falling for fall

"SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!!" (thanks Rachel Zoe for forever embedding that phrase in my personal dictionary) I can't believe Thanksgiving is over!!! BTW, I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day! Despite the cold weather, it still hasn't fully hit me yet that fall has come full steam ahead. I don't always share my husband's enthusiasm for the fall season. In fact, I have a Love & Hate relationship with fall. I find it to be a very melancholy season. How can you not... It forces you to say "good bye" to cute summer dresses, natural summer tans, beach days, bbqs, ice coffees, outdoor flip cup and relay (I'm a frat boy at heart... ♥ beer games), and that natural "carefree feeling" that summer brings. And now I've been forced to say "hello" to shorten days and longer nights, fake heat (which has become absolutely brutal to my poor nose), and unwanted extra pounds that I certainly can do without!!! These cold and gloomy days have left me feeling lazy and forever craving hot & fatty lattes (caramel brûlée lattes to be exact) and comfort foods. And it certainly doesn't help knowing I can cover up all the extra pounds with comfy layers of clothes.... which subsequently leaves any type of motivation to work out in complete hibernation.
Don't get me wrong, like I said... it's a l o v e & hate relationship. I adore the color changes of the leaves (breathtaking), but hate that they fall everywhere and I mean everywhere (so messy)! ♥ ♥ ♥ shopping for fall fashion, but hate hate hate the crowded malls that the holidays bring. LOVE knowing that Christmas is merely a few weeks away, but absolutely hate that one of the BEST years of my life is coming to and end:(
Maybe that's why I've been so bitter about this particular autumn season... It has been a constant reminder that my wedding is over! I know, I know... I need to get over it. But give me a break people!!! It's only been 2 months, but with all the changes the fall season brings, it makes it feel as if it had been months and months ago. I can't help but miss it all! Actually as I sit here thinking about my wedding day, I'm continually reminded how extremely fortunate I am not only in love but in every aspect of my life! I may not be rich in the physical sense of wealth, but I have everything I can ever need and more! I'm truly a lucky girl!
With the passing of Thanksgiving... My relationship with fall has quickly leaned back to love! Being in the presence of my amazing family has left me feeling incredibly blessed and eternally grateful!
Oh and as continuing proof that I have the best husband in the world...I was able to convince him to join the maddness of black Friday for the very first time together! I must say, not a single complaint from him considering I got him up at the crack of dawn! We survived the day with flying colors! And as icing on the cake, I even walked away with a pre Christmas gift! Thank you sweetie for my iPad ! I'm putting it to good use as we speak.... Or should I say " as I write".

back into the swing of things

It's been quite some time now since I had the opportunity to spend some quiet "me time" . Between moving back and forth, and my work schedule being turned upside down, life was a little crazed for a moment, leaving me no time to write.
So please excuse my absence.
I think the subject on the move deserves its own blog entry so I'll save that one for later... but a major reason for my absence was also due to my temporary change of schedule for work. For those who don't know, I'm a Maternal Child Health (MB, peds, & NICU) RN and work 12hr night shift (7p-7a) 3x a week...(when I do most of my babbling and writing lol!)! I was asked by my supervisors to become what they call a "super users" to help teach and implement a new computer charting program for the hospital. When I agreed to do it, I didn't know all that it entails. I didn't realized right away the major perks in it for me=) First and most importantly, NO WORK on weekends until January!!!! (who can possibly say no to that). Second, I was able to manipulate my schedule to include NO HOLIDAYS either!!! (which I could not be more ecstatic about because this would be mine and BJ's first Holiday Season being married) I would also have to switch to the day shift (7a-7p) for 3 weeks. Initaily I thought awesome more time to spend with the hubby and more time to tackle some of the million things that needed to get done....Right!?!... WRONG!!!...Waking up and being ready by 6:30 am was complete torture...especially during these past chilly mornings! Although I would be home by 7:30pm leaving me plently of time to do things ... all I would want to do is bury myself under the covers and snuggle next to my husband and be a lazy dog. Not exactly the productivity I had in mind. Although I ♥ sleeping next to my hubby every night, there was a small part of me that couldn't wait to go back to my regular schedule. Usually after a long night at work, I love coming home to an empty quiet house (it's daytime so the scary factor is out the window) and having the bed all to myself to sleep in...hubby is a major bed hog, so I have to enjoy those moments.
Which I'm glad to say is exactly what I'm doing this very second=)
I'm sure on some level hubby is glad I'm back on my night shift duty too, this way he can go back to enjoying his video games and ESPN channel.

♥ Happy One Month

Today marks one month of our ♥ Happily Ever After ♥. I still feel like a blushing bride :D I can't help but get gitty every time I say "my husband". I hope this feeling never goes away! Omg... I can't believe how mushy I am! But I don't care, every girl should experience this amazing feeling! People have asked me repeatedly, " so, how does it feel to be married?", and I always try and play it cool by answering nonchalantly ''feels great" or "feels the same". But the truth of the matter is, it feels indescribably i n c r e d i b l e!!!
Although our love story started over a decade ago, there is an undeniable sensation of warmth and comfort knowing that a marriage seals the deal. We both come from families where our parents are still happily married to each other (presumingly I should say lol). So we both see marriage as something permanent... and whether we like it or not, we are stuck with each other. I'm confident that I speak for the both of us when I say that "we" love that notion!!!
I definitely believe one month is a milestone in a marriage, so I think a gift is in order for this special occasion don't you all agree?!? LOL! *Hint *Hint!!!

NOTEBOOK inspired

When it can down to choosing an aesthetic for my over all look, I knew I would be embracing the 1940s. The Notebook is hands down my all time favorite movie!!! After watching the movie for the very first time, I immediately fell in love with every aspect of the 1940s decade. The fashion, the glamour, the hair, the romance, and the simplicity of it all sent chills down my spine. At that moment, I wanted to be Allie Calhoun!!! Her hair and wardrobe had me screaming of envy!!! One particular scene that took my breath away was the boat ride! She looked completely flawless, and simply epitomized class!!! Inevitably when it came to choosing a hair style, I had no doubt I would be channeling my inner Allie. During my search for the perfect "Allie" hair due, I came across a stunning picture of Meagan Fox. Right there and then, she made my life a little bit more difficult. I became absolutely torn between the 2 looks. I love how both are 1940s inspired, but into 2 completely different ways. I knew I needed to meet with a hair stylist ASAP!!! Luckily friends of mine recommended a FAB stylist named Sarah! OMG, love her to pieces!!! The hair trial went so smoothly. I never met anyone who styled my hair so effortlessly. She instantly became my hair guru. Both Sarah and I failed to capture a photo with the Megan Fox inspired hair before she started pinning my hair up. I guess we both got caught up in the excitement. I have always pictured myself walking down the aisle with my hair long and down. But after seeing both my options, I was most definitely in crisis!!! Even Sarah couldn't help me decide.
So when the big day came, I left it to Hurricane Earl to make the final decision! Unfortunately there was a hurricane watch on the day of my wedding (seriously of all freaken dayss! FML!!!) with a 75% chance of thunderstorms. With that probability, the choice was pretty obvious... Up do it is! And now looking back, I still would not changed a thing. Keeping my hair up left one less thing to fidget with during the night.
Ooooh and before I neglect to mention, with God's blessing, Hurricane Earl never leered his ugly head the whole day! God truly is GREAT!
He blessed BJ & I with a love story even sweeter than Allie & Noah's ♥

♥ Rehearsal Dinner

After indecisively choosing where to have our dinner rehearsal, my in-laws volunteered to host the event at their backyard. It was very generous of them to do this considering they have already done so much for us and the wedding. Initially, as grateful and appreciative as I was, I was quite reluctant to take the offer... even though financially it would take a nice load off our backs. Reason for my hesitation was I knew that if we held the rehearsal at their home, I would still be responsible in running around, decorating , setting up, cleaning up and micromanaging (something I certainly did not want to be doing 2 days before my wedding)... as oppose to going to a restaurant where everything is pretty much all set up for you. Even though BJ assured me that he and his parents would take care of everything, I knew deep down I just could not stand by and do nothing. At any other given day, I would jump at any opportunity to plan another event, but at this point I was just completely exhausted and my stress level was at its peak. In the midst of all the planning, everything definitely started to take a toll on me. I became short tempered, easily annoyed and irritable, and eventually had a mini meltdown. But after a good cry and prayer, and a very comforting fiance, I was able to breath and compose myself. And I'm happy to report that the next day, we had a wonderful dinner rehearsal. Everything came out beautifully! The food was delicious, and everyone had a great time=D thank you for my pretty cake Jess P! you did such a FAB job The Gifts: I've been absolutely crushing on paper suitcases for about forever now... and I'm soo excited that I've found the perfect opportunity to put them to use! Since I possibly couldn't choose just one gift for my bridal presents, I decided to get them a collection of little trinkets that I know they would all love! And these paper suitcases are the perfect way to package them all in! ♥ personalized tags♥ I ♥ these zodiac necklaces from bcbg maxazria!!! They make the perfect bridesmaid's gift! Love how the bling aligns to create each constellation and when you flip it over your specific Zodiac sign is engraved on it... It adds such a sentimental touch to each gift. Luckily for me the store had each of my MOHs/bridesmaids's Signs! And of course I just couldn't resist and had to buy one for myself! LOL Cameras from Urban Outfitter added the perfect touch to help capture the moments. ♥ j.crew jeweled flip flops ♥ + j.crew gift card ♥ I ♥ Kiehls!
Not pictured: MOHs also received Banana Republic bracelets and matching rings. Best men and Groomsmen also received some cool gifts: YSL Cologne, Personalized engrave beer mugs with cigars, and mini bottles of Henny!
as you can probably tell, I looked absolutely exhausted in the video! but It was worth it =D

♥ Bittersweet

Over 3 weeks of marital bliss and I absolutely cannot be a happier wife!!! It's slowly hitting me that after almost 2 years of being engaged and planning our wedding... it's now over... the day came and went with a snap of a finger. It truly is BITTERSWEET... makes me sad:( Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely over dealing with vendors, going over guest list, being on a budget, running around like a chicken with my head cut off, and most of all the STRESS! But I can't seem to help and miss all the EXCITEMENT. Hopefully by keeping you up to speed of what has been happening, I can happily relive all the moments again =D Looking back I wish I could of relaxed a little more and absorbed and enjoyed all the days leading to the wedding. But after all is said and done... and aside from a few mishaps ( which I will go over more in detail in my future posts)... Our Wedding Day was absolute ♥ PERFECTION ♥ (or as close as it can be).
So stay tune..... Until then here is a mini video clip courtesy of Rob Navalta of Drew Vision.

Pwee and BJ Wedding Highlights from Robert Navalta on Vimeo.

COUNT DOWN

As you can see I took a little hiatus from the blogging world to focus more on last minute wedding details. I cannot believe I'm marrying the ♥ of my life in just 2 short weeks! You can probably guess that I've been extremely busy these past few weeks running around and trying to get everything situated before the big day. I'm happy and relieved that aside from a few little bumps along the way, everything is just falling into place. This week especially has been a very productive week for both BJ and I. One day we both decided to play hookie from work so we can get a few important things done..... and it was definitely worth it! This week has been full of excitement.
♥ First and foremost, we finally got our marriage license... hip hip hooray. I couldn't believe how incredibly easy and fast the whole process was=)
♥ Picked up our wedding bands and I just love how my band came out exactly how I imagined!
♥ Bridesmaid dresses finally arrived!!!! You would not believe the BS I had to go through for these dresses. P*ZILLA was def in full effect! but to make a long story short, the dresses are finally here and they look gorgeous! And to top it all off, my gals get a 50% off on their alterations... it's the least that jaehee bridal can do. I just had to put them on blast, especially their associate Ellen. Just a warning: if anyone decides to go to Jaehee Bridals in Englewood NJ, do not get stuck with Ellen.... ask for someone else immediately!!!
♥ more excitingly, I had my third fitting for my gown and I'm in ♥! I admit, at first I wasn't very confident in the seamstress working with me. She just didn't seem to get my vision. But after assertive guidance, she finally got it right! and as an extra cherry to top it off, my sash arrived and it was completely breathtaking and worth every penny!!! I can't believe my dress is finally hanging in my closet... excited is not even the word!
♥ Our favors also arrived!!! I'm sooo fortunate that my cousin works for Godiva because they have such amazing and adorable favors... Gotta love friends & family discounts.... I def would not have been able to afford them for full price. So YAY for me... and for my cousin Kyle =)
♥ Met with the florist for a final approval of our tall centerpieces! He even arrange a day at the Venetian so we can envision the whole picture and have an idea on how things will look on the final day. So blown away on how great of a job he did!!! He truly was able to incorporate all my ideas and bring it to life.
♥the week before I had my hair and makeup consultations. One word fabulous. These girls are freaken awesome! Gloria, my makeup artist from Laura Mercier always does a gorgeous job on me, and she always manages to give me a new look each time. Love her to pieces! My hairstylist Sarah, was able to duplicate a picture I gave her so effortlessly! This was actually my first time going to her and couldn't believe I've been missing out this whole time. The only downside is I would have to go to the salon to get my hair done on the day of the wedding, but she's worth it.
♥ Last but not least, I was thrown a surprised bachelorette party by my bestest dolls! I was completely shocked and it was so unexpected! I had a freaken blast! I can't believe what you had me do!!! LMAO! THANK YOU LADIES FOR EVERYTHING!!! YOU GUYS ARE UNBELIEVABLE & I'M SOOOO FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU GALS IN MY LIFE!!!
Definitely needed that last "single" night to just completely unwind and let loose, because the next 2 weeks are gonna be absolutely insane!!! I will try my best to post as much as I can before the big day... sneak peaks are on the way!

TEACUP FULL OF SWEETS

I had an amazing bridal shower and I owe it all to my beautiful bridal party, especially to my MOHs... Shay, Yvonne ,and Jessica... you ladies have definitely gone above and beyond! thank you... ♥ you gals!!! You all did an awesome job considering we had only an hour to set up everything for that day! Great team work ladies! Also a special thank you to my mom and soon to be mother-in-law for their generous contribution. BJ and I are soooo grateful for all our wonderful presents... I'm still in utter shock on how many gifts we received! I can't believe our registry was almost completely bought out! I'm so excited to start using all my new "toys"... Housewife mode will soon be in full effect! Hope you all enjoy the pictures... courtesy of my favorite photographers: Aimee, Jenelle, & Emilie ♥ They did a fabulous job capturing all the pretty little details... As you all know I'm an absolute sucker for details, and I put a great deal of time and work into creating these little touches. Thanks again ladies for all the precious moments!♥