Witch and ghost make merry on this last of dear October’s days.

Author Unknown

Happy Halloween!

You ought to be in pictures!

Daffy Duck

Nick and I are headed home to Sarasota today for our engagement photo session.

Yes, engagement photos less than two weeks before the wedding. But, it was included in ou wedding photographer package and I'd love to take advantage of the opportunity to get some great pictures of us not as "bride and groom."

The weather here has been unusally cool so while our photos will be on the waterfront and will look like we're frolicing in warm Florida weather, we will actually be freezing in record low temperatures for October.

Hopefully you won't see my teeth chattering during "CHEESE!"

Or Nick making silly faces the whole time. It tends to happen frequently.

Some values are ... like sugar on the doughnut, legitimate, desirable, but insufficient, apart from the doughnut itself. We need substance as well as frosting.

Ralph T. Flewelling

I was graciously awarded the Kreativ Blogger Award by A Housewife's Journey to Forever!

Does anyone else just want to take a red pen to "Kreativ?"

I need to list 6 things I value and 6 things I don't and then pass it along to 6 people.

6 Things I Value:

Nick - I am so thankful to have him as my soon-to-be hubby

My mother - no better mommy in the world, even if some other daughters my beg to differ

My education - thanks to my mother I was able to complete my masters degree in April and always am grateful for the opportunity to have it in my back pocket!

My friends - I don't have a huge social circle, just a group of solid longterm friends. At my bachelorette party it was such a compliment to me to have a few of my friends comment seperately to me what a nice time they were having with the group (most friends are from different times in my life, so they wouldn't be together normally). I love my friends!

My animals - my mother and I always say we just couldn't live without an animal. I loved the two labs I had growing up and now my Bella and my mom's dogs too. I take their well-being and safety to heart.

The little things - I keep a gratitude journal (5 things each day I am grateful for) and really try to make an effort to be thankful and appreciate the small things in my life that I enjoy.

6 Things I Don't Value:

Expensive cell phones - sorry, I just can't justify spending more than my Alltel rebate phone (unless I become significantly more important in the near future, just kidding!)

People who are late

Frogs that sit outside my front door and wait to jump on my head

Political apathy

The awful carpet in my condo, ick

Junky coupon magazines that clog my mailbox three times a week

I tag:

Natalie

Rachel

Molly

Jennifer

Lauren

Princess Freckles

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• Having my Nick by my side - finally!
• Fresh, chewy bagels from Panera
• Stacks of packed, sealed and labeled moving boxes
• A cool weather break from the awful Florida humidity
• We're getting married in less than 2 weeks!

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

Seneca

Yesterday was my last day at my first real world, big girl job. I worked so hard to get that position and did everything I could to make it a success that at first it was a little bittersweet to walk away from it to move to St. Louis and start a new chapter.

But at this point, all I can think of is that Nick's plane lands here at 12:15 p.m. and all that we have in our life to look forward to. Suddenly it is all that matters in my life right now. And that is reward enough for sure.

My mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being. I may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.

Graycie Harmon

Happy, happy birthday to the best mother a girl could have!

Christmas 1983

Masters degree graduation, April 2008

She wore a wreath of roses,

The night that first we met.

Thomas Haynes Bayly

This past weekend, in edition to the painting, my mom and I put together two wreaths for the front doors of the church at the wedding. We'd been collecting silk flowers for a few months or so from thrift stores, sales at Michael's and other random finds. Looking around I just wasn't seeing wreaths I liked at the stores and certainly wasn't going to pay $200 a pop from our florist.

It was so easy to weave our flower collection into the grape vine wreaths so they matched:

And voila, a beautiful wreath for just pennies compared to what we would have paid for a pre-made one:

I can't wait to see them hanging beautifully on our wedding day!

It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to have to paint it.

Stephen Wright

One of the joys of having a wedding reception at a home, my mother's home in this case, is that little maintenance issues have to be taken care of by you (us, really). So we had a fun Saturday painting lattuce, trim and fencing! It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do, everything looked great!

Handy-dandy paint supplies

Francis had to be locked up... black lab + paint = big ol' mess!

Bye-bye manicure...

Rocking a very stylish painting outfit

And mom too except she looks more prepared with the hat

By the time we were done Francis was sound asleep on her back, all tuckered out too!

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• Homemade mashed potatoes with meatloaf and warm buttered biscuits
• A slick fresh coat of paint on new fencing
• Making wreaths by hand
• The look Francis gives you when she really just wants a piece of your cheese
• New magazines in the mail
  

I'll be back.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

With training my replacement at work (in addition to all of the stuff I also have to get done during the day), packing my condo, finalizing wedding details, timelines, moving schedules and pretty much everything else swimming around in my head I'll be on a minor blogging break at least until this weekend.

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• A slice of pumpkin bread from Starbucks
• Bella chasing little feathers from my down comforter
• Nick will be here in 12 days - yippee!
• Scary movies on cable all day long
• Practicing my wedding make up and doing it right!

I'd like to add his initial to my monogram.

George Gershwin, Someone to Watch Over Me

I was so excited to receive this package in the mail. Not only was it a gift for me and my matron of honor for the wedding but also my first order from Monogam Chick!

The monogrammed spa wraps (mine with my new initials) turned out so cute in khaki and sage green stiching and was even wrapped all cute with matching ties. Can't wait to wear them while we are getting ready the morning of the wedding - thanks Sarah!

Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living

Barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving

They just use your mind and they never give you credit

Its enough to drive you crazy if you let it

Dolly Parton

We're hosting a group of Canadian journalists for a client next week so I'm up to hear in media kits, tee times and hotel reservations.

Stay tuned and I'll be able to post more frequently when it is all over with!

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more
The Beatles

One month from today...

...30 days

...729 hours

...43746 minutes

...2,624,781 seconds

We will be getting married!

YIPPEE!

...I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!

Sally Field

Thanks to Erin I am the soon-to-be owner of my very own beautiful book from Blurb. A photo I took at the beach here in Southwest Florida was one of the top five winners!

Take a look at the great products they offer - I can't wait to use my prize to create one!

The only gift is a portion of thyself.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

On Saturday, my matron of honor, Casey, hosted a lovely wedding shower at her home. We enjoyed yummy good and great company... and plenty of wonderful gifts too! I received most of my registered towels and bath accessories, knives and plenty of other goodies.

I was so grateful for the time and thought that went into each and every gift... it was such a nice afternoon!

Yummy food - including the best little tea sandwiches.

My matron of honor, Casey and dear friend Melissa

Darling presents - I'm guessing everyone knew that I loved polka dots!

Guessing Nick's answers to Casey's questions... every one I got wrong I had to put a piece of bubble gum in my mouth!

Uh oh - another wrong!

Mouth full of gum but I only got 6 wrong!

My first "married name" stationary from Melissa

Yay polka dots!

One of my coveted Wusthof knives - yippee!

Beautiful quilt from my mom - she made it! It was a project we started years ago using my dad's old shirts and famous bandanas. Now it is a cozy quilt for my new home.

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.

G.B. Stern

Sunday gratitude:

• Fresh sliced peaches
• Little tea sandwiches with pimento and cheese or cucumber
• A bag of new makeup products to learn with for my wedding
• Watching a cable showing of The Notebook
• Black and white polka dot kitchen accessories

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur

Today is my bridal shower - yippee! I'm so excited to curl my hair, wear a cute dress, drink punch and open presents! Some of my favorite women will be there this afternoon and I can't wait to see them all.

I'll be sure to post pictures later.

Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote.

William E. Simon

Thanks to Rach, I watched this great video.

I really believe in the old saying, "if you didn't vote, you can't complain." So please, take look. It's funny and you get to watch Leonardo DiCaprio for multiple frames. Always worth it in my opinion.

If you haven't already, register to vote. If you are registered (like me!) you can do early voting or request an absentee ballot from your supervisor of elections and you won't have to wait in line on November 4.

Random: (adj.) lacking any definite plan or order or purpose

- The Wedding Edition -

• I'm going for my first (new) wedding dress fitting today. I'm excited to see what it looks like all pinned so it fits me well!
• My bridal shower is this weekend at my matron of honor's home. The group isn't too large but I've stashed away every shower gift that has been sent to me from people that aren't able to attend... so I'll have plenty to open - yippee!
• We're picking up cake samples on Saturday to make the final decision - I'm routing for strawberries and vanilla custard on at least one of the layers but promised Nick that chocolate would be in there too.
• My wedding band has arrived at the jewelers and my grandmother's diamond eternity band has been sized and is ready for pick up - cannot wait to see it all together!
• We're getting married in 37 days - wow!