It's been a while!

I'm so sorry my blog friends, it's been a while since I last posted. I could give you any number of excuses but I wont bore you : )

I can hardly believe it's nearly Christmas, and that Craig and I will have been married 3 months come January 1st! How time flies! I'm very happy to report that he's coming for Christmas, he'll be here Thursday and I get to keep him for a whole 2 weeks!!! My heart is over the moon happy! So just a few short days to go!!

I've got the money to apply for my UK visa now, but we are STILL looking for a place to rent that will allow us to have our dog. Its gotten to be a bit ridiculous to be honest. We even told the many estate agents we've talked to that we are willing to pay an extra deposit if need be (that's how it's done in America anyway) but so far nothing. I just don't understand it. I could understand maybe if Koda was a puppy, still in a destructive-chewing everything-stage, but he'll be 5yrs old in January and while he's got a wild streak, he's not destructive and is completely house trained. I know what you are probably thinking...why don't I just find another home for him and not bring him. That's really not an option for me. I adopted him from the animal shelter and when I did, it was for life. I'm not giving up on my puppy just because i'm having trouble finding a place to live in England. I just wont. So in the mean time, i'm praying hard that something will come up in these next few months so that Craig and I will finally be able to be together.

Good news on the work front....when I told my boss I would likely be moving to England, he jokingly said 'well then you'll just have to do your job from there'. He really was joking, but it got my wheels spinning! We have two ladies that work at my company that have gone on to become 'contract' employees, doing their same positions but from home, one being because she moved out of state. Now I know England is a bit further from Texas than Indiana, BUT the more I thought about it, the more I could not find a reason why it wouldn't work. So I put together a formal proposal, stating all the reasons why it would work and why it would be a good idea for the company to keep me on in this manner. My boss LOVED my proposal and he backs me 100% (yay) of course it's not only up to him, so he took it to his boss, who also is a fan. From there he took it to HR to make sure it is doable and that's where it's been the past few weeks since I turned it in. Sigh. What's taking so long? I will have to know one way or the other when I go to fill out my visa paperwork so hopefully I will hear back soon. The only real question they had for me, understandably, was the time difference. I told them I would work on Texas time, it's really not a big deal. I would work 3-11pm. Craig works overnights 7pm-7am so it would work out just fine since we wouldn't be on a normal schedule anyway. So keep your fingers crossed for me guys!! and prayers are even more appreciated!

So what else is new? Craig's visits are always very busy, and this one will be no exception. Christmas we will be spent at my brother's house with my mom, sis, bro and their children then the next weekend for New Years Eve we are going to my step parents house in East Texas. That should be fun. I've made Koda a reservation at the Petsmart doggie hotel so he'll have doggie daycare and will stay overnight. He loves it there so he'll be very happy and we will all get a good nights sleep so we will be happy as well! When I took Koda with me to their house for Thanksgiving, he howled the entire time we were there. My poor baby, he just gets all out of sorts if he's in an unfamiliar place.

Speaking of Thanksgiving...I think my step mom is going to make a traditional dinner when we are there so Craig can taste a little bit of thanksgiving food! YUMMY! and he's never had catfish so on sunday we are going to have yummy southern fried catfish!! I never make it so it's a treat for us both (hopefully he'll love it!!). So before my trip down there for Thanksgiving I was gassing up the car and had a bit of a clumsy accident (anyone that knows me well is not surprised by this news lol) but I was stepping over the gas hose and thought I had cleared but the next thing I knew I was on the ground and everything hurt. It took me a minute to be able to get up. I fell on both knee caps and my left arm and right hand. I was black and blue for a few days and walking was really painful, but here we are a month later and my right knee is still hurting and I can feel a little crack across the knee cap that I dont feel in the much more healed knee. So I think I might need to go in and get an x-ray. I hate going to the doctor, though, so let's not hold our breaths lol!

Well i'm going to close for now and If I dont blog again before Christmas, I hope you all have a great holiday!!

~C

Vegas Wedding!

Oh my goodness, where to start!!! Well my trip there was uneventful, I LOVE to fly so I was most happy! I was so shocked (though I dont know why) that there were slot machines IN the airport! I walked off the plane and it's like being in a casino lol crazy...so I get my luggage and now to find a taxi or some sort of transport to the hotel. I opted for the shuttle bus. Sigh, I think I chose wrong. Our bus driver was in a very foul mood, he nearly kicked 2 girls off the bus, he tried to give me someone elses luggage and argued when I said it wasn't mine, and he nearly forgot to drop me off and I was too scared to tell him, but luckily he remembered and went back without me having to say anything *whew* but who cares, I was about to see Craig!!! it was late so I grabbed a snack and it was an early night for us, we had to be up early to go get our marriage license. We took a taxi to the place, but it didn't occur to us to ask him to stay and wait (afterall, we were in and out in just a few minutes), but it's Vegas, there will be taxis coming through all the time right? wrong! we stood on that corner for ev er and finally decided walking to another, busier street. FINALLY we saw a taxi parked by the McDonalds (hehe) so we grabbed her as she was finishing her breakfast and hopped in. She said 'this is a cash cab, is that ok?' and we said yeah. Then I thought, isn't that a TV show? and I looked up and saw a camera on the dash! OHHH WE ARE BEING RECORDED FOR TV!!! how's my hair? does Craig know? am I answering her questions ok? (yes, i'm sooo dumb and I realize that now, afterall, she wasn't asking game show questions and this cab was not anything nice) alas, this really was a cash cab, as in you have to pay in cash. double sigh. lol Here is a pic of us the morning before we went to get our license:

So this is Friday and the rest of the day we spent exploring and wandering around our hotel (excalibur) and the ones around us. MGM Grand has lions! in the middle of the hotel! ohhh I could have stood there and watched them all day! New York was amazing, and HUGE! There is a 4 story M&M store that was really cute. Ummm what else? It's hard now for me to remember everything! My mom got into town this day as well but I only saw her for a few minutes, I had a HORRIBLE headache that evening and she brought me medicine and I ended up resting the rest of the night. I felt bad that Craig chose to stay with me, I did tell him to go see the sights with his family and not be cooped up in the room with me but he wanted to stay. Sweet man! It was really bad ya'll, If it hadn't of went away after a few hours I would have sworn it was a migraine. The next day (Saturday) was our wedding!!! I was so excited! Everything went great! I'm a little mad at myself for chosing to wear the black flower in my hair instead of the white one at the last minute, because as you will see, you can't even see it in the pictures bc my hair is dark, but it looked nice in person I promise! All day that day I was relaxed and happy and Craig was quiet and nervous, then about an hour before the ceremony it flipped and he was the chatty happy relaxed one and I was a nervous wreck! but it was all perfect! and I didn't cry! I did tear up some when I first saw him but I made myself stop (I am NOT a pretty crier!) I was still so nervous I'm not even sure what the officiant said, I'll have to watch the DVD. After the ceremony the photographer took LOADS of pictures and you can tell Craig was getting tired of it lol but they came out really nice. We had the very expensive-they wouldn't let me cancel-reception right after and I have to admit, I dont regret a dime of it! It was AMAZING! The room was beautifully decorated, the food was delicious, the cake was yummy and beautiful and they had given us little extras that we didn't even pay for, I could not have asked for a better place to have a reception even for the handful of people we had there with us. It was perfect!! (pics to follow)
The rest of our week we just saw the sights. We didn't go to any shows but we did a few exhibits - Bodies (yes, that one with real bodies eek!),Titanic (amazing....it was worth every dime! it wasn't just looking at things, it was an entire experience. The music, the rooms that made it look like you were really on the ship..all of it) and Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay bay was really fun.
Coming home was really hard this time but I didn't cry, I was just in a really bad mood all day because I knew what was coming and I didn't want to have to say goodbye to my new husband :(  

and the last picture we took together before we left for the airport to leave :(

Short Updates

Well just 2 days till Vegas, and 4 till I marry the man of my dreams! It came up on me so fast these past 2 weeks. I can't wait to post pics and tell stories! Koda's gums healed perfectly and the doggie dentist said teeth cleaning would not have caused the damage. Yes i'm still skeptical. She couldn't really say how it happened. So my furry monster gets to go to the pet hotel and play at doggie daycare every day that i'm gone, thanks to Craig. He LOVES doggie daycare so I doubt he'll miss me at all! It will be me doing all the missing lol

Craig and and I have been looking for a place to move to (in England) that will accept pets, it's harder than I thought but it's fun to be looking too. I'm very excited! The goal is to have me there in late Jan/early Feb. Its scary but exciting! and wouldn't you know, just as i'm preparing to move I would get a promotional opportunity at work. I agonized over that decision for a good week and a half. Craig and I both. It was a good opportunity, so we again went back and forth over whether it would be better if he came here after all, but in the end I turned it down and i'm still moving to England.

Have a good week everyone! I know I will !!!! : D

Toothgate and Wedding update!

Dakota's dental surgery went perfect. He's loving the meaty canned food he's been eating for nearly 2 weeks now (my pocket book isn't as happy, he's 70 lbs and needs 4-5 cans per day). I am predicting a hunger strike when he goes back to dry food tomorrow. It sounds dramatic, but i'm only half way kidding! On Tuesday morning the electricity was out on my street and it took them about 2 hrs to get it back up and running, and you would have thought Dakota was starving to DEATHHHH! He kept going into the kitchen and jumping up to look at where his canned food was - then barking at me - then throwing himself on the floor. I swear my dog is a 2 yr old human in fur. I did explain as best I could that we don't have a manual can opener and he would just have to wait. He was not appeased. Now...I know you are wondering why I don't just mix the canned food with the dry food tomorrow. I'll tell you why...because Mr. Koda will lick all the meaty food off the kibble and leave the dry. So there isn't much point in trying, and Science Diet is tooo expensive to be wasting. So back to my story..where was I....OH so the doggie dentist gave me his extracted tooth. Yes. and yes, it was quite gross lol but they did clean it up. I had no idea his tooth would be THAT big. I didn't really look at it until I got home, but when I did, I was NOT pleased! I'm no expert, but where his tooth cracked and pulp exposed, is on the BACK of the tooth, and to my untrained eyes, it looks like tool marks. As if..oh I dont know...maybe when the other vet cleaned his teeth, she damaged the tooth! Then it all fell into place for me, why the tooth didn't ever bother him until AFTER he had them cleaned, and why she felt the need to call me twice to make SURE I was taking him to the dentist. and not only that, but you can see it with your naked eye, and before the cleaning, there was no crack to be seen. He has a check up next saturday to make sure it healed properly so I'm going to take the tooth with me and ask her honest opinion about how that tooth could have been damaged like that.

And...OMGOMGOMGOMGOM wedding! 2 weeks and 2 days! I could die of happiness right now! I get to see my gorgeous sweet amazing husband to be in exactly 2 weeks and i'm full of butterflies with the anticipation!! My dress is all altered, the seamstress is doing the bustle right now and I have my final fitting and will pick it up on saturday. My bouquet FINALLY came in and it's gorgeous! It was a headache to deal with the lady who made it, but now it's here and i'm in love! Craig got his ring and I awoke to a picture on my phone he sent me of it on his hand and I cried. Yes, i'm a sap, I know. So that's pretty much it...I'm ready!

Koda and the News

Yesterday when I got home from work I was walking Dakota and the local news truck kept driving past, they were very obviously lost. Easy to do because my complex has alot of tiny streets and some are missing the street signs. So I finally asked them what street they were looking for, and it turns out it was mine. Hmmmm. It was the next building. So we finish our walk and I go inside. About an hour later Koda needed to go out again (he drinks copious amounts of water when we come in for a walk) this would be a short one, take him to this favorite tree and done lol so I walk him out and the news truck is still there. Hmmmm. (I PROMISE I was not being nosy. I was curious, of course, but not nosy) So Koda wouldn't use the bathroom, it was all a ruse to go outside (maybe HE wanted to be nosy haha) so we are walking back towards my building and the news people are coming out and down the sidewalk. I said Yay you found it :) and the man said "yeah, thanks. are ya'll still walking?" (as in, from before. in this heat? is he crazy? heavens no!) I said no but he likes to go out alot. In the mean time, they are getting closer and Koda sees the opportunity to make new friends. And that's where it all went wrong. I was trying to get Koda up on the steps and towards my door before they were beside us on the side walk, in my mind i'm seeing him trying to say hello in the form of jumping on the man carrying the VERY expensive news camera, so while i'm trying to pull him my way, he throws himself down on the sidewalk like a 2yr old! oh Koda...not now....and he would not get up lol the reporter had to step over him! I was so embarrassed because I know they think we have been creeping, being nosey, and now I can't get my dog up off the sidewalk because he's having a tantrum. sighhhhhhhhhh

In other Koda news...he had his teeth cleaned last week and upon closer inspection of his broken tooth, they saw that the pulp is exposed (the pulp is what holds the blood vessels and nerves) and the tooth has to come out. My poor baby. It's always something. So he's having dental surgery on friday. Oh yes, it's not as simple has them just pulling a tooth, they have to cut into his poor gums and cut it out and then pack the jaw bone with some sort of material, I forgot what she called it. Can nothing be simple? or inexpensive? no. But alas it has to be done, I cant have my baby in pain. I pray that this will be IT for a very long time because it seems like it's been one thing after another this year for him. My poor furry monster.

My Ebay Addiction

Is there such a thing? Well...I think I might be suffering from it! So I recieved my 1st edition Gone With the Wind *big smile* and I have been unable to stop myself from looking at other vintage/antique books. Argh! So what did I do? I bid on a 1896 Victorian Etiquette book. I couldn't help myself!! I've wanted one forever and this one came up at a really good price (most are in the hundreds of dollars) and i'm proud to say I WON!!! *giant smile!* I can't wait to get it. So I told myself NO MORE! At least not until after the wedding, I need to be saving money, not spending it. But I wont lie...it's quite a rush when you win and I want to bid bid bid on more!!! Yes..I'm out of control :)

Alterations, wedding updates, and Koda's boarding!

I took my dress to the seamstress on Saturday, I think I picked a great one, we really clicked. She's a one woman alterations business that runs out of a tiny house. I feel like she will give more personal attention and her reviews online were terrific, so I'm in good hands. 2 things happened that made me go huh?...the first is she said 'You are wearing a bra or you want me to sew in cups?' ummmm *chews lip* well...I don't know! Sew in cups? hmmm. I had actually planned to get a long line bra, but while I was there in the dress - it's lower in the back than I remembered so I think sewing in cups is a must, just in case the low line bra isn't low enough. Let me clarify, my back isn't completely open, the dress just hits lower than I remember. So I asked my friend Kim about this cup business...b/c she had hers sewn in. I asked her how they do it and she said they set them in place and then pin them so they know where to sew them. At my look of horror she said Yes Christy, she will prob touch your boob. Oh deary me....maybe the bra doesn't sound so bad after all? hahah! jk, I'll do cups. But I have to go get them at the sewing store in my cup size (apparently Martha doesn't keeps cups laying around) so that should be interesting, gonna go do that tomorrow so I can take them with me for my appt with her on Saturday. She's taking some of the crinoline from the bottom so it wont be bulky, not going for princess skirt! So once we get that set then she'll alter the length. I've decided to leave the train, mostly b/c my mom said NO! to cutting it off. It really is pretty with it anyway. The second huh? moment was when I was standing there while she went to talk to a customer who had just walked in and I felt something crawling on my leg! ACK! so I raise my leg and nope, wasn't a creepy crawly...was sweat! EWWWW! My poor legs were smothering under the dress! I didn't feel hot but my legs were I guess lol soooo....ummm...what the heck am I gonna do about that??? shorten the dress enough to let air get under it? Where a southern style hoop? help!!

So I ordered my bouquet a while back. She said she would mail it on Aug 10th, but that date came and went and here I sit with no bouquet. After my second email she responded and said she will mail it tomorrow and send me the tracking numbers. I'm skeptical but hopeful. Her reviews are 99% positive, but the 1% that are negative are complaints about her time management and of her saying she would mail them and didn't. So that made me nervous. But i'll just keep contacting her until I get it.

The reception is a go. Mostly because the hotel wouldn't let me cancel. Well, they wouldn't give me my deposit back I should say. They would happily cancel, but keep my $500. Fine. Whatever. They really should put that policy on their paperwork when you do the booking. I'm having a bit of a problem getting her to contact me so I can finalize everything for dinner. Don't you worry, I will call every day If I have to. Just wish it wasn't such a pain, why can't vendors just be friendly and get back with you? Not a great way to run a business in my opinion. On the other side, the wedding coordinator at the chapel has been amazing!

and lastly....boarding Koda. :(   When I went to London my friend Brooke kept Koda for me, the sweet girl that she is. This time around I will need to board him but i'm torn between boarding at his vet clinic's office, where he would be taken care of, but be bored out of his mind, Orrrrrrr at Petsmart where he will be able to play at doggie daycare all day each day. He loves it there but it's twice the price and i'm not sure I have the money for him to go there. Might have to work some overtime so he can go there. It's going to break my heart to take him anywhere because I want him with me lol too bad he cant come to Vegas! oh gosh...if he did that place would never be the same *cringing at the thought*

Bath Time With Koda (cringe)

Let me preface this by saying Koda really is a very good dog, and he doesn't MIND a bath..but he doesn't love it either. He's 70lbs and too big to fit in the bathtub so I take him to the dog wash, it's a self-service place with all the grooming tools and tubs and you do the work. But they do the toenails yay! So Saturday morning I woke up feeling energetic and decided to take him for a bath. I said a little prayer (yes I really did) bc it doesn't always go very smoothly and last time we went the man working got onto me about all the dog hair. He wasn't nice about it, I had to complain to the owner who said 'that's why you bring them here, so we deal with the mess' but I was still worried that man might be working there that day. To my great relief he wasn't. I did brush Koda alot before we went, but given that he's a husky, he sheds alot anyway even if you think you've brushed every stray hair. So we go in and I pick the very last tub, so that we aren't around anyone else in case we make a mess (we always do). There was only 1 other customer in at the time who kept trying to talk to me from 4 tubs away, with us both using the water lol I think I must have said 'huh?' a thousand times. Koda was content because he could watch her dog. He's happier when he can watch other dogs or people, he doesn't get so restless. So I am bathing him and 2 more customers come in, one of them selects the tub right in front of ours. Sigh. It was fine except that every time Koda shook, the soap and water got all over the man's back. Then there was the unfortunate time I accidentally sprayed him with the water hose while I was rinsing Koda (oopsie). Well I sprayed myself too but i'm not sure that was any consolation lol no really, the man was a good sport, but I was still mortified. So we're almost done with our bath and the girl who works there came over and was messing with the drain. I looked at the end of the tub and we had clogged the drain and water was flowing onto the floor (oopsie again) I apologized and she said it's ok, it always happens with huskies. So I finished bathing him, toes all done yay! I was as wet as he was but that's ok. I did start to dry him but it blows the excess hair everywhere so it looked like it snowed a little. To my credit, and the worker's relief, I didn't dry him completely (mostly because there really was a large amount of hair blowing everywhere!) So we're done yes? I put his collar on and we walk towards the front, Koda pulling me and me trying not to slip in all the water we got on the floor. At the counter (whew we made it! Success!) I am starting to apologize to the lady about the mess we made while i'm digging in my purse for my wallet, at the same time Koda smells something yummy on the counter. He jumped up, knocking over an entire bowl of treats - all over the floor! I was overwhelmed at this point, I was trying to pull him back so he wouldn't eat them all while thinking what do I do? Pick them up and put them in the bowl? Is that even sanitary? How am I gonna get them up and keep him from eating them at the same time? All the while he's still eating them. I gave up and let him. Problem solved lol So then I'm apologizing for the mess he's made at the counter and grabbing my keys and another customer reminds me that I still have the apron on LOL I forgot to take it off after I bathed him. That must have looked cute. But all in all, not a bad day and now my furry monster is soft and smelling pretty!

another silly thing from today...coming in from our walk I noticed a leaf stuck to his back leg. I bend down to pull it off and it really is stuck! it seems Koda stepped in gum. Never a dull moment!!

Thank heavens for pet health insurance, they covered his 4th of July incident almost in full. What a blessing that is, If you dont have health insurance for your pet I highly recommend PetFirst, they are fantastic.

Gone With The Wind!

YA'LL!!!!!! I had to share this because I'm SO excited right now! You know how I love vintage and collectible books and now yours truly is the proud winning bidder on a first edition Gone With The Wind!!!!!!! I've wanted it for years but they are always too expensive. I think this seller didn't know what his book was really worth, because I got it for only $41. Yes, you read that right. The exact same book was listed for $400! So....I'm doing my happy girl dance! I know not everyone loves Gone With The Wind, but I do! Rhett Butler? Scarlett O'Hara? Swoon!

Silly Squirrels

Where I live we have TONS of squirrels and the other day I was pulling into my parking space and there was one laying in my spot, legs out, head and tail down. I stopped and thought omg poor little thing is dead! did I hit him and not know? :(  so while i'm tearing up thinking i'm a murderer, he popped his head up and looked at me. hahaha! he still didn't move, though. hmmmm. So I got out of the car and walked towards him and he jumped up and ran to the nearest tree to glare at me. Whew...he's ok! But really mr. squirrel...why the heck where you laying like that? Since then Koda and I have seen loads of squirrels laying that way - and I think it's because it's so hot and they are just cooling off in the shade. Dakota loves this because he is convinced he has a chance at catching one of the elusive furry things. (I don't tell him he's wrong, it gives him a goal in life).

Somalia - How we can help (Warning this is very sad)

I've been seeing alot of reports about Somalia and the worst drought East Africa has seen in 60yrs. The report that has touched me most was regarding the children. I read about children being left dead and near dead on the side of the road as their families had to make the heartbreaking decision to continue on without them, for fear they would all die. Some of these families walk a few weeks to even a month to reach refugee camps so they can have food to eat. It's one of the saddest things I've ever read and It's so hard for me to imagine, but the pictures tell me it's absolutely real. We are so blessed to live where we do and not have to worry about food or water and I think alot of us, me included, tend to take it for granted and forget that not everyone is as lucky. I cried reading about these mothers who had to make the decision to leave their home in the first place, and even worse to have to leave behind their dying children. I want to help. None of the articles I read thus far said where I could donate or how I could help these starving people but I did an Internet search today and found a page that listed not one place, but several that are helping and who desperately need donations. I wanted to post it here in case anyone else would like to help. Even if we all just donate a few dollars it would make a huge difference in the lives of these children.

http://www.takepart.com/news/2011/07/20/how-to-help-east-africa-drought?cmpid=tp-fb-2011-7-20-somalia-help

Books into Movies/TV Shows

If there is a movie or TV show based on a book or series of books, I generally want to read the book before I see the show, bc the book is always better and way more descriptive - nothing paints a better picture than your own imagination while you are immersed in a great book! Well when Game of Thrones came on HBO, I didn't have time to read the books first! I didn't know there WERE books lol! But somehow I got sucked into the show and couldn't stop watching. While I LOVE period movies, I wouldn't normally like a story like this one, with a bit of a sci fi element, but I do love this series. So I'm debating now whether or not I want to read the books, or if it's going to be a waste of time lol It's one thing to see a show after reading the book, because it brings it to life, but it's another to read the book after seeing it on the screen. OH there is another book I want to read called 'The Help', it looks good and that movie is coming out sometime soon too so I better hurry and read that one! I guess Game of Thrones isn't a big rush anyway right? So many books, so little time! :)

I almost forgot to add...about 2 yrs ago I emailed an author who wrote a series of books that I loved, and I heard back from her! On MONDAY lololol i'm not kidding! so funny! better 2yrs late than never! Seriously, though, it was very cool to get her email!!

Photofacial, Repeats, and Shedding

Today I got a photofacial! My first. I was so nervous!! Would my face stay red for weeks after? Will I be one of the unlucky few that have a bad reaction? Would I look like leatherface at my wedding? Will it hurt? Well.......it was great!!! It didn't hurt at all! I'm not red at all! My skin is dry but that's to be expected. Why did I have it done? Well I have broken capillaries on my cheeks so I look like i'm blushing all the time. I go to great pains to cover them with makeup lol so the photofacial is the only laser treatment that fixes broken capillaries, and since it was on sale and I really wanted it done, why not! It also corrects sun damage and fine lines. So over the next 2 weeks I will slough off my old skin and my new skin will shine through! I should put here that it takes more than one treatment, up to 6, but I will keep getting them as long as they are on sale hehe. Maybe I did hope I would look in the mirror and find that my skin had miraculously morphed into Nicole Kidman's porcelein complexion after only one treatment :)

Last night I was reading my old posts. Usually when I post I don't read through them again, I just type my thoughts and post it. But I was so embarrassed to see how often I repeat myself!! Sorry y'all! You can def see what's always on my mind, that's for sure! But I will try to get better about not always repeating things I've said before.

Dakota is shedding. Badly! I'm positive it feels sooooooooooooo much better to him to get rid of his winter coat but heaven alive! there's hair everywhere, no matter how much I brush him. No exaggeration, I nearly fill up a walmart shopping sack each time I brush him (every few days). and my poor vacuum lol but he's worth it. He's my 3rd husky so this is not my first rodeo, but it does always amaze me how much fur comes out when they blow their coat. I really hate when people shave them in the summer, the fur that is left after they are finished shedding actually serves to keep them cooler and protect their skin from the sun. I will try to remember to take a picture the next time I brush him to post. If I collected all the fur he shed in one year I think it would be enough to knit blankets for all of Alaska!

Taking a wedding dress on a plane O_o

Ya'll....I know you are prob sick of hearing about this wedding lol but it's always on my mind! I'll try to think of something else to write about besides dakota and the wedding, but I will have trouble coming up with anything hahah!

So last night in my sleep I was thinking about this dress..and how the heck do I travel with it!!!! HELP!!!!! it's not going to fit in a suit case, and i'm not going to stuff it and get it all wrinkled trying, so it will have to go as carry on with me. But where do I put it once i'm on the plane *gasp* because the thought of putting my gorgeous dress in an overhead compartment just makes me cringe! It has a clear garment bag it's in, the one it came in from the store, but should I get a new one that isn't see through? it's a pretty big bag-do they even make regular garment bags that size? eeeeeeeek!

Happy Friday everyone!

American TV shows and moving to England

So i'm a book worm, I am, but I also have a handful of TV shows I love! Big Brother is one of them, and just started again last week!! I'm completely addicted, and it's a pretty big commitment with it coming on 3 days a week. Well now that it's looking like it's me moving to England I was thinking about things I will miss (there aren't alot to be honest) but sadly some of my TV shows will be some lol! Pathetic...I know hehe! but hopefully i'll be able to catch them online.

I think it's funny that Craig and I keep going back and forth on where we will live, we just want to make the right choice. The plan has always been for us to move to England, even if he came here for a little while first. But knowing I will prob be moving there makes me VERY VERY VERY VERY happy!!! I love England and there is so much I want to explore there, and where Craig lives is so beautiful. Just google 'cotswolds' and you'll understand. I know Koda will enjoy the weather there much better than Texas, the heat this year is really getting to him, poor furry monster.

My mom is going to be really upset, but in the end I think she'll understand. We'll just have to get her a passport and make sure she comes to visit! Of course we will come back to visit as well. I think (for now lol) this is the best decision for us. I'm really excited for our future!!

and now...my blooming hand made bridal bouquet!

I am IN LOVE! full blown love!!! Yes with Craig! of course :)  and now also with my bridal bouquet! It's sooooooo pretty! Our wedding package came with flowers, but just a small simple bouquet. I was fine with that, until I saw this one. I was looking on etsy.com for a vintage inspired something to wear in my hair, when I came across this. I don't know how I feel about fake flowers per se...but these are hand made! out of fabric! and I'll get to keep it forever which I love because it's so pretty. I think it's the perfect balance of vintage and edgy, like me! and the colors go perfectly with my bridesmaid dresses, i'll post a picture of both the dress and the bouquet. I have to say...i'm getting very very very very excited for this wedding!! Well I've always been excited because i'm marrying Craig, but now there is just alot less stress with the wedding decisions so i'm able to be more excited about the event itself. There are a few less people that are coming now, 2 to be exact, so we are checking with the venue to see about cancelling the reception and just going out to a nice dinner. With a reception in England in the forecast, this seems like the best idea. I'm so happy everything is coming together!

Train or No Train?

When I picked out my wedding dress, I was in love with the top of it. The sweetheart neckline and sparkles on the bodice, and the corset!! I really wanted a corset. But when I envisioned our Vegas wedding I really wanted a fairly simple dress, meaning - no cumbersome train. Well my gorgeous dress has a train and i'm thinking about cutting it off. Well, not me personally lol but when I take it for the alterations. Would that be weird? It's beautiful with it, really makes it flow in the back, but it also makes it so formal. In the meantime I need to find a good seamstress in Dallas that wont charge me a million dollars to adjust the length, wish me luck!

For now we are keeping the reception space. I looked into having dinner in the steakhouse at the hotel after, in a private room, but it actually costs more! I was shocked too. So for now we are keeping it as is, but as the event gets closer less people are able to go so if we only end up with a few folks then i'll cancel it and we'll just go to dinner somewhere. I'm not overly fussed about this outcome because we are having a nice reception in England early next year anyway. More than anything I want everyone to have fun and feel relaxed. I dont want stuffy and formal - I just want to celebrate our love with our close friends and family.

Craig has been looking at wedding bands! This makes me absolutely giddy! I cannot wait to see it on his finger, whatever one he finally decides on lol!

and just a Dakota update, he's still doing good!!! a little progress every day!

Dakota and the Great Purse Incident

Let me start this post by saying Dakota is very high spirited and very mischievious, he is like a two year old that gets into everything. Why didn't I keep that in mind when I went outside for a few minutes on Friday afternoon and left him to his own devices? Well, there was nothing about that could cause him any trouble, afterall. Right? Oh how wrong I was. My purse was on the kitchen counter and I didn't think twice about it, that's the one thing Koda has never once shown any interest in whatsoever. None. I came in from being outside for a few minutes and my heart completely dropped. He had pulled my purse off the counter top and was consuming the contents of a pill bottle. It got worse. As I walked towards him I could see he had consumed an entire bottle of 1000mg Omega 3 fish oil tablets, my lip gloss (who cares), he had punctured my asthma inhaler and I had no idea whether he inhaled any or not, and he was chewing on an empty vitamin bottle. At the time I didn't know it was the empty one - I had bought a new one that was also in my purse and I guess I forgot to throw the old one away. Thank goodness, because he didn't touch the new one. He was so pleased with himself, and I was in hysterics. I called his vet and they looked up the toxicology of it all. All in all nothing in it was that bad, it's just the quantity. She told me signs to look out for, and to make sure he drinks alot of water. He did. I watched him all night and while he didn't ever vomit or poo (she said he would) you could see within 30 minutes of consumption that he did not feel good. It was a restless evening for us both. My neighbor came to check on him about 10:30 that night and we took him outside to see if he would use the bathroom. He had drank 2 bowls of water and still hadn't relieved himself so I was worried. He didn't use the bathroom but I noticed his walking was a little slow and labored. I chalked it up to him feeling really bad, but we loaded him in the car and took him to the emergency vet anyway as a precaution. 15min later we get him out of the car and he acts as if nothing is wrong. He's walking fine, he used the bathroom in the field - twice, and didn't stumble once. I took him inside and they checked his vitals and they were perfect, so I opted to take him home and keep a close eye on him just in case. I was optimistic that he was going to be fine.

Saturday morning came, 7:30am ish, he wanted to go outside. yay! right? sigh. At first he seemed fine. The further we walked he slower he got (and we didn't walk far). His legs started acting funny, his steps very clumsy and uncoordinated and his front legs stomping. I made him stop walking and he sat down but he was shaking. I started crying again and I don't think I stopped until yesterday. I didn't know what to do, he was laying down on the ground at this point and he weighs 70lbs. Then I saw a neighbor walking his dog and I asked him to help me. Dakota stood up when he came and he seemed steady for the moment so we walked very slowly to see how he would do. He didn't do good at all, the shaking got worse and so did his walking. He was exhausted and fell down. I gave the leash to my neighbor and ran to get the car. We loaded him in the car and I took him to the vet clinic. The trip there was horrible. Dakota couldn't catch his breath, it sounded like he was suffocating and I thought he was going to die. I honestly thought my furbaby was going to die in my car and I was physically sick from fear. Somehow I got him there safely and he was able to jump out of the car but collapsed just inside the door of the clinic. They immediately came and carried him to the back and started working on him. They ran every test imaginable, blood work, x rays, EKGs. and nothing. they found nothing. everything was normal. The vet suspected pancreatitis, he needed a 'snap' test. They can do it there but have to send it out and everywhere would be closed until Tuesday (today). She said she was going to send him to the emergency vet clinic, they can do the snap test and get results on site and he needed to be in ICU and monitored at least overnight. They were giving him IV fluids to flush out his system at this point so we waited about 2 hours before they let me take him. They carried him to the car and loaded him in and away we went to the emergency vet. They will have answers, they will fix it. I was trying to think positively. They looked over his paperwork and tests that had already been done. They did the snap test and it was negative for pancreatitis. They could find nothing wrong. They had not seen him collapse, or the weird way he walked. I told them to walk him so they could see what is going on. they did but not long enough. I walked him, and I showed them. So the vet said 'we cant find anything wrong but that's definitely not normal behavior so we need to keep him and watch him' really? ummm isn't that what his vet already said? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR frustrating. So they kept him overnight. I called every 2 hours. No change. No change. No change. One thing the ER vet said was that it could be a toxin causing the neurological issues. It might work out of his system in a few days, or it might not. I picked him up early early sunday morning and brought him home. It's watch and wait. If he doesn't improve, he'll have to go to a neurologist. He was so happy to be with me, and be home. He slept almost the entire day. He was happy and more peppy (I knew when he was interested in a cat lol) but he still wasn't the same old Koda. I thought maybe it would take him a few days, he'd been through alot. One thing the ER vet on duty told me when I picked him up was that they hadn't taken him out very much - they didn't want to induce that reaction in him. This upset me slightly because how do you know there was no improvement if you didn't? And you've given him 3 bags of IV fluids - how can you 'flush' his system if you don't take him to relieve himself and get the toxins out? When I picked him up he was going crazy bc he had to use the bathroom so badly! He went for ages! poor thing!!!!!!!!!! and he kind of didnt stop. The only thing he woke up for on sunday was to go potty and then right back to sleep. I did notice an improvement, though. He was able to walk a little bit further each time. I didn't push him. He would pull me and we would go a few feet more each time. He's still very slow and the longer you walk the slower he gets - we still dont go far at all, but it IS an improvement. His personality and spark is back as well. In fact, today when I went home to check on him for lunch he barked for a bite of food! This might not sound like a big deal, but Koda is a talker, he is always voicing his opinion or letting you know what he wants - mostly through howling. (well, he is a husky afterall!) But He hasn't talked since the incident and I was really worried. I would try to get him to and it looked like he wanted to speak, but then he wouldn't. Or couldn't - that's what I was most worried about was whether he actually could or not. But once he barked today, he definitely found his voice again because then he didn't shut up lol and I didn't want him to, it's the sweetest sound i've ever heard. So while the walking is still not 100%, it is better so i'm praying he will make a full recovery from this. I'm so thankful for Craig and my friends who were worried about him as well and who came to see him or called/txt'd to check on him. It meant so much to me. I think all the prayers for him worked, I honestly do.

Happy Friday

Wow I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted! oopsie. Well good news, my mom booked her plane tickets last week so she and my step dad are definitely coming to Vegas for the wedding! I'm soooo happy about this! She's going to have so much fun, she's never flown before and she's nervous but I know she'll love Vegas and I'm so excited to spend that time with her.

I really do love weddings, when they are other peoples lol I will love mine too because i'm marrying the man of my dreams but it's been a bumpy road of ups and downs. I'm not going to dwell on it because I dont want anything to overshadow how happy I am to be marrying Craig, i've already let it do enough of that so from this moment on, I will have to let it go. Try anyway. it's supposed to be about me and Craig right? Right! I just have to remember I can't please everyone. So the bridesmaid's dresses for Craig's sisters came in and they are beautiful, i'm so happy! and the girls love them so that made me even happier about them because I really wanted them to be happy with them. Now for my dress, I need to find a good seamstress for alterations. I've looked at a few online but how the heck do I pick one? eek!

In Dakota news...I got him a new bag of food today but accidently grabbed the one for 'large breed'. Same kind, Science Diet Lamb and Rice but I normally just get the regular kind. So I filled his bowl, and he ate every nugget! he loved it! what the heck is the big difference? He never finishes the bowl (I always put an extra scoop in case he wants a snack later lol) and after he was done he was laying down because he was so full and his belly was soooo fat! lolol it was really funny. So note to self, no extra scoop anymore! I'm struggling to keep up with his long walks because its sooooooo hot now, but I'm trying - its good for both of us!

Speaking of exercise, I've been doing Jillian Michaels' 30 day Shred. It's only a 20min workout. No big deal right? HA! It kicks your behind! Its a long 20min but its worth it, I can tell a difference for sure after only a week. If you are wanting a DVD to workout too, I highly recommend!

The wedding plans in full swing! again..

Now that Craig's visit is over (boo!) I'm throwing my energy into the wedding again. My dilema at the moment, again, is whether or not to have a reception vs going to dinner. There wont be loads of people there, less than 20, and the reception thus far is going to cost around $1000 (with upgrades etc) I know that's not a bad price, but believe me when I say i'm not getting much for that amount of money. Craig and I are going to have a reception in England so Its not as if we wont have one at all. I'm torn between the tradition of it, or just having fun and saving the money and taking everyone to dinner. Thoughts please????? I'm really really undecided about this. And we dont have long to make up our minds. Keep in mind, the wedding is in Vegas :)

So I was cleaning my place last night and I came across a pile of change on the kitchen counter. Not unusual, but when I was picking it up I noticed it was mixed with english change as well, this was Craig's pile. So I got nastalgic and wanted to leave it there bc it's his and a reminder of his vist. But alas my neater side kicked in, so I moved it lol! I'm seriously so sentimental ya'll!!

One thing I'm happy to report on is that while I miss Craig terribly, This time is actually much easier than the past visits where I would be so deeply sad for a long time after because I missed him so much. I do believe it's because the next time we are together, it will be for our wedding, and it's not very far away. You were right Meg :) 

As always we are talking more and more about where we will live. Our goal is to end up in England. We go back and forth as to the path we will take to make that happen. Right now it makes more sense for him to move here for a while, then we'll move back together in a year or two. I make way more money here than I will there and we would be able to save save save, with the goal of being able to put down a big amount towards buying a house in England. The downside is US dollars are worth less than English pounds. But I think it'll be ok. I'm really very very excited to move to England, where Craig lives in the cotswolds is unbelievably beautiful!! i'll post a pic at the end so you can see. It's a pic from his back patio. So maybe we should forgo all the savings and I should just go there? I know ya'll are prob sick of hearing me go back and forth lol but we really need to make the best decision for us to set up our future, especially since we want kids right away :)

This post has been most random!

Craig created a blog!

You can follow him at: http://raggya.blogspot.com/

Craig's Proposal

I was reading another blog that posted a video of a proposal Chris made to Sarah so I could vote for them to win a honeymoon. I don't know them, but Kimberly does so I wanted to vote for them to win! His proposal was really really sweet and quite clever! It got me thinking about when Craig asked me to marry him. I love that we all have our own special stories that are unique to us. I would love to hear yours! Here is ours :)

I LOVE history, and tudor history especially. It's an obsession of mine and for years I wanted to go to Hampton Court Palace to see where Henry VIII lived and breathed. It's actually this passion that led Craig and I to meet, because I was planning a vacation to England for just that purpose when I came across an english chat site. I thought it would be nice to talk to some 'locals' to find out good places to go and stay while I was there. Craig and I made profiles the exact same day. It turns out I was too shy to chat to anyone but Craig sent me a message and said he thought I seemed interesting, he works nights and gets bored so if I ever wanted to talk to message him. I did and we became friends. We really enjoyed talking to each other, we talked for hours on end and never ran out of things to say. I wasn't looking to meet anyone much less fall in love, but within a few months Craig had captured my heart.

So flash forward to this past February, we went to Hampton Court Palace and I was in heaven!!!! It was just magical and I'm not kidding when I say I could live in that place and be happy forever! I absolutely loved it! So we made our way to Henry's Royal Chapel and if you've never seen it, Its breathtaking! I will post a picture here that I found online of it, since they don't allow picture taking in the chapel itself. The picture doesn't do it justice, you have to see this place in person! I was in awe, looking around, taking it all in. I had kind of forgotten Craig was even there to be honest, I was just so wrapped up in the beauty of it and the history. At some point I turned to face Craig, and he was standing there with the ring, smiling. He said 'Will you marry me baby?' I said 'what are you doing?' (I was so wrapped up in the chapel I couldn't comprehend what was going on lol) he said 'i'm asking you to marry me' and I said ' no you're not' and he laughed and said 'yes I am' and I started crying and I said 'no you're not' while he gave me a big hug, then I came to my senses and I said yes, of course I will marry you. It was very sweet and he caught me completely off guard. I knew he would ask one day, we had talked about marriage already, but it was a complete surprise he did it then and there. Afterwards he told me he knew he wanted to ask me at Hampton Court, he just wasn't sure what part, but when he saw my reaction to the chapel he knew it was the perfect place, and it was! I'll never forget it and he made it soooo special. happy sigh!

It's over so soon?

And just like that, our week is over. The time leading up to it was so slow, and the time together so fast. The good news is our next visit will be our wedding in just 4 months, then visas to be worked out and then i'll never have to say goodbye to him again (well, you know how I mean). We had a great week and thank you all for your advice on what to do! Saturday Craig and I got a tattoo (dont tell my mom lol) Craig's was quite detailed and we had to go back again on Sunday so they could finish it up. His took 9 hours in total! Mine was 2hrs and If I had had to go any longer I think I would have cried! It's my first one, I got a daisy, for my dad. He passed away 9yrs ago. His birthday is in April and daisy is April's flower. I wanted something that would show at the wedding since he wont be there, so I got it in the middle of my back. I'll post a picture of it here. We had lunch with my mom and step dad that day as well and it went great! it was the first time they had met Craig and mom wanted to spend more time with him, but she works nights so it wasn't really possible with her having to sleep during the day. Monday we were supposed to spend time with my best friend Karen, but alas, Koda had other plans for us. Sunday night we ordered pizza. It came, but we had to run to the corner store so I put it on the stove and out we went. We were only gone a few minutes, and I honestly didn't even think about Dakota getting the pizza until we were already driving and I thought well...it's just a few minutes, i'm sure it'll be fine. Ohhh how wrong I was! We walked back in the door and the first thing we see is the pizza box, empty of course, and Koda across the room licking out the remaining drops of garlic butter from its little container. Sigh. I dont have to tell you the effect it had on his stomach. I had to cancel our plans with Karen because of him having to go to the bathroom repeatedly. He finally started getting back to normal on Tuesday lol. So the rest of the week we didn't do a whole lot, we were thinking of going to the Fort Worth Zoo, I really wanted to show him that as he loves animals as much as I do but we were quite lazy and as it was so hot outside we never quite got around to getting excited about walking around the zoo in 100 degree heat. But even though we didn't do much, it was still perfect. We relaxed and watched loads of movies and american TV shows I had recorded on the DVR to show him. It was really nice. Our visits are usually so jam packed with things to do that we hardly have time for relaxing, so it was great! Dakota especially loved it lol he adores Craig. He's still kind of mopey and not playing much, he really misses him. He kept looking for him saturday night after I got back from the airport, even in the shower lol. A few things Craig did get to experience while here: a bacon egg and cheese biscuit from McD's (american biscuit, english biscuits are cookies), cornbread, steak - texas style!, and 2 diff kinds of mac and cheese, of which he is not a fan lol! OHHH! I nearly forgot to talk about this!!! There is a show on TLC called 'my big fat gypsy wedding' and it's about 'travelers' that live in England. O M G i'm completely addicted! I'm glad Craig was here when it came on, I honestly couldn't believe my eyes!! If you haven't seen it, you MUST watch!!!! and if you do, tell me your thoughts!

What to do what to do

It probably goes without saying, but my love will be here in 2 days! in fact, in exactly 2 days because he lands at 7:20!! We have lots planned but I still feel like there are things I should be showing him while he's here. Why cant I think of anything? If the weather is nice I would like to take him to the Fort Worth zoo - that's a must see in my book. But what else? As a side note...i'm SOOOOOO happy and excited!!

Nesting?

Ya'll....I think i'm nesting. Is it weird that i'm nesting for Craig's visit? LOL I think it is. I was up till 4am saturday rearranging my apartment and cleaning because I couldn't sleep and I want it to be perfect. Not that he cares, he's seen it before, but I'm just so happy to be preparing for his visit! and i'm VERY happy to be able to say to people who ask 'he'll be here next week' YAY i'm so happy!!! Another weird thing I do? I record movies and american TV shows on my DVR that I think he would like :) 

Koda's visit to the vet

My furry monster is going to be fine. The angry looking growth on his neck is a skin tag. They cleaned it up and gave me some ointment to put on it, she said he had likely scratched it and cut it with his toenail and that's why it was black in the first place, from the dried blood. Gross, I know, but i'm so relieved that's all it is. He has to go in a few months time to get his teeth cleaned so she's going to cut it off then. She did say he has broken one of his canine teeth :(  it's not bothering him and it's not sensitive so it didn't break into the pulp thank heaven, but it IS noticeably shorter than the other :(  my poor snaggle toothed baby. But all in all he's very healthy and we all know he's happy so I guess I wont worry about the tooth overmuch. True to Dakota form, he was the center of attention in the office, howling at people who didn't come love on him lol, he steals hearts everywhere he goes. He's just so precious and he knows it! He even said 'I love you' to the vet tech when she offered him a treat :)

2 more weeks!! and a new friend!

Well I don't mean to keep counting down like I do, but i'm so excited I just can't help it! LDR's are NOT easy by any stretch of the imagination, and even less so when your love lives across the world and your visits are few and far between. So yes..in exactly 2 weeks Craig will be on an airplane on his way to Texas (me!) and i'm already on cloud nine!! It's gonna be a long 2 weeks isn't it? lol sigh....

On another note, I found a new friend! Kimberly, she's also in a LDR with her englishman and she lives in the US as well. I admire her strength, they have done it for 11yrs and I can't imagine how hard it's been on them, because I know how hard it is on Craig and I. But it's always nice to talk to someone who is in a similar relationship and understands what you are going through with the distance. and besides that, it's just always nice to meet a new friend! I have a few friends now that either live in England now or are transitioning to move there and it just feels good to already make friends that you have things in common with.

Dakota going to the doctor

So the other night i'm petting koda....and i feel something on his neck. so i sort through all the fur and see a black spot. It looked like it might be a tick to me. I went and got my neighbor, Chris, who said she has experience pulling them out etc. Ok..good. I really didn't think I could do it. At All! So she tried a few things to get it to come out on it's own and nothing worked. Then she got the tweezers *cringe*. She tried and tried to pull it out and the only thing that happened was it started bleeding badly. Ok...it's a tick...she squeezed it and it's bleeding. and it looked much smaller after. good yes? not so much. It turns out this is not a tick afterall, it's a growth. a black one. I cried and cried and cried. My poor baby. He's going to the vet on saturday so we'll see what they say. I feel like a horrible mommy for having put him through that and it wasn't a tick at all. Granted, he was a trooper, layed there and trusted us completely and it didn't seem like it bothered him much so at least I know it's not hurting him. But wtf is it? :(

3 weeks!!

Craig will be here in 3 short weeks and I couldn't be happier! well...I could...only if he was already here!! I can't wait! The visits are few and far between but oh how I cherish them. This will be our last visit until we get married in October, just 5 months away. What will it feel like to be married to the man of my dreams and to never have to say goodbye again? Heaven!

The Royal Wedding!

It was beautiful and everything Koda and I thought it would be! (let's be honest, Koda didn't have a clue about anything, but he's my furbaby so I had to celebrate with someone(thing) lol)!

I was almost about to oversleep but Craig made sure I didn't, thank goodness! I was sleepy (ironically, my not-a-morning-dog Koda was pretty energetic) but I took a short nap before work. Craig stayed on the phone with me so we watched the wedding together, melted my heart a little because he couldn't care less about it.

I loved her dress!! I absolutely love lace and I thought she looked elegant and timeless. I thought the veil over the face was a little bit much to be honest, because they already live together and the veil is symbolic of purity and chastity and all that 'bollocks' (as Craig would say)..but that's just my personal opinion on that. Besides that detail I thought it was perfect! Pippa's dress was amazing too and of course Prince Harry was gorgeous as always (I have a little crush on that ginger hottie!) I loved that he turned to look at Kate and said to William 'wait till you see her' with that huge grin on his face!

I could go on and on but I wont, i'm happy I got up to watch it live, completely worth it to see a bit of romantic history!

To add a bit of fun to mine and Koda's watch party, I bought him a little crown. He wasn't happy but if he knew how cute he looked he wouldn't have been so upset about it lol!

Do I really have to wear this mom?

Just to watch a wedding on TV?

and the crown comes off

Less than 24hrs to go!!!!

and we are excited!

The Royal Wedding! (no, not mine lol)

Dakoda and I are sooooo excited for the royal wedding!!! Early to bed Thursday so we can be up at 4am on Friday for our front row (couch) seat! I'm sure Koda will still sleep through it lol but I like to think he's gonna sit with me and watch lol

The amazing Craig

I could never say this enough. I love Craig. and I feel truly truly blessed to have him in my life, and even more so to have his unconditional love. Every day he amazes me with his kindness and thoughfulness and patience. We aren't without our issues, mainly because of my emotional scars, but every day I love him more. I'm still learning how to let him love me and trying to learn that I do deserve such an amazing man. I'm so lucky God has brought him into my life.

Reception

Craig and I have booked a reception at the Excalibur to follow the wedding. It wont be anything big, just appetizers and cake, no formal affair there. I read posts on Weddingbee.com (fantastic site, I absolutely love it!) anyway...alot of girls having weddings in Vegas are doing their receptions at restaurants. I thought it would be easier to keep it at the same place, but now I am having second thoughts. Because lets face it, even the appetizer/cake reception is pricey and I'm wondering if I could haven't gotten alot more for our money had I researched more and held it at a restaurant. hmmmm.....

Why are family relationships so complicated?

I won't lie, I was a daddy's girl. But I do love my mom dearly and even though we aren't as close as I would like, I thought she would be excited about my upcoming wedding. She isn't. Not because she doesn't support the union or isn't happy for me, she is, but why can't she be bothered to come over and see my dress? or talk to Craig (via skype)? I've asked and asked her, to the point of now I get no response anymore from her at all. Ok. I get it, I wont ask anymore. Maybe i'm being a pest but i'm excited and I want her to share in the experience with me. I want it to be something special for her too, something we can bond over. Several weeks ago when I asked her if she was off work, she said 'no, I have a wedding trip to pay for'. Ouch. I cried. Then she didn't understand why I was upset, she said I took it wrong. Maybe i'm too sensitive.

Spring

Koda and I have spring fever! So much that I (who have no green thumb at all) decided I would attempt to plant flowers on my patio! It went well and looked amazing. Then of course it stormed that night grrrrr! but it's ok, the flowers survived. Let's hope they will survive me as well! If they are still alive next week i'll consider myself a born again gardener! Now if I can only keep Koda from eating the flowers.....

Friends

I have the most amazing friends. The support and excitement they've given me over my engagement to Craig has been overwhelmingly fantastic. I feel so blessed and I love them like family. So I want to say to my friends, thank you for being so good to me, I dont know what I would do without you all!