Half Anniversary

Six months (and one day) ago, Hubs and I got married. Seemed like a good enough reason to post some wedding photos! I'll start out with some pre-wedding pics today, and then add some more later this week. Enjoy :)

The girls got to the church first, and staked out our area.

With the help of my entourage, I put my dress on (in front of a small crowd of people). What you can't see in this picture, is the attractive pair of spanx I was wearing. Hello, wedding night!

Mark had his brother deliver a gift up to the girls' room before the ceremony. It was a beautiful engraved jewelry box filled with all these little cards on which Mark had written out reasons he loved me (le sigh). Well, I didn't go down through them all and packed it away to look at later. Cue to us up on the alter during the mass, and Mark leans over and whispers to ask if I looked at the bottom of the box. I was like yes, I looked all the way through them! And he was like, no I don't think you did. Turns out there was a diamond necklace at the bottom of the jewelry box that i totally missed! He thought maybe I didn't like it, since I wasn't wearing it during the wedding. Psh! What's not to love about diamonds?!

My girls hung out during the prepping.

It rained (for the first time in MONTHS) all morning on wedding day. I had a lady come to my parents' house and curl my hair before we went to the church, but the humidity and weather took a toll on it. So my friend (who anchors the news in Kansas City and has the best hairspray EVER) re-curled it all before everything got started!

Meanwhile, the boys arrived and were hanging out in the church. I sent my gift to Mark down to them, which was this collage of pictures, tickets, receipts, emails, etc. from our time dating (yes, i save pretty much every. single. thing)

I also gifted Hubs these snazzy new shades, just in time for our beach honeymoon.

As go-time got closer, some b-maids checked out the crowd in the church. The "bride's room" was actually the old choir loft up in the back upstairs of the church, so we had a good ariel view of guests arriving and filling the pews.

Our little ring bearer got some last minute pointers from his Mom...

And Mark hung out with Jesus, while holding some flowers.

Mark's little cousins passed out the programs...

I came down to take my place...

And Dad and I got ready to go!

Four friends and a polar bear walk into a bar....

Lazy {Snow} Day

Up here in the burbs, we are getting some pretty decent snow today! We have about 4 inches stacked up on the fence and back patio chairs, and the entire yard and streets are covered in perfect white. Seeing as how this happens only about once a year, I've got the blinds on every window pulled up so we can watch it fall. It would be really nice if it all stuck around tonight and froze before the morning so I can get a day off, but I'm not counting on it. It seems as if down closer to Dallas there is virtually nothing on the ground, so my school's probably just fine. Oh well.

So I'm down two pounds this week! I was really excited to see that my week of eating well and working out did in fact make a difference. I am all set to keep with it this week, although I'm afraid I might have regained those two little pounds last night. We went out with some friends and drank wine, ate Italian food, and snacked on M&M's. I [reluctantly] calculated all the points I consumed this morning and will have to be better this week to make up for it. Some trips to the gym are in order!

We took the Christmas decorations down today and everything is boxed up in the attic..... except for the tree itself. It might stand around for another week or so, but at least some good progress was made today. We've got chili in the crock pot and football on TV. A perfect, snowy Sunday.

Clogging up the Treadmills Every January

I went to the gym (wait for it).... 3 days in a row! I would have gone last night to make it 4, but I didn't get home until after 7:00 and was just too tired. So I watched two episodes of I Used to Be Fat instead. That's almost like going to the gym, right?

Back in the day, I was a fairly frequent gym attender. I went to classes several times per week and would get totally annoyed in January when suddenly there were three times as many people in them. And now, I am that annoying person. I am a Gym Resolutioner. On Wednesday I went to the pilates class at my gym. I have never in my life been to a class at this gym, since I've only belonged there since moving after getting married and, let's be honest, I've been like twelve times total since then and have stuck to the machines. So the pilates class starts at 6:30 and the website says to come early, especially if you are new to the class. So I show up at about 6:15 and wander down the hall to the assigned room and sit outside the door. There is one older guy (like in his 50's older) waiting too. 6:27 rolls around and I start to get nervous that I am in the wrong room because Where are all the other Gym Resolutioners?! 6:35ish, the instructor shows up and opens the door. There are a whopping four of us in the class, and I am the lone Resolutioner. As in the only new kid in the class. The other 3 people are all at least 20 years older then me, and obvi come every week because they were all comparing their weeks and asking about one of the lady's son's wedding in Connecticut over the weekend. At this point I totally want to bail but can't because I am the lone New Kid, who is clearly here to kick off her New Year Resolution and I can't just walk about like I got scared or something. So I go though an hour of the slowest pilates class ever. I guess they tone it down for the 50+ crowd around here. But I am a little sore today, so it must have done some good.

Today there was this big huge strawberry cake at work for all the January birthdays. I had a (rather large) piece and I'm not even feeling guilty. It was soooo good. But, I might have to hit up another Senior Pilates class this weekend.

Yesterday after work I did some shopping (hence not making it to the gym) and OMGyouguys. I found some awesome sales. Like at [my number one favorite store ever] Loft, I found this precious black dress for $19.99. But it was 40% off all sale, so it rang up for $11.88. The girl checking me out had to double check the price on another register because she didn't believe it was ringing up correctly. I think it was regularly $98. I tried to find a picture online of the dress, but it must be sold out online. It's a cute little black dress with these poufs on the sleeves, which I realize sounds very 80's but really it is just adorbs. I think it will be making some appearances this summer when I'm sporting a tan and attending fancy parties (that will happen, right?).

I know it's only January 7 and it isn't even that late yet, but we still have ALL the Christmas decorations up (tree included) at our house. I have zero motivation to take it all down. The tree is in the front living room, which we never even go into, so it's not like it's really staring me in the face every day saying "put me back in the attic..." The stockings are even still hanging on the mantle. Bleh. Decorating for the holidays, I'm all about. Putting it all away, not so much. Will someone just come do it for me? I'll pay you in Lean Cuisines and low-cal popcorn. I seem to have a lot of it in the pantry these days.

Happy weekend, my friends. My first weigh-in since starting WW is tomorrow. Let's hope I'm down at least one measly pound!

Eleven in Eleven

There’s nothing quite like the prospect of a brand new, squeaky clean, untouched year to give you the chance to improve things in and around you. New Year’s Resolutions may be a bit cheesy, but I am taking them on in full-force this year, and I really feel like this is a great time to make some changes for the better. I feel like the first half of 2010 was consumed with the wedding, so much so that every day I was thinking/doing/stressing about something to do with it. Then post-wedding, there was such a relief in getting to live a “normal” life again (in the same house as a boy!) that I got really, really lazy. Don’t get me wrong, it was a lot of fun. But many of the things that used to be important to me (being healthy, participating in activities other than snuggling on the couch with the hubs watching TV all evening) started to take the back burner. Mark and I have both been really looking forward to 2011 over the past couple of [crazy holiday] weeks. We are both really ready for a fresh start. So I sat down and came up with not one, not two, but eleven resolutions for this year. They aren’t really things I can suddenly complete and check off my list in one day. They are tasks I want to take on for the long run, so that this year can be a great one.

So without further ado, my Eleven Resolutions for 2011!

1. Establish Date Night. January 10^th will be our 6 month anniversary and I think it’s time we start consciously taking some time away from our usual after-work routine to do something fun each month, on the tenth. Does not have to include eating out somewhere. Could be taking the pups to the Dog Park or hitting up the Red Box for a movie on the couch. Rain checks are allowed, if the tenth gets booked up, as long as Date Night is celebrated each and every month.

2. Drop some LB’s/Get in Shape. See yesterday’s post. No more stuffing my face with chips when I’m bored. More gym time (last night was my first time this year!). Stick with WW so that my pants can once again button painlessly. Start adding in weight training. See how many pushups I can do over time.

3. Complete an Official Race That Actually Requires Registering. As in don’t just run 3.14 miles on the treadmill one night and call it a 5K. Sign up for and finish at least three 5K races in 2011. Train for and complete one longer race… perhaps a 10K. Maybe, just maybe, a half-marathon.

4. Cook Dinner/Try New Recipes /Be Wifely. Mark and I have really slipped into a do-it-yourself dinner mentality. He makes himself a PB sandwich, I microwave whatever’s around and we eat our separate meals together. It’s a rare occasion when one of us prepares a meal and we actually eat the same thing at the same time. Between our wedding and now Christmas, we must have about 6 new cookbooks to start testing out. Prepare a meal at home at least twice a week.

5. Officially Become a United Mr. and Mrs. Not long after the wedding I stood in the respective lines and got my name legally changed on my social security card and driver’s license. Then I quit becoming Amanda NewLastName. Call credit card companies and request new cards with new name. Set up a date at the bank and merge my account with his so we can become a joint-operating couple. No more whose turn is it to pay? Add my name to the house and his car. Add his name to my car and the cat ;)

6. Send Birthday Cards. I love when far away friends remember my birthday and send a card. I always want to be that friend, but without fail forget to get a card until it’s too late to even be belated. Get organized this year and get those cards in the mail!

7. Dress Cute More Often. This doesn’t mean go out and buy a lot of new clothes (I wish), but rather think about my appearance for the regular days and not just the going-somewhere-special days. I tend to throw on a pair of black/gray/tan pants for work every day with some sort of sweater/cardigan combo and the exact same pair of shoes. If I’m feeling extra fancy, I’ll add a necklace. I want to feel good about myself every day, which can be as simple as looking in my closet and piecing some new outfits together or wearing my hair in some way other than straightened with a headband. I read so many fun magazines and follow so many great fashion blogs (like here, here, here and here), I have plenty of inspiration. It’s time to start putting some of it to good use!

8. Change of Attitude. I tend to complain. A lot. I know it’s a fault (likely my biggest one). I often resolve to look on the brighter side of things, and this year is no different. No more whining about my commute, my job, my boss, my friends, my family, the dogs, the cat, the weather, the food, the alarm clock, the gym, etc. etc. You get the point. Make an effort to be more cheery on a more regular basis.

9. Attend Church Regularly. As in every Sunday. In a row.

10. Read. This isn’t something that I thought would ever pop up on my resolution list, seeing as how I typically read all the time. But married life changes things and I’m finding myself with less and less time to curl up with a good book. I’ve thought of all kinds of book lists I’d like to tackle this year. Like all of Jane Eyre. Or all the Harry Potter books (again). Or half my “To Read” list on Goodreads. Either way, make the time to read more. I miss it.

11. Do Something Nice for Mark Every Day. Show him some love and appreciation for all he does for me whenever possible. Cook dinner, fill up the car with gas, give him a backrub, tell him thank you, write him a little note, give him an extra kiss goodnight, tell him he looks cute, fold his laundry, vacuum the floor, bring him a DP. Things I do a lot, but not often enough. No gesture is too small! I’m lucky to have the Hubs and want him to know I feel that way every day.

I know we are only four days into the New Year, but I’m feeling good about some positive change this year! What are you resolving to do differently in Eleven?

Cliche

I joined Weight Watchers on January1.

It's probably their most popular sign-up day ever and I decided to jump on the Resolution Bandwagon as well. I am really wanting some extra motivation in 2011 to drop some of these LB's I've gained since this summer and I think WW could help me out again. Today was my first day back at work since before the holidays and let's just say that I had to try 3 different pairs of black pants before I found a pair that weren't a little too snug! I did Weight Watchers before my wedding and had a decent amount of success, and this time around I'm hoping for an even better experience. I'll do my weigh in's on Monday, so check back... I just might share my results :)

The Hubs is looking to lose weight with me, although he's not using WW. But I think with both of us in this new mindset together, we'll push each other to go to the gym after work, cook at home instead of grabbing fast food, and altogether be healthier each day. We are both a little softer on the edges since the wedding (maybe even the softest since we've known each other!) and are looking to slim down and tone up in '11. I don't know why, but I really feel like we're going to do well this time around. We always say we'll start a diet on Monday, quit eating so much crap tomorrow, blah, blah, blah. But I think we are really ready to do this and do it right. Call it the New Year or call it none-of-my-jeans-fit-so-what-am-I-supposed-to-wear. I'm almost excited to start hitting up the gym and steaming some veggies!

Happy New Year my friends!