The Time has Come to Weddify!

What is weddify might you ask?  Well, tonight ladies and gents I finished my LAST class of grad school.  That's right, no more teachers, no more books...  I have been working on my masters in counseling for two and a half years and I am d-o-n-e done!  Chris completed his second round of boards tonight (only one more, yay) so when he arrives into town from St. Lou we shall partake in ice cream to celebrate. 

Since I am finally done with school, it is time to allow myself to be more wedding minded.  I am sure it will still be somewhat subdued during the holiday season, but I am pumped nonetheless.  I hope to share some traditions Chris and I hope to have during this festive time of year throughout the month and continue to share some fun things about the big day as well as what is to come after.  So, get excited! (imagine someone saying that in a Kentucky accent, love me some Buggs)

First item on the to do list... crafting!  I completed my final summary on Sunday evening so after hitting up Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Dillon's, and Walgreen's on Monday night, I celebrated with a craft project.  My dear friend Danavee shared with me this idea and I jumped on it.

The problem with the candy cane look is I am not sure how to hang it, hence the "hanging by a string" look.

Not the best picture taking, but I think you get the gist.  Question now is with or without the white candy cane look?  I am leaning towards without.  If you would like to make your own, go to Danavee's site, she has all the links.

I love organizing and making things, but time has been obsolete for the past two and a half years.  But, not now!  And what better resource to put my craftiness desires to work than a wedding =)  I have ideas abounding and supplies already bought and in my spar-um (spare room).  Very ready to weddify!

On an unrelated note, I decided on a white mixer.  Still old fashioned looking but simple enough to match with anything.

Our Kitchen Needs a Vote

A few years back when my sister was married, my Grandma and Grandpa Arnold gave my sister a KitchenAid mixer.  Both of my grandmas love these mixers and feel they are timeless, so what better gift.  When Chris and I got engaged, my Grandma asked if that is what I would like.  I immediately said, YES!  I have always loved the look of these and I love to bake.  I find myself having these domestic like dreams of having an apron on and cooking a yummy dessert regularly and let's not forget some mashed potatoes.  While I know this is probably unrealistic, they are a nice focal point to a kitchen.  (I will be cooking, Chris will not starve, don't worry)

While I am excited to add this to my counter top come June, the color of my infamous mixer stands to be unknown.  I just can't decide.  Do I go with something that will always match everything, such as white or silver?  OR do I go with something more old school like aqua or pear?  I have no idea what our future kitchen will look like, and I know this mixer will be with us for years to come, but I just can't decide.  I am not the type that will match my entire kitchen around this one appliance.  I don't care if it doesn't match, to me that's half the fun. 

Therefore, I need some help.  Chris doesn't care, I promise I have asked him several times.  We do hope to have stainless steal appliances throughout the kitchen someday (i.e. several years from now).  What do you think?  Go bold or go home?  Or stick with something simple and classy?  So... here are some options:

I only included the silver, but the simple could be white, nickel, stainless steal, you get the picture.



Making Memories

One of the greatest things about our relationship, in my opinion, is how much we love spending time together and we have been able to do a lot of great things throughout our dating/engaged relationship.  Larger things, such as a trip to Orlando or Tennessee, rank just as high as the small things, ice cream dates and sushi take out.  A little while back, Chris and I were able to have a great weekend which I am sure will go down in the record books of memories to hold onto. 

Chris is in optometry school and they hold an annual "Eye" Ball to celebrate the fourth year students.  I was able to go last year and had a blast and this year was even better.  This is his fourth year, so the night was all about them.  They have all been separated since May for their rotations, so it was a blast to see them all together again.  I wasn't around for his undergrad years, but am blessed to have met so many great people from his grad school.  The girls have been so sweet to welcome me in and the guys are just hilarious.  Chris has great friends from high school and undergrad and now optometry school.  These are the people he will call when he gets a freakishly strange case at work and I have no clue what he is talking about, the group we will hopefully get to meet up with when an annual meeting comes up for the MOA, and let's never forget the golfing trips. 

Anyways, enough with the mushy and back to the "Eye" Ball.  It is always fun because we get to dress to impress.  It kind of feels like prom, only without the drama and I wasn't a fan of high school.  I won a free pair of frames and lenses (YEAH!) and Chris won a pair of sunglasses (something he doesn't need, but they were free so whatev).  Next time we are all together again, it will be graduation.  Crazy to think that I met this guy when he was just in his second year.  He has worked so hard and I am so very proud of him (and all of his friends for that matter). 



Jordan, Mark, and Chris



The great Laura



The Buggs, love them!

 After the "Eye" Ball, we headed back to the Bugg's house to get some shut eye.  We woke up pretty early the next morning and packed up his dad's SUV to move him home, another great memory.  We have had a long distance relationship from the get go, and it is just fun to have him here for 10 weeks!  It is going by fast, but it has been great to watch TV together during the week, go running, hang out before 8:30 on a Friday night... just great. 

Once the SUV was loaded up, we set forth to Columbia for the MU, OU game.  Chris is a crazy fan, seriously.  We don't miss games and I can be assured that through the entire game, his phone is glued to his hands and text messages are streaming in from his friend down in Texas, Andrew.  Making play by play comments and screaming the things via texting that I am sure I would hit him for if he said them to the TV.  The game did not disappoint and we were able to see his good friend Ryan and his wife Whitney in the process. 

So, as you can see, our weekend was chopped full of friends, fun, packing, dresses, and laughter.  Loved it.  As the count down to the wedding continues, it has been very nice to not have a life that revolves around a wedding.  Don't get me wrong, I am loving looking at blogs and dreaming and all that jazz, but its been nice.  School is wrapping up for me, only three more classes and a final before I am complete.  Which means, my list of blog ideas should be taking form sooner than later!  I will try to convince Chris to do a few guest post, we shall see.  Now we are off to a day of, what else, watching the MU game, cleaning my house (I am crazy excited about this) and putting up the Christmas decorations while eating some take out sushi (a new tradition we are trying out).