Wordless Wednesday: Thanks, God

Keeping it simple today.

These 11 words say everything I am thinking.

Weekly Wedding Update: The Wedding Registry

I am stressed out over something that shouldn't stress anyone out. Go figure.

What is it?

I can't decide what FiestaWare colors to register for. (Lame, I know.)

But in my defense, why would anyone give anyone all these options!?

And this isn't even all of them!

I have debated and debated and the end results is that I just can't decide. And we all know Mark hates making decisions, so he is currently no help.


So, any savvy decorators out there have any suggestions? Should I do Turquoise & Scarlett? Or Paprika & Marigold? Or maybe throw in some Shamrock?

I am currently open to every option, so leave me a comment and help me out. And please, don't look at my registry...it currently screams "this girl doesn't know what she is doing when it comes to FiestaWare." Hopefully, I can somehow fix that soon?

Weekly Wedding Update: A Real Big List

The list is growing instead of shrinking I think.

Here is the thing. I love my fiance with all of my heart, but when it comes to planning a wedding some days he drives me impossibly nuts. Now, I try not to get too mad because I know we have different personalities, but still, I just want this darn list to shrink not grow. But unlike me, he doesn't smile every time he checks something off our list. He doesn't finish one list to make another list just to accomplish more. You see, for Mark one thing a day is a lot and he never can quite decide on what he wants to do (He is a "P"). For me, one thing a day is failure (I am a "J").

So the list making continues...

Here is the dauntingly big list that leaves me tossing and turning at night. Feel free to take any jobs off my hands.

1. Design, print and send invitations.
2. Decide on "fun facts" for napkins.
3. Finalize wedding music, determine a processional song and get complete list to singer & pianist.
4. Figure out table linens & napkins.
5. Design programs.
6. Design cards for tables.
7. Write a short blurb about each attendant for program.
8. Confirm with readers, dessert bar attendees & guest book person.
9. Decide on what we are doing for a guest book.
10. Meet with our couple from our parish.
11. Order wine.
12. Order alchohol.
13. Finalize meal for reception.
14. Finalize meal for rehearsal dinner.
15. Decide on what do do for bachelorette party.
16. Find purple heels.
17. Find lace TOMS.
18. Find a hairdresser.
19. Get a MAC makeover & purchase makeup.
20. Order groomsmen gifts.
21. Order/make bridesmaid gifts.
22. Get MOB, MOG & so on gifts.
23. Double check on registry items.
24. Buy or make a veil.
25. Lose 5 lbs.
26. Order Mrs. & Mr. signs
27. Get shrug in case it is cold.
28. Order wedding handbag on September 3.
29. Get wedding garter.

Now that you read it are you freaking out too? 

But seriously, if you have any ideas on any of those items above, I WOULD LOVE SUGGESTIONS. All of your comments have been so helpful so far, especially the wedding music tips, I loved them!

And am I forgetting something? (Except breathing, relaxing & spending time with Mark, family & friends?) Thanks so much for being a support system for me!

Much Love,

The Stressed Bride-To-Be

Connecting Farm To Fork

I was going to blog today, but I found someone who said it so much better than I could.

Before yesterday, I had never heard of Amy on the Prairie, but I am sure glad I did and you can bet I am a new follower.

Amy is a MN-grown city girl that is so eerily connected to values of rural America, that you would of thought she grew up on a farm. However, she promises us she didn't and even admits, she had a ten year stint as a vegetarian.

Which is why it's even more impressive that she gets modern food production and our need to feed a hungry world so perfectly.

 Our family of four is on a budget and I buy food we can afford.  Most of the food we buy is a product of conventional agriculture. That means, our produce was grown with the aid of fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified (GMO) seeds to increase yields. And, our meat is typically from larger farms where animals are raised in large facilities with the aid of technology and interventions like antibiotics.  I feel comfortable eating this food and serving this food to my family. -- Amy On The Prairie

Here's what I I like about Amy's Farm to Fork: I Think Our Food Supply is Safe blog: I support eating local. I buy from the kid next door who grows fresh veggies. I have never cooked beef that wasn't my own and I try to eat fresh, healthy food whenever possible.

But I am a 20-some college graduate who, while I am getting a steady paycheck, has bills and loans to pay off and I can't afford to buy organic, local food every time I get groceries. And folks, I probably am better off than 70% of the world right now...so if I can't do it, how do you expect everyone else to too.

I applaud Amy for confronting a hot, trendy topic in food production right now; her points are extremely important for all of us to understand. These stats from Alltech help hit it home:

925 million people go to bed hungry each night and we add 219,000 extra mouths to the globe each day

How can we afford to overlook the millions of people that are starving when we have the technology and the ability to feed them?

I think it's a question we all must answer before stepping up on to our soapbox.

A Wedding Website

Hey Friends,

We want you to check out our wedding website! 

Do you have when and where questions? Or are you looking for a hotel? Or wondering how to get there? Or maybe your curious on the love story behind this big day? Heck, I won't even judge you if you just want to creep and figure a little bit more out about this wedding thing I keep talking about.

You can get it all at www.weddingwire.com/purfeerst2011.

Hope you like it! Pretty soon, it will be less than 100 days away, which means we better get moving and you better book your hotel if you are coming! :)

Peace & Love,

Mark & Jamie

This Music Illiterate Girl Needs Help

It's time for another weekly wedding update that hasn't been weekly at all.

I have two monsters on my to-do list right now -- wedding music and invitations.

They are stressing me out, haunting my dreams and killing everyone of my lunch hours. Every wedding planner says that they both should be done by now, but go figure, this procrastinator left them for last.

Now admittedly, the wedding music should have been expected. Remember me...the music illiterate girl who always sings the wrong words, never knows who is the singer and doesn't even attempt to name the tune?!? Yeah...I stink at picking out wedding songs too. Now luckily I have a great singer who is trying so hard to help me out and a best friend who is a little bit more on top of the music world then me, but still...I need your help.

I am on the prowl for some tasteful wedding ceremony music that is maybe a little country or a little classic, but still will pass Catholic Church standards.  And I am looking for a bit nontraditional fathers/daughter dance and some fun supper music to play on the grand piano. And of course, somehow it all has to feel just right for that Mark & I, so that means...a bit quirky, pretty classic and simple.

Can you believe it was ever this cold out!?

So got any ideas? :)

What was your wedding ceremony music? What song do you just love to hear? What's something you always thought would be fun? What did you first dance too? Let me know, leave me comments, shoot me a message, tell me in person...just help this girl out please! Can't wait to here your thoughts!

By the way, looking for more wedding information on things like hotels, registry, directions, time and locations? Check out our website that we just put up this week! You can find it at http://www.weddingwire.com/purfeerst2011.

And next week, we will cover invitations! :)

Too Busy To Blog

Well, I am back (for a minute at least).

Remember about a month ago when I told you I was going to revamp this blog? Well, I haven’t.

Part of me feels like a failure, but part of me is thankful that I have life that is interesting enough to keep me too busy to even come near blogspot.com.

And busy I have been.

I pretty much built a shed with my bare hands…ok and with my Dad, brother, fiancé, mother and every single one of my brother’s friends. But anyway, we built a shed, beatified the May ranch and somehow pulled off a graduation party for Jason May a few weeks back.

Then I went to Duluth, courtesy of AgStar and Mark Purfeerst, where I ate some fantastic food, enjoyed some time by the water and simply relaxed. It was perfect.

Upon our return though, we both had some hectic days at work and then I got busy helping my gorgeous friend get married on one of the hottest days of the whole summer. Did I mention that is was an outdoor wedding?!?

Then, I took Sunday to recover and clean a nasty pigpen in 90-degree weather and 70% humidity. And Monday? It was back to hectic work week where we somehow managed to get a huge, but fantastic, August issue out the door.

And now it’s Rice County Fair time and if you know Mark & I at all, you know we are county fair, 4-H, cattle showing junkies. So regardless of the record temperatures, we have been there everyday.  It’s kind of part of the deal though; record temperatures might make it tough for us, but it also makes it even more unbearable for cattle that are used to a 45 degree cooler. So Mark’s little brother washes his steer 6 times a day and we all are doing our best to keep them comfortable.

So that’s my rather length excuse of why I have been missing in action lately. And I come with no promises of getting better anytime soon.  I love my busy hectic life right now and I can find no good reason to sit inside and type, when I could be enjoying summer with my friends and family.

But, I can promise I will be sharing some new wedding news soon and maybe I will find time to upload some pictures from all of this fun stuff I have been doing soon! But don’t count on me please…there is a fair chance I might let you down. :)

Until next time friends,

Jamie