transition is my middle name

wanted for one future wallace home.

2012-01-27T07:00:00.004-06:00

i'm utterly consumed by gawking at these throwback appliances.

to go with a chalkboard wall, of course.

settling in together as man and wife has got to be one of the most fun

things we've ever done as a couple and i love imagining

what we'll do as first time home owners some day.

i've just got to convince mr. wonderful that

yellow looks great in the kitchen.

the husband's Christmas gift.

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

i think this is a good time to show you what i made

my new husband for his Christmas gift . . .

since it was just the day after we married, i knew it had to be extra

special and pretty sentimental.

it took a while to figure out just what it would be,

but i settled on creating a sweet picture album of our first year together.

it was just perfect too; i loved watching his face

light up as he turned each page!

i think the right-hand page just above is my favorite of all in the book.

i can't wait to start piecing together our wedding album

and all the other books we're going to make

during our many years in the future.

i imagine us showing them to our kids and grandkids someday . . .

i never really understood hip-hop.

2012-01-25T06:30:00.003-06:00

but now i think i get it.

watch and learn along with me . . .

pretty much obsessed with trying out recipes from babycakes.

{via}

these precious days.

2012-01-24T07:00:00.009-06:00

since last monday was a holiday,

mr. wonderful and i shared a very lazy day at home.

we decided we didn't feel guilty about it in the least,

especially on a day when even the mail didn't arrive.

the sun was once again hidden and the road were slick with cold rain,

so we sat around in our slippers, watched movies all day long

and drank about a dozen cups of coffee between the two of us.

i watched cooking shows while listening to the mister

tweak a music project in the office.

we burned candles until they drooped

and i cooked a tasty, bone-warming dinner.

while i'm anxious to get a job and have something to do

during the week days, i can't help but cherish

this time when we are home together with little on our agenda.

it will be over all too soon.

and all that said, happy 1-month anniversary, babe!

{mr. wonderful's slippered feet- a target bargain for $5

because the cashier didn't want to price check!}

meal planning for two.

2012-01-23T07:30:00.009-06:00

i cried the second time i shopped for groceries here in nashville.

half the things on my list couldn't be found on the store shelves,

store clerks were dumbfounded when i asked the location of "vegetarian options,"

and since it was only the second time i'd purused the supermarket,

i didn't know the floor layout and it took me forever to find anything

and i still didn't have 3 things on my list when i finally checked out.

i felt like a terrible wife who couldn't do something as easy as

food shopping for her husband and so i cried.

mr. wonderful, of course, reassured me that i wasn't a terrible wife {phew}

and that perhaps shopping at a store near the whole foods was better

in case i had to make two stops to find,

let's say, prepared whole wheat pizza dough?

and that he'll come next time to help.

we have been attempting to meal plan each week

and so far, despite the mini-meltdown, it has worked out quiet well for us.

~~~

sample supper shopping list-

1 onion

1 garlic bulb

1 orange pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 large cucumber

2 hot house tomatoes

2 russet potatoes

1 package baby carrots

1 package baby spinach

1 package baby mushrooms

1 package shredded mozzarella

2 loaves italian bread {i try to buy ours the day of the meal, if i can}

1 box whole grain spaghetti

1 jar marinara sauce

1 can cannellini beans

1 can vegetable broth

1 box rice pilaf

::menu::

sunday: baked pizza potatoes- two thumbs up from mr. wonderful.

monday: whole grain spaghetti with marinara sauce

sauteed with vegetables and garlic bread.

tuesday: left over spaghetti noodles sauteed with marinade,

wilted spinach and shredded mozzarella.

wednesday: brinner {pancake night}.

thursday: oven-baked chicken with my special marinade {for mr. wonderful},

rice pilaf and fresh green salad.

friday: veggie stew {with leftover chicken, for my man}

with thick slices of left over italian bread and whole foods green apple italian soda.

saturday: this is usually our eat-out night,

unless johnny is working and then i just make something at home by myself.

we also tend to eat left-overs this day too.

i love creating something warm and comforting

for my guy to eat at the end of the day,

but it's also fun to chop, stir and bake alongside each other in the kitchen.

i was really concerned before we married that balancing this

veggie/meat-eater thing was going to be too difficult,

but it's turning out to be a fun challenge . . .

well, sans the emotional shopping trauma, that is.

i married this sweet man.

2012-01-20T07:00:00.001-06:00

i caught him with his eyes shut in this photo

and {to me} it's just the cutest thing.

i love that i get to kiss that face every single day forever.

weekends with him are always exciting adventures full of exploring

and snuggling on the couch in front of our favorite cooking shows.

sweets, i hope your saturday and sunday are full of delightful things!

p.s. we found a dozen antique camera in this place

and are completely obsessed.

snowy night in.

2012-01-19T07:30:00.001-06:00

last week we had snow in nashville!

that made this new hampshire girl deliriously happy . . .

johnny and i celebrated by staying in for the night, wearing our winter hats

and cooking a delicious dinner to eat

while watching the first two harry potter movies.

johnny hadn't seen the beginning of the series and i've so

enjoyed his "ah-ha" moments

as he has pieced together the important elements of the story.

we also got to work on our thank you's from our wedding . . .

it was so great to recall all the sweet things people wrote to us

and did for us just a few short weeks ago.

the pile of stationery on the coffee table made me realize just how blessed we are!

our chalkboard wall.

2012-01-18T07:00:00.005-06:00

once upon a time, i went on a scooter riding after work

on a summer evening with a really cute guy.

we met in our church parking lot and he told me he

read a post about my love of chalkboards . . . and he thought they were really neat too.

we've since married each other and creating a chalkboard wall

of our own was one of the first things we wanted to make once we lived together.

so, here it is- a new addition to our dining room

and the perfect space for the week's dinner menu, love notes and our family philosophies!

we also found this neat little carafe during a recent shopping excursion.

for $10, it seemed like the perfect investment

for this chalkboard obsessed couple.

franklin, tn.

2012-01-17T07:00:00.003-06:00

mr. wonderful and i sat at lunch on saturday

after a long morning lounge with a friend in a coffee shop . . .

and tried to figure out how to keep ourselves outdoors for the afternoon.

we've had a cold rain here in nashville for days,

and the sun was finally showing itself!

we decided to head down to franklin,

a cute little town southwest of us that we knew to be

the home of a neat downtown and interesting shops.

we spent the afternoon soaking up rays and strolling the streets.

that's where we stumbled upon avec moi,

the sweetest little place where mr. wonderful bought me

two teeny-tiny porcelain dishes for our kitchen.

i can't stop thinking of all the little things i can put in them-

pinches of salt, sugar cubes, lemon slices for tea or candies . . .

brinner.

2012-01-16T07:30:00.003-06:00

the other night, john and i spent over an hour waiting for a prescription

at the store and by the time we got out,

we were so hungry and tired that we couldn't even agree

on a place to go to where we could pay someone to feed us.

so we went back home and made our first brinner as a married couple

{breakfast for dinner}.

we were completely starving by the time the pancakes were ready

and didn't even bother to sit down to eat . . .

we just held our plates in front of us as

we stood in our tiny galley kitchen.

we haven't yet found a pancake batter recipe that we truly

feel is ours . . . and we don't feel quite right stealing our mothers'

or something off of food network.

we want something all our own;

since every family has their favorites.

this time around we added cinnamon and vanilla to the batter.

what are your favorite pancake recipes? care to share??

my favorite coffee shop.

2012-01-13T06:30:00.005-06:00

sometimes sitting quietly with my guy in a cozy place

is the best way to escape for 20 minutes in the afternoon.

this particular visit was especially comforting

after a couple of days in a new city . . .

i've been a little lonely for the north this last week,

and mr. wonderful has worked so hard to help me feel comforted and at home.

it's been so much fun working together to create

a unique space that's all ours.

a tour soon to come!

{you can follow us on instagram: @abigailiam & @jwallace}

i made hearty homemade bruschetta and nutella brownies.

2012-01-12T05:30:00.009-06:00

on sunday i had a lunch date with a dear old friend

and mr. wonderful had to work after church.

since he had left early in the morning for worship practice,

that left us with only about an hour together during the day . . .

not a lot of time for two newlyweds, right?

so after i got home from my afternoon out,

i got moving to cook some good eats for my hardworking husby.

it felt good to make something delicious for him to come home to

and to break out some of our wedding gifts

to use in the kitchen for the first time.

{and also that adorable apron from my sweet girl buddy amanda.}

this bruschetta recipe was mr. wonderful's most requested vegetarian dishes

since we married, followed by amazingly tasty nutella brownies.

it was a good end-of-weekend night here at the nashville wallace residence.

baja burrito.

2012-01-11T05:30:00.006-06:00

mr. wonderful and i were hunting for a bite to eat while

running some errands and were curious as we drove by baja burrito the other day.

a quick urbanspoon consultation revealed it's

much loved by locals and so we gave it a shot.

the line out the door that greeted us seemed to indicate

a good experience and that couldn't have been more accurate.

super fresh ingredients, cheerful staff and the cheap price tag

made us super happy we stopped in for lunch.

we both agreed we will be stopping by again.

hanging with the husband in the studio.

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

i just love it when johnny lets me sit in on his studio sessions.

i mean, let's face it, the fact that he looks cute

with a guitar is one of the {shallow} reasons i agreed to go out on a date

with him in the first place, right?

watching him work and seeing him in his element

is such a fun way to spend time . . .

{yeah, i snuck in a picture of my newly wedding banded hand . . . shameless, i know.}

i'm so proud of the work he pours his heart into.

here's a listen of the demo to one of his new songs

and a little inside look at a session with

his brother/bassist, jim and cousin/drummer, dave.

p.s. that studio is in john's parent's basement- how neat is that?

pictures from our seacoast mini-moon.

2012-01-09T05:30:00.001-06:00

missing our cruise due to violent illness was a major bummer,

but mr. wonderful and i were determined to focus on

being happily married . . . after all, a honeymoon doesn't make a marriage!

once we were both well and back on our feet,

johnny's parents generously sent us away to the coast for a few days

to salvage a bit of our lost honeymoon time.

the wentworth by the sea is a delightful

seaside hotel full of old new england charm.

the ocean air was crispy cold and invigorating after days spent

in dark rooms, sleeping all snuggled under piles of blankets.

while we were there,

we made sure to venture out to portsmouth, the surrounding town,

to explore it's cute shops and tasty eateries . . .

burgers {veggie for me!} and local beer at the portsmouth brewery,

eggnog pancakes at the golden egg where we were greeted by a line out the door

and the median age was about 65 and full of locals

{a sure fire way to know it's delicious},

a shared calzone at the gas light co.,

where we feasted together after days of bland toast and ginger ale

and a romp around gus and ruby,

a charming paperie where i literally was compelled to spend

nearly every penny to our names.

an unexpected and perhaps nontraditional way to celebrate being married . . .

goes to show you do not need a tropical honeymoon

to relax after wedding craziness.

a chilly new england vacation did us just fine.

thank you, portsmouth. you were good to us!

a new home.

2012-01-06T05:30:00.004-06:00

johnny and i made yet another cross-country trek on wednesday

after a few whirlwind moving/wedding/stomach flu/honeymoon filled weeks.

stocked full of snacks for the road

and the suv nearly packed to the ceiling,

we hugged our families with teary eyes and set off.

i was definitely struck with the gravity

of living far away from my dear ones a few days before we left

and it's not without a little fear and nervousness that

we set off for this new life together.

it's most surely not in our hands right now . . .

only God knows where we are headed together in this new life.

starburst jellybeans and honey mustard pretzels

are definitely a travel snack must . . .

we devoured them!

16 hours later, we were welcomed home by a package from UPS-

a popsicle maker gift from johnny's aunt, uncle and cousins!

let me tell you,

that made this little traveller crazy happy to be home.

this was my third drive between TN and NH in one month

and fourth since last september.

i like a good road trip, don't get me wrong, but i told mr. wonderful

that i think i would like a plane to be involved in our next

travel arrangements.

a quick sibling photo op.

2012-01-05T05:30:00.003-06:00

i really don't talk about them enough,

but i really, really adore my brother and sister.

so delighted to have a couple of days with them,

we made sure to snap a couple group pictures on gabe's last night

in new hampshire before he flew back to florida,

where he teaches and lives.

our sweet sister lizza is taking charge of looking after

our dear momma while johnny and i build a new community for

ourselves in nashville,

so this was probably the last time in quite a few months

that we were all together at the same time

for a while.

sometimes i miss the days when we all lived

under the same roof with our momma and did fun

things together every day.

but then again,

if we still did, we probably wouldn't appreciate our

time with one another as much as we do now, huh?

a cake cutting new year's eve fiesta.

2012-01-04T06:00:00.003-06:00

johnny and i had our wedding on Christmas Eve morning.

since cake didn't seem like an appetizing accompaniment to

our brunch reception of french toast and pancakes,

we saved our cake cutting for our new year's eve party.

this is us figuring out how to cut through

our massively layered stack

of cake and fondant pancakes.

"ummm . . . babe, what do we do??"

what a fun way to spend our first new year's as a married couple.

all of our favorites were there to spend the night

celebrating and laughing together.

both of our families and probably over half of our church family!

40 friends over a couple of hours, a game of apples to apples

and a big countdown later,

and we're still up to our elbows in wedding cake.

{and yes, even though we ate it a week after the wedding,

it was still incredibly moist and delicious!}

an evening at the ballet.

2012-01-03T06:00:00.001-06:00

a night of pizza at faneuil hall before running to the

opera house to catch a performance of the nutcracker

was definitely a great way to spend

a few days before getting married.

all lit up with magic lights and bustling with

last minute shoppers, it totally set

the mood for a delightful Christmastime night.

mr. wonderful had never been to the ballet before

and i think he really loved it . . .

maybe even enough to go again next year!

perhaps we've started a new family tradition of our own.

a year in review.

2012-01-02T06:00:00.003-06:00

2011.

i can't even begin to explain all of the crazy things that went

on this last year.

here is to another amazing year in 2012!

i hope you have your party shoes on.

2011-12-30T05:30:00.002-06:00

after this, it's heading off to nashville for

these newlyweds, sweets.

best wishes to each and every one of you for a

happy and healthy new year.

see you in 2012!

{aren't these ban.do shoe clips adorable?}

nashville road trip with two awesome buddies.

2011-12-29T05:30:00.002-06:00

here's a little look at our road trip to and from tennessee

from a couple weeks ago, sweets!

lots and lots and LOTS of driving, sore bottoms from sitting for long hours

{okay, maybe that was just me!},

a visit to opryland to see their Christmas lights,

pancakes at our beloved pancake pantry,

many nap rotations in the back seat of johnny's suv

and lovely views of many rolling hills.

pretty much sums up my most recent visit to nashville.

next time i go there, it's to stay!

now to find a job . . . never a dull moment here, huh?

guest post: stephanie's ramblings

2011-12-28T05:30:00.004-06:00

meet the lovely stephanie, who kindly offered

to drop by for a post while the mr. and i take some time together.

being a bride around the holidays left me feeling awfully self-concious

some days and stephanie bravely chats about

the things that we girls sometimes never put out there . . .

this post really resonates with me and i hope you enjoy!

~abby

Hey readers! My name is Stephanie. Stop by my little blog, Stephanie's Ramblings. I post about everything, literally. I love to write about clothes, food, my adventures, love, complaints, etc. I'm so excited to be guest posting today, but I must admit, it took me a while to decide what to post about!

Let's face it, as women, we are burried with images of how we should look, and oftentimes that just leaves us feeling bad about ourselves, regretting that last meal we snarffed down, and wishing away our features. I've learned (the hard way) that starving myself and beating myself up about what I put into by body does way more damage than just enjoying that extra slice of pizza. Or that piece of cake.

To me, being healthy means being both physically and emotionally healthy. The other day on pinterest I saw this pin that a girl posted "50 tips to skinny" and I about died when I read it! Tips included "eat in front of your mirror, naked, and then see if you want to keep eating." or "when you start to feel hungry, do a bunch of sit-ups and punch yourself in the stomach. you won't feel hungry anymore" or "tell your family you are eating at a friends, but just take a long walk instead." What the?

When I was 13, I saw a picture that had been taken of me and I thought I looked fat. I thought that my chin was looking chubby and I thought my arms and gut were just too large for a little 13 year-old like myself. I would give away my lunch money or spend it on expensive bottled water. I didn't want to eat. I felt guilty and ashamed when I ate out with my family or ate anything that wasn't a fruit or vegetable. Luckily, it never went to far. Between people's comments about my sudden weight loss and my own common sense, I realized what I was doing was not smart. But, that doesn't mean that I wasn't always aware of what was going into my mouth.

Now that I'm almost 21, I can say that I respect my body and who I am. I still get critical, but what girl doesn't? The things I've done over the past few years to help me appreciate who I am have really built my confidence and even put me on a stage, in a bathing suit, in front of a giant crowd of people and earned me a pageant title along with over $10,000 in tuition for my university.

Rules I live by:

1. Eat dessert. If I want a treat, I don't turn it down. I just have to be careful not to go crazy and eat tons of junk. When I hear roommates or people going on diets that cut all sweets, I get sad inside. Seriously though, you'll just binge when your diet is over! So, rule number one is eat dessert.

2. Move. I try to exercise 3x a week. As a busy college students, sometimes that's really hard. But, I can honestly say I notice improvement in my classes and relationships when I get exercise. It's a great way to burn stress and get those endorphins flowing. When you don't have a lot of time, do this workout in your room. I love blasting my favorite tunes and just powering through this work out:

3. Love brown.

I slowly started switching out white grains for whole grains, and now I don't even like white grains! I think that whole grains taste much better and they add a lot of fiber to my diet. It's good to get carbs, but you want the right ones. You can swith to whole grain tortillas, pasta, bread, Gold-Fish crackers, etc. Just make sure when buying whole grains you look at the item's ingredient list. Whole grain/whole wheat flour should be the 1st ingredient.

4. Compliment yourself.

This may be cheesy, but I give myself compliments when I'm feeling sad, and even when I'm feeling great! What is your favorite feature? Maybe you have killer legs, or an incredible set of pearly-whites. Maybe your hair is amazing or your hands are pretty. Remind yourself of that! When you love your body, you respect it. When you respect it, you eat better and find time to exercise.

5. Stop comparing yourself.

The images we see on T.V. and in magazines are usually photoshopped to the max. Celebrities have gobs of money and spend it on personal trainers and other ways of making their bodies look good (plastic surgery, etc.). Why would you want to be someone you're not? Be the best you there is by eating right and getting exercise!

Those are a few rules I follow in order to feel physically healthy and emotionally healthy. Thanks for reading!

One of my favorite movie lines:

"Let me ask you something, in all the years that you have...undressed in front of a gentleman has he ever asked you to leave? Has he ever walked out and left? No? It's because he doesn't care! He's in a room with a naked girl, he just won the lottery. I am so tired of saying no, waking up in the morning and recalling every single thing I ate the day before, counting every calorie I consumed so I know just how much self loathing to take into the shower. I'm going for it. I have no interest in being obese, I'm just through with the guilt. So this is what I'm going to do, I'm going to finish this pizza, and then we are going to go on a little date and buy ourselves some bigger jeans.” -Eat.Pray.Love

Enjoy yourselves. It's okay.

this post was previously entitled both, "the guests drank pedialite" and "honeymooning with the in-laws."

2011-12-27T09:20:00.000-06:00

we are home right now.

home as in nh . . . not in nashville.

that's correct . . . we did not go on our honeymoon.

sounds wacky for a couple that just tied the knot and

planned to be galavanting around the bahamas this week, right?

since friday, the new mister and i have learned some big lessons

in keeping perspective . . .

friday morning, the day before the wedding, i came down

with the nastiest stomach flu that knocked me so hard

i thought i might not make it to the wedding.

gone was the manicure and eyebrow appointments

that i had so carefully planned to make myself all perfect and pretty

for my groom . . . gone was the chance to oversee every little decorating

detail of the ceremony and practicing the ceremony,

because i literally couldn't get out of bed to be there.

no longer was it about the details or the next day's schedule;

i just needed to get there and, man, were we scared that wouldn't happen.

i seriously had visions of saying my vows while tucked in bed

and surrounded by our immediate families.

i would have done it too, if that's what it had come to.

but no . . . by God's grace alone

{sooo many prayers from family, friends and church}

i was able to get out of bed, get into my dress, and lean on

my brother's arm to get down the aisle to my amazing guy.

we kept the ceremony short.

we didn't do the downtown urban photography extravaganza we had

dreamed about for so long.

i didn't eat much of any of the scrumptious breakfast reception food

i had looked forward to these last few months.

it didn't much matter at all.

i got married to my handsome guy . . . finally . . . and i was the most satisfied

girl on the face of the planet.

darn the details.

we had Christmas Day between the wedding and the honeymoon for me to recoup

and though i was low on energy, we thought we were in the clear . . .

until mr. wonderful fell terribly ill with his own stomach bug

just hours before our flight was to take off.

and so we're grounded here in nh,

hanging out with the in-laws, watching food network and hgtv,

eating left over rehearsal dinner cheese cake and helping

my new husband get back on his feet.

and i'm happy as a clam.

no fancy wedding day manicure or tropical honeymoon required.

~~~

"in every thing, give thanks;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

1 thessalonians 5:18

~~~

p.s. ladies, concealer really does do wonders for under-eye circles.

{via sister and instagram . . . real pictures to come!}

packages and bows

2011-12-26T05:30:00.000-06:00

happy day after christmas!

wrapping gifts is absolutely on of my favorite parts of the holiday season.

what better way to put some extra love into your presents

than to carefully craft a beautiful package for your precious ones

to ooo and ahh over just before they open it?

i think it makes the gift-giving experience all the more enjoyable!

this year, i feel like loss of time and shortage of excess funds

left me to produce rather shoddy wrapping jobs

compared to years past.

good thing i have a whole year to plot next Christmas' wrapping scheme.

and a whole new side of the family to give gifts to as well!

merry christmas, one and all.

2011-12-25T05:30:00.000-06:00

far beyond all of the craziness that has demanded our attention this year,

i don't want to forget the reason this day is so incredibly special.

today we celebrate the birth of our Savior,

who came to earth to die for you and me.

i hope we can all take some time away from our many distractions

to thank our Father in Heaven for this priceless gift

he bestowed upon us so that we might spend forever with Him.

~~~

and being found in human form, he humbled himself by

becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

~Philippians 2:8-10

{pssst! we're finally married!}

wedding countdown day 5 :: love letters

2011-12-23T05:30:00.012-06:00

dear johnny, you are my best friend . . . i cannot remember what i did in

my life before you came along.

i could never be as silly and goofy

as i truly am on the inside with anyone else but you.

you tolerate and, better yet, encourage my julia child singing voice

and penguin-walking. amazing!

i have never had as much fun taking pictures,

blogging, drinking coffee, walking and talking

and just sitting on the couch watching movies

as i do when i am with you.

i'm convinced that even if we were deserted on a remote island together

without anything but one another,

you would still making it into a terrific time.

~~~

dear mr. wonderful, thanks for always being my shoulder to cry on,

the one who takes care of me and watches out for me every single day.

i love the way you throw your arm around my shoulders when we're walking

out and about, as if i'm yours to keep safe.

you make me feel so special, so beautiful, protected and cherished.

p.s. i promise the over-emotional wedding planner fiancee

is gone for good as of tomorrow.

~~~

dear john,

thank you for pushing me.

i've never met anyone who challenges me so much.

you don't ever let me settle for less than excellent

in my spiritual walk, my work, my relationships with others

and the way i view myself.

i honestly never thought i would meet someone who could

demand the best out of me without making me feel

demeaned, disrespected or pushed around.

you seem to be the motivation i need without the sting . . .

the best match for me i never knew was out there.

~~~

dear {as of tomorrow} husband of mine,

we get married in a day!

i can't believe i get to be a part of this amazing, sacred team with you.

i get to be the one who comes home to you,

love you, cheer you on, cook for you,

become "mommy and daddy" alongside you someday

and grow into two old, crazy people with you.

i am so infinitely glad that in this kickball game of life,

God picked us for one another.

~~~

i'll be back after the new year as a married woman

with all sorts of amazing new things to tell you.

thanks so much for all the love you've shared with me as we've

barreled towards our wedding day . . . i can't tell you how much it's meant to me.

my best to you all, sweets!

AN EARLY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

wedding countdown day 4 :: a pre-wedding fairytale date night

2011-12-22T05:30:00.004-06:00

i heard once from a friend that she and her now-husband

had to deliberately make specific times to NOT talk about

wedding plans while they were engaged.

you know . . . a night off from the craziness and hype.

it may seem silly, but we're just a few days away from our wedding

and tonight johnny and i are taking an evening to do

exactly that . . . so, we're taking the night off!

it's a night to hold hands, snuggle as we scurry

through the cold boston streets, laugh together in excited anticipation

of a lovely nutcracker performance, Christmas and our special day

soon to come.

just a time to focus on being a couple together,

loving one another during this very special time in our lives.

absolute pre-wedding perfection.

wedding countdown day 3 :: our inspiration board

2011-12-21T05:30:00.000-06:00

consider this your one and only sneak peek . . .

it's almost here!

wedding countdown day 2 :: remember when?

2011-12-20T05:30:00.005-06:00

i was in the middle of watching (500) days of summer when

he called me 5 minutes before

the fourth of july fireworks were to start.

he was on his scooter and wanted to take me.

we sped downtown and made it just

in time to watch the show.

{it was the first time i was comfortable enough

to put my arms around him

while riding . . . so nervous!}

then we went back and finished the movie together . . .

and he held my hand for the first time.

sigh!

{via}

wedding countdown day 1 :: our place

2011-12-19T05:30:00.001-06:00

just a little look at our first place . . .

of course, you can't see the closets full of unopened boxes,

counters and desks full of clutter

and plastic totes packed with clothes . . .

all of which we're leaving to deal with after we get back.

then we will actually be living together;

can't wait!

have a classy weekend.

2011-12-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

the handsome fiance, our awesome friend katie and me

are driving up to NH after a whirlwind trip to TN!

this is the second road trip in 4 days for

miss katie and me . . .

i'm ready to have my feet in one place for a little bit.

it's officially one week until our wedding day

and i'm excited beyond belief . . .

i don't really think it sunk in until we moved the rest of my stuff

down to nashville this weekend;

we're getting married!

hope you all have a wonderful weekend, sweets.

i'll be back next week with some cute pre-wedding treats.

{by the way, aren't you excited for Christmas????}

{can't remember where i found this image, but it's hysterical}

a burger date for a meat eater and a veggie.

2011-12-16T09:24:00.005-06:00

after a 20 hour car ride from NH to TN,

this girl needed some good eats.

mr. wonderful and i finally were able to go to burger up,

a spot in nashville that always has a line out the door . . .

and let me tell you, it totally lived up to it's hype.

not only had i never before seen johnny salivate over a burger

and close his eyes with bliss during each bite

{yeah, this almost married girl thought it was too cute}

but i seriously ate the best veggie burger of my life.

a burger place for a veggie and a carnivore??

yes, please!

oh, nashville, i think you and i are going to get along just fine.

{p.s. we're in single-digit countdown mode . . . 8 days!}

a frazzled mess

2011-12-13T05:30:00.001-06:00

hey there, sweets!

getting ready to take off on another road trip to nashville tomorrow morning

and life is just full of packing and insane planning.

treats? check.

maps? check.

loads of accumulated junk thrown in the trunk? check.

it will probably be a little quiet around here for the next few days . . .

be back soon!

birthday sweetness

2011-12-12T05:30:00.001-06:00

it's sister's birthday next saturday

and since i am heading down to nashville for the weekend,

we had a little birthday celebration yesterday

with tasty coconut cupcakes.

happy birthday before your birthday. sweet sister.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

2011-12-07T05:30:00.006-06:00

everywhere i turn now,

the holidays are greeting me with warm smiles

and reminders that this season of year and life is a precious gift.

sister and i attempted a gingerbread house

but {being the rocket scientist that i am} seemed to get it all wrong

and it ended up looking like a gingerbread tenement.

in our defense, the wilton box did come with one broken wall.

this, of course, never would have happened

had we made it from scratch.

serves us right.

what to wear to our wedding {inspired by . . .}

2011-12-06T05:30:00.008-06:00

i have a couple girl style crushes . . .

and one morning when i was up way too early for my own good

because my head was spinning with all sorts of thoughts,

i spent a good time on polyvore imagining what people would wear

to our wedding if inspired by said style crushes.

this is what i came up with.dress/flats/satchel/studs/ringdress/jacket/sunnies/clutch/boots

dress/flats/headband/cuff/clutch

the sweetest bridal shower

2011-12-05T05:30:00.003-06:00

happy monday, sweets!

my dear momma and bestest hosted

the most adorable bridal shower for me this weekend . . .

there were lots of happy tears shed, laughter and love

in our little living room on saturday.

such a wonderful time to share with the ladies i love so much.

bestest also proved she is a most talented cook and baker!

she made almost all the of the delicious snacks we ate- all of my favorites!

greek salad, baked brie, lemon shrimp, orzo salad . . .

oh, and the most incredible desserts,

including a decadent mrs. lilien raspberry glam trifle;

it was my one and only specific request for shower food and

boy oh boy, was it a-maz-ing!

bestest and i finished the afternoon with a little trip to

get our manicures done

{i tried shellac for the first time and i'm hooked!!!

can you imagine, no chipping? genius!}

and then i spent the evening watching tlc's invasion of the christmas lights

next to momma and sipping prosecco left behind after the shower.

i mean, you have to drink it before the bubbles fizzle, right?

reasons why it's great to be the second abby wallace.

2011-12-02T05:30:00.003-06:00

the first abby wallace is johnny's niece,

who was born right around the same time johnny and i

started to hang out with each other.

now there's going to be two of us!

i used to be one of those girls who said she would

never change her last name when she married.

or at least i would hyphenate my name, i thought.

but now that we're getting married,

there's no question that i'll change my last name to johnny's

for a lot of reasons . . . that i'm sure you'd love to know:

1. it will make my man really, really happy.

what wife doesn't want to do that?

2. i'm super excited to be "the wallaces" in nashville.

how cool is it to know that just your last name identifies

you as the wife of your awesome husband?

we're going to be a family!

3. it's shorter than my own.

you try squeezing all those letters on that tiny receipt line

every time you make a purchase at anthropologie. no fun at all.

4. my future kids will thank me because their last name won't be

ridiculously long plus a hyphen in the middle.

5. the current abby wallace is stinkin' soooo adorable,

so maybe some of that cute will rub off on me too?

want to guest post while i honeymoon?

2011-12-01T05:20:00.000-06:00

with our wedding and honeymoon quickly approaching

{23 days!!!!},

i'm welcoming guest posts for the week and a half that

mr. wonderful and i are cruising in the bahamas

and driving down to nashville,

december 26 - january 4!

whether it's writing about your fave Christmas traditions,

New Years plans or favorite winter get-a-way,

i would love you to join my little blog

while i enjoy some rest and relaxation

with the man i love.

you can contact me via email or twitter:

transitionismymiddlename {at} gmail {dot} com

@abigailiam

to chat about posting for a day . . .

i'd love to have you here!

{via}

preparing for a Christmastime cross-country trip.

2011-11-30T05:30:00.003-06:00

the other day i posted over at this little port

about some up-and-coming travel plans i'm making . . .

you should definitely hop over to gaby's blog

{it's really sweet!}

but here's a look at what i posted while

she is traveling far and wide in Bali!

~~~

i'm about to go on a bit of an adventure of my own in a few weeks . . .

i'm getting married to my best friend

{the sweetest, most handsome guy i've ever met}

on Christmas Eve . . . just one problem:

he lives halfway across the country in nashville, tn!

nashville is a lively city that is just perfect for a young couple

like us in our first year of marriage.

can you think of a better way to start off your life together?

that said, i now have to move all my stuff down there before the wedding

so that we're not packing like crazy people after

a whirlwind honeymoon.

my good friend katie volunteered to help me make the cross-country trek

and i am so excited to go with her.

with all this moving, and packing and general wedding excitement,

katie and i have prepped a decent list of things we need to bring with us!

i thought it might be useful to you ladies too . . . who knows when

you suddenly will jump in the car for a cross-country adventure of your own, right?

first and foremost, comfy clothes are an absolute must . . .

i'm addicted to plaid flannel shirts

{which is very exciting, because so is my fiance, which means i get to steal his soon too!}

and any kind of comfy jean and footwear . . .

and of course, amazing Christmas tunes are also in order

for a long holiday-time drive.

finally, probably the most important thing we will take with us

other than the GPS, is snacks!

i'm a vegetarian and both katie and i are fans of delicious but healthy treats,

so truck-stop food will probably not cut it for us

{well, except maaaaybe a slushy here and there}

so, we're packing lots of yummy things to nosh on while we drive the 18+ hours.

1. dried fruit . . . like apples, cranberries or delicious crystallized ginger

2. coffee . . . my drink of choice is a soy latte, extra hot

3. fall trail mix with your favorite sweet and savory bits

4. the best candy in the world: swedish fish!

so what would you bring on your cross-country drive?

i would love to know your suggestions for what you think i should

bring on our trip . . . share your advice!

{via all over . . . sorry if you're not credited!}

last night i was up at 3 am eating peanut butter crackers

2011-11-30T02:05:00.003-06:00

you know, those orange things with peanut butter inside?

whoever thought cheese crackers with peanut butter would taste

so stinking good?

why they are orange escapes me, but perhaps for another night's curiosity . . .

in any case, this is what i was up looking at.

yup, at 3 am.

if i had an unlimited budget,

i would gift one of these babies to every one of my bridesmaids.

now, back to bed.

sugar high

2011-11-29T05:30:00.001-06:00

white cake with chocolate truffle cream and raspberry preserves.

lemon cake with delicate lemon butter cream.

yes, those are our chosen cake flavors.

but no, the cake above isn't ours.

we're expecting something so much cuter.

cake tasting was one of the most delightful,

stress-free and silly experiences i've had during the

wedding planning process.

imagine choosing whatever cakes your want to sample,

accompanied by a platter full of mouth-watering

selections of preserves and buttercreams.

all i have to say is it takes ridiculous levels

of self control to not eat yourself sick!

choosing jacques pastries was a no-brainer for us . . .

johnny, me and all our loved ones absolutely

adore their tasty treats and their cakes are ridiculously cute!

i had stopped in with the boss just a few days before

our tasting and was so excited to go back

to try all the other flavors i'd never had before.

we sampled a gingerbread and a red velvet cake

in addition to the flavors we chose in the end . . .

the staff was crazy friendly and they were really

enthusiastic about our ideas and making them reality.

i can't wait to show you this cake!

historical boston for lunch

2011-11-28T05:30:00.001-06:00

in an effort to assist one of his groomsmen in his hunt

for perfect wedding attire,

johnny and i accompanied one of his long-time friends to boston

for a little late lunch and man shopping this weekend.

quincy market and the faneuil hall marketplace

in the heart of the city

{and walking distance to the north end where you can find

the most wonderful cannolis in the world!}

is one of my favorites . . . it's the only spot i know

where you and your friends can get indian, chinese, thai

and new england seafood all in the same meal

and enjoy every bite together.

i love eating under the domed ceiling at faneuil hall

and watching the street performers show their tricks

amongst the hustle and bustle of shoppers.

johnny's friend discovered some terrific finds

for our wedding too, so our saturday turned into a really nice day.

a tale of two thanksgivings

2011-11-25T05:20:00.006-06:00

we celebrated thanksgiving with two families this year . . .

the first of many years of splitting holidays between our families.

we cooked a lot, laughed a lot, hugged a lot,

teased a lot and ate a lot too.

we ended the day snuggled on a living room chair at johnny's parents

where i promptly konked out with my head on his shoulder

and my mouth wide open while the rest of the family

watched food network.

i woke up around 10:30 to take myself back to my house,

only to realize during the drive that by our next holiday,

we will be our own little family,

just him and me.

i'm really thankful for that, too.

~~~

p.s. did you know i'm on instagram now?

i feel like the last girl on the face of the planet to join,

but better late than never, right?

a thankful holiday

2011-11-24T08:51:00.004-06:00

today i'm lounging around with my guy and his family

and then we're headed over to see my family for dessert

and lots of hugs.

this is the first thanksgiving i've spent split between two families . . .

so different from other years!

with all this wedding excitement and happiness around the holidays,

i can't help but be thankful for so many things this year.

my Savior

my amazing fiance who is so, so good to me

family- the one i was born into and love so much

and the new one i'm getting to know more every day

supportive friends

an exciting wedding just a month from today

and a marriage to my best friend in the world

coffee

laughs from my almost-niece, abby

the macy's day parade

my new iphone

new adventures in nashville

a bahamas honeymoon cruise

Christmas carols

~~~

i hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving with your loved ones

and have many things to be thankful for today.

happy thanksgiving, sweets!

{via}

a little giddy today.

2011-11-21T05:30:00.002-06:00

this handsome guy comes home for a thanksgiving visit this evening.

i think i might have to fight running up to him

and throwing my arms around him

in front of everybody at the airport!

we have a busy week ahead of us;

lots of wedding planning and, of course, holiday fun with our families . . .

not to mention a very packed week at the studio and lots of cooking to do!

don't be offended if i'm away from this little blog for a day or two;

i'll be sure to return with lots of stories about our

adventures over the next couple of days!

braided updos

2011-11-18T05:30:00.001-06:00

have you ever seen anything so pretty before?

i'm mildly obsessed.

especially after so many fabulous diy tutorials on a cup of jo,

how could you not be trying some of these on your own????

i've been working what my friend josh refers to as the

"faulein maria" all summer, fall and winter . . .

two braids twisted across my head from either side,

and yes, sometimes i feel like i should be wearing lederhosen.

it's a really easy, pretty way to get my hair out of my face,

especially on days when i don't feel like shampooing and conditioning.

now you know my secret!

tomorrow i have my wedding hair trial run

{gulp}

and i'm strongly considering a braided, alternate

updo to what i normally do myself on lazy days.

they're so pretty, sweet and undone . . .

pretty much perfect!

{via}

oh goody, my 2011 wish list!

2011-11-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

i almost feel selfish making this list at all,

since i'm marrying my best friend in the whole world

and therefor, getting everything i really want . . .

but what the heck! here it goes!

i can wish for just a few things, right?

~~~

admission to a nashville blogshop!

don't you want to take this class????

i always love learning photoshop tricks

and wouldn't you agree that it seems like all of the attendees

are fabulously fun??

~~~

a clarisonic

okay, maaaaaaybe an odd gift pick, i admit.

i KNOW that it's ridiculously expensive

for something that scrubs the grime out of your pores,

but everything i read about this says it's amazing

and i really, really want one!

~~~

j.crew knit leggings

sooooo perfect for looking cute and feeling comfy

for weekend pancake pantry dates

and running grocery store and bank errands.

~~~

a chalkboard wall in our new apartment!

johnny and i have been talking about our love for chalkboards

since we started dating . . . and now that we get to share

a home, this is one of the things we want most!

we've already picked a spot in our place

where we would like to paint

and i really hope we actually get to do it!

one more dream!

2011-11-17T05:30:00.005-06:00

imagine . . .

me and bridesmaid hannah {mr. wonderful's sister-in-law}

walking around the ceremony site,

chatting it up with all of the wedding guests.

oh yeah, and completely not even close to dressed

and ready for the ceremony to begin.

no makeup done, hair a wreck,

no dresses worn yet.

nothing!!!!

yeah, that's what hannah dreamed a few weeks ago.

guess the whole family is in on the weird wedding dreams!

{via}

sweet dreams are made of these . . .

2011-11-16T05:30:00.006-06:00

the bizarre wedding dreams have started,

and it's not just me!

here are a few to entertain you.

~~~

me: i showed up 2 hours late for the ceremony . . .

which, by the way, was in some weird stone building instead of our

super-duper cool location

{nope, not revealing it just yet!}

and all our bridesmaids and groomsmen were missing . . .

and the groom!!!!!

our guests were getting weary of waiting

and began to leave.

cue waking up . . . yikes!

johnny: his special wedding day suit didn't arrive until

the morning of the wedding . . .

it got there in the nick of time, but oh, what a way to wait

until the last second!

~~~

momma: instead of using a unity candle,

johnny and i had our moms fill two cups with water,

which we poured into a singular cup together

and drank out of at the same time . . .

with straws!!!!!

{okay, at least the straw part was semi-accurate!}

~~~

me: johnny and i got to the reception late

{alright, what's with the "we're late to everything dreams??}

and everyone ate all of johnny's favorite part of our buffet.

maybe not the worst thing in the world,

but as we all know, in dreams,

these things seem like tragedies!!!!!

{via}

ohhh la la.

2011-11-15T05:30:00.000-06:00

it's so much fun living with my sister and mother as

three adult women in one home.

sometimes, we resort to being ridiculously girly together . . .

take friday night, for example

momma was sick with a cold, we all had worked long weeks

and it was cold and windy outside.

cue girly movie night!

what better way to enjoy a chilly, dark evening than

watching jane eyre on the couch together,

snuggled under blankets and

drooling over the chemistry between

plain jane and mr. rochester.

swoon!

my mother's wedding dress

2011-11-14T05:20:00.000-06:00

when i first got engaged,

momma and i opened the cedar trunk in our living room

and lifted out her precious wedding dress.

sewn by my beautiful grammie,

it still is light, elegant and very lovely 30 years later.

it didn't fit me nearly as beautifully as it did my momma

when she married my father,

and i felt rather silly prancing around our home in the dress

that made my mother the epitome of indie wedding hipness

{honestly, my parent's looked like freakin' folk rockstars

in their wedding photographs, i kid you not.}

but it made me feel ridiculously special just the same.

i really hope i look as pretty as her.

{p.s. one month until the big nashville move . . . woohoo!}

thank GOODNESS for the weekend.

2011-11-11T05:30:00.001-06:00

sweet mother and i are headed out for a shopping saturday

to hit up some of our favorite stores in search

of a pretty dress for her for our wedding day.

momma and i always take at least one special shopping together

before the major holiday rush.

i just love weaving in and out of shops with her,

trying on beautiful things and perusing special Christmas treasures together.

this year is particularly special to me . . .

this may be the last time in a few years that me and my momma

have this special outing of ours.

yeah, i'm counting down the days until moving day and

getting married to my best friend,

but i'm in no hurry to rush by these moments with my friends and family.

i hope you also have some wonderful weekend plans . . .

happy friday!

{via}

the date to trump all date nights.

2011-11-10T05:30:00.002-06:00

the last time mr. wonderful was home,

we had only an hour long lunch date worth of alone time.

it's kinda difficult to stay connected to your love when all your

"deep" conversations are in the presence of family and over ichat.

i guess that's what happens when you in the end-stages of wedding planning,

especially long-distance wedding planning.

we decided last night that we're going to work in some scheduled date nights.

just the two of us, doing a carefree, fun activity that doesn't involve

anything to do with the wedding.

to make it even more exciting, we picked one of my all time favorite

Christmas activities . . . going to see the NUTCRACKER!!!

i wanted to go so badly last winter,

but life got crazy and we never bought tickets.

with everything as exciting and busy as it is,

i am jumping like a giddy little girl just thinking about

what a magical night we're going to have . . .

until then, i guess i'll just have to indulge myself in the

last season of "aleksandr petrovsky sex in the city in paris" episodes to hold me over??

oh, but the costumes, the music, the gorgeous dancing,

the buzz in the theatre before the show begins

and all the people peppy with holiday cheer.

all while holding the hand of my very best friend who will

also soon be my husband???

yes, please!

~~~

{i went to see a Christmas performance a few years ago with

bestest and sister . . . also pretty amazing!}

{via}

colour of the week // i elfing love pinterest.

2011-11-09T05:30:00.001-06:00

okay, i realize that's not a color.

but i really really do.

maybe it's the fact that wedding day is closer every day

or because momma and i saw the santa photo booth

open while shopping for a pretty

winter coat on sunday,

but i can't stop looking at pretty Christmas decorations

{or listening to Christmas carols!!!!}

and pinterest really is the best place to find

beautiful decorating inspiration

and fun DIYs to try.

come follow me and i'll follow you!

moving to nashville . . . willing to work. HARD.

2011-11-08T05:30:00.002-06:00

i'm quitting my job in a little over a month.

7 weeks, if you must know.

to move in with my new husband,

in a new part of the country,

in a new state,

a new apartment,

a new pillow where i rest my head.

am i nervous about starting all over?

well, yeah. of course!

that said,

if you know anyone in nashville looking for a

cheerful, uber efficient communications professional

with an eye for pretty/totally awesome things,

i'm your woman:

transitionismymiddlename {at} gmail {dot} com

linkdin

facebook

twitter

{yes, this is a completely shameless post. ah, well . . . }

so addicted . . .

2011-11-07T05:30:00.002-06:00

to this show!

have you been watching once upon a time?

the first episode was a little much to get through

but now i'm completely caught up in the plot.

love, adventure, storybook mysteries . . .

not to mention some fantastic costumes-

oh goody, it is terrific.

sister, mother and i all snuggled up together in the living room

last night to watch the latest episode over some tasty pizza

and peppermint fro-yo.

i can't remember the last time we all enjoyed watching

television as a family;

it has been really fun being swept up

in this magical story together!

SOON.

2011-11-03T05:30:00.001-05:00

our pastor emailed us our ceremony options today

{yup, we're planning this wedding long-distance through

the aid of technology, thank the Lord.}

just under 2 months now . . .

you know, in case you weren't counting with me.

i can't wait for married dates with my love

{which i imagine are pretty much the same as dating dates, but married},

our favorite little stops around town and

never, ever having to say "goodbye, i'll ichat with you tomorrow"

ever, ever again.

this long distance thing is for the birds,

but it really does help me recognize and appreciate the time we're about to

share together so much more!

as always, johnny's motto when we miss each other too much

is "we need to choose joy."

that choice is taking us through this exciting time in our lives

and creating a really terrific habit of optimism

in our relationship

{something this slight pessimist needs help with . . . }.

it's coming soon!

pretty sparkly things.

2011-11-01T17:19:00.012-05:00

we've been on a hunt for wedding bands.

actually, we have been on a mad hunt for my wedding band.

we found mr. wonderful's in the first store we visited,

the first ring he tried on.

on a totoal whim.

in the mall.

the mall.

and it, of course, was on sale.

we got it for an almost unholy cheap price.

my wedding band situation has been, well, a tad more difficult,

and i say that with restraint.

my own engagement ring is a custom creation . . .

one of a kind, which makes me feel all sorts of special.

{my sweet, pretty ring.}

however, it has turned out to be quite tricky to fit . . .

everything i've tried on either feels grossly bulky,

uncomfortable next to the engagement setting,

flimsy or just plain ugly.

that is, clearly, except for bands that are not . . . ah, not on sale.

{not that i'm all upset by trying on a diamond or two . . .

that part is all straight out of sweet home alabama.}

i've toyed with the idea of just wearing my engagement ring,

which i've heard many women do nowadays.

but i'm afraid i won't look married?

what do you think?

if you're married, do you wear two bands?

did you keep them separate or fuse the two?

or are you less conventional and wear only one band? which do you wear?

and for you unmarried ladies out there,

what's your take????

{via}

saying yes to the dress

2011-10-31T05:30:00.001-05:00

my wedding dress came in on friday

and so i went to the bridal shop the weekend for my first try-on.

i cannot wait to wear that dress!!!!

it was such a thrill to put on a dress that embodied everything

i had always wanted to feel and look like as a little girl.

i was literally so excited that i was shaking like a leaf . . .

or maybe it was because i was so cold on the day before our HUGE

unusual october snowstorm?

doesn't matter, because everything was absolutely perfect!

{unlike saturday night, when i stayed at a friend's house

to avoid commuting across town in dangerously snowy conditions,

only to lose power at her place due to a DOWN TREE ON A POWER LINE

THAT CAUSED A TREE FIRE.

we didn't get power back until late sunday afternoon

and i spent the majority of sunday at the future-in-laws.}

hope you're all safe and warm where you are, sweets.

happy monday.

p.s. what's this about beck cutting a bunch of philip glass remixes????

swoon.

john will not be lip-syncing bieber at our wedding.

2011-10-28T17:30:00.001-05:00

but this kind of, just a little bit

makes me wish he would!

happy friday, everyone!

the day i fainted at work

2011-10-27T17:00:00.001-05:00

ladies, these last couple of days have been odd ones . . .

first of all, my pretty little engagement ring

has been at the doctor's/jewelers for a week

and my finger feels naked naked NAKED.

let's hope i get it back tonight!

secondly, mr. wonderful and i have barely had a chance to

speak at alllllll . . . conflicting work schedules,

a one hour time difference and a surprisingly busy

week have eaten our "time together" alive.

humph.

AND THIRD!

i cut my finger with a box cutter and blacked out

at work.

let me tell you, that was fun.

i literally didn't pass out until about 10 minutes after

i hacked open my first digit during a framing project

{first time in years of framing that i've done that, too}.

i had time to cleans it, grab the first aid kit

and look for bandages and disinfectant,

see it stop bleeding, etc. before

i suddenly felt ill . . .

i even grabbed a juice box thinking

"oh, maybe my blood sugar is low?"

nope.

3 sips into my capri sun and i knew

things were headed downhill and fast.

my boss was on his phone in his office and his wife

{boss #2} was in an appointment with a client

across the studio,

so i just sat in the chair and waited

for the inevitable . . .

came to a few minutes later totally confused,

until i remembered . . .

oh, how embarrassing, especially the commotion the erupted once

the bosses realized what happened.

me, all clammy, sweaty and fainting-gross,

slumped in a swivel chair like a drunkard

in the middle of the work day.

gah.

this makes me think it's time for another massage . . .

{via}

colour of the week // black & white

2011-10-26T05:15:00.000-05:00

colour of the week is back!

such a classic combo . . . you never can go wrong with it, i swear.

i love that no matter how icky a morning i'm having,

i can throw on a black dress with a little light accent

and feel like a million dollars.

{via}

psalm 62

2011-10-25T05:30:00.001-05:00

sunday, bestest sang in a choir for the retirement concert of the

bishop of her childhood church.

the cathedral is an old, pretty building downtown that smells like incense

where all the elderly people speak in polish.

most of the songs of the afternoon were in polish and latin

{old faves of former choir geeks like bestest and myself}

but i was especially thrilled that the choir tackled this

lovely aaron keyes song that we learned at catalyst a few years ago.

are there better days?

2011-10-24T16:30:00.000-05:00

new sermon series at my guy's church . . .

let me tell you, i'm really excited

to be part of this community and will definitely

be tuning into their podcasts.

check it out.

circles of influence

2011-10-23T20:55:00.004-05:00

love this.

~~~

spent saturday with my dear momma,

trying on bridal veils for the wedding . . .

sunday, lunch at a eastern restaurant with friends after church

and then a lovely classical concert performance from bestest

at her childhood parish.

i'm cherishing these last few months with my friends and family

here in new hampshire . . . this season of my life with them

is almost over and i'm loving every last moment with them.

{via}

hearing crickets?????

2011-10-20T10:44:00.003-05:00

i know it's been quiet around these parts . . .

work, wedding planning and time with loved ones

{i'm only around NH for another 2 months, after all}

has completely taken over my life and left

little time for my sweet blog.

i know you understand.

this is just a sweet note to let you all know

that i'm alive and well,

as evidenced by this lovely snap of myself at a

recent boston photo shoot.

please don't hate me for neglecting you . . .

i promise i'll be around soon!

just a few days . . .

2011-10-12T06:17:00.002-05:00

my guy is coming to new hampshire for a little visit . . .

this is the first of two times we'll get to see each other

before our wedding week excitement.

we have LOADS planned for the few days he's home-

ceremony site visit, reception inn meeting,

registering, ring searching . . .

getting our marriage license???

i know; wicked exciting.

it all makes me so giddy to think that we finally get to do some

wedding planning activities together, in the same state.

here's to hoping the rest of this week flies by!

put on your wedding shoes.

2011-10-10T05:30:00.001-05:00

happy monday, sweets!

i hope you all had a fabulous weekend . . .

mine was definitely busy,

but mr. wonderful comes home this friday for a short weekend visit

and i couldn't be more excited!

not even 3 months from our wedding date

and we have a lot to do.

soooo, let's talk shoes!

i've already purchased my wedding day shoes;

sensible yet classic and very, very sweet.

and even though i have the perfect ones,

i can't help but pour over images of other pretty shoes

that are "could-have-beens."

~~~

how about a high-heeled loafer?

kind of untraditional, but very cute and still girly, i think.

{modcloth/loeffler randall/toast/valentino}

~~~

nude flats . . . very classic and quite lady-like!

{sambag/camper/tory burch/sweet ballerina}

~~~

a gray shoe isn't your typical white,

but still pale and pretty with a white dress.

{modcloth/miu miu/tory burch/ruche}

sparkle!!!!!

what girl doesn't like sparkle???

{asos/reiss/reiss/sam edelman}

so, have you dreamed of wearing specific shoes on your special day?

if you're already married, what was your cinderella slipper?

what advice would you give to a bride-to-be?

friday sweet treat

2011-10-07T19:30:00.004-05:00

oh my, sweets, what a day!

a small wedding invitation fiasco and angry 7 am phone calls with

priceline customer service

{and i refer to it as "customer service" with extreme distaste!}

plus a long day without time to chat with mr. wonderful at the end of it

could have brought me to the edge,

but work was so much fun this afternoon that all that crummy stuff

didn't matter so much.

during the second half of our 12 hour day,

the boss and i made a pit stop at flour bakery

before a dusky photoshoot in boston.

we sampled a chocolate cake with vanilla icing and

a vanilla cake with chocolate icing.

now, i am rarely impressed by bakery cupcakes,

but these were absolutely delicious!

isn't it great how a happy little cupcake in a pretty city

can melt away your problems in just a few bites?

a cupcake was exactly what i needed to get

psyched up for the rest of the afternoon . . .

and it was gorgeous!

we're headed back out for some saturday foliage portraits tomorrow. . .

and the temperature is supposed to be in the 80's!

a far cry from the cool snap we've had here lately

{which is definitely more autumn-like}

but it will be a beautiful day full of cheerful sunshine.

i hope you all have a relaxed and happy weekend too!

what to wear to a rehearsal dinner?

2011-10-04T05:30:00.004-05:00

so the other night, mr. wonderful's sister sent me a text of herself

{don't you always do that from the store dressing room? i do!}

in an adorable little dress with the following words:

"with a little sweater for the rehearsal dinner?"

i happened to be with my other future-sister-in-law,

and the conversation started . . .

what are we doing for our rehearsal dinner.

gulp. uh-oh.

honestly, we haven't thought much about it.

my bestest {also one of my bridesmaids} followed this up with

"yeah, what are you doing anyway?" in the middle of church service this sunday.

truth be told, johnny and i will probably be running around like

crazy people before we get married,

and we'll all probably resort to takeout or something easy, if anything at all.

but i still couldn't help think of all the cute wardrobe possibilities

for our would-be rehearsal dinner.

okay, so maybe these are a little over the top for a night of delivery pizza

but a girl can dream, right?

for what it's worth, i'm totally sorry this is turning into a wedding blog.

i swear, it will all end in december.

promise.

{via}

a monday treat to make you cry

2011-10-03T05:30:00.001-05:00

yeah, yeah, i know . . .

i've been absent for a bit.

sorry, sweets, just lots to do and not all that much time to blog lately.

so here is a little something adorable that brought me to tears last night . . .

hope it makes your first day back from the weekend oh-so-happy.

when your heart is on a rollercoaster.

2011-09-26T05:30:00.000-05:00

oh, the last couple of weeks have been difficult, sweets.

planning a wedding, preparing to be married to my best friend

and thinking about a new home in a cool city is a lot to be excited about . . .

and for the most part, i am deliriously happy.

but there are parts that are really hard too-

realizing i'm actually moving away from my family and close friends,

looking for a new job in unfamiliar territory,

and all the while missing my guy when i want to be with him all the time

{duh, that's why we're getting married!}.

mr. wonderful started a new job a few weeks back that has him

working all sorts of crazy hard hours.

since i work a pretty typical 9-5,

our schedules are all outta sych and our nightly ichat ritual

is now just stolen phone conversations while

he is in the car and i'm almost ready to hit the hay.

it's only for a season, i know,

but, oh, it makes the months until we get married pass so much more slowly!

i've decided that i'm taking all this extra time to pour into

building up my relationships here in NH even more . . .

making sure i nurture my loves with my family and friends

before i say goodbye to move down south.

these next 3 months {3 MONTHS!} are going to be a jumble

of emotions, but i'm excited to see where God is taking me on this little journey.

{from a trip bestest and i took to nyc a few summers ago . . .

go here to see some of our other big apple adventures.

ah, new york, i need to visit you again soon!}

yay or nay for the budget bride.

2011-09-22T05:30:00.002-05:00

i'm more than discovering why weddings are so stinkin' expensive.

yes, in part because the industry jacks costs up for

everything/anything remotely wedding related,

but also because there is simply so much

stuuuuuuuuuuuff.

do you know what i'm talking about?

say it with me, stuuuuuuuffff.

if you're like me,

you want personal touches and details at every corner an eye

may wander . . . which means lots and lots

of little things to look at and make pretty.

but seriously, most of this stuuuuffff is one-time use only,

which in my mind can be a real money waster.

so what do you omit and what do you splurge for?

here are just a few of my picks . . . help me out, sweets!

{a pedicure for feet covered by winter shoes- $45-ish;

i'm pretty convinced i'll ditch this and just get a mani.

hello, this is the most hand-photographed day of my entire life

and i'm crap at doing it myself.}

{calligraphy invitation addresses . . .

okay, this isn't even close to within budget,

but a girl can dream, right?- $$$$$$;

obviously a nay.}

{sweetheart sunnies for me and the girls- $14/ea.

wouldn't photographs with these be adorable?}

{a personalized hanger for my dress- $27;

imagine it with me, "mrs. wallace." yesssssssss!}

so whatcha' think???

did you forgo certain luxuries for your wedding?

what was worth it and what do you regret?

anything unnecessary you wish you let go?

~~~

more future posts on being a budget bride headed your way. . .

probably closer to our date when we're well into the crafting

and out of the "this needs to get done yesterday" stages of planning.

not too long before mr. wonderful proposed,

i received some kick-butt advice from this fantastic lady on how to

throw an amazing wedding bash on little to no budget.

we seem to be following a lot of her advice pretty closely . . .

i'll be sure to share really soon!

colour of the week // grey or gray?

2011-09-21T05:30:00.006-05:00

yeah, i don't know . . .

anyone got any idea which it is?

edit: so, it's g-r-a-y in the states and they spell it g-r-e-y in england.

"a" for america and "e" for england.

okay, i get it.

whatever the case, i'm in love with this color.

for those of you who are new to the blog, wednesdays

always feature a bunch of pretty items in a delightful shade.

got any suggestions?

and check out some previous posts!

{via}

would you ever?

2011-09-20T05:45:00.001-05:00

dresses like cotton candy . . . please catch me as i swoon!

would you wear a non-traditional dress for your wedding?

i thought very seriously about it . . .

and nearly feel deeply in love with an oatmeal colored ballgown

in tulle and lace.

in the end, a puffy ivory fit and flare captured my heart,

but i still adore the idea of walking down the aisle

in something like a lovely blush.

what about you, sweets?

{via}

gelato is delicious when eaten alongside a handsome man.

2011-09-19T05:40:00.000-05:00

happy monday, sweets.

here are a few little photos from my trip to nashville . . .

just over 3 months and we'll be man and wife!

an enviable wedding

2011-09-16T05:30:00.005-05:00

sofia coppola's wedding . . .

maybe it's me stereotyping,

but i'm imagining puffs of pastels, handcrafted simplicity and yet total fantasy.

things are really coming along over here in

"wedding planning in the real world" . . .

got our save-the-dates in last night

{my heroic best friend and stellar bridesmaid gets all the credit; she prints like a champ}

and we settled our ceremony and reception locations.

so pretty and hip, you WILL shed tears.

i promise you.

and for the record, our food is going to be finger-licking good

of the not-chicken-fingers variety.

take that, sofia coppola.

{via}

bongo java lunch date

2011-09-15T05:30:00.000-05:00

hauling boxes like crazy people didn't give us much

one on one time this nashville visit,

but john and i did manage to sneak in a little lunch date,

a downtown window shopping trip to cake vintage and visit to west elm in green hills

{setting up our place has thrown us into decorating mode, big time}

before he dropped me off at the airport late in the afternoon.

i'd heard loads about bongo java,

a supposedly tasty and trendy hang out not even a hop, skip and a jump

from the belmont university campus . . .

i was pretty pleased to find the foamy soy latte up to par

and my pesto bagel sandwich satisfying to my hungry belly.

colour of the week // chocolate

2011-09-14T05:30:00.001-05:00

oh, yum.

{via}

a worthy cupcake shop.

2011-09-13T16:30:00.001-05:00

hi there, sweets! back from nashville {sigh}.

sorry for the late-in-the-day post;

i've been bushed from all of yesterday's traveling!

let me tell you, when you're headed out to move you stuff,

no one tells you how hard it is

to leave your new fiance and future home behind.

what can lift my spirits when i'm missing my man???

well, hello there, pretties . . .

a trip to nashville wouldn’t be complete without a stop to sample a beloved treat . . . a cupcake, of course.

johnny’s parents share our devotion to staking out sweet confections, so we wasted no time in checking out the painted cupcake in the green hills section of nashville on thursday after eating a tasty lunch at nearby yollo’s. this was all before we set out to breakdown and move johnny’s entire apartment and after we had carried all my boxes from our van to the new second floor abode.

{lesson learned: renting a uhaul for a day is always cheaper and faster than loading and unloading two vehicles a dozen times over a weekend. must remember this the next time we move . . . when we’re married!}

anyway, we knew we were going to be hungry.

so we bought SIX cupcakes to split between the four of us. we really only shared two . . . the rest are in john’s new fridge, I think. unless he’s already discovered them.

pretty stinkin’ good, i must say. i give them credit because i have this horrible problem that i feel like i bake better cupcakes than half {or more} of the cupcake shops i’ve visited. the frosting always tasted like chemicals and the cake, while moist, almost always is flavorless. i’ve turned me, my family and fiance into terrible cupcake snobs and probably undeservedly so because i am not the one with the storefront. and you definitely will never watch me on cupcake wars in a black hello kitty tutu. ok, maybe.

all of this to say, try the painted cupcake in green hills because they were halfway decent {and the shop was adorable}.

in other news, i devoured a hot chocolate with chili popsicle at las paletas on sunday and it was amazing . . . spicy and sweet with a heated finish. not for everyone but absolute genius.

moving day

2011-09-12T05:30:00.002-05:00

hey, sweets . . . still in nashville,

but i thought i'd grab a sec to fill you in on

our adventurous moving days here in TN.

no hiccups other than the buckets of water that poured

on us during our thursday drive south,

which slowed us down and flooded our planned route

{took us 20 hours to reach the music city . . . an all-time low, evidently}.

but do not fret!

we were met by beautiful, sunny nashville weather

that cooperated during the transporting of important things

such as couches, mattresses and the like.

we were all pretty bushed by the end of it,

but we have a cozy home set up for mr. wonderful

and a neat "our first place" to welcome me once we're married.

i fly out back to NH tonight and so my handsome guy and i are

spending the day hanging pictures on the walls,

scooting around town and having some "date day" fun together.

more on that later and stay tuned for a tour some time this winter.

{squeezed between two pieces of a section in the family van . . .

john is a lucky guy, no?}

also, a BIG thank you to abigail for an adorable guest post on friday!

Guest Post: Throwing a Bridal Shower!

2011-09-09T09:00:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone! I’m Abigail from Abigail and the Great World.

Abby has asked me to guest post today, probably since we share the same first name!

Since Abby just got engaged, I thought a wedding themed post might be appropriate. Just a little over a month ago, I was a bridesmaid in my best friend’s wedding! I got to wear a really legitimately pretty blue dress, got to spend time with my friend right before she walked down the aisle, and got to share the happiest day of her life with her, right there front and center. Who could ask for more?

(I'm the brunette on the left side of the picture, next to the bride)

But being a bridesmaid comes with some responsibilities. In the case of my friend’s wedding, I threw the bridal shower. Now, throwing a bridal shower may seem intimidating at first, especially if you look at the ‘how-to’ pages online. They say that you need to do about a billion specific (and expensive!) things, otherwise the bride will probably hate you forever. WHAT?!!!! Now, unless you’re dealing with a bridezilla, this is not the case. And if you’re like me, you’re probably working on a budget. So how to throw an elegant and still budget-friendly bridal shower? Easy!

First of all, I held the bridal shower in a home, instead of picking a fancy restaurant. Then, I bought invitations at Target and printed them myself, instead of having a company print them. They still looked beautiful, but for about a third of the cost.

The bride and I decided that an ‘afternoon tea’ shower would be best, and it meant I avoided the costs of providing a full lunch or supper. Instead of having it catered, she and I spent a couple of hours before the shower baking cupcakes (our favorite thing to do together since we met six years ago), making little chicken salad and cucumber finger sandwiches, setting up strawberries in bowls, brewing tea, opening champagne and sparkling cider bottles, and organizing the living room furniture so as to accommodate everyone.

For the shower games themselves, I made a little trivia game about my friend—her favorite color, how she and the groom met, etc. (all PG, though—her mother and future mother-in-law were there!) We played a toilet paper wedding dress game, where we divided into teams of three and designed 'wedding dresses' using-- you guessed it-- toilet paper. I also had some notecards prepared, on which the guests could write down their best marital advice. Reading these out loud at the end of the shower was a good laugh for everyone. Then, of course, the bride opened all of her gifts!

Toilet-paper wedding dresses! The bride (on the end in a regular dress) was the judge!

We had a fantastic time at the shower, I got to spend some quality time with my friend, and overall costs were kept very low. Just some money for notecards, magic markers, toilet paper, and chicken salad from the deli section at the grocery store!

Hope this helps anyone in the position of throwing a budget bridal shower! And major congratulations to Abby on her engagement!

packing up

2011-09-08T05:30:00.004-05:00

at 3:30 this morning, i left NH with johnny's parents

in a van full of my stuff, headed 20-ish hours south to nashville.

up until now, mr. wonderful has been living in a rad but small

downtown loft space . . . an apartment with no more closet space left

for yours truly.

so, to make our transition into married life easier

{and to give my shoes a home},

johnny found a lovely little apartment about 15 minutes from downtown

that suits our needs perfectly.

when it came time to schedule his moving day,

he had just popped the question,

so his parents asked me to come along so that i could

1/ move a bunch of my stuff before wedding mayhem really breaks out

2/ see my handsome man for the first time in 4 weeks

and 3/ spend some QT with my future in-laws

{okay, i made the last one up, but it's a bonus, right?}.

honestly, when i moved back in with my mother a few years ago,

i always pictured i'd be moving out into a roommate situation

or into an apartment . . . alone, as an "independent woman" type.

how funny that it will be to leave my home state

and join my husband in a new home and new part of the country?

even though i already have some dear friends in nashville,

i will still be meeting lots of new people,

finding my way around a new city and part of the country

{i've always live in new england!},

and searching high and low for a new job!

am i nervous? yeah, you bet.

but i'm also excited as can be to start my life as a married woman

with my very best friend.

so, off we go for a new adventure . . .

oh, and don't forget to stop by while i'm gone for a very special

guest post by another abigail!

{via}

colour of the week // sparkle

2011-09-07T05:20:00.000-05:00

sparkle is a color, right????

well, i've always thought so, anyway.

with all this wedding stuff going on,

i've just about hit a sparkle O.D. lately . . .

not that i mind one little bit.

i think i'm automatically distracted every time i see something

remotely shimmery or glittery.

i know . . . i'm such a girl.

too much stuff makes me feel like a hoarder.

2011-09-06T05:20:00.001-05:00

hope you all had a good labor day, sweets.

i spent it . . . well, working and packing.

you never really know how much stuff {insert expletive here if you wish} you own

until it's time to pack it all up.

holy cow, i got a good dose of that this weekend.

i've begun collecting all of my "not everyday" possessions to move

down to nashville this weekend with my future in-laws,

and oh my gosh where the heck did all of this come from?

nevermind my clothing . . . bestest and i will deal with that this winter;

i'm talking about baking supplies, framed art, books,

TONS of books and photo albums.

the teddy bear gifted to me from my late grandparents,

cupcake carriers, vintage glassware

and the anthro kitchen linens with the tags still attached

that i never used

because i knew this day would someday come.

makes you think long and hard about what you actually care about,

doesn't it??

if i had the time and the patience, i'd just let everyone come over

to take away what they want from my pile of unnecessaries,

but that's just not a possibility.

i have a feeling my sister will be claiming a lot of it

after i leave,

but for now it's all just one big mess!

{via}

bridal inspiration

2011-09-05T05:30:00.007-05:00

oh, the dress!

oh, the tousled waves!

oh, the natural wedding day glow!

i began my mad hunt for a gorgeous yet affordable gown a little over a week ago

and found my match this saturday . . .

a lovely ivory gown that makes me feel like a princess . . .

i can't wait to show you all!

i went to the bridal shop for the second time

{after trying it on with mom last week . . . and i've been thinking about it since}

to have another look with mother, my sister and future mother-in-law, karen.

i think i was just overwhelmed by everything i'd tried on the first time around,

because as soon as i slipped the dress on again, i knew!

then my mom and karen burst into tears when i came out of the dressing room. . .

and i got a much-needed stamp of approval from my sister.

i seriously feel amazing in it and can't wait to wear

it when i marry my guy.

now, i know it's not all about the dress,

but isn't that what you should feel like when you marry the man of your dreams?

yup, no question there, huh?

{via}

new roommate

2011-09-02T05:30:00.002-05:00

my beautiful baby sister is moving back to live with us after living in florida

for the last few years.

she couldn't be coming back at a better time-

i need my sister for things like dress shopping,

craft making and just plain squealing!

welcome home, sister; i'm glad you're here!

{sister with her kitty, mrs. norris}

i'm heading out of town . . .

2011-09-01T05:30:00.004-05:00

next week, i'm taking a little trip and won't be writing for a bit . . .

would you like to guest post for me?

i'll be out and about september 9th - 12th,

so that leaves two days' worth of open posts.

would you like to come visit for the day?

if so, comment here or email me at

transitionismymiddlename@gmail.com and we'll be in touch!

{via}

colour of the week // aqua

2011-08-31T05:30:00.001-05:00

i'm kind of all about this color right now, for obvious reasons.

isn't it interesting how sometimes aqua is more blue v.s. green?

anyway, it's a simply gorgeous color and i'm completely inspired by it.

oh, and for the record,

i think the stationery on the bottom left was created just for us!

{via}

a family wedding

2011-08-30T05:30:00.000-05:00

we celebrated my cousin's wedding on saturday with our whole family . . .

the ceremony ended just minutes before the rain

from hurricane irene began to fall!

i couldn't help but think about mr. wonderful and how we're going to be

saying our own vows in just a few months-

it made me miss him terribly!

no time to wallow though- this crazy family hit the dance floor!

even my mother, who never dances in public, cut a rug

with all her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews {and me}

as the rain poured around our tent.

it was a great night of family love and happiness . . .

my heart felt so full.

isn't it great to be blessed with family?

our proposal story

2011-08-29T05:30:00.007-05:00

i didn't see it coming at all.

the truth of the matter is i knew he was going to ask me . . .

and hopefully soon.

we'd been talking more and more surely about it as the months had gone by

and i knew he wanted to, was looking at rings and had decided on something-

working with a jeweler in new york to design a ring just for me

because he couldn't find what he wanted to place on my finger.

as the days of his visit to new hampshire went by,

i bounced between two thoughts.

yes, he has to or else he has to wait until he comes back again in a few months

but no, he won't; his memere just passed and there is no way he is finished working

on the ring so soon.

so when he asked me to go to boston with him on the last friday of his visit,

he said we should dress up and go somewhere fun to eat.

i thought for sure something was up, especially when i suggested

we had been so busy that we should stay more local and he insisted we still go.

on thursday, the day before our special date night,

i went to his parents' house for dinner and to help his sister-in-law

bake john's dad's birthday cake.

i arrived and met johnny and hannah outside . . .

hannah was going to stop with her daughter {also named abby} over at

the neighbors and johnny suggested we walk before dinner.

it was gorgeous out and walking with johnny is one of my favorite things to do-

it's how we unload our day's problems and anxieties to one another,

discuss our hopes and dreams and just plain keep active together . . .

it's how we spent almost every summer night last year when we were

first dating and we've grown to love that private time together.

perfect! i thought and we started down the road away from the house.

we stolled along and i chatted his ear off about who-knows-what,

he seemed totally himself and told me about what had transpired while i was at work-

his sister was flying in that night for his memere's funeral,

when we should meet for the service, he was going to play a song during it.

we ooo'd and ahhh'd at the pretty sky and as

we came to the intersection between two roads,

he claimed it was the best hilly outlook in the neighborhood.

we stopped.

the sun was shining, the power walkers we had passed

moments ago were long gone and

johnny snuggled me into one of my favorite johnny hugs

when he arms circle around me and my head fits into the crook of his neck

and we sway back and forth together.

you're my best friend, he said, you want to be my wife forever?

of course, babe. you're my best friend too.

{and the sweetest most handsome man i know . . .

but i didn't get to say this because it was at that moment that i noticed

how hard his heart was beating, since we were hugged so close and all.}

and i thought to myself, wow, we need to go walking more often

because all this cardio is really killing us. am i sweating???

and then all of a sudden, johnny was pulling out of our puzzle-piece hug and holding

a sparkling round object in his hand.

it didn't even register to me as to what it was.

and i honestly don't even remember what happened between that moment and

my next memory, which is johnny down on one knee

asking me to marry him.

i barely remember saying yes! and johnny tells me i immediately

followed my response with "is this for real?!"

like a guy would pretend all that or something . . . seriously, abby?

next i knew it, i was squealing, "we're gonna get married!",

all teary-eyed as we hugged outside in front of the whole neighborhood.

who knows if anyone was passing by at this point-

i didn't care.

all the while i guess i forgot that proposals came with rings and he had

to stop me and fight the ring onto my excited little finger.

more jumping up and down, squealing and other

girly responses that he'll have to endure for the rest of our lives.

back we went to his house,

where his entire family and the neighbors were waiting,

cheering as we neared the driveway.

lots of hugs, jaw-drops over my pretty ring that he worked so hard on,

and laughs about how we're going to manage with

two abby wallaces in one family.

we called and texted and facebooked our news to everyone we love.

and that's the proposal that took me off completely guard.

the perfect proposal that started this new journey with my favorite man

in the whole wide world.

tell me . . .

2011-08-26T05:53:00.004-05:00

what's your advice?

i'm taking my cue from my fiance's post today

and asking for your wisdom for couples in the thick of wedding planning.

what are some things you did or didn't do that you think were important?

what were some of your biggest struggles?

how did you overcome them?

what did you find was the most important to

you and your guy {or girl}?

let it out, sweets, i'm sure i'm not the only one out there

who wants to know!

{via}

gluttons for punishment

2011-08-25T08:25:00.000-05:00

this is the big question i've been getting lately,

other than "how did he propose," which i promise

i will get to telling soon.

but, yes, the original question:

when are you getting married????????

well, sweets,

johnny and i have all but officially set our wedding date.

and i only say 'all but officially' because

all the other details are way up and flying around in the air,

so i can't totally say for absolutely sure.

but i am pretty sure.

very, very pretty sure.

about 4 months from now,

i'm going to be a wallace.

start panicking . . . now.

colour of the week // wedding white

2011-08-24T05:30:00.001-05:00

please tell me you weren't expecting this.

so many things to think about . . . so much to do,

so here is a little "white" to drool over

while i plug away at sifting through frilly wedding treasures

{and try not to get tooooo girly on poor johnny}.