Save the Date!

It's officially official! The Save the Dates have (nearly) all gone out and been received by guests-to-be. I keep getting a select few back because the post office can not read them with how I had them addressed. (Total ridiculousness if you ask me.)

We ordered these magnets (magnets!) from Shutterfly and they could not have been more perfect. 

I can not believe that there are only 128 days left to go.

Seriously, wasn't it 365+ days to go just last week?

In addition to mailing out the Save the Dates, we finalized our contract with our photographer/videographer as well as our officiant - both of whom, we absolutely love and can not wait to work with! My dress is purchased, shipped, arrived, tried on, and awaiting final alterations (to be done closer to the big day), Peyton's flower girl dress is purchased (we bought the one the salon had in stock since it fits her so perfectly), and 2 out of 3 bridesmaid dresses are purchased and ordered and (hopefully) on their way to the bridal salon soon! AND there are tons of ceremony/reception decorations purchased and tucked away (thank you, Momma!).

Next up: design/pick/order wedding invitations!

Wedding planning is exhausting, buuuuuut --
I can't wait to be your "Mrs.", Nicholas.
I love you!

xo,
Sara

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief because...

our HONEYMOON IS BOOKED!

Thanks to my so very gracious in-laws-to-be, we have a week of relaxation booked {aka: the down payment taken care of, but still have to pay for the rest of it} for the Couples Swept Away resort in Jamaica. I heard about this place through a patient at work {she's going there for her honeymoon this year, too!} and decided to look it up and oh.my.gosh!

It is pure honeymoon perfection.

I am most looking forward to being able to relax on that beautiful beach with my HUSBAND {holy cow, that sounds so good when I say it out loud!} without having to worry about anything except when to get up from my beach chair for another pina colada. {And I might not even have to worry about that because they give you a little flag to wave if you want a staff member to get you another drink or something to eat!}

We picked this resort because it seemed like the absolute best deal for us. It is 100% all inclusive {even the gratuities are included, so we don't have to worry about that!}. There are 6 restaurants, 8 bars (including a swim-up one!), 5 Jacuzzis, and 3 pools! There's even a massive fitness center and spa. Complimentary excursions include: a trip to Sunset Bar, a ride on a glass bottom boat, scuba diving, a sunset cruise, a trip to Margaritaville, and a shopping shuttle. It is going to be so. much. fun!

& the best part? This specific resort offers a Honeymoon Registry. So, instead of our wedding guests purchasing gifts from Target or Bed, Bath, & Beyond {that we don't really need because we already have an established home together} - they can help put money towards our honeymoon! How awesome is that?!

So... is it October yet? ;)

xo,

Sara

two hundred and nineteen days

**photo via kristen marie photograpy - this is a photo of another wedding that took place at our wedding venue.**
aka: this will be us in less than 8 months!

"Marry your best friend. I do not say that lightly. Really, truly find the strongest, happiest friendship in the person you fall in love with. Someone who speaks highly of you. Someone you can laugh with. The kind of laughs that make your belly ache, and your nose snort. The embarrassing, earnest, healing kind of laughs. Wit is important. Life is too short not to love someone who lets you be a fool with them. Make sure they are somebody who lets you cry, too. Despair will come. Find someone that you want to be there with you through those times. Most importantly, marry the one that makes passion, love, and madness combine and course through you. A love that will never dilute - even when the waters get deep, and dark."
- Unknown.

Nicholas, I can not wait to marry you.
To promise to love and cherish you for all of the days of our life, while standing in front of our loved ones.
I love you, so very much.
You are truly are my best friend.

xo,
Sara


ps- my bridal salon called the other day and said my dress has arrived!
Eek!
I am just dying to go try it on and get the alteration process started so I can soon bring that beautiful dress home with me!

Enagement Pictures

A few weeks ago, Nick's friend Mandy took our engagement pictures at a local park. She did a wonderful job, despite the fierce wind and freezing temps we encountered for an early morning in October.

 

Here are a few of my favorites:

 

 



 

I can't believe that in less than a year, we'll be tying the knot!

*que the anxiety from all that we have left to do/plan!*

 

Thank you, Mandy, for the beautiful pictures!

 

 

Life lately:

**Please excuse my absence from blogland as of late.**

It seems that recently, I just have found other things to do besides take the time to sit and write out a blog post. I am a true procrastinator.

Those other things mostly include: sleep, work, take care of my little girl (I was going to say "toddler" but I just feel like she might be too old for the word "toddler" now), sleeeeeeeep, and work, work, work some more. I am exhausted all.the.time!

However, some exciting things have taken place during my blog-hiatus! --->

1. You'll be happy to know that we officially have a wedding venue and therefore -- we have an offical wedding date!! It's....

October 4, 2014

{aka: 10/04/14, aka: 10+04=14, aka: I like when dates are tricky like that}

I can NOT wait to be his wife! #ifyoureabirdimabird2014

{we even have our own wedding #hashtag... you know things are serious, now! ha.}



We wanted it to be late enough in the fall that the leaves would be changing, but not so late that it would be freezing for the ceremony and reception. Luckily, for 10/04 this year, it was nearly in the 80s and the leaves are at least starting to turn into those beautiful oranges and reds we love so much.

The venue couldn't be more perfect! It's everything we were looking for, they provide catering (and will pretty much make whatever we ask them to make -- Hello, Thanksgiving-style dinner!), it's totally within the budget, AND they're building a rustic barn over the winter (to be complete by April 2014) to house the reception!

2. WE FOUND (& purchased & ordered) MY WEDDING DRESS! Eeeeeeeeek! So exciting I tell ya! I ended up choosing the one that was exactly what I had set out looking for. It is beautiful. I wish I could share a picture, but at least we have LESS THAN A YEAR until I get to wear that beauty for the big day.

3. We have a new contract on a house and we are supposed to close on OCTOBER 31st! It is not in the school district we had hoped for unfortunately, but it is only about 1 mile outside of said school district.

It is close to our families and is a beauuutiful home with a great yard. There are a few projects for us to work on, but they're nothing major -- and by doing those projects, it will only make it feel more like OUR home.

Our lives have been super hectic recently and we have some big and exciting changes coming up for us.

I am loving every minute of it...

& I am so thankful for all that we have.

 

 

"If I'm a bird... then you're a bird."

 

 

If the above picture is not obvious enough, then here it is in black and white:

I'M ENGAGED!

Ahhh!
I think I'm still in shock.
It was so unexpected and so sweet.
Nick did good, no he did AWESOME!
I'm going to be Mrs. Sara Eagle!
My initials will be SEE! (I always wanted initials that spelled out an actual word, haha.)
Peyton gets to be a flower girl!
Can you tell I'm excited!?

Alright, let's rein it in a little bit here, Sara.
I'm sure if you're reading this, you would like to know the when, where and how, right?

The when: Saturday, July 27th
The where: Our apartment. In our living room, to be exact.
The how: you guys ready for this? Here we go!:


The Proposal:

Saturday morning we woke up slow and lazily. Peyton wasn't awake yet (she must have been tired because she is normally awake before the both of us and climbing into our bed to snuggle). We were talking about houses and wondering how the few showings were going to go to later would be. Nick got up a few times to do things and I just stayed in bed.
Peyton must have woken up at some point while he was out in the living room, moving about.
All of the sudden, Nick came back to the room, took the frame next to our bed that we use to write notes to each other, and said "Peyton has a surprise for you!".
I was none the wiser.
"Okay!" I said, as I continued to flip through my Instagram feed.

A few minutes after that, Peyton came walking into our room.
She was dressed up in her little play wedding dress and veil and she was carrying the frame.
The frame read: "If I'm a bird... then you're a bird."

{Side story!: I'm sure if you're a girl, then you instantly know where that quote stems from. THE NOTEBOOK, duh. Allie tells Noah to say he's a bird and his response is "If you're a bird, I'm a bird." Well, Nick's last name is Eagle. Whenever he calls to make reservations or has to tell someone his last name, he says "Eagle, like the bird" --because for some reason people don't know how to spell Eagle.

Anyway, the first time we watched The Notebook together a few years ago, I realized instantly as Noah said that, that if Nick and I someday got married, I would be a bird too! Get it? Good.}

Back to the good stuff!
She brought the frame over and laid it on the bed and then proceeded to climb up and snuggle me.  I said "Awww, are you my baby bird?" And she nodded and snuggled in even closer.
At first, I didn't think too much of her being in her "wedding" dress because there are numerous mornings/afternoons/evenings where she requests we get her dress up clothes out so she can play.
{I can't tell you how many times she's played "wedding" with me or my sister.}
But after a bit, I thought to myself... "Hmmm, this is kind of odd... and I wonder where Nick is?"

So, I asked her, "Did Daddy Nick want to put your dress on, or did you?"
She replied, "He did."
It was then that I knew.
I didn't know whether to stay put or to get up... The shock had started to set in, I think.

At that point, she climbed off of me, more intrigued by the iPad sitting on the nightstand.
It was also about that point that, from the living room I heard, "Did she tell you what else she was supposed to say?"

I said, "No..."
Nick replied, still from the living room, "Well, come out here then."
I almost said, "Are you sure?" But instead I shakily stood up - still in my PJs might I add - and walked through the bathroom, out to the living room.

Nick was standing there, with his hands behind his back. A smile from ear to ear.
As soon as I got close enough, he took my hands and got down on one knee.
"Sara Elizabeth {My Last Name}, will you marry me?"
{Thank goodness he didn't say more than that, because in my state of shock, I wouldn't have registered any of it!}

Of course I said, "Yes!"
{At least I think that's all I said. Remember, I was in shock!}
He stood up. We hugged and kissed and I realized he had been holding the ring box.
It was beautiful. It is beautiful.
Peyton came out to see what all the hubbub was about.
She was the one who slid the ring on my finger with her tiny, little hands.

It was so surreal.
I still can not believe it.
WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!
The shock has not gone away yet, that's for sure.
I love so much how he did it.
The fact that he incorporated Peyton so well AND surprised me beyond belief...
Oh, he did so good.

Little did I know, my Mom and sister had been in on it the WHOLE time! They even went to pick out the ring with him. He even asked my dad!
I snagged a good one, I did. 

 

 

My nails were hid.e.ous! I had just recently painted them a weird combination of purple and teal with sparkles. As soon as I put the ring on, I vowed that I needed to change my nail color ASAP.

The only problem? I couldn't find the nail polish remover!

Luckily, my sister and mom were already on their way up {we were going to look at a few houses that morning} so they brought theirs up with them.

 



 

 

 

"If you're a bird, I'm a bird." 

I can't wait to spend the rest of forever by your side, Nick.

I love you.