The Knot

For anyone planning a wedding, the Knot wedding planning website is pretty much vital. There is a section on there with message boards on different topics, including a board for local brides to chat with each other. I am lucky in that the D.C. board is very friendly. I've gotten TONS of ideas off of there, saved a bundle of money with these ideas, found the awesome photographer who took our engagement pictures (a fellow knottie), and made a few friends. The popular thing to do after your wedding is to post a link to your professional pictures. In looking at these other girls pictures, it made me realize how excited I am getting for my own wedding! So, thanks DC knotties, for your inspiration and for making me a little more giddy about my own day!

Here is just a few examples of some beautiful DC brides (all of who I have been lucky enough to meet outside the Knot world).

The countdown is on!

Well, the countdown is on to the wedding! Since it might as well be a month till, I thought I would appease all the adoring fans with some of our engagement photos (taken prior to the start of blogging). Enjoy!















such a typical Brad and Christina pose... except usually when I do this, he'll rub my feet :)

BRING IT ON WEDDING!! We are ready!!

My crazy life

Life the past few weeks has been absolutely insane. Wedding Central is taking over a corner of my apartment (and half of Brad's dining room table!); honeymoon planning is fun, but time consuming... there are so many choices; addressing 55 invitations was more daunting than I ever thought possible, but at least they're done and in the mail; and I had my bottom wisdom teeth out!

Just take a look:

But knowing I'm marrying this guy in a few weeks makes it all worth it :)

We Remember

I have a fun post to do, but I decided to wait until tomorrow for that, since today we remember all those who passed away six years ago on September 11, 2001. I proudly switched out my Ohio State flag that hangs on my balcony during football season this morning for Old Glory.

As someone who works feet from a building that might as well have a big target on it, days like today bring apprehension and pride. Apprehension because the Capitol Police seemed to be a little more watchful this morning. Pride because I am proud of everyone in this city who overcomes the "what if's" on a daily basis to go about their lives and work to make our country safer. So take a moment out today to say a prayer for all those who were lost, for their families, for our nation's military who are facing dangers every day to keep us safe and for our country. For we are lucky enough to live in America, the greatest country of them all.

And... some incriminating photos of Christina

You knew they were coming!

Not incriminating, but a great picture of Matt and Brian at dinner!

Finally... some incriminating photos of Brad!

Brad and the guys obviously had a great time Saturday night! Thanks to Matt for supplying the photo's and being the designated driver. After dinner at Buca with the girls, the guys headed to GameWorks for some video game fun and then to Skye Bar for drinks and dancing.

The brother's air hockey competition... but does it count if you've both had a few beers?

Brothers

Brad returns home in one piece after a long night... at 2:05am... and gives everyone hugs ;)

BBQ and Pedi's

Last weekend, Brad and I traveled to Ohio for my bridal shower and our respective bachelor and bachelorette get togethers. On Friday evening, my Maid of Honor and her fiance Mike threw us a BBQ in the back yard of their cute house. Thanks Gena and Mike!

Christina salutes with a hot dog, while Brad fills his plate with mac and cheese

Cutting our OSU cake... Brad is saying "Should cutting a cake really be this hard? I hope it's not this hard at the wedding."

Cake successfully cut

Brad plays nice

Christina... not so nice

Brad: "I thought we agreed not to smash cake in each other's face?"

Christina: "That only applies to the actual wedding reception!"


Christina cleaning up the damage. Brad was an incredibly good sport.

On Saturday afternoon, the girl's went for pedicures and out to lunch.

Laura and Christina catch up on their celebrity gossip while their toes dry

The pedi girls - Rachel, Christina and Laura (minus Gena, who took the picture!)

I will upload pictures from the crazy dinner at Buca and my bridal shower when I get them. Thanks for a great weekend everyone!!!

C-SPAN

At 2am this morning, I woke up and picked up my Blackberry to see if the House had adjourned or I had gotten anything about today's schedule. Nothing. Try to go back to sleep. At 8am I got up and picked my Blackberry up off the nightstand to check the House schedule. They start at 9am. 30 minutes to enjoy some non-C-SPAN.

C-SPAN goes on the TV at 9am.
Eat breakfast = C-SPAN.
Get showered and dressed = C-SPAN.
Head out with Brad to go to Target = C-SPAN Radio.
Walking through Target = wishing I had a portable TV to watch C-SPAN.
Driving to lunch = C-SPAN Radio.
Lunch = again wishing for that portable TV.
Driving from Target to our new place = C-SPAN Radio.
Unpacking boxes and organizing the new place = C-SPAN.

Finally I leave Brad at 6:00pm to come into work and I think he very happily turned C-SPAN OFF the television!

I will be glad to leave work in a little bit, get in my car, and turn off C-SPAN!

Happy August Recess!!!!

Saturday = Moving Day!

No pics yet, but I hope to have some soon of our/Brad's new place! Thank goodness my stuff isn't moving in until after the wedding, because I think it's going to take three or four months to get everything organized! Major kudos goes out to Laura (aka Muscles Drinkwine), who gave up almost her whole Saturday to help us carry heavy furniture up three flights of stairs. She was rewarded with some yummy Taqueria Poblano afterward:




I rewarded my hard moving work with one of their awesome margaritas








I'll post some pics of the new pad as soon as we get some boxes unpacked!

Celebrating Independence Day at the White House

Brad and I were lucky enough to be able to watch fireworks on the 4th of July from the South Lawn of the White House. Some of the pictures aren't the best, but you get the idea :) Unfortunately, my picture of President Bush waving to the crowd didn't turn out -- it was too dark already. The President, First Lady and numerous guests watched the fireworks from the Truman Balcony. It was a great evening! (Note: picture above is totally not mine!)

Our new place

Since we didn't really send these around, I thought I'd share pictures of mine and Brad's new place. Brad will be moving in at the end of July and I'll be joining him in November after the wedding. It's in a great little neighborhood, only a few blocks from shops and restaurants. I'm really excited to move in and be all domestic :)

Looking into the kitchen from the dining room -- LOVE the china cabinets

Bedroom -- yay, ceiling fan!

Only part of the huge living room

Entering the world of blogging

After taking 50 million pictures at the fireworks last night, I started thinking about a medium which would allow me to share my pictures with y'all and not clog your inbox. The solution? A photo blog! I'll try to get my first pics up shortly!