Love is Love

The matter of marriage equality is something that weights heavy on my heart. It breaks my heart that there are people out there who still believe we should deny citizens their basic rights. But, I wanted to fill everyone in on some things I love more than words themselves:

My wonderful fiance - who will finally be back from the field in two days. I've missed him!

My family. I don't know where I'd be without them.

And this precious black and white blur - Maggie May is too cute!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!

Next Steps

So, it is official - I will be working remotely from Tennessee next year for Sweet Briar. I get to keep my job, work from home, and my territory will be a drive-able distance which means more time with my students!

I work with several of the states now, so I get to continue working on those relationships, but am so excited to get Tennessee and Kentucky back (they were mine my first year), and to acquire Georgia.

Although I am starting to get nervous about so much transition - the wedding, moving, a change with my job... I'm just lucky I have such a wonderful hubby-to-be who I know will be 100% supportive all the time.

Yay for not having to do a job search!

Manic Monday

Hey, all.

What a crazy weekend. Hopped back on the Weight Watchers band wagon and weighed in - not as bad as I was expecting. Lots of work to do though! Cleaned up the apartment - it needed it! - and went to a wedding shower at the church. After, I had the chance to go pick up my Easter dress:

The Lacina dress from Lilly

(With 6 in. of snow yesterday, it better be warm enough for me to wear it next Sunday!) I was also thinking of wearing it to Logan's IBOLC graduation, but the cut out design on the back may not quite be fancy enough. We shall see...

Mom and I met with the Florist on Saturday afternoon at my apartment and hashed out LOTS of wedding stuff. It put me in the mood to plan, so I spent the afternoon working on table numbers, the arrangement of the venue, etc. I got a lot done and now that I'm on roll, I want to just keep going! Who needs work and school when there's a wedding 5 months away!? :)

With the snowy weather yesterday, Bonnie and I hit the gym, did some shopping for a co-worker's baby shower, then were l-a-z-y. The kittens were in a cuddly mood and we took complete advantage.

Now I have a long week ahead of me but Logan is back from the field on Friday! Hip, Hip, Horray! 

How is everyone else'se Monday shaping up?

XX - C

Fashion Rules!

Ok, my co-workers are tired of me beating this dead horse, but I was raised to follow traditional, Southern fashion rules and I cannot stand it when people do not! I know they're old-fashioned, but my Momma (or grandmother for that matter) raised me to NEVER break these rules and now I'm stuck with them forever.

First of all, seersucker.

No. No seersucker before Easter. I'm sorry - I love seersucker as much as the next Southern girl, but Spring or not, you don't wear it before Easter.

As a matter of fact, Easter is the green light to begin incorporating lots of Spring/Summer staples into your wardrobe! Including, but not limited to:

• Hats (think big floppy hats for Easter and horse races)
• White shoes
• Open Toed Shoes

And you may also stop wearing hose after Easter. Yes, I wear panty hose every week to work and church from October 1 until Easter. No one wants to see my lilly white legs during those months, anyways. All Easter approved fashion additions must all be put away by Labor Day. And all of this talk about Easter reminds me - you are never to wear pants to church (if you're a young lady) and sleeveless tops are never acceptable - much less anything strapless. (Except wedding attire of course.)

Now, this next one is probably one of my biggest pet peeves. I travel Florida frequently for work, and I'm worried that Floridians just never got the memo on - WHITE BOTTOMS. White pants, shorts, or skirts should not be worn before Memorial Day and must - MUST - be put away after Labor Day. This one drives me up the wall - I just don't understand. I know white pants have been trendy recently, but it's no excuse.

Linen is another fabric that is only acceptable between Memorial and Labor Days. Plus, it's such a light fabric you don't really want to be sporting it in the dead of Winter anyways.

All of that being said, I am a firm believer that Lilly is a year round fashion staple - there's nothing wrong with channeling warmer weather during those long Winter months :)

Does your family have any fashion rules you follow? Have you heard of these rules before?

Manic Monday

So, this weekend was crazy busy, but productive!

We went to Richmond to shop for bridesmaid dresses - and all my maids were in attendance! It was so much fun. We had several appointments all day, but ended up settling on a Love Lane dress at Bella Bridesmaid!

(Photo Source)

We also caught dinner at ToastRVA. If you live in the Richmond area I highly recommend it! The food was amazing, the drinks were out of this work - it was the best time. Here is my entire bridal party, plus my Mom and her best friend - I called them my two Moms all weekend:

Logan is in the field for the next 12 days but when he comes back, he should be ALL done with IBOLC! Hip, hip, horray! We are currently trying to think through the move and what our next steps will be - but it's all so confusing with everything up in the air. But I know, I know - I better get used to it with the military!

This week will be crazy long with lots to do for work AND school, but I gotta soldier through it. I'm going to squeeze in two early morning workouts on Wednesday and Thursday since those are class nights and will weigh in for the first time in TOO long on Saturday.

Today's menu has looked like this:

• 1 cup Bolthouse Smoothie for breakfast (4 W.W. Points+)
• 1 cup Green Tea
• Salad with cucumber, bell pepper, spinach, cheddar cheese, and 1/8 c. Ranch Dressing (3 W.W. Points +) for lunch
• Fruit Salad - 1/2 cup apple, 1/2 cup strawberry, 1/2 cup grapes - mid-afternoon snack
• 1 cup carrots - mid-afternoon snack
• Club salads for dinner - spinach, grilled chicken, cheddar cheese, ready-to-serve bacon, a hard boiled egg, cucumber, and bell pepper (~10 W.W. Points+?)

No soda, no sweets, no junk food! My wedding dress will be here entirely too soon!

I hope everyone has a great Monday!

156 Days 'til Wedding Day!

My Wednesday got out of control, but I was inspired by all the wedding posts on my reading list (like Fried Green Pickles and Champagne & Mason Jars) that I wanted to do a quick update for myself. (Also, this secretly helps to keep me on task and wrap my head around things I need to do.)

1. Now that my tax return is here, I need to pay off and pick up our wedding bands. They're both very simple - Logan's is brushed white gold and mine is a plain white gold band that's the same width as my engagement ring. (I didn't really want a band with stones in it.) I do want to get Logan's engraved, but am still debating on what to put. Did any of you engrave a special message on the inside?
2. I think I've picked out necklaces for my bridesmaids, but I need to see which dress we pick this weekend before I purchase them. Luckily, they're from Stella & Dot, and my sister is hosting a party on the 23rd, so I can help her out while ordering! 
3. We've begun the ordering process for our invitations. The designer is working on the proof now, we'll get her our final list by April 3, and that'll give her time to get them printed, let me address them, and drop them in the mail by early May for their 3 month in advance arrival time :) Perfection.
4. I need to find stamps! I want personalized stamps badly - any advice on where to order them? I don't want to put a photo of Logan and I on it - just keep it in theme with the wedding.

Logan dropped a bomb on me yesterday though. Apparently the cadre let them know that not everyone will go straight from IBOLC to Ranger School right away. Since there are so many of them, some may have to wait for a second wave. And they don't know when that second wave would even be. Awesome, right?

That means that this is now the game plan: If he goes in the first wave, we'll still aim for an August wedding. If he doesn't go in the first wave, we contemplate bumping the wedding way up. Other than springing it on our guests last minute and missing out on bridal showers, the only real hang up would be bridesmaid dresses. My dress should be in soon, the venue will be accommodating with date changes, and entertainment hasn't even been booked yet.

And the dentist wonders why I grind my teeth at night? I only have a little bit on my mind...

So, please keep your fingers crossed that things work out OK. I don't do well with changes on the fly, so this is truly a test of my patience and how long I can refrain from morphing into Bridezilla!

Wedding!

So, my motivation to wedding plan ebbs and flows. The uncertainty of the date - or if the wedding will take place at all - gets me down sometimes. I know we'll have a nice ceremony despite what happens with the Army, but it would be my dream to have my loved ones there with me. I get so sad to think that it would have to be just immediate family.

But, I've decided to plan along as if everything will take place in August, and will hope for the best. I began working backwards from the wedding date to make sure things are done in a timely manner. To try and spread out costs, I'm aiming to buy one item for my bridesmaids gifts per month. Last month, in a Marley Lilly flash sale, I got them each a monogrammed tote:

Usually $19.99, I got them each for $13.99 each - all navy blue with coral monograms (the wedding colors.)

I'm a preppy fanatic, but my maids all have different tastes. I don't want to get them things just for the sake of them having it, and I definitely don't want to spend my money on something they won't want/use, so I'm trying to personalize their bags as much as possible.

I do, however, want to get them the jewelry they'll wear with their dresses. We're shopping for dresses this weekend, but I'd love to see them in something like this:

I think the navy would look great with gold jewelry, and I'm playing around with the following options for accessories:

This simple, understated initial necklace

This Solitary Tiny Disk Charm necklace

Or this Gold Fill Curved Bar necklace


Any good recommendations or other things to add? They're all just so different!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I am so sorry for my inconsistency in blogging - this is a busy time at work and I'm all over the place.

But, by this time tomorrow, I will be reunited with my wonderful fiance and I am elated! I can't wait to see him. He won't get in until late, but we're going to grab dinner out. Then, I bought single servings of mint chocolate chip ice-cream (our favorite) to treat ourselves with once we get back to the hotel.

By the way, this hotel is awesome. If you ever have a chance to stay at a Home2Suites DO IT! I'll have an "office" day tomorrow but I have a lot to do - for work AND school - and am thankful I have an entire day to catch up on it all and have it out of the way by the time Logan gets in.

I have managed to get 2 work outs in the past two days - I'm so proud of myself. I really do feel better when I work out, but hotel gyms can be so BORING. But, yesterday, I broke up the monotony by jogging 15 minutes, and doing a circuit of weights, jogging for 15 minutes, and doing a second circuit of weights. Add a good stretch at the end, and you're at an hour! Today I did the elliptical for 30 minutes (swimming breast stroke for 16 years ruined my knees and they can't take running two days in a row) and upper body and abs.

I have to stay focused on my dress getting here soon! And I have to remind myself how awful I feel after I eat something bad for me. Lucky, I don't have a big sweet tooth, so cakes and other treats aren't too tempting for me, but I'm a sucker for chips.

Time is ticking so I need to stay focused. Any advice on how to stick to my workout plans?

Counting down to Friday!

I get to see my wonderful fiance again this weekend -- I got to see him right after Valentines Day, but a visit is much needed. After this visit, the only definite visit will be when he graduates IBOLC in April, then it's off to Ranger and Airborne schools and visits will be pretty last minute if at all...

So, we have a fun weekend planned, including...

Friday night, we splurged and will stay a night at the Home2 Suites!

He'll be a zombie coming in from the field and claims he'll be so stinky I'll want to dump him but we'll have to see about that ;)

Saturday, we plan on being lazy bones for a while, maybe catching a movie (any recommendations of good ones in theaters now?), I may convince him to car shop a little, then we're hunkering down for the Duke/Carolina game!

(Source: http://instagram.com/p/WczklKxGYo/)

Logan is requesting all kinds of fan favorites for food, but we may just grab heavy snacks to eat during the game.

I cannot wait to see him and spend the weekend together - and alone! I love him coming to my hometown, but him living alone is a definite bonus - no sisters, roommates, or kitty cats to distract us! Just some much needed alone time.

We also plan to catch up on the reading and prep for our premarital counseling. We've both gotten a bit behind on reading, and the topics will make great conversation while we're together.

I'm about to hop a plane to Alabama -- maybe my next post will be dedicated to my favorite things in Birmingham!

XX- C

Airplane Etiquette

I travel a lot for work - primarily in the fall and in the spring. I'm so lucky to have a job that lets me see the country and spend time traveling to all kinds of places.

However, I hate people who have no travel manners. The way I see it, there are some cardinal rules that should never be broken:

• The armrest should be put down, and you should be respectful of the people next to you. There is nothing worse than someone "flowing over" into your seat, or worse, getting too close to your personal space.
• The plane should be unloaded row by row. If you are concerned about making a connection, you should approach the flight attendant before your flight leaves to let them know you'll be cutting it close. There is nothing worse than people running down the middle aisle to get off the plane first. We're all anxious to unload as well.
• If you stored things in overhead storage, you should store it so you can grab it as quickly as possible when exiting. You fussing over your bag only makes everyone else antsy - bottle necks are no fun.
• If you are a gentlemen, you should offer to help women load their suitcases. I can't tell you how many times I've flown with a bag heavier than I can hoist over my head and wrestle to get it into an overhead compartment well over my head. It's call chivarly and it doesn't stop when you board an airplane.
• If you're asked to switch seats, especially if family members would like to fly together, do it! I would bet it's no inconvenience to you, every time I've switched the flight staff have treated me to a drink, and it's making someone else's experience that much better.  If you have that much of a preference of where you sit, it would probably be worth it to just shell out the money for first class. Problem solved.
• When you're walking between gates, and need to walk slower, walk on the outside of the halls. If you need to send a text message, check a departure time, wait for someone, step to the outside of the hall to stop - don't simply stop in the middle of the walkway.
• If you choose to take a moving sidewalk, but are standing, keep your belongings close to you and stay to the right! Those of us in a hurry need to squeeze past you on the left and don't want to worry about our bags getting tangled in yours.

Can you tell I'm stuck in an airport now on a layover? My first flight was delayed, but a friend from high school's Mom works at our airport and fixed my connecting flight so I would have time between. I take off as the Duke basketball game begins, so I'll miss most of it, but such is life. (If they play as poorly as they did on Thursday I'll be happy to miss it.)

What are some of your traveling rules? What bugs you the most?

XX

Friday Letters

Boy, this week was bittersweet. On one hand, it feels as though it flew by, and on the other, I didn't think it was ever going to end. Being back at work was great - especially coming in with the motivation I got from my appointments late last week - but I am 100% burnt out right now.

Logan and I celebrated being together for a year. The long-distance thing was particularly hard this week, hitting such a milestone and not being able to see one another. It was doubly hard that he had his second Op Order this week which monopolized his time - not that he could help it.

Bonnie and I vowed to get our finances in order, and we're doing our best with the help of Mint.com. It picks up on all of our credit cards, debit cards, and student loans and organizes it for us. It helps us to set a budget for various categories so we see exactly where our money is going. Today was a clean slate for me and I hope I can stick to it!

So, with all of this in mind, here are my Friday letters:

Dear Army - Please stop hogging my fiance. Take it easy on that ruck march tomorrow and don't let him be TOO pooped when we actually get to see each other next weekend!

Dear Duke - It pains me to watch away games this season! And I'm more and more anxious for the Carolina game coming up at Carolina - I have a feel it's not going to be pretty! Can we at least beat Miami at home Saturday?

Dear Travel - Please go smoothly tomorrow - I have a lot going on this trip and would love for everything to fall into place perfectly! (Please and thank you.)

Dear Co-Workers - Thank you for being so great. It means the world that I can come to you with my problems - personal and professional - and have you be there for me!

Dear Student Assistant - I'd be lost without you. You are a God send.

I travel all next week, but I'll do my best to bring you highlights from the road!

Happy Weekend!

XX