Outfit of the Day

Jeans: New York & Co.
Top: ...I don't remember, but similar to this one from Loft
Shoes: Lucky Brand 
Necklace: Stella & Dot - discontinued
Earrings: Kate Spade

I had the best time at my Christmas party last night! :)

My week in Instagram photos!

Here's a bit of insight into my week via my Instagram!

On Saturday Bonnie took me to her company's Christmas party. Some Makers and Ginger Ale helps a girl ring in her 25th birthday in style!

On Sunday the alter flowers were in honor of my birthday and in memory of my friend Korinne for her birthday. Korinne was born the day after me and we were friends from that moment. Unfortunately Korinne passed away when we were in 8th grade and every year on our birthday I take the roses from the alter flowers to her spot at the columbarium. You should read this awesome article about how Korinne's family has moved on since her passing.

On Monday, Logan had some flowers delivered for my birthday :) He felt awful he couldn't be here to celebrate with me in person and hoped the flowers could hold me over until his arrival Sunday.

All week, Cosette has been walked around the apartment meowing. (She missed our roommate's kitten, Avery, who is with her Mommy in WV this week!) She'll continue to do so until I pick her up, cuddle with her, and turn on daytime television shows. #Spoiled

The Duke game was on ESPN-U, which we can only watch online, so Bonnie and I hunkered down, did our annual jigsaw puzzle, and enjoyed the Blue Devil's 100th consecutive non-conference win in Cameron Indoor.

This morning I noticed our neighbor is spreading a little holiday cheer at the mailboxes :)

Happy Weekend to you all!

Another busy day!

Well - another day off and another productive one!

I had to pick up an additional Gladiola Girls gift certificate for one of my Mom's co-workers - everyone is obsessed! - and a massage at 11. My roommate got us gift certificates for 30 minute ones at a chiropractor locally and it was... interesting? Not quite as swanky as the places I've been before, but it did feel good, and was free!

I had to run out to Madison Heights to pick up one of my dresses from Budget Bridal. I had bought it in 2010 for the Virginia Military Institute's Ring Figure from David's Bridal but didn't end up going. I had tried consigning it, but it just wasn't selling - so I decided to donate it! There's a local bridal shop called the Church Street Bridal Shop that sells dresses and all the proceeds go towards funding the local YWCA. Plus, I'll get to mark it as a donation on my taxes this year, and that won't hurt at all!

Took another quality trip to the gym tonight with the sister and am in the process of making this for dinner!

A few errands tomorrow to run, then my favorite Christmas party of the year. Before I know it, Logan will be home from Fort Benning! Hip, hip, horray!

Working Out

So, I have re-enrolled at Weight Watchers to help me lose weight for my wedding. I joined in May 2011 and lost 30 pounds before plateauing and essentially giving up. I thought I had learned the majority of the eating right information and would just self-monitor. Well, I did put about 15 pounds back on and have decided to re-enroll.

My family has a history of diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. Since so many of these things are related, eating right and staying active can help me keep them all in check. However, I was beyond frustrated when I met with the doctor and learned of my inevitable risk of both diabetes and high cholesterol despite being a college athlete for four years (in swimming none-the-less! That sport is no joke!) and being a vegetarian for five years.

However, being on the road and traveling can make it very hard to eat right - and those hospitality tables at college fairs can be so tempting! Not to mention the Starbucks addiction that happens about 2 weeks in because I'm so tired.

I was bound and determined to lose a little weight before buying my dress, which I was able to do, but want to get down to the weight my doctor has recommended to me before my dress comes in mid-March.

When I rejoined W.W., I was at 150. I've lost about 3 pounds in two weeks, and my doctor has recommended I get to 130 to stay healthy and minimize my health risks. I've been doing a good job this week with eating - I'm very proud of myself. Bonnie and I buy oodles of fruits and vegetables anyways and with W.W. they are zero points! I've even gotten to the gym twice this week - just doing 30 minutes on the treadmill and a little ab work - but I'm moving around!

I'll keep you posted on my progress and any tips I have, but I do have to recommend W.W.! Their new program, 360, is all about establishing routines - drinking water consistently, eating a fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack, getting up and moving around a couple times a day.

How do you like to stay fit?

Weekend Recap

My oh my - it has been a crazy couple of days!

On Friday, we helped at the church with Parents Night Out - a fundraiser we hold annually to raise money for our mission trip to ASP. However, I had a migraine and ended up coming home much earlier than I planned and went to b-e-d. However, Logan got home from the field earlier than expected (I had planned on 11... he called me at 7) so it was nice to talk to him a little.

I knew Logan being in the field would be hard - zero communication is never fun - but him coming home is almost worse. By the time I adjust to NOT talking to him, he's there again, and hearing his voice can just be so overwhelming sometimes - I just love him so much :)

Saturday I weighed in - down a little bit this week, 17 to go to get to my goal weight! We ran lots of errands - did some shopping at J Crew - and had a lazy afternoon. We got up eventually and got ready for our fun filled night - dinner with the parents for my birthday and Bonnie's company Christmas party!

My outfit included:

These J Crew Etta Patent Pumps in Crimson Maple 

A black turtleneck, and a gold lame skirt - all three items for $98 including tax! I was a happy girl.

We went to dinner at Jimmys on the James then to Scott Insurance's party at Tresca on 8th.  My parents got me some Little Mermaid swag - it's a tradition and the last real year we'll be together ON my birthday for sure, a Gladiola Girls gift certificate, and we had a great time.

Sunday was more low key - church and I got to revel in all of my birthday attention - and took a very long nap. :) Then we met a hodge podge of my friends at Rivermont Pizza to celebrate. A great weekend for sure.

I'm off all week and I was so proud of my productivity today. I caught up on paperwork at the apartment, ran errands, worked out - I'm very proud of myself.

Now to spend all night researching realtors in Clarksville, TN! 

XX - C

And we're off to...

Fort Campbell, KY/TN!

This is great news - it means great job opportunities for me and I definitely won't be complaining about being so close to Nashville.

However, we might be pushing the wedding back. The worst part is that we only have 1 weekend that's a feasible option, and it eliminates the option of an outdoor reception. The date now is Aug. 17, but that may not work with Ranger School. We can't do it the 24 because it's Sweet Briar's move in, which leave us with Labor Day weekend.

We can't do it the 7 - that's Logan's birthday - and the 14th gets too close to when we'd be moving. Luckily, the venue will be changed to indoor, but that'd be the biggest change.

Now to job and house hunt! Yay!

XX - C

Off we go!

Logan got his RFO this week - it's something sent out a few weeks before he receives his official orders but should tell us where we'll be stationed!

Of course because I've been waiting for this information since May and any further wedding planning hinges on this information, and I've been biting it the bit to begin house and job searching, he couldn't open the document on his laptop.

He's heading to base today to check it all out. I cannot wait to find out - and this was the best news to end my week on.

I as also notified yesterday that I won the "Young Professional of the Year" Award for the VACRAO - I am so, so honored!

Updates soon when I have official news about the RFO!

My Birthday! :)

So my birthday is on the 16th - Sunday - but my great sister can never resist giving me my presents early.

Last year it was my favorite perfume - Twirl by Kate Spade. This year, it was a Lilly Pulitzer phone case! I swear, I have the best sister, ever.

My Dad gave me his "present" as well. I had purchased myself a one-way plane ticket from ATL to LYH for New Years Day instead of driving home after Logan returned to Ft. Benning. I always send confirmations to my parent's emails as well as my own so they stay in the loop (I fly a lot for work and it's hard to keep it all straight sometimes). When Dad saw the confirmation, he asked if he could reimburse me as my birthday present from him. I happily obliged :)

I'll probably use the money to put towards my Spa Day next week - I can hardly wait!

Now it's off to work. My to-do list is entirely too long and we leave at 11 for our office lunch at Robin Alexander!

Happy Thursday!

XX - C

Wedding Wednesday!

Only 248 days until the wedding! It feels like it's going to take forever to get here, but I know it'll be here before I know it.

Wedding planning had stalled a little with Logan unsure about his training schedule. But I decided to move ahead with some things so I wouldn't be too swamped come January when official orders come through.

1. I have officially received confirmation from all of my bridesmaids! Although one of my gifts got lost in the mail (Boo!) they all received a navy blue box with their initial on the front in coral. The inside had some navy Kate Spade earrings (like these but in navy), some Essie nail polish, and a note about why I'd like for them to be my bridesmaid. 
2. I sent out an update email to the bridesmaids catching them up on what's already been done, sending them a stock photo of my dress (not one of me wearing it), and what I'm thinking for their bridesmaid dresses.
3. We officially have a pastor to officiate! We confirmed last night and he's even willing to work with us and let Logan do pre-marital counseling via Skype since he's in training. We'll be reading "Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts" and will do our first session when Logan's in town on leave for the holiday.
4. I've been pricing outdoor dance floors since our venue doesn't have one, and obviously I'm in the wrong business. I should just buy an outdoor dance floor and rent it out! The cheapest I've found is at Aztec and it's still going to be a pretty penny. I worked off of a formula that said for every guest you have, you should have 2.5 sq. ft. of dance floor. For our projected guest list, that gives us a dance floor that's 18'x18'. That's before we even get into taxes, delivery fees, and set up fees.

Both of our parents scoffed a little when we told them our budget would be $10,000 - they thought it was too high - but I don't think they realized how much things cost now a days! Now, I'll admit that we knew we were in for some higher prices when we wanted a 5 o'clock wedding - dinners aren't cheap - but it's the vision we both had and not one we were willing to compromise.

There are still many decisions to be made, but the biggest ones hinge on Logan's official orders. So, I'm in a holding pattern until then!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Hump Day!

XX - C

Gifts!

I was very happy to get lots of Christmas shopping done this weekend -- it was much needed to get my mind off of everything and some time alone to browse and cut my brain off.

Here is a run down of some things I've picked up so far...

Woodford Reserve will let you personalize a label for your bourbon bottle, so I ordered one and picked up a bottle for Logan - bourbon is his favorite.

I got a scarf for my cousin Beth with a cute pattern on it. Old Navy had it for a great price and it's a light weight scarf, so it'll be great come spring time, too.

Because I'm on a scarf kick, I picked one up for my cousin Sarah as well. On sale at Old Navy and will keep her nice and snug all winter!

Already acting like an old married couple, I also grabbed Logan a couple of pairs of boxers - underwear is a given as Christmas presents, right? :)

My Dad has been getting into running since last spring, and to keep him motivated, I picked up "Zen and the Art of Running" for him to enjoy and help strategize a little.

This Summer, Logan got way into "Sherlock Holmes" - it was the perfect light and entertaining reading to get his mind off of Army stuff. My cousin Sarah is an English teacher and wants to name her first daughter Austen (her husband, a die hard Oklahoma friend, is vetoing it just because Austin is where UT is...). So, I got them each one of these classic series at Barnes and Noble. 

My future father-in-law is a huge classic country fan, so this Best of Johnny Cash was perfect! 

I was so proud of myself for all I picked up today but I have a long way to go! I'll definitely wrap up after this week and I'm on vacation officially :)

Happy Sunday! 

XX - C

Burnt Out!

This is my official apology for being MIA - and my being MIA until Dec. 14.

Work is crazy right now and it's finals time for Grad School. Today will be my 4th 12 hour day this week and the light at the end of the tunnel is so small right now it isn't worth acknowledging.

I have a paper to write by Sunday, a final Wednesday, and a final Thursday. Logan is in the field next week, which means after we hang up Sunday night, I won't hear from him again until Friday evening when they get back and have finished cleaning their weapons from rifle training all week.

It's going to be a long one, but then I get to enjoy 2.5 weeks off from work, my birthday, Christmas, and NYE with Logan in Atlanta!

7 more days until freedom!

Stressing Out

It's this time of year that I wonder why the heck I have my hands in so many pots.

Graduate school. Planning a wedding. Working full time (in a position that doesn't limit itself to the normal 40 hour work week). Volunteering at church. Coaching.

It all feels like too much. I'm the first to admit that I hate to be bored and always need something going on, but I also think I'm great about admitting when I've bitten off more than I could chew.

With work being crazy (it is application reading season!), finals glooming on the horizon, wedding planning at a frustrating halt (thanks a lot, Army), and the holiday season in full swing, there just aren't enough hours in the day.

When my schedule gets like this, I try to remind myself to take one thing at a time. Usually, tasks don't take nearly as long as I think they will, and I blow through my to-do list in no time. By focusing my energies on one thing, I can also make sure I'm giving it 100%, which means no having to go back and make any tweeks later on. I also try to take a little me time to veg out - 5 minutes here to take a walk outside, a 30 minute cat nap, and extra 5 minutes in the shower to let that hot water soak right down to your bones.

How do you usually deal with stress?

XX - C

Happy Birthday to Me!

Back in high school, I would get so excited for my birthday, I'd start a count down a full 2 months out. I'd obnoxiously update everyone daily, and even write countdowns on the chalkboards in my classrooms to notify others.

I was unbearable.

Now, I've grown out of that (some) and this year I turn 25! Although I am amped about never having to pay a young driver fee again for a rental car, I am beginning to understand why people want to avoid birthdays. I understand that relatively speaking, 25 years is nothing, but I have so much exciting stuff coming up - my wedding, moving away from home (finally!), a new job (and possibly my OWN business)... I don't want it all to go by too quickly.

As a birthday treat to myself, I booked a day at a local spa. They are running a special - $175 for a 60 minute massage, manicure, pedicure, facial, and lunch! I cannot wait to pamper myself a little bit right before Logan gets back in town!

I'm so excited! :) How do you usually celebrate your birthday?

XX - C

Weekend Recap & Outfit of the Day!

This weekend was pretty packed - but very fun!

Friday night, Bonnie and I ran some errands and finally saw "Pitch Perfect." So funny if you haven't seen it yet.

Saturday, I went to Weight Watchers and weighed in (gotta get wedding dress ready!) and ran over to the storage unit to get Christmas decorations! I was able to get back to the apartment early enough that we even got the tree up and decorated that morning. Then it was off to the swim meet for the competition against Hollins. (Sweet Briar won, of course!) Cutting it close, Bonnie, Emily, Dad and I hit the road for Charlottesville for the UVA/Green Bay basketball game.

Although we're Duke fans, seeing basketball live is always a good time. We got home mid-evening and were pooped - so we relaxed and eventually went to bed. 

Sunday was cleaning day! We decided when we moved that we'd clean once a week to keep things spic-and-span. Of course, I'm pretty OCD, so I straighten and wipe down daily, but this is helping tremendously with cutting down on clutter. We gave everything a good scrub and Bonnie and I went grocery shopping. (Before hand, we sat down as roommates and managed schedules, planned meals, and made a shopping list. We never shop without a list - it's too dangerous for our wallets!) The Menu looks like this:

• Monday - We're all one our own - I have a study group and Emily has class
• Tuesday - Dinner at 7:30 when Emily gets home - Chicken Tenders and green beans 
• Wednesday - Bonnie and Emily will have dinner at 7:30 - Brown Sugar and Garlic Chicken and broccoli 
• Thursday - On our own - Bonnie has a Chi Omega alumnae event, and Emily and I have class
• Friday - Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

Then we were able to catch the local Christmas Parade :)

Roommate picture before hand - sipping hot chocolate and waiting patiently!

My high school's band - I marched as color guard in this parade three times in high school! :)

Although I'm 100% in the Christmas spirit, temperatures in the high 60s are making it hard to get in the spirit. However, it also makes me feel a little better about wearing Lilly to work in December:

Today, I'm wearing black flats from Payless, an a-line skirt from New York & Company, and a Lilly Pulitzer top. I'm also wearing my favorite double string of pearls.

Happy Monday, everyone!

XX - C

Giveaway Entry for Sweet Southern Prep

Hello, all!

Please check out Sweet Southern Prep's blog - I'm a huge fan!

She's also doing a great give-away with Godwin Gifts on Etsy now - I'm hoping to win the tile coasters with cork bottom in a Lilly Pattern!

Christmas Traditions

Don't worry - we'll be setting up our REAL tree this weekend. This was just our place holder :)

I love-love-love Christmas time! I just cannot get enough of any of it - it is seriously the high light of my whole year. My family is big on traditions and I wanted to share some of those with you today.

The season starts off with photos with Santa! My birthday is the 16th, and since my first birthday, I've gone to see Santa on my birthday - at least then we know what day it was and can usually figure out our ages. Here are a few samples:

Back in the golden days when I was an only child ;)

My 21st Birthday

Last year's photo before dinner in town 

Next, my sister and I always open each other presents on Christmas Eve. I think we started that forever ago just because we were too anxious to wait until Christmas morning :) Then she and I slumber party somewhere. We usually to stay in the TV room in the basement because Mom and Dad needed to unload presents in peace, but now we can crash down there and watch 24 Hours of "A Christmas Story" until we fall asleep.

We always go to the 11 o'clock service at church, we call it the Midnight service, and we always sit with our friends we grew up in the church with. (We are usually punchy and get in trouble with our parents for goofing off.

And on Christmas morning, Bonnie usually wakes us all up before 7:30 and the kids open their presents from Santa before rotating around the room and giving the parents a turn. While we're unwrapping, Mom is usually popping the  monkey bread and breakfast casserole in the oven before we head to church for a late lunch/early dinner with the community.

What sorts of traditions do you have?

XX - C

Bedroom Organization

I love our new apartment - I do. It's an old house, with two upstairs apartments and two downstairs. It's a long apartment, but 14 foot ceilings, 10 foot windows, granite countertops, all new appliances -- the owner did a great job with the renovation.

There are "3" bedrooms and one bath - and when we divided up rooms, I got the smallest "room" by default. (Emily had only lived in furnished apartments, and to keep her from having to buy too much furniture  we have her the room with the most built in shelving. Bonnie has a queen size bed and a huge dresser, which would never fit into my room.) So, into the 8x14" room I went. (It would make the most perfect office, really, but for now, it's my room.)

It's not a huge deal really - we spend all of our time in the living room anyways, and plus, my room stays the warmest because it's so darn small. Assuming that was how the rooms would play out, I had mentally downsized my furniture before leaving our last apartment, and it played out fairly well. Lots of my furniture ended up in the living room and hall way - but we're still working on all of that. But here is a look at what I'm working with:

Here is my room (and Avery keeping me company.) I'm hoping for new curtains for Christmas, but you can see I wasn't exaggerating on the dimensions of the room. It is small, but feels cozy when I'm there.

Since my room doesn't have a closet, I invested in a garment rack to use instead. I've always kept my closet organized, I wasn't worried about it getting messy, and I kinda like the way it looks. I found one at Wal-Mart for super cheap and it does exactly what I need it to. I did purge a bunch of clothes before the move though and took them to a local consignment shop.

I'm lucky that I inherited my grandmother's dresser, so I have lots of storage. It's high, but I'm able to keep my jewelry box there and it holds lots of clothes. (I do need to find a new home for those knick-knacks though. The clutter drives me nuts.) (You can also see where I re-purposed a drawer as a shelf for the wall - currently it holds my Logan memorabilia - ticket stubs and what not.)

I have a small night stand I stole from Granny's house as well and painted navy to match my bed. That area is a little crazy, but it's just enough room for what I need it to hold. You can see I have a frame with a photo of me and Logan in Chicago last summer:

and my Army Scentsy warmer:

This is my shoe storage (sorry for the sneak peak at my foot!). First of all, I'm not a big shoe girl to begin with - I like to stick to the basic, classic choices. My Dad built me this under the bed storage a long time ago, and we've always nick named it the "shoe coffin." But, as you can see, it works perfectly for what I need. And they slide neatly under my bed.

So that's a sneak peek! I like to keep my room VERY clean, and with a smaller space, I'm keeping it even neater. I feel like I'm back in college, but then again, in 261 days I'll be getting ready to move into a house with my husband, so it's not so bad :)

Enjoy! XX - C

Recap!

Sorry for the hiatus -- I was out moving Logan down to Fort Benning for him to begin his Basic Officers Leadership Course. I'm definitely sad about having to transition to a long distance relationship, but it's all a part of the military lifestyle and relatively not that long.

Logan will be back in Virginia for the holidays, he'll go home to Indiana for a few days, and we'll do New Years Eve in Atlanta. He'll head back into training, but I have a copy of his schedule. There are some days he'll leave for the field on Monday and I won't get to talk to him again until Friday night, and those weeks will be hard, but I know we'll be OK.

He'll graduate from his BOLC course on Apr. 9 and I already have the 8-10 off from work to go down and see him. That also gives me plenty of time to save up for a plane ticket and rental car - that 10 hour drive yesterday was NOT very fun.

Hopefully that gives him April to get into Airborne and start Ranger School in May. Since he's AG, he'll probably only recycle once or twice, which means he should be good to go and moved onto his base with plenty of time to spare for the August wedding :)

I hope everyones week is going well!

Engagement Photos!

We just got our engagement photos - I wanted to share them!
Logan wore: a hunter green thirst from Ralph Lauren, Levi's, and a blue button up and a navy pull over from Old Navy
I wore: an orange and a blue dress from Gladiola Girls, and leather boots from J Crew
All photos by: Mahalo Photography

Weekend Recap

Last week was incredibly stressful and I made myself sick over things going wrong. I was overwhelmed with school work that I hadn't gotten to because of the move, was behind on work in Admissions, tons of personal errands that kept piling up, and with Logan out of town, the reality of him leaving for Ft. Benning so soon began to sink in.

When I get stressed, I tend to get migraines. I keep Excedrin on me at all times, but it became unbearable by Thursday. I took the afternoon off and all day Friday to give myself some time to breathe. I spent Thursday afternoon unpacking and finishing up a big paper for school. Friday was full of errands - new tires for my car, a hair appointment, wrapping up big registry items, and getting cable set up at the apartment - and to relax, I cooked Logan, my roommates, and I dinner. Just a simple filet mignon and some garlic parmesan green beans. As a surprise, I ordered some cake pops from the girl we're hoping will do our wedding. Logan wanted to try them before he left town, so I got them for dessert to try. They were perfection and we're excited to talk to her about a wedding order!

We ordered them from Sweet Delight Cake Pops. You can like her on Facebook here!

Saturday, Logan and I had engagement photos on campus -- I cannot wait to see how they turn out! The photographer is a family friend and I was excited to show off my outfits. I found two precious dresses on sale at a local boutique, Gladiola Girls, and was so excited to wear them! Saturday night Logan and I walked downtown for dinner at Robin Alexander - one of the last things on his bucket list to do before leaving Lynchburg.

Sunday we went to church to hear Dad play in the bell choir, cleaned up the apartment, and I had a study group for school. To save some time this morning, I packed my lunch last night and prepped dinner for tonight! (I cooked the chicken and mixed it together with the cheese. All I'll have to do post yoga tonight is place in the croissants and pop in the oven. They'll be done by the time I'm done showering.)

Overall, it was a great weekend. But I AM ready for a long weekend! 

XX - C

275 days 'til my wedding!

Logan leaves for Ft. Benning in less than two weeks, and even with my travel schedule being so hectic for October, I think we have the biggest bases covered. I wanted to do as much planning with him as possible before he left so if he is unable to communicate with me a whole bunch while he's at training he'll have input on the important things.

Here is a quick recap of what we're thinking so far. They won't all be official photos - I want to keep SOME of it a surprise - but the photos are our inspiration.

Wedding Style: Southern Chic.
Venue: Sweet Briar College Memorial Chapel

The interior of the Chapel - the photo is from my co-worker's wedding.

The exterior - just ignore the cars.

Reception: We will have the reception at the Elston Inn and Conference Center at Sweet Briar. 

The courtyard - where the cocktail hour will be. Then we'll move inside for dinner and dancing.

Entertainment: We'd love a live band, and after hearing a blue-grass string band play at a friend's wedding are looking at local musicians to play for the cocktail hour and dinner. From there, we're looking at less expensive alternatives to keep the party going.

Invitations/Save the Dates: We wanted these to all be cohesive. We wanted something classic but not too stuffy. We found a local graphic designer who will design custom invitations for us and address them in calligraphy.

A sample invite from Leen Jean.

Flowers: I always wanted tulips, but of course they couldn't be more out of season for an August wedding. So since then, I have fallen in love with hydrangeas. I want very simple bouquets - which will be easy since hydrangeas won't require much additional "fluff". They're also super in season and will make the most perfect centerpieces.

Dress: I found my dress at a local shop, Celebration, and got a great deal on it. Right under budget :) It was exactly what I was looking for, but you'll understand why I won't include any photos. I'm banking on the element of surprise on the 17th!

Something Old: I will be wearing the tiara my grandmother wore in her wedding in my hair as my Something Old. We're having the pearls and jewels repaired on it this spring.

Something Blue: When my parents got married, they eloped on the beach. My Mom wore a blue dress, so we'll cut a heart out of her dress and sew it on the inside of my dress. That will be my Something Blue.

My parents on their wedding day. 

Overall, things are going well! Of course there is much more ironed out at this point, but I'll update more later!

XX - C

Gift Guides Galore! Sister and Fiance Edition

It seems we've reached that point in the year where gift guides are everywhere! Just today via email I've received Kate Spade's and Lilly Pulitzer's. My birthday is the 16th of December, so I've always been sensitive to "gift lumping" - where people buy you one present that is meant for your birthday AND Christmas. (I always felt it was a little bit of a cop out, but those closest to me do a good job of make sure my gifts are separate... and that my birthday gift isn't wrapped in Christmas paper!) This year, with my engagement still fairly new and the wedding next summer, I charged Bonnie, my maid of honor, to ensure my Christmas and birthday gifts weren't all wedding gifts. (I'm pinching all my pennies, and if I can't indulge in the clothes and tid-bits I'd usually buy, I want them for the holidays!)

Since Bonnie and I are obsessed with Google Docs, we started a running list a while ago with gift ideas, and I thought I'd share a little more about what I'm thinking for various family members.

My sister's style is a little more adventurous than mine, but still relatively preppy and classic. She's an avid reader but not a huge techie. Here is what made her list:

The Perfect Chambray Ex-Boyfriend shirt from Madewell

The Good as Gold necklace from Kate Spade

A Long-Sleeved Monogrammed Pocket Tee from Etsy

I have a couple ideas going on for Logan so far. He has great style already, and I hate feeling like one of those girls buying clothes for their significant other to change them into the person they want. Plus, he's a big fan of practical presents. So here's what's at the top of my list:

I bought him a shirt from Ralph Lauren this summer and he loves it. It's already so soft and it's a great dressier alternative to an old college tshirt. 

He's a big fan of a good whiskey, so I thought a decanter would be a great grown-up addition to an apartment, etched with an "S" of course for Springer.

Of course a long-distance relationship won't be easy, and there will be lots of traveling in our future, so who wouldn't need a good toiletry bag to keep the essentials in order?

Stay tuned for my ideal gifts and what I'm thinking for Mom and Dad!

Weekend Re-Cap

This weekend was so busy - I feel like I didn't stop for 72 straight hours.

Friday I took the day off from work to move into our new apartment. Although Bonnie and I thought we were ready to go and the move wouldn't be too intensive, we were very wrong. All the packing we thought would give us a head start moved quickly and we were left looking at ALL the stuff that was left. However, the new apartment is amazing and we'll be all settled soon.

Friday night we had a home swim meet versus Washington & Lee University. Both teams did an incredible job - I was so proud of all of our girls - and W&L was amazing as usual.

I had intended on sleeping in on Saturday, but of course Logan and I were wide awake by 7:30, so we ate brunch at Market on Main. Nothing helps you feel better on a Saturday where you have to go into work than some sweet potato pancakes and a big mug of coffee :) Logan came to the meet with me and we headed back to the apartment right after for our engagement party!

My sister, the Maid of Honor, my oldest cousin (another bridesmaid), and my Mom did an amazing job on the food and it was wonderful to celebrate with everyone!

Saturday night low key, just enjoying a movie with Logan and doing a little more unpacking.

Sunday was Open House at work, so Logan and I slept in, grabbed another load from the old apartment to bring to the new one, and I was off to campus. I was there until early evening, and headed home to help settle the new apartment some more.

It was a busy weekend - and I woke up this morning in the same position I fell asleep in - but it was one where I realized how lucky I was and how many people I have in my life that love me. I went to sleep feeling so very blessed!