Gratitude

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~ JFK 

After a weekend full of family and good food, I am stopping by to wish you all a happy thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for!!

Welcome Little Prince

William Harry was born at 1:27 am on August 29th, weighing 6 lbs 14 ozs and sporting a thick head of dark hair. I can hardly believe he's finally here!!

Back on the Wagon?

Wow. I definitely fell off the blogging wagon this past year!! I don't know how well I'll be able to keep up with it now that I have a little munchkin to care for, but I can try. Medea was born on September 7, 2010 at 9:23 am. It was definitely love at first sight. She is now just over five months old, which I can hardly believe. She is definitely cooler than her parents.

Meet Squirmy...

It's probably about time to announce that Russ and I are going to be parents! Yay! And yikes! Exciting and scary all rolled up into this tiny little bundle.

Gratitude.

This weekend Russ and I were able to spend thanksgiving with my extended family, which is always an exciting time. This year there was much to be thankful for:

• All of my sisters and I were able to make it home this year

• Russ and I met Maria, the Brazilian exchange student who is staying with my parents for the year

• My cousin Ben was at thanksgiving at my grandparents (Ben spent the last year in New Zealand, and this weekend was the first we'd seen of him since he came home!)

• My cousin Jana and her husband Dan announced the exciting news that they are expecting (the first!)
  

• I was able to wander around my old high school and take some pictures and refresh some memories before it is sold (the town has built a fancy new school)

• There was copious amounts of delicious homemade food to be shared

• There was much conversation and laughter to share

• The snow held off on our drive home until we arrived in Edmonton

And finally, my wonderful, awesome and somewhat nerdy husband came across this sweet video on youtube:

It's Good to be in Love...

When you are in love you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams. ~ Dr. Seuss

One year ago today, I married my best friend.

I love your funny face, Your sunny, funny face.




I love you more today, more today than yesterday, but I don't love you more today than I'll love you tomorrow.
Happy anniversary, Russ.

A Much-Needed Escape

Last night Russ and I got home from our week-long excursion to Vancouver Island. We drove down last Sunday and drove home yesterday. It was a fantastic escape, and I'm sorry it went by so quickly, but I am grateful for the many memories we made, as well as the chance to get to know some friends better. I celebrated my birthday while we were there, and I've decided that since we were in a different province, it doesn't count. We also attended the wedding reception of our friend Morgan. He met his wife in Kenya while working there for a year. He spent two years trying to get her into Canada. In February he went back to Kenya and they got married. She is finally here in Canada, and so his mom held a reception at her home in Lake Chowichan to celebrate, as well as provide an opportunity for friends and family to meet Besho. It was a wonderful day. The Island is a beautiful place, and it is incredibly tempting to relocate. However, right now, there are too many things to keep us here in good ol' E-Town, so in Edmonton we shall stay.

The Empress Hotel in Victoria

Pier in Sidney, BC

Morgan and Besho


The Legislature Buildings in Victoria

Love is Friendship Set on Fire.

Congratulations, Lisa and Tyson! It was a beautiful day!

In Remiss...

Oops...so apparently I haven't posted anything in almost two months. Please don't think that it's because I'm boring. I'm really not...I just have had no time to blog. This summer promises to be chock full 'o bloggy goodness though, what with two weddings, a trip to Victoria with my lovely husband, and our first anniversary! The weather is finally starting to look springy, (it should, it IS MAY, after all!!), and I'm ready to start running again. I've even broken out my inline skates. When you live thisclose to the river valley, it would be stupid to not take advantage of it!!!

T'is the Season...

The first snow has fallen...and melted, but there is a distinct chill in the air.


Things have definitely taken a more festive turn, and everything is beginning to feel holiday-esque. Work is a frenzy of holiday-product-related activity, and people are already frantic to get their holiday shopping completed.

This will be the first Christmas that Russ and I will actually spend together. We will actually be together on Christmas morning, rather than talking on the phone. We will actually have presents for each other under the tree, and will get to see the other unwrap them.
While I dread the time leading up to Christmas, as working in retail has that effect on anyone, I'm definitely excited for my first holiday with my husband.

Much to be Thankful For...

Thanksgiving flowers from family

Lovely fall days

A wonderful husband

I hope that everyone else is feeling thankful for life's blessings!

One Month-Aversary.

Today we celebrate one month of marriedness! It's hard to believe that it's already been a month, and yet, at the same time, it seems like it was forever ago...

Russ bought me the new David Usher CD which came out today. He knows me so well.

The mattress set that my parents bought us as a wedding gift finally arrived on Saturday. We don't have a bed frame yet, as the one we want is currently sold out until Friday, but we set them up on the floor, and it was probably one of the best sleeps I've had in YEARS!!!! I actually felt rested when I woke up!

We went and used some of our wedding money to buy a steaming jug and thermometer for Francis, as well as a magical butter crock that allows you to keep your butter on the counter, so that it's spreadable, without it going rancid! Everyone should have one!


My...I feel so domestic today, raving about various household gadgets. I guess this is what happens when one joins the ranks of the Smug Marrieds...

Sadie, Sadie, MARRIED Lady!!

Yup! So totally married!!! Everything went absolutely perfectly. The day was sunny and warm, but not too warm. Our families met for the first time on Friday, and hit it off right away. The rehearsal went quite smoothly, and we had a big barbecue afterward, which was lots of fun.

I was absolutely calm the whole morning. Got up, had grandma-made cinnamon buns for breakfast with a cup of tea (NO coffee--I would have been bouncing off the walls!!) Lisa got my hair done ahead of schedule, and it looked fantastic. Sarah did my makeup and it looked beautiful, and natural, but was totally bulletproof. We gathered up our stuff and went to the church where I was putting my dress on, so it wouldn't get rumpled in the car. I was totally calm...until 20 minutes before the ceremony. Suddenly I was totally nervous and excited, and was sure I would hyperventilate or throw up on Russ at the front of the church. It was ridiculous. So as I was being all nervous, the pastor came down and said it was time, so we headed up and got ready to go in. As I was coming in, my aunt handed me my awesome bouquet--that weighed about 10 pounds! I made it down the aisle, my dad didn't cry until after he sat down (if I had seen him cry, I would have absolutely lost it.) I managed to make it through the first bit, until the vows. Russ got to go first, and his vows were so unbelievably beautiful that I almost fell apart. I managed to make it through my vows, which turned out fine, and then the rest was gravy! Yay!!!


The rest of the day went by so quickly, but it was so much fun. We got to see friends and family at the reception, eat delicious food, and CAKE! The cookies that we made for the favors went over like gangbusters. Everyone has been raving about them. They were really good cookies.


I honestly couldn't have asked for a better day. Yay marriage!

Commencing Count-down, Engines On...

Okay, so whoever decided that writing our own vows would be a great idea is an idiot. Oh wait--that would be me!! What was I thinking?!!! Well, I'll tell you what I was thinking..."Oh, it would be so much more personal and wonderful to express our feelings in our own words and make our own promises to each other. How magical!" Until I realized, "Oh Crap!! I have to actually put to paper those personal and wonderful expressions of my feelings in my own words and make those promises to Russ!!! AGH!" Now I'm trying to write them and it no fun at all! I keep wanting to throw in jokes and other inappropriate things that pretty much ruin the entire sentiment of them.

Has anyone watched Friends? It's like a combination of the episode where Joey is going to officiate Monica and Chandler's wedding, and he keeps talking about having and holding and giving and receiving...over and over, and the episode where Monica and Chandler have to write their vows and their relationship doesn't fit into the mold of standard vow writing...needless to say, I wish I was watching those episodes right now instead of trying to make these vows not suck. Normally I would have Russ read them over and check them, but of course, since we decided to not share our vows beforehand, that's not possible, which, I think is adding to the stress. I guess I just have to keep trying and hope that they don't come out lamely.

Alzheimer's...

The strangest form of cold feet???

Russ has been a bit forgetful lately. Don't worry...it's not Alzheimer's, but I joke that it is his form of cold feet, because it seems that all the things forgotten are related to the wedding. Most of it is little stuff, and it's not a big deal, but right now I'm worried, because Russ has lost his ring.
Yup...hasn't even had a chance to wear it yet, and it's already missing.

When we were moving, I told him that we should either put it in the lock box, or take it to my parents' for safe keeping, but no, he had a much better place, and so he put it "somewhere safe". Well, that place turned out to be so safe that no one can find it!!


"Who am I? Who are you? Why am I in a suit? I do what?"

30 Days...

In just thirty short days, I will totally be married!! How crazy and weird is that?! Don't worry....I don't plan on going into a big long squee about bouquets and centerpieces and favors. I don't think any of that stuff really matters, and besides, it's all taken care of. I just needed to put down in words what I've been trying to wrap my brain around for the last couple of days--the wait is almost over. I just have to remind myself that all the little things will get done, and what doesn't, isn't important anyways. As long as we have a marriage license and a minister, we're good to go! So, in just thirty days, I'll be partying with friends and family, and dreaming about escaping to Hawaii with my husband.

51 Days.

Never underestimate the value of the company of good friends. It shouldn't be surprising that spending just a few minutes with a friend can completely change your mood or your day, but it still never ceases to amaze me. As I sit here, late at night, with a random episode of Friends playing in the background, I am thinking over the last few days, and all the friend face time I've been lucky enough to enjoy!

We had the pleasure of attending two beautiful weddings on Saturday--Congrats to Elizabeth & Nathan, and Shea & Jason, by the way!! As we were sitting with friends at Shea and Jason's reception, someone mentioned that the next wedding that we would all be congregating at would be ours, and it was actually surreal to think about. August 23 seems so very very far away, and yet...it will be here in a blink of an eye. I would love to just stop and enjoy every single second leading up to it, but, unfortunately, life generally does not allow that sort of thing. I'll have to be satisfied with what I AM able to savor...

Someone asked one of my sisters whether she thought I would be a bridezilla or a calm, relaxed bride, and she said it could go either way. I honestly am calm. If things don't go according to plan, we make a new plan. If the church burns down the day of the wedding, I'll have the ceremony out front. All that matters is that I marry the most amazing man on earth. That rejuvenating feeling I get when I'm with friends is multiplied many times over when I'm with him, and I want that feeling for the rest of our lives. He is totally my zen garden. He calms me down and evens me out. Even though his weird quirks drive me crazy sometimes, I do love him for them...they're what makes him, him. Fifty-one days seems like quite a long time, and there is so very much left to do, but at the same time, I kind of wish that it was fifty-two days from now....

Love!

http://www.mywedding.com/russandcassareawesome/

Here Comes the Beast...

So I've pretty much had "wedding" on the brain since the beginning of January. I think it has something to do with the fact that in December, "August 23, 2008" seemed so far away...like, in another year or something. Now that there is less than seven months left to go, I'm realizing how much work and planning there is to do, between then and now! We registered on Sunday, (in the midst of a snowstorm), at the urging of my family, but it was kind of fun. Next week is the crazy planning week, and HOPEFULLY, I'll finally find my dress. I've also realized that I really don't want to look like a snow beast in my dress, so I'm using this as motivation to get in shape. The crazy thing is that I've realized how much I love strength-training! I still hate sweating, but I suck it up, do it, and feel better for it. Now, I feel weird if I don't work out, which I never thought I'd ever say... And that is my blurb about wedding stuff. I definitely don't want to be one of those people who can ONLY talk about the wedding, yet, at the same time, it's a hard subject to avoid when everyone is asking about it. I don't mind talking about it when people ask--that's not the issue. I just don't want to come across as self-absorbed or involved like some girls, who want to do nothing but flash The Rock and squee...definitely NOT what it's all about! But I am looking forward to the next seven months...

Engaging News!

After about five years of togetherness, Russ and I are (finally) engaged. Pretty big news! I'm really excited, Russ is really good at hiding his excitement. I'm sure you all are thinking "it's about time!" Well...you're right. For everyone who has been asking, we went for a walk around the ledge grounds on Saturday evening, messing around with the camera. We stopped in front of the Centennial Flame, and Russ asked me to marry him. So, of course I said YES. And so it is. Now begins the next crazy phase in our crazy relationship, and I couldn't be more excited to marry the love of my life!