130 Days

That's the number of days until I transform from a Miss to a Mrs.  130 days until I marry the love of my life in front of all our friends and family.  130 days until I put on that beautiful white dress and spend hours in hair and make up like some kind of movie star getting ready for the Oscars.  130 days until what I expect to be one of the best days of my life.  130 days until the biggest party of my life with all the people I love the most-heyyyyo! 130 days until we have our first dance as husband and wife. 130 days until I have a presumably emotional father/daughter dance. 130 days and I am starting to panic.  

I should clarify, I am panicking from a planning stand point.  Everyone tells you that when you plan a wedding; there is a lot to do in the beginning, a lull in the middle, and a lot to do closer to the time.  Well my friends, I am starting to come out of the lull and right back into full planning mode.  There is so much to do still and every time I talk to my mom, we panic a little.  We need to take a deep breath and realize that everything will get done. As I am ready for the day to get here, I'm not at the same time.  So for my own sanity and because I love writing lists, here is a list of what we still need to do.
Wedding To-Do List
-finish registering
-pick out tuxes
-book honeymoon (yay!)
-finalize rehearsal dinner (hello Scotty's!)
-finalize flower arrangements
-hair/make up trial (so excited for this)
-purchase groom's wedding band (yeah mine was purchase a month ago)
-figure out what I am going to give my wonderful bridesmaids 
-pick out my wedding jewelry
-order invitations
-book transportation for the bridal party (heyyyy party bus)
-food/cake tasting; finalize the menu
-finish wedding website
I'm sure there are things that I'm forgetting, so please let me know if you think of something! Why didn't we just do a destination wedding!?! Just kidding! :)  

Bridesmaids and Friendship

In honor of our Friendship Valentine's Day Party at school on Friday, I thought I would give a well deserved shout out to my bridesmaids and my best friends.  I am blessed with 8 bridesmaids that I have been so fortunate to have in my life for many years, so here we go (in order of how long I've known them-ha!):

Aly-ahh my sister, my partner in crime (especially when we would throw wild parties when mom and dad went out of town), the person I can have the most horrible screaming matches with but at the same time, would be lost without.  We've definitely had our ups and downs but I trust you with my life and know that you always have my back. I am in awe of the woman you have become but you will forever be my little sister. I love you dearly.

                                                              

Jenn- friends since 5th grade, going on 19 years [gasp].  I am so blessed to have met you in Mr. Alka's 5th grade class.  We have had some wild times, fabulous Halloween costumes, countless inside jokes, classic photo ops, the list goes on and on. I could write a novel about all the amazing memories I have with you but I'd rather cherish them instead.  You have been there for me in my toughest times and are part of some of my best memories.  You are my thithter for life!

                                

Jess-ok, first of all there are way better pictures of us, but this one makes me laugh and have vivid memories every. single. time.  I can't remember if we became friends in 7th or 8th grade. Does that make me old?  Anyway, some of my best memories involve you.  Our Spring Break in Vegas is one of my favorite trips to date.  Who knew two girls could cause so much trouble at the MGM Grand and I still don't know how we made it back to our room through that crazy casino every night.  Maybe I shouldn't admit that online.  Regardless of when we met, we've been friends for a very long time and I am still bitter that you didn't come to IU with me as my roommate but I'll get over it one day! ;)  Even though we went to separate schools, we have remained very close.  I was so honored to stand up with you on your wedding day and I am so glad that you will be with me on mine.  I can't wait for you to live closer.  I miss having you as a "neighbor"!!

                                         

Meghan-I am thinking we became friends Freshman Year- lunch with Jess, Michelle, and Kelly??  Who the heck knows.  All I know is that we have a tendency to be innocent double trouble from time to time and most of the stuff I want to write about isn't appropriate for two elementary teachers! ;) We have remained friends through 4 years of going to different colleges and I am so lucky that I get to see one of my best friends every day at work.  I don't know how I would get through some of my days without you listening to me vent and being one of the most supportive people I know.  Not only to me, but to your students and everyone around you.  That's why you were teacher of the year! ;)

                                              

                                   

Jourdan-I don't even know where to start.  We had some great times in high school but memories from IU, life after IU, and being roommates definitely trump all of that.  First of all, I couldn't have asked for a better roommate.  Being 22, fresh out of college, and buying my first house was a little scary but the fun we had in that 1 short year we lived together are some of the best times of my life thus far.  In my opinion, we have had more fun together in the last 10/11 years then some people have in a lifetime.  As with all my bridesmaids, you have been there through great times and hard but I know I can always count on you.  You have given me some of the best advice, especially when it comes to relationships and I will be forever grateful for that.  You are one of the kindest people I know and a role model when it comes to being a wife and a mother. I am so lucky to call you one of my best friends.

Sarah-do you know how hard it was to find a picture of just the two of us where we don't look like we've had way too much fun, if you know what I mean!? What does that say about us!?  It says that we are a darn good time and have way too much fun when we are together, especially in Bloomington and also our most recent trip to Nashville! ;) I am so glad that you didn't stay in Boston long and that we were able to pick up right where we left off when you moved back to Indy.  I have so much fun with you and you are one of the sweetest, smartest, funniest girls I know.  I am so thankful to have you as one of my best friends.

                                                   

Traci-Can I just copy and paste my maid of honor speech because we all know I'm not going to be able to talk about how much you mean to me without breaking down and crying hysterically.  Deep breath, here we go.  My freshman year, four years of college, would not have been nearly as memorable if it wasn't for you.  I am so glad that you stalked me that first week of college because you quickly became a lifelong friend.  We are sisters, heck we are twins [insert AXiD shout out here]. You leaving me for grad school in Minnesooooota was not my favorite choice of yours, but even with the distance, you remained one of my dearest friends.  Notice I'm not even going to talk about all of the amazing times we had in the dorms, the villas,  on 3 Spring Break trips, hanging with "our boys" (so possessive), watching the notebook together on Valentine's Day, rolling around the formal living room and eating Aver's, being asked to leave various establishments in Broadripple etc. etc. etc.  See what I did there? ;)  We are so fun and I am eternally grateful to have you in my life.  Oh and not to mention that if it wasn't for you and Seth, I wouldn't have met my future husband, crying during a bar crawl, I mean at your wedding.  No big deal!

                                             

Jes(s)- Last but certainly not least.  I have known you the shortest amount of time 9/10 years -ish but I feel like I have known you all my life.  You are my other half (aside from Jeremy of course-whoops!), the Ethel to my Lucy, my roommate during the Summer of Love, even though my parents didn't understand why you always spent the night (this is starting to sound really bad), one half of the 96th/Lantern dining room dream team, and you will forever be my moo.  I could write a book about our fun times, shared love of  Zoey,   Blake, cows, all things haunted, and all the shenanigans we have had but no one would think it was funny or interesting but us. STORY OF OUR LIVES.  We share one mind and even though we "broke up" (sorry, I had to), we are closer than ever.  I am so glad that I transferred to 96th and Lantern, who knew I would have met one of the best friends a girl could ask for.

This blog post has taken more time than anything I have ever written but I think it's my best post to date.  I am so grateful for all of these amazing women that will be standing with me on my special day.  I love you all so much.  I cherish the memories that we have and I look forward to the ones to come.  You all mean the world to me!

Winter Blues

This is IU, my alma mater, and a much prettier picture than my backyard.

One thing I love about living in the Midwest is the the change in seasons.  I am usually not one to even complain about cold, dreary winters.  This year is different.  Don't get me wrong, I love snow.  I love the way it looks, I love the crisp fresh air that comes along with it, I love the occasional 2 hour delay, I love one or two snow days, and I love watching my pup frolic through it.  But mother nature, enough is enough.  I have had it.  With each passing week, we get more snow or subzero temperatures and I'm done.  

For starters, we had an extra week of Winter Break which sounded nice at the time but since December, we have had countless delays and snow days and I am dying to have my routine back.  As a third grade teacher, I know the importance of routine, both for my kiddies and myself.  I don't know what it's like to work a "normal/full week" and I am hating it.  All you non-teachers out there can roll your eyes and make comments about how easy I have it, but until you teach a classroom full of 28 kids, you can't even begin to relate to what I'm talking about.

There are two main reasons why I am stressing about this excessive amount of 2-hour delays/snow days.
1. I teach 3rd grade in Indiana aka the year of the standardized tests.  We have both IREAD and ISTEP coming up and I need full days to help my kids prepare! If you are unfamiliar with these tests, they are high-stakes and unfortunately part of my teacher eval/pay can be affected by the performance of my students. NO PRESSURE.

2. As if you didn't already know, I'm getting married in JUNE.  You would think picking the third weekend in June would give you a nice cushion of time between the end of the school year and your wedding to finalize details, relax, and work on your tan.  Well the polar vortex has up and ruined that plan for me.  For now, we are only going into the 1st week of June with our make up days but it's only February and in Indiana, snow into April is possible.  

I guess I just need to take a deep breath and "cross that bridge when I come to it."  Easier said than done.  And yes, as I type this, I am at home and we had another snow day.  Sigh.