Where does the time go? I feel like we barely do anything on the weekends, but yet I don’t have time to write in our blog. Honestly though, there’s never much to say.

Work is enjoyable, but still, it’s just work and nothing to write home about. Then the weekend comes and we over-sleep, watch far too much TV, and as of late, don’t do enough cleaning. Who really wants to read about that?? (But then, who wanted to read about me scrubbing the stove, but I still forced that upon you all… hmmm…)

There’s not much happening on the wedding front, either. Every so often, I will window shop on the interweb, but I’m still not ready to dive into planning. Aside from the fact that it’s not as exciting if I don’t have my friends and family to help plan, it’s also how unstable I feel here. I don’t know where we will be in a few months, let alone where we will be next summer, when this wedding is supposed to happen. So for now, we’re just saving money and taking it one day at a time. I did order swatches for some awesome bridesmaid dresses I found last night. I think I would do this more often if they weren’t $5.00 a piece! But I really liked this collection of dresses, so I figured it’s worth it. Aside from making a “rough draft” guest list while we were home for Christmas, this is probably the biggest step I’ve taken so far.

Oh, the guest list… I can already tell what an adventure it will be planning this wedding! Now, mind you, we decided to put everyone we would want at our wedding on the list, and fine tune it later once we know our budget. We had David’s family do a list first, which was pretty short, close family and friends only. Then, we began the list for my family, which right away was twice as long. (In that moment, I had a sense of sympathy for my mother and aunts who host holiday dinners, and my dream of owning a big home and hosting the holidays for both sides very quickly dissolved.)

My mother continued to add to the list. “Don’t forget about cousin X. I’d love to invite third cousin Y. What about grandma’s 5th cousin’s ex-wife’s brother’s daughter?” (Okay, I admit this is a slight exaggeration…) At this point, my father chimed in and asked why we would even bother to put them on the list if I personally have never met these people and they will be the first to be cut. My mother reminded him of our “add everyone” plan, and my father told her, “in that case, don’t forget Uncle Jimmy.” My mother reminded him that Uncle Jimmy passed away, to which my father replied, “I know. Add him to the list, we will cross him off later!” It took me a long time to stop laughing, and even then, I continued to randomly giggle over it for the remainder of the night. (Now you know where I get my cheesy sense of humor from.) So, swatches and a very long guest list. It’s a start! I’m just grateful to get to spend every day with David, with a roof over our head and food in our bellies.

What else? We have rearranged the apartment, I will post photos as soon as I get around to cleaning first! We had a few people over for dinner last week, and I put together a fun desert that tasted excellent (anyone who has had my baking knows that is a miracle…) I will tell you all about that later on, too. I’ve also been working on a few printables for the apartment. Basically, just things I put together and frame for the apartment. I’ll give you a sneak peak! This is one that I made my mom for Christmas…

I haven’t made many, but every once in a while I get an idea and work on one, so I have a few I will share with you in my next post. I’ll tell you all about Mom, Morgan, and Oliver’s visit, too. :)

That’s all, for now. Time for bed! Love and miss everyone!!

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.

William Henry Channing

(Hello, Wikipedia… thank you for providing definitions for things I am too lazy to type out myself…)

In film, television or video production, craft service or crafty refers to the department which provides food service and beverages to the other departments or crafts. In addition to policing the set they set down layout boards and protect the set area, as well as provide buffet style snacks and drinks. The crafts in film refers to departments such as camera, sound, electricians, grips, props, art director, set decorator, hair and makeup, background.

For everyone else at work, they hear the word “crafty” and think of food. “Not I,” said the Mod Podge crazed girl from accounting. I see visions of scrapbook paper, ribbons, acrylic paint, and cheap wooden pieces from Michaels craft store.

I decided to bring a little bit of my kind of crafty to work, and make my desk a little more homey.

I picked up this vase at Ikea for $5.00, and threw in a $4.00 bouquet from the supermarket. 

I bought a white frame for $3.00 and painted it a mint green color. Much better!

I also picked up two weird (but awesome) frames, even though I had NO IDEA what I would use them for. But for $0.99, I just HAD to have them. I knew eventually I’d think of someway to use them. And I did! Well, one of them anyway… We have a list of everyone and their extensions, but I only ever have to call a few people on the list. So I made up a list of the main lines and, viola…

It’s cheesy, but I love it anyway! haha

I also purchased one of these mache boxes from Michaels, for less than $1.00.

Add a piece of scrapbook paper for $0.50, some Mod Podge that I already had, and you’ve got yourself a handy dandy paperclip box…

Isn’t it marvelous? (Aren’t I so lame?)

I also made a 2012 Calendar (with all William photos- what else? haha) on Shutterfly.com - which is an awesome site for prints and photo gifts.

I can’t believe it’s February already! I swear we were just home for Christmas last week… but that’s good, that means my mom and Morgan (and maybe even “I don’t like vacations” dad?) will be here to visit in no time!

Speaking of Morgan… congratulations on getting your license! Have fun, and be safe!!

Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.  ~Mac McCleary

I was going through some old photos the other day, and I came across this one from when we were shooting Michael’s film, Providence (thanks, Nicole!)…

My signature move for a while there. Always showing David my left hand; more specifically, my bare ring finger, hehe. Of course, I was doing that on our trip to Boston, and suddenly felt a little upset about the whole thing. Here’s how it went…

“Here we are in this amazing city that has special meaning to us, on such an incredibly beautiful weekend, walking around Boston Common having a wonderful time. This would be the perfect time for David to propose.” (And then reality cut in and I thought,) “But there’s no way that will happen. He can’t possibly have a ring,” (then,) “And now we’re going away to Los Angeles and won’t be back to Boston in God only knows how long. But this would have been perfect. Any other proposal won’t be nearly as good as it would be here.”

Cue the upset feeling, and teasing him suddenly wasn’t fun anymore. He noticed I was a little upset and (after him badgering me) I told him why, as silly as it sounded. He told me he understood and it wasn’t silly and told me not to worry, our day would come eventually, we just needed to wait until the time was right for us.

We met up with Michael and Nicole by the pier before heading to dinner. We sat on a bench for Michael to take photos and while I was making goofy faces and yelling at Michael to take the picture already, I felt David playing around with my finger. Here’s more of my crazy thought process for you…

“What is he doing? Why is he moving my ring to another finger? No, I still feel the ring I was wearing on my middle finger. So where did he get another ring? What kind of crazy is he up to now?” At which point I looked down, saw a beautiful ring on my finger, looked back up at David and whispered the only thing I could think of…

“You’re such a jerk!”

Smooth, right? haha

Then I said yes, we kissed, Nicole squealed in delight, Michael kept filming (sneaky was filming all along, not taking a photo!), the people sitting on the lawn behind us tried to watch without being too obvious. And I called David a jerk probably a million more times.

Later I asked David if he was disappointed that I didn’t cry or scream for joy,  or that I (lovingly!) called him a jerk; he said that it was such a Raven thing to do, and he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I love him very much, and I’m so glad he loves me, and all of my craziness. The jerk… ;)

“An engaged woman is always more agreeable than a disengaged. She is satisfied with herself. Her cares are over, and she feels that she may exert all her powers of pleasing without suspicion. All is safe with a lady engaged; no harm can be done. ” -Jane Austen