A letter from the fella

A hijack of sorts! Surprise, I really do exist! Hello all! I’ve actually convinced the glitter, rainbow, sewing queen to give me her password and write a little hello to you all. First off, some well known facts! Girls are smarter that boys at spelling and grammar so please over look my inability to sound coherent! If it weren’t for spell check I would be a Neanderthal, dragging a club, grunting, looking confused and scratching my butt in public. To be honest, I haven’t evolved much!

Ok! Something else you all have to know! Caroline is a words of affirmation person. Words of encouragement and praise, questions about her life really mean a lot to her! I keep up with her blog and love how she has keeps a running tally of events from her life! (sometimes it includes me) I always check the comments to see what people say! So here is a great big THANK YOU to everyone who leaves comments.

Caroline is very special to me! I love her dearly and am so blessed by God to have her in my life! She does special little things for me….like…if you all have been keeping up on our current events. I got a fantastic promotion!! Chef de cuisine! Or as she calls me Davey de fiancé or chefy de fiancé! (ignore spelling). Anyway! The day I was offered the position, that night I got home from work at the other restaurant and was greeted by a big paper sign with PINK GLITTER CROWNS and a sweet note on it! I got a big smile on my face and thought it was cute. Oh Wait! It gets better! I opened the door to the condo and something scraped across the door. I could see something on the floor!?! I reached around the corner and flicked on the light and……the entire condo was decorated with streamers, Gold and Silver Balloons all over the floor, Poster boards on the wall with cute and corny phrases!!! I stopped dead in my tracks! I have not had anything decorated for me with streamers and balloons since high school!! Now! she did a great job on my Birthday! But, this was totally unexpected!! I couldn’t walk in! I had to look at everything and take it all in. She did this for me! I was so touched and surprised! I was already having a great day! I worked hard that night and was still on cloud nine, but to come home and find this! I was reminded of what a wonderful lady Caroline is!!

She’s special!

I love you Caroline! We will be married soon and I can’t wait to start our lives together!

Ok! Perhaps she’ll let me do this again!

P.S the jobs is going great!

In Stitches

Remember how last week I told you that I started sewing again? I am so, so glad that I got back into it. I have immensely enjoyed decompressing behind the machine. Sure, I have 2.5 weeks to finish our wedding planning, but for whatever reason I'm much more interested in churning out a few skirts for our honeymoon. Maybe I need to re-evaluate my priorities for the coming weeks? No? I didn't think so either. Here are a few things that I've created in the past few days...

Snippets

This week has been full of small snippets of my favorite things, and I'm so grateful for these tiny moments of bliss.

1. I started sewing again. It has been weeks - nay, months - since I cut into fabric and started creating a piece of apparel. I've been justifiably too tired and busy to add anything else to my plate, so Hems & Hers fell by the wayside. My enjoyment for it this week has proven to me that I need to keep those creative outlets as part of my life. I can't wait to post pictures of what I've been working on.

2. Bubble baths, magazines and chocolate wine. I've been doing this combo late at night, and good gracious, is it ever rewarding. If you haven't found chocolate wine yet, it's a must.

3. Long walks. The fella and I work opposite schedules that allow us only an hour or two each night to interface and pour into each other. Instead of collapsing on to the couch in front of the TV, we've been really intentional about taking that time in stride - literally. We've been taking long strolls around our neighborhood late at night, often with a glass of wine in hand. Not only is it great for burning a couple calories (truly not that many since we're consuming the liquid variety while we pace) and keeping us focused on each other. It's one tradition we both want to hold on to.

4. Frozen yogurt. TCBY has been a huge part of our relationship. Not only did we spend our first date consuming the frozen treat, but it's become a go-to for long chats, a quick treat and decompression. For the fella's first day at his new job this week I made sure to swing by and have a little something waiting for him in the freezer when he got home.

Weed Whacker

I mostly internalize stress. If you ask those closest to me - Little and the fella, namely - they'll tell you that they see it, and that it makes me irritable and moody. Potentially true. But the primary way my stress lets itself out makes both my underwear and my bangs the victim. Anxiety causes me to have the overwhelming urge to go commando. Even if that means a detour to the work bathroom to allow myself to be free. Um, right. It also causes extreme anger toward my forehead fringe. In fact, the fella and my sis have urged me time and time again to stop cutting them myself, and I do well until my emotions run high. Even this morning, in fact, I grabbed my Fiskars, a clump of bang and leaned over my trashcan to snip, snip, snip. And every time, they're right. I really need to find a better outlet.

A Blessing in Surprise

What a week this has been! The fella's been hard at work and loving his new(ish) job chef'ing at a local, high-end restaurant. Seeing him so fulfilled has filled my heart so much. On Tuesday, however, we saw that God had an even bigger plan in store for him. The owner of the restaurant (who also owns several others in the area), called and asked him to come in for a meeting. During the course of the meeting, the fella was asked to completely rewrite the menu for one of the other establishments and present a tasting to the restauranteur and his two right hand staff members on Saturday morning.

We were both blown away by the opportunity and spent our ensuing date night and next few days brainstorming and concocting gourmet twists on Southern favorites (think: a Southern caprese salad featuring a fried green tomato, pimiento and mustard greens or Brussels sprout slaw or crawfish ravioli). The fella submitted his menu ideas and shopping list and got to work practicing on these divine dishes. I was an all-too-willing taste tester for him!

Yesterday he presented his creations and completely wowed the panel. On the spot he was offered the position of Chef de Cuisine at the restaurant. He'll be in charge of creating and executing the dinner menu and ultimately responsible for its output. We are completely speechless by the opportunity, and I am completely bursting at the seams with pride for my sweet fiance. God has blessed and highly favored us, and we intend to be vessels for Him to use us through our marriage and in our careers. Plus, any career that promises an overflow of hushpuppies and honey butter is A-Okay in my book!

My Guy

Perhaps it's sappy, but I have never been more proud to be marrying the fella that I am. I've never met anyone who chooses every day to love me like he does - not because he's obligated like family, but because he sees me for every bit that I am... loud, politically incorrect, quirky, neurotic, goofy and corny, and he loves me in spite of me or maybe (shockingly) even because of it. This week I've seen his passion and ambition unfold like never before, and as we're now officially under the 1 month mark until our wedding, I feel more than ever that I'm marrying a true gem. I love you, D!

Bend + Snap

For the past, mmmm, 4 years or so I've vowed to myself every week that I will try yoga. And every week I ignore that promise and choose hefty weight lifting or mega cardio as my 5-day a week plan instead. Yesterday while I was on the stairmaster treadmill, my trainer saw me and urged me to go to an hour of hot yoga with her. I hemmed. I hawed. I thought of excuses. And finally I got my butt off the machine, grabbed a mat and joined her in the steamy studio. A few reasons that I knew hot yoga and I wouldn't really be friends include my penchant for overactive sweat glands, my inability to breathe from my diaphragm much less rhythmically, and my complete ineptness for all things stretching or flexibility. And yet, in spite of those major issues, I loved it. Not that I was a champ or pro or even a strong beginner, but something about the workout and the strength and fatigue in my limbs today have me hooked. Of course, I found that child's pose was my favorite. Who can't succeed while crouched in the fetal position in a warm place? But I was shocked at how challenged I felt to control my body's movements and try to make my overly-knotted muscles stretch and flow like our instructor urged. After last night's class I'm renewing my pledge to attend yoga regularly - I promised my trainer that I'd go with her again next week, and the fella and I are looking into private session at our honeymoon villa's open air studio. A yogi, I am not, but maybe I could be?

Here's to the Night

It went something like this...

Monograms + Libations

This weekend was a double dose of bridal goodness featuring all of my bridesmaids in one place, wonderful family and fun celebrations. The weekend began with a Friday night shower at one of my favorite area locales, Lake Norman Cottage. The evening included gifts featuring my new monogram (surprising even myself, I'll be keeping my middle name and losing my current last name, but it sounds considerably better), snacks and wine tasting. Below are some shots from the night. On Saturday night we had my bachelorette party in and around Uptown Charlotte including stops at a phenomenal dessert bar (where I opened up delightful lingerie goodies), drinks at a couple of hot spots in the Epicenter and a finale at a club that ultimately spelled the end of the night for me (and a cameo by my fella!). I am so thankful for such lovely ladies in my life. Bachelorette pics will come in a later, wordless post chronicling the demise of the evening.

March Showers Bring April Wedding Flowers (?)

So that may not be how the saying goes, but in my case it does! This month I have three showers lined up. Last Friday my mom's wonderful friends threw me the sweetest shower, this weekend my lovely 'maids are throwing me a shower tomorrow night and my bachelorette party on Saturday. To finish up the wedding season sweetly, I'll have a shower with my favorite coworkers. Here are a few snapshots from last weekend's shower!

This last picture cracked me up. Don't mind me. Jusssst sitting alone in the gift room waiting for permission to open...

Thursday Three

1. I have never read Twilight or the Hunger Games. Nor do I plan to. If someone forced me to read one of the two series I would probably choose Hunger Games. I just don't understand the appeal of vampires, and I honestly never will.

2. I decided three weeks ago to cut back on my diet soda consumption to one per day and to not drink wine during the week. So far, I've failed miserably on both fronts. I have avoided the fermentation for the past 2 nights, but that's a near-record. Lush, much? No? Okay.

3. I have a truly undying love for the Kardashians. I wish I could stop it, but I just adore them. My favorite fluctuates nearly daily, but I just can't get enough of the kooky klan (see what I did there?)

Rule #45 - A Sticky Situation

Today I learned the hard way that it's always a good idea to read the label before slathering on "Chapstick." At least it's one lip product that actually stays on?