OB.SESSED

Lately, I have found that anytime I turn on the TV, I am instantly drawn to any type of programming directed toward weddings. From TLC's Four Weddings, and Say Yes to the Dress to WETV's My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. I'm talkin' crazy obsessed. I could sit on my couch all freakin' day and watch episode after episode of these shows. God forbid if there happens to be a marathon of Say Yes to the Dress on TLC and My Fair Wedding on WETV. How would I ever chose which one to watch?!?! Anyways, the point of me coming clean about my not-so-secret secret obsession is that I started thinking today; maybe I'm having a slight difficulty planning my own wedding because these shows make girls' wedding dresses/flowers/ just day in general SO over the top that it's super hard to compare to. I mean really, the one I watched tonight wanted a "royal" wedding. So, David came in 3 weeks before the wedding just like normal and changed everything! Took her probably $100 dollar dress and replaced it with a dress that had to of cost $25,000. That's just the dress! He gave the bride a groom a wonderfully decorated and blinged out wedding. Who could ever afford this kind of stuff in real life?! The same goes for TLC's Four Weddings. Now with this show, no one comes in 3 weeks before and changes everything. Four brides go to each others weddings, rate them, and whoever wins gets a free honeymoon. But every time I watch I'm flabbergasted. These brides have spent anywhere from $15,000- $50,000 on their weddings! And then they want to get on TV to compete for a honeymoon that they "deserve" because they are broke. Girl, Please. Spend a quarter of that wedding budget on the wedding, and treat yourself to I don't know, a honeymooon? A house? A shopping spree?? But it's just ridiculous and makes planning my own very small budgeted wedding a little more discouraging. How can mine compete?? It's just unrealistic. Wow, I really had some pent up feelings about this. I still love the shows and love watching the brides in the gorgeous gowns and their B-E-A-utiful wedding days. But, please, someone tell me I'm not crazy and you feel the same way! Please??

We Ran Away

Or at least we did. Last week. Josh and I actually had two whole days off together, so we decided it was past due for us to take a little road trip. We thought about going to Asheville, NC to do some site-seeing, but the weather was going to be way too cold and way too wet for us to actually be able to enjoy ourselves. So, we hoped in the car and headed west. After about 2 hours of driving, we found ourselves in the great city of Nashville; which just so happens to be the same place my brother and his girlfriend live.

For the next two days were we their house guests. We did a little bit of bar hoping, ate some pretty good mexican food, toured the Ryman (where the Grand Ole Opry was originally), saw our friend Sarah, ate some pretty good BBQ, and went to a hockey game! We were busy, busy, busy. And luckily, my camera decided to work for some of the trip. (She's been really tempermental lately and sometimes works and the other times she's a brat and says something about a lens error. And yes, my camera is a girl, and her name is Cynthia, thanks for asking. :] ). Anway, here's some pics we got!

We had a blast. Just wish we got stay a little bit longer, but maybe next time.

February Was a Bust; March Madness is here

I honestly got very, very little done in February. Probably even less than what was accomplished in January. I won't go through the whole list, mainly because it's depressing. But here's what did happen:

For fun: I almost finished reading Are You There Vodka, It's me, Chelsea.
Got to hang out with Amy and Jonathan, Chris and Kittie, and both our moms.
For home: We did a really decent job of keeping up with the house chores, this can always be
improved though.
For health: I drank lots of water.
For wedding: We went to bridal shows.
We got photographer options
Figured out DJ
Sorta talked to our florist.

Considering how short of a month February is, I would say this is a decent job, right??


Now time for March Madness! I'm not going to be quite as ambitious..so hopefully I can be more successful. Maybe it will work.

Fun: Finish my book and start, hopefully finish another
Have cook-out with friends

DIY: Make new wreaths for my door!!!!

Home: Keep up with chores
Put away winter clothes
Organize closets
Get recycle organized and taken care of

Health: Keep drinking water
I MUST USE THE WII FIT!
Start taking Lola for walks

Wedding: I MUST BOOK VENUES!!
Catch up on planning
Buy stuff for invitations
Go to Bradley Florists
Passports

My main focus is getting caught back up on our wedding planning. Which means reworking my monthly to-do list for that. Hopefully this month we can actually start booking some stuff and setting the big things in stone. I would really like that. I would really like my wedding to happen. And NO MORE STRESS! Ready, Set, Go!

Sleepless NIghts

Ever since the Formal Affair bridal show, most of my nights have ended up in restless, uncomfortable sleep. One night I couldn't even fall asleep until about 8 in the morning. Which granted I had worked that night, so it is a little bit later (earlier??) that I fall asleep. But 8 was just plain ridiculous. The sun was coming up for heaven's sake! Anyways, I had had enough of tossing and turning and having my mind race with thoughts. So I did a little writing. And now I would like to share it:

I can't sleep, so I'll write. It's always worked for me before, might as well try tonight. My mind won't stop racing with thoughts of the wedding. I feat it's going to drive me nuts. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to marry Josh, but the planning is really making me mad- like crazy mad, not angry mad.

I thought I was starting to figure things out, but then last Sunday we went to the Formal Affair, a wedding/event expo. Seeing tons of different venues and ideas totally threw everything for a loop. Then, I've had probably 5 different people tell me to just elope; 3 of which were family members. Yes, the thought has crossed my mind, but I DON'T WANNA! I want the wedding, reception, flowers, invites, headache. I want it all! The fact that then even suggested it makes me want all of that even more. Not to mention the fact of having an incredibly amazing one to make them wonder why the word "elope" was even passed through their mouths.

Yes, it is a lot of planning and a lot of money. But it's what I want. Please understand. Or at least try to.

Needless to say, planning has not come too very far at this point in time. Luckily I have until November to get it all done. (Please don't remind me it's rapidly approaching). And it will be done and I will have my November wedding. So, now that all of that is out there somewhere and not in my head still...maybe I can get to sleep. Otherwise I fear I will end up in the looney bin humming "Here Comes the Bride" while rocking back and forth, hugging myself. And maybe my teddy bear if he is allowed to check in with me.

Good Night.

Yes, this is a bunch of rambling...but it helped. I promptly went to sleep. And for that night slept wonderfully. However, we're back to restless nights. Who knows what the next late night rants will be about, but I will definitely be posting them.