Trying to stay afloat

I knew going into this semester that it was going to be tough but I didn't really expect it to be THIS tough. I didn't anticipate my classes to be this time consuming and for all my big projects/tests/papers to fall at the same time. It's hard enough for me to find time to do things for the wedding. If I take a break from school work to do something for the wedding I feel guilty and go back to my homework. On top of that, it seems work always gets in the way. Every night when I could be getting a lot of things done, I have to work 7-8 hours. I just never expected to have this much on my plate at this point. I'm very much looking forward to taking a break from Wal-Mart and having my evenings and weekends open to do homework and wedding things. Listening to worship music as I drive in my car has really helped to keep me in a positive mood, though. I'm thankful for people like Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman and worship groups like Hillsong. Check some of their songs out, you won't be disappointed. Well, this post was mostly just to vent and let you all know I could really use prayers right now to get through this semester!!

Light at the end of the Tunnel

While the stress of planning the wedding and all the things that still need to be done can get a bit overwhelming, I just think about spending a whole week after the wedding on a giant ship in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands and I get all giddy and excited. I know I won't want to come back to cold Illinois in the middle of December. These gloomy and rainy days sure have put me even more in the mood for a nap lately. Sadly I can't sleep ALL day, I have to work later. But I can squeeze in a couple hours right now!

Hair Meltdown

So this weekend was an interesting one. I went home Friday and my mom and I got the invitations finished and stuffed (yay!) All that is left is putting stamps on the outside envelopes, I trusted them to get that done this week, then they go out this weekend. Crazy. Saturday morning I had a hair run-through appointment with a guy who I'd never met before. Long story short, it looked great, exactly how I wanted it to look. However, on our way home my head started KILLING me. The bobby pins were too much, or it was pulled too tight, I don't know but I couldn't take it. I have a very small pain tolerance and by the time we got home I took all those millions of pins out and just rubbed my head. So now I don't know what to do. Also, they charged us the same amount for the run through as the day of and we were only there half the time ($65!!!) I almost had a heart attack. So I do know this, over Thanksgiving break I'm going to try a different place and a different hair style because I'm not going back to this ridiculously overpriced salon, nor will I make my wedding party go there. So if you have any cute hair styles for a wedding, send those pictures my way because I don't really know what I'm looking for anymore.
After that episode, I drove down to Mallory's for her bachelorette party. She had a personal shower and then we went to the Landing in St. Louis and ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory (wow, delic!) and went out to the Big Bang piano bar. I was scoping this place out for my bachelorette party and I think I've ruled it as a no for me. Personally, it wasn't my type of bar, but I think the girls had fun. When I said bye to Mal we realized the next time I see her will probably be at her rehearsal dinner in November. Crazy how time flies!
Today will consist of relaxing before the start of yet another busy week. Things will be so much better when I start my break from Wal-Mart (only 4 more weeks!)

2 Months, 9 weeks

So today marks the 2 month mark before the big day! That brings many mixed emotions (mostly happy, but a little anxious as well). In light of the wedding creeping up on us, we were at home this weekend working diligently on wedding things (INVITATIONS). We have almost everything done for the invitations, just waiting on my dad to finish his job-the directions sheet.
Saturday we got Hannah's flower girl dress at David's Bridal. She's going to be the cutest flower girl you've ever seen! She should be a pro, as this is her 5th wedding now. I also got to see a sample of what my bouquet will look like (some slight changes will be made, but I just wanted a sneak peek).

Here are a couple of pictures of the process thus far.

This is our reception hall decorated for a wedding (NOT how our's will be decorated, it will look much classier, please know that.)

Hannah in her flower girl dress, holding the basket. She's going to be great!

Me and my sample bouquet

"Fall Break"

I love how Eastern gives us 1 day off from classes and calls is a "fall break." They could at least give us a Friday and a Monday off, but no, just a Friday. So today is my fall break and unfortunately, I wasn't thinking correctly when I asked off work for the weekend because I only asked off for Saturday, not Friday also. So I have no classes or anything all day until work tonight from 5:30-10. Then Brent and I are going to my house tomorrow and Sunday. I'm a fool.
Also, I started tanning on Tuesday to get some color for the wedding. Whenever I start tanning after it's been awhile, I get really itchy for several days. Does anyone else experience this? It's really quite annoying and frustrating. I went again today hoping it would reduce the itching, but I'm still sitting here trying not to scratch my legs. I put about 100 layers of lotion on throughout the day in hopes that that will help also. If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me.
Well, I should probably go enjoy my one-day fall break before I have to go in to work!

Time to break out the Northface

Well my friends, I think it is officially fall and I could not be more excited! While today took me a little bit by surprise with the coldness since yesterday was still a bit warm, I'm very happy to get to wear my Northface fleece to classes today. The 10-day forecast seems to be staying chilly, but I'm not getting rid of my flip flops just yet. I've lived in Illinois my whole life, I know how crazy this weather can be.

So tonight is Quesadilla night. I'm using my Quesadilla maker to whip up some delic mexican cuisine for myself, Brent and Chris Agans. I need to practice so that when we're married I can be a fantastic chef! I'll take pictures because I'm sure tonight will be fabulous.

I'm quite sad because I'm not seeing a pumpkin patch or fall festival in Brent and I's immediate future this season. Pretty much every weekend is taken up by something, and it's not a pumpkin patch :( That's part of the whole fall experience and I feel I'm getting jipped. At least my apartment has pumpkins in it and some nice fall decor. Well, since I have no new pictures because nothing has happened lately that is picture-worthy, I'll leave you with an oldie but a goodie from fall a couple years ago!

Time to breathe

What a week! It's been busy, busy, BUSY. As we're nearing the 2 month mark for the wedding I'm beginning to get a little anxious and wondering when and how everything is going to get done with me here in charleston and everything going on in springfield. I've been working alot, which is good because I need the money, but it leaves me little time to get things done (just as writing in this blog!)

Speaking of work, I have to go work 3-10 tonight. Then Brent and I are heading to his house tomorrow morning for a wedding and spend some time with his family until Sunday. Hopefully it's relaxing!

Also, I got my new Blackberry phone. I definitely feel much cooler. haha.

Well, I'm off to the Mart to put on my happy face :)

Soon to be an aunt for a FIFTH time!

So I just found out over the weekend that in June, I'm going to be an aunt again. My brother Brian and his wife Angela are preggers for the 3rd time (their daughter Hannah is my flower girl). Also, my other brother Eric and his wife Mary are preggers for the 2nd time and she's due in February. So I'm going to have 2 preg-o bridesmaids (and that better be all!) By the time Brent and I get around to having children (way in the future) grandkids will be old news to my parents.

Today was Monday, a.k.a. the worst day of the week for me. I always dread it Sunday night. Due to this, my attitude is usually pretty stinky the whole day. Then I heard a song on the Christian radio station tonight (not ALL the music is terrible and cheesy) and it had the line, "it's not who you knew and it's not what you did, it's how you lived" in it and that really stuck with me. It made me realize I need to start paying closer attention to the words I say and the way I act when I'm around people in my classes. Everything I do and say is a witness for God.

Anyway, I've got loads and loads of homework to get started on. Enjoy the pictures of my nieces and nephew who are already born and too cute!

Hannah, River (Brian and Angela's kids) and Natalie (Eric and Mary's)

River

Hannah, she's 5 going on 16 :)

Natalie

So, as you can see, I'm a pretty blessed aunt :)