Girls just wanna have fun!!

First of all... I want to post this absolutely adorable photo of my niece, Sophia!















She's sitting in daddy's chair all by herself! :-) She'll be 5 months old on March 8. I can't believe how big she's getting!

Second...... I haven't posted about the wedding recently, so I figured that it's about time I said something. Today I'm traveling to Y-Town with my fabulous bridesmaids to go dress shopping for them! I finally have everyone in place.... so I can finally post about them!

First of all... my wonderful sister-in-law, Sarah, is my Matron of Honor!






















My niece, Sophia, will be involved somehow... we're just not sure how yet! :-)


Next, my two friends Crystal and Melissa will be sharing in my special day.

















(Melissa looks different now because she chopped off all her hair and has a really cute short hair cut! And, Crystal is expecting her second child in April.)


And finally... last, but definitely not least... my good friend Michell...... who I realized the other day that I've known for over 6 years!! WOW!!!!!!!!






















All the ladies are special to me for various reasons... which is why I asked them to be part of my special day.

It should be a fun day of dress shopping. I'm going to try on my wedding dress too, while I'm there so that everyone can see it. :-) I'm excited!!!!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Here are some photos from the Valentine's Day snowfall.

We woke up this morning & the white stuff is flying again. Oh joy...........





Today I'm off to a Bridal Show with my mom and future mother-in-law. It should be a fun day!

This has certainly been an interesting Valentine's Day. It started Monday night with snow.... and it continued to snow all-day Tuesday and got progressively worse on Tuesday. Our office closed at 3pm yesterday, and I left at 4:15pm. It took me over two-hours to get home. Normally the commute is 25-30 minutes, depending upon traffic. It was UGLY!!!! I would say we have at least a foot... if not more, outside. Our office was closed today -- thank goodness!!!! I don't know that I could have lasted another two-hour commute today. (It took me over an hour to get there yesterday morning.)

So, I've been home today -- checking work e-mail and doing some work stuff -- and of course, researching wedding stuff! :-) (Did you expect anything different from me?!?!? LOL!!)

Bob and I will probably venture out for dinner tonight... but, we'll stay closer to home Hopefully the restaurants won't be too crowded.

I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!!!!!!

Growing up and keeping up

I'll warn you now... this post won't be about the wedding. Shocker, I know. (There's nothing new and exciting to report anyway.)

There never seems to be enough time in the day to accomplish everything... whether it's getting tasks done at work, or catching up with a friend by e-mail/phone/in-person, or finding some alone time to regroup your thoughts, or spending quality time with your loved ones at home. There always seems to be things going on and things you need to do... and sometimes life seems to be going a hundred miles an hour around you, and you feel like you're standing still, or you're even moving in the opposite direction that everything and everyone else is moving. Sometimes I feel like life is passing me by, and I'm not getting the most out of it.

I've been feeling like this a lot lately... probably for the past year. As I get older (and I'm not going to say I'm old... but, I'm getting older --- as I'll turn the big 3-0 this year), life seems to be going faster and faster, and there are more and more things pulling me in a thousand different directions.

I want to do so many things all at once (hang out with my friends, travel, go to concerts, volunteer, read a book, see a movie, call a friend I haven't talked to in awhile, spend the weekend on the boat, send e-mail, visit with family, play with my little niece, sit on the couch with my kitty, bond with my fiance, clean the house, pay bills, organize the closests, clean my office, laundry ----- granted, I want to do some of these things more than others)....... but, I just can't do everything at once, or be everything to everyone at the same time and at all times.

And, I can't make everyone understand or accept the way I choose to live my life.

But, it is comforting to know that I'm not the only one that feels like this.

One of my closest friends has said to me a few times that you have to live your life the way you want to, doing what you want, doing what's best for you and your loved ones, and if someone doesn't understand your choices, you don't need to justify your actions to anyone except yourself. You need to make yourself happy, first and foremost.

I trust her dearly, and value her opinions.

I worry that I don't see or talk to my friends as much as I used to. I worry that my friendships aren't as good as they used to be, or that my friends simply won't understand everything that I have going on, and my reasons for long periods of "silence". I worry that I don't spend enough time with my family, or call them as much as I should. After spending 40+ hours a week at work, sometimes the only thing I want to do is come home, and sit in front of the TV without going out or socializing or calling people.

With each passing month, and year... I have new roles and new responsibilities, and I need to adjust my lifestyle to handle these things. As you get older, you don't have all the free time that you once had to do things. You can't spend every minute with your friends, or spend every night out on the town. You have responsibilities and people who depend on you. People change, life changes... and, it's totally OK!

It doesn't mean that you don't like your friends anymore, or that you don't want to spend time with them. It's just different, because life is different.

I love my life!!

Don't misunderstand me.

I couldn't be happier with my fiance! (I'm still getting used to saying that!) He's absolutely wonderful, and I can't wait for our wedding later this year, and to spend the rest of our lives together. He makes me very happy... and that's the most important thing!!

I also have a great group of friends... who understand the demands and craziness of life, and they know that it's ok if we don't talk or see each other for a few days, or a week, or even longer. While we can't always be there in person, we're there in spirit. Our friendships have evolved through the years... through various jobs... through marriages... and babies... and all sorts of other challenges that life gives us.

I need to learn to accept the fact that it's ok if life is crazy and busy moving all around me. I will make the choices that I want to, the choices that make me happy.

And, in conclusion (yes, there is an end and hopefully a point to my long rambling)........ life is what you make of it! You need to live life the way you want to, the way that makes you happiest. And, the people that care about you, will be happy for you, and will support you!

Find these people... and surround yourself with them! :-)

Cold, cold, cold

You gotta love Ohio!! (Or, at least those of us who live here do!)

The wind chill is supposed to reach -15 degrees tonight! (YES, that IS a negative sign in front of 15!) Just about every school in Northeast Ohio is closed tomorrow. I'm sure work will be open... we can't be so lucky! :-)

Nothing new to report on the wedding. Bob and I are meeting a videographer Monday night. I have a couple florists that I'd like to schedule appointments with soon. I haven't decided on a theme or colors yet... but, I spent the majority of today going through the stacks of magazines and brochures that I've collected over the past month.

I can't believe it's only been a month since I got engaged. I've gotten so much done for the wedding in such a short time. Whoever said it takes at least a year to plan a wedding wasn't being truthful! (Although, I shouldn't open my mouth yet... I still have far to go!)

Bob and I picked up my ring on Saturday. He took it in on Thursday to be resized. I LOVE it even more now that it fits properly!!! I don't even think about it anymore. We looked at wedding bands too while we were at the jewelers. He found one that he likes. I found one too... but, I think we're both going to keep looking. Although, I searched the internet on Saturday and couldn't find anything like the one I found. It's a plain band, very similar to the band of my engagement ring. But, on the insides of the band there were small diamonds around the entire ring. It looked great with my ring. So, I might end up back at the jeweler to buy it! :-)

Off to bed now. Hopefully by some chance, the office will be closed tomorrow! :-) Doubtful...... but, a girl can dream! :-)