hunt and a sort of dilemma

i've been on the shoe-hunt and bridesmaid-dress-hunt for the last couple of weeks. the conclusion we've come to for the girls is a very common one now - let them pick out what they want. because i'm looking for a dark purple color that isn't very easy to find, i've realized this may be just as hard as them agreeing on a dress! but we're keeping our options open at bridal stores, so they might just pick from there anyway, but at least there is the option!!

i've been excited looking for shoes. i've wanted something that is a crazy color (purple or orange or even pink) and i've found some awesome ideas so far. i'm back and forth between the idea of flats or kitten heels (i do not want something higher!), and i need to make a decision by February because that is when they told me i should get my dress hemmed (mum wants to do the bustle and other alterations, so i need to get the hem done ASAP so she gets enough time for the rest of it, if she does in fact do it).

i'm absolutely in love with NINA brand shoes. it seems many of the ones i've shown roomie Kristen have been those shoes. did you know you can "create your own" shoe with them?!! yeah, for $150 +!!! the ones i love the most are under $100, but not much. i was hoping to spend more like, um, $25. haha. the dilemma here is probably that i want to spend more than i should/have. also i'm nerve about buying something online, though i'm sure i could send it back if need be.

i want to post pictures of the ones that i like the most, but i guess i want that to be a "surprise" as well...

what kind of shoes did YOU wear or are you planning on wearing? high heels? flats? dress color or something funky??

holidays!

i hope everyone had an awesome holiday and vacation! of course, it went too quickly, but it was great nonetheless.

we had a great Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt and uncle's house. lots of food, watching The Office wedding, Rock Band and ping pong. I made a Chocolate Chocolate Chip bundt cake (Daisy Sour Cream Recipe - good though a little too rich/dark chocolate for my tastes), Veggie Casserole (broccoli, carrots & cauliflower - lost the recipe so i did this from memory and was still good!) and Corn Pudding thanks to Big Red Kitchen's awesome recipe.

my sister's baby shower is coming up in little over a month!! mum asked me to make cupcakes for it. i made some awesome ones for a baby shower earlier this year and i plan on doing the same ones. i believe they were lemon cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting and i piped "baby" in white chocolate (in blue and pink - they weren't finding out the sex until the birth). mmm can't wait!!

i was going to post something (mostly wedding ramblings), but i don't feel like it anymore. i don't think i'm very good at writing.

update

ok, time for a new post i suppose...

here's some updates on life in amy world...

• papa came home from the hospital Saturday. here's rachel's update on what happened after his (unsuccessful) surgery :(
  
• started our wedding website
• bigger news...I FOUND MY DRESS!! it's the dress i've been eying since i started looking for dresses (pretty much in april or so when i knew i was going to marry josh)
  
• started looking for BM dresses and working on invitation ideas!
  
• had several weeks off from singing at church. i got to spend three solid weeks with the kids in children's church, which was a lot of fun. i'm back on schedule for the next two weekends.
• things at work are going ok. i started a facebook page for the business and a twitter: @grackbizintrior. things are fairly steady, though not too busy. makes it easier to leave early on Fridays but the lack of those hours is showing up painfully in my paycheck.
• Rachel is 24 weeks today with her pregnancy! if you didn't hear already, she's having a baby GIRL! i'm so excited!! mum's booked the church for the shower, so now we're starting to think about that too!
• i'm spending all day Saturday out of town shopping with my friend Bethany. not a good thing for a poor girl, but it will be fun to spend the whole day with her, and i'm going with a list and a budget (cash only) and i'm NOT going over!!
  

i can't believe all the changes that are going to happen in my family's life next year. we already had big (and sad) changes this year...next year is going to be nuts. i'm so excited to start my new roles as auntie amy and josh's wife :)

lacking :(

definitely been lacking on the posts lately. i apologize for that, you faithful readers (yeah, like anyone's even out there!)

anyway thought i would give some updates...

dilemma #3 is pretty much solved. we have opted for NO DJ but a family friend (who we haven't decided upon yet...)

dilemma #4: bridal party - - also solved (as far as my end goes). my girls are as follows:
Rachel: Sister, Matron of Honor
Alicia: Lifetime friend (and i mean that, we were friends when we were 2)
Bekah: Cousin & awesome friend
Alyssa: Josh's sister
Kristen: roommate and first "K" of the SKANK's
Nicole: "N" in the SKANK's
Katie: last "K" in the SKANK's (and one of the friends that introduced Josh & I)
Staci: first "S" in the SKANK's, and fellow volleyball team member

i sent out "be in my wedding" requests last week to the girls, but have not had any response from 5 of them...WHAT THE HECK, GIRLS?! maybe they just don't feel like responding or think it's necessary to...? (i mean, it isn't "necessary" but i want to know they got them, right?!)

i guess dilemma #5 is not a big deal, but i'm trying to find a good wedding website to put all our info on. i have several that i'm signed up for but don't know which to keep. anyone have any suggestions?


other goings on in my life:
* Papa Koos (my mum's dad) is having bladder surgery on Thursday (tomorrow). there's a chance they may not be able to even get the bladder out now because of scar tissue, so we're really praying for that to happen. he has cancer in his bladder and has been taking some chemo medication which has at least stopped it from spreading, but the bladder needs to come out :(
* going dress shopping Saturday with mom, rach, bekah & my aunt if she can
* my sister & her husband are having a GIRL!!! i totally knew it. last friday i spent the afternoon with them painting the little girlie's room!
* work is going ok. fairly busy because i'm the only designer there at the moment. meaning i need to end this post and get back to work
* having a lot of fun browsing for honeymoon places. can't wait!!!

wedding dilemma #3

dilemma #1 was picking a date. dilemma #2 was cupcakes vs cake (we voted cupcakes).

my mum and i have been discussing the option of having a DJ at the wedding reception. originally, josh and i were under the impression we would ask one of our good friends to do it and a reasonable (CHEAP) price. mum was at a wedding a few weeks ago that had "such a great DJ," so now she's thinking she wants to pay the price for this. they are willing to pay for most of what a "good" DJ would cost, but that means josh and i have to pay for the rest of it...

so there's the dilemma. to DJ or not to DJ. what are your thoughts? is it worth paying that much for a DJ? or should i convince them to use that money on more cupcakes, more bridal shower fun, or helping fund the honeymoon (insert winking face here)? who thinks one of my friends could do just as awesome of a job as a professional DJ??

on that wedding train...

well things are getting decided for Josh & I's wedding! due to my sister's busy schedule (what, with being a wedding photographer and all), my mum's school schedule, and finding a date that matches with the reception venue i really wanted and our church, we were left with one weekend in August, one weekend in September, and one weekend in October to pick from. when weighing the pros and cons and the inevitable stress of my darling mother by doing any other day than in August, we decided to book that August date. The church, reception hall, and photographer are all booked for our special date on Friday, August 20th, 2010.

the more i type 08/20/2010 the more i love that date.

i can't really believe it. it all seems so unreal still.



i'm probably going to post a few things about wedding ideas here, and i'll try to blog about anything else interesting that comes up (though we all know my life isn't really that interesting, hehe). also, i'll probably put a link to our wedding website soon (when i have set it up).

as of right now, i'm just looking for ideas, keeping my eyes open, and being very excited about our day!

i'm also feeling extremely nervous about making any decisions. i'm so afraid of making "the wrong choice" or one i'll regret. but that's silly. why regret your decision of a buffet or sit down dinner? or what colors you have? or type of flowers? it doesn't matter!! the only decision that matters is our decision in marrying each other, and that i will never regret.