Time for a Vaca! Off to HHI

Hi Friends,

Sorry it's been a while and I've neglected my blogging duties! I have no wedding updates currently except that we have engagement photos in 2 weeks and I could not be more excited!!! BUT...FIRST... We will be leaving tomorrow for Hilton Head with 4 other couples! Jeolous? Yes! I knew it!

I am literally so excited I can't even express it in words. It has been 4 years since I have last gone on vacation! DANG! You see each summer I typically go to "pageant summer camp" for Miss Kentucky. Well, now I am old and have aged out and get to take a REAL vacation this year. Now I loved my time at Miss Kentucky, and would never trade those experiences for anything, however it is far from a vacation. In fact getting ready for Miss Kentucky was always like a full-time job in itself. Work outs, interview prep, dance rehearsals, work outs, talent practice, diet watching, work outs, gown shopping, swin suit ordering, work outs, and the most time consuming part...did I mention working out?

So when I say a "REAL" vacation what I mean is no crazy carb cutting diets, no misery over trying to fit in a size 0 swim suit or evening gown, and no stage lighting showing off the cellulite I can never keep under control. :) This year I get to wear a normal size bathing suit, work out like a normal person (except for when Ellen takes me to Pure Barre with her and Catherine and they try to kill me via ballet infused weight training), drink lots of beer in the sand, and go out with my friends guilt free. So you can see the difference here... obviously less stressful and more like a vacation. Plus, this is the first beach trip Michael and I have ever been on together and I am really looking forward to that as well! Pictures will follow... probably none in my swim suit, but depending on the day and how much has been consumed from our cooler I may get "distracted" and allow one to be taken.

XOXO from the Island,

A Future Mrs.

What the "BIG DAY" really comes down to...

First off HAPPY EASTER WEEK and HAPPY KEENELAND OPENING WEEK! We are celebrating with a festive Easter Blog Background!

Today I sent our deposit in to reserve St Peter Catholic Church in downtown Lexington. YAY!!Its a lovely, very traditional looking catholic church that many of you may have seen as part of other weddings. I may be getting ahead of myself here. Lets go back to how Michael and I came to choose this church...

Since we got engaged I have been talking about having our ceremony at St Peters 1.) Because I love the very traditional looking feel it has 2.) Its really lovely inside as well as spacious and 3.) It has a really long aisle which means my Dad and I will get to spend some extra time together walking down it :) So about a week or so ago Michael and I went to Sunday Mass at St Peter so we could get to know Father John List. An unknown to him, interview of sorts. However, the real interview began after Mass when Michael and I sat down with Father John so he could interview us! YIKES! What we thought would be a short meeting turned into 2 1/2 hours of conversation, decision making, and questioning. The questions were fairly basic in nature but each seemed to be loaded and much deeper at a second glance. Father John had to ask us a series of individual and private questions to determine that we were fit to be married in the Catholic Church and by him. Talk about intimidating. The questions range from your place of baptism to whether one of you is forcing the other into marriage. Depending on the day Michael might say 'Yes' to the latter of those two examples.

The end result... We are fit to be married in the Catholic Church! We have about 3 months of classes to complete within the Diocese to be completely "fit". Although that seems like a daunting task, I'm secretly looking forward to it. The classes are designed to help couples resolve issues that they may never have considered as a couple. I think it will be interesting to go through these together! One that I am not so pumped for... Natural Family Planning. I'm not going to explain it (because it scares me), but please feel free to look it up. It will definitely help explain why catholic families are pegged as being large (i.e. lots of children). I could not be more excited for this day to come. I'm even more pleased that most of the big decisions have been made. Now, If only my mom and I could come to a conclusion on the wedding dress. I have my favorite and she has hers...I'm pretty sure Im going to win! :) Love you mom!

Something Special for a Special Someone!

Hello Friends,

Today I have a special request for someone extra special... My mom! I need you to do me this favor. Consider it a belated birthday gift to me. I nominated my mom to be a part of a special event for the Kentucky Oaks this year! For the last 2 years the theme of the Oaks has been "Pink Out" for Breast Cancer. Which is an awesome display of a big event promoting awareness. As many of you who are close to me know, my mom is amazing and is a TWO - TIME breast cancer survivor, and the only woman in our family to be a survivor actually.

This year as an even grander jesture for survivors they are selecting 136 lovely ladies to represent ALL BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS in a PINK PARADE on the day of the OAKS! These 136 women will get treated like the queens that they are at the 136 Derby running! I need me mom to be a part of this very special event. Below is the link where people can join the oaks website, login in, and cast their vote. It' really easy, quick, and FREE! Plus you can get updates on Oaks and Derby events if you would like! You can only vote 1 time for my mom, but if you encourage other people on your Facebook, Twitter, and BLOGS to vote for her...your vote and a little of your "creative advertising" can turn into many more! The voting ends March 26th. Below is the link to vote and the story of our family and how she overcame breast cancer! I would really appreciate your votes for her and if you don't mind your "creative advertising" as well!
http://www.kentuckyderby.com/oaks/survivors/nancy-lexington-kentucky


Thank you all in advance!!!!

XOXO,
A Future MRS.

I did "WIN" at the Bridal Show... I think?

Wow! I received excellent news this week! Just when I thought I had won nothing from the bridal show... I was wrong! I won 3 personal training sessions at Cross Fit of Lexington. http://crossfitmaximus.com/ Above is a photo of a Cross Fit Bride, at her wedding, doing push ups. Show of hands...how many of you can see me reenacting this moment in my wedding dress? No One?...Thats what I figured.

Well depsite my obiviously reluctant feelings towards claiming my lovely prize package, I did. Against my better judgement I went in last night and completed my first work out. Today, I am lamenting this decision when I try to sit, breath, cough, laugh, walk, etc. After meeting with Jordan and letting him torture me for an hour I thought "WoW the 500 meter row, 40 prison squats, 30 sit ups, 20 pushups, and 10 pull ups all in under 9 minutes wasn't too bad". Wrong again... I can only hope that I'll be able to lift my arms long enough to put my bra on in the next few days. According to Jordan, being in this much pain means it's working and I'll see toned muscles and weight loss in no time. What it means to me is that I have earned myself a bottle of wine and an order of cheese sticks tonight for Greys! YAY! Probably adverse for all of Jordan's points but definitely more my style.

So, I think I won? But the jury is still out on whether this was a win for me or whether this is the bridal show Gods punishing me for cheating on my bridal passport signatures at the show! (See Bridal Show Friend or Foe - for details on this)