gifts I'm overwhelmed by, Karen has been a sounding board to me from day one. I always wonder how much of my personal life I should share with an author. Usually, I just don't know if they will care. Many of them are so busy that they don't have time for the personal relationship of author/editor. But I do like authors to get to know me as another person, not just someone at a desk. Well, I took a chance by telling Karen all about myself, and I immediately received a wonderful response. All through my planning process and her writing process, she has been more than ready to email about weekends, fun tidbits in the news, or even just to ask what my momma's dress for the wedding looks like. She cares about other people so deeply and vividly and makes me want to care about others the same way.

So, Karen, I know you can't make it to the wedding next Saturday (though if you did show up, you'd have a place set for you), but here is a toast to you and your friendship and for showing me that people can be good.

Much love,

Becky

P.S. Check out Karen's blog: http://www.heromama.org/

And order her book Where's Your Jesus Now? It's fabulous, if I do say so myself!

Purty

2008-05-09T14:01:00.002-04:00

I am in love with this clutch purse. It is handmade by a member of etsy. If you don't know etsy, you must become acquainted, but then again, be prepared for hours of your life drifting away into Internet land. This is a really fun site where buyers and sellers of handmade goods can go and, well, buy and sell stuff. I've found many great things here and bought a few of them. This purse is from seller muchachak. And while I haven't bought it, I'm still considering it. But then I did just get a new swimsuit for the honeymoon today ... perfect excuse.

Sneaky

2008-05-08T10:34:00.005-04:00

My friend Sarah tagged me. I'm guessing it is a sneaky way to get me to update the blog. I guess I'm a lapsed blogger. I'll keep trying though if anyone is still reading and will stand by through my lack of blog commitment.

Anyway, here's the tag thing, and then I'll give some updates:

I am: ready for lunch.

I know: that I will have PB & J (my favorite!).

I want: to get married right now.

I wish: it was our wedding day now.

I hate: mean people (I know, I know--hate is a strong word).

I miss: my mom.

I fear: too much.

I feel: mellow (except I have to pee).

I hear: the heating/cooling system.

I smell: like my perfume, shampoo, and deodorant.

I crave: chocolate

I search: for cute shoes.

I regret: not much.

I love: Matt.

I ache: for a puppy and a cat.

I care: about lots of stuff.

I always: drink coffee black.

I am not: skating right now. Bummer.

I believe: in a great God.

I dance: a lot. I love to dance. But not at dark, smoky, crowded clubs. I love to dance at home, or at a wedding, or on the ice.

I sing: at church and in the car.

I cry: when I feel overwhelmed.

I fight: to protect those I love.

I write: about memories I don't want to forget.

I win: at love. I am blessed.

I lose: sleep when I won't get off the Internet.

I never: pass up the chance to pet a puppy.

I confuse: skating moves sometimes.

I am scared: of snakes (ditto, Sarah). Terrified is more like it.

I need: rest.

I am happy about: getting married!

I hope: I make it to the Olympics.

Kinda neat tag, huh? Anyone reading this? Consider yourself tagged (Anne, this means you! :)

Okay, so Lake Placid was wonderful. Sometime I will devote a post entirely to that (though I've included two of my pictures at the top of this post). The highlights included: getting violently sick in Niagara Falls (never eating chicken tenders at the Hard Rock Cafe again ...); seeing the Olympic torch, ski jump, bobsled run, ski hill, and of course, the ice rinks!; skating on Olympic ice; skating pretty well; hearing my name announced by an official announcer from U.S. Figure Skating; meeting new people; the hot tub at the hotel (affectionately named "The Grotto"); Hercules (our new doggie friend); Leslie's "Blue Moon" routine; walking up the hill to the competitor party in the snow; singing at the top of our lungs on the way to the Price Chopper; Total Eclipse of the Heart--'nuf said; getting to wear a competitor badge and feel like a rockstar; getting Tide in my eye the night before competing and talking myself through it by saying I could get by with one eye; the Scoob; throwies; seeing the ice on the first day of competition and getting teary.

It was a wonderful trip that I will remember always. There's something magical about Lake Placid, and aside from that, it was one of the best things I could have done to take off for a week right before the wedding. It put a lot of details in perspective, and being isolated from everything else really helped me to relax.

And the exciting news!! Next year, Nationals are in our hometown!! So I'll be competing again, hopefully at the Gold 1 level.

Okay, wedding things are going well, though I'm starting to feel the pressure of crunch-time. I'm so excited though. I have my final dress fitting tomorrow, a hair and makeup trial on Saturday, and a bachelorette party on Saturday night. Special thanks to Kara and Nicole for organizing that. We're ordering food tomorrow, and flowers are pretty much all taken care of and specified. I still need to finish making programs, make a seating chart and placecards, and lots of other little things, but in 16 days, we'll be married! We cannot wait! And then it's off to Jamaica for a week! Thank you to all who have followed along with these plans. I appreciate all of your interest. Hopefully I'll post again before the wedding; if not, there will definitely be pictures afterward!

Rhine--Stoning

2008-03-29T23:44:00.005-04:00

"Rhine-stoning..." In my head, I'm singing that along to "Sledgehammer" or "Brass Monkey," take your pick. I'm leaving this week for Lake Placid where I will compete in the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships. As one of my friends says, we're "America's Finest." Or something like that. Possibly America's most humble people because we're doing something many consider us too old to do, and it just so happens to be very easy to fall not-so-gracefully while doing it. But it's oh, so fun, and I can't wait to attend my first Nationals.

In order to get ready, I'm adding the finishing touches to my costumes. For my free skate, I'm wearing the long-sleeved dress, I believe. I'm skating to a string quartet version of Coldplay's "Yellow." My big goals are to land my axel and to work with my nerves. My other program is an artistic program to "Then He Kissed Me." It's a very fun program; I just have to get in character, which is a challenge for me since I don't like to ham it up on the ice.

So I'm going for the gold (and the silver engraved plate they give you if you win--I'd totally eat off of it). And then in under 50 days, I'm getting married!

FYI

2008-03-29T23:34:00.004-04:00

Thought you'd like to know that the shoes arrived. They are a tad big, but not too much that I can't make them work. And they are slightly more gold than I thought they'd be, depending on the light. So here they are!

I'm also posting a picture of another pair of shoes I found. Silver strappy heels, perfect for our rehearsal dinner! After splurging on the first pair, I of course promised myself I wouldn't buy anything so much as resembling a luxury item for a very long time. But then I found these shoes. And they fit. And they were on clearance. And they were way comfy and a nice brand. And then I found out they weren't really on clearance but were marked incorrectly, but they gave them to me for the clearance price anyway. So worth it.

Okay, now. Seriously, no more shoes for me.

P.S. Sorry for those of you who hate feet. Mine aren't the most lovely ones. And yes, only one foot has painted toenails.

Sweet Girl

2008-03-26T23:04:00.002-04:00

Today, Matt's parents had to put Molly, their golden retriever, to sleep. She was almost 14 years old and still wagging her tail. They think she had cancer of the spleen, and her failing health was beginning to show more and more. I'm glad she's not in pain, but we will all miss her greeting us at the door and begging to be pet. I last saw her Easter Sunday and she was licking food off the plates in the dishwasher. :)

Molly taught me a lot. When I was having a hard day, I looked forward to being able to see her if it was a day I went to Matt's parents' house for dinner. She always reminded me what's really important--to love others. I don't know if Molly could have loved God (pretty sure dogs don't have that capability), but I know God loved her and realized the joy she brought to us. I knew that whatever problem I had in my life faded in light of Molly's simple need to be pet, talked to, and to love her family and her two kitties.

We will miss you, girl ...

Becky's Got Brand New Shoes!

2008-03-04T09:30:00.003-05:00

I decided to take the plunge and splurge on these fabulous shoes from BCBG. I have a pair of black peep toes that I bought at their outlet last fall, and they are my favorite shoes in the world. Not only are they the cutest things, but they are so comfortable too. I bought this pair in silver, but I could only get a picture of the brown.

Since I'm fast approaching my official mid-twenties, I thought I could invest in another pair of nice shoes that will last me a long time. Or they could be an early b-day present (see how I'm justifying myself here?)

So happy Tuesday. I wish you all comfy and cute shoes every day of your life. :)

Lock in Your Votes!

2008-02-27T07:55:00.012-05:00

Last weekend, my mom, Matt, Emily, and our wonderful DOC, Aletha, visited the reception site to finalize some details. I'm going to need to slightly modify our centerpieces since the tables are smaller than I was imagining, and there will be more of them. Originally I was going to use square glass vases, filled with several types of white flowers: roses, hydrangeas, and peonies (everyone tells me tulips are difficult to keep nice for that long--boo). I'm still planning on using these flowers, but I'm looking at smaller containers. This is where you come in. I've got a few ideas, but I'd like your opinion. Which of the following do you like? Or do you like a combination?

Choice #1: Southern hospitality: the mint julep cup

Something I love: silver mint julep cups. How elegant would these look with white flowers in them? I could still place larger arrangements on the big tables.

Choice #2: Stay with the clear, square vase

I will still use the square glass vases, but instead will get smaller ones for the little tables and a couple larger ones for the head table and the tables that seat more people.

Choice #3: Stemless wine glasses

How cool are these stemless wine glasses? Wouldn't the black look glamorous? They could easily be used as flower vases.

Choice #4: Old half-pint glasses

I love the clear glass and the simplicity. Looks appropriate for a vintage garden wedding, doesn't it?

Choice #5: Hobnail vases

I've always loved the look of these vintage white vases. I'm pretty sure a few are floating around my grandmothers' houses, and I know I could find more at antique stores.

So what do you think? Your ideas are appreciated!

A Taste of the Tropics

2008-02-26T09:06:00.004-05:00

Since my wedding is coming up, and since we're headed to Jamaica for our honeymoon, I thought it might be a good idea to tan a little bit. For one thing, I don't want to be as white as my dress, and for another, I still had swimsuit lines from last summer on my back and shoulders.

I was a little nervous to go to a tanning salon. I have never, ever been, and I don't normally promote regular use of tanning beds since they can harm your skin. But I figured a little temporary use wouldn't hurt. Plus I've heard that the benefits include a better mood. And who couldn't use that when West Michigan can go weeks at a time without seeing the sun?

So I asked around and then worked up my courage to go buy some tanning minutes. The high school girls working there were very nice to me, but I did get one strange question: "You mean you've never been tanning? Not even when you were little?" I was puzzled, picturing a five-year-old in a tanning bed, so I said, No, I haven't ever been. As I walked out that day (didn't tan the first trip--one step at a time) with my 100 minutes, I thought, "I bet they were referring to high school!" How old do I look? I know I've got some lines in my forehead from squinting and wrinkling my face up, but seriously?? I'm less than ten years removed from high school, thank you very much, Miss Teeny-Bopper.

My second trip to the salon, I actually went to tan. I was certain I would do something wrong and make a fool of myself. I was right. I wanted to use the stand-up bed for my first visit. I thought it would be better than laying in a bed. Who knows how many other people have been in there? I know they sanitize them after every use, but I wasn't going in there the first time.

The highschooler working that day led me back to the stand-up booth, which I learned is called "The Hex." (Don't I sound like I know what I'm talking about??) She explained that the timer would go for seven minutes, giving me time to change and apply lotion. Then I could step in and push two buttons if I wanted to start it on my own. Otherwise, the seven minutes would run out and it would just start automatically. She gave me my goggles and was on her way. I managed to change with one minute remaining, so I just figured I'd let it start on its own. I stepped into the booth, shut the door, and waited. I also pressed the goggles to my face, because I could see a little light out the sides, and I was afraid that the rays would burn my retinas or some nonsense like that. So I'm standing there waiting ... and waiting. I had thought that the bulbs would be at least as bright as a regular lamp, but I was still standing in the dark. Okay, I thought. Maybe my perceptions were wrong. Perhaps these lights don't "light up" but instead they give off UV rays without looking like they're on. My mind went back and forth between wondering if this was truly the case or if I was doing something wrong. At one point I peeked out the door to see if the timer was working. It had gone down one minute, so I knew it was on. But I had taken off my goggles to see it, so then I worried that some rays may have gotten to my eyes. I stepped back in, held the goggles to my eyes, and kind of moved around to pass the time. The time ended, I stepped out, and I didn't really see any difference in the mirror. I had no idea how soon color would show up, so I dressed and walked back to the counter. And I sure didn't see the appeal of tanning yet. They asked me how it worked out, and I did have enough courage to say "Ummm. I don't know if it worked." They asked if the bulbs came on, and I said I didn't think so. Since I had never been in one before, maybe I just didn't know what they were supposed to be like. Bless the girls' patient hearts, they took me back, turned on the bed, and asked if it had looked like that. I was blinded by the light (mind you, the girl had NO goggles on as she did this, and I was standing in a dark booth worried that my retinas were dissolving). Nope. I did not see those lights. I'd like to believe that it wasn't my fault that the bed didn't start on its own, but it probably was. They were nice enough to let me try again, and the second time around, I definitely had some color starting. I was pleased with that result, and the warm feeling really was very nice.

After another time in The Hex, I've graduated to the regular bed and actually like it quite a bit. I've only worked up to seven minutes at a time, but I think I'm now ready for eight! That will be nice since I could lay there and sleep for about an hour--not an option though.

So I'm not a tanning novice anymore, but I was probably the source of amusement for the salon's employees. Anyone else ever do this? I'm seeing some color that I'm very proud of, and I've now been 5 times (6 if you count the time without the lights on). One step at a time, people ...

Delinquent Blogger

2008-02-19T07:42:00.003-05:00

Yes, that's me. I'm a blogger with special needs. Somehow I can find the time to look at every other blog known to man, but I lack the motivation to update my own. But I'm trying, really! I have lots of pictures to post and everything. My friend Anne gave me a good idea--when I get a bunch of posting ideas, don't post them all at once--save them to feed to people throughout the week. I probably should have thought of that, huh?

But those following the wedding plans will be happy to know that we're making huge progress. And the wedding day is only 95 days away! Can you tell I'm beyond excited? Our minister sent us a proposed order of service, I think I've found a string ensemble, my mom is coming up this weekend to address invites with me and to visit the reception site, the bridesmaids' jewelry is in process, I'm working on a map for the invites, I made a mock-up of our program (give me a break--I was snowed in), I purchased my earrings, I've almost got the flower situation under control, I've been tanning (stay tuned for another story on that), we've been furniture shopping, I have several showers coming up in the next weeks, and ... I think that's it.

Now I just need the snow to go away and to find a place that has cherry blossoms in May. More updates coming soon--I'll really try. And this picture has nothing to do with anything. But isn't the dog cute?

Skating, Wedding, Work

2008-01-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

Yep, that's pretty much what I've been up to lately. That and thinking I'm crazy for thinking I can work, plan a wedding, and pretend I'm a teenager trying to become an elite figure skater.

At the urge of several of you, here is your update (I'm slacking on this blog thing)! Christmas was fun but very busy. We saw both families and my grandparents, driving the great Midwest triangle that is Michigan-Ohio-Indiana-Michigan. The Friday before Christmas, I also drove over to Detroit for a skating test. I got lost and was late, but passed anyway (phew!) I think I spent about 15 hours in the car between the 21st and 25th.

I'm testing two other tests on Friday, so I've been busy preparing for those. These ones are biggies, and I'm really not sure how they're going to go. After that (if I pass) I can take a "breather" and prepare for a competition in February and then adult nationals in April. Just this week I sent in all my registration forms.

On the wedding front, I've been scrambling to find a florist who isn't super expensive. I had someone lined up, but she recently backed out. I guess I'm thankful that it's been the only snafu in the wedding plans so far.

Other wedding news:

I have my dress (It's hanging in Matt's closet, though it's in a bag and he's promised not to look.)

We ordered our invitations.

I have the 1949 typewriter from my grandparents (picture coming soon).

My mom found a steal-of-a-deal dress.

My junior b-maid's dress is here.

Things I need to accomplish soon:

Flowers

Craft projects

Guest lists for showers

Have veil made

Music

So those are the updates. Hope everyone's 2008 is off to a good start. Also, big congratulations to my cousin Jill and her fiance Dustin who were engaged on December 23. I think my mom's enjoying sharing mother-of-the-bride details with her twin sister. :)

Pomp and Circumstance

2007-12-18T14:26:00.001-05:00

Matt graduated last week! He is finished with school FOREVER. Well, unless he decides to go back to school someday for a master's. But right now, we're just basking in the reality of evenings and weekends without homework. I'm so darn proud of him, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to share some things I love about him.

1. Above everything else, he loves and trusts God.

2. He prays for us.

3. He helps me out in so many little ways like grocery shopping, taking out the trash, shredding papers in my "shredding box" (his favorite), cooking, unloading the dishwasher, and so much more.

4. He likes to surprise me.

5. He's not very good at surprising me sometimes (neither am I good at surprising him). But I like this because he gets so excited that he just can't keep it in--it's very cute.

6. He does funny voices to make me laugh.

7. He's very passionate about baseball and Motownsports.com--a great community.

8. He never ceases to be patient with me when I'm, say, a little moody :o

9. He's a hard worker and has great ambition--one of the things I fell in love with early-on.

10. He gets excited about life, loves his family, his pets, and just like me, can't wait to spend a lifetime together!

Congratulations Matt! I love you!

Red Rover, Red Rover!

2007-12-03T12:15:00.000-05:00

This is really a game of tag, but Red Rover was one of my favorite recess games. I'm not sure why, since someone usually gets hurt and it's a little embarrassing when you can't break through the line and instead get clotheslined, but I always loved it.

I've been tagged by Aletha at Pearls Events. I've never been tagged before, so this is a baptism or rite of passage of sorts into the blogging community. It's like they called my name to run on over! Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.

3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Seven random/weird things:

1. I learned to ice skate when I was 5 or 6. My dad froze our backyard most winters. When I was 10, I started begging my parents for skating lessons, which were not easy to come by since the nearest ice rink was an hour away. Finally when I was 14, the dream came true and I took my first lesson with a real coach and all! I've now been taking lessons for 10 years and am heavily involved in the adult skating community and competitions. I'm also working toward my Novice tests, which will qualify me to compete at the Eastern Great Lakes Regionals, which feed into the U.S. Nationals.

2. Matt helped me with this one: A few things I love: black and white photography, Speedway slurpees, lab and golden retriever puppies, nice kittens, the color pink. Things I don't like: cooking, crooked picture frames, mean people, tornadoes. (Does #2 count for more than one thing?)

3. I've told Matt that if we ever have a son, I want to name him Orlando. The name is after our friend, Orlando Perdomo, who is a pitcher with the Detroit Tigers (in the minors). He is from Venezuela and is one of the kindest people we know. Matt isn't so sure about naming a child after him though. :)

4. My last name is so stinkin' long that before I went to kindergarten, my mom made me sit inside at the kitchen table with a pack of colorful markers in front of me. I had to write my name in color after color until I learned to spell it, and I couldn't go out and play until I did. She says she doesn't remember this. But that's how I remember it, Mom. :)

5. My family celebrates St. Nicholas Day (December 6--today) because of our German heritage. The night before the 6th, you put your shoe outside the door, and in the morning, there is a little present from "St. Nicholas." My mom still sends a package for the day, but I have to put it in my own shoe. Matt and I plan to carry on this tradition. It's probably my favorite holiday ever.

6. I love being by the water and spent many summers at my grandma's lake. We stayed in a very rustic cottage (mice, water snakes, the whole deal). But it was very secluded and peaceful. I dream of someday owning a cottage on Lake Michigan.

7. My latest hobby is Adobe InDesign. I took a class at the local art school and now have the software loaded on my computer. I'm spending this weekend experimenting with it in attempts to create awesome stuff for our wedding!

Ummm, I'm supposed to tag 7 people now. I don't know who reads my blog that hasn't been tagged, but Anne feel free to consider yourself tagged!

Move Over, Martha

2007-12-01T22:08:00.000-05:00

Here's Matt with our latest craft project. We picked up three of these letters at JoAnn Fabrics over the Thanksgiving weekend. The others are a smaller "R" and an "M"--for our monogram, of course! I plan to paint these and hang them up somewhere, probably above the typewriter/guestbook.

Inexpensive, easy, and hopefully elegant (once the cardboard color is gone).

A Perfect Fit

2007-12-01T22:01:00.000-05:00

My shoes came, my shoes came! I love these little peep-toe heels. And they're small heels, so I don't have to worry about leg pain and sinking too far into the grass. They go perfectly with my dress too.

Oh yes, my dress came in on Wednesday. I went to try it on last night, and it fits really well. I'll have to have only moderate alterations, but it came with the correct hem length, so that's a huge help. I hadn't yet seen the dress in white, only ivory, but it looks even more beautiful to me! Send me an email if you want to see pictures. I can't have the boy sneaking on here and seeing it!

The little "P" in the picture is part of our reception centerpieces. I'm in the process of collecting them from Target's Christmas aisles. All the stores in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana will wonder where their stock of "P"s went.

So we've got the dress, the shoes, and the groom--let's get married!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

2007-12-01T21:46:00.000-05:00

Carrying on the style of my mother and grandmother (my dad's mom) I have started to collect Fiestaware! Won't these be fun in our kitchen?! So far, we have four place settings--cobalt, tangerine (ideal for Detroit Tigers get-togethers), scarlet, and turquoise. Right now turquoise ranks near the top of my favorites, but I love the variety of color and the fun combinations that result. For Christmas, I asked for the purple and green place settings, though I can't remember their accurate funky color names at the moment. I'm pretty sure my mom and grandma are pleased that I like Fiestaware as much as they do.

Today Matt and I also updated our registry at Target. We were getting complaints that our five items on there weren't enough! So don't worry loved ones--we have increased the registry options!

And I'd like to send a special thanks to Anne's lovely mother, Lee, for sending us pictures of the Coral Cove Resort. This is where we'll be for our honeymoon, and Anne and Peter, as well as Lee and Jeff, are much appreciated for their tidbits of information on the area.

198 Days!

2007-11-07T11:58:00.000-05:00

That's right! The countdown to the wedding is under 200 days now! I'm sure it will go quickly with the holidays upon us.

It's getting pretty cold outside, so I stopped at Andicott's this evening and purchased some daisies. I had to ask a few questions about wedding flowers, but I also wanted to bring something bright to the inside of my apartment. I used to love winter, but this year, I would be fine just bypassing the whole season. I suppose it teaches me something on a metaphorical level.

By the way, if you're looking for fresh flowers, Andicott's is great, and their staff is very friendly. I encountered 3 acts of kindness from strangers today, and it gave me hope that there are still nice people in the world! The man at the flower store let me get my daisies even though I walked in the door at 5:59, or maybe it was 6:01, and they close at 6:00. He had to get to a school event for his child but still took time to answer my questions and made sure I got a new daisy when the one I picked out appeared a bit bruised. There was also the nice woman at Target who went running after my receipt when it blew out of my bag as I was exiting the store, and then the nice woman who asked if she could close my car door because she needed to get in her passenger side. I was putting my bags in my trunk and accidentally left my door open, but she made sure I had my keys before closing it, and was very friendly and helpful. So even though these people surely don't read this blog, you all made my day!

I also stopped by Home Fabrics on 29th Street yesterday. Oh, my, what beautiful things they have. I think it's my new favorite store. Quite a few things were out of my price range, including the greatest pink upholstered chair that I've ever seen. I was drooling. Instead, I was kind to my budget and hit up Hobby Lobby for some black and white fabric. I'm either making pillows or using it to redecorate my office. Unfortunately they only had a little over a yard left, so I'm going to have to go get more if I want to use it for both purposes.

Finally, but most important, thanks to Matt for creating my wonderful new header! He's great with InDesign and even let me sit by him and say, "Can you move that a little to the left?; Can you make that line a little shorter?; Oooh, just a little to the right..." Yeah, he's a good one.

aruba, JAMAICA...

2007-10-26T17:36:00.000-04:00

Perhaps it was prophetic when my first favorite musical group at age 6 was the Beach Boys. Matt and I have booked the honeymoon in Jamaica. No, it's not Kokomo, but who really knows where that is anyway. We will be spending 6 nights and 7 days at the Coral Cove resort--thanks to Anne and Peter for their recommendation. Starbright suite, here we come! We're both very excited for the sun, water, and meeting our driver, Richie!

lovely ladies

2007-10-21T10:12:00.001-04:00

Kara, Nicole, and I went to Diane Keith Bridal today so they could be measured for their bridesmaid dresses. What a blast we had! The girls look gorgeous. Here is a picture of Nicole in the dress. We're going to add a white sash like the one pictured here. Kara, where are the pictures of you? I think they're on Nicole's camera.

I got to try on my dress again and love it as much as ever. I didn't want to take it off. After we finished dress shopping, we had an awesome lunch and hung out with Matt at my place. The girls even helped me color coordinate my bookshelf! (Don't ask what possessed me to do this.)

Here's a picture of my lovely junior bridesmaid too. Emily is a rockin' gymnast so she couldn't join us yesterday, but this pic is from our first shopping trip. The only reason I'm posting this pic of me is because this is NOT my dress (not Emily's dress either). But isn't she an adorable future sister-in-law?

Bridal Show Fun!

2007-10-20T08:22:00.000-04:00

Last night Aletha and I went downtown to the Van Andel Museum for a bridal show. It was a great show with three floors of vendors and tons of free food. I think I had ice cream, cake, and chocolates for supper!

I saw Barb Hoek, the fabulous baker who is doing my cake. She had some yummy samples. I got a few other ideas, but I did a good job at avoiding all the people who want me to sign up for stuff and then call me endlessly about things I don't want or need.

The highlight of the evening was riding the carousel that I last rode when I was twelve. Aletha and I rode around with a view of downtown Grand Rapids around us.

engagement photos

2007-10-10T10:37:00.000-04:00

Here is a sampling of our engagement photos. These were taken in downtown Grand Rapids on a sunny October afternoon by Amy Carroll. She is an amazing photographer and such a sweet and fun person. We can't wait to see the rest of the proofs!

Silly!

Sophisticated!

Sassy!

Sweet!

Seductive! ...Sort of.

2007-10-09T22:40:00.000-04:00

This is the first blog post I've written. Seems fitting since I view so many other blogs on a daily basis. This is a place for me to post all the crazy wedding ideas running through my head. Matt and I will be married on May 24, 2008, so please continue to visit here for up-to-date information on planning, locations, and travel ideas. Thanks for being a special part of our day and our blog!