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Updates

The graduate(s): CONGRATULATIONS to my brothers, Brad & Johnny, who graduated from UMD, my pal, Charlotte, who graduated from UMB, and to my best friend, Meg, for getting her MASTERS from UMB!  So proud. It has been so much fun celebrating with everyone & reflecting on how far you have all come. I can't wait to see what all of your futures hold for you! This is such an incredible group of people - they all have worked SO hard to get to where they are. WAHOO!!!

The fort: Rainy days + no money + desire to to something awesome just the two of us = the most AMAZING, incredible, awesome fort I have ever seen. Tyler usually doesn't like making a mess, but he completely surprised me by turning the couches on their sides & getting so creative! We built a fun fort with all of the blankets & pillows in the house, and Tyler, Ebony & I hung out all Saturday night watching movies & eating snacks. We even spent the night in there Saturday night - so fun. And since it's going to be rainy & gross all week, I somehow convinced Tyler to leave it up. :-)

The photo shoot: We had our engagement photoshoot with our wedding photographers over Memorial Day weekend, and we had a BLAST. These guys completely calmed our nerves & just allowed us to be US. We had so much fun. Here are some of their favorites from their blog: Hayley & Tyler: Engagement Shoot


The bedroom: I'm giving myself a project in the hopes I can beat any post-wedding blues: make over the bedroom. I'm taking inspiration from this post from cupcakes & cashmere and want our bedroom to reflect a more grown-up, calm and serene place (rather than it's current look - clothes EVERYWHERE). I think new bedding, updates pictures, and moving a few things around will make it feel new & special.

The family: With all of the graduating happening this past few weeks, I've gotten a chance to see lots of family. We even got to skype with Tyler's mom & brother this weekend, which was great. I've been thinking about his parents a lot - they are in the midst of figuring out what to do now that all of their boys are out of the house, which is both exciting and scary. I'm sending them good thoughts & hope they know that we love & miss them!

The wedding: Invites going out this week/next, hair trial this week, SOMETHING FUN on the 16th, food tasting on the 21st... gotta finish crafts... oh! Tyler & I made the table numbers, they came out great. LOTS to do. Need to make another list. 97 days!!!! Can you believe it?!?!

The dog: Well, we brought Ebony to the vet and we got in trouble. Little Ms. Big Booty Judy is now on a diet - and has to go back in 3 weeks for a weigh-in! What a chubby kid. Bad parenting. :-(

I think that is it for now. Happy Monday!

If You Made Me a Mix Cd...

If you made me a mix CD with songs picked out ESPECIALLY for me.....

what would they be?

11 people I would invite to dinner: fantasy favorites

1. Elizabeth Bennet. No, not Jane Austen, I want Lizzie. Her & I would giggle in the corner at the sideways glances of men, and then we'd go get our pants (or petticoats) dirty while we ran around in the mud outside as we took a 3 mile walk for fun. 
2. Randy Travis. His voice is like butter, and I will be the first to admit that I fell in love with him when he was the singing voice of Mr. Hyunh on Hey Arnold. No, I won't give you the link to that, you should already know it. The simple things. Go google it. 
3. Abigail Williams. As inappropriate as this statement is - I am in awe of her. There is no doubt this chick was way ahead of her time - and sassy. She did some horrible things, but I'd like to pick her brain, as I find her fascinating. Speaking of women changing history...
4. Catherine of Aragon. I find her to be one of the most interesting women in English history. This is a great historical fiction novel about her life. She was amazing, strong, loyal & mistreated, and was always the regal queen she was born to be, no matter what circumstance she was in.
5. Anne Bolyn - oh snap, can you believe I am putting Catherine & Anne together at the table!! Crazy stuff. I'll probably separate them by #7, but that might not even go over well.....
6. Kristen Bell. After seeing this video I knew we had to be BFFs.
7. Mark Wahlburg. Enough said. Plus he's HILARIOUS!
8. Carrie Bradshaw. She is just so cool. I need a little coolness here, it's starting to look like a table full of nerds & hot guys. Hah!
9. Michael Scott (and Dwight Shrute could interrupt but not stay).
10. Justin Timberlake. So embarrassing. But whatever, this is MY dinner party!
11. My great-great-great-great-great grandmother who came over on the Mayflower. 'Cuz that's just so cool.
     

Little Gifts

Started this post completely differently, but I think it's important for me to try & hop back on the positive train, so here are some little gifts I received today that (should) make me cheer up.

• 25 thank-you notes from the Patriots Cheerleaders. I read them all, and hang them around my office.
• my afternoon latte & biscotti
• the remote-controlled helicopter my boss brought down for us to play with at the end of the day
• "having" to test nail polish colors & trends at work

• a new real simple magazine to read

• a new recipe i found online today that I have all of the ingredients at home to make tonight



http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/easier-shepherds-pie-with-roasted-potatoes.html

•  Knowing I was a big part in raising $10,000 for Children's Hospital

Ok - it is almost the weekend, and I have great things planned. Stuffing the lonely-hopeless-3-day-long-darkness back in it's cave... until next month.

Links

Because it's Friday, and I can't form coherent thoughts of my own. And these are pretty freakin' awesome.

Because Molly Said So - Lame Quotes : Because not only is this chick hilarious and always right, but it made me check my facebook profile quotes & reevaluate what they say about me.

Young Divorce - Because everyone should have that carousel feeling with their husband.

I Am Blessed - Because nothing defines me & the people I care about most more than the words in this post.

Enjoying the small things  - Because she is my hero.

Hilarious - Because it is HILARIOUS. Beware, you will waste away hours on this site.

Z Gallerie - Because there isn't one around here, but that is what online shopping is for.

And finally, this:

just because.

Hells yeah, Molly.

http://becausemollysaidso.com/2012/04/19/real-friends/