Surprise Party!

My girlfriends (all pictured above) threw me a surprise 1 year till wed party a few weeks ago and it was one of the nicest surprises I've ever gotten! Tara had told me we were going to a happy hour for her work and I fully believed it. When Tara asked me to meet her across the street from the bar at her salon I didn't think anything of it and when she said she needed to pick up some pottery she painted awhile back at the paint your plate place around the corner, I also didn't think anything of it. When we walked by I looked in the window and spotted Bella, my friend Megan's daughter/our flower girl and got really confused and then saw Megan, Darcy and then I realized I was getting a little surprise! Then I saw Caitlin and Ryann too! I was so surprised! I'm really hard to surprise and they actually got me! My friends Mary, Shalva and Sarah came a bit later and the girls all painted plates or bowls for Rob and me. They all made such cool stuff and it's awesome to have such personal pieces that will forever remind me of how amazing my friends are. I had such a great time relaxing and catching up with everyone and eating the delicious cheese Mary brought for us to snack on :) I feel so lucky to be surrounded by people that celebrate things like -1 year to wed. Who's friend's do that!? After a few hectic weeks with school and work, it was exactly what I needed and I couldn't be more grateful for such a special treat! Love my gals!

wedding stuff!

we've been doing some really fun wedding stuff lately and i can't wait to really dive in after school is over in a few weeks! over the weekend i got to take my mom dress shopping at nordstroms for her MOB dress and the first one she tried on was the one! it's this gorgeous teal dress with sleeves and a beautiful collar - it is just perfect for her! it was so fun to do a little fashion show with her and see how great she looks in formal wear. way to go mama! afterwards we went to macy's to register! i wanted my mama to come with to help me figure out what kitchen and house stuff we need because i certainly have no clue. i knew registering would be fun but i had no idea it would be THAT fun! using that gun thing is so addicting and i definitely felt like a kid in a candy shop. i can't wait to do it again with rob closer to the wedding at bed, bath & beyond. tonight rob and i did a tasting with jordan's food of distinction. it ruled! we love their vibe and their food. my favorite hors d'oeuvre was the spoon of mac & cheese with pork belly on top. TO DIE! the entree also kicked ass! we had chorizo stuffed chicken on top of cheesy grits. rob and i both loved it! i can't wait to continue working with them on all the fun details leading up to the day! we're going to see a hotel in evanston on saturday and after that i think there will be a lull in the wedding planning...but not for long!

i love being engaged! we're having so much fun :)

countdowns!

lots of really exciting things going on these days!

1 day until much needed girls night out

2 days until pure michigan & apple picking

3 days until we get to see our nephew, luke and my future sisters/bros in law

10 days until hitting up my first haunted house of the fall season

2 weeks until our next tasting for the wedding

4 weeks until our close friend's welcome baby #2 into the world

6 more weeks until i wipe my hands of grad school

7 more weeks until my favorite holiday - thanksgiving!

a year to the date until we tie the knot

yay!

closet switch over.

last night i switched over my closet from summer to fall/winter and i found all sorts of goodies. i put away the summer dresses, skirts and tops and swapped them for long sleeve shirts, sweaters and jackets. i came across some of my favorite clothing items that i sort of forgot existed.

1. my sweet, sweet leather vest from vienna that i never ever wear because there is just never an appropriate occasion but i am so happy i own it. 2. my super awesome/not politically correct rabbit fur bolero. i'm obsessed with that sucker and wear it as much as possible in the wintery months. 3. my gorgeous gray cropped blazer from anthropologie. it's another one i never wear but another thing i admire on the hanger. 4. my crazy awesome cape sweater from banana. another thing that i rarely wear because i feel sort of ridiculous but secretly love!

after i hung up all the warmer items in my closet i tackled my little crates that i store tops that don't need to be hung. i'm not very good about folding things and everything in there was all tangled up and in a big ball. i started folding each item and was shocked at the amount of tops i own. it's really unbelievable. its even more unbelievable that i usually just wear the same things over and over again but have a crate full of things i don't even touch. i was also shocked at the absurdity of some of the items i used to wear regularly in college and just after graduation. first concern- i have way too many backless, stretchy tops. second concern - when did i ever think it might be a good idea to wear a stretchy top with silver paint splatters all over it and chains draped over the scoop back. appalling! i got lots of good giggles out of it and mentally noted some of the tops that i could still wear and now my closet and crates are ready for the new season!