Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins

You know when you're cooking something and you figure out half way through that you're out of something crucial? That happens to me, a lot. But sometimes it's a good thing. I was making chocolate chip muffins yesterday and went to add the milk and BOOM, I only had like an 1/8th of a cup and I needed 1/2. So I brain stormed all the liquids I had on hand, and decided to substitute the rest with orange juice. And thus, orange chocolate chip muffins were born. And these babies are yummy.

I used this blueberry muffin recipe but instead of blueberries I used a 12oz bag of chocolate chips and subbed orange juice for most of the milk. Orange and chocolate are a pretty yummy combo. It's not overwhelmingly orange-y, but it's got a nice subtle citrus flavor. Plus chocolate chips, you can't go wrong there.

For some reason the second batch came out waaay better than the first, and although the first are still yummy, they don't look nearly as good. You can see a couple of them in the back in the picture. I think it had to do with the fact that the second batch batter was able to "sit" while the first batch was cooking. I think it gives the baking powder time do it's job. Who knows. But that batter was DELISH. I ate so much of it raw. I know, I know, bad news bears. BUT IT WAS SO GOOD.

Adventures in ikea-ing

We have a tiny kitchen. TINY. And we like to cook, therefore we have a lot of cooking...gear... ware... Our kitchen was crowded. You couldn't open cabinets without things falling out and attacking your face. Dealing with that everyday gets old. So we decided to alleviate some of the space issues by getting something to keep in the living room to store some of our prettier dishes in. Of course, we went to our go-to for furniture, ikea.

Side note, are you guys the same way? Can you not leave ikea without getting a bunch of other crap? We always leave with candles, a picture frame or two, and usually a plant (Brendon loves plants. More on this later, it deserves it's own blog post). Plus other stuff we stumble upon. DAMN YOU IKEA! We are such suckers for you. Also, 50 cent hot dogs? You know we're in.

Anyway, I was hoping to get something like this to house our dishes that didn't necessarily scream ikea:

 

(via)

Unfortunately that was a tad (WAY) out of our price range. So we settled on this:

 (via)

YES, one of those giant box things. Could you get any more ikea-y? It matches all of our other black-brown stereotypical blocky ikea furniture. I'm just going to pretend that I'm Lisbeth Salander and living in Sweden in a swanky modern ikea furnished pad. Did any of you who have read the Girl Who Played with Fire find it just a little odd that the pieces of furniture she bought were mentioned by name? I mean I know Sweden is proud of ikea and all, but jeeze.

Putting this sucker together was rough. It's a big mofo and we didn't realize just how big until we had it all spread out over our living room floor. It is also VERY heavy. But we put it together (after about 10,000 "that's what she said" jokes. It's just way too easy when putting together furniture. My favorite was "just one more screw". Inappropriate?) and then bolted it to the wall so if any curious felines decide to wreck havoc on top of it, it wont (hopefully) come crashing down, destroying all of our dishes in the process.

Of course this happened immediately. They're like, "oh you built this for us? Sweet, let me get in it." Fortunately they seem to have lost interest in it quickly.

 

I have to say I am a fan. Our kitchen cabinets are SO much neater and way less cluttered. Plus we have extra storage for other stuff, such as the 9,000 knickknacks we own. And we got a couple of little wooden boxes to keep some of our video game controllers and gadgets in. And see those two frames up top?

I matted and framed our wedding vows! They're a little beat up from being in our pockets our whole wedding day, but I like it. They have character. Also, notice Brendon's ball-in-a-cup? Cute isn't it? (not cute.) Please tell me you guys have seen that Family Guy episode ("Oh no, I missed the cup! That's okay, because there's a string attached to the ball attached to the cup!")? If not, it's still ridiculous that he owns, and plays, ball-in-a-cup. I told him if he can catch the ball 10 times in a row he'll get a special prize. His record so far is 5, he's got a ways to go.

Our little apartment is becoming quite homey! If only we could get rid of the stark white walls we'd be in business. And I am reeeally hoping we don't end up moving once our lease is up because number 1, moving sucks so bad, and number 2, we've got a crap load of stuff attached to our walls. Plus, even though this apartment has all kinds of flaws and it's a little bit on the not so classy side, I'm becoming quite attached! I never ever thought I'd say that. What are you doing to me Austin?!

Send your good sewing vibes my way

Pretending I'm in a harem obviously.

I'm starting version 2.0 of this shirt, this time with this chiffon. Wish me luck y'all, I've never sewn on anything like this before. Here's hoping my sewing machine and I don't rip it to shreds. I also got some fabric to make the retro pencil skirt that goes with it. It's corduroy, something else I've never sewn on. Please don't break my needles!

Not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous. I want this to turn out good, because what I have imagined in my head looks legit. Things don't always (almost never in my case) turn out how you plan though. Oh well, LETS DO THIS. EPIC SEWING TIME.

48 questions

Do you guys remember quizzes? Y'all do. On livejournal or myspace? Oooo, old school! Well this one's been floating around blogs lately and I decided what the heck, why not. So here it is. Random crap about me that you probably didn't care to know. Or already know.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 10:45a... OMG I KNOW. This is ridiculous you guys. Who sleeps that late? My sleep schedule is JACKED.

2. How do you like your steak?  Rare! As long as it's warm. Don't you dare give me that over cooked tough nonsense.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?  Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Mehhh.

4. What is your favorite TV show?  ONCE UPON A TIME. So addicted. You will be too, watch it.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?  I donno... Texas is pretty sweet. But I've always wanted to live somewhere in the mountains. Perhaps Austria? Or maybe on the more realistic side, Colorado.

6. What did you have for breakfast?  I'm bad, I haven't gotten that far into my day yet. Days off y'all. I am dead to the world. But my tummy is a rumblin'.

7. What is your favorite food?  Chocolate mousse. And sushi.

8. Foods you dislike?  LETTUCE. Keep it away from me and my food please. It tastes like dirt.

9. Favorite place to eat?  With my hubby in our little dining corner of our living room at our little round table that my husband hates.

10. Favorite dressing?  RANCH. Duh.

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive?  My baby, the Xterra. Reppin' that 2000 model.

12. What are your favorite clothes?  Sweatpants. Just kidding (kinda). Dresses! Cute girly dresses that I don't have nearly enough opportunities to wear, preferably with bows. Also, cardigans.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?  Salzburg, Austria. Plus 10 million other places.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?  Half full! Don't be a debby downer, it only makes things worse.

15. Where would you want to retire?  In a cabin with lots of windows in the mountains somewhere.

16. Favorite time of day?  I love mornings. There's still so much of the day ahead of you and they're so crisp and promising!

17. Where were you born?  Conroe, Texas

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?  I'm not a huge sports person but I do love me some Rangers and Spurs games. I'd prefer to watch the both of them in person though. TV never keeps my attention.

19. What is your favorite fragrance?  I have something from Victoria Secret now that smells pretty delish. Brendon picked it out, all I can tell you is it's a pinkish bottle.

20. What is your favorite face cream?  I don't use one really (gasp!), but when I do it's some stuff from  when I tanned a bunch that's supposed to counter act sundamage. I guess I need to upgrade now that I'm a vampire.

21. Favorite baby/kids products?  Ummm? I'll get back to you on that in about 5 years.

22. People watcher?  Always and forever.

23. Are you a morning or night person?  Morning, hands down. My energy peaces out on me as soon as the sun goes down.

24. Do you have any pets?  What a silly question. Of course. I have two-cat children, Sophie and Greg.

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? We are planning a trip to Hawaii to visit our friend Z this summer! Brendon pitched the idea to me last night and I was like, HELL YEAH. Hopefully we can make it happen.

26. What did you want to be when you were little?  An artist. That panned out well didn't it?

27. What is your favorite memory?  Marryin' my man!

28. Are you a cat or dog person?  CAT! But I like doggies too. They just tend to be messier, louder, stinkier, and I might be allergic to them.

29. Are you married?  Most definitely. To an amazing man.

30. Always wear your seat belt?  Duh. Alwaysssss. First thing I do when I get into the car. And it's the first thing you should do as well.

31. Been in a car accident?  Once, and thankfully I was not driving and everyone involved was A-okay. Minus the vehicles.

32. Any pet peeves?  Rude people. I cannot go on enough about rude people. Unfortunately working in the customer service industry for like MY WHOLE LIFE = dealing with a lot of rude people. Just be nice. It makes the world run a lot smoother. Also, BAD TIPPERS. Learn how to tip fools, correctly. It is NOT an option. Karma will get you.

33. Favorite pizza toppings?  Black olives and hamburger. But I don't really like pizza.

34. Favorite flower?  I don't really have a favorite. Flowers are just generally nice, I will accept them all.

35. Favorite ice cream?  Blue Bell's Homemade Vanilla. And when I say favorite, I mean the only one I will eat. Seriously.

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?  Taco Cabana. Hands down. Taco Bell (I know, don't judge) is good too.

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test?  Zero.

38. From whom did you get your last email? City of Austin Utilities. Yay payin' bills.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?  J.Crew. REAL quick.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Not lately. Unless you count Taco Bell runs as spontaneous. 

41. Like your job?  I love my job! Most of the time.

42. Broccoli?  Yes please! Just not raw.

43. What was your favorite vacation?  Our honeymoon was prettttty sweet. Vancouver and Alaska are hard to top. But me and Brendon's road trip to California after high school graduation is a close second.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?  Mr. H. to the Olive Garden. SO CLASSY.

45. What are you listening to right now?  Lovely silence. Something rare in apartment living.

46. What is your favorite color?  Blue!

47. How many tattoos do you have?  Dos. I'd love for both of them to be gone.

48. Coffee drinker?  HA, the irony. I do sip on that decaf quite regularly.

Well wasn't that fun! Hope you guys are enjoying your Saturday!

Green polka dotted dress

Hello internet, meet my latest sewing creation! I need to drag these projects out a bit more. It took me three days (and this was all after working) total, one to cut out the patterns and fabric and two to sew. And now I am left with nothing to work on while Brendon's at school on my day off today. Poorly planned on my part.

Princess Leia-esque hair is definitely happening here.

I really like the shape of the skirt, it's flattering and classic. Unfortunately this dress is actually a tad too big for me by one or two sizes. Whoops! So it should be a bit more fitted than it is. I was really sad about that when I tried it on for the first time. The pattern size to body measurements are never the same from one pattern to the next. It's a little frustrating, I even went down a size from my holiday dress which was also too big. Fortunately in that case I was able to easily size it down with a couple of quick alterations, but I can't do that with this green dress without completely taking it apart. Oh well! I'm hoping after a few washes it will shrink up a bit since it is cotton. And I added a little belt to cinch up the waist a bit.

And of course, there are pockets! This dress presented an interesting challenge since the zipper was on the left side along the seam line, which was also the home of the left pocket. The pattern called for a 12" invisible zipper, but I couldn't find one so I got a regular zipper instead. Turns out they are very different! I had to wing it since the instructions were for the invisible zipper. I had to figure out how to somehow attach the zipper without sewing the pocket shut. And I'm happy to say I was very successful! And I think my way is waaay easier than what they had planned.

Also, notice something different? Like maybe the standardization of photos here? We got a tripod a little while back and today I tried it out! It took me a little while to get the hang of it, but I like the results! Minus the crappy background. I despise those blinds. I think maybe I'll try venturing outdoors (obviously somewhere where NO ONE can witness me looking ridiculous) to shoot my next sewing project. Being able to photograph myself sporting my projects and not having to rely on a certain often grumpy (and tall, photos look so awkward when they're taken from above) someone to take my photos will be nice. Sorry Mr. H, looks like you may have been fired. I'm sure he's thrilled.

After I got some decent shots of the dress, I started being silly in front of the camera.

Can you believe that picture of Sophie? She's looking right at the camera. That NEVER happens. It might have had something to do with the blinking red light, but I'd like to think she was being nice and cooperative for once (HA). And isn't she HUGE? I can't believe how big that cat is. She's like a little bear! She looks absolutely ridiculous and I love it.

I'm ready to start my next project (which will hopefully take a little longer) but I don't have anything lined up! I have lots of patterns, I just need to pick one and get after it. Choosing is just so hard! I am no good at making decisions! You should see me try to decide what I want for dinner. It's BAD.

Storm of the century. Or at least the last few years.

Can we talk about the weather for a minute? Or a few? I know weather is not the most interesting topic, but I'm a big fan. When I was younger I wanted to be a storm chaser. Shoot, I still do! I would have dreams about chasing tornadoes and then them chasing me. We never crossed paths though.

Austinites, you know what I'm talking about. Last night/this morning was the craziest storm ever. Okay maybe not ever, but the craziest that I can remember. And I lived for five years in tornado alley y'all (did you know that there are more tornadoes in Texas annually than any other state? I betcha didn't!). We had some wild storms in Denton, lots of tornado warnings (tornado sirens are probably the scariest sound EVER), watches, and this year one actually touched down. But last night, it got seriously cray cray here in Austin. This storm was intense. I have never heard/seen so much thunder and lightening in my life. It was constant, nonstop all night and into the morning. And it POURED. And there was wind.

All night lightening was cracking, thunder was booming, and the apartment was shaking. ALL NIGHT. I could barely sleep (which suuucks since I had to get up at 4:25) it was so loud. When I opened the door to leave for work this morning I literally laughed out loud and immediately shut it because what I saw was so ridiculous. Seriously, ri-dic-u-lous. I had to reorganize my strategy of getting to the car because it looked like a scene from a movie (like Twister, or as a friend on facebook called it, War of the Worlds) outside. I wish I had taken a picture. There was a LAKE in front of our apartment. I am surprised our apartment didn't flood, although Brendon's car did (booooo), as did many others in the lot I'm sure. I had to wade through probably a good half foot of standing water. PLUS it basically looked like a strobe light was on from all the lightening. Aaaand there was a crap ton of heavy rain blowing sideways in the ridiculous wind. It was out of control. My umbrella did me no good but thank goodness for my rainboots.

My usual easy breezy 7 minute commute down IH35 this morning was the scariest drive of my life. I was doing like 40 and couldn't see more than a car length in front or behind me. I almost hit a truck getting on the highway because I couldn't see anything. At all. I was like, "oh cool, there's no one else on the road, sweet!" then SWOOOOOSH big old truck barrels down the road around me. Mini-heart attack. Aside from myself the only other cars on the road were 18-wheelers (as is the norm at 4something am) but they were flying past me, throwing up all kinds of lovely water, because obviously the torrential rain wasn't enough of a driving challenge. It was terrifying. I was almost positive I wasn't going to make it. I basically hydroplaned the whole way. IT WAS NUTS. As I was driving all kinds of insane thoughts went through my head. I was like, "okay, this is it. This is the end. I'm going to crash. Which way should I lean when it happens? I hope it doesn't hurt too bad. Should I keep my hands on the wheel or just let go and wing it? It was a good run Xterra, thanks for being a tank. Who is going to open the store? How lame is it that I'm going to die on my way to work?" I braced myself the whole time to slide into a truck or a concrete barrier or off into oblivion. But, contrary to my assumptions, the Xterra and I made it safe and sound. I wanted to kiss the ground when I got into the parking lot at work, but there was a delivery truck waiting for me and I didn't want him to think I was weird. Plus there was a hurricane of rain outside so I just made a mad dash into the store. And THAT people, was all before 5am. I don't even want to talk about the rest of my day, but lets just say it was long (and it's only 3:30?). BUT, I survived the death gauntlet that was IH35 this morning and am alive with a fully intact vehicle. And I am grateful. I hope that everyone else made it to their destinations safely and were hopefully not too soggy by the end of it.

So thanks Texas, for making up for almost a years worth of zero weather in 24 hours. You're the worst best. Because as much as I complained, like I said, I love weather and I LOVE storms. I just wish I could have enjoyed it at home and not necessarily by being out in it.

Also, sorry if you read all that. I can't imagine it benefited your life in anyway (do any of my posts really?), unless you are a weather fiend like me. I just had to share.

Sneaky Sophie

Sophie keeping an eye on my sewing.

Cats are weird. Sophie and Greg are no exceptions, in fact I'd say they're weirder than most. They have to be in the middle of whatever I'm doing (hence, my crazy cat lady habit of keeping two cat beds on my desks). Usually Greg is the obnoxious one always in your face, but Sophie has been the worst about it lately. While Greg will try to nuzzle you and sneak into your lap, she paces back and forth in front of you or just sits down in the middle of whatever your working on. And she's not a small cat. She's sitting on my desk in front my computer now as I'm typing this. I'm having to look around her. She's staring at me like, "ummm hello? I'm here. Pet me." SPOILED.

In non-cat related news, it's a rainy day today for Austin! Apparently we're supposed to get some good storms between now and tomorrow. I love storms! Bring it on! I've got sweats on and a cup of tea to sip while I sew and listen for thunder. But what I really want to do is sleep. It is definitely curl up under the covers and snooze weather. I'm trying hard not to take a nap today so I can get to bed early tonight, but it just sounds SO GOOD. Maybe just a little cat nap...

Little checkered shirt

My sewing machine and I finally got back into the swing of things and made something! I churned this baby out in a couple days. This shirt was a lot of fun and a challenge to make. It's from a "vintage" 60's pattern set that was re-released by Simplicity. There are coordinating pencil skirt, jacket, and cardigan patterns that go with it. I'm sure I'll get to them at some point. Until then, SHIRTS WITH BOWS AND CUTE COLLARS!

 Please excuse my face. And my hair. This is post-work hair, not so fab.

 

Cutest bow ever? Possibly. It's a big mofo for sure. And I LOVE the little collar. I plan on making another version of this shirt without the bow. The collar by itself is so cute! 

Even the back of this shirt is cute! I love how much detail there was in this pattern. The back is just as tailored as the front, something that doesn't always happen.

I love it with a cardigan (everything is better with a cardigan). I felt a little like a grade school teacher, but I dig it. When I make the next version I plan on lengthening the whole thing just a tad. It feels a little short on me, but that may just be because I'm a tall lady. I also want to try it in a gauzy/sheer-ish fabric. I've never sewn on anything like that before and I think I'm up for the challenge!

As always, Greg wanted in on the photo action. He's just too darn cute to stay away from the camera.

 

And because Greg and I don't want you to think we take ourselves too seriously, I'll leave you with this gem:

Photo cred as usual goes to my dear husband. Although he sometimes has the patience of a 5 year old, I wouldn't be able to share my sewing projects without him!

Spring in January

Instagram is the best. So is standing with your hands on your hips apparently.

We ventured over to South Congress yesterday and wandered around for a while, checking out all the fun little stores and soaking in some vitamin D. And since we were looking a little cuter than usual, we documented ourselves! I love that skirt. I got it just a short walk from where I was standing a little while back at little a vintage store. It makes me happy!

Spring has decided to visit us early this year. Although it's January, the weather has been absolutely wonderful lately! Aside from all the ridiculous cedar in the air, I can't get enough of being outside. Texas has few days like this, so you've gotta take advantage while you can! Before we know it, it will be 107 degrees again.

Work space

Today I decided to tackle the monstrous mess that was my desk(s). I have two ikea tables that make up my "desk". I got the second one when I was doing a lot of drawing and needed a large space to work at home. Now it's my sewing/craft table. But lately, my desk has been just a catch all for all kinds of crap and for the past month or so I just wasn't using it. Since Brendon wasn't in school we hung out on the couch a lot more than in our "office", so I moved my computer in there. Now that's he's back in school and in study mode I figured I'd move back into the office. I also was ready to get the creative juices flowing and make some pretty things. However, when I walked into the office today (for the first time in a week or so probably) I knew this mess had to be addressed (dang that was a rhyme y'all!):

Please note Sophie being super creepy. (I apologize for the crappy phone pics, Mr. H has our camera with him at school)

There was just stuff everywhere. No where to work. Plus it was actually kind of... dirty. Dusty and crumby and pieces of string everywhere (if you're a sewer you know what I mean with that last part, string gets everywhere). So I cleaned and organized and even vacuumed! It took an hour or so, but this is what I ended up with:

 

Yay! This is the cleanest my desk has been since we moved in. HA, pathetic. I am messy. There's no getting around it. But, I'm working on it! Hopefully I can keep my work space looking like this, because working on my projects will be so much easier with all this clean and open space!

Today I took my little gift card and headed to the lobby of hobbies to pick up some fabric. I was like a kid in a candy store, it was so hard to choose! I settled on these two fabrics. The plaid is going to be a pretty (hopefully) shirt and the green will be a little dress. Very excited! 

So usually there are two cat beds on my desk so my little feline buddies can hang out with me while I'm working. However they were extra gross so I threw them in the wash. And now Sophie is seriously upset. She sat on the fabric for a while, but it wasn't good enough. She keeps pacing around the desk, like all of a sudden the beds will reappear. Someone is spoiled...

Here we go again

Dang how serious/sad/someone-pooed-in-my-cereal do I look in that picture? I was focusing on capturing Greggo's cuteness, I swear I'm not pouting. Okay maybe I was a little...

Beeeecause Mr. H went back to pharmacy school yesterday. BOO. Once again, the craziness begins. The break flew by too quickly. And unfortunately due to conflicting work schedules, we hardly saw each other. The last three days before he went back to school I didn't see him all day until I came home from work late at night. We'd hang out on the couch for a bit and then go to sleep and start it all over again. I cannot wait until that man graduates. This chaos is too much, I miss my husband.

But I am optimistic about this next semester. Since this is round two, we know what to expect. It will be rough, but it will also fly by. And then summer will be here! And then just three more years and he will be done, done, done and we can continue on with our lives! Can you tell I am counting down the days?

But in the mean time, my cats are keeping me company. Greg is basically in my face and Sophie is in my lap. Sweet babies, what would we do without them? And I need to get back into the creative swing of things! I can't remember the last time I made something pretty! I have been seriously slacking in that department. I have a hobby lobby gift card with my name on it and all kinds of pretty dress patterns. I think it's about time to sew something lovely!

Oh Austin!

So the "shit whoever says" videos have been running rampant over the internet after "Shit Girls Say" (1 and 2) debuted, which I find hilarious and am guilty of almost everything. In a matter of weeks a version for everyone has been made by everyone. Some funny, some not. I discovered this one yesterday and had to share:

I don't quite consider myself an Austinite yet, but working at a coffee shop/just being in Austin I encounter SO MUCH of this. I hear all of these things, all the time. Things I am guilty of saying, "It never rains in Austin" and the other day I may or may not have said, "I'm thinking about getting my nose pierced". Also I make "whooping" noises way more often than I think. People have recently pointed that out to me.

One of my fav lines is, "this city needs more bike lanes". Compared to most cities in Texas, I feel like Austin is hooooked up with bike lanes so I find that everyone complains about it a little odd. But, there are an insane amount of cyclists here. Also, "TACOS, TACOS!". I mean all Texans love breakfast tacos, but it is like a THING here. I guess because there are so many people from out of state that had no idea the gloriousness of breakfast tacos before they got here. It truly should be celebrated. Aaaand, the "does this have gluten in it?" while drinking a lone star. Everyone here is on a gluten free diet (or are vegan. or something.). But after being tested for celiacs disease a year or so ago and panicking before I got the results thinking, "OMG WHAT IF I CAN'T EAT GLUTEN?! MY CARBS!", I'm totally all about chowin' down on some gluten (and anything and everything else). Oh yeah and, "It's pronounced guada-loop", because one time I said "guada-loop-eehh" and was corrected. EXCUUUUUSE ME? I grew up swimming in that river! I can call it what I want.

I think the biggest thing that makes Austin different from other cities in Texas is that no one is from here. Most people I've meet here are from other states (aside from students). Fellow Texas are from other cities. People actually FROM Austin are a rarity. I know one person that is actually from here. This may be just with young people that I'm encountering though, so I don't know. But there are a lot of what everyone calls, "transplants" here. Us included. And I think that's a good thing.

Someone at work the other day asked about how I was liking Austin now that I've been here a while, and I could honestly say that I like it here. This is progress because I hated it when we first got here. I don't love it yet, but we're getting there. This city is really weird. I mean, I feel like people go out of their way to be weird and Austiny, but truly deep down, it's a strange place. And I like it. It's a beautiful city full of young vibrant people from all over the place. It's got a good vibe going on. Although I could seriously do without the traffic. And it really doesn't rain here. Aaaand the majority of UT students bug the crap out of me (SORRY Y'ALL!).

So Austin, I guess you can be my home.

Wedding - Part 2

As before, these photos are property of the amazing Breanna at Powerhouse Studios.

After the ceremony came the par-tay! Food and drinks! The Vineyards is first and foremost a restaurant so the food was delish as always. Unfortunately, between wanting to talk to everyone and how tight my dress was, I didn't get to eat a whole lot. But, I am proud to say that I am almost positive we were able to talk to and thank every one of our guests. This was very important to us since I'd say 80% of our guests came from across the state/country to watch us tie the knot. We have wonderful friends and family.

 Us and our vows.

GRUB!

 We made a pact before hand not to shove cake in each others faces because, A. that's over done, and B. no one wants a sticky cake face at their wedding.

AJ was ready to start the dancing. He had been waiting for months to show off his moves.

Kennedy! My favorite toddler!

The Chasak's are a good looking family.

My dad, sister, Brendon, and Z gave a toast and they all rocked it. I lucked out and just stood there and smiled. Everyone was highly entertaining and had us all laughing. Oh and of course I cried.

Mother/son, father/daughter dance. Yes I cried again. 

MY LADIES! Thank you so much for making the trek from up north. You guys brought the party. We will reunite soon!

 And thus, began the party:


 

All us hooter chicas sang "You are my Sunshine" as a surprise to my grandpa who had a birthday coming up. He loved it!

To say we danced the night away would be an understatement. We danced to every song and attempted to drag everyone on the dance floor, including the staff. Brendon and I are TERRIBLE dancers, but we love to pretend we're not. We got everyone dancing and it was a blast. People were busting some serious moves. I've got to hand it to our families and friends, they have some skills on the dance floor. Everyone was a hot, sweaty, and possibly drunken mess. It was so fun. Throwing good parties runs in my family and I think were pretty successful. Definitely a night to remember.

Getting our legal ends all tied up. Also, LOOK HOW GROSS WE ARE. So sweaty.

Can we talk for a second about the weather? It was HOT and it was HUMID. The day before it was rainy and gross, the sun didn't come out until the afternoon the day of the wedding but when it did it came out with a vengeance. It was 90 something degrees and muggy as all get out. The weather had been beautiful and mild all week until that weekend (thanks Texas). Needless to say, everyone looked a little less put together leaving than they came in, us included.

As we were leaving we had fireworks to send us off. FIREWORKS! So cool. Perfect ending to the most awesome day I've ever experienced. We were stinky and sweaty (Brendon didn't even have his shirt tucked in) but giddy and excited when we headed off to the Riverwalk in our limo. I'd never been in a limo before so I was pumped. It was big and super spacious. I felt fancy. We talked the whole way to the hotel about how much fun it was and how lucky we were and how we wanted to do it over again and again. And then when we got to the hotel we found another wedding going on! I went to the bathroom in the lobby (in my wedding dress. And this is so weird, but I went through our WHOLE wedding without going to the bathroom once. How does that work?) and ended up comforting the crying sister of the bride. Wedding goodness all around y'all.

Although it was easily the best and most perfect day of my life, there are a couple tiny little things I'd change, and these are superficial and stupid but whatever. I would NOT have gotten my make up done. I don't wear a lot of make up, but I figured since it was a special occasion I'd step it up and get it professionally done. Bad idea. I felt like I had makeup caked on my face and then because it was so hot it felt like it was melting off. It looked pretty, although a bit too much for my taste, and I really liked the fake eyelashes since mine are kinda lam, but I didn't feel so much like me. Plus it was pricy. Also, Brendon got a haircut the morning of which I did not approve of. He looked a little too clean cut. I like the messy haired Brendon I see everyday personally. BUT that's just me being picky. Also, if I could control the weather I would have had it NOT feel like a sauna all day.

Seriously though, best day ever. I want to get married everyday. I freaking love weddings. Someone I know needs to get hitched asap!

So basically that's it! BOOM, our wedding has been blogged. If you missed the first half it's posted here and decor details are here. Thank you for putting up with a plethora of wedding photos. We'll be back to usual programming shortly.