Exhausted.

As predicted, we had such a great (but busy!) weekend.

Our shower on Saturday was fabulous, and we really got some great gifts. We have pretty much everything we need now, and are really excited to get everything organized so we can start using it! Some highlights:

• We got TONS of baking stuff this weekend! Everything from rolling pins to sprinkles to cookie cutters to cupcake carriers -- it's AWESOME!
• We have almost all of our dishes now (short 1 set) and we have all our everyday silverware :)
• We got all of our towels and a shower curtain, which looks lovely with our freshly painted guest bath!
• Pots and pans! (You don't want to know how we've been improvising...)
• A party pack, complete with cooler and tiki torches!
• A crockpot!
• A new tv!!!

Yesterday, Tom and my brother-in-law finished up the painting in our dining room and bathroom, so once we get all our new stuff washed and put away, those rooms and the kitchen should be almost done! :)

I can't believe we have less than 6 weeks to go!!! Stay tuned tomorrow to see how well I did on our checklist!

I Live for Weekends.

Words cannot express how glad I am that today is Friday. This week has just been tedious, filled with many menial tasks.

But tonight, things are a-changing. We're having some friends over for dinner, which is exciting, because we haven't really had anyone besides our families over to our house yet. Then, we're all going out to see the new Transformers movie (that part I'm NOT looking forward to). Tom and I haven't been to the movies in such a long time -- I'm glad we're going, even though I don't approve of the choice! :)

Tomorrow is our 2nd wedding shower! Yay! Tom's parents are hosting his family, his friends, and their friends. I'm really looking forward to it :)

And, on Sunday, Tom and I will be painting our dining room. Again. For the 3rd time. 1st time: wrong color. (oops.) 2nd time: spotty. 3rd time: new (expensive) brushes, new (expensive) rollers = hopefully success. I'm seriously getting tired of our furniture, as well as all the dog stuff crammed into our already packed-with-wedding-stuff living room.

Yay for weekends! :)

What a Weekend!

With just under 50 days to go until the wedding, we're racing against the clock to make sure that all the details are getting ironed out. This weekend, we knocked out some really big things. First, I had my dress fitting. I approached this with some apprehension, as there was a little concern about my dress actually fitting. And, in a moment of excitement, tugging, pulling, and some oxygen loss, it fit! There's certainly more work to be done, but this is a HUGE thing we don't have to worry about now.

After my fitting, my mother accompanied me to Maggiano's, where we met with our event manager and finalized the menu, timing, and room layout. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times --- book vendors you feel comfortable with. I am SO pleased with Maggiano's right now. Beyond the food being fabulous, the service is just impeccable. They're so flexible and let us completely customize how the event will flow, rather than just following the typical schedule. They're even going to have waiters walking around passing drinks as people come in, rather than have people wait in line at the bar! We don't even have to pay extra for that, which is a rarity in the wedding planning world. Fresh flower centerpieces and exquisite linens are all included -- and surprisingly, they live up to my standards. Love, I tell ya. I just plain love this place.

I am feeling so much better about everything now. I feel like everything that's left undone is simply small details. If they happen, they happen. If they don't, it won't change our day.

Oh, and since writing the ceremony the other day, I read it daily. I am IN LOVE with it. It's so sweet, simple and honest. I can't imagine having anything else right now!

I know I'm rambling, but I just feel like I'm on cloud 9 right now. Everything is coming together in the most perfect of ways -- this day is simply about celebrating Tom and I, and I am so pleased that it truly reflects us as a couple.

Looking Ahead to the Weekend...

Tom and I have a fantastic, albeit busy, weekend ahead. In reality, that's how the next few weekends are looking. I can't complain, though. I like being busy :)

On Saturday, I'm taking my goddaughter out on a "date." For her birthday/Christmas gift, I purchased a subscription to a local children's theater. I bought her the book that this play is based off of, If You Take a Mouse to School. I thought it was appropriate, given that she started Kindergarten. I'm really excited about our December show, Hansel & Gretel. I've also signed us up for a Gingerbread House making class!! :)

Later that night, I'll be accompanying my mother to wedding since my dad can't make it. I'm mainly going to take notes, checkout the florist & bakery, and get a free meal. :)

Sunday morning, Tom and I are volunteering at the Chicago Marathon. A coworker of mine was involved with the staffing of the aid stations, so Tom and I decided it would be a fun opportunity to be a part of it. We'll be either handing out water or bananas at Aid Station 19. :)

Sunday afternoon, we're hoping to catch a quick nap. We're leaving for the race at 6 am, and hope to be back by 1. After that, we have to cleanup and get ready to take family pictures. These should be quite interesting, as we now have 3 little ones to attempt to get to smile at once. It'll be fun to see how they all turn out! :)