Weekend Highlights: 2nd Anniversary!

This weekend marked our 2nd anniversary! Here are a few highlights:

After spending some time in our yard, we headed out to Minto-Brown Park to walk the trails with Lily.

We also stopped by the Salem Saturday Market & Sam picked our these beautiful flowers in honor of our second year!

Since we opted for cupcakes instead of cake on our wedding day, I whipped up a batch of chocolate cupcakes & had a little fun with the sprinkles (notice the #2 in the middle? :)).

Other highlights included: a delicious dinner at Outback Steakhouse & a calm Sunday together.

Of course, we'd love to be able to get away somewhere, but since that wasn't in the cards, being together was good enough for us!

#2

Happy 2nd Anniversary to us!

My FIL said it best the other day when he said "It feels like you two have always been married" and I couldn't agree more. Sam, thank you for sticking by my side every day for the last two years & here's to an even better 3rd year!

For more: wedding day details & our 1st anniversary!

OOTD 6.22.10

Tee: Forever 21
Dress: Gap
Heels: Clarks

The first day of Summer may have been earlier this week, but sadly the weather here hasn't received the memo yet. It is rumored to warm up this week, so I was optimistic and thought I'd pull out one of my favorite dresses just in case. Turns out the weather cooperated and we had a beautiful day!

Weekend Update: Back to Bend

Last weekend brought Sam & I back to Bend for the first time since my mom moved away (after over 20 years of living there).

We headed over the mountain on Saturday morning after a delicous breakfast at Busick Court with the Weathers. Once we arrived in Bend, we were a little lost as to what to do, since we couldn't check into our hotel and were early to meet my brother for lunch, but we found something to occupy our time (my favorite - shopping!). First, we stopped by Best Buy for Sam and then proceeded down to The Old Mill Shops for me. And before we knew it, it was time to meet my brother for lunch, which consisted of Red Robin fries & milkshakes.

After saying our goodbyes, we headed to the hotel to get ready for the wedding we were attending that night (the reason for the trip).

The wedding was for one of my high school friends, who I actually became very close to my freshman year in college. It was held on one of Bend's private golf clubs and although being unseasonably cold, it was nice to be there to support my friend as she walked down the isle.

Sunday brought family, food, & lots of driving! We headed out of Bend after breakfast so we could make it up to my in-law's for Fathers Day lunch. The meal was delicious and the company was great! We hung around for a while after, then continued on our way home. After a total of 4+ hours of driving, we finally made it home with enough time to relax and rest up some for the week ahead.

While it was a little weird to be in Bend without seeing my mom, it was nice to visit. I was also glad it worked out to be able to honor my FIL for Fathers Day. And cross another busy weekend off our schedules :)

Double Take

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a big fan of sales & discounts. And when I can find an item for over 50% off, I'm an even happier girl! Now it isn't always easy to wait for something to go on sale and this is where a replica can work in it's place. So today I bring you two double takes that will provide you with cute summer sandals at a fraction of the price of the originals.

Double Take #1:

If you like Seychelles Get Outta Town Flats (available at Amazon for $79.95)...

Then you should check out Mossimo's Wakeisha D'Orsay Flat Sandals (available at Target for $17.99) - I own these in black & wear them ALL THE TIME!

You can also check out another double take that Ginger Girl found a month ago!

Double Take #2:

If you like Seychelles Light On Your Feet Sandals (available at Anthropologie {Leaping Plait Sandals} for $80)...

Then you should check out the Nikky Sandals (available at Forever21 for $15.80)

Enjoy!

Buster

The last week has been a blur! Our little life was flipped upside down on Tuesday when our chipper pug was definitely not himself. After a trip to the vet and several x-rays later, the diagnosis was confirmed that Buster had a herniated disc in the middle of his spine.

Our hearts broke at the news & our minds raced around thinking about how Buster had been himself only 24 hours prior and all of the sudden he was losing mobility in his hind legs at a rapid pace. Our vet informed us that medication might ease the situation for a while, but that spinal surgery (read: thousands of dollars & months of recovery) was the only complete cure, and even that wasn’t guaranteed with the the lack of response in his legs. What were we going to do?

We immediately called family & friends to pray. Pray for peace. Pray for comfort. And most of all, pray for a miracle. We did the same, but focused most of our time being by Buster's side 24/7 caring for his ailing body. Our life quickly became a roller coaster with being hopeful that Buster will get through this one minute and the next hearing cries of pain and wondering what we could do to help.

Over the next four days, we had several visits and phone calls with our vet, discussing the options available and finally decided, for the sake of Buster's quality of life, to put him to sleep. Can I just let you know that making that decision and saying it out loud was probably the hardest one either of us has ever had to make? Because it was. And we are still feeling the decision now even if it was for the best.

Personally, I can’t help but feel like I’ve failed my sweet puppy by not being able to get him through this. Seeing him in so much pain was horrible and when he would look up at me, I would immediately start to cry because there wasn’t anything I could do to help him, except continue to love on him & keep him as comfortable as I could.

There will definitely be a period of mourning for Sam & I with this loss in our family, but knowing that Buster isn't in pain anymore does bring a sense of peace to us. Even if we still miss him like crazy!

To those who sent encouraging words, called to see if we were ok, and just hugged us when there was nothing to say - thank you!

And to our Buster boy - we love you more than words can say & will not forget the joy you brought us every day for the last two and half years!

Wish Lists

With my birthday coming up in less than a month & full knowledge that some people would like a list from me each year – mom, Sam, etc. - I thought I’d use this post to point out a few of my wish lists from around the web (also located on the left side of the blog).

First, Amazon:

Amazon is usually the first place I check when comparing prices on items I know are sold at several stores. They also have almost everything under the sun in one place. You’ll notice quite a few pairs of shoes listed on this wish list.

Second, Etsy:

I fell in love with Etsy a couple years ago and continue to peruse the site for upcoming birthdays & holidays. Handmade gifts are always special, especially when you find something that is perfect for the person you’re shopping for.

And last, but certainly not least, Anthropologie:
Aw, my favorite store! I do want to note that while on the pricier side, Anthropologie has a great sale section that is updated several times a month (and I check almost daily). Here you’ll find a mix of clothing, accessories, and home items. Everything is so cute & unique, how can you go wrong?!

Do you keep wish lists updated? Where are your favorite places to have wish lists at?

OOTD 6.6.10

Necklace: Macy's
Sweater: Anthropologie

Tee: Forever 21

Jeans: Downeast Basics

Sandals: Kohls

Pug: Buster :)

As a result of having a couple events to attend this weekend, you are getting to see more OOTD's. This is what I wore to my SIL-to-be's bridal shower. I had an entirely different (i.e. dressier) outfit planned, but since we've been having a rainy couple of weeks, I opted for jeans instead of a skirt.

And remember these sandals? Well, I happened upon another look-alike pair at Kohls (thanks Ginger Girl) and couldn't be happier, mainly because I picked up two pairs for about half of what I would have paid buying the Seychelles version. Hello new summer sandal!

1 Wedding + 1 Shower + Some Yard Work

= Our weekend!*

Friday, we attended the beautiful wedding of Jessica & Jake!

{The bride & groom, officially}

It was suppose to rain, but thankfully the weather remained dry for the wedding activities so everyone could really enjoy themselves. Following a wonderful ceremony (performed by my awesome BIL, Josh), we spent the evening eating, chatting, & dancing the night away.

{Jessica & my BIL, Matt}

Saturday, we devoted some time sprucing up the exterior of our home.

I neglected to take a "before" shot, but if you just imagine waist-tall weeds as far back as the eye can see, then that's pretty much what it looked like. But after a couple hours of manual labor, this is our current "after" - not completely done, but definitely better than it was!

Sunday, I attended my SIL-to-be's bridal shower!

{Krista opening one of her (more appropriate) gifts}

It was held at a beautiful golf course near Eugene with an "around the clock" theme. This let the guests get a little creative with their gifts depending on the time they were given! Not only was it fun to see all the presents that Krista received, but it was also fun to put faces to the names that she speaks so fondly of.

{Sisters!}

All in all, another good (but busy) weekend. We may be down one wedding & one shower, but there are still more to come!

*I'm a numbers girl so yes, I get a kick out of silly equation sentences.

OOTD 6.4.10

Top: Anthropologie
Trousers: Gap
Wedges: Seychelles
Photo courtesy of my husband :)

Remember all those weddings were attending/involved in? Well one of them took place on Friday night and WITHOUT any rain (hooray!). Yes, the forecast called for buckets of rain all week leading up to the wedding, but thanks to some serious prayer, the night was completely dry. Plus the best news of all is that Jessica & Jake are now happily married! Congrats Carrillos!

Chapters of Life

Last weekend, my MIL & I began talking about different stages in our lives and more specifically going from one step to the next and the feelings that are associated. This immediately got me thinking about a few times where I had become so comfortable in life that the thought of going forward had me dreading the future ahead of me.

The first time I remember being scared to leave my current phase & move on was middle school. I know most people loathe those years, but I actually have fond memories of the events & friends that encompassed those years. I can distinctly remember the last day of middle school involved many tears & fears, but what I didn’t know then was that I would relive these same feelings four years later when I graduated high school, then four more years later when my undergraduate years had come to an end. It’s silly to think that I thought my life would end after middle school (and high school & college), but to be honest I had just grown so comfortable in those periods of time that I wasn’t ready to move forward yet.

Even now, I'm back where I was 12+ years ago. Life is great, but at times (being the worrier that I am) my mind begins to wander ahead, knowing that life will soon change again, most likely once we start having children. And while I know that will be a wonderful time in our lives, I can't help but wonder if I will mourn the loss of this time that Sam & I have had just the two of us. Only time will tell I suppose.

Regardless, I do know I shouldn't dwell on the feelings of loss that may be ahead, but rather live in the moment & enjoy this particular chapter in our lives. And it's not hard because I can easily say that the last two years of my life have, hands down, been the best thus far and I can't wait to see what's ahead for us, both good & bad!

Quick Update

Oh my, it's almost been a week since I updated? I do apologize! Life seems to be flying by over here and when I think I've got a hang of it, something else is added to our plate (and no, I'm not complaining, just explaining).

Sadly, this won't be a substantial post by any means, but rather a quick update on another (wedding-related) weekend - the focus being Jessica's last hooray as a single woman before her wedding on Friday!

We spent an enjoyable evening at McMenamin's Edgefield, which is always a good time in my opinion (my bachelorette party was at McMenamin's too!) with good food, fun conversations, & some creative presents. A good time had by all!