and another one...

takes the plunge!

meet the newest nearlyweds, my jules and her zachary
been waiting on this one, folks. they were goners as soon as they met.
wishing you all the love and happiness in your marriage you both can stand.

p.s. move closer?

i feel a wussy wednesday coming on...

wednesday wussy, budget edition. please take the following post with a hunk of cheese, 'cause it's a whiner.

i do not like being on a budget. i do not like not being able to spend money without thinking about its very real impact on other areas of my life. oh, to be single again, and in a time not of economic recession, and saving all my dollahz for fun and frolic while living off daddy's charge accounts. all i'd have to do is not eat much for a while and save up and then purchase away, guilt-free, and worry about it later. the only reason i even got a job in college was for dating purposes. plane tickets to see the law student cost money, and i'm pretty sure the parents would not have footed that bill.

enter marriage (or heck, even just adulthood). budgeting is hard. it's hard for two people living on one paycheck, even with some familial assistance. it's hard to cancel travel plans because of rising gas prices, or choose to cook at home instead of going out for dinner. it's hard when you're having a wardrobe crisis and you can't really afford to revamp it, only mix pieces differently. thankfully, my weight has not drastically changed since college, or i'd really be in the hole! of course, even if i didn't have a budget, i probably still would be a bad shopper and just as indecisive to boot. but that's a separate problem.

but a budget is necessary. my paycheck only contains x amount of money, and we have to make it work, and we have to do it together. fighting about money is not an option in our marriage - we flat-out refuse to do it. we reached this decision before marriage, thankfully, and not after an issue arose. our personal budget is pretty simple. i bring home a paycheck (yes, ben adds whatever he makes too), the law student faithfully designs our budget, and i trust his judgment. even though i work for a CPA, i could not make or stick to a budget on my own. i can barely work my calculator, and have never balanced my checkbook! this way, we control our finances instead of them controlling us and plan for expenses ahead of time. we work to balance wants and needs, the fun things and the necessary ones, so that we're not crying at the end of every month and/or up to our ears in credit card debt. budgeting is a great discipline and though uncomfortable at times, it is good for us and keeps us making smart choices in how we use our money.

unfortunately, insurance, groceries and bills take precedence over fancy nights out, wardrobe updates and gifts. and that's about where i am right now. sigh.


in other news: i'm working out in the mornings (i'm as surprised as you are), the law student is semi-employed and in an office of his own, entertainment icon elizabeth taylor has died, and i found out roseanne barr lives on a nut farm.

wedding post overload

who knew 2011 was wedding season spectacular?
below are some sweet friends who will be wedded these next few months.
wishing nothing but the best for you and yours! love you all

mandi & heath, edited per request

chris & michele

sister & mister

melanie & chris

kristi & nick

elizabeth & danny

i'm so excited to celebrate with y'all!

of course, the law student told me today a church believe the exact rapture date to be may 21, 2011, so all this may be moot. but i prefer to celebrate.
(and privately freak out - y'all know the rapture scares me).

finally

my sister's got a mister!


dear connor, thank you for making baby sister happier than a tornado in a trailer park. you've got your hands full now!

dear anna, aren't you glad you no longer feel the need to slam down your beer bottle in frustration over someone else's engagement news, again?

wishing you both all the happiness and love you can stand.

oscar style

although i check msn's wonderwall multiple times a day, i don't really get in an uproar about awards shows and such. but i did watch the oscars. mostly. i fell asleep before the most important awards - best actor, best actress and best picture - but i got to see all the pretty dresses. below are my favorites, in no real order.

i personally prefer a little more skin showing around the chest, but i love the color and the sparkle. it just works for amy.

so, i may be a little biased because mila's my celebrity doppleganger, but this is my favorite look from the night. hands down.

a bit kooky, but really great, and on par with cate's signature style.

great color, great shape, and classy. well done, dame helen.

oooh, fluffy and sparkly! this dress makes us suspend belief that halle is not possibly a crazy mama bear.

scarlet on the worst dressed list? um, no way, no how. i want this dress.

total wow factor. jennifer hudson totally rocks this. flaunt it!

can't leave off natalie. she's just too cute, and the color is great.

points of interest:

1. who knew anne hathaway could sing?
2. her song to hugh jackman (swoon) was awkward.
3. how did true grit win nothing?
4. apparently, i missed out when i didn't see the social network.
5. reese witherspoon is still the cutest.
6. christian bale - lose beard, learn wife's name.