Friends Honeymoon

Sam and I have been together for almost 10 years and we have been luck enough to have gone on many vacations together. With that said, we have decided to invite some of our friends with us to our honeymoon. I know that may seem kind of crazy but hear me out...

Last year Sam and I went on a cruise with his family. They took us on the cruise as a graduation present, and that also happened to be the same vacation that we got engaged! While we were on the cruise, we kept talking about how much fun a cruise would be if we had friends with us.

We knew we wanted to do a cruise with friends, but planning a big group vacation can be difficult. Getting everyone schedules organized, getting everyone to agree on a place, and getting everyone to agree on a price/budget; doing all of this would take a lot of time, energy, and conversations to have all of it work out.

Sam and I knew we were going to have a honeymoon, but we really didn't have any place we wanted to go in mind. The idea of going on another cruise got brought up and we both liked the idea. However, as we realized last year, it would be a lot more fun if we had people come with... so the "Friends Honeymoon" trip was born.

Being that it is our honeymoon, we did all the plan and picking out what cruise we are going on. We did ask around to make sure people would be available and wanting to go, but past that we really just picked what we wanted. So we'll be going on a 5 night cruise to the "Western Caribbean".

There was a few things that sold us on this cruise; one being that it's on a really cool ship and the other being interesting ports-of-call. Sam and I went to Cozumel, Mexico last year on our cruise and it will be a fun place to explore with friends. Also we are already planning for our day in Belize to go on a shore excursions, which includes tubing through caves and waterfall lagoons.

What is great about this trip is that it's our honeymoon, so either our friends will make it work and come, or they won't. (But I know many of them will be coming.) We set up the trip through a travel agent so the collecting of money and other planning details can go through her. It's always nice when the stress of a trip can be put on someone else (who knows what they're doing). All I know is that, Sam and I have our deposit in and our room picked out; so we'll be going on our honeymoon no matter what.

If you ask me what the best part of our honeymoon is... its not immediately after the wedding. I never understood leaving right away to go on a honeymoon. There is so much stress when it comes to planning a wedding, that planning a big vacation at the same time just seems silly to me. Plus, we'll be getting married in October but we'll leave for the honeymoon during the winter. It will be so nice to go on a vacation and leave Chicago during the coldest time of the year.

I'm very excited about the "Friends Honeymoon" and it should be a great time.

Question: Would you prefer to go on your honeymoon right after the wedding? Or give yourself a buffer and go on a honeymoon a few months later?

Wedding Workout / Weight Loss

For the past few weeks Sam and I have started to getting into the habit of going to the gym a few times a week. Being that the wedding will be here before I know it; I'm finally trying to buckle down because it never hurts to lose a few pound before the big day. So off to the gym I went today.

Sam has set a goal to try lose 40 pounds before the wedding. Sam is a bigger guy all around, so if he works out really hard for the next 3 1/2 month, he may be able to make that goal.

As for me, I'm not sure if I really want to set a goal. If I lose a few pounds great, but if I don't I don't want to bet myself up about it. However, I realize that working out isn't just about losing weight, it's about giving myself a healthier body. So I happily went to the gym.

Before going into the gym... no one wants to see an after picture. It wouldn't be pretty.

However, even though I don't real want to set a weight loss goal (well not yet at least), I do want to try to be accountable for keeping up with my new gym routine. I plan on using the scale at my regular gym to keep track of any weight loss. So here the number that no girl ever wants to admit...

My weight today: 180.2 pounds

For as long as I can remember, my lowest weight was 140 pounds. I achieved this during my freshman year of college. I wanted to look hot for my boyfriend who was away at college. I guess it didn't matter too much because he's still with me even though I'm not as thin as I used to be.

Before that, I always weight around 150 pounds. I remember being that weight from 8th grade to senior year of high school (which means I was a cubby 8th grader and thin out as I grew taller in high school).

Once I went away to college is when I put on the extra pounds. Mac-cheese isn't the best food for ones waist line. Or pizza, or booze, or working at a banquet hall where you can eat all the time.

However, if I had to set a goal, I would be happy to be back at 150 pounds. I don't need to be model thin to be happy, I just want to feel healthier.  Do I think I can reach that goal by the wedding? No, but that's ok. My dress fits great right now, so anything I do lose will cause me to make an alteration to the dress.

When I did lose the 10 pound freshman year of college it took around 6 months to lose that weight. I didn't change my diet, just added exercise. So if I start watching what I eat more closely, I hope I can lose 10 pounds faster then I did before... but we'll see what happens.

Question: Do you think it's better to set a weight loss goal? Or is it better to just workout and see where the number falls?

Beautiful Weekend

Here in Chicago we have been blessed with another beautiful weather weekend! With the nice weather, I try to take full advantage of it while it's here.

You have to love a beautiful Friday, where you can be pool side and enjoy a nice cool glass of wine.

I love that one of my best friends has a nice pool that I can enjoy on a weekend like this. ( BTW- a glass door works great a mirror on a bright a sunny afternoon.)

Got to make sure I wear my strapless bathing suit top all summer because I really don't want to have tan lines in my wedding pictures. (You always have to think ahead on these types of things.)

I wasn't the only one who likes this weather... meet Pete!

My friend is dog sitting for the next few days, and Pete is one pool loving dog. To bad for him, he wasn't allow to join us. So he just sat on the side moping.

Sorry Pete. I don't make the rules- it's not my pool.

Yesterday (Saturday), I enjoyed spending the day with the soon-to-be in-law's extended family. It was one of Sam's little cousin's birthday yesterday, so I enjoyed some good food and a lot of wedding conversation. I can't believe it's only a few months away.

And there was that birthday cake... it was so good.

Note to self... get one of these cakes. I love me some strawberries and whip cream frosting.  SO TASTY!

Today, I'm having a nice lazy Sunday. I went to my mom's, did some laundry, and went to lunch with my mom and friend Cathy. Nothing too exciting, but that's the way to wined a weekend if you ask me.

I hope everyone has a great week! 

Wedding Shower Invites!

The shower invites are in! 

I'm excited because now I can send out my wedding invitations too! My soon-to-be mom in-law is asking her mom and aunt to address the invites; and she thought the shower ones needed to go out first. So once those are addressed, the wedding invites will be up next! So I hope to have them out by the end of the month. (You never want to rush your soon-to-be grandma and great aunt.)

I have to say Sam's mom did good on picking these invites. I really do like these a lot; especially when you compare them to what she originally got for the shower.

Ok before you think I'm just being mean- I'm all about DIY projects; HOWEVER my wedding colors are purple, black, and silver - not pink. After seeing a wedding almost every weekend for 8 years, I have grown to hate pink. If I ever have a girl, I'm going to keep the pink to a minimum.

The reason why Sam's mom even ordered the new invites is because she was having a lot of issues getting the invitations to print correctly on the house printer. I've seen this type of invitation before, and they work best if you print on clear labels and stick the labels on the invite. I told his mom this but she had already went ahead and order the purple ones. Oh well. :)

I do feel bad because she spent money on two sets of invitations. She even got "Thank You" notes to match the pink invites. (If anyone wants some pink wedding shower invites and thank you note- let me know. I bet I can get you a great deal!) However, I think she had a good old time at the "Wilton Tent Sale" where she found them at. Look at all the goodies she got for the wedding!

She picked up the flower girl basket, the aisle runner, and a 100 little tubs of bubbles! Plus some other small things, the pink invites & thank you notes, and rose pedals (?- those won't get used either) Thanks to his mom there are a few more things I can check off my list!


Question: How soon do you think you need to send out wedding/ show invitations? (I maybe on the late side but I pretty sure everyone who I want to come already knows the date.)

Holiday Weekend Recap

Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. I have to say my was pretty uneventful, but it was nice.

What the 4th of July be without fireworks!

"Big" fireworks are outlawed in Illinois; however when you live close to the boarder of Indiana, they somehow make their way into many people's backyards. These were no exception to that rule!

I went with my friend Jen to her cousin's place to watch them shoot off their $1000+ stock of fireworks. I have to say, it was nice to have your own personal fireworks display.

This is my favorite picture! I was surprised how well the pictures turned out, but I did make sure I used my "Firework" setting.

I have to say I've had some great 4th of July's. You may remember my post about my first year after graduate school - where I enjoyed a float trip with my friends over the 4th of July.

Also one of my favorite things I ever got, I got on the 4th of July-

My Sam Cat!

This little guy is 13 years old. He getting old and sickly, but he'll always be "my" first pet. We have always had family pets, but this little guy is mine. And he's a big old mama's boy!

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend!

Questions: What's your favorite holiday? Did you do anything special for the 4th?

My Double Life

I have a little secret that a few people know about. I have a double life. What I mean by a double life is that I have two very different identities when it comes to my employment.

Currently, I'm working two jobs. That shouldn't surprise anyone who knows me, or anyone who has ever paid for a wedding. But I don't think my jobs could be more different from each other.

Job 1: I got hired at this job last last after getting my master's degree, so I would like to think of this as my "big girl job" or my "real job". I current work at a college as a "Case Manager" which is a fancy title for helping students with classes and funding.

This is the outside of the building I work at. Oh abstract art...

And this is my office... well my cubicle.

I even got my own name plate. You know you have a "real job" when you get a name plate.

And no "real job" can be complete without a lot of coffee (even if I don't drink it). But I do love having hot water for my hot chocolate in the winter. As you know I love my chocolate in the morning.

This is my "9-5" job (well more like 9-4, 4 days a week- but whatever). This is the type of job I went to college for and I feel like I'm getting use out of my college degree when I'm there.

 Job 2: My second job is a job I never thought I would have gone back to. It was a job a did back in high school and never really gave another thought about until I moved back home for Job 1.

Well this is my office...

And these are the tools of my trade...

Yes, I work at a dentist office. I'm a dental assistant. It was strange at first coming back to work for the dentist, but to my surprise, I'm really enjoying it. It so different from my job at the college.

At the college, I still have all the typical stresses that come with a "real job"; but when I'm at the dentist office, I'm just there to assist which keeps my stress level very low.  It's kind of nice to a have a job where you don't have to think too much, and just enjoy what your doing.

Maybe it's time to re-think my career... or maybe not. I don't look very cute in scrubs.

For now I'm trying to enjoy life. Searching for a full-time job is hard, and can get frustrating. However, I feel blessed to have two jobs right now even if they are both just part-time.

Like I've said before, things work out the way they are meant to. Life has twists and turns you may not expect, but just try to enjoy the ride.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Question: Have you ever felt like you were having an identity crisis? Or that you were living a double life?

Happy Birthday Sam!

Today is the soon-to-be hubby's birthday. He turned a quarter of a century old today! (For people who are bad at math that = 25)

So every year I always have a hard time figuring out what to get Sam. Being that this is the 9th birthday I've celebrated with him, finding the right gift seems to get harder with each passing year. So I went with old saying "The way to a guy's heart is through him stomach".

So I went to the store and picked up some of Sam's favorite goodies. This spread included...

• Caramel Apple Pops
• Redvines
• 4 pack of Bodington's Pub Ale
• 2 boxes of Gusher's 
• 6 VitaminWater's
•  a can of Whole Cashews (lightly salted)
• a box of Honey Bunches of Oats
• a Jimmy John's sandwich
• and card with 3 scratch off lotto tickets (all losers... oh well)

Anytime I ever went to get a card for someone, Sam would make fun of all the women who would read every card on the shelf before picking one. (So I'm glad he wasn't there today when I picked out his b-day card... I was one of those women). I wanted to pick something light, funny, and simple; so this is the card I went with.

I'm really not sure if "brew" and "too" rhyme but close enough. Plus I thought this card would mix in well with all the other gifts I got him.

Happy Birthday Sam!
I can't wait to be your wife! (Only 125 days left to go!)

Question: What types of gifts are good for guys? I need some ideas for next year.