H is for Hitched. A is for Apology

I don't know why I chose today to foray back to the world of blogging. Actually, I do know why. It's because I have work deadlines and I needed a way to procrastinate.

Here we are, I skipped blogging in 2011. I know, I'm sorry - most of you probably stopped caring, but I'm here, I'm alive and I have a new last name. To recap my 2011, I got married and I went on a honeymoon. Those two activities pretty much took 365 days.

I'll write more about the wedding, as well as a few lessons learned, but first I just wanted to come crawling back, tail between legs and promise you that you'll hear a lot more of my ramblings in 2012.

Here are some wedding photos, they were all taken by the talented Vanessa Voth

I vote that we abolish Monday's

Monday’s are horrendous – especially when it’s dark past 8am, it’s pouring rain like you’ve never seen it before, you didn’t sleep well and you go to pick up dog poop but it turns out there was no bottom of the bag and you end up grabbing the poop with your fingers. Lovely, I know – what made matters worse is that I was one poop bag short, and with two dogs you need multiple bags. So when my parents dog went to the washroom, I had nothing to pick it up with and a lady started yelling at me.

So to recap; I hate Monday’s, poor Derek is sick on his deathbed downstairs, and my parents are enjoying fruity tropical drinks in Mexico.

Our photographer has posted the rest of the Engagement photos on her blog – we love them and can’t wait to get some hanging around the house. I want to blow one up for above the bed, but Derek won’t let me. How does that saying go? It’s easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission?

PS - the above photo has nothing to do with Monday's or this weekend - I just thought you hadn't seen enough photos of Lexi lately. Here's some pictures from the summer, including her first swimming lesson with Daddy

October, Weddings & Engagment Photos

Should I stop being surprised when another month is over? At this rate my wedding will be over and done with before I know it.

Good thing we’re progressing nicely. Today we had an amazing photoshoot with Vanessa Voth Photography – Vanessa and I met in New Zealand and I’m so lucky that she lives close by to take our wedding pics.

Mexico was great, it flew by, but I was able to sleep, eat as much as I could, and swim in that warm Caribbean ocean. Overall, October has been good to us - the house smells of amazing scented candles – I can’t get enough! We’ve been burning ‘Fruit Salad’ by Yankee Candle a lot, but have started going for the Fall spicy scents and I’m loving ‘Leaves’ by Bath and Body Works.

We literally JUST got home from our photoshoot and Vanessa has already posted a sneak peak on her blog – and I’m in LOVE! Cannot wait to see the rest of the photos.

Weddings and Whatnot

I’m not sure where August & September went – they’ve completely flown by at a dizzying rate. Work takes up the majority of my time, and then the rest is divided between the fam & planning a wedding – I don’t know why people stress about planning weddings, this has been amazingly fun and relatively stress free so far! (Ask me my opinion in a few months time)

Perhaps it’s because I’ve had everything planned out for years and a lot completed already - the venue is booked, photographer is 95% booked, engagement shoot is next month, Décor rental is chosen and secured, florist chosen, menus and bar planned, dress purchased (yay) and I still have just under a year to go! I would book and plan more but I’m trying to save some stuff for next year….. I heart all my spreadsheets and lists and love tackling the challenges. In fact, I’ve already made my seating chart and I haven’t even invited people yet.

I cannot wait to become Derek’s wifey on Nine-Ten-Eleven – despite the 30-40 wedding magazines scattered around the house (all donated by past brides) I haven’t lost sight of the most important aspect of our day. I’m curious as to how different being a wife will feel – will there be this sense of completion, a stronger bond between us? An official stamp to make us feel like we’re finally a family? Or will it be business as usual? We’ve lived in this house together a year, pay our bills together, cook our meals together, share chores, laundry and everything else… so what will change?

My last name will change - I get to spend the rest of eternity spelling out a last name to people that I still struggle to pronounce and spell..... Ahhhh the price of love.

Anyways, we’re off to Mexico for a week for a much needed holiday. It’ll be our first time away from our little Lexi and my heart already breaks thinking of her all alone… until I remember that she’s staying with my parents, who think it’s perfectly acceptable to feed her whip cream from a spoon.

Have I mentioned how much I enjoy wine touring?

Derek and I had been planning a weekend of wine touring away in the Okanagan, we took off Thursday and drove up to Osoyoos to stay at a fabulous resort. We drove up with our little Lexi (who just ate through her third power cord in two weeks - 2 laptops and a phone) and spent the weekend relaxing, wine touring and making it the most memorable weekend that I will hold very dear to my heart, for the rest of my life.

Where to start... the weather was amazing, hot and sunny each day - so we put Lexi into Doggy Daycare for the two days we were out at the wineries to allow her have fun and not worry about the heat.

We did some amazing wineries in Oliver and Osoyoos the first day and then on the second day drove 1 hour north to Naramata to do some of my favourite wineries. Saturday was a magical day - not only did we purcase cases of my favourite wines, I also came home with a Fiance!

Derek proposed at Poplar Grove, overlooking the lake up on a cliff surrounded by vines. It was amazing and surprising and I can't wait to spend my life with him!

I can't stop stairing at my ring, which makes driving very unsafe - and both families are estatic that we're getting married. The plan is for next September here in Vancouver!

Photographic Satisfaction

Just a few from Derek's sisters wedding this weekend.

January

Just a few pics from January... Derek has some better ones from Surfing, but I didn't take many for some reason. So I'll try and harrass him to get them, but he tends to not share/never upload his photos.

I need help!

Usually I’m so on top of buying gifts for Derek – I always have great, unique and original ideas of things that he really needs but doesn’t know it. Derek is hard to shop for, he has impeccable & very specific taste when it comes to clothing, I’ve never bought him a piece of clothing he hasn’t returned, so I need to be creative in his gifts.

Some of my past gifts that he didn't return have been... (this may not be in order…) a foosball table, a Nintendo Wii, a video game chair, a watch, a surprise surf trip, and a duvet & new bedding…. So here I am, panicking because in 5 days it will be our anniversary, and then his birthday shortly after – and I have no ideas. Not ONE clue what to do or get for him. It doesn’t need to be expensive, it just needs to be something he’ll appreciate receiving.

The only ideas I have are gift cards, which is like giving up in my eyes. Perhaps I’ll have to do a series of smaller ideas to show how romantic and amazing I am. We’re going to Victoria for the weekend to celebrate, so what could I do that would be something he might like or appreciate?

He’s got it easy, I’m super easy to shop for, I even MADE a list of things I wanted/needed, and lets be honest, there’s really only one thing I want – and I’m 99% sure that’s not happening any time in this decade. =)

However, it HAS happened to some of my friends in this decade, the latest being a good friend/dorm mate from University. Cindy and Frank were married on Saturday, and I had a great time at their wedding. My former roomate Kari was there, and we had a blast catching up, and watching our little Cindy finally get married!!!

So yea….. ideas for Derek?