4 weeks to go...

Crazy isn't it? If you would have told me my freshman year in high school that I would be marrying Daniel 9 years later, I probably would have laughed at you. I didn't think 'high school sweethearts' existed anymore. It really doesn't. Well, it did for us.

Nervous? I get that question a lot. The answer is...no. Not yet :) I know I will be. I'll be a nervous wreck and my  sisters will have to keep me focused and keep me from running off into a tizzy and anxiety and nervousness. That's what they are there for. My dad will be there probably holding tightly to my arm to make sure I don't freak out and run away and do something crazy like I do when I get nervous and anxious. It happens, don't laugh. Okay, go ahead... my methods of dealing with anxiety are hilarious and a bit dramatic, I admit. I'm getting nervous just talking about this. Moving on.

We finally got our honeymoon completely booked. We will be leaving the day after our wedding for a night in Miami before we board our ship to cruise through the eastern Caribbean. I. cannot. WAIT! It's going to be amazing. Amazingly beautiful, breathtaking, and so relaxing. I haven't been on a REAL vacation since I was probably 10 years old. We took a mini vacation with our best friends, Christian and Mandy, to South Padre a few years ago before Christian was deployed to Iraq. It was a relieving weekend get-a-way, but other than that, I haven't had the real deal. The week long far away trip to some beautiful beach where you're surrounded by crystal blue water and the smell of waves and the beach every morning. Yeah, THAT'S what i'm looking forward to.

Sunday I took my bridal portraits. It was disgustingly hot, but our good friend, Jennifer, did a great job. After playing a few rounds of Top Golf with my dad and nephew, I started (frantically) throwing together all the little pieces for this shoot I had planned out. Vases, quilts, flowers, balloons... oh, did I mention I was doing all this in a car with no air conditioning when it was 105 outside? It was awesome. Even after all that, the pictures are turning out BEAUTIFUL. I got to see a sneak peek the other day. Let's just say I am ridiculously excited to see the rest of them tomorrow when I pick up my CD.

Now we're down to the nitty gritty details. Here's to keeping my head straight and trying to keep cool in probably the 4 most stressful weeks of my life.

August Showers bring September flowers...

Okay, so it's a little different from the usual, but it makes sense. Just think about it for a bit.

My wedding shower was on Sunday... wait, no... my wedding FIESTA was on Sunday. That's right, we had a fiesta themed wedding shower. My sisters and my best friend, Mandy, did a GREAT job putting the party together.

How CUTE are those? I love them... they are right up my alley and those colors are probably something you would find in my house somewhere. That chevron pattern wraps around to the back and the entire back of the invite is covered in them. Maybe i'll have it blown up and frame it and put it in my kitchen. 

Back to the party. It was awesome and good fun. We had lots of good food, adorable centerpieces, hilarious sombrero's, but most of all I was surrounded by people who loved us. I know, that was sappy... but it's so true. The best part about the shower was not the presents, but rather the people that came and shared in our excitement as we go through this whole journey. It's a big deal to me. I know to some people it's just a party, but to me, it's really sharing in someone else's excitement and life journey. Enough sappiness... on to the presents!

I am pleasantly surprised at how well I was able to stay away from my registry. The weeks after we registered, I obsessed over it. I was constantly adding things, deleting things, and wondering whether I was asking for too much, too little, too expensive, too something! Finally, I just had to let it go... and I didn't check it again. Go ahead, call me crazy... I know I am. 

So, if you know Daniel and I you will know this is VERY typical of us. I'm usually the more "serious" one and he's the goofy one... when we're both in goofy moods, it can get a lil crazy.

We received pretty much everything we wanted. Fiesta dishes, new bedding (SO excited to start redecorating), new dishes, new beer mugs for Daniel and his friends, and new wine glasses for mine. New everything. Out with the old, in with the new, right? Well, that was my motto at least. Of course, none of this has been unpacked, but we'll get there. 

I really just want to thank everyone who came. You have no idea how much it means to us that you guys were there to support us on ONE of our special days. I know there will be more (bachelor/ette parties, and the wedding day, of course) but this was just the kick off to the rest of the planning weeks. 

Now I get to plan for my bridal portraits on Sunday with the one and only, Jennifer Strain. She is amazing as well as her photography. Here's a little preview of what to expect. I'm SO excited about this shoot!

I'm not telling you what it is, it what it's for... but there ya go :)

First birthday's and junior bridesmaids, oh my!

So, not to confuse anyone but I have a collection of friends with the name Amanda, including my own sister. I got my fill of Amanda's this weekend...1st birthday party with one, and dress shopping with the other. Oh... did I add they both have the same married last name... yeah, talk about confusing.

Saturday morning I headed out with Daniel's mom and his 8 year old sister, Torie, to search for a junior bridesmaid dress. Lucky for us (and for Torie) we found the dress at the first stop. After a few shops at willow bend to find shoes and lunch at Gloria's, we were done by 1pm. Needless to say, we were very successful in our venture for a dress.

Saturday night Daniel and I went to our good friend, the lady formerly known as Amanda Martinez. She is actually the same friend that introduced Daniel and I, so you guys can all thank her :) She has the two CUTEST twin boys and they had their first birthday party Saturday night!

 It was a great party complete with a cute cute cake her mom made (I helped put the dots on), and a candy bar.

Happy First Birthday Luke & Logan!!!

We had SO much fun! I mean really, it was on the verge of ridiculous how much fun we had. We hung out with her family and cracked jokes at each other and ended the night off with a vicious game of spoons and whataburger. I'm not exaggerating when I say vicious... Daniel and I still have scars! LOL. 

Sunday I went shopping with my sister and her stepdaughter, Izzy, who is my other junior bridesmaid. Unfortunately, this shopping trip was not as successful as the one with Torie. We started at noon when the shops opened. 2 malls, a static electric trip to Whatchamacallit, and 6 hours later, we found her a dress we were all VERY happy with! 

Overall, this weekend as short, and tiring... but still one for the books. This week is busy busy busy! Wedding shower preparations for Sunday, plus putting together the puzzle pieces for my bridal shoot the next Sunday. As exciting as it is that we're within weeks of the wedding, it's SO busy! Hopefully I can keep up!