Weddingbee Blog

My sister (and bridesmaid) Kimberly is a whole body wellness guru. She teaches yoga, does massage, structural and craniosacral therapy, and studies Buddhism and meditation. I absolutely love her teaching method, and became a real believer in the power of craniosacral work after she did a powerful session with me last time she was in town.

Om.

I love what my sister does because it really does treat the whole body, including the mind. Feelings I bury deep down in my body finally come out. The stretch and the breath are great ways to release long-held pain, sorrow, anger or whatever emotions you might be holding onto. I wish I could make use of her abilities more, but she lives all the way in Florida. Last time she visited, we had a session that had even more emotional benefits than physical…. it was crazy, like exorcising a really negative feeling from my body, from some deeply rooted place. The release was incredibly powerful, and I stood taller and felt more alive after that than I had in quite some time. It was an intimate bonding experience that I will never forget.  She also led Mr. Meatball and I through a really fun practice that included lots of couples postures; we helped each other stretch, used each other for balance and support, and listened to each other’s bodies and breath.

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I got a job yesterday! Meet the new official errand runner for a local accounting firm. Yep, I’ll be driving all around, getting groceries and lunch, picking up dry cleaning and computer monitors… anything they need. I think it’s a terrific use of my masters degree.

In all seriousness, I’m just so happy to have something. These days, more and more of us are forced to take positions that are below our normal skill set and standards, just to pay the bills. There ain’t no shame in that game! Gots ta stay afloat somehow, right? This sounds like a pretty painless way to do it.

Tiger, my personal trainer (and apparent fairy godmother) helped me get this job. So, thanks to her, not only am I getting a body makeover, but also out of the unemployment nightmare. And not a minute too soon, either!

This Saturday marks our 4-month wedding pre-versary (if it wasn’t already a phrase, it should be). We’re starting to really feel the pressure to spend, make payments, and generally start draining our meager savings toward making it happen. As an unemployed couple, it sure can be guilt-inducing to spend money you might later need for rent, etc. So, recently we’ve been walking on eggshells about it, putting it off, fearing for the future.
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When I saw these, I actually gasped a little.

via Mrs. Avocado
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One of our major goals as we plan our wedding is to reduce as much excess waste as possible by recycling, reselling, or sharing as many extraneous items from the day. Now there are sites devoted to helping us do just that. One new site on the block, which aims to help facilitate bridal re-sales of gently used wares, is BravoBride.

What I love about BravoBride is how it allows you to give back. When you shop at BravoBride, you’re passing along items you no longer need to someone who will one day do the same. It’s the ultimate Bridal Karma… both Earth-friendly and economical. You’re also making a stand for women’s health when you buy and sell on BravoBride, since they donate a portion of all proceeds to the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Foundation.
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SSSSSsssssssssss… can you hear that? It’s the fat melting off my body, as I type!

Well, that may be an exaggeration, but I am very pleased to say that after 1 short week of my Flab to Fab Plan, I’m really noticing some differences in my body and my energy levels, and I’m down 4 pounds. To be fair, that 4 pounds was probably mostly water and holiday weight… but my face is slightly slimmer, my upper ribcage is feeling smaller, and my jeans are much more comfortable in the waist. I wish I’d gotten measurements before starting, but I remedied that by having Tiger measure me on Saturday. The most exciting part of it all? I had fun, and still managed to fit margaritas, pizza and queso into my diet!

THE WORKOUTS:
1 hour training with Tiger - Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
Long walks/hikes Monday, Wednesday.

Mr. Meatball has been coming with me to my personal training sessions with Tiger, which is really fun and a good way for us to blow off some steam together. Being unemployed in a tiny house together with only one computer makes for some major tension build-up, so not only do the sessions work as “personal training” but they also have acted a bit as couples therapy, which we really enjoy.

All four times we’ve met with Tiger so far, the routine is different and unique.
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Prepare thyselves… these photos may induce jaw-dropping wonder.

When I saw these photos of Suthi and Sanjay’s devastatingly gorgeous wedding on Weddingbee Pro, I just about died. As if the couple isn’t beautiful enough (her dress reminds me a bit of mine!), the floral arrangements just took my breath away, and for the first time, I started to have a more concrete vision for our tablescapes at the wedding.
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When I first saw this awesome lotus-shaped origami napkin bonbonniere on Polka Dot Bride (via Dandi), I nearly died. The lotus goes perfectly with our Magic Carpet Ride theme, and it’s such a unique and beautiful way to fold the napkins! I also love the bonbonniere aspect.

(source)

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I mentioned the other day that I have a few New Year’s resolutions that I feel compelled to tackle before the wedding. I call these my wed-solutions! My biggest wed-solution this year is one I’d still put on my list even if I weren’t getting married in less than 5 months, but I doubt I’d approach it with such determination and focus without the specter of my wedding dress hovering constantly in my mind.

That’s right, it’s the fitness, y’all! My goal is to become a triple-S: Slim, Straight, and Strong, in time for the wedding and in a way that will be maintainable as a lifestyle for years to come. I want to be super-fine in 2009! Welcome to my journey from Flab to FAB! Won’t you join me?

I know I am not alone in this quest. I see your bloggy resolutions echo mine, I hear your need for healthful change, and I am ready to share my experience as I climb the hill of transformation. It may not always be pretty, and it definitely won’t be easy… but I’m taking this opportunity to not only get in shape before the wedding, but to also address (and put to rest) some long-lived life issues that I do not wish to carry forward into married life.
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Hey everyone, remember me? *waves sheepishly* Hope you’re having a happy holiday!

I’m sorry to have been so incommunicado since my last post. I’ve been in Chicago, which is super fun and exciting, but has provided precious little downtime in which to sit and organize my thoughts, much less write about them. But, I’m feelin’ the sentimental New Years Eve-ness today, and wanted to throw in one last post for 2008.

Each year around this time, I evaluate my accomplishments, missteps, goals, dreams and overall satisfaction level so that I can get my focus up and look toward my new year. I’m a real sap about new beginnings and possibility, and firmly believe in the law of attraction (aka you gotta recognize before ya realize), so I love to take some time and reevaluate my path, formulate goals, and put forth positive energy toward the new year.

Looking back at the past year is really interesting, because some things developed in my life that were unexpected, and have offered more opportunity and satisfaction than I ever imagined. Previous goals fell away and were replaced with new ones. My path went deliciously off course and I took a fork in the road which has led me to a new and un-navigated terrain. In short, it was a year of becoming.

First, I became a bride.
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I promised you some DIY, and the conclusion to the story of how I asked Dawn to be my Matron of Honor… but prepare yourself: I am not the craftiest meatball in the sub.

To make the moment special, I decided to make a book for her to chronicle our story, with a very happy surprise ending. For inspiration, I went to our local 99 cent store and found a wonderland of scrapbooking supplies, stickers, stamps, markers, and glue sticks!

So, with scissors in hand, I sat down and broke the story down into major bullet points to make sure it would fit in the book and that I had photos to accompany the best parts… Have a gander.

This photo was taken the night we all met. Note my bad perm (ouch) and the dazed expression on Dawn’s face! She must have been so overwhelmed! Also note my sweet mom, dad, and brother Michael, aka Mi-cool.
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Um, oh ma ga.

This stuff, with a little (soy)milk and sweetener of your choice (I used stevia), is my new diet secret. At 2 boxes for $5 right now, I swear I will cut you if you get in my way at the market as I hastily hoarde every. last. box.
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I must confess, I’m a bit health-obsessed these days. I’ve only got 5 months ’til the big day, and I have to be honest: I haven’t Shredded It since starting my new job. It was so much easier when I was semi-unemployed and could wake up and leisurely work out before getting on with my day. But adjusting my schedule to wake up early (especially with the frigid mornings) isn’t happening, and after work I have so much other stuff to do, that working out falls to the wayside. So, yep, I’ve been a naughty bride, and Jillian Michaels is probably sticking pins into my voodoo metabolism doll.

(please have mercy, Jillian!)

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For all you gals concerned about health, fitness, sex and relationships, if you haven’t checked out Fit After Thirty (f.a.t.), hie ye to their site and bookmark away!

Don’t be fooled by the title; this blog is an amazing resource for women of all ages, and provides informative solutions for making fitness part of your everyday life. Sure, that’s helpful, but what makes this site rawk so hard are the fun, sassy writers. From entries as straightforward as “20 worst foods” to articles called “Turn your Vagina into a Vice Grip” they have an irreverent sense of humor and so-wrong-it’s-right honesty that befits this bride quite nicely. Not a bride? Not to worry, they’ve got sections for f.a.t. singles, f.a.t. couples, f.a.t. moms, and f.a.t. friends too.
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