Everybody's Working for the Weekend

Its time for Weekend Recap!! I just love the weekends!! Then, Monday rolls around and we are back at square one. Luckily for me, yesterday was my last Monday of work for at least the next four months, so that's a good start! Although the downside is that school starts next Monday. However, the nice thing about this semester is that my classes on Monday don't start until 11! How sweet is that! No early Monday morning class! Instead, I'll get a little extra sleep.

Friday, Garrett had to go in as usual and I had my Weight Watchers meeting and then some errands to run. I had to pick up the final touches for my gift for the bridal shower that I had on Sunday. I then spent the afternoon painting! This project is nearly finished, so look for that fun post here soon! (Fingers crossed! Hopefully!) One of our friends came in to town from Chicago where she recently moved to open her own business as an Auctioneer/Appraiser/Consultant of Art! She's incredibly talented and I can hardly wait until we have a house and can get some fabulous pieces from her!!! 

Check out her blog: http://brophyarts.blogspot.com/

So anyway, we went to ITAP in Soulard and they had the coolest fountain ever! They were all different beer taps pouring water! I took this picture and texted it to my Dad and told him that he really, really needs one of these at home on the man patio! (Again not the greatest photo! You would think that I would have charged my camera, but no.)

These were my beers! I absolutely love Reissdorf and the Spaten on the left was this year's brew for Oktoberfest! Get excited! Coming to...my blog near you...Oktoberfest 2012 featuring appearances by me, my Dad, Amanda, Ryan, Ted, and maybe Claire if she gets done with work on time!! Haha! Sorry! I was getting excited there. Gotta keep my cool at least until September! 

Saturday, we met up again with Maddy and Abby at a delicious Thai place in the Loop. Then we headed down to the cabin for an evening of fun while watching a meteor shower in our zero-gravity chairs! It was pretty cool. There were a bunch that left, what I'm calling, an afterburn, across the sky. 

Sunday morning Cyle and the boys came up and we gave them their birthday presents. Clayton got this creepy remote controlled snake that slithers everywhere and Levi got a punching bag with matching blow up gloves!  They were entertaining to watch but we didn't get to stick around too long, because I had a bridal shower to get to and Garrett had a tee time to make.

My friend, Julianna, whom I have known since 2nd grade is getting married on September 7th and this week marked the official countdown/all the parties began this past weekend! We had a lovely time at the shower! I wish I had taken a picture of my present! I meant to and then got distracted! I got her a basket with 6 bottles of vino! One for all the major events: Wedding Night, First Dinner Party, First Fight, Christmas Eve, One Year Anniversary, and 1st Baby. Okay so for the baby it was sparkling grape juice. I got a present that was similar at one of my bridal showers last summer and it was one of my favorite gifts! And it was so pretty in its basket! Sad I have no picture, but you get the idea! 

Next weekend, we will be embarking on the age old tradition: The Bacherlorette Party! We are going on a float trip! I'm pretty pumped and it makes me remember my bacherlorette party! We had such a good time at the lake!! So I'm really excited about this weekend!!

Until Next Time! 

Lots of Love!!

~A

Training Clio

Last night, Garrett and I took a seminar called Behavior & Training 101. As you know, we got a lovable new pooch back in October. Well, she's quite a spaz. She's everywhere at once and has no discipline whatsoever. She can be a little nippy and frankly, it has gotten to the point of we either need to get her in some training or she' going to have to go back to the Humane Society. The problem with her going back is just this, we have grown attached. So, hence the reason we spent two hours listening to The Greater St. Louis Training Club, Inc. give the seminar last night. 

We learned about the ABCs of dog training which are:

1). Every day counts.

2). Training builds on what dogs already know.

3). Dogs learn what works and gets a reward.

4). Dogs learn what does not work and gets no reward.

Sounds pretty good. I'd like to think that I knew those already, but hey, learn something new everyday. We learned more like watching for body language in both your own dog and someone else's dog. It makes it easier for you to easily extract yourself from a situation that could turn bad quickly. We also learned the basics of clicker training. Step 1: Define what you want: Sit (rear on floor) Step 2: Get it (Lure, Wait, or Shape) As soon as it happens, click then--> Step 3: Reward It (treat) There were some other things too. It was a very informative session. Now all we have to do is sign little Clio up for her sessions and we will hit the ground running. She knows how to sit and is a fast learner, but we thought it was time to be a little more structured in our approach. So stay tuned for updates on little Miss Clio's adventures with dog training.

Fingers crossed that she does well!

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love!!

~A

For More: Check out the Greater St. Louis Training Club website!

One Year Old Cake

For our one year wedding anniversary, Garrett recreated our first date that was four years ago. We went to Humphrey's for dinner and then to the Cardinals game. The game we went to four years ago was against the Cubs and we won! This game was against the Brewers and we won this one too! So that's always awesome! We didn't get any great pictures because my camera battery died so we had to use Garrett's phone. I don't care who you are but the iPhone doesn't take the greatest pictures. They are okay inside and not so great outside. I will not give up my camera for a phone camera. Absolutely not.

Garrett has to make this face when we take pictures. Its like he can't help it!

Then last night, we ate the one year old wedding cake for dessert. I have to say, it tasted okay. Not too bad really. I must have sufficiently wrapped it up. There were many layers of foil. I even put our wedding cake topper on the cake! The flowers didn't survive too well.

The dinner table. We had steak, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. It was delicious! Since Garrett didn't shove the cake in my face at the wedding, he, of course, had to do it last night. So there was cake everywhere and the puppies did a nice job of cleaning it up.

Then the puppies got little slices of their own! Probably not the best thing for them, but they'll be just fine!! And they enjoyed the heck out of it!

Clio was a little more dainty about it than Achilles. She just licked the icing and ate a little bit of cake.

All that remains. One year later.

We really enjoyed our wedding anniversary. I made Garrett a deck of cards with 52 Reasons that I love you and he got me a card and the tickets to the baseball game. We had a lovely time. We are looking forward to the next year and what it will bring!

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love!!

~A

One Year and The Big News

Today is Garrett and my one year wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful year together and its difficult to believe that its already been a whole year. Well actually, we got an extra day this year because its a leap year! Bonus! 

So since I never posted pictures from the wedding, I decided that now would be a good time! Plus it gave me a chance to think back about the day and how much fun we had and how grateful I am to have such wonderful friends and family and most importantly my husband! So enjoy! Not all of them are the best quality and its bothering me, but I can't really do anything about it right now!

I called this one the "Stressful Car Ride". Why you might ask? Simple. We had an appointment at 9 and we stopped to get some McDonald's on the way, but there was some butthead in the drive-thru that was taking forever. I was about to the point of getting out of the car and getting in their face. No one was going to mess up my day because they were taking too long! It was really entertaining thinking about it now.

Having my hair done. Claire did a mini photo shoot so she would have pictures to show her mom! It was hilarious!

The dresses all lined up and ready to be put on!

Doing my eyes! Beautiful!

Mom and I just relaxing while the girls got ready first!

So the eye and hook on the back of the dresses was made of thread...that's not going to keep it closed. So Mom had to sew the girls into their dresses! Fun stuff!

Cindy had a massive bruise on her leg, although you can't tell in this picture due to the quality. So I was helping her cover it up and when I used my fingers to rub it in, everyone was like OH NO! DON'T! Hence my 'what the heck' look.

So glad we don't live in the days of corsets! But dutifully Amanda was my bedpost while I was getting laced up!

Mom and I after she put my jewelry on!

My DSG from my wonderful sisters! DSG=Disney Snow Globe. We talked about this one many years ago. Its a Kramp sister thing. You might not understand! :)

I walk up the stair in the living room and my dad goes, oh you look like a mermaid. Not oh you look lovely or beautiful or pretty...no. Like a mermaid. My father. Typical. 




This one is a little out of order but too bad. Lara and Brian in our disaster of a garage packing the essentials. Beer. Beer. And more Beer. Had to have enough for the party bus and the after party! We were well stocked!! Good job Brian!

Again, bad quality for some reason, but this was my flowergirl/niece's mode of transportation down the aisle. It was her own little princess carriage that Kathy, Garrett's mom had dec-ed out!

The flowers

Garrett and his Mom

Cyle and his popped collar.

Okay this was too funny! At the beginning of the day the dresses

 were a bit tight around the hips and Lara laid down for a second

and found she couldn't get up. So she's laying on the floor crying

for help!  I was busy laughing at her!

Coming down the aisle and saying our vows.

The kiss!

Stupid quality is making me mad but my family

And Garrett's family

The kiddos with us. Levi and I are playing with our hand guns in church!

The entire bridal party!! Lookin' Sharp!

One of my favorites!!! 

A Little out of order but its okay! Coming out of the church!

Another shot in the church and Lara bustling my dress while singing back that thing up!

These pictures are really pretty but quality is still against me today!!! 

Look surprised that they are kissing!! Everyone's face is priceless!

Now to the hotel and hey look everyone! Overhead shot!!! Wait, Where's KK? Oh right...taking the picture.

The Dads! 

Beautiful cake that we will be eating the top layer of tonight. Probably going to taste horrible!

007! Our little guns said 'Til Death do us part!

And so begins the dance party!!! And they were dancin' and singin'!

After party!! Gotta love the after party!!!! I love this picture!! 

Oh Mas!!! The whole bridal party had a mas!!! It was quite a fun day!!!

I just want to say thank you to all the people who were there for us. It meant the world to us. I'm glad that you are still there for us a whole year later!! It really was a beautiful day and I couldn't have asked for more!


Now: The Big News!! And no, I'm really sorry, I'm not pregnant. (Seems that everyone thinks that's what I'm going to say, but no! Not for a while yet!) The big news is that Lara and Brian are ENGAGED!! They got engaged last Thursday night!! And now for a few photos from that!!


Okay this isn't from the engagement part, but I love this picture!

He strung various pictures and ticket stubs and the like around the house from the time they have been dating and she had to follow the string.

It ended in front of the TV with a Press Enter. And then a Photo Montage! He finished it up with the essential question from down on one knee! 

Gotta have a picture of her ring!! He did a good job!!! And I told him that he must be as crazy as Garrett for choosing to marry into this crazy family!!! But we are glad he is joining! We are all looking forward to a wedding next spring!!! Many details to follow as we embark on this next adventure with them! Congratulations Lara and Brian! 

Until Next Time!

Lots of Love!!

~A