Bye Bye 2009

I think it's safe to say that this has been the most eventful year of my life. It seems fitting that it would be since 9 is my favorite number ;) Here's a recap of the big events of the year. Links to the posts related to these events can be found on the right side of the blog in case you want to refresh your memory of the great times.

I ran a marathon

We got engaged

Jake earned his pilot's license

We moved to California

Jake started his own business

We tied the knot

Although all of these events were wonderful, I think I'm ready for a break. Let's hope that 2010 is just as wonderful, but a little more low key. Thank you to all of our friends and family for supporting us through these events and for making 2009 so amazing.

Collections

I've recently started a couple of collections due to some neat gifts I received for Christmas.

The first is small honey jars. I purchased the first one (the beehive) on my birthday and my sister, Juliann, gave me the other one for Christmas. I know 2 doesn't really qualify as a collection, but I intend to accumulate more over time.


The second collection is blue mason jars. I found my first one in our friend's store in August and intended to start a collection, but hadn't come across any until Christmas day. I guess Grandma Brown heard about my desire to collect them and so she gave Jake and I three in a basket filled with goodies!


I've never really been a person to collect things (except for the awesome rock collection I had when I was little). And I don't intend to go completely overboard with either one since I don't have a lot of space to put them, but I think both will be fun to have. And I think one of my friends should plan their wedding around blue mason jars. I would gladly lend them out. I've read that you shouldn't put candles in them, but they would be great as vases. I would also gladly plan the entire wedding. Any takers?

Hi Family!

Merry Christmas!

I wish we could fly to see you.

Or even drive.

But instead, we will have to talk on the phone.

(I wish I had a phone this awesome)

I miss you all very much and will see you one of these days.

P.S. Don't forget to leave one of these for you know who :)

Say Yes to the Dress

is a show on TLC. It's filmed at Kleinfeld's (a wedding dress store) and it follows brides and salespeople around the store in the quest for the perfect dress. I watch it a LOT. I think Jake is perplexed by this. Not because I'm still watching wedding shows (I watch a lot of them) but because I wasn't really concerned about the wedding dress while I was planning. I knew I wanted something casual and something that I could wear again. I never even actually went "wedding dress shopping", I just happened upon a couple while at the mall. Almost every time I'm watching the show Jake asks "do you wish you'd gotten a different dress?" And the answer is always "no." Don't get me wrong, I love wedding gowns and obviously I love to watch people try several in a row before they find the perfect one, but I really wouldn't go back and change my dress. One of my favorite things about my dress is that I know I'll be able to show my kids pictures one day and they won't be able to say "mom, what were you thinking?" I love looking at old wedding photos and seeing dresses that could still be worn today and I hope that in 50 years someone will look at my pictures and think "I'd love to have a dress like that."

The Wedding Details

Back to the recaps!! Here are my favorite pictures of all the little wedding details. All photos are by Sara unless noted.

(not by Sara)

(not by Sara)

(not by Sara)
Please also note that my friends and family set ALLLL of this up the morning of the wedding. They are all so wonderful and I am so grateful that they worked so hard to make the day so perfect.

(not by Sara)



My mom and her best friend worked endlessly the days leading up to the wedding in order to make all of these cupcakes! They were to die for and my mouth still waters when I look at the pictures of them.


My mom also made this. I thought she was going crazy because every time I would talk to her MONTHS before the wedding she would talk about how she'd been working on this pillow. I'd think to myself "how long can it take to make a small pillow?" And then I saw it and I understood. It is the most detailed and beautiful thing you could ever imagine! The other side is equally as beautiful but I don't have a picture to show you right now.

Other recaps:
The Ceremony
Rehearsal Dinner
Getting Ready
Car Photos

Recent Happenings

Last weekend we went to a tree farm in Upper Lake. They give you a big measuring thing, a wagon, and an axe and then let you pick whatever you want to chop down. After you chop it they put it on this cool machine that shakes off all the loose needles. We didn't get a tree, but we helped pick out a couple.




This weekend was the Christmas parade in Kelseyville. You know you're in the country when all of the floats consist of huge semi trucks decorated in Christmas lights. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a marching band, but it was still pretty neat.


After the parade Santa sits in the bank so you can take pictures with him. Sorry the pictures are dark, but they had the be posted because this is one of Santa's best helpers. Almost as good as the Santa in Blue Ridge, Texas.


You might be wondering why Jake has such a big smile on his face. Apparently Santa was pinching his butt. And he liked it.

We received our first Christmas card in the mail the other day. It's the funniest card I've ever seen. I laughed for a really long time when I read it.

Today Jake brought me home some flowers and a card! He's always doing sweet things like this, thus making me the luckiest girl in the world.

And here is a picture for my mom. She loves Sydney almost as much as me.

T'was the night before Christmas

And all through the house,

Everyone was sleeping, even the mouse.

When all of a sudden, there appeared some light smoke,

Then the smoke alarm sounded and everyone woke

Off in the distance, a fire began to grow

When all of a sudden, it started to slow,

Then what to my wondering eyes did appear?

A group of firefighters, in full turnout gear!

And I heard one exclaim to the others with a shout

"THIS HOME HAS SPRINKLERS, THE FIRE IS OUT!

As they drove away, they were all full of cheer,

Knowing that fire sprinklers work every day of the year!

(Jake got this in an email that someone sent from the McKinney Fire Dept. I'm not sure if they wrote it or if they're just sending it along, but I thought it was extra cool that it was from them).

Day trip to Fort Bragg

Jake had to do a quick job in Fort Bragg on Monday and since I wasn't busy I went with him. I wandered around town while he was working and then we met up and walked down to the beach. The weather was perfect outside and it was wonderful to get out of town for the day.

Cute little sock store

City Hall (so cute, right?)

The place Jake was working (yes, they've given him free beer to take home)









We went to Glass Beach. It's called glass beach because there's a lot of small pieces of glass to be found. The area used to be a dump. Gross to think about, but cool to find pretty glass.

The Ceremony

It's time for the really good stuff now. I have to say that I was completely fine all day until about 2 seconds before I was about to walk down the aisle. I looked outside and saw how beautiful everything was and how the song our bridal party was walking out to was just perfect and I couldn't believe that it was actually my wedding. It was more perfect than any movie, magazine, or wedding website that I'd ever seen and just knowing that my best friend in the whole world was waiting for me caused the tears to flow. Then "Here Comes the Sun" started to play and I knew I had to get it together. I managed to make it down the aisle without crying too much, but it was soooo overwhelming to be the center of attention and to know that everyone was staring at me. On top of that, the way we'd positioned the chairs caused me to not be able to see Jake until I was almost to the end of the aisle. His warm smile caused my anxiety to cease and Uncle Rob's sweet introduction set the grounds for a wonderful ceremony. We read our vows, exchanged rings, and sealed everything with a kiss. Enjoy the photos!


Other recaps:
Rehearsal Dinner
Getting Ready
Car Photos