A New Year...

...A New Beginning!

No, I'm not talking about giving something up, losing weight or working out more. (Although, the latter is on my to-do list, as always... I mean, I do need to be a stunning bride come November 18th! Lucky for my groom, he's already stunning handsome enough... Men have it so easy!) Ok, I digress... This year I have made a resolution to complete everything I start. In the past, I have been known for making plans, and canceling last minute. Or promising something, and then not following through. I do not want to be that girl anymore! So, here's to 2011 and not being an inconsiderate, unreliable person... (Ok, maybe that was a bit too dramatic, but you get the point.)

Aside from that, Adam and I do have a couple personal resolutions that we would like to work on this year. You know, serious stuff... stuff that will really effect society... I kid, I kid! :) Just a few, "better at this..." or "don't worry so much about that..." kind of things.

I think 2011 is going to be a great year! How about you?

What are your resolution(s)? Do share!

Merry Christmas!

Well, just like most things that we anticipate... Christmas has come and gone. Although the time with friends and family are over so quickly, we do have a TON to look forward to in 2011. Official wedding countdown? 10 months and 19 days... Wowzers! When Adam proposed, we had 15 months of planning in front of us! It really is amazing how fast time goes by. I'm not complaining... yet! :)

Adam and I went home to Jacksonville for Christmas. Adam's family (anyone else think of the theme song when they read that?) rents a condo for three nights now that all of the "kids" are grown -- Last year we were in Amelia Island and this year was Palm Coast. I have to say, it is so very nice and relaxing! We didn't get to relax too much, though, because we traveled back and forth to Jacksonville to spend Christmas Eve night and Christmas morning with my parents. Nonetheless, it was definitely a very nice Holiday for us!

Millie loves her slipper that Aunt Marina and Uncle Bobby bought for her!

Unfortunately, Adam had to head back to Atlanta for work Monday morning. Millie and I stayed behind and spent a few more nights with my parents. She has definitely made herself at home here...

(A little back story behind the shoe box in Millie's crate...) When we bought her cage, it didn't come with a divider to change the size as needed. Instead of returning and buying a different one, we decided to use a bin with my shoes in it. You know, because dogs don't like to use the bathroom where they have to sleep? Well, lo and behold, she has found that she can climb on top of it! We think it's the funniest thing... And believe it or not, she hasn't had an accident inside her crate at all! (Knocking on wood...) We like to call her crate, "The Townhouse"... and when she is on top of the shoe box, she is "upstairs"... :)

Millie has also taken a special liking to my dad. Aka: Pop Pop

We all almost wet our pants the first time she did this. She jumped so high, she almost went over his head!

Millie loves her nanny too...

I will be heading back home first thing tomorrow morning. Adam's brother, Aaron, will be flying in to spend NYE in Atlanta. We're looking forward to a fun weekend!

Have a safe and Happy New Year's Eve!

And then there were three...

This post has been a long time comin'... We brought our four-legged baby home about 7 weeks ago, but I've been quite the slacker on updates. I also apologize in advance... 98% of our pictures come from our phones, so they're not the best quality. (iPhone from Santa, anyone?!)

Meet Millie...

She is a full-bred black Lab. We adopted her from a breeder that lives about an hour north of Atlanta. She is one very loved pup! And I think the love is reciprocated...

For her momma... 

...And her dog food!

(And daddy!) Problem is, Adam plays crazy with her and I cannot, for the life of me, get a steady picture of them! I will keep trying, though!

She definitely keeps us on our toes around here! And we're constantly laughing at stuff she does. Her favorite place to be is in the bathroom with us. If Adam or I walk in there, she comes flying around the corner and slides in, Tom-Cruise-Risky-Business style. Our hardwood floors are Millie's enemy at the moment - She slips and slides every where she goes... Poor thing!

I promise to have better pictures soon! We'll be taking our engagement pictures with our photographer in January and we're going to bring her along! So stay tuned... :)

Giving Thanks

I realize that it is after Thanksgiving, but I don't quite think it would be inappropriate to say everything that I am thankful for a week later. Heck, we really should say everything that we're thankful for much more often than just once a year. Don't ya think?

My list is made up of many things, both big and small. And in no certain order...

• My family. No explanation necessary.
• Adam - The most loyal, thoughtful, and generous man I have ever met. I am beyond excited that I will get to call him my husband. (This time next year we will be married!)
• Millie (Our four-legged daughter!) More on her a little later...
• Friendships!
• A happy home.
• My wedding dress. The internet is fabulous, y'all! I look at it almost daily... :) (It IS ordered and should be here around July!!!)
• Chocolate... ;)
• My future in-laws (including you, Marla!) You guys are pretty sweet, if I do say so myself.
• My wonderful job and the amazing family that they are.
• Good health.

I will leave you guys with a little display of what our Thanksgiving looked like this year...

Thanks for taking the picture, D! ;)

P.S. Jamie, your sweet potato crunch was PHENOMENAL! In fact, I loved it so much that I am making it for Christmas. Hope it turns out as wonderful as yours! :)





Going to the Chapel...

...And we're gonna get marrriieeddd! :) We officially have a date:

November 18, 2011

Can we get a woohoo, please?! We have been engaged for 10 weeks and finally just booked the venue two days ago! The problem was that we (I) originally wanted 11/11/11. I mean, you have to admit that it would've been pretty cool! BUT every. other. bride. in. the. world. had the same idea. Seriously, my heart was broken nearly 20 times when all I kept hearing was, "Sorry. We're already booked that day. But we do have every other weekend in November open." Really, do you?! Great, because every other weekend ISN'T WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR! :) I've come to the conclusion that a tsunami is going to hit Jacksonville the weekend of 11/11 and that Adam and I were not meant to be married then. Ok, I'm done with my soap box. If you're still reading at this point... Thank you.

The 18th has meaning for Adam and I. AND it's the weekend before Thanksgiving, so we can take a whole week off of work and enjoy our "hey-we're-husband-and-wife" excitement! Plus, we're thrilled with the fact that because we're having a Friday wedding, the party can continue Saturday night with all of our out-of-town (and in-town) guests that we don't get to see very often. Yes, that means YOU. :)

So... I guess now all that you want to know is where this fabulous celebration is going to be, huh? Here you have it, folks...

The Florida Yacht Club

I realize this picture is SO. Freakin'. SMALL. But it's the best I could find from google. You'll just have to wait to see this beauty in 379 days.

XO!

Booked!

We have two things booked for the Big Day:

1. The Church:

2. Hair appointments :) Ok, I guess this one is more for me (and my fabulous bridal party) than Adam, huh?

Can you tell who is really doing the planning? Hey, a girl has priorities!

The venue still isn't booked because the original date we wanted is just too popular! So, we've made some adjustments and will hopefully have an official date to announce very soon! Stay tuned... :)

Kids.

I've decided that this blog isn't going to be 100% about our wedding. Why, you ask? Because I have one of the funniest jobs in the world and I'm finding it necessary to share my day-to-day adventures with you. :)

For those of you that don't know, I'm a nanny. The job market in Atlanta for nannies is... fantastic! And thank goodness for that! I wouldn't have it any other way :)

For my fellow nanny friends (and even mom friends), you guys will really appreciate these stories. I hope.

Let's start off with the basics: 2 BOYS, 4 and 8 years old. Enough said.

We'll call the 4-year-old Bob and the 8-year-old Joe for this scenario:

Bob stayed home from school because he had croup cough and a bad cold. (Kids 1, Ms. Lauren 0)
Joe came home from school feeling sick and fell asleep in the car.
Once Joe walked into the house, he puked all over the kitchen floor. (Kids 2, Ms. Lauren 0)
Joe went to lay down upstairs while Bob and I played a game and ate a snack.
In the middle of the snack, Bob started to feel nauseous and decided he had to puke too. He made it to the bathroom. Wohoo! (Kids 3, Ms. Lauren 0)
6pm and Ms. Lauren gets to go home. (Ms. Lauren wins!)

Yes, that's a true story.

And I still say, with 100% confidence, that I love my job!