Bridesmaids!

The last few weeks have been full of decisions, mainly for the wedding, and have I mentioned that I am terrible with decision making?!  But, I have found a dress, photographers, the date (April 25th!), and chosen the bridesmaids!  Yay!  I know this is crazy, but I am having 13 girls in my wedding, all of whom have been an amazing friend at some point in my life (ranging from playing in the crib & sandbox together, to college, to grad school, to the real world).  

I went a different route in asking them, in more ways than one.  I actually asked each of my bridesmaids if they wanted to, or could be, a part of my wedding.  I feel, like most things, the question of "will you be a bridesmaid" has turned into a rhetorical question.  Or at least one with an expected answer of "yes."  Now this isn't documented, but I'm sure when the asking of bridesmaids and groomsmen originated and the question was asked, it was with the intention of the answerer (is that a word?) to actually have a choice!  Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't want to have anyone feeling like they have to be a part of this.  But rather that I am honored if they have the time to commit to it.  

Anyhow...off the soapbox!  They have all been asked, and this is what I made for them - 

A homemade card and cd

The CD is a compilation of songs with at least one 

on there that reminds me of each of them.  

The card was made with posterboard, satin fabric, 

fake mini flowers, and blank notecards.  

I'm a nerd, I know!  But I do hope they enjoy getting them.  And phew to having that decision over!

Cookie Swap!

I know it seems like we never work around here, but today is our Unboundary Cookie Swap!  Yaaaaay!  My cookies don't look like this - when I realized my original cookie idea was already being made, I opted for the super easy Macaroon recipe from Dawn.  But if my math is correct, there will be over 1,440 cookies eaten and swapped today at the office!  Yummmmmmmy!

I actually used to like Denny...

 ...but Grey's is ruining that for me.  It's running the course that every TV show eventually does - taking what was once good (good being a relative term) and taking it too far.  

I've already mentioned the Grey writer's blog.  Although they are avoiding talking about how ridiculous it is that Izzie and Denny are "together" when he is DEAD, here are some comments that I found humorous...

All is good in the world  until we get to Izzie and Denny.  Please kill him...wait, HE'S ALREADY DEAD!  Please get rid of him soon, the story is getting so ridiculous & disturbing, I mean, sex with a ghost and all.  

Enough of the new characters and the dead characters!

Please kill Denny off, it can't be that hard, he's already DEAD!

...I'm having huge huge difficulties with this Deady ridiculousness...I know all the Deady business isn't your fault, but please for the love of god make it stop!

Denny needs to go.  The show is a joke now.  Not enjoyable or funny.  I really hope there is a master plan behind Izzie sexing up a ghost/herself or whatever.  

okay, i love you guys.  i love the show.  i love this blog.  but seriously...denny?  seriously?? why???....can we please not?  please???  let's just all be alive.  that would be super.

I liked this episode, I really did.  But...Denny is starting to piss me off.  I used to love him...I didn't want him to die in the first place.  but now he's annoying me.  

The list could go on and on.  (If you're interested, you can find it here.)  If I were the type of person to leave comments on blogs that the writers are never going to read, this would be it -

Come on guys.  Love the show.  Don't love the creepy, nonrealistic dead guy coming back thing.  Leave the good thing alone.  

Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like....

...a brand new blog layout?

It takes too long to go through all of the layout options available in webland.  So, in an effort to be the most time efficient and still be in the holiday spirit, I chose the least tacky of the first 20 options I could find.  

Enjoy the snowflakes :)

We're Getting Married!!

I'm a little behind, but it has been quite the whirlwind!  And anyone who actually reads my blog already knows that we're engaged!  But I had to post a blog about it!!  

Here are a few snapshots from a perfect night -

The Feast: Quick Recap

To make this short and sweet, The Feast was a huge success!  

To put "success" in perspective, this is my before picture (happy, energized, ready to go!)

And here is my after photo (stuffed, uncomfortable, ready for a nap)

The Feast is Here!

(Photo courtesy of David Naugle)

Unboundary has a feast like none other to celebrate this time of Thanksgiving. Details and pictures to come, but while I'm here, I'll at least go ahead and say thanks to my wonderful family of co-workers. You make the day worth it!

Re: Seriously?

My friend and co-worker, Ashley, has a fun blog that is like a mini-"US Weekly" with updates on her life, thoughts, obsessions, etc.  Recently she made a post entitled "Seriously" about her thoughts on all of the craziness going on with our favorite TV show, Grey's Anatomy.  

There has also been lots of office chatter a

bout how everyone feels about it all - Meredith's blast from the past now being an intern, Callie and Erica, Erica's sudden departure from the show, and of course - Denny coming back from the dead?!  While I am NOT a fan of most of the new plot lines, I must mention one thing that I actually do appreciate about Grey's right now.  It's the Grey's writers' blog.  You are probably thinking that I am a little obsessed if I enjoy watching the show, only to follow with reading more detail about the episode on the blog.  But, I'm being serious here.  

For those of you who are not writers (me!) or become more emotionally involved in the show so as to miss certain things (me, again!), this blog clearly spells out the reasons for doing the things they do.  Each person who writes an episode then blogs about their take on why it was important for Christina and Owen to start over when he officially joins the team, even after they've smooched in a previous episode OR how the theme of detachment runs all through the Rise Up episode OR what the plan really is for Season 5.  

With all my support for these guys, I might have to agree with Ashley on some of the latest decisions.  Seriously?!  However I do feel a little better after I read this week's blog post, yet I just can't agree that they are not crazy with portraying Denny as real to Izzy when NO ONE ELSE CAN SEE HIM.  Hello?!  That was the question I kept waiting for her to ask.  Not, can I really feel you?  (P.S. The thought of her making love to a dead guy/spirit is a little much.)  Not, why are you here?  But, rather, why can't anyone else see you?  

Sigh.  I miss the good ole' days...

Back to the Basics

Can you have a passion for pretty handwriting?  Because I think I do.  I have always had good handwriting, and have been complemented on the way that I write in print and cursive.  My grandparents could probably be deemed the best judges on handwriting, and even they told me that I have beautiful penmanship.  I also have some "fonts" that I used to create to address fun cards (birthdays, congratulations, etc.).  All of those years doodling during class definitely paid off in some way (I could totally multi-task and still listen to the lecture/take notes)!

However, lately I've noticed that my handwriting is becoming worse and worse and that I'm having a tough time making some letters look right ("r" has always been a real struggle for me), or keeping my handwriting neat when I am in a hurry to jot things down.  I finally decided it must be that as you get older your handwriting fades and your penmanship becomes harder to read.

However, one of the ladies I work with has given me hope, as she has taken my handwriting obsession to another level.  Laura has the prettiest handwriting of anyone's that I have ever seen.  I have complemented her on it several times, and often ask her to label things that are going to be seen by many.  Every time I tell her how nice her handwriting is, she tells me that it is because she practiced (or maybe it's that she still practices).  I thought that was kind of funny, but the more people I have talked to about their handwriting (could I be a bigger nerd?!), the more people tell me that they either practice or are constantly writing things out - all in an effort to maintain their handwriting.  

So today I took out a pen and paper and had a practice session.  It was a little tough for me to slow down my writing style so that I could actually practice the correct movement, but I did it.  I think I'll actually move

on to lined paper next, so that I can work on writing in a straight line while I'm at it.  

One day, I'd actually like to be able to write like this ->

I think that will probably mean some calligraphy classes are in the future, but how fun!

Small Business Person of the Year (a.k.a. Dad)

My dad grew up on a small farm in Evans, GA, just outside of Augusta.  He milked cows before daylight, helped his daddy farm the land, and didn't miss a day of elementary school because both of his parents worked and couldn't arrange for him to be taken care of if he wasn't in school.  He worked hard throughout college to pay for school while earning his Building Science degree, married my mom, and they headed back to Augusta.  After working for a small company for a few years, he decided to pursue his dream of owning a construction company.  32 years later, R. W. Allen, LLC. is going stronger than ever.  

Today is Dad's 57th birthday AND it also happens to be the day that the Augusta Chamber of Commerce named him Small Business Person of the Year. 

Go Dad!  It is definitely well-deserved.  

You Can Vote However You Like

It's official.  Today is one of the biggest, most talked about elections in the history of our country.  And although it took me three hours, I can say that I have cast my vote and done my part in this historic day.  

As much as I do care about the outcome, I am breathing a sigh of relief that all of this is close to being over.  I am so tired of seeing advertisements, hearing negative talk, seeing pictures, having people assume that I'm voting for so-and-so.  In less than 24 hours it will all be over.  

That is why I found this video so amazing.  The first totally neutral piece on the 2008 Election.  And it came from kids.  Students from the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, GA created a rap version of T.I.'s song "You Can Have Whatever You Like."  If you haven't seen it yet, you really need to.  It's been featured on several news stations across the country.  

Leave it to the kids to give us the greatest, unbiased, most knowledgeable thing to come out of this election.  If you've never heard of Ron Clark, or his academy, you should check it out.  It's pretty inspiring.  

If you haven't already - get out and vote.  Go team U.S.A.! :)

Happy Halloween!

From my office to yours - 

Love - the Stepford Wife, the Go-Go Girl, the Wicked Witch of the East, Mr. Devil, and Diamond from American Gladiators

Creatives

     I have this journal I keep that's full of the creative ideas that I find hiding away - in stores, people's homes, blogs, etc.  Cleverly enough, I have named it my "Creatives" journal.  While most of the entries are sketches (at which I am NOT good) followed by a brief explanation of the project (bed frames, decor, party paraphernalia, wedding ideas - I don't discriminate!).  

I think I've reached a new low of the potential for a baby's room.  (Years away from that!)  But I was in a baby store and realized if I didn't write it down now, I'll never remember.  Well, not only did I write it down, but I made mini examples of the idea!  Very simple - just a plain canvas, with wallpaper cut out into the shape of an animal.  The giraffe that I saw in the store was probably 6 ft tall, and I loved it!  (Not sure why the quality is so poor in the picture.)  Aren't they precious?!

love me some pumpkin!

Pumpkin everything!  Pumpkin butter, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin scents, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin creamer, and of course, the actual pumpkin!

It's smarta?

I love public transportation.  Don't ask me why, but I do.  I think it makes me feel like a "city girl," plus, it generally just makes sense.  Unless you live in a city with an inefficient public transportation system.  Don't get me wrong, I love MARTA.  It's just not the most efficient use of my time.

MARTA is smarta...

...after you have epi-LASIK surgery on your eyes and can't drive for 5 days, yet have to get to work

...when you go to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve (on the way home you may wonder if it actually is smarta)

...when there's no time crunch and you and your sister want to go to Improve in the Park at Piedmont and don't want to have to worry about parking, traffic, driving home, etc.

...when Atlanta somehow runs out of gas (in case you were living under a rock and missed it, check it out here)

...when the weather is nice and you want to feel like you live in the city (I actually ride it for this reason sometimes!)

...when you want to contribute to environmental sustainability and keep one more car off the road

...when it only costs $1.75 each way, and you can get a nifty laminated breeze card to reload

...when traffic on North Ave. is ridiculous and you actually walk at a faster pace than the cars are moving

MARTA ain't smarta...

...when it takes you over an hour each way to get to and from work, versus the 20-40 minutes max that it takes in your car

...when you have to walk over 4 miles during the commute (one mile from my house to the station, one mile from the station to work, repeat in reverse order)

...when it's over 100 degrees outside and you are soaking wet from sweat by the time you get to the office OR it's raining OR it's freezing

...when  you have to go under "the bridge" on North Ave, and happen to pass two people in the middle of a drug deal (that may have been a little dramatic, but that bridge is creepy)

...when you have to carry anything other than your pocketbook

...if you want to go somewhere in the city that isn't directly North, South, East, or West

Maybe the good does outnumber the bad, but I'm not sure it necessarily outweighs the bad.  And, unfortunately, while I may ride it occasionally, I don't think it's going to become a norm.  If you want to find out more, check out MARTA's website.  

The Giant Halloween Caramel Apple

A woman from a vendor that we work with brought this amazing little bit of goodness to our office today.  I don't even think words can do justice to how delicious this thing is.  However, I can attempt by quoting Dawn, "The apple is just as delicious as the chocolate, caramel, nut combination."  If that is true, then you can only imagine how good this really is.  

It may be a bit pricey, but if you want to taste for yourself, visit your local Williams-Sonoma store or check it out here.

Seriously?

I've started a blog.  I knew the day was coming, but I kept telling myself I wouldn't do it.  After all, I am content looking at other people's blogs, why do I need my own?  Perhaps it's all of the thoughts that I have running through my head which cause me to think, "maybe I should write this down."  Or maybe it's because I'm feeling left out of the loop.  Or it's possible that I simply need something to keep me entertained when the workday gets slow.  (My vote is for the latter.)  Whatever the reason, here goes....

P.S. Don't tell Jamie.  I'm having a hard enough time convincing him that facebook is an efficient use of my time. :)