Merry Christmas!

Not sure why he's holding a kid, but I like it.

WW: FINALLY!

I'm not going to attach a photo because I want there to be some small amount of surprise for Jason on our wedding day...

But I did it!

I FINALLY bought my wedding dress on Saturday!!!

The only thing I'm going to say about it is it is from Priscilla of Boston and that I love it to death.

My dress follows specific criteria:
-Sweetheart neckline to make the girls look killer
-Feels lightweight (ideal for July)
-Non-itchy crinoline
-Was comfortably in my price range including any alteration charges
-Doesn't make me want to die on the inside while I wear it!

Hooray!

I'm going back this week to speak with the seamstress about the alterations that will be made in the factory before it comes to the store but YAY.

Dance Party Friday: Mov'n all week with you!

I'm so glad this week is over, like woah. I can't even explain in words.

Julibean gets in tonight and we're baking for Andy's birthday tomorrow. It's a fun filled weekend including but not limited to: shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating, dentists, partying, dress shopping, rinse repeat.

Only in work one day next week since I planned (before getting infected for a week) to take a few vacation days and let myself rest some.

Dan flies in next Thursday! And Jason should be popping up at sometime next week.

Things are looking wonderful!

Deep Thought Thursday

This is something that has been bothering me all week. While I was driving home from the doctor's office last Friday I was nearly hit by a woman in a Nissan Pathfinder with a bumper sticker that said the following:

Uncle Sam wants YOU to speak English!

Dear horrible driver,
I'm not sure how you ascertained this information. Do you know Uncle Sam personally? I don't think you do.

You see, since I went to school in Troy, NY I've actually sucked up quite a lot of Uncle Sam trivia by osmosis and I'd like to share with you the following contradictions in your choice of bumper stickers.

First off, Uncle Sam was a hard working man. A meatpacker who supplied troops up and down the Hudson with beef and other supplies. When things were stamped U.S. the troops and teamsters jokingly said it was all from Uncle Sam instead of the Army.

He was an ordinary man.

He became a household name.

And his parents were immigrants.

They came over from Scotland and although he was born in Virginia I doubt they only spoke English at home.

Something tells me you are sorrily re-missed in thinking that Uncle Sam would ever care if you spoke another language. In fact I'm fairly certain that he would look down on your snobbish and arrogant bumper sticker.

How many languages do you speak? My guess is you are so ignorant and xenophobic that you've never bothered to broaden your linguistic spectrum. Shame on you. There are billions of people in this world and MANY of those people who are English-speaking people ALSO know other languages. In fact most Europeans speak their native language AND go about learning English as well.

So why so short minded?

I personally think Uncle Sam would have more of an issue with you driving a Japan-made car. If you really wanted to support Ameruka! and all it stands for, maybe you should have bought a Ford.

Love, Elise



(Image by Tara Engberg for The New York Times)

WW: e-session!

Back in the beginning of November Jason and I met up with our parents in Troy and had our tastings and spent some time together. Somewhere crammed within the weekend of festivities and eating delicious foods Jason and I snuck off for our engagement session with our photographer Heather.

This post is going to be pretty photo heavy but I just wanted to preface it with the fact that Heather is simply amazing and she's really friendly and fun and very calm. I'm not sure if Jason or I could have handled an in your face photographer so during the whole shoot it was nice to have a little quiet. We were anxious enough!

So without further ado...

The first few were taken in the Quad a stone's throw from Jason's old room

These next few were taken on Sage right outside the Quad



The Approach!





Somewhere on 8th Street


Back at the Approach, this time from the top



Downtown, an alley somewhere behind Franklin Plaza



This is one of my favorites from the whole day:



Back on campus, outside the DCC


Saying hi to Erik Jonsson, founder of Texas Instruments


A little bit of EMPAC



EMPAC SMASH!

Manjoyment Monday: A pained man and a guitar

You know I find loads of different men sexy for different reasons. But one of my biggest turn ons is a man that can sing. Throw in a guitar and I'm infatuated, it really doesn't matter at that point what he looks like.

There is something about a pained voice and a guitar that cuts right into the heart of me.

Last week when I was quarantined Julibean tried to send me things to watch and listen to and ponder throughout the day to keep me from going crazy. At one point she asked for "2 minutes of judgement free time" so she could show me this, or rather have me listen to this recording of Rob Pattinson sing.

I know what you're thinking, pretty boy, pretty voice. No, not at all.

Listen to the whole thing. Please. It is heartbreaking, truly. And it gives me the chills and it makes me love Rob Pattinson in a whole different way.

I never found him very attractive, but this really does it for me.

Manjoyment Monday: Schnoz Special

I have the plague. More on that later.

As I'm basically quarantined off for a few days I spent all day today in bed watching horrible movies on SyFy. What can I say? I got sucked in by Basilisk: The Serpent King and stuck around after that for Attack of the Gryphon.

It was as I watched Tara from Buffy run around as a warrior woman princess trying to find half a sword to kill a sorcerer who was using her kingdom's legendary gryphon against her own people that I realized two things:

One: SyFy makes some QUALITY made for TV movies. (I'm pretty sure it's the super cheesemo CGI animation that is a mockery of itself.)

And Two: I am really attracted to men with big noses.

Case and point:

Jonathan LaPaglia, oh hello.

Don't know what it is, but there's something sexy about a man with a schnoz.

(Image borrowed from imdb.com)

WW: My dream dress

I was watching The Rocketeer the other day. I like to toss a DVD into my player and watch a little before bed and turn it on while I'm getting dressed in the morning, just to give myself a soundtrack to listen to.

Last week I had just finished getting ready for work and the movie had just ended and the orchestral piece during the credits was a little louder than the movie itself. My father was coming down the hallway and wondered what it was, then correctly guessed The Rocketeer.

Then he said, "You just like that dress."

Which is true, but the movie in general is one of my favorites of all time. It's cheeky, a throwback, exciting, and wonderful all around. Plus Jennifer Connolley is pretty much one of the hottest women alive in my book. Or at least she was in that movie...

Anyway. Basically if I could have my dream dress, it would be the dress Jenny Blake wears in this movie.



Sweetheart neckline makes the girls look really nice. Thick ruched straps allow for a supportive undergarment (which was Jason's number one when I went dress shopping since my boobs have broken two bridesmaids dresses already). And the way it moves is just beautiful.

Now actually finding this dress is very difficult. I'd literally have to go to a costume designer and get it handmade. But let me just say this: if after January 22nd I haven't decided on a dress, I may just go out and find someone to make me this one here.


All images borrowed from For the Love of Opera Gloves