So cool!

Alyson Hannigan wearing Vera at the 2009 Emmys

Does the dress look familiar?  It should, its a navy (looks black to me, but its supposedly navy) version of the Callalily dress from the Vera Wang Luxe Wedding Collection.  Its the dress my dress was based on!

PS - I'm a huge Buffy fan, and Willow is wearing my wedding dress (kind of) - so freakin' awesome!

"guess who got engaged?"

...was the text I received last night, which was followed by quite a bit of freaking out.

My darling o-bear (also my super wonderful "bridesman") got engaged over the weekend in the Adirondacks.  Apparently his wife-to-be, ms k, was initially expecting something but was ultimately surprised because he let her plan the entirety of their weekend trip.  He proposed with a ring that had belonged to his grandmother that his parents generously gave him - so sweet!

Congrats to o-bear and ms k!

succulent love

Recently I've totally jumped onto the succulent band-wagon.  A few months ago I couldn't tell you what a succulent was (apparently the are "water retaining plants adapted to arid climate or soil conditions" - wikipedia) now I'm all about having them at my (non-dessert) wedding...  I'm sure I won't, but still, maybe I'll buy some for the apartment.

I love how they look great on their own

Or mixed into arrangements with traditional flowers

Maybe I'll just have a few mixed into my bouquet...

*First 3 images from 100 Layer Cake; I've forgotten where the other 3 are from.

update

Back from ASBMR - all went well with my presentation, yay!  Sitting at the lab, not doing work - he he!

Now that I'm back I'm starting to feel pressure on wedding stuff again...  

We have our engagement session coming up in a few weeks and I want to get my make-up done, but I don't really know anyone in town and the person the photographer recommended charges $75/hr - that kind of seems unreasonable, right?  Oh, and once we have the pictures back I need to make Save the Dates... and mail them out - oh but before that I have to collect peoples addresses...

I'm also getting nervous about our invites... Josh really likes the ones I designed, but I'm afraid they won't look professional enough, especially since I'm printing them at home.  I emailed the Budget Savvy Bride and her rates are very reasonable - for $50 she will design 5 invites for us to choose from based on our wedding colors, styles etc, and she will design them so they can be easily printed on a home printer.  For an additional $25 each she will also design RSVP cards and any other elements I want.  I'm seriously considering it.

Its also almost time to start looking for a florist... I'm not looking forward to it.  I want really nice flowers, but I refuse to pay a lot because I know its something I could do myself - my family won't let me (they have no interest in having me transform into a Bridezilla the afternoon before the wedding).

My mom is also going to Israel in a couple weeks, so we have to settle on a guest list, and date for our Israeli reception so that she can find an appropriate location.

I think thats all for now.  Just needed to unload.

ASBMR

my hotel

View from inside the convention center

The room I'm presenting in tomorrow... eek!

i'm leaving on a jet plane...

... i'll be back on Wednesday.

Going to Denver for the annual meeting of The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

On Monday afternoon I will be giving my 15 min oral presentation... wish me luck.

I'm going to try to post pictures while I'm away (assuming I can find the cord to connect my camera to my computer between now and 625am).