Well, here we are exactly one week from the day we become man and wife. This time next week, I will have said my vows and will officially be Mrs. Campbell. I'm already getting excited. This week at work has been a lot of fun. First off, we watched a movie in my class for the majority of the week. This allowed me to grade and get my sub plans ready. Jasmine and I had fun modeling the Snuggie for our co-workers. I so want a Snuggie, but Murad told me our marriage would be doomed if I bought one. Jasmine and some other coaches got me a chenille throw that I wanted as a wedding gift. In my thank you card, I wrote that this would suffice instead of a Snuggie. Then, Jasmine and I had about a million conversations about how much we want the Snuggie and Jana, one of our school counselors, said she had one. She brought it up to school and let us "try it out!" Jasmine thought it would be funny to send the pictures to the entire staff at Apollo. I'm sure everyone got a laugh out of it!
Yesterday was my last day as Ms. Woodard. When I come back, I'll be Mrs. Campbell (well, technically still Ms. Woodard, but really Mrs. Campbell) Jodi went and got all the Language Arts department drinks from Sonic. I love it when we have Sonic runs. I think they make the day bearable. Plus, the icy cold drink is refreshing especially when the kids are NOT!
I'm excited for all the guests to begin arriving. My grandparents are already here, so Murad and I had them over for dinner last night. It was a lot of fun just eating and enjoying each other's company. Of course, we had basketball on in the background (who doesn't during this time of year?) Murad's friend Jamal and my maid of honor Himee arrive on Wednesday and most of our wedding party arrives on Thursday! I can not wait for everyone to get here. I think my favorite part of our wedding is the meshing of the families. Murad and I both value time spent with our families and we're so happy to share our home, city and wedding with everyone!
I made my to-do list today.
Tonight: fold programs
Tomorrow: grad school assignments, mid-term, grade papers, laundry
Monday: run errands & make calls
Tuesday: hair trial, nails and eyebrow waxing
Wednesday: pack!
Thursday: Bachelorette Party
Friday: Decorate, Rehearsal, Rehearsal Dinner
Saturday: GET MARRIED!
I can honestly say I'm so excited to get married. I absolutely love spring and so it was a perfect season for us to wed during. Not only did we meet in spring, but it's MARCH MADNESS! Plus, we didn't want our guests to endure a Texas summer. Way too hot! Everything is fresh and blossoming in spring. However, right now it is currently 50 degrees. I've checked the weather everyday for March 21st and currently the temperature is supposed to be in 70's with a 10% chance for rain.
Keep your fingers crossed! The next time I post, I'll be married (with pictures to post!)
Showing posts with label Wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wedding. Show all posts
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
No More Fast Food
That's right, folks! I've sworn off fast foods! I decided to do that until the wedding, but with Lent just around the corner, might as well make it Easter! Maybe if I can do without until Easter, then I can forgo it forever! I mean I might as well. When Murad and I have kids, I definitely do not want them to eat McDonalds, Taco Bell, and all that stuff. Those things can be reserved for when they go to the grandparents' or other kids' homes, but I just do want to rely on that stuff when we have kids. i know that's an ambitious goal especially since, I'll be a working mom, but I can try, right?
My reasons started out purely superficial and economical. 1. the wedding is right around the corner. I need to make sure I look my best and taking fast food (and my beloved wine) out of my diet will help me shed a few pounds. 2. Murad and I spend a lot of our budget eating out each month. So, I've made it my mission to cook more. I'm so lucky that my friends made me a recipe book for my Wichita wedding shower, so now I can cook more. I've also been researching quick and easy recipes on the internet. Murad is my guinea pig and so far, he's LOVED everything I've made. I figure if we can save money by not eating fast food we can splurge every few weeks with a nice dinner out at a nice restaurant!
Speaking of eating out....Murad and i had a nice dinner at Genghis Grill on Saturday. It's one of our favorite places, as we're both fans of Mongolian barbeques. It was a pretty low-key V-day, but spent with the one I love, so it was very special!
So, I'm very opposed to talking about money, but Murad thinks I should on here. I think when people use words like, "low-budget" and "low-cost" it can be very misleading. However, Murad was very impressed at how well we stayed in our wedding budget and how we've planned a nice wedding for a relatively (subjective) low-cost, especially for living in Dallas. So, I'm wondering if people (brides-to-be or wedding obsessed folks like myself living in the DFW Metroplex) would like to see a breakdown of how we planned our wedding? I will say we did receive many monetary gifts, discounts and free services. We also did without some things we wanted, but we had all the most important things. I probably will post it in the next couple of days or weeks, as soon as I have more things finalized. I will say that the average cost for a wedding is $28,800. Murad and I were under half of that average.
My reasons started out purely superficial and economical. 1. the wedding is right around the corner. I need to make sure I look my best and taking fast food (and my beloved wine) out of my diet will help me shed a few pounds. 2. Murad and I spend a lot of our budget eating out each month. So, I've made it my mission to cook more. I'm so lucky that my friends made me a recipe book for my Wichita wedding shower, so now I can cook more. I've also been researching quick and easy recipes on the internet. Murad is my guinea pig and so far, he's LOVED everything I've made. I figure if we can save money by not eating fast food we can splurge every few weeks with a nice dinner out at a nice restaurant!
Speaking of eating out....Murad and i had a nice dinner at Genghis Grill on Saturday. It's one of our favorite places, as we're both fans of Mongolian barbeques. It was a pretty low-key V-day, but spent with the one I love, so it was very special!
So, I'm very opposed to talking about money, but Murad thinks I should on here. I think when people use words like, "low-budget" and "low-cost" it can be very misleading. However, Murad was very impressed at how well we stayed in our wedding budget and how we've planned a nice wedding for a relatively (subjective) low-cost, especially for living in Dallas. So, I'm wondering if people (brides-to-be or wedding obsessed folks like myself living in the DFW Metroplex) would like to see a breakdown of how we planned our wedding? I will say we did receive many monetary gifts, discounts and free services. We also did without some things we wanted, but we had all the most important things. I probably will post it in the next couple of days or weeks, as soon as I have more things finalized. I will say that the average cost for a wedding is $28,800. Murad and I were under half of that average.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Forty Two Days
We have forty two days until we are married! Woo-hoo! I'm just sitting here enjoying a nice glass of wine after a long Saturday. Murad and I had our premarital class today. Since we aren't getting married in a church, we had to find premarita lcounseling outside of a religious organization. Luckily, on September 1st, 2008 the state of texas decided to offer free premarital classes and waive the $60 marriage license fee to those who complete a course. Of course, Murad and I jumped at the opportunity. The class was good. We learned a lot about how we communicate and why we argue and how we handle our arguments. We did not like the conservative religious overtones that the instructor kept trying to apply. I just didn't think that was fair for a class offered by the state of Texas. It was just very one-sided. He even told Murad in the restroom that statistically our marriage was doomed to fail since we were different religions. Can you believe that? Why wouldn't you want to encourage love and understanding between different religions?
In addition, the instructor made a lot of cultural assumptions and reinforced gender stereotypes. One girl even raised her hand and asked why we couldn't challenge these gender stereotypes and try to be better people, but of course the professor came back with some bull shit answer. I just think he didn't really give men enough credit. He made men seem so one dimensional (sex-focused). My fiance is a wonderful, caring, sensitive man who is capable of showing his emotion. Sure we have differences because we're male and female, but why not focus on our similarities and how those strengthen our relationship, rather than our differences? Anyways, I felt the course was just a tad too Biblical (especially for a state course...if we were at a church, that'd be different) and too preachy and not enough interaction. I think he made the assumption that all Christians are the same way, but in reality we're all so different.
It's just ironic because Murad and I come from two totally different backgrounds, but we have the same world view. Both of our religions teach the same guiding principles. I grew up with two parents who love each other so much and I had that model to guide me into marriage. Murad saw the mistakes his parents made and that led him to his views on marriage. Our difference help to balance us as well. I'm the typical oldest child and Murad is the typical youngest child, but for some reason we work well together. I guess attending the workshop did help us to realize how much we not only love each other, but how well we work together. I know there will be rough patches, but I know we'll always get through it! I'm just so happy to be marrying my soulmate!
Okay, enough of my soapbox!
Wedding Updates!
--Can I just say how much I love to receive response cards in the mail. I actually check my mail everyday now!
--Murad and I picked out our wedding bands at Sam's Club. You heard right. SAM'S CLUB! We decided on simple platinum bands for the both of us. While I really wanted diamonds in my band, we just cannot afford them. I could've gotten white gold with diamonds in it, but since my engagement ring is platinum I have to get a platinum band. It's not good to have platinum and white gold next to each other. Murad and I decided that for our 10 year anniversary we'll each update. I'll get a platinum eternity band and he'll get a new platinum band with a diamond in it. We'll save our old bands for our children. I'm really excited. I know this sounds weird, but I love that Murad bought me platinum. I so wanted white gold when we first talked about getting engaged (because I wanted a bigger rock!), but when Murad told me how pure platinum was and compared it to our love (PURE!) I just melted. Murad can be so stereotypically manly, but he can be so thoughtful and considerate. He always wants the best for us!
--Pappy's Pet Lodge! So, I went there to find a place to house my two dogs, my mom's dog and my grandma's two dogs the night of the wedding. I absolutely love that place! The people there are so friendly and truly LOVE dogs. They're so interactive. I can't wait for Maya and Sam to go there. They're so friendly. We are so lucky that Maya and Sam are friendly too. They love people and they love playing with other dogs. Right now Trey is staying with us for a bit and it's so funny to see how they interact with him. Jasmine, my mom's dog, is not friendly and therefore, she will be in a private kennel. CiCi & Maggie, my grandmother's dogs, are very sheltered. My grandma has some strange habits with them. For example, her dogs don't play outside. Yeah, for real. Anyways, I highly recommend Pappy's Pet Lodge to anyone living in North Dallas.
Well, we've finally had some good news in our household:
--Murad got voted into UPC! This will be another boost to his resume or vita for grad school applications! He's already secured a celebrity to come to UNT next month. Since it was such short notice, they asked me to design the flyer! I'm so excited! Even though it's not a paid gig, it's a start. I'm hoping to start building a portfolio of things I design. I'm seriously considering doing some paper design stuff on the side! It's something I'm very interested in pursuing for the future. I love designing paper supplies. I had so much designing stuff for my wedding. I learned so much from making my save the dates (I would've made them so differently if I knew what I do now) and then designing and making my invitations. I'm also going to make my brother's graduation invitations.
--Murad and I are going to start volunteering. He's working on a big project for school and if we volunteer together, it will really help him out. We are going to volunteer at a center for pregnant teens about once a month. I think we'll start after the wedding. I know it means more on our plate, but I think service is so important. Plus, when you add something good to your schedule, you rarely feel the effects...right? I think this will be a good model for when we have kids. I defintiely want service to be a part of our children's vocabulary. I think working with pregnant teens will be so eye-opening for me. I mean, I know friends and family who have had babies at a young age, but I've never really discussed with them the daily worries, stress, joys, etc. I know this sounds weird but, teen mothers really fascinate me!
--My dad is out of the hospital! He finally went home on Friday. He was so sick. The flu really affected him and he was in the hospital for over a week and a half. He was incoherent and confused a lot of the time, so that was really hard for me. I just am used to my confident, strong dad, but he wasn't making sense at all. Just keep him in your prayers as he recovers and prepares to go back to work.
In addition, the instructor made a lot of cultural assumptions and reinforced gender stereotypes. One girl even raised her hand and asked why we couldn't challenge these gender stereotypes and try to be better people, but of course the professor came back with some bull shit answer. I just think he didn't really give men enough credit. He made men seem so one dimensional (sex-focused). My fiance is a wonderful, caring, sensitive man who is capable of showing his emotion. Sure we have differences because we're male and female, but why not focus on our similarities and how those strengthen our relationship, rather than our differences? Anyways, I felt the course was just a tad too Biblical (especially for a state course...if we were at a church, that'd be different) and too preachy and not enough interaction. I think he made the assumption that all Christians are the same way, but in reality we're all so different.
It's just ironic because Murad and I come from two totally different backgrounds, but we have the same world view. Both of our religions teach the same guiding principles. I grew up with two parents who love each other so much and I had that model to guide me into marriage. Murad saw the mistakes his parents made and that led him to his views on marriage. Our difference help to balance us as well. I'm the typical oldest child and Murad is the typical youngest child, but for some reason we work well together. I guess attending the workshop did help us to realize how much we not only love each other, but how well we work together. I know there will be rough patches, but I know we'll always get through it! I'm just so happy to be marrying my soulmate!
Okay, enough of my soapbox!
Wedding Updates!
--Can I just say how much I love to receive response cards in the mail. I actually check my mail everyday now!
--Murad and I picked out our wedding bands at Sam's Club. You heard right. SAM'S CLUB! We decided on simple platinum bands for the both of us. While I really wanted diamonds in my band, we just cannot afford them. I could've gotten white gold with diamonds in it, but since my engagement ring is platinum I have to get a platinum band. It's not good to have platinum and white gold next to each other. Murad and I decided that for our 10 year anniversary we'll each update. I'll get a platinum eternity band and he'll get a new platinum band with a diamond in it. We'll save our old bands for our children. I'm really excited. I know this sounds weird, but I love that Murad bought me platinum. I so wanted white gold when we first talked about getting engaged (because I wanted a bigger rock!), but when Murad told me how pure platinum was and compared it to our love (PURE!) I just melted. Murad can be so stereotypically manly, but he can be so thoughtful and considerate. He always wants the best for us!
--Pappy's Pet Lodge! So, I went there to find a place to house my two dogs, my mom's dog and my grandma's two dogs the night of the wedding. I absolutely love that place! The people there are so friendly and truly LOVE dogs. They're so interactive. I can't wait for Maya and Sam to go there. They're so friendly. We are so lucky that Maya and Sam are friendly too. They love people and they love playing with other dogs. Right now Trey is staying with us for a bit and it's so funny to see how they interact with him. Jasmine, my mom's dog, is not friendly and therefore, she will be in a private kennel. CiCi & Maggie, my grandmother's dogs, are very sheltered. My grandma has some strange habits with them. For example, her dogs don't play outside. Yeah, for real. Anyways, I highly recommend Pappy's Pet Lodge to anyone living in North Dallas.
Well, we've finally had some good news in our household:
--Murad got voted into UPC! This will be another boost to his resume or vita for grad school applications! He's already secured a celebrity to come to UNT next month. Since it was such short notice, they asked me to design the flyer! I'm so excited! Even though it's not a paid gig, it's a start. I'm hoping to start building a portfolio of things I design. I'm seriously considering doing some paper design stuff on the side! It's something I'm very interested in pursuing for the future. I love designing paper supplies. I had so much designing stuff for my wedding. I learned so much from making my save the dates (I would've made them so differently if I knew what I do now) and then designing and making my invitations. I'm also going to make my brother's graduation invitations.
--Murad and I are going to start volunteering. He's working on a big project for school and if we volunteer together, it will really help him out. We are going to volunteer at a center for pregnant teens about once a month. I think we'll start after the wedding. I know it means more on our plate, but I think service is so important. Plus, when you add something good to your schedule, you rarely feel the effects...right? I think this will be a good model for when we have kids. I defintiely want service to be a part of our children's vocabulary. I think working with pregnant teens will be so eye-opening for me. I mean, I know friends and family who have had babies at a young age, but I've never really discussed with them the daily worries, stress, joys, etc. I know this sounds weird but, teen mothers really fascinate me!
--My dad is out of the hospital! He finally went home on Friday. He was so sick. The flu really affected him and he was in the hospital for over a week and a half. He was incoherent and confused a lot of the time, so that was really hard for me. I just am used to my confident, strong dad, but he wasn't making sense at all. Just keep him in your prayers as he recovers and prepares to go back to work.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Historic Moment
What a great time to be an American; am I wrong? I love watching the inauguration. I haven't watched the inauguration since the Clintons (oops) (I loved Fleetwood Mac's performance of "Don't Stop" at the Clinton inauguration), so it was truly exciting to watch it today. Sadly though, some of my students didn't know a lot about the president or the inauguration. "Miss, who is Joe Biden?" "Where are they?" Yeah, the future of America is looking bleak.
It does make me sad though that people aren't more excited about him being in office. Well, I take that back, most people are excited, but some people are just being HATERS! I think no matter what your political beliefs are, you should always respect your commander-in-chief. I think as a Christian you should always pray for your leaders and trust that the Lord is guiding them to do His will. Even though I NEVER agreed with Bush, I still respected him while he was in office and still respect him. (I'm kind of excited that he's moving to Dallas! CELEBRITY!)
Also, I know there are people who think he only got voted because he was black, like this is some kind of popularity poll or something. (hello, electoral college kind of kills that theory). I know there are probably some idiots who only voted for him because he's black and there are some idiots who voted against him because he's black. I know some people voted for him because they were so fed up with Bush and Obama is a Democrat. I know that's not right either. I can honestly say that if Hilary won, Murad and I probably would've voted for McCain (we're fans of Bill, not Hill!). I think most importantly, Obama represents the values of everyman. He champions for all, not just the rich and the poor, but the guy in the middle.
Back to the inauguration....I loved, loved, loved Alicia Key's dress! It was so cute. Form-fitting in all the right places, but still classy enough to wear in front of our nation's leader!
Anyways, that's my two cents on the inauguration!
Well, some exciting and not-so exciting news!
Exciting first:
Murad and I have our rehearsal dinner tasting tomorrow! Woo-hoo! I can't wait to taste the food. We are so lucky that his dad and stepmom are hosting the rehearsal dinner. It will be a fantastic night and a great opportunity for our families to meet in a more intimate setting than the wedding. Murad's family will also meet Abby's family for the first time, so it will be an interesting time all around!
I meet with the photographer on Saturday to go over the pictures we want for the wedding!
My birthday is on Monday! Can you believe that I will be 27 years old? I feel so old! I'm now in the "late twenties" category.
Well the not-so-good news is that at my well-woman exam the doctor found a lump in my breast. I noticed the lump last week, but didn't think anything of it because it was that time of the month. So, when my doctor noticed it, I knew something was up. They're pretty sure it's benign and my mom and my grandma both have a history of cysts in their breasts, so I'm not too worried. Still, I am a little scared. I have to go get a sonogram and mammogram. Not gonna lie. I'm freaked out about the mammogram. It does not sound fun at all!!!!! I just think that thingy is going to hurt. Luckily, Murad is going to go with me. So, keep me in your prayers. Not so much for the results, but for the process. Eek! I shudder just thinking about it.
It does make me sad though that people aren't more excited about him being in office. Well, I take that back, most people are excited, but some people are just being HATERS! I think no matter what your political beliefs are, you should always respect your commander-in-chief. I think as a Christian you should always pray for your leaders and trust that the Lord is guiding them to do His will. Even though I NEVER agreed with Bush, I still respected him while he was in office and still respect him. (I'm kind of excited that he's moving to Dallas! CELEBRITY!)
Also, I know there are people who think he only got voted because he was black, like this is some kind of popularity poll or something. (hello, electoral college kind of kills that theory). I know there are probably some idiots who only voted for him because he's black and there are some idiots who voted against him because he's black. I know some people voted for him because they were so fed up with Bush and Obama is a Democrat. I know that's not right either. I can honestly say that if Hilary won, Murad and I probably would've voted for McCain (we're fans of Bill, not Hill!). I think most importantly, Obama represents the values of everyman. He champions for all, not just the rich and the poor, but the guy in the middle.
Back to the inauguration....I loved, loved, loved Alicia Key's dress! It was so cute. Form-fitting in all the right places, but still classy enough to wear in front of our nation's leader!
Anyways, that's my two cents on the inauguration!
Well, some exciting and not-so exciting news!
Exciting first:
Murad and I have our rehearsal dinner tasting tomorrow! Woo-hoo! I can't wait to taste the food. We are so lucky that his dad and stepmom are hosting the rehearsal dinner. It will be a fantastic night and a great opportunity for our families to meet in a more intimate setting than the wedding. Murad's family will also meet Abby's family for the first time, so it will be an interesting time all around!
I meet with the photographer on Saturday to go over the pictures we want for the wedding!
My birthday is on Monday! Can you believe that I will be 27 years old? I feel so old! I'm now in the "late twenties" category.
Well the not-so-good news is that at my well-woman exam the doctor found a lump in my breast. I noticed the lump last week, but didn't think anything of it because it was that time of the month. So, when my doctor noticed it, I knew something was up. They're pretty sure it's benign and my mom and my grandma both have a history of cysts in their breasts, so I'm not too worried. Still, I am a little scared. I have to go get a sonogram and mammogram. Not gonna lie. I'm freaked out about the mammogram. It does not sound fun at all!!!!! I just think that thingy is going to hurt. Luckily, Murad is going to go with me. So, keep me in your prayers. Not so much for the results, but for the process. Eek! I shudder just thinking about it.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
I'm Back!
I enjoyed a nice, relaxing break and I so happy it's 2009! A few highlights of December 2008:
Christmas
We had Abby at Christmas this year. It was the first time she had met my little brother and half of my extended family. This year we had a mini-reunion at Christmas and we had a great time. Abby got to ride her first horse (which is odd because she lives in a small-town in Kansas and her grandparents live across the street from some stables) Anyways, we had a lovely time with the family, but I think with our two huge dogs and hyperactive daughter, my parents and brother weren't sad to see us leave.
Lynsey
I got to see Lynsey! Lynsey came back from Denmark for Christmas break! We got together with some other members of LAD for a yummy dinner and Margaritas at Gloria's! My favorite place! It was good times with my old NJWPT/Groggy friend
Some low points of December 2008:
LAD Christmas
getting so enibriated at the LAD Christmas party that I entered a bipolar state. First it was crying over my cousin's death and then laughing hysterically. Murad came to pick me up and I'm pretty sure he was confused. I was crying over Philip, then laughing, then I threw up when I got home and then tried to seduce him. nice
loss of a former student
one of my former students died on christmas day. i taught both her and her older sister and it was during that time that their father died in a car wreck while they were on vacation in Hawaii. it's still hard to believe that this happened to their family again.
car problems
on new year's eve I was found out my car has about $2000 worth work that needs to be done....still trying to figure out that one!
It's a New Year though and I'm trying to focus on the positive! We spent New Year's with Abby here in Dallas. This was a big change from my previous New Year's Eve in which I almost got into a fight! I guess I'm growing up!? Don't answer that! I also had a wonderful shower thrown for me by Amber & Katie in Wichita. It was so great to have the ladies in my life there to celebrate our upcoming marriage. I got tons of great gifts, but most importantly I got to see old friends and family. Katie & Amber really outdid themselves. They made cupcakes with periwinkle icing, favors with periwinkle mints, and chocolate covered pretzels. They also had a hot chocolate bar and other tons of goodies. We played a fun mad lib wedding game. I think I was apalled by the lack of grammar knowledge my friends and family have. We said an inspiring prayer and watched a wonderful slideshow of our engagement pictures. It was the best shower I've attended! My aunt goes, "Ashlea you're the only one in the family whose shower is more than three weeks away from the wedding and you're not pregnant." We are so country. I love my family though!
the wedding is approaching! I finished the invitations and they're going out Tuesday! On Wednesday we are officially two months away from the big day! On Wednesday Murad and I have our tasting for the rehearsal dinner and I meet with the photographer on Saturday. We did get some bad news, not only are Murad's mom and little brother not coming to the wedding, but neither are his aunt and his little cousin. So now, Abby is our only flowergirl. Murad and I both are really bummed. I'm not sure how we'll tell Abby. We also had a little snag with the flowergirl dress for Abby. When we looked at the measurements they didn't match so we had to find a new dress that would fit her. I actually like the new dress better. It already arrived, but I have to send it back because they sent the wrong size.
so you may be asking yourself, what will Ashlea obsess over after this wedding is over? LOTS!
Graduation
Immediately after the wedding Ryan and I graduate. However, we're only going to Ryan's graduation. I already have one master's degree so I don't feel the need to attend this graduation, but this is Ryan's big day!
Redecorating
I want to buy some furniture and refinish it for our apartment. I want to find an armoire for the living room TV, a dresser for Abby and a nightstand for our bedroom. Our apartment kind of has a shabby shic/cottage/vintage feel so I'm looking for things that echo that theme.
prepping
Murad will prep for grad school this summer and next fall. His top two choices are Wichita State University and SMU. Wichita would be ideal because we'd be close to my parents (some may say too close) and we'd be closer to Abby. Right now she really needs us in her life. SMU would also be ideal because we could stay here. He is applying to some other schools too, so we'll see where we end up! I'm excited either way
saving
right now all our extra money goes towards this f--ing wedding, but afterwards it will go towards paying off any lingering wedding debt and saving for a house. We hope to buy in the summer 2010. Even if we don't buy, we'd like to be in a house instead of an apartment. Murad and I are both trying to build our credit (mine is good, but why not get it better) so maybe we won't have to make a down payment, but just have more in savings
honeymooning
we are either taking our honeymoon in August 09 or March 2010 (our one year anniversary) we couldn't afford to go right after our wedding, so we figured that would give us time to save $. We're leaning more towards March so that we can have Abby with us for the whole summer this summer. We have already decided that we are going to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic! I'm so pumped!
more dogs
we're thinking of getting a little dog to complete our crazy family. i know...we're crazy!
TTC (trying to conceive)
Sorry to get your hopes up, but we won't try to conceive for a while. Murad and I both don't want kids before the age 30, so fall 2011 is the earliest we'll ttc. we love our freedom right now and having a baby would change all that. That means that Abby will be at least 10 years older than her siblings from us. I think it will be good because she will get to be a true big sister to them. Right now she is only three years older than her sister from her mom and they have the more traditional sister relationship.
Well that's an update on my life! Hope you enjoy. I'll try to write more!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
And the winner is....
Wow, three posts in one day! Okay, so I'll post the picture of the winning flower girl dress. I'm also posting a picture of my wedding day shoes! I love them and my shower invitation that my bridesmaid (and best friend) Amber designed. I'm so lucky to have her as a friend. The invitations are beautiful and I know that she put so much effort into making them. I can not wait for my shower. I know she and Katie have tons of surprises in store!
Monday, November 24, 2008
So Blessed!
Well, my past couple of blog entries have been kind of blah! However, Murad and I are truly blessed.
1. We get to go to the Philadelphia Eagles game on Thanksgiving Day! Murad's dad got us tickets, so it will be a lot of fun! I've never been to a real NFL game, so this will be once in a lifetime experience for me. Yeah!
2. I work with a great group of people. Today, Murad's friend bailed on watching our dogs. Two days before we leave for New Jersey! AAAHHH! Imagine my frustration! I sent out a frantic email to my co-workers and so many people responded with help. I've never felt so much concern at once and it was true concern. We are so lucky!
Things have been going better. Friday and Saturday were extremely hard for me, but by Sunday I started feeling better. I do feel overwhelmed though. I have a ton of things to do before we go out of town, which is precisely why I'm procrastinating and updating my blog!
I also need to start doing wedding stuff! I had my make-up trial on Saturday. It was kind of disheartening. Even though my hairdresser is doing my hair & make-up free of charge, I think I might look into something else. We'll see. I am going to take some of my hair stylists tips to heart though. I am going to have a facial a week before the wedding, but I'm not going tanning.
I also need to find a place to buy alcohol that will let us return unopened bottles! Our venue allows us to bring in our own alcohol (nice! most of the places we looked at charged $20pp+ just for beer & wine) We can't bring in kegs.We're bringing in beer (two different types...any suggestions?), red wine, white wine, and then all the basic alcohols for mixed drinks. We're also doing a blue lemonade signature drink. Yummy! Our caterer brings everything else and also serves as our bartender.
Murad and I need to decide on when we're going to pre-marital counseling! IMPORTANT! I think it's something we both will benefit from. Even though we are so in LOVE! We have some issues that we need to remedy or at least work on before the big day. Communication seems like it's an issue for us. Even though we work through it, it would be nice to know how to prevent it.
I also need to decide on a florist. I'm thinking of using Central Market for our bouquets. I know it sounds weird to use a supermarket as your florist, but I don't care. I'm all about saving a buck. I want to use silk florals for the decor and for Abby & Kaylea's pomander balls. Murad and his guys will wear jeweled boutonnières. I want sort of pale flowers for us girls and blues & purples (with sunflowers for my Kansas heritage)for the little girls. I know it doesn't sound like it matches, but you'll see (or maybe you won't). Also, I'm ordering chair sashes to use as table runners (a lot cheaper than ordering actual table runners $10 for all tables vs. $10 for each table). I'm also ordering an antique bird cage to use as our card holder. So many details and only one day of our life! Oh well, it's the first day!
I can not wait for the days to come. Murad and I can not wait for the future. I'm excited for him to start grad school and to finish it so we can be rich (or better off than we are now)! He's decided to add North Texas (which is where he is working on his 2nd bachelors) to his list of schools to apply. I think he really wants to stay in Dallas. One reason he wants to stay is because the Cowboys always play the Eagles, so he can still see his team! Most important, right? Plus, he and I have really built our lives here. We have a good group of friends. We'll see if we can stay here though. We have at least one more year to decide!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
I should note...
After reading my own blog, I realized that it is a healthy release for me in dealing with my emotions concerning my cousin's death. However, I do have a lot of things for which to be thankful.
When I returned on Thursday the first kid I saw in the hallway exclaimed, "Miss Woodard, you're back."It made my day. He's usually a pretty quiet kid in class, so I was a little shocked that he said that. My kids were great. I just felt as though I couldn't really allow myself to feel in front of them. I couldn't break down and that was hard.
Today, I woke up and I felt a lot better than I have in the last week. I'm still dealing with a lot of emotions and confusion, but things are better. I still have that guilt of moving on. I still want time to stand still and for him to be here.
Murad started a new job today and he absolutely loves it, so there is a positive.
There are only four months and six days until I am Mrs. Campbell. I feel a little behind. I need to start making the invitations NOW. I need to have them done by the end of this month. I'm not hiring a calligrapher (it just seems like a waste in my eyes because people throw away envelopes), so I have to hand address each envelope. I'm imagining that will take me a month and a half. I'd like for the invites to go out in early to mid January, so that i can have an end of February response deadline. I'm making menus (because they're fun) for the wedding and I need to know exactly how many people are coming. Murad and I ordered the most food possible for the wedding, so that if a high number of people show up we can cut back on some of the appetizers. My parents are paying for the food, so we need to keep that cost down (the shrimp is the first to go...sorry, Murad). I'm also making a seating chart (they're not fun).
On the East coast they do things very formally. Sit down dinners, open bar, seating charts, and menus are the norm. I'm used to buffet and beer Midwest weddings. So we compromised, but it seems like Murad got more out of it than I did: buffet, seating chart, open bar, menu.... . AND Murad doesn't even drink! However, on both sides of our family a traditional wedding is not always the norm. In my family and in the Lutheran church, we usually have the Lutheran church wedding with cake and punch in the church basement. We're Lutheran and that's just how we do things. My parents had a more traditional wedding with a church wedding and then dinner reception at a club, but they were an exception. Murad's family is sort of the same way with Masjid weddings and/or city hall weddings. Murad said his dad's wedding was the first formal wedding he attended. So, I think this will be a nice way for our families to vacation, meet each other and celebrate our marriage.
Our honeymoon: I'm so thankful that we get to take one, but it will be a long time coming! Murad and I decided to go to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. woo-hoo! We originally planned to go in August of 09, but we're thinking of going on our one year anniversary, spring break '10. Why? Well we have a lot to do in '09. My brother graduates in May, Abby will be down with us for the majority of the summer, Murad needs to take summer classes and prep for the GRE. Right now, our priority, of course, is Murad's school, so we figure the honeymoon can take a back seat. Plus, this allows us to make sure everything for the wedding is paid off and that we have money left over to pay for his tests and grad school applications. We can save slowly during the school year for the honeymoon.
I need to get off my butt and go work-out, grocery shop and CLEAN! Then maybe start making invitations....
When I returned on Thursday the first kid I saw in the hallway exclaimed, "Miss Woodard, you're back."It made my day. He's usually a pretty quiet kid in class, so I was a little shocked that he said that. My kids were great. I just felt as though I couldn't really allow myself to feel in front of them. I couldn't break down and that was hard.
Today, I woke up and I felt a lot better than I have in the last week. I'm still dealing with a lot of emotions and confusion, but things are better. I still have that guilt of moving on. I still want time to stand still and for him to be here.
Murad started a new job today and he absolutely loves it, so there is a positive.
There are only four months and six days until I am Mrs. Campbell. I feel a little behind. I need to start making the invitations NOW. I need to have them done by the end of this month. I'm not hiring a calligrapher (it just seems like a waste in my eyes because people throw away envelopes), so I have to hand address each envelope. I'm imagining that will take me a month and a half. I'd like for the invites to go out in early to mid January, so that i can have an end of February response deadline. I'm making menus (because they're fun) for the wedding and I need to know exactly how many people are coming. Murad and I ordered the most food possible for the wedding, so that if a high number of people show up we can cut back on some of the appetizers. My parents are paying for the food, so we need to keep that cost down (the shrimp is the first to go...sorry, Murad). I'm also making a seating chart (they're not fun).
On the East coast they do things very formally. Sit down dinners, open bar, seating charts, and menus are the norm. I'm used to buffet and beer Midwest weddings. So we compromised, but it seems like Murad got more out of it than I did: buffet, seating chart, open bar, menu.... . AND Murad doesn't even drink! However, on both sides of our family a traditional wedding is not always the norm. In my family and in the Lutheran church, we usually have the Lutheran church wedding with cake and punch in the church basement. We're Lutheran and that's just how we do things. My parents had a more traditional wedding with a church wedding and then dinner reception at a club, but they were an exception. Murad's family is sort of the same way with Masjid weddings and/or city hall weddings. Murad said his dad's wedding was the first formal wedding he attended. So, I think this will be a nice way for our families to vacation, meet each other and celebrate our marriage.
Our honeymoon: I'm so thankful that we get to take one, but it will be a long time coming! Murad and I decided to go to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. woo-hoo! We originally planned to go in August of 09, but we're thinking of going on our one year anniversary, spring break '10. Why? Well we have a lot to do in '09. My brother graduates in May, Abby will be down with us for the majority of the summer, Murad needs to take summer classes and prep for the GRE. Right now, our priority, of course, is Murad's school, so we figure the honeymoon can take a back seat. Plus, this allows us to make sure everything for the wedding is paid off and that we have money left over to pay for his tests and grad school applications. We can save slowly during the school year for the honeymoon.
I need to get off my butt and go work-out, grocery shop and CLEAN! Then maybe start making invitations....
Saturday, November 8, 2008
A great day in History
Tuesday night was such an exhilarating night at our house and across the world. I am so ecstatic to say that Barack Obama is the leader of our nation. I truly feel like this is God's plan. I always respect the person in office (although it was hard with Bush, but I knew that God had a plan), I have so much respect for him. I just feel as though his values and policies coincide so much with the values I have. I am ready for a change with our economic crisis and something needs to be done about our health care system. I also like his mission to help the middle class, while still helping those who are struggling. As someone who grew up upper middle class, I witnessed (and right now witness) my parents struggle to pay bills. Finally, someone recognizes that we need help too!
I just feel that Obama represents the true American. Many people feel as though he's not American because of his middle name, but he truly is representative of what our nation is becoming. We're becoming less divided. There are more interracial children today, than when I was a child. I just think it's beautiful and something that will help our nation become more tolerant of others. Okay, so enough of my soap box.
So, I think I'm finally at a place where I can start doing more wedding stuff. Things are slowing down at work ( I hope). Uggh...work is such a pain right now. I hate doing paper work. I just want to TEACH! Okay, that's my vent of the night.
...4 1/2 weeks till the big day. I can not believe it. Well, I got the paper to make the invites. Tonight I cleaned, did laundry and then started cutting out the belly band for the invite. I also made a mock invite. It turned out really cute. Although, I think I'm going to have Kinko's cut the text sheet because I wasn't as straight as I'd like it.
Well, Murad and I made a big decision this week....well I did, because in his own words, "Ash, I'm not romantic and shit. I don't care." Thanks, babe. I decided that we are going to see each other before the wedding. At first I didn't want to, but once I started thinking about pictures, I realized I didn't want it to be too dark. Our wedding venue has a cool entrance that I thought would be perfect for wedding party pictures. Also, our venue has a rooftop view of the Dallas skyline. So, I was thinking that Murad and I could do a private photo session up there before doing our wedding pictures. So, it will still be a special moment, just not the traditional moment that most have at their wedding.
If anyone has $60 I could really use it. When I was home two weeks ago, my mom goes, "Ash, what if it's still cold in March. What will you wear to cover your little arms?" (my mom uses the adjective "little" a lot when describing my hands and arms because she's my mom and she thinks they're cute...everything but my feet and ass because she has tiny feet and no ass...but I digress) "I don't know, mom. Do you have any suggestions?" "No." End conversation. Tonight, I was stumbling around on the knot and I came across a girl's blog. Her colors are similar to mine and she is purchasing a custom Victorian shoulder wrap shrug. I instantly fell in love! Perfect for my little arms! I'm posting a picture. Tell me what you think! I'm thinking christmas present to myself! I'm so in love!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Updates!
Wow, it's been so long since I posted. Well my car is driving like usual. No broken windows or stolen satellite radios...thank God!
School is going great. I do feel like I've gotten meaner this year. Not on purpose, maybe just with experience. For example, yesterday in class my student whispered to me, "Miss, your fiance is CUTE!" I just started laughing as I was passing out their papers. Another student across the room goes, "Wow! Miss Woodard actually smiles." Yep. I guess I need to smile a bit more, but I think I'll wait...
Wedding plans are going great! Murad picked out his tuxes although I haven't seen them. He's going to surprise me. We're taking a little break from wedding planning. I was just getting a little stressed out from it all and it was causing stress and chaos between us. Now, I'm starting my wedding day diet. Even though my wedding isn't until March, my mom wants to have my dress done in December. I'm having the hardest time losing the last five pounds. They are just so stubborn! So now it's serious calorie counting and exercise. That's how I lost all of my weight two years ago. I also cut out alcohol..except for "special" occasions! No more wine with dinner...
So now I'm just picking up little things here and there. For example, when I see a 50% off coupon for Michael's I'll go and pick up ribbon and stuff, but nothing major. I also found a lady who is selling me 67 votive candles for $10.00. They're slightly used, but will work perfectly for our wedding. I also ordered my veil today. I was so against having one and then I decided I needed one. However, I was NOT going to spend more than $30...impossible, right? No! I decided to go the nontraditional route and buy a birdcage veil. It's so cute. My mom is going to add rhinestones to it. And, it was only....$15. $15 compared to the $200 veils that some people buy to wear for just the ceremony. Now, I need to find bubbles and bubble guns. I think I'll just buy four or five bubble guns (one for each of the honor attendants and one for each of the flower girls). I think this will be cute for our grand exit! I'm getting excited that it's only six and a half months away!
Well in other planning news, after researching a bunch of options, Murad decided that getting a Ph.D in Social Work would not be a good move. It's more of a lateral career move and the amount of student loan debt he would incur would not be worth it. He sort of found out that a Ph.D in Social Work is only good if you want to do research. So, he's going to apply for a Ph.D in Counseling Psychology which would allow him to do research and work as a therapist. So far he's narrowed it to two schools to which he definitely wants to apply: UT and KU. We're also researching options in Dallas, but there aren't really any here. In addition, he'll apply at other schools too. I'm really excited about this change. I think this allows us more security, as a psychologist would make more money than a social worker. I hate to focus on the money, but there is more funding for psychology programs than social work programs. Even though he has some connections to people who know about social work funding, they aren't secure.
He also shows great promise as a psychologist. His first degree was in psychology, he used to run group therapy sessions and his current minor (with his second bachelor's) is in psychology. Whether or not we stay in Dallas, move to Austin or Kansas City, I welcome the change and am excited to see where the Lord takes us. We are so blessed to have found each other and I think that no matter where we are, we'll be happy as long as we're together...with Maya and Sampson, of course! I think ultimately this will allow him to pursue his interests while still doing what's best for our family, which is always his first priority. I'm so happy!
Of course why am I happy...because we have a plan! I'm all about planning. Planning weddings and planning life...but I know the best things do come when I don't plan. That's how I met my wonderful man. I couldn't have "planned" a better man!
School is going great. I do feel like I've gotten meaner this year. Not on purpose, maybe just with experience. For example, yesterday in class my student whispered to me, "Miss, your fiance is CUTE!" I just started laughing as I was passing out their papers. Another student across the room goes, "Wow! Miss Woodard actually smiles." Yep. I guess I need to smile a bit more, but I think I'll wait...
Wedding plans are going great! Murad picked out his tuxes although I haven't seen them. He's going to surprise me. We're taking a little break from wedding planning. I was just getting a little stressed out from it all and it was causing stress and chaos between us. Now, I'm starting my wedding day diet. Even though my wedding isn't until March, my mom wants to have my dress done in December. I'm having the hardest time losing the last five pounds. They are just so stubborn! So now it's serious calorie counting and exercise. That's how I lost all of my weight two years ago. I also cut out alcohol..except for "special" occasions! No more wine with dinner...
So now I'm just picking up little things here and there. For example, when I see a 50% off coupon for Michael's I'll go and pick up ribbon and stuff, but nothing major. I also found a lady who is selling me 67 votive candles for $10.00. They're slightly used, but will work perfectly for our wedding. I also ordered my veil today. I was so against having one and then I decided I needed one. However, I was NOT going to spend more than $30...impossible, right? No! I decided to go the nontraditional route and buy a birdcage veil. It's so cute. My mom is going to add rhinestones to it. And, it was only....$15. $15 compared to the $200 veils that some people buy to wear for just the ceremony. Now, I need to find bubbles and bubble guns. I think I'll just buy four or five bubble guns (one for each of the honor attendants and one for each of the flower girls). I think this will be cute for our grand exit! I'm getting excited that it's only six and a half months away!
Well in other planning news, after researching a bunch of options, Murad decided that getting a Ph.D in Social Work would not be a good move. It's more of a lateral career move and the amount of student loan debt he would incur would not be worth it. He sort of found out that a Ph.D in Social Work is only good if you want to do research. So, he's going to apply for a Ph.D in Counseling Psychology which would allow him to do research and work as a therapist. So far he's narrowed it to two schools to which he definitely wants to apply: UT and KU. We're also researching options in Dallas, but there aren't really any here. In addition, he'll apply at other schools too. I'm really excited about this change. I think this allows us more security, as a psychologist would make more money than a social worker. I hate to focus on the money, but there is more funding for psychology programs than social work programs. Even though he has some connections to people who know about social work funding, they aren't secure.
He also shows great promise as a psychologist. His first degree was in psychology, he used to run group therapy sessions and his current minor (with his second bachelor's) is in psychology. Whether or not we stay in Dallas, move to Austin or Kansas City, I welcome the change and am excited to see where the Lord takes us. We are so blessed to have found each other and I think that no matter where we are, we'll be happy as long as we're together...with Maya and Sampson, of course! I think ultimately this will allow him to pursue his interests while still doing what's best for our family, which is always his first priority. I'm so happy!
Of course why am I happy...because we have a plan! I'm all about planning. Planning weddings and planning life...but I know the best things do come when I don't plan. That's how I met my wonderful man. I couldn't have "planned" a better man!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Abby Update #1
Well, Abby is here in Dallas. It was a long journey to get here, complete with the typical, funny (and not-so-funny) mishaps that seem to plague the Woodard-Campbells.
Murad, Maya, Sam and I left for Wichita, Kansas early Saturday morning. Let me preface this by saying that Murad had not slept since Thursday. Yes, Thursday. He still insisted on driving and I proceeded to read him the Michael Jackson biography to keep him awake. The trip was fine until we entered the great state of Oklahoma. I-35 always has construction and Oklahoma was no different. There was one cone that was a little too far out and BAM; Murad hit it. We lost the driver's side mirror. Not the entire mirror, luckily....
We made it to Wichita and stopped at my parents' house. Murad placed the dogs in the backyard and we went inside to chat it up with my parents. About five minutes into our conversation the doorbell rings and my parents' neighbor is holding Maya. Yes, that's right. Maya jumped the fence. She loves to test boundaries.
Murad headed off to Meade, Kansas which is where Abby lives. The dogs and I stayed in Wichita that night to do some wedding stuff and visit friends. My mom has come pretty far with my wedding dress. I'm so excited for it all to be complete. And today marks the 8 month point. Only 8 more months until we are Mr. & Mrs. Campbell!!!! I'm still trying to find the perfect flower girl dresses for Abby and her cousin Kaylea. I really want something that is periwinkle with an ivory or champagne sash (the inverse of the bridesmaids), but all I can find is baby blue or something with skinny straps. I just don't think little girls should wear skinny straps. I'm almost positive Murad would not go for it. I did find a cute Ivory dress with a periwinkle sash, so if all else fails...
My parents made a big dinner for me that night (steak, mixed veggies and grilled zuchini). After that, I stopped by our friends' house. Murad and I attended Jennifer & Jason Cheng's wedding in May. They just recently moved into a new house, so I went over to check it out. Murad and I had hoped they would relocate to Dallas after graduating from med school, but they chose to stay in Wichita. Their house is great. Great location and great size!
After that, my matron of honor, Katie came over and we chatted it up for a while. Maya and Sam were extremely excited to see her. They love Aunt Kay. They seem to show their affection with tons of jumping, licking and scratching. Katie is a good sport though as she has two BIG dogs herself!
The next day, my mom cooked a big breakfast and I put Sam and Maya outside, but tried to keep an eye on them..... Maya jumped the fence AGAIN. This time she was at the end of my parents' street. Just chillin' in their neighbors' yard. She ran right back to me once she saw me which is good, because usually she bolts!
Murad and Abby made their way back to Wichita, but not before he got pulled over for the missing mirror. Luckily, he only got a warning. And we found out today it's not illegal to drive in Texas to drive with a missing mirror as long as you have two others. He's getting it fixed tomorrow. Luckily, it wasn't too expensive. We were envisioning $500 and it was more like $100. Whew!
Here are some funny quotes from Abby I'd like to share:
--Murad was driving and the song "Turn off the Lights" by Teddy Pendergrass came on and Abby goes, "Daddy, this would make a really good lullaby." Yes, Abby it would. A freaky one and one we hope you won't hear for a LONG time! Haha!
--Murad was talking to his friend about her baby-daddy. Abby goes, "Ashlea, is that a knee-high daddy?"
Today was Abby's first day at summer day camp. She absolutely loved it! I was a little nervous. Abby is used to having a stay-at-home mom and Murad and I both work and go to school. I was just very scared that she wouldn't adjust to the big city and being away from us all day. This summer camp is awesome though! It's through the City of Richardson which is where I teach. It was the last camp that was available, so I was worried that it wouldn't be great. It is though. The day camps in my area were not like this at all. In fact, they were so bad that my parents refused to pay for me to go to them. Instead, I rode my bike to the pool each day and my parents saved their money for me to go to church camp in Colorado. Ahh, those were the days. Even though kidnapping was big when I was growing up, I never feared riding my bike. But I digress...
Today, at camp they played outside and went swimming, which Abby loves. Each day they do something different and on Wednesday they will go to Celebration Station and the movies. I think she'll really enjoy it. Murad and I have afternoons off, so we may try to chaperone the field trip.
I know she misses her mom and her sister. Tonight, it was so cute when Stacie (Abby's mom) put Lexie (Abby's little sister) on the phone. "Abby, I miss you so much. You need to come back home." "I'm sorry Lexie, but I can't come home until after summer camp." Abby is so grown up, or at least she tries to be. Today she was the only one at camp who put her game away properly. She helped Murad and I with the groceries. She's becoming a little lady.
Well, I'll leave you with a picture from tonight. Doesn't she look just like Murad?
Friday, July 11, 2008
summer is slipping away....
So, I will be posting a rather educational post on my blog this week. (just to warn you avid readers). I have to do it for my grad school class.
It's weird. I didn't think I would learn so much in my grad school classes, but I have. At first I didn't know if I wanted to actually be a principal, but now I'm sure of it. I think I will miss being in the classroom, but I think I will enjoy the leadership position. The extra $15,000 a year doesn't hurt either. However the work will be difficult. It's definitely not a cushy job, but I enjoy a challenge. In fact, I'm even considering getting a doctorate in education (Ed.D or Ph.D), so that I can be a superintendent. I'm "CONSIDERING " it. I'll probably wait until Murad gets his Ph.D. We'll see though. More student loans, but hey an education is worth it, right?
so save the dates are in the m
ail. people are already receiving it. hopefully, liking it? I'm so mad because I discovered an easier way to make them yesterday. And I could've added more things to it. Oh well, I got them sent out and there isn't anything I can do about i now. Oh and how awesome am I that I sent my mom's friend a save the date envelope without a save the date enclosed. Genius! I think the invitations I'm making will be very nice though. I'm so excited to do those!
ail. people are already receiving it. hopefully, liking it? I'm so mad because I discovered an easier way to make them yesterday. And I could've added more things to it. Oh well, I got them sent out and there isn't anything I can do about i now. Oh and how awesome am I that I sent my mom's friend a save the date envelope without a save the date enclosed. Genius! I think the invitations I'm making will be very nice though. I'm so excited to do those! Friday, June 27, 2008
nine months...oh my!
so the baby that is my wedding will be here in nine months. Okay less than nine months. Eight months and three weeks. I am getting more excited about it. My goal is not to put any of our portion of the wedding (my parents are funding a large part of it) on our credit cards. Because of this, I've been working like a dog. I subbed for a week of Pre-AP summer school, went to an AVID conference and next month I teach summer school. Luckily, I enjoy these things. I just really don't want to start our wedding with a ton of debt, so pay the wedding as we go and then after the wedding pay off my credit card (or pay it down...I hear it's good to have a balance) and then buy a house! We'll see. Whatever is in God's plan.
So, I have made some wedding related purchases. Today I bought light blue cardstock and opal metallic envelopes. When I get them, I'm going to start making my save the dates! Woo-hoo! This week I also need to purchase stamps. I'm thinking superhero stamps will be cute and Murad will like them.
Last week Christina and I toured Hotel Indigo. So nice!!! It's one of those trendy Dallas hotels, but surprisingly it's not super expensive and the rate their giving our guests is awesome. One main selling point was the location. It's across the street from our wedding location. Some of the other selling points: Aveda hair and bath products, flat screen t.v.'s, free Wi-Fi. Also, it's a small hotel, so they're very accommodating. For example, the hotel bar is only open until 11pm. If we tell them in advance, they'll keep it open until 2am. Almost like a private party! We can also have our rehearsal dinner there. I really hope my future father-in-law likes it. It would be so ideal to have our dinner there.
So, I found the dress....for my girls. There's no way anyone can see my dress. Why? Because it doesn't exist! My mom isn't done with it yet. However, the dress my girls are going to wear is stunning. I wish I could wear it! I think people might be confused if I did. It's a champagne colored gown. The brown band will be sky blue on my girls' dresses. I can't wait to get them.
I am that girl. I am that girl who is obsessed with her wedding. But right now I'm more obsessed with doing my homework. I need to get motivated and off the computer....Adios!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Scared and life
So, I leave for Austin tomorrow. I'm terrified. I don't know why, it's just a three-hour jaunt down I-35. I'm just nervous that I won't be what they expected. What if I suck? I guess my appearance makes people think I'm younger than I am (and the fact that I use the word "suck") and I'm afraid they won't take me seriously. For example, today at the bank the kid behind the counter goes, "you're a teacher" (I was depositing a reimbursement check). Flattered at first, but annoyed that I look so young. Oh well, no fears, right?
Since I'm on a roll, I might as well bitch and moan some more...why is everything so expensive?
My car engine coolant needed to be flushed to the tune of $167. I also need to have a new fan belt in six months for another $250. AWESOME! So excited for that!
Today, I was researching vacation bible schools for Abby when she comes down, and I just happened to peruse the pre-school section of the church websites. Even though kids are a long ways away, it never hurts to be prepared, plus I need to find a church home. Murad and I talked about how we want our children to go to a Lutheran pre-school so they get a good foundation in Christian Education (the kids will go to Mosque on Fridays), top notch curriculum and they also have Spanish built into the curriculum. However, never in a million years did I think it would cost $400/month for pre-school. I remember Pre-school. It was a lot of fun, but not $400 fun. For $400 a month my kid better find a cure for cancer or end world hunger. I really hope we don't have twins, "Timmy you're going to sit in front of the TV while your brother goes to school. He showed more potential."
Even though the cost of things is a little disheartening, it did open up some dialogue between Murad and I. We've already talked about the basics of starting the Campbell family. We both agree on three children, although Murad did tell me that if I didn't produce boys we'd have to keep trying until we got one (yeah, right). We both agree that we want to wait five years to have a family, although if the Lord blesses us prematurely we will be happy. However, we had to resign the dream of a home in Dallas, *sigh*
Originally, we wanted to buy a little starter home in Dallas. Something we could live in until we have kids, but then we realized it makes more since to buy our "second" home (aka the one where we'll spend the majority of our married lives). However, a big home in Dallas is just not affordable on my little salary, Murad's tiny salary and his student loans. So, we've resigned to move to the SUBURBS. It'll be good for us and we won't move for a year and a half or so. We'll need to save a little more money because a big home puts us just outside of our price range, but ultimately it's the right decision. Better schools for our kids and that's what is most important. We just really love living in Dallas. Even now it seems like such a drive to go out in downtown or uptown that I can't imagine what it'll be like in the suburbs. The only bright side is that we'll be close to an outlet mall! There is a light at the end of the tunnel....
Speaking of shopping... I found my wedding shoes. I wanted something a little different and funky, but I didn't want a heel that was too high!
What do you think? $46.00 isn't bad compared to the $98 "bridal" shoes bridal salons sell! I guess it is possible to have great wedding style during a recession!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Enchiladas
Murad & Sam
Sampson Lee
Maya Leigh
Me & My Maya
So, tonight I channeled my inner domestic goddess and cooked something from scratch. Okay, so it's about as close to scratch as I'm going to get! Murad and I had been CRAVING enchiladas, so I got really ambitious and made them for us. They were so good! So Yummy!
- Grapeseed oil (or another high smoke-point oil such as peanut or canola oil)
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of salsa (Mild prepared salsa or make your own using cooked or canned tomatoes, roasted green chiles, onions, cilantro, oil and vinegar. Do not use salsa made with fresh, uncooked tomatoes for this dish.)
- 3 Tbsp of tomato paste
- 1 cup of water
- 1 lb of jack cheese, mild cheddar or longhorn or any mild yellow cheese, grated
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 In a large fry pan at high heat add 3 Tbsp of grapeseed oil. Add a tortilla to the pan. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift up the tortilla with a spatula, add another tortilla underneath. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift again, both tortillas, and add another tortilla underneath. Repeat the process with all the tortillas, adding a little more oil if needed. This way you can brown and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat. You do this process to develop the flavor of the tortillas. As the tortillas brown a little, remove from the pan one by one to rest on a paper towel, which absorbs any excess fat.
2 Sauté up the chopped onion and garlic, then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup of salsa. Dissolve 3 Tbsp of tomato paste into 1 cup of water, add to pan.3 Put some olive oil on the bottom of a large casserole pan. Take a tortilla, cover 2/3 of it lightly with the shredded cheese, then roll up the tortilla and place it in the casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Add sauce to the top of the tortillas in the the casserole pan. Make sure all are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water. Cover the whole thing with the rest of the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Voila! Tasted just like something from a Mexican restaurant except cheaper and less fattening. I sort of made it as a Pre-Father's Day Celebration! Yes, that's right. We celebrate Father's Day in our house. Even though Abby isn't here, it's important that I do something special for my man. He is such a good father to her even from afar. He is also a great dad to our two dogs. Makes me excited for when we have little kiddos of our own. Not anytime soon though!
So, this week I'm going to Austin! I'm a little nervous. I'm going by myself and I do not know what to expect. My curriculum director nominated me for this position back in the fall. I honestly didn't think I would get it, but I'm glad I did. I will review curriculum documents for English/Language Arts/Reading for students who have some sort of developmental disability that prevents them from taking state assessments. So I am a little nervous because I do not work with this population, so I wonder what type of insight I can provide. Oh well. I guess they chose me for a reason, right?
I'll miss my babies though. They started sleeping with us again. At first Maya slept in the bed with me until Murad came to bed and Sam would only sleep with me if Murad was out of town. This week, Sam started sleeping next to me. I'm not sure how his 67 lb. body does it, but he makes room for himself in our bed. Maya sleeps in our bed, usually at the foot of the bed (although last night she was on my pillow...go figure), but she still ends up on the floor in the morning. That's our crazy life. So different than what I expected. I never would've pictured that I would share two beautiful dogs with the guy I met on at the airport over two years ago. I was such a party girl, but not really. I was going through the motions of being what I thought a "single girl in the city" was, but I longed for something more fulfilling. And even though many of the changes I made in my life were my decisions, I couldn't have done it without his support and love. I do wish I was more confident when I was single, but I have no desire to go back and be single again. I can only be the more confident taken-girl.
Well, this is the point in the blog when I start rattling off wedding plans. It seems that they are consuming my life at this point. This week, I contacted all the vendors, but I still have a lot of work to do.
1. set appointments with the two pastors we are considering. I wish my fiance would just set a day and time for this. He's so picky about when he wants to meet. I wish I could do this without him, but this is one of the many things for which I need him. Our ceremony is the MOST important part of the wedding!
2. pick out tuxes. I guess there is no rush, but I just want to make sure their vests and ties match the sash on the bridesmaid dresses and the flower girl dresses. My bridesmaids need to order their dresses soon and I haven't given them any guidance!
3. book the DJ. We played phone tag all week.
4. call the Holiday Inn and check on our block.
5. Make my save the dates and mail them. I still need to trim the guest list and finish the website.
6. Call my dental hygienist and make sure she is still doing our wedding and groom's cake. (ironic, I know...I wonder if it's cavity-free)
On a brighter note, my mom called today and said she found star soap molds. My grandma is going to make star soaps (for the Lone Star State) as our favors. They're cute,they're simple and essentially free!
I need to let the dogs out and finish some laundry and then to bed, to bed, I said!
Monday, June 9, 2008
I have a cold in June
How the hell is that possible? At first, I thought it was allergies. I spent all day dusting on Friday. But, no. Each day since then I have awoken to a sore throat and a runny nose. So annoyed. Oh well. I'm just sitting on the couch watching TV. The weather outside is bad today, so I'm not missing any quality pool time.
Well, after my mental breakdown last week things have gotten better. I thought I was the victim of identity theft. Luckily, that's not the case, however, I have to go through an annoying process of getting it taken off my report with one of the credit bureaus. Not my fault, but I still have to do all the freaking work. Even though my credit is still good, I don't feel comfortable buying a home until this is all taken care of, so no house just yet! I'm not as sad about it as I used to be.
Murad got a new job! Yeah! It's a job he really wanted. He will be working at a hospital (not my ideal job). This will be so great for him! Woo-hoo.
This week I've been really regretting having a long engagement. We've been to a couple weddings in the last few weeks. While they were each fun and unique, I'm kind of regretting planning a wedding. I thought having a long engagement and the wedding we always wanted would be perfect, but right now all I want is to be his wife. All I want is for somone to call me, "Mrs Campbell." All I want is to proudly say, "this is my husband." I know my mind will change. I guess I'm just getting stressed out with all the wedding stuff. And, I just really want to be his wife.
I practice writing my future name all the time and I just realized I haven't decided what my new name will be. I have four choices
1. First Middle Maiden (99% sure I will not do this)
2. First Middle Last
3. First Maiden Last (maiden would be my new middle)
4. First Middle Maiden Last (no hyphen, I would have two middle names)
Honestly, it's between #2 & #4. I'm leaning more towards # 4 just because I can't imagine Woodard not being part of my name. Ultimately, I will be First Last. I'll probably never sign my name as #4, but it will be on my driver's license. We'll see. I have nine months to decide.
Nine months....eek. Yesterday one of my bridesmaids went with me to look at bridesmaid dress colors. I wanted to make sure the champagne would look good with sky blue. The sky blue they had was more violet than blue, so I decided to go with periwinkle (which is the original color I wanted). So, the bridesmaids will wear champagne dresses with a periwinkle sash. My flower girls will wear periwinkle dresses. The groomsmen, ushers and dads will wear black tuxes with periwinkle vests and ties. I think it will look great! I hope!
This weekend I also got information about hotels, pastors and a DJ. I'm so on the ball! Next week: meet with potential pastors, pick out tuxes and register for gifts at one store. Ask how much I've done on my grad school project this weekend: Notta! Okay, I lied I worked on it for a bit. They moved the due date back and I've been procrastinating since they did that. I'll get it done, but it may be at the eleventh hour!
Okay, well back to TV watching!
Well, after my mental breakdown last week things have gotten better. I thought I was the victim of identity theft. Luckily, that's not the case, however, I have to go through an annoying process of getting it taken off my report with one of the credit bureaus. Not my fault, but I still have to do all the freaking work. Even though my credit is still good, I don't feel comfortable buying a home until this is all taken care of, so no house just yet! I'm not as sad about it as I used to be.
Murad got a new job! Yeah! It's a job he really wanted. He will be working at a hospital (not my ideal job). This will be so great for him! Woo-hoo.
This week I've been really regretting having a long engagement. We've been to a couple weddings in the last few weeks. While they were each fun and unique, I'm kind of regretting planning a wedding. I thought having a long engagement and the wedding we always wanted would be perfect, but right now all I want is to be his wife. All I want is for somone to call me, "Mrs Campbell." All I want is to proudly say, "this is my husband." I know my mind will change. I guess I'm just getting stressed out with all the wedding stuff. And, I just really want to be his wife.
I practice writing my future name all the time and I just realized I haven't decided what my new name will be. I have four choices
1. First Middle Maiden (99% sure I will not do this)
2. First Middle Last
3. First Maiden Last (maiden would be my new middle)
4. First Middle Maiden Last (no hyphen, I would have two middle names)
Honestly, it's between #2 & #4. I'm leaning more towards # 4 just because I can't imagine Woodard not being part of my name. Ultimately, I will be First Last. I'll probably never sign my name as #4, but it will be on my driver's license. We'll see. I have nine months to decide.
Nine months....eek. Yesterday one of my bridesmaids went with me to look at bridesmaid dress colors. I wanted to make sure the champagne would look good with sky blue. The sky blue they had was more violet than blue, so I decided to go with periwinkle (which is the original color I wanted). So, the bridesmaids will wear champagne dresses with a periwinkle sash. My flower girls will wear periwinkle dresses. The groomsmen, ushers and dads will wear black tuxes with periwinkle vests and ties. I think it will look great! I hope!
This weekend I also got information about hotels, pastors and a DJ. I'm so on the ball! Next week: meet with potential pastors, pick out tuxes and register for gifts at one store. Ask how much I've done on my grad school project this weekend: Notta! Okay, I lied I worked on it for a bit. They moved the due date back and I've been procrastinating since they did that. I'll get it done, but it may be at the eleventh hour!
Okay, well back to TV watching!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wow!
It's been a while! I guess I haven't realized how busy I've been. Here are some major updates on my life.
1. may 18th--Sam & Maya's 9 month birthday
2. may 19th-- Murad and I celebrated our two year anniversary
3. may 21st--10 months until our wedding day
4. may 25th--Jennifer & Jason Cheng's wedding--so much fun
5. may 28th-- MSNBC runs an article about interracial families in the U.S. and my dad has a (small), but important quote on pg. 3 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24542138/
Well, I'll talk about the last two things. Jennifer & Jason's wedding was sunday. It was absolutely beautiful! She had such attention to detail, and the day couldn't have been more perfect. They had an outdoor ceremony at a country club in Wichita, with an indoor reception. They had wonderful pink, ivory and chocolate decor and delicious white and dark chocolate pretzels as favors..yummy! I'm also envious of Jennifer's three dresses! Count 'em three! Murad and I had a blast on the dance floor and there were many times when we were the only ones out there.
So, with all the Obamaness going on around the nation (Yay Obama!), MSNBC decided to run an article about multiracial families in America (bout time). I think it's great. There are so many of us out there, with so many unique experiences to share. I'm currently working on sort of a Chicken Soup for the Multiracial Soul book in which people from these families write about their experiences. Yay, Dad! Actually Yay, Mom and Dad for taking a risk and creating my brother and me, two multiracial individuals.
Well, my little mulitcolored dogs (black & white) are not so little anymore. They are growing up so fast. I just love them so much. Each day I'm so impressed by their unique personalities and how cuddly they are. I love waking up to them (most mornings, except when Sam claws at my face!) I just remember when they were puppies and now they are nine months. They are getting so big too. Sam has been limping around. At first, we were worried but then the vet assured us that it was just growing pains because he's growing so fast. Murad and I are thinking of buying a house again. We'll see....trying not to get my hopes up yet!
THE WEDDING. Everything with our wedding could not be more perfect except two things:
1. the guest list---how do I trim it?
2. my weight loss--- I need to lose 10 more lbs.
Other than that, I can't complain. My dress is going to be absolutely beautiful. The food, excellent. The flowers and decor will be great. The venue is perfect. I've already picked out some readings and vows and I can't wait to figure out how to incorporate them. Our engagement pictures will be awesome! I'm actually excited to make my save-the-dates and inviations! So, i have so many blessings with the wedding and just two major things on which to work. Not too bad, right?
1. may 18th--Sam & Maya's 9 month birthday
2. may 19th-- Murad and I celebrated our two year anniversary
3. may 21st--10 months until our wedding day
4. may 25th--Jennifer & Jason Cheng's wedding--so much fun
5. may 28th-- MSNBC runs an article about interracial families in the U.S. and my dad has a (small), but important quote on pg. 3 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24542138/
Well, I'll talk about the last two things. Jennifer & Jason's wedding was sunday. It was absolutely beautiful! She had such attention to detail, and the day couldn't have been more perfect. They had an outdoor ceremony at a country club in Wichita, with an indoor reception. They had wonderful pink, ivory and chocolate decor and delicious white and dark chocolate pretzels as favors..yummy! I'm also envious of Jennifer's three dresses! Count 'em three! Murad and I had a blast on the dance floor and there were many times when we were the only ones out there.
So, with all the Obamaness going on around the nation (Yay Obama!), MSNBC decided to run an article about multiracial families in America (bout time). I think it's great. There are so many of us out there, with so many unique experiences to share. I'm currently working on sort of a Chicken Soup for the Multiracial Soul book in which people from these families write about their experiences. Yay, Dad! Actually Yay, Mom and Dad for taking a risk and creating my brother and me, two multiracial individuals.
Well, my little mulitcolored dogs (black & white) are not so little anymore. They are growing up so fast. I just love them so much. Each day I'm so impressed by their unique personalities and how cuddly they are. I love waking up to them (most mornings, except when Sam claws at my face!) I just remember when they were puppies and now they are nine months. They are getting so big too. Sam has been limping around. At first, we were worried but then the vet assured us that it was just growing pains because he's growing so fast. Murad and I are thinking of buying a house again. We'll see....trying not to get my hopes up yet!
THE WEDDING. Everything with our wedding could not be more perfect except two things:
1. the guest list---how do I trim it?
2. my weight loss--- I need to lose 10 more lbs.
Other than that, I can't complain. My dress is going to be absolutely beautiful. The food, excellent. The flowers and decor will be great. The venue is perfect. I've already picked out some readings and vows and I can't wait to figure out how to incorporate them. Our engagement pictures will be awesome! I'm actually excited to make my save-the-dates and inviations! So, i have so many blessings with the wedding and just two major things on which to work. Not too bad, right?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Easter....
Easter has come and gone! I've never really been a big fan of Easter, except for the religious aspects and Cadbury cream eggs....yummy! Now as I'm older, I can't eat one a week from January on like I did as a child. Oh well!
I was on spring break last week. I went to Kansas last week to do a ton of wedding stuff. My mom and I went to try on wedding dresses. She's still making my dress, but she wanted to check out how to build in a bra and bustle my train. That was a lot of fun, and we were able to add some more detail to it. I also tried on her wedding dress. She pulled out THE dress she wore on June 6th, 1981. She made it herself and it is beautiful (for the time period). My mom was tiny when she got married, so imagine my shock when the dress was too big on me! Woo-hoo! I guess my wedding diet is working...too bad I haven't started it. Over spring break, we ended up adding Murad's cousin, Kaylea as a flowergirl. So now we have two! We also found a potential harpist for the ceremony and tomorrow we meet with a photographer. Whew! Lots of work! March 21st, 2008 marked our pre-anniversary! That means one year until the big day! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed!
Abby came to visit us last week! We had a lot of fun with her. She had never been to Dallas, and I truly think she had a great time. One of her chores was walking Sam & Maya each day. She took on the challenge and each day, she was waiting to do her chore. Sam & Maya love Abby. Even after Abby left, they would continue to look for their "big sister."
While she was here we went to the park and she made a new friend named Ben (I think there may have been a little romance there...shhh...don't tell daddy). We also went to the Dallas World Aquarium where she was able to see one of her favorite creatures, sharks! On Saturday, we went on an Easter Egg Hunt at the local recreation center. She got to decorate an Easter cookie with real buttercream frosting. Yummy! She even took a picture with the Easter Bunny, how fun? After that we almost missed the hunt. They told us that the hunt would be an hour and a half after the cookie decorating. So we got bored and went to the park. When we came back the hunt was almost over. Fortunately, the rec center lady still had a bag of eggs and dumped them in the field for Abby to find.
Now we're making plans for her to come to Dallas this summer! Woo-hoo! How fun?!
Last weekend Sampson & Maya graduated from puppy school! Yeah! We are so proud of our kids!!!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
W's
Well the W's are woodard, weight loss, wedding, work and wonderful puppies!!!
Woodard
Well Woodard is my last name, so this is about me. I've officially been twenty-six for over a week now! Last weekend, my friends Christina and Evan came down from OKC to visit. They brought along their dog, Lucy to play with Sam and Maya. We had a great time. We ordered pizza and watched the KU game and then we went to eat at Benihana's http://www.benihana.com/. It was great. Murad ended up getting me XM radio for my car and Seasons 1 & 2 of The Office. I love my XM. At first, I thought XM seemed like a luxury, but it really is a necessity! And I love The Office. We've been watching it everynight this week.
Weight Loss
Okay, so I've really tried to start the weight loss process early, but it has been hard. Over Christmas I gained five pounds. Doesn't seem like a lot, but it's a lot easier to gain than lose. So, I've been working out when I can. I try to go to the gym at least three times a week. Well this week, I had a miraculous weight loss experience. Okay, so maybe not miraculous. However, I lost three pounds in four days and it's all thanks to my puppies. Walking them is an exercise, mostly because they fight the entire walk. I never expected it to impact my weight loss though. My arms actually have some definition now. So, I now have my own 40 lb. weights!!!!
Wedding
Well we've found the place to hold our wedding! It is absolutely beautiful. I've put some pictures up of the ballroom. The ladies who run the place are two sisters, and they're absolutely great! They're so willing to help us and are doing a lot of things for us free of charge. It's almost like they're our wedding coordinators. The thing we love about this place as that we can bring in our own caterer and alcohol, so we will be able to save a ton of money that way. We also like the fact that the facility is ours beginning the day before our wedding. This will be great and allow my mother and I to do a lot of DIY projects and set it up the day before. I'm so excited and so if my fiance and, of course, my mom!
Work
Work is great, but it's getting a little hectic. The TAKS writing assessment is in exactly one month! I'm a little nervous, but we're getting ready to start a big writing unit. We've got some fun hands-on writing activities planned for the kids. They're all capable of being excellent writers, but they just need to believe in themselves as writers! Trying to convince them they're writers is the hard part. After the writing TAKS I'm taking a little vacation to Atlanta to see my friend, Himee and then after that is spring break! Yay!!!
Wonderful Puppies
Sampson and Maya started puppy training class yesterday. While I don't really like the instructor, training class couldn't have come at a better time. Sampson ate an entire bag of jelly beans and Maya tore up all our paper towels. When we went to training class though, we realized that our dogs are pretty good dogs. Murad and I were by far the youngest owners and Murad was the only guy there. Some of the things they were explaining we have already done with Sam and Maya. Sam and Maya are just so smart. Sometimes, I can't believe it. They're so cuddly and fun!
I guess we'll see how they do next week at training class!
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