Getting behind

I feel like Im getting behind on posting. There are so many things I want to write about, so many little details I want to share. The biggest set back has been having my Nikon D50 crap out on me. I need to get it into the shop before our engagement party, which is now less than two weeks away! I have my backup pocket Nikon that Ned got me for Christmas last year, and as much as I love it, Ive never quite got the hang out of using it. Funny that I can manage my DSLR, but have problems with a little pocket point-n-shoot.

I have been taking photos here and there of things, but not too much to document yet. Hopefully Ill be able to post some pictures of our engagement party invites tonight when Ned gets home. I took them on my pocket cam, but cant find the cable to get them off. I have an Eye-Fi Share card in it so Ive never needed the cable before. But thats set to sync up with my laptop which is also out of commission for the time being.

I would like to get some pictures up before Ned and I leave for Chicago tomorrow. Yes, thats right, we are going on another vacation. But just a quick 2 day trip down to the windy city. Just enough time for me to see Kylie! Im so excited that I just might explode!



I feel like Ive been waiting ages to see her. Im also looking forward to having some alone time with Ned. It feels like ever since we got back from Austria we have been so busy. Not to mention we have both been sick, Ned with pneumonia and me with the flu and then a head cold. I think this little trip will be just what the doctor ordered.

Kylie Minogue - WOW
by Elo_pitchounne56

Now if only I could decide what to wear to the show.....

- Gan

Home sweet home

We got in from our lovely adventure to Europe last night. I feel rested and refreshed even though a majority of the time was spent hiking and exploring. Even a 1,400 stairs hike inside a mountain (700 up and 700 down)...and that was after hiking up the mountain itself! But we had a great trip and once again we saw how well we travel together.

I have not had time to really go through our photos yet, but trust me, we have some cute ones. I figured I should post a small entry about our to-do list for now. I think its growing, instead of shrinking, every day.

Things we have done
- Photographer booked
- First set of engagement photos shot
- Reception venue booked
- Photo booth booked
- My wedding party chosen and informed
- Ceremony location chosen
- Caterer chosen

Things that need to be finalized in the next few weeks
- Ceremony location booked
- Caterer booked
- His side of the wedding party
- Cake tastings
- Save the dates need to be finished & mailed
- Guest list (!!!)
- Wedding dress search continues
- Engagement party/housewarming party

We haven't even seen a teaser photo from our engagement shoot and Im getting a bit restless. I know its only been 2 weeks, but I was hoping to get at least one photo emailed to us while we were on vacation. Im excited, but also nervous to get them back. Just an email to let us know they turned out ok would have been nice! Im totally impatient. But Jenn is a great photographer so I have no need for doubts.

Hopefully tonight Ill get through some of our vacation photos. And maybe we can start tackling some of our other to-dos.

- Gan

Excited (and a wee bit nervous!)

Thursday is the day! Not for our wedding, silly. That's still over a year away. But Thursday is the day that we not only skip out of the country for Ned's first visit to Europe, but it's the day of our first engagement shoot!

You might be wondering why I say "first" engagement shoot and that's because Ned and I decided that we needed not one, but two engagement sessions! Im incredibly excited, but at the same time super nervous. I can't really figure out if the butterflies are due to the photos or the trip or everything combined. Im a seasoned traveler and have been visiting Austria multiple times a year for almost a decade so Im thinking the nervousness is due more to the photos.

See, I'm someone who loves to be behind the camera, not in front of it. Just the thought of someone taking a picture of me starts to get me going crazy. I wonder about my hair; how will I style it? Does it need to be colored? What about a haircut? I wonder about my teeth; are they white enough? Do I have time to bleach them? What about my clothes? What will I wear? What will look just right? Dear god, what about SHOES?! I cant forget the shoes! Oh, and then I freak out that all this worrying will cause my skin to break out.... It just goes on and on and on.

Ive been trying to get things taken care of ahead of time to avoid going crazy over the little details at the last minute as much as possible. I took care of coloring my hair about a week or so ago. Ned and I both went and got haircuts together this last weekend. I started going through all my clothes (which, if you know me, you know is a huge task) and started to not only put together the most perfect outfit, but also pick out what I want to pack for our trip. It still feels like there is so much to do though.

We are probably overdoing it by planning our photo shoot for the morning of the day we are leaving for Europe, but it's the only day we will be able to visit the Minnesota State Fair this year. The Fair opens the day we leave and ends before we come back! We both love the State Fair and would be so sad if we missed it. Last year we had so much fun that we actually went twice. It only seems fitting that our engagement photos are taken there. Unfortunately, our wonderful wedding photographers, Graddy Photography, are booked on the only day we can make it to the Fair. (We get a free engagement shoot with our wedding package.) But we are super lucky to have the amazing Jenn Barnett instead! We are still going to use our engagement session with Graddy at a later date, maybe this winter or in the spring.

Im really excited to have our engagement photos done, but tomorrow is going to be a whirlwind. So much to do in such a short time. Im keeping my fingers crossed for nice weather!

I wanted to make a post about getting an email from The Knot yesterday that we reached our 13 months mark, but I just don't have time. Expect a big update when we get back! For now, here are some photos of us from the MN State Fair last year.