Today is THE Day

It's New Year's Eve 2010.

I am marrying my best friend.

I can't believe this day is all ready here.

Since I was little, I had longed for this day, and now that it's here, I'm wishing time had slowed down.

I didn't know it would be here so quickly!

For the first time all week, I don't have somewhere to rush off to in the morning.

I am lounging in bed at my parent's place before I tackle a few last minute errands.

I am hoping that this day will be relaxing and not stressful.

The church is decorated; the reception hall has been decorated since Wednesday morning; the rehearsal is complete.

Now, all that's left on my To Do List is to relax and enjoy this day.

I'm fairly certain that I can succeed in this task.

In less than 12 hours, I will be pronounced Mrs. GrapeJuice, and we will live in peace and harmony for the next seventy plus years!

What a way to ring in the new year.

2011, here we come!!!!!!!!

Please Reset Me

 I am most definitely in panic mode. 

With only two weeks left until the wedding date, I'm starting to freak out a little bit here. It hit me last night that we haven't even gone to get our marriage license! {oh dear...} Plus, I haven't finished Christmas shopping. AND, to top it all off, our house had a carbon monoxide leak that lead to our heat having to be turned off which means that we're obviously not living there right now which means that I'm not able to get some wedding things finished up...unless I decide to brave my house which is probably 40 degrees inside. Also, we're expecting Mr. GrapeJuice's family to stay with next week (if we have heat by then)! WHY NOW??! And because all this craziness if going on, I keep eating junk so now I might not even fit into my dress!!!!!!! Please pray for my sanity as I live with my parents, buy last minute Christmas gifts, finish up all the last minute details of my wedding, and hope that I fit into my gorgeous dress. Hopefully, I'll be back with better news tomorrow.

source :: inspirationfactor.com

Music Monday - Shrek

Please excuse me as I crawl out from under the rock that I have been hiding under.
We have less than two months until our wedding day.

I would really love to know where all the time went...!

I seriously hope life will begin to slow down at some point...

Please tell me that it does {or, at least, lie to me...}!!

[FIONA]
I waited all my life
Lived it by the book
Now I know that's not my story
You take me as I am
Love me as I look
Standing here in all my glory

I am sweetness
I am bratty
I'm a princess
I'm a fatty
I'm a mess of contradictions in a dress
I am sassy
I am sappy
When I'm with you, I am happy

This is my story

[SHREK]
You laugh at all my jokes
Even though they're crude
You don't mind that I'm not classy

[SHREK & FIONA]
We make a perfect pair
Radiant and rude
So in love and much too gassy

We are ogres
We are scary

[SHREK, FIONA, & DONKEY]
We are donkeys
We are hairy
We have bold and brand new stories to be told
We will write them
We will tell them
You will hear them
You will smell them

This is our story

[Spoken by Shrek]
...And that is how the little ogre came to live on the swamp with a beautiful princess-

[Donkey butts in]
AND his best friend!

[Shrek correcting himself]
AND his best friend!

[Fairytale Creatures joining in]
And a gingerbread man!
And a very handsome puppet!
And an elf!
And a fairy godmother!
And a witch!
And a cross-dressin' wolf!
And the three pigs!

[Sung by all]
What makes us special
(What makes us special)
What makes us special
(What makes us special)
What make us special makes us strong!

We are witches
We are fairies
We are weirdos

[Shouted by Pinocchio]
I'm AN AIRES!

[All Singing]
We're a giant Whitman’s sampler here to try

We are puppets
We are rabbits
We are hobbits with bad habits
We're a screwy but reliant crazy stew
We are different and united
You are us and we are you

This is our story
This is our story
This is our story

[Gingy shouting]
GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!

[Sung by all]
THEEEEEEE EEEEENNND!!!

lyrics :: lyricsreg.com

Oh My Dears...

Would you believe me if I said that life got away from me?

I surely hope so!

I am a Kindergarten teacher this year, and two times a week, I watch PreKindergarteners after school.

I have little to no spare time between teaching 11 Kindergarten students, caring for 5 PreKindergarten students, and planning the wedding. Slowly, but surely, I am getting back onto my feet and now I can devote time to my blog once again! With less than 4 months until my wedding, I'm sure I'll need to vent about it!

In the next few weeks, I'll update you all on what has happened in the past two months!

{oh my, i can't believe it's been that long!}

...please forgive me...

source: stock illustration source

Pretty Little Angel

{If you follow me on twitter or facebook, you may all ready know this.}

I have a niece.

Her name is Olivia Laine, but she is also known as Lainey and Lula-Belle.

She is just the sweetest thing...ever!!!!!

I loves her.

:)

all photos are courtesy of my mom and sister.

Music Monday - Kesha

Yes...I jumped on that bandwagon. :)

Maybe I need some rehab
Or maybe just need some sleep
I've got a sick obsession
I'm seeing it in my dreams
I'm looking down every alley
I'm making those desperate calls
I'm staying up all night hoping
Hitting my head against the wall

What you've got boy is hard to find
I think about it all the time
I'm all strung out, my heart is fried
I just can't get you off my mind

Because your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love
I said your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love

Won't listen to any advice
Mama's telling me I should think twice
But love to my own devices
I'm addicted it's a crisis
My friend's think I've gone crazy
My judgement's getting kinda hazy
My steeze is gonna be affected
If I keep it up like a lovesick crackhead

What you've got boy is hard to find
I think about it all the time
I'm all strung out, my heart is fried
I just can't get you off my mind

Because your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love
I said your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love

I don't care what people say
The rush is worth the price I pay
I get so high when you're with me
But crash and crave you when you leave
So I've got a question
Do you wanna have a slumber party in my basement?
Do I make your heart beat like an 808 drum?
Is my love your drug?
Your drug, huh your drug, huh your drug
Is my love your drug?

Because your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love
I said your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love
Because your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love
I said your love, your love, your love is my drug
Your love, your love, your love

Hey, hey, so...
Your love, your love, your love, your love
Is my drug... "I like your beard"

lyrics :: lets sing it 

I Can Do That!

I have a jam packed next few weeks before school starts, and I'm stoked about it!

Tomorrow

I'll be meeting with a DJ, going to see some chairs {and hopefully like them!}, and I hope to be signing the catering contract. And, somewhere in there, I'm supposed to be meeting up with my MOH for a coffee date!

Saturday

Mr. GrapeJuice and I will be attending a marriage workshop through the Catholic Diocese of Nashville. It is an Engaged Couples Retreat at Scarritt-Bennett. If you want to read about it, you can click here. We have to fill out a Myers Briggs personality questionnaire form. I hate filling them out because I always get nervous that people will judge me and that I'm answering the questions wrong! {so silly.}

Next Saturday

Mr. GrapeJuice and I will be heading over to Street Tuxedo to check out their suits and tuxedos. I'm hoping to convince him that a gray suit would be the way to go. They look so sleek and would fit into the style of our wedding so well! Hopefully, he'll go for it.

The Last Saturday in July

My ladies from NC are coming in, and we are hopefully going to find a bridesmaid dress! Sadly, my sister won't be joining us because she'll a little newborn to take care of. {I'm going to be an aunt soon!!}

Plus, during all this time, I'm supposed to be setting up my classroom and getting it ready for the next school year. I haven't been able to go in yet though since they're in the process of replacing all of the flooring due to the flood at the beginning of May.

photo :: lolcars

Wishful Wednesday

After posting about sweets yesterday, I began to think about my tendencies in life.

I wish...

that I had the self-discipline to get my fat ass off the couch and workout instead of baking sweets and eating all of them.

 

With the wedding less than six months away, I need to start improving my eating and exercising habits

But how?

photo :: bella on the beach

Dazzle 'Em

Yesterday, I had a meeting for school.

My grade level, Kindergarten, was in charge of bringing dessert.

Someone was all ready bringing chocolate and key lime pies.

So, I decided to bring cookies!

I haven't made cookies in such a long time that I was really excited to make some!

I decided to make Ruby Jewel cookies.

I found the recipe in my Williams-Sonoma Cookie cookbook.

It was really easy!

Plus, they was a huge hit!!

 

Ruby Jewel Cookies

*Makes about 3 dozen cookies

2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
About 1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam or other thick jam
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets or mini muffin pans and liners
.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and vanilla together; set aside.

Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over the top of the flour and sugar and with a pastry blender or two forks, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk mixture and carefully mix to combine until the dough starts to come together (this worked best using my hands).

Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a flat disk. Wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

With lightly floured hands, pinch off pieces of dough and shape the dough into ¾-inch balls. Place each ball in a mini muffin paper liner, if using. If not using a mini muffin pan, place the cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.

Using the end of a wooden spoon handle dipped in flour, make an indentation in the center of each cookie, but do not press all the way through the dough. Using a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, fill each indentation with about ¼ teaspoon jam.

Bake the cookies until the edges are golden, 15-20 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the pans on wire racks. Transfer cooled cookies to wire racks and dust with confectioner’s sugar.

Recipe Source: adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cookies 

recipe & photo :: my kitchen cafe 

Wedding Fact Friday

I am posting this to spite Mr. GrapeJuice.

We are both Catholic, and we are planning to have a Catholic wedding.

However, I think it would be really beneficial {and efficient} to see each other before the ceremony. 

Of course, he does not agree. This is the one aspect where he wants to be traditional.

Does he care if I wear a veil? nope.

Does he want my dress to be white? yes, but he's come to terms with the fact that it's not.

So...why can't he give up on this notion as well?

He says that if I can prove a valid point then he'll seriously consider it.

Well, last night I showed him the fact below, and he said it wasn't credible because there was a "typo!"

{do you think a five paragraph essay would win him over?}

"The Groom Not Seeing The Bride Before The Wedding - (Superstition)

Many of our current wedding "customs" originate from century old superstitions that would avoid incurring bad luck. In ancient times, marriages were considered a business arrangement made between family members, rather than a celebration of love. Marriages cemented alliances between families and insured transfer of land and wealth between them.

Often the groom had not met or even seen his future wife before the ceremony. The bride was kept hidden to eliminate any disapproval of her from the groom. It was feared that once seeing her he may have refused to proceed with the ceremony. This of course would have bought bad luck, by putting the family's financial arrangements in jeopardy.

Today this custom has lost its relevance. Arranged marriages are not very common in our modern North American society nor will the Catholic Church condone a marriage between people who have never met. A Catholic wedding ceremony is a sacrament that couples administer to each other, so it must be a ceremony of mutual consent. Many couples are abandoning this custom of hiding from one another, choosing instead to have private time together for prayer and reflection before the ceremony. They then as a couple greet their guests upon their arrival."

source :: catholicbrides.com
photo :: chris + lynn photograhpy

p.s. if you notice the typo, please let me know because i don't see it!

Honeymoon & Winner

It was a really close tie between St. Lucia and Hawaii.

But...

if all goes according to plan, we'll go to Hawaii.

That's what won!

:)

{of course, now, Mr. GrapeJuice wants to go to Universal Studios because of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. am i really surprised though?}

And...

the lucky winner of the Starbucks gift card is...

maria!

Send me an email with your address, sweetie.

source :: soma get fit

Music Monday - Faith Hill

When I think back
On these times
And the dreams
We left behind
I'll be glad 'cause
I was blessed to get
To have you in my life
When I look back
On these days
I'll look and see your face
You were right there for me

[Chorus:]
In my dreams
I'll always see you soar
Above the sky
In my heart
There will always be a place
For you for all my life
I'll keep a part
Of you with me
And everywhere I am
There you'll be
And everywhere I am
There you'll be

Well you showed me
How it feels
To feel the sky
Within my reach
And I always
Will remember all
The strength you
Gave to me
Your love made me
Make it through
Oh, I owe so much to you
You were right there for me

[Repeat chorus]

'Cause I always saw in you
My light, my strength
And I want to thank you
Now for all the ways
You were right there for me
You were right there for me
For always

[Chorus:]
In my dreams
I'll always see you soar
Above the sky
In my heart
There will always be a place
For you for all my life
I'll keep a part
Of you with me
And everywhere I am
There you'll be
And everywhere I am
There you'll be
There you'll be

lyrics :: azlyrics

Matching Your Couple Personality

In other words, choosing the right cake topper.

Trivial? yes.

Important none-the-less? yes.

When picking your cake topper, it's got to reflect you!

Not your mother or your grandmother or our sister or your mother-in-law.

You're putting it on your wedding cake after all.

You have to walk into the reception and see it there.

You don't want to walk in, see it, and think, "ugh! why?"

So, for Mr. GrapeJuice and I, our cake topper will reflect our playful couple personality.

We're always joking around or sneaking little love taps on each others derriere.

Meaning, floral cake toppers and monogram cake toppers are out for us!

Here's what I like...

Cheeky Couple Figurine: "My Main Squeeze"

source :: cute party supplies & elegant wedding accessories

"Romance" Kissing Couple

source :: that's my topper

"Super Sexy Dancing" Wedding Bride and Groom Cake Topper Figurine

source :: wedding collectibles

"Picture Perfect" Couple Figurine

source :: cute party supplies

Playful Football Wedding Couple Figurine

source :: online bridal store

"The Love Pinch" Bridal Couple Figurine

 sources :: kiwi cakes & jw caketops

True Romance Couple Figurine

source :: wedding favours

I Wish...

...that my school wouldn't flood!

Apparently, in the downpour that occurred Saturday, my school flooded...again.

Not only that, but worse than the floods at the beginning of May.

I don't know how it happened...but it needs to stop.

Mmkay?

thanks.

Why I Love My Sister

This is why I love my little sister...

She created this gorgeous invite for the wedding.

I'm so stoked!

She also happens to be expecting.

Only one more month to go until my niece graces us with her presence!

If you like my sister's work, you can check out her website.

Musical Monday - GLEE

I wanna hold them like they do in Texas please
Fold em' let em' hit me raise it baby stay with me
Love the game intuition play the cards with spades to start
And after he's been hooked I'll play the one
That's on his heart

ow o-ow ow ow o-ow ow
I'll get him hot, and show him what I've got
ow o-ow ow ow o-ow ow whoaa oh
I'll get him hot, and show him what I've got

Can't read my, can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
She's got to love nobody
Can't read my, can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
She's got to love nobody

Po-po-po-poker face, po-po-poker face
Po-po-po-poker face, po-po-poker face

I wanna roll with him a hard pair we will be
A little gambling is fun when you're with me
Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun
And baby when it's love if its not rough it isn't fun

ow o-ow ow ow o-ow ow
I'll get him hot, and show him what I've got
ow o-ow ow ow o-ow ow
I'll get him hot, and show him what I've got

Can't read my, can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
She's got to love nobody
Can't read my, can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
She's got to love nobody

I won't tell you that I love you
Kiss or hug you cause I'm bluffin
With my muffin
I'm not lying I'm just stunnin with my love-glue-gunning

Just like a chick in the casino
Take your bank before I pay you out
I promise this, promise this
Check this hand cause I am marvelous

I'm marvelous,  I'm marvelous
I'm marvelous so marvelous
She's got to love nobody
Can't read my, can't read my
No he can't read my poker face
She's got to love nobody

source :: lyrics-celebrities 

Wedding Fact Friday

In Fiji,

"it is customary for a groom to present a valuable gift to his bride's father. Traditionally, this present should be a whale's tooth, symbolizing status and wealth."

source :: worldweddingtraditions.com

photo :: cinoa

Ooooo...shiney!

Yesterday, I spent the whole afternoon with my grandmother. It was awesome! We are so much alike, and I absolutely love it. :)

We were on a mission...to find the material for my wedding day necklace.

She's going to make it for me!

{I feel so blessed.}

We found some ivory pearls,

source :: fire mountain gems

and we found some gray pearls

source :: fire mountain gems

My grandmother is going to make a multi-strand pearl necklace by alternating the stands.

One ivory, one gray, one ivory, one gray, one ivory, and one more gray.

I'm really stoked!

Then, we're going to add an embellishment to the necklace...like a brooch/pin.

My grandma has one that she wore in high school that she let me have.

I played around with it a little today, and here's what I came up with.

Your thoughts?

Grandma also gave me a hair comb that I'm going to try to incorporate into my fascinator and a bracelet that matches both the hair comb and the brooch she gave me.

She also gave me some fabulous clip on earrings that I'm thinking about using as shoe clips...maybe. I'm still undecided on that front.

Yesterday, we also got our wedding bands in the mail!!!!!!

I was so stoked to see that package on the dining room table when I got home.

I tore through it like nobody's business.

:)

Please excuse my horrendous phone pictures.

p.s. Don't forget to vote for where Mr. GrapeJuice and I should go on our honeymoon! {You might win a Starbucks gift card!}

Wishful Wednesday - a Honeymoon & a Giveaway

Mr. GrapeJuice and I are having the hardest time choosing where to go on our honeymoon. We've had so many ideas that we can't even pick one. It's also harder to pick a honeymoon when you come up with a new idea every other day. {oops!}

So...

Since Mr. GrapeJuice and I can't decide, 

we're going to let YOU pick for us!

Oh, yes.

We are seriously trusting you with this decision.

Don't you feel special?

You should!

:)

Here's a little background information on our Honeymoon.

We're getting married on New Year's Eve.

However, we're not going on our honeymoon until March 2011.

I don't want to miss work so we are going to wait until my school goes on Spring Break!

{yay for being a teacher.}

Below are our picks that are within our budget {which is very important}.

They are in no particular order.

Pick #1

New York City

source :: Google Images

Pick #2

Hawaii

  source :: fenichel

Pick #3

St. Lucia

source :: wlal.wordpress.com

Pick #4

Mexican Riviera Cruise 

source :: a-ztours.com

Pick #5

San Antonio

 source :: baltitravel.com

Pick #6

Key West 

s

source :: akeywestwedding.com 

 

Please cast your vote in the comments section!

If you do, you just might find yourself the lucky winner of a Starbucks gift card.

 source :: flickr

Yep. That's right!

One lucky person who votes on where Mr. GrapeJuice and I should go for our honeymoon will win a Starbucks gift card!

So, please, VOTE.

We desperately need your help.

Some Guidelines...
You can vote on where we should go for our honeymoon until July 4th at midnight {cst}.
However, you may only vote once.
On July 5th, I will announce the winner of the Starbucks gift card and our honeymoon destination!

Anyone who votes is eligible to win the gift card, whether or not the honeymoon you voted for is the winner.

This giveaway is only for U.S. and Canada residents.

[as a note:: this is not a sponsored/compensated post. no money/product was given in exchange for advertisement.]