Wedding Day Hair- Take 1

I had a hair appointment yesterday to get highlights, trim, and eyebrows waxed. I really love my new hair stylist in Mobile! She is great and really takes her time! Last night I was her last customer so we went ahead and played around with a "Wedding Day Hair" style! I loved it when she was finished. We are going to try a few more things so this is just kind of the style that I want! AND...I'm planning to have a different "do" for my reception!!



I even went home and tried on my veil (JC not being home)!!! Walking around and humming some wedding tunes....I was getting super excited...like squealing with excitement!! OF COURSE....you can NOT see those pictures!!

I debated on whether or not to post any pictures so as not to give away too many details....but then I decided....no one will have any idea what the "WHOLE Package" will look like on that day!!

Enjoy!

PS...I'm not too sure about the "bump it" hump I have there.....on the crown of my head...hmmmm!

How Many Things Can YOU Fit Into One Day?!?!

Can I just say that planning my "Wedding Day Itinerary" is kind of making me nauseous! No wonder girls get all worked up just before the big day. I am trying to fit like 24 hours of things to do into a 8-10 hour time frame! This is crazy.....or at least it makes me feel that way! The worst part of it all is telling the people who have to adhere to this crazy "agenda" about where they need to be and what they need to be doing! Even I don't want to be dressed 4 hours before my wedding!



I honestly would not be so anal about this itinerary if it weren't for the fact that ALL of the vendors need to know where to be at certain times (photographer, caterer, trolley driver, hair/make-up dresser, and on and on)! I would just want everyone to use common sense and SHOW UP. BUT....because it is necessary....it has forced me to create a time line for the BIGGEST day of my life. An hour by hour play of how everything will happen....perhaps I should list EVERY detail..not to embarrass our mothers but just so that we don't miss it (wink, wink...don't worry--we won't)! Ugghhh....can you feel the frustration already??!? The ONLY bright side to having this itinerary is that it will be DONE! Times will be listed, assigned, and folks will know where to be and when...EVEN ME!

I guess one of the main reasons I am searching for time is because JC and I are not seeing each other before the wedding! He will see me when the church doors open and the trumpet sounds (did you get goose bumps...that's what I'm hoping for on that day)! Anyways....us not seeing each other means that we have a great deal of pictures to take after the ceremony...before the reception. I HATE the idea of keeping our guest waiting....but we are letting them eat, drink, and enjoy the reception before we get there!....

However, this brings me back to the tight schedule that I am trying to design.....how do we take all the US/Wedding Party/Family (with both of us) pictures in about a 30-45 minute time frame?? I'm not sure there is an answer....all I can offer is a cooler full of beer and wine! Hopefully that will take some of the edge off! (AND I am meeting with our photographer next weekend when we take our engagements photos!!)

I know this is just part of the stress that has to be placed on the bride....and everyone says "People will do what you tell them..this is your day!" So be it I guess.....I know I'm not waking up til 8:01 AM on that day.....Well, at least that's what the ITINERARY says!!



Much Love,

The Future
Dr. Stephanie Zito Smith

A Shout Out!!!

Today's post is dedicated to one of my soon-to-be, dedicated blog reader, sister in-laws that I have not met yet. JC's sister Missy and her family do not live in the states and the only communication her and I have had is through email, facebook, and blogging!! I will not officially meet her in person until just before our wedding!! Hopefully.....she will approve!

She has once told me that she loves reading the blog and seeing the pictures so that she knows what is going on with us over here! Soooo....this past Monday we had the family over for burgers at our house and I made everyone pose so that we could do a "Shout Out" to her!!!

HI Missy!!

Here you go! Can't wait to meet you in the spring!

Catching UP!!

I was traveling last week so I just didn't have any time to do any updates. Here we go....

Last weekend me, JC, his sister Andrea and her boyfriend Lonnie all headed to Destin for the weekend. JC's aunt and uncle had rented a house and invited us down. We were originally scheduled to have Savanna but her grandparents wanted to take her out of town instead. At first I was so upset because I had gotten front row seats to Sesame Street live for that Sunday AND I am a planner so changing the plans really gets me fired up. I had also told Savanna about the show and she was excited....I think she forgot thank goodness. But fortunately...we got the call shortly after to head for Destin and I was happy just to spend time with JC. We just hung out and watched football, swam (freezing) and went out! If you don't remember...this was Alabama's first lost for the season and my boy is a HUGE fan.....he didn't take it too hard (the fact the my Auburn Tigers won didn't help too much).

Hanging out at AJ's

Andrea and Lonnie
Swimming in the Freezing Pool

JC and Uncle Mike
Sunset

So then we had Savanna this past weekend to make up for our other weekend. Saturday a friend of mine's little boy was turning 2 so we went to a birthday party (football and beer....so the dad's were happy too) and then to the Pumpkin Patch.

Warming up to the Jumpy

Birthday Boy

Swinging...she liked the little swing because she could "push myself"

Pushing Mary Elizabeth
Stacey's (bridesmaid) little girl

Just hanging outAfter the party we left for the pumpkin patch. As we were heading to get our pumpkins....I was thinking "It's getting close to nap time...she played really hard at the birthday party....maybe we should just skip the Pumpkin Patch." BUT...did I listen to my gut feeling..NOPE....we went and at the very end was a huge melt down!! Fortunately I did get some cute pictures before it fell to pieces.....mainly over sand in her shoes!! The great news...she took a 3 hour nap once we got home!!

Very proud of the Little Pumpkins

See the baby pumpkin on the big one!

Checking it out

Looking for boo-boos

Overall we had a great weekend!!!

Family Project (haha)

Our kitchen table chairs have needed a long overdue "makeover." The seat cushions were white and were filthy! It was almost embarrassing to let people sit on them. I really didn't care too much though because with an ALL INDEPENDENT 3 year old feeding herself home cooked meals such as chili, spaghetti, roast, and a few desserts here and there.....the dirty chair covers made me relax over spills and such! BUT...the time had come!!!


Have you ever covered chair cushions before?!?! Well we both (JC and I) admitted to each other that we had....we both felt very confident in our ability to do this task!!! Well I sure hate to know what the final product of our past adventures looked like because LET ME TELL YOU.....neither one of us had our "Martha Stewart" skills showing! And corners.....just forget the corners!!

As we got started on the seats....we both of course thought each of our methods was the best....so the deal was....He did 3 and I did 3 and then we pushed them under the table!



I think they turned out pretty good....they definitely look better than before....AND

We still love each other!

Halloween Treat

I made these little guys last year and got so many compliments. So I am posting them now just in case someone needs to make these before I get around to it this season. They taste so good and are perfectly cute for any Halloween gathering!!

Enjoy!

GHOST COOKIES!!!

Nutter Butter Cookies
White Almond Bark
Mini-Nestle Chocolate Morsels

Crock Pot Jambalaya

Here is an AWESOME....super easy recipe!! I love jambalaya!! I was born in Louisiana but did not live there long enough to find my inner Cajun (or so I thought)!! My dad is totally an Italian food lover (hence my last name)....but I am a sucker for spice!! I LOVE it!!

Now having mentioned spice....this jambalaya was not too spicy at all....in fact I didn't add quite all the red pepper it called for. I'd rather season when I eat with Tabasco. So it is a totally family safe recipe!!

Here you go!! Note the last 5 ingredients are just seasonings!



1 lb chopped chicken breasts (raw)
1 lb of chopped sausage (I used conecuh sausage)
1 cup chopped celery
1 chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper
1 large can (28oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp cajun seasoning (I used Tony's)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

I chopped (used the food processor...I hate chunks) all of my ingredients the night before and stored them in separate baggies. The best part about this....I just dumped it all into the crock pot the next morning...AWESOME!!

Here it is just starting!! Cook on Low for 8 hours!

After I got home....

I added the cooked rice (4 cups cooked) to the jambalaya just before I served it. I would let the rice cook with the jambalaya for about an hour next time so it absorbs the last of the liquid!

The finished product!!! Thanks to my bible girls for being the testers!!! I brought some leftovers to work the next day and it smelled so good!