Excuses...excuses...excuses....

I have so many excuses for not updating my blog since May. All are valid in my opinion, but I apologize to all of you who kept wondering when I was going to update again!

Excuse #1:

This summer was my third year lifeguarding on Redstone Arsenal. It's a job I have loved, but after being out in the summer sun all day, the only thing I want to do is relax! My wonderful co-workers threw me a surprise bridal shower one day. It was so fun and sweet of them! Thank you :)

Excuse #2:

School. Over the summer, I took my last prerequisite class for the nursing program: Anatomy & Physiology II. I took my final July 31. Then, on August 19, I started the nursing program! I love it! It is a lot of work but very fun and interesting! For once, I actually enjoy reading most of my textbooks :) This past Wednesday was our first clinical day at the nursing home. I have never been a fan of nursing homes, but it wasn't as bad as I thought! I get to give flu shots in a few weeks, too! Woohoo!!!

Excuse #3:

It's almost impossible to upload pictures to my laptop. I don't know why. So, we may never have my bridal shower pictures on here unless they are still on my mom's camera. Which, by the way, was really fun! Thanks Quincy, Kristy, and Aly for throwing it for me! And, thanks to all of you who came! Now, I have Zach's computer to work with which doesn't have the stupid slow photo software that came on mine.

Excuse #4:

We got married!! It was such a fun, spiritual, and eventful week! Kent's birthday was August 3, Zach and I went to the temple on August 4, family started coming in town on August 5 and I had my bridals that day, we had a lot of preparing to do on August 6 and my bachelorette party was that day at P.F. Changs, Kent got his Eagle Scout award on August 7, and we were married in the temple for eternity on August 8!

Now for the pictures! Thank you so much, Kim! You captured so many beautiful memories for us :)

Coming out of the Nashville TN temple

All of our family and friends

Siblings

Some pictures of me and Zach

Cousin Vaughn came!

My garter and cute shoes

Shoes and bouquet

I just love this picture! I want to get it framed and to find a great quote in vinyl to go with it!

Look at that handsome groom!

A few pictures from the reception

Garter Toss

Who is going to catch it?!

Kent!

Bouquet Toss

A few things I have been doing...

Wedding planning
Starting my A&P II summer class
Lifeguarding
Cooking for Zach

...life just got a little busier!!!

Flower Crisis!

My flowers were the first thing I picked out after I got engaged: Peach Chiffon Mini Calla Lillies (also called Peach/Apricot).

I even based my colors (coral, a softer pink, sand, and ivory) off of the flowers rather than the other way around. But, they are a newer variety, and the florist we are using can't get that variety! I was so bummed! They were the only flowers I was going to use. We found them wholesale online, but we are not creative enough to make bouquets, bouttenieres, and corsages. So, my mom and I came up with a plan so I will still get the simplicity and elegance of only using mini calla lillies, but will still get to use the florist: use ivory mini calla lillies from the florist, and supply them with the peach mini calla lillies! The lady at the florist agreed (Yay!) So, it is ending up working out great!

I Walked into Zach's House...

...and saw this:

What a sweetie :) We had been engaged probably a week or two. Of course, Zach didn't want to be in the picture, though!

Country Music

Today, I am going to the Sugarland, BILLY CURRINGTON, and Matt Nathanson concert with Kenzie, Chante, Aly, Eliza, and Cassie (and maybe Kent and a friend). I am so excited and am so obsessed with Country music and Country concerts. I have gone to the concert on the arsenal for the past four years. Two years ago, it fell on my birthday and we were so close we got to touch Dierks Bentley :) I have only been to one "non-country" concert: Britney Spears in 2000 (at the end of fifth grade!) haha.

Here is a list of concerts I have gone to:

1. Britney Spears
2. WMZQFest 2004 and 2005 (lots of artists including Charlie Daniels Band, Brian McComas, Gretchen Wilson, Reba McEntire, and a ton of other good ones that I just can't remember because they were so long ago
3. Keith Urban
4. Kenny Chesney and Rascal Flatts
5. Big and Rich and Tim McGraw
6. Brad Paisley
7. Josh Turner and Carrie Underwood
8. Heartland and Dierks Bentley
9. Kellie Pickler, Rodney Atkins, Taylor Swift

Now, who I would love to see in concert would be Miley Cyrus, Josh Gracin, and Lady Antebellum and (finally) go the CMA Music Festival.

I have two new favorite songs "Runaway" by Love and Theft and "Wild at Heart" by Gloriana. Go check them out!!

Trip to Birmingham

Two days ago, I found some ties at a department store here in Huntsville for the wedding party. They matched PERFECTLY and were on sale. But, whenever something seems to be perfect, a problem always seems to arise. There were only seven...and we needed at least nine. So, the guy called around to "nearby" stores and found four more for us--at the Galleria in Birmingham. Of course, I was not going to go down there by myself, so Kenzie and I decided to make a trip out of it :). (I need to get better at this blogging thing... I don't have any pictures).
After getting the ties at the Galleria, and getting my makeup done at Bare Escentuals (I am obsessed with all their Bare Minerals makeup--and, Mom, my birthday is coming up!!!), we went to The Summit so Kenzie could enjoy her FIRST TIME at The Cheesecake Factory! It was very good, and we both had TONS of leftovers. I usually get the Chocolate Mousse cheesecake, but I went for the Cookie dough cheesecake and Kenzie got the Praline cheesecake. You can't go wrong with Cheesecake Factory's cheesecakes!
Then, last night, we made homemade pizza at Zach's house. Mine had pesto, mozzarella cheese, Italian cheese blend, Feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, and marinated artichoke hearts. It was so yummy! I forgot to get the spinach to put on it, that would have made it even better! All in all, it was a VERY fun day!

10 Reasons I Love Zach

10. He is my best friend
9. He knows when to be funny and when to be sweet
8. Even though we are both arachniphobic, he vacuums up the spiders :)
7. He eats the food I make (even if it's really not that yummy)
6. He ALWAYS opens the door for me (and makes me shut it so he can open it if I open it first)
5. He makes the best bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches!
4. He will watch TV shows and movies he doesn't particularly care for, just because I want to see them
3. He is understanding and always gives me good advice
2. He is always there for me, and loves me even when I'm stubborn
1. He calls me "princess", and treats me like one too :)