287 Days Until Our Wedding: About Being Wonder Woman :)

So when I finally decided to sit down and start this blog, I wasn't really sure what to call it.  I was pretty overwhelmed with wedding stuff at the time and I needed an outlet that wasn't my poor fiance to get all of this stuff out of my head.  To give you an example, right around the time I started this blog I started having crazy dreams...such as:

• I find myself locked outside of the church
• All of the bridesmaids are there but none of them have dresses
•  I'm trying to find flowers but all the flower shops are closed
• Devon is trapped somewhere and he can't make it to the wedding
• For some reason people are trying to make me marry me ex
• My mom is screaming during the ceremony and no one will stop her
• My hair all falls out as the lady is fixing it before the wedding

This and much, much more!!!

If you know me, you know I'm kind of a wound up person to begin with, so all this stress wasn't really helping. I've always liked writing and this experience is going to be a once in a lifetime kind of thing, so I thought I would document it.

Now, I love to make things. Love it.  I learned how to crochet when I was around 10 years old.  I taught myself how to hand sew. I have an eye for taking things and turning them into something else.  And my wedding is going to be unique because of that skill.  

Another thing about me is that I like to do things myself.  I hate explaining things to people and would rather just get it right the first time. 

So that's where the Wonder Woman thing comes in.  I'm determined to do this myself.  And even if I wanted all my bridesmaids or my mom or mother in law to help, that wouldn't really be possible because they all live so far away :(  But luckily they do get to help with somethings.  But for the most part, I like to do things on my own.  Like make my Save the Date magnets.  They are adorable and awesome and I can't wait to send them out.

The best part of all this wedding stuff is that I get a chance to exercise my creativity. I honestly want everyone to leave our wedding gushing over all the amazing details.

And being the wonder woman that I am...I know I can make it happen :)

294 Days Until Our Wedding: Wedding's Are Expensive!!!

Let me open this post with thanking my wonderful fiance.  He is the one who is my rock, my support system and is footing this bill for this amazing disaster that will occur in just 9 and a half months (isn't that crazy...)


So, the title says it all. Weddings are expensive.  I mean crazy expensive.  It's a billion dollar industry, wedding stuff. Here is a fun little chart so you get the idea :)

 I'm only ankle deep in this mess and we have already spent 3 grand. Isn't that intense?  I mean we try to budget, I clip coupons and now we get to deplete our savings having a giant party.  Well, I guess when I put it that way it sounds like it should be fun.  Not to say that I don't want this.  In fact, Devon would be fine if we eloped and spent our money on some fun vacation.  But I want a wedding.  My parents got married at the courthouse.  So did his.  I want to be able to show my children pictures of me walking down the aisle.  So we will spend the money.  And it will be awesome.  And if you get invited, you better damn well show up.  Or at least get me a present.

Until next time, I'll be trying to figure out how to make my own wedding invitations to save a few more dollars.

297 Days Until Our Wedding: My Hair Dilemma

So first of all, I have some readers!! Thanks to all the lovely people taking time to follow my ramblings. It's nice to know that someone cares about what I think!! So yay!!

Now on to the real reason for this post.  My hair.  Oh my hair.  It pains me so.  I have thick hair.  Oh I know lots of girls say their hair is thick, but my hair is THICK!!!  When I donated to locks for love when I was in middle school, I had enough hair to do two wigs. TWO!!!  My hair is also crazy.  It's straight, curly, wavy and just weird.  That being said, I never, ever know what to do with it.  If I do bother to brush it, I either straighten it or just put it up in a pony tail.  And you did hear me correctly, if I bother to brush it.  Yes I am a 25 year old woman who doesn't brush her hair on a regular basis.  In fact, I haven't brushed my hair since....Saturday...yep,  five days ago.  I'm not lazy.  I'm not gross (I wash it every other day and shower everyday.) I don't brush my hair everyday because it is a workout. I mean it.  It is really, really difficult to brush.  I am not exaggerating.

Okay, to prove my point I am going to put up a picture of Anne Hathaway's hair from the Princess Diaries before her magical makeover and a picture of my hair.  Yes, I realize my hair is not quite as dramatic but you'll get the idea.

Quite terrible, I know.

Okay, I realize that yes, my hair is not nearly as "poofy" as her hair in this picture, but I have broken hairbrushes in my hair just like she did. And this is without brushing my hair. (Sorry for the face, but I don't normally let anyone see my "real" hair)

And after I fought with my poor hairbrush for fifteen minutes and pulled out a ton of hair, you are left with this :

Still sooo poofy.

So, there it is.  My hair in all it's awful glory.  I really hate it.  The longer it gets, the harder it gets to deal with.  Sometimes even after I brush it before bed I wake up with these rats nests in the back. It takes nearly an hour to straighten it or curl it. It is slightly easier to deal with if it is shorter but with the wedding coming up I dream of being able to pull of something like this:

But if I cut it, I won't be able to.  So I have to just deal with this crazy hair.  Oh did I mention that I now find random grey hairs on top of everything else??  Sigh...sometimes, I think it would be much easier to be a man.  In the end though, I know somehow I'll be able to pull of some wonderful hairstyle.  

I am after all, the wedding wonder woman :)

299 Day Until Our Wedding: A bit of History on Amber & Devon

Not much to post today so I just wanted to share a bit about Devon and I.

Devon and  I met at Northwestern State University in August 2005.  We were both in band.  Somehow he had already developed this reputation of being this hilarious guy among all of our friends and I was dying to meet him.  One day at band practice, this guy walked up while I was talking to a mutual friend.  He was all smiles and this crazy hair and he made me laugh right away.  From then on, I knew I found a man that I could count on...could trust.

He was my best friend all through college.  He was there through some of the hardest times of my life.  And through it all, we both wanted more. More than friendship.  Feelings were growing every moment we spent together.  But I was with someone else. I was in a relationship.  But it was bad...so bad.  The person I was dating was not the kind of person I should be with...but I digress.

For three years, we spent time together and developed a wonderful friendship.  I left college what would have been our senior year.  I gypsy-ied around for a while and Devon finished up school.  And somehow, God brought us back together in August of 2009.

I wrote this shortly after Devon and I started dating two years ago.  It sums up how we finally started dating.

Perfection. The night has been absolute magic. His smile, his laugh, the looks. I must be imagining this, I tell myself over and over again. He is my friend, my confidant, the shoulder I've cried on. Nothing more. He could not possibly be feeling what I'm feeling. But he's also the hand I want to hold, the arms I want wrapped around me and the mouth that I have so desperately wanted to kiss for so long.

He needs to go and I am breaking inside. I know he deserves better but I want to shout WANT ME! My mind is racing with all of the things I want to say but can't. All these years...and I still can't make myself admit to him what has been there all along. As we sit on the hood of his car my mind clears momentarily. The night has the that kind of humidity that makes me think of meat pies, the way the river smells and all the things that I adore about Louisiana. He's one of them. Always has been. I think back to all the moments that we have shared together. How could I have ever thought that I had gotten over him? That what I felt for him was a simple little crush? Was I kidding myself or just in denial?

We hug goodnight and I lay my head on his shoulder like I've wanted to do so many times before. He pulls me closer and my breath catches. Can he feel that my heart is pounding out of my chest, the betrayer that it is? Can he hear that I can no longer breathe? Our faces touch and I'm in heaven. Or hell, if this does not go any further.

We reminisce. We talk of the past, the time we've spent together. We laugh at the old jokes we shared, the memories made. His breath is on my face and he is so close to me. Can he feel my eyelashes flutter on his cheeks? My heartbeat is so loud that I'm certain now that he can hear it. His fingers trace a trail on my shoulder and I could lose myself in those patterns for hours. An inch of space or less is all that separates our lips. 

Now I know I'm crazy. Did his breath just catch? Did he just pull me closer to him, minimizing what little space was left between us? Then, when I think that I can't take being this close to him anymore, he kisses me. Quite simply, it is though most of my life has been leading up to this moment. We fall into one another and it is better than my mind could have ever pictured. I'm shaking and I can't think or breathe or live anymore. There's no going back from this moment.

I love, love, love Devon.  Everyday, I still feel exactly the same way.  Sometimes when I put my head on his shoulder, I am right back to that exact moment when he FINALLY (lol) kissed me.  I am so lucky to have him.  And I cannot wait to be his wife :)

Until next time, I'm going to go continue being the luckiest girl in the world with the best fiance

305 Days Until Our Wedding: Our engagement story

Devon proposed to me in a really special way and I want to document it.  I should have done this sooner but alas I've been a bit busy.

So, a week before my 25th birthday, Devon had to take a business trip to Colorado.We wanted to do something fun and special for my birthday, so we decided that we would take advantage of his business trip. We flew in to Durango, CO on the 21st of September and drove to Pegosa Springs (which is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited). Devon had to work so I got to be lazy and stay in the hotel.  The next day we decided to go on a hike to one of the most lovely natural landmarks, Treasure falls.

This place is seriously so, so beautiful!

 Me at the base of the waterfall

So after a short hike, we made it to the base of the waterfall.  With the air being thinner from being in the mountains, my lungs were killing me.  There was this cute little bench in this little alcove of the side of the mountain.  It was so peaceful and there were all these initials carved into the bench.  It was so wonderful.

Just a few moments before getting engaged.

So after we sat there for a while, just taking in the view and enjoying each other's company. Finally I suggested to Devon that we should continue on to the top of the waterfall.  He glanced over my shoulder and told me to look at something. Being the trusting person that I am, I looked.  However upon seeing nothing,  I turned back to Devon and I saw the most precious moment of my life.  He was down on one knee with a black velvet ring box opened to the most beautiful ring. "Amber, I love you so much. Will you marry me?"

My ring. :)

I of course said yes.  And cried. And laughed.  And hugged and kissed him like crazy.  I am so, so happy.  And now of course, I'm in crazy wedding planning mode.  I have ten months left, roughly. And a ton left to do.  And for the most part, I have no idea what I'm doing.  But I'm doing it.  I'm planning a wedding that will be wonderful and awesome and will blow all other weddings out of the water.  Because I'm just that cool.

Until the next time, I'm going to go buy more wedding magazines :)

306 Days Until Our Wedding: 10 Months and Counting

So, it's been a bit since I've written.  Mostly because there isn't really anything to write about.

Seriously.

I mean, I have the dress, I have our venue (which includes the cake & catering), and I have the church.  I have my wonderful bridesmaids. Our wonderful photographer is all lined up.

So, I feel like I'm at a plateau.  I don't really know where to go from here.

I just wish I knew what I was supposed to do next :(