two years

This past Tuesday November 27,2012, Ian & I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary! It is so funny how fast time passes. We are just as strong as ever and each day I lay down to go to sleep I think about how lucky I am to be in such a committed, healthy, and loving relationship with such an incredible man.

The photo strips above are the ones taken on our anniversaries this year and last. It's something we plan to do every year of our marriage, and the plan is to make a little scrapbook with all the strips to remember each year. :)

This past year we:

executed many home improvement projects together

supported each other through a very unhealthy work situation of mine

went to a concert of a band that we both love

started a potted plant collection on our back porch

took a vacation with his family to Florida

planned our next family vacation for 2013

came up with a budget plan

job hunted as a team for a new job for me and an additional one for him

went to see the Hunger Games together as huge nerdy fan-kids

enjoyed SO MUCH our little neighbor girl Lacey and spoiled her rotten

worked out some of our marital "bug reports"

moved to a new beautiful apartment

celebrated a new peaceful rhythm of existence

helped a close friend through a very difficult time

started to think about maybe having a little one

became addicted to too many new shows

hosted a seriously WICKED SWEET Halloween party

started our Christmas shopping really early

continued old traditions

came up with new inspiring goals for the coming year

loved each other all over again.

<3
E

Husband Attire

Lately I've been trying to create a lookbook of ideas for outfits for Ian. The kid needs some serious help. Especially when we're going out to dinner or going to Lafayette for a therapy appointment or something like that. I've been pinning a few potentials to create some realistic looks for him, because he's not too adventurous when it comes to fashion. He's more of a... jeans, chucks, and superhero shirt kind of guy. So I'm trying to find pictures of outfits he might ACTUALLY consider wearing. We all know he's not going to go prancing around in tighter slacks and Sperry's, although I would take it! HA!





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What do you think? Those of you that actually KNOW Ian-- can you see him wearing any of these things. I don't know if I can sell him on the cardigan, but I might have a pretty good chance with the rest! As the summer goes on, maybe I'll do some Husband Attire Outfit posts. That would be SO much fun and he's a cute guy! ;)

 <3 

E

Kilt Klash

Here's a treat for you-- my husband in his kilt. His family is VERY Irish and they celebrate to the max every year. They go to Irish festivals throughout the year as well. This is only one of Ian's kilts! His boss told him he could wear it to work yesterday, so he wore it with his tennis shoes and work polo! HA!

<3
E

One Year

Yesterday Ian & I celebrated our first anniversary! I really can't believe that a year passed already! It seems like not so long ago I was cutting out a million flowers for our napkin rings and making a million other wedding crafts. Truly, truly: it passed so fast! For anniversary gifts, Ian and I decided to start a tradition where each year we buy each other a book and write an inscription in the front cover. Someday when we're old and gray, we'll be surrounded with a library full of books with love letters to each other inside. :) We also will take a photo strip from a photobooth every year too. I'm starting a scrapbook JUST for those strips! I love traditions.

This past year we:

got married

moved into our first home together

graduated college from Ball State University

had our first holiday season as a married couple

adopted a fur baby

started paying off our student loan debt

became a great freelance photography team

finally took our honeymoon

took the Wizarding world of Harry Potter by storm

saw lots of midnight premiers

got some good use out of our new video camera

did a LOT of thrifting

took a road trip to Ohio

went to as many festivals as possible

worked our way through EVERY season of EVERY tv on DVD collection we own. (and bought more)

had money issues

had money triumphs

had lots of tears but even more laughs

told pretentious inside jokes that no one else understands

spearheaded family photos with Ian's side of the family

started planning for when we have our OWN family

appreciated takeout more than ever before

realized that 80% of our money issues are because we love takeout TOO much

started new traditions

loved each other

finally realize what all those cheesy love clichés are about

became a love story.

So Happy Anniversary to my Ian: the greatest man I've ever known and my very best friend. One year down and a lifetime of forever to go. :)
<3
E

Home is Wherever I'm with You

Ian and I went to the prettiest and most magical little farm yesterday. It's called Stoneycreek Farm and Nursery. I had wanted to go pick pumpkins, but I wanted a real patch with gourds and possibly some cider for sale. Ian promised to find me a "full service pumpkin patch" with all the bells and whistles I required. :) That's my man.


They had the most darling things too. SERIOUSLY! I fell in love with that aqua farm truck and the pumpkin tree. I think we're going to make a pumpkin tree a tradition with our kids someday. :)





Ian bought us tickets to take a hay ride back to the patch to pick our own pumpkins. Their flat bed had the fluffiest hay and it was so much fun to be wearing cozy fall clothes and bumping along a muddy path to a fir tree and pumpkin patch. *Dream come true!*



What I wore:
flower crown: manzanita
ruffle undershirt: Faded Glory
plaid shirt: Mossimo
mustard coat: thrifted
trouser shorts: Merona
leggings: Target
deer knee socks: Claire's
army boots: Claire's





Before we left, we bought a mini handmade haybale, some button mums, and a few pumpkins for our porch. I know I'm a little late on the uptake, but it really feels like fall now. I love coming home from work and seeing all the pretty colors on my porch. I couldn't resist another feet shot. (They're my favorite after all, but that's no secret!)

I'll be back with a feature tomorrow! An unsponsored feature for a shop I really believe in so its extra fun!
Type @ ya'all soon!
<3
E

Little Ian

I've been collecting photos of Ian's childhood from my mother-in-law so that I can start working on his scrapbook. No one ever made his album for him, so as his wife, I figure it's my job now. haha I have found some of the CUTEST pictures of him that I could just die! I thought I would share some for your enjoyment and his embarrassment! :)






Don't you like the one with the big headphones? I have a photo of myself JUST like that from when I was a baby! What a cute layout that will make! :) Plus the picture of him dressed as a Ghostbuster for Halloween has my heart. His little nerd glasses make me melt! I hope our little ones are as cute as he was at that age!

<3
E

honeymooners

We've been out and about on our honeymoon this weekend! We flew into Tampa Bay yesterday afternoon and drove to Anna Maria Island in Florida to spend the week! So far we've been doing a lot of sight-seeing, playing in the Gulf, and sampling local restaurants! Just wanted to pop my head in and say hello!





Tomorrow we're going to the local Aquarium and then snorkeling on the island! Hoping to find some treasures to share!
<3
E

he&she february

She actually has free time.

He is usually buried in comic books.

She is getting annoyed with her job.

...so is he.

She needs a SERIOUS haircut.

He has become a watch-wearer.

She has been having problems with her OCD.

He does a good job of consoling her.

She is seriously thinking about starting a massive project.

He will stand over her shoulder and say "That looks good, baby."

She does pretty well for herself

but he is SMOKIN HOTT in his grandpa hat.

She loves him.

He loves her.

All in all, not much has changed.
<3
E

The most magical day//photos

I hope you're as excited as I am (although probably not) but my wedding photos are finally here! This is going to be an extremely photo-heavy post, so get ready for some magics!

Most of the photos I really love are in black and white. I was surprised at myself that I loved the black and white so much more, but hey! I guess I'll just show my favorite photos and just kind of narrate about the day as I go along? And before I begin, I would just like to say that my wedding photography was done by Robin Marchant Photography and she did a FANTASTICALLY SPLENDID job! Check out her portfolio!

Ian and I before the wedding were not really nervous. I didn't get the LEAST bit nervous until about... 15 minutes before the ceremony.


Ian claimed he didn't get nervous until he saw my dad and I walking down the aisle and my dad crying. haha

My "something old" was the church-- it was my childhood church and also the church that my Mom and Dad got married in. "Something new" was my gown. My "something borrowed" were my crystal drop earrings. My best friend Mandy (one of my bridesmaids) wore them in HER wedding in July. (I was one of her bridesmaids too. haha)

My "something blue" was a handkerchief with a hand crocheted blue edging made for me by my Nana. It was so special to have something that she made for me on my wedding day. :)


Ian and I decided to see each other before the ceremony so that we could have the opportunity to take our wedding party pictures and family pictures before the ceremony. Then we could hop into our getaway car to the reception and not have to keep our guests waiting. *HIGHLY RECOMMEND!* This was the best decision we made for that day. Things were SO much more smooth, everyone was relaxed and there was plenty of time so the photography wasn't rushed.

My pretty sister and Maid of Honor. <3

My bridesmaids were so funny and helpful and supportive! Here's a picture of them with their dresses on with jeans. haha They thought it would be funny to get a picture like that and I'm SO glad they did! I think I'm going to frame this one below! haha

From left to right: Mandy (best friend from college), Anna (sister), Malinda (cousin), Kayla (cousin), Riley (Ian's sister)


And of course we couldn't resist some nerdy shots. We got the white and black nerd glasses to match our respective outfits. haha We went in front of this old schoolhouse across the street from the church and it was so childish and cute to have our little nerd glasses on and act like kids on the school steps. These will always be my favorite shots I think!





and of course the ceremony was gorgeous. When the doors opened and I walked down the aisle, it was unforgettable. it was night and the church was all lit up inside and beautiful. And Ian was at the end waiting for me and it just made me want to RUN down the aisle instead. ;)

So that brings us to the reception. It was in a ballroom 2 towns away and it was GORGEOUS. We had a little over 200 guests, so there was a lot of people crammed in that room, but surprisingly, there was plenty of room to move around.

For the decor, we went with the wildflower feel and mason jars. Plum and orange colored ranunculus, a large mum, a few teensy peonies, and some "weeds" made the perfect whildflower look. Plus on the tables we had floating candles, place settings, and little cards for people to write us a note or draw a doodle on for our reception guest book. For the napkins, I cut out HUNDREDS of paper flowers on the Cricut, and we used iridescent bolos to stick through the centers and form a little napkin ring. People ended up taking the napkin rings off and wearing them as FINGER RINGS! Myself included! I thought that was precious!



For food we had a dipping bar; chocolate fountain with little jars of things to dip: strawberries, grapes, melon slices, graham crackers, pretzel rods, and crackers. We also had cheese ball and brickle dip for the fruit too.

People were very impressed with mine and Ian's dance skills. HA



Oh! And my dad and I TOTALLY rocked the reception. We had a plan with the DJ ahead of time that we had something special planned. We started off dancing to something really slow and touching.... for about 5 seconds! Then the DJ switched on the HAMSTER DANCE! For those of you that don't know what that is, have a listen here! So we busted that out and were crazy dancing and everyone was so surprised and laughing hysterically. EVERYONE ended up on the dance floor and it was so much fun.




These were the wine glasses we got as a wedding gift from my Mom and Dad. my mom had taken one of my old drawing books up to a design studio that does laser engraving and embroidery and had a few of my little people drawings from this page etched onto wine glasses with our names in my handwriting. (they took the scar and nails off of the little frankenstein dude for Ian's glass. haha) soooooooooo special! I will treasure them forever and ever.


Good friends from far away came to share my day too! Miss you, Allie!


and good friends from nearby too. :) <3 Tori and Mandy!
So it was the most special and magical day of my life. I learned so much through the process of planning the wedding, and appreciate all of the amazing help I had along the way. I could not have accomplished everything and kept my sanity if it weren't for my mom & dad, sister, in-laws, all my aunts, cousins, and friends that helped me make it happen. And most of all... Ian. :)