BTW Wedding

I am so sad the wedding is over...I wish it could be everyday. I would go through all the headache and hassle all over again to have a perfect day. And it was a perfect day. Don't get me wrong plenty of bad things happened but it couldn't have been worse than anything we had already dealt with.
The week after we got the new our venue closed, my parents and I spent time at new venues on top of working full time. We found one that would work perfectly and good thing it did. So the next two weeks were spent finishing up touches and enjoying family and friends.
The Wednesday before the wedding Brandon came home....two and a half months is far too long especially during a 4 month engagement. It was nice to spend some time with him before all the family got in town. Thursday and Friday everyone started arriving and I was one happy girl. I absolutely love having my family around and it was so great to see them again. It is so wonderful to see so many people so dear to me have marriages that have lasted far longer than most. It is a sweet reminder of the beauty of marriage and two people making it work because they love each other.
Thursday was the bachelor party and I spent the evening with family and friends. There was an incident with a groomsman and a car accident, but everyone was safe, which was such a relief. (just a few bumps and bruises). My great aunt was also in a car accident the Tuesday before and was so dead set on making it to the wedding regardless of her being over three quarters of a century old.
Friday was the rehearsal and just time to spend with everyone. I went to the movies with friends and my brother while Brandon recovered. Then we met and unloaded the cars and got everyone herded to get this show on the road. We lost some of the little ones before dinner, but had a great time hanging out with our families and some of our closest friends. That night the boys hit the town again and the girls hung out eating donuts and drinking champagne (I know it is a great combinations)
Saturday finally came!! The BIG day, the one I had been waiting for, spent the last few months agonizing over. Oh man was I excited. It was perfect and everything I could have ever hoped for. We woke up and went to brunch at my parents house. My mom and her friends did a fantastic job. It was beautiful and the food was great. The girls and I set off to get our makeup done, while my mom and her wonderful friends went to set up. We arrived at the hotel and I went to sneak a peek at the venue...boy was it looking great and what a wonderful feeling to see all my hard work come into play.
Getting ready took FOREVER, I was so ready to see Brandon. I was so excited to see him in his blues, even though I have seen him in them before. This time was different and I couldn't wait. Everyone said I was quite calm, which was reassuring, but I knew in that moment unless the building was on fire then we were good. I got a phone call that one of the groomsman bought the wrong color suit and I just laughed. Just my luck, but I didn't care. We had a few other minor bumps, but we were off. It was the perfect day and in some ways I wish it could be everyday.

A sneak peek of some of my favorites....

I am pretty sure I asked how I was supposed to eat four pieces of cake if I couldn't breathe. (yes I have great priorities)

Boys getting ready

B looking at his groom's cake. (so much for the surprise)

I don't know why I love this pictures so much, but it absolutely melts my heart. 

Confetti!!!!! 

My lovely parents

B's mom...I love their expressions

Now the party begins...I have to say it looks just as fun as it was!!

AHHHH!!!!!!

Between the wedding and getting ready to move life has been fairly stressful. So far I think I have been handling it fairly well.  The only person who really gets to hear my being upset is the one who chooses to be with me and love me unconditionally. There have been quite a few people that have told me how calm I have been. I have to say it can be incredibly stressful at times because a lot of the work has been on me. Most of the time I am ok with that because I can make the decisions I want and be creative in my own way. Now it is just hoping the wedding turns out.
I am trying not to be bothered by the dumb stress of some people, but at times it gets difficult it tune it out. I want people to support and love us. I don't need to be lectured, pestered, threatened or have hissy fits thrown. Let's all grow up and move on. I tell people things on a need to know basis. If I don't tell you it is because you don't need to know. I don't need more stress in my life.

Bittersweet Emotions

After spending the last two days packing and getting ready for the move, I am just exhausted. There are so many unanswered questions and in true military fashion it is a hurry up and wait game. Through all of this (and at the wedding) there is one person I wish more than anything I could talk to. My grandma was an army wife who moved overseas multiple times and with infants. I know she would understand better than most what I am going through. It has been harder lately to not have her here, even though it has been three and a half years since she left us. I know she's looking down on me thinking I am silly...I am not the first to do this and certainly not the last.
She was the best grandma I could have ever asked for. She had beauty, grace, integrity. She was patient, kind, quick to listen (and genuinely listen) and silly as all get out. She was also strict, firm in her beliefs, compassionate. I could go on forever, she is the person you hear about and can't fathom how it is all true. I love being around her family and hearing the many wonderful things about her and knowing she was always that person. I am so incredibly blessed to have such wonderful aunts, who are just as strong as she was.  I miss her dearly, but I know she is where is was meant to be.

My beautiful grandma (the only picture I have of her)

Her wonderful sisters and my aunt and mom (so blessed to call these women family)

A Nightmare Come True

Sunday evening, just three weeks before my wedding, I received an email that the venue was being foreclosed upon. I was in complete shock and then broke down sobbing. My perfect fairy tale day wasn’t going to be what I had dreamed. (which lately has been nightmares, so there is a silver lining) It has been a rough and quite emotional few days for me. My parents and Brandon have been great through the whole thing. Letting me cry, be upset, mad, disappointed. Whatever I need to feel they let me and have helped call places and anything else they can do. This morning an article was posted online and our vendors now know and are trying to help. I feel so blessed that the wedding community here wants to help those in my situation. Our amazing photographers emailed me to check on me and to give me possible solutions. 

While we are looking into these options I please ask you be respectful.  I go from cry to wanting to kill someone the next second. This is a completely awful and stressful thing that has happened.  For those of you attending the wedding, right now we have no answers. I am sorry we don’t but it has been a rocky few days looking into our options. I just ask that you please refrain from asking questions. It is a delicate situation and one I don’t really want to talk about. I had my perfect day planned out to a tee and just not that much longer until I got to see the whole thing come together. Well we are having to start over and the next few days are going to be consumed with meetings and talking through what is the best option to move forward with.

I know it is just one day and it won’t matter in the end. I get to marry Brandon and that is all that matters. But I have spent the past 3 and a half months making every center piece, mantel decoration, etc. Everything coming into our unknown venue has been approved if not made by me. So it is heart wrenching to know some of those things may have to change.  I know it will all come together and be a wonderful day.

While we do appreciate the concern, love and support…right now I don’t have it in me to talk about it. It is not to be offensive to you, but to save the silver of sanity that is rapidly leaving me. I was completely sucker punched; had a bomb dropped on me…whatever you want to call it…it sucks. Please refrain from calling for the next week or so…I wish I could turn my phone off, but sadly it is also my way of contacting new venues, my parents and Brandon. I just please, please ask that all of you can help save my sanity. I know people have asked what they can do to help, but right now I just need some peace and quiet. Every time someone brings it up, I cry…I don’t have time to cry. J So what you can do to help us in the meantime is be respectful that these next few days are going to be complete craziness for my family. I will get answers to all of you as soon as I have them…and for those of you who know I am a control freak know it will be soon. :)

Thank you everyone! We love and appreciate everything you do for us.

The Bad and The Good

I know to some this may sound trivial, but it’s been bothering me and I need to get it off my chest.  This weekend was my bachelorette party and bridal shower. They were both beautiful and exactly what I had hoped for, for the most part. Some of the guests’ behavior was kind of offensive. I actually felt left out and these are the few things that can actually be about you. I was not impressed at all and felt bad for others who may not have known other people. I was completely shocked that people that are such a big part of my life could behave in such ways. But I guess you really never know people.

There is a silver lining…we are incredible blessed to have such sweet friends and family that got us gifts that we can take with us on the move and use for the next long time. I am so excited about our kitchen gadgets and bathroom stuff (that’s about all we registered for). My mom surprised me with something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue and six pence for my shoe. It was by far my favorite gift and such a sweet surprise! I can’t wait to wear the stuff from my mom and use all of our other things!!! Woohoo! Thanks for all of those who came to show their support. It means the world to us.

Wedding bliss/stress

I am sitting here watching videos from out cinematographer and am about to cry. I had a meeting at the venue last night and realize how many more little details there are to plan. I am feeling a tad bit stressed, but also incredibly blessed.

In the past few days I found out that my great aunts and uncles are coming to the wedding and everytime I cry. Even when I think about it I cry. I feel so loved and lucky. I couldn't ask for a better gift or family. Even through the ups and downs I know it will be perfect.

I am completely my parent's child (a perfectionist and detail oriented). We don't do things unless we can do them right. As stressed out as I am, watching those videos I know our wedding will be perfect. Regardless of what does or does not get done it will be perfect! We are so blessed to be so loved and fortunate to have so many people there to support us on our big day! Now its just getting there :)

Updated Nanny Diaries

Looking back I wish I would have wrote more Nanny Diaries to look back on. I am getting so sad to leave my munchkins. Today was not our most eventful day, but definitely entertaining and truthfully one of the reasons I can't wait to have kids. On the way home from karate Miss P asked for gum so I gave her some. She decided she was done, but guess what little lady, we are on the freeway so that means chew it or hold it.  Well Mr H decided he would chew it (nothing like brotherly/sisterly love). Guess what folks, that was short lived and Mr. H was done and wanting to put it on the floor of mom's new car. I put the kibosh on that real quick. But then he tried for the center console. I told him hold it or chew it and he could throw it out when we stopped moving. Well he decides to hold it in his hair. Hahaha yes you heard me right. Smeared deep in his hair. Miss P told me that his gum was in his hair. So I tell him we are going to have to cut that hair out and then shave his head. I know I am a great nanny. Well we get home and I tell his mom and we continue to laugh. He instantly comes in looking for scissors. After ice and a good amount of peanut butter he is gum free and still has all of his hair!!!
It's days like these that I realize how much I will miss them and can't wait to have my own.