Really awesome

My brother-in-law is starting medical school in St. Louis this fall. We are so proud of him and very excited that he's going to use all those brains he's got to help people feel better! To get out there he, my sister and their ADORABLE little sister had to move from Logan, UT out to Missouri. Last night they stayed with the ear doctor and I on their trip out east. Also, my dad and his best friend are driving one of their two cars out and a golfing-across-America adventure.

That means we had 6 people and a 4 month old baby staying in our apartment last night. I was very excited to have them all there!!!

When the ear doctor got home, he surprised me with a beautiful set of sky blue iris and little yellow circular flowers (I don't know what they are called, but they are really cool and modern looking). He said to me, "I just thought my wifey might like some flowers"...yeah....pretty awesome.

Then, as we were cooking for everyone he took the reigns on the grill and made us up some perfect steaks. He really is the master of his new wedding-grill.

After dinner he helped me with the mountain of dishes.

After the dishes we all sat around and laughed and I realized how awesome it is that he gets along with my family so well.

As we were getting ready for bed I was setting up all of the sleeping arrangements for everyone. He saw me putting a fitted sheet on our big air mattress and jumped up to help me put it on.

My dad's friend made a comment to him. He said, "Wow, ear doctor. If I'd learned earlier to help my wife like you do I could have been a lot happier sooner."

And then I started to think about how much the ear doctor does for me. It started to make me nervous that I take so many of the thoughtful things he does for granted.

I mean, this was the man who came home one day last week and the first thing he did was apologize for not taking the garbage out that morning. He'd been thinking about it all morning and was concerned about it.

I'm a pretty lucky woman.

A curtain solution?

I found this beautiful cotton tea towel on Etsy.






What if I bought a couple of them and use them to lengthen my drapes. What do you think?

Heres the thing

Art.

I've tried to understand it. I love going to art museums to check out different works. I love flipping through books or clicking through prints on Etsy. However, when it comes to buying art and putting it up in my own house I'm at a loss. I've just never found a piece of art that I looked at and thought, "I love that and would like to see it every day of my life". I just haven't.

The problem is that a lot of the walls in my new house are very large and very blank. Add to that the suggestion that I've recently read that family photos shouldn't really be displayed in main common rooms.

So here is the question.

How do I find art that I really like? What do you like? How do you go about picking what you really love?

New Hair do?

I've been wearing my hair essentially the same way for the past 5 years, and it might be time for a change.

This picture at Anthropologie made me stop short and ask myself...

Could I rock this look?

What do you think?

Design Dilemma

So, I just moved into a new apartment. I love the apartment, it's pretty fun to live there with my husband.

Yesterday I finally got around to installing my restoration hardware curtain rod and curtains. The hitch is that the ceilings and windows in the new apartment are about 2 feet higher than anything I had in the old house.

Enter my design dilemma:

The walls in my room are painted a nice, neutral khaki/taupe color (this picture is much pinker than our actual walls). The off white, heavy canvas-type (twill) material curtains fall about 18 inches short of the floor and look AWFUL being that short...like the room is waiting for a flood or something. I read in my Domino black book that curtains should puddle about 1 inch on the floor.

My current situation must be corrected, and quick. However, we're on a bit of a budget and I'd rather not just go out and buy new drapes.

The colors in my room are (going to be) deep chocolate brown with blue and green accents. I saw this picture on the restoration hardware site and thought I could just add some fabric to the bottom:

But what kind of fabric should I use? It looks like this picture is some kind of dupioni silk, but do you think that silk would look too...fancy next to the plain canvas fabric?

Or maybe I should add some kind of cool pattern to spice it up a bit?

Any stellar ideas?

This is me...still stalling

We still haven't found the computer cord. Instead, I'm going to share something with you that the ear doctor does that has made me smile every single morning.

He has to get up and go to work before I do. His commute is 45 minutes and mine is 10, so I get to sleep in longer than he does.

When he leaves the house, he locks the door behind him. I'm still in the house and probably will leave only 30 minutes behind him, but I'm locked in. We don't live in a crime riddled neighborhood...quite the opposite. Our complex is part of a gated, golf course community.

I'm not sure if this locking-the-house-even-though-someone-is-still-in-it is a habit of his or what, but I like to think that he does it so that I am protected from any crazy people coming in the apartment while he isn't there to look after me.

And I think that is pretty cute.

Stay tuned

The ear doctor and I have to search through a mountain of boxes to find the camera cord before I can upload any of our glorious Alaskan honeymoon pictures. Gimme a couple of days to get that put together m'kay?

Happy Birthday...to me

I have to take a break from the wedding/honeymoon recap to let you know how awesome my new husband is.

Today I got breakfast in bed for my 26th birthday! He made me a heaping pile of delicious french toast with rainbow sprinkles. How lucky am I?

Plus, I'm only working a half day today.

I'm spending the other half of the day sipping a jamba juice and reading my beloved Harry Potter.

I could not think of a better day.

Wedding Post 5: The party

Shortly after dinner the rest of the party arrived, and it couldn't have been too soon! I was so excited for them to arrive that I jumped up and scooted out there before anyone else. I wanted to prevent everyone from entering the mansion because I wanted to get the whole party out on the front balcony for a huge group shot. Lucky I did, too because look at this awesome picture we got!

I would highly recommend trying to organize a big shot like this. It turned out to by one of our very favorites!

As people re-entered the mansion they were instructed to take a picture of themselves using a Polaroid camera and tape it into a photo album. Then, they wrote something to us next to their picture. Kind of like a fancy yearbook. Now that we've put all the pages together it is SO awesome. Much better than just a bunch of signatures on plain white lined paper.

After each person entered they were directed straight for what? More food, of course. We had stuffed mushrooms, bruchetta with goat cheese, a cheese platter (yum), éclairs and more.
After eating our fill, again, we headed back out to the back patio for toasts. The ear doctor and I have been to many, many weddings and the toasts are always the part that we feels makes or breaks the “specialness” of the wedding. We asked our parents in advance to prepare something to say. Sure, its not really spontaneous. Then again, I don’t think that anyone has ever accuse me of being spontaneous. What can I say? I’m a planner.

The toasts were awesome. Apparently there was a bet going in my family whether or not my dad would cry. What a sucker bet.

Of course he was going to cry. This is the man whose eyes are “very sensitive to light” or whose “allergies” often bother his eyes. The toasts were perfect and I even learned something about the ear doctor I didn’t know. When he was really little and did something really good he’d extend his arms out in front of him, clinch his little hands into two furious fists and shake his arms really fast. In honor of our big day, the ear doctor’s dad asked all of our guests to do a happy-arm-shake for us. It was awesome.

After the toasts we headed back in for our first dance together. I think most of you know this, but the ear doctor and I love to dance. Love it SO much. Actually I think if you kept track of how many times we spontaneously break into dance it would average out to about twice a day. So, obviously, the music and dancing at our wedding was important.

We chose our first dance song to be “I’ve got a crush on you” which was perfect.




After the first dances we did a daddy/daughter and a mother/son dance. It was awesome because the ear doctor’s mom danced beautifully, and my dad did his best to wow the crowd with his moves. Then, we invited everyone else up to the floor by doing a snowball dance. It was awesome. There were tons of people crowded onto the dance floor, just what I really wanted.

After some dancing we cut the cake. The cake we got was AMAZING! The best tasting cake ever. Plus, she made us a grooms cake in the shape of an ear with a little ear doctor coming out and a fondant odoscope. The groom’s cake was raspberry citrus, and the main cake was half chocolate cinnamon and Italian cream with apricot filling (my fav).

It was pretty delicious



After the cake I surprised the ear doctor with a planned, secret lip sync routine to Michael Buble’s recording of “Everything.” The whole thing went off really awesome, especially my rad back-up dancers. It was hilarious and the ear doctor loved it.

After that we just danced the night away and walked around the room talking to everyone and enjoying ourselves. I found out later that all my space dork friends from work went out on the front patio to try to watch the shuttle as it passed over. So nerdy and so awesome.

As the night drew to a close the ear doctor and I swooped away in his awesome silver truck. I thought the contrast between me in my dress, him in a tux and a truck would be awesome. Thankfully, the only décor on the car was white writing on the windows (anything else would have made us loose our security deposit with the venue…dang those historic buildings).

We drove off together to our new house.

He carried me over the threshold of our apartment.

I love him.

Wedding Post 5: Ring Ceremony and Dinner

We were supposed to be up at the Boettcher Mansion at 5 to take pictures with our photographer for an hour and to help set everything up for the ring ceremony at 6:30. Well, we didn't leave the hotel until around 4:45, so we showed up almost a half hour late. That kind of set everyone off at a rushed pace. We wandered around the property for 45 minutes taking more beautiful pictures.

Before I show more photos I have to give credit to our AMAZING photographer. Debi and Amanda Tipton of Kokoro Photography did an amazing job!

(the one below is my very favorite photo...SO pretty!)

Things started to slip back on the schedule, but it was good because quite a few of our guests got a little lost finding the mansion. Exchanging wedding rings is not part of the wedding ceremony in the temple. Therefore, we decided to have a special ring exchange ceremony at the Boettcher mansion with just our friends and family so that everyone could be included in our special day.

As I looked through the weathered stone archway onto a patio filled with our best friends I again got a little choked up. We asked a dear friend, our church bishop, to officiate in the ring ceremony and I could see him standing there, eyes full of proud tears for us. The ear doctor and I decided again to hold hands and walk down the aisle together, as a unit, a husband and wife. There was no music playing, just the wind in the pines and the chirping of birds, exactly the kind of Colorado scene I was hoping for.

As the bishop offered us more advice I smiled and again was filled with awe for the ear doctor. What an amazing man! I extended my hand and the ear doctor slipped the beautiful wedding band onto my finger. I did the same for him.

Right after the ring ceremony we asked our family to join us for dinner in the main room. Despite the whole debacle with the flowers, I thought it came together nicely. Actually, when I entered the room it took my breath away a bit. Making sure to have everything go together was SO important for me. I was so happy when the whole thing came together.

The food was really great! I've still been getting comments on the food, so that is a pretty great sign. I snarfed my food down as quickly as humanly possible because I wanted to stand up and start talking to all of my friends. I wanted to make sure that everyone really knew how much it meant that they were there for me.

Wedding Post 4: The exit and lunch

Many of you may not know this, but there is a little tradition we LDS folks have. Because there are typically many people who we love desperately, and are not members of our faith, we miss out on having important people at our weddings. Also, often the bride and groom take a lot longer than any of the other guests to leave the building. As a result, when the bride and groom leave the building there is always a lot of hoopla surrounding their first steps into the rest of the world as man and wife. Every wedding I've been to in a temple has this little tradition. Everyone waits excitedly for the bride and groom to come out.

Well, for us this was a bit of a snag. We wanted to wait to come out together until everyone from our family was there. When we were ready to leave the building, neither grandma was present. We ended up waiting for a few minutes before everyone was gathered so that we could leave amidst cheers.

It was totally worth the wait.

As we walked into the bright, beautiful sunlight I looked at the ear doctor and smiled from ear to ear. I gave his hand a little squeeze of excitement and we looked onto 25 of the happiest, most loving faces in our lives. It was a moment I'll never forget.

My man gave me a little celebratory smooch as we were overwhelmed with joyous applause!

After many happy greetings...

We all calmed down and took some official family pictures. After a strict 30 minutes of photos (I absolutely did not want to make people stand around in the heat all afternoon), everyone drove over to a little park and enjoyed a picnic lunch. In my family, keeping people fed with delicious food is pretty much the number 1 priority. Add to that fact that my little sister is still nursing her baby and you'll understand why it was so important to get that group of people fed, and quick.

We stuck around for another 30 minutes to take some pictures of us as newly weds alone. There are SO many amazing pictures from this short time, but I'm only going to show my favorites.

(Notice how fresh and great the ear doctor's flower is in this photo)

After we left to join everyone for lunch I was really really glad that I'd rented a park shelter. It was close to 100 degrees that day and everyone would have burnt to a crisp! As it was people were pretty melted. I really didn't want this lunch to be too hard to set up, since my awesome roommate Boggs was coming down to put it all together for me.

After lunch everyone went back to the hotels and crashed. The ear doctor and I were so exhausted by this point. We needed naps more than everyone else if the party was going to keep going later in the evening. Too bad we slept a little longer than we ought...

Wedding Post 3: The ceremony

As I sat waiting for the ear doctor to come in the beautiful foyer of the temple I started to get a little nervous. As sure as I was of the ear doctor's love for me, I don't think there is a single person alive who doesn't have a momentary thought of being left at the alter when their soon to be spouse is later than they are to the ceremony venue.

As the minutes ticked on my formerly ultra-composed self started to worry a bit.

Tick

Tick

Tick

And then, he arrived.

Ahhhhhh

He looked so handsome! Together we went to the recorder and sat hand in hand making sure that all the legalities were taken care of so that they wouldn't get in our way. I didn't know this, but the temple handles all of the mailing and filing for you, so you don't have to do a thing with the state. Very cool.

Well, we parted ways and went to change into our wedding clothes. Because my big wedding dress is off-white (much, much better for this red head), and the temple only allows pure white dresses with full length sleeves, I decided to get a second, all white very plain sheath dress to wear to the actual ceremony. Plus, what girl doesn't like to have two pretty dresses, right?

I sat in a very beautiful room, all dressed up, waiting with my mom. I could not believe the calm I felt. I was so sure, so collected, so confident. I was a little surprised by just how grounded I felt. After being afraid of marriage for so long it was a little shocking to be so certain. But with the ear doctor everything has been different. It has been easy and real. That's how I knew it was right.

The room we got married in was fabulous. It was a perfectly circular room with a small gorgeous alter centered in the middle. The ear doctor and I knelt on either side of the alter completely encircled by 20 of our closest friends and family. Our hands that had held each other so many other times in so many other settings clasped over the alter. This hand hold was different, tender and sincere. As the officiant offered us blessings and advice I looked into the ear doctor's fiercely blue eyes and realized that I was making the best choice possible. Not only was this man the love of my life, but my best friend and a worthly partner to spend my life with.

After the ceremony was completed we stood and greeted each person who was in the room to witness our marriage. Throughout the entire ceremony I didn't feel like crying. I felt warm, calm and at peace. When each of our loved ones left the room and we were able to thank them for being a part of our day I started tearing up with joy.

As I went back to the changing room to put by big off-white dress on I took a few moments to myself to think about my feelings. Honestly, I have never felt so loved and cared for. From my friends, my family, my husband and my Savior.

I changed very quickly into my dress and waited for my new husband to join me in his tux. I must have a talent for changing fast because it always takes me less time to change than it does for him.

Again I was waiting

tick

tick

tick

and then I saw him again, but this time as my new husband. My heart dropped to my stomach and I was floored. How was I so lucky to get this man!

However, there was a slight snag...

Wedding Post 2: The morning of

I'd always heard that everyone has the hardest time sleeping the night before they get married. I, however, did not find that the case. After a long day of pulling everything together and a belly full of delicious bbq, I drifted off into a glorious slumberland. I spent the night sharing a room with one of my oldest and best friends, Kath, in a hotel very close to the Denver LDS temple.

We woke up at the crack of dawn to start the preparations. Kath just happens to be one of the best stylists I know, so she willingly did my hair and makeup. There aren't many pictures of this phase because Kathy and I were alone with her almost 2 year old daughter Olivia, and while Olivia is a very talent and smart girl, professional photographer she is not.

Just as we finished up my hair I was instructed to open the closet. Out came the most beautiful set of luggage. My sweetheart got me a gift for our trip! Inside the case was a really really pair of pearl drop earrings. They looked perfect with my dress and "look" so I put them on immediately. Included with the gift was a very touching card. It took every fiber of my being to not melt into a sappy blob of jell-o right there on the floor. My ear doctor is the sweetest, most thoughtful man alive.

The day was perfect. Really, really beautiful. One of those perfect breathtaking Colorado days.

We got all ready and my mom, dad and I rushed off to the temple. The ceremony was at 11, but we were instructed to be there at 9:30 to give us plenty of time. As we drove up into the temple parking lot my mom, dad, and I took a few moments just to be together. I realized how much I love them and how lucky I am to have such amazing examples in my life.

After a few minutes we were rushed into the temple to await the ear doctor's arrival.

Wedding Post 1: The day before

After quickly deciding that I could make the lavender hydrangeas work with my all blue theme, I moved on and the rest of the wedding went off without a single hitch.

The day before we had an awesome bbq for family at my apartment building. It didn't really make sense to call it the "rehearsal dinner" because there was nothing for us to rehearse. Instead we decided to call it our "wedding eve" party.

Despite the fact that the caterer called 10 minutes prior to the party and asked if we were going to get plates, or if he was supposed to (UGH), everything was awesome.

We found the caterer for wedding eve by complete happenstance. We were driving through a strip mall by our new apartment and saw a big smoker with a huge poster advertising "FREE BBQ". Now, I am not one to pass up anything free and bbq makes the ear doctor's heart swell with genuine love, so we pulled over. Turns out the free portion of the day was over, but we were referred to a store called Wally's Quality Meats. Inside the ear doctor found his personal Mecca. A real, honest to goodness butcher/meat shop. They had every cut of top quality meat you could ever want...along with about 50 different kinds of sausage. Wally, the owner of the shop, told us that Big Al was the bbq man and he gave us a number to call.

Lucky for us, Big Al makes the most amazing bbq you can find in the great state of Colorado. We met with him and got a sample of his food. During the sample he entertained us with a mini bbq lecture. The ear doctor was enthralled. He informed us that bbq is different all over the US. Each state in the south has developed its own feel and take on what "real" bbq is. He told us that his style was a blend of Texas and N. Carolina bbq. All I know is that I've never had better brisket.

At the party I wore a new yellow sundress and felt very cute and summery. Unfortunately for us, they air conditioner in the building broke that afternoon and it was sweltering in the room. As soon as the sun went down it cooled down enough to be comfortable. After the wedding I contacted the people who charged us $50 to rent the building. You better believe I got every red cent back from them.

The party was so much fun and SUCH a good idea to get both families together to hang out before the big day. We had everyone go around the room and introduce themselves. It was really important to me that everyone there felt included and really felt like we appreciated them coming.

The ear doctor's parents got us bride and groom mickey mouse ears to wear that were pretty awesome...see: