Now Monday's for ME (and Eric and Shelby)!

I did it! I went to that restaurant I told you about last Monday, and I ate dinner for one. My $7.99 pasta was delicious and very filling. I had a penne in a creamy oregano sauce, with feta cheese, sausage, spinach, and sun dried tomatoes. It was fantastic.

Then I did the very best thing I could have done for myself tonight. I headed over to the school, where I met up with my sweetheart, then bought myself a gym membership! Eric has late class on Monday nights, water polo on Wednesday nights, and has agreed to accompany me to the gym for Saturday mornings. So I now have a solid plan to, as my friend Shelby put it tonight, "get in shape for the wedding!". Shelby is a friend I used to work with, who also goes to the school (being the university where Eric goes, and I used to go). I found out she has late class on Monday and Wednesday nights and works out there both nights. SO HANDY, right? So now her and I are workout buddies those nights, and I get to see Eric on nights that I wouldn't normally AND I have Eric to keep me on track for Saturdays. This is going to be my couple of months. I am going to make it work, and I am going to get in shape. I really am going to make it happen this time!

Now all I have to do is find my wallet so I can continue to feed this new habit. It went missing this weekend while Eric and I were out running more unsuccessful wedding errands. Luckily, today I found some solutions for those wedding situations, although I did not find my wallet. Just keep praying it turns up before my landlord comes looking for rent, and I need to go to my doctor's appointment!

Random.

Calgary is such a random place. The weather here is the silliest I have seen around. Just two days ago I was bragging to my friend back east that we had 11degrees with sun in the middle of January. Yesterday it climbed to a wonderful 15degrees! This week has been gorgeous.
Now, just in time for the weekend, I'm looking out my work window at 4:10 on Friday afternoon and it's snowing. We're supposedly supposed to get like 20cm this weekend. Can you believe that?
This place is so silly that way, but I still just love it.
I don't have anything exciting to talk about right now, so here are a few random things about me to hold you over until I have exciting things to say:
- I want to start my own business some day. Something crafty I hope!
- My favourite day of the week is Wednesday.
- I love toothpaste. I don't know why, I just love the way it looks, tastes, feels and comes in tubes.
- The bodily ailment I am most afraid of is hemorrhoids. It should be cancer or something deadly, but it isn't. It's hemorrhoids.
- I hate any colour nail polish other than pinks, reds, and rare shades of purples. Blue, green and yellow are the worste
...NO BLACK! ewww
- I really enjoy reading textbooks, as long as they are well written. Not like my Diversity in the Justice System book from last semester, that was just painful. My Criminal Code Book of Canada is my favourite!
- I love my full name. Katherine Elizabeth.

because I said so.

At school a couple of Eric's friends have been bugging him to join a water polo team that plays every Wednesday night at the school. He thought it might be fun, and has casually mentioned it to me a couple of times, but last night he specifically said he really wanted to do it, and thought it would fun. He asked if it would be too much for him to join the team, since we don't really see each other much anyway. I was a little surprised that he asked me, but secretly I just love that he asked me! It made me feel so special, like he was asking my permission or something. I of course gave it to him, provided he takes me to watch him every Wednesday from now on. Because I said so.

So after work today, he picked me up and we went to his best friend Tyson's house to have dinner with him and his lovely wife Sarah. Sarah gave me hope for the future because she got me excited about wedding things and about being a wife. Just like me, she does not enjoy to cook and claims not to be very good at it. The food she made us tonight was delightful though. If that is what being a wife to a really hungry boy does for you, sign me up. I'm excited to learn!

Then from there we headed to water polo. I'm going to be a "water polo fiance" now. Every Wednesday night now is water polo night! Work to dinner to water polo.

Monday's for ME!

It's Monday night, and as previously stated my wonderful man has late classes.....OH HE'S CALLING ME! I'll be right back...If I'd known he was going to call as soon as I started writing about him, I would have done this earlier. Well, as previously stated, Eric had late class tonight and so I got to spend the night with just me (and then a little bit with Michelle as well). It was fantastic.

I left work in search of a really girly and fun way to spend my Monday night. I started out my evening at Michael's. Do I ever love this store. It is like the world's greatest place, ALMOST. I was very inspired by this place tonight. I found decoration ideas, flower ideas, and ideas for just me. It was a perfect visit. Although, I still don't have colours so it makes it difficult to start buying all these wonderful things I'm finding.

Then on my way out of Michael's I came across a wonderful place. This wonderful restaurant I found with my friend James one time offers 7.99 pasta (the most delicious you'll ever taste) on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. To my surprise they have a second location right DOWN THE STREET from work. Do you know what this means? Next Monday night, for me night, I will be enjoying a table for 1, eating delicious pasta for 7dollars and 99cents! This makes me look forward to next Monday actually.

So then after this discovery, I debated staying to enjoy pasta tonight, but saw the bus coming so I headed home instead.

Here I am at home now enjoying a lovely me night. Eric doesn't watch a lot of movies really. I think the only ones I've really watched with him have been I Am Legend, The Dark Night, 7 Pounds, Iron Man, a few that I made him watch (although he was willing, just for me), and next in line is Inception. You can see what kind of movies are his preference, which is fine. But tonight I am going to enjoy The Switch, while doing my nails. Something I rarely do anymore, but that is just pure girly fun: a good sappy movie, and a little bottle of light pink nail polish! And to complete the night, Michelle has joined my pyjama party on my bed, and we are now enjoying a little wedding talk and online shopping.

There are times that I just love being a girl (and there are time I don't as well). But sometimes it can just be so much fun. I just love it.

Now having said ALL of that, Mondays are still Mondays. They are still the longest dreadful day of the weeks, and they are still the nights I don't get to see Eric. Can't wait for Tuesday!

oh and by the way, I found my idea for crafty projects. Eric has a night class every Monday night. So I don't get to see him :( but have all night to just sit in my apartment and make things, while catching up on my TV shows and movies.
Every Monday night between now and April 30th, I will be making my own wedding decorations, and pretty good ones too (according to the ideas flowing around in my head right now).
Monday night is craft night, from now on. I am bound to my apartment, with my canvas, fabric, paint, scissors, glue, thread, wall trim, newspaper clippings, and picture frames. Oh yes, I'm going somewhere with this!

colours.

I really thought that a lot of the wedding stress would be over when we figured out the big things: the photographer, the temple time, and the venue. Now those are basically sorted out, and I've found that something else is bigger than I thought. I just can't decide on colours. Not to save my life.
Colour is my very favourite thing. There are so many options, so many shades and so many possible combinations. I actually have a stack of probably about 200 paint card things from Kent at home ( in Halifax, unfortunately). If I had them here I would be able to look at them and probably pick some out that I like, but right now I can't make a decision!
We bought bridesmaid dress fabric in a really pale dusty pink. It was on sale for really cheap and it's a colour I LOVE for decorations and crafting things and for my pair of shoes that I have in the exact same colour. The main problem is that we can't find more of that fabric. Right now we have 11 meters to make 3 dresses. Now that we might not have enough fabric, I am back at square one, which is a good thing and a bad thing.
Good thing:
Mine and Eric's number one main colour choice is a dark slate gray colour. I'm not actually sure the pink goes with this gray, because I am here and the fabric is there, so I may be able to go back to gray now that I am slowly losing pink.
Bad thing:
I really like that pink and haven't been able to find that specific material to make the style of dresses I want in any other suitable colour.
I know this isn't as big of a deal as I'm making it to be. I just want to make a decision and get it over with, THEN maybe everything else will fall into place. I need to be getting to fabric stores, craft stores, hardware stores and furniture stores where I can get all of my inspiration. Instead of sitting at a computer with the internet, where there are WAY too many options to chose from.
ANY ideas for two or three colours that go well with this gray (and won't make my wedding look like a baby shower?)

Stephanie.

This day seems to be dragging on forever. It is only 3:28. One and a half hours left to go, and I am bored to death. I've just about narrowed down my search for a photographer. I have heard back from a couple and am just waiting for a couple more to get back to me so that I can show them all to Eric and make him pick one. Nothing else exciting is happening here.
Funny story though:
There is a guy in my office (I honestly don't know his name), but he thinks mine is Stephanie. Every time he passes my desk he says "how's it goin Stephanie?". In fact he's even tried to shorten it up to Steph as well, like we're really close friends or something. The poor guy, I just can't correct him. He is always in a hurry when he passes my desk so I haven't been able to correct him yet, and after 4 or 5 times I think I've lost the chance.
What do you think? Is it appropriate to correct him, yelling out for the whole office to hear as he bolts past my desk ever morning and lunch?
I guess he's better than this other woman who walks past my desk and doesn't even look my way. Even the first couple of times when I tried to say hi. All I got was a grunting kind of noise. No eye contact. Gotta give the guy SOME credit.

wedding plans.

Why is it that I have been planning this wedding since I was probably 10, and now that it's here I just can't get it right. This week it is our goal to find a photographer and a venue. The rest will just fall into place after that. I have ideas about what I want for the small things, but these two bigger things are going to drive me nuts.
Eric is out right now looking at two places that we've narrowed it down to. That part wasn't actually too hard. We found a bunch of places, called around and only 2 were booked yet so we just picked one and are now going to pick between these two after he sees them.
The photographer is giving me a headache though. Litterally I have been looking at the computer ALL day both yesterday and today. I found a couple who are booked or not doing weddings anymore. That was no help. And I found about 500 that I am head over heals in love with. Theya re all form Texas, Utah and Orange County CA. It is not in my budget to fly those people out here either. So I am so stumped, and just can't make up my mind. If anyone is out there, I need some suggestions.
Mandy Baker
Amy Erickson
Rice Photography
Carey Nash
Kelsy Nielson
Rhonda Steed
Whoever you are, give me your preference. Help me to narrow them down so I can be one step closer to being a wife and not a bride.

creativity.

One of my favourite things in the world to do is to make things. Anything really. I just love it when I get a creative brainwave and am able to follow it through and make it happen. It feels so good to have that thing in the end that no one else thought of but you. That you were able to create from scratch (right from the thought process).
Working at my new job, I get a lot of time to spend at the computer. I work a lot of wedding plans. But on days like today: when Eric is in school all day and I can't talk to him, and when I find out my favourite photographer that I've seen is booked for the day of my wedding already, I like to take a break from wedding things and look at me things (although the wedding is almost entirely a ME thing as well).
I have a couple of websites that I love to look at for inspiration. Some people are just so brilliant and crafty and inspirational, that I can't help but get excited to do something when I read about them. Today I looked at a lot of things, and I need a project. I need something to work on and something to keep me busy. I need something that I can create and call my own. Something that makes me really excited.
Where do you guys get your inspiration from? Let me know, because I need a little more than I have now to get this figured out.

I just finished up all my work for the day, and it is 4:22. Only 38 minutes until the weekend starts, and it can't come soon enough. I'm almost done my first week of working in a real live job, and I gotta tell ya: I don't love it. I would feel so much better about my days if I was at school, or doing something I enjoy doing. This office job thing is not for me, but it will pay the bills. Especially that one big bill I have coming up: The Wedding Bill.
This is probably the one and only bill I will be so excited to pay though. I used a lot of my free time at work this week to start working on some wedding things. Another friend of mine got engaged at the beginning of this week, and his fiance's almost done planning the wedding already. They don't even get married until 3months after me! That kind of freaked me out, and got me working on stuff. I'm actually having a lot of fun with it to be honest. But the wedding stuff is not what I want to talk about today really (though I'm sure you will be hearing all about it soon enough).
I want to talk about the reason I'm having this wedding. Eric Persson. I'm sitting here anxiously awaiting quitting time because when 5:00 rolls around, he will be here to pick me up.
I haven't told you much about Eric and I, but boy is there a lot to say. Let me give you a quick time line, to catch you up to this point.
May 2009 - Eric moves to Halifax, with a whole bunch of other guys, from Calgary. At this point I am deciding between moving to Calgary and moving to Lethbridge. these beautiful boys convince me that Calgary is clearly the better choice, and I just couldn't resist them.
Summer 2009 - I spend a lot of time flirting, and eventually win the attention of a boy named Eric (not before actually having a crush on, and flirting with a different boy. Man am I glad that never panned out.) Eric and I start to spend a lot of time together, a date on the beach and a magical first kiss in his kitchen, I've pretty much secured his attention ("at least for the summer" I'm thinking).
September 2009 - I make the move across the country to Calgary, with Eric in his new car. That's right I drove all the way out west with him. I should clarify that it wasn't FOR him though, it was WITH him. A common misconception.
November 2009 - Eric and I have enjoyed some time together, but we decide at this point that it is not right for us to get married, and that this probably won't go much further. So we break up. (don't worry not for long though).
December 2009 - Look at that we're back together. After a lot of talking, and a little bit of kissing, Eric and I are back at it again. But not for long this time.
January 2010 - Eric dumps me. AGAIN. For a little while this doesn't bother me, I kind of saw it coming. But then it hits me: I love this guy, and he refuses to talk to me.
January-April 2010 - Eric and I see each other at school and church a few times, but never ever talk to each other. Literally the hardest few months ever. I missed him lots, but was still angry with him. I was so lost and confused.
April 2010 - Eric finally asks me to have lunch and we sort out some plans for a trip we planned to make down to Utah with our good friend Michelle at the beginning of April. We decide that it isn't fair to her to ruin this trip and make it awkward, so we may as well make up and start talking again. By the way that was make UP not make OUT (that part comes again later).
So we enjoy a lovely trip to Utah, during which I flirt shamelessly (and hope that what he is doing is flirting as well. I can't really tell though because he is so tricky to read!)
May 2010 - Right before I leave to go home for the summer, we decide that it is an appropriate time to start talking and kissing again, for the third time. This lasts a week, then I go home. After a painful goodbye at the airport, and a telephone conversation some friends convinced me was a good idea, Eric and I decide that that was fun and all, but it would be a bad idea for anything more to come of it. So I go the summer thinking about him a lot, and talking to him a bit. He goes the summer dating a couple girls, but most importantly still thinking of me a lot too.
September-October 2010 - I'm back in Calgary and Eric, Michelle and I hang out a lot together. I'm spending more time with him, and can't help but think and daydream about him. What can I say, I obviously still love him. (all you girls can tell that from this story I'm sure.) But I convince myself that there is nothing there on his side, so I really need to move on. I go on a couple of dates (with a couple of his friends), but still can't get him off my mind. And apparently it was the same for him.
One night in October, the weekend of my best friend's wedding - He apologizes for how much he has hurt me, asks me what I think of how he ended things before (all 3 times), and then kisses me. Okay what am I supposed to do with that? You know I still love you, and I obviously want to kiss you, what the heck are you doing to me Eric? So I threw caution to the wind and just went with it.
Between then and the end of the year, he tells me he loves me, he takes great care of me, kisses me lots,and then tells me I'm the girl he wants to marry. You can only imagine how excited I am to hear this! Of course you do, you silly boy. That's what you've wanted all along, I JUST KNEW IT!
November 20th 2010 (and a couple times after that) - He takes me rign shopping, and we pick out some gorgeous sparkly things to that will soon decorate my finger.
December 30th 2010 - Eric takes me to the Economy Shoe Shoppe (my favourite restaurant in Halifax), then to the beach (where our first date was). We spend a lot of time talking and having fun. Then he takes me to the temple, where the president unlocked the gates for us, and left us the lock. We walk around a little bit, then he finds the perfect place with good lighting (because he caught it on tape!) and gives me a beautiful speech, gets down on one knee and asks me:

"Will you NOT marry me"

I of course said

"No Way!"

Then he asked the real question

"Will you marry me?"

and I said:

"Of course!"

Then he gave me the most beautiful ring I have ever seen, that he designed himself and had made perfectly. And now he is all mine. You ladies can't have him, because he officially belongs to me. And I know he's not going anywhere, so don;t bother trying.
So that's how it all happened. A long story I know, and one I didn't plan to tell in such detail. I needed to catch you guys up though, because half of it has happened since the last time I really blogged. I just love our story. It started perfectly. The bumps in the middle made us stronger and happier, and more prepared for what's ahead of us. And now it never has to end. I'm sure you will hear a ton more about this wonderful man in the future, cause he's everything to me. But for now, I am done work and he is here to rescue me!

2011 - a bright new beginning

Well 2011 was supposed to be my year of flawless blogging (or at least journaling), but that has not yet happened. A man I love dearly writes a journal entry every night (even if they're just dot form notes on scrap paper, before he falls asleep). He always finds something in each day worth writing down. Sometimes they're not exciting fun and exciting entries, but I think it's important to remember the boring dreary things in life as well; just as a way to better appreciate the really good times. I've gotten you mostly caught up on the rest of 2010, but I'm sure there are a couple of important things I forgot because I didn't have them written down. From now on, this is my attempt to you keep you, and especially me, in check with the things going on my life. Good and Bad.
A brief dot form catch up of what I have already missed in 2011 (some very important details will follow, when I have the time to give them):
December 30, 2010 ( I know it's going back a couple of extra days, but I think it's worth it): We do gorgeous family portraits with H.M.F Photography for the last time that the whole family, including Grandmas, are all together). Then a lovely night with Eric, at the end of which I get ENGAGED to ERIC; my very favourite person in the whole wide world (I have much more to say about this, but it is a detail that will come tomorrow I think)
December 31: I enjoy a lovely and romantic New Year's Eve celebration with my brand new fiance. Which includes: watching Harry Potter on my computer in the car; eating ice cream from the tub and chips from the bag; a wonderful view of the city and midnight fireworks; dancing outside the car after the movie to music from he computer.
January 1: We (from now on referring to Katherine and Eric) spend the day with family and friends, eating food and showing off my new ring
January 2: We make our way to our old Halifax ward to see some friends, and to show off the ring (to be seen here).
January 3: We dropped the Grandmas at the train station, and said our goodbyes (until April 30th). Then spent a fun romantic day in Halifax, going into some shops and taking some pictures.
January 4: The kids go back to school and then the whole family goes to see the movie Tangled (a Christmas gift from Grandma).
January 5: I go wedding dress shopping with Mom and one bridesmaid (Megan). Then head to the fabric store to find stuff for the bridesmaids.
January 6: We spent another good day in Halifax shopping, taking pictures and enjoying some food at the Mongolie Grill. I think this might also be the day that I make Eric watch Bride Wars with me as well.
January 7: We spend the day together making some wedding plans. Then we go to the Paladium for some wonderful Greek food, and then to the boardwalk to see the water that Eric has missed so much. Then he brings me home, where my mom, Megan, and a ton of women from church are waiting to surprise me with a bridal shower. A Pampered Chef one at that.
January 8: We go to the farmers market with the family, and then go to say goodbye to our rental car (freedom). By the way, the place closes at noon (which is totally ridiculous), and we do not actually get there until 3, so we are toast. Then we spend the whole night packing to leave Halifax the next morning.
January 9: Home day comes. We say goodbye to Mom and Dad at the airport and head home. Sad to say goodbye, but happy to see home and family in Calgary again.
January 10: Eric drives me into work, where I start a brand new job. Yes, I am now a working woman. I work as a receptionist now. (Which is why I have so much time to get caught up on all of this stuff in the middle of the day).
January 11: Eric drives me into work, where nothing really exciting happens. I work a day, finally learn how to take the train home so that it no longer takes me 2 hours. Then I see Eric for supper when I get home.
January 12: Eric drops me off again, then picks me up from work (which is SO nice), and brings me home for supper and family time. I finally get to see Jordan, Breanne, Verona and Max, since being back from Halifax (aka since being ENGAGED)!
January 13: I make my first commute to work, giving me lots of time in the morning to think. I finally realize that I spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, on the computer, when I can be writing a blog entry everyday.
Okay. I know that was long, and maybe a little boring, but it needed to be said. While I was remembering, I needed to write these things down so that I do not forget them. 2011 has been fun so far, and I am excited to see what else it holds. With all of this time I have at the computer now, I hereby promise that I will keep up with this blog. I will not fall away again, and I will always have something to say (whether people are reading or not). Right now, however, I am tired of writing. You have two entries to read, and a promise for more; what else do you want from me.
You will be hearing from me again, I promise. So relax and enjoy the day. After all, its Thursday the 13th, not Friday. There is nothing around to worry you!

2010 - out with a bang

September 29 was a long time ago. It has been so long since I've been around, that I don't even know where or how to start. In fact, I have typed and retyped the beginning of this entry 5 or 6 times I think, trying to get it right. I have a lot to say, and I don't really know how to do it.
I have so much enjoyed these last couple of months. The summer, and few weeks that followed, were hard for me. Living back home was hard. I felt trapped in my old teenage body and mindset. It was frustrating to see myself digress, into the person I was so happy to grow out of. I am so glad to know now that that was a minor and temporary set back. Being back out on my own has been so wonderful, and completely liberating. I finally got the chance to see that I have grown up, that I am my own person, and I that I am independent and mature (in my own ways). So many wonderful things, both small and simple and great and marvelous, have blessed my life as of late. Here is what the last quarter of 2010 handed me (that I can remember):
- a childhood friend and former roommate marries the man of her dreams, becoming Mandi Schmale
- the man of my dreams realizes he loves me (again) and comes crawling back to me, with kisses and apologies (more to follow)
- I leave behind my teenage years, turning 20 on the 20th
- I finish writing 3 huge papers in a week (one taking me 24 hours straight to do), officially earning my status as a crazy university student
- I get added to Elder Persson's family email list, and get to hear all about his mission in California
- I set up my very first roommate Christmas tree, lights and all
- little Verona learns how to say Katherine, and by the way she loves me
- I go home for Christmas, bringing a boy with me
- my youngest sister Hannah is baptized
Just to name a few. As you can see, 2010 ended much better than it was there for a bit in the middle. October was a beautiful month of golden leaves and a wonderful wedding. November was a fun month of birthday celebrations and of school work accomplishments. December was a encouraging month of Holiday spirit and love.
The first quarter of 2010 was hard. The middle to quarters were confusing and frustrating. Then the last quarter came along to make this past year a memorable one.
Goodbye 2010, you were great while you lasted.