Sunday, August 15, 2010

Another Reason To Never Drink



Last night we went to a party for Ben's brother's birthday.... I spent a long time on my hair and makeup and was feeling like I was looking pretty darn hot....

I even have a picture of myself taken before we left the house....


Now granted, the party was mostly outside and it had rained and was super hot so it was like a sauna outside- which didn't help....but let me show you what a few hours, too much heat, and far too many cocktails does to me:

Get Ready....


Here I am with Emily - starting to melt.....



With our friend Chris

That's pretty bad but that isn't even the worst....here is the worst...

Tada!
Not only did I look a hot mess- but I also morphed in an uber bitch. I mean look at my face!

Ugh. If this isn't a deterrent to stop drinking... I don't know what is!

Much Love Always,

Miss Amber Lane

Monday, August 2, 2010

Cleaning House- Catching You Up

Apparantly I still haven't rejoined the blogging world fully. I'm bummed about it- I truthfully feel guilty. I don't know if I'm lazy, or busy, or just have a lack of content. Of course I have PLENTY of wedding pictures to share- but blogger takes so freaking long to upload that I get bored and quite before I can even publish them - honestly - who wants to spend 2 hours on one post?!? So maybe lazy is the category in which I fall.

So sorry.

BUT... I'm here with you today and that's what counts yes?

So what's been going on with me? Pretty much the same old song and dance.

Work, home, play. Nothing extraordinary. Seriously, nothing. I think one of my character flaws is that I'm always waiting for the next shoe to drop- and not making things happen in the moment. For example when I was engaged- I was just waiting to get married and be married. Now that we are married I'm like ...

"Well, now what...guess nothing big will be happening for us until we decide on babies" and you would not even believe how many people have asked us this exact question;

"So, when are you planning on starting a family? "

Didn't I just start a family? Ben and I are a family- and can't we be married for like .1 second before people start expecting me to pop out small people?

But anyhow, I digress. Back to the waiting for the other shoe to drop thing- my point is that I need to start living in the now and stop thinking about what's next. Travel more, spend time with friends more, get involved with things more - NOW - not later when.

So that's kind of where I am right now- deciding on how I want to spend my time. My friend Emily just signed up for an art class which I think is very enriching of her. I've been thinking of joining some kind of class myself - not art (I'm not patient enough for painting and drawing- I'm an instant gratification kind of girl) but something that I can focus on that's just for me; a foreign language class, dance, piano lessons, Zumba - don't know quite yet.

And like I said I definitely want to travel more- even for just small trips.

This weekend I drove out of town about an hour to spend an evening with my friend Jen.

Next month of New Orleans bound for Rachel's bachlorette party and wedding shower- I'm really looking forward to that! Never been to New Orleans and for a bachelorette party- I can't wait to see how much "trouble" I can get into for that. Good trouble of course! And I'll be going back again (hopefully with Ben) in October to be a bridesmaid in the wedding.

But I've also been thinking it would be fun to do small trips with friends or hubband to Chicago and Gatlinburg (both aprox. 5hrs away so close enough for a long weekend). And we definitely want to do Vegas- neither of us have ever been and that's on the must do list before we think about that before mentioned "start" of a family. And eventually we need to take the honeymoon that we didn't get right after the wedding.

I think what I really need to do is start a "half way to new year" resolution list and make it my goal to fulfill the goals I set for myself by the time 2011 rolls around. Wow, 2011. That's nuts. But just like blogging....maybe I'll actually write out a list - or maybe I'll just think it sounds like a good idea, mean to do it, and just not. That's kind of where I am right now.

On a more frivalous note- some of the "superficial" goings ons in my world:

1. Birthday Sunday- Saturday night scandal is already scheduled. We're going to a co-ed strip club. That's right ladies a strip club that features male and female dancers- judge me if you want but its going to be a blast!

2. Hair apt. Saturday- going to do something totally different. Not changing the length (its finally getting as long as I want it) but I'm definitely going to play with my color. Blonde is of course my signature color but I'm planning to play with the highlights/lowlights and texture. My hair has been a pristine blonde for the better part of our engagement and I'm ready for a little more edge.

3. Really getting back into home decoration and DIY projects for the home. My latest project is our office/guest room also known as Ben's room. Just about this time last year I gave over the extra bedroom that once housed my bedroom suite and the cutest yellow and pink theme ever to Ben and his desk (if for nothing else than to get that beast out of our living room). Now it houses Ben's mammoth desk, dresser, and a saggy twin bed for guests. The room is always a mess of Ben's discarded clothes, office peraphanalia, and junk that Ben accumulates. I'm pretty much planning to give up the guest bedroom aspect of that room now and turn it into a full functioning man zone (and I may sneak my desk into a corner there too). This new concept involes lots more storage and the removal of the crappy bed. We are getting a futon instead - it may seem a little frat house but I figure if I do this room up right it will really work.
Some other projects I plan:
Building a kitchen counter/cabinet
Painting/restyling our bedroom
Basement Re-organization
Routine maintenance that hubband just wont do

5. Really into red lipstick right now...not sure why...but I'm totally sporting it

6. Would really like a new blog design that someone else who is more creative than moi puts together. Who did yours- any suggestions?

7. Am over my post wedding weight loss plateu- I lost nearly 3 lbs this past week! I was ecstatic to see the lowest number I've seen in my adult life on the scale this past Thursday! I have now lost 49 lbs since about January. I've decided that 16 more lbs and I will be in maintenance. I hear that last 10 are the hardest ... if that's so bring it...the first 49 weren't too bad!

Well, this post has taken me like 3 hours to write because I've had to leave it and keep coming back to it. I'm off to take my residents shopping at Wal-Mart.

Hope everyone is having a good Monday!

Much Love Always

Miss Amber Lane

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Happy News!


My best friend Megan officially announced that she's pregnant today!

Six weeks- due on March 13th.

I'm super happy and happy for her- of course the news is bittersweet- its a very mixed feeling when the girl you grew up with finds out she's going to be a mom - especially when you know that babies are a way off for you - but I am of course thrilled over all!

When Megan first told me that she thought she was pregnant the thought crossed my mind that essentially all of my friends either already have children or are pregnant- at least the married ones that live in close proximity- isn't funny how life pushes you forward- ready or not?

But don't get it twisted- baby is not ready to have babies yet- I want to enjoy my slimmed down figure (and make it slimmer) and spend some quality newlywed time with hubband - not to mention accumulate some extra fundage before I even think of baby making.

None the less- SO HAPPY FOR MEGAN AND KENNY!

CONGRATS!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Weekend

This weekend I ...

Took my peeps (of the senior variety) to the Museum Center to check out the Cincinnati History Museum on Friday.


(Peeking out the window in a WWII Trolley)

Then Ben and I met up and headed out to Brookeville, IN for an evening of camping and a Saturday of paddling down the river....


Jen and I chatting by the fire


Me and my Hubband
(right before heading off to bed only to discover our air mattress had sprung a leak and deciding to sleep in my car- NIGHTMARE!)



Ben was King of the Kayak



But I gotta be honest- I made it look GOOD! ( ;

Sunday was resting, planning, grocering and TRYING to make a major photo post for the first Wedding Wednesday post since I've gotten my professional pictures back.

I'm halfway there - but blogger is just not cooperation. Good thing there's a few days between me and Wednesday!

Hope your week starts out wonderful!

Much Love Always!

Miss Amber Lane

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Wedding Wednesday: Before & After Bridal Edition




Once upon a time a blonde bride-to-be wrote this post about the day that I found my wedding gown. I loved this dress the moment I slipped it on and the very best part about it (other than it made me feel like a princess) was that it was sold to me at a sample sale and was an additional 50% of the already 50% off price making the dress literally a steal.

Only problem is- the dress was at least one full size too small- if not more and there was only the one of them . I was still convinced that I should purchase the dress and that any seamstress worth her salt could rip out the zipper and corset me into the thing. So I bought it, brought it home and planned on having it altered to fit me.

The thing is- somewhere down the road and NOT just for the wedding, I decided to make some lifestyle choices that resulted in my loss of 48 lbs. in about 6 months time- it just so happens that it pleasantly coincided with my nuptials. By the time I was in fittings mode the dress went from needing to be let out 1/2 an inch in the bust, to fitting perfect, to needing to be taken in, to needing to be taken in AGAIN. It was frustrating- but also delightful!

Since I've never really done a weight loss before and after I thought what's a better way to share my weight loss successes than to show you pictures from the first time I tried my dress on and on my wedding day!

The Bodice Before:



And After


The Full Front Before:


And After (x3)



From The Side Before:


And After (x2)



From The Back Before:

(notice how it was clamped "shut")


And After (x2)




Gotta tell ya girls... I feel smug - just because it was a lot of hard work and these pictures are just validation that it all paid off!

But I'm not done yet- I have physical goals that don't necessarily mean taking off more lbs (although I do think 10 more would be perfectly welcome in my book) that I plan to meet in the future. I'll share those with you soon- I'm easing my way back into being a good blogger- I'll get there soon!

In the meantime!

Much Love Always!

Miss Amber Lane

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Return of Wedding Wednesday


So now that its all said and done- I should have plenty of details and pictures to share with you a;; -especially since now I don't have a hobby (planning this wedding has been my hobby for the past 18 months!).

Its way too nice a day to go into details today- I've got a pool float with my name on it - but since my photographer posted a preview of our wedding pics on Facebook this morning I thought I would make my grand re-entrance to Wedding Wednesday but sharing a few with you!

Just Me

The Boys Toasting


The Girls Sneaking A Sip

Ma Mere & Sisters

Just Sisters
Mr & Mrs. Smith

Uh Oh


Smash!

Rub It In!

One More For Good Measure!

Oh Crap.

And On That Note!

Ciao Bellas!
Enjoy The Beautimus Day!

Much Love Always!

Miss Amber Lane









Sunday, June 27, 2010

A Blonde Wife & Her Wedding

Hey Guys!

Just stopping by to tell you all that the wedding was WONDERFUL!

We couldn't be happier with the way everything turned out! The colors, the food, the people - all fantastic!

Here is just a little taste of what the day was like- believe me there is much, much, much more to come. These pictures were taken either by my Mom. or my friends Megan and Jessica.

Ben and I unfortunately had to cancel our plans for a honeymoon because Ben couldn't get the time off from his brand new job. So I'll be around more this week to catch up on all the picture updating as more and more role in.

And yes, I'm sort of bummed but I have a special surprise up my sleeve for late in the week and we've also made a promise to each other to take several weekend trips together until this time next year when we can plan to have our dream get away at last!

Well anyway- enjoy!


Setting up before the rehearsal


Centerpiece Close Up


Candy Buffet (still missing a few signs at this point)


My sisters and Matrons of Honor Getting Me Into the Dress

Here Comes The Bride


First Kiss


Closer

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

During Our Wedding Party Pics


First Dance




More First Dance


Cutting The Cake

Smashing The Cake


Aftermath!


Garter



Together, We Sparkle

Much Love Always!

Miss Amber Lane