being engaged is a different experience for everyone.
for me... it's been interesting. the first few weeks... i planned everything. i think it took 3 weeks to have everything planned out. of course, it took longer to sort out details and accumulate things, but i had it all planned in 3 weeks tops.
i was on an engagement high-- dev and i were practically famous, and it was so much fun. we make such a good team in putting together our wedding, and we've been privileged to have everything we wanted for our day. we were so productive... too productive really.. and have had about a month to rack our brains for more things to do! i can't complain about that though, because we now have all sorts of cool things. and a really cute house...
once that initial shock wore off... it just started to stress me out. not in a bad way, just that i always felt rushed and overwhelmed, but i've kept you fairly updated, and you're well aware that devin did more than he had to in order to keep me grounded. and succeeded.
for the past month or so, it's just been hard. i see devin every single day, but i can never seem to get enough time with him. and it got worse once he moved into our house. it has been so frustrating for me to leave at night... to leave my home and my almost-husband... it's killer! the second i'm out the door, i miss him terribly, and count down the hours until i get to see him next.
i just feel so anxious. i am so ready to be katie ashby. to be his wife. to call him my husband. to be sealed. to celebrate our marriage at our reception. to honeymoon where it's warm. i just want it. it almost feels like it somehow should have just already happened or something. being with devin, being married to him, feels so natural to me, that it's almost like that's the way it already is.
but i realized something tonight... and i'm surprised i hadn't realized it before...
once we are married... i will see him even more. i will make him dinner every night, and he'll come home from work to a clean house and a happy wife. we'll live the kind of life that i've dreamed of since a little girl. i won't have to say goodnight and walk out the door anymore... i'll get to say goodnight and climb into bed!
and knowing that once we're married, i get that kind of time with him.... makes it worth the wait. knowing the kind of future we have ahead of us, the plans we've made, the opportunities that will come, the blessing that will pour... all of that is so worth waiting for to me.
i have an entire eternity to spend as his wife. our eternity started a long time ago... but i know i can wait. i know it is worth it to be patient and let things happen in order to get to that point.
and that's okay :)
i'm not necessarily any less anxious, but i do feel like i'm more calm.
but even just thinking about the amazing opportunity that i have been blessed with to play such a huge part in devin's life, as his eternal companion, his confidant, his best friend, his wife... it makes me excited, but in a calm way. it humbles me a lot. i've said a million times that it was no easy task finding him, and getting through everything that i've been through in the past year... but i'd do it all again, now that i know what's waiting here in the end.
i wish there were words for this kind of feeling. i was talking to a friend earlier this week about how once you're married (or this close to being married)... the meaning of life changes. you have a whole new perspective. you live for so much more. your entire life takes on a much greater purpose. it is incredible, and there is absolutely no way to describe it until you can feel it for yourself. you are living for another person, you are motivated to completely by that love you feel for them. it is nothing that can ever be explained in words.
i think it's when you get to the point where you can't explain your feelings, because they are too big and grand... that you know you are in love.
i also think... that devin and i reached that point a long time ago.
and we were going to wait until november! psh! hahaha
i feel like i've come to this understanding that "love" is very, very misused in our society. either that, or there is no word for what i feel for that man. because the way we view love, and the way we use it, so casually... does not do these feelings justice in the least. it is something much, much greater than i believe i will ever be able to comprehend in this life. and i am okay with that. i just want him to know, at least. as if he doesn't already :) the best part, though, is that i know without a doubt that he feels the exact same way. i have never once second-guessed that his feelings for me are just as intense.
dev... saying "i love you" to you.... is an understatement.
thank you for being the best future husband a woman could ever hope or dream for. you truly amaze me. i only wish i had the words to tell you how much.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
3 weeks and counting
I haven't had time to post in the past few days, but I have made it a point to get on and keep some notes in a draft... so they've accumulated, and have all found a spot in the same post. This is gonna be a long one... it's been an exciting little while lately though, so it will be worth reading! This may or may not also be one of the most random posts in the history of wishful thinking/almost mrs. ashby. period. And I'm not just saying that...
We'll start with Friday. Devin and I went to the first show of the Rooftop Concert Series. Ummm this is a GENIUS idea. the concerts are free. click on the link... pretty much every single show is an artist devin and i absolutely LOVE. making it to every show is an absolute NECESSITY.
front row, baby!
this is the infamous car blanket. it's always in dev's trunk. it has cars on it. how fitting. it's also not big enough. though he would beg to differ...
This first band to perform was Paul Jacobson and the Madison Arm. This is a really cool band, because almost all of the members cross over into 2 other bands that Devin and I love: Sunfall Festival and The Lower Lights. All 3 are local, and AMAZING. Paul is absolutely incredible live. Such an entertainer! We made it in pretty close to show-time, and the roof was already pretty full. How did we manage front row seats?! No idea. But it was AWESOME!
Next was Fictionist. NOW... you've probably at least heard a little bit about these guys. This is a local band that is currently in a contest to be on the cover of Rolling Stone and land a record deal! Vote here!!!! The other really cool thing about these guys... remember TJ and Liz?! TJ and Dev are mission buddies... They're about to have a little boy... we absolutely love them.... TJ's brother is the guitarist!!! HOW COOL IS THAT?! We're definitely all for supporting THAT!
Fictionist actually has quite the following down here. The crowd is mainly overpowered by twenty-something year olds that have hair as long, or longer than mine, but they've definitely become a huge deal. Their stage presence is so powerful, and you can just feel that there is something different about these guys. That they are going to make it big time. They are going to be playing on the radio, thanking the small people on the rooftop one day, I just know it!
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Devin says I have too many harsh stereotypes about things. Several things. Types of things. Types of people. I guess i'm pretty judgemental sometimes.
mini vans
gingers
hipsters
potatoes
so i guess i'm going to try and change that. and let you know, that i know... there is something good in everything.
like mini vans, for example (i started with the hardest one for me)...
they get good gas mileage.
they.... come in a variety of colors.
their back windows are big enough to have a sticker for every single one of your 20 million children...
okay... fail. but at least i tried.
plus... we all know... nothing good comes from a mini van.
in fact. i was talking to Julia tonight about hell. because shawn said i was going there after i told him kylee and i used to sit in the PE hall in the LA building and harshly judge strangers as a past time...
i told them that my personal hell would be me, stuck behind a minivan going 5 under the speed limit. listening to a very monotone old man give a math lecture. and i'd be freezing cold. if i was sent to hell, that would be my destiny for the rest of time and all eternity. and knowing that is motivation enough for me to be better! hahaha
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After the show, we wanted to hang out with Shawn, since he is so much more appealing as a hang-out buddy now that he has an awesome girlfriend (haha). So we coaxed them, and another couple (newly-engaged!) to come with us to Farr's (my favorite frozen yogurt place) for some ice cream.
We all concurred that Farr's is the place the hipsters and byu students (...repetitive?) come to "get out of Provo" hahaha it was PACKED with zoobies in v-necks. bleeeeh.
Ice cream at Farr's is only good when I get those things... I don't know what they are called. but they are small and orange and they BURST when you bite them. and full of some tropical tasting liquid. they are the best. i literally get a tiny bit of ice cream in the bottom, and then FILL the rest of my cup with those things, and put 2 cherries on top, so i can tie them in a knot in my mouth. every time. it's a ritual of sorts.
tonight... they didn't have any. and i was bummed. i even asked the guy at the counter once where they got them. because i would literally go buy myself i giant bag. he said all he knows is that the bags they come in have Japanese written all over them. looks like it's time for a trip to Tokyo!
of course this night wouldn't have been complete without a devin picture. of course not.
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Captured By Dash is getting a website makeover. I've been watching/helping Devin work on it -- it is coming along so great. I am so excited. I feel like the new site is a much more accurate portrayal of him, as a photographer, his work, and his style. I can't wait for it to be up! It's seriously amazing.
He's made major changes to his pricing and package options that i think make him more appealing and versatile... he's made it cleaner, simpler, and easier to navigate. It's brighter, and has a bigger variety in the gallery.. and a killer picture of him at work on the camera taken by yours truly :) (just click "meet devin" and be amazed by my great skill.)
The webiste was launched THIS MORNING! I'm excited for everyone to see: http://capturedbydash.com/index2.php#/home/ please take a moment to visit!!! It is definitely worth checking out!
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Also... you know you're becoming a cool blogger when you start getting followers you don't know. Creepy? Potentially. But I'm welcoming it for the time being. Why not?!
It makes me feel like I am in some way entertaining, informative, educational... something. There's gotta be a reason why you all keep coming back!
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now, on to SATURDAY:
bridal shower. oh my goodness. it was absolutely wonderful! i think about 100 people were invited, and we had quite a turn out! it was so much fun to share it with kelli, and our aunts Steff, Kristin, Melissa and Amanda did great work making it beautiful, providing delicious food, and making us feel special. We both got TONS of groceries and recipes. When Kylee and I took the car load over to the apartment -- Devin and I spent at least an hour in the kitchen putting things away and trying to find places for everything! I am so lucky to have such wonderful family, friends and neighbors that are so supportive, and so excited to celebrate with me! Thank you all SO much. It was the best bridal shower ever!!! The invitation my aunt sent out asked everyone to bring recipes for us, and I am SO excited to try them out! I got ingredients with most of the recipes too, so Devin can expect some yummy meals coming very soon! Maybe i'll even start sharing things like that on here.
Anyway, it was amazing. I have a stocked kitchen, and my recipe book is basically full now. I am such a lucky girl!!!
family pictures. after the shower, and unloading all the food, devin and i headed to the riverwoods area, behind the movie theater to meet with the rest of the ashby's for family pictures! chloe's twin maddie took them for us and i think she did great! i can't wait to see how the pictures turned out. we did them outside because we're not a family without those 3 crazy dogs... and they lived up to that description! koda kept facing brandon, instead of the camera, mosey couldn't hold still and had his gentle leader leash on for most of the pictures, and riley was gone at any site of a butterfly. It. was. hilarious. i love those dogs. the 3 babies were pretty cooperative, even, so i'm sure we'll have some beautiful shots!
jason's birthday. also on saturday (it was a busy day!). we had a DELICIOUS bbq at the Wagstaff's. steak, chips and salsa and queso from chili's (devin and i's idea!), fruit salad, chips, salad, nana's brownies... the best of the best! it was delicious! we even got to watch some of the celtics game! we also played some minute to win it games!
after that, devin and i headed to sportsmans warehouse, where we looked mostly at guns. he wants a .22 and i want a 9mm. the guy at the counter was a huge help, and we both found exactly what we were looking for. just more things to add to the wish lists for now, but they'll come soon enough! also-- celtics WON!!!! that was a relief!
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SUNDAY:
work at 6. yeah, seriously. we had a floorset for bbw at 6AM. why? because they wanted us to have time to spend with our mothers!! ridic. i know. we got done pretty fast, and it wasn't too bad... but i'm STILL trying to recover my lost hours of sleep from that!
as much as i didn't want to (because i was literally exhausted), i went to church. kelli came, which is always fun! our graduating seniors spoke in sacrament, and my neighbor, Stephen gave such a great talk! well, they all did, but stephen's stuck out. they are all great kids, and i'm proud of them!!!
also... with this week being the week of kelli's wedding -- attention's turned to her (obviously!) and i've been left to my own devices. it's going to be rough and stressful, and on sunday, i began to feel all the stress catching up to me. it was becoming more than i could take and as i confided in devin he said this to me:
"I pray for you every day. It'll all work out, and remember, nothing is as important as you and I kneeling across from each other at the alter of the temple being sealed to each other, our love for each other being sealed by Heavenly Father and the Savior. That's the most important thing. Please don't let all the other stuff take away from that. I love you!"
it wasn't in a rude way at all, but it is exactly what i needed to hear. it's not like i wasn't trying, but it was good to know that Devin has his mind in the right place. It helps me to stay focused on what's important too. It was a really good thing for me to hear him request that I do my best to not let those things distract from what matters most. The best thing he could possibly wish for. And after hearing him ask so sincerely for that simple thing, I am even more motivated to try even harder to make that happen. It sounds much easier than it actually is, especially when i'm kinda on my own! But Devin deserves to have me fully, physically, emotionally, and spiritually present with him in that sealing room, and I deserve it, too. I wouldn't want it any other way.
after that talk with him, I took my temple prep guide to church and read during sacrament meeting. In the middle of the chapter I was on, I came across a paragraph that said basically the same thing. That the material side of a wedding -- reception, guests, food, photography, are very demanding and distracting details-- but we must leave them at the door when we enter the temple. Being sealed to Devin is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I don't want to miss one second of it. I want to listen intently to the words of the Sealer, so I can remember them, ponder them often, and implement them in our life together. I want to remember every detail of those moments that I can.
Everyone says your day goes by in a blur-- i'm fine with that happening with every part of the day... other than the sealing. I don't want to miss any part of that. it is so important to me, as it should be.
It was nice to hear Dev's request, and then hear it, reverberated in the temple prep manual. It was a good reminder that I needed to re-focus, and remember what matters. I feel a lot more calm since all of that, too!
after church, kelli tried on her wedding dress for us! she bought it alone, and nobody had seen it until then! i want to tell you all about it, it's absolutely beautiful on her! I can't even believe it. She is going to be a gorgeous bride. I hope Sean knows how lucky he is to have my sister. She is probably one of the best things that will ever happen to him. I know she's been that way for me! I couldn't have asked for a better friend, sister, and wedding-month sharer! haha
After that, we all headed to Kristin's for a mother's day party. Uncle Rich made crepes, and there were all kinds of yummy breakfast foods! Devin and I ate way too much, especially since we headed to his parents right after for another dinner! Chicken and corn bread stuffing-- SO good! Vicki is a great cook! I know she doesn't think much of her recipes, that they are just simple and easy -- but they are DELICIOUS!!! I've got some serious competition in satisfying Devin's hunger! haha I only hope I can cook like his mother!
After the meal, Devin showed us the website, before he sent in the request to "go live"-- it's AMAZING. There are no other words. I can't even tell you how perfect it is! I think it will bring major changes to his clientele, and reputation as a photographer-- in a good way!
Then, we delivered some announcements to some of his closest friends -- some that I had never met before! It was good to meet Jason Tobler and Jason Dent, and I sure hope we start seeing more of them! Those are some great guys. Even though up until this point, I had only heard stories about them, I already have a lot of respect for them. Like i've said before... Devin has a lot of really great people around him, and I'm lucky to be a part of that!
We got back to the apartment, and I wrote about half of my thank you notes from the shower until I felt like my hand would fall off. We watched Holmes on Homes, which i'm learning to love, since it's one of Devin's favorites. He and his Dad both love these mr.-fix-it, DIY shows. It's funny how alike they are in some ways, and how different they are in others!
Also-- I'll say it again -- mine is the BEST fiance. He knows me better than anyone. Just what to say and do-- how to cheer me up, or comfort me. He's got it down to a science, I tell you! He is incredible. Every day, I feel so blessed to have him. 17 days until we're MARRIED!
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other things:
i have officially made an appointment to take out my endowments in the provo temple. may 19th! i can't wait to finally go through the temple. it has been a huge goal, that i have centered a great portion of my life around, and I feel very humbled that I now have the opportunity to go into the House of the Lord, and learn more about the gospel. Just thinking about having this experience makes me feel so peaceful, and I know it will be amazing. I am so glad that I get to do this with my family, as well. I am so thankful to have worthy parents (both mine and devin's) that can be there with me on this special day. Also, devin's siblings and their spouses. I am so glad that they will all be able to come with us! I am most excited, though, that I get to do this with my fiance. I chose to take my endowments out exactly one week before the wedding, because I wanted Devin to be a special part of this day with me. I know it will always mean a lot to both of us.
speaking of weddings -- remember how kelli's is on FRIDAY?! I am so excited for her and Sean. Sometimes, it seems like they're just already married, but I can't wait until it's FOR REAL! I am so proud of my sister. I know she loves Sean more than anything, and he loves her just as much. They are so great for each other, and deserve all the happiness in the world! I love them both and am so excited to spend the day in Smithfield celebrating their marriage!
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MONDAY
after work on monday, i ran a few errands, including a quick visit to the florist -- So excited to see what she comes up with! she is so amazing, and if you ever need a good florist, please see Linda! She's incredible, so sweet, and a breeze to work with. I've left a lot of the design up to her, just because I know she will create something even more beautiful then I could have ever imagined! I took her the vintage/antique items i want her to use for the wrap, and she was so excited about them! that made me happy, and I can't wait to see what she does with them on the bouquet!!!
after that, i drove up to LAYTON to see my sister! Kelli and Sean recently bought a trailer! it's actually really nice. the inside is all newly re-done, and it looks sooo good in there. it's so roomy, and such a perfect place for them. I also love layton -- and her neighborhood is in a great location!
She treated me to a yummy dinner at zupa's and then we did some wedding shopping. We even found her the perfect shoes for the wedding day!!!
after that, we went back to her house and made her guest book (which is similar to mine) and watched When a Stranger Calls.
can i just say? Kelli is literally the funniest person I know. i have a lot of funny friends and family, but kelli tops the charts. she's hysterical. We had so much fun joking and laughing! I had taken my camera to document this day, and forgot until we were back home on the couch... it literally took us TWENTY tries to get a decent picture! It was hilarious! here's a few of the attempts:
first try, didn't turn the flash on.
then, when we did turn the flash on, it took forever, which messed us up.
that's when kelli's problems began.
she couldn't a) keep her eyes open and b) stop laughing!
this is when i told her to keep her eyes sut while i counted... and i did the same thing. it didn't really work.
we thought switching sides might help. except kelli looks slightly possessed.
that's when i stopped trying.
and we decided this is the winner.
I even made it home early enough to spend a little while with dev before he was completely unconscious -- poor guy works way too hard! :( 10 hours today -- on top of waking up extra early! he's amazing.
LOVE him.
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more exciting stuff:
we named out house. THE A-P-T. not the apartment. not abbreviation for apartment.... APT. as in the letters. separately. A. P. T. hahahaha
so, originally, we were going to have dev take my bridals. but we've since decided to just have our awesome photographer, Jared do it instead, so that way Devin can be in the pictures! It also takes some stress off of him! I think we're keeping the same plans though. I'm so excited! My wonderful best friend, Valeri Jones is going to do my hair and make-up and then her and her husband Garrison will probably come up with us. Mostly so Valeri can help me get into my dress and tell me the harsh truth about my facial expressions and fix my hair when I mess it up :) haha she's amazing. I am so glad that she will be able to come and help me.
Valeri is someone I can always count on. She is so selfless and willing to help in any way she possibly can. She is the most kind-hearted, sweet woman. I am sooo blessed to have her as a friend!
ALSO... remember when I had that big BBW lunch with the VP of operations, KEN MONTERA?! At least, I think I mentioned it on here... we'd been preparing for months for this visit, and it's since come and gone! On april 29th, our store got to meet ken, and a bunch of other big-time company people, and have a delicious lunch with them at La Jolla Groves.
This visit from ken is sort of a BBW tradition, and has somehow become an italian-themed event. He's PAPA KEN! anyway... that explains why we're all wearing chef hats and fake mustaches. I guess it actually doesn't really explain it... but we did anyway... HA!
why we're all gathered around tim is a mystery to me. it wasn't willingly... haha
lauren, me, baylee, lori, and taylor... oh and tim too i guess. blah.
have you ever worn one of those? they are IMPOSSIBLE to keep on your face. impossible. try. i dare you. it's especially difficult to make any kind of face resembling normal. (that's my awesome boss Lauren who i love the guts of)
Our team is in the pink aprons. the moocher employees from other stores are in white... haha just kidding. they just wanted to come meet papa ken... he's an idol, i guess. pretty sure the employees from the other stores were more excited than we were-- and we're the ones that got to go to lunch with the guy... haha
Gavin and Lauren. Sporting their 'staches.
Nicola, Papa Ken + Crew.
yes. this is my boss. Oh, Nicola! this picture is so hilarious.
i love this picture for so many reasons. minus me in the background. but this is gavin, lauren, and caitie's personalities TO A T. expressed perfectly. in one picture. I LOVE IT! haha
okay see, that wasn't so bad?! you made it to the end of the post. i'm so proud of you. that was a whole lot of updating!
We'll start with Friday. Devin and I went to the first show of the Rooftop Concert Series. Ummm this is a GENIUS idea. the concerts are free. click on the link... pretty much every single show is an artist devin and i absolutely LOVE. making it to every show is an absolute NECESSITY.
This first band to perform was Paul Jacobson and the Madison Arm. This is a really cool band, because almost all of the members cross over into 2 other bands that Devin and I love: Sunfall Festival and The Lower Lights. All 3 are local, and AMAZING. Paul is absolutely incredible live. Such an entertainer! We made it in pretty close to show-time, and the roof was already pretty full. How did we manage front row seats?! No idea. But it was AWESOME!
Next was Fictionist. NOW... you've probably at least heard a little bit about these guys. This is a local band that is currently in a contest to be on the cover of Rolling Stone and land a record deal! Vote here!!!! The other really cool thing about these guys... remember TJ and Liz?! TJ and Dev are mission buddies... They're about to have a little boy... we absolutely love them.... TJ's brother is the guitarist!!! HOW COOL IS THAT?! We're definitely all for supporting THAT!
Fictionist actually has quite the following down here. The crowd is mainly overpowered by twenty-something year olds that have hair as long, or longer than mine, but they've definitely become a huge deal. Their stage presence is so powerful, and you can just feel that there is something different about these guys. That they are going to make it big time. They are going to be playing on the radio, thanking the small people on the rooftop one day, I just know it!
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Devin says I have too many harsh stereotypes about things. Several things. Types of things. Types of people. I guess i'm pretty judgemental sometimes.
mini vans
gingers
hipsters
potatoes
so i guess i'm going to try and change that. and let you know, that i know... there is something good in everything.
like mini vans, for example (i started with the hardest one for me)...
they get good gas mileage.
they.... come in a variety of colors.
their back windows are big enough to have a sticker for every single one of your 20 million children...
okay... fail. but at least i tried.
plus... we all know... nothing good comes from a mini van.
in fact. i was talking to Julia tonight about hell. because shawn said i was going there after i told him kylee and i used to sit in the PE hall in the LA building and harshly judge strangers as a past time...
i told them that my personal hell would be me, stuck behind a minivan going 5 under the speed limit. listening to a very monotone old man give a math lecture. and i'd be freezing cold. if i was sent to hell, that would be my destiny for the rest of time and all eternity. and knowing that is motivation enough for me to be better! hahaha
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After the show, we wanted to hang out with Shawn, since he is so much more appealing as a hang-out buddy now that he has an awesome girlfriend (haha). So we coaxed them, and another couple (newly-engaged!) to come with us to Farr's (my favorite frozen yogurt place) for some ice cream.
We all concurred that Farr's is the place the hipsters and byu students (...repetitive?) come to "get out of Provo" hahaha it was PACKED with zoobies in v-necks. bleeeeh.
Ice cream at Farr's is only good when I get those things... I don't know what they are called. but they are small and orange and they BURST when you bite them. and full of some tropical tasting liquid. they are the best. i literally get a tiny bit of ice cream in the bottom, and then FILL the rest of my cup with those things, and put 2 cherries on top, so i can tie them in a knot in my mouth. every time. it's a ritual of sorts.
tonight... they didn't have any. and i was bummed. i even asked the guy at the counter once where they got them. because i would literally go buy myself i giant bag. he said all he knows is that the bags they come in have Japanese written all over them. looks like it's time for a trip to Tokyo!
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Captured By Dash is getting a website makeover. I've been watching/helping Devin work on it -- it is coming along so great. I am so excited. I feel like the new site is a much more accurate portrayal of him, as a photographer, his work, and his style. I can't wait for it to be up! It's seriously amazing.
He's made major changes to his pricing and package options that i think make him more appealing and versatile... he's made it cleaner, simpler, and easier to navigate. It's brighter, and has a bigger variety in the gallery.. and a killer picture of him at work on the camera taken by yours truly :) (just click "meet devin" and be amazed by my great skill.)
The webiste was launched THIS MORNING! I'm excited for everyone to see: http://capturedbydash.com/index2.php#/home/ please take a moment to visit!!! It is definitely worth checking out!
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Also... you know you're becoming a cool blogger when you start getting followers you don't know. Creepy? Potentially. But I'm welcoming it for the time being. Why not?!
It makes me feel like I am in some way entertaining, informative, educational... something. There's gotta be a reason why you all keep coming back!
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now, on to SATURDAY:
bridal shower. oh my goodness. it was absolutely wonderful! i think about 100 people were invited, and we had quite a turn out! it was so much fun to share it with kelli, and our aunts Steff, Kristin, Melissa and Amanda did great work making it beautiful, providing delicious food, and making us feel special. We both got TONS of groceries and recipes. When Kylee and I took the car load over to the apartment -- Devin and I spent at least an hour in the kitchen putting things away and trying to find places for everything! I am so lucky to have such wonderful family, friends and neighbors that are so supportive, and so excited to celebrate with me! Thank you all SO much. It was the best bridal shower ever!!! The invitation my aunt sent out asked everyone to bring recipes for us, and I am SO excited to try them out! I got ingredients with most of the recipes too, so Devin can expect some yummy meals coming very soon! Maybe i'll even start sharing things like that on here.
Anyway, it was amazing. I have a stocked kitchen, and my recipe book is basically full now. I am such a lucky girl!!!
family pictures. after the shower, and unloading all the food, devin and i headed to the riverwoods area, behind the movie theater to meet with the rest of the ashby's for family pictures! chloe's twin maddie took them for us and i think she did great! i can't wait to see how the pictures turned out. we did them outside because we're not a family without those 3 crazy dogs... and they lived up to that description! koda kept facing brandon, instead of the camera, mosey couldn't hold still and had his gentle leader leash on for most of the pictures, and riley was gone at any site of a butterfly. It. was. hilarious. i love those dogs. the 3 babies were pretty cooperative, even, so i'm sure we'll have some beautiful shots!
jason's birthday. also on saturday (it was a busy day!). we had a DELICIOUS bbq at the Wagstaff's. steak, chips and salsa and queso from chili's (devin and i's idea!), fruit salad, chips, salad, nana's brownies... the best of the best! it was delicious! we even got to watch some of the celtics game! we also played some minute to win it games!
after that, devin and i headed to sportsmans warehouse, where we looked mostly at guns. he wants a .22 and i want a 9mm. the guy at the counter was a huge help, and we both found exactly what we were looking for. just more things to add to the wish lists for now, but they'll come soon enough! also-- celtics WON!!!! that was a relief!
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SUNDAY:
work at 6. yeah, seriously. we had a floorset for bbw at 6AM. why? because they wanted us to have time to spend with our mothers!! ridic. i know. we got done pretty fast, and it wasn't too bad... but i'm STILL trying to recover my lost hours of sleep from that!
as much as i didn't want to (because i was literally exhausted), i went to church. kelli came, which is always fun! our graduating seniors spoke in sacrament, and my neighbor, Stephen gave such a great talk! well, they all did, but stephen's stuck out. they are all great kids, and i'm proud of them!!!
also... with this week being the week of kelli's wedding -- attention's turned to her (obviously!) and i've been left to my own devices. it's going to be rough and stressful, and on sunday, i began to feel all the stress catching up to me. it was becoming more than i could take and as i confided in devin he said this to me:
"I pray for you every day. It'll all work out, and remember, nothing is as important as you and I kneeling across from each other at the alter of the temple being sealed to each other, our love for each other being sealed by Heavenly Father and the Savior. That's the most important thing. Please don't let all the other stuff take away from that. I love you!"
it wasn't in a rude way at all, but it is exactly what i needed to hear. it's not like i wasn't trying, but it was good to know that Devin has his mind in the right place. It helps me to stay focused on what's important too. It was a really good thing for me to hear him request that I do my best to not let those things distract from what matters most. The best thing he could possibly wish for. And after hearing him ask so sincerely for that simple thing, I am even more motivated to try even harder to make that happen. It sounds much easier than it actually is, especially when i'm kinda on my own! But Devin deserves to have me fully, physically, emotionally, and spiritually present with him in that sealing room, and I deserve it, too. I wouldn't want it any other way.
after that talk with him, I took my temple prep guide to church and read during sacrament meeting. In the middle of the chapter I was on, I came across a paragraph that said basically the same thing. That the material side of a wedding -- reception, guests, food, photography, are very demanding and distracting details-- but we must leave them at the door when we enter the temple. Being sealed to Devin is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I don't want to miss one second of it. I want to listen intently to the words of the Sealer, so I can remember them, ponder them often, and implement them in our life together. I want to remember every detail of those moments that I can.
Everyone says your day goes by in a blur-- i'm fine with that happening with every part of the day... other than the sealing. I don't want to miss any part of that. it is so important to me, as it should be.
It was nice to hear Dev's request, and then hear it, reverberated in the temple prep manual. It was a good reminder that I needed to re-focus, and remember what matters. I feel a lot more calm since all of that, too!
after church, kelli tried on her wedding dress for us! she bought it alone, and nobody had seen it until then! i want to tell you all about it, it's absolutely beautiful on her! I can't even believe it. She is going to be a gorgeous bride. I hope Sean knows how lucky he is to have my sister. She is probably one of the best things that will ever happen to him. I know she's been that way for me! I couldn't have asked for a better friend, sister, and wedding-month sharer! haha
After that, we all headed to Kristin's for a mother's day party. Uncle Rich made crepes, and there were all kinds of yummy breakfast foods! Devin and I ate way too much, especially since we headed to his parents right after for another dinner! Chicken and corn bread stuffing-- SO good! Vicki is a great cook! I know she doesn't think much of her recipes, that they are just simple and easy -- but they are DELICIOUS!!! I've got some serious competition in satisfying Devin's hunger! haha I only hope I can cook like his mother!
After the meal, Devin showed us the website, before he sent in the request to "go live"-- it's AMAZING. There are no other words. I can't even tell you how perfect it is! I think it will bring major changes to his clientele, and reputation as a photographer-- in a good way!
Then, we delivered some announcements to some of his closest friends -- some that I had never met before! It was good to meet Jason Tobler and Jason Dent, and I sure hope we start seeing more of them! Those are some great guys. Even though up until this point, I had only heard stories about them, I already have a lot of respect for them. Like i've said before... Devin has a lot of really great people around him, and I'm lucky to be a part of that!
We got back to the apartment, and I wrote about half of my thank you notes from the shower until I felt like my hand would fall off. We watched Holmes on Homes, which i'm learning to love, since it's one of Devin's favorites. He and his Dad both love these mr.-fix-it, DIY shows. It's funny how alike they are in some ways, and how different they are in others!
Also-- I'll say it again -- mine is the BEST fiance. He knows me better than anyone. Just what to say and do-- how to cheer me up, or comfort me. He's got it down to a science, I tell you! He is incredible. Every day, I feel so blessed to have him. 17 days until we're MARRIED!
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other things:
i have officially made an appointment to take out my endowments in the provo temple. may 19th! i can't wait to finally go through the temple. it has been a huge goal, that i have centered a great portion of my life around, and I feel very humbled that I now have the opportunity to go into the House of the Lord, and learn more about the gospel. Just thinking about having this experience makes me feel so peaceful, and I know it will be amazing. I am so glad that I get to do this with my family, as well. I am so thankful to have worthy parents (both mine and devin's) that can be there with me on this special day. Also, devin's siblings and their spouses. I am so glad that they will all be able to come with us! I am most excited, though, that I get to do this with my fiance. I chose to take my endowments out exactly one week before the wedding, because I wanted Devin to be a special part of this day with me. I know it will always mean a lot to both of us.
speaking of weddings -- remember how kelli's is on FRIDAY?! I am so excited for her and Sean. Sometimes, it seems like they're just already married, but I can't wait until it's FOR REAL! I am so proud of my sister. I know she loves Sean more than anything, and he loves her just as much. They are so great for each other, and deserve all the happiness in the world! I love them both and am so excited to spend the day in Smithfield celebrating their marriage!
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MONDAY
after work on monday, i ran a few errands, including a quick visit to the florist -- So excited to see what she comes up with! she is so amazing, and if you ever need a good florist, please see Linda! She's incredible, so sweet, and a breeze to work with. I've left a lot of the design up to her, just because I know she will create something even more beautiful then I could have ever imagined! I took her the vintage/antique items i want her to use for the wrap, and she was so excited about them! that made me happy, and I can't wait to see what she does with them on the bouquet!!!
after that, i drove up to LAYTON to see my sister! Kelli and Sean recently bought a trailer! it's actually really nice. the inside is all newly re-done, and it looks sooo good in there. it's so roomy, and such a perfect place for them. I also love layton -- and her neighborhood is in a great location!
She treated me to a yummy dinner at zupa's and then we did some wedding shopping. We even found her the perfect shoes for the wedding day!!!
after that, we went back to her house and made her guest book (which is similar to mine) and watched When a Stranger Calls.
can i just say? Kelli is literally the funniest person I know. i have a lot of funny friends and family, but kelli tops the charts. she's hysterical. We had so much fun joking and laughing! I had taken my camera to document this day, and forgot until we were back home on the couch... it literally took us TWENTY tries to get a decent picture! It was hilarious! here's a few of the attempts:
still struggling.we were laughing hysterically.
I even made it home early enough to spend a little while with dev before he was completely unconscious -- poor guy works way too hard! :( 10 hours today -- on top of waking up extra early! he's amazing.
LOVE him.
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more exciting stuff:
we named out house. THE A-P-T. not the apartment. not abbreviation for apartment.... APT. as in the letters. separately. A. P. T. hahahaha
so, originally, we were going to have dev take my bridals. but we've since decided to just have our awesome photographer, Jared do it instead, so that way Devin can be in the pictures! It also takes some stress off of him! I think we're keeping the same plans though. I'm so excited! My wonderful best friend, Valeri Jones is going to do my hair and make-up and then her and her husband Garrison will probably come up with us. Mostly so Valeri can help me get into my dress and tell me the harsh truth about my facial expressions and fix my hair when I mess it up :) haha she's amazing. I am so glad that she will be able to come and help me.
Valeri is someone I can always count on. She is so selfless and willing to help in any way she possibly can. She is the most kind-hearted, sweet woman. I am sooo blessed to have her as a friend!
ALSO... remember when I had that big BBW lunch with the VP of operations, KEN MONTERA?! At least, I think I mentioned it on here... we'd been preparing for months for this visit, and it's since come and gone! On april 29th, our store got to meet ken, and a bunch of other big-time company people, and have a delicious lunch with them at La Jolla Groves.
This visit from ken is sort of a BBW tradition, and has somehow become an italian-themed event. He's PAPA KEN! anyway... that explains why we're all wearing chef hats and fake mustaches. I guess it actually doesn't really explain it... but we did anyway... HA!
okay see, that wasn't so bad?! you made it to the end of the post. i'm so proud of you. that was a whole lot of updating!
Friday, May 6, 2011
tough cat
Milo's been living outside for awhile now.
I went about a week and a half without seeing him, until a couple days ago when I caught a glimpse of him running away from Sammy and Buddy.
Since then, he's at the back door every morning, whining to join us for breakfast.
I would say it's annoying, but it's nice to have him back around!
I must say though, living in the "real world" has really roughed him up. He has new scratches every day. Like this one:
it doesn't really seem to be bothering him all that much, which is good. i think it gives him more character. and you know what the best part about all of this is?
he still loves to cuddle up to his mama :)
my mom once had a cat growing up, and they took him on a trip with them somewhere far, like oregon or washington, and he either ran away, or the abandoned him on purpose... either way...
a couple weeks later, they were back home here in Utah... and he showed up at their house. He literally found his way home. They called him TC after that. for Tough Cat.
now I'm kind of afraid I'll find Milo hanging out at my apartment! actually, that would be kind of awesome. haha
I went about a week and a half without seeing him, until a couple days ago when I caught a glimpse of him running away from Sammy and Buddy.
Since then, he's at the back door every morning, whining to join us for breakfast.
I would say it's annoying, but it's nice to have him back around!
I must say though, living in the "real world" has really roughed him up. He has new scratches every day. Like this one:
he still loves to cuddle up to his mama :)
my mom once had a cat growing up, and they took him on a trip with them somewhere far, like oregon or washington, and he either ran away, or the abandoned him on purpose... either way...
a couple weeks later, they were back home here in Utah... and he showed up at their house. He literally found his way home. They called him TC after that. for Tough Cat.
now I'm kind of afraid I'll find Milo hanging out at my apartment! actually, that would be kind of awesome. haha
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
as of late
so, maybe the celtics didn't win.
but that's okay. i wasn't very invested... I only pretend to be really excited so Devin doesn't feel guilty for making me watch basketball :) hahaha juuusssst kidding!
as of late:
doctor appointment: check.
marriage licence: next week. (check-ish)
endowment session booked: check.
bridesmaids gifts: check.
well. i guess that's it for wedding stuff. i feel like i had a lot more updates for this post. now i'm realizing there really aren't that many.
tomorrow, i'm on the search for the perfect top for my sister's wedding (anyone know where i can get a killer red chiffon top? please and thank you!)
i will also conquer that pile of laundry (some day).
good news is... Lyndsey and Nate (cousin and husband who lived in our house before us) sold the bedroom set that's been in our dining room!!! yay! haha we don't really use the dining room yet, because we don't have barstools. but it's the principle of the thing, ya know? it's exciting, okay?!
also... there are only 22 more days until i'm Katie Ashby.
i sign my name Katie Ashby already.
everyone at work calls me KASHA because they can't call me katie jo much longer, and respect my love for the ke$h. which is sweet of them.
i will finish delivering announcements tomorrow if it kills me!!!
bridal shower on saturday -- over 100 people invited! whoa! i'm so excited. my Aunts are so great.
Ashby family pictures right after bridal shower -- can't wiat for this either. It will be fun!
Jason's birthday party/minute to win it!!! Yaaayyyy I love parties.
hmph. yeah... not as many new things as i thought. or at least, not many new things that i want to share on my blog, ha!
life's been great though. :) as always.
it's hard to not be happy with someone like Devin in my life. he is absolutely amazing. i love him so much.
but that's okay. i wasn't very invested... I only pretend to be really excited so Devin doesn't feel guilty for making me watch basketball :) hahaha juuusssst kidding!
as of late:
doctor appointment: check.
marriage licence: next week. (check-ish)
endowment session booked: check.
bridesmaids gifts: check.
well. i guess that's it for wedding stuff. i feel like i had a lot more updates for this post. now i'm realizing there really aren't that many.
tomorrow, i'm on the search for the perfect top for my sister's wedding (anyone know where i can get a killer red chiffon top? please and thank you!)
i will also conquer that pile of laundry (some day).
good news is... Lyndsey and Nate (cousin and husband who lived in our house before us) sold the bedroom set that's been in our dining room!!! yay! haha we don't really use the dining room yet, because we don't have barstools. but it's the principle of the thing, ya know? it's exciting, okay?!
also... there are only 22 more days until i'm Katie Ashby.
i sign my name Katie Ashby already.
everyone at work calls me KASHA because they can't call me katie jo much longer, and respect my love for the ke$h. which is sweet of them.
i will finish delivering announcements tomorrow if it kills me!!!
bridal shower on saturday -- over 100 people invited! whoa! i'm so excited. my Aunts are so great.
Ashby family pictures right after bridal shower -- can't wiat for this either. It will be fun!
Jason's birthday party/minute to win it!!! Yaaayyyy I love parties.
hmph. yeah... not as many new things as i thought. or at least, not many new things that i want to share on my blog, ha!
life's been great though. :) as always.
it's hard to not be happy with someone like Devin in my life. he is absolutely amazing. i love him so much.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
shawn's 24.
so we celebrated yesterday.
which was his birthday.
we met up with him, and his amazing girlfriend, Julia, and some of his other friends at Red Robin for some dinner.
can i just say... I love Julia. I love Julia for Shawn. I think they are so great together. I really hope she sticks around! She was a lot of fun, and put together all kinds of things for his birthday. She even teamed up with Shawn's Mom and made cupcakes! She sounds like a keeper (cough, cough, shawn! cough, cough)
Devin was so exhausted, but we still had a really fun time. He worked 11 hours yesterday! You probably wouldn't have been able to tell though, because something happens every time Devin and Shawn are around each other. It's like there is a shift in the chemical balances in their brains, and they start doing all sorts of weird things. They have this secret handshake/gesture thing, a trillion inside jokes and they take several trips down memory lane... it's actually really hilarious. They are best friends, and have been since Junior High. I think they're the epitome of best friends.
Anyway.... we didn't take very many pictures, but here!:
I'd like to say this is Shawn posing... but I've seen this look on his face way too often for that to be true.
aren't they cute?!?! oh, I just love them!
see... see that look in Devin's eye? That's one of the symptoms of this chemical imbalance I was telling you about... hahaha
he was struggling with normalcy as well...
there we go! except we look tired.
if anybody could eat ice cream seductively... it would be shawn.
those cupcakes were delicious!
there we are! well, almost everyone. a couple left before we took this.
It was so much fun to spend some time with Shawn on his birthday, and I hope his entire day was as great as that dinner!
Once we got home, Devin crashed. And I did at least 10 minutes worth of aimless cleaning and straightening before I could get him to wake up.
so for tonight... we're going to do a whole lot of relaxing! well... actually we're going to go grocery shopping. and then we're going to watch the CELTICS beat the heat! caaaaan't wait.
which was his birthday.
we met up with him, and his amazing girlfriend, Julia, and some of his other friends at Red Robin for some dinner.
can i just say... I love Julia. I love Julia for Shawn. I think they are so great together. I really hope she sticks around! She was a lot of fun, and put together all kinds of things for his birthday. She even teamed up with Shawn's Mom and made cupcakes! She sounds like a keeper (cough, cough, shawn! cough, cough)
Devin was so exhausted, but we still had a really fun time. He worked 11 hours yesterday! You probably wouldn't have been able to tell though, because something happens every time Devin and Shawn are around each other. It's like there is a shift in the chemical balances in their brains, and they start doing all sorts of weird things. They have this secret handshake/gesture thing, a trillion inside jokes and they take several trips down memory lane... it's actually really hilarious. They are best friends, and have been since Junior High. I think they're the epitome of best friends.
Anyway.... we didn't take very many pictures, but here!:
It was so much fun to spend some time with Shawn on his birthday, and I hope his entire day was as great as that dinner!
Once we got home, Devin crashed. And I did at least 10 minutes worth of aimless cleaning and straightening before I could get him to wake up.
so for tonight... we're going to do a whole lot of relaxing! well... actually we're going to go grocery shopping. and then we're going to watch the CELTICS beat the heat! caaaaan't wait.
Monday, May 2, 2011
sunday
Devin and I went to each of our home wards together yesterday, which was nice.
In his ward, we sat with his parents, and Tammie and Jerry Peavler, his parents' best friends... Tammie and Jerry are like Ashby Family, and we met at their daughter's reception, so I've been able to get to know them pretty well I think. Tammie and Jerry have some of the cutest grandchildren! Today, they had Shane and Bonnie's two kids, Chloe and Adam with them, while Shane and Bonnie were on vacation.
I have played with Chloe lots before, but I don't usually expect 3-year-old's to remember things like that. She was so quiet and reverent all through sacrament meeting. Adam is still a baby, maybe 8 months old? I have absolutely no idea. Probably less than that. But he was such a good baby too! I held both of them several times throughout the meeting, and Adam was absolutely fascinated with Devin. It was adorable.
It was also so cute to watch Chloe take care of "her baby". She is such a good sister to him, and was constantly sharing toys, and giving him kisses. I hope our kids are that nice to each other, and that quiet in church! Holy cow! What angels.
Today was Fast and Testimony Meeting, so we listened to a lot of testimonies today. I was so impressed with the youth in Devin's ward! They all seem like such amazing kids, and they had very sweet testimonies, and some great stories to share. It was so nice to hear young kids talk about their love for the gospel in a serious, and individual way, rather than what I am used to hearing. The majority of the testimonies shared in his ward's meeting were youth. That doesn't happen very often, from what I've seen.
My ward's sacrament meeting was a different story. When we walked in the door, and for the rest of the meeting, and after, several people were coming up to meet Devin, but never introducing themselves. I would whisper their names to him as they walked away, but I thought it was so funny. He was a bit of a celebrity!
I was also a little let down that my ward's fast and testimony meeting had a much different spirit to it. There were sooo many kids in the congregation, and they were all so noisy! I also felt like a lot of the testimonies were straying from their purpose. It turned into primary sharing time/story time/show and tell. It wasn't the kind of spirit I had hoped for, but it was still nice. Mostly primary kids baring their testimonies.
After church, I went home and packed some boxes, and got bored... and then at 6:00, my parents, my brother, my sister and I all headed over to the Ashby's so our families could finally meet! This had been long overdue! I felt like it was weird that we had to make introductions, just because it seems like we're already all family.
Brandon made a delicious dinner, as always. I tried new things, even! Everyone knows I dont like potatoes, so they always come up with some alternative for me, which is really nice of them, and also kind of funny. Brandon made cheese palenta, which was really different from anything I've ever had, but also really good.
Brandon's dogs, Koda and Riley definitely stole the show. Kayla and Kyle loved them! Our parents got along really well, and everyone had a good time, so I was glad to get that out of the way so we can move on to just having fun.
After the dinner, Devin and I took some boxes over to our house and he has officially moved in! I am so jealous that he gets to live in our cute house for almost an entire month before me! But it's mostly just making me even more impatient to leave.
We were watching some TV but nothing really interesting was on, and Devin was laying on my lap asleep, and then I did something I never do. I turned the TV to the news.
Since when do I watch the news?
There was definitely a reason that happened though, because Osama Bin Laden's death was the main topic of every news station. Once we discovered the breaking news, we spent about an hour flipping between different news casts, getting all the information we could.
One station was interviewing a Utah congressman that said this was the kind of historical event where everyone would remember where they were when they heard it. I was in my almost house. With my almost husband. And I don't think I'll ever forget! This will change a lot of things, and I don't know what to expect, but I am so relieved. It took almost 10 years to find that man, when he had been hiding in plain sight. So many men and women lost their lives for this cause, and now we can all sleep easy... at least I hope so!
There is so much going on this week that I don't even think I can wrap my head around it. Hopefully I will be able to keep up! Mondays are always the worst part. But at least we get them over with at the beginning of the week.
In his ward, we sat with his parents, and Tammie and Jerry Peavler, his parents' best friends... Tammie and Jerry are like Ashby Family, and we met at their daughter's reception, so I've been able to get to know them pretty well I think. Tammie and Jerry have some of the cutest grandchildren! Today, they had Shane and Bonnie's two kids, Chloe and Adam with them, while Shane and Bonnie were on vacation.
I have played with Chloe lots before, but I don't usually expect 3-year-old's to remember things like that. She was so quiet and reverent all through sacrament meeting. Adam is still a baby, maybe 8 months old? I have absolutely no idea. Probably less than that. But he was such a good baby too! I held both of them several times throughout the meeting, and Adam was absolutely fascinated with Devin. It was adorable.
It was also so cute to watch Chloe take care of "her baby". She is such a good sister to him, and was constantly sharing toys, and giving him kisses. I hope our kids are that nice to each other, and that quiet in church! Holy cow! What angels.
Today was Fast and Testimony Meeting, so we listened to a lot of testimonies today. I was so impressed with the youth in Devin's ward! They all seem like such amazing kids, and they had very sweet testimonies, and some great stories to share. It was so nice to hear young kids talk about their love for the gospel in a serious, and individual way, rather than what I am used to hearing. The majority of the testimonies shared in his ward's meeting were youth. That doesn't happen very often, from what I've seen.
My ward's sacrament meeting was a different story. When we walked in the door, and for the rest of the meeting, and after, several people were coming up to meet Devin, but never introducing themselves. I would whisper their names to him as they walked away, but I thought it was so funny. He was a bit of a celebrity!
I was also a little let down that my ward's fast and testimony meeting had a much different spirit to it. There were sooo many kids in the congregation, and they were all so noisy! I also felt like a lot of the testimonies were straying from their purpose. It turned into primary sharing time/story time/show and tell. It wasn't the kind of spirit I had hoped for, but it was still nice. Mostly primary kids baring their testimonies.
After church, I went home and packed some boxes, and got bored... and then at 6:00, my parents, my brother, my sister and I all headed over to the Ashby's so our families could finally meet! This had been long overdue! I felt like it was weird that we had to make introductions, just because it seems like we're already all family.
Brandon made a delicious dinner, as always. I tried new things, even! Everyone knows I dont like potatoes, so they always come up with some alternative for me, which is really nice of them, and also kind of funny. Brandon made cheese palenta, which was really different from anything I've ever had, but also really good.
Brandon's dogs, Koda and Riley definitely stole the show. Kayla and Kyle loved them! Our parents got along really well, and everyone had a good time, so I was glad to get that out of the way so we can move on to just having fun.
After the dinner, Devin and I took some boxes over to our house and he has officially moved in! I am so jealous that he gets to live in our cute house for almost an entire month before me! But it's mostly just making me even more impatient to leave.
We were watching some TV but nothing really interesting was on, and Devin was laying on my lap asleep, and then I did something I never do. I turned the TV to the news.
Since when do I watch the news?
There was definitely a reason that happened though, because Osama Bin Laden's death was the main topic of every news station. Once we discovered the breaking news, we spent about an hour flipping between different news casts, getting all the information we could.
One station was interviewing a Utah congressman that said this was the kind of historical event where everyone would remember where they were when they heard it. I was in my almost house. With my almost husband. And I don't think I'll ever forget! This will change a lot of things, and I don't know what to expect, but I am so relieved. It took almost 10 years to find that man, when he had been hiding in plain sight. So many men and women lost their lives for this cause, and now we can all sleep easy... at least I hope so!
There is so much going on this week that I don't even think I can wrap my head around it. Hopefully I will be able to keep up! Mondays are always the worst part. But at least we get them over with at the beginning of the week.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
home.
this morning, Devin and his brother in law, Jason headed over to our house around 9. i wasn't willing to get up that early, but I still met them there at 9:30, which I guess defeated the purpose of sleeping in. But I did show up with donuts and milk... do I know how to please my man or what?! They were pretty grateful for the breakfast.
Devin and Jason got to work right away on the entertainment center-- the problem was that the space for the TV was way to small to fit Devin's giant plasma screen, and there were a few shelves that were slouching a little bit... Jason did WORK on that entertainment center!!!
While they worked, I did some decorating... and did some Office watching... and some sitting on the couch in a blanket watching them.... (it's freezing in there... hopefully that's fixed soon!)
after the entertainment center was done, and all our visitors had come and gone, and we had primed and painted all of it... we each went home to shower and get ready.
*side note: it's hard to get white paint out of brown hair... and in Devin's opinion, "no, it doesn't look like paint... it just looks like you have gray hair right there!" my reply? "wrong answer!" hahaha
devin came and picked me up... and we headed to Ikea, for the millionth time since we've been engaged... (it's the perfect store for newlyweds... everything is SO CHEAP and really cool...) and we bought a long list of things:
we went straight to the apartment, and Devin hooked up the tv to the blu-ray player and the cable box and the HD and the computer cord.. and a million other cool features... and i put everything else away... in other words, continued decorating.
SO here's out it turned out! the bad news is, my camera died while i was taking pictures, so more will come. probably not until it's completely finished... which might be awhile. but this will probably satisfy you enough, and if not... we like visitors :)
finally! i know, it's been a long time... but here it is! my plate rack! i have lots of different plates to put in it when i feel like changing it... which will be often. but these are my favorite so far.
BEFORE... not very convenient... and way too small for the TV.
AFTER! Jason did amazing work, and Devin helped a ton too.
After, with everything on it and hooked up... also testing out the TV!
out amazing couch. (polka dot pillows we got today from Ikea, and also... a piece of the yet-to-be-assembled shoe rack)
entry way. we didn't want it to become an unused space, since the living room is so long and connects into the kitchen... so this is right across from the front door.
bamboo!!! a lifelong dream of mine fulfilled! i told devin it's our love fern.
table. with new placemats... also, it took a looong time to find that flower, believe it or not.
lamps! they are really cool, i promise. this picture makes it look weird.
i got a little carried away with picture taking... but here's Devin's camera collection, minus the ones he actually uses. but it's cool anyway! it's in the dining room... haha
bedroom! more, and better pictures will come. and it will probably also have the rest of the pillows on it by then... hopefully at least.
after we set everything up, we watched some TV... a little bit of everything. we would probably say it was because we wanted to get used to the new kind of cable... but it was most likely because that couch is so comfortable, that you lose any will to get off of it.
it was a long busy day, but our little house has come so far! it's so nice, and so pretty and I can't wait to live there! That place really feels like home. It's perfect.
Devin moves in tomorrow!!! which means we're 3 1/2 weeks away from officially being the ASHBYS.
wondering if i can't wait?
wondering if i was going to say that next?
affirmative.
on both accounts.
Devin and Jason got to work right away on the entertainment center-- the problem was that the space for the TV was way to small to fit Devin's giant plasma screen, and there were a few shelves that were slouching a little bit... Jason did WORK on that entertainment center!!!
While they worked, I did some decorating... and did some Office watching... and some sitting on the couch in a blanket watching them.... (it's freezing in there... hopefully that's fixed soon!)
after the entertainment center was done, and all our visitors had come and gone, and we had primed and painted all of it... we each went home to shower and get ready.
*side note: it's hard to get white paint out of brown hair... and in Devin's opinion, "no, it doesn't look like paint... it just looks like you have gray hair right there!" my reply? "wrong answer!" hahaha
devin came and picked me up... and we headed to Ikea, for the millionth time since we've been engaged... (it's the perfect store for newlyweds... everything is SO CHEAP and really cool...) and we bought a long list of things:
- side table
- 2 lamps
- shoe rack for Devin
- trash can for man cave
- pillowcases
- place mats
- throw pillows for couch
- bamboo
we went straight to the apartment, and Devin hooked up the tv to the blu-ray player and the cable box and the HD and the computer cord.. and a million other cool features... and i put everything else away... in other words, continued decorating.
SO here's out it turned out! the bad news is, my camera died while i was taking pictures, so more will come. probably not until it's completely finished... which might be awhile. but this will probably satisfy you enough, and if not... we like visitors :)
after we set everything up, we watched some TV... a little bit of everything. we would probably say it was because we wanted to get used to the new kind of cable... but it was most likely because that couch is so comfortable, that you lose any will to get off of it.
it was a long busy day, but our little house has come so far! it's so nice, and so pretty and I can't wait to live there! That place really feels like home. It's perfect.
Devin moves in tomorrow!!! which means we're 3 1/2 weeks away from officially being the ASHBYS.
wondering if i can't wait?
wondering if i was going to say that next?
affirmative.
on both accounts.
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