A little bit of stress

So, I have a little bit of wedding stress!  Nothing too crazy mind you...but there are a few things that I feel like I just need to get taken care of!

1.  My Invitations- I'm not really stressed about them since I am now done with them.  I just need to get a good coupon and I will order them!  So- no stress, it's just always there!
2.  Getting the Save the Dates out- after school I'm going to get stamps.  All of my people have address', but Curt's people do not.  So, that is a little nerve wracking, but it's not a huge source of stress for me.

Okay, so before you get bored with the post and me writing- it's not too big a stress...I will just jump to the part that is causing me to stress!

1.  The bouquets- I'm nervous that they aren't going to be as easy as I think they will be.  I need to do some major prep work for this and I have not done so!  I need to figure out what flowers we will be using.  How many of them we will be using.  And what we need for each flower.  With 7 bridesmaids, 1 tossing bouquet, and my bouquet...it's just a lot!  Do flower girls get a bouquet?  I feel like my niece Abby would want one, because that is just how amazing she is!  I will have to wait and see on that!

2.  The centerpieces.  I really want to have the final product done and ready to go!  But I can't make a decision on them!  I mean, what is in the bottom of the vase?  Christmas bulbs?  Flowers?  twinkle lights?  I dont' know!  So, here is what I'm doing with that.  Over the holiday's I will try to finalize what each centerpiece looks like.

I guess my real issue is this "Not Knowing"!  I mean, I can say here is what I want!  And trying to figure that out does not stress me out.  However, but not knowing what I want or what I'm trying to figure out is very stressful for me!

I have 3 weeks where I have nothing to do!  One week, where I'm being grounded to not do anything.  So, this week, I can think!  I need to bring a needle to school to work on flowers.  I feel like if we go with the bigger ones, we will need fewer of them!  So that is a plus!  I just need to know which ones I want to do.  Which ones will be easy to do.  You know...blah blah blah!

Then maybe over Thanksgiving, I can mess around with the centerpieces.  Maybe my folks can help me take a look at them and see what they think!  Then we can get that settled and I will feel much more relaxed going into month 4!  Yikes!  December will mark the 4 month point!  That is nuts!

I have a show starting in December and then one in January.  So, I would like to feel nice and calm and prepared about all of this stuff before my busy season hits again!

So, let's go over what we are doing.
Nov.17-21- Work on flowers at school and get save the dates out...then do nothing at night.
Nov. 22-23- Relax and do the stuff you have planned!  It's a busy weekend, try to take it easy!
Nov. 24-25- Hopefully finalize flowers and maybe have a bouquet or 2 done (tossing and flower girl)
Nov. 25-26- Thanksgiving with the Alderman's
Nov. 27- Thanksgiving with the Arnott's
Nov. 28-30- Look at Centerpieces and try to finalize them and then relax
Dec. 1-4- Work on Christmas Play, Relax, and get ready for a show to begin
Dec. 5-6- Auditions and Callbacks
Dec. 7- Relax
Dec. 8-12- Christmas Musical, Cinderella, 4 months until the wedding, finish my bouquet, auditions for Aladdin
Dec. 13-14- Christmas Musical
Dec. 15-19- Cinderella, Last days of school
Dec. 20-21- White Christmas Party and Relax
Dec. 22-24- Christmas with the Aldermans
Dec. 24-25- Christmas with the Arnott's
Dec. 26- Relax- Nicole turns 21
Dec. 27- Make bouquets, make wrist corsages?, Bachelorette Party
Dec. 28- Chiefs Game and Into the Woods (I hope Curt doesn't read this)
Dec. 29-Jan 1- Relax and hang with the family and have an invitation stuffing party

Okay, I guess that is everything that I need to write.  I could keep going to months and probably years!  Ha ha ha...oh well!  And Pastor said I don't seem like a Type A person!  Ha ha ha!  Have a wonderful day everyone!  Happy Monday!

Ceremony Decorations

So, I'm starting to try to put the small stuff together.  What decorations will be where?  I'm working on the Ceremony location and whenever I try to look up ideas...the most eloborate ideas come up.  Yes, would I like to have fabric covering the walls and uplights everywhere?  Yes, I would.  But that is not in my budget.

I want to see some normal decorations as well.  Something that will fit into a normal person's budget!  My church is not very church like.  Originally it was supposed to be a "gym" like place...I'm not sure if that is still the plan.  Then the church was going to be built afterwards.  And maybe it still will be...but I don't know.  So, there are some basketball lines, blue carpet on the stage, their used to be pretty fabric in the windows but them someone didn't like it?!?!  I"m not sure, so now it looks like there is cardboard stuck in the window's.

I know that I will be using 2 candleobera's for the wedding.  They are brass..but maybe we can wrap them with tulle and make them not so brassy.  They will be in the 2 openings on either side of the main stage.  There will be a cross somewhere on the stage.  But that is it!

I'm at a total loss and once again the internet has a big budget that I don't have.  My church does not have all that many weddings so there aren't any pictures to help say "You could do this look" or "Here do you like this look?"  We don't really have a theme "rustic vintage" or shabby chic...it's more...DIY/have fun theme!  So, that doesn't help me all that much.

They asked about a runner...I said no.  What if I trip or something.  I was thinking a wall of twinkle lights behind the pulpit.  Or maybe some lanterns with lights in them.  Once again, nothing is hitting the spot.  I kind of want to take over the wedding thing at my church.  It wasn't presented in a very good way.  And when I asked about decor...I was told, "We don't take care of our stuff very well.  If you find something you want to use, we can put it aside for you".  Um, what?  But I want to get what I want down so that if I need to purchase anything, I can do a black Friday or a day after christmas type of shopping event and get it all taken care of!

Here is what I know:
I feel like the stage is plain.
I want something to swag down the center isle so people can't go into the center isle.
Do we put something on the floor or the rows?
I would like to try to make a paper pom pom thing.

I guess that is a good start.  I have a few weeks before the black friday shopping and 40-some days until the Christmas shopping.  I will hopefully have it nailed down from there.

5 months today!

It's official- 5 months from today I will be getting ready for my wedding!  It's been a rough couple of weeks with the passing of my Grandmother, Bronchitis, and then walking pneumonia.  I have not gotten all that much done!

But I'm okay with that, because I have 5 more months until things have to be ready to go!  And since I have had pneumonia for the past few days...I have realized that things will get done no matter what.  And if they don't get done...that it's okay.  Because at the end of the day, I will still be married!  No stress for this girl.  I don't have the time nor the energy to stress.  So, I'm trying to do a stress free approach to life right now!

In these last 5 months I'm looking forward to a few things...

1.  Getting my dress to fit perfectly (I should look into lifting weights...ha ha ha).
2.  Designing a cake!
3.  Designing the Signature Cocktail!
4.  Finalizing the menu
5.  Just doing all of the little things or personal touches that I want to make!

So, that is all for today!  I'm as calm as a cucumber?  I think it's supposed to be cool as a cucumber.  Ha ha ha!  Oh well!  Have a very happy day and I will hopefully be making some fabric circles later on this week!

A rough to-do list

So, yesterday was a rough day for me!  Not feeling well at all...having a runny nose, a pounding head from pressure (not pain)...and some extra stress was not fun!

But today is a better day!  I woke up and got ready on time.  In fact I was even early today!  Yahoo!  My lunch was already made from last night.  And today was treat day...so I didn't have to worry about that!  I did take some night time meds last night, so I feel like I could fall asleep if I closed my eyes.  But that is okay!

I'm going to write out a To-Do list, because I kind of need one...and well, I just love them!

1.  Finish Royals Craft
2.  Finish Christmas Craft
3.  Buy Chandler Dog Food (this should be done first)
4. Do a full set up for the Jamberry Event
5.  Get a few more things for the event
6.  Do a load of laundry
7.  Vacuum
8.  Sleep
9.  Work the wedding centerpieces.

Okay, that is all for now.  I for real could crawl under my desk and sleep!  Oh man...I should have gotten coffee today!  Happy Thursday folks!

Oh stress...there you are!

This morning, I w as thinking something (shocking...I know!) and my thought process went like this:
1.  I can't believe this is happening
2.  I'm so (insert emotion)
3.  I should totally blog about that today.

Ha ha ha!  How awesome is that?  My fiance said something last night that made me laugh...but then me trying to think back to this morning really bring this phrase to a different light.  He said "Amy, don't leave me yet".  He was talking about my mind.  Ha ha ha...he might be on to something.  You know that I"m going to be almost asleep when I will think about what it is that I can't think about right now!  So buggy!

I have a little stressed today.  It's not anything super crazy, but when everything combines...it becomes a lot!

I have my first Jamberry Event on Saturday.  I have not ever done one and am very nervous about it.  I want to have all of the right stuff and make sure it flows and that I get some parties...or that I get some recruits...but I'm not too worried about that now!  I'm just nervous!  So, that is a big stress thing.

Next week is show week for Gardner!  I'm so excited, but having to be there every night until late is a bit stressful!  Plus the show itself is not the most entertaining...so that is rough as well!  I am just ready to be show free for a few weeks!

The wedding stuff is always there.  The weird thing is, is that it's not stressful, but it is...  Having to make so many decisions...or not knowing exactly what you, causing the decision making process to grind to a hault...well you get the picture!  I just need to figure out what I want, to push ahead and get done what I want...and then we will call it a day!

So, I was more stressed this morning, but I was also the step in sub nurse.  It was just a lot, coupled with not feeling well!  Oh dear!  I'm a hot mess!

Oh well, School is almost out and I'm ready to go!  Peace out folks!

Almost 5 months...I"m sorry what?

A week from today will be 5 months!

Guys 5 months is real!  I mean, I thought 6 months was going to make it real...but that still sounds so far away!  But 5 months...and those 5 months are some of the busiest months of my year!  It's going to fly!  I mean take a look at this:

Month 5- Thanksgiving
Month 4- Christmas
Month 3- January- Holiday's and snow days
Month 2- A show, parent/teacher conferences, holidays and it's just a short month!
Month 1- Curt's Birthday, a show, my birthday, spring break, my last week at Ford
The wedding!

This weekend, I went and got some eiffle tower vases for the tree's!  Maybe this coming Sunday I will get a chance to try it out!  Tree, spray paint, glittler, and crystals!  Fingers crossed!

This weekend I am kick starting my Jamberry career back off!  I have a Craft Event on Saturday from 9-3 and then a party that night!  Bam...let's start November off with a bang!  Then I have another party in the works...and an event in December!  So pumped!

For now, it's back to work to get all of the stuff done that I need to get done so that I can relax and work on wedding stuff whenever I want too!  Short one today...peace out folks!

A few things that I learned from my Grandmother!

My Grandmother passed away last week.  It's been such a weird time.  I am emotional, but not in the way that people expect me to be...or maybe it's the exact way that I myself am supposed to be!  Who knows...but I wanted to write about what I learned from my Grandmother.  She was such an interesting woman.  She wasn't the typical making cookies Grandma, but I learned a lot of life lessons from her...without her (or really even myself) knowing it!

1.  Makeup is not scary!
My Grandmother sold Mary Kay for forever!  She even had a car!  I remember one year going with them to see the car at the dealership.  Why we all went...I don't know.  But it's something that I remember.  We have been allowed to wear makeup our whole lives.  If we asked to put some on, my mom would.  It was never...when you are older.  Or any of that nonsense.  So, when it came time that we have our own makeup, it wasn't a huge deal.  There was never a "hooker look" that happens, when kids don't know how to apply makeup or when they go nuts because they aren't allowed to wear it.  It was always there.  Makeup really does make people look better (my opinion and I don't want yours unless it agree's with mine.  Thanks)

2.  That your Significant Other should come first!
In a healthy relationship, I truly believe that your spouse should come first!  It makes for a united front for the kids.  It also shows true love!  My Grandfather would have done anything for my Grandmother.  My dad would do anything for my mom!  Growing up we knew that there was no playing one parent against the other.  There was no Daddy's Girl or Mama's Girl!  We were their girls!  If you have that attitude, then your kids will feel the love trickling down on them!  For the record, family was a very close second!

3.  That if you give your opinion you might not be popular!
My Grandmother gave her opinion!  You might not like it, it might not be what you want to hear...but it was exactly what she thought.  Now, she wouldn't just go up and say "I Don't like your shoes!", but if you said "Do you like my shoes?"  and she didn't like them...she would say No, I don't!  On the flip side, when she thought you did a great job, she told you!  There were no fake compliments, what she said positive or negative...was what she thought!  This is a hard thing to balance and she wasn't perfect at it...but she was always true to herself!

4.  Be able to make fun of yourself!
My Grandmother had a great sense of humor.  I wish I had been older, when she was younger.  She would tell stories, the adults in my family would play games and just laugh.  After my Grandfather passed away, Grandmother did some theatre stuff, including being a stand up comic.  She would tell blonde jokes, which is what she was...and it was funny!  I think a sense of humor is something she passed along (both her and my Grandfather).

5.  How to eat a chip!
My Grandmother was so proper!  You could tell by her fancy clothes and jewelry!  Her hair was always done...she was just a royal figure living in Kansas!  One day my sisters and I were eating chips.  We were grabbing a handful and stuffing them into our mouths like kids do (and sometimes adults) as if at any time, someone was going to come and take the bag away.  Grandmother came up and said "Girls, that is not the proper way to eat chips.  You must break the chip in half and place it on your tongue."  We did it, for her...but then laughed and laughed about it later.  In fact, it's one of the stories I tell when people ask why we call her Grandmother.

6.  Always wake kids up with a song!
My Grandmother always woke us up with the song "Good Morning" from Singing in the Rain.  When we were older there was another song that got played...but it was weird!  "Oh no, you're asleep again"...ha ha ha!  It might be annoying to your kids at that time...but it's something that they will want to do with their kids and it's a story that they will tell for years and years to come!  It might even be one of the greatest memories that they have of you!  Why?  Because my Grandmother took the time to come in and sing us awake.  She didn't let us sleep the day away, but she didn't yell at us to wake up either!  You might not always have the time...nor the desire to do this...and maybe it will only be done with Grandkids...but you should still try to do it!

7.  It's never to late to say I love you!
We knew growing up my Grandmother loved us.  We would all hug goodbye when we left.  We might even say a general, I love you to the whole group as we were piling in the car.  But there weren't very many I love you, Amy's or I love you, Grandmother's.  My parents did that with us, and we do that with my sister's kids...and it's amazing!  When my Grandmother started to get sick, she started to say personal I love you's!  I remember one time I was helping her get into bed and she hugged me extra long and said I love you, Amy!  No one cares when you say it...as long as it's coming from the heart!  It was to me and it's only mine and I love that moment!  It's one that I had forgotten about until about 2 min ago...but now that it's there...it will stay!  Tell people, that you love them often!  But if it's been a while...or you are scared...suck it up, buttercup!  Just say it and start something new!

8.  Do not give up!
My Grandmother and Grandfather were soul mates.  When my Grandfather passed, I think my Grandmother was a little lost at first.  But she didn't give up!  She kept living!  She started doing the theatre stuff, she met Capt. John, she went on cruises and vacations, even after Capt. John passed, she went on!  She is a survivor who does not give up easily!  Was she always happy?  No, but there were moments of happiness!  There were moments that I would not give up for anything these past few years.  Making my Grandmother laugh, telling her I love you, all of these little things that might not have ever happened had she given up on life after my Grandfather passed.

Am I sad that my Grandmother has passed away?  Yes, but I'm way more happy that she is now back with my Grandfather.  Looking as proper as ever!  Wearing a most fabulous outfit with the most perfectly matching jewelry!  Dancing away to their favorite tune and watching as the family passes on story after story, Memory after memory...sharing what we have learned from them on to everyone and anyone who will listen!