take THAT c-word!

Just want to give a shout out to my mom for kicking some major JASMINE @$$!

Today was the first day of the rest of her life after finishing:

back surgery with 5 spinal fusions

1 bone marrow biopsy

3 rounds of chemo {R-CHOP}

2 PET scans

22 days of radiation

…but who's counting!

Look what she got today

Can't wait to see them when they all bloom!

We are beyond blessed that the {miserable} list is as short as it is though!  I know many are not as "lucky" as we have been… prayers and thoughts go out for those that have traveled this path before, those who have "won" it, those that "lost" the battle, those who are still on it, and those just beginning… 

We have an official WEDNESDAY'S FAVORITE THING!!

BABs and I had a BALL this past weekend spending our Costco rebate check!  No one will go thirsty at the pre-wedding bon fire, we got a super awesome Keurig, and a SodaStream {as seen above}.  I still got $9 in change!  We broke it out tonight and made some homeade diet grapefruit soda {or Fresca}.  I drank a whole liter of it… and then we added 9 flavors to our BB&B registry!  We aren't kidding folks!  We want soda flavors as a wedding present!  Then I read a blog where you can buy liquid caffeine and add it to your soda for a little boost!!  Might be trying that sooner than later!

Speaking of wedding… thirty-one days!

Except for one more run to Kinko's and a frantic first day when I get to Florida I am pretty much "done"!  Super looking forward to my "girls' weekend" in A-town this weekend!  WOOT WOOT!

Feel free to leave any last minute wedding advice in the comment section!  

the belated {engagement} session

We finally received the cd with all of the photos from our engagement photo session in October!  That was a beautiful relaxing weekend… UGA beat FL!  We watched the Halloweiner derby {if you have never watched a disabled wiener dog racing in a wheel chair you really haven't lived!}… ate our favorite gouda cheese grits! And I wish I could have botteled the weather up to sprinkle it on 3.24.12!  It was difficult to narrow the 300 pics down to 100… now I'll see if I can narrow it down to a dozen for this post!

GOTTA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO LESLEY ISACKS and JESSICA MILLER {hair/mua}!  

this wedding will be brought to you by coca-cola!

grilled cheese from heaven! 

showing a little sass!

purple.wall.of.love

practicing for the W.DAY!! 

look @ those CLOUDS!

…long walks on the beach!!  {a favorite thing}

Deep.Thoughts

cute sandy feet!

Playing in the WAVES!! 

I feel like this should be some sort of advertisement!!

…well a bakers dozen of photos!!

Goodness gracious I can not wait until the BIG day!!  

seh-bun-dee days!!

Ahhh… at my favorite place on earth!  BMB!  Getting down to the wire here with the wedding countdown.  This is our last trip before we arrive for the wedding weekend.  BABs and I met with our photographer for lunch today for a walk through of the photo schedule.  Tomorrow we are going to head to "church at the Rave" and say hi to Pastor Eric.  "Pre" wrap-up meeting on Tuesday with our wedding coordinator!  I had to pretend that I didn't see a sample example of the "day of wedding schedule." As organized as I am, I didn't think even about "when the florist needs to start decorating," "when the caterers need to start cooking," "when the bartenders need to start chilling the beer… or bring ice!" {all all of that is on a schedule}  It's going to be enough to know where I have to be and when much less coordinating all of the vendors!  Like I said… I am just going to pretend I didn't see it :)

thank.God.for.CW!!

I got to FINALLY use my new Garmin today too {one of the Christmas presents that was about to get dusty}!  BABs and I went for a "quick" 3.5K walk today and I was able to download the whole thing online!  It.is.awesome!  You can see for yourself HERE.  What I did learn is that walking 4 mph in real life is much more difficult than on a treadmill.  I SWEAR it felt about the same… but Garmie didn't think so!  I was also able to start accumulating {stealing} the FREE visitor map guides for the "goodie buckets."  I figure, 5 here, 7 there… we'll get enough eventually!  {Even though they are FREE I am pretty sure that is not an invitation to walk off with 60 at a time} :)

Then there is the "wedding diet" WHILE on vacation!  And I don't even like saying "I'm on a diet!"  {disclaimer} I am COMPLETELY "content" with the way I currently look… but know that I don't always feel great after I overindulge and under stress that happens more often than not.  I know have some "room for improvement" and am lucky to have BABs playing along with me!  {# for # he is kicking my butt… don't you hate it that guys can do that?}  Serioualy though… I just had my cholesterol checked and to my surprise it was not "perfect."  The numbers that were very VERY slightly "off" are linked to dietary indiscretions and not enough exercise.  {note to self… don't have your cholesterol checked the week after you get back from New Orleans}  I have discovered that I can survive on MUCH less food than I was eating before… and that post-french-fry-cheese-dip guilt is gone!  Also now that the gosh awful shoulder pain is currently resolved I working on my fitness too!  As I brag about how "good" this diet is going, I look up to talk dinner plans… and BABs says "I want tater tots" and it kinda sounded like this...

"I WANT TATER TOTS" :)

Chicken, Salad, and Spray Ranch is what will be on the menu tonight!

{a.k.a. TWFT}

wft: no seaweed

this was probably one of the top 2 prettiest days in "heaven" i have ever had.  the only thing keeping it from the #1 spot was the fact that this picture was taken on the day we were leaving

{sad face}

BABs and i have been on a roller coaster of emotions and surprises lately and this scene in my opinion was "the calm after the storm." the beach we left behind on monday pretty much tied a pretty little bow on {dare i say it} things turning around for us.  

friday we met the man that will marry us and his wife at an adorable little bistro in baytowne.  it was a wonderfully comfortable encounter and we are looking forward to getting to know PE {pastor eric} and his lovely wife {darlene} over the next {less than} 5 months!  we went to their church on sunday {in a movie theater}, they gave us halloween fangs AND danced to thriller! 

as we were enjoying a post-pizza-vino we noticed an event posted on facebook by our favorite grilled cheese sandwich "restaurant". the halloweener derby saturday morning.  you would not believe how much fun 2 cat people could have at a dachshund race! we even saw a wiener dog in a wheelchair kick some derby bootie too!


{POST VIDEO HERE}


congrats to "tater" the 2011 champion

post derby we headed over to what i will refer to as plan A, aka what used to be our reception site!  {click  HERE for the pre-kitchen-explosion photos}

we looked at plan B and plan C, {even considered plan D for a minute}.  we will have to make some minor adjustments from plan A, but will still be willing to give the wedding of the year a run for its money {ok… so that was a joke… i really meant THIS wedding}


sunday was a complete FUNDAY!  church, getting pretty, and engagement photos!!  my MUA/hair-stylist was the one that "introduced" us to PE and she was just a doll!  we headed to seaside for the photo shoot and met our photographer by my favorite purple wall… {stay tuned for an entire post dedicated to the ePhotos}

see "favorite thing" photo above to understand how hard it was to leave monday!  but even after 96ish hours of wedding planning v2.0 we had to get back to work, ready for round-up #1 {of 3} and the jasmine beat down!


JASMINE UPDATE:  round-up #1 went well today!  and after tolerating a bone marrow biopsy {bmb} like a rock*star, my mother is a BAMF in my book!  she is sleeping like a baby right now and i am looking forward to spending the day with her tomorrow watching TERRIBLE television and homeade manis!


we want to THANK EVERYONE for the prayers, cards, well wishes, and delicious food!  after confirming from the BMB that this jasmine is nowhere else to be found... we can wonder how? or understand that God is looking over us, protecting us, and hearing our prayers!