Birthday month

I don't know how most people do it, but in my house we have birthday months, not days. Well ok, I guess just I do. Still, October is officially mine. And this year, was the best birthday month yet.

We FINALLY got our house!!! Steven and his buddy installing new locks to keep the hobos out. I promise I will post pictures of our house... but they will be "before and after" ones. So you all might appreciate the work we have put into the dang thing.

I got lotsa birthday parties! Well, they might have actually been bridal showers. Still, I told my mother I was glad everyone was finally recognizing my birthday properly.

Steven and I's match-making sisters being all cutesy at my bridal shower...

Little sister Aimee got to go to homecoming. That made me feel old.

Little brother Sam celebrating halloween all month long by dressing up as Captain Jack.

I finally got to meet my BFF-since-kindergarten-Tara-Woofus' husband, Karly-face. Who'da every thought we'd actually grow up one day? Not our parents for sure.

Other BFF-since-birth-cousin-Kamille got her mission call to France!

Steven took me to Tucanos for dinner at the gateway AND shopping for clothes. What a sport.

And finally... the day of my actual birth!

My snuffle-up-iggins Charlie aka "Chuck" begging for some sourdough pancake tastiness at breakfast.

With Mama and Grandmama gettin' a pedicure from the best in the biz.

Dinner at the Mandarin, then home for cake and ice cream!

I was spoiled beyond belief this year. I get a husband, a house, a wedding, a new iphone, AND turquoise sperry's from soon-to-be mama and pappa collins. See? SPOILED. Best birthday ever.

p.s. just wait till you see mine and steven's halloween costumes...

Sneak peak...

Things are steadily getting mad-house crazy round here.

We spent the weekend addressing and stuffing invitations, carving pumpkins, seeing an AWESOME movie, oooing and awwwing over our groomal pictures and...

dun dun dun... closing on our house! FINALLY!!!

The bank lost our keys so we get to go break in today, and we are stoked beyond belief.

First of all, our new megaplex in Centerville? Wow. Steven and I wholeheartedly approve. Not paying for parking AND it's only 4 minutes away? We're sold.

Second of all, I command everyone to hop on over to the nearest theater immediately and see REAL STEEL. Ohhhh ma gosh. I'm not one for action/fighting movies. Steven all but dragged me there. Within the first couple minutes though, I was hooked. And convinced I must get myself a fighting robot.

Hugh Jackman + dang cute little boy + epic story = AJFKDSKFJ!!!! Seriously.

We did watch it in the DBOX seats... basically paid an arm and a leg. We both agree that they were, "pretty cool" but in the end, just plain not worth it.

Anyways, the movie was one of the few I've ever seen that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Do yourself a favor and see it. You'll thank me.

Thirdly, Steven is an amazing singer. He sang me his own original composition over and over. And over, whilst stuffing our invitations. He will kill me for posting this. But I can't help it.

(sorry it's sideways and blurry, still figuring out the new phone)

Thirdly, doing groomals instead of bridals was the best idea ever. Sometimes, I'm genius. If we hadn't, I wouldn't have this precious moment saved for the rest of my life. It's priceless. So without any more stalling.... take a peak of whats to come, and be jealous that I have the coolest pictures ever.

Counting down

5 weeks left. What happened to five months?

And I have a feeling October will flyyyy.

Between invitations, pictures, flowers, shoes etc. we haven't had a day to spare.

We will *hopefully* be closing on our townhouse sometime next week. I can't wait to get in there and start cleaning and painting. And moving in all our awesome stuff we have been collecting recently.

I haven't been helping with our budget at all. With my driving record, and recent car wreck... I've already cost Steven thousands of dollars. And we aren't even married yet. He's such a good sport. And is just too good to me.

When Steven asked my dad if he could marry me, my dad said, "You do understand what you are getting yourself into? She is a serious liability."

He was sure he was.

But he wasn't.

Now he probably has an idea.

I told him the night I crashed that I was sorry I am such a hand full.

He told me, "No Ashley, you are two handfulls. But I'm ok with it, that's why I have two hands."

So maybe it sounds cheesier when I write it out.

Believe you me though, it was darn cute when he said it.

Everyday I spend with him, I'm convinced he knows me more than I know myself. Either that, or he can read my mind. But he knows all my winces, grins, and pouty lips.

He knows what I'm saying, when I'm not saying anything at all.

He knows things about me, that I don't even know about myself.

And I was thinking on my way to work this morning, about how my whole life I've had to try so hard to open the door, and let people into my life. And then I realized... some people you don't even need to let in. Because they already have the key. So they can basically come in and eat your mac & cheese whenever the heck they want.

Right now, I'm just really grateful that I trusted. It's made all the difference.