Piles of Boxes Mean Only One Thing

MOVING DAY IS COMING SOON!!

That's right my friends!! One week today and I will be moved into Tom's parents house!! What excitement!! So much to do between now and then! I really haven't done enough packing or anything so I must get my but moving sometime this week....hopefully! So much to do not related to moving too!! Work, life, wedding!!
That's life! When will it be May 21, 2011??

Almost another fail!!

I almost made it through another week with no post! But working today has given me time to write a post!! HAHA!!

So next Saturday is craft day. Before work tonight I thought i would get a good chunk of the printing for our invitations done!  So about half way through the one page I look over, and for some reason it printed just half the page and then spit it out...ok weird!!  Then I look back and it all of a sudden started printing in red ink. It is supposed to be black! I have set it to print ONLY black ink....what is happening! After many attempts to restart and try again I have gave up for today!! Monday I will be back at it!!

That and changing my address!! I tried online but it doesn't let me use the number from my birth certificate for some reason. So I am going to have to go in. Darn government!!! BOO! Then I'll have to change it all again in 6 months anyways!! BOOOOOOO what fun!!!

Registering!!

This Monday, Tom and I spent a good 3-4 hours registering.  Over the past few months I have been creating a list of things we should register for. I have looked at what I have and will still keep (ie/ I bought and it is in good shape and not a hand-me-down) and decided what needed to be replaced.  My plan was that the more organized I was before hand the less painful it would be for both of us during the whole registering process.  It did cause some struggles beforehand but I know that Tom appreciated it when we hit the store.

I had my list organized according to room in a hypothetical house that we may or may not buy one day (we will).  While the store didn't necessarily line up with my order (how RUDE) I know that it helped us in not getting to excited and zapping everything with the gun!  We started at the Bay and did well I think.  We found a lot of what we were looking for and that was exciting.  After the Bay we hit up Sears hoping to be able to finish off the list....but we were in for a surprise! Sears was anything but useful as far as registering went.  We were so desperate to find stuff and it just didnt work. So we left with only a few things zapped.  Last night I went to Home Outfitters and happily found everything we had on our list at Sears plus things we were missing from either store. So we will be hitting the registering road once again this Friday at Home Outfitters. What fun!! I know we will likely be going in to add stuff to the lists over the next 6  months but its nice to have the big registering time out of the way -  or to know we will come Friday night.

Other than that life is good! My apartment is being shown a lot lately which makes me excited! Moving in a month!!!

Never Alone

One day while walking home from university, I remember thinking about Mary and what life must have been like for her.  A young, unmarried pregnant woman in a time when that would mean a stoning.  This led me to thoughts about what it must like to be pregnant. What it would feel like to have another human being, formed in you and growing in you.  Something that struck me for some reason was that you would never feel alone.  At least that is what I think. It would be a constant reminder of God's love, His presence.

I was reminded of this thought today while driving home from a meeting with colleagues.  Watching the fall colours pass by made me think of life.  I thought about what life will be like when I get married. For some reason what hit me was eating breakfast and lunch (assuming there is time) the day of the wedding and how they would be my last meals `alone.`   I thought about how from that day on, I would always have Tom.  It`s weird to think about. Not that I am alone now because I have my family and friends but it will be in a different way.    I have started reading The Good News about Sex and Marriage, by Christopher West. Last year some friends and I started a book club to read, Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II. It was the toughest thing ever! So now my plan is to read books about his book in hopes of one day reading Theology of the Body and being able to understand it 100% (here's hoping)!   One of the things that JPII talks about is how married couples through their sexuality are invited to participate in creation with God.  I only just started The Good News about sex and Marriage but it reminded me of that from JPII.  How exciting is that?  God not only created us out of love, but in His great love has chosen us to be creators with Him out of our love??  It is something that I am sure cannot be explained with words.  Through this creation comes new life. All leading to never being alone!!  A feeling of complete belong. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine.

Maybe I over think things but there are so many little things I look forward to about being married!  So many!! It will be a fun adventure - one that is just 215 days away!

Thirty Day Shred: Round 2 - Failure is not an option!!

So after failing miserably at my first attempt, I am starting today again with the 30 Day Shred. I started back at the beginning.  So Level 1 again today! It killed me just like last time. I thought it would be much easier because I had done it before but not doing any form of workout for 2+ weeks killed me!  But here we are once again doing it.  It will happen! Tom is doing the P90x workout so my motivation is to do the 30 day challenge in the next 30 days so that when I move into his parents place I can maybe start P90X (or at least parts of it).  So that is the plan!! I just want to tone up - as I said before. I really don't want or need (I think) to lose weight. Just overall toning will be good!

I put the Save the Dates in the mail yesterday! Time to begin the confusion of everyone!! Yeah! "It didn't say where the wedding was!" "How do we RSVP?" oh what fun!

One a week=fail!

So I failed at writing last week! Oops! But I have had a few weeks lately with more than one post so it's just fine!!

It was just Thanksgiving weekend and it was great to be able to spend time with the people I am most thankful for in my life.  It seems like we very rarely get to be all together because of where we all live and our crazy schedules. So the fact that all my sisters were able to get together was great! A big blessing!!

So life is good! Busy but good! I am excited about what the future holds. so much will be changing in the next year with getting married, and hopefully starting school again!! But we'll see!! I want it all to happen now!!!

Nothing new has really gone down with the planning.  I have recently decided to include light pink (I think) as a accent with our SANGRIA! Hopefully it works out. We just need SOMETHING!!   Also been thinking about flowers. I know NOTHING about flowers but I know I like peonies!!! If they are cheap I am in! I have a very hard time spending money on things that in the end I wonder if anyone will even notice. My goal is to be not cheap but smart. Spend money on things we will remember and that are important to us. Not on details that we will never look back on and notice. So that is my philosophy that is also applying to flowers. Something nice and simple and smart (read=cheap).

Wedding planning is hard work!

Since getting engaged, 500 million ideas have flashed before my eyes and into my head! There are so many great things that people have done and I want to do them all (well...maybe not all because some are hideous!).   The challenge in idea overload is to sift through and decide what goes together and what represents who we are as a couple and who we are individually.   I have done a pretty good job (I think) of trying to keep everything flowing throughout. One thing I love and regret at the same time is the colour we chose for bridesmaids dresses. Sangria is BEAUTIFUL and I like how it looks on everyone.  But it is IMPOSSIBLE to find anything in sangria. I found ribbon that is close and will do.

So the purpose of this post is that I am currently working on trying to decide whether or not to go with one idea I like or not. It's an out there idea I would say. One that would require time, crafting and maybe some money.  So it is time to see, is this idea something that will be worth it? Will it make me happier than the alternative? Will it end up costing more money?

So off to thinking and researching we go! I'm not going to share my idea because I love it too much! So maybe you will see it before the wedding or maybe at the wedding or maybe not at all!

Labels and Ring!

My return address labels have arrived!!! Yeah!!! The save the dates were waiting for them so they could be sent out. Still waiting on a few addresses from Tom but once that happens we are good to go!! yeah! So excited! We are getting married!! In less than 8 months!!

Yesterday I also got a voice mail message from the jewelery store that one

of my rings was ready to pick up. So in I went hoping it was the engagement ring - and it was! I missed it. But honestly if one more person asked me if I was getting married soon and that was why I

had it rhodium plated I was gonna freak out! It's free people! Who wouldn't want a sparkly ring!! So now we wait on my wedding band. It's getting sized and likely I will get my engagement ring

sized too eventually. The wedding band will be a 6.5 and the engagement ring is a 7. It fits fine and hasn't fallen off so we'll see.

Tom really did a great job picking out the ring. It's simple and elegant - like me!!! hahaa! My camera is not the best but I felt like taking some 'artsy' pics today. In the pic above the green reflection in the diamond is my camera.

This next picture is another attempt at being 'artsy' which I am not but I still like it. The pic in the pic is of Tom and I on what we say was our first date. On June 23rd, 2007 we helped out at the wedding of the daughter of the camp director of the camp we met at. That night was really the night that changed my mind. Up until that night I had been very hesitant about starting a relationship because I was leaving for NET ministries for 10 months. What was the point of starting something. A good friend of ours talked to both of us individually that night and while I don't know what he said to Tom, I know that what he told me greatly influenced the start of our relationship. He helped me to realize that if I didn't open myself up to what could happen, if I didn't tale a chance and see what could be, that I would always wonder what could have been. So here we are now three years later planning our own wedding. I thought the idea behind the picture was good.

A favourite activity of mine is going for walks and stepping on CRUNCHY pine cones!! I love it!! When we worked at the camp, it was prime pine cone crunching location!! So many pine cones! So little time!!! One day after we were engaged (I think) Tom came over after he was working and brought me this pine cone. He had been out on a walk with a young person at work and stepped on pine cones and he brought me one home to step on. Of course I didn't and instead it sits on my tv unit. It's hard to see the ring on the top of the pine cone but it's there. The shine made it too flashy!

All in all, I'm happy.

My DIY Jewelery

So while I won't be posting pics of my dress on here, I will let you in on some sneak peeks of the jewelery I have created to wear on our wedding day.

First is a pair of earrings. This was my first attempt at making earrings ever so I think they turned out well. Really all I did was attach the earring part to the chandelier type thing and add the dangling bead in the middle But it's a DIY nonetheless!!

Here is a picture of the bracelet I made. It was inspired from a bracelet I saw at roots that was strings of black seed beads braided together. I attempted the braiding but it was also a P.I.T.A. so I changed to his idea and I love it!!! I am excited to wear it. I just need to try in on sometime with someone else doing it up because I lack the skills. It may also be a bit small so I might have to re-do it.

So there you have it. A little sneak peek into my wedding attire!

8 Months

So today it is 8 months to our wedding. Today was a good day getting things done...sort of. Last night I got addresses for Tom's family and friends and now have just 12 addresses remaining to get and confirm. So I set out addressing the remaining envelopes for our Save the Dates. As I was stuffing envelopes with our cards for the out of town guests, I realize that I did not put on their save the date, 'Formal invitation to follow.' I am going to confuse so many people maybe?? I hope not. There will be some no doubt who ask about it but whatever they will survive!!

8 months out and today we bought my wedding band! It was a bit more than planned but it's the band that goes with my engagement ring so it seems like a good fit! It's currently getting sized and we should have it next week. I also had gone in to get my engagement ring rhodium plated and found out after that it was going to be 7-10 days. Until I get it back, I'm wearing my $12 ring Tom bought me back when my ring had to be fixed.

Things are going well wedding planning wise. We heard back from the caterer today too!! Which was good! I had been waiting forever for that. It seems like we might be saving a good chunk of money there (compared to what I had put in the budget). So that is a good thing - help us to get back on track!

I realized the other day that I had about 26 DIY projects to do as of one year out and have not completed nearly enough as of late. This means it is also time to get back on track with all the little detail projects that need to be taken care! That is the goal for the next 2 months!! Plus CRAFT DAY is coming up in November!!

It's ok to cry!

If you know me, which I hope you do if you are reading this, then you might wonder why I titled this, 'it's ok to cry!' I have always been a crier. I remember many occasions growing up where I would cry, for one reason or another. I am just in touch with my emotions and not afraid to let some tears flow - like they are now.

You may ask, "Katie, what caused these tears to flow?" To which my answer is, "I have NO FREAKING CLUE!" Just minutes prior to tears flowing down my cheeks, I was searching around my apartment for stamps I bought 6 months ago on sale. I was looking for stamps so that we could hopefully send out our Save the Date cards in the next few days or weeks but cannot for the life of me find them. No doubt I put them somewhere safe - hopefully. So that's fine! I'll survive. Then I try to print more envelopes - and the new printer Tom and I bought for wedding printing activities has been a P.I.T.A.!!! It is constantly smudging when I am printing on the envelopes so I had to not print the return address on them (instead I had to buy some - $5 for 240 aint bad!) So once again, the envelope smudges -just one of three but enough to make me bitter. Bitter because I have already wasted a number of envelopes on this printer and the box of envelopes I bought contained just enough envelopes for our out of town save the date cards!

So conceding defeat on getting any further ahead in the Save the Date department, I sit down and start checking out the many wedding websites I check out and get many ideas from. One contains blog post from a recent bride who is recapping her wedding festivities. While looking at pictures of the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready, and their rehearsal tears begin to fall.

At Pete and Jenn's wedding rehearsal I remember having this weird feeling in my stomach. A feeling that was anxious and nervous - not for them - for me! It is so surreal now realizing that we are next. It's all us. For so long it was them, and then them and us and now....it's just us. I feel pressure that isn't really there. I keep freaking out that there are a million things I need to do and there won't be enough time to do any of it it. Which is crazy because in reality, I am way ahead of the game and have most things planned. So why the stress??? I don't know but stress=tears.

The other night, as Tom was leaving my apartment we ended up standing at my door holding hands and pretending to say vows. As we were doing this, I teared up! Oh man! All I have to say is, Nicole you better have kleenex on you at all times (your dress has pockets for a reason)! Tom the same goes for you! Make-up is getting done professionally so it's waterproof. And expect tears - maybe at the rehearsal, maybe getting ready, maybe during the Mass and maybe during the reception. And at any point in the next 8 months and 4 days!

But tears are good! A nice cleansing! And often happy!

2 down one to go!!

So last night was Pete and Jenn's wedding! It hit be all day long about how we are next! Even though it is just over 8 months away it is crazy!! I am so excited but then I sometimes think - I am not ready for this!! There is still so much stuff we need to do. Some days I feel like we are on track and have everything covered. Other days I feel so behind!!

In so many ways, I want to be married now. But in so many I don't want to be. I want to take my time and enjoy these months of preparation.

That is where I stand - confused about what I feel. I know ultimately what I feel overall - excited, happy and so happy to be marrying Tom - but a lot of mixed emotions about wanting time to go fast but wanting time to go slow

Level 2-30 day shred

GOODNESS ME!! Level 2 killed me! I thought 'I've been doing level 1 for awhile now, not every day but I should be good.' YA RIGHT!! It killed me!!! But it felt good!!!! I sweat soooo much!!!!

Just my little check in. Life is good. Can't complain! Wedding 2/3 for Tom's family a week today!!! Then its a friend of ours and then ours!! yeah!

This weeks adventure

So as time continues to fly by and we are at the 8 month and 3 week mark there is lots to do. I want to avoid having a lot of things to do last minute. So the current task is sorting out address for the save the date cards. If our wedding wasn`t on a holiday weekend I wouldn`t have even thought about sending out these but because it is, we thought it would be nice to give people some more warning since some people make plans early. So I have managed to gather a good number of addresses so far. Just need to get Tom to track down addresses for some more friends and then get his mothers address book. So that is the task. I am trying to work with my printer in printing the addresses on the envelopes...the first try not so good. I`ll wait for it to be happy again before trying again.

Also need to finalize invitation inserts because they need to be printed before craft day in November. So lots to do and I am very excited because with each project that gets crossed off the list it means we are getting closer and closer to the big day that leads to our lives together forever!

Busy Bee!!

Life is busy!

Work is busy!

When do I find time to just be?!?

Lately I have felt like the world is spinning a million miles an hour and that I am struggling, grasping at the earth to stay on. I find it very hard to take time to do things that I want to do and that I enjoy. This fall I am going to make time for me. Time when I can and will consciously do things I enjoy - more than just sleeping in and wasting the days away. It's very hard to believe that I haven't had time to do this during the summer but I haven't. This summer has felt like the craziest and busiest summer yet! So hopefully once things get up and running in September at work, I hope it can happen - at least for me own sanity.

Easy Does it Now!!

Day 3 down of the 32 day shred! I did the DVD yesterday and felt good. I used real weights - no more cans of food or waterbottles. So looks like my body is getting used to it! yeah!! So in no time I will be shredded!! Yeah!!! Day 4 just complete and still feeling good. Broke a nice sweat! Felt the burn!!! It will be interesting to see if in 28 more days (assuming I stick with this) there is a difference in my level of 'tone-ness' if you will. I should take measurements or pictures or something to document this and if it really works.

For now though, I can smell me and it ain't pretty! Time to hit the showers!

Plans!

So lately wedding plans and diy projects have taken a back seat. Not on purpose I just haven't felt like doing anything. Nothing really excited me. But today I have plans!! Not that I'll share with you but it will be interesting. I feel like I've hit a wall in a lot of ways with this whole wedding planning thing. A lot of the big things are taken care of and now its small details. Which I am excited to do but I feel like I have been lacking motivation....similar to my lack of motivation to going to the gym.....also didn't do day 3 yesterday of the now 32 day shred!! So today is day 3!!! Here we go!!

day 3.......of 31

My 30 day shred is now 31. There was no way I could do that video again today. I was in so much pain!! Which is a good sign! I think that by taking today off (having played baseball last night and volleyball tonight) that I will be ok to go again tomorrow. My body hasn`t done much physical activity in awhile so it`s taking a beating!

So again don`t tell Jillian but I think we`ll be ok. I have been eating healthier lately too which is good. All three meals!! plus 2 small, HEALTHY snacks and no food after dinner....most days! So here`s hoping for long healthy life with a killer bod!

30 Day Shred....day 2

I hurt!!!! man!! After getting back from holidays I had the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred dvd waiting for me in my mailbox (as well as other wedding things! yeah!!!). Jillian Michaels is the female trainer from The Biggest Loser.

I got this DVD because I've been lacking motivation to go to the gym but had wanted to work out and would do things at home. It was $12 I had heard good things about it - why not!! So after day 1 I am dead! My entire body hurts!!! which is good because it means i'm doing something but man!!! So here I sit waiting to start day 2 at 9:30 pm.

here goes.......

my but was kicked again!! I know that I will feel that tomorrow. It's amazing how much I can feel the burn in 20 minutes!!!

Now my plan in doing this workout is that I'll get toned. I joined in the gym last August but i think its likely been about 4 months since I went consistently. I feel upset at myself for spending money but finding time is hard. I want to get on a goo

d schedule and go in the AM early but that doesnt work. Tom works till 11PM so if I want to see him (which I obviously do) he comes over after work sometimes. Meaning I go to bed late. This does not lead to waking up early for the gym. Now with this 20 minute workout I can manage to get it in either quickly before or after work. Will it be enough to get me toned? Maybe....I just want to look more toned! come on that is possible!! It's my moment of being vain but I want to look back at pictures from my wedding and honeymoon and think, ' wow I looked good!' Not that I don't now...of course I do. I'm fine the way I am. But I want to be healthier. So that is that!

My new goal will be to be able to blog everyday for the next 30 (or more) about how this 30 Day Shred has gone!

....today it is followed by beer.....shhhhhh dont tell Jillian - she might be watching!......oh gosh she is!!!

another day....

So I clearly failed at posting last week....making it one less blog till the wedding! So exciting!!!
But I have an excuse for not posting. Last week I was on holidays!!! Yeah! I visited family in PEI! So nice! It was a busy week and I now wish I had a vacation after my vacation but life goes on.

My favourite part of the Island is the scenery it`s so beautiful and peaceful there. I love the red cliffs you can see all around the Island. I also am a big fan of lighthouses. When I went to PEI in January, my sister and I visited a good number. We visited our favourites from that trip again this time and they are even more beautiful in the summer - not surprising. We visited some that we had never seen before too which was cool. In particular we made it to Seacow Head Lighthouse which is the one from the start of Road to Avonlea.
It was used to do all the long shots of Gus`light house. I looked into it and they built a replica in Uxbridge for the actual taping. The view from that point on the Island was amazing!! The picture on the left is of one of the views. Just to the right of the cliffs if the picture was clearer you could see the Confederation Bridge. It was pretty cool. It was my first time going over it. It was a neat experience too. So weird to think about how high you are and all the water below you.

Our trip to the Island centred a lot on our family. We had 6 days on the Island and spent 3 of them with my grandmothers family. We are blessed with such a warm and loving extended family. My sister who lives on the Island has become like a second daughter and grandaughter to all of them. It is nice to see. While we were there, they talked about having another large family reunion in 2012. So here`s hoping. It would be nice to see everyone again. So that is what we are planning towards now as a trip for 2012!!

Now here we are halfway through August, work is continuing to speed on - faster than I wish. I feel like things NEVER slowed down this summer. But I do enjoy my job most days! Who knows where life will take me though. I know that I won`t be at this job forever. It`s not practical to do this job while raising a family so I have been thinking about what comes after. What comes next in the life of Katie jobwise.....only time will tell!! All I do want out of life is happiness :)

Who am I?

A weird and morbid question that has popped into my mind at a few points in life (and likely everyones at some point) is, "if I was to die today who would come to my funeral and what would be said for my life?"

When my time on earth comes to an end, I want to be remembered as a woman who lived, loved and was loved. In the end no one will say, "Wow she was really rich! Do you know how much money she had?!" I hope instead they will say, "Wow she was really rich! Do you know how much she loved and was loved?"

Assuming my life is long and healthy I hope to be a wonderful wife, a great mother, grandmother and maybe great-grandmother (should we dare say great-great??). I hope I have been and will be a great daughter and an awesome sister.

I hope to make a difference in the lives of those I meet. I may never know this and that is ok. But I hope that I have been able to faithfully use my talents and gifts from God to help others to know and love Him, and to learn more about themselves.

Above all, I hope that who I am is a happy woman with a great husband, an amazing family and great friends! For now I am a happy woman, with a great fiancé, an amazing family and great friends. Only 290 days till mission complete!

Inspiration Needed

Wanted: Inspiration! Inspiration is needed to help one to either a) realize her dream of being a writer or b) realize that her dream is not what is meant to be.

Thank you

Happiness

So lately I've been thinking a lot about happiness. What makes one happy? Is it possible to be happy with every aspect of life? Lately, I feel like I often have happiness in some areas of my life but never ALL at once! Why not? It makes me feel like maybe I am doing something wrong. Maybe I have the blinders on to what I am supposed to being doing in life. The song, the summons, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8lOfMjtxdE, has really be haunting me in someways lately. I keep questioning a decision I made lately that may have changed my life. It's not getting married to Tom because that is one decision that I know 100% without a doubt is what I am meant to do. It was another decision. I stood at an intersection where I could take a slight turn and I chose to stay on the road I was on. This decision made the most sense based on where life is headed and what Tom and I see for our future together. But part of me wonders, what if? What if this opportunity came up earlier? What if I took the turn! But then I remember why things are the way they are, I take a deep breath and know that in time things will work out. In time I will be 100% happy. It will come. In these times when I question, I am growing. When I struggle, I am growing. So that is good.

T-303 days!!

YEAH!! We are getting closer everyday! So exciting!!!! Lots to do and I always feel behind but I know I'm not. Its just my personality to check and recheck everything. I will make lists and re-write lists and check things off lists until the second I walk down the aisle! But all will fade away the second the doors are opened and I see Tom. Then it won't matter. Nothing will! Except for us and what we are about to do! amazing!!!

One a week!

So just to keep things flowing I have been trying to keep up on here at least once a week. It's worked for the most part. But as I went to prepare to write this and looked back at older posts, I noticed that 4 weeks have past since I had my big eleven month post! That means we are almost at 10 months!!! Crazy! Honestly some days I feel like I have nothing to worry about with so much already preplanned and worked out that I could just take off the next 6 months and jump right back in. Other days I freak out and think, "In two months there is one wedding and then 4 months after that is another one and then 4 months after that is us.' And somehow thinking about it like that generally stresses me out....right now not so much...at least when I wrote it out.

Publish Post

This week Tom is working at a leadership camp so I have been driving 40 minutes to see him each night. It is so true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. True I have been seeing Tom every day but its not the same!! For the 2 or so hours I see him, he is surrounded by 50 teens, running around doing what he loves while I'm thinking in my head, "can't we just be friends for like 5 minutes!!??" True he always walks me to my car and we have time alone then but it literally is only 5 minutes and then he has to run. I think it sucks especially cause I leave for a conference out of town this weekend on Friday when he gets back so we won't be able to see each other Friday and Saturday! Man this makes me want to vomit how mushy this all sounds! But I can't help it! I just love him ok?!?! Makes me so grateful that we really only ever did long distance 8 months! Man!!!! That sucked!!

So that is my post for this week because I will be leaving for the weekend and busy tomorrow at Tom's one year check-up (I get to spend the afternoon with him!)

But next week - 10 months>!>! oh dear!

I love crafts!!!

It's true!! I think that this may be a problem come next May 22nd when I have no more crafts to do!! TEAR!

But seriously I am addicted. And Michaels makes it so easy with their 40-50% off coupons to want to buy so much more!!! Each week I go at least once! Sometimes twice....or three times....often dragging Diana whether she likes it or not.....when she comes I get to buy more stuff! Right now the focus is on candles and getting them so that we will have enough for centerpieces and memorial candles. It's been a blasty blast! I also today bought stamps that I hope to use on invites and other things! I saw someone use them online and wanted it...so I bought it!!!! What fun!

Home is where the heart is!

This past week, Tom and I went to my hometown to visit with my family. I had some time owed to me at work and Tom has some time off so we loaded up his car and took off Tuesday-Saturday (today). It was amazing! My sister, niece and nephew were down for the week as well and my brother-in-law joined us on Thursday! The only thing missing was my baby sister! But we will see her soon when Tom, my mom and I go visit her!!! VACAY!!!!!!

I realized this week how I sometimes take my family for granted. This isn't something that happens on purpose but more because of location. I live 3.5 hours away from my hometown where one sister and my parents still live. 2 sisters (one married with kids) lives another 3.5 hours away from there and my baby sister lives a good 20+ hours away on the east coast.

So being so far away, its hard to always stay in contact with one another. We all get busy in our daily lives with school, work, and living, that it can be hard to stay in contact and to know what is going on in each others lives. Spending so much time with my family reminded me of how much fun my sisters and I had growing up. We were very blessed with a great childhood. Our parents love us and would always do anything for us. They demonstrated to me the type of parents I hope that Tom and I can be one day. I want to always be willing to put the needs and wants of my children over my own. Something that I am sure after living alone for a LONG time will be a change even in marrying Tom and moving in together. But something I am certain I will do.

My sisters and I are also blessed to be more than just sisters, we truly are all friends. Whenever I talk to people about having 4 sisters they are always surprised to hear that we are all best friends and that we are so close. So many people do not have the same relationship with their siblings as we do and for that I am grateful. True at times we still do get on each others nerves - we know what buttons to push to set each other off - that comes from growing up together! But in the end I know that each and everyone of us would drive, fly, swim, run, walk, sky dive (even you Krista), if any of us needed them to.

As much as this week has made me miss being able to spend time with my family more often than once every month or two, it has also helped in continuing another realization.

My family does not live near me - this is a fact. But I am very blessed to have family where I live. To start off with, I have Tom's family who has been nothing but amazing and welcoming to me since Tom and I began dating and then when I moved here. I am a shy person so I know it has been hard for more than just me. But in the past months as I have been planning our wedding and realizing I would like my family to be closer, I have come to recognize that Tom's family is my family and that I need to 'accept' that (for lack of words right now in explaining what I mean - accept is not at all the word I am looking for but a good stand in). I need to, I guess in some ways, let them be my family.

I am also blessed with great friends here. Friends who are willing to get together for no reason, to hang out, who leave work when I need them and drive me half way home after the death of my grandfather. Friends who have made adjusting to life in London so much easier. Friends who, when I thought about applying for the job closer to home, I couldn't imagine leaving.

All in all this weekend has made me realize how blessed I am!

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

As part of my job, when I work weekends, I do a short intro before all the Masses. This can include announcements particular to the ministries I am involved in and a short intro to the readings.

I love this part of my job. I love being able to talk to the people and to share my thoughts on the readings, liturgical season.

Today I talked about Ordinary Time - something that seems boring - I thought why go to church during ordinary time when I was younger.....but Ordinary Time is not ordinary! It is still extraordinary!!! We are constantly celebrating God coming down to earth and becoming one of us! Especially in the Eucharist that we celebrate, we become aware of God's presence in our world today.

I also reflected on the Gospel for this Sunday (Luke 9:51-62). In the Gospel, followers of Christ were willing to follow God, IF....they were willing to follow God, BUT......

There are so many things we put in the way of following God 100%. So many road blocks and stumbling blocks that are put in place by us to stop us from following God because we don't agree 100% with what we are being called to do.

There are so many things that I put in the way of being a faithful follower of God. So many things that take away from our relationship. I won't list them here because it could be embarrassing so I invite you to think of your own stumbling blocks. Those things that you put up to build a wall between you and God. We need to take these and offer them up to God, knowing that He will help us to carry them and that in following Him our lives with be richer and we will be blessed greatly.

DIY Power Hour

In a matter of hours (a few) I managed to tackle a lot of DIY projects last night - surprising since I was up late the night before and had to work this morning early and yet I was still raring to go on some projects.

So last night I tore apart the box I bought for a card box - by tore apart I really mean I took one panel off - then I stained it. I also bought stuff to try out a 2nd centrepiece idea and created a little mock-up of it (it's not ideal cause not everything is the exact version of what I was envisioning so we'll see). I also played with rhinestones and put them around a heart that I am going to use somewhere.....who knows.

AND I put some DIY stuff away!! Out of my living room!! It is great! I have to clean off a shelf of my storage closet to make room for all the DIY stuff to fit but it will be good.

All in all a good night and I am surprisingly not too tired today at work! Praise God!

decisions! decisions! decisions!

I have never EVER been one to make decisions very well. That doesn't mean I make bad decisions. It means that the process for me to get from needing to make a decision to the actual decision is brutally painful - mostly for those around me. That is with the exception of moving to London...I KNEW that had to happen and never questioned it. That was likely one of the easiest decisions of my life.

But alas now I am faced with decisions that won't make themselves!!!!

So just earlier this week, I found a Masters in Journalism course offered in town. I thought "Perfect!" After talking with Tom, there was some uncertainty....it's starts next May....so 2 weeks before our wedding....then I would take 2 weeks off.....does that make sense? Maybe not! I would have to quit my job or work part-time (the course is only offered full time) - so we would lose my income. So I had been thinking about looking into other options.

Fast forward to today. I'm at working, just working along minding my own business when an email pops up from my mom, "Just thought you might be interested in this." As I click to read it I'm thinking that it's a nice forward that will make me smile.....NOPE! WRONG!! It's a link to a posting for the Catholic School Board back home for a Chaplaincy team leader at a high school. A job I had thought I would like to do when I had first started in theology. So now I am faced with the decision of whether to apply for this job, which I am qualified for, or not.

So when faced with a challenging decision, I do what Rory Gilmour would do, I make a pro/con list! Who doesn't love a good pro/con list. The list doesn't look substantial enough either way right now. The catch though is, I need to get the application in, reference letters and all by the 30th......so 5 days! Yep!! STRESS!!! But having a deadline does work best for me so here's hoping it all works out! Which is will cause it always does

11 months!!!

So time flies!!

Something I have learned more and more lately. Now that we have a count down going till we get married, I am noticing weeks and months FLY by so fast!! It's hard to believe its been almost 4 months since we got engaged with a beautiful ring....that I broke!!

That's right folks, I have the strength to bend the claws that hold the diamond in my ring without even noticing it. Seriously!! Who does that? Me apparently!! We took my ring it to the store and the one sales lady was like "You got to take the ring off BEFORE you punch him!" We laugh. Then they say "you must have hit it very hard to do this!" I think "Shouldn't I remember doing that? Shouldn't I remember thinking 'oh crap my precious ring!!!' or something?" Apparently not.....so it was hard to hand over my ring....and then she told me it would be gone for ten days!! I asked Tom very nicely to buy me a new one....and led him over to the e-ring part of the store. He wasn't quite up for that.

So then Tom, my mom and I headed to the Bay to pick up gifts for a wedding shower for Pete and Jenn. Tom left my mom and I and headed to the jewelery to buy me a stand-in ring!! So cute!! So I am no longer not visibly engaged...still taken my friends!! I never was a big jewelery person but having to say good-bye to my ring and have another ring on my finger has made me realize how much I LOVE the ring Tom bought me!! It's perfect for me!! Just like him!!!

so 11 months left and lots to do. With mom and Krista down this weekend we talked a lot of wedding Saturday night and talked through some great centrepiece ideas. So I think that might be the next thing I will try to nail down and figure out 100%. I am hoping to finish the memorial candles this coming weekend. I have bought what I hope will work as a card box we just need to stain it and figure out how to put the slit in it. I am excited for that project. So lots to do OBVIOUSLY! Also trying to decide if I want to be brave and make my own pocketfolds for invites, or if I even want to do pocketfolds......so we'll see....and you may too one day!

What's In a Name!?

I figured I would write something but I don't know what. Just over 11 months left till the big day! The big day that leads to the rest of our lives. It seems like so much work for just one day. When I think about some of the little details I want to do I wonder if I should even bother. Will anyone even remember? I think back to my sisters wedding and I don't remember the little details just the over atmosphere of the day and that stuff. I guess every little detail adds up to the overall feel and experience. It will be worth it.....I will work hard to have day that represents who we are and where we have been. I think that is what makes it special.

One super cute idea (in my humble opinion) is this clothes line of pictures. What I have in mind is a little different in the layout but similar. I think it's just neat. We'll see if it actually happens. Its hard thinking about what the space will look like. I need to creep back the the hall when its set up for a wedding to check out what peeps do and to remember the size of it. That will be my job when I'm home next! That and booking hotels for all our out of town guests!

STDs!!

Yeah!!! Our STD postcards arrived and really look great considering I only had to pay shipping....which was a crazy $10!!! They have also sparked my love for tulips...white tulips!! I had at one point been thinking about getting white tulips for bouquets and centrepieces. Now I am thinking about it again.....that gives you a hit about what the STDS look like. You'll just have to wait and see if you should be so lucky as to get one!!!

So things have been boring wedding planning wise....Other than we got all the dresses picked up (save Diana's cause her mom is getting it) AND we didn't have to pay duty!! YEA!! what a nice border crossing guy!! A great day indeed. Now I just need to figure out how to store this dress for 11 months.

Wedding Number 1

So this weekend is the first wedding in Tom's family...the first of three in 11 months. What fun!?! It will be exciting. Likely I'll end up even more anxious about our date arriving!! but the good news is that there are plenty of weddings to keep me busy. PLUS they are all spaced nicely. After this wedding there is one (or two) in September and then one in January - 3-4 months in between! I like it!!

Lots to do to keep me busy! But for now I clean my apartment so I don't go ENTIRELY crazy!

BOOO!!!

So a last week I ordered a paper sample from an online store for .35. I thought why not!? It looked like it was pretty darn close to the SANGRIA colour of the BM dresses and was called Sparkling Merlot....both alcohols! YEA!!! But they sent me Sparkling Sapphire! BOOOOO! That is not even close to sangria!!!!!!! I want my Merlot! Or my .35 back!!!!!! I will fight them!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah well.....so I play on a softball team. I say I only play cause Tom wanted to and it's his friends mom's team. But now I am slowly realizing that Tom RARELY makes it to games cause of work!! DANG! Boring!!!! Booo!!!!

Got us some free STDs!! And I need to go to the gym!

haha but the good kind.....so because the wedding is on the long weekend in May, we think it would be good to send out Save the Dates in the fall so that family and friends can choose us as their long weekend destination. I read about about a great site on one website I frequent (theknot.com) to avoid those around me from being forced to listen to me talk wedding. I find its good cause I get ideas can toss them out there and get answers. Anyways after reading great things about a company called vistaprint a MILLION times and how great they were and their sales and you should sign up to get their email updates, I figured hey why not. So I did. Only to find out that they actually give stuff away for FREEEEEEEEEEE! So I ordered some STD postcards today (that we may end up sending in envelopes but whatever) for only the cost of shipping - 10$!!! that is nothing! So we now have STDs coming within 21 days to be mailed out to most guests (if not all) in the fall.

Gym.......gym and i have not been on the best terms lately. I am so angry at myself for it and I hope this week I can kick my but back into gym mode. I got sick about a month ago and couldnt work out. Then my grandfather passed away so I was out of town. Then my family came for the weekend to go dress shopping and left my little sister here so I didn't go once....since then I have been twice!!! WHAT THE HECK! That is no good! So my goal is to get back into it. I always feel good once I do go it's just getting there. I always feel better when I go and I have noticed already that I have declined from where i was at fitness-wise. So tomorrow (if they are open!) I hit the gym!!! If not...TUESDAY! I just need to find a time that works for me. maybe I'll have to start being a morning person.......yeah right!

My first strolls down DIY Road...

So one of the very first things I wanted to do DIY was the memorial candles for our loved ones who will be with us in spirit. Since my grandpa died a month ago tomorrow, this was big for me. I bought everything and made my first one today for my grandma. I really like it and am excited to do the rest! I just have to decide the type of candle (floating, not floating, real not real, votive??) that will take time though. Also trying to decide if I want ribbon around the top and bottom or not. I like how it looks with it here around the bottom so I think i might end up putting it on the top and bottom.

I also made what I think is an adorable bracelet for my little fille de fleur! But I won't post pics of that so its a surprise for everyone.

Did I mention...

I ordered my dress??

So excited!! I ordered it when I went with Brown Owl and BMs (minus MOH) to David's Bridal......it was like the 3rd dress I tried on and there was something about it that when I put it back on I knew it was me. Simple but beautiful. A wedding dress not just a dress which some were!!

We also ordered BM dresses! So our colour is officially SANGRIA! Which means we must always drink sangria henceforth!! It's a beautiful colour that looks awesome on everyone!!!! So excited!!!

One year!!!!

Tomorrow is one year from the day I marry my best friend. The man I can tell anything to, who lets me cry (often), who helps me to smile, who helps me be the real me and who makes me the happiest girl in the world.

I can honestly not even fathom how fast the past 2 months have gone by! This makes me think the next YEAR will fly by with everything happening.

I have created a list right now that stands at 25(or so) things that I would like to do myself for the wedding. Growing up as Brown Owl's daughter I loved crafts and so it cannot be surprising to ANYONE that I still do love crafts. The idea of being able to do things for my wedding by myself appeals to me. Of course, somethings won't be cheaper do DIY so I'll be paying close attention to what things cost and making sure I am actually saving money.

The way I figure it, I have Mondays off of work. So 52 weeks in a year 25 ish projects to complete=1 project every 2 weeks (on average). Obviously some will be very labour intensive (ie. invitations!!) and require an assembly line of BM's and Brown Owl! So I think that if every 2 weeks I can knock something off that will be good! It also will help with the budget because if I pay for things as I go out of my paychecks that means we have more money in the down payment fund for a house!!

So alas this past Monday I browsed around and looked at what was out there (for like the 75 millionth time). I decided to buy the candle holders for our memorial candles to remember grandparents and aunts who have passed away. When my grandfather passed away just under a month ago I was hit in the face again with the importance of family and keeping in touch with those you love. I know that my grandma and grandpa will be with us on our wedding day and now they will be together! I miss them both so much!!!! So I knew I had to remember them in a special way. As well as Tom's family members who are no longer with us. So this was a great project to start. I bought the vases which will serve as candle holders for us. The plan is to then print of vellum paper and wrap that around the holders placing either a floating candle half way up or a votive at the bottom. The problem also - I lack a printer........next up on the to buy list for me! As well as some kind of Microsoft Office package including publisher so that I can tackle a lot of the DIY projects I have planned.

Below is my partial list of DIY projects. I couldn't include some things because they are surprises or gifts for people. So maybe it is ambitious but it will be fun that is for sure!! i might drive myself crazy yet!!

my diy list! (it may be ambitious!!!)

• Clothes line of pictures lining hall to reception
• STDs?? (maybe?? it is a long weekend after all)
• Invitations
• Memorial Candles (bought the candle holders for these need to pick up 3 more (in case I break one) and get the vellum to print on)
• Centerpieces of course
• Welcome sign for hall???
• Picture Book guestbook – get free because I bought my dress at DB
• Favours
• Share your pictures with us cards
• Programs? worth the time and money and trees???
• Menus
• Flower girl basket/pomander
• Seating chart
• Card box
• Garter
• Toss bouquet
• Initial door hangers
• Cake topper
• Table numbers (definitely stealing an idea that a friend did!)
• Bathroom baskets? maybe (the essentials!)
• Cake table decorations (words???)
• Guest book table decorations (signs explaining whatever guest book idea we actually go with)
• Thank you signs – to take pics of us with them on wedding day to send in TY cards

The Proposal

So back in the day when Tom and I first started dating, my birthday was a month into it and I was supposed to be leaving a month later for NET for a year. So for my birthday Tom had given me a survival kit for my new NET adventure. It was full of random cute little things like bandaids, letter writing supplies, etc. The last thing he included was a ring-pop and the note for the ring pop said “Just say yes.” Within days of meeting, Tom was asking me to marry him so it was a cute joke. It started when I made him coffee one day while we were working on the same group at camp. But then for our entire dating relationship he was ALWAYS asking me to marry him - so much that I put a ban on it many times because it was annoying and never true!

So on March 8, 2011 we were going to spend the day together because I have Mondays off and he had it off. He told me we were going to go on an adventure that he had planned. So I was all game! He told me it involved being outdoors and hiking so I told him I was going to wear my rubber boots (which he hates!). So we went out for brunch around 11 or so and then went back to my apartment before we went on the adventure.

We were sitting on my couch preparing for our adventure, when Tom hands me a letter. So I’m like ok….it was a year ago this week that Tom was first diagnosed with cancer. The letter was about the last year and everything that has gone on. Then at the end he said “so we are going to go on adventure today but first I have some supplies for you if you want to go on the adventure so let me know.” So of course I’m like “heck yes adventure!” So he hands me another shorter note. This note said something along the lines of, “when we first met I gave you a care package to prepare you for your adventure for NET. You didn’t like how that one ended (meaning with a ring pop). So today we will go on another adventure. One that I don’t know all of what we will need but I know how to start.” Then he handed me a little fanny pack and told me to turn the letter over. So I did and on the back it said, “Just say yes!” So I could feel in the fanny back that it was once again A RING POP! So I am about to get angry and he gets up off the couch, gets down on one knee and asks me what I can only assume was will you marry me but in reality I know I just froze and heard nothing!

For the first bit it was very surreal! And surprisingly I didn't cry which is what I always thought would happen right away! After about 20 minutes of asking “for real?” I cried a little. Then I called my mom and told her and then called my dad at work and THEN I broke down in tears.

It was a very ‘us’ day. Nothing fancy.

Wedding Planning Dreams

So I had thought that wedding planning would take me some time. I planned to make a list of things to take care of month-to-month and cross them off slowly. However, that is not the plan because we have crossed things off like MAD!!!! So far we have succesfully purchased or booked:
-my dress
-bridesmaids dresses
-church
-music for ceremony
-reception hall
-DJ
-flowers
-caterer
-photographer
-cake
The things we still have to book/do (that I can remember) are:
-limo (or some kind of transportation)
-hotels - for us and guests
-honeymoon (Tom's task)
-invitations
-decorations
-flower girl dress of cuteness!


So I guess there is still stuff to do. But it feels like we are off to a good start. Have sometime to relax and shop for BARGAINS for the DIY stuff I want to do (invitations, centrepieces, memorial candles, guest book, card box, cake topper, etc).

This will be fun i know! I am glad to have these 'big' things that needed to be booked out of the way! Now everything else will fall into place nicely (I hope!)

Tupperware and Dresses

So I have determined that there is no great way to store Tupperware. Why does it have to be so difficult? If you put the lids on all the containers and then put them in the cupboard you take up a tonne of space stacking them. If you stack them without lids on you have to find somewhere to put the lids and then you have to search for the right lid when you want one. I think the only thing that makes sense is the 'smart spin'! It stores your containers and your lids! Man what I wouldn't do for one of those!!!

The reason I am once again reminded of the dilemma of storing Tupperware is that I was cleaning my apartment last night in anticipation of 3 of my sisters and my mom coming down this weekend to go dress shopping!! So excited! We are going to David's Bridal in the States and are mostly looking at bridesmaids dresses. There are a few styles there I fell in love with in a magazine so we're checking them out! Plus seeing if the colours I LOVE from there are actually the same as I think they are. Of course I'll also try a dress or two on! CRAZY!!!! but so exciting......:)

I want to be a writer

Growing up, I was determined that I would grow up to be an author or journalist. It all seemed possible. I enjoyed writing stories and loved English class. That was until I hit grade 10 English where I got a dreaded 72%. This coming after a grade 9 year where i got 95% and had written the best essay my teacher had ever read by a grade 9. This trampled my dreams. Now I look back and think how could I let one cranky old teacher shut down my dreams! Poor silly, shy impressionable little Katie. I should have been more determined.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about where my life is going and where I think it should be going and what I want to be when I grow up. The idea of being a journalist/author has never left me but I feel it coming back to me more and more lately. At work every 2-3 months, I get to write a reflection on the Gospel for that Sunday. I look forward to this so much because it gives me a chance to write! So here I am now, at work, deciding that I will write! I will start my own blog that no one in reality will read (except for Button), but I will do it!

Maybe it will lead me to a future in writing! I believe in myself now and won't let no grade 10 English teacher stand in my way!