Let's get this Party Started!!

A few updates before we get started.. (1) I found "A" dress. Still not convinced it's "The" dress, but none the less, it's the one were going with!! (2) Matt and I officially finished our VOW classes (Pre-Marital skills based counseling) last night, and are happy to report, we passed with flying colors!! Who Knew! So, for all of you that wondered out there, It's still a Go!! :)

O-Tay! Where to begin..This past weekend, was Matt & I's COUPLES SHOWER!! I thought it turned out FANTASTIC, more than I could have ever hoped for! Great turn out, Great food, Great Friends, Great PRESENTS!! :) Thanks to all my hostesses that made it such a huge, wonderful, memorable success! Now, it's time to bring on the Pictures!!

Pre-Party Planning!I'm posting this next pic, because it represents me opening up my FIRST official wedding gift. Lindsey Hughes sent it, b/c she wasn't able to make it to the shower, and of course I just had to take a pic! Thanks Linds!! :)

Our Couples shower was Luau themed, and held at Cody & Mel's house. We had fajitas and rice and beans from Papaciatas, Casey made homemade sopapilla cheesecake (which were fantastic by the way, and got RAVE reviews) and to top it off, we even had a margarita machine! Here's a pic of Matt & I with our hostesses with the mostesess!! :)

Andy & Casey Ferguson, Aaron & Amanda Ferguson, Philip & Ashley Green, Matt & Candy (Bobo-to-be), Seane & Ginger Richardson, Jered & Holly Johnston, Cody & Melanie Ferguson

..and one with just the girls! :)

(I promise my matron-of-honor Holly, was happy to be there, and is happy were getting married! She unfortunately got incredibly sick, and had to leave right after this. I was VERY sad she missed out on the shower, and all her hard work putting it together, but was thankful she got herself better, by taking it easy!)

Since of course, this was a "couples shower" it's only fitting that I show pics of some of the couples..so here goes!

Jered & Holly

Ashley & Philip

Seane & Ginger
Cody & Melanie
Amanda & Aaron, Casey & Andy
Christy & Reggie
Brent & Jennifer

Tony & Lindsey

Dan & Rachel
Becky & Mike, Robert & Teresa

Ashley & Josh Buck & Angela
Lorrie & BooBoo
Rachel & Buddy

Colleen & Adam
Kendrah & Brad
Katie & Jeremy
Scott & Angela
and the Infamous Sopapilla Cheesecakes!!
..and a few, other "couples"! :)

The Moms- MeeMaw & Missy

Clara & Mikki
Keith & his favorite person there that night, Scott!

Addi & Nini
Ashley & Brennan
Brad & Andy Melanie & Sammy
Aaron & Cody
Ginger & Mel (Up to NO Good!)
Matt & Ginger
Lauren & ME
Addi & Donna
Seane & Matt
Mel & ME (and my Book!)
..and just a few more, just for fun! :)





..and..





Do you like how this was OUR shower, and we don't have any pictures together?? Not sure how that happened, but I did snag one of us opening our gifts! It was an incredible shower, a fantastic night..can't wait for more!!


Until Next Time!

Days go By...

Man, it sure feels like forever, since I've updated..but in all actuality it's only been about a week. I guess it's just because I've been in a very bad mood lately, so I feel like as if, time has stopped! I keep thinking of Weezer on Steel Magnolia's that said something like, "I'm not crazy, I've just been in a very bad mood for 40 years!" I can't decide whether the stress of the wedding is catching up, or if it's my "to do" list that's quadrupled, or the fact that I have NO AC, and everytime I get in my car to go somewhere I feel like I want to melt, then I get road-rage, not a good combination..Or it could be that I've consistently been exercising for THREE weeks now, longer than I think I EVER have before, and yesterday the scale said, I'd gained 5 lbs!! UGH!

Wow, I think I feel much better!! lol :)

So, on to what's been happening. I left off with Matt keeping Addi. Umm, let's just say, that when I got home that evening..Matt said that, God had spoken to him..he said, "Matt, no children for you!" ha, I laughed and insisted that my precious angel could not have been bad. and she wasn't. Here's some pics of how the rest of the week went with CaCa in charge!

The first day, I had to wake addi up at 8:40 to go to school! I thought, man I can do this..WRONG! The second day, Addi was full force at a brisk 6:40 AM!! I pleaded with her to go back to bed, but she wasn't having it..between the slow high-pitched drawn out "CaaaaCaaaa" or the bouncing on my head, yelling "HIII", "HIII"..I couldn't take it anymore, needless to say, Addi was at school at 8am sharp that morning!!

(disclaimer: I did however redo her hair the second morning after we got in the car, it wasn't so "pebble-ish"..This does remind me though, of a not so pleasant long night of one of Ashley's..the next morning she woke up with a "Pebbles" hairdo of her own, and claimed noone but me, could have done it..she was right!)

Friday after work, Matt and I met up with Clay & Mikki and the kids, and headed over to Matt's parents house to celebrate Matt's belated birthday. Matt's mom, and mikki had flown in from Boston on the night of his birthday, so this was the first chance everyone got to celebrate. We all loaded up in the boat and headed over to the marina on the lake for a nice birthday dinner. Afterwards, we floated for a while, it was incredibly peaceful and amazing..long overdue. We then came back to the house for cake and presents. It was a great night!

Saturday, oh Saturday.. On this day, Melanie & Addi, Ginger, Me & Mom drove to Shreveport to go "dress shopping".

I had made an appt. at 1 for our first stop. I can't even describe to yall, what a disaster this was. When we first walked in, my "bridal consultant" showed me the "designer room" and explained to me that nothing in this room was under $2500..uh hum..NEXT, you're kidding me right. The next room was where I could pick out "my" dresses. "My" dresses, in "MY" size..um, maybe three. It was horrible awful, and after the second dress, I was DONE..and clearly emphasized to the "consultant" after only 45 minutes, that I was DONE! :) At least Addi enjoyed herself..not so much the women that worked there though, they were actually going behind her wiping her handprints off of the glass!! yeah..The second store..better, much better. They had a wide variety of dresses "My" size, and I found 5 I thought I might like. I narrowed the search to 2, then to 1, but still wasn't certain. I ended up purchasing..BUT I'm going back tonight actually to continue on with my search for "The One!" The dress is not at all what I had envisioned for my wedding dress. It's very simple and plain, with no dramatic feel, (so not like me) :) and I just didn't get the feeling of "Wow, this is the dress", I heard no angels singing, saw no bright shiny light above it..am I wrong about this? Should I not know when I've found "the one"??

This may be my all time FAVORITE picture ever! My mom said casually, that she couldn't wait to show Addi it on "her" wedding day. HER wedding day, I thought..HER wedding day, I froze! That could not be possible, Addi's my little girl, my baby girl forever..I tell you, I CANNOT imagine me loving my future children anymore than I do Addi and Brennan, I just don't see it physically or emotionally possible... How precious is this?? and, to top it off, she's holding her "Tappy" aka. Paci..like a bouquet..too cute!

and..the real addi!
On Sunday afternoon, Dad & Donna, Matt & I, and Cody & Family all went to Roadhouse (Yum)to celebrate Big Poppa's birthday the day before..HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG POPPA! Afterwards we went and did our usual thing on Sunday, swimming out at Cody's, but this occasion, and to everyone's delight, dad had made homemade Peach ice cream..woo-hoo, he had also brought to the kids some posters and such of some kid movie playing at the theatre. see attached!

and, after a long weekend..here's Matty doing what he does best on Sunday Pool Day..but, with a lil' helper!! :) awww..how cute is that!

Until Next Time!!