I can’t believe it has been over a month since I’ve posted! Nik has been working really hard on revamping the site, and I love how it has come out. He’s especially worked over the Tying the Knot portion of the website, so be sure to check that out! We are continuing to add new information and edit the pages within that site (e.g., announcing our super adorable flower girl and providing more details on the big day), so keep on checking back!

Speaking of the wedding, there has been a flurry of planning activity lately. The most important news is…I’ve said yes to a dress! I headed down to LA to shop with my mom, and we had a blast. I was really nervous about it, as pushy salespeople make me anxious and I am generally very picky, but it turned out to be a really fun experience. I probably tried on 7 or 8 dresses before I found the one, and there was not a moment’s hesitation on my or my mom’s part about the choice. It’s gorgeous!

We’ve also been working hard on additional details, such as finalizing the design of the wedding favors, choosing a rehearsal dinner spot, and booking the honeymoon! The wedding is now about 8 months away…which seems both so far and extraordinarily close all at the same time. There are so many details involved in the planning, and I am thankful both that we hired a fantastic wedding planner and that we’ve had such a long engagement. I’ve been enjoying every single moment of planning, and none of it has been stressful!

The remainder of that LA trip was amazing, as usual. My friend Kimberly bought Zena and I facials for Christmas, so we took the opportunity to head to the Malibu spa on a gorgeous, sunny weekend day. We were absolutely pampered, and then we had a yummy lunch in Malibu. Just driving along Pacific Coast Highway and chatting with those two–a perfect day. Later that evening, Mandi and I headed to Pop, a champagne and dessert bar in Pasadena (can that get any more perfect for me?). We indulged in incredible food, such as brie toast with chardonnay-soaked raisins, proscuitto-wrapped shrimp, and maple bacon crepes…as well as, of course, copious amounts of champagne.

All has been well since my return. Nik’s new job keeps him busy, and although he’s gotten more used to the schedule, he’s still not awake and at home for very long in a given day. It has still been a challenge to figure out the logistics of dinner, the evening routine, and trying to spend some time together. We had a special evening out at the Melting Pot last weekend, which was nice, and he accompanied me to the scrapbook store today, which was also very nice (and sweet of him). I have been making dinners and keeping a plate for him in the fridge. He gets home too late for me to wait to eat with him, and I’m sure microwave-reheated food isn’t the tastiest for him, but it works. He told me he appreciates all the extra work I’ve been having to put into the new routine, which was nice to hear. And the other evening, he spent his awake half hour baking me cookies and changing the dog-hairy sheets for me!

Next week I head to Amesbury to celebrate Pepere’s 80th birthday! I cannot wait to spend some quality time with my family!