Scraps

I love how this turned out!

Million Dollar Idea...

Gift Registries

Why don't they allow you to give a priority (say, 1 star-5 stars) of each product so guests know what you want the most?

Of course, it goes without saying that we will appreciate every wedding gift we receive - however, I've had to add items that we necessiarily don't "need" - just to allow the list to be longer so people don't keep saying, "Your list is way too short."

For example, I would rate the shower curtain on our registry as "5 stars" because, we NEED one. (All we have now is a clear vinyl curtain - ha!) ... also, topping our list is the bathroom accessories ... I wish there was a way people knew this, instead of that gravy boat we "might" use if we "ever" host a "Thanksgiving Dinner" at our home ... or that Springform 3-piece pan set if I ever "happen to" make a huge 3 tier cake.

:-)

Is IS fun to dream though!

My Crazy Wedding To Do List

We have about 3.5 months to go.
The big planning was fun ...
But now, this is my "tiny details not so fun to-do list."
I feel like I will forget something!
This crazy piece of paper must be re-written tonight! Maybe if it's "pretty" stuff on it will actually get done!
Ahh the wedding planning madness!



Our furniture came ... they didn't have room in their truck to take away the old couch, so its sitting in our hallway between the living area and the bathroom/bedroom ... literally have to walk over it to get thru the house! Can't wait to decorate some more!

And here's the beer bread ... it is very delicious! Chris loves it so I will definately be making it again!

Playing the Waiting Game...

Our new furniture is arriving today....
Just wishing I could go run errands instead of sitting around waiting...
Can't wait to spice these up a little with some fun pillows!
Not the cutest, most chic set in the world ... but comfort was our #1 priority....
And these, my friends, are like slipping into a cloud!

Scraps

For April Blue Crew:

I worked with Teresa Collins Product on this layout:


And Pink Paislee on this one:

Tastefully Simple

I LOVE the Beer Bread from Tastefully Simple, but its what, like $7 a mix? Then another $6 for shipping or something? No way...

So I did a little search online and I found a copycat recipe for it. Others have said it was just as good as the mix from Tastefully Simple, so I wanted to try it myself!

It's still in the oven, but here's a little pictoral of the process!

I used Leine's Honey Weiss ... the only beer my mom had .... we dont have any, so I had to go "steal" some from her house!


It was quite bubbly ...

Ready for the oven!

I'll post my opinion of the taste when it comes out!
It smells SO GOOD right now! And its only been in the oven for 13 minutes so far!
MMMMM....


But for now, here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
3 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup white sugar
12 oz beer
2 tablespoons melted butter

1. Mix flour, sugar, and beer.
2. Put into a greased bread loaf pan.
3. Spread melted butter over top the last 10 mins of baking.
4. Enjoy, of course!

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

What's Up In My World ...

Working on the million little details...

Take #12 of what seemed like a hundred pictures trying to get just one good one of Jae Bug in her flower girl dress...but you get the idea. It'll have an aqua blue sash like my dress will have:

Just some randoms of the rest of our fun shopping girls' day out:

Joelee, 4 months:

I love that she can create "art" now!

Wonder when she can start scrapping with me....lol:

Isn't he just the cutest? I think so:

Cutest part, he shares my love of all things coffee. And even cuter, he makes me my coffee in the morning. I know, so cute you could puke:

The countdowns have begun...

Less than:

• 1 month until my 23rd birthday
• 1.5 months until my Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party! (Thanks Shannon & Alanna!)
• 2 months until I officially graduate from college (!!!!)
• 3 months until I am done student teaching ... I do not want this to end :-(
• 4 months until our wedding day
• 4 months until our Mexico Honeymoon
• 6 months until Boston to see Michele and to shoot her sister's wedding!

Wooo hooo!

Love Buggies

It had been way too long since I saw my friend and her babies! It was so nice to grab some dinner and catch up! And of course, take a few snaps of the love buggies, who are getting so big:


3 Months Old

Jae is now 21 months old:

*sigh* ... I love them so much.

I can't wait for the day when I'll have my own!

Little Trip Planned

Chris just got a new dirt bike and was looking for cool places to ride it. So we decided we wanted to take a trip to the Michigan Silver Lake Sand Dunes! I've been there before and it's gorgeous. Another couple we are friends with is coming with and I hope it'll be a great time! We've decided to camp to save money and just to have more fun! We're going at the end of June .... will be nice to have a little get a way before the wedding.

We are having a sand ceremony for the wedding instead of a unity candle ... so we are getting our sand from the Dunes. He's all into motorsports, so he'll get his sand frome the riding part of the dunes, and I'm getting mine from the beach, because that's what I love. It's perfect :-)

Honestly ... This is the time of my life

I never watched American Idol, so forgive me if you think this song is cheesy, but I recently heard it for the first time. It's amazing. It describes exactly how I've felt over pretty much the last year of my life ... there is not one part of the song that's doesn't reflect me ... a certain part of my life was so crappy for the longest time, and now I have something to be so happy and excited about - every single day. I feel so good about everything right now. Everything is coming together in a way I never thought possible. I wake up every morning happy and look forward to going to school, coming home, spending time with Chris, shooting weddings this summer, etc. We have so much in our future we're looking forward to...it's fun. And the part about the song that's my favorite its where it says "Finding my wings And all that I needed Was there all along ." Because it's true. I've known Chris for over 3 years, and its like he was right there all along, but it took us awhile to finally realize we were supposed to be together!

And of course, I CAN NOT wait until July 18th!

140 days to go!

Onto the lyrics..."Time of My Life" sung by David Cook

I’ve been waiting for my dreams

To turn into something

I could believe in

And looking for that

Magic rainbow

On the horizon

I couldn’t see it

Until I let go

Gave into love and

watched all the bitterness burn

Now I’m coming alive

Body and soul

And feelin’ my world start to turn

And I’ll taste every moment

And live it out loud I know this is the time,

This is the time

To be more than a name

Or a face in the crowd

I know this is the time

This is the time of my life

Time of my life

Holding onto things that vanished

Into the air

Left me in pieces

But now I’m rising from the ashes

Finding my wings

And all that I needed

Was there all along

Within my reach

As close as the beat of my heart

and I’ll taste every moment

And live it out loud I know this is the time,

This is the time to be

More than a name

Or a face in the crowd

I know this is the time

This is the time of my life

Time of my life

And I’m out on the edge of forever

Ready to run I’m keeping my feet on the ground

Arms open wide

Face to the sun I’ll taste every moment

And live it out loud I know this is the time,

This is the time to be

More than a name

Or a face in the crowd

I know this is the time

This is the time of my life

Time of my life

More than a name

Or a face in the crowd

This is the time
This is the time of my life.

Today's Fun Science Lesson

I am doing a dental health unit.
I wanted the kids to see what happens to their teeth when they drink soda, or if they don't brush their teeth on a regular basis.

Yesterday, I brought a hard boiled egg for each student. We talked about how the egg was like their teeth: white, smooth, hard outside, soft inside, and shiny. Then we put the eggs into cups of Coke overnight. I had them predict what would happen.

Today we took the eggs out of the cups of soda. They were stained brown, and covered in a gunky build up. I also had the kids smell the eggs. YUCK! I explained that this is what happens when we don't brush our teeth!



So, I brought toothbrushes and toothpaste and let the kids try to "brush" their giant egg "teeth." They were surprised at how hard it was to try remove the stains and build up! None of the students was able to get their "tooth" totally white again.


I cracked one egg "tooth" yesterday before putting it in soda. I told the students that this tooth as a cavity, and we would see what happens to a tooth with a cavity. The results were gross! I think this really nailed the point on the head for the kids about brushing their teeth and staying away from very sugary foods!


At the beginning of the lesson, we read a book about going to the dentist:

And we also made a chart of what helps our teeth, and what hurts them. Obviously, this was a lesson for generating ideas, not for proper spelling! LOL!

From A Student....Cute!

From a first grader in the class I'm student teaching:

Bella

My brother and his wife got a new puppy this weekend!
She is actually the sister of their other beagle!
Cuu-uute!

Tribute to Sweet Lola

Lola passed away yesterday.

She lived with my mom and I when she was a puppy because my brother and his wife were unable to keep her in their apartment because she whined when they went to work. So when she was 9 months old, they finally got her back in September.

This weekend they were both out of state (on separate trips) and Lola was hit by a car at the place she was being watched.

My heart breaks for my brother and his wife -

to be gone on vacation and something like this happens.

Here is a little photo tribute to Lola Beans: