New Home

Well, I’m all married and settled in! You can now find me here:

http://somethingprairie.wordpress.com/

See you in a bit!

Love under the Big Blue: Our Engagement Session

EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING SO FAST.

Today, our awesome photographer (Meg at Blue Bird Creative) e-mailed me some of our engagement shots taken at the beginning of the month. I am SO happy with them! I really wanted to do a “sneak peek” shoot where a lot of the elements we’ve incorporated will be seen at our wedding! Here are a few of my favourites!

 

We finally got to meet Meg after months and months of e-mailing back and forth! We had tons of fun during the shoot with all of our props, and even though Trav and I were nervous, after a few shots, it was like clockwork!

I had an entire bag full of stuff, and it took us a while to set up some of the paper garlands (which seriously took forever because my sewing machine kept jamming) and globes (also took me forever…I figured out a way to fold all the circles without a template…it still takes forever), but it was totally worth it! The chalkboard ended up being a very inexpensive (and spur-of-the-moment) project too! I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to make all the props in time…everything was happening all at once! Luckily, Trav was my super hero and spotted me some glue when I ran out.

Love this old, rustic mill! We finally escaped the trees and got to bring out Big Blue the balloon! He was kind of annoying to lug around because we were all afraid he was going to pop.

Funny story: The original plan was to get a big heart-shaped balloon for the shoot, but a certain balloon store (that shall remain nameless) LIED to us, and so we adopted Big Blue instead.

Unfortunately, Trav wasn’t using his big engineering brain when he got home, and while we were eating dinner, Big Blue (who was left in Trav’s black civic for a few hours) got a little obese. When we tried to move Big Blue to my car, well…let’s just say it took some creative thinking to get him out!

So I finally got to hold on to Big Blue! However, it was only because:

1. This was the scariest moment of my life and
2. I yelled at Trav for hogging Big Blue.

Seriously. Old train bridges are what my nightmares are made of. I was freaking out inside while Meghan was hopping and skipping down the tracks as if she had done this a million times before (because she had)!

I felt a little braver on the way back. 🙂

Despite being a scaredy cat, I actually had a lot of fun during this part of the shoot! The pictures turned out AWESOME, and none of them show my freaked out face!

I think…

Anyway, at the end of this part of the shoot, Big Blue was ready to have his own adventures…

So, like a rocket, he shot up in the sky and disappeared. It was magic.

Some guy even pulled over on the side of the road to see what Big Blue was up to…

Our last stop was a mom&pop shop with the best ice cream you can find, inside and outside the city. Ko’s has a special place in our hearts. It’s also one of the first places that Trav took me when we started going out. 🙂

Some of our favourite date nights were spent here, sitting on the old benches outside the store, eating ice cream, and scratching “Set for Life” tickets. Even though we’ll probably never win anything, that’s okay with me.

Trav and I are already set for life anyway. ♥

Thanks, Meghan, for capturing all the magic! To see the rest from our engagement shoot, click here.

Mmm…cupcakes…

Weddings cost a lot of money. Or they can.

On our measley budget (mostly due to our guest list size of 200+), we found ourselves having to be a little more creative in how we spent (or will be spending) our money. Instead of ordering a giant cake that costs a fortune (hello leftovers!), we decided to bake our own cupcakes (much more popular, much less money)!

The past couple of weeks have been filled with imagining the perfect cupcake flavour combination. I’ve enlisted friends and co-workers to be my guinea pigs, and have been extremely lucky to have nothing but positive feedback!

Here’s what’s been keeping me busy (and hungry):

Vanilla Bean Chai cupcake

A dense, but moist cupcake with a burst of Chai in every bite! Topped with vanilla buttercream speckled with vanilla beans, it’s like you’re eating a chai latte!

Mocha-frappa-latte cupcake

A sweet coffee-flavoured cupcake with rich, velvety chocolate buttercream frosting!

More to come as the experiments progress…

I feel like I haven’t had a chance to sit down and take a breather in a long, long time.

Between starting a new job, wedding planning, dress shopping, and oh…getting into a major car accident, I’d say life has been slowly suffocating me to the point where I can no longer keep track of the days or weeks.

The past few days…or weeks, were pleasantly busy up until last week when the weather was in freeze-thaw mode. I was on my way to work and had just switched lanes when the car in front of me braked suddenly. I hit my brakes too, only to realize that I was directly on top of a frozen puddle covered in sand. My car veered left, and the next thing I knew, I was headed straight for a tree. It felt like everything was happening in slow motion…and that really is the worst because you think you have time to react, but the reality is there is nothing you can do.

Other cars were involved, however, I am happy to say that no one else was injured (including the tree). I am also happy to say that I was wearing my seatbelt, which essentially saved me from bashing my head against the steering wheel. Unfortunately, I got banged up on my knees and elbow. Where was the airbag? It went AWOL.

The Accident was probably the scariest experience I’ve ever had to go through…and a lot more traumatizing than waking up in the middle of an invasive eye surgery and feeling needles stabbing into your eye (sorry…sorry…). It’s the type of thing that plays over and over again in your mind. I lost a lot of sleep that week, and it took a huge toll on me emotionally. I was an unstable wreck going through minor anxiety attacks every time I passed The Accident site. My heart was racing for days after. Trav’s been really good and patient with me, and it makes me so glad that I have him by my side. He even brought me dinner that night so I wouldn’t have to worry about that too. ♥

I’ve come to terms with almost everything now, but I still have trouble sleeping at night. And sometimes, when I look at the huge bruise on my knee, it brings it all back.

My dad and I went to empty out my car at the compound (aka “The Graveyard”…where cars go to die) shortly after the accident. It broke my heart seeing it smashed up. I’ve had that car for almost 6 years…and as ridiculous as this sounds, the car and I had a bond. So it was really hard to say goodbye…like that.

So now I am car shopping, and it’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. I find myself comparing every car to the one I had, and nothing measures up. Maybe I’m being too picky.

But, if I learned anything about this experience (besides the fact that ice, sand, and sudden braking are my enemies), it’s that there are some REALLY GOOD people out there who put others ahead of themselves in a time of need. I could not have asked for better witnesses.

UGH.

With all the wedding planning and big life changes going on right now (I just got a new job!!!), I haven’t had time to knit. In fact, I haven’t picked up my needles since…the end of January?

WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?!?!?!

Trav said that it’s probably because I’m getting my priorities straight. Jokingly, of course, but I still gave him a good smack!

In all seriousness, with our potential wedding a little over 6 months away, we have been on the go since Valentine’s Day trying to book a venue, a photographer, and well…all the big stuff that comes with weddings. It’s really stressful, and Trav and I haven’t had time to really enjoy being engaged. I told him once the big things were taken care of, we could take a break from the craziness. I just don’t know when that will be…

The next few days are going to be ridiculous. My family is putting on a nice, quiet dinner for me and my aunt tonight (her birthday is today, mine is tomorrow)  at a local Chinese restaurant. On Saturday, I have a car appointment, a meeting with our financial adviser, another appointment with a potential venue, go-karting with my favourite people (!!!), and dinner at a restaurant close by. It will hopefully be a nice, “quiet” birthday since last year’s birthday was pretty crazy, to say the least. *nervous laugh*

In any case, even though I will have no time until Sunday, I’m going to try and knit SOMETHING before the end of the month. And I have no idea how that’s going to happen because I have 3 days, and I’m probably the slowest knitter on the planet.

When life gets in the way, how do you make time for your favourite hobby/activity?

Some Kind of Lucky ♥

My boyfriend and I don’t really like clichés. We find them silly, and sometimes a little over the top.

So imagine my surprise when Trav proposed to me on Valentine’s Day! And by surprise, I mean I bawled my eyes out. It was embarrassing. I had promised myself that when The Day came, I wouldn’t cry. Heaven help us on our wedding day…

And now, here we are, in the middle of wedding planning. I have no idea what I’m doing. And I’m a little bit stressed out…

But I get to marry the most amazing guy. I get to be his, and he gets to be mine. 🙂

I guess I’m some kind of lucky. ♥

Love is in the air…♥

Just a quick update to show you how I spent my weekend!

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes: one of my favourite Valentine’s Day treats! I got a little frustrated trying to find a decent one in the city (vanilla cupcakes dyed red? I don’t think so!), and decided to make my own!

Instead of using the typical cream cheese frosting, I made a silky, rich buttercream frosting that called for a different “icing” technique. I had originally tried piping swirls onto the cupcakes, but due to its creamy (and dreamy) texture, I had to resort to other methods: using the good old-fashioned spoon!

Trav and I actually liked this method so much (yes, we actually discussed cupcake decorating!)…we think this method definitely gives it a more rustic look, and really shows off the texture of the buttercream.

I love this blue. Thought it would add a more modern colour palette to the overall packaging!

Bagging the cupcakes were a huge pain! The jellybeans actually helped anchor the bag down while I struggled to stuff the cupcakes into the treat bags…next time, I’ll probably either get bigger bags, or cardboard boxes!

♥

ACK!

Sorry about the lack of posting.

Life kind of got in the way, and I’m trying to get things organized on my end. Will be back shortly with a more predictable posting schedule, if you want to call it that…

Give me a few days/a week to get my butt in gear! ♥

Getting through the day…

Lately, I’ve been finding it hard to get through the work day.

Winter is our slowest season, and I find my desk unusually bare. Most of the projects have been wrapped up, and the clients’ files have been stored away in a cabinet for “future reference” (dust collectors). I find myself waiting for the phone to ring…the same constant ringing that drove me absolutely nuts over the summer. Where did everyone go?

All this silence and boredom has made me appreciate the little things that happen each day. These are a few things that happened this week that “made my day”:

1. Finding a “loose” Hot Tamale in my purse after I thought I had eaten them all. (I’m slightly addicted to these…)
2. Receiving an e-mail from a friend and former co-worker about my loud phone voice (I really can’t help it).
3. Going out for lunch with my dad.
4. Getting a new coffee maker in the office that doesn’t evaporate all the water and make SOOPA STRONG coffee!
5. Taking 15 minute breaks every couple of hours to read a blog, and be inspired!
6. Reading an e-mail from the boyfriend that’s not about winning a lunch time poker game, or being sick and wanting to “spread the love”. (Okay, this hasn’t happened yet, but it doesn’t hurt to have a little hope!)

It might not sound like much, but it really helps me make it to Friday without going stir crazy!

PS- Check out Julie’s 7 Days of Hot Chocolate! It’s the perfect way to wrap up a long, hard day at work!

What are some things that “made your day” this week?

Country Mayhem: Hockey Style!

We began our weekend with a little bit of unpredictability.

It started with the radio. The Voice, after a rather poor effort in clever banter, began droning off a list of highway closures due to strong winds and almost 0 visability.

Trav had asked me to check the internet for road closures, and it looked like our main route was open for the time being. So we made a run for it, and piled into his car. I could feel the last of the stinging sensation on my cheeks. It was pretty darn cold, but nothing we couldn’t handle.

At first, we thought it wasn’t so bad. It was a bit windy, and the snow just barely brushed across the asphalt roads…

…and then, a mile out of the city, things changed.

The road suddenly disappeared. We couldn’t tell where the road ended and where the ditch began. We saw tail lights at the last moment, a barely visible semi, and the faint glow of flashing amber lights…lights that belonged to a car that got pulled into the whiteness. It was nothing like I’ve ever experienced.

We almost got sucked in ourselves.

So we made the smart decision to turn around and stay another night in the city. It was a good thing too, because the next morning, we heard stories of a few fatalities overnight.

The next morning, we piled into the car again and headed out. This was the view just outside of the city.

A few miles later, we saw a bunch of these:

It’s scary to think that we might’ve been in the same situation if we kept going…or worse.

Things were good until we were about 20 minutes from our destination. The wind picked up, and we started to worry just a bit (okay, actually, I started to worry…).

But things were good. Fine. Sort of. We had a few close calls. During one of our steadier moments, I took this picture of the “hydro” lines along the highway. It just screams “Prairie Winter” to me…

Oh, and here’s the “Halfway Tree”, which isn’t really halfway to where we were going, but it’s pretty much the only tree in the area, and it sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s one of those familiar sights you look forward to during a long car ride.

Needless to say, we made it to The Farm all in one piece. We relaxed for a bit before heading to the rink to watch Trav and his team (in navy/black) go for the “gold” (i.e. bragging rights). The highlight? Trav scored the first goal. 🙂 I wanted to scream, “THAT’S MY BOYFRIEND!!!” but that kind of thing is frowned upon, apparently…

Unfortunately, Trav’s team lost (by one point, but that didn’t matter). Trav didn’t think it was appropriate to take a team picture after the loss, so this is the only “team picture” that I got…and he’s not even in it. 😦

After the game, some of the boys came up and hugged their girlfriends who cooed comforting words in their ears. Others didn’t take it as hard and went around visiting with the crowd. And Trav? He sulked the manly way: with burgers & beer. One thing I’ve learned in this relationship is to give the man room to sulk. When he’s done, he’ll be more inviting…and buy me food. 😀 Because I was starving after all that cheering and yelling.

I don’t know about you, but there’s something about hockey that ups the hot factor in (most) guys. Like…on a hot scale, Trav reached a 500. But maybe I’m just a bit biased. ♥

All in all, we had a busy weekend. Trav discovered his “slapshot”, and I found out that I’m not that shy when it comes to cheering for my man…even if it is “frowned upon”.