Wedding Dress Decisions! Help!

So, I thought I was good to go with my dress.. until I found this polka dotted baby.

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*HEAD EXPLODES* How cute is this dress? I mean, seriously?

So now I'm wondering if I should change my dress and get this one. The lady who already agreed to make my dress has actually made a similar dress to this before and it is BEAUTIFUL. She can make mine and make if floor length (because tea length and November probably don't go too well together) AND put a dark brown sash around the waist.

This picture came from wedding bee from Theresa90405 by Arenyth.

Also, should I leave this dress strapless, add a one shoulder strap or add halter straps? I'm bigger chested, too, so I don't know if that would make a difference or not.

So.. should I scrap my original plans .. this dress (just with a one shoulder strap added):

Or should I go with the polka dotted beauty?!

My First Etsy Experience!

I don't know if you'd call it my FIRST etsy experience, I have purchased my custom made wedding gown from etsy, butttt.. since it's not paid for yet and/or in my hands, I'm not saying it's my first.

I also ordered a custom made bracelet for the wedding and the lady is making matching earrings for me as a wedding gift, but they wont be here until the first week of January and I ordered those AFTER I ordered what I'm about to share with you.

Yes... I did go photo crazy, but trust me.. it's worth it. Follow with me, if you will, on the journey of my first etsy experience.

I ordered these soy handmade candles for my future mother in law and also my two sisters. When they arrived today, they even arrived with a free gift for me! WOO! (I do, however, want to be greedy and keep one of these candles for myself since they are so awesome.. but I can't, I'll just order one for myself later).

Anywho.. the boxes arrived today from USPS. (There were two boxes, but I tore the first one open and the damage I did to the box wasn't pretty, so I just took a picture of one of them).

When the box was first opened.

What's in the box?!

Everything taken out of the boxes. See that cute little green box with the peppermint on it, that's my free gift!

Inside the green box- my free gift!

Peppermint whipped votives!! They smell like the real deal!

Yum!

OOO!

Now onto the gifts, here are the hot chocolate mug candles I ordered (each in a different color mug) once they were taken out of bubble wrap.

Cute tie that was used on the gift wrap.

What was inside the gift wrap (light blue mug)! (Yes, I opened one!)

With the lid taken off, I just had to smell it!! Don't worry, I'll put the lid and gift wrap back on before I give it to my sister for Christmas.

Close Up! It smells like the real deal!

Here's the green mug!

And the red mug!

The etsy shop owner was so sweet to deal with and has all kinds of awesome candles in her shop! If you want something like this, I highly recommend her... B & B Candles !

As for my first etsy experience.. I give it an A+++



Sand Ceremony Frame



I received our frame for our sand ceremony in the mail back in September.

 

 

 

It is soo pretty, it's an umbra ether frame in espresso and has different panes of glass to create a layering look with photos. We plan on removing one of the frames (it has a design on it) and putting one of our engagement pictures on the front pane of glass while glueing in 2 of the other panes of glass in place as a spot to pour in sand securely. The nice thing about this frame is that it actually has a top piece what pulls out making it very easy to pour the sand in.

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Since it's different panes of glass, we can change the picture all we want without disturbing the glass and we plan on replacing the engagement picture and putting in a wedding picture after the wedding.

 

 

Dancing to Lose Weight?!



Everyone.. if you have a Kinect and you want to burn some extra calories in a fun way.. you HAVE to get "Dance Central"!

 

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My FH bought it for me (along with a Kinect) as an early Christmas gift and I just played it today.. omg, you work up a sweat and it is SOOO fun! I was getting bored with doing the treadmill at home all the time and I get burned out on exercise dvd's, but.. I love to shake my booty, so I'm totally adding this in my exercise regime.

It even has a workout mode and you can put in your weight and it'll tell you how many calories you burn and in how much time when you "perform"! LOVE IT!

Just be aware that when it says to "freestyle" in the middle of the song, it records you and plays it back really quickly before the next part of the song comes on. I totally wasn't expecting that and I was caught picking my wedgie! LOL! Thank goodness I'm home alone right now!

 

 

When Boredom Strikes- DIY Edition #5

I realized I have failed on posting some diy projects. To be honest, I went hardcore with the planning and diying when we first got engaged that when we hit the one year mark last month I was like "we STILL have a YEAR?!" and I backed off planning. Not to mention.. it's all planned, it's just putting it together now.

Anyways, I got some 50% off coupons in my e-mail the other day from Michaels and thought that would be a good time to go and get some white feather boas and use those coupons so I can make my pew decor.

I was so excited to actually make these because I love feathers! But, when we got to Michael's, imagine my devastation when they had every color in the entire world but yet the white ones were out of stock.

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So, I did what any normal human being would do.. I kicked those fluffy non white colored boas and walked away. But.. as I was walking around the store trying to find something else to use my 50% off coupon on (I mean.. I HAD to use it, I was there and it was 50% off) I glanced back at an aisle and it was like the heaven's above opened up and shone done on this crate on the top of a shelf that was being used for a display.

You want to know what I seen peaking out of that crate?! A WHITE FEATHER BOA!! I was so excited, I made my fiance reach up there (and he barely could reach, it was THAT high) and pull the boa out of the crate! IT. WAS. MINE.

So, I bought that and some armour etch cream to etch our toasting glasses (that's another day). Yeah.. I may need 10 white feather boas, but I'll take the one for now. I mean.. why else would Jesus part the sky and shine his light down on that crate all the while with his angels singing a heavenly tune?

So.. I went home (after the gym) and decided to at least put the one together.

Here's my supplies:

I had bought those wooden circle things at JoAnn Fabrics and I painted them white. (It was cheaper than buying a white styrofoam wreath)

Here's the finished white feather wreath! I hot glued some white ribbon on it so I can tie it around the pew at the church.

Close up! It really is so much prettier in person!

Now.. I just have to get my hand on 9 more boas!

Weight Loss- One Month Update!

Today is the 4 week mark for when I started my new diet and exercise lifestyle..

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I've been keeping you all updated along the way, but I just wanted to check in and tell you all that I've lost 13 lbs in these 4 weeks.

Yes.. THIRTEEN pounds!! I'm so very happy with that number, especially because my goal for myself was 8-10lbs a month!! I've been doing a lot of weight training, too, and I can notice muscle building so I probably have lost more fat than those 13lbs, but since I'm building muscle, that's not going to show on the scale.

Not only that, but I've also finished my first week of my c25k (Couch to 5K) program today. I'll be moving on to week 2 on Thursday and am slightly dreading it (since I have to run longer), but also am very excited to be going on week 2.

 

And.. just to show you all how crazy I am, I'm going to share with you my workout schedule. (I'll include the weight size I'm doing as of now, but I'm always trying to up that number over time).

Monday- Home- C25k program on the treadmill.
                       Gym- Bench press- 70lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
          Dumbell row- 105lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
                Tricep pulldowns- 40lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
                Lat pulldowns- 75lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
              Front flys- 45lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
           Back flys- 45lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
             Shoulder raises- 40lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
          Side bends- 40lbs per arm, 3 sets of 15 reps per arm.
Biceps- 15lbs per arm, 3 sets of 15 reps per arm.

Tuesday- Gym- Leg extensions- 135lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
Leg curls- 105lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
Seated squats- 255lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
Calf exercises- 255lbs, 3 sets of 15 reps.
Abs- I lay one my back on the ground and hold onto my fiances ankles and slowly raise my legs and butt into the air towards him and he pushes my legs when they reach him and I have to control them and slowly lower them to the floor. We do 3 sets of 15 reps.
Cardio- Elliptical for 20 mins (soon to be 30)

Wednesday- Home- Boxing for 20 mins.

Thursday- Repeat what was done the whole day on Monday.

Friday- Repeat what was done the whole day on Tuesday.

Saturday- Home- c25k program on the treadmill.

Sunday- RELAXATION.

And THAT is my whole week in exercising...

 

 

Couch to 5K- Day 1

I meant to start my first day earlier this week, but I got about 6 mins into it and couldn't finish. I've been battling a bad sinus infection and I just couldn't breathe at all. So, I attempted to start again today since I'm feeling a LITTLE bit better.

It was rough and my calves were on fire... but, I finished it!! No pain, no gain, right?!

Yesterday, Derrick and I went out on a hunt for some new running shoes (well, running shoes for me, work shoes for him) since the running shoes I have now are like 4-5 years old (LOL! oops!). Shoe Carnival was having a buy 1 get one 1/2 off sale AND I had a $5 off coupon..so that's where we headed.

About a little over an hour later (HA! I'm severly indecisive!) and texting about 6 or 7 people (I needed their opinions) and drivng my fiance absolutely nutty looking at all the different shoes and going back and forth between two pair.. I walked out with these babies:

They are even more beautiful in person and they make my feet smile!