Wedding Wednesday {Shower Recap}

Hello Interweb! 

I know I promised a recap of my Alice in Wonderland bridal shower on Monday, but this week my work and personal life have been sucking up all of my brain power.

The shower was AMAZING! It was hosted by my future sister in law and her mother, Renee, In Renee's beautiful back garden. The space is so colorful and lush; it was the perfect setting.

I started the day in Santa Barbara, getting my hair done with one of my besties at Shine Blow Dry Bar. If you live in Santa Barbara, I highly encourage you to try it out. They do not do any cuts or color, simply old fashion hair setting. We were washed, dried, curled, and sprayed to perfection. Such a fun, girly experience!

After mimosas, a group of us carpooled to the shower together and arrived to find an amazing experience. I could try to describe it to you, but I think pictures would be better. I have included a link to my photo book of the day at the bottom of this post. 

The food was delicious and I received some gorgeous gift from my girls and future family. Everything from kitchen gadgets, to earrings, to a spa certificate (woohoo!), to a fun book on vintage tea parties. I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many kind women. 

Sorry to keep this post short, but my Outlook is calling. Hope you enjoy the photos!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Friday Confessions

It's not often that I say this, but this week has whizzed by! The last thing I remember was waking up, hating Monday morning, and now it is Friday. That being said, I couldn't be more pleased with the current day of the week. So link up with Leslie and let's 'fess!

I  Confess....

~ The Lion Man's birthday is in exactly 10 days and I have yet to put very much thought (or action) into gifts, a party, or anything else to make the day special. I feel awful, but life has bee NUTS lately. Don't worry, I'll think of something... I hope.

~ I am afraid that no one will show up to my bridal shower tomorrow. This is a completely unfounded fear, but it's still sitting in the back of my mind quaking with anxiety. Kind of like when you're afraid that you will be the only one in costume at a costume party.

~ My little sister is pregnant, and it is driving me bananas. I am happy for her and excited to have a little niece of nephew, but I always thought I would be the first one to produce a grand child (Hello, and welcome to my insanely competitive side). She was always trying to beat me at something, and now she has. Well played, Lumpy. Well played.

~ Not having a car of my own is beginning to get to me. I had an old Volvo that I loved heart and soul. She and I had an agreement that if she kept running, I would keep changing her oil. Sadly, she did not keep her end of the bargain and we had to send her to Volvo Valhalla.  Lion Man has an old truck he has been driving, and I have taken over his VW Golf. It's a little nerve racking driving someone else's car, and I feel like I can't see anything when I'm in it! I have been in constant fear of someone hitting it, opening their door into it in a parking lot, keying it, pebbles flying into the window on the highway... the list continues. I'm ready to again have my own car so I only have to worry about my reaction if it is damaged in some way. But, as with everything, after the wedding.

~ Sushi. I don't know what it is lately, but I have had a hankering for some raw fish like nobody's business.

~ I have a BIG announcement that I can't wait to share! But I have to wait until after we tell the family. The anticipation of telling everyone is killing me!

Early next week I'll be doing a recap of my Alice and Wonderland shower! Hopefully I will have some cute pictures to share with you!


Until then...

Keep it Fancy,

Jett

Wedding Wednesday {Freedom}

When I was young, being told to wait any amount of time was an eternity. How long until dinner? 10 minutes. 10 MINUTES?! How could my mother expect me to go without food for that long? A week might as well be a decade, and next year may never come. Life move so slowly as a child.

My grandmother always said that time would speed up as I got older, but I never really believed her. It was just one of those grandmothery things that she would say. It wasn't until last year that her prophecy came true. 2012 was the fastest year I have ever experienced. It skipped from New Years, to our engagement party in July, to Christmas, then slid easily into 2013. I remember all the events of last year (and believe me, there were many) but it all seems condensed, as if the whole year took place over a matter of weeks. 

Many brides (or expectant mothers, or college students, or anyone else waiting for anything exciting) tend to wish time away. Daily count downs until the big event. Not me. I am so excited to have a wedding and be married, but I want to be sure I soak up ever single minute of the un-wed stage of my life that will soon be coming to a close. I want to take pictures, to write notes, to document this end of an era in such a way that I could look back to see, feel, and taste what the last few months of my unmarried life were like. 

Sadly, I can't. I feel time slipping through my fingers like water and I have no way to stop it. No way to bottle my current feelings of anxiety, elation, joy, and freedom.

After the wedding I will forever forward be attached to another human. I will never again be able to make a big decision without consulting The Lion Man to make sure we are on the same page. That's fine, and the way it should be, but it will be an adjustment. 

While searching for ceremony readings, I cam across a beautiful poem containing a line that read "Today I join my freedom to yours." Exactly. Marriage is not an end to freedom, it is adjusting your view of what freedom means. Once married, one can no longer exercise their freedom at the expense of their partner's.  The reckless, at times dangerous, freedom of youth is gone and is to be replaced with mindful freedom. Freedom paired with thought. 

Marriage wont be the end of freedom, just a different kind of freedom. As we race head long toward our wedding day, I am learning this fact, and loving it. My single years may be dripping through my fingers, but they are being replaced with my future, OUR future, and I could not be more excited to embrace that change. Until then, I am still going to try to capture every bit of the life I have now. 

***

This Saturday is my bridal shower! I chose an Alice in Wonderland theme and my fabulous and crafty Future Sis and her mother are planning the party. Everyone will be dressed in Wonderland-esque clothing, lots of champagne tea, and some fun games! I'll give you all the details next Wedding Wednesday!

Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Girly Time

The Lion Man left Thursday night for his bachelor weekend in Tahoe. One of his groomsmen owns a cabin there, so the boys piled into a rented van and took off to the north and us women folk were left to our own devices. It was glorious...

Almost all of my close friends are in relationships. It is a rarity that we get to hang out without worrying about the boys (If we stay out past dinner, will they starve?). This weekend, they were incommunicado. From what I understand, they enjoyed a weekend full of  whiskey, poker, golf, beer, poker, whiskey, food, more beer, you get the idea. Of course we missed them, but we were able to remain thoroughly occupied. 

Thursday night I indulged in some delicious ribs (which I was under no obligation to share) and a couple hours of my favorite show (which I did not have to change for sports at any point). Friday, having no pressing need to get home, I spent longer at the gym than I usually do, followed by cheese and a bottle of wine for dinner. I was able to finish addressing all of the wedding invitations without needing to divide my attention, except for refilling my glass in petting the nugget dog. 

Saturday the real fun started. My future sister in law and I stopped by the jewelry shop where my wedding band is being made, but it was not yet ready (That stinking band deserves a blog post of its own!). Picking up the band was really an excuse to oogle all the sparkly things anyway! This is hard to do with the guys in toe. I love, love, love my engagement ring. But I also like to try on 4 karat boulders because WHO DOESN'T? However, The Lion Man perceives this as dissatisfaction with my current rock, so I try not to do it in front of him. We were unchaperoned in the shop, so Future Sis and I were like unsupervised children in a candy store. So many sparkles!

That little adventure was followed by a trip to the nail salon. I had been an absolute age since I had gotten my toes done, so I indulged a bit. Sea salt scrub, clay masque, warm towel wrap? Yes please! She has been married to my fiance's brother for about a year and a half, so I used this alone time as an opportunity to pick her brain. I am so happy we will soon be related!

That night I had a sleep over with one of my besties. We dressed up and took a cab downtown for dinner and drinks. She is married to a wonderful man who is also good friends with The Lion Man. This it great, but is also means the 2 of us rarely get alone time. Saturday we were able to have candid conversations about nothing and everything. I love it!

Sunday morning we went to breakfast with another friend whose husband was ALSO in Tahoe, then to the beach with the pups. 

By the time the evening rolled around it finally struck me how exhausted I was. I have hoped to clean the house and make dinner before Lion Man got home. Instead, he found me half asleep in bed, the house a mess, and not a whole heck of a lot accomplished for being home alone for 3 days. I didn't care. 

As we get older and pair off, I think it becomes more important for women to nurture their relationships with other women. Unfortunately, as we get older and pair off, it becomes increasingly more difficult to nurture relationships with other women. I had forgotten how important one on one time with the ladies is until this weekend. Now that has been bumped up several rungs on the priorities list.

So here's to all you ladies. 


Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Why I Blog

As I mentioned yesterday, I am linking up with Leslie at A Blonde Ambition for Why I Blog. I am excited to hear what you all have to say!

I have never been one for writing in a diary. It is not the process of writing the turns me off, but that fact that one day someone may find that journal and be able to read my secret thoughts and musings. I was teased a lot in elementary school, so I learned to keep anything beyond superficial thoughts and feelings to myself; to safeguard my "me." Writing down personal things made me feel vulnerable, so I never did. 

I've grown out of that awkward phase (thank the baby Jesus), but still am uncomfortable completely opening myself to one person (Lion Man excluded). I have a group of really amazing friends, but I find it difficult to show my entire personality to any one of them. Now, please don't think I keep secrets or lie to my friends; they all know me. I just have a habit of playing up/down certain parts of my life or personality depending on who I am interacting with. 

Everyone does this. People connect better when they are able to share an activity or experience. You do yoga with your active friend, thrift shop with your hippy friend, and go dancing with your party friend.  But often I find that there is still a little voice urging me to like what they like and do what they do out of fear of judgement. The little, fat, elementary school girl that lives in my head begs me to be as chameleon-like as possible to avoid rejection. 

My friends are wonderful, and there is no reason for me to do this. They would love me even if I decided to only wear burlap sacks and renounce hair washing. But I still feel haunted by my past, whispering that I have to pretend in order to fit in.  

I wouldn't call myself a blog lurker, but there are a few people I have been following for a while. At first I considered blogging narcissistic. Seriously, you people think you can put your lives in the interwebs and anyone would care? 

However, after a while, I began to realize that it wasn't about showcasing your life or soliciting feedback. People would write whether anyone was reading or not. They had carved out a little (cyber)space and were using it as a platform for self growth and expression, for documenting important events, and, at times, as tiny soap boxes, even if no one was listening. And there is no fear of someone finding their secret diary. By volunteering their thoughts and feelings to the universe, they diffused any power a journal-snoop might have over them. 

Most importantly, they were not writing for any specific audience. They were writing for the sake of writing. Those who enjoyed it would read, and those that didn't, wouldn't. And this, my friends, is what finally got me: If I blogged, I would have no reason to modify myself. If I wanted to talk about fashion, gardening, wedding, love, life, crafting, whatever, I could. And, because there are so many beautiful, different people out there, the internet would listen.

So, I started my little blog just a few short weeks ago and am surprised by the bits of my personality that are beginning to reveal themselves with the fear of rejection removed. 

We'll see how long I can keep this going, but I have really enjoyed these first few steps in the journey. 

Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Why I Blog {Link Up}

Lovely Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition Is hosting a link up tomorrow titled Why I Blog (she's so full of good ideas).

I'm new to blogging, and can't really yet put my finger on why I do it. It's been fun and rewarding thus far, but my reasons have been elusive, even to me! I'm excited to participate in Leslie's link up tomorrow to see why others blog and explore my own reasons for doing so. Plus it will be a great way to discover other blogs!

If you would like to participate, swing by here, or A Blonde Ambition, tomorrow to grab the Why I Blog button and throw your hat in the ring! I can't wait to hear what you all have to say.

Until tomorrow.


Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Wedding Wednesday {Less is More}

Wedding planning is all about lists. Who to invite, what to serve, decorations, traditions, to-do's. The Knot can offer you a list for whatever mood you are in. Want to think about your registry? They have a list of the top registry items. In the mood for modern customs? They have a list for that too. 

During the time when I was trying to envisioning my wedding, these lists kept creeping in. I generally knew what I wanted, but once I realized how many beautiful and creative options there were for decorations  it became difficult to narrow it down to one cohesive idea.

We are having a fiesta themed wedding. I didn't select any specific colors because I wanted it to be just plain colorful. I wanted manzanita center pieces, papel picado banners, multi-colored table cloths, succulents in colorful pots, confetti, paper puffballs... I wanted to venue to look so festive that our guests could help but party!

Manzanita Center Pieces

Papel Picado

Color Everywhere

Puffs

More color. I needed more color. It got to the point where I was equating color with festive, festive with fun, fun with the wedding, the wedding with my marriage, and oh my god if there is not enough color at the damned wedding we'll be divorced within a year. 

The Lion Man has a good head on his shoulders and gently tried to keep me away from turning our wedding into a tacky nightmare, but he could only do so much.

It wasn't until last week when we met with our wedding coordinator Shelley (If you are getting married in the Santa Barbara area, please look her up here, she is wonderful) that I actually saw the light. 

There we stood, in the middle of our gorgeous, historic venue while I rattled off all the things I wanted to fill it with. 

She let me finish then asked "Why do you want to cover such a beautiful space?"

Uhhhhh... because the interwebs told me I had to fixate on decorations? Yeah, I didn't have a good answer for that one.  

To give you an idea of what she was talking about, here is a picture of the location with no decorations:

The lights are already there, so we don't even have to worry about those.

She was right. All the space needs to dress it up is some white table cloths, colorful napkins, and well placed candles. There is no reason for me to hand cut sheets of papel picado, sew table runners, or make a single puff ball. The place is exactly what we wanted, so why change it?

If you are planning a wedding, I urge you to take some time to sit and absorb your venue. Take your phone and look at the decorations you are thinking of spending hours creating while you are sitting in the space. Will they really look good, or are you forcing decorations just for the sake of decorations?

Once I realized more decorations would be detrimental rather than beautiful, a huge weight was lifted. My endless lists of things to do had been significantly shortened. Our wedding was manageable again and I no longer had to dread crafting late into the night.  In fact, we had already taken care of almost everything!

To all you other obsessive do-it-your-selfers out there, just remember to breathe. It's your wedding. There is no need to try to prove you crafting skills when all you should really want to prove is how much you love your partner. 

Besides, with enough booze and food, any wedding will be a blast!

Keep it Fancy,

Jett

Portlandia

This past weekend The Lion Man and I took a little trip up to Portland to scout out what might be our new digs. If you have never been to Portland, go. Now. Why are your still reading? Hop on the next flight to PDX and go get you some Pacific North West. It was an incredible trip, beginning with the airline. 

Neither of us had flow Virgin America before, but had pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that all airlines suck. Grumpy flight attendants, no entertainment, uncomfortable seats, low ceilings... this is what we had gotten used to, until Virgin America.

We rode in the no frills coach section, and it was still plush. After flying Virgin, I'd hate to fly anything else. This was one of the most hassle free, comfortable trips EVER!

Once in Portland, we hit the ground running. After a quick stop at the hotel, we took a drive out the Hillsboro so Lion Man could show me where he may be working. The speed limit there is 55 mph. It was like driving through molasses. Thankfully, nothing is too far away, otherwise this slow motion driving could be a real problem. As irritating as it was, the slow speed did give us a chance to take in the scenery. So lush and mossy compared to arid So Cal. The city feels like it was dropped into the middle of a forest and land managed to leave the surrounding land untouched. Gorgeous.

We made our way from Hillsboro to the northern neighborhood of St Johns. It is one of the "up and coming" neighborhoods in the area. Meaning, housing is fairly inexpensive and the vibe is a little gritter than some of the other areas. I wouldn't call it dangerous,   but there were some unsavory looking youths about.

 Many of the houses were well cared for, and you could tell the town was really beginning to show some pride of ownership. We drove past a lot that was full of activity. There was a farm stand, several tents, and some food carts so we decided to check it out. The tents were serving a mini bars for wine tastings and some locally brewed beer. There was a man playing music, a little fire chimney, and some delicious food truck Mexican fare. We spent a couple hours letting the tranquil ambiance wash over us. Portland had me, hook, line, and sinker. 

The next morning we were up early for a trip to Voodoo Doughnuts, coffee, and the Saturday Market. We rode the MAX downtown for fun. I was shocked at how clean it was. I always though public transportation was synonymous with a sticky, pee smell. Portland turned that assumption on it's head!

Lion Man with a chocolate, coco puff covered, doughnut
I had a chocolate topped, cream filled creation

The Saturday Market takes place right next to the river. Rows and rows of stalls feature locally made, hand crafted items. Anything from clothes, to cosmetics, to beautiful jewelry, to any other kind of art you can imagine. We fell in love with the block printing creations at one booth and are in the process of commissioning a piece to use as a guest book at our wedding!

We took a walk up to Pioneer Square and explored some of the shops. There is no lack of unique, vintage boutiques in that area.  One shop featured dresses that were modern designs, but crafted from antique fabric and lace. Had I not already purchased a wedding dress, I think I could have found on there!

After a quick stop at Powell's , a bookstore the size of an entire city block, we went to the Rogue Brewery for some beer tasting. 

We have always been fans of their beer, and it was neat to experience it in the brewery. I fell in love with a Ginger Beer brewed at a Rogue offshoot called The Buckman Brewery. I could have consumed that, and nothing but that, for the duration of the trip. It was light with a crispy ginger bite. A prefect late summer beer. We grabbed a cuban sandwich as a quick snack at one of the bajillion food carts before taking the MAX back to the hotel.

Cart, after cart, after cart....

Later that afternoon we went back out to St John's to look at a rental house, then back downtown for some music. We found the perfect spot:

The Thirsty Lion!

The next Day we had a delicious breakfast out in Multnomah at O'Connors, then spent the rest of the day touring open houses to get an idea of what would be in our price range and what neighborhood we would like to live in. This was the first time we had been house hunting together and it was such fun! We discovered what the other liked and didn't like, common preferences and things we will have to compromise on. It was exhausting but enlightening. 

Then suddenly it was Monday! Our flight was in the early afternoon, so we took a quick trip to see the Pittock Mansion. It was once owned by a wealthy newspaper owner, but has since been turned into a museum.

Unfortunately the museum was closed when we arrived, so we could not tour the house. We did, however,  get a wonderful view of the city. Monday was clear and sunny and we could see all the way to Mt Hood and Mt St Helens. 

Mt St Helens

We are still waiting for one more bit of information before we make our decision, but it is safe to say that I would not have a problem calling this eclectic little town home.  

We had a meeting with our Wedding Coordinator last week, so I have a lot to share tomorrow for my second installment of Wedding Wednesday!

Until then...

Keep it Fancy,

Jett

Friday Confessions

It is finally the best day of the week! Relax, sip some wine, and take some time to get everything off your chest, it's time for a Friday 'fess sesh!

I Confess....

~ I fell of the wedding diet bandwagon hard this week. I think I even hit several ice cream trucks before landing in a soft patch of brownies. I'm expecting a call from the gym any day now to make sure I'm ok. 

~ There is some shopping in my near future. I have never really been one for spending money on clothes, but the time has come to retire a majority of my work attire. The local Goodwill is going to receive quite the windfall from my wardrobe. 

Modest enough for work, fun enough for play!

I love this color

How fun is this skirt?
And it could make another appearance around Christmas!

~ I cannot, not, not wait to not have roommates anymore (you liked that quadruple negative, I can tell). I like our current roommates very much, but I would like to start decorating my own space. It would also be nice to be able to leave my dishes in the sink every now and then and not feel guilty.

~ This may be heretical, but I could not care less about shoes. My shoe collection is dismal, and I am not bothered. While I do have an appreciation for a finely made stiletto, I would still prefer to be barefoot. 

~ I am afraid of the dark, but I love horror movies. We saw The Evil Dead remake this week. Oh. My. Lord. I had my eyes covered through most of it and still had the heck scared out of me. The past few nights have been difficult, to say the least. You would think I would stop watching horror movies, but nope, that would be too rational for this girl!

~ I am super excited to sample some of the fine local brews in Portland this weekend. I'll try to take some notes for you!

Phew! I feel better already. Now, off to see what Portland has to offer. See you Tuesday!

Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Weekend Getaway

Today is my last day at work for the week, WooHoo!! Tomorrow morning we will hop on a plane for a non-stop flight to Portland, Oregon. I have lived in California most of my life and have never ventured farther north than Lake Tahoe. I hear the Pacific Northwest is beautiful and cannot wait to experience Stumptown for myself. 

Now, this is not simply a mini-vacation. Rather, more a reconnaissance mission. There is a good chance that we will soon be calling Portland home and we want to get a feel for the area before we commit. Research has been done, maps have been made, neighborhoods have been discussed, and pubs have been pin pointed. We want to soak up as much of the city as we can during the 3 short days we will be there. 

Leaving our beautiful Santa Barbara would be sad, but
 the PNW would bee a nice consolation prize

We are focusing our search mostly on the westside of the city. If we do move there, we want The Lion Man to have a short commute to his potential job out to the west of the city. The nugget dog needs a yard, so we wont be able to be right in the city, as most of the available housing is apartment/condo style. I would like to be within walking/biking distance from at least a couple restaurants and shops. If possible, having the city within biking distance or even a  short metro ride would be great. Oh yeah, and this all must be affordable. 

**Let me pause for a second and qualify the word "affordable." Santa Barbara and affordable do not go exactly hand in hand. Right now we are renting a room in a house for the same amount the we could pay to rent an entire home in most other parts of the country. Part of the reason making this move is so attractive is we may be able to buy a house sooner than we would in Santa Barbara (like, before we are 50).**

We hope to spend at least a little time in most parts of the city, but are focusing our attention on the Hillsdale area and the St John's area. Both are still within the city of Portland, just not downtown.  Hillsdale is in the southwest, and St John's is in the northwest.

Hillsdale has the cutest little mainstreet with all sorts of different shops and events. It reminds me a lot of Santa Barbara. St John's is a little gritter, from what I understand, but still very historic and very beautiful. It looks like it has a funkzone vibe. 

St John's Bridge. How beautiful is that?

After neighborhood shopping, we should have enough time to experience a lot of other things Portland has to offer...

Portland Saturday Market

VooDoo Doughnuts

Try a few of the MANY breweries

And you can't forget the coffee!

Any other suggestions? I would love to hear them!

We are trying to get a somewhat local experience, but it is hard when there is so much to do and see in only 3 days! 

I'll be here tomorrow with my Friday Confessions, then back on Tuesday with a full Portland Report!

Until then...

Keep it Fancy,

Jett

Wedding Wednesday

I went to 3 high schools. Not because I was a bad seed who couldn't fit in (how could you think that?!), but we moved several times during my teen years and always seemed to land in different cities or states. I developed friendships every place we went, but never really fostered a deep connection with people or places. It was always in the back of my mind that we would be moving again, so what was the point? By the time I got to my senior year I wasn't even bothered to purchase a year book. As a result of all this moving, I never developed a proper sense of sentimentality. I wasn't the girl with collages of her friends on her bedroom wall and I never kept a diary. I always wanted to start scrap booking but never felt I had anything worth remembering (plus moving craft supplies from one place to another is a pain in the butt).

Now that I have settled down and have more control over my life than a teenage me did, I have an overwhelming urge to document my experiences. To take pictures and notes and put them in albums, to have something to remember my friends by if I/they move, to have some sort of proof that I was young once with thoughts and feelings and experiences. 

I want to be sure to remember the ups and downs of this crazy journey from here on out. So, in keeping with this train of thought, I give you:

Wedding Wednesday  

The Lion Man proposed in Costa Rica in March of 2012. I had an idea a proposal was coming, but it was the last day of our trip, and still nothing. I decided that maybe I was wrong. Oh well. We made a plan to take a day trip to a small island off the coast and go snorkeling. It was beautiful. We were swimming around, admiring all of the incredible fish and marine life and The Lion Man asked me to take a picture of him with our underwater camera. I pulled it out and started to fidget with the buttons. We went under water and I lifted the camera to snap a shot of him. On the other end of the lens I see him grinning from ear to ear with a laminated card asking me to marry him. Tied to the card with a piece of fishing line was a ring! I gasped. Have you ever tried gasping underwater? I wouldn't recommend it. But once we got passed the choking part of things, the rest of the day was surreal. 

On the plane ride back to The States we had plenty of time to get down to the nitty-gritty of planning. Locations, dates, food, how big, time of day.... We discuss everything, and all the while the Jett in my head is doing cartwheels and chanting "A dress, a dress! I get to buy a wedding dress!!"

I knew exactly what I wanted. I have always loved the styles of the 1940's and 50's. I am by no means a rock-a-billy gal, but I have been known to sport a bouffant every now and again. A poofy, tea length, party dress was a no brainer. 

My mother flew out and she and my future sister-in-law (Hi Meghan!) and I went shopping. I tried on this dress by Fancy New York and LOVED it!

Fancy New York Emily Vintage Tea Length

"It's cute," was the response I got. 

Cute? I have always had an issue with being called cute. 

First of all, I'm 5'9". Not that big girls can't be cute, but I never felt the description matches my body type. 

Secondly, I'm pretty cynical. "Cute" is typically not the adjective people use to describe my personality, and I knew I wanted my dress to be an outward expression of who I am internally.

Finally, I would be wearing this frock while walking toward my future husband. I would prefer to have him think, "Holy cow, I cannot wait to get her naked tonight!" NOT "Aww, isn't she just the cutest thing?"

As much as I love the Fancy dress, cute gave it the boot. 

I tried on several more dresses, none of which really did it for me. The sales lady and I had a heart to heart and finally got to the center of the issue. We wanted a fiesta themed wedding, so why not try on a fiesta themed dress? She brought in a garment that I never would have picked. She begged my to try it on. 

Ok, ok. I wriggled into the thing and let the sales lady button me in me in. It was a custom made dress that the original owner decided she did not want. Ladies, the original owner must have been my twin. The dress was a damn near perfect fit. 

I walked out of the dressing room. My mother gasped, Meghan said "Whoa," and every sales lady in the joint turned to ooggle me in that dress. I knew then that it was MY dress. I still get goose bumps thinking about what it felt like to know for the first time that this is what I would be wearing on my wedding day. 

My advice to you? Don't buy a dress because it is what you think you want. Talk to your sales lady and listen to what she has to say. And please, PLEASE don't order a dress online without first trying it (or something similar) on first. Otherwise you might end up "cute."

Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Before Baby

As I have mentioned a few times (and will a few hundred more times before the big day), The Lion Man and I are getting married. I had been told that as the wedding grows closer people will start asking when we are having a baby. Pphhsss, I thought. Who would be so bold as to ask such a personal question? Well, let me tell you, MOST people are so bold. I have not even committed to the shoes I want to wear on my wedding day and people are wondering when we are going to make a human. 

Not that I don't want a baby or two. There are several people in my life right now who are on the verge of parenthood, and I could not be more excited for them! There are just a few more things that I would like to do with my life (not to mention my body) before I dedicate it to nurturing the future generation. When we do decide to have a baby we will take it very seriously, but until then, here is my Pre-Baby Checklist:

- I want to get my motorcycle license. The Lion Man has his and has owned a couple motor cycles in the past. He is about to buy another one and I don't want to be left in the dust (ba-dum-sss). I don't necessarily want to own a motorcycle or scooter myself, but it would be nice to have the ability to jump on his and take it for a spin every now and then. Plus there is something sexy about a biker chick. The chances of me wanting to do this after I have a little person depending on me? Slim to none.

- I would like to compete in a bikini competition. We have a good friend who has done this for 2 years in a row and loves it. She works with a trainer for 12 weeks, working out 1, 2, 3 times a day and eating a ridiculous amount of protein. In the end she looks like this. How incredible would it be to look back on those pictures and remember the time you were smoking hot!

- I have done a good bit of traveling, but not nearly enough. The list includes Vietnam, Thailand, Spain, and the Patagonia region of South America. I know that traveling doesn't go completely out the window after the addition of a little one, but it definitely has to be put on hiatus for a while. 

- Completing a marathon would be an amazing accomplishment. I have never been a runner, but last year I decided to change that. Training for a half marathon was an incredible mental and physical journey, full of highs and lows. When I finally crossed the finish line I could not believe I had done it. Now that I know I have the ability to move my body over 13 miles, why not go for 26?

- I want to take some time to settle into myself as an adult. The transition from my college years into adulthood has gone well thus far, but I still have some frivolous purchases, expensive dinners, late night parties, and last minute weekend getaways to get under my belt.

Having a baby will be an adventure, but there are other adventures I would like to have first. What about you? What is/was on your Pre-Baby Checklist? If you could go back and do it again, what would you add?


  Keep it Fancy,
Jett

The Lion Man

Happy Monday! 

Don't you want to punch people when they say that? Yeah, me too. I was up far too late last night drinking beer doing wedding things, so I take very little responsibility for the outcome of this post. 

Let me tell you a bit about The Lion Man.

First of all, I find him quite handsome. I mean, just look at him - 

That is one attractive fellow.

Secondly, he is smart. Not like he can solve crossword puzzles really fast smart, but more like he has a PhD in physics smart. Seriously. He does. It blows my mind. 

Lastly (well, not lastly, I could go on while longer), he is so kind. And there is a difference between "nice" and "kind." Nice says sweet things and is not, well, mean, to put it bluntly. Of course The Lion Man is nice, but he is also genuinely concerned about making sure everyone around him feels liked and wanted. He goes out of his way to make people feel special. At times it can be pesky, but I would not change that attribute one bit. 

"Well woop-de-freaking-do for Jett,"

I hear you, and I get it. But here's the thing: I'm not bragging. I seriously just cannot believe I ended up with this guy. This must be some cosmic mix up and the gods will soon swoop down from on high and correct the error. 

Of course, I try not to point this mistake out to The Lion Man. I just play along and hope he doesn't realize he could do WAY better... At least until the wedding, because after that he's trapped, Muahahaha!!

But seriously, sometimes I feel so unworthy of his love. I'll do, or say, or think something that makes me feel so beneath what he deserves. This is not his fault, it is my own assessment. And I am not usually one for beating myself up. 

Do you ever feel like that with your significant other? Like you won the lottery but you didn't even buy a ticket?

Woah. That got heavy. Not where I meant to go with this, but thanks for the therapy, Internet. 

I have a post planned for tomorrow that will be more fun, pinky swear. 

Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Friday Confessions

Aren't you just pleased as punch that it is Friday?! ME TOO!

We have some great friends coming into town for the weekend. They moved away about 3 months ago and it is going to be wonderful to spend some time catching up. Then it is down to Camarillo to see my future sister in law and do some much needed shopping. I can't wait to get out from behind this desk and in front of a glass of vino!

I have been following Leslie over at A Blonde Ambition for a while now. If you don't know her blog, I recommend checking it out. She does a fun little link up ever week called Confessional Friday. Topics range from guilty purchases to food indulgences to fun little admissions. So, without further ado...

I Confess....

~ The Lion Man plays poker on Thursday nights, which I thoroughly encourage. I love being around him, but it is also very nice to have a night to myself to eat whatever I want and not have to share. Honestly. I'm a fat girl in a skinny girl's body.

~ More often than not, when I drop something on the kitchen floor I call the dog in rather than clean it up. I'm not a slob, I swear.

~ I often get excited just before going to bed because that means when I wake up I get to drink coffee. Does anyone else have this, uh, issue?

~ The Lion Man applied for and job in Irvine and will most likely receive an offer. We are going to visit Irvine this Sunday. Saying I am less than thrilled about the prospect of living in Irvine is an understatement. 

~ He will also most likely receive an offer from a company in Portland. I am excited about visiting Portland next weekend, Like, Why-is-it-not-next-Thursday-already excited!

Those are my tame little confessions for the week. We don't really know each other yet, internet, so I didn't want to lay out all my skeletons on the first go around. You know, gotta keep you guessing, at least for a little while!

Any juicy confessions this week? Let it out!

Keep it Fancy,
Jett

Ketchup or Catsup?

"We are going to Little Alex's for dinner."
"No. I don't want Mexican."
"Well, your father and I do, and that is where we want to go."
"But I don't waaannnnt toooooo."

Do you know what I would do for a conversation like that again? At the time I hated it. Being told what to do was the worst. However, 30 is now lurking right around the corner and there is nothing I wouldn't give to have my parents swoop in and make definitive, all knowing decisions for me.

I am getting married in exactly 100 (holyshit) days. This is a wonderful thing. This means I get to spend the rest of my life having Calvin and Hobbs-esk adventures with my best good friend and our little dog. It's going to be great!

HOWEVER, before that time begins, we have to have a wedding. Now, now. Before you go and start calling me spoiled and ungrateful let me tell you that:

(1) We are paying for it ourselves 

(2) The Lion-Man is currently job hunting, which is always stressful, especially when you pile it onto a wedding

(3) We couldn't be more excited about having a party for us, by us, and about us

Aside from the wedding, there are a lot of big decisions ahead of us. What job would make Lion-Man the happiest? Where would be the best place to raise kids? Is moving so far away from family really worth it? 

These are big life changing questions that need to be answered by the grown-ups, and I certainly don't remember any solemn ceremony in which our families gathered and the torch of adulthood was passed to us. There must have been some mistake. I'm not sure who decided to put us in charge, but they should be fired. 

Where was I? Ah, yes, back to the wedding. Remember the life altering implications of the previously mentioned decisions? For some ridiculous reason I have taken that mentality and applied it to wedding planning. Each choice is treated with such gravity that a simple question from our wedding coordinator may result in several sleepless nights. I can't help this. My OCD switch has been flipped and is being guarded by a cranky bridezilla. 

Calm down? You want me to CALM DOWN?! Ooo, gurl, don't make me come over there...

Ahem.

Wrong center pieces? Our marriage is doomed.

First dance song does not adequately reflect our past, present, and future? I'll probably be barren. 

I find myself standing in the aisle of life, Burns like, trying to differentiate between Ketchup and Catsup. 

The Simpson's

Does it matter? Probably not. But, you know, butterflies and hurricanes. 

Ugh. I need a grown up. 

Keep it Fancy,
Jett