it's the little things!!

so the pictures in this post don't really directly relate to the post itself, but are more for show and as my photo dump from my 365 project. :)

i came home tonight after my crossfit workout and for some reason a big light came on in my head. i realized that it really does make life so much better celebrate the little things. i decided to make a list of my current celebration of little things:

-finding a new vegetable! and liking it!

[brussel sprouts! although they have a very intense smell!! i made them for the first time (my second time every eating them) i roasted them] pic: ty ty! (the twins are almost 2...!!! cripes!) -i ran a mile outside today! i was forced to do it via crossfit, but i did it! and it wasn't nearly as bad as i thought it would be -it's nice enough outside to run outside!!! still cold (35 degree high today) but the sun was out! -sunshine!!! filling my room while i napped today! and staying out til almost 8 pm! so very thankful for sunshine and really tried to celebrate it today! pic: skye monkey chowing on some yogurt -saw my first robin today (actually 2) so spring is coming!!! yay! :) -one month until softball starts!!!!!!! -one month til i get to live with my boy again!!!!! pic: al had to get pepper sprayed at work on friday (in order to be certified to carry as intense stuff as they do, they have to be sprayed by it). it had long lasting effects. and he said he'd much rather be tazed then do that again... -good, inspirational friends. having friends to talk to and friends who don't get upset if i don't talk to them for a lil while. understanding and empathetic friends!! good people in my life!! -realizing how my eating healthier/better and working out really does make me and my body feel great. -growing up and being responsible enough on a night out to not have a hangover the day after! pic: i got a perm over a week ago; still don't know how i feel about it as my hair sometimes freaks out and gets really frizzy. but sometimes it curls well and i love the volume it gives my hair! -today brought about a very hopeful feeling in me for the future! i really hope that plays out!! -thankful i wised up and realized that i can't sit around and wait for life to happen to me, instead i have to go get it! and fight for it!! work for it!! -having great bosses and people to work with and having a very flexible schedule that allows me to do things i love and get things done, especially since starting wedding plans!! -eeek!! having a fiance (i still don't know that i realize it fully, and have to think about it to call al my fiance :]) getting married in 220 days!!! party!! :) -my momma is amazing!! she is by far not one of those little things for me but she proves her worth daily :) don't know what i would do without her! -fitting in to my "skinny" pants that have been packed away for years!! gives me that much more motivation to keep going!!! -finally having dvr and getting to watch ellen everyday! and getting to go out and do things without having to miss my shows... i know there's more, but that's all i got at this moment!! celebration is good!! :)

diy flowers

after doing some research and seeing just how expensive everything wedding is, i decided to try to do a lot of it diy (do it yourself). plus i like the idea of things being handmade rather then purchased. so i have been looking up pictures of accessories and things that i might like for the wedding. below are some of my first attempts at things.

i put together these paint samples from home depot for the colors for our wedding, just for an starting off point. i also sent one of these to my "creative directors" (the most talented, creative people i know!) :)

this is technically called a frayed fabric flower. it looks better in person then in the picture, i think. but i like it. i would probably make the next one a bit smaller and see if that looks good too.
i have seen these wrapped fabric flowers on a lot of the necklaces i like that would be used for the bridesmaids. i finally found a brief tutorial on how one person makes them and tried it. i do like, but really think it depends on the fabric used. also, it's a bit heavy and having a couple of them on a necklace might be hard on the neck? we'll see, maybe i'll make a few more in different sizes and try out a necklace.

these are my second type of felt flowers i've tried. they're really cute but also tall so i don't know what i'd use them for in the wedding. i do like the look and texture of them tho.

and here's all 3 together. once i can get to joann for some more fabric in my colors i'll attempt more and different sizes.

first felt flower

i have been admiring megan hunt (princess lasertron's) felt flower bouquets and accessories for a while now. and i have been wanting to attempt to make something like those flowers for just as long. this past summer i bought the supplies necessary to make some but didn't get around to it until just before my cousin, maren's bridal shower. so i decided to finish one and decorate maren's present with it. so here it is. and on maren's present.

it wasn't too hard, but a little time consuming. i will definitely be making more and trying different tricks with the embroidery floss.

if you like it then

you shoulda put a ring on it. :) so he did!!

al proposed on monday night, march 7th!!! after our crossfit workout which included lunges, he did one last lunge (got down on one knee) and proposed!

i'm so very happy! :]

here are some pictures of the actual proposal as my crossfit trainer was aware that it was gonna happen and had her iphone ready!

my beautiful ring! i love it!!!

maren's bridal shower

my cousin maren is getting married in may and we had her bridal shower on saturday. it was a cowgirl theme, funny and i won 2 of the games :)

here is the beautiful bride to be (with her new apron on) and her momma, my lovely auntie diane!

here is the whole group of us
and all the boots :)

the bride to be and me

and me and my twin-cousin angi

first week of march

charlie turns one!!! such a cute boy!

i enjoyed my hair this week apparently: here is my tinkerbell bun on top of my head (and a pic of my new phone)

i hardly ever do one big french braid because i don't like that i can't get it very tight. but i decided to try it and i loved it! it was so easy on my hair (as opposed to the tight ponytails i usually wear) and i liked how it looked. i will definitely be utilizing this hairstyle more often now!

4 years. in german.

march 3rd was al and my 4 year anniversary! crazy talk that we've been together that long. we wanted to try dinner at something and somewhere different, so we chose the gasthaus in stillwater for german food. we had the whole back part of the restaurant to ourselves!

i had walleye, spaetzel, and steamed veggies. the spaetzel was amazing! the rest was ok.

al had a bavarian meat platter with pork haute, pork chop, knackworst, spaeztel and lots of sauerkraut. he said it was delicious!
here are some of the mugs on the walls; i think they're so cool!

and a toast with our german beer to 4 years!!

february randoms

here are some of my 365 picture project shots from february:

i am really getting into my crafts; here is one of the headbands i crocheted myself

this is my good friend megan's chihuahua/poodle mix, daisy. she's so cute and so full of energy.

had dinner with megan; she made lemon basted chicken, mashed taters, corn and croissants; yummy!!

i made dessert :) snicker salad!! yummo!!

the explorer turned 100,000 miles and it was 50 degrees in february in minnesota! (SO longing for some warmer weather...)

al and i had our crossfit/paleo double date with luke and malia (i really need to get better at taking pix of the people i'm with...) it was tough and fun! and the food was amazing!! all i got a picture of was the fruit salad i brought.

shane and jodi

our good friends shane and jodi got engaged in february! (finally! :]) and since i like to take pictures and had one of gina's nice cameras, we went out to the little park near their house and took some pics of them and their glowing-ness from being engaged. :)

cute lil bridge but the sunlight was so harsh and no shade or overcast....

i love the hearts on the sides of jodi's ring!

my attempt at sunflare

this one's my fav