9.13.2012

Summer Favorites

The summer is definitely coming to a close...and I'm OK with that, since fall is by far the best season ever.  And it is totally starting to feel like autumn outside!  However, there are some summer activities and weekends away that I just wouldn't want to trade for anything.  Even though I work full-time, year-round, I have a slightly different approach to my free time in the summer, and I know once winter sets in, I"ll be begging for summer again!

I just wanted to share some of my favorite summer moments through pictures, and I am going to try to focus mainly on ones that didn't make it to my blog, though I'm sure I'll sneak a few in there! :)
Brewery Tours of Colorado
Exploring in Colorado
Shear beauty in Colorado
Nights In With Friends...singing!
River Bandits Games with Friends
River Bandits Games with booze!
Bix Race and Post-party
Moonlight Chase (mostly after party)
Visiting my twin in Des Moines
Outdoor concerts
Birthday Parties
Participating in "The Olympics"
Celebrating the single-hood of one fine lady!
Wine Walk in The Village
United Way Day of Caring
Spending time with family!
Witnessing the marriage of these two badasses
Being a bridesmaid with these two sweethearts
Lindsey coming home from Morocco and getting married!
I'd say the Summer of 2012 was pretty awesome in my book.

9.11.2012

Excited/Nervous

We close on our first house this Friday...and no one told me about the roller coaster of emotions I'd be experiencing.  I am so anxious, nervous, excited, scared, happy, skeptical, over-the-moon, frustrated, and then some about the whole process!  I guess I will say that I'm ready for the closing process to be OVER, because the waiting game sucks.  And let me tell you, if you are in the process of buying a house, DO NOT make any financial changes, AT ALL.  Do not apply for a credit card, do not refinance your car loan, do not sell an old car, do not have a birthday and deposit the cash in your account...the bank needs documentation for every single transaction you do.  GAH!  

So that's the frustrated side, on the flip side, I'm elated that we will have our own home, a house that feels like a home.  It may need some updating, but the bones are good, and the warmth is there.  I'm excited to have something to call our own and to customize the way we want.  We already painted the guest bedroom, just the two of us, two coats...sore muscles! But it transformed from pink to "Baking Stone" and it looks great!  I can't wait to paint the rest of the house!

I'm nervous because jumping into that much debt is terrifying, and I'm skeptical because I fear something major will go wrong.  I'm anxious because, as the closing date gets closer, the days feel so much longer, and I'm scared that some bump in the road is going to rear its ugly head.  However, I don't think any of those negative emotions overpower the shear happiness I feel that my husband and I will finally move to a city and into a house where we feel like we have a long future and where we feel like we can finally settle down and begin the process of deciding when to start a family.  Bring on the joy, happiness, and want-to-rip-my-hair-out feelings we'll experience being homeowners.

9.05.2012

Wedding Weekend Recap: Lindsey and Kyle

This past Labor Day Weekend, I got to be a part of my oldest friend's wedding!  I've known and been friends with Lindsey for the better part of seventeen years!  I was so blessed to be able to keep in touch with her while she's been in Morocco and so honored when we had a heart to heart about her wedding and she asked me to sing in her wedding, because of our long musical history together and the fact that she couldn't imagine anyone else doing the job.  :)

So of course, I attended the rehearsal on Saturday out at Grace Camp in Dewitt, IA, and I immediately fell in love with the location!  It was gorgeous out there.  After attending a nice rehearsal, eating a yummy rehearsal dinner, and getting to know some of Lindsey's other friends, I had to stop a moment and take in the beauty of the location.  It helped that it was sunset as I was driving away!

Notice the white chairs in the distance?
On Sunday, I first stopped at my parents house to watch part of the air show, since Lindsey's wedding was later in the day and then around 3:00, left for Grace Camp.  It was hot, like really hot, for the darn sweater I was wearing anyway, but I got used to it.  I got to see (and hug!) Lindsey right when I got there and she looked smashing!  We snapped a pic together and then I rehearsed with the other musicians.

The wedding was beautiful, the music went really well, I particularly liked my duet with an old high school friend, Hans.  Lindsey looked stunning, the bridesmaids looked great, Kyle look handsome...it was all just beautiful!


And unfortunately, my camera died right after Ryan took that picture of us signing.  So I don't have any pics from the reception, but the food was good, and they didn't skimp on their beer selection either: Blue Moon or Berry-Weiss.  I drove, however, and enjoyed some iced tea! :)  There were beautiful favors from Morocco.  They were these cute little tea glasses in different colors with painted decorations.  The slide show was great and the wedding party introductions were sweet.  Despite being a little crowded in the location, it was a great evening and I hope Kyle and Lindsey enjoyed their party!

Happy marriage to Kyle and Lindsey!!