Updates!

This past weekend included some of my most favorite things:  fun family, good food, and PLANNING!

Okay, I'll admit, sometimes wedding planning is NOT any fun, especially when considering how to pay for said wedding.  Luckily, I actually enjoy event planning, and I am always up for a challenge.  So far, I have enjoyed making my lists, seeing which flowers are most affordable, and looking into decorating options.  Lately though, it has gotten a little overwhelming.  It feels like things just keep popping up that I had no CLUE to think about, like where to have a rehearsal dinner in Columbus, where to find an affordable sound system, and how to make out my day-of itinerary.  I have been very fortunate to have some really helpful people around me- my Big, Lydia, who is also a bridesmaid, happens to be Mrs. Wedding-Planner-Extraordinaire and has been helping me with itineraries.  Our friend Hunter, who is a groomsmen, is also a talented guitar player.  And my best friend Sarah is planning my bridal shower AND bachelorette party all from Florida!  This wedding prepping has taught me so many things (time and money management!), but the most important is just how blessed I am.  This girl really does have some AWESOME friends and I am humbled at how much they actually want to help me.  I am also challenged to be a more selfless volunteer to the ones I love.  So to all of you who have helped physically or have just listened to me and given me advice, THANK YOU.  I am lucky to have you around!

This weekend, Mom came to Tuscaloosa to visit us, and we all had dinner at Taziki's, one of mine and Justin's favorite restaurants.  Saturday, we woke up early and made a Starbucks run to start the day off right.

In the Beddingfield/Herndon household, when the weather turns cold, we turn to our favorite crockpot dinner staple- CHILI!  I love chili.  Maybe love is not a strong enough word.  Chili is my number-one all-time favorite winter meal.  Chili with or without sour cream, shredded cheese, crackers... I do not discriminate.  This past week, my sweetie pie fiance offered to make some chili for me and have it ready when I got home from work. 

Let me preface this story by saying that Justin is an AWESOME cook.  On a scale of one to ten, he is a 9.5 cook, and I am a .5 cook.  So I am truly thankful to have him, and that he still wants to marry me even though I don't cook.  Thank goodness I have other redeeming qualities ;)

Anyway, Justin made chili, but it was not like the chili I was used to at home.  I mentioned this to Mom, and she brought all of her chili-making supplies to Tuscaloosa, told us which turkey meat is best to use, and taught us how to make what I like to call "Momma's Most Awesome and Delicious Chili".

Yum!  Justin started to assemble all of the chili goodness in the crockpot while Mom and I hit the road headed to Columbus to get some much-needed wedding planning done!  Since Mom was headed home after Columbus, we took separate cars for the trip.  Normally, I love, love to be around people, but I also love the time when it's just me, my music, and the open road.  Not many people want to listen to a mix of Weezer, the Foo Fighters, or Queen for an hour, nor hear me belt out the lyrics and drum on my steering wheel, so I am thankful for this alone time I get every once and a while!

Mom and I met my sister (the MOH), and Mom's friend Teresa and her son Tyler, who are helping to coordinate the reception.  To call them a God-send would be an understatement.  I am so thankful that they understand the theme and vibe of the wedding day.  Mom also fully explained how much I detest unity candles (and sand), so we are all on the same page!

We were able to talk about what kind of food I wanted for the reception, where said food tables would go, the outside ceremony decorations, and TONS of stuff that I haven't even thought about, like what color I wanted the serving platters to be, or where I wanted a picture table.  Good thing I'm most definitely NOT a bridezilla... or at least I am not one yet ;)  Honestly, as long as this wedding is heartfelt and a true statement of the love Justin and I have for one another, then I will be a happy girl.  I have full faith that everything will work out and be beautiful!



After Puckett, Mom, Kate and I got to spend some time together and had a late lunch at McAlister's (in honor of Sarah Marcy, who misses McAlister's in Florida), dessert at Krispy Kreme (a New York cheesecake doughnut!  Definitely not wedding dress friendly, but I have been doing really well on my eating-healthy lifestyle lately that I decided to splurge!  Yum!), and a visit to the mall where Mom bought me some really cute socks to wear underneath my boots.  And yesterday was spent doing copious amounts of laundry and catching up on my Gossip Girl (don't judge!).

The rest of this month is all about BABIES!! My grandlittle, Gbaby as she is affectionately known, in my college social club is having a gender reveal party in Columbus for her little one, and my Big is having her baby at the end of the month!  She and Jared were such a big part of my time in college, and I am so happy for them to be parents!! My goal is to come down to Hattiesburg to see their little one- be watching for a baby-themed post next!