23 days in counting!!

I just logged into our wedding website, and it read "Your wedding is 23 days away." AHHHHHHH!!!! Seriously?!?! I can't wait to be Mrs. Vazquez.... I'm the luckiest girl in the whole world :)

Productive day...

Joseph and I had a very busy, but productive day. Two appointments with vendors (answered some important questions about the reception and finally met our videographer), got my old pictures to my mom (so she could scan them onto a disk for the video montage), called people who were RSVP delinquent, and finally balanced my checkbook. Oh my God, it felt so good!! I got to cross off some big to-do's today, people!!! The stress is melting away...

We also had my mom's surprise 50th birthday party this weekend... and yes, we did surprise her. She was not happy about it... she hates when anyone gets something past her. She grew to love the party and felt special, which is all I wanted. We ended the day cleaning the kitchen while breaking in our wedding shoes. Classic.

A lovely weekend. I am loved and blessed.

Win some, lose some...

I found a little gem in the midst of my garden of horror. While I was sobbing over my eaten cantaloupes, my shriveled squash, and my dead basil and pepper, my cucumbers were busy beating all the odds. This is my new lovey... I think I'll pick him tomorrow and put him in a delicious garden salad. Yum.



My tomatoes are also growing away... undisturbed by the voles (I don't think they like the smell... well at least I hope they don't).



Joseph and I are doing our vole research, and concocting a plan of attack for next year. I think I can safely say this growing season is a wash. Included in these plans are some gravel, higher beds, chicken wire, and some strategically placed guillotines. I'm praying my plants come out alive and fruitful next year. Here's one of the cantaloupes that bit the dust... *sob*



We found out we blew a fuse a couple weeks ago... the fuse that was hooked up to our drip system, and the right half of our lawn. Fantastic. We lost five plants, and my other 4 hydrangea plants are threatening, but I'm hoping this new growth means they're pushing through.



With everything going on in our household, Joseph has made the decision to hire a lawn guy, and I have decided to have someone "deep clean" our house twice a month... I'm already feeling a little more relaxed. Larry, the lawn guy, has informed us our lawn will be the best in the neighborhood within the month. Ahhh....

Bon Appetit!!

Joseph and I watched "Julia and Julia" tonight... it's was a wonderfully delicious movie. Joseph and I were laughing the whole way through... I'm always amazed at how talented Meryl Streep is. But what I loved most was the relationship between Julia and her husband, Paul. "You are the butter to my bread, you are the breath to my life"... to which Joseph said as he turned to me, "You are the mayonnaise to my broccoli." Yes, he puts mayo on his broccoli. He loves it, therefore, he loves me, and that's all I need to know.

Julia and Paul were so utterly in love. Whenever he wrote to friends, he wrote about her... he was proud of her, even in the midst of small failures. He believed in her talent, and was her strong support. What a lucky woman she was. To be surrounded by love, friends, wine... and butter!!! What it must have felt like to be engrossed in what you loved, and to not apologize for it. She was fearless, and we could all use a little of that in our lives. So, Bon Appetit!!!

Customer Service

I ordered my crystal headpiece for the wedding on June 11 from House of Brides. I called them on July 9th because I had yet to receive the product, an email, or any proof I had ordered the piece. I spent 20 minutes on hold waiting for someone to answer my phone call Then I took part in the vaguest converstation I had ever been a part of. The woman on the phone used the word "approximately" about 30 times (and I'm not exaggerating)... "When do you expect the company to ship the item?" "Well... ummm... they should send the product out approximately a week from now." AHHHHHH!!!!
I got an email this morning (July 15th) that said the company had received the order and the item was expected to ship THE END OF AUGUST!!! The wedding is AUGUST 21ST!!! I was on hold for 63 minutes this time (yes, SIXTY THREE)!!! I had to hang up the phone because I had arrived at work... what the heck people!?!?! While you're waiting on hold, their pre-recorded message claims they pride themselves on customer service... really? Who told you that?!!?
I'm in desperate need of some patience, people... pray for me please...

Reno, Birthday, and Garden Update

This was a much needed 5 day weekend! It started with a 2 1/2 day trip to Reno for some dancing, gambling and debauchery... yes, we needed it. The roulette table left me feeling invigorated, and the nap by the pool left me... well... tan. We got to spend some time with friends, let loose on the dance floor (well, that was just me, but Joseph did make a short appearance for half a song... pretty good for him), and spent money for no apparent purpose (but I guess fun is a very important purpose).















I spent some time talking to one of my friends, and bridesmaid, about the stress surrounding my world these days, and she offered some much appreciated advice. She advised to not let the wedding to-do list stress me out because I was missing the journey of planning the most important day of my life... did I really want to look back on this last year and say, “God, I’m glad that’s over,” or “I had so much fun creating that perfect day.” I don’t want to look back on these planning months with regret. I want to cherish them.

When we returned from Reno on Sunday, Joseph and I engaged in the fine art of napping... as Joseph and I lay in bed, I looked at the clock that read “6:30pm,” and I asked him, “So... what do you want to do for the rest of the day.” With one eye open he said, “This.” So, that’s exactly what we did. We tried to make it through a movie... we were not successful. We got 30 minutes in, and then started to snore. We finally succumbed to the sleep at 8:30pm... and didn’t wake up until 10:30am the next morning. *sigh*





Monday I had a birthday lunch with my mom... sushi of course. When I returned home Joseph had cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed and started laundry... he refers to these chores as his “husbandly duties.” We went grocery shopping, and then watched the latest Star Trek Movie, the one we couldn’t finish the previous night.

Tuesday was my birthday... it was relaxing and productive. My idea of a perfect day. I had a pedicure and facial peel (a relaxing one, not a rip-your-face-off one), met Joseph at home for a little snuggle time before he headed off to school, and then I got stuff done. I organized my office/art studio, cooked for the week, finished the laundry, and sent out some wedding gift thank you cards. It was fabulous!! Did I mention that I did all these things while wearing my wedding shoes... I had to start breaking them in. It was quite a sight... me in grubby cleaning clothes with Calvin Klein ivory satin 4 1/2 inch peep-toe pumps. Very amusing.

A VERY IMPORTANT GARDEN UPDATE:
Joseph and I heard through the grapevine one way to keep voles away from your plants is to scatter dog hair around them. Well, we don’t have dogs, so we took a little trip to Petsmart’s Grooming Center, and yes, we asked them for a bag of dog hair. I felt like a complete loon!! Surprisingly, this was not an unusual request, and they eagerly filled a huge garbage bag with dog hair. The looks we got, as we walked out to the parking lot with a bag full of hair, were comical to say the least. Joseph and I couldn’t stop laughing as we dodged sideways glances from passerby's.
When I got home, I stuffed dog hair into every single hole left by those dang varmints, and put even more in and around the still viable plants. The next morning, the hair looked as though it had been undisturbed... I think we finally have a cure!!
Oh, and my zucchini and squash plants are growing more babies... they survived!!

Even my trainer couldn't push me...

So arrived at my trainer's house this morning (not ready to workout) with dark circles under my eyes, and a contagious yawn. She asked, "How are you doing, girl?"... I just wanted to break down and cry!!! I'm so exhausted!!! Everyday at work feels like I'm being rolled over with a steam engine (I'm tired of the fight), wedding plans aren't complete (the little stuff is piling on), my art studio is a mess (and since I'm a little OCD when it comes to organization, it' driving me nuts!), and I can't sleep because the endless to-do-list is on repeat in my cluttered head. My trainer felt pity for me, so instead of pushing me, she gave me a 45min massage... GOD BLESS HER!!!
We're off to Reno for 2 days, and I'm hoping it will be the weekend away Joseph and I have been dying for. Tuesday is my mom and my birthday, so we're going to lunch and getting a massage together... hopefully the two massages in one week will get me out of this funk. I need to refocus and get back to being me, instead of this cranky, tired version. Pray for me!!

My new Baby!!!

I woke up this morning to the sound of the doorbell and shot out of bed trying desperately not to fall on my face as I ran down the stairs... MY NEW COMPUTER IS HERE!!! I've been a PC user my whole life, but I made the switch, people!! I'm a MAC user now! The switch was necessary after refocusing my attention to starting my business... and poor Joseph was tired of having all my "stuff" on his computer, and before I downloaded even more programs I thought it was best to buy my own computer. I can't wait to dive into all that it has to offer... it's all mine!!

Celebrating small steps and lovely things...

Kelly Rae made me realize more than ever that we have to celebrate the small steps of our journey (whatever that journey may be... creative or otherwise). It's has become so clear to me that focusing on the positive parts of life, those small victories, has such a powerful way of washing away those negative voices pecking away at our self esteem and strength. "Negative Nelly" is slowing fading into the background as "Positive Polly" is making her debut... she's here, she really is.

Over the course of the last couple weeks, I have watched more and more people follow me and my journey, "like" my fan page, and email me with lovely words of encouragement.... THANK YOU!! The love that has crossed the web has been so powerful and life changing.... THANK YOU!!

I'm also striving to celebrate the "lovely things" in my life... the main thing being my husband-to-be, Joseph. I don't think you understand how amazing this man is. I've said it before, but I'll say it again... he is the most supportive and loving man a girl could ever pray for... and I did pray for him. My prayers were answered. He has always pushed me to follow my dreams, and it's because of him that I have the strength and courage to push through. I love you my Honeybush!!!

See my garden grow... until the Voles screw it all up!!!

Last year I really got into gardening, which was a little hard since I was living in a teeny tiny apartment with a 6x1 foot patio. In the heat of summer, my poor plants died of heat stroke if I didn't water them 3 times a day, which I never had time to do. But now, I have a 60x50 foot backyard with endless possibilities (and a killer landscape plan thanks to Joseph's Aunt... Hi Aunt Alaina!!!) and my new best friend, the drip system... set it and forget it!!!

In the beginning of February, I started my babies indoor from seed... I was feeling confident and optimistic. Joseph, that love of mine, built me 2 raised veggie beds and I got to work. I sowed tomatoes, cantaloupe, spinach, zucchini, bell peppers, squash, lettuce, pole beans and cucumbers. Then I took a trip to the local nursery and bought strawberries, and some more herbs. I was so pumped! I had tons of space and lots of love to see my garden grow...

My squash and zucchini plants were growing huge and lovely leaves to shelter their growing babies...



and then my veggie basket runneth over...



The cantaloupe vines started to crawl over the bed edge, searching for more space to roam...



and then I started to notice new cantaloupe babies every day...



My tomatoes were taller than I was...



My pole beans were crawling up the trellis, stretching for every inch of light...



After 3 large harvests and a week of 80 degree weather, my lettuce finally bolted, revealing delicate yellow flowers for me to admire from my kitchen window...





My garden was lush and happy...



...until the day when our first vole reared it's ugly head, and that's the day I shed my first tear over my garden. I went out one morning to check on my babies, and I noticed a couple holes, my asparagus plant was pushed over a couple inches, and my pole bean vine was dry and brittle. I was devastated!!! My mother-in-law came over the next day and diagnosed our problem... VOLES!!! What the F?!?!?!

As the days went on my zucchini and artichoke plants leaves became yellow (and then brown... *sigh*), bite marks appeared on my cantaloupes(*sigh*), and my basil and bell pepper plants shriveled and died (*sob*, tear). We had "Clark" come over and he wanted to start us on a monthly schedule to control the little varmints (ummmm, no), and then I spotted one burrowing in and out of the veggie bed... and do you know what came to mind... shotgun!!! No, I didn't shoot it (if I knew where the safety was, I probably would have), but I am investing in some guillotines. I'm done with being humane. I just want my babies back...

Fan Page Update...

Lots of new pics on the PeachHoneyLove Facebook Fan Page... hope you "like" them!!! Thanks for all the support... I have the greatest friends!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peach-Honey-Love/139201776096324?v=photos&ref=mf