I'm still beat from all the beautiful, wonderful, fantabulous celebrating but I thought you would like to see a photo from the wedding. One of the guest took this and sent it to us.

We had a beautiful wedding day. It was overcast and we did get some sprinkles of rain but it still seemed perfect out on the water when we had photos taken.

When I was waiting in the kitchen with my Dad I was shaking like a leaf. I hadn't had any nervous feelings at all until right before walking down the aisle. But then when I rounded the corner with Dad and saw Brian standing down there waiting for me I was instantly calmed. There he was, my best friend, and now my husband.

We said I do and had a blast the entire time. Everyone seemed to enjoy the celebration and I feel like the luckiest girl in the whole universe! More photos and blogging to come later.

Labels: wedding

"Mawwage is what bwings us togwether today...." - The Princess Bride

Let me tell you the story of a girl I know.

This girl is one of the most blessed people out there. She is fortunate in many ways. She has a job she loves, a wonderful little boy who keeps her on her toes, great friends, a fabulous family and in two days she'll be marrying her best friend. (Ok so it's me.)

What could go wrong, right?

We know the guest list expanded so that the ceremony has been moved to the deck. The deck has a canopy type thing, there are plastic sheets as walls and it is heated. Saturday there is a 40% chance of rain and the high is 49 degrees. Everyone bring your umbrellas because it's not an easy stroll around the restaurant and to the deck wedding. The weather.com website thinks it is funny, next to the date it says "Trade heels for flats or sneakers." ROFL! Oh GREAT!

On the way to finalizing the wedding plans at the Chesapeake Inn (my Dad drove my car, I was in the passenger seat and Braeden, Brian and my Mom were in the back)...my Dad decides to put his window down. I'm unsure as to why he did this, as it was in the 40s that night.

No big deal. "Dad, can you put the window back up please?"

I hear him pushing buttons. Every button. Mom is asking him to pull over. There's no shoulder, we're on a back road heading towards Maryland. The window is not going up. Finally we pull over at an old Dairy Farm. Since the power doesn't appear to be working to move the window my Dad decides to pull the window glass up with his hand. He then pushes it down with his hand. This continues while he's still pushing buttons on the door.

We hear the window fall off the track and it goes into hiding in the driver door.

"It's okay Dad I had to take the Jeep into the shop anyway."

"Why?"

"Well, um, you see, I was going to get it ready for winter. Yes. That's right."

We drive the rest of the way to the Inn and I'm chuckling, I hear chuckling in the back. It's always an interesting adventure with my family.

We're finalizing plans for almost 3 hours! I find out that I'll be walking down the back stairwell of the restaurant and THROUGH THE KITCHEN to get to the deck for the ceremony. Me, clumsy me, big white wedding dress...

All is well. We roll with the punches. Eddie (the guy who is helping us at the Chesapeake Inn) does everything he can to accommodate, he knows this is a special day. It's not his fault the guest list ballooned.

The deck will be fun. Maybe we can have photographs taken of the bridal party standing near the tiki hut where there is a giant shark's head protruding from the top. I honestly think that would be pretty funny.

Meanwhile, I'm driving my Mom's car around now and the engine light comes on saying it needs to be serviced. At every red light I feel the engine chugging, it's like a rubber band pulling, the car rocks back and forth but it doesn't stall. THANK GOD!

I go to pick up Brae. My Dad has the window up on my car. Weeehooo! Relief!

"So Dad, you were able to fix the window?"

"Not exactly. I took the door apart. The entire mechanism inside is broken and will need to be replaced. The regulator is broken, the cable is broken and the plastic around it all is broken."

"Well the window is up."

"I taped it."

OH JOY!

I drive home with Braeden and our little doggie Mya and admire the electrical tape job on my driver window. You can hardly tell. Then something falls off the car down near my feet. I see a plastic piece near the brake pedal and a screw. "Hahahaha, oh it's a comedy I see," I say out loud.

But the good news is I am feeling better.

The bad news is...Braeden, Isabella (the flower girl), my Dad and my Mom are NOT feeling well. All is well. I'm telling myself this because on Saturday afternoon it won't matter who is sniffling or coughing

And in two days I'm marrying my best friend.

"Doomed, madam?"
"To be together. Until one of us dies."
"I've done that already, and I haven't the slightest intention of ever doing it again." Westley said.
Buttercup looked at him. "Don't we sort of have to sometime?"
"Not if we promise to outlive each other, and I make that promise now."
Buttercup looked at him. "Oh my Westley, so do I."
- The Princess Bride

 

Labels: bnc, brae, brian, wedding

Y'all must have been sending me some fierce positive energy because I am definitely feeling stronger today. There are other things emotionally weighing on me, but I'm hoping my whole person will be on the mend soon.

Four days to go.

Bri's Dad says it is "3 days and a wake up" to go since he doesn't count the actual day of the wedding.

Brian helped Brae try on his little man tux last night to make sure it fits and miraculously it does. The arms are a little long but nothing a tuck and roll can't take care of =o)

I was literally jumping up and down with giddiness to have the tuxes in the house. I also have my hair jewels, necklace and earrings in my possession. They are beautiful. I'm so blessed to have Aunt Bobbie in my life. If you're in this area and preparing to get hitched you should definitely get in touch with her. Her business is called "Just Like Moms" and she can do everything from the napkins to your wedding dress. Make things easier when you're stopping at one place. =o) Thank you Aunt Bobbie!

It is freezing in my office right now. I have not taken my jacket off since I got in this morning...over 5 hours ago! I need to remember to bring a small heater and/or blanket into work!

Braeden's feeling awful. He's congested and has a cough. His eyes are all red and watery. My poor little man, but he'll be okay. And I'm praying for him to be all mended by Saturday. I can't wait to see him and Brian in their tuxes. So handsome they will be!

Enough blabbing on now. Back to work. My blog is not publishing well. I have been trying to get a music post out there since early this morning. So I hope this one publishes.

Happy Tuesday!

Labels: bnc, brae, brian, health, wedding

Happy Halloween everyone!

Braeden wore his costume to day care this morning (overtop his pjs since it's so cold). He is spider-man in the black costume. He loves it! He's super psyched about Halloween this year. This is the first year that I really plan on taking him to a few houses. Plus this is the first year in our house so we'll be able to give out treats!

Brian and Braeden listened to some Halloween music last night before bed. Brae had his Harry Potter magic wand and was turning Brian into different things. The ones I can remember are a cow, a crab (my suggestion), a chicken, a frog and Cookie Monster. I have to say my favorite impression was of Cookie Monster. Brian kind of crossed his eyes a bit and changed his voice and said "C is for Cookie." It was hilarious, I wish I had video!

There are 10 more days until the wedding. Things have changed a little bit because the guest list grew. We won't be getting married in the "Anna Room" at the Inn. They have moved us to the deck which upset me at first but I think it has potential to be beautiful and unique. In the midst of my being unhappy about the news I shouted at my Mom, "They throwing us outside because there's no room at the Inn." There was a moment of silence before we both started laughing. Hmmm...where have I heard that line before? And so if Jesus can be born in a Nativity because there is no room at the Inn then I sure as heck can deal with a wedding ceremony on the deck. It put things into perspective that's for sure.

This morning I received the seating chart. Aside for attaching names to little pumpkins I think the seating chart is the only thing we have left to do. And I have to take my dress somewhere to have something looked at but I'm hoping it shouldn't be a big deal. I'm excited!!!

Back to Halloween...I will put up some pics of Brae in his costume later on. In the meantime check out the pumpkin I carved! It was Brae's idea. =o)

Labels: bnc, brae, wedding

As of today, there are 19 days left until the wedding. Yes, in 19 days I'm getting married!!!!!!!!!!!

Chad and Kendra's wedding reception was yesterday afternoon and it had me feeling so super excited for my own wedding. Brian and I got a chance to do some dancing. And I'm sure we were both feeling the same sentimental feelings through the entire thing. Chad and Kendra look so happy with each other; it was very touching to witness.

We had our last session with Tom on Saturday. The next time we see him will be at the rehearsal dinner. So just knowing that was enough to get me feeling all giddy.

This morning I finally decided which song I want to dance with my Dad for the father/daughter dance. I have chosen "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks. It seemed the most like us and I hope he likes it. I'm also thinking about what I would like the bridal party to dance to when we do that group dance. I'm thinking maybe "I Hope You Dance" but Bri and I will have to agree. =o)

Actually I spent most of the afternoon telling myself and everyone around me that I do not want to cry on my wedding day. And let me just tell you...I'm listening to Stealing Cinderella and I'm crying like a baby. Lord, I hope I'm not like this when we dance!

Labels: bnc, wedding

I am not at all happy when I am woken up early (even if only 15 minutes early) by the sound of the garbage man coming down the street. Who in their right mind wants to hear the slamming of garbage cans at 6 a.m.? To top it all off it also means I need to jump up and make sure all the trash is outside. Yes, I know, I should put it out the night before, but sometimes that's just not an option because I fall asleep early!

Argh!

Anywho, Braeden slept in his room very well last night. I fell asleep on the floor until 2 a.m. but that's not his fault. He didn't get out of bed once AND I had to wake HIM up instead of the other way around. He did a great job, I hope this continues.

Brian's first day at his new job was yesterday. He had to go in even after having been sick the day before. From the sounds of it the environment is relaxed and flexible. He seemed far more at ease with everything and I feel much better after now since he seems less apprehensive.

Me? I'm feeling fat as usual. The wedding is less than a month away and I feel like a cow. So, I brought an apple and cottage cheese to work for snacks. And I have my typical noodle bowl thing for lunch. I know I shouldn't be eating carbs, but it's low fat and I didn't feel like figuring anything else out. Though I suppose I could have thrown a salad together. Maybe I should start buying those Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine frozen meals. I have to fit in that dress!

Alright, time to start the work day. Happy Tuesday!

Labels: bnc, brae, brian, fat cow, wedding

Last night was the third night of Brian's stay in Texas. I was able to talk to him a little bit on the phone and again on the computer. He's doing well and has even been told he will be trained for an elevated position beyond pharmacy tech. to medical tech. which is awesome and makes me even more proud of him.

We had a series of storms in our area yesterday. It seemed like the rain cloud hovered over me though because my parents didn't get the down pours and they are literally 8 minutes away. We need the rain, but it came down so hard I don't know if enough of it was able to absorb into the ground before going into the rain gutters.

Braeden and I met one of our neighbors last night and her daughter. Samantha was born a month after Braeden so they are very close in age and the two hit it off almost immediately. They were running around and laughing, it was wonderful! We walked down to meet them when Braeden saw they were decorating for Halloween. Apparently our house being decorated had been an inspiration for them. =o)

It's Wednesday, we're half way through the work week. This is actually my Thursday though because I have off on Friday. Follow my logic?

Finn Finn and Charlotte won't be able to come to Brae's party on Saturday which stinks. But in all honestly they have a perfect reason so I can't be mad. Jonathan's parents are coming in from Scotland for a week long visit and Saturday is the first day they'll be in town.

I'm trying to eat more healthy these days. The wedding is a month away, exactly, from today. So, I had some cereal for breakfast. I brought my Thai food for lunch which is actually pretty low in fat and calories. Plus, I have an apple for a snack. I would like to lose weight, but right now I just need to maintain since the dress fits me very well.

With Braeden waking up through the night and all, I haven't been able to watch any TV. So I am very much enjoying the shows online. Thank God CBS and NBC do shows online now because it's the only way I can view them. I don't at all mind the commercial breaks in between snippets, it would be the same on air anyway!

Hmmm...I think that is enough randomness for the moment. Have a great Wednesday!

Labels: bnc, brae, brian, carrie, tv, wedding

Last night was the second night without Brian. Fortunately we were able to talk on the phone once yesterday and on the computer until it got late. We even had the chance to play WoW together for awhile and he kindly helped me with some tough quests. I may be able to get level 25 by the end of the week. Of course...he is level 58. Hehe.

Brae helped me take out the trash this morning. My intentions had been to take out the screen door that is broken under our deck from the lovely people who lived in the house before we bought it. But I didn't get to that.

Bri's parents are coming over Wednesday night to bring dinner and help out with the silly window that tapers at the top and therefore can't fit a standard set of blinds!

Our new neighbors have finished putting up a fence and so we will only have to put up a back strip, but I think we'll end up going around the "L shape" anyway for more privacy, I don't know. When Bri is back from Texas we can talk about it and hopefully hit up Rooms Today.

I'm thinking about how I want my hair for the wedding. In my head I can see the style perfectly, but I don't know if I'd be able to explain it to anyone so I'm trying to find a picture.

And well that's all I've got for you right now. Happy Tuesday!

Labels: bnc, brae, brian, wedding

Well, Brian arrived in Houston safely yesterday afternoon after a 3.5 hour flight. He was quick to let me know that his rental car is an '07 Dodge Avenger. Of course I was just as quick to let him know he needs to be safe. He will get back home from training early Saturday.

Bah.

Braeden and I made sugar cookies last night. He was an angry bear last night after returning home from his father's and I made multiple efforts to cheer him up. So finally I said we could make cookies; the chef in Braeden outweighed Mr. Grizzly and the rest of the night went well. He took his cookies to his friends at day care. He was very excited about that!

Brae's 4th birthday is this Friday and we're all psyched. But where in the world has all the time gone? I can't believe he is going to be 4..well maybe I can..he does act like a teenager a lot with that attitude of his.

I finally put up some Halloween decor pics on Flickr. I need to take more today but I had to charge the camera battery.

Yesterday my Mom and I went to the Stephans' because Barb came to alter my wedding dress. It went very well and all the ladies loved the dress on me which made me feel like a princess. I'm not really into the frou frou stuff, but I might be on my wedding day because it felt good to feel pretty. =o) I just wish I weren't so short, even in my 3 inch heels Barb needs to bring the dress up another 2 inches! Why is 5'3" so short? Bah.

I didn't get to play WoW last night. I wonder if Brian was playing. I am hoping to have a chance to play tonight. I'm loading it on my laptop just in case.

Since there is only a month left before the wedding, I am trying to eat better. I had a banana for breakfast! I brought in an apple and some thai noodles for lunch. Of course I'm drinking plenty of water. Bri's parents are bringing dinner over one night this week so that night I might veer off the plan a little bit. Haha.

Brae's birthday party is the day Bri gets back. So I'm doing some extra cleaning around the house. I need to figure out a menu of some sort. I'm going to order pizza. Bri's mom is making salad. And I think maybe we'll have meatballs and I'll buy some rolls. And then just come up with little appetizer type things. It should be fun. I'm really excited that we're going to have people over to our house. I'm so proud of all we have accomplished.

Well, I better get to work. Have a great Monday, y'all!

Labels: bnc, brae, brian, halloween, wedding

It began yesterday without so much as a scratchy throat of a warning. I have a cold. I'm starting to believe I may have an immune deficiency like Braeden. Actually, I believe I stole it from him because *knock on wood* he has been physically feeling stronger these days.

Brian and Braeden were measured for their tuxes last night at Aunt Bobbie's. I found out that Brae's neck is only a little bit smaller than mine. He has a wide neck for such a young child. This is probably because he is holding up such a big head...um...I mean brain, a big brain!

Brian picked out a tux that I know he is going to look amazing in and I'm excited to see him all dressed up. I'm also excited to know Brae will be all dressed up, too. And I have picked out a dress for Belle to wear as well. She and Brae are going to be the stars of the show, there is no way that Brian and I can compare to those two cuties. Haha. It's okay though, we don't so much like being in the lime light.

The house is coming along more and more feeling like a home. All of the painting is almost done. It looks really good, Brian has done a wonderful job. =o)

Yesterday out love seat came in and is now on the "ground floor." It swivels, actually, it can turn completely 360 degrees, it's the coolest love seat ever. It's round! Oh yes, you all will love it if anyone ever comes to visit!

Friday our "lagoon" furniture is coming in and will be placed on the "middle floor" where all the fabulous paint is happening. The colors are going to look awesome together and I am super psyched. Every day I am loving the house more and more.

This weekend I am hoping we find some time to put up some Halloween decorations. Our powder room is already feeling spookish. =o) Brian, Braeden and I all love Halloween so this is such a special time of year for us. Especially since we're getting married in less than two months!

Now if I could get past this cold and actually start feeling healthy for a change everything would be eerily perfect!

Labels: bnc, brae, brian, health, home, wedding