WEDDING WEDNESDAY: MY BRIDAL SHOWER.

even as i write this post, more than a week after my bridal shower, i am still overcome with joy. 

we planned the shower and bachelorette for the last weekend in april and all of my favorite people were able to attend. to have all of my closest friends, my family and tim's family in one room was an incredible feeling. and to know that they were all there to celebrate our upcoming marriage... i have no words.

my sister and mom worked tirelessly to make sure the day was perfect, from picking up my favorite cake to pinteresting every crafty request i sent them. the balloon-string-as-photo-display, as seen above, was a big hit.

the ladies of my family. special shoutout also for my cousin meagan who helped emily put together a lot of amazingness for the bachelorette party, for which meg also served as the official photographer. which, i kind of regret. #blackmailworthyphotos

my best friend, who also did way too much in ensuring a fun weekend for me. champagne and cupcakes? she obviously nailed it.

my ohio university friends. we're about to hit five years since we graduated, and i feel so blessed to still have these beautiful people in my life.

just in time for mother's day, the moms!

my sweet bean bopped in at the beginning to say hello to everyone. he then headed up to cleveland with his guys for a low-key bachelor party. {wink, wink. haha.}

my side of the fam, so grateful they could all be there.

the lovely baker women, who had to traverse the back roads of ohio to make it.

 

a group shot - minus bets {besty where were you?!} - of the girls out later that night.

i think anyone who knows me in real life - or who reads this blog - has felt the fact that wedding planning has not been all i anticipated it would be. but, this past weekend beyond made up for any of the stress i had brought on myself over this year. to be able to literally feel the love from the most important people in my life and to see their excitement for our wedding - it created a joyful anticipation in me for our wedding day. i am 100 percent positive it is going to be amazing simply because of the wonderful people who will be there beside us. and for that, i can't thank them enough.

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS... NEXT YEAR.

this year, traveling to ohio just was not feasible between wedding expenses and lack of pto. i didn't think it would be that bad, since we both had to work wednesday and there's ample technology to enable us to talk to and see our families.

but, it totally sucked. i cried after talking to my fam on christmas eve, which i knew was just the beginning. we both teared up while on the phone with his full extended family and we did the ugly cry when opening gifts.

the one pictured above was a real tear jerker. b's dad wrapped it up for me with a note. his mom used to gift silver bells to her son's wives many years ago every holiday. after she passed away, he kept up the tradition. it's my first year getting a silver bell, and i don't think i've ever received a gift i will treasure more.

next year is going to be even more crazy than 2012, but we already know where we'll be in 362 days - home in ohio with our families. you can count on us.

QUOTABLE.

a few things that have made their way through the twittersphere have caught my attention recently.

this article in the wall street journal on relationships between families and sons- and daughters-in-law:

"in couples where the husband initially reported being close to his wife's parents, the risk of divorce over the next 16 years was 20% lower than for the group overall. yet when the wife reported being close to her in-laws, that seemed to have the opposite effect: the risk of divorce with these couples was 20% higher." 

say wha?! as if on my wedding to-do list i need to add "be close to my in-laws, but not too close"?! ridiculous.

also: in my never-ending quest to lose weight, i found this documentary called "why are thin people not fat?" 

one of the scientists basically says "weight is like height - it is decided by genetics and predetermined before you are born." if i am giving up carbs, i sure hope my body isn't fighting to stay at max chub.

while those two were kind of downers, i'm also reading uber-popular "bringing up bebe". no plans for bambinos anytime soon, but the audiobook version has been a good distraction during my workouts. hear that body? we're getting in wedding shape!

image credit.

TRICIA AND RICH GET MARRIED.

the professional photos from tricia's wedding are in! all these images are courtesy of mak rabbitt photography.

this shot taken of all the ladies by the wonderful sara of the mak rabbitt team as we got ready.

sob. fest. tricia and her dad heading down the aisle.

i am off to the left weeping. rich had the tears going, too. i love that. every wedding we've been to in the last year or so has featured a crying groom, and i would bet money on the success of each of those marriages. {b: are you reading? i anticipate tears from you at the end of the alter!}

the colors! the vineyard! the bouquet! the cuteness! i love this photo.

keith and i dancing in. unfortunately, this was not the last of my boogie skills the crowd would get to see.

ring shot. gorg.

we'll be able to recreate this photo at our wedding in a year! {!!!!!}

i am still thrilled that i got to be a part of this awesome celebration of love. i think the stress of a wedding can either bring people together or tear them apart and i am happy to say that tricia and i haven't been this bff since high school. it helps that she was the most laid-back bride ever. congrats again tricia and rich! wishing you a million more months of happiness.

TURNING HOME.

what a whirlwind few weeks this has been, and will continue to be. i still can't believe my best friend is married! i'll have photos of the actual wedding later this week - forgive me for slow posting, we are also moving over the next couple of days!

on friday, i flew into cleveland to kick off wedding weekend. getting in early gave me the chance to hang out with my sister and do some of my favorite ohio things. such as, eat fox's pizza, drive through my hometown and watch sunsets like this.

i also got to have a pet fest with this girl!

and have dinner with grandma at the chicken house, which i haven't been to in six years. it was as good as i remembered.

then, it was time for the festivities. one of the best parts of the weekend was getting to see tricia's family and just hang out at their house like we were back in high school. we got ready for the rehearsal dinner in her bathroom, like we had done for dances and cheerleading almost a decade ago. it was very surreal.

i mean, i'm not going to say this is my #1 photo from the entire extravaganza, but it is a pretty good preview for what's to come.

#bestbrideever

WE GO WAY BACK, PEOPLE.

i am leaving this morning {SO early} to head home to stand beside my best friend when she gets married. from girl scouts to 8th grade graduation {the horror of those bangs is truly unspeakable} to high school, tricia has been someone i can depend on. she was the most self-assured person i knew in high school {and dang if that isn't saying a lot when it comes to high school girls} and has continued to live her life on her own terms, something i respect more than words can say.

i'm so thankful for her friendship and honored to be there for her big day.

more photos of us to come, and lord willing, no bangs will be involved in these ones.

happy wedding weekend, tricia!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.

happy father's day to my dad!

my dad is one of my favorite people in the world. he is the only person i call when i want advice, because i know he will shoot it to me straight. and half the time all i need to hear is him say that i am blowing it out of proportion. he is hardworking, loyal and incredibly supportive.

he also has the weirdest catchphrases and definitely could star as the witty dad in any reality show. examples include: b's favorite "off the chain" {to describe food or guns}, something i heard in my teenage years "you aren't wearing enough clothes to clean a shotgun barrel", calling anyone "sybil" when they're getting a bit dramatic and nicknaming me "rooster cogburn", which i literally thought was because of my hair color until i super recently saw the movie of the same name and i guess i got that title because my sweet nature reminded him of john wayne's character. =)

i love you dad and am so glad that i am your daughter.

mother's day.

it's the second old-school photo of the week. sidebar: i am still upset that i can't wear my hair in those kind of bangs anymore!

i mentioned it in my birthday post, but having me as a child was not the easiest of endeavors. from wrecking my car to crying about cheerleading drama to bringing jade home one summer day before senior year {surprise!}, i think you can imagine it.

luckily, i was blessed with two amazing parents. my mom is one of the most patient, understanding and empathetic people i have ever known. she passed to me her ability to get embarrassed for people she doesn't know, her terrible singing voice and penchant for humming, her love for hohos, and her heart for special needs children and adults. i'm also pretty sure that she is the only individual ever who regularly sweeps her floors more than once a day. {sorry to all past and present roommates that i did not inherit that trait.}

every day i can tell that i look more and more like my mom. it's only now that i can appreciate that and hope that i can grow to become like the wife, mother and person she is.

happy mother's day, mom!

who's that lady? hint: it's me.

my birthday present from my parents came - and look what it is! a full dish set! and not just that, but the dish set i blogged about six months ago. it makes me cry that my mom read back and saw that and then went and bought it for me. she didn't just order it online, she cleaned out the nashville store, called the denver store and then ordered the rest. eight sets worth!

i feel like quite the lady with a real set of dishes now.

which is good timing, since i'll be in my late 20s in less than a week.

christmas from a dog's perspective.

"from the smell of these, i think they are my gifts."

 "are we ever going to open these?"

"no, really, let's get to it."

 "yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"i love christmas."

"and i love all of you. even if my face doesn't show it."

hope your christmas was as good as jadie's, bloggy friends!

ohio.

i'm home, i'm home!

no offense to my partner in the backseat, but 10+ hours one way made me a little stir crazy.

a look through the bridge at foggy cincinnati, homeland of many of my best friends. and delish skyline dip, which will be one of the first things i eat if/when i cross back into meat eating.

my hometown.

my sister! my favorite part of ohio.

buehler's holds SO many childhood memories. everytime i go home, a maple creamstick is on the must-have list. there's something about a small-town grocery store that gets me every time.

my bff tricia. who moments after this photo was taken asked me to be her maid of honor. i cried, she bought her dress, i got to say, "are you saying yes to this dress?", and i cried some more. so honored and excited!

and the best of the truly awful family photos we attempted to take. a horrified cat, blinkers, non-smilers (side eye at you, dad), dog sniffing, mom hiding.



awkward family photos: what the holidays are all about.

weekend with the sister.

this weekend was great. for the sister's visit, we had to do another tour de nash, like we did last time she was here. first stop: rosepepper, of course.

second stop: jeni's. ...of course.

in between: we went shopping all over town, visited mom at work, sipped wine from my new missoni glasses, ate homemade pizza and saw taylor swift.

sunday morning: goodbye breakfast at cracker barrel.

family photo! my dad in overalls? does the cuteness kill you? i dieee.

oh, you know, just a cat hanging out in the car. my sister's cat mos. she just lets him walk around as they make the drive to ohio and back.

t. swiz represent.

tomorrow: taylor tuesday.