Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Standard.
This says it all, doesn't it? My parents taught me a million things, but one thing above all others.... GOD MUST BE at the center of the marriage. HE is in charge. HE will put you with the one you're supposed to be with. HE will take care of, and bless your marriage. God is completely in charge of my future marriage to J, and per God's commands, J will be the head of our household. God created our husbands to be the leader, the final authority. He created marriage to work in this exact way. My parents follow God's example for what marriage should be like, and they have the healthiest, most wonderful marriage I've ever seen. I pray daily that I take their lead and strive to have a GODLY marriage, just like theirs.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Marriage.
My parents prayed for my future husband starting from the day I was born and God sure did outdo himself!
I am such a lucky girl. Not only am I marrying the perfect man for me (&hottest guy I know), but I know he was picked out for me especially by God long before I ever knew him. My parents (the BEST, most GODLY, and IN LOVE couple I know) prayed for my brother, sister, and my future spouses since we were born. I know this, because they tell me this all the time. When I called my parents and screamed (well, sobbed) the news that I WAS GETTING MARRIED!!, they laughed, cried, pretended it was a surprise (although they knew for a while, since he had asked my dad permission), and the best part was? They assured me that our marriage was going to be blessed, since they had been praying that I would meet & marry the right man, the man that God wanted me to be with. Sometimes in the craziness of work, dealing with this long-distance, & planning the wedding, I forget how exciting it is that I GET TO MARRY THE GUY OF MY DREAMS in a short time. I am so excited for our life that we are going to start together and the adventures we'll have. I can't wait to revisit Hawaii with my husband and celebrate our wedding & marriage....laugh, share a bottle of wine watching the sunset, snorkle, cuddle, and make everyone uncomfortable with how in love we are.
Hopefully I didn't make anyone too squimish with this post, but I feel lucky, thankful, and blessed to have found the man God made for ME and the man my parents prayed for.
I am such a lucky girl. Not only am I marrying the perfect man for me (&hottest guy I know), but I know he was picked out for me especially by God long before I ever knew him. My parents (the BEST, most GODLY, and IN LOVE couple I know) prayed for my brother, sister, and my future spouses since we were born. I know this, because they tell me this all the time. When I called my parents and screamed (well, sobbed) the news that I WAS GETTING MARRIED!!, they laughed, cried, pretended it was a surprise (although they knew for a while, since he had asked my dad permission), and the best part was? They assured me that our marriage was going to be blessed, since they had been praying that I would meet & marry the right man, the man that God wanted me to be with. Sometimes in the craziness of work, dealing with this long-distance, & planning the wedding, I forget how exciting it is that I GET TO MARRY THE GUY OF MY DREAMS in a short time. I am so excited for our life that we are going to start together and the adventures we'll have. I can't wait to revisit Hawaii with my husband and celebrate our wedding & marriage....laugh, share a bottle of wine watching the sunset, snorkle, cuddle, and make everyone uncomfortable with how in love we are.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Candles.
I am obsessed with candles!! These Tyler candles are the BEST. Unbelievable scent, last a long time, reasonably priced (compared to other "good" candle companies). One great thing about starting a new year is starting a new batch of candles. I always put away all my vanilla/cinnamon/food smells and bust out some cleaner, lighter scents for the new year. Here are some of my favs...
Candles you HAVE to try. Trust me, I'm a candle freak and I've tried them ALL:
1. Tyler (you can buy them online & usually get a good deal. Best scent? 24K. It is amazing! clean & so pretty)
2. Anthropologie- Aloha Orchid
3. Anthropologie- Currant Blossom
4. Yankee Candle- Baby Powder (sounds strange but smells so clean & light. fabulous)
5. Yankee Candle- Fluffy Towels (similar to Clean Cotton but BETTER)
6. Woodwick Candles- Cashmire
7. Yankee Candle- Soft Blanket (great for a bathroom)
8. Restoration Hardware- Green Tea
9. Tyler- Fleur de Lys
Happy smelling!
Wedding updates.
Wedding Updates:
We have a venue!! FINALLY. We actually signed our contract and paid our deposit before Xmas, but haven't really announced it yet. Our wedding is going to be at the Hyatt Lodge at the McDonalds Corporation Building in Oakbrook. It is BEAUTIFUL. Floor to ceiling windows, backed up to a lake and forest, so you feel like you're in a treehouse. Huge outdoor terrace where we'll have some live music during our cocktail hour, outdoor lanterns, and some fun vintage DIY touches. The feel is very rustic, but still very formal. It's perfect and I couldn't be happier.
We also have a photag! Nessa Hendrickson. She is amazing. She also happens to be a family friend, so we are really looking forward to having someone fun & talented, who will really make our day personal. We're planning on doing our engagement pics in the fall, outdoors somewhere where I can incorporate my love of the autumn season into this wedding. I would've loved to have a fall wedding, but with logistics & planning, it just worked out better that our wedding would be in the spring. which brings us to... OUR DATE! May 26, 2013.
The coolest part about this date besides the fact that its memorial day weekend, so our guests will have all weekend to relax & celebrate with us.... It's Jon's parents 40th wedding anniversary! Totally and completely unplanned. After we had already chosen the date & signed the contract, Jon told his mom the date and she gasped....40 years ago to the date, his parents had been married. This is going to make our date even more special. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to incorporate this into our day, but I'm excited to do something cool to honor them that day.
Wedding party!
We have that done too. Well, my part is done. Jon has his figured out but hasn't officially asked his guys yet, so I won't announce his side. But mine have all been asked already so here they are! (great idea for future brides-- I got them each handmade bracelets with their initials and handmade a jewelry box transcribed with a personalized poem that basically asked "will you be my bridesmaid?") They came out so cute and it was a great way to honor my girls who I'm soo excited to have by my side. (And my MAN of honor, who got a "man of honor" fancy flask)
Maid of honor: Jessica Bahr
Matron of honor: Liz Fox
Man of honor: Bryan Bahr
Bridesmaid: Anne Bahr
Bridesmaid: Christina Bahr
Bridesmaid: Erum Mohammed
Bridesmaid: Nicole Bensko
Junior bridesmaid: Nikki Bahr
Flower girl: Anderson Nilles
Ring bearer: Maxwell Nilles
Next up: Getting our church (Willow Creek in Barrington) marriage classes & mentoring done so we can book our date there, and dresses this spring!
We have a venue!! FINALLY. We actually signed our contract and paid our deposit before Xmas, but haven't really announced it yet. Our wedding is going to be at the Hyatt Lodge at the McDonalds Corporation Building in Oakbrook. It is BEAUTIFUL. Floor to ceiling windows, backed up to a lake and forest, so you feel like you're in a treehouse. Huge outdoor terrace where we'll have some live music during our cocktail hour, outdoor lanterns, and some fun vintage DIY touches. The feel is very rustic, but still very formal. It's perfect and I couldn't be happier.
We also have a photag! Nessa Hendrickson. She is amazing. She also happens to be a family friend, so we are really looking forward to having someone fun & talented, who will really make our day personal. We're planning on doing our engagement pics in the fall, outdoors somewhere where I can incorporate my love of the autumn season into this wedding. I would've loved to have a fall wedding, but with logistics & planning, it just worked out better that our wedding would be in the spring. which brings us to... OUR DATE! May 26, 2013.
The coolest part about this date besides the fact that its memorial day weekend, so our guests will have all weekend to relax & celebrate with us.... It's Jon's parents 40th wedding anniversary! Totally and completely unplanned. After we had already chosen the date & signed the contract, Jon told his mom the date and she gasped....40 years ago to the date, his parents had been married. This is going to make our date even more special. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to incorporate this into our day, but I'm excited to do something cool to honor them that day.
Wedding party!
We have that done too. Well, my part is done. Jon has his figured out but hasn't officially asked his guys yet, so I won't announce his side. But mine have all been asked already so here they are! (great idea for future brides-- I got them each handmade bracelets with their initials and handmade a jewelry box transcribed with a personalized poem that basically asked "will you be my bridesmaid?") They came out so cute and it was a great way to honor my girls who I'm soo excited to have by my side. (And my MAN of honor, who got a "man of honor" fancy flask)
Maid of honor: Jessica Bahr
Matron of honor: Liz Fox
Man of honor: Bryan Bahr
Bridesmaid: Anne Bahr
Bridesmaid: Christina Bahr
Bridesmaid: Erum Mohammed
Bridesmaid: Nicole Bensko
Junior bridesmaid: Nikki Bahr
Flower girl: Anderson Nilles
Ring bearer: Maxwell Nilles
Next up: Getting our church (Willow Creek in Barrington) marriage classes & mentoring done so we can book our date there, and dresses this spring!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Resolutions.
Well, it's that time of year again. Resolutions. I actually hate resolutions. Maybe it's because I never really keep them. Maybe it's because I have the same resolutions every year...lose weight, read my bible more, spend more time with friends. This year, in attempt to keep said resolutions, I'm going to make my resolutions more specific. Maybe that way I'll hold myself to them. I'd like to say that this is going to be the "BEST YEAR EVER" but frankly, I know it's not. It's going to be crazy and a little stressful. Figuring out J's next job, us saving money, planning this wedding. I wish I could fast-forward this year and get straight to 2013...the year of our WEDDING! We cannot wait. 2013 will be our year.
But, in the spirit of my resolution to be more positive, I'm going to attempt to enjoy this year, as crazy-stressful as it will be. That said....
Resolution #1: Be more positive. More happy. Try to enjoy something EVERY DAY. Something that isn't just getting my workout in or watching my favorite Monday show or Tuesday show. Even if it's as simple as a butterfly-in-the-tummy kiss from J. Playtime with Madison. Or...gasp...planning this wedding. Everyday, I'm going to write said thing down so I can remember it & cherish that memory.
Resolution #2: Spend more time with girlfriends. Specifically, once-a-month girls night with my college besties Erum & Nicole. Erum and I are both resoluting to do hot-yoga together once a week or every other week, so I'll get to see her more, but Nic has a baby, so I'll take what I can get with her. Once a month may be pushing it for a busy mama. Need to see my best friend Liz more too. She's also a busy mama, but we gotta just make those dates, even if its just for Bachelor Monday with some champagne. Along with spending more time with girlfriends is weekly or every-other-weekly bible study/girl talk with my new buddy Jaci. I'm excited to get to know that awesome girl more and on a deeper level and hopefully between our vent-fests about love, life & husbands, we'll get some good old-fashioned bible work in there.
Resolution #3: Lose a few lbs & tone it up. (there is a specific # but only Erum is allowed to know that one.) Come on. gotta throw that in there. Gotta look good in that wedding dress and that honeymoon bikini.
Resolution #4: Spend more time with family. This means seeing Matt, Anne, & Jess at least once a month, J's parents at least once a month, niece/nephew/bro-in-law/sis-in-law at least once a month, a trip to Virginia this spring to see my 'rents. Love my family, would spend everyday with them if I could, but work & life get in the way, and before you realize it, a month has gone by.
Resolution #5: Get to church every week. It's tough working nights...but no excuses, I gotta get there. I honestly love my church & love going, but I gotta get over there whether it be on Sat night before I work or getting out of bed on my Sunday off. Along with that, J & I need to get our pre-marital classes/mentoring done this year. Add that to the resolutions list.
Resolution #6: Walk Mady more. Poor girl. she'd do anything to get outside. I gotta suck it up after a night of work and just do it before I go to bed in the morning. I'd have a much happier hound on my hands.
Resolution #7: Spend less money. No use of the credit card. Cash only for purchases and if I don't have the cash that week, I don't buy it. May have to cut out Anthropologie for awhile, but hey, we have a wedding, honeymoon, house coming up. The girl at the Anthropologie counter does not need to know my name and size anymore. Enough said.
Alright, that's a pretty good list. Any more and I'd completely be setting myself up for failure. Although I have to say, it's much more fun to write about resolutions than keep them. We'll see how this goes. I'll keep you updated.
Happy, Happy New Year! May God bless you this year and draw you closer to Him.
--Ames
But, in the spirit of my resolution to be more positive, I'm going to attempt to enjoy this year, as crazy-stressful as it will be. That said....
Resolution #1: Be more positive. More happy. Try to enjoy something EVERY DAY. Something that isn't just getting my workout in or watching my favorite Monday show or Tuesday show. Even if it's as simple as a butterfly-in-the-tummy kiss from J. Playtime with Madison. Or...gasp...planning this wedding. Everyday, I'm going to write said thing down so I can remember it & cherish that memory.
Resolution #2: Spend more time with girlfriends. Specifically, once-a-month girls night with my college besties Erum & Nicole. Erum and I are both resoluting to do hot-yoga together once a week or every other week, so I'll get to see her more, but Nic has a baby, so I'll take what I can get with her. Once a month may be pushing it for a busy mama. Need to see my best friend Liz more too. She's also a busy mama, but we gotta just make those dates, even if its just for Bachelor Monday with some champagne. Along with spending more time with girlfriends is weekly or every-other-weekly bible study/girl talk with my new buddy Jaci. I'm excited to get to know that awesome girl more and on a deeper level and hopefully between our vent-fests about love, life & husbands, we'll get some good old-fashioned bible work in there.
Resolution #3: Lose a few lbs & tone it up. (there is a specific # but only Erum is allowed to know that one.) Come on. gotta throw that in there. Gotta look good in that wedding dress and that honeymoon bikini.
Resolution #4: Spend more time with family. This means seeing Matt, Anne, & Jess at least once a month, J's parents at least once a month, niece/nephew/bro-in-law/sis-in-law at least once a month, a trip to Virginia this spring to see my 'rents. Love my family, would spend everyday with them if I could, but work & life get in the way, and before you realize it, a month has gone by.
Resolution #5: Get to church every week. It's tough working nights...but no excuses, I gotta get there. I honestly love my church & love going, but I gotta get over there whether it be on Sat night before I work or getting out of bed on my Sunday off. Along with that, J & I need to get our pre-marital classes/mentoring done this year. Add that to the resolutions list.
Resolution #6: Walk Mady more. Poor girl. she'd do anything to get outside. I gotta suck it up after a night of work and just do it before I go to bed in the morning. I'd have a much happier hound on my hands.
Resolution #7: Spend less money. No use of the credit card. Cash only for purchases and if I don't have the cash that week, I don't buy it. May have to cut out Anthropologie for awhile, but hey, we have a wedding, honeymoon, house coming up. The girl at the Anthropologie counter does not need to know my name and size anymore. Enough said.
Alright, that's a pretty good list. Any more and I'd completely be setting myself up for failure. Although I have to say, it's much more fun to write about resolutions than keep them. We'll see how this goes. I'll keep you updated.
Happy, Happy New Year! May God bless you this year and draw you closer to Him.
--Ames
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