weekend of my favorite things

If you follow me on instagram then you already know that B was in NOLA this weekend for his bachelor party and my bestie came to town to visit.  Nice how that worked out, huh?  It was actually more like this:

Jenni ended up having some southwest miles to cash in so it worked out pretty perfectly.

And we were awesomely productive while she kept my mind off the fact that my soon-to-be hubs was getting wild and crazy in a town where there are topless chicks on every street corner, the booze flows like Niagara Falls, and I don't entirely trust his friends. I love 'em, but I don't trust 'em.

I think play-by-play weekend updates are a little boring unless you've got super big news such as a) you birthed a child and have lots of pictures, b) you got engaged and have lots of pictures of the ring, 3) you got married and have lots of pictures.  Since none of THOSE happened, I'll just stick to sharing some pics from the weekend.

No pictures from Friday night but this should give you an idea.

Dragged our asses to the gym. Have I mentioned how much I am loving Planet Fitness?

Attempting to shop for bridesmaid jewelry at Kendra Scott.

The original pin that inspired my love of navy dresses. Ideally I'd like to recreate this necklace look but it is proving harder than expected.

Basically I want this bracelet in necklace form.  Which is apparently as hard as hunting down Bigfoot.

I do love the look of these five similar but not identical bracelets, though.

Our wine for the night.  Monogamy was excellent but I we also started with it which means by the time we got to Bliss this lightweight would have drank anything.

Our super fancy cheese/cracker/meat spread.  Maybe I should have registered for a cheese platter and cheese knives?

My adorable date for the weekend.

Recent hashtags.  #winningatlife

Romo couldn't make it so we had a 2 1/2 hour FaceTime date instead. Totally normal.

Saying our goodbyes at the airport.  See you a few weeks, friend!

We also managed to go out for sushi, take a Pure Barre class, hit up Starbucks, find some amazing deals at Langford Market, and do way too much online shopping. I blame the wine for that one. On the upside, I may have found wedding earrings and a rehearsal dinner dress so stayed tuned for those updates.

The heinous adorable gift my hubby-to-be brought me from his weekend away.  He honestly thinks it would make a good caketopper.  Sorry honey, but no.  Over my dead body (see what I did there?).

If you've made it this far, send me some good vibes. I've got my final exam for pediatrics this morning followed immediately by my ATI exam in the course as well.  Oh joy, a morning of tests.

xoxo,

Cait

pearly whites!

I am supposed to be cleaning my house right now since my bestie is come to visit while B is away at his bachelor weekend but instead I'm snuggling the pups and blogging.  Sorry, Jenni!

Before I get into my Follow Through Friday business, can I ask you all a favor?

Would you please take 30 seconds to send a valentine card to a sick child at Texas Children's Hospital?  It's quick, easy, and free.  You can send as many as you'd like. You can share it on all your social media outlets.

I just wrapped up my pediatric clinical rotation at TCH and it was amazing. Even the floors that didn't really excite me were wonderful. The kids are absolutely inspiring and their families are so strong.  I know now that I want to work there and that is exciting and terrifying.  But in the meantime, consider sending a valentine card or two or ten.

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So what's new in my Follow Through Friday?  Pearly whites, that's what!

I few weeks back I mentioned that I wanted to start taking better care of my teeth and make them whiter.  I began by flossing every most evenings before bed and using a whitening gel a few nights a week.  I was seeing some improvement, and lots of bleeding from flossing, but really wasn't happy with the progress.  In particular I had a tooth that seemed really stained. I put extra whitener on it, flossed more around that tooth, and let my electric toothbrush just hang out on the tooth. But nothing was really doing it.

Today I went to a new dentist.  I hated the dentist I had to see on my old insurance - it was one of those box chain dentist stores.  Ugh.  But a friend who is from Houston recently graduated dental school and gave me a few referrals.  Note: If you're in the Houston area and need a new dentist, check out Dr. McEwen at Richmond Landing Family Dentistry.

I loved Dr. McEwen and his team!

WARNING: Do not judge my crowded bottom teeth! Or my uneven skin tone! I'm working on the skin and I hope to do Invisalign in the near future. (Yes, Mom, I should have worn my retainer. Or the orthodontist should have given me a permanent retainer like everyone else I know.)

Drumroll please......

I still feel like my teeth have room to whiten, but I've got a 2-hour Rembrant whitener kit that I'm going to do closer to the wedding.  But the big news is - LOOK AT THAT TOOTH! It was so stained (or so I thought) and turned out it was tartar that they could clean off.  Thank goodness (and eeew!!)! 

Latte through a straw is my new favorite thing.  And I think it will help keep my teeth nice and bright!

Now... anyone know where I can get one of those scrapey dentist tools? I'm sort of obsessed with having one since that my teeth are so clean!

How is Follow Through Friday going for you ladies? Any updates you want to share? Link up and check out the cohosts :)

xoxo,

Cait

wedding lists

I'm feeling torn between relieved that it's already Wednesday and absolutely terrified that it is Wednesday so soon.  Does that make sense?

My mom came into town last weekend and spent a glorious 24 hours with me. Seriously, it was heavenly.  I don't realize how much I miss being around my mom until she's here with me.  Mom, want to move to Houston??

The main purpose of her visit was my first dress fitting! EEEKKK!  But along we way we managed to hammer out a few other wedding things as well.

dress fitting

ribbons for guest bags

guest book table decor

wedding ring

Sorry, you won't get to see more than this until the big day! via IG

But checking off all these things only made me realize how much else is left to be done. I thought I was on top of this wedding planning business. We got engaged in September 2012 and I had the venue and dress figured out by that Christmas.  Food and cake were done last spring.  Those are the big things, right?

Sort of. And wrong, too.  Turns out there are so many things I didn't foresee that really can only be handled in the last few months and that's where I am now.  According to our website, we have 53 days left.  And because lists makes me feel more at ease and more stressed all at once, let's see what's left to do, shall we?

ASAP
get in all RSVPs come on, people! this waiting game is torture and I really don't want to harass you
figure out final numbers for booze
find an officiant this is all on me, I know!
create seating arrangement
order wedding programs
order menus
print and frame family wedding pictures
figure out a guest book
confirm block of rooms at second hotel currently playing phone tag
order rehearsal dinner menus
dancefloor lighting options
slideshow rentals
ceremony readings/vows/details
find a new babysitting for receptions ours canceled
wedding card receptacle? birdcage? suitcase?

5 weeks prior (February 1-2nd)
give final counts for hair/makeup Feb. 1st
figure out timeline for day of - how/when are we getting to venue? Feb. 1st
final run through meeting with coordinator Feb.1st
finalize cake designs with cake lady Feb. 2nd
decide on bridesmaid jewelry Feb. 7th
arrange transportation with hotel Feb.8th
rehearsal dinner dress

3 weeks prior (February 15th)
edit photo list for photographer
finalize alcohol order

2 weeks prior (February 22nd)
give bar menu to venue for chalkboard 
freshen up hair cut & color

10 days out (February 26th)
give caterer final count

1 week out (March 1st)
give seating arrangement to venue 
finalize music for ceremony/cocktail hour/reception

week of (March 5-7th)
stuff and deliver guest bags to hotels
nail appointment
send in final payments
prepare tips for vendors

So how am I handling all of this?

Currently, I'm sipping on some Starbucks and snuggling with my pups to alleviate some of this stress.  I'm reminding myself that I like being busy. That having a plan will help me work through these things on the list.  I keep a little notebook in my bag which is where I write all my weddings things - phone calls I made, vendors I spoke with, checklists to do, ideas, and more.  In just 53 days, I will be getting married to the man of my dreams.  If the seating chart is wrong or we run out of vodka it will not be the end of the world. It won't even ruin my day.  The people we love will be there to see us begin this crazy journey together.  That is what really matters, and the rest? It's just icing on the yet-to-be-designed cake.

xoxo,

Cait

PS - If you can think of anything major that is missing off this list, please tell me!

please check out the co-hosts for Wedding Wednesday!

decisions, decisions

THANK YOU for the feedback on my wedding problems yesterday! If you didn't already check it out, I'd love to hear your thoughts on invite etiquette and open bars.

I posed a question to the twitterverse the other evening about Planet Fitness gyms.  I haven't been a member at a gym for a few years now, instead working out at home (mostly running) and taking Pure Barre classes. I know, I still need to write a post on these.  It's coming, one day, I promise!

When I first moved to Houston I joined an expensive boutique gym at the prodding of my roommate. I began by taking Sunday yoga classes with her, which cost $10/week, and eventually realized I should just pay the $49/month to have full access to the place.  But I was locked into a 2 year contract and then moved all the way across Houston before the two years was up.  In case you don't know, Houston is HUGE.  I tried going back a few times but basically just made monthly donations to their fat pockets until my contract ran out. It was still cheaper than canceling early.

However, I'm beginning to see the allure of a joining gym again.  First, I miss using machines and lifting weights. At home, I have two 5-lb weights and B has this contraption where you can change the weight with a click of a button. But this thing starts at 10 lbs (which is pretty much my max) and there is only one of them.  If I can't do both arms at the same time it probably isn't going to happen. Just keeping it real, folks.

Secondly, there is a social aspect to a gym.  It's nice motivation to go there and see people working hard.  When I used to take BodyPump at the Y, you got to know people and if you missed a week then they asked about you.  I like that.  When I don't put in P90X or JM for a few weeks, they don't ask where I've been.  Rude.  

Thirdly, my Pure Barre classes don't always fit into my schedule. Especially now that school has started.  Even though my lab got out early at 5:30pm last night, I couldn't make it to the studio by 7:00pm for class due to Houston's crazy traffic.  If I belong to a gym, then on days when I plan for PB but it doesn't work out, that doesn't have to mean skipping a workout all together. Instead I can just head on over to the gym.

And I'm almost embarrassed to mention the other reason I'm considering Planet Fitness. Yes, it's close to my house. Yes, it's open 24-hours most days.  Yes, it's affordable.  But you know what else they have? Free tanning beds for Black Card members.  And you know what pasty lady is getting married in 2 months? Yup, this girl.  I get pretty orange from spray tans (as a few friends can attest to) but tanning beds, despite all their evils, actually turn this pale Irish lass into an almost-bronze beauty.  And I would only do it until the wedding - then no more. I'm not trying to get skin cancer or leathery skin, y'all.

So I did what any normal girl would do.  I took the gym for a test drive.

Lots of #selfiepride going on here. Especially in that last picture when a homegirl walked in as the camera when "click" and totally caught me.  Note to self, turn the phone on silent so the selfies aren't as obvious.

And then when I got home I did the next natural thing.  Ordered new shoes.

I love these shoes but feel like the white is a little in your face with leggings and/or my nearly translucent legs.  Maybe when I have a tan I'll feel differently?

Do you belong to a gym? Have a gym membership story to share? I'd love to hear it before I sign my life away!

xoxo,

Cait

PS - Our Follow Thru Friday link-up starts tomorrow! Hope you come join us as we share what we're going to follow through in 2014.

I need a little help from you!

Being that it's Wednesday and the blogging world loves a good #weddingwednesday post, I'm here with a few problems for which I could use your help.  I'm certainly not Emily Post and my wedding isn't going to be a stuffy affair (no offense if yours was or will be!) but I still adhere to what I believe are the basic tenets of etiquette.  

So, with a little help from my favorite housewife....

First, RSVPs.  

We sent out save the dates waaaaay back in August since most guests would be traveling to the wedding.  Invitations were then sent out last month and the RSVP cards stated to please send in your reply by January 18th. That gives us a few weeks for stragglers so we can finalize numbers with our vendors before the big day.  I'm not even going to stress about the stragglers at this point - I'm sure there will be some and we'll cross that wedding bridge when we get to it.

My question for you all is, how do you handle it when you invited just the Mr. and Mrs. but the RSVP is for the whole fam damily? 

via

To give you a little more background info: we are having some kids at the wedding but very close kids - my nephew (the ring bearer), my little sisters, my cousins' kids who are traveling from out of state.  That's it.  This RSVP for couple plus 3 kiddos came from a relative but we are not close with them.  Additionally, they don't live that far from the venue (no hotel required) and my impression is the kids' grandmother lives close enough to watch the kids.  Call me a B if you want (bitch or bridezilla, take your pick) but we just don't want a lot of kids running around our wedding.  And the kids we do want are the kids we like have a close relationship with!  

via

Secondly, alcohol.

If you've planned a wedding or are planning one or are a wedding planner or a bartender, I NEED YOUR HELP!  B and I are having a really difficult time figuring out how much booze we need.  We do not want to run out of drinks but I'm not really interested in grossly overbuying either.

via

We're having a cocktail hour after the ceremony and then our reception will be about 4 hours long. Both will have an open bar - beer, wine, liquor, margaritas.  Our bartenders recommended more bottled beer than keg beer for two reasons that I thought were pretty excellent: bottled beer is faster to serve (pop a top and go versus pouring from tap) and you get to take it with you after the wedding. Can't take a keg you didn't finish back to the hotel! 

We're hoping to have between 150-160 guests and about 10 of those are kids.  So thinking about 150 drinking guests.  Maybe 50% of our people are beer drinkers, followed by 30% mixed drinks and 20% winos.  We're just making one batch of margaritas, which will serve 75 guests, mostly for the sake of having them since it's a Texas wedding in a barn.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this bar issue.   

How many drinks would you have between a cocktail hour and a 4 hour reception (with dinner)? Would you switch between drinks or stick to one kind?  If you've planned a wedding, please share with me what your bar order looked like and if you thought it was too much, too little or just right.

via

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go pour myself a glass of wine while I anxiously await your suggestions!

Cheers,

Cait

Be sure to check out the co-hosts for the link-up!

Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday

Happy Friday, beeetches!


Rebecca Black recently watched her Friday video and gave us some mildly entertaining commentary.  

{1}
Mostly likely while you are reading this, I am taking my final exam of the semester.  Wish me luck, send me some good mojo, say a prayer, or whatever your preference may be. I am not picky when it comes to good vibes!

{2}
One of my closest friends (and bridesmaid!) Julie is coming in town this weekend! She was my roommate during Teach for America, she knew me when I just had a crush on B, and I love this girl more than I want a brownie right now.  I'm cleansing, so that means even more than it usually would.  We're running a 10K tomorrow and then drinking lots of moondrivers.  I. CANNOT. WAIT.

{3}
My wedding invitations came this week and they are gorgeous. I'm sure every bride says that so I feel very stereotypical saying that. But it's true. I'll probably share them soon, either on here or some other form of social media, since I plan on addressing them alongside a large glass of wine.  Maybe it's time to invest in one of these so I don't spill on my pretty invites?

{4}
The post office and I are in a fight.  I thought I was going the easy route by ordering wedding stamps online. We ordered them on Dec. 1st, and yet here we are, 12 days later and they haven't even been shipped yet.  Seriously?? Where else do the stamps come from if not from the same place that mails thing? The real kicker is that today while my mom was on the phone with customer service the woman helping her didn't hang up the phone before actually said. "Oh boy, this order is a mess."  I kid you not.  If the USPS can't FIND and MAIL me stamps, then what have we come to?

{5}
I will be celebrating the end of the semester by going on a stamp hunt around the greater Houston area.  Much like my test, good mojo and prayers are appreciated. Or you can just tagalong to keep me company from going insane.

Annnnd Milli might have an eye infection. Because after stamp hunting I really want to spend my weekend at the vet for overpriced eyedrops.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

xoxo,

Cait

3 months!

The holidays are in full swing, my final exams are almost here, and our wedding is just 3 months away!  Eeeek!

 Coat: J. Crew Factory

Earrings: Kendra Scott (gift from my bff)

Shirt: Forever 21, old

Jeans: Loft

Flats: Old Navy

Last night was the Christmas party for B's job (and my old job) and it was wonderful to see so many of my old coworkers!  Even though I know that leaving teaching was the right decision for me I still miss the people I worked alongside.  Teaching is a hard job but those people made everyday I was there better.  They aren't just coworkers (okay, some of them were); they're friends.  Many of them watched my relationship with B develop from the start and they'll be there to celebrate our marriage in March.

 

I'm still on my 10 day cleanse which meant no boozing or dessert table for me.  And honestly, it was tough.  There are just so many delicious things out at this time of year.  I stuck to the fruit and veggies trays and woke up this morning feeling great so I know it was worth it.  Plus, the wonderful hostess sent me home with extra fruits and veggies - score!

This week has also been a busy week for wedding planning.  While I was home last week, my mom and I met with our venue to consult about the bartending.  The venue includes bartenders but they offer packages to include glassware, mixers, garnishes, etc.  They also help you decide what to order and how much.  Our meeting was with Jaime, who it turns out is also going to be my Day of Coordinator! I loved her and felt like we had a great vibe so that puts my mind at ease a ton.  I'll post later about our bar decisions because I need your help! In addition to planning the bar, we've been ordering invitations, working on music selections, changing our catering up a bit, and picking up the bridesmaid dresses!

The venue was set up for a wedding that night and it's pretty much exactly how I'll have it too!

I'm also starting P90X today. I figure, what better time to try to actually get through all 90 days then the 3 months before my wedding.  Any tips for staying committed?

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend.  It's freezing cold here (for Texans) but I'll probably still brave the weather to visit my love, Target.

xoxo,

Cait

monday morning quickie

Happy Cyber Monday!  I'm in Austin but getting ready to head back to Houston, so my schedule is off a bit.  The Holiday Clean Up starts today with Sami and me! Sami already posted her before pics and stats, as did Kristen, so go check these amazing ladies out! And yesterday I shared an easy shopping list to help you get ready for the cleanse.

I had not originally planned to stay in Austin until this morning, but it ended up that way so I officially can't start my cleanse until I get to Houston where it is waiting for me.  Which means no weigh-in or stats yet either, because what good is it to weigh-in on my mom's scale when I won't be back for a 3 weeks? Plus, the damn thing weighs in like 4 lbs light so I'd be all happy for no reason.  Wah wah.

You still have time to join us! If you order from me by tonight, you'll be entered to win the FREE box of Spark! Plus, I'll be posting my daily meal plans the day after I eat them so you can always just use those posts as a guide.  Personally I cannot wait for this bloated feeling to leave! As if Thanksgiving wasn't enough, we celebrated my brother's birthday last night so I ate all the mexican food and drank all the vodka tonics. Sorry I'm not sorry.

True sibling love.  Happy birthday, Ben!

What does the fox say?

Most adorable niece EVER. Plus, she loved the fox sweater!

Then we came home where my mom and I sat down to drink wine (because there wasn't enough drinking at dinner) and order wedding invitations!! Seriously, that has been the hardest part of wedding planning for me  Pretty much everything else - dress, venue, bridesmaid dresses, food - was super easy. I recognized that I had found "the one" pretty early on in the process and that was it. No more looking, not more need to look. This invitation stuff though? UGH! There are so many gorgeous options out there but none that felt right. And it's just a piece of paper! Why the stress?

Long story short, we bit the bullet and bought the pricey ones that I kept coming back to. They're gorgeous and I'll share them when they come in.  But don't you know what popped up in my email this morning??

25% off ALL wedding products with MON25

You better believe I'll be calling when their office opens (at 8am PACIFIC TIME???) so they can apply that 25% off to my order.  Or cancelling and then reordering with the code.  That's way too much money to be saved spent on other things!

Hope you're all having a great day back after the holidays! Stats and pics will be up later today!

xoxo,

Cait

teeth whitening and booty lifting

Didn't think those two things went together, didya?

Well they do because they are both things I need your advice on.

I have noticed that there is a direct correlation between the amount of studying I do and the color of my teeth.  Don't get me wrong - I have very good teeth hygiene.  My momma paid waaay too much money for orthodontia for me to neglect my toofers.  But, I drink a lot of coffee and the occasional soda. Especially with these dang night shifts I keep getting assigned.  And, OH YEAH, I'm getting married in less than 4 months and these pictures will be with us forever! Not to mention they are costing a pretty penny. 

Not my mouth, but I wouldn't mind those results!

So I figure if I'm putting all these effort into eating mostly healthy and working out fairly regularly, then I should also put some effort into my teeth.

Tell me! What methods do you use for whitening your teeth?  I'm open to any and all suggestions, from the pinterest-inspired home concoctions to a kit to an in-office sesh.  However, my bank account suggests that I should start on the inexpensive side of the process. The way I see it if I start now which something that is inexpensive and may or may not work, then I have plenty of time to figure out how well it works and then resort to something expensive but immediate closer to the date, assuming my results aren't quite where I'd like them.

So hit me with your best shot! (fiiiire away... gotta love Pat Benatar!)

If you can give me something to do, I'll even post some progress pics along the way.  I know you guys love to see a #transformationTuesday and let's be real, everyone loves to see someone's before because it makes you feel better about yourself. 

Now what's this about booty lifting??

Well, it has been pointed out to me rather rudely might I add by my adoring fiancé that my butt isn't quite what it used to be.  I'm lucky that B is an ass-man and he would prefer it err on the side of Kardashian rather than Moss. However, I want a tiny, perky, lifted booty.  Tiny being the key word.  Since working out and losing some weight, my butt has shrank. But now I'm feeling a little Miley-esque and ain't no body got time for that.

For reference, here is the range:

Too big, too flat, and just right: Goldilocks and the quest for the perfect ass

Has anyone out there tried one of those 30-Day Squat challenges... and seen actual results?  Or are there some targeted moves I can do? I love my Pure Barre workouts and they are helping, but not fast enough for me.  When I search this I get crazy results so I want to hear from real people! 

Alright, let me hear about your teeth and booty tricks!

xoxo,

Cait