Amazing Ladies

date night with our mom's at the gorge to see brad paisley

andrew and I are so blessed by our mothers. we are very close with both my mom and his mom and for this i am extremely thankful. they offer unending support. realistic advice. untiring encouragement.

they each love both of us. we each have a special, individual relationship with them; not just because we are future in-laws, but because we are in-dividuals.

they have raised us to be two individuals who are prepared for one another. i often stop and think how thankful i am that our parents had such strong (and conveniently similar) values, so that as we grew we were being fashioned for one another. what a gift!

{i happen to think they are pretty beautiful too.}

more pictures of the evening:

mom and her not-so-amazing binocular skills

campbell's

mom and i : labberton ladies

the gorge was so beautiful that evening, we couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather

preparations

This whole marriage thing is staring to seem real. As in, the wedding is actually going to happen. The people are going to home, the priest is going to be there, in front of everyone we are going to officially begin our life together.
The two of us.
Just us.
He and I. (and God of course!)

We are starting to make plans for that life. For what it will look like when we are husband and wife. For where we will live and what we will do and how it will all work. These are things that we have been talking about for a long time, but now, NOW, they are becoming concrete. Now we have to act, make a move, and actively prepare for our life together.
I couldn't be more thankful, or excited.
It's coming. The two of us. Together. Married.

Seattle {Sunday}

Andrew planned a quick trip to Seattle for the two of us to celebrate our 5 years together (5 years!!). I was so excited that I did not have to do the planning or deal with details. We finally made it to a Mariner's game. We have been talking about going every summer for the past few years and somehow our busy schedules have not allowed us to whittle out time to go. I jumped onto StubHub and got our tickets for $3.99 a piece! I was shocked. My brother teased me for being so cheap and purchasing such horrible seats, but really all I want to do is go to the ballpark, people watch, and have some junk food. Andrew didn't seem to mind the nosebleed section too much either. We ended up having the most gorgeous weather that day and we both left the game with pink cheeks and noses, I had worn my Uggs because I thought that we would freeze! Sun in Seattle is always a pleasant surprise.

I thought this was so funny. This man had a whole kiosk that went around with him on his segway.

Andrew watching the pitcher warm up.

On a recommendation from our friend Lauren we ate dinner at The Pink Door in Pike Place Market. They had delicious Italian food and great atmosphere. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed some more of the beautiful weather as we looked out past the market to the waterfront.

we think we are funny.
I love the look on Andrew's face in this picture!!

Seattle {Monday}

Andrew and I went to breakfast on a recommendation from my friend Lauren. She said that we should check out Lowell's in the market, and she would not lead up wrong! We got up early enough to get to the restaurant before it was too crowded. This ended up paying off because we got a table by the window on the very cozy second floor. Just looking at the restaurant from the entrance in the market I would have never guessed that it was this big inside! The view was perfect - right out to the water where we watched the ferries come and go. It was a dreary sort of day which made the warm restaurant that much more inviting. If you find yourself in downtown Seattle looking for breakfast, I highly recommend this place!

Andrew's drink of choice: fresh squeezed orange juice, and mine: coffee.

After breakfast we were ready to shop but apparently we are a little to eager for this town! The shops that we wanted to visit did not open until 10 am but Nordstrom's opened at 9:30. This is Andrew waiting every so patiently with me for Nordie's to open. And then we was the one that ended up buying clothes there!

A little bit of life

Last week I got to spend a lot of time with these two girls. Maybe it was the intoxication of the fair food, maybe it was the country music, or getting caught in the rain with them. Whatever it was I couldn't help but reminisce about how these girls have taught me to be a little bit country. Because of them I have ridden a horse, learned to love country music, sung at the top of my lungs at countless country concerts, looked at steer butts, cheered on pooper scoopers at the community parade, learned about: rodeo, fair, farm life, working hard, toughening up. All of these things are memories and lessons that I cherish.

Grandpa Jeep

Mom and Dad recently spent a few days with their darling granddaughter. She is almost one! I can't believe it! Mom has always been head over heels for her but Dad seems to be falling more and more in love with this little girl! Of course he loved her to begin with but now he will just start laughing to himself as he's thinking about her, tell stories about her, and count the days until he gets to see her again.

Wedding Planner

She may not look it, but this woman, is my wedding planner. She has amazing taste in color, decor, flowers. She is original ideas. She has ideas old and new and fresh and different and classic all rolled into one. I can tell her what I'm thinking and she runs with it, coming up with something more interesting, dimensional and beautiful than I could have thought. Thank goodness she's on my team. She is going to make my wedding ideas realities.
Did I mention she's a lot of fun too?