Wedding {Craig + Suzi}

So the sole reason for my 5 week trip to the US was my brother's wedding.  It took 9 years for them to make it to the alter but it was totally worth the wait!

The morning started with a little beautification help from my BFF.  She made my mom and I look smashing!

seriously, I don't know the last time I felt that beautiful

then we met up at the vineyard to get dressed and apply the finishing touches before we started taking photos.

then the boys showed up and I snagged a quick shot of the husband and I in our wedding day threads

My brother truly found a gem!  I'm so glad I get to call this lady my sister!

I love that they had their 1st dance as soon as they were announced!

and cheesecake instead of regular cake?!?!  yes, PLEASE!

My husband gave a GREAT last minute speech.  My other brother, the best man {on the right in this photo}, got "laryngitis" AKA a serious case of nerves so my super, awesome, wonderful, fantastic husband stepped in.  As you can tell in this photo, he obviously rocked it, as I knew he would when I volunteered him!

I have the most beautiful sisters {biological, in-law, and in-law to be} 

I'm pretty sure their adorable flower girl had a crush on my husband, she didn't leave his side all night!

of course we had to do some damage to their car!

They were married at a beautiful vineyard in Indiana.  I was able to snap a few detail shots with my actual camera the day of the rehearsal.  My sister-in-law did almost everything herself and it all turned out perfectly!

The reception area

view of the ceremony location from inside the reception area

flowers, beautifully arranged by the bride

table settings

The newlyweds are enjoying {hopefully} a honeymoon in the Bahamas and I am insanely jealous!

I'm basically blogging my trip backwards/in no particular order...next up will be the rehearsal, I think!

30 by 30 {3 months}

Every time I think of this list, I hear Rocky music in my head...

"It's the final countdown

We're leaving together

The final countdown

We'll all miss her so

It's the final countdown"

3 months, that's all the time I have left in my 20's!  I hope to make it some of the best days of my life!

Progress so far {14/30}

It took me 9 months to make it almost half way through!  I've loved having this list and I'm considering rolling over the unfinished goals into a 30 WHILE 30 list...

Health/Fitness {1/5}

1} take a yoga class

2} complete a 5K {DONE 3Jun12 AND 9Jun12!  yeah, that's right, I did 2 in one week...who is this girl!?!?}

3} climb Mt Fuji 

4} do 1 unassisted pull up

5} pass the Army PT test for my gender/age group {looked this one up, I need to run 2 miles in 20:30, do 17 push-ups in 2 minutes and 45 sit-ups in 2 minutes...I have some training to do!}

Food {5/6}

6} learn to cook lobster {DONE 16Dec11}

7} make gnocchi from scratch {DONE 8Dec11}

8} learn to make grandma's relish {DONE 23&24May12}

9} try 5 new foods {DONE} 1. natto beans.  2. umeboshi.  3. ratatouille (I know, I know, I'd never had it before and now I'm obsessed).  4. collard greens 5. turnips

10} make Pioneer Woman's homemade cinnamon rolls 

11} learn to make 5 traditional Japanese dishes, including sushi {DONE}  1.sushi rolls. 2. inarizushi. 3. omelet (they're slightly different than the omelets we eat in the States) 4. tempura 5. shabu shabu

Travel {2/8}

12} drink the Absynth we bought in Prague 3 years ago 

13} visit at least 3 new countries {2/3} 1. Taipei. 2. Australia

14} learn enough Japanese to carry on at least a 5 minute conversation

15} visit Disney (Tokyo Disney will have to do)

16} visit Hiroshima

17} snorkle the Great Barrier Reef {DONE July2011}

18} ride an elephant in Thailand (this and #17 are trips that will help knock off # 13 as well and are sort of in the early planning stage.  If our vacation locations change, these will have to be changed as well)

19} visit a Japanese Onsen (hot spring) {DONE 31Dec11}

Random {6/11}

20} get out of debt (ALMOST THERE!  STUPID STUDENT LOANS!) still working on this one but we're on track to be done before I turn 30 =}

21} get caught up on my scrapbooks and stay current

22} read 50 books {42/50 almost there!}

23} find out my blood type {DONE 3Mar12, I'm O+ for those that are curious}

24} design a logo for BleuDress (or pay someone else to) {DONE 5Mar12}

25} MASTER all the functions on my camera {DONE 16Oct11 thanks to this class}

26} solve the Rubik's cube or complete a crossword puzzle without any help {DONE 26Apr12 so what if it was in People magazine, I did it!}

27} save $20K {I have come to terms with the idea that this one is not going to happen thanks to the trips we will be making to the US next year.  I'm not happy about it, but it's a fact}

28} watch all of the Star Wars movies (I've only seen the newest one)

29} renew my CPR certification and keep it current {DONE 10Mar12}

30} be paid for a photograph {DONE 7JAN12}








PS, at the time of posting, I am currently traveling back to Japan where I will have reliable/consistent internet...I can't wait to get back on a regular blogging schedule!

My 1st {and probably only} 5K

I am currently sitting at the USO in Chicago, waiting for my flight back to Japan. I have an hour to kill so I thought I'd whip up a post real quick with some of the photos on my phone.

Saturday, in the midst of a crazy busy wedding weekend, my husband and I ran a 5K. My mother-in-law works at a library and they were hosting a run for reading race. We {my husband} thought it would be a good idea to participate since we'd be in town. This meant getting up at 0700 the morning after the rehearsal/rehearsal dinner/party




I decided that this race was my own personal form of hell. Getting up early and running, two things I hate combined into one! About 5 min before the race started I was ready to go nap in the car while my husband ran



When the race started my husband took off running, turned around to look at me and said "come on, we're running". My response, "this IS me running!". Needless to say, it was pretty painful for him to stay back at my VERY slow pace. Luckily I married an awesome man and he didn't leave my side the whole race. About 5 strides into the race I knew I was in trouble. I had washed my shoes after the warrior dash and not worn them since. My shoes had slightly changed shape and my right arch was killing me, something that I've never had a problem with before. That definitely slowed me down even more.

The course was actually not too bad and we even got a nice view of Cincinnati for a bit. Of course we stopped for a photo.




I got passed by a woman who was riding an electric scooter which definitely didn't help my spirits.



I finished though which is all that matters right?!?







I can now say this is something I have done but I don't think it's anything I'll ever do again!

Just writing about this makes me tired. I'm going to go board my flight to Japan and hopefully sleep the whole way. My body is so ready for some sleep!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Bridal Shower

I was so excited about running the Warrior Dash yesterday, that I totally bypassed the fun day I had on Saturday.  My dear, dear sister-in-law to be, Lauren, scheduled her bridal shower {for their wedding in SEPTEMBER} around my trip to the US so I could be there!  I'm so blessed that the men in my life have chosen such amazing women to add to our growing family!

Lauren wanted to have a an outdoor BBQ shower so her sister, Lindsey, worked SO hard to plan the perfect day!  The weather however wasn't very cooperative and after about 45 minutes of trying to make it work outside, we moved the party indoors.  It was a tad crowded but everyone still had a great time!

yummy "W" cookies, made by Lindsey

Lauren with one of her adorable flower girls...in the wind

most of the ladies chatting, before we moved inside

some of the bridesmaids playing a game

gift bingo

GIFT TIME!

She wasn't exactly happy about the UK towel Grandma W gave her, she's a UNC fan! 

just the reaction I was hoping for when she opened our gift! 

Her awesome hat from her sister {I want one!!!  I vote these should be the BM gifts...do I get a vote in that?  oh well, I'm voting anyways!}

Lindsey, admiring one of the gifts and working hard on the ribbon bouquet

Lauren with her ribbon bouquet 

the GORGEOUS bridal party!

This wedding is going to be so much fun! I cannot wait for September!

Oh, and if you were wondering what we gave her that caused the reaction above....

It was our {my} favorite wedding gift so we decided to pay if forward!

Love you, Lauren!  Can't wait for your wedding day!!!

Warrior Dash 2012

Today was one of the most fun days I've had in a long time...maybe in my whole life!  I finally found the time to fit a mud race into my busy schedule!  Some friends, my sister, and I traveled 3 hours to Logan, Ohio to run the Warrior Dash today.  My mom was even nice enough to come and serve as our official photographer.

all of the WarriorDash necessities: towel, sports bra, gym shoes, WIGS!

our group of awesome ladies, pre race

my sister and me pre race

and we're off

My sis and I are at the top of this beast, on the left

crawling through the mud at the end...before I got all the way in

{there should be more photos from the battleground...I carried around a waterproof camera with me the whole time but the photos all printed with some crazy line on them and the disc Walgreens gave me was blank, so I have none to show you...giant sad face!}

we may or may not have finished with a little dance!

post race mess

We loved every second of this race!

{super surprised the wigs and glasses made it to the end!}

Our 1st ever race medals!  I was super excited about this!

post race photo op!

 rocking our fuzzy helmets

at the end of the race, you can donate your old {gently used} shoes which get cleaned and sent to people who don't have access to shoes.  I only brought my good running shoes home with me so mine didn't go, but my sister tossed hers into the pile!

My friends and I participated in Warrior Dash for the fun of it and to challenge ourselves to try something new.  We actually didn't run very much of the course.  We mostly walked and enjoyed the course and had a TON OF FUN doing it.  Hopefully this will become an annual event for us!  I would encourage all of you to try it out.