Working on my fitness

{Frisbee Dog is fun because it makes you twist your waist - a lot - I am sore today!}

So earlier this summer when M and I first got engaged, he asked me how I felt about us getting 2 flat screen HDTVs for Christmas instead of our normal gifts. Natch, I have no probs with that as they would be great and are much-needed additions for our home, satellite dish, stereo system, etc. etc. We are trying to upgrade our homes look and while we have perfectly nice, functional televisions, the price and benefits are great. We will likely move the TVs into the other rooms of our house as we only have DirecTV in the living room and our MBR at this time.

ANYWAY, so M wanted to do that. I decided to go ahead and do something I have been wanting for a while, the Wii. I didn't get it when it was brand new for 2 reasons: 1. the price would have to drop at some point, and 2. our stereo system is black so I wanted a black Wii. Well, I got my wish, so I this week went to Target and got the Wii, Wii fit plus, and a couple games for Mike and I to share (not including Wii Sports, Sports Resort, and the fit programs) so we can hang out with friends and have another option when we socialize.



Let me tell you, after buying that stuff and using it for a few days - it is way more impressive than I thought. I am very happy with the Wii, and the people at Target who helped me out. The products really do give you a workout, and I monitor it on there which is incredibly convenient! I have already dropped 2 pounds in just 3days use! Because we live in such a rural area, a gym is not convenient for me. The ones in the 30-mile radius (yes, we are 22-30 miles from any kind of civilization with a gym) start at $40-50/mo which is dumb if I can't use it anytime I want between work and school. So, the Wii is cost-effective, too.



I am very happy with it, and if anyone has been holding out, spend the extra $99 and get the Wii Fit Plus! Right now, Target gives you a $20 gift card for buying the Wii Fit Plus or two regular games. Fabulous!



I found an inspiring website: http://www.workoutwithwii.com/content/view/38/1/. Admittedly, I am not overweight, I am actually close to a perfect-average weight range, but for the wedding coming up in just over a year - 435 days to go! - so I just need to tone up and just indulge less. I have a very lovely hourglass figure and can wear a sample size 6 and/or 8, so I don't want to be much smaller than that!

Photos: Nintendo, digitaltrends, fareastgizmos

Blog Award fun!

One of my more recent followers, VA Gal of Beyond the Blue Ridge, gave me this sweet blog award! You should check her out!

And here are the rules that go with the badge:

Thank the person who gave you the award, share ten things about yourself, and pass this award onto bloggers who you recently discovered and think are fantastic and finally contact the bloggers to let them know you’ve picked them for an award.

And here are 10 random things about me:

1. I'm almost a quarter-century old.

2. I have given oral testimony for a federal trial (i.e. read a previous court transcript, fun!!).

3. I adore cooking and testing recipes, quite often tweaking it my own special way.

4. I plan on painting ALL of the interior trim of our house in the next month.

5. I hope to work in non-profits after graduation next May.

6. I used to think my Mom's Lincoln Town Car was a limo! ha!

7. I have a heart condition that makes any kind of fitness a stress on my entire circulatory system.

8. I can read crazy fast and very well. When I was in 2nd grade I was reading college-level, graduate level texts.

9. I hope to help M start his own business after he retires.

10. I am currently planning a wedding!

Bridesmaids, colors and flowers

Love the cake and save-the-date above!!


Well, not to sound too repetitive for those of you in the blog-o-sphere, because apparently KAG and I are having a VERY similar wedding (because we both have good taste is my argument)! She is doing yellow and blue too, funny!


Bridesmaids dresses, which ironically my BFF A and I started picking out two weeks before I got engaged (so late May), are going to be navy satin or navy chiffon - likely from Alfred Angelo as we have wedding party people from CA to NYC to Florida! Most of my bridesmaids are college students, grad students, or travelling from far away so them feeling obligated to spend over $175 on a dress is just mean and unfair for them. Here is one of the styles I have chosen, they can pick any one of the 5-6:

Front:



Back:



Again, this dress would be in navy, and it is satin.


WAYYY back in June when this engagement thing happened, I spent the first weekend trying to figure out colors. Miss Mindless, Amid Privilege, and my family were huge helps when it came to color scheme ideas. Several Twitter conversations ensued between me (@worthystyle), @AmidPrivilege and @MissMindless about how colors go, what would overwhelm the room, etc.





We quickly realized that champagne gold may be too light, but could be used sparingly such as in rimmed glasswear, china, runners down a table, etc... A brighter yellow would contrast better with the primarily blue and white room for flowers.



I did not want to use W&L blue solely, as the room is wedgewood blue, as you can see in my previous post about the reception hall. So I chose navy as the wedding is at dusk and reception is after sundown. Plus that is a color which is very bridesmaid-rewearing friendly!!

But we won't be having blue flowers obviously, so let me show you where my mind has been going with my Garden Club former president mother, and both grandmothers!!



Sunflower yellow is a great pick-me-up color, and it will be perfect with Mums and other Fall flowers for our October 2011 wedding date. It is cheerful and whimsical, without coming across as casual like granny smith green would in such a big venue.



Floral, display and centerpiece arrangements will be all fall tones - really lovely peaches, sunflower, rust, and some brown. Maple leaves will be integrated in with wheat to add demension to the flowers of Chrysanthemum, Amaranthus, white Aster, hypericum berries, apples, and pomegranates. Maybe big jars of lemons at the bar because I will be serving my signature drink, a French 75! I am hoping to go local for a lot of these as Lexington, VA has wonderful local florists that do the Homestead, Greenbrier, and country clubs throughout the region. If my budget has room we may integrate roses but everything else is so lush I may not even need them!!





Images: banquetevent.com, WeddingsEvents.com, sheandheplanweddings.com, Flowerbarn.com, Restoration Hardware, Floral Design Institute

Is this thing on?

Did anyone else watch Season Four premiere of Mad Men on Sunday night? If so, then you will recognize this clip!:



Mike and I got home from the beach in time to watch it! Yay!

Loved the fashion - they are heading into the more colorful period of the 1960s.



I am so happy Joan has her own office, don't know why it took them so long to upgrade her lifestyle like that. I am assuming this means she is still married to that failure of a doctor?

I wonder if Peggy, with her mod look, is still seeing Duck? Or is she going to finally hook up with Don in some awkward drunken hot mess that I've been predicting for ages (esp since that hot lady shot him down in the back seat of a cab, ZING!)



Of course, as usual, I'd wear whatever Betty wears, even if she is a hot mess right now. She seems like a horrible mother to me, and I love how Sally retaliated in such a hysterical, immature way. I will retrain myself from the psychoanalysis of THAT situation.




Photos from: LA Times, Esquire, Esquire, stylelist.com (but really owned by AMC)

A Personal Goal

MJA and I are engaged. Duh. Everyone knows that at this point. [no, that isn't us]



He works in a very secure, salaried Federal job as a LEO. We both look forward to when I am done with school and can support my shopping habits as well as contribute to the household - right now I do what I can when I can but to maintain a Deans List status I can't work too many hours.



Anyway, so I do work SOME, and I can work maybe a few hours more.



A personal goal of mine is to start saving up for this wedding. Thankfully it is in 16 months and with MJA and I saving together we actually can make a good dent. I am hoping Macon cooperates and so I can put the rest of my mutual funds into the wedding fund so we can have a great party with many of our family and friends in attendence.



Our goal is to have $10,000-12,000 in cash for this wedding. Many vendors only accept checks in my small hometown, so it's pretty logical to have that much on hand. My Mom just retired so I am not about to let my parents foot a majority of the bill. MJA and I can do pretty well and they can help a small bit. MJA said last night, "if we only have to charge $2,500-3,000 of wedding stuff, I will be so happy." Well, I will be happy too, so this blog is not going to be ALL about finances, but you will see me talk more about saving and having a traditional, small town wedding in a lovely location and a fun reception - I'll try to make these entries on a weekly basis...

XOXO

Pics:

1. Weddingbee.com
2. http://www.fleoa.org
3. & 4. Wordpress
5. myheartofvirginia.com

Morgan Harrington's murderer now has a face