I think I can, I think I can...

It has been a long time since my last post. And I have some posts in the hopper that need fine tuning, but I wanted to throw this out there this morning...

I subscribe to a certain running publication's daily thoughts online and this is the one I got today:

It's a long, hard road and it's going to have its bumps; there are going to be times when you fall and times when you don't feel like going on anymore, times when you're just crazy tired but it takes focusing on that one step you're taking. That's what I'm trying to do with the marathon; I don't think about the miles that are coming down the road, I don't think about the mile I'm on right now, I don't think about the miles I've already covered. I think about what I'm doing right now, just being lost in the moment. --Ryan Hall on running a marathon

This is so true, not just in running, but in many facets of life. I've felt like planning this wedding is certainly a marathon. You can do all of this planning and preparing, but once you hit mile 23 (aka 11 days to go) you had better have the mental toughness to push you through until the end and cross that finish line. Just to be clear, the finish line in this case is the planning part of the wedding. Saying the vows etc I think of as an entirely different marathon... one I plan to finish :)

Marriage in itself is its own marathon, but I'll write more on that once I get there.

Falling off the cart... feeling like a horse

OK, maybe I'm over exaggerating, but since I've changed jobs and allowed winter weather to throw a wrench into my workout routine, a few additional pounds have found their way to the scale.

A few months ago, my plan was to be too thin for my dress and have it taken in. The rose-colored glasses are off. I'm suddenly filled with not only too many takeout meals, but the overflowing fear that my dress will need to be let out.

I hit the treadmill hard on Thursday night, but I know it's not going to be enough to fight this battle. I can't let "It's Valentine's Day weekend," be my excuse all of the time.

It's a tough fight, taking off what you put on. Plenty of online sources offer to whittle your middle for a pretty penny, but who can dig into their bridal budget for empty promises? Thankfully, free (or inexpensive) online tools exist to help brides shed the winter weight:

News websites - You can always peruse the health and fitness sections of online news sources. Here's a story on weight loss for brides from MSNBC.

Health publication sites - Magazines like Self and Fitness Magazine have inspiring websites with access to wonderful diet and nutrition information without the subscription. Wedding websites, like the Knot, often have a section devoted to bridal transformation information.

Weight loss sites - You know the old standbys. Weight Watchers is everywhere these days, especially since they have vocal vixen Jennifer Hudson as their new spokesperson. These sites/ programs can be costly, but will provide results if you provide the will power.

TV shows - Look to shows like Dance Your Ass Off or even Dancing With the Stars for inspiration. Some reality TV Shows focus on weight loss and have options that include a membership with access to recipes and workouts, though there is some controversy in the methods used and practicality of the extremes taken. But if you're looking for fast results, it's an option.

All of that said, there are risks with extreme dieting for any occasion, so don't put your health in harm's way in a desperate effort to lose that extra bit of weight. Chances are your partner's jaw will drop as you gracefully float down the aisle. And it's always a good idea to check any change in diet etc with your health care provider - Just in case.

I'm going to start this week by eating clean and setting a workout goal of 45 minutes, 5 days. Next week I hope to check in with some good news and some tips of my own that have helped me in the past.

New Addiction: Checking Our Wedding Website Guestbook

Today I had an e-mail saying someone signed our guestbook! Woo hoo!

I haven't paid much attention to our wedding website recently because we haven't had new information to post. But knowing someone might be looking at it and actually left us a message! That's motivation. Thank you Alex. Only 162 days! Amazing. I'm so excited to celebrate such a special day with the wonderful people who have been with Aaron and I through everything.

There are so many things left to do, but I still have that day-1 giddy feeling and look forward to every moment of planning. Let's raise our egg nog and cheers to 162 more days of meticulously calculating playlists, laying out photos and taste-testing culinary creations dreamt up by my H2B :)

6 months to go!

I can't believe it's only 6 months until our wedding! Time is going so fast and there's still so much to do. I had this uniquely wonderful concept for our Save-the-Dates and I was so excited to see this project through to completion. But we've had trouble scheduling photos and it seems like there's barely time to get them in the mail, let alone try and design them from scratch.

However, I had a clear realization last night, one that A and my MOH helped me realize and feel more comfortable about. There are some projects I'm just going to have to let go of. Aaron and I have so many wonderful photos already and the concept can still be unique without having every single element I hoped for. So, good bye dear Save-the-Date. I'm not going to think about the hours I spent lying awake planning you out in excruciating detail. I'm just going to convey my ideas to my dear MOH and let her take the reins. She often knows my thoughts better than I know them myself and I'm so excited to be surprised with what she comes up with.

It's time to take another look at my "countdown calendar" and see if there are tasks I can eliminate or delegate. Hopefully that will get rid of some stress. Also, A and I are planning a "wedding date" in December so we can schedule tasks and try out our vegetarian recipe. In times like this when I start to feel overwhelmed it's good to "talk it out" and remember that I'm still on schedule and organized. It's almost Thanksgiving and I can say with certainty that I am very thankful for a wonderful support system as I plan for this event. Thank you! I couldn't get through this without you. Seriously.

Super-Organize Me!

I've been focusing a lot on organization recently. As A can attest, my piles of projects occasionally become the source of tension on what would otherwise be a perfectly lovely night of watching network television. I sometimes think to a moment in "He's Just Not That Into You" (and yes, I do mean the movie) when Gigi is paying all of her bills on time and her smile releases into this enormous sigh of relief. So, I now I'm pleased to say that I finally not just feel--but actually believe that as a young professional (*gulp* Or maybe not so young anymore...) I need to be more organized about my work and my personal life.

I've spent almost 2 weeks borrowing from a fellow blogger's organizing habits, and it's doing me well thus far. I'm feeling more accomplished and remembering more. But I'm thinking today about these tasks that seem like they never get started, like my book or solo EP. And I'm comparing them, of course, to the tasks involved in planning a wedding.

People have warned me against too many DIY projects, but I'm a fiend... and I love them... and it's my party, I'll DIY if I want to... Something I'm trying to keep in mind is that I need to break big tasks down into small chunks. For example - Wedding: Decorations: Poms: Have to order tissue paper. Crafting the timing of these tasks to arrive at my wedding day will require a well-purposed schedule.

There are many ways to get organized when wedding planning. I originally started my idea-keeping in a binder as suggested by wedding Web sites, but I found it was difficult to keep aesthetically pleasing and I didn't want to carry it with me everywhere or print out a new piece of paper any time I added information. I also have some sticky notes on a board in our guest bedroom, but it's difficult to remember what's on them when I'm at work or the craft store. I also have a box of random items for the wedding in my bedroom. Lastly, it's wonderful having use of A's parent's house to store things for the wedding.

One of my planning/ organizing obsessions is my "Sanity Keeper" excel doc. It contains tabs for each aspect of the wedding: Stationary, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, gifts etc etc and on each list contains each item needed, different links to inspirational Web sites or places to order needed items. Google Docs is perfect for items like this so you can open it anywhere you can access your e-mail. Plus it's a safe way to back up your files. It kind of scares me that my sanity keeper is still primarily things required and less things obtained. But it's nice to feel like all of my thoughts have a place to collect that isn't my end table. I also just signed up for Springpad, which will be a great way to keep track of all of my online perusing, inspiration, recipes and daily tasks.

When planning any event or keeping your life organized, I think it's really all about finding a system that works for you: paper, online, tape recorder. Whatever. Try it out and find something you can stick with.

Wedding Planning-Filled Nights

Recently, it seems like about once a week I can't sleep because (poof) I start thinking about the wedding and (pow) my body stops producing melatonin. I started out combating this by just lying in bed, wide awake, telling myself to just fall asleep. Of course, that never works. I lie there for a good 45 minutes, get some water, use the restroom, and lie back down no closer to sleep.

So rather than cursing my sleepless nights, I'm starting to welcome them as wedding planning-filled opportunities. A has been a little concerned about these productive nights in which a potential 8 hours of sleep turns into 3, but I keep assuring him that I'd rather use the energy to do something good than expend it trying to make myself fall asleep. It has been slightly difficult to balance everything--working two jobs, two "internships," spending time with hubby-to-be, training for an upcoming race and getting my weekly dose of wedding planning in, so if 1 a.m. is when I'm feeling most productive, I want to roll with it. It's also a great time to catch up with my MOH--a fellow night owl--and bounce ideas off of her.

In a perfect world, I would have accomplished everything on my "to-do" list, but I quickly become lost in all of the golden nuggets of wedding that exist on the web. Hmm. Maybe I need to prepare a "can't sleep" to-do list to keep myself on task... Organization is something else I'm working on, but we can explore that topic later.

So the result of these late nights? The invitation/ stationary design is nearly complete and ready to test at the printer. My MOH, who shot the engagement photos for A & I, is a highly talented photographer in the San Francisco Bay area. She introduced me to another west coast photographer, and I absolutely fell in love with the video of her wedding day. I recommend checking it out if you feel like ooo-ing and ah-ing. I think it's on the seconds page of her older posts.

Tiny-waisted Bride...please :)

Wedding diets and physical appearance is such a touchy subject. I’ve read tales of brides who “force” their bridesmaids to go on diets and lose weight prior to the big day. Sometimes the wedding party uses the wedding as a motivator for them to make certain changes in their lifestyle to achieve their best possible figure before the day comes. And of course, brides always want to look their absolute best as they walk down the aisle. I’m no different. It might sound vain, but my goal is to make Aaron’s jaw drop the second he sees me. Hey, I’ve been a little chubby much of my life and always felt awkward about my body. If I can have one single moment of feeling like the most beautiful girl in the world, I’m going to snatch it while I can. That in mind, I keep telling myself I’m not going to shop for dresses until I’m positively certain I won’t lose another single pound (or gain) before the wedding. Well... that didn't happen. I bought the dress on somewhat of a whim, but that's another story.

I feel really blessed that I’ve had the determination and will power to work off about 40 lbs in a year and a half. No joke. But I’m not satisfied. Hey, the dress can still be taken in! I haven’t been this size in probably 10 years, but it’s just not quite good enough for “wow factor” yet. So what measures am I taking?

First, I have two goals:

Drop 15-20 lbs more

Tone, tone, tone my arms and back… like… meh, idk hot Hilary Swank style?

For the past 6 weeks I’ve been taking an at-work Boot Camp class that mixes cardio and strength in a circuit-training style. I’ve been running pretty seriously for the last year and let me tell you, this is a work OUT! You can work at your own pace, but keep in mind that you only get out what you put in. So push it real good. Through the same gym, Edge Fitness in Sun Prairie, WI, I recently started a 3-week “Challenge.” This challenge combines a serious diet and workout schedule. Not quite as hardcore as P90X, but promises results. I’m just over halfway through week one. I’ve lost a pound or so and I notice a difference.

Week one’s diet includes extremely lean proteins, Omega-3 eggs, liquid egg white, a little cheese and tons of veggies. I’m the type of dieter that craves chocolate the second you tell me I can’t have it, even if I don’t really care for it. So this week, no sugar and no grains, it has been a rough one. I’m already thinking about how I’m going to sabotage myself by eating out once the 3 weeks are over. So if willpower can be willed… please will it to me. Maybe I need to tear out some “hot bride” pics from magazines and post them at my desk with the quote, “Nothing tastes as good as you’ll feel in this slinky dress.”

The working out part of the challenge is a piece of cake for me… mmm… cake… I typically work out several days a week and love to run while catching up on Food Network shows… OK, no more food references. The hardest part is waking up early in the morning for Boot Camp. However, it’s remarkable the amount of energy you feel after you’ve sweat buckets for an hour. It’s an amazing sense of accomplishment. That’s what keeps me going. In addition to 2-3, 45-60 minute Boot Camps per week, I play basketball with the boys at work on our lunch hour about twice per week. And I’m in a run group at work. We’re training for a 5k in November and run together twice a week. Sounds like I should have lost like 20 lbs in the last month, right? Well, now you see why I’m frustrated at this plateau.

What I would like to do:

Add an extra run or 2 throughout the week—one intervals run and one long distance, slow run

Stick fairly close to the diet. I’m not missing out on that much and it will give me a deeper sense of appreciation for quality food and date nights. I may give and go to Olive Garden next month, but it doesn’t mean I have to fall off the wagon for good, ya know?

So, I’m going to start perusing some Web sites and articles to find good wedding workouts and diet tips you can try if you’re looking to shake that few extra pounds before you try on the puffy, white marshmallow. Stay tuned.

Motivate me, please!

I'm staying in a sleepy little town outside of Pittsburgh, PA for work this week. When I left, I had all of these wonderful intentions to write, write, write and run, run, run. So far, I've done so little of each. All of my energy has instead gone into the fruitless task of completing a very large project. However, I feel that I've uncovered a linear relationship between planning a wedding and this work trip.

When faced with a task of completing any project, the best way to start is with a positive attitude, ready to set out and accomplish everything on your to-do list. However, as set backs begin to rear their ugly head, it's easy to drift from hopeful to doubtful that things will ever be finished the way you intended. With this work trip, we tried to work with what we had, achieved all we could, and we'll hopefully go home tomorrow with a little pride in the work we accomplished despite the disappointment in the lack of materials and man power.

Nearly two months ago, I threw myself into planning this wedding with Aaron and was filled with hope, excitement and promise. I'm still so excited and can't wait to get all of the details set despite lack of time and resources. As we experience minor setbacks and delays, I find myself feeling like I'm wading in quicksand. Rather than give up, I focus on the things we can get done while we wait to tie up some loose ends. Oh, the hours I've spent digging on Craigslist and Ebay. It's endless. I keep searching for more ways to make our special day truly a day that's specially ours. Motivation is coming through accomplishing each small task rather than focusing on the culmination of events. I'm also hunting for ways you can make your day completely unique.

Next up: Start piecing some of these great finds together and present them to you. I better get started. :)