Wah.

So Chris has been gone since last Tuesday (5 days if you're counting)  and has been out of contact since Friday evening when he crossed over to Canada for his annual fishing trip.  He did call me Saturday morning for one last chat before heading off into the wilderness for a week, which was so sweet I tear up thinking about it.

I gotta tell ya, the old adage "absence makes the heart grow fonder" couldn't be more true.  I swear, it really feels like there is something missing, as cheesy as that sounds.  Whats funny is that this is not the first time he's gone off on this trip with no way to talk, text, or email, for a week. But this is the first time since we've been engaged, and I think that's what is making this especially hard. 

I've got quite a week ahead of me,  between work, yoga, Shakespeare in the park, my FMIL coming to visit, and a lake trip, I really should be so busy that he'll be back before I know it.  But its late, I'm tired, and it's Sunday. Our day.  And all I want to do is hear his voice tell me goodnight.

So for now, I'll be that girl that calls his phone even though I know its off, just to hear him awkwardly say his name for his voicemail.

I promise my next post wont be so sappy or sad.

Too much fun!

So tonight I met up with my lovely FSIL for coffee, dinner, and looking at options for DIY (do it yourself) wedding invitations and save the dates.  Too.much.fun.  Jenny is a genius/miracle worker/artist/awesome lady who found this website with all kinds of fancy paper and envelopes to use and print our own designs on, and for a fraction of the price.  I'm beyond excited to see the samples I ordered and see what ideas they spark.  We also came up with some cute ideas for Save the Dates, and I'm now in search for pictures to use for that project too.

I've been in touch with a DJ that I've heard and read great reviews of, and hopefully Chris and I can meet with him sometime this month.

That just leaves a cake for the bigger budget items and we'll be pretty well wrapped up.  I cannot believe how the time is flying and how much I've been able to get done so far.  I'm beginning to wonder what I'll have to do as the time gets closer...but I'm sure I'll find something to stress about :)

Chris and I started some registries last weekend too.  So far we're registered at Crate and Barrel and Target.  I have plans to add to both of those once we get closer to the wedding and have idea of where we'll be living.  We couldn't really pick out much besides kitchen stuff because we haven't discussed what aesthetic we'll want for our future home.  I can definitely say it won't include deer heads in the living room though, sorry Chris!  Still, it was so much fun picking out things like dishes and cookware and thinking "This is what we'll be eating meals off of in OUR place."  So fun!

I'm on my own for the next 2 or so weeks. Chris left this afternoon for his annual Canada fishing trip with his dad, Uncle, and some of their buddies.  I know he'll have a great time and hopefully the trip will leave him quite re-energized to start tackling some wedding tasks when he gets back.  Luckily, I have lots to keep me busy.  I have a friend from high school coming to visit this weekend, my FMIL will be coming to STL for a visit next week, and I have a lake trip planned with some friends that following weekend.  Then Chris will be home and all will be right with the world again.  I should also mention that I've recently acquired the first 6 Harry Potter DVDs and will be marathoning them each night (yes, I'm a nerd).  I won't even have time to miss Chris!

Okay, who am I kidding, of course I'll miss him :) 

Lookie what I got!

So our engagement pictures finally came in.  Here's a preview :)

Aren't we just adorable?  Seriously, for as awful of a time Chris had and considering how hot and muggy it was, I'm really happy with how these turned out.  One more thing off the checklist!

Chris is gearing up for his annual trip to Canada and I'm pushing hard to try to get a few more things off the list before he's gone.  I've got a few info requests in with some local dj's and I'm hoping we can set up cake tasting/consultations sometime next week before he leaves.  I know we still have a lot of time, but I'd really like to have a good idea of what the heck to budget for.  I think that is the only stressful thing of all this planning, having no idea what or how much to spend without killing my budget. 

Hopefully after he gets back from Canada, I can get Chris to go set up some registries with me.  Ideally I want to have our registries started so I can include that on our "Save the Dates" that I plan on designing within the next month :)  Lots on my plate this summer!

Oh!  and here's some big news!  Chris asked his cousins to be in the wedding as groomsmen.  Hopefully he'll find the time when he's back in Ohio in a week to ask a few more guys to round out the wedding party.  I keep telling him he can't come back until we've got all 5 (or 6 if he can't decide) groomsmen.  That boy has too many friends!

I feel like I'm rambling, but I've saved the most exciting piece for last.  Helllllo Honeymoon!  Chris and I will be spending a week in the Dominican Republic at The Wyndham Viva Dominicus Palace.  We've decided to leave the weekend after the wedding to give ourselves a full week instead of what would only by 5 days if we left the day after the wedding.  HUGE thanks to my parents for letting us use their time share to trade for this resort.  Big money saver and we're pretty much guaranteed to be treated as VIPs.  Seriously, they have a private beach for time share people there.  Yes please!

Last but not least, my little brother Douglas graduated high school last weekend.  He's the baby, so it is a little surreal that he's heading off to college in the fall.  I had such a nice, long weekend at my parents...despite some major car issues (which I'll save for another post).  Duck has become such a nice little man, I can't wait to live vicariously through his college escapades in the years to come :)

Reunited and it feels so good!

Yes, I'm quoting Peaches and Herb....

So I realize it's been two weeks and part of that is probably because Chris has been gone and I've been, well, mopey.

But he's back now!  Only for me to leave Thursday for a weekish.  Sigh.

Chris went home for some prep for his upcoming fishing trip to Canada with his dad, uncle, and some other guys.  Now I'm heading back to my parents for my baby brother's high school graduation.  When I say baby brother, I really mean baby brother.  

Needless to say, the fact that I'll be heading home to Kansas for a long weekend to see this kid graduate from high school makes me feel incredibly old.  Douglas, or Duck, as my family refers to him for a really long and silly reason, is probably the most similar to me of my siblings.

He's smart, funny, charismatic, and such a sarcastic little turd that you can't help but laugh and love him.  While our 7 year age difference can make me "uncool" at times, I think he'll agree that he and I get eachother's humor and personality better than anyone else in our family....it probably helps that we're both brilliant. :)

Where on earth has the time gone?  My little faggy (dont ask) is a 17 year old college guy now. He's already joined a fraternity at Kansas State where he'll be studying engineering, and he's promised to buy me a t-shirt and get me tickets to a football game.  What great brother :)  Let's just hope he wont be too cool to be an usher at the wedding :)


Finally, for Jenny and Cindy, who will most likely let out a great big "awwww", I decided to add this final picture of Douglas, who was hands down the most adorable of all the Beebe children.

Why can't he be like that forever?



I'll report back with lots of pictures and stories from my week home, and maybe even have a wedding progress update soon.  Hint:  We have at least 2 groomsmen!  Chris has been busy!

May Day!

Today is a special day, my baby sister turns 20.  The 5 year age difference was certainly interesting growing up, but we've become super close and she's my best friend.  I am so excited to have her as my maid of honor.  So here's to my chickybaby, seester, MOH, and bff.

Happy Birthday Claire!

You'll never believe what happened...

Chris ate broccoli!

Okay so maybe he only ate a few pieces before gently telling me he didn't like it because the texture of the stalks was too firm.  But still, he at least tried it and that, my friends, is major progress.  There's hope after all! :)  I am actually somewhat hopeful that I won't have to explain to my kids why they have to eat their veggies when their dad won't. 

I booked a consultation with a local florist for next week, Flowers To The People.  A co-worker referred me saying "She'll work with your budget and treat you like a princess!"  I'm really excited and like that she buys from local farms and her store is super close to my apartment.  I have no idea what kind of budget to go in with, so I'll be doing some research in the coming week.  I am going to check out 2 more florists in Belleville to compare to, and hope to have made my final decision by the end of May. 

I have quite the busy rest of the week.  Tomorrow, my roommate and I are throwing a party at our apartment and one of my college friends is getting married Saturday.  I'm looking forward to a relaxing Sunday, and the possibility of having Chris try another veggie.  Grean beans? Peas?  The possibilities are endless! :)

Meet our flower girls, my cousins Charlotte and Hannah.  Their mom is my super awesome aunt/Godmother and I couldn't be more excited.  Apparently they're really into Disney Princesses right now, so I hope they're as excited as I am to see them in cute little dresses for the wedding. 

Now Chris needs to ask his cousin if her boys can be the ring bearers and we will have an overload of cuteness at the wedding :)