Wedding Wednesday: Operation Lookin' Sexy

This is a post where I'm going to blatantly honest with myself. 

*Deep breath*

I need to really get my butt in gear for what I've named "Operation Lookin' Sexy" a.k.a. loosing weight for my wedding day.

I swam for the better part of 11 years, 6 days a week, at least 2.5 hours a day (some days it was 5 hours a day when I did doubles.) I was burning more calories that I could physically make myself eat, and even though I wasn't 100% pleased with how I looked, looking back, I was skinny.

Exhibit A: 

(That's me with the white tank top.)

I had to stop swimming in my last year of high school (I would say my senior year, but I graduated a year early. That's a whole 'nother story) due to a back injury that still plagues me to this day. I'd say I was about 150 lbs back then and about 5'4", 5'5" on a good day. Again, at the time, I still thought I had some pudge to loose, but looking back, I was skinny, and more importantly, healthy. 

Exhibit B:

(That's me in the green t-shirt.)

After not swimming for 6 years, I've gotten a little pudgy. Round. Flat out fat. I'm not happy with how I look and I know I'm not healthy. What better reason/excuse/motivator than my wedding day to start Operation Lookin' Sexy? My purely selfish reason: I want to make people's jaws drop on my wedding day. I want Keegan's friends to be jealous that he's marrying such a fox (I doubt that'll happen, but I can dream right?) And most of all, I want to be healthy again. I know that I won't get down to the size I was in high school because I won't be burning 5000 calories a day from exercising, but I just want to look better and be healthier. 

So my plan is to work out every day. I've seen great reviews about Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred so I *ahem* got it and Keegan and I both did it on Monday. I was kind of scared because I had read that Jillian looked like she was going to rip your head off, but honestly, she was less scary than my swim coach, Megan (you didn't cross that lady unless you wanted her to yell at you for 15 minutes.) I got Keegan to do it with me  because he agrees that we both need to get into a healthier state. The workout was challenging, but do-able (honestly, I only did level 1, so I'll let you know how level 3 goes when I get there. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune.) Apparently Keegan was sore yesterday, but I wasn't hurting too bad. 

I was going to work out yesterday, but I had had a headache which I'm sure jumping jacks wasn't going to help, so I planned on doing my pilates video. However, it mysteriously disappeared from my computer so I went without working out last night. I'm going to for sure work out today even though I don't get off work til 9:30. I don't care how tired I am, I have to push myself to do that 20 minute work out. 

Keegan and I are eating better. Like I've said before, since we moved to the new house, we've eaten out like 3 times (1 for V-Day, 1 because we saw a friend's band play at a  restaurant, and 1 when we went to Birmingham to see Wicked this past weekend.) It's nice that there aren't restaurants on the way home to make it easier to get take-out for dinner instead of cooking at home. I'm eating oatmeal for breakfast every day (I'm usually not a breakfast eater,) and pretty much only drinking water all day. We did have some cranberry-grape and cranberry-cherry juice in the house for a few days, but it's gone now. We don't have snacky-foods in the house ever which is also great. 

We have to continue the trend of eating at home, working out every day and the weight should come off. I keep telling Keegan that even if it's just walking around our cul-de-sac, a little exercise is better than sitting on our butts on the couch. 

We're gonna do this. I don't want to set a goal for how much weight I want to lose by my wedding day because I don't want to be disappointed in myself for not hitting that goal. I just want to start this lifestyle. I know that I'm not going to be where I ultimately want to be for my wedding day, but it'll be a start. 

 So here's to going from this:

To this: 

Let's Do It!

Won Wicked Weekend

*No, I didn't spell "one" incorrectly, I'll explain shortly.*

This weekend was pretty awesome. Let me explain:

Friday
The arts council I work at brought in Walter Parks, famous guitarist for Richie Havens. We basically got a private show because our theater only holds 85 people. He tells amazing stories about where his songs come from and things he's done in his life.

Listen and love. 

Walter Parks - Tallahassee

Unfortunately we had to leave about halfway through the show for another show next door. One of Keegan's co-workers has a local band and they were playing at the restaurant/bar next door to the council. This was a totally different experience than Walter Parks. There were probably the same amount of people, but the atmosphere was a total 180. The band played a lot of covers of well known songs which was fun. The music was loud, the drinks were flowin' and we all had a great time. I met a few more of Keegan's co-works that I hadn't met before and they were a lot of fun. I also met his boss (well one of his bosses,) and he was nothing I had imagined. For some reason I had imagined him as a short, kind of portly guy, but he was tall, skinny and looked like the bad guy from a movie I can't remember. His face was very angular and he had a goatee. He was kind of intimidating at first, but he turned out to be a really nice guy.

(And funny enough, he just walked into my work with his wife. Apparently he's on a lunch break from jury duty.) 

Saturday, Keegan and I ran some errands and then I had to work from 5-11. In the middle of my shift, my dad called to tell me that my sister, Bri, and her girls high school swim team had just won the state championships! This is most definitely a big deal. The girls hardly ever win the championships (the teams have been a little weak in the past years,) but the boys almost always do well. This time, the girls kicked butt and took names. Besides winning the overall, many of the girls took individuals wins and one of their relays even set a new record. I'm so proud of my sister and of my old high school.

I love this picture! Bri is on the left with her hand over her mouth. What a great way to end your high school swimming career than to be state champs?! 

Way to go Bruins! 

*you see where the "won" came from now?*

Anyways, Sunday Keegan and I loaded up in a van with my boss, co-worker and some volunteers for the council and drove to Birmingham, Alabama to see Wicked! 

I've been wanting to see this play ever since my choir class sang "For Good" to my choir teacher. While it was a good play, I was a little disappointed. I decided to read the book before we went to see the play and I was about 85% through once we landed in Birmingham. I was wondering how they were going to take such a deep and intricate book and turn it into a 2 hour play, and I was disappointed about how they made the switch. They left out main parts of the book and changed the order of things. I realize that a 500 page book can't be said word for word on the stage, but I found it odd how they left certain important things out but included small details. An example is, a male figure in the book was portrayed as the hero in the play which, as far as I know, he really isn't in the book. He was also supposed to have blue diamonds all over his body because of his race, but they left that out as well and made him out to be the typical prince charming character. I think that if I hadn't read the book before seeing the play, I would have enjoyed it more, but the entire time I was comparing the book to the play and noting what wasn't right.

It was fun overall and the singers were beyond amazing. The stage and effects were incredible. I recommend anyone who has the chance to see the play to go see it. 

Overall, this weekend was pretty kick-butt. Hopefully we'll have more weekends like it. 

Wedding Wednesday: Invitation Help

I'm in need of some help fellow bloggers. I *thought* I had my wedding invitations down pat, but after searching other blogs and the interwebs, I am rethinking them. I still want to keep the same style and continue to make my own invitations, but I'm having problems with what exactly goes into a wedding invite.

After an internet search, I have concluded that the "traditional" wedding invitation includes:

• Outer envelope with address
• Inner envelope addressed to exactly who you want to come (example: if you want John and his girlfriend to come, address it to both. If you want Jane to come to the wedding but aren't sure if she'll have a boyfriend by that time, address it to Jane and Guest.)
• Invitation to the ceremony with date, time and location. If the reception is at the same location, say "reception to follow." 
• The reception card if the reception is at a different location
• The response card (otherwise known as the RSVP card)
• Extras: map and directions card / accommodations card / website card
• Apparently it's taboo to include your registry info now? 

Now originally I was just going to put in the invitation with the website on it and call it good. Now I'm second guessing my idea. Do I really need an inside envelope, directions card, accommodations card and separate website card? And what happened to including information about your registries? I know for a fact Keegan's grandparents aren't technologically savvy enough to hop onto our website and find our registries.

Our wedding honestly isn't all that fancy. I would like to think of it as a 15 minute ceremony and then a big party with our friends and families. We're not having a sit down meal but little appetizers and snacky-things instead (sorry, I don't have $10,000 to shell out on the food alone.) We are trying to get a block of rooms set up for out of town guests, so I guess it would be good to tell them that, no? And what about those darn registry cards? Is it totally tacky to include the cards that stores have given you? What about one card with all of the stores together so that guests aren't bombarded with 6 tiny cards telling them to buy us stuff?

So I ask you, dear bloggy friends (and secret friends,) what did you put into your wedding invitations? With other invitations you have received, did you appreciate getting 6 different cards in one envelope? What information do you feel is absolutely necessary to have in a wedding invitation? I don't want to get overly fancy with the invitations and trick my guests into thinking that the wedding is going to be as fancy, but I don't want our invites to look like a Facebook message for a college kegger.

Help?!


Oh, and I know I've had a recent uppage (yes I'm making up words now,) in my blog views thanks to the stats tracker, so people should leave comments, and be my friend. I'll follow back! I love reading new blogs and finding new friends. I'm really friendly and not as wedding crazy as I may seem (now I just feel like I'm making a online dating profile so I'm going to stop begging now.) 

Random Tuesdays

Well, it's been a while since I've updated anything so this post will basically be a catch up on my life as of late.

• The main reason I haven't blogged lately is because we still don't have internet at our house. It was supposed to be installed last Friday, but the company decided the ground was too wet. They rescheduled for tomorrow, (Wednesday,) but we've had rain for the last two days. If the ground was too wet last week after drying out for 4 days, I'm sure the ground will be too wet tomorrow after two days of heavy rain. 
• Moving to our house has helped us in so many ways already. The house is closer for both of us to work which means we're saving on gas. Also, there really isn't a good place to stop and pick up dinner which we were doing all to often back at the apartment. We're cooked dinner for the last week (except one day,) which may not sound like such a big thing, but it's saving our wallets and our waistlines. I'm excited to see all of the dinners we'll come up with from now on. 
• We're finally getting more and  more wedding things done. The move put a big halt on pretty much all things wedding related but now that we're settled, we're knocking things off the list again. I finished up the presents for our moms on Sunday and they should arrive by tomorrow! Our photographer gave us a "free" engagement session when we signed up with him, but we had already gotten engagement pictures done. We talked to him over the weekend and he agreed to allow us to do our "engagement session" the day after the wedding. We're bringing up Keegan's baby (a.k.a. his '71 Corvette) for the wedding and we're going to take pictures of us in our wedding garb the day after the wedding with the car. 

I think she'll be a pretty awesome backdrop/prop, don't you?

• We're knocking off things that we need to get done in the house. Last night I convinced Keegan to install our towel racks in the master bathroom. We still haven't unpacked everything, but gosh darn it, we have towel racks in our bathroom. It's the little things right? 
• Speaking of the house, we've had some problems already. Don't get me wrong, I love our house, and the problems we've been having aren't really with the house, but our builder, T. Since we have a 1 year builder's warranty on the house, we call T whenever we need something major fixed in the house. We've had to contact him about the dishwasher not being installed correctly, the gas line to our dryer not being installed, and our fireplace not being hooked up to the gas line. I feel like these are all things that he should have had done before we signed on the house which is why we call him to come and do them instead of doing them ourselves. 
• Speaking of our fireplace, I honestly don't think we're going to be able to use it. Ever. It's a gas fireplace and every time we've tried to use it, it sets off our fire alarms. I don't really understand why since there isn't any smoke coming out of it, but no matter what we do with it, our fire alarm goes off. I guess we won't be able to use it unless we want the constant wailing of our fire alarm in the background. Anyone have any ideas/tips? I've never had a gas fireplace before so I'm at a total loss.
• Back to wedding things, I'm freaking out. I'll admit it, I had a mini meltdown freakout on Saturday just looking at all of the things we have to do in 5 months and some odd days. We still don't have a caterer yet! I'm just so afraid that people are going to be booked for our wedding date and we'll have to serve everyone pizza (which wouldn't be the worst thing ever, but not quite what I had planned for my wedding.) 
• I may or may not have started couponing. Don't worry, I promise I won't turn into one of those crazy couponing horders you see on T.V. I only get coupons for the items we will really use (and in the next 6 years.) We went to Kroger on Friday and I saved us $21. It's not a huge haul like what is shown on the shows, but it saved us money on what we were going to use that week and that's good enough for me. I also used coupons for the presents for our moms for the wedding, and I saved $44 as well as getting a free coupon to an online shoe store (which I'm not sure I'll use, but hey, it's still nice.) I'm pretty sure couponing will be something that I continue doing, but only for things that we will actually use. I don't need 400 rolls of paper towels, but I will get one or two for cheaper.
• I was a bad fiancée and told Keegan what his Valentine's Day present was last Tuesday when I ordered it. I got him and I tickets to see Bela Fleck and the Flecktones on April 13. This is a concert he's wanted to see for years (or at least as long as I've known him,) and they are finally coming somewhat close to us. We're going to have to drive 3 hours to Germantown, TN (which I was told is near Memphis,) but it'll be worth it. We have a friend (one of Keegan's past co-workers,) who lives in Memphis which we haven't seen in a long time so I told Keegan that we should take the weekend and hang out with Zack and go down to Beale Street. 
• Speaking of Valentine's Day, I keep bugging asking Keegan what we're doing today (if anything at all,) and he doesn't seem to be in the V-Day mood at all. He keeps telling me that he bought me a house for Valentine's Day (which technically isn't true since we signed on the house in January,) and that he doesn't want to do anything for the holiday. I'm not asking for an all out 5 course meal, but hey, a flower and some chocolates would be nice. I at least made him promise to go to the stores on Thursday and get cheap candy. (And before I get any grief about this, I realize V-Day isn't all about candy and flowers. I know that Keegan loves me (why else would he marry me?) and that I don't need a specific day to know this. It's just hard not to get a little jealous with everyone posting on FB about what their sweetheart got them. I love candy and chocolate too!) 
• I've had to wear my claddagh ring that Keegan gave me for Christmas on the fourth finger of my left hand (with my engagement ring,) because my fourth finger on my right hand has been in a lot of pain since last night. I woke up from a nap (ssshhh don't tell Keegan, I was supposed to be unpacking the house,) with my finger hurting and I thought it was just one of those random pains I seem to get quite frequently. I thought my finger was a little swollen when I went to bed last night so Keegan suggested I wear my claddagh ring on my left hand just in case. I woke up this morning hoping my finger was going to feel better, but it's still as sore as last night and just as swollen. I have no idea what I did to it, I'm just the queen of the random pains. 
• I've basically gone off all of my medications cold turkey. Between Walgreens no longer taking my insurance and us moving to a different city, I just didn't have time (or the drive, really,) to go fill my prescriptions at another pharmacy. So far, I haven't had any effects, positive or negative. I've had a headache pretty much every day, but that's normal; it's really the intensity of the headache that changes. Since I'm not seeing any effects showing that my medications were helping, I honestly don't think I'm going to go back on them (besides my birth control. I don't want any babies appearing this year.) The medications I was on are shown to cause birth defects, so I wanted to be on them before I even thought about starting a family to make sure they were completely out of my system. I'm sure they're not doing anything good for my liver either, and it'll save me about $40/month to not be on them. I think that I just need to figure out what helps with my headaches (which seems to change every day,) and just accept the fact that I'll have those days where my headaches are kicking my butt and I can't get off the couch all day.

Well this recap of my life lately definitely turned out longer than I expected, so if you read it all, congratulations!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! 

•  

Wedding Wednesdays: 6 Months

As of 2/4/12, I have 6 months until I get married. Hooooooooooly crap, where did the time go? When we got engaged in October of 2011 and decided to get married the next August, that seemed like such a long time. It hit me a few days ago that I have 6 months until I get married and I feel like I have nothing done. So in an attempt to control my freak out, I'm going to make a list of things I have done and things I need to do. This is more for me to keep track of things I need to do, but input from anyone about anything would be very much appreciated.

Completed

• Pick out our wedding colors. (Can be found here if you're interested)
• Announce our engagement to friend, family, and the newspapers 
• Choose a wedding date and time. (August 4, 2012 at 6 p.m.!)
• Find wedding dress (Easier than I thought)
• Find reception hall & ceremony site (Thank goodness this is one in the same)
• Find ceremony officiant (Hello Daddy!)
• Start guest list (This is pretty much done, however my parents still need to send in their final list. HINT HINT)
• Choose bridal party 
• Figure out wedding flowers (I made this easy by deciding not to have any and making by own bouquet out of silk flowers)
• Figure out and make save the dates (Made a post about them here)
• Send out save the dates
• Find photographer
• Make wedding website

To Do:

• Get in wedding day shape......ya haven't really done this at all. I need to get my butt in gear
• Find caterer (We're currently negotiating with ours. I still feel like $15/gallon of lemonade is stupidly expensive)
• Figure out what I'm planning on feeding guests (again, once our caterer stops being stupid, this  might happen)
• Figure out family customs that we need to incorporate into the wedding (I don't think we need to worry about this, but I should probably ask just to make sure)
• Finalize wedding guest list (HINT HINT parents)
• Find DJ or decide if we're going to just set up some speakers and an IPOD
• Figure out if we need lighting (I have no idea about this)
• Plan out the ceremony (Keegan and I should probably be in the same state as my dad to figure this out. I just feel like this isn't something you do over the phone.) 
• Figure out cupcakes (we had someone, but she backed out the day before our taste testing....)
• Figure out honeymoon. (We're 99% sure that we're going to go to my grandparents cottage in Canada so that Keegan can meet my extended family, but the idea of going somewhere with sand and 90 degree weather is still calling my name...)
• Get passports for both of us (In case we do go to Canada...)
• Figure out if we're going to have musicians play for the ceremony of just plug in an IPOD again)
• Trail my wedding hair and makeup (I'm so not girly, so I really need Keegan's cousin's advice in this. However, I won't see/meet her until June. Is that too late?)
• Get hotel rooms for out of town guests
• Make sure my bridesmaids have ordered their dresses (last I checked, only 3 out of 5 have done this.)
• Plan rehearsal dinner
• Get the OK from both sets of parents for the invitation wording
• Make 269 invitations (This needs to happen sooner than later because it's going to take me forever to get this done.)
• Start making centerpieces and other wedding decorations (Am I putting too much on my plate by DIY-ing everything?)
• Order Keegan's tux (thank goodness we're just having the boys wear black pants and white shirts, trying to get 5 boys who all live in different states to get their tux's ordered would probably give me a stroke.)
• Book a wedding-night hotel room (I have no idea where this is going to be)
• Make honeymoon travel reservations (such as, are we going to drive the 2 days to Canada or fly?)
• Send out invitations! 
• Figure out accessories for me
• Choose a wedding contract (I have no idea what this is, but TheKnot.com says we need one)
• Figure out if we need chairs for the ceremony (I want a short but sweet ceremony, like 15 minutes or less. Do people really need to sit for 15 minutes?)
• Buy wedding bands for both of us
• Decide and buy wedding favors (I don't know what to do for this. I'm thinking coasters because I want people to actually use the favors and not throw them away, but do people really care?)
• Figure out bridal shower (if I'm going to have one,) and bachelorette/bachelor parties 
• Get 1 or two dress fittings
• Make sure bridesmaids have dresses....again
• Figure out if anyone is going to do a ceremony reading (probably not, but who knows)
• Finalize wedding registries (I'm 99% sure we're done with these, but after moving into our new house, we might need to tweak some things)
• Fight with insurance companies to get me added onto Keegan's insurance
• Figure out how we're getting to/from the wedding. This will probably include figuring out how we're getting Keegan's baby (a.k.a. his '71 Vette up to Missouri from Mississippi)
• Work on vows
• Figure out ceremony programs (again, for a 15 minute ceremony, do we need these?)
• Figure out if there will be kids at the wedding that need to be taken care of
• Submit wedding announcement to newspapers
• Make sure we have rooms for out of town guests (almost all our guests....jeeze)
• Get wedding license 
• Buy (most likely make) thank-yous for any showers and for after wedding
• Get presents for wedding party (have already started)
• Buy (most likely make) guest book or something of the sort
• Finalize ceremony
• Figure out "something new, old, borrowed and blue"
• Have bridal portraits?
• Work out schedule for the big day
• Call late RSVPs for wedding and rehearsal dinner
• Pick up dress and accessories 
• Decide on "must take" photos for photographer 
• Make a "must play" and a "do not play or I will hunt you down" list for DJ if we have one
• Make sure everyone is paid
• Pack for honeymoon
• Get wedding ready (mani & pedi anyone?)
• Make sure parents know where we'll be for the honeymoon just in case
• Figure out where all of the wedding stuff will be when we're on the honeymoon
• Do rehearsal dinner
• Have bachelorette/bachelor parties
• Sleep (hahahah ya right)
• GET MARRIED!

After Wedding

• Go on honeymoon
• Get picture CD from photographer 
• Get stuff from Missouri to bring back to Mississippi
• Get dress preserved 
• Send thank-yous
• Make sure everyone has been paid
• Love each other

Well if you've read through this, I applaud you. Again if there is any wedding advice you want to share, please do. With all that I have to do, any advice would be much appreciated. 

Our Love Story

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm linking up with Becky for Our Love Story.

 1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

That's kind of a tough question. Keegan and I have "officially" been together for a little over 2 years (our anniversary was on December 26.) However, we "dated" for about 6 months before we made it official so technically 2.5 years? (When we first met, I was just getting out of a 3.5 year relationship and wasn't looking for anything serious. Keegan ended up going on a co-op for school in Alabama and I decided to break things off while he was away because I didn't want to do a long distance relationship.) 

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

The short version? We met through a mutual friend. 

The long version? Keegan and I lived and went to school an hour and a half away from each other. My roommate "C" was dating his roommate "M" and told M's friend, Keegan, that she had a single girl friend back home (I had just gotten out of a 3.5 year relationship and wasn't really looking for a new relationship, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to talk to someone new.) Keegan and I talked over Facebook chat for a week or so, and decided that he should drive down to Columbia, where I was going to school, so we could meet (mind you, I was still living at my ex's apartment, so Keegan picking me up there was slightly awkward.) Anyways, since both Keegan and I were/are huge photography buffs, we decided to go to the local state park to take pictures. We ended up sitting by a waterfall and talking for hours, with no pictures taken. We went out for lunch at my favorite pizza joint and then he dropped me off at work and drove the hour and a half back to Rolla. I gushed to all of my work friends about this great guy I had just met, and C told me later that Keegan walked into the boy's house with the biggest grin on his face (she was in Rolla for the weekend.) 

For about 6 months, we were "dating" with me going to Rolla for most of the weekends to get out of my ex's apartment. Again, I wasn't looking for a serious relationship, so that why I say we were "dating." We never made it official, but neither one of us saw anyone else during that time. 

Keegan than got a co-op down in Alabama, and I decided to break things off with him because I really didn't want a long-distance relationship. During the summer he was in Alabama, I dated one of my ex's friends who we'll call "T" (I know, I know, I shouldn't have done that.) Anyways, this guy ended up going into the Army right after we started dating and it was really hard on me while he was in basic training. Keegan and I were still keeping in touch and he was unbelievable listening to me cry on the phone almost every night about this other guy I was seeing. Finally it clicked that Keegan should be the guy I was with, so one day, when T called me from basic training, I told him I was breaking things off to date Keegan again (I'm such a sweetheart eh?) We picked up where we had left off and I started going to Rolla almost every weekend again. We made it official on December 26, 2009 and we've been together ever since. Now do you see why it's hard to say how long we've been together?!

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

We're actually getting married in about 6 months! August 4, 2012 is the big day and I cannot wait! 

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?  If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

We're getting married in my hometown of Columbia, Missouri. We've invited over 200 people, but we're expecting about 115 people to show up (I don't know if that's a big or small wedding these days.) All of my extended family lives in Canada (where I was born,) so I'm not expecting them to fly down for the wedding. 

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

Oh do we! There are too many to list off, but I often call him honey, babe, or squiddle-butt (don't ask, I honestly don't remember how this one came to be.) He calls me Ais, honey, and many others. 

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

Again, there are too many to name. He is one of the most caring, sweet and honest people I know. He puts up with me which can be a hard task at times. He's been with me through some of the biggest changes and challenges of my life (graduating college, moving with him to Mississippi,) and has been my biggest supporter and shoulder to cry on while we've tried to figure out what is going on with these strange headaches I keep getting. I've never loved anyone as much as I love him.

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

Sorry guys, this is kind of long, but funny (I'd like to think!)

After a long day of looking at houses and playing with puppies at a friend's house, Keegan and I went out to a fancy dinner, fancier for just a "normal" Saturday night. I thought something was up, but Keegan said he wanted to take me out in celebration of our first day of house-hunting. I didn't complain because I got dessert out of the deal.

After dinner, Keegan and I went back home for the night. I hopped in the shower and Keegan began to make some frantic phone calls. He had tried to contact my dad, Doug, all week to formally ask for his daughter's hand in marriage, but for some reason, my dad wouldn't pick up the phone. After trying to call Doug's cell phone again, Keegan finally contacted my sister, Brianne, to see if she was near my dad. Bri was out to dinner for her homecomming dance, so she couldn't be much help. Keegan than stole my phone to see if calling  my mom with my number would make her pick up. Keegan got a hold of my mom and asked to speak to my dad. My mom thought that something was wrong with me until Keegan hinted enough to her that it was something totally different that he need to talk to my dad about. Unfortunately, my dad was in the shower, but my mom ran up the stairs and pulled him out. Keegan asked my dad for his daughter's hand in marriage while he was in the shower, dripping wet. As Brianne said later, "only in our family!"

I got out of the shower, totally in the dark of the frantic phone calls that had just happened, and Keegan suggested that we go for a drive, something that we like to do often. Keegan drove out to Lake Oktibbeha and the two of us walked out on the dock under the stars. After some small talk was made, I was looking out over the water when Keegan suddenly said my name. I turned around and Keegan was on one knee with a ring in his hands! Keegan asked me to marry him and through a mixture of laughing and crying, I said yes. Happy phone calls were made to both families and I was soon filled in about the funny phone call that had happened just hours before.

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

Can I saw neither? Honestly he doesn't really give gifts for holidays or anniversaries unless I really prompt him to. I have to drop some major hints to even get flowers. 

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Well, I've never really been on a beach, but I would love to one day. I love watching movies with Keegan, however. Most Saturday nights, that's what we end up doing unless we have something going on for work or I drop huge hints that I want to go out and do something. 

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

I want to travel to Ireland and Scotland some day. Both of our families have roots there and I've wanted to go there since I was little. I've always been infatuated with the cultures and my name is even Gaelic. It means "a dream." 

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

Well since we just bought our first house, probably not a whole lot. However, I *might* have something up my sleeve for Keegan. 

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

Well I didn't exactly ask for it for Valentine's Day, but we did just buy our first house as well as a washer/dryer and fridge. I don't think I should ask for much more right now hahaha. 

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

Trust. Both in each other and that your relationship will work out. Keegan and I didn't live in the same city until we moved to Mississippi in May of 2011. We went to school 1.5 hours away from each other and he did 3 co-ops/internships in different states while we knew each other. I had to one, trust him that he wouldn't find another hottie (not that I was really worried about that,) but I also had to trust that we would make it. It was hard not seeing each other for a month at a time, but I had to trust in our relationship and that we'd make it through. 

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.

You didn't think I'd really pick just one did you? 

Home Sweet Home vol. 2

Sorry I've been a bit MIA from the blog world lately. This last week was full of us trying to pack our apartment while Keegan was out of town for two days and I had to work late the next two. I took off work Friday so that I could try to finish packing up the apartment. I also babysat Keegan's co-worker's daughter for about three hours while here mommy went out and had some much needed "me" time while she got her hair done. The baby is about two months old now, so really all I did was feed her a bottle and she passed out on me. She was such an easy baby to take care of and I think my baby fever has increased....

Anyways, back to packing. After I was done babysitting, I rushed to the post office to get our change-of-address forms and then headed back to the apartment. I unfortunately didn't get as much packed as I wanted before we went out to dinner with a bunch of guys from Keegan's work. One of his co-workers is going (well, went on Saturday) to India to get married. Apparently this was an arranged marriage (from what I've heard from Keegan's co-workers, but they could just be making fun of him.) I'm not sure if the couple will both be moving here, or if his new wife will stay in India. Certainly a different custom than what we have here in the Sates. We also had a friend, Ryan, come down Friday night from Missouri to help us move.

Saturday, bright and early in the morning, we had two of Keegan's co-workers plus our friend from MO help us pack up the U-Haul we rented and move 45 minutes away to our new house. We ended up having to make two trips because the U-Haul place didn't have the 24-foot truck we originally reserved so they ended up giving us only a 14-foot truck (we got the price and the price of the mileage knocked down though.) We started around 8 a.m. and finished around 4:30 p.m. after dropping off the truck. We took the guys out to dinner at our favorite burger joint and then Keegan, Ryan, and I headed back to the new house. Since we were all beat, the boys put together our bed, the bed Ryan slept in, and our couches and that's about it. We all showered, watched some Who's Line Is It Anyways, and passed out around 10.

It was a loooooooong day and I'm so sore (from bouncing the baby on Friday and moving boxes on Saturday,) but it was all worth it. All of my worries about the house pretty much melted away after seeing our furniture in it and it's starting to feel like it's ours. I don't think it has fully hit me that we own this house and we're not just renting another piece of property. There are a few bits and pieces left at the apartment that we need to pick up, and we need to clean the apartment, but we technically have it rented until the end of February, so we have some time. I think today we're going to Lowe's to get some curtains for the master bedroom because I was nicely woken up at 6 a.m. by the sun shining through our two huge windows and the door to our patio. I want to get some nice black out curtains so that I'm not woken up at 6 a.m. every day. Besides that, we just have a lot of unpacking to do. Our fridge and washer/dryer is getting delivered tomorrow, which I'm excited about. Our cable isn't going to be hooked up until Friday because they have to  run a new line to the house since we're on a new road, so I won't really have internet until then unless I steal Keegan's phone.

This post was basically me rambling about why I haven't been around lately, so I'm going to cut it off now before it gets any longer.

I hope everyone has a good Super Bowl Sunday and a great rest of the week!

Thought Vomit Thursday

I've been slacking on the blogging lately because packing up the house and work has taken up too much of my time. So you guys get a Thought Vomit Thursday post!

• We move this Saturday. SATURDAY. As in two days away. Are we ready? Heck no! There are currently boxes throughout the apartment in different stages of being full. We still have so much to get packed and of course I had to work late yesterday (plus Keegan was out of town Tuesday and Wednesday), I have to work late tonight, and we have a dinner for Keegan's work tomorrow night. I'm thinking that we're just going to try and pack as much as we can Friday night and not sleep.
• I've excited/scared/nervous/plus so many more emotions about moving into the new house. We went and looked through it last weekend and I kept finding little things I wish the builder had done (like actually taping the walls when they painted the molding so they didn't get the molding paint on our walls) and it makes me nervous. Are we truly ready for a house? We can't call a landlord to come and fix any maintenance problems, they all fall on us now. I think we'll be ok, but I'm still nervous. 
• I've been feeling lonely lately (yes, poor me.) Our friend group has aged about 20 years since we've moved down here since we "hang out" with mostly Keegan's co-workers who were in college the year I was born. I don't mind it, honestly it's kind of a break from the crazy college life, but I still miss my friends from back home. I miss the inside jokes and the connections we had. So many of Keegan's friends became my own and it sucks that we can't see them more often. 
• This year, St. Pats is on a weekend (if you don't know, Saint Patrick is the patron saint of engineers, so St. Pats was always considered a holiday at Keegan's engineering school. Really, they got days off of school leading up to St. Pats.) I'm really really really trying to convince Keegan that we need to drive back to Missouri for St. Pats. This will be the first time in the three years I've known Keegan, and in the 5 years he went to school there that we won't be in Missouri for St. Pats. It sucks that we won't be with friends for the holiday.
• I realize I didn't do a Wedding Wednesday post yesterday. That's mostly because I had nothing to say wedding-wise. After we sent out the save-the-dates last week, all of my wedding stuff got packed up so I haven't had the opportunity (or time) to do much of anything else. All of my DIY projects have been put on hold and we're currently *ahem* negotiating with our caterer for food and booze. 
• Speaking of caterers, ours wants to charge $15/gallon of lemonade or tea (and estimates that we need 7 gallons for the amount of people we're going to have.) Does anyone else find this ridiculous? I honestly think that we could find pretty pitchers, and buy a large amount of lemonade mix for cheaper. Any suggestions?
• Also, for the wedding we have to figure out if we want to use bubbles or rice paper confetti for our grand exit. My first idea was to use sparklers since we're going to be leaving at night, but fire is strictly prohibited in the area unless it's in the grill pits (we can't even use candles, we have to use LED lights.) Anyways, I've seen both bubbles and confetti used for exits (I'm not a fan of rice or birdseed) but since we're leaving at night, I'm not sure which, if either, will show up in pictures. I emailed our photographer and he wasn't much help, so now I'm turning to blog world to see if anyone has any ideas or input. I'm definitely open to other ideas, I'm just at a loss for what to use. 
• Apparently Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today, so we'll have 6 more weeks of winter. If that's the case, bring on the 60-70 degree days we've been having! I don't think I've ever enjoyed winter this much. One perk of living in the South I guess. 

I realized after writing this that I probably could have written a Wedding Wednesday post just on those last two questions. Oh well. 


I don't know how much I'll be around this weekend because we're having a friend come down to help us move into our house. I hope everyone has a great weekend!