Special Monday Edition: WIW - Wedding Style

I will probably still be posting a Man Candy Monday post today as well, but I saw this link party and I knew that I had to participate.

I've been wanting to talk about my wedding for a while, and I probably will do a few posts around our anniversary this year. I just loved that we did it all on our own, Hubby pretty much let me do what I want, and it turned out amazing!

So with that being said, here is what I wore on the best day of my life - 7/5/2009:

Dress - David's Bridal

Flowers - fake: I MADE THEM!

Hair - free as a wedding gift from a girlfriend

done in similar fashion to Hermione @ The Yule Ball

Necklace - freshwater pearl from Friedmans Jewelers

Bracelet - fake pearl (HA! fooled you!)

Earrings - also fake, made by my very talented cousin, Dana.

Hair piece - fake craft store pearls, made by me!

Shoes: Sparkly red "Dorothy" costume heels

There you have it! I had such a blast, and you know it was a true West Virginian wedding because I didn't even bother to get a bustle, I just used some safety pins!!





Significant Other Saturday #6

"No significant other is perfect and it doesn’t really matter. What matters is how we set ourselves up to think about them. If we focus on their failures, their annoyances, or ways in which we have felt hurt by them, then we will interact with them as a hurt and frustrated and disappointed partner. That makes for miserable living for ourselves and our partner and those around us. But if we focus on their strengths, their potential, and the ways in which we feel blessed by them, then we will interact with them as a forgiving, blessed, and contented partner. And there’s no greater need a partner has than to feel respected by their lover. If they feel like all they do is hurt, disappoint, and frustrate, then the same atmosphere and the same actions will be perpetuated. But if they feel that their partner can be happy and responsive regardless of their own shortcomings, they feels respected and empowered. Then a positive atmosphere is perpetuated and actions, once destructive, can improve in an environment that is rich for cultivation and growth into deepened respect and intimacy."

Significant Other Saturday is a day in which we can all get together and remember why we fell in love, why we continue to love, and why we will always love our partners. Too often we take our relationships for granted and just expect them to be there. Join Ida @ Eternity Kind of Love, and me - Rachael, as we challenge you to be attentive to your relationship and tell us all about your partner and why they are so special to you!

Today Hubby and I are in Richmond enjoying the Nascar race, but I couldn't go without talking about him a little bit this weekend! Pictures to come =)


So far we've:

- Introduced our partners
- Shared five things we love about them
- Shared one thing we need to work on
- Talked about our favorite shared hobby
- Had a freebie day where I talk about how we met

This weeks topic was:

Favorite Anniversary

My favorite anniversary was our one-year anniversary of being married.

We got to go on a 3-day stay to a local ski resort. This particular one, Massanutten, located in Harrisonburg, VA, is very special to me. I have alot of memories there and have been going there almost every year since I was born.

Our family used to go every Easter break (yes I said EASTER!! dangit!) and we would go to the egg hunt and the Easter Bunny would come to the condo, and we got to hang out with our cousin and aunt and uncle all week. We swam, played ping pong, and hiked the observation trail almost every year. So I knew that this was a place that I had to take my hubby, and we were offered a weekend stay in exchange for a tour and a sales pitch. It was a ton of fun.

Our condo was small but awesome. It was really about the size of a large hotel room.

Unfortunately this is the only picture I have left from the trip. This is taken at their indoor water park.

We had a great time and I can't wait to take Natalie there!

(We are hoping to go in the next month or so!)

We want to hear all about the loves of your lives!

* If you would like to participate *

Blog about the topic of the week found above, or blog about whatever you feel you need to say about your love! Then come back here and link up in the collection at the bottom of this post. Please grab the button and use it in your post, or post it somewhere on your blog!

The only thing we ask is to follow both my blog and Eternity Kind of Love, in some way. Either GFC, Facebook, Twitter or Email Updates. Just let us know how you are following so that we can follow back! We WILL follow back!

* If you want to add the blog hop to your post *

If you want to participate in the hop, just click here and copy and paste the link into the HTML of your post! That's it! Simple!

<center><a <span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">href</span>="http://<span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">youmeandnatalie</span>.<span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">blogspot</span>.com/search/label/Significant%20Other%20Saturday" target="_blank" target="_blank"><<span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">img</span> alt="Significant Other Saturday" <span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">src</span>="http://i1124.<span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">photobucket</span>.com/albums/l569/<span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">rowmerrilyblog</span>/<span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">SOSbutton</span>.<span style="background: yellow;" class="goog-spellcheck-word">jpg</span>?t=1329507512"/></a></center>

Next month's topic is:

Best gift you've ever received from your love

Next post will be on May 26th!

The (Return of) Nail Files: XI

I'll be honest I haven't done nail polish posts the last four or so weeks for two reasons:

1. Because I've been on an anti-computer unplugging kick.

2. Because my nails have been a COMPLETE WRECK.

I'm serious....


Chipping, breaking, and just general yuckiness to the point where I finally gave up and cut them all short. I learned that it is a lack in vitamins that causes your nails to chip and break and be weak. So, I have started back with a multi-vitamin (yay for vitacraves gummies!) and I am starting back with the painting this week.

I thought that since my nails were really short that I would need something fun and funky to really hide the crappiness that are my nails right now, so I decided to finally try THESE:

I love zebra print. Seriously...

My wallet is zebra print.
My checkbook is zebra print.
My cell phone cover is zebra print.
I have zebra print earrings.
I have a zebra print headband.
I have a zebra print umbrella.
I have a zebra print purse.


You see why I had to try these??

Here's how it turned out!

I have to say that while I loved how these looked, they did not stay very well. My nails were clean, and polish free, but for some reason they just did not stick very well. My friend told me to buff my nails first next time, and I'll give it a try once more, but for the price versus the time they lasted (about 6 hours) it wasn't worth it to me, especially since they say they are supposed to last for 10 days.

These were also by Kiss, which to me is a cheaper nail polish company. I want to try the Sally Hansen ones next. I'll be sure to do a post on them to tell you if I like them better.

HOORAY FOR ZEBRA PRINT!

P.S.- You see that color that I'm holding? I think that's going to be my next color - I got it and I'm super stoked to try it, because it's really interesting looking. It looks almost metallic! See you nail polish enthusiasts next week!

Also linking up here:

Waist Watcher Wednesday: Week 17!

This is a weekly link party for everyone wanting to get back in shape, where we can post/comment our stats and offer each other helpful advice, workout ideas, what works for you, what doesn't and just generally support each other so that when we think about giving up we will have bloggy friends to lift us up again!

So, I will post one inspirational thing, a workout that I want to try, or something workout related every week, and I encourage you to do the same! Let's inspire each other into getting healthy this year and making our waists disappear!

So, I'm doing really badly still. I bought more Keebler Girl Scout Knockoff cookies this week, and didn't work out. AT ALL. I feel terrible. I'm tired all the time, and I STILL have this emphysema-like cough that sounds like I've been smoking for 40 years. I hurt and ache, in my shoulders and lower back mostly, but after 3 days straight at work it's pretty much everywhere. I don't do anything all day, and I'm still just so tired. I stay up late and don't get up early. I think I may have diabetes, but I'm not sure. I am always getting headache after headache, and I don't have a good diet. I eat maybe once a day, sometimes twice. I'm trying to get better at it, and usually eat breakfast after I feed Natalie in the morning. (ahem....afternoon) On my days off, I'm usually running everywhere with Mike and can never get to the gym.

So I'm going to take your advice and start going to bed at 1:00 am at the latest, and going to the gym in the morning before Hubby goes to work - I think. I can do this. I hope.

The plan is to go to bed around 1 am at the latest. Get up at 7:30 am. Go to the gym for an hour. That makes it 8:30 am - 8:45 getting back. Eat breakfast. Get Natalie up around 10 am. Start pushing her bedtime back to about 10-11pm. (THAT part is going to suck because that means she'll start being in bed before I get home at night) If I do this, then eventually I should be able to get up at 7:30 no matter what day it is. Except Wednesdays and Sundays I'm going to allow myself to sleep in, because those are Hubby's days off.

AND NO MORE WHINING! (Thanks for listening to my rant)

I saw this on Little Miss Nerd Girl tonight and it spoke to me.



[If you'd like to participate]

Blog about your weight loss goal, frustrations, struggles, accomplisments, weigh-ins, whatever you feel! Then come back here and link up in the collection at the bottom of this post. And while you're here grab the WW Wednesday button to use on YOUR blog!

[If you want to add the blog hop in your post]

If you want to participate in the hop, just click here and copy and paste the link into the HTML of your post! That's it! Simple!

[A litte something extra]

To make things a little more fun, each week I will choose a random linker to put up as a STELLAR WAIST WATCHER OF THE WEEK. You will get a button with the link back to your blog and it will stay up for the whole week! How cool is that?

This week's Stellar Waist Watcher of the week is: Megan at Miss Madison's Charmed Life! Congrats girlie and welcome to the link up! I hope to see you linking up again this week, and enjoy your week of being my Stellar Waist Watcher!

[Encourage each other]

Check out the other linkers and leave them a comment with some kind words! We are all going to need a kick in the pants or a hand to help us up throughout this process! It will also keep us all accountable if we know our bloggy friends are watching!

Don't forget to grab the button on my sidebar and show the blogworld that you're a waist watcher!


Linking up here:

Waist Watcher Wednesday: Week 16

This is a weekly link party for everyone wanting to get back in shape, where we can post/comment our stats and offer each other helpful advice, workout ideas, what works for you, what doesn't and just generally support each other so that when we think about giving up we will have bloggy friends to lift us up again!

So, I will post one inspirational thing, a workout that I want to try, or something workout related every week, and I encourage you to do the same! Let's inspire each other into getting healthy this year and making our waists disappear!



I need some major inspiration. I've been MAJORLY slacking for a few weeks now, and it seems like my living situation is just GETTING IN THE WAY. We have one car, so if I want to go to the gym during the day I either have to get Natalie up early (NOT FUN) or get him to bring the car back to me at lunch. (not always easy to do) Then I have the problem of someone to watch Natalie while I'm working out. There is no daycare at the gym from 12-4 (aka LUNCH) and that's the best time for me to go. So most of the time, I don't go during the day unless someone is available to watch her, and most of the time it's not possible. So I think, I'll go after work. But weekends are super busy, and I don't get home until late, so I usually don't go Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Mike doesn't like me to go on his days off, so that takes out Sunday and Wednesday. That leaves Monday and Tuesday as possible days to work out. NOT ENOUGH. So, what do I do?

I don't go.

Not. Good.

I know it sounds like an endless stream of excuses, but I'm seriously trying to figure out a way to get around this. It will get better when the gym move is over (they're building a better facility) and they have the daycare all day. Until then, I'm stuck.

And I have to admit I'm a little selfish too, because I don't like having to give Natalie away to go work out at the gym for an hour, because then I don't get to spend any time with her, so unless someone can come over to my house to watch her I usually just tell them no. Is that mean of me?

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

How did you do this past week?

My stats:

Weight: 207.4
Previous: 207.4

TIPS: Weight yourself at the same time every time (morning is best) in the same type of clothing (or nude) on the same scale to get the best results.

REACTION: Nothing. I will get back to losing this week! I mean it!

BMI: 34.5
Previous: 34.5

TIPS: Use this website to compute your BMI

[If you'd like to participate]

Blog about your weight loss goal, frustrations, struggles, accomplisments, weigh-ins, whatever you feel! Then come back here and link up in the collection at the bottom of this post. And while you're here grab the WW Wednesday button to use on YOUR blog!

[If you want to add the blog hop in your post]

If you want to participate in the hop, just click here and copy and paste the link into the HTML of your post! That's it! Simple!

[A litte something extra]

To make things a little more fun, each week I will choose a random linker to put up as a STELLAR WAIST WATCHER OF THE WEEK. You will get a button with the link back to your blog and it will stay up for the whole week! How cool is that?

This week's Stellar Weight Watcher of the week is: Jen @ Intend to Live! Congrats girlie! You were the only one to link up with me again last week, and I appreciate it! Hopefully the other girls will come back this week, and we'll have some more fun!

[Encourage each other]

Check out the other linkers and leave them a comment with some kind words! We are all going to need a kick in the pants or a hand to help us up throughout this process! It will also keep us all accountable if we know our bloggy friends are watching!

Don't forget to grab the button on my sidebar and show the blogworld that you're a waist watcher!


Linking up here:

Natalie: 8 Months!

Dear Natalie,

This update is going to be a little late considering by the time I am posting this you are actually almost 9 months old, but I can't skip a month so here we go! Your eighth month FLEW by, and it seems like I write these posts WAY too often!

(THE REST OF THIS POST WAS WRITTEN AT AN EARLIER DATE)

Your appointment at the end of February went very well! You were a very good girl for your vaccinations, and I added the results of your height and weight so that they are now accurate! Your next appointment isn't until MAY! Goodness, I guess they feel you are doing so well that they don't need to see you unless it's an emergency!

Stats:

Weight -

Birth: 4 lbs 0 oz
1 mo: 5 lbs 13 oz
2 mo: 8 lbs 3.5 oz
3 mo: 10 lbs
4 mo: 13 lbs
5 mo: 12 lbs 13 oz
6 mo: 14 lbs 4 oz
7 mo: 15 lbs 2 oz
8 mo: 15 lbs 3 oz

Length -

Birth: 18 1/4 in
2 mo: 20 1/2 in
3 mo: 21 in
4 mo: 22 1/2 in
5 mo: 24 1/2 in
6 mo: 24 1/2 in
7 mo: 25 in
8 mo: 25 3/4 in

You are still drinking 3-4 8 oz bottles a day. You are using the medium flow nipples like a champ, and you are still eating very well!

We added to the list of solid foods and stepped you up to stage 2 foods! So far from the new flavors we have added:

Macaroni and Cheese and Vegetables
Pears and Pinapple mix

So far no allergies! You really love the macaroni and cheese and we are moving on to meat tonight!

You are still sleeping SO well! You are just the best little girl in the world, I don't know how you do it! (And I know, I'm probably biased because I'm your Momma, but seriously - could I have it any easier??)

You are still in between sizes. You are starting to grow out of some of your 3 month clothes, and some of the 6 month clothes and 3-6 month clothes are starting to fit you pretty well. Most are still a little too big.

The doctor says the bumps on your skin is just due to the fact that your skin is really sensitive. And he said that should go away with time.

You are now officially a "sitter"! You can sit up all on your own without any help, and you are also now putting ALL of your weight on your feet and standing up! Now, you can't stand up on your own, and your still working on getting from laying to sitting on your own, but you're getting there! And if we stand you up, you can pretty much stay there if you are holding on to something for over a minute! Of course, Momma or Daddy is right there to catch you just in case, but mostly you don't need it!

You took your first trip to the park just a few days ago and you had so much fun! We took you down a few slides, but mostly you just watched your cousin play.


We also dressed you up for St. Patty's Day and you looked so cute! Your first little sundress!

I hope this next month is just as exciting as this past month was! And that it goes by SLOWER!!

Momma and Daddy love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow!

Waist Watcher Wednesday: Week 15

I'm BACK!!

I'm sorry everyone for my severe lack of blogging these past three weeks, I simply needed to step away from the computer for a while and get my head together. Life is getting a little more busy, and it's about to get alot more busy, so this, my Man Candy Monday posts, and my nail polish posts are going to be the only weekly themed posts that I will be doing from now on. Significant Other Saturday will be once a month, on the last Saturday of the month. And of course my monthly update of little miss Natalie. Her 8 month update will be up on Friday! Ok, onward we go!

This is a weekly link party for everyone wanting to get back in shape, where we can post/comment our stats and offer each other helpful advice, workout ideas, what works for you, what doesn't and just generally support each other so that when we think about giving up we will have bloggy friends to lift us up again!

So, I will post one inspirational thing, a workout that I want to try, or something workout related every week, and I encourage you to do the same! Let's inspire each other into getting healthy this year and making our waists disappear!

I haven't been doing much over the past two weeks exercise wise. After my knee thing I got really sick with a head/chest cold that I've been battling. I'm still not completely over it, but I finally feel good enough that I think I am going to hit the gym tonight!

So, I went looking for inspiration, and this is what I found:

Source

Source

Source

(all images found on google - I linked to the best of my ability)

Hubby and I are planning a trip to Ocean City, MD for right around Natalie's birthday in July, and I want to ROCK a monokini like this. I'm still not confident enough to go to an all out two piece bikini, but these are still super sexy.

So that is my goal. I have three months to get into monokini wearing shape!

Oh and don't forget that 5k that I have at the beginning of May that I'm still going to do! (I didn't do the last one, because of my knee if you remember)

What bathing suits are you drooling over this year?

How did you do this past week?

My stats:

Weight: 206.4
Previous: 207.4

TIPS: Weight yourself at the same time every time (morning is best) in the same type of clothing (or nude) on the same scale to get the best results.

REACTION: A one pound gain, again. I have alot of sweating to do!!

BMI: 34.3
Previous: 34.5

TIPS: Use this website to compute your BMI

I will be doing my measurements next time.

[If you'd like to participate]

Blog about your weight loss goal, frustrations, struggles, accomplisments, weigh-ins, whatever you feel! Then come back here and link up in the collection at the bottom of this post. And while you're here grab the WW Wednesday button to use on YOUR blog!

[If you want to add the blog hop in your post]

If you want to participate in the hop, just click here and copy and paste the link into the HTML of your post! That's it! Simple!

[A litte something extra]

To make things a little more fun, each week I will choose a random linker to put up as a STELLAR WAIST WATCHER OF THE WEEK. You will get a button with the link back to your blog and it will stay up for the whole week! How cool is that?

This week's Stellar Weight Watcher of the week is: Jen @ A Drop in the Bucket Intend to Live! Congrats girlie! I hope to see you, and all my linky girls back this week or next week!

[Encourage each other]

Check out the other linkers and leave them a comment with some kind words! We are all going to need a kick in the pants or a hand to help us up throughout this process! It will also keep us all accountable if we know our bloggy friends are watching!

Don't forget to grab the button on my sidebar and show the blogworld that you're a waist watcher!


Linking up here: