jenny's bachelorette wrap-up.

from singing call me maybe, to dancing at strangers in their cars,

to sand, sunburns, & horseshoes,

to nights out, watching the olympics at a bar, & eating cheesy fries...

i'd say this weekend was a successful one.

 

photos: jenny's beachy bachelorette \ instagram

a road trip weekend's end.

today, anna claire & i are off on the open road,

equipped with some bad-a jams, gas station cappuccino,

 & a stretch of monotonous louisiana highway.

as we drive out of the festive haze of jenny's bachelorette

festivities & toward the real world work week that lies

ahead, i'm sure we'll be wishing for just one more pink umbrella drink.

we will ease the blow with visions of another upcoming beachy bachelorette fete - mine.

photo: the open road \ instagram

friday's fancies #39 + friday's letters.

ok, so my sister & anna claire called me on it: i don't even particularly care for mint juleps. but when {av} announced that this week's friday's fancies theme was to craft an outfit after one of your favorite summer treats, i knew i wanted to go with a mint-ish theme. i've been loving punches of green lately, so this kaliko shine bardot dress practically jumped onto my polyvore board without any effort of my part. these miu miu peep toes have been sitting in my favorite items for so long, just begging to be used, so of course, this time, i obliged. and admittedly, this brown-toned michael kors zip-around iphone wristlet doesn't really go with the black accents found in the shoes, but i can't really resist pretty much anything michael kors, so i didn't resist this either. everyone knows the that jewelry is always the icing on the cake, & this peridot ring absolutely fits that bill. not to mention, it's also my birth stone. bonus!

 

dear anna claire, we're going to have so much fun on our road trip tomorrow: sugar free red bull, playlists, dancing, singing, obnoxious amounts of picture taking... all the stuff of having a blast just getting there. i can't wait! dear jenny, i hope you're ready to rock out for your bachelorette party. dear new swim suit, it's true... i didn't want to buy you. but the truth is, i think you're pretty precious. dear kara, i couldn't be more excited that our new sing-along song is closing time. and it makes me want to watch friends with benefits. dear mollie jean, i love your rabbit kicks. dear justin, i miss you. i miss you. i miss you. i'm ready for wilmington. dear wilmington, i hope you're every bit as lovely as i'm remembering you. dear orange beach, get ready.

 

monday - christopher's.

tuesday - on working in a medical setting.

wednesday - getting wedding ready: exercise edition.

thursday - an enlightening thursday thought.

friday - friday's fancies #39 + friday's letters.

link-ups:

friday's fancies \ {long distance loving}

friday's letters \ adventures of newlyweds

an enlightening thursday thought.

but then the fog lifts & you remember every little wonderful thing that you had forgotten.

photo: my beloved veggie roll from tokyo \ instagram

getting wedding ready: exercise edition.

in the months that followed my october 2011 engagement, i had freak out session after 

freak out session about how i was going to lose the weight & get in wedding shape. 

i toyed with different diet approaches, some healthy, some not. because honestly, in the past, 

i've gone both ways, with results. it wasn't until i moved to kinston that i really started to 

get things right. and by get things right, i mean eat healthfully & heartily, 

while working out on a consistent & daily basis. and for me, that's what's working. 

i'm not going to lie, i had a mini panic attack when i moved back to shreveport 

for the months leading up to the wedding - will i still adhere to my workout plan? 

will i gain all the weight back? will i lose all the muscle tone i've worked so hard to achieve?

the happy answer is that i'm now working out more here in shreveport than i was 

there in kinston. i work in my dad's physical therapy clinic, which means i'm on 

my feet constantly. sometimes i supplement this seemingly effortless workout of sorts 

by donning ankle weights. seems like no big deal, right? wrong. i can't even tell you how 

much it has worked my legs, just by adding four pounds to each. and luckily for me, 

my dad's clinic has a rainbow of weights, in all different sizes. 

we have also taken to doing p90x & various other calisthenics. to say i'm sore is an understatement.

and on top of all of that, a friend & i have been getting together for runs this week.

don't get me wrong. as the wedding date clock ticks on & on, & as the date draws ever

nearer, things will obviously be kicked up into overdrive. inordinate amounts of fruit

& veggies will be consumed. water by the gallon will be drunk per day. sweets will

be shunned. but there's a big comfort in knowing that a lot of the weight that i will

have dropped, all the muscle tone i will have added, all the extra me i've been carrying

around that i will have gotten rid of, will be the result of hard work & treating 

myself the way you should always treat yourself - right, & with respect. 

i think what i'm ultimately trying to say here is that the key to getting in shape is consistency.

and dedication.

well, that & eating right. but we'll save that for next time...

read other posts in the getting wedding ready series:

getting wedding ready: skin care edition.

getting wedding ready: hair care edition. 

 

 

photo: dad's clinic \ instagram

link-up: wedding wednesday \ something charming  

on working in a medical setting.

i haven't really written much about this, which is why you may be wondering how it is that i am living back in shreveport & working for my dad. long story short, justin & i decided it would be best for me to come back here for the summer, to finish wedding planning & also to work for my dad while one of his employees is out for a while. i'm really enjoying being in my hometown, but i miss justin & hate that we are doing the long distance thing again. october can't get here quickly enough!

i haven't yet finished writing out my career saga [read part one here & part two here], but suffice it to say that i have dealt with a lot of indecisiveness & confusion while trying to determine what i want to do with my life. throughout all of this drama, i have always found myself drawn to the medical field. with a physical therapist for a father, a nurse for a mother, & a physician assistant for a fiance, it's not hard to draw conclusions about why i feel a pull toward this kind of career. but i'll save all of those hairy details for another day.

by this time, i have been working for my dad in his physical therapy clinic for a total of one week & two days, & to say i am loving it is an understatement.

i'm constantly on my feet, & yes, they hurt. but i'd take that over sitting behind a desk any day.we are really busy, & yes, sometimes it's overwhelming. but it's also rewarding.

last friday, a patient brought in the little makeshift bouquet you see pictured above. and all day - through all the cups of coffee, all the foot-aches, & all the rooms i turned over in between visits - i kept glancing at those bright red flowers & remembering the bigger truth: this is all worth it.

photo: flowers from a patient \ instagram

christopher's.

the whole time we were both in kinston, justin & i had been meaning to go to a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant called christopher's. finally, during justin's vacation week, we made it to this downtown staple.

i'm glad we did.

when you look around, you'll notice all the trappings of a well-established, well-loved diner: pictures of hometown heros, softball teams, & t-shirts bearing the place's logo adorn the crowded wall-space. the chandalier-esque light fixtures, juxtaposed with the open-air kitchen, industrial coffee machines, & well-worn booths offer a cozy, grandma-and-grandpa's-house ambiance that'll make you feel as if you never want to leave.

and then, there's the food, which tastes as if it were made with love & pulled straight off of a hot stove, which it probably was. the fluffy, crispy, perfectly-browned belgian waffle is sure to satisfy when paired with the sugary sweet maple syrup.

we loved everything about christopher's on our initial visit, so we went back again that very same week. if you ever find yourself in east carolina, christopher's is a place to check out. you'll leave feeling that just-visited-grandma's-house feeling.

and, really, everyone needs that once in a while.

photos: christopher's in kinston \ instagram

friday's fancies #38 + friday's letters.

i think it goes without saying - after kara's parisian adventure - 

that i would love to jet off to europe for some adventures of my own.

dear poor neglected little blog, i miss you. i'm so sorry i haven't been giving you the attention you deserve. that is all going to change next week, now that i'm settling in to my new routine. 

dear anna claire, i can't wait to hang out with you this weekend for some belated birthday celys. 

dear eating habits, things were going so well. living in a different location & having a new routine doesn't mean it's time to slack.

dear motivation, please remember you'll be chillin in a bikini in a week. now is most definitely time to step.it.up.

dear justin, i miss you & our tv & movie dates every night. can't wait until wilmington. 

monday - back-in-shreveport currents.

wednesday - parcels from paris.

friday - friday's fancies #38 + friday's letters.

 

link-ups:

friday's fancies \ {long distance loving}

friday's letters \ adventures of newlyweds

parcels from paris.

there's no question about it: my sister knows me.

a coffee cup from the louvre.

a french copy of dracula.

an inky navy & cream summer scarf.

she couldn't have brought better gifts back over the atlantic with her.

as i settle into my shreveport summer routine, 

kara will be drafting a post reflecting on her 

parisian travels, which i am excited to share!

read more about kara's adventures in paris:

kara in paris + my random european wishlist.

kara in paris: the grand mosque + saint eustache.

travel notes: a smattering of likes & dislikes.

photos: european pressies from kara \ iphone

back-in-shreveport currents.

you caught me.

i actually wrote this post on sunday night. so, i guess it's your call: does this collection of thoughts actually qualify as 'currents,' since i'm posting them on a monday? either way, here they are...

reading graceling, a book recommended to me by my friend laura. i'm really enjoying it so far, but i have to say, i miss dracula. i can't get over how much i loved that book. i'm now trying to talk my dad into reading it, but he's currently enjoying the girl who played with fire, another great one.

writing names on envelopes this week.

listening to gilmore girls. first season. and loving every second of it.

thinking about starting work tomorrow [or should i say, today?]. i'm excited to be working with my dad this month! also thinking about everything i need to accomplish tomorrow: work, invitation appointment, working out, etc.

smelling not much of anything right now, which is a bit weird.

wishing justin was in shreveport with me. i know he is lonely, & i already miss him.

hoping this week goes well - i know it will take some time to get used to my new routine, AKA waking up early for work again.

wearing the lovely pajama shorts that i won in eliza's giveaway. i ADORE them.

loving the fact that i got to have starbucks sunday today [yesterday?]. and that i will be spending some time with my family! and the lipstick i borrowed from kara today. more on that later.

wanting to go to sleep. i'm tired. and switching back to the central time zone from the eastern time zone means i'm feeling like it's an hour later than it actually is. that's how i'm justifying the tired-ness. that, and the fact that i drove seventeen hours in the past two days.

needing a glass of water.

feeling caffeinated. which probably isn't a good thing, since i need to go to sleep to get up early in the morning. is it weird that i am both tired & caffeinated at the same time? yeah, i don't really understand it either.

clicking this live streaming video of sweet puppies that betsy posted. they are precious, & i can't get enough of them.



friday's fancies #37 + 3 months!

this week's friday's fancies theme is ultra fitting, because today marks 3 months until our wedding! below i'll give a little wedding planning update, but for now, let's talk about these dream duds. if i were a guest at a sweet summer wedding, i'd love to don this diane von furstenberg carpreena dress - the peachy sheen is irresistible, & the floral detailing is the perfect nod to the season. this buba mandala clutch would be perfect for toting minimal accessories, while also looking fabulous. in keeping with the peachy theme, i'd choose this astley clarke color symphony pink chalcedony ring for some right hand bling. i can't resist a nars blush, & gilda was the natural choice. to keep this look grounded, i chose a couple of minty-fresh accessories. these mint soft suede court shoes offer a classy pop of color, & these larkspur & hawk haley earrings add a punchy pop - perfect!

- with our wedding now three months away, our main focus is invitations. luckily for me, i have amazingly talented friends, & one of them busted out an awesome design suite for me, including the main invitation, the rsvp card, & the accommodations card. i am so happy with how the designs came out, but the main challenge has been finding a printer. luckily for me again, since jenny is getting married soon (less than one month from now!), she has helped me narrow my choices down. by next week, we will be placing the order & waiting for those babies to come in. i can't wait!

- the girls' bridesmaids dresses came in last weekend, & from what i've seen in the pictures they've sent me, i'm smitten with the style of the dress, as well as the fabric. the issues, however, have been fit & length. many of the girls will be having their dresses shortened, & some of them are having them either taken out or in. they're going to look great, though, & i'm excited about them.

soon i'm going to put together a huge wedding planning post, but today i'll keep it short & sweet.

monday - songs i can't resist while working out.

wednesday - we're moving!

thursday - lindsey's engaged!

friday - friday's fancies #37 + 3 months!

my first ever friday's fancies post was 

to be a wedding guest themed. view it here.

link-up: friday's fancies \ {long distance loving}

lindsey's engaged!

lindsey & i met in an office. she sat at one desk, & i sat at the other desk, which was conveniently tucked into a closet. and on our first few days together, she tap-tap-tapped on her keyboard, & i stressed out about what i was supposed to be doing. just ask her - i was hell-bent on figuring out what i was supposed to be doing in there. and the truth is, i don't really think anyone knew.

i can still remember the moment. you know, the moment when two people realize that they aren't just going to be coworkers - they're going to be friends. for lindsey & me, this moment happened over a lunch of downstairs salads. [those things are the devil, disguised as delicious salad-y goodness. if you don't believe me, go read this.]

anyway, back to the moment.

we were minding our own business, enjoying our deceitfully-healthy-looking salads, engaging in what i'm sure was polite small talk, when it happened. a rogue lettuce leaf dropped from lindsey's fork, escaping to who-knows-where on our office floor. we froze. then, we searched. the lettuce leaf was nowhere to be found. surely it was hiding in the corner somewhere, silently mocking us, because we searched & searched to no avail. finally, i retreated back into my closet, while lindsey sat back in her chair in frustration. [i'm dramatic, remember?]

just as we were getting ready to wave the white flag, lindsey threw her chair back, pointed her thumb-and-forefinger gun at the lettuce leaf, exclaimed, there it is!, & proceeded to shoot this lettuce leaf dead.

i'm not sure when we stopped laughing. i'm not sure if we ever stopped laughing.

all i know is, that moment opened up the flood gates for what became some of the most memorable, entertaining, & hilarious two-and-a-half years of my life. that moment fully introduced me to one of the funniest girls i know - and also, one of the best friends i know.

read their engagement story here.

photo: levy conference reception 2010 \ courtesy of lindsey

we're moving!

in august - coincidentally my birthday month - we are moving to wilmington, north carolina, home of

the beautiful boardwalk with yellow umbrellas pictured above. what a birthday present, right?! justin &

i are so excited! there are many more posts to come on this exciting topic, but for now, this will serve as

a little announcement about our big news. here's to the future, moving trucks, boxes, & all.

photo: umbrellas on the boardwalk in wilmington \ instagram