Bridesmaid Dresses = DONE

Pheeeeew!

I am breathing a sigh of relief.

After work today, my mom and I headed to a nearby bridal boutique to officially finalize the plans on the bridesmaid dresses for our upcoming wedding.

My six bridesmaids will be wearing a one-shoulder Jim Hjelm dress in cashmere/champagne color.

The dress…

The Dress!

Jim Hjelm Bridesmaid Dress

The color…

Cashmere Color

 (The color looks a bit lighter in this photo… It’s definitely a richer color in person.)

The beading and flowers on the dress in the picture of the black dress will not be featured on our bridesmaid dresses because I could not get the dress in the right color with those appliqués attached. I may try to find a whimsical flower or something pretty and romantic to attach in place of the absentee flowers, but I love the dress without it as well.

Now the girls just need to submit their measurements and order their dresses and we’re good to go!

Dinner

After the bridesmaid dress success, my mom and I headed home for dinner.

We went straight into the kitchen where I got to work on the sides. Ryan headed out back to make us burgers on the  grill, using lean ground beef that he seasoned with garlic salt.

While preparing dinner, I couldn’t help but snack on some Stacy’s extra cheese soy crisps.

Stacy's Soy Crisps

As a side, I prepared roasted broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini.

Veggies

Ryan’s burgers turned out great and we enjoyed them on honey wheat Pepperidge Farms deli flats.

Burger

My Plate

A simply delicious meal enjoyed with two simply fantastic people!

My mom brought a bag full of bridal magazines with her for us to flip through, so I’m off to curl up on the couch and fold over some pages! 😀

The Fish Makes the Dish

The leftover trout I included in my lunchtime salad simply made the meal.

Fishy

The flaky fish added so much flavor to the salad.

Pretty Colors

I only wish I had more fish to include in the salad because every bite I took without fish made me sad.

Along with the trout, my salad included:

• Romaine lettuce
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Zucchini

Initially I was going to make myself a simple fish sandwich and include a small salad on the side, but as I prepared the salad, it grew and grew and before I knew it, I had a whole meal on my hands.

Along with the salad, I enjoyed an apple for a lil’ sweetness.

Cool 'n' Crisp

Tuesday's Lunch

Sadie was especially intrigued by the fishy smell as I packed my lunch this morning…

Lickin' Her Chops

Tonight

Tonight we’re having an extra-special guest spend the night: My mama!

My mom is coming in town for the evening to help break up her drive to Jacksonville where she has an appointment at the Mayo Clinic early tomorrow morning.

After work, my mom and I are planning on heading to the bridal boutique to finalize the bridesmaid dresses now that Ryan is fully onboard with the color.

We’ll be dining in this evening, and Ryan has agreed to work the grill and make us dinner while I prepare the sides.

Should be a fun night!

Winning Equation

No vodka + Adequate hydration = Successful run

6-Mile Run Thumbs Up!

Stats

After learning that happy hour coupled with not drinking enough water the day before a long run is a recipe for disaster, I made sure to hydrate properly yesterday and – wouldn’t you know – it made a huge difference!

This morning Sadie and I tackled the 6 mile run we were supposed to complete on Saturday as part of my half marathon training plan. Today’s run was five bazillion times better than Saturday’s cramp-fest.

I felt strong and gave myself a little pep talk as I was running.

Truth be told, I signed up for the Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon (which takes place on August 1) with some of my friends because it seemed like a neat way to conclude my bachelorette party.

Unlike my last half, I signed up for this race on a whim. Last time, I really thought about it and committed myself to training. Plus, I was curious to see whether or not I physically could complete a half marathon. Each long run was like a mini-milestone.

Now that I know that I can run 13.1 miles, I don’t have the same drive to run and follow a training plan like I did before. I’ve been having a bit of a mental struggle because I don’t like feeling like I have to run. I prefer working out for fun and doing whatever form of exercise calls to me on a particular day.

This morning, my pep talk with myself addressed this issue.

I am determined to re-commit myself to this training. It’s only two months of training with runs scheduled three times a week. No big deal! I feel so blessed to be able to run.

When I think back on the time that I injured my hip and couldn’t run for months, I feel grateful for the opportunity to run in this upcoming half marathon.

My mini-pep talk was filled with tough love and served as the kick-in-the-butt that I needed. Half marathon here I come! 😀

Post Run

One of the great things about running at 5:30 in the morning is being done before 6:30 a.m.!

I had some extra time on my hands this morning and I put it  to good use by doing some dishes, vacuuming and straightening up our apartment.

Dishes = Done (I know our cabinets are heinous. We're renting. Don't judge.)

Clean Apartment

During my quick clean, I placed six of Sadie’s toys back in her toy bin.

Sadie's Playmates

Last night Ryan and I were talking about how ridiculous it is that Sadie has so many toys. We’d throw some away, but she honestly plays with every single one. She’s an equal-opportunity player. 😉

After my super-fast clean, my tummy started to get angry at me.

“Feed me, you little jerk,” it said.

I’m never hungry immediately following a run, but 25 minutes later my stomach wants some food!

Breakfast

Breakfast this morning featured my favorite little grain.

Caress the Barley

Barley was the highlight of my yogurt bowl, which also included freshly sliced strawberries.

Berries + Barley

Breakfast Bowl

Stirred Up

So good!

Barley breakfast bowls are one of my all-time favorite breakfasts (French toast still holds the number one spot).

Bridesmaid Dress Update

Check out the text message I received from Ryan this morning:

This Just In...

You know what that means!!! Full speed ahead with the bridesmaid dress orders!!!

I’m glad Ryan seems to have changed his mind about the champagne/cashmere color of the bridesmaid dress.

We really haven’t discussed it too much since looking at the dresses on Sunday, but I did show him some pictures of other weddings where the bridesmaids wore champagne dresses which I think helped him see how elegant and classy they can look. We’ll discuss it a little more tonight, but I’m hoping to place an order soon! 😀

If you are married, what colors did you feature in your wedding? If you’re not married, what colors do you see yourself selecting for your big day?