Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Why
I know I've been super quiet the last two weeks, and here's why.
When I first started this blog, it was rather unfocused (and still might be). Friends have described it as a personal/craft blog with advice and a wedding bent, but not something they see as a true wedding blog. I went and asked for opinions a few weeks ago when my application to become a Weddingbee blogger came back with a big N-O.
After spending some time thinking about it, I realized that I may have started blogging too early for the wedding, filling Down the Aisle with a lot of fluff that perhaps didn't have to be there. Is it possible for a blog to have too much fluff? I'm not sure. Do people like the asides and the fact that I talk about things that relate to the wedding, but aren't necessarily about the wedding?
I decided I needed to step away from the blog for a little while and let my mind work. I've been busy over at my Sewing/Costuming blog Lilacwire Sewing and Cosplay (if you care!).
What I've decided is that because Dr. Light and I have been SO productive on decisions, decorations, and such, I've got a gap for a little while of the real meat of the wedding. Our date isn't until October 29, which is six months away. Not only is that a lot of blog posts (which I truly love writing), but it's possible that it might be a lot of crappy blog posts.
I don't want to give you guys junk. Yeah, I could write crafting stuff until the cows came home - but that would make this a crafting blog that happened to have some wedding ideas in it. What I want is to make the wedding the bones and muscle of this part of this blog.
What I'm going to do is work on the wedding and prepare. I will blog lighter than usual, but I'm not going away. My plan is to give the wedding a chance to become more immediate. Let deadlines hit. Focus on the design and the timeline and give you more of what I feel is important. I hope that it's ok with you! I love blogging about these ideas because they've really helped me gain understanding and insight into how I want my wedding to go, but I don't want to burn out too soon.
There are so many exciting things coming up. Bachelorette parties, brunches, even decisions about the centerpieces. I want to share them with you. <3
When I first started this blog, it was rather unfocused (and still might be). Friends have described it as a personal/craft blog with advice and a wedding bent, but not something they see as a true wedding blog. I went and asked for opinions a few weeks ago when my application to become a Weddingbee blogger came back with a big N-O.
After spending some time thinking about it, I realized that I may have started blogging too early for the wedding, filling Down the Aisle with a lot of fluff that perhaps didn't have to be there. Is it possible for a blog to have too much fluff? I'm not sure. Do people like the asides and the fact that I talk about things that relate to the wedding, but aren't necessarily about the wedding?
I decided I needed to step away from the blog for a little while and let my mind work. I've been busy over at my Sewing/Costuming blog Lilacwire Sewing and Cosplay (if you care!).
What I've decided is that because Dr. Light and I have been SO productive on decisions, decorations, and such, I've got a gap for a little while of the real meat of the wedding. Our date isn't until October 29, which is six months away. Not only is that a lot of blog posts (which I truly love writing), but it's possible that it might be a lot of crappy blog posts.
I don't want to give you guys junk. Yeah, I could write crafting stuff until the cows came home - but that would make this a crafting blog that happened to have some wedding ideas in it. What I want is to make the wedding the bones and muscle of this part of this blog.
What I'm going to do is work on the wedding and prepare. I will blog lighter than usual, but I'm not going away. My plan is to give the wedding a chance to become more immediate. Let deadlines hit. Focus on the design and the timeline and give you more of what I feel is important. I hope that it's ok with you! I love blogging about these ideas because they've really helped me gain understanding and insight into how I want my wedding to go, but I don't want to burn out too soon.
There are so many exciting things coming up. Bachelorette parties, brunches, even decisions about the centerpieces. I want to share them with you. <3
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
A thought about details.
I feel like one of the hardest things about planning a wedding isn't the DIY or the anticipation. It's not the vendor choices or picking clothing. It's the fact that I've only been to one wedding in the last two years and sometimes I feel like I'm fishing around for more wedding experience.
Inspiration boards online are great, but they only do so much. There's something wonderful about being there and seeing the tiny details you might otherwise gloss over. I feel the experience of being a guest and watching the whole affair come together can help your own wedding be successful. For instance, the wedding I attended last year was great because I got to see how successful a receiving line could be - that face time with the couple was fantastic! I definitely want to do that at my wedding too.
My sister has been to something like four weddings in the past couple of years, and ever since I've been engaged, I've asked her to come back with reports of her experiences. What did the couple do well? What could have been improved upon? Were there any ideas that she thought were incredible?
She just got back from a wedding in Texas this weekend, so Dr. Light and I asked her to bring back a program and any other items that could help us get an idea of what other people are doing and how well it was done. Luckily, she had almost nothing bad to say aside from, "Get a seating chart!"
How do you handle the details of your wedding that aren't familiar to you? Have you been to enough weddings to feel like the planning process is easy?
Inspiration boards online are great, but they only do so much. There's something wonderful about being there and seeing the tiny details you might otherwise gloss over. I feel the experience of being a guest and watching the whole affair come together can help your own wedding be successful. For instance, the wedding I attended last year was great because I got to see how successful a receiving line could be - that face time with the couple was fantastic! I definitely want to do that at my wedding too.
My sister has been to something like four weddings in the past couple of years, and ever since I've been engaged, I've asked her to come back with reports of her experiences. What did the couple do well? What could have been improved upon? Were there any ideas that she thought were incredible?
She just got back from a wedding in Texas this weekend, so Dr. Light and I asked her to bring back a program and any other items that could help us get an idea of what other people are doing and how well it was done. Luckily, she had almost nothing bad to say aside from, "Get a seating chart!"
How do you handle the details of your wedding that aren't familiar to you? Have you been to enough weddings to feel like the planning process is easy?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Posing for Photos Tutorial - Part 5
So no doubt, posing is hard. Even after 10 years of photo shoots, I forget to follow my own rules sometimes. I tend to get a squinty left eye when I smile, like this:
My left eye, not your left left. Confused?
If I don’t consciously widen my eye when I smile for photos, I get so frustrated! It turns into the only thing I see, even when it's invisible to everyone else.
A lot of us have these ticks that pop up when we pose for photos, and they're one of the reasons why we hate pictures of ourselves, but those selfsame photos are ones your friends LOVE. And then they post them on Facebook and you're forced to untag yourself in a fit of sadness!
Your photographer won’t automatically know that you care how you look when you sit, or that you tend to put your hand on your chest when you pose, or that you always show WAYYYY too many teeth if you smile like your mom taught you. If these are things that you know you do, however, make a little list and ask the photog to watch out for them. Not all people with good photographic vision are equally good at posing their subjects in fantastic positions. It’s a work in progress for you both.
Learning to identify the things you want to change in photos of yourself is another reason to go in your backyard and take a bunch of casual photos like I mentioned waaaaay back in Part 1 of the tutorial. With enough practice, you may be able to change the behavior completely and never need to worry about it again.
Good communication is also essential to getting pictures that make you look good to your own eyes. Don't spend $2,000 on a photographer and never tell her that you need help with a pose or to watch and make sure you aren't doing something silly with your hands.
Remember, you are the master of your body! It sounds funny to say, but it's the absolute truth.
I'm finishing the posing tutorial here with one simple word of advice. Don't be afraid to mess up. It's not easy to be in front of the camera, but no matter who you are, you are loved. Your family will adore your engagement and wedding photos, and the more you do to prepare yourself for them, the happier you will be. And if you get one or two back that you dislike, that's why your photographer is taking a million pics that day! It will all be OK.
My left eye, not your left left. Confused?
If I don’t consciously widen my eye when I smile for photos, I get so frustrated! It turns into the only thing I see, even when it's invisible to everyone else.
A lot of us have these ticks that pop up when we pose for photos, and they're one of the reasons why we hate pictures of ourselves, but those selfsame photos are ones your friends LOVE. And then they post them on Facebook and you're forced to untag yourself in a fit of sadness!
Your photographer won’t automatically know that you care how you look when you sit, or that you tend to put your hand on your chest when you pose, or that you always show WAYYYY too many teeth if you smile like your mom taught you. If these are things that you know you do, however, make a little list and ask the photog to watch out for them. Not all people with good photographic vision are equally good at posing their subjects in fantastic positions. It’s a work in progress for you both.
Learning to identify the things you want to change in photos of yourself is another reason to go in your backyard and take a bunch of casual photos like I mentioned waaaaay back in Part 1 of the tutorial. With enough practice, you may be able to change the behavior completely and never need to worry about it again.
Good communication is also essential to getting pictures that make you look good to your own eyes. Don't spend $2,000 on a photographer and never tell her that you need help with a pose or to watch and make sure you aren't doing something silly with your hands.
Remember, you are the master of your body! It sounds funny to say, but it's the absolute truth.
I'm finishing the posing tutorial here with one simple word of advice. Don't be afraid to mess up. It's not easy to be in front of the camera, but no matter who you are, you are loved. Your family will adore your engagement and wedding photos, and the more you do to prepare yourself for them, the happier you will be. And if you get one or two back that you dislike, that's why your photographer is taking a million pics that day! It will all be OK.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Dyeing Synthetic Fabrics
There are some wedding dresses that would make great "event" dresses, especially with a bit of color added. White can be a hard look to pull off, and there are a lot of brides out there who want to change their wedding dress look so they can get the most bang out of their buck, so to speak.
One simple way to do this is color. A white dress easily becomes pink, blue, or green with the right kind of dye. Then an expensive investment may get use for years to come!
Source
One simple way to do this is color. A white dress easily becomes pink, blue, or green with the right kind of dye. Then an expensive investment may get use for years to come!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Growing Our Ceremony
I'm taking the view of our ceremony as an organic thing - a thing that needs nourishment and attention, lest it starve. I want our guests to feel like it was worth the entire drive from Denver because the ceremony is it, the moment the wedding is actually about.
Source
Dr. Light once went to a wedding where his speech to the couple lasted longer than the actual ceremony, which timed in at about three minutes. That is really, really short to me. It sounds like they didn't have anything beyond their vows. Maybe it's the way they wanted it, but that's a ceremony that sounds like it received no nourishment.
Growing a ceremony takes ideas.
1. An officiant's speech. The officiant has a lot of power in weddings. Their initial words can set the tone to the wedding - will it be serious? Religious? Romantic? Funny? I've seen variations to all of these and enjoyed each of them, so it's an aspect that's very important to me. One of Dr. Light's best friends is our officiant, and I'm so excited to have him marry us.
2. A reading or a song. This continues to set the tone. I'm really lucky - I have friends who play as a trio right now, and I fully intend on asking them to do us the honor of playing a piece during our ceremony. Nothing too long, but I hope it will help our guests feel the love we'll be experiencing up there on the stand.
3. A unity celebration. I'm not a huge fan of things like unity candles or the vases filled with sand because they're just extra "stuff" to me. Slipping on the rings is our statement of unity. We won't have on of these, but I felt it was worth mentioning.
It's cute, but not for us.
4. Writing our own vows. I have this little thought that including vows, we could each tell the other one why we love each other. It doesn't have to last a long time, but it's a perfect reflection of why we're there. "Dr. Light, I love you because you drink milk with dessert." Ok, maybe not that, but you get my drift.
How are you thinking of "growing your ceremony" without it seeming stagnant? What have you seen at other ceremonies that you want to incorporate into yours?
Dr. Light once went to a wedding where his speech to the couple lasted longer than the actual ceremony, which timed in at about three minutes. That is really, really short to me. It sounds like they didn't have anything beyond their vows. Maybe it's the way they wanted it, but that's a ceremony that sounds like it received no nourishment.
Growing a ceremony takes ideas.
1. An officiant's speech. The officiant has a lot of power in weddings. Their initial words can set the tone to the wedding - will it be serious? Religious? Romantic? Funny? I've seen variations to all of these and enjoyed each of them, so it's an aspect that's very important to me. One of Dr. Light's best friends is our officiant, and I'm so excited to have him marry us.
2. A reading or a song. This continues to set the tone. I'm really lucky - I have friends who play as a trio right now, and I fully intend on asking them to do us the honor of playing a piece during our ceremony. Nothing too long, but I hope it will help our guests feel the love we'll be experiencing up there on the stand.
3. A unity celebration. I'm not a huge fan of things like unity candles or the vases filled with sand because they're just extra "stuff" to me. Slipping on the rings is our statement of unity. We won't have on of these, but I felt it was worth mentioning.
4. Writing our own vows. I have this little thought that including vows, we could each tell the other one why we love each other. It doesn't have to last a long time, but it's a perfect reflection of why we're there. "Dr. Light, I love you because you drink milk with dessert." Ok, maybe not that, but you get my drift.
How are you thinking of "growing your ceremony" without it seeming stagnant? What have you seen at other ceremonies that you want to incorporate into yours?
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Meet the Dress
I've been kind of dragging my feet on officially presenting my dress. I ask that if you are an attending member of the wedding and want to remain "spoiler free," also refrain from clicking the link.
That being said, let's meet the dress!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Posing for Photos Tutorial - Part 4
It's been a while since I touched on my Posing for Photos tutorial. Earlier posts:
Part 1: Some Introductory Thoughts
Part 2: Arch Your Back
Part 3: Keeping Your Chin Level
For this part, I will discuss prop use.
A lot of people bring props for their engagement shoots, which is a really great thing. Sometimes, though, it seems like the people getting their photos taken get lost behind the prop itself, like the photo becomes about the prop and not the people. This is certainly ok, but if if you find that you're constantly hiding behind your props, it's time to change how you're using them.
Part 1: Some Introductory Thoughts
Part 2: Arch Your Back
Part 3: Keeping Your Chin Level
For this part, I will discuss prop use.
A lot of people bring props for their engagement shoots, which is a really great thing. Sometimes, though, it seems like the people getting their photos taken get lost behind the prop itself, like the photo becomes about the prop and not the people. This is certainly ok, but if if you find that you're constantly hiding behind your props, it's time to change how you're using them.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Trying on Dresses!
Way back in 2010, my mom, sister, and a few other bridesmaids joined me as I went to try on some dresses at an amazing shop called Little White Dress. I found my wedding gown that day, but I'm saving that for another post!
I found LWD through my dress designer's site. I was trying to locate anyone in Colorado who carried the designs, and came across two shops. LWD was the first one I called, and although they didn't have my style in shop, the lady who helped me, Rachel, told me she would try and locate it and get back to me.
A few minutes later she called back with bad news. The designer had sold their sample. We got off the phone and I stared at my computer for a minute, trying to figure out what to do.
The phone rang again, Rachel on the other end. She had located a sample to borrow in Ohio of all places. OHIO! I paid a quick borrower's fee via phone and they ordered the dress to come in. It was amazing of her to go to the trouble of finding a dress out of state for me, and gave me such a wonderful impression of the shop.
Armed with confidence in Rachel and her magic, we descended upon LWD and I tried on dresses. Here was everything I didn't pick.
I found LWD through my dress designer's site. I was trying to locate anyone in Colorado who carried the designs, and came across two shops. LWD was the first one I called, and although they didn't have my style in shop, the lady who helped me, Rachel, told me she would try and locate it and get back to me.
A few minutes later she called back with bad news. The designer had sold their sample. We got off the phone and I stared at my computer for a minute, trying to figure out what to do.
The phone rang again, Rachel on the other end. She had located a sample to borrow in Ohio of all places. OHIO! I paid a quick borrower's fee via phone and they ordered the dress to come in. It was amazing of her to go to the trouble of finding a dress out of state for me, and gave me such a wonderful impression of the shop.
Armed with confidence in Rachel and her magic, we descended upon LWD and I tried on dresses. Here was everything I didn't pick.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
A quick note
The half-size larger shoes are in and they fit so much better! Doing my due diligence on this issue was SO worth it!
So, anyone need a purple pair of size 9 Betsey Johnson Nelsons for $50?
So, anyone need a purple pair of size 9 Betsey Johnson Nelsons for $50?
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Cake Toppers Part 1 - Having a Cow
Last Friday I spent some time finishing up the cake topper that represents me. As you remember, I'd found an extremely cute pattern that I wanted to try and sew:
After buying the pattern, I realized that the stuffed animals were not tiny; they were at least 10-1/2" long. A bit too big for a cake, I thought, so I trucked off to a copy machine and re-sized the pieces by 50%.
That placed them firmly at about 5" an animal, and a fine size for our planned cake.
The pattern called for fleece, but I decided to pick up sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" felt instead. The fabrics are very similar in nature, but the felt sheets came in a wider variety of colors. I wasn't sure if Dr. Light wanted a brown or grey squirrel, so I just picked up everything. They were only 30 cents a piece.
The first thing I did was cut out my cow pieces according to pattern and start sewing them together. I admit, I'm not terribly good working with tiny things, but I did my best to remain diligent and not let my frustration get the best of me. It's hard to tell, but I decided to use brown spots for the cow's back.
Next was a lot of slow pinning, sewing, and turning the cow right-side out. I made her horns black so they'd stand out from the spot. The ears would come later after she was stuffed. I was unable to turn her tail and horns right-side out because they were so tiny, but the stitching hardly shows.
Squishy AND blind!
Next came the stuffing and sewing on ears. I chose to glue on some tiny black balls I bought for eyes, and after a moment of thought, I made a funny-looking veil for her, too.
I did some spot-fixing, as the fabric at her neck and belly didn't quite line up the way the pattern suggested. I'm sure this was my error and not the pattern's - felt can get pretty slippery with such small pattern pieces.
I'm so pleased with how the cow turned out. The squirrel's going to be much harder, as I don't have a specific pattern for it. I'm going to use the pig pattern and hope I can form the head into something less piggy and more triangular/squirrelly. And add a big, fuzzy tail.
After buying the pattern, I realized that the stuffed animals were not tiny; they were at least 10-1/2" long. A bit too big for a cake, I thought, so I trucked off to a copy machine and re-sized the pieces by 50%.
That placed them firmly at about 5" an animal, and a fine size for our planned cake.
The pattern called for fleece, but I decided to pick up sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" felt instead. The fabrics are very similar in nature, but the felt sheets came in a wider variety of colors. I wasn't sure if Dr. Light wanted a brown or grey squirrel, so I just picked up everything. They were only 30 cents a piece.
The first thing I did was cut out my cow pieces according to pattern and start sewing them together. I admit, I'm not terribly good working with tiny things, but I did my best to remain diligent and not let my frustration get the best of me. It's hard to tell, but I decided to use brown spots for the cow's back.
Next was a lot of slow pinning, sewing, and turning the cow right-side out. I made her horns black so they'd stand out from the spot. The ears would come later after she was stuffed. I was unable to turn her tail and horns right-side out because they were so tiny, but the stitching hardly shows.
Squishy AND blind!
Next came the stuffing and sewing on ears. I chose to glue on some tiny black balls I bought for eyes, and after a moment of thought, I made a funny-looking veil for her, too.
I did some spot-fixing, as the fabric at her neck and belly didn't quite line up the way the pattern suggested. I'm sure this was my error and not the pattern's - felt can get pretty slippery with such small pattern pieces.
I'm so pleased with how the cow turned out. The squirrel's going to be much harder, as I don't have a specific pattern for it. I'm going to use the pig pattern and hope I can form the head into something less piggy and more triangular/squirrelly. And add a big, fuzzy tail.
Monday, March 21, 2011
If the Shoe fits....
I'm not sure I ever posted a picture of my chosen wedding shoe.
Betsey Johnson - Nelson
Back when I ordered the shoe, it was FLYING off Amazon's shelves - so quickly that when I got it, I knew it was a mite small, but couldn't order the next size up. I figured I'd deal with it since it wasn't that bad. The shoe was a size 9.
The other day, I checked Amazon's site on a whim and found that they had replenished their supply and immediately ordered the 9.5. It's worth having a shoe that fits properly. Having purchased a shoe that fit...sorta, I figured I'd post some advice for brides that are considering buying shoes online.
Buy two sizes and return one.
Seriously. I'm sure I'll be able to sell the 9, since whenever I post pics of it people get that cartoon tongue syndrome where their tongues roll out of their mouths and flop on the floor, but it would have been easier just to return the too-small size to Amazon.
Back when I ordered the shoe, it was FLYING off Amazon's shelves - so quickly that when I got it, I knew it was a mite small, but couldn't order the next size up. I figured I'd deal with it since it wasn't that bad. The shoe was a size 9.
The other day, I checked Amazon's site on a whim and found that they had replenished their supply and immediately ordered the 9.5. It's worth having a shoe that fits properly. Having purchased a shoe that fit...sorta, I figured I'd post some advice for brides that are considering buying shoes online.
Buy two sizes and return one.
Seriously. I'm sure I'll be able to sell the 9, since whenever I post pics of it people get that cartoon tongue syndrome where their tongues roll out of their mouths and flop on the floor, but it would have been easier just to return the too-small size to Amazon.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Cake or Retirement?
Over the past few weeks, Dr. Light's been ribbing me about our retirement. As we'll be filing jointly next year, he's been trying to remind me to get my 401ks in order.
Yes, 401ks.
Source
I have two orphan 401ks out there that I never rolled over after I left those jobs, and while they've been slowly collecting money, they are in separate banks under separate types of investment, and I really didn't have a good handle on my money. In fact, I'd say I have money fear, leading me on a long-time campaign of sticking my fingers in my ears and yelling "La la la" at the top of my lungs.
I know it's ridiculous.
One evening, Dr. Light pulled me aside to show me the retirement profile he'd done online, and basically laid it out for me that I needed to get my butt in gear, since without my contributions doing more than sitting where they were, I was holding us back. He wasn't being mean or rude, just honest about the necessity of where our money was going.
Well, I had the chance today to call the two companies that hold my 401ks, figure out what information I needed, and then open an IRA through my bank - USAA. Despite many frustrations such as having to call three different companies and talk to four different people and STILL not be able to access one account online (I'm looking at you, ING/Morgan Stanley - it's the future, people, get with it!), I think I finally am able to consolidate my funds and help Dr. Light and me enter our marriage with a retirement plan fully intact.
I must stick a little "YAY USAA!" in here because they were so super helpful and informative. I'm really lucky my dad served in the Air Force so I was able to have them as my bank, my car insurer, and pretty much every other money-related holder under the sun.
Even if USAA isn't your bank, I recommend that before you say your "I do's," you and your fiancée look at how your retirement or other funds are going to work together once you're married. Consider this another item on that huge wedding checklist that includes more fun things such as cake tastings. However, you can afford a lot more cake with a good retirement plan.
Yes, 401ks.
I have two orphan 401ks out there that I never rolled over after I left those jobs, and while they've been slowly collecting money, they are in separate banks under separate types of investment, and I really didn't have a good handle on my money. In fact, I'd say I have money fear, leading me on a long-time campaign of sticking my fingers in my ears and yelling "La la la" at the top of my lungs.
I know it's ridiculous.
One evening, Dr. Light pulled me aside to show me the retirement profile he'd done online, and basically laid it out for me that I needed to get my butt in gear, since without my contributions doing more than sitting where they were, I was holding us back. He wasn't being mean or rude, just honest about the necessity of where our money was going.
Well, I had the chance today to call the two companies that hold my 401ks, figure out what information I needed, and then open an IRA through my bank - USAA. Despite many frustrations such as having to call three different companies and talk to four different people and STILL not be able to access one account online (I'm looking at you, ING/Morgan Stanley - it's the future, people, get with it!), I think I finally am able to consolidate my funds and help Dr. Light and me enter our marriage with a retirement plan fully intact.
I must stick a little "YAY USAA!" in here because they were so super helpful and informative. I'm really lucky my dad served in the Air Force so I was able to have them as my bank, my car insurer, and pretty much every other money-related holder under the sun.
Even if USAA isn't your bank, I recommend that before you say your "I do's," you and your fiancée look at how your retirement or other funds are going to work together once you're married. Consider this another item on that huge wedding checklist that includes more fun things such as cake tastings. However, you can afford a lot more cake with a good retirement plan.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Running in Circles
I am the laziest worker-outer ever. I mean it. I swear I'm gonna work out and do it for about two days, and then...nothing.
After I stopped doing the 30 Day Shred because my knees just can't take the squats, I pretty much haven't exercised. I'm coasting on my dad's genetics, and I know that's not really the answer since it doesn't get my heart going or help me stay healthy (and not just thin). I knew I needed to find something to get me motivated, but I wasn't sure what.
Last week my sister tweeted her intention to buy a video game after work, but then later reported she had bought something better. I checked her link and found this.
Stamina 55-1610 InMotion E1000 Elliptical Trainer
An elliptical machine that not only had great ratings but was affordable? I admit, I purchased it that day.
The little machine came a couple of days later because I'm an Amazon Prime member (totally worth it), and I immediately assembled it - and even THAT was easy. I hopped right on and gave it a ten-minute tryout.
Thoughts:
- Easy to use, though if you have balance issues, put it in a doorway.
- The stride is not quite as long as a regular elliptical, but that doesn't really matter. I still felt it in my calves the next day and it got my heart rate up.
- I love that I don't have to watch a video or stare at the wall in a gym. Instead, I can pick this little guy up and put him in front of the tv, my laptop, or what-have-you and let the minutes whirl away very quickly.
I did my first real workout yesterday (20 minutes, will do more next time) and it was over so quickly! Because I'm a nerd, I put on Farscape (which I had not seen before), and I plan on making this my workout entertainment.
I'm very happy with this purchase, and with the wedding in mind, it's going to be a very simple and fun way to hopefully tone up a bit more and also make myself more healthy overall. If you have the spare money and this looks appealing to you, I highly recommend giving it a try!
After I stopped doing the 30 Day Shred because my knees just can't take the squats, I pretty much haven't exercised. I'm coasting on my dad's genetics, and I know that's not really the answer since it doesn't get my heart going or help me stay healthy (and not just thin). I knew I needed to find something to get me motivated, but I wasn't sure what.
Last week my sister tweeted her intention to buy a video game after work, but then later reported she had bought something better. I checked her link and found this.
An elliptical machine that not only had great ratings but was affordable? I admit, I purchased it that day.
The little machine came a couple of days later because I'm an Amazon Prime member (totally worth it), and I immediately assembled it - and even THAT was easy. I hopped right on and gave it a ten-minute tryout.
Thoughts:
- Easy to use, though if you have balance issues, put it in a doorway.
- The stride is not quite as long as a regular elliptical, but that doesn't really matter. I still felt it in my calves the next day and it got my heart rate up.
- I love that I don't have to watch a video or stare at the wall in a gym. Instead, I can pick this little guy up and put him in front of the tv, my laptop, or what-have-you and let the minutes whirl away very quickly.
I did my first real workout yesterday (20 minutes, will do more next time) and it was over so quickly! Because I'm a nerd, I put on Farscape (which I had not seen before), and I plan on making this my workout entertainment.
I'm very happy with this purchase, and with the wedding in mind, it's going to be a very simple and fun way to hopefully tone up a bit more and also make myself more healthy overall. If you have the spare money and this looks appealing to you, I highly recommend giving it a try!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Honeymooners
About 2% of you are probably wondering where Dr. Light and I are honeymooning. Well, now's your time to guess. See if you can figure it out from the following photos!
Source
Source
Source
No? Not clear?
Source
Actually, I'm kidding.
I have no idea where we're going.
Dr. Light approached me one day and asked if I trusted him enough to let him plan a surprise honeymoon for the both of us. It took me approximately .0876 seconds to say yes, and there it was. He's been making plans at work, when he's off and I'm at work, and generally any time I'm not there to bust his secret.
It's kind of a mutual deal on our part to trust each other. My wedding dress is currently hanging in our guest closet behind a pile of orange vinyl fabric, and he's under strict orders not to look at it. The honeymoon information resides in the second drawer of his bed-side table, and I'm under the same orders to avoid it at all costs.
The dress lurking in its natural habitat.
I love that we have a way to both prove we're in this relationship with utter trust, even if it's something silly like a wedding dress or a trip. We want each other to have these surprises, and we're willing to maintain them for ourselves.
I also gotta say: it's awesome. I never thought I'd be that girl who got the chance to take a surprise vacation, to learn on the way to the airport that I was jetting off to any number of surprise destinations. I don't even know if we're going somewhere hot, cold, muggy, tropical, arctic, or temperate. I don't know how to pack. The only thing I do know is that I needed to update my passport, and that's been done for months now.
The only person who knows where we're going (aside from Dr. Light's travel agent) is my sister. She's under strict orders to never tell me, and she's keeping that secret tight. At some point we'll be getting together so I can show her my favorite outfits for certain climates, and at some point when we leave for the wedding, she'll put together a suitcase for me.
So why joke about Detroit, you might ask? Because Detroit is our code word for the undiscussable honeymoon. It's also a destination people don't really dream about for their honeymoons, which makes it perfect for our humorous discussions. We've already "planned" several exciting day trips, including zip-lining through burnt out car factories, learning how to buy a house for five dollars, and seeing the sights without getting mugged.
In any event, I'm over the moon to have something so major be in his hands. He's a great planner and I know he's put a lot of thought into what we're going to be doing. Dr. Light is a bit worried that he'll pick something I won't like, and I keep having to reassure him that unless it involves having my skin peeled off by tiny kittens, I'll probably be ok.
But seriously, this is so cool.
Would you ever consider letting your fiancée plan a surprise honeymoon? Where would you want to go? Would you plan a surprise vacation for YOUR fiancée and be able to keep it a secret?
No? Not clear?
Actually, I'm kidding.
I have no idea where we're going.
Dr. Light approached me one day and asked if I trusted him enough to let him plan a surprise honeymoon for the both of us. It took me approximately .0876 seconds to say yes, and there it was. He's been making plans at work, when he's off and I'm at work, and generally any time I'm not there to bust his secret.
It's kind of a mutual deal on our part to trust each other. My wedding dress is currently hanging in our guest closet behind a pile of orange vinyl fabric, and he's under strict orders not to look at it. The honeymoon information resides in the second drawer of his bed-side table, and I'm under the same orders to avoid it at all costs.
I love that we have a way to both prove we're in this relationship with utter trust, even if it's something silly like a wedding dress or a trip. We want each other to have these surprises, and we're willing to maintain them for ourselves.
I also gotta say: it's awesome. I never thought I'd be that girl who got the chance to take a surprise vacation, to learn on the way to the airport that I was jetting off to any number of surprise destinations. I don't even know if we're going somewhere hot, cold, muggy, tropical, arctic, or temperate. I don't know how to pack. The only thing I do know is that I needed to update my passport, and that's been done for months now.
The only person who knows where we're going (aside from Dr. Light's travel agent) is my sister. She's under strict orders to never tell me, and she's keeping that secret tight. At some point we'll be getting together so I can show her my favorite outfits for certain climates, and at some point when we leave for the wedding, she'll put together a suitcase for me.
So why joke about Detroit, you might ask? Because Detroit is our code word for the undiscussable honeymoon. It's also a destination people don't really dream about for their honeymoons, which makes it perfect for our humorous discussions. We've already "planned" several exciting day trips, including zip-lining through burnt out car factories, learning how to buy a house for five dollars, and seeing the sights without getting mugged.
In any event, I'm over the moon to have something so major be in his hands. He's a great planner and I know he's put a lot of thought into what we're going to be doing. Dr. Light is a bit worried that he'll pick something I won't like, and I keep having to reassure him that unless it involves having my skin peeled off by tiny kittens, I'll probably be ok.
But seriously, this is so cool.
Would you ever consider letting your fiancée plan a surprise honeymoon? Where would you want to go? Would you plan a surprise vacation for YOUR fiancée and be able to keep it a secret?
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Nailed It
This weekend Dr. Light and I were running some errands at the mall when we stumbled across the MAC Wonder Woman makeup line. Have you seen this? It's retro and cute and AHHHH! In other words: I love it. I ended up buying the blue nail polish.
As I was purchasing it, I realized that I had given very little thought with what to do with my nails on that day. I'm not really a regular nail-painter, but nail polish helps me overcome one fault that plagues me all the time.
I am a horrendous cuticle picker. It's an outward reflection of my anxiety, and I've been doing it for as along as I can remember. It bugs me and I think it bugs Dr. Light too, as last night when I was discussing nail ideas with him, he pointed to my thumb and basically told me that I should make an effort to have my hands look nice for our wedding day photos. I couldn't agree more. (And I really don't want to post a picture of my cuticles here. It's just embarrassing.)
The layer of polish on my nails makes me aware that if I start to pick at my cuticles, I will probably wear the polish down a little - so it really helps keep me honest, so to speak. I've decided that in order to break this habit, I'm going to try and keep my nails nicely painted until after the wedding. It will also give me a chance to try out various colors that I may want to wear with the dress!
H49 & B56
I'll do my best to try a group of soft pinks and reds, nothing too outlandish. A lot of salons carry OPI, so I'll purchase some "starter" polish from that line and find some shades I like.
Does anyone have any good recommendations for polish that isn't too expensive, but is a reliable brand?
As I was purchasing it, I realized that I had given very little thought with what to do with my nails on that day. I'm not really a regular nail-painter, but nail polish helps me overcome one fault that plagues me all the time.
I am a horrendous cuticle picker. It's an outward reflection of my anxiety, and I've been doing it for as along as I can remember. It bugs me and I think it bugs Dr. Light too, as last night when I was discussing nail ideas with him, he pointed to my thumb and basically told me that I should make an effort to have my hands look nice for our wedding day photos. I couldn't agree more. (And I really don't want to post a picture of my cuticles here. It's just embarrassing.)
The layer of polish on my nails makes me aware that if I start to pick at my cuticles, I will probably wear the polish down a little - so it really helps keep me honest, so to speak. I've decided that in order to break this habit, I'm going to try and keep my nails nicely painted until after the wedding. It will also give me a chance to try out various colors that I may want to wear with the dress!
H49 & B56
I'll do my best to try a group of soft pinks and reds, nothing too outlandish. A lot of salons carry OPI, so I'll purchase some "starter" polish from that line and find some shades I like.
Does anyone have any good recommendations for polish that isn't too expensive, but is a reliable brand?
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