new blog topic {thursday + thankful} healing + remission

so in an attempt to create better blogging habits for myself {since i post so randomly + not so consistently} i thought i'd post about what i'm thankful for... i think it's way too easy to look around and make note of the things that aren't going right in life, and it really takes a BIG effort to notice the things in our lives that we're thankful for! i know some people do WIWW {translation: what i wore wednesday, check out my SIL's posts, i admire her for posting about it, but that's a whole other blog post} and so on, so i thought i'd start {what i think to be} my own little creation, "thursday and thankful"... it has a fun ring to it!

so like i mentioned, sometimes life and circumstances can really get you down... but after doing a little reflecting {and listening to some advice from mom} i agreed i've gotta focus on what i have, rather than have not, and i encourage you to do the same as well... your outlook will be so much healthier for doing so!

this thursday, june 30th i'm thankful for

those are two very important words to me especially today because last year on this date i was with my mom in the mall going for our mani + pedi date when she got a phone call that she had been diagnosed with lymphoma.... that's one way to ruin a mom + me date!  needless to say we still went for our girl time, and cried most of the way through it... but even in those first moments that seemed so scary and so uncertain while my mind was racing a million miles a minute, i had to remember that God has the power to do anything, including healing my mom!

i know i haven't really mentioned much about this on here, but this past year has been quite interesting because of this, it's put a lot n perspective for me, and it's made me even more thankful for the parents i've been blessed with and the relationships i've made.  and i'm even more thankful that fall of 2010 we got the news that a healing had taken place in my mom's body and that her stage 4 lymphoma was already in remission... we don't know why God allows us to go through certain trials, but we do know that when we get to the other side of them we can be thankful that He carried us through it.

i love you mom, and i'm glad we could celebrate this milestone with our mani + pedi date without crying our way through it! =)

and because i can't help sharing a photo, here's one of my mom and i on my wedding day in 2008.

photo courtesy of memories by michael

{happy anniversary} josh + marci 6.26.10

seriously... it's already been a year since you guys became man + wife??!?! 

where's the time gone?  and how has it taken me this long to blog their wedding...? 

better late than never right?

... on to the real message of this post ...

:: Josh + Marci :: 

like a said above, how has a year already zoomed past us since the day you two said your vows?  

i sure don't know, but what i do know is that my life has been greatly blessed having the two of you in it!  not only did i have the honor of helping plan your most special day {to this date at least}, but i am even more honored to have gained a friendship with you both.  Josh, i know how valuable your friendship has been to my hubby through the stressful law school years and now carving out legal careers for yourselves. and Marci, you have been a bright ray of sunshine in my life ever since we began planning your big day, i thank God that our friendship continued on past our planning together, you make me laugh and i love that we can spend hours on end chatting about life, marriage, future plans and our terrible addiction to wedding blogs!  ok, ok, enough with the sappy stuff, but honestly thank you both for the opportunity to not only take part in the planning, and to be able to witness the start of your marriage, but to also have the great pleasure of watching your marriage grow this past year... love you guys!

now here are some highlights from their wedding at Rancho Capistrano on 6.26.10

....and the piece de resistance, their dessert table =)

i'll leave you with my favorite two images of j+m on their wedding day....

....here's to us all growing old together!



{vendor talent}
*photographer: Hugh Forte {and some images were from a personal friend who shot for me that day}
*catering/cake/desserts: the fabulous Jay's Catering
*floral designs: Jayne at Bits of Whimsy
*dj: Goodtimes Entertainment {my favorite, Tony}
*videographer + love story: Tom from AquaVivus
*all paper goods + jewelry + bridal hairpiece: Joie de Vie Design


{features} thanks to the following bloggers for featuring this wonderful couple's event!
*Amy Atlas - Sweet Designs - p. 1, 2, 3
*Mary Lalande - Jay's Catering
*The Wedding Chicks

{come check us out} the confetti lab @ the party pantry

hey folks, i just wanted to give you heads up that if you're in the LA/OC area this thursday, june 23rd you should head over to the Wedding {party} Pantry in Tustin.  Lauren of a fabulous fete and Brittany of Spruce PR are hosting an event all about throwing parties...  Confetti Lab!

they've asked some "party people" {sorry couldn't help myself} to come lend some creativity and help supply you and inspire your next event!  here's the info

i'll be setting up shop with some of my current favorite party supplies for sale to help accessorize your upcoming summer parties, showers, etc!  and speaking of, need to get back to prepping for it....

see you thursday =)

*blair

{behind the scenes} ruffles!!!

hey there folks, i've been behind my new addition to the craft room... my new husqvarna sewing machine and i've been obsessed with crepe paper ruffles! i used them for my event yesterday and they'll be incorporated in a photo shoot this week too, here's a peek at some of each...

{blues + yellows}

{blush, aqua + white}

i also have my girl friend's "big kid" camera and did a little playing around with it today using kitty as my test subject.... now for the gratuitous misty photos

{love kitty's tufts of fur between her toes}

 {half asleep kitty}

thanks for humoring the cat-lady photos =)