I love Bulldogs

I have wanted a bulldog for years!!! This makes me want one even more! Loves. Found via The Sweetest Occasion

KITTEN!!

Why didn't I think of this . . . a kitten in your wedding pictures . . . I don't think anything could be cuter!!Found via The Wedding Chicks

Blue Signatures

I think this is such a neat idea. It is a Turkish tradition where you have all the single ladies sign the bottom of your shoes with a blue marker and at the end of the night, whichever signature is the most worn off is said to be the next to marry. Sweet huh?? Plus . . . it is your something blue. And . . . you could replace your bouquet toss if you so desired! Found Via Soolip

Funny ones

When were were taking our quilt pictures . . .
. . . I noticed something funny with Loo sign . . . it was pointed right at the ground, like "pee right here." M of course ran right over to take some pictures . . .
Funny right?? Well I love it!

Christmas Cards and More

I guess I should show you guys our Christmas Cards!! I am so excited about sending them for years to come, adding pets and babies, and all that fun stuff. Anyway, I bought them on Snapfish for I think $0.19 a piece . . . not bad!
I like how each pic kind of matches up with the word below . . . kissing for love, hugs for joy, and laughing for laughter!! --- I think my Mom is the only one who actually noticed that!
This is a pic of our friends fridge (you can see our pic up towards the top)!! Fun to be part of the whole Christmas Card thing this year. I can't believe how many we received this year too! It's like we are part of some club now!

Here is our mass collection of cards too!!

Anyway, hope everyone had a good Christmas! We sure did. Here are a few highlights:

Are we dorks for taking pictures with the cats?? Probably, but I don't really care!
Here is . . . some of our Christmas Dinner, a rib roast, roasted potatoes, gravy and brussel sprouts. Yummy!!! Also, it looks like we have spilled our wine glasses, but they are special tasting glasses . . . anyway . . . kinda cool.
And Candles!! And . . . cheesecake I made from scratch!! It is super yummy. I haven't ever made any before, but I thought it turned out really good!!

My families big thing was actually Christmas Eve we always had close family friends over for good food, good drinks, and good company . . . I made my Mom's traditional fair . . . Cornish game hens (everyone gets their own) with walnut stuffing, wine current sauce/gravy, mashed potatoes, and cinnamon rolls from scratch (I wish I had taken a picture because everything turned out beautifully this year, especially the cinnamon rolls, they were huge!!). Our friend supplied some other delicious food . . . a spinach salad with homemade lemon Dijon vinaigrette with pears, cranberries and homemade candied walnuts, a pickled hearing and beet salad (sounds weird, and maybe looks even weirder because it it bright pink, but it is actually pretty tasty), a green bean casserole, and deviled eggs!! Can you say gluttony??? Plus I had actually made the Cheesecake for Christmas Eve and someone brought an Apple Pie made without any sugar - just honey - it was wonderful!! Ok . . . a few pics now that you all are drooling . . . ok maybe its just me!
Gotta love the funny paper crowns found in poppers!! So funny. . . . oh and now that I see a mug, I made Mulled Wine too!!
Oh, you can see the bright pink hearing salad!!
And some deviled eggs!

And these were a beautiful early Christmas present from my Mom. Love the candle light! Hope you all had a good Christmas!!

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas . . . here is one of my favorite Christmas songs ever. Bruce Cockburn sings some very untraditional Christmas Music, so I bet most of you haven't heard anything like it before. Enjoy!

Early On One Christmas Morn - ...

I hope you enjoyed it! If you want to listen to more of his Christmas Album, click here.

I'll be back in the New Year . . . one of the resolutions . . . finish posting about my wedding!!

Tiny Prints

I know so many of you are looking at buying your holiday cards soon, so I knew I had to share this deal for Tiny Prints.

If you haven't heard about Groupon, you should! Basically they feature something cool to do/buy at an unbeatable price every day, but you can only get the deal if enough people join (i.e. buy the deal) that day . . . so you need the group to get the good price! Anyway . . . it is pretty cool and they have sites for cities all over the country.

Today they are offering $50 worth of personalized Holiday Cards, Invitations and More for only $25 . . . kinda cool. There is a bit of fine print, but pretty easy to work around.

• Expires 01/31/2010
• Limit 1 per person.
• Valid for online purchases only, not including photo books.
• Due to the holiday, please allow 3-5 days to receive redemption code; use this code at check-out.
• New clients only. Groupon will be invalid for existing customers.

Anyway . . . great deal if you want some holiday cards!!!

I'm awful

I did not do a single post last week and I feel horrible. I wish I had a good excuse . . . but I don't. Just lazy or something. I have been so funny about putting my wedding pics up. It is like, if I put them up then it is actually over. Done.

I know that is not really true, but somehow it just makes me sad! I promise I will start the recaps soon. Plus I still do have some of the other projects we did to share as well. I hope you all aren't too disappointed in me!

Here is one pretty picture to hold you over!

(Image by Alyssa Jul Photography)

Songs of Love

One of my Dad's best friends sent us "A Medley of Songs For Cat & Marshall" where he changed the lyrics to some songs you may know. Or in his words "Lyrics mangled by John B."

"The first song is sung to the tune of 'The Theme From The Davy Crockett TV Show' (Ask your parents) Ready - here goes:

I know a Gal. Her name is Cat-xx J.

She and Marshall set their wedding day.

Friends and fam'ly will shout, 'Hip, Hooray?'

'Cause they'll all be happy in every way!

Cat-xx, Cat-xx Jxx

Soon to be G-xxxxxxxx."

(I guess I will have to tell you my first and maiden name are two syllables, and my new last name is 4!)

"The next tune is stolen from 'California Here I Come" and here we go:

G-xxxxxxxx - That's his name.

Cat-xx's will be the same.

She's partial to Marshall. You know it's true.

He's battlin' for Cat-xx. Wants to hear her say, 'I do!'

Draw a circle 'round 8/8.

That's their happy wedding date.

Grab the parson. Don't be late!

The G-xxxxxxxx - Here they Come!"

(I am starting to realize this isn't as much fun for you if you don't know our names - oh well)

"Now for the big finale! Sung to the tune of 'Love And Marriage' (aka. The theme from the 'Married With Children' TV Show). Let's bring it on home:

Cat and Marshall. Cat and Marshall.

Go together just like post and parcel.

This I told her brother -

I can't see one without the other!

Try, try, try to get to Portland per invitation.

Try, try, try and you'll be sure to share in their elation!

Marshall and Cat. Marshall and Cat.

Go together like a cane and top hat.

This I told her mother -

I can't see one . . . I said I can't see one . . .

No, no, I can't see one without the o-o-other!"

(Hopefully you guys recognize this tune! Plus, not strange X's getting in the way!)

Well, I think it is fun!!

Engagement Anniversary

Today is the one year anniversary of when M got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. It is amazing how much has happened in the past year . . . for one, we are married!! I still cannot even believe that one! Meeting my niece for the first time . . . many other friends getting married . . . oh how the time passes so quickly!!

We missed the Doobie Concert this year (a little hard to take time off just after a 3 week vacation for the wedding and honeymoon!), but I guess there is always next year!!

I'm on my way

I am leaving tomorrow to go up to Oregon for my wedding!!! I am taking the whole week off so I can finish all the odds and ends and then start in with the wedding activities (shower, bachelorette party, welcome to town dinner, rehearsal dinner, etc.)! I have scheduled a bunch of blogs, a lot of stuff I didn't want people to see before the wedding, like gifts. Anyway . . . hope you enjoy them until I am back with hopefully some pictures of the wedding and maybe even some fun honeymoon pictures as well!!

Wish me luck, and a non-stressful week!!

Numbering RSVPs

I saw this post on Martha Stewart and it made me laugh . . . everything I have read says to number your RSVPs, and I kept thinking, who would send back an RSVP without a name on it?? Well, I decided to number them anyway and I am so glad I did. We have gotten back three without names on it (although it said things like congratulations, or sorry we can't come), a couple that didn't mark if they were coming or not, and one that was completely blank no name, no response, no nothing. Ha! I won't embarrass the forgetful ones, but seriously to anyone who is getting married, NUMBER YOUR RSVPS!!!!

(Image from InviteSite)

1 Month!!!!

Oh My God!!! One month???? Seriously?!? You have seen my to do list, is there time to get the rest of that done?? I am getting a bit nervous about that. Oh well. We shall see I guess. I did take a trip to Oregon over the 4th of July weekend, I will share lots of pictures later. For now . . . M and Me in my mom's garden.

My First Wedding Nightmare

I had my first wedding nightmare!!! It wasn't super horrible, but I was crying and everything kept getting lost, or at least left someplace else. Like my engagement ring was left in my room, and I sent someone to go get it, but she brought back the wrong one . . . oh well . . . I can only imagine what else I will dream about. Normally I don't remember my dreams but maybe I will start writing them down so I can tell you about my craziness!!

(Image from here)

The Wedding Drama

There was a bit of drama at the wedding in St Louis. Doesn't really look like it though, does it? This is what M and I looked like at the ceremony. Well, you can't tell in this pic, but the entire left side of my dress is safety pinned up. Right as the ceremony was starting I realized my zipper had broken, and was splitting open. By the time the bride was walking down the isle, the entire side of my dress was open!! I ran out the back when the ceremony started and luckily the church had a coordinator who had a ton of safety pins. So I pinned up my entire dress and came back in to see the rest of the ceremony. Here are some awkward photos of my pinning job.
Normally I am not a big fan of weddings where the ceremony is at 3 pm and the reception is at 7 pm, because out of town guests have to figure out what to do with 3 hours in the middle of the day. Well, in this case, it definitely worked out in my favor!! We went shopping!! I found a pretty nice dress, I actually got complements on it all night!! I would always reply "oh, let me tell you a story!" Here is a pic of the new dress, although you cant see much of it! Luckily everything worked out in the end!!!

Tips for the best man

In an e-mail newsletter from New & Blue, I found a cheat-sheet for best man speeches. I thought it was some pretty nice guidelines so I thought I would share. Personally I want tons of speeches at my wedding. Best Man, Maid of honor, all the bridesmaids, all the groomsmen, parents, anyone else who wants to talk. I just feel like it is a great way to learn a little more about everyone . . . I love it. Anyway . . . her is the advice . . .

Open the speech

Okay, duh. But some guys may be so nervous they'll forget something basic like introducing themselves. The Best Man should make sure to let everyone know who he is and why he's special enough to be standing there (or, you know, just how he knows the Groom).

Give thanks to others

It's always nice to thank those involved in the wedding, including other attendants, the couple's parents (since they're probably footing the bill for the party!), and family and friends.
Unsettle the Groom

This is where everyone gets hooked, anticipating the embarrassing stories that only a best pal is privy to.

Give thanks on behalf of the bridesmaids

As a true gentleman, the Best Man should thank the Groom for any gestures he's made of gratitude toward his wife's friends.

Congratulate the couple

Although this is a necessary component of a celebratory speech, we're sure the couple, who has heard "Congratulations!" on a repeating loop for hours, would like to hear a funny or original version this time around. Get creative!

Admire the Bride

Again, this is a chance to prove chivalry isn't dead. Of course, that doesn't mean some good-natured teasing of the groom (How did he snag someone so gorgeous?) isn't in order.

Put in some humorous anecdotes

Here's where it gets fun, with stories of the buddies' past shenanigans, the folly of their youth, and bonding moments. Audiences also love to hear stories about the couple, like how they met and how the Best Man noticed the Groom falling in love.

Ridicule the Groom

Everyone loves a good roast, but considering the occasion, some things are probably best left alone: bodily functions and past relationships, to name a few.

Get serious

Genuine sincerity adds heart to the speech - love, pride, admiration, and/or appreciation for the Groom and the couple should be expressed, as hard as it is for dudes to talk about feelings.

Offer some advice

Whether it comes from personal experience or a women's magazine article, the tips can be serious or funny. (Don't go to bed angry - just stay up all night to argue!)

Read some messages

If anyone couldn't be there, the Best Man can act as a messenger of congrats. Famous quotes or poems also fit in here.

Close the speech

Hopefully the speech hasn't drawn on for two long; best to wrap it up before people start nodding off! Especially because we all know everyone just wants to get to...

Propose a toast

...Champagne!

(Image from'> here)

Happy Mother's Day Mom!!!

I love my Mom!! She has been so helpful with all the wedding stuff. I think she might be doing more work than I am! I wish I could have been in Portland to spend the day with her, but that couldn't be worked out. I will be there next weekend though, so that should be fun!! Hope you all enjoyed your days with your moms!

First Kiss

I want our first kiss as husband and wife to look like this . . .

(Image from Snippet & Ink)

100 Days!

Just so you know . . . there is only 100 more days to our wedding. People keep saying, that sounds like a lot. What?!? I think it sounds like it is coming up too quick! Crazy.

People are gonna hate me, I won again

So, I won some very cute earrings from Agapantha NYC, from a random contest at iDIY. They have great little DIY projects and ideas regularly. Very fun blog.
Here is what they look like! So pretty, right??