Here’s a few links of different online treasures I’ve found. Some are blogs I read regularly, and some are things I’ve stumbled upon. Enjoy!

How to Decorate A Room in a Week @ Little Green Notebook She inspires me to hunt for interesting fabrics.

A Tale of Two Strippers @ Censational Girl Now I know how to strip…paint

Laundry Room Redo @ The Old White Cottage The progress she’s made in this typical basement laundry room is awe-inspiring!

Here’s a before – follow the link for the current after – you’re going to love it!

In Real Life @ Thrifty Decor Chic Remind me that not all of our homes are perfect, even though our pictures might make it look that way.  Thanks for the reality check

And last, something that I giggled at when I saw it:

Irony @ Good Food, Good Friends, Good Life

I wanted to share a link to a blog that is just wonderful – My Charming Kids.  This mom has some amazing stories, and is doing one cool give away!  Feel free to post on her blog and join her contest – for a customzed header and free photo stuff (which is why I’m joining the fun, let’s just be honest.)

Have a blessed weekend!

Jen

Congrats to my good friend Patrick and my friend Lois (she’s my florist and DOC for our wedding) that just got engaged this week!  Their story of how they arrived at where they are now is pretty extraordinary and really a testament to God’s grace and redemption, and patience and obedience on both of their parts.  I’m so excited for them!  I think they’re getting married around here in the fall, so hopefully I can make a trip back for that special occasion.  This means that over half of our staff team is engaged – Patrick, Lois, Matt and me. Crazy.

Yesterday we got our engagement pictures taken – it was a lot of fun.  Very different being on the other side of the camera as a photographer myself.  Things were a bit more “posed” than I expected, but it was still fun.  We went up to Mt Tom and took some photos by this massive rock formation, on the swings, slide and teter toter (I felt like a little kid again) and by this cool old stone house.  Then we went over to the Log Cabin, the sister facility to where our reception will be, and had a few pictures there by the flowers that we hope we can use for our newspaper announcement.  Danielle was super fun and nice, and really easy to work with.  We can’t wait to see the pictures when they come in!  I’ll make sure to post a link when we hear back.

Today is wedding to do list day – time to mark those things off!!  Hopefully I can get lots done!

Oh, and DF is amazing and somehow scored us tickets for Red Sox game tuesday night against red hot Tampa Bay, and then next weekend we’re driving down to Phillie to visit friends, and on the way back we’re going to a Yankees game! I know I know, totally a wrong thing to do since I’m part of Red Sox nation, but they’re tearing down Yankee stadium, and so we wanted to see it in person before it’s gone.  Should be fun!!

I know you’ve all been waiting for it, they’re finally here.  A few pics from my surprise bridal shower a few weeks ago.  I couldn’t post everything because I didn’t want to COMPLETELY incriminate half of my friends.  :-)

Moments after the surprise, hence the look of astonishment and slightly crooked picture.  

The yummy mini-bundt cakes with edible flowers.  Mere’s mom made TONS of these little sugar flowers and brought them all the way from Washington!

The front and inside of invitations.

My favorite – the larger bundt, complete with potted flower inside, and windex to boot.  :-)

And they’re off!  The relay begins!

Kate gets her hair teased, I don’t think she liked it very much…

This idea was so non-PC/orthodox – the “baptism” was turning in circles 5 times within a little chicken wire fence.  Gotta give props to Sarah for creativity.

My “greek” bridesmaids – Kristen, Kate, me, Sarah and Meredith.  I was supposed to choose which one most resembled one of the girls from the movie.  Mere’s team won!

Most of the group – some students, roommates, IV friends!  Thanks for a great party!

I have the greatest roommates and friends!  This Saturday they through me surprise bridal shower, and trust me, it was a complete surprise!  I was in total shock when I walked into the house all normal, and out of no where, everyone yells surprise and Cindy says, “welcome to your bridal shower” – I was floored.  Seriously, I didn’t know what to say or do!  A lot of the girls from Mount Holyoke were there, as well as roommates and friends.  It was great!  The theme of the shower was related to the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding, so the invitations even had a Greek flag on them, just like the movie.  There was even a bundt cake with flowers in the middle!  (If you have no clue what this has to do with anything, see the movie, it’s hilarious!)  We did a relay race outside, all with different stations related to the movie – bridesmaid dresses, bad teased hair, making a gyro, dancing, baptism – it was hilarious!  Eventually, I need to post (appropriate) pictures, because it was a blast.

 I’m so grateful for all the fun (and gifts!) shared with such amazing friends – you guys rock!  I feel bad for doubting or wondering if my roomies would put something together, especially since one of them is moving to Germany this week.  I was hoping to celebrate before she left, but then it didn’t seem like it was going to happen.  I was a little bummed, but didn’t want to be demanding or anything.  Turns out I didn’t have a thing to worry about!  They even had Jerod in on the whole thing, he knew months ago!  Hence the complete surprise and shock when I walked in to find all my friends waiting to celebrate.  Thanks Meredith, Cindy, Kristen, and especially Sarah for all your hard work and thoughtfulness

 I just wanted to share a few of the photos from my engagement shoot with Scott and Colleen. We did this back in October on one of the first chilly days of fall. I had so much fun with them, and it was great to just watch them interact with each other. Enjoy!I took this one just after we got out of the car – they are so cute when they walk and hold hands!This is by the old chapel at UMass where Scott went to college. I love the red door!I love the interaction between the two of them in this picture – Colleen was always smiling and laughing.I’ve known Colleen for a few years and only have recently known Scott. The cool thing about them is that they have been friends since high school and only started dating after she graduated from college. I love the fact that they are such good friends, and sort of have that “boy meets girl” thing about their relationship. Not too fussy, just sweet, romantic, and totally best friends. I think these next few really capture that.My first attempt at flare….slightly successful.Can’t wait for December 28th, I’m so excited for them!

Congrats to Scott and Colleen – another friend engaged! I’m so excited for them. If they get married in December, that would make for…..let’s see…..7 possible wedding invites this year, with the possibility of 5 attended. Good ratio. Crazy amount of weddings, but they’re fun.

This past weekend I was up in Maine for Jonathan and Anna’s wedding, I was their photographer! It was pretty crazy, but I really enjoyed it. It was a very good learning experience, taught me a lot about how to do a wedding, what’s required of you, and the fact that its something I might actually be decent at. Also, learned that if I seriously wanted to get into it, I’d need to upgrade a lot of my photo stuff, which I can’t really afford to do. Maybe if other people ask me to shoot their weddings and I get paid, I could work towards that – who knows…..

Another exciting artsy thing happened – I painted my first commissioned painting! Sold it to a friend of mine who had something particular in mind for a gift. I can’t believe it, I sold a painting. Craziness. I guess this is what real artists do, don’t really feel like I fit into that category…