Another Fun but Busy Weekend!

Well hello, Monday.  You came entirely too fast.  I had a fun weekend but it was definitely a little bit really busy so I am feeling a bit tired this morning.  Thank God for coffee!  Here's how we stayed busy this weekend!

On Friday night Phil had a friend from work come over to see his house (which he bought in February) so we had a drink on his patio (beers for them, fanta for me).  After she left, we went to an impromptu BBQ at his friend's house where we hung out with 2 of the couples we had seen the week before.  After eating and catching up, we made a brief cameo at another party at a friend of Phil's.  I was pretty socialized out at this point so was glad that we just made a brief 30 minute appearance.  Plus I wanted to get to bed at a reasonable time since I knew Saturday would be a long day.

On Saturday morning I was up bright and early for run club. We met in a different location as a local running store was having a 25% off shopping event.  I ran 11.75 miles, which is my longest run since returning to running in January, and then bought some new shoes, socks, a hat and some gu for longer training runs.  I'm really glad the color of the newest model of the shoes I buy is less obnoxious than my current color.

After the run, I rushed back home to shower and got ready so Phil and I could hit the road for Amber's wedding which was in the Spencer, IA area.  Amber is another URL turned IRL friend.  We've been reading each others' blogs for 5+ years and met in person for the first time back in 2010.  It's been fun to watch her relationship grow from a first date to a wedding date so I am so glad we were able to be there on her special day.  Phil and I had a great time at her wedding, here are a couple of photos I snapped!

Just Married!

The beautiful bride & I

Not the best selife, but here I am with my dashing dance partner!

On Sunday morning we drove back to Minneapolis, making a pit stop along the way so we could drive around the campus where Phil went to school.  When we got back into town, Phil headed to his mom's for the rest of the day and I did a bunch of things including making a to-do list and shopping list for the get-together I am hosting next Saturday and going to 3 (yes, 3!) different groceries stores to get most of the items on the shopping list and making the dessert (which was kind of more work than I had anticipated). Phew.  It was a busy afternoon/evening.

Next weekend is going to be pretty busy too due to the all the preparation I'll be doing for the get-together we are hosting on Saturday evening.  Maybe, just maybe, the weekend after that will be quiet!?

What was the highlight of your weekend?  Mine was attending Amber's wedding!

10 Days Away: Minneapolis

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  Even though I just got back from my 10 day trip to Minneapolis/Chicago on Monday afternoon, I am packing my bags again and will be heading to the coast with my family tomorrow morning.  Phew!  October is going to be a whirlwind!!  No complaints here as it's all fun stuff.

But before time escapes from me, I wanted to start to recap my 10 days away.  Even though 10 days seemed like a long time to be gone, it actually went by remarkably fast!  I started off my trip by flying into Minneapolis 2 Fridays ago.  I had been looking forward to this weekend for quite awhile as the purpose of my trip was my cousin's wedding!  This is the daughter of my "Julia Child aunt & uncle" aka my St. Paul parents.  I've always been close to my all my aunts and uncles, but since moving to Minneapolis 10 years ago, I became very close to this family because I had the opportunity to spend more time with them.  I've spent holidays with them, we've of course done Julia Child night, and they participated in my ritualistic pre- and post-CFA dinners.  So I was VERY excited for my cousin's wedding as the closer you are to the couple getting married, the more special and fun it is to attend!

I flew in Friday night and met my parents at their hotel downtown.  I had non-stop family fun from Friday night through Sunday morning, and it was wonderful. 

My Saturday morning looked like this - a latte and time with 2 of my nephews!

It was nice to have some time in downtown Minneapolis as I got to show my parents more of the city center, which is an area they hadn't spent much time in.  We walked to brunch, did some shopping (well my mom and I did, we let my dad skip out on that) and of course hit up my favorite macaron shop!!

Yum!  A trip home isn't complete without some macarons.  We also tried a homemade GF oreo which was really yummy!

After an afternoon of family time, it was time for the big event!  The wedding was held at a beautiful mansion close to downtown Minneapolis.  It was such a beautiful event and venue.  I've never seen my cousin so happy; she definitely found her soul mate.  I had a great time chatting with family and dancing with my nephews!  Well, Andrew & James (pictured top left) would dance with me, Matthew (pictured bottom right) was a solo show on the dance floor!

The evening came and went incredibly fast.  It was a late night, followed by an early morning as I spectated the Twin Cities marathon the following morning.  I got to the start early enough to snap a shot of the runners from my running club.  I did have a tough moment when I walked into the metrodome where the runners all congregate as being around a marathon is hard for me as it's pretty unlikely that I will ever be able to run one again.  But the sadness went away quickly when I saw the people from my running club who were racing that day.

After wishing them all luck, my coach and I headed out to mile 17 to spectate.  I knew quite a few people running it so it was especially fun to cheer the runners on. The Twin Cities course is so beautiful, I snapped this shot from the area where we were spectating.

After the marathon, I met some friends for coffee and had dinner with Phil, so Sunday was a full day. 

I worked in the Minneapolis office on Monday and ended up having an unexpected free night that evening (which is a rare occasion on these trips home... they tend to be incredibly over-planned) and it was a beautiful night, so I laced up my tennis shoes and went for a walk through my old neighborhood.  It was a beautiful night and was a little bittersweet for me to walk through an area that I used to, but no longer, call home.

I worked in the office on Tuesday and then flew out to Chicago on Tuesday evening.

As usual, my time at home was wonderful.  I am thankful for the opportunities I have had to come home, but it is also a bittersweet experience because there is such a feeling of impermanence on these trips home.  While I am home, I try not to think about the fact that each trip will come to an end but it is easier said than done.  I also struggle with feelings of guilt over not seeing as many people as I would like.  I know I need to accept that I can't do everything and see everyone, but it's still hard as I need to balance time with family, friend, and time spent networking, and on this trip I had to fit in time at work as well.

But all that aside, I had a fabulous 4 days in Minneapolis.  And luckily I had 5 full days in Chicago ahead of me, so flying away from Minneapolis wasn't as difficult as it usually is... But my Chicago recap will have to wait until next week when I am back from Myrtle Beach!

If you have moved away from home, do you struggle to fit it all in when you return for a visit?  I know I put entirely too much pressure on myself and end up over-scheduling but I also think/hope this is a temporary phase and I will be back home, or closer to home, by next fall.

Nora's Wedding!

Happy Tuesday everyone!  I had a chance to pull the photos off of my phone on Sunday night, so here I am with the wedding recap post.  I will say - if you want more details and stunning photos, check out Becky and Nilsa's blogs as they took a bunch of photos (with their nice cameras) whereas these were all taken with my handy dandy iPhone! 

Now for the recap!  I had an absolutely blast at Nora's wedding.  Mother nature threw some curve balls at Nora & her fiance, but they handled them super well (like having to change plans for the reception and move it indoors due to the unseasonably cold 45 degree temps!).  They had a day wedding (which is something I could totally see myself doing given the fact that I suck at staying up late and love brunch!), so things kicked off rather early on Saturday morning (6 am hair appointments, to be exact).  I'll let the photos do the talking!

It may be 6 am, but Nora was wide awake and ready to go!  They had the hair  and make-up people come to Nora's parents' home, which was SUPER convenient!!  Nora's mom provided breakfast and LOTS of coffee!

Nora and I got our hair done first - next up was make up (sorry for the blurry iPhone photo)



Before we knew it, it was time for photos.  Here I am, all dressed up and ready to go.  I REALLY loved the bridesmaid dresses - they were comfortable and looked great on everyone. Nora let us pick our styles which was awesome as I am all about dresses with straps.  :)

A couple of hours later, and these 2 were husband and wife!  We snapped a quick photo before dinner began!  I LOVED Nora's dress.  She looks beautiful  (and SO happy) and the stye completely suited her.  I liked that they guys would brown vests/pants - very fall appropriate!

You can see the detail on the back of the dress in this photo, which was taken during their first dance!

Sadly, that is pretty much all the photos I have of the day!  It's tough to capture the event when you are a bridesmaid, but like I said in the beginning, I KNOW Nilsa and Becky got some great shops, so watch out for their recaps of the events.

It was such a wonderful weekend and I had so much fun with Nora, Knight, and Nora's family.  This was my 3rd visit to St. Louis so I have gotten to know her family well - especially her mom, who shares a love of all things French.  :)  Besides spending quality time with Nora (which included going to an author event on Thursday) it was awesome to see Mandy, Nilsa, Becky, and Alli.  I love these girls (if you don't read their blogs, I highly recommend that you start!) and hate that we are geographically dispersed - but I know there will be future meet-ups! 

All in all it was a wonderful weekend, full of laughter, good food, good friends, and FUN!

Have you ever been to a day wedding before?  This was my first and I thought it was so fun!  My wedding will depend on the person I marry, of course, but I could see myself having a day wedding with brunch!

St. Louis Bound!!

Greetings and Happy Thursday, everyone!  I am working a half day today and then head to the airport and fly to St. Louis for Nora & Knight's wedding weekend!  I am so excited and have been looking forward to this for quite awhile!  It will be a fun and full weekend, but I know it will be a blast!  I'll get to see...

The bride of course! (photo from her wedding show)

Mandy! (photo from our Wild Rumpus weekend in August of 2010)

Becky!  (photo from our Chicago trip in January)

As well as Nilsa and Alli!  I am SO excited!  I am sure I will have pictures to share when I get back, I just don't know how soon I will be able to share them as I have ANOTHER business trip next week (this time a Wed-Fri trip to Philadelphia).  I am hoping to get time to do a post when I get back on Sunday, but I also need to fit in a 16 mile run when I get back, so we'll see.  So this space might be quiet next week - we will see what I find time for!!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Traveling Fool

The first half of the year has been a quiet one for me in terms of travel - intentionally.  Between my surgery in January and my CFA study schedule, I avoided traveling as much as possible this winter/spring!  I ended up only having to do 4 works trips from January - July:  a trip to Chicago, 2 trips to Charlotte and one to Denver.

Well, that is a-changing.  And I am actually happy about it.  I would prefer to backload my travel into the 2nd half of the year.  It's just far too stressful to travel while studying for the CFA!  This weekend kicks off a string of trips, and luckily I get to kick my travel season off with a fun trip!  This weekend I'll be heading to St. Louis to visit Nora and participate in a weekend of pre-wedding festivities!

After my St. Louis trip, I will be doing 3 different trips to random cities in Pennyslvania where I'll be co-presenting at some client events.  Oh and the presentation we are giving is 3 HOURS LONG.  Dear God, whose idea was that (it wasn't ours!).  I'm also sprinkling in a trip to Chicago for an office visit + client visits.  Luckily that trip is coinciding with my niece's first birthday party.  Score!  I love combining business with pleasure.  :)

Then it's back to St. Louis in early October for Nora's wedding!  After that, I'm not sure...  I am doing what is called a "Road Show" in my line of business, which means I am going around and visiting all of our sales offices, promoting what my group does, getting to know the sales reps, and doing some client meetings.  So in the next 4 months, I plan to visit Boston, Nashville, Dallas, Orlando, LA, San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle, Denver, and possibly Salt Lake City and Phoenix.  And probably Charlotte at some point.  Luckily I feel a lot more comfortable in my position than I did a year ago when I started to amp up my travel - and I am not battling non-stop sinus infections.  So I am actually excited for these road show trips!  They are coming at a good time as I think being out of the office right now will be good for me.  I am hoping to spend the weekend in a couple of the cities, like Boston and the San Francisco/Sacramento area, and I want to try to visit Austin when I am in Dallas as my friend just moved there from Phoenix.

I'm excited to fly out tonight for St. Louis tonight - I haven't seen Nora since I visited her in Wisconsin last September!  Kind of crazy to think it's been almost a year since I've seen her!  I'll be attending her wedding shower and bachelorette party, both of which should be a blast! 

Have a great weekend - I am so glad it's a long one for us Americans and Canadians!!  I fly back Sunday night and am so glad I have Monday off as I leave Tuesday for my first trip to Pennsylvania and will be there until Thursday. I will need some downtime before that trip as it will be a bit tiring.  I'll have lots of windshield time with my new boss as we travel to these random towns in Pennsylvania...  I guess we will really get to know each other on this trip. 

How will you be spending this (long) weekend?

Amber's Wedding!!

5 posts later, I am finally getting around to recapping Amber's wedding!  It's hard to believe it was almost 3 weeks ago - time has flown since then... and just as we knew it would, her wedding day flew by.  Luckily I got a decent number of photos!  You really should also go check out Kelly's recap as she got some amazing shots and it's fun reading her perspective of the day!!

The day got started pretty early as Amber had to get her hair curled and set at 7:30 and I was next at 8:30.  The time spent getting ready went pretty fast.  In a matter of hours we went from looking like this...

I was mostly ready in this photo, Amber still had a ways to go obviously.  ;)

To looking like this!

Amber and I shortly before she walked down the aisle!

I really, really liked the bridesmaid dress.  She picked them out and ordered them from a wedding shop in St. Paul when she came to visit me last year (where she also got her beautiful dress!), and I had a decent amount of influence on the selection.  Amber went with these dresses because of the color and the fact that we thought it would be flattering on everyone.  I think we were right - this is one of the most flattering (and comfortable) bridesmaid dresses I've worn, and I think everyone looked beautiful in the dress!!  See for yourself - here I am with 3 of the other bridesmaids!

We are sipping on a little pre-wedding champagne!

 Before we knew it, it was time for the ceremony to start!  The ceremony was held on a grassy area that overlooked the ocean.  It was a stunning setting and this wedding goes down as the most beautiful weddings I've attended!

After the wedding, I found these guys and had some cocktails with them before dinner!  The signature cocktail was a Caesar, which is one of Amber and Eric's favorite drinks (I'm a big fan too!).

 Then it was time for dinner! 

Amber and Eric entering the tent, which was down on the grassy area where the ceremony was held.

 The food was delicious and all of the speeches had me laughing - and tearing up a bit as well.

Amber and Eric both did a great job speaking!

And I ended up giving a little impromptu speech when Amber's brother called on the audience for other speeches.  There were a decent number of bloggers at the wedding, so it was fun to speak and represent this area of her life.  

It totally looks like I am singing in this photo - I promise I'm not.  Thanks, Kelly, for capturing this moment on film!

After dinner, Anais, Amber, Kelly, and I got together for a quick photo.  I really loved spending time with these girls.  I just wish we lived closer so we could all be together more often!  We all just get along so well.  We were definitely all meant to meet each other.  :)

After dinner, we headed back upstairs for the dance.

First dance as husband and wife!

After that, there was lots of dance offs and patio conversations and at the stroke of midnight, I got to wish these two a happy 2nd anniversary!!

So there you have it.  I really can't even attempt to do this day justice.  The wedding was so beautiful and there were so many great details from the lemonade stand (which was a hit) to the photo booth to the dessert table to the beautiful sunflower decor.  It was a beautiful day and Amber was literally glowing.  It's a wonderful thing to watch a wonderful friend get married to someone that you know will make her incredibly happy - and vice versa.

The day after the wedding, I was so sad to say good bye, I ended up crying.  I am not one to cry when saying good bye (it totally surprised Amber!), but I was just so sad to see the wedding weekend come to an end.  It was just wonderful spending so much time around Amber, Anais, and Kelly - I hope we are reunited again soon!

I feel so blessed to have been a part of Amber's wedding day.  The fact that I was a bridesmaid is a testament to the authenticity of friendships that can be formed through blogging.  It's an unconventional way to meet, but I am so very thankful that blogging brought us together!  I do not know what I would do without Amber in my life!!

Have you made friends through blogging?  As you all know, I have met so many great friends through blogging!  I'm thankful everyday for the people I have in my life as a result of starting this little blog.

2012 Vacation Park IV - Vancouver + The Sunshine Coast

First things first - thank you for the congratulatory comments on my last post!  I feel so blessed to have so many people in my life that care about me!  I was completely spoiled on Tuesday - from steak sandwiches at lunch to macaroons in the afternoon to flowers from my parents to a flourless chocolate torte at happy hour to dinner with my aunt and uncle!  The day was full of celebration!!  Now I fully intend to enjoy the next 5 months of my life (I'll start studying for level III on December 26th, but I am blocking that out of my mind for now!).

Back to the vacation recap!  When I last left off, we had just finished up brunch in Vancouver, and went our separate ways.  We didn't get much accomplished after brunch as traffic was so bad and it was taking forever to get anywhere, so we headed back to the hotel to meet up with the rest of the bridal party.

Amber had made manicure and pedicure appointments for the bridal party.  I rarely get manicures or pedicures, so this was quite a treat.  Plus, she found a place that allowed us to bring in our own alcohol, so we brought a couple of bottles of wine to really aid in the relaxation process. 

I got to sit next to Amber :)  It was incredibly relaxing to sip on wine while someone dealt with my poor feet which are totally beat up thanks to my high arches + marathon training.

After the pampering, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. The brother of Amber's hair dresser is a personal chef in Vancouver and he was gracious enough to host us for dinner on Saturday!

Amber and I on his rooftop patio.  He has the most amazing views of Vancouver. It was a beautiful night, so we ate dinner up on the patio.  It was heavenly!

Dinner was AH-MAZING.  The chef took into account my gluten intolerance so he made me my own special salad (the others had a panzanella salad). That cheese on top of the salad was flown in from Italy (I usually avoid dairy but couldn't skip a specially flown in cheese!)!  He also served tenderloin, salmon, and a corn dish.  The corn dish might have been my favorite part of the meal - it had truffle oil and a hint of jalapeno.  It was to die for!

It was wonderful to watch the sun set over the city of Vancouver.  

I was sad to see my time in Vancouver end, but of course I was excited to head to the Sunshine Coast for Amber's wedding!!  We were up bright and early on Sunday morning.  I went to mass at a beautiful cathedral in downtown Vancouver, and then I met up with Amber and Kelly for coffee before we left Vancouver for the Sunshine Coast!  We had a short drive to the ferry terminal, and then we were off.

The views from the ferry were SO beautiful and were very similar to the views from my ferry ride to Victoria last fall.  This part of the country is simply stunning - I highly recommend it as a vacation destination!!

After a short ferry ride, we arrived on the Sunshine Coast.  We stopped for lunch in a town called Sechelt.

The views from the deck of the restaurant were so beautiful!

After 20 minutes of driving on some winding, curvy roads (which left both Amber and I rather sick to our stomachs) we arrived at the resort.  Which really felt like paradise for me!

This was the view from our room.  Of course the picture does not do it justice.

I had some downtime before the rehearsal, so spent some time reading on the deck. I didn't get much reading done as the beautiful views were too distracting.

We had the rehearsal and welcome dinner that evening, but I was not so great about taking photos so have none to share.  The rehearsal went really, really smoothly, and the dinner was delicious.  Amber and I shared a room that night so I had the honor of spending the last night with her as a single lady!  She was cool, calm, and so excited for the next day - as was I!  Oh how I love wedding weekends!

I'll be back tomorrow with my 5th and final installment of this vacation recap series - Amber's wedding!

Have you ever been on a ferry before?  Besides taking ferries to Victoria and the Sunshine Coast, I also took a ferry between the north and south islands of New Zealand - but that was a HORRIBLE experience.  Unbeknownst to us, that stretch of water is known for being choppy.  So many people got sick on that ferry. I was kind of afraid of them since that experience, but it's a very calm, easy ride on the waters around the BC area (at least in my experience).

Looking Forward - the Vacation Edition

Today is my last day of work until my vacation!  I am SO excited!  I have not had a day off from work that wasn't spent studying since January (and those days were spent recovering from surgery, so don't really count), so I am totally OVERDUE for this time off.  I'll be taking about 1.5 weeks off:  I'll spend the first 5 days at my parents' lake home, and then I fly out next Thursday for Amber's wedding!  So excited!

Here's a list of some of the things I'm looking forward to doing on this vacation:

- Lounging on the dock with a good book - I have lots to choose from as 4 physical books and 4 e-books became available this week!!  The library makes this whole not buying books thing very easy!
- Seeing all of my nephews and my niece.  I haven't seen my Chicago niece and nephew since Thanksgiving.  I will only get one day with them, but that is better than nothing!
- Seeing my sister Abby.  She lives in Arizona, so I only see her a couple of times a year.  But being apart makes me really appreciate the times I do get to see her.
- Catching up with my aunt and uncle from California.  I haven't seen them for almost 3 years.  I can't wait to sit on the dock and sip margaritas and rhubarb slush (a family summer classic!) with them.
- Playing scrabble with my grandma.  She will inevitably kick my butt!  I think I can beat her at bananagrams, though!  
- Finally meeting Kelly and Anais and their significant others.  After reading their blogs for years, I already know them, but meeting them face-to-face will be awesome!
- Getting a lot of quality time with Amber.  We will be sharing hotel rooms for most of this trip.  Also, Anais, Amber, and I will be doing a long run together on Saturday.  Amber ran the Vancouver marathon in May so knows exactly where to take us for a great run.
- Spending time in BC - which is one of my favorite areas to visit!
- Last, but certainly not least, being a part of Amber's wedding.  It is such an honor to be asked to be a bridesmaid.  Amber has been such a low key, calm bride; I hope I am like her when/if I get married some day!  I just know the wedding day is going to be so much fun!

I'll be posting sporadically until I leave on Thursday.  After that, I likely won't post until I return.  But you can always check out Amber or Kelly's blog as I have a feeling one or both of them will do some posts when we are together!

Family Wedding Fun

Last weekend a cousin on my mom's side of the family got married.  We hadn't had a wedding in the family since my sister's nearly 3 years ago, so we were all overdue for some wedding fun!  It was great catching up with family - 6 of my mom's 7 siblings were there, as well as lots of cousins and their kids.

I am so glad this wedding fell on the weekend after the CFA so that I was able to attend and really enjoy myself.  I did a lot of dancing with my nephews - they are at an age where they LOVE to dance, so we were out on the dance floor quite a bit.  Here are some pictures from my fun weekend!

My sister Emily and Charlie.  I really can not believe he is one.  Seems like Emily JUST had him!

Andrew, Matthew, James, and I before the wedding

Matthew moved so fast on the dance floor, it was tough getting a picture of him. 

James and Andrew had a lot of fun dancing, too!

Me and my dance partner, Andrew.

Me and my 2nd dance partner, James.

My parents got in on the fun, too.

As you can see from the pictures, it was such a fun weekend.  In addition to attending the wedding, I went out with friends on Friday night for a post-CFA celebration, and caught up with cousins on my dad's side of the family on Sunday.  So it was a FUN, full weekend.  My life became kind of small this spring as I hunkered down to study - but weekends like this remind me just how full and wonderful my life really is. 

Do you like dancing at weddings?  I am not one to go out dancing on a weekend, but I love dancing at wedding dances - especially with my nephews! 

Bittersweet, Whirlwind Trip

Happy Friday everyone!  Yesterday was actually my Friday at work.  I have a wedding tonight in Fargo, ND so I decided to drive home last night and am using today as a study day, so it's not really a "day off" per se, but I'll take what I can get. 

I am taking a study break to have lunch with my grandma today, though, and am really looking forward to that.  It will be a bit of a bittersweet experience as she is moving into an apartment in about 2 weeks.  My grandparents lived in this home for their entire marriage (I think?  Or close - so 60+ years).  He passed away 3 years ago and the time has come for her to move.  I know this is a very positive change for her as this house is so big and a lot for her to care for, but it's weird to think it's my last meal that I will likely eat in their home...  a home which holds so many memories.  But I feel blessed to have made so many countless memories with my grandparents.  And those memories will always exist, regardless of who occupies that home in the future.

The day will end on a positive note as I will watch a college friend get married.  We were the last 2 single ones in our group, and lived parallel lives in our late 20s as we both went through tough break ups within days of each other back in 2008.  We exchanged 100s of emails and both continuously told the other person that there IS someone out there for each of us - well, he has found that person, and I am so very happy for him. 

I will head back early on Saturday morning as the CFA studying beckons...  So it will be a bittersweet, whirlwind trip, but one I am looking forward to.  I am going to try to soak up the limited time I will have with my parents as it is likely the last time I will see them until after my CFA exam in June.  But at least that point I will be able to join them at their beautiful lake home! 

Dress for Success

Thank you all for weighing in yesterday on my outfit selection! You wer all far too kind with your comments!

Tomorrow night I will be wearing dress #1.



Even though Saturday has the potential for being a pretty awkward social event, I am looking forward to it. If anything, it will make for a good story.

In addition to attending this wedding, over the long weekend I will...

• Hopefully go to SATC2 with a girlfriend tonight!!
• Complete a 10 mile training run in preparation for Marathon Training. Yes, I am training for marathon training. I am lame.
• Read while laying by the pool at my condo association and try not to think about the fun times (and my nephew's 5th birthday party) that I am missing out on at my parents' cabin!
• Shop for more summer dresses & skirts... and maybe some fun accessories as many of you commented that I should accessorize with fun, bold, colorful accessories. Truth be told, my accessories are a bit of a yawn!

I'll be back on Tuesday to fill you in how the wedding weekend went! Have a happy weekend everyone!

What do you plan on doing over this long weekend?

PS - You can catch me over on Nola Girl's blog today - while she is in Paris, I filled in and am sharing my 5 favorites things about Paris! Hop on over there to see why I am so head-over-heels in love the City of Lights!

Dress Rehearsal

While I do love living alone, there is one thing I miss about having a roommate... or 41 like I did when I lived in Delta Gamma during my college years.

I miss having a roommate to help me with outfit selections!

Can you imagine living with 41 other women? It was actually surprisingly peaceful much of the time, and you always had someone to go to for an honest critique of an outfit - or someone to borrow an outfit from if need be.

So here is where I turn to you, my trusted readers, and ask you for your honest opinion! I am leanings towards one of the following dresses/ensembles but would love to get your opinion!

You can read more details about the wedding I will be attending here, or here is the cliff notes recap:
- It's the wedding of a co-worker
- The wedding is in Iowa
- The only other people I will know, besides the groom, are my two ex-boyfriends, one of which is bringing his new girlfriend

Here are my 4 options. Please disregard my hair & make-up - these pictures were taken after a long day of work!

Option #1: Flirty Black Dress

Pros: It's super comfy and has a flattering neckline. And it has pockets (why can't every dress have pockets?)
Cons: Due to the fullness of the skirt/the way it's cut, if it's windy on Saturday, I run the risk of flashing everyone while walking to & from the car.



Option #2: Classic Black Dress

Pros: It's a simple, classic look that I could dress up with the right accessories.
Cons: Hillary Rodham Clinton called and she wants the shell of her sisterhood-of-the-traveling-suit back.

Option #3: Navy J.Crew Dress

Pros: The picture isn't great for this one since I am slouching my shoulders, but it is flattering when you see it in person. And it also has pockets!
Cons: Similar to dress #2, it's also a bit on the work-wear side.

Outfit #4: White Pants & Graphic Print Top Combo

Pros: If the reception is on the cool side, I won't freeze like I might in the other dress options (I get cold really easily). Also, I like the cut of the top, although I look like I am rocking a bit of a farmer's tan... Yikes!
Cons: May be a bit too casual - although keep in mind this wedding is in the Midwest where the dress code is a bit more relaxed at weddings compared to what you would see in larger cities.

Well, what do you think? I'll be back tomorrow to let you know what my final decision is!