Summer is Here

The last two days have been close to 90 degrees. For me, that's too hot. Especially in Massachusetts where the humidity makes the air feel thick. You sweat just thinking about going outside. I hope these few days isn't a projection of what the summer is going to be like. It's only May, and I don't think I can handle three more months of this. Personally, I'd like another month of mid to high 70s first. Here's to hoping...

Despite these last hot days, the weekend brought perfect weather, and I spent a good majority of it outside. I went on a hike (read: nature walk) with two of my friends, and I volunteered at the Run for Home Base 9K on Sunday. After the race I got to walk around the warning track at Fenway park, and it was pretty much the coolest thing ever. Lindsay even stole some dirt.

Overall, it was an awesome weekend. I'm looking forward to the upcoming one as well, since we'll be in Vermont, and it's a long weekend! Oh annnd my mother-in-law-to-be and sister-in-law-to-be arrive this afternoon! Too bad my apartment isn't as clean as I'd like...

Right Place, Right Time

Wednesday night I found myself at the Red Sox game. I had planned on spending the night at home, watching the Biggest Loser from the night before and maybe having eggs for dinner, if I even got that creative. But after work I went to Happy Hour for a friend's birthday and ended up getting free tickets to the Sox game that night. Even though it rained and was a little cold, the seats were amazing and it was worth being damp for a few hours.

I took my sister, since the hubs-to-be was M.I.A. and we enjoyed a hot dog and a beer. I have never sat so close to the field, and I cannot thank the guy at the bar who didn't want his tickets  enough (he works for East Coast Tickets and so generously gave them to me). I was the only one at the table who didn't have something else already planned for the evening, and I'm glad I didn't! It worked out perfectly that I could go and I had a great time. It was really a classic right place, right time moment!

Getting Closer...

Our wedding in three months and 10 days away. It's getting SO much closer! We've been knocking things off the to-do list left and right, now that the hubs-to-be has finished school for the semester. I love being productive.

I feel like our list of things to do may be longer than the average wedding planners because we're going the DIY route. From homemade save-the-dates and invitations, to the centerpieces, to the iPod play list. Even my dress is homemade (thanks to my dad's awesome wife). As it gets closer, I'm definitely getting more excited, but also trying not to go into panic mode. Three months is plenty of time...I think...but we have a lot to do. Last night we picked out our wedding bands, which was a huge thing on the to do list. It was fun to actually ring shop with the hubs-to-be (since I didn't help with the engagement ring, he did a great job all on his own), and now it feels even more real. Now I know that when we say "I do" he'll be slipping a wonderful band on my finger, not a twist-tie that says "I owe you one." The next big thing is getting the invitations out by the end of the month...

In other news, there is no news. Meaning, we still don't know if we'll be moving this year or not. We heard from our landlord yesterday, saying he wanted us to move into the three-bedroom place he has, since we're such good tenants and the last people trashed it, but it's just not something we can swing on our own. So we wait. I've still got all my fingers and toes cross, but it will still be a while until we know!

For our current apartment, I'm starting the spring-into-summer cleaning process. It's time to purge the closet, and clean up the place...just in case we have to pack and move! The wonderful duo (now trio! congrats!) over at Young House Love have great tips for organizing, redecorating, and making your own cleaning products, so I've been reading up to stay on top of my game. (I actually found their site by searching for "backyard weddings" but I love their DYI in a budget-friendly way approach to everything. I highly suggest checking it out). The real motivation for cleaning (since the move is really an unknown at this point) is to get a super clean house before my mother-in-law-to-be and sister-in-law-to-be get into town next week! We're so excited for their visit, but I really want the place looking great. Hopefully I can make it happen!

A Little Late

I know I'm late on posting about New Mexico. It was a fun trip, but a busy week when I got back and I just didn't have time. Missing two days of work is tough...I came back to quite the large pile of packages on my desk and haven't been able to get out from under them...even a week later.

The trip was worth it though. I got to see the bff and the in-laws-to-be. The weather was awful (and I miss the crazy warm Boston weather), so the race was FREEZING, but we managed. I was happy with my time, even though it's not an impressive one compared to anyone else. We didn't make it to the zoo because of the weather, but there was good baseball time and shopping. I just love New Mexico so much. It's hard to be away for too long.

Isotopes park at sunset

fireworks after the baseball game

some shots from the race. crowded start line, the bff and her bf finishing, me finishing and a post race picture (once we finally got some coffee).

On an unrelated to New Mexico note, the hubs-to-be and I FINALLY figured out our moving/living situation for next year. We're in our lease until September 1, and we're getting married the weekend before, so poor planning on our part, but we want to move. We need more space but we weren't sure we'd be able to move anyway due to the deposits etc required since we're paying for said wedding the weekend before. So, after a long talk of moving/not moving/breaking our lease/subletting, we decided we'll stay in our place for another year, unless the one bed in the building next door becomes available. It's the same landlord, so we won't have to do any new deposits, or  applications or anything. It would still require us to move four days after getting married, but it's bigger and nicer and only one building over, so it would be totally worth it. The catch is, the landlord doesn't know if the current tenant will renew or not. She just hasn't gotten back to him yet. We're crossing our fingers that she's moving on, because we want to move in! Hopefully we'll find out this week...

And There Goes April...

Four months of this year are gone already. It's hard to believe the year is going by so quickly, but at least it was been a good four months!

In this post at the beginning of the year, I listed a lot of things I was looking forward to and some goals. At this point in the year, I'm doing pretty well. I didn't get to go down to the Gulf, but I am running the 5K this weekend in New Mexico! I know it will be hard, but I'm ready, and I'm excited.

I'm just looking forward to this weekend in general. The time away from the city is always nice, and I miss Albuquerque. I haven't been there since Christmas, and probably won't be there again until October, so it will be a nice visit. I'm looking forward to seeing the girls too. Since the hubs-to-be is hunkering down for finals week, he isn't coming with me. This means we're not staying with his family, but instead I'm staying with the BFF, and there won't be so much required family time. Don't get me wrong, I have some fantastic in-laws, but I always feel like I miss out on friend time.This weekend is all about the friend time. :)

Hopefully I'll have awesome pictures to post when I get back!

Where Does the Time Go?

Some how the days go by too quickly and I can't seem to find enough time to do everything I want to each day. Clearly blogging is one of the things I don't get to.

Right now, things are pretty hectic. There are just four months until my wedding, and I'm starting to feel like there isn't enough time. There will be, but it's starting to be crunch time. We had the tent measurements last weekend, and I had a minor (read: major)  freak out about how big the tent was and how horrible everything I was planning would look in such a huge space. So we switched up the tents, and I think we have it solved. The 40x80 monstrosity is no longer. And this weekend is all about invitations. The DIY stuff is totally cost effective, but time consuming. Luckily I have awesome bridesmaids who are willing to spend their weekend with a pair of scissors and red construction paper.

Home life is crazy too. We thought about moving this year, but then ruled it out because our lease is up two days after our wedding, and we didn't want to spend out honeymoon packing or moving. Now we're thinking about moving again. We've out grown our starter apartment and are ready for an upgrade. We're hoping that people will be generous enough to get us great stuff for our wedding, and we don't really want to put the new stuff in the old place. I'm not sure it's actually a possibility, but we're thinking about it again.

I'm so happy the weekend is here, and the good weather! There a few chillier days still lingering, but it's definitely not winter any more. And in just one week I'll be in New Mexico again! I cannot wait. There's only so long I can go without the mountain air and my bff.

Black Ties and Pink Flowers

Sometimes a night out in fancy dress is all you need to set life straight again. We danced, we laughed, we drank, we had a great time. I'm so happy I have a wonderful family and friends in my life that keep me sane.

And all for a GREAT cause. Does it get any better?