Wedding Wednesday - To Do List

Yay I'm excited about putting together a blogger dinner at Aria.  Look for details tomorrow!

 

For Wedding Wednesday today, I was just going to type out some things still on my to do list -

 

1.  Pre-marital counseling.  We have our first appointment next week to come up with the game plan of what they want us to do.

 

2.  Review guest list for corrections, middle names and addresses.  I have to get this to the calligrapher in the next 45 days.  This is a bigger task then I thought!

 

3.  All of my ladies have ordered their dresses so that's exciting!

 

4.  We have to choose a soloist and meet with the organist.  This is going down February 10th.

 

5.  Tasting at City Club with my parents and Kevin.  Looking forward to this!

 

6.  Finalize flowers.  This is my Mom's detail, I could careless.  The space is already gorgeous so not many flowers are even necessary.

 

7.  Finish the program - this will be done in March probably.  One of the last things.  It's already started though.

 

8.  Finish the hotel gift bags.  I've already bought some of the stuff for them, just need to finish.  Can't really do this until it gets closer.

 

9.  Figure out a song to be introduced to and cut the cake with (same song!).  And also an upbeat last song.  Any ideas?

 

10.  I need to decide if we're going to do koozies or not.  I've always wanted to but our venue serves everything in a glass no matter what so it'd sorta defeat the purpose.  Thoughts?

 

I think that's about it.  I'm sure little things will come up but I think things are looking pretty good for five months out!

Charlotte Restaurant and Celebrity

Thanks for all of yall's sweet messages about us moving and our new home!  It's SO fun.  What a concept to pull up in your driveway after work and walk in.  No 9 floors of parking deck and no elevator. 

 

Back a couple of weeks ago, I asked yall if you had questions. 

 

Question from Lulu asked what my favorite Charlotte restaurant is.

 

Answer:  I'm going to have to go with Aria.  They have the best cocktails in Charlotte.  Their food is always good.  Great atmosphere.  Service is always perfect.  And we just have so much fun every time we go.  It's a place I would recommend any out of towner to go to because I would know for sure they'd have a good meal!

 

 

Question from Glitterista - If you could have one celebrity in your wedding party, who would it be?

 

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Answer:  I'd want to have Carrie Underwood in our wedding party.  She is down to earth and girlfriend could sing at our reception.  I get to see her on Thursday night in Nashville! ;)

Moving!

Let's start with last Wednesday night.  Kevin and I had dinner at Basil at the bottom of our condo building.  It was where we hit it off initially, where we went on our first date and all of our anniversaries since.  Also went there the night of our first wedding shower.  So it was only right that we went full circle and had dinner there the night before our house closing!

 

Thursday morning our cars were packed to the brim as we headed to closing.  This is the sweet lady who we bought the house from.  She and her husband had built the house in 1999.  Now that it's just her, the home was too big and she moved to an assisted living home.  She is 91 and sharp as a tack!  She knew every single thing the closing attorney told her! 

 

She kept saying how glad she was that "a couple like us" got the home and how much love and happiness was in the home.  We promised to continue their tradition!  And of course we invited her to come visit any time and I think Kevin and I found a new adopted grandmother to go visit with at her new place! 

 

Thursday afternoon we had a mattress, fridge, washer and dryer delivered.  It was a busy afternoon at the house but nothing like Friday was!  Thursday evening, Kevin's parents came over and the guys did yard work and his Mom and I lined the shelves in the kitchen and bathroom.  What a huge job that was. 

 

I met the movers at the condos bright and early Friday morning.  We got to the house around 12:30 and they started unloading! 

 

 

This was when they were almost finished.  That truck was FULL!

 

Our first meal in our new home - chinese take out with Kevin's parents!  I know the dining room table is way too small for the room but that stuff will come.  We have to recover from actually purchasing the home first!  Let's just say this - we have A LOT of furniture to buy.  We basically moved a one bedroom condo into a 4,000+ square foot house! 

 

 Isn't this amazing?  This is the sunset from our dining room!

 

Both Friday and Saturday Kevin's parents were over there with us too.  They were an AMAZING help.  Seriously, we couldn't have done it without them.  His Dad worked in the yard with Kevin and his Mom and I did the inside.  We were productive!  Thank you all sooooooooo much.  We just can't thank you enough!

 

One of the things Kevin talked about for months was building a fire pit the first weekend he was in the house.  That he did!  His brother helped him and they used all the excess stone in the yard from when the seller had a pool (they filled it in about a year ago).  Anyway, Kevin was super excited about this fire pit.  He made a fire Saturday night and Sunday afternoon/night.

 

 

Between lots of trips to Lowes and Target, we are pretty well settled.  We worked hard for 3 days straight! 

 

Of course I still have a bunch of stuff up at the condo since that's where I technically live.  But it was cool to move most of my stuff to the house so it's Kevin's and my home from the beginning instead of Kevin's house that I move into in 5 months.

 

So, here's to new beginnings! 

Today We Close

Today we close on our first home together!  We've both owned places but neither of us have ever owned a single family house. 

 

Fitting that our first one is together.

 

(operation new front door is in progress!)

 

We are simply SOOOO excited about this new adventure and still can't believe it's finally happening!

A yard!!!!!

 

Lots of things going on this afternoon.  First the cleaning company is coming to completely overhaul the place.  Then I will clean after them (because no clean is as good as your own).  The washer, dryer, fridge and mattress will be delivered in the afternoon.  Then I have a locksmith coming to change all the locks as well.

 

Movers arrive at our condos early Friday morning then we will make it down to our new home midday with all of our stuff!

 

Let the chaos and excitement commence!

Wedding Wednesday - Engagement Picture for Paper

Ugh these pictures are terrible.  I can't even believe I'm posting them.

 

When we first got engaged ummm 16 months ago, Mom said we need to get a picture of you to put in the newspaper.  (very traditional so only the bride's picture is in it per old school Emily Post). 

 

So Kevin took some of me and Mom declared my shirt was not correct.  It didn't come up high enough and it had a band around the top (not dressy enough).  And the announcement didn't need to go in the newspaper until 6 months from the wedding so we just waited.  But these are from the first go-around....

 

 

Then we had round two that need to be cropped and color something done to them.  But they are FOUL.  I got the shirt right this time but my hair looks nasty.  My makeup isn't colorful enough.  I just look BLAH.  Clearly, these are a negative too.

 

They are NEVER going to a newspaper looking like this. 

 

So soon enough, I need to get around to doing this a third time!

Paint Colors

Originally we were going to redo our hardwoods before we moved in to the house.  But both of our parents, brothers and SILs agreed that we didn't REALLY need to do them.  And to be honest, we were glad to save the mulah!

Mom suggested we put some good looking paint on the walls.  Currently it looks like a 91 year old lady lived there, because she did!  Yall know that beige that looks pink?  The whole house is covered in it.  Which it could be worse...we could have one room blue, one room orange and one room pink.  Luckily it is all "neutral." 

It doesn't look as bad in this picture.

Well my Mama went to work on paint colors for us.  She got to see the house and we took a lot of pictures to help her decide.  Her interior decorator friend came over and they looked at books of colors.  I got an email last night with paint colors for the entire house.  SO helpful!

Do you all know that she picked Sherwin Williams Jersey Cream and also Creamy?  Those are the colors they picked out 5 years ago for my condo!  Exact same ones!  Here is my current condo...

 

Creamy is the trim and jersey cream is the wall.  Of course they choose other colors for other rooms but this is the main color of the living areas.  I just think it's funny they didn't know these were my current colors and they picked them again.

 

My Mom and this lady even thought about how our house is positioned in relation to the sun, how each room will flow into the next etc.  Lots of thought put in. 

 

Of course I still have to run these by Kevin and we have to paint a little bit to see if we like it in each room but it's a good start for sure. 

 

Mama knows best! 

Party and Football

We had such a fun weekend soaking up every last second of us both living uptown!

 

Friday night we went to dinner with Kevin's fam then to Lowes.  Woohoo!  We love doing that - it's low key and productive!

 

Saturday we both packed all.day.long.  I had to go get more boxes for the third time!

 

Saturday night our friends from Avenue threw us a little party since they weren't able to make the couples shower a few weeks ago.  A rose champagne toast.

 

The party was at Michael's and he did a wonderful toast!

 

We love our Avenue family!!!

 

Wendy and I. 

We had a yum dinner - lasagna, salad and garlic bread.  It was fun just being together and socializing.  They surprised us with some amazing gifts too which was super sweet!  We have the best friends.  

 

 

Sunday we started early with some tailgating with one of the guys we do work with.  He gave us tickets to the game and invited us to their tailgate.  A low country boil was lunch!

 

Perfect game day weather wise too.  So nice!

 

Aren't these seats incredible?  There is no zoom on this photo!

 

Kev and I at the game.  We have such fun walking over to the stadium and getting to see games.  Then while everyone else sits in traffic, we walk right home.  Don't hate us! 

 

Picture from the tailgate....

 

Carolina versus the Cowboys.

 

Awesome picture, right?!

 

We went to Cans after the game to see a bunch of people.  Then thankfully we had enough sense to go home!

 

But we didn't stay home long, we walked over to Vida for some mexican for dinner.  I don't think we had ever been there for dinner so that was something different.  And I don't have any dishes in my kitchen anymore so we'll be winging our meals all week.  Oh well! 

 

Hope everyone has a great week! 

My Girls!

I've got the sweetest friends.

 

Last week Tara determined we should have a packing party.  Lauren had helped me last time I moved and she was awesome at telling me stuff to get rid of.  I mentioned it to Jenn and she said, "I want to help too." 

 

So I loaded up on wine and pizza and Jenn, Tara and Lauren came over last night to help me pack things up.  We got sooooo much done.  Those girls are productive!  They had my entire kitchen packed up in an hour!

 

Jenn and Lauren taping it up!

 

They even went through my closet and came up with a pile to donate and a pile to consign.  You know, sometimes you just need opinions on if you should keep something or not.  We had lots of laughs including about the below apron type thing on Lauren!  Hilarious.

 

I'm SO incredibly thankful for you ladies and for yall helping me!  It would have taken me days to do what we did in a few hours last night!  So THANK YOU!

On The Road

Oh boy, it's been another week on the road.  I've looked at about 8 different markets in western Virginia for one of our retailers.  So today I'm going to talk in general about being on the road.

 

I travel most every week up to the northeast but lately I've gone out west and to the midwest too.  That's been a fun change. 

 

I usually only go out for one night, maybe two nights a week.  And a few times a year it's 3 nights out.  I can deal with it...it's really not that bad and I enjoy seeing new parts of the country.  My favorite are day trips - fly out at 7am and get up north for one meeting and fly back that afternoon.  That's really fun - get to sleep in my own bed! 

 

Yes traveling is tiring I guess but I just don't think about it like that.  It's work, I love it, why complain about it?!  You can't make the plane go faster or change the departure time!  I know this is odd but when I'm on a plane, I try to pretend I'm just at work in my office.  Sounds really weird, but it's true!  Another thing - it's not the easiest to travel during the weekend and on the weekends.  I do it a lot but it takes planning ahead, that's all.

 

So don't feel too badly for me being on the road.  Yes I have really long days - I usually roll out back to back 16 hour days but I really have it pretty easy.   Check it...

 

 - I pretty much fly first class everywhere I go.  I only fly US Air because we're in Charlotte and that's what you do.  And the more you fly, the more free first class upgrades you get.  And if for some reason I don't get first class, I sit in the exit row.  Middle seats - no way.  Back of the bus - no way.  I only get in those situations if I'm flying standby and grateful just to get home. 

 

 - I go to the US Air club in the airports which makes waiting a whole lot better.  They've hooked me up in so many ways I can't even begin to start telling yall about it. 

 

 - I'm TSA Pre so I don't have to take my shoes off, take my computer or liquids out and I just walk right through security (this is only in Charlotte so far - well Charlotte is the only airport I go to that has it). 

 

 - I rent from Hertz every time so I just walk right to my car.  No waiting in line.  Sirius radio = essential to my life.  They don't have much country music up north.  

 

 - I only stay in Hilton hotels...Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden etc. 
 
 - I get to keep all of my miles, points and rewards!  I get a free plane ticket a quarter.  And when Kevin and I travel for fun - first class, no waiting in lines etc.  He loves it and has grown to expect it haha!  I tell him that's what he gets for not seeing me some nights during the week!

 

If you travel a lot, I highly recommend picking your airline, hotel and car and sticking with them.  Load up on the rewards!

 

Please don't take this as a snobby post, yall know I'm not like that.  It's just what I do for work.  It's how it is.  If you have ever traveled a lot (like 60+ airline segments a year, every year), you know exactly what I'm talking about!

Wedding Wednesday - Cocktail Napkins

Let's chat cocktail napkins my friends!

 

Yes I already have our cocktail napkins for the wedding.  I had a few requirements for our napkins:

 

1.  Classic and timeless.  Nothing that I'd look back on and think what in the world?!

 

2.  No date on them.  We'll be able to use the extras in our home forever and ever. 

 

3.  No colors, just ecru with a gold letter.  (not the below embossed but they are pretty too!)

 

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So where did I find them?  Well I did a ton of research and kept finding that they were $0.33 each.  For 1,000 napkins, that adds up!  I finally found this place and we got them for $0.16 each.  Hello savings!  I recommend if you're looking for cocktail napkins for any event!  They came really quickly and are good quality!

Two Questions Answered

From my post last week, I figured it'd be perfect to answer two questions at a time!

 

First question from Dee - do you and kevin plan on getting a dog once in your new house?

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YES we do but probably not until after we are married because we're in a million directions and I'm not technically living at the house yet!  This is the scoop on how badly we want a pups: 

 

1.  The way Kevin told me we got the house was he nonchalantly said, "we can get a dog now" as we were driving over to Target one night and I was calling my bossman.  I was like WHAT!!!!!  Why didn't you tell me sooner!!!!!!!  Mind you, he had just found out 5 minutes before but I wanted to know that instant.  Instead, in true Kevin fashion, he had to come up with a crazy way to tell me.  And it was with our future pup. 

 

2.  We also named our dog that same night we found out we got the house.  Well all along we were going to name him Gills but we have now changed it to Mills.  His official name will be Miller but we'll call him Mills.  Is it normal to name your dog prior to even finding him?!  Ha!

 

Second question from April - Who is one blogger you haven't met yet that you'd love to sit down with for coffee?

 

Gosh this is a fun question because I've been so fortunate to meet SO many bloggers.  I don't think I can pick one April, is that okay?!  I'd love to meet EAS from Let the Tide Pull Your Dreams Ashore - she is from Maryland too and we're both engaged so I think we'd have fun chatting.  I'd love to meet Skinny Runner but I'd be so intimidated and jealous of her running it'd be ridiculous!  I think Megan from Fried Green Pickles and I would have a fun time chatting all wedding all the time!  And I'd love to meet Jess from Just Rainbows and Butterflies and Emily from All You Need Is Love - both super sweet gals who have read my blog for awhile and I've read theirs!

 

 

In the comments - leave a note of one blogger that you'd love to meet and why!

 

Anna Kate's Weekend In Charlotte

What a wonderful weekend we had with my niece, Anna Kate!  I met my SIL halfway and picked her up around 1:30 on Friday.  We went to Kevin's office first!  She had to see him and help him work!

 

We had a special appointment to go to Sky High - a place filled with only trampolines and a couple foam pits.  It was so fun!

 

Kevin took us to dinner at Liberty for some soft pretzels! 

 

Then of course a trip to Target was in order.  Anna Kate loves two things - Target and the Mall.  She asked me multiple times all weekend if we could go to both again and again and again.  A lil lady after my heart!

 

A lil girl overlooking a big city.  She thought we were in a hotel!  She loves to call where we live "a tower."  "I'm going to stay in the tower," she says!  Then she asks if we can go down to Kevin's "room." 

 

The next morning, we went to Kevin's "room" to snuggle, eat breakfast in bed and watch Strawberry Shortcake!  Then she and I rode the train!  That was a big deal!  Not sure she knew what to think with all of the random people!  That lil doggy is her purse, duh!

 

Next stop - Children's Library.  We checked out 5 books and read them all that night before bed!

 

Next stop - Disney on Ice!  Ariel was essential!  She held Ariel the rest of the weekend.  PRIZED possession (as it should have been ha!). 

 

Cotton candy of course...

 

Snow cone in a snow white container - of course!  Auntie will buy her anything!

 

Ready for the show to begin!

 

 

Very exciting!  She sat on my lap the entire show!  I loved every minute of watching her grin ear to ear and clap along with the characters!

 

Next stop - picking Kevin up at the condo and driving over to the Blues, Brews and BBQ festival!  Told yall Ariel went everywhere!

 

She is obsessed with Kevin! 

 

We came back for a lil break at my condo where she ate Ritz Crackers with peanut butter in bed.  She is the Avenue Princess!!!

 

Avenue lobby waterfall is pretty cool!

 

How cute is she on my balcony?!  Eating an entire thing of lifesavers at once that Kevin gave her....oh my...

 

Then we walked over to the 4th Ward Oyster Roast.  We twirled, listened to music and ate saltines!  Ha!

 

 

We had dinner at Alexander Michael's then headed home!

 

Reading in bed time!

 

Next morning - cooking Kevin breakfast!  She cracked every egg herself!

 

Then she helped me pack some boxes.  She wrote everything that was in this box on the outside.  Very helpful!

 

Then it was time to go meet her Daddy halfway!  I was so sad for her to go.  We miss her so much already!

 

I have a new appreciation for mothers, for sure!  It's 24/7 like my friend Ashley says!  Even when I was asleep, I wasn't really asleep, I was worried about if she was awake or needed anything.  My SIL taught me all kinds of things like to stick a lil index card in her pocket with important phone numbers in case she got lost.  I kept one in her pocket the whole time even though she was attached to my hip every second.

 

We had so.much.fun and I can't wait for her to come back again soon!  Thank you to her Mama and Daddy for sharing her all weekend!