LOFT-y Monday

I had grand plans of blogs this week... but I worked almost 12 hours yesterday (by my own damn choice) and today I have to travel to Indy for work.  Can you sense the yawns through the computer? 

Anyways, I never knew how long it took to put together a shopping/outfit post until I did one.  And let me just say that I'm in a time crunch but I'm curious for honest opinions... pretty please?

Ok, so @theratpack07 reminded me a week or so ago that I needed white cocktail dresses for the inevitable "year leading up to the wedding" stuff.  And I was 2 steps ahead of her but totally agreed.  Enter an awesome LOFT sale last week. 

I ordered 2 sizes in each dress... although it's become clear to me that "vanity" sizing doesn't even come close to describing the LOFT size skew.

PS. Please don't judge the wrinkles.  I ACTUALLY STEAMED THE WRINKLY ONE... they were just mangled from their mail travels.  I believe it can be remedied.  Also, the shoes are the shoes I'm wearing to work in 15 minutes.  So judge away, whatever.  I know they don't necessarily work.

First off, the bigger size white dress.  Small-ish waist belt didn't much help the situation.

In theory, I like.  In actuality... meh? 

So I sized down.  Left, unbelted.  Center, added a thicker belt.  Right, it's a weeee bit slim on the old thighs.  Maybe they'll be smaller next year?  (Hahahahahahahaha omg just died laughing.)



So the white dress(es) above... it's probably not built for my shape.  But it's white and very bachelorette party/bridal shower/etc.  I'm guessing I'll need 2-3 for events next year.  Hopefully in the summer cause omg the pale.  This 5 am photo shoot hides the paleness cause of the indoor lighting and darkness.

And then we have the 2nd dress.  It's an antique-white/peach color.  Can't really be describes.  The fabric has a beautiful silver metallic all through it, which really lends itself to awesome accessories.

Not sure that photo helps at all.  I tried!

And the dress.  Without a belt (and the included one is hideous), it's a sad sack (LEFT).  Center and right, a little more details and with the necessitated belt.  Featuring the Ring That Made This All Possible. 



So, be good internet friends and tell me how awesome and ugly the dresess are.  BE HONEST.

Hopefully heading with the BFFs tomorrow to Indy for a full day of shopping and decompressing.  Good vibes for all of us please?  We are all very well but anxious for some stuff going down tomorrow. 

Thanks for the opinions and finger-crossing for good news.

HAPPY MONDAY!  xx

Treat Yo Self

Last night, I spent some time with Mr. RH and left his apartment in a huff.  It wasn't intentional, per se, but I was definitely having some unkind thoughts on the way home.  And when I'm huffy, I get a little sloppy.

I hop into the car, throw my sherpa-like 3 bags of my belongings onto the passenger seat... and then I drive.  As soon as I pull out of the parking lot, I hear the voicemail alert noise on my phone.  No big deal, let me just grab my phone and listen.

So I dig.  And dig. And omfg where is my phone.  It's funny, because I had the thought as I was leaving Mr. RH's apartment that I didn't triple-check to make sure I had my phone...but alas, every 2 minutes on the dot, I hear it chirp.

Took me 14 minutes to get home, approximately.  I kept moving bags from the passenger seat to my lap to the back seat, waiting to see if the "beep" moved and if maybe I had misplaced my phone into the wrong bag.

The purse, which I suspected held the phone, has long had a ripped interior lining on the outside pocket.  The outside pocket is the easiest place to dump a phone... but I never do because goodness knows what happens to things that slip inside the lining.  Ick.

After a very frustrating 14 minutes in the car, I had to use another phone to call my phone (THREE TIMES!) before I found my phone.  Wedged between the passenger seat and the door, where I must've dropped it before Mr. RH and I picked up dinner.

All of this long-windedness to say, basically, holy sh*tballs I need a new purse!!

Every time I post that I need a new bag, everyone tells me I need a Coach bag.  Cause that's what people have and apparently it's the best.

No offense to All The People, but I'm not buying a Coach bag.  They're just expensive and I can't justify a bag more than $100 cause I regularly leave it on the (FILTHY!) floor at work and I just don't care enough for my purses.  They get thrown in and out of cars on the regular... so a fancy bag just won't do.

My current bag is pretty pathetic... it looks very similar to this (very sad) bag I found on Amazon.

Minus the stripey-strap thing.  Mine is just plain solid pale-silver.  Big giant tote with 3 compartments that had me lugging around my Kindle Fire AND Harry Potter hardbacks at the same time with no problem.

I like a nice-sized bag... but with this, I was lugging everything I owned everywhere.  Slightly problematic for my back.

I like leather cause they seem to stay pretty clean for me - and I like at least a small outside pocket to throw my phone and keys in for easy retrieval. 

So.  You probably have a favorite bag, right, oh stylish readers?!  Give me your wisdom, I'm desperate. 

Favorite bag?  Brand?  Anything?  Please and thank you... it's time for me to treat myself.  Cause I clearly don't do that enough already.

 Happy Friday!!

Wedding Wednesday

Soo.... wedding things are happening around here.  Kinda-sorta.  I've got the ball rolling with the church - unfortunately, the church moves at the speed of extremely-slow-things.  For serious.

So I expect to hear back from the church coordinator in 2-3 days - at which point Mr. RH and I have to meet up with a priest, which will probably take a couple weeks to coordinate.

Needless to say, I'm not grumpy about how slow that process is AT ALL. 

To add insult to injury, Mr. RH has the flu.  And now I am living in constant fear of The Vomit myself.

So, since I have come to a standstill with getting the date set up (and can't book reception or photographer until after I get the church), I've really let the whole wedding process sink in. 

And it's been hitting me harder and harder how much I miss my mom.

And I'm not really sure WHY, exactly.  It could be because she knows everyone who is anyone at church and could surely help get the process rolling.  It could be because she was a bit of a photography expert and could probably find me the best photographer within a reasonable budget (as opposed to the unreasonable photography budget I have in my head).

It could be because it hit me yesterday that possibly no one in my family would want to throw me a wedding shower.  That my mom has multiple sisters and I have a dozen aunts but that maybe it's just too painful for them all without her there.

And that's where it really gets me.  I wish just for once I had an overbearing mom to criticize any and all thoughts I have related to the wedding.  That she could bitch and moan about how she doesn't approve of the wedding dress. 

It's hitting me over the head on Pinterest lately.  The multi-generational wedding photos.  Pictures of both sets of parents with the bride and groom.  Pictures with mothers' and grandmothers' wedding bands. 

And I know it's just me feeling self-conscious and overwhelmed, but I just wish she were here to tell me that everything's going to be fine, that I'm being over-dramatic, and to stop worrying about it already. 

Before we were engaged, I told Mr. RH multiple times that I was dreading planning a wedding without my mom.  That the thought of having to go through it without her made me want to elope and skip the whole thing.  At the time, I was being dramatic and just trying to steel myself... I just didn't know how much it would actually hurt. 

And the silly thing is... I am surrounded by incredible friends, great coworkers, the whole nine yards.  I am certainly not the saddest girl to plan a wedding.  It just feels that way when I'm feeling sorry for myself.  And I doubt this will be the last thing I have to say on the topic. 

Tuesday Tidbits

I can't really particularly articulate myself because it's so dreary outside... seems like a perfect time for a random bullets post, right?

Good call.

• I haven't really posted much about my gardening efforts this summer... due to Indiana's drought... it's been rough around here.  However, for the first time ever, my bell pepper plants have gone crazy.  For the first time ever, I've got red pepper plants that are producing more than one pepper.  I honestly didn't think such a thing was possible.
  
  See this pic below... you can see 4 peppers and that's only half of one plant!  Now if they would just turn red.

•  I'm also suuuper excited for my mum to start blooming.

• I was complaining to Mr. RH how everyone and their brother has been tweeting about Gone Girl and I didn't even know what it was... he brought this home on Saturday for our date night. 

• He also brought this.

 

• I've had my unpainted nails on display for the past couple weeks... it's really kinda depressing.  I want to paint them but I know it won't last as long as a Shellac manicure and that's just a bummer.

• Work is kicking my butt and it's not even close to Christmas yet.  And the sad thing is that Christmas isn't even the end of the madness.... is it February yet?! 

•  I'm ready to get this wedding-planning show on the road. Of course, it's easy to say that when the email is in someone else's court.  Ahem, church, ahem.

• I've been in a cooking mood lately... I baked a potato recipe from Pinterest and tried to duplicate Panera's Creamy Tomato Soup... mmmm.  I should probably blog that recipe, it was tasty.

• Is it Friday yet??

Hope you're having a great week so far!!

1 Month, 2 Days

Exactly one month ago Saturday, I became engaged to Mr. RH.  I truly cannot believe it's been only one month - it feels like we have lived several lifetimes since then.

Damnit, why am I cheesing so hard in this picture?! 

As soon as I put that bling on my finger, I got advice from near and far and wide:  "enjoy your engagement, it goes too fast, just savor the moment!"

As much as we've tried, the past month has been a heck of a time.

Mr. RH has been student teaching, working a part-time job, putting up with all my craziness (full-time job!), and trying to make a little time for me every day even though he never gets a minute to himself.

He never complains (well, much)  (or unless I try to curb his Starbucks habit) and he is forever reassuring me that he wants nothing more than to marry me AND he even wants to help with plans for the wedding (when and where I want him to, of course).

In the past month, we've had our fair share of trials.  Mr. RH's car broke down and ultimately bit the dust.  We've had money woes and in-my-head woes.  We both got a cold and I swear I'm still recovering.  I've been anxious and clingy and try to spend most of my free time fretting over Mr. RH and wondering if I am enough for him.

On Saturday, we got to chill out for the evening with The Hunger Games DVD and yummy leftover pizza and soup.  We got to talk and reconnect a little bit.  It was simply wonderful.  (Only 82 days until Mr. RH finishes student teaching for the semester.)  (It seemed shorter when I didn't know the exact number.)

Needless to say, the past month (and two days!) have been less than carefree and easy... but I've got the right guy by my side.  And that has made all the difference.

The Classy Bookshelf

So, I've still been on quite the reading kick lately.  The drop in temps has me forgoing wedding planning (shocker!) to cozying up in bed (at 5 pm, no less) to read, read, read.

Maybe if I got a teenage fiction novel about wedding planning?  Put it on the to-do list.

 Green Heart by Alice Hoffman is a short trilogy in the Hunger Games-type style.  It was good and I read them in just a couple days. 

  

I've always been a huge Sophie Kinsella fan (Shopaholic books, anyone?) and I've Got Your Number is exactly what you'd expect.   I really enjoyed this one - even with the predictable ending.  And, bonus!, the main character in this book is engaged.  So, lots of wedding-planning advice there.  (Spoiler: not really). 

 

When I heard Andy Cohen was penning a memoir of his life, I know it will surprise you all that I was first in line.  (Not really, but I love me a good Housewife reunion.)  So, I was excited when Mr. RH snagged me a copy to devour. 

And I did totally devour Most Talkative - it's a great look at Andy's life and how he worked his way to Bravo-super-stardom.  And I like him 200% more now than I did before, which is saying something.  His life ain't all weave-pulling and Housewives! 

See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles was, I'm not even gonna lie, a pretty sad book.  The book itself was good, but the content matter was actually a little heartbreaking. 

I totally enjoyed it in the moment (when I wasn't crying)... but needless to say - it should come with a warning and a box of tissues.

Are you reading anything good lately?  And is it just me or is fall THE perfect time for book-reading?  Somebody get me a mug of warm cider, mmmm.

Wedding Wednesday: Real Talk

I kind of alluded to this on my post on Monday, but I thought today I'd really lay it out for you.

Thus far, being engaged has been a bit of a rough road.  I would say that 85% of the time I'm all....

(RIP, my determination to not post someecards on my blog.)

And the other 15% of the time?  I'm doubting everything I ever knew about everything.

As in... Catholic wedding or not?

Hometown wedding or not?

Wedding photographer of my dreams AND life at the poorhouse?

Forcing my dad to sit down with me and actually talk about the budget cause I'm not just playin and I am actually planning on getting married?

However, I plan to figure out a few of these things in the next week.  My goal is to book a church and reception venue asap.... however - what if my photographer is booked?  Can I then call back and move the wedding and reception?

Since I don't know the answers... I guess the only thing to do is jump, right?  Bite the bullet??

I'm hoping that by next Wednesday, I can answer allll these questions no problem.  Cause I totally have enough time to become an expert in one week, right?

Exactly.

I Remember

I visited Ground Zero in October 2002.  It was still very much an active disaster/construction site.  I have never been in such a busy area of NYC that was so silent.  

 

"The human spirit is not measured by the size of the act, but by the size of the heart."  

I will never forget.


On September 11th, 2007, I read every single solitary entry this site. It took me about 3 days. I hardly ate, slept, or did any homework (I was a junior in college).

I want to click that link, but I just can't.  

This year, I am going to pray and remember.

Pray and remember.

Monday Funday

I have been, and always will be - a planner by nature.  Although I may suck at chores and leave the kitchen in shambles when I bake - there is nothing like having an event turn out flawlessly to bring out my inner OCD.

So, this wedding planning business... I should be all over it, right?

Wrong.

I'm not sure if it's fear or internal panic or WHAT that has got me so worked up, but I have not done a single productive thing wedding-related since I got my rock.

Which makes absolutely no sense.

You see, I was dying for my little piece of bling.  Begged for it.  Told Mr. RH he should just slip it on my hand and call it a day.

So I'm not entirely sure why I have mentally gone on a wedding-strike.

Before we got engaged - I had details mentally planned.  Now?  I've got nothing.

So - this week, I take the first step: The Bridal Binder.

 

I am such a hot mess on a daily basis that I know I need a central location for all the 'big stuff.'  It'll be nice to have it all in one, easy-to-use place.

I also plan on reading the crap out of my bridal magazine collection.  That Mr. RH has provided to me.  

My boss bought me a "Bride's Year Ahead" set of a bridal planner... but she also said she bought and returned many versions and that I should go peek at the selection before I start using this one. 

Anybody used the Bride's Year Ahead? 

I know the book looks a little dated to me... but I also know that the entire wedding section seems to be stuck in 1995 - so that's weird.

My friend getting married in June is using The Knot's wedding book that her maid of honor purchased for her... but I haven't really asked her about it and she's on an overseas vacation for the next couple weeks.

Must be nice!

I informed my boss (who is returning from her honeymoon today!) that I'm going to need to use some vacation days ASAP to get my life in order.  And by life, I obviously mean wedding.

So... if all goes well, I'm planning to have a wedding binder by Friday.  ARE YOU WITH ME?!

Thanks in advance for all the tips and tricks.

(YOU DO HAVE TRICKS, RIGHT?)

Teach me your ways, wise brides-before-me.

Blahsville, Day Infinity

I would like to state, for the record, that the dreaded late-summer cold sucks.  And sucks even harder when the cold is joined by his friend a-hole seasonal allergies.

Needless to say, I'm a real peach today.

I spent most of the day yesterday cleaning and dusting (yes, I am stunned at that development).  Followed by a very brief, disappointing watch of the VMAs. 

Followed by a rather cool showing in the night sky.

Not to whine about having a four-day-workweek (oh, that's right, mine was a regular five-day)... but gosh, this week packed a whole lot of blah into four days.  Let's do better next week, eh??

LOST: My Mojo

Why hello there, I dropped off the planet.  Makes no sense, honestly, because as the tweets point out, there is a WEALTH of wedding-palooza related things I could talk about.

I could blame it on work (swamped, exhausted there) but it's been going fairly well.  When I'm there, I go 24/7 without stopping.  By the time I get home, I've got a sick Mr. RH and myself and we've made a fairly pathetic duo as of late.

Our Hunger Games DVD date has been postponed twice due to goodness knows what.  Our last two hot dates have been grocery shopping... which is quite exciting when you're shopping for two different households.  (OMG, I sound lame even to me.)

So, I think we need to cut off this blogger's block right here and end this post.  Remember when I begged y'all for help in dressing myself? 

Turns out that I wasn't even on the right page with my options... lo and behold, a $20 impulse buy at Forever21.com became quite chic with the right magical accessories.

My coworker and I were dates and we had a blast at the outdoor wedding.  So  much, in fact, that it's given me quite the pause in my big-Catholic-wedding plans.

If only for a second.

Anyway, maybe I'll find my way out of this funk soon.  If not... send booze and wedding magazines.