Small Milestone...

So Greg and I took the whole day today (after a great hike for a few hours to the top of a nearby mountain) getting stuff done on the wedding, namely:

1. Adding everyone off of our contact lists and facebook friends to the wedding guest list. We now have almost everyone and can make our final cuts and limit the number down later. Better to get everyone we can think of and not leave anyone out and then cut down the numbers than the other way around and forget people!

2. Finished designing and placing the order on our Save-the-date magnets! We have been working on the design of these for the last two or three weeks, and having finally come to a decision on a design we really like! (Or rather, one that I really like, Greg would have gone for any of our previous designs too.)

So that's two good things we've done, and it took almost all day! But at least we don't have to worry about them as much. Just adding addresses in when our parents get their lists finished, and adding any that we have forgotten that they didn't.

Hooray us!

Pics and Honeymoon Update!

Update #2:
So it's been a little bit longer than I said I would put up our engagement photoshoot pics. OK, like a week later rather than the 2 days I mentioned. But here they are now, a random sampling.



I really like the ones near the white picket fence. hehe. You can see the version we like the best in our profile, to the right of this post.


















We took a few near the river which was really fun, with a different outfit. We ended up liking the other outfits better, but these are still good options.

As for the honeymoon, Greg paid the deposit so our cruise to the Mexican Riviera is booked! So it seems a lot happened last week toward the final end product of our wedding, as a whole. Also, we faxed over the contract for the new company who's doing our wedding at our site, so we are officially under their policies. (We sent in an earlier contract for the same site before it was taken over by another organization.)

Just gotta finalize the guest list now and figure out who to invite to keep the numbers down but still include everyone we want to see there next May.

As per my new tradition, here's a few things I am thankful for right now:

1. Classical music. It seems I'm getting back into it after taking a month off (!!), post-Master's degree. I decided to do so because of the insane amount of practice and playing I had to do in the few months leading up to the end of my school term before I arrived home in the States, and my wrist was hurting for a few months and I was concerned about my general playing health. I now need to get my chops (lips) back into shape to continue and pursue my new goals, like the joint recital Greg and I have planning for the fall back in our hometown. Also, been listening to music either live or on my iTunes, and trying to educate myself more about composers and pieces I should know...that's always a worthwhile venture that I love doing.

2. Veggies. I have been trying to eat healthier, and realize the many ways I can incorporate them into my daily diet, although I've been splurging with late night pasta dinners and chocolate bars for dessert, filling myself till I think I'm going to burst! But I love eating, and have been enjoying new foods this summer, so I think I'm getting more fiber and vitamins, etc.

3. The clothes dryer. Seriously, after living for a year without one, and drying clothes on the radiators on the wall, I really am glad to have one at my disposal now, as my clothes are soft and (mostly) wrinkle-free and I don't have to iron my jeans or socks. :P

4. Being able to live on a budget. I have really been trying not to spend any money unless necessary (groceries, etc.), as I try to make a sandwich everyday and not buy anything other than a drink to go with my home-made lunch at work. In this way, I am not spending much money at all and once I get my first paycheck at my new job, I will hopefully see it stay in savings for a rainier day.

Ok, that's it for now!

What A Picture's Worth...

So today we finally got to take engagement photos with a real-life photographer! For our first 'engagement photo', that we did the day after Greg proposed, we just had a friend use my Canon powershot and we posed in front of a nice brick wall of a nearby church, and that photo was the photo we used for engagement party invites, and ever since, we haven't had a real photo taken of us. Since the wedding planning is moving along now, we decided to do a photoshoot with someone here in Aspen while we spend our summer here with friends. The guy we live with suggested someone, and it really worked out today - we went to the river, got the mountains and trees in, and even did some cute shots near a white picket fence (how domestic!). I think they will turn out really great, and will post them as soon as I get them, which should be in two days or so. Meanwhile, here's a list of things I'm grateful for (since I saw someone else's blog and they make it a habitual thing, and I thought that was a lovely way to be positive):

1. Greg - so obvious, and kinda 'lovey-dovey', but being with him now is such a blessing and it makes it all the more great since I was away from him for so long this year during my Master's. The time we have together is so much richer and meaningful and memorable than anything else I've done without him.

2. Our summer jobs - they may seem trivial and not in the vein of our degrees, but while we're here in Aspen, I'm soo grateful to be getting more than minimum wage working at the Gap, and with great people who make working much more interesting. And it's so cool that I can make new friends from all walks of life - locals who've been here since birth and can show me around, or people from around the US that are here for the music festival as well. Also, Greg and I can have some income which I hope we manage to save for the wedding!

3. A great living environment - the people we live with show me so much more to life than I would have ever thought was possible. Their new perspectives, and attitudes, their level of gratefulness and awe of all that life has to offer, and the things and experiences we have on earth is just eye-opening and makes me learn so much and gain greater appreciation for people no matter where they're at. The lady we live with is mainly the biggest contribution to this wider perspective, and she inspires me and makes me grateful and positive because she is so full of loving energy, and I thank her for that. These 2 summers with them has been great for both of us.

4. hot water - not fun when it's gone during a morning shower. but man when it's there and you've lucked out, you really are greatful for the little things....and that brings me to...

5. the little things - I've really noticed myself being grateful for the little things in life recently. These have included: a new bra (haha, but it's fun to have a new one, isn't it?), walks in the sunshine, a cold soda, a comfy bed, lotion (and the list can continue forever...)

So that's it for today, will put up new pics of the 2 of us asap, I really will try to get all of them as possible just for record's sake, and to use in the wedding guestbook that people will sign a note in. That, and the save-the-dates are what we'll use these new pics in! I'm so excited to see it all come together.

OH YEAH! Greg has emailed the lady at Carnival to book our Mexican Riviera cruise for our honeymoon. So that's a step ahead in the wedding planning process. We are hoping to register for excursions so ppl can contribute an event or memory during the honeymoon instead of a traditional gift if they prefer, which is a nice sentiment.

Wedding Planning Begins!

Less than two weeks away to returning to the US from my master's degree, I'm beginning to really start thinking about our upcoming wedding. It's less than 11 months away now (!) and I realize how much I have to do. This is complicated by the fact that we won't be home during the summer, and by the time we return, it will be 8-9 months away from the wedding, and you really should start making plans and deposits a year in advance (eeekk!)

Anyways, I thought it would be a good idea to get down in writing the ideas I'm having for the wedding. I'm usually so indecisive, so putting these thoughts down might help implant a more solid image in my mind of what the wedding will be like, so that future planning decisions might come easier...hehe. So here they are:

1. First and foremost, colors!
pink green brown and white
(although the colors on here aren't exactly the shades I was thinking....)

2. Flowers

Roses, of course...so beautiful! I'm thinking white bridal boquet and mixed colored roses and hydrangeas for bridesmaids.

I love hydrangeas!! so definitely LOTS of those (also thinking of table centerpieces)

3. Dress/Accessories

• strapless
• some lace (maybe all, if it's not too busy-looking), beading
• chapel train
• veil
• hair all down/half
• long earrings (chandelier), no necklace
• colored shoes (maybe, a fun idea I think!)
• an obvious waist line (near empire line perhaps, and maybe a sash)

Here's an option (not necessarily the one I want):

4. Cake

I thought something simple would be nice - a tiered 3 or 4 layer round cake, probably in buttercream with colors and flowers that are similar to the flowers in the ceremony...roses and hydrangeas. Also our monogram would be nice as either a topper (silver letters) or on the front middle layer of the cake. And also surrounded by candles and petals!!
Maybe something like this...


So that's it for now. I think I'm on a track that I like. They say to have some words in mind to help design your wedding style. These for me would most likely be "elegant", "dream-like", "beautiful", "classic", "country/simple/personal" (if you know what I mean, couldn't really put it into words!)

As Good A Time As Any...

For my first post, I thought it appropriate to share my Valentine's day gift to Greg. I ended up making a Powerpoint slide (I know, a bit cheesy, but it's all I had to work with being so far away now), titled "12 Reasons Why I Love You", with each slide being a reason and including a picture that corresponds to that reason from some point in our relationship, even as far back as 2005. I ended with a lengthy, wordy bit gushing my feelings for my fiance, as best as I could put it into words (although I'm not as good as he is at this), and spoke of my excitement for our future together. Being 6,000 miles away now doing my Master's degree, things get put into perspective - how much he means to me, how our future together doesn't hinge on finances, jobs, where we will be, all that matters is that we are together in a world we create for ourselves.

Here are some of the photos I included:

The reason for this was one that he makes me feel proud of myself in a sometimes tough world. Now that is an excellent effect someone can have on you, and one that will make you not only love them, but more importantly, love the person you are with them.



I included this next one as an example of how he is constantly putting me first. And he shows me that through his actions, which is a greater example of love than words sometimes. I love it when he does cute little things to surprise me like this, and this is only one of many. (V-Day 2006)



Well, that's all I have the patience for right now, as the formatting isn't what I would like, but can't figure it out better than what I currently have. So there you go, a few reasons why I love Greg. Our future life together is built on all these.