Guest Book Progress

My guest book project is off to a good start. I've had fun doing it so far. I've spent sometime with Mark's mom pouring over old and adorable pictures of their family AND just recently (over Christmas) have gone through all of our old family photos with my family.

Mark spent a chunk of time scanning his photos on to this computer. The next step would have been me spending time to scan all of mine, but Brenna just told me she had done it! Yes! Here's a sampling of some of the goodies I have got so far:

Yay! We were so cute. Now I just have to organize this all. Should be pretty straight forward though. I'm using a pretty neat program called PhotoBook America and so far it's been very user friendly. I'm excited to see the final product. I'm excited for y'all to see it too!

I'll change this to a wedding bloggy thing now

At the request of Jennifer, I'll blog about my plans for the July 16th, 2011 (save the date!) wedding.

What have I done so far?
WELL - less than a week after Mark popped the question, I bought my wedding dress. On eBay. Used. A size too small. And it's perrrrrfect. I can't wait to be able to fit into it one day. It's a J. Crew dress, so it's simple and elegant and classic. Some might call it boring. And then I'd call them tacky.

We got our church! We'll be getting married in Mark's Presb. Church in Forest Grove. It's a beautiful one room church that was built in the 1800's sometime. Mark has some family buried there, his great-grand-dad was a pastor, and several of his family member have been married there, so there's lot of tradition, which I love. Plus, I'm going to try to ring the bells after the ceremony. I've always wanted to ring the bells.

We got our reception site! The Grand Lodge. We'll be at the Children's Cottage and have the tables set outside and the food inside away from any pesky summer bugs. It's also right across the way from The Yard House Pub Cigar Bar, how perfect is that? Too perfect.

Mark and I have started a Fitness Competition (to try to help me shrink to size 8 before the ceremony). I'm losing. Next!

I've started a guest book. I've gone through all of Mark's old family photo's and got some embarrassingly adorable kid pictures of him. While my older sister is in town next week, we'll do the same for me. I've got very grand plans for this guest book. Just you wait.

We picked out flowers. There will be blue flowers and red flowers and white flowers and monkey tails.

Our Save-The-Date magnets are almost done. Mark's chum, Reuben - who happens to be a graphic designer, designed them and they are awesome. I can't wait to get one up on our refrigerator.

I suppose I'll get into more detail about things later. We've got a good head start on the wedding planning. I wanted to reserve everything way in advance so I wouldn't have to compete with any other brides. Mission accomplished.

And time goes by

I used to be so much better at blogging. I never have anything to say anymore.

Well, as it turns out, I'm crap at running, so I'm not doing H2C. Probably better on my knees in the long run. A friend mentioned to me that they also do a Portland to Coast (I think that's what it is) for walkers which is more my speed.

I'm doing better on my diet though, for sure! It helps that I'm in a wedding in October and getting married myself next summer. I have a lot more motivation. 15 pounds to go! Holler!

Although.... I may try to lose even more weight... I'll see how I feel at 140.

Sunny Day

What a happy, sunny day it is! I wish I could see more of the outdoors, it'd probably make me happier while inside.

Oh well.

Guess what? I'm hungry.

I'm Crap!

At posting! So crappy!

Good news is, despite the lack of blogging, I still shed a few pounds! Well... I shed a few pounds over the last week or so, I've been crap at dieting as well.

I can't help it though! I just love to eat!

One thing on my side now - my new work location. Instead of working in The Pearl District, I work on the outskirts of Portland. The closest restaurant to me now is Subway instead of Whole Foods and Henry's and Noodles & Co, and sushi joints, and PF Changs (my lunch time in the Pearl was right when Happy Hour started at a lot of places... half off appetizers, oy/yum).

I also get out of work one to two hours earlier than I used to, making it somewhat easier to get out and work out. ALSO, I bought a lovely Groupon for some Pilates classes. The pilates classes doesnt start until July 7th, but I'm going to start doing crunches and pushups to try to get in shape enough not to make a total fool of myself. I'll still make a fool of myself, no doubt, but maybe not a total fool.

And to top it all off, I just bought the most adorable summer dress a size too small. I'm determined to fit into it. Determined.

It's THAT adorable.

New Camera

Look! I got my new camera and have been able to take pictures this weekend! Hoody hoo!

The Problem

With dieting while super poor is that you'll accept any free food available.

Mmmm... pizza. I love you, greasy.

the MAX

I was talking with Mark the other night about adventures in riding the MAX train. And how naturally rude people are these days. We live in a world where an electronic woman has to tell us over the speakers that old, crippled people probably need to sit more than able bodied teenagers. Then THAT has to be followed up by a Spanish speaking dude to reiterate. How sad.

I’ve created a list of conduct rules for the MAX, since apparently we can’t figure out how to be polite on the MAX with our own judgment anymore. If it helps, you can read this as the MAX lady, then follow it up as the Spanish dude.

Code of conduct for the Max Train

1. PDA should be kept at a five foot range minimum. Anything closer and you’re forcing someone to be a part of a ménage a trios. It's menage a trios RAPE. Young love is cute until you’re close enough that I can smell you.
2. One bag on the seat next to you is sufficient enough evidence that you don’t want to be sat next to. Please keep your legs down. The MAX seats are not couches and most adults have stopped using their legs to save spots after the third grade.
3. When offering your seat to someone, and that someone declines to sit, don’t follow that up with calling them any names. Not only is this rude, but takes away any of the good deed you were attempting in the first place. In a mathematical sense, if you get 1 golden star in good manners when offering your seat… you get negative 10 stars for calling them a name afterwards. That’s negative NINE gold stars, folks!
4. Please do not sing along with the music in your iPod. Really. It’s weird and awkward to anyone in a listening distance.
5. If you regularly use the MAX, please be sure to bathe. Especially if you ride a crowded MAX. Also, one spray of cologne/perfume is MORE than enough. It’s only a matter of time before you’re standing next to a newly preggo woman who can’t stomach the smell. Trust.
6. For those who love attention and must speak loudly and rudely so that people will give them the side-eye, there’s better ways to get attention. No one is impressed. They are just mildly annoyed.
7. If a person has headphones on and is playing with their phone and reading a book – DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TALK TO THEM. They are not interested in ANYTHING you have to say**

**Unless that something you say is offering some sort of cash prize.

I’ve been riding the MAX for about two weeks now. These are just the things that have been obnoxiously apparent. I’ll probably add more to the list as I become a seasoned MAX rider…

Not Much to Report!

Except that I hate climbing stairs. Always have. Always will.

OH! And I saw that movie called Avatar. In my mind I will call it Pocahontas of the future. Because it was basically the story of Pocahontas. I enjoyed it anyway, after the first wave of nausea left (we watched it in 3D from the second row of the theater... oy). It was definately a movie where I felt it's length too. It was so long, I stopped caring about any of the characters. "Just DIE already!!!" was basically what I was thinking throughout the entire battle scene. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I wasn't so close and if the movie was about an hour shorter.

AND AS ALWAYS, S. Weaver does an amazing job as an alien.

This week I've dropped 3 more pounds despite two parties and a lack of exercising. Holla!

Mirrored Gyms

It's been so looooooong! Goodness!

Don't worry, though! I'm still planning on running Hood to Coast. In fact... I just received an email about it. We got through the lottery, so it's going to happen as long as my body doesn't give out on me. ::crosses fingers::

My boyfriend's place has a lovely little gym that I can jaunt right over to and work out, so that's quite convienient for me. The only issue I have with it is it's mirrors. Ooooh, the mirrors. The harder I try not to look at myself jogging, the more I glance. My outfits to the gym have become increasingly loose fitting in attempt to not see my jiggle. My outfits to the gym have FAILED in hiding my jiggle. So. Much. Jiggle.

Which is why I've added dieting to my regiment! Hoody-hoo! I've added a "list" to the side of this blog showing exactly what I weigh. I weigh a lot more than I thought I did before the Holidays. Brutal. I'm already down five pounds, and will let you know my progress! Because I know you care.

I've also got a camera on it's way from Georgia, so hopefully very soon this blog will be a pictured blog! Much more entertaining that way.

So, yay! I'm back! And now I'm leaving as I'm starving and have some tomato soup calling my name.