in 10 days....

In 10 days I marry my love! I can't believe it's soooo close, just around the corner....2 years ago in November Erin proposed and now we get married in 10 days! We might have been engaged for 2 years, however we have only been planning this wedding for 6 months. It just started to come together at just the right moment. When I got home from TX last January we started looking at our options and everything just fell into place! I have to say that 6 months to plan this wedding has been a blessing. I haven't been able to change my mind on anything....too much. :o) I have had to make decisions and stick to them. Also with the economy I have done a lot of DIY projects and saved us a lot of money, but it's not going to look cheap!

Tomorrow we get our marriage license, have a final meeting at Confluence Park to finalize details. Then we are done...well I am. :o) Well we have to make the favors - but that is planned for next Thursday.

I can't wait! My goal for next week is to just enjoy this moment in our life. Yes I'm having minor freak outs...every bride does. I'm worrying that someone will show up that didn't RSVP. I am also big on planning and being on time. That is going to be my biggest obstacle. I'm trying to plan out every second of the wedding day....but I know in my head that I can't. I'm working on getting over that. :o)

I'm going to try to post a budget of our wedding. I just want to show others that you can have a nice, simple, elegant wedding for less than you might expect. Also, if you take your time you can make some DIY elements that don't look DIY....you just need a patient mind and a great friend who happens to be a graphic designer. :o) Thanks Jen!

Also, I know that yesterday I said I wasn't going to change the look of my blog until after we were married. However, I just couldn't wait. I put pictures of Lexi in, but when we get some wedding pictures, I'll replace them. :o)

Just 10 more days!! I can't wait to be Mrs. Erin McFall!!

new dinner

I hate being stuck in the kitchen cooking dinner when Erin gets home from work. I just want to be able to sit and hang out with him. Therefor, I'm always looking for easy meals that I can prepare during the day and then just throw into the oven when he gets home. Also, this means the dishes are done before hand too. This is my most recent new meal -

Fiesta Chicken Casserole -- This is my halved and slightly altered version since I'm only cooking for 2. The full recipe is here - it's a Campbell's recipe.

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust

1/2 a jar of chunky salsa

1/2 cup of sour cream

1/2 can of cream of chicken soup

1 cup cheddar cheese (I used mexican)

1/2 lb chicken - cooked

I seasoned the chicken in taco seasoning and then cooked it in a skillet.

While that cooked I mixed the sour cream, soup, salsa, and cheese together.

I then added the cooked chicken after I cut it up.

Then I placed it into a 9x9 baking dish and kept it in the fridge.

When Erin got home I took the pie crust out and let it stand for 15 min. I then placed them over the mixture, trimmed, and cut slits in the top.

Then baked at 400 degrees for about 30 min - until crust is golden brown.

Also, I'm working on my new header/background! I can't wait to put it up. It's going to be done after we get married and I have some wedding pictures to put up. 11 days!!

Coloring book

So, I decided to make a little coloring book for the kids at our wedding. I was looking at buying one but I decided to make one instead. Here are some pictures...

First though these are my new flats. SO cute!

Page 1 and so on....

How I'll set it up at the wedding....Probably at the seating card table.

Lexi Pics....

Lexi had a stand off with another cat last night. It walked by our porch and both it and Lexi puffed up their tails. Then it moved to our dinning room window and sat outside it and did a low growl at Lexi. Lexi just watched and wagged her tail.

Lexi's puffed up tail.

The other cat and Lexi

Also, Lexi's new carrier cage showed up yesterday. She doesn't like it! She knows when a carrier is out it means the vet. After she smelled it she went and sat all curled up by her litter box. Her litter box is her 'safe' spot when she feels threatened. So, I had to put it up in the closet.

Maybe I'll go in....

No mom, I don't like it!

my day.

First off the pics in this blog aren't great. I can't find our camera (hoping it's at Erin's bothers house...that is the last time I saw it) so I had to use my phone. Ah well. Ran errands today and got a few things for myself. :o)

My new purse. Thanks for telling me about Kohl's Jen!

This was on sale and came with a cosmetic bag/id holder.

My new wallet from Forever 21. So cute and only $7.50!! It matches perfectly.

I found this at Things Remembered when I was having the grooms men gifts engraved. It's bracelet for wedding day. They even engraved it with my new monogram. :o) It'll be perfect! Since my jewelry is pearls and silver.

I also dropped things off at the florist, payment at the cake shop. I even ordered my top for the rehearsal dinner. They didn't have it in the store (American Eagle) so they ordered it for me and I got free shipping! Plus a second color for 1/2 off. YAY! Now I'm just wasting time until my meeting with the photographer to make a final payment and go over what pictures we want. I can't believe we are getting married in 2 weeks!

Stress shopping....

Today is a stressful day. Erin already got an all cap's e-mail of my vent. Therefor, I spent all morning 'window shopping' online. :-P

In my 'window shopping' I ordered new flats. My leopard print ones got soaked yesterday and soaked through to my feet. So they need to go into the trash. I have had them for almost 3 years now, it's time. I searched and searched and found these cute ones from Target. $12.99 and they will go with just about everything! So I ordered them! :o)

I then saw this purse (again at Target) I'm going through purse withdrawal and I want a new one sooooo badly! I think this one is really cute! I need to go to the store though and see it up close first......

and compare it to this one! I found it at Forever 21 and will have to check it out too. How cute would a yellow purse be for fall?! I just need to decide on a big or small purse....

Ready for Thursday! We are doing a lot and I could end up with a purse. :oP

We are going to....

*get marriage license (as long as Erin doesn't have to work)

*engrave 'gifts' and our cake topper. We are going to put the date on it and maybe a little saying. Not sure yet...

*compare purses (Erin doesn't know that yet) :oP

*meeting with photographer, drop of payments.

SO CLOSE!!

Post again on Thursday....I seriously might take a picture of us getting our license. :o)

wedding issues

Today is another 2 post day....Here is the first one.

My top wedding issues

1. Rehearsal dinner

*Planning it was just a PAIN! And to think, we ended up back at the original plan. We should have never swayed. :o)

I can say that the rehearsal will be easy and casual - PERFECT! I have my outfit planned too...White top (the one I posted this weekend) Jeans, and Erin want's me to wear my flower heels that I got for my b-day. Easy! :o)

2. Invites - Addresses

*I sent e-mails 2 months before I sent out invites asking for updated addresses to both mothers. I heard nothing from one and assumed all was right. SO, now that I've had 2 messages from a guest (whom I don't even know!) about which address did I send certain peoples invites too - it angers me! I'm over it. Especially since 2 weeks before I have to give final counts I'm just finding out that people haven't received their invites. (I could go on...it's an issue today.)

3. Invites - RSVP's

*I can't give final counts with out RSVP's. I don't care if you talked to one of the mothers and said you are coming after the save the date cards...I didn't get that message - send the RSVP. Don't talk to the mother and debate it...send me a maybe. I don't care! UGH! I'll be making phone calls Monday. Problem is my mom warned me about this with my family...surprisingly - I've gotten their RSVP's. I didn't believe her either...should have listened!

4. Favors

* Just a pain making boxes and getting the M&M's here...mild problem.

By the way this is 5lb's of M&M's. :o)

5. Undetermined

Who knew these would be my top issues! I thought the rehearsal dinner and invites would be easy!

Are these normal issues? I just want this planning process to be over!

I am proud to say we are at budget! Even cut costs in certain areas. :o)