Dresses.

So, the process of getting married has so far ruled. I love it! Planning is a bit overwhelming, but for the most part its really, really fun.

We've been able to really nail down a lot of the details pretty quickly, and Tyson and I have had shockingly easy time agreeing on things. I'm waiting for the big ole bomb to drop, but alas, maybe it will not!

One thing came to fruition totally out of nowhere that I am giddy and sparkly about: I will likely wear my Mother's dress which also happens to have been made by her mother, my grandmother. Which, sort of blows my mind to think about. I happened to think of this as a possibility while we were in MN for the holidays, and on a random day my Mama and I just put it on to see and POOF. We were skeptical at first, but the more we started looking at it and envisioning things, the more we started to see that this could actually be a possibility. A spectacular possibility!

On top of that, the gal who rented our condo whilst we worked and played in New Zealand just so happens to be a wedding gown designer here in Seattle. And I went to her studio two nights ago with a friend, which was totally awesome! Her studio is like this scene out of a movie where you walk in and there is fabric everywhere and gowns on racks and high ceilings that create this whole loft + designer + art vibe. It was wonderful and special and I'm just over the moon excited about this whole thing.

The current plan is to retain the existing bottom of the dress - meaning the waist and below - as well as the train, and then completely redesign the top using as many of the existing materials as possible. Its like a scene from project runway! I'm waiting on sketches at the moment, which, is super fun. I would still like to go dress shopping though because frankly, dresses rule and wedding dress shopping is a pretty special thing.

Overall, the prospect of wearing the dress my Grandmother created for my Mother is so amazing. I asked my Mom too if she would be more comfortable keeping her dress intact by having me wear her dress as-is during the ceremony, and then buy my own dress for the reception. Her response, "No. I wouldn't want you to wear the dress as-is, because it isn't you." I guess she's right. A long-sleeved, turtleneck dress really isn't my thing. And I'm so grateful for her generosity in that regard. This is so fun!

In any case, I thought I would pass along some of the reference I brought along the other night to give the designer some of my visions for different dress tops. Here are some that I'm loving! Its hard to describe but the existing dress top has sheer sleeves with embroidery and some scalloped edges. So does the neckline. So, if I could reuse some of those elements in a draped, feminine way, I'd be pretty pumped about that.

Sigh...weddings.

Freedom.

So, we got a car. After nearly fourteen months without wheels, my ever so darling Papa made the trip west in our new-but-old 2003 Volvo wagon last week. From Minnesota to Seattle, Washington. That's right, five mountain passes and a whole lot of time alone with his thoughts. We cannot thank you enough, Pops! Plus, it was totally great having a few days afterward to just sit and gab it up with him in all matters concerning our wedding planning, childhood nastalgia and even a visit to Boeing's Museum of Flight to blow our minds on how crazy the whole design and build process is for those big winged things we ride in in the sky.

Tyson zipped around town in our car showing my dad the chosen wedding sites - Parson's Garden where we plan to say our vows, and 415 Westlake where we plan to celebrate afterward! We also had an opportunity to taste our wedding food and check out some possible housing for our out-of-town family and friends. Each night we'd settle into a different haunt and gab on and on while sipping a few beers. Having Pops here was in a word, fabulous. I just adore him, and I'm so grateful for all of his help in my life.

On another note, we can drive. Freedom. Let it ring. I have successfully driven in to work twice this week. A perk that allows me AT LEAST an extra thirty minutes in the morning, if not more. Plus I have the priceless luxury of jamming to various tunes while I press the gas peddle. Peter Cetera, Kings of Leon, and I am not ashamed to admit it, but even Sarah McLachlan stayed on and did not get skipped for another station. Sigh...so, so fun.

I almost can't believe we lived this long without a car. And I am amazed at the difference it has made in only a few short days. How quickly your actions change. A difference, but not necessarily a better difference. I suddenly feel a rush for anticipated errands and I was stuck in traffic the other night on my way to choir practice thinking, "I forgot about this part." Better in a lot of ways yes, but I am still so glad for the time sans wheels. It was great to learn that I could navigate the city in so many other ways, and even commute to Kent, WA without having to pay car insurance or a monthly payment for the car itself. And GAS! Wow. It is $3.50-ish a gallon here these days. Freedom is great, but freedom is also spendy.

Freedom is getting us out and up to Mt. Baker this weekend though, and I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am to get out of town! This will be the greatest perk of all with regards to our freedom. We haven't spent nearly as much time outside and engaged in adventures over the past year, and our world is about to change! World, here we come. Stay tuned.

Have great weekends!

greedy.

I follow a blog called Greedy Girl, and frankly, I become a greedy girl myself because all the things she is greedy for I become equally greedy.

Like, for instance, this super cool fish necklace:


And are you kidding me with this dress? Amazing.


This gal's effortless-looking style is adorable:


And then there are the inevitable house-envy photos I've collected for inspiration as of late. What I find most irritating is the fact that my style and taste seem to mold and change with each amazing home I stumble across.

I love the kitschy colors and patterns mixed with some modern and industrial pieces in the photo below. Basically, I love the mix represented here, and I feel like I am always pulled in the direction of this "mix-y" style but inevitably I abandon ship to just go for simple and clean.

More like these, which, are totally awesome:::::

I love this bedroom:

Sigh...what I wouldn't give for that sunshine pouring in.

He asked.

In the days before the holidays - on Tuesday December 21 to be exact - Tyson and I got engaged. This was not a surprise in that we had been talking about getting married since the days we zipped around in a rental car logging hundreds of miles road-tripping in both New Zealand and Australia last spring. We would talk about who we would want to stand up for us, "definitely need to have your brother's beer", and how excited we were that we get to be together.

We returned to Seattle and picked out a ring last summer. We spent some time with my parents on Sauvi Island just outside of Portland in August where Tyson asked my Poppy for permission. And on this cloudy and crisp day in December we took a motorcycle ride over to Queen Anne to indulge in some of our favorite eats = Malena's Tacos. An order to go, we rounded the bend where the neighborhood looks out to the Puget Sound and the Olympic mountain range. Sigh. A Beautiful spot. The spot where Tyson, my boyfriend and partner of three point five years, knelt down and asked me to be his wife. And the spot where we will marry on 9/3/2011.

We are ecstatic! In these short few weeks we have planned so much already and enjoyed the ride tremendously. We look forward to our closest friends and family sharing our wedding day with us and seeing our life in Seattle. But most importantly, in these past few weeks we marvel at how lucky we feel. Lucky and grateful. Grateful that we met in the first place and for each other. Lucky that we get to be together. Grateful for each other. And often times in these goofy moments in the kitchen when I am tickling him or or when he's packed my lunch for me and I see it in the fridge in the morning or when he has successfully executed some surprise prank on me and we are laughing, I stop and look at him and I say, "Can you believe we get to be together forever? Isn't that so great?!"

Its pretty fun. And totally awesome.

Little people rule.

Cormac turns ONE! One. Year. Old.
And he demolished his cake until he eventually rubbed it into the cavern of his nose. It was both hilarious and adorable, and a bit sad as I don't think he was loving that part too much. But up until that point, to quote his mother Kes, he was even above average at destroying his very own little birthday cake. Happy Birthday, Cormie! I can't wait to see what miracle skills you'll excell at in 2011!



Matthew and Eleanor continue to rock in all things life. Per usual, Tyson built many a log cabin with Matthew and the two of them kept us both laughing non-stop. Matthew's personality continues to be genuinely sweet while always itching to build things and know more about how things work. I keep waiting for him to hit that phase where he maybe isn't as darling and maybe even pushes the limits a bit more, but alas, I guess I'll just keep waiting. Eleanor is mumbling and yelling and talking...all in her own little person language. I can understand about one in every fifteen words but I feel she is just days away from blurting out the "english" we are waiting patiently to hear. I swear we are going to wake up one day and she will just say, "bring me some water and a piece of toast" and we'll all look at each other stunned. She's that close. But in the mean time, in the words of my father, she just spins around like a tornado. So much energy. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it or inject it.







I love all these little people!

Good Morning!

When visiting MN, I've been known to pack up to four things into the agenda for the day. I realize this schedule isn't for everyone, but for me, I sincerely love it. I love seeing all the people who mean a lot to me and just as everything in my life, I like to pack it all in and squeeze everything out to the last drop.

This particular visit proved to be complicated in terms of the schedules of my college group of gals. Certain people were heading out of town and others had family obligations. It seemed the only time that worked for the whole lot was at 8:30am on the morning of the wedding. An early start, but well worth it on account of the fact that everyone was available (except Suz in NYC).

Noelle and Pat hosted, and walking in the door we were greeted with a robust set of cheeks!


Little did Tyson and I know, these ladies had been thoughtfully considering this breakfast event and flanked us with engagement wishes in various forms:
+ heart-shaped scones
+ a heart-shaped coffee cake
+ mimosas for toasting
+ a framed picture of Tyson and I
and
+cookies decorated with little frosted engagement rings



Peppered with generally awesome catch-up banter about kids and jobs and our worlds was various curiosity about our wedding date. The gals sweetly began planning various wedding scenarios including renting a giant house for all of them to stay during the wedding weekend. It was so wonderful to be amongst such lovely friends and warm wishes, and also to feel such incredible support and genuine excitement for Tyson and I.

Though our gatherings have evolved a bit from late nights and a few foggy aspects, to bright-eyed and bushy-tailed breakfasts with kiddies running around, I'm so grateful for these friendships!

True.

We've all been to a ton of weddings. Probably a ton of really great weddings, even. But never have I been to a more touching wedding than that of Jora and Adam's, of which took place on New Year's Eve in Minnesota.

I've known Jora for nearly my entire life. Just as I tearily tried to explain in a joint speech with Kes at her rehearsal dinner, Jora has been a part of nearly every single major event in my life by virtue of the fact that she's awesome, and I've known her since I was eight years old. I suppose she did miss the time I stepped into the animal trap my brothers had set up for yard creatures when I was five, but so what. Other than that, she's pretty much seen it.

As previously stated in a post about her bachelorette party, Jora is one the greatest people I've ever met. And she deserves the absolute best. Which, is all and more of what she said yes to on the last day of 2010.

Adam and Jora are a superb team, and when they looked into each others' eyes and said their own vows to each other there was no stopping the rolling tears down my cheeks. And the cheeks of everyone in that church.

Their wedding was both touching and sweet, but also by nature of the fact it landed on a holiday that typically boasts chaos, it too was crazy and fun until the wee hours.


Noise makers. Hat and tiaras. Obnoxious shouts on the dance floor (that was me). My parents dancing to Black Eyed Peas, "I got a feelin'." Sigh...I'm sad its over.

Congrats to Jora and Adam! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your special day - it was an honor. You both are so lucky! And its fun to know that when you two are together happiness will ensue. I love you both!

yum.

Tyson made homemade chicken noodle soup last night. Like, made the noodles and everything. Rolled them out on the countertop.

I think this has inspired me to start blogging again. Plus it was delicious.

Stay tuned.