Next Friday, we're meeting with Kaity to take our engagement pictures. I am beyond excited because of our location. 

Originally, when we started wedding planning, we toyed with the idea of having the wedding in South Bend and the reception in St. Joe, Michigan, so that we could combine places that were both important to me (Saint Mary's!) with places important to Dan (the lake!). We quickly realized that would be difficult logistically with getting all of our guests back and forth, so we opted for the South Bend venues. But, for our engagement photos, we're heading to St. Joe! 

I'm super excited to get some great shots at Lake Michigan, and downtown St. Joe. We even have a few fun places up our sleeves. I can't wait to see them, as Dan and I have been terrible the past six months or so about taking pictures together. It will be nice to have pictures that we're both in where we look nice and aren't holding the camera at arm's length for self shots in poorly lit rooms. 

So, now the question is, what do we wear? I've been perusing lots of different advice columns of what to wear in pictures, and have decided that solids are probably going to be out best bet. 

Here's what I've picked out so far. What do you think? I want to limit outfit choices to three -- something casual (in case we do sand/water shots), something fun, and something a little more formal. What would you wear? And how would you accessorize?

Green shorts and yellow top (both from Ann Taylor LOFT)

Same green shorts (LOFT) and Tiffany Blue top (Flourish) -- I worry the top is too fancy for the simple bottoms

Navy Gastby inspired dress (Flourish)

Sunny yellow dress with bright blue belt (Forever 21)

Sassy navy top (with white capris, maybe?) (Ann Taylor LOFT)

Little white sundress (LOFT) 

Wedding Wednesday: THE dress

I mean... Mariah did it...

Now that we're a month and a half into planning our wedding, Dan and I are learning the ins and outs of wedding planning. We struggled to find a date (June! May 31! May 10!). We struggled to find a venue (booked, booked this morning, maybe booked, available!). And while we're having some luck (the best wedding photographer EVER, and gorgeous floral designs), I'm learning that, generally speaking, this might be harder than I first thought. 

Dan, perhaps inundated with my... enthusiasm for wedding planning while I'm on summer vacation, and I were talking last week, and decided we'd dedicate Wednesdays and weekends to most of the planning. Appointments, major decisions, planning, etc. could be done then, so as to not totally fill up our week with insanity. 

Yesterday was my very first time shopping for a bridal gown. I've been with friends before, and looked online, but never before had I stepped into a gown. I've watched all of the TLC wedding shows for an obscenely long amount of time. But when it actually came down to it, I realized something:

I have absolutely no idea what I want in a wedding dress. 

I thought I knew what I wanted. Not strapless. Not mermaid. Not tight on the hips. Not a million dollars. Even after trying on 20ish dresses, with the exception of the not a million dollars thing, I still don't really know what I want. 

I found a dress, or maybe even two dresses, that are totally beautiful. But I didn't have that THIS IS IT moment that I was hoping I'd have. I was waiting for the AHA, the emotional reaction, the tears, and it didn't happen. I went to bed questioning the dress, and woke up questioning the dress even more. And while I like the line and LOVE the boutique, I think I need to look again. 

Sigh. I know it's out there. And I know I just have to keep looking. But I was sincerely hoping I'd find it on the first go around. 

Any advice for dress shopping? 

A birthday celebration!

Greetings! It's been a busy week filled with Andrea's wedding wonderfulness (check out OMG Photography's web site to see all of the amazing wedding pictures!) lots of my favorite house guests, and working on our own wedding details. 

But on Thursday night, I got the unique opportunity to attend Flourish Boutique's 5th birthday party! For those of you who don't know, Flourish is a totally fabulous gem located in Mishawaka, Indiana. After originally opening on the northwest side of South Bend in 2008, Flourish relocated to its current location the following year. 

I was originally introduced to Flourish because the owner, Vanessa Cooreman-Smith, is also a Saint Mary's graduate, and my former roommate, Nicole, always raved about her clothes. The first time I went, I was hooked, and I can safely say that I now spend an embarrassing amount of time checking their web site and Facebook page. I celebrated my 30th birthday wearing Flourish, and I got engaged wearing Flourish too! 

A little chevron dress

A little chevron top

So, it's pretty safe to say I have a ton of love for Flourish (and, chevron, as it not only pops in my wardrobe, but now in my home decorating and wedding planning too!). For their fifth birthday, Flourish was celebrating with a giant get together, including a fashion show of their summer line of clothing. 

 

I think my very favorite part of the show is that it included women of all ages and sizes. Flourish is a boutique for real women -- those who fit the runway "norm" and those who don't. 

I fell in love with a LOT of the pieces in the show. Luckily, Andrea, Teresa, and I shopped the store before the fashion show. Had we shopped afterward, I would have spent far, far more than I actually did. (Confession: I've already purchased ANOTHER dress online since.) 

               











         

Oh, Chevron? Yes, I bought this, and wore it to Andrea's rehearsal dinner the following night!

Flourish combines perfect, trendy pieces with classics that everyone loves. With tried and true color combinations mixed with pops of color, the two-level store quite literally has surprises around every corner. Check them out here (free shipping, so if you're out of the area, you can still shop 'til you drop), and check back here SOON, as I'll be offering my first ever blog giveaway, thanks to Flourish! 

Runners rule

There are so many reasons I love running. And, truly, runners rock for so many reasons. Here's just one. Check out the link for a marathoner who ran down a bike thief. :D

My cousin Em

Today's blog post is dedicated to my fabulous cousin Emily. This morning, she decided to take the plunge and registered for the 2014 Disney Princess Half Marathon! I'm SO incredibly excited for her, because I know what an amazing experience running the Princess Half is! Now, granted, I've only run two half marathons, but in my limited experience, Disney is a race like no other. There's so much going on, so many things to look at, so many people nearby. It's so exciting, it makes me think about wanting to do it too! Family vacation, anyone? ;)

My cousin Emily is truly one of the funniest people I've ever known. Her story telling ability is spot on, her sarcasm can make even the stodgiest person chuckle, and if you ever travel with her, you're pretty much guaranteed a travel horror or two that turn into a really funny tale afterward. And I couldn't be more excited for her! I can't wait to hear the stories she has after her run! 

Welcome to the race, princess! :D

Momma Mondays

I know it probably goes without saying that every person thinks he or she has the best mom in the world. I too fall into this category, but mostly because in my case, it's true! Whether she's teaching her students, taking care of her family, or tackling amazing feats like running her first 5K, my mom just plain rocks. 

My mom and I have the great fortune to both be teachers, and, therefore, both be off during our summers. We always have great intentions of spending time together -- going on adventures, taking day trips, or just getting together for a quick bite to eat, but the past few summers, we've struggled with this. Two summers ago, my mom spent almost the entire summer in Florida, taking care of my grandfather. Last summer, we did get together, but not nearly often enough for my liking. 

So, this summer, we decided to pick a day a week that we could spend time doing things together. Hence, momma Mondays. Every Monday, we're spending the day together. Whether we're doing housework at each other's houses, spending a day running errands, or doing something fun together, we're making the time to get together every week, which I love! 

Today's momma Monday was a necessary one. After teaching morning Jazz, I went to my parents' house. Mom and I had breakfast and then spent the next two hours cleaning out, detailing, and washing our cars. Our cars are now spotless (until we drive them again, that is!), we didn't have to do all the work on our own, and we got to spend time together. My car is the cleanest it's been probably since I got it. Wins all around in my book! 

It doesn't really matter to me what we do on these Mondays. I'm just glad that my mom and I have the chance to get together. We're lucky ladies like that. 

Highest of highs, lowest of lows

Happy National Running Day! I think it's neat that runners all over the country laced up their shoes today to log a few miles. I got in a run this morning with my friends Johnna and Tom, and really enjoyed not only the run, but the conversation too. 

Today is also my friend Andrea's 30th birthday! Happy Birthday, lady! We'll be celebrating not only her birthday this weekend, but also her bachelorette party, since Andrea will be marrying the love of her life, Kelly, in only two short weeks! 

Today is also a hard day. Yesterday, I learned of the passing of one of my students. Andrew Weber was a junior I had in my Honors class this year. He was funny and kind. He always lifted others up instead of bringing others down. He had aspirations of being a rapper, which he admitted he knew people looked at him like he was crazy and couldn't do it. But he wanted to do it anyway. On Saturday, he suddenly went in to cardiac arrest, and yesterday morning, they learned he had no brain activity and removed life support. He leaves behind so many family members and friends who love him. He and his girlfriend shared a locker right outside my classroom. So many of us at LPHS will miss him. 

Late last night, we learned of the passing of two more former students. One was 20, and would have graduated a few years ago, but the other was a junior. They were found together, and it appears as though the cause was overdosing. This makes me so sad, on so many levels, but mostly because these are not the first students we've lost because of drugs. I wish I knew what to do, some way to help, some way to stop this problem, some way to help these kids. We need to do more, so many of us acknowledge that, but I think we all feel lost on how to help. 

It is so odd to me how things can be so good, and so bad in the exact same moment. It's summer. There are so many good things going on in life right now. But at the same time, there is this aching and sadness for these lost lives that won't go away. I just wish I knew how to fix it all. 

Say some prayers for our students and their friends and family, if you're the praying kind. 

My mother, my hero

Today's 5K was totally unlike any other I've ever run. I wasn't looking to PR. I wasn't looking to beat last year's race time. I wasn't looking to see how I compared to people in my new age bracket. Today was special because it was about momma.  

Back in 1999, my mom and I decided to run the Sunburst 5K together. That lasted about four weeks, until my mom seriously injured her hip, and we were sidelined. We weren't too upset about it, considering we'd never run past a mile in our training. 

We both stopped running for many years, until I picked it back up again in the summer of 2009. So, in March, when my mom casually mentioned that the 2013 Sunburst would fall on her 60th birthday, and that she was thinking about running it, I jumped at the chance to run with her. We found her a good 5K training program, my parents purchased a treadmill, and she was quite literally off and running! 

This morning, the weather looked nothing short of ominous, but mom was in good spirits as we drove to the race. Once there, we met up with my bestie Andrea, our high school friend Julie, and my friend Kaity, who just so happens to be the wedding photographer for both Andrea and my weddings! 

At 7:15, we were off! There's something so cool about running with thousands of other people. Mom did great -- we did a run/walk throughout the course, and mom did GREAT! Sunburst is one of my favorite races because of the ending through the tunnel into Notre Dame stadium and ending on the 50 yard line. Mom and I went running through the tunnel with smiles on our faces and crossed the finish line hand in hand! Fourteen years after our initial plan to run Sunburst, we completed our goal! 

And, her AMAZING finish time was 37:56, which is 6 minutes faster than she did in her training runs! SO, SO, SO proud of her! And so, so, so glad we got to do this together on her 60th birthday. My mom ROCKS! 

Happy Birthday, Mom! Here's to many more birthdays and many, many, many more races! 

Mom and daughter, in matching purple!