Roses all Around

"It feels like home to me" Chantal Kreviazuk

2009-11-07T08:44:00.008-05:00

Like most twentysomethings, things get a bit complicated when I try to explain what "home" is to me. So many places, so many memories and experiences; so many different seasons of life, but they all still feel like home.

Part of my heart still sits in Columbus, Georgia. The place I was born. The place where most of the people who made me who I am reside. The place that will always feel like home, even though I haven't had an address there in over 20 years. Magnolia trees...holidays...family. When nothing seems right, it's the place I go to drive around town, connecting with many pieces of my heritage all in one day. The home that is always waiting for me.

Part of my heart is in Peachtree City, Georgia. My giant playground throughout childhood. Bike rides to school...lemonade stands...block parties...best friends...family. The place that raised me. Kept me safe. Saw me through all the rites of passage as a child and teenager. The place where I will bring my children when it's time to go to their grandparent's house. The place of which I am so proud. I feel privileged to carry a pice of it with me. The home that shaped me.

Part of my heart is in Carrollton, Georgia. My first experience on my own. Dorm room...first apartment...independence...road trips...family. We weren't with our own families, so we became family for one another. The place in which I was dying to leave, but almost took my breath away when I left because I didn't realize how much it had become part of me. The home that challenged me.

Part of my heart is in Athens, Georgia. A dream I didn't realize was in me until it came to be. New friends...new experiences...new fears. The place that allowed me a piece of her heritage even though our time together was brief. A place no one can fully understand unless they have been part of it. The place where Matt and I will exchange our vows. The home that welcomed me.

Part of my heart is in Atlanta, Georgia. She is so alive to me. The place that has always allowed me to call her "home" when I didn't have the time or patience to explain that Peachtree City does not have peach trees all around and, yes, we have a golf cart. The place that has seen almost every part of my life as I passed through for dozens and dozens of concerts and shows and visits with friends. The place where I love to escape. The place that took me in right after college when I had no direction, and gave me some of my most treasured memories. The home that knows me.

Part of my heart is in Powder Springs, Georgia. Although it has never been my home and probably will never be, I feel at home there. It's the place the man I love called "home" for so many years. The place where he grew into the man he is today. The place where the people who helped shape him call home. The other place we will take our children when we're going to visit their grandparents. So it holds a piece of my heart. The home that accepted me.

Part of my heart is in San Diego, California. With all of her excitement and opportunity. The place where I can finally begin to grow new roots. The place that is so different from what I've always known, yet so comfortable and, somehow, familiar. The place where I know I will learn more about myself in just one short year than the previous 26 combined. The place I will learn to love deeper. The place I will learn to cook better. Most likely the place where Matt and I will expand our family. The place that condures up more anticipation and fear than I've ever experienced. The one place that will finally give me the chance to make it my own. The home that will be ours.

---------------------------------------

Jamie and her friend, Elizabeth, had the idea to do a "blog carnival" and got a group of friends together to write about HOME today. Check out Elizabeth's blog here, where you will find other perspectives of "home".

"Oh Oh Oh..the sweetest thing" U2

2009-11-07T00:21:00.006-05:00

Mandy and I got together last week to take some pictures of Olivia. I am beyond smitten with this child. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I move to California :(

Brian joined us for some family pictures, but the sun had almost set. Still a cute picture, though! Olivia was so happy to be with her parents.

"All I wanna do is have some fun" Sheryl Crow

2009-10-28T18:46:00.009-04:00

I've hit my quarterly blog slump. It happens at least once every couple of months...words are hard to find, so pictures help!

These are from my recent trip to California...and my last visit before I'm Mrs. Hughes!! It was a very strange flight out of San Diego knowing the next flight I take from Atlanta will not return to Atlanta.

The pictures begin with my last day in town...enjoy!

We heard about a cool diner (Maryjane's) in the Gaslamp, so we recruited our favorite foodie couple to try it out. It's in the Hard Rock Hotel and we decided it's probably an awesome place to come at 1:00 in the morning when you're leaving the club and are sweating and starving from all the dancing...so I'm not sure if we'll be going back. But we are looking forward to "stay"cationing at the Hard Rock Hotel sometime! The best part is, we walked to dinner!

We (Matt) took my aunt's sailing! I was pretty helpful, though...I've gotta learn how to be my man's ~~skipper?~~ ~~first mate?~~...what exactly is my title going to be, Matt?

Aunt Holly's 40th birthday dinner at the Ivy in Beverly Hills

Can't take these two anywhere...

As I mentioned, my aunts were coming out to run the Long Beach half. Here they are with their bibs. This was Aunt Holly's (on the right) birthday wish. Someone who asks to run 13 miles for their birthday isn't quite right to me...

And here we are with our bibs for the 5K. How was the run, you ask? Well, we missed it. The story is long and the details are unimportant. We still got the run in, it just wasn't tracked.

Our awesome friends threw us a super fun shower!!

These pictures are from my first night in town. Matt signed us up to host the monthly Finer Things Club with our fun friends. It was a little overwhelming having just landed and heading straight toward the kitchen, so I called on the help of my personal Julia Childs and she was able to fill in as sous-chef. I extended an invitation for her to spend the next 60 years with Matt and me as our wife, but she politely declined. I'll settle for frequent cooking endeavors with her as my guide.

Happy Fall Y'all!

"She's crafty..." Beastie Boys

2009-09-30T10:31:00.003-04:00

I've had to explain the concept of "nesting" to Matt since we got engaged. I've been itching to "nest" since I was around 7 years old. I've always loved rearranging my room, organizing closets and cabinets, making lists, window shopping for kitchen gadgets and holiday decor, etc. My mother is constantly starting new projects around the house {the great thing is she actually finishes the projects...I'm a little worried about that for myself}. I am beyond excited to get my hands on our apartment in January and really set up shop.

Matt had the idea of me having a 'craft room' one day when we have a house. He understands my need for creative outlet and how limited I have been because of space. I've never had enough room in all of my living situations to work on projects that require more than just a couple of hours because I always have to work on my bed or at the kitchen table...meaning I have to get it all out and put it all away. No space for drying, waiting for inspiration, adding, subtracting...you get the idea.

I have no idea what I would do with so many colored pencils, but if I ever have a craft room...this is SO going to be my first purchase. Not only is it colorful, decorative, and functional--you can sign up to receive 25 pencils a month until you collect all 500 of them. If there's anything I love more than crafty goodness, it's getting mail!

"My hips don't lie..." Shakira

2009-09-22T09:06:00.003-04:00

What have I been up to?

Zumba and belly dancing classes with mom.

"Whatcha gonna do with all that junk...?" Black Eyed Peas

2009-09-07T21:56:00.000-04:00

I know I've been so absent lately...it isn't because I haven't had anything to say! It's just that life is FLYING by and I'm having a hard time keeping up. And when blogging becomes stressful {which it always does when I'm really busy}, I tend to shy away. It's supposed to be fun!

But I think you'll agree this video was worth the hiatus.

While at the beach about a month ago, the girls and I were leaving Baytowne Wharf {after our night of bachelorette fun}, and were stopped by a shady character making green screen music videos. Jamie, jaded by the empty promises of New York street vendors, tried to convince us that his claim of a 'free video' was a lie. I have to admit, I was skeptical as well, but he kept telling me he wanted to put us all in the video AND give us a free copy as a 'gift for the bride'. Now, I'm not the type to withhold from anyone the joy of giving, so I decided we should take him up on his offer.

All of us were draped in a green gown and what follows is something that will go down in history. If you know all of the girls in the video, you will have to watch it six times {one girl per viewing so as not to miss any sassy head nods or pursed lips}. I promise you won't be disappointed. Also, we had NO practice...that'll be obvious when you see our heads coming detached from our bodies.

I do feel the need to apologize for it being such poor quality. I had to stretch it for you to be able to see it at all. I tried uploading it to youtube, vimeo, hulu, etc...but it violated copyright laws.

"Just wasting time. Let the hours go by, doing nothing for the fun" Dave Matthews Band

2009-07-31T11:20:00.007-04:00

I'm sure you're like me. When I have a lot on my plate, I look for little distractions to take my mind off of the mounting pressures. Last night, the distraction of choice was to beautify my tool set.

I "won" this in a gift swap last Christmas and have gotten great use out of ~~all the tools~~ the scissors.

Cute, right? I didn't have any ribbon on hand that would coordinate, but you'd better believe I looked for some! My step-dad said it looked ridiculous and the paint would come off whenever I use the tools.

Who said anything about using them?

"I be up in the gym just workin' on my fitness" Fergie

2009-07-28T21:01:00.000-04:00

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen me occasionally mention CrossFit.

I just typed out a long post about what it is and why I started, but it was deleted. So, the short story is: It is hell, and Kristin made me do it.

Honestly though, it's been great to work out and actually see results. Though I haven't really lost any weight, I recently discovered a muscle in my arm I never knew existed! It's the hardest thing I've ever done, but also the most rewarding. I highly encourage all of you to look for one in your area, grab a friend and GO! My mom has been doing it with me (she's the almost-50 year old in the picture below who can wear bike shorts and still look awesome) and that has made it slightly less miserable!

Here's a typical sight right after a work out. Weights and kettlebells stewn about while mom and I beg for mercy and gasp for air.

With any good fitness regimen, nutrition is a huge component. The same is true for CrossFit who recommends the Zone. But I seem to have a difficult time merging the two...exercise and nutrition. I like to eat healthy and I enjoy working out, but I have yet to develop a lifestyle that incorporates both for more than a few days. Hopefully I'm on my way!

Starting in a couple of weeks, anyway...I'll be at the beach with most of my favorite people in just 9 sleeps!

"Baby, I'm back" Rihanna

2009-07-21T19:56:00.005-04:00

I know I've been absent...traveling, summer semester, working, wedding planning...it has all taken its toll. I'm finished with school for a few weeks, so I should be back in business.

But I actually don't have much to say other than, "I'm obsessed with this."

"You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast" Trace Atkins

2009-06-12T00:25:00.007-04:00

There are so many things I'm going to miss about living at home {did you ever think you'd hear me say that?}

I made dinner for the family tonight...an entire meal for 5 people without planning or making a trip to the grocery store. I predict it'll be at least 3 years before I can master that as a newlywed. "Honey, can you run to the store? We don't have any paprika." It's nice having access to mama's fully stocked kitchen.

My brothers and I also decorated the house for a surprise party my parents are throwing tomorrow night...and made cupcakes for the heck of it.

I'll miss nights like this.

"Could you take my picture? 'Cause I won't remember" Filter

2009-06-09T20:06:00.006-04:00

I have been waiting for this moment ~~for years~~ since the night we got engaged...

Our engagement pictures were SUCH a blast! I am so glad we have super amazing professional photos to document such an exciting time in our lives. Matt and I love being engaged {he seems to at least!} and I don't ever want to forget the laughter, simplicity and FUN of this season. The anticipation of marriage is so exciting as we sit in the waiting room, knowing something truly amazing is around the corner!

Bronson at Bauman Photographers spent countless hours with us over the course of two days shooting our pictures, and we could not be more grateful for his time and talent. Thank you again {for the millionth time}, Bronson!

Enough of my talking, go see a sampling of the pictures! And take some time to wish Bronson an early congratulations! He and his wife will be bringing a baby girl into the world very soon :)

"It's peanut butter jelly chocolate time" Buckwheat Boyz

2009-05-28T23:03:00.004-04:00

I NEVER watch commercials anymore thanks to DVR. In fact, it's almost embarrassing how impatient I become during the rare occasion I am forced to sit through them. But while zipping from one segment of So You Think You Can Dance to the next, I saw the Reese's logo and had to stop. I have a healthy ~~obsession~~ loyalty to the cheap chocolate and peanut butter and my ~~obsession~~ loyalty compelled me to watch it.

I've never felt more connected to an advertisement...plus, I think it's hilarious.

"What a splendid pie, pizza-pizza pie" System of a Down

2009-05-28T10:34:00.002-04:00

Take a look at what Matt made for dessert at the Murdock's last night! That's a sugar cookie on the bottom and some sort of cream cheese icing, I'm sure.

Am I marrying an awesome guy, or what?

In other news, do not download the song "Pizza Pie" by System of a Down. It's extremely annoying and slightly disturbing. But the lyrics were perfect for this post!

"If you left it up to me, everyday would be a holiday from real" Jack's Mannequin

2009-05-18T21:16:00.010-04:00

I've learned that if I don't blog as I go, it becomes so much more of a chore to share fun things with you. Great proof of this is the fact that I never shared my really fun baby weekend in Raleigh with Mandy and Chelsey. Documentation of that trip can be found here.

When I'm on vacation, sitting at the computer isn't usually at the top of my to-do list and when I get back, I usually hit the ground running and before I know it, I've been home for a month and it seems pointless to share. The iPhone has partially cured this problem because the process of taking/uploading/downloading pictures is so much easier. And who really likes to read blogs with no pictures? Don't kid yourself.

For starters, here's sweet Matt!

I arrived Saturday afternoon and, after a 2 hour delay on the runway before take-off, food was the #1 priority. I like In-N-Out, but don't typically crave it the way Californians do. Saturday was an exception. We couldn't get there fast enough!

Although I landed in San Diego, our plan was to head straight to Malibu to visit Mark and Amy. After catching up, telling stories, checking facts in Amy's stories, and a wonderful dinner at Plate, we went to the new Crumbs in town. What I love about California is the abundance of quality health-conscious restaurants. What I also love about California is the abundance of cupcake and frozen yogurt establishments. I think Crumbs beats out Sprinkles for me, though it's a tough call. The quality of cake and icing at Sprinkles can't be beat with their not-too-sweet, moist cake and give-you-diabetes with one sniff icing. But Crumbs had more unique options (of course I still went for a classic, but at least there were options). Crumbs doesn't have a website that I can find, though, so that knocks off a couple of points making them dead even.

Sunday morning, we went for a walk before church and saw some celebs. Here's Val Kilmer looking large and unkempt.

And here's Tom Cruise and Charlize Theron...kinda sketch.

We went to Mosaic and saw Erwin McManus. I really liked it! It wasn't as creative and dynamic as I've heard, so maybe it was an off week, but the teaching was great.

Then we went to visit Pepperdine where Mark is attending school. Who wouldn't love school with a view like that? It's a bit hazy, but can you imagine what it looks like on a clear day?

Next we have what can only be described as a "local". Our only guess was that she's allergic to the sun. I still think it was Britney.

The rest of the week was a complete and utter blur. We were so busy and I didn't document the rest of the trip like I had hoped. I'll just finish up the post with a few highlights.

Military Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A. Kelly and I are hoisting parachute cows onto the roof for the evening's festivities!

Getting engagement pictures on the sailboat...that's our photographer, Bronson!

After the shoot, we dropped Bronson off and picked up Glenn and Kristin!

We split our engagement shoot into 2 days and this is a picture from the second night: breaking and entering to get on the roof of a hotel!

Finishing up my last evening in town with a trip to Ghirardelli, naturally!

I can't believe we're only 234 days away from being married and San Diego being my home. This was my first trip back since being engaged and it was so sweet...much sweeter than my previous visits where there was a sense of sadness because I missed it, and was never sure if I'd be moving back or not. I'm so excited to be there, but there's so much to be done before then. {Which is making the time fly by!}

I can't wait to have visitors!! Who's first?

"I like to be in America" West Side Story

2009-05-09T16:12:00.011-04:00

We slept until 10:00 on Saturday and rushed to get out the door to maximize our few remaining hours in the city with Jen. Jamie took us to Kitchenette in Harlem for brunch. My eggs were great, but I filled up on my biscuit and grits. You can take the girl out of the South, but you can't take the South out of the girl! The restaurant itself was so charming with its window of baked goods, and it was packed to the brim with people from all different walks of life. To me, that's when you know you're in a good restaurant!

We spent the next couple of hours at Ann Taylor Loft for their $40 dress sale. I found one for my rehearsal dinner. It's perfect with the damask{ish} print and I think it'll be suitable for January with with a sweater if I need it. {Side note: I've been pronouncing 'damask' incorrectly. It's not 'dahm-ahsk', it's 'dam-ehsk'.}

Then we had to say goodbye to Jen. It was so much fun having her on this trip! We are the best travel partners. Neither one of us care about not having a plan and we're really easy to please. I'm so glad you came, Jen!

After saying goodbye and freshening up, Jamie and I were on our way to see West Side Story! But not before stopping by for some pizza first.

About West Side Story...it really left both Jamie and me speechless. It was phenomenal! The cast was amazing and it was a surreal experience seeing such a classic production on Broadway. The current director is the same man who wrote and directed the original in the 1950's. Jamie and I figured he had to be around 85 years old. And the choreography was the same as well {from what we could interpret from the Playbill}. I've only seen the movie and that was years ago, so I didn't remember much about it. Maria was played by a 21-year-old girl from Argentina and she blew us away. Thank you Jamie!! This was actually my birthday present. You can read the story of how I received the present here. It's a really fun story!

Since we were in the neighborhood and Times Square felt so alive, Jamie decided to take me to Ellen's Stardust Diner. It's a total tourist trap with singing waitstaff aspiring to make it to Broadway, and exactly the kind of thing we love. We knew it was going to be fun when, as we were being seated, they started talking about taking a trip down the Atlanta Highway. Having lived in Athens and actually 'heading down the Atlanta Highway' ourselves, we were so excited and instantly began singing along. We loved most everything except the 9 minute Meatloaf song. Could have done without that.

After our dessert, we stepped out into the most beautiful New York City evening. Though we were 50 blocks from Jamie's apartment, we both agreed the walk would be much more enjoyable than a subway ride. It was really a perfect evening. The air was warm and the breeze was blowing. We discussed our favorite John Mayer lyrics and solved all of the world's problems on our walk home.

"I want to be a part of it, New York...New York" Frank Sinatra

2009-05-09T15:20:00.005-04:00

Jen and I started the morning with a nice run/walk in Central Park. We weren't sure of the forecast, but we wanted to get in some exercise. We were so pleasantly surprised as soon as we stepped outside. It was BEAUTIFUL! And the only time I've been the park when it's been above 40 degrees.

We passed a community garden and decided to stop by on our way back. It was such a sweet little garden. Here we are cooling down from our strenuous run around the reservoir. Okay, so it wasn't so strenuous because Jen didn't have her knee braces and I hate running, but between dodging puddles and locals, we definitely broke a sweat.

Jamie lives right above a precious cafe called Georgia's {I know, so appropriate, right?}, so Jen and I stopped for a light breakfast before meeting Jamie for lunch about 2 hours later.

After showering, we made our way to Grand Central Station. Jamie took us to The New York Milkshake Company...another place I've been wanting to visit because they're known for the grilled cheese sandwiches. I'm not sure what my fixation is with kid food, but I love it! Their sandwich was nostalgically delicious. But I'm not sure if I loved the milkshakes or the giant green straws more. There's nothing like a sturdy, large, colored straw!

The rest of the afternoon, Jen and I shopped even more. My past trips to New York did not include shopping, so I never realized how exhausting it is!

We had plans to meet Jamie and Cal in the East Village for dinner at Matilda's, which is a Mexican-Italian fusion restaurant named after the couple's daughter {husband is Mexican, wife is Italian}. Such an interesting, but very tasty combination. The guacamole with basil and cilantro gnocchi were my favorite.

Next, Jamie had a surprise for us. We hiked over to the Lower East Side to a super exclusive, hidden speakeasyesque bar called Milk & Honey. I can't really describe it, so take a second to read this review:

Milk & Honey is owner Sasha's personal retaliation against celebrity-obsessed nightlife. Only mellow, non-famous folk receive the unlisted address; and all must call ahead to be buzzed in through the surveillance system-equipped door. The space encompasses a candlelit lounge, a four-seat bar and a few reservation-only booths. Sasha himself meticulously prepares each expensive cocktail, with blood oranges for screwdrivers and fresh mint for mojitos. Drinks often arrive with complimentary warm nuts or honey-drizzled sliced fruit. The intended effect is achieved—even a nice nobody can feel like royalty. That is, if you can get on the guest list.

— Shana Liebman

It was honestly one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. Jamie had to text message the number {which is only given through referrals, not listed on the website} to get a reservation. They start taking reservations at 3:00 and by 3:30 in the afternoon, they were already booked for the evening. While we were at dinner, she received a text message saying another group canceled and to text back within 5 minutes if we could be there at 9:00. She did, and we made it! Kristin, you would have loved it.

Friday? Check.

"You can stand under my umbrella" Rhianna

2009-05-07T23:02:00.007-04:00

Day one and a half. Very rainy so far. But today is already looking better!

Wednesday night. Shake Shack. Loved it.

Thursday. Early morning for The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet. We got to see Ziggy Marley perform and even got a $100 gift card for The Cheesecake Factory. That will definitely be put to great use...even if it means $100 worth of strawberry shortcake! Who needs cheesecake?

Then we decided to stop by Anthropologie to get some engagement picture outfit ideas...two hours and a personal shopper later, I was in way over my head. Still no decisions.

Since we were in the area, we had to go back to the spot of Matt's magical proposal! Not quite as exciting without the tree around, but still a very special spot :)

Then the rain really started, so we darted to Peanut Butter & Co. because I've been dying to go. Now, I don't want to use the word disappointed because it was everything I figured it would be, but I probably wouldn't go back. I can make a pb&j at home for about $1.50. No need to pay $6.75 for one...no seriously. But a really cute atmosphere and definitely a great place to wait out the rain.

Next we played a game called "Spot the Tourist". Geez. In my defense, I tried to find a more city-friendly rain jacket, but apparently staying dry isn't important to people in Georgia, so I went with what I could find in the coat closet at home. Pretty sure it's mine from 4th grade or something. As for my pants rolled up? I have no excuse for that. You would have done the same to prevent puddles and grime.

Jen and I went back to Jamie's and took a nap since it was such an early morning for us and an exhausting day of shopping. Once Jamie got home from work, we had a lovely evening out at Pio Pio with her roommates. Definitely the best Peruvian food I've ever had! Since I haven't ever eaten Peruvian food {that I'm aware of}, that isn't saying much, but it was wonderful. Everything from the service to the sangrias {and hello? green sauce?} Yum yum.

We even walked past some movie or TV shoot on the way to dinner!

Stay tuned for more!

"I'd call that a bargin...the best I ever had" The Who

2009-04-25T11:15:00.004-04:00

If you don't follow me on Twitter, you don't know about my spontaneous trip to the Home Source warehouse sale on Thursday. I was meeting Jen, Erin and Suz for lunch {so fun!} and I knew I would be in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd stop by. It's a wholesale warehouse, only open to the public twice a year. I highly recommend you go next time! I heard they host the sale every April and October, for one weekend only.

Let me just say, I have never experienced anything like this in my life.

The line was long {over an hour} but worth the wait...here's a breakdown of what I would have paid based on what I found online:

1 Home Source Micro Cotton body sheet @ approx. $52=$52
+
5 Home Source Micro Cotton "finest" towels @ approx. $40=$200
+
6 Home Source Micro Cotton "finest" hand towels @ approx. $18=$110
+
12 Home Source Micro Cotton "suite collection" washcloths @ approx. $10=$120
+
2 Suite Collection beach towels @ $20=$40

=$522 + tax!!!

But thanks to the fabulous sale {and to Q100 for mentioning it}, I only spent $66.00. Seriously.

$66!!!

I'm thinking it may be worth hitting up this sale again in October...who's coming with me?

"I can't stop the smile on my face" Mae Shi Band

2009-04-25T10:43:00.004-04:00

I fell asleep with the TV on last night and woke up around 2:00 a.m. to the sound of a song so happy, I thought I was dreaming. Through burning eyes, I could make out scenes of families playing on the beach, people dancing with killer whales, friends enjoying a night out...and I thought, "it must be a Florida tourism commercial."

Then I got to the end of the commercial and smiled. I watched it three more times, turned off the TV, thanked God for being so sweet to me, and fell back asleep...

"Now you'd think that I should've known better" Nickel Creek

2009-04-22T11:29:00.004-04:00

Preparing instant oatmeal in a red dixie cup was definitely not the smartest decision I've made all day. . .

"The more you think, the more I think you are confused" Deana Carter

2009-04-17T08:27:00.005-04:00

I'm a two dress* bride...

I figured it would happen because, being a girl who is equal parts impulsive and indecisive, a situation like this is nothing new. I got a dress at Filene's Basement {Running of the Brides} and I really do love it. It's beautiful! The problem is, I sorta had a fling with another one prior to finding it and couldn't get it out of my head...it was significantly more expensive, so I tried to forget about it and did--for a couple of weeks.

I decided to go back and try it on just to confuse myself even more. I got a quote on alterations for the first dress {Filene's} and learned the other came in a different fabric for hundreds less, so it was a level playing field.

After much weighing of the pros and cons, receiving input from friends {input is my number one strength} and actually listening to myself talk about the two dresses, I decided to go with the first love.

This was all very difficult for me because the ONE PERSON I want feedback from the most cannot help me! Matt, couldn't you just give me a little hint about what you would like to see me in? Seriously, you are no help.

Since I made a decision, I feel it is okay to show you the dress I'm not going to wear

It is a January wedding, I probably would have been too cold in this anyway...

*I feel the need vindicate myself by saying the price of both dresses put together total out to way less than I ever imagined I'd spend on a wedding dress.

"Wake up, smell the roses" Natasha Bedingfield

2009-04-14T12:16:00.004-04:00

Okay Google Reader readers...click over here and see the new design and the new domain: www.rosesallaround.com !

I've been craving a new look for a while now and was inspired by Jamie and April to check out Redbud Designs. Working with Sharon has been so much fun and I highly recommend using her if your blog needs a makeover {or if you're thinking of starting one...ahem, www.erinhillneedstoblog.com} Even though the majority of the people who read on a regular basis don't actually come to the blog, I knew a new design would just make me want to write more often. I'm transitioning into a huge life change and I'm hoping this blog will be a good way to keep friends and family up to date on the many adventures that are sure to come!

OH and maybe I should explain the name change..."No Day But Today" has been the name of this blog since 2005 and, well, I'm tired of it. I'm not the kind of person who lives each day as though it were my last anyway, so the name wasn't really that appropriate. I'm the kind of person who needs to be reminded to slow down and appreciate what's around me. I'm constantly looking ahead to the next exciting thing or longing for the past. It's rare that I find myself content to be exactly where I am at any given point in time--until recently. Being engaged and knowing that, in a few short months, I will be living far away from my family and some of my best friends has really shifted my view. Although I still find myself anxious for the future with Matt, I know it's coming, so I want to savor the things that make my life here in Georgia special.

"Stop and smell the roses" is such a cheesy expression, but I've tried to embrace it. And where I might have retorted in the past, "What roses?", now that I've taken the time to look for them, they're really easy to find! It might be an unexpected and much needed late night mother-daughter conversation, a beautiful drive down back roads and through small towns, encouraging conversations with the friends I take for granted here, the feeling of accomplishment knowing I am almost finished with school, watching my brothers and sisters grow up, being part of Olivia's life for a short year, reliving childhood memories through pictures and storytelling with my family, reasonable gas prices...really anything that make this season of my life unique and one that I should cherish. I certainly don't want to live in the past and look longingly on the days that I miss so much {luckily, I don't really have to anymore because I'm going back!}, but I also don't want to wish this time in my life away either.

So enjoy the new look and stop by from time to time to admire Sharon's awesome work!

"Rockin' robin (tweet tweet tweet)" Bobby Day

2009-04-13T14:09:00.004-04:00

If you're on Twitter and have truly embraced it, no doubt you have found yourself sitting around a dinner table with some of your 'tweeps' and the subject of Twitter enters the conversation. This has happened more times than I am willing to admit...

For those of you who were tweeting before the 'twiteruption' {i just coined that...how do I submit a word to Twittonary?}, do you miss the days of funny one-liners shared amongst close friends? Or do you enjoy being stalked by the TwitterHawks? {Yes, they're real!}

I personally think there's a balance. I switched back to a private profile because I was getting creeped out by the replies that really had nothing to do with what I said. Plus, I like to know the people who are following me...or at least know where they came from!

I hate to call this an inside joke, but you'll probably only find it funny if you're on Twitter.

Update: I made a submission to Twittonary...Twiteruption {noun}: the eruption of Twitter into the social media mainstream.

Follow me!

"She works hard for the money..." Donna Summer

2009-04-10T10:38:00.004-04:00

...and they take it all away. This is the first year I've ever had to pay taxes...and, no, it isn't because I'm making so much money. It's because I'm technically an independent contractor charging for my services. And interestingly enough, I just realized Donna Summer's song is about a prostitute. I guess that makes the government my pimp?

Contest #1 of __?

2009-04-06T22:57:00.006-04:00

I am a sucker for a good contest...especially one where I don't have to exert any sort of creativity or talent because I'm not very competitive. Wedding bloggers LOVE contests and I plan to enter many in the coming months. So when Budget Savvy Bride announced she was hosting one, I was on board. Mainly because I l.o.v.e. my idea for bridesmaid gifts and I know she will too, but also because I love reading her blog. I consider myself to be budget aware, so I'm always excited to see different ways brides get creative to kept certain costs low. We'll see how budget savvy I am as the months roll on. So far, so good, but I'm in the very early stages :)

If you know someone planning a wedding, tell them to check out her blog and OF COURSE enter the contest for a KodakM1063 before April 13th.

I'm emailing her my gift idea because I have such internet savvy bridesmaids :)

Click here for contest rules!