OUR WEDDING PICTURES ARE UP!

(yes, we are posers... that's right! )

Heather & Ryan Smith by Kennison Photography. Kennison Photography invites you to view the images for this event.

Link to the event www.pictage.com/274157 .
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They are so wonderful and it helped me remember what exactly happened that busy day! There are SO many of them though, so if you want to see all of them- take your time! We even cut out about 200 for people to view! I would HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend these guys- they were so great to us and we had a lot of fun with them, and I LOVE our photos.

We also got our furniture this weekend, and it's beautiful! And the bed is so comfy my back is learning how to adjust to it! We got a new bedroom suit, a kitchen table (which we desperately needed) and a sofa table. We really needed a new bed too, we had been sleeping on the bed Ryan's grandparents left to him that he'd been sleeping on forever and I only had a twin (we obviously don't fit on that! he, he!). And I got that one from my parents, which had previously been my grandmother's! So... it was time. It'll last us forever too! I feel so grownup to have a real grown-up bed and everything! Oh, and a husband and a house and stuff like that too...

We spent last weekend painting with Ashley in our bedroom, and I think it all looks quite nice! I'm in search of a throw/accent pillow that has the green, orange and brown to tie it all in with each other. I have this vision in my head of a retro looking floral print with it all. I think if I could design it, it could be a hit. But I'll make sure someone else has first and hopefully it wont be too expensive!

Easter Fun

We spent Easter over at Ryan's parents house. His sister Kelly and her kids Matthew, Taylor and Nicholas all came over too for dinner and an Easter Egg Hunt! They are cuties! It was fun to hide the eggs for them and then help them find them. My sister Delinda came with us too and we talked about how much we used to LOVE looking for the Easter eggs. Those were the good ol' days of dying boiled eggs and then finding them. I could only eat like 5 after a little while though. But instead of boiled eggs, my mother in-law got the plastic eggs and put coins in them, like a quarter or a dime or a nickle. I thought that was a cute idea. Each kid ended up with about $3.50! Score for them! And not only that, but they were the coolest eggs too- some egg shaped soccer and footballs, My Little Pony, Spiderman and Shrek are just a few. We didn't have those in my day...

This ones for you Ashley...

P.S. if you haven't seen Clue, I highly recommend it. Good, funny movie.

Better Together

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Accents

I was reading my friend Christina's blog and took a quiz she had on there. Funny how I grew up in Arizona and then lived in Utah for 7 years and have only been here in the South for 2 1/2 years and that some people think I'm from the Mid-West or up North... I don't get it. I can only attribute it to the fact that because of my occupation I've talked to sales men and women from all over the US and parts of Canada at times and that maybe after talking to all of these people 8 hours a day for the past 5 years, they've rubbed off on me. Strange... we'll see what happens to me in the next few years after living here in the South with a husband that has a tinge of a Southern accent. I've already become quite accustom to the phrase "y'all"... I know, but it's all about convenience and the easy life here, and I'm really okay with that. Take the quiz... I'm curious, it wasn't anything what I thought mine would be.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
North Central
The West
The Inland North
Boston
The South
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Honeymoon Pictures!

Our pictures still aren't up yet, and I am SO anxious to see them! I love the ones I've seen so far- I just can't wait to see the photographers take on it all! There's one that I'm looking forward to seeing of me with my flowers really close to my face and just my eyes looking up. Ryan did one like that too! Ha, ha! He's a funny joke man! The photographer made mention of possibly entering our photos into some sort of magazine or photo contest too- that would be pretty cool eh? But I did want to mention that my big brother Greg took a lot of pictures and also a video of me walking down the isle to my sweetheart. It's pretty awesome I have to say! If you look to your right you will see Greg Collier Family as a link on my main page and if you go to Wedding Pix you can see some more pictures there, and then he named the video "Heather's Walk".

I love technology, but not as much as you, you see... but I still love technology...always and forever.
We went to Charleston, SC on our honeymoon. For the first night we stayed at Lake Oconee, GA (thanks to Jill and Brent Woodson) the night of our wedding. Let me tell you what- we had a California King and it was AWESOME! One of the most comfortable beds I've slept on (besides one in Kristiansand, Norway at the Hotel Norge- beautiful... absolutely beautiful). We ate dinner, did our thing and went to bed at like 10:30 and didn't wake up until 9am the next morning! Then on to Charleston. We stayed at the Battery Carriage House; cute, historic, quaint, lovely! My cousin Laura and her husband spent their honeymoon there and recommended it. The bed wasn't the most comfy thing on this planet, especially after the other one we'd slept on- but it was a fun room and place to stay none-the-less. Basically we walked around a lot and enjoyed the beauty of the historic homes and buildings there and napped and had fun and strolled. It was super enjoyable. PICTURE TIME! Warning, there's LOTS of them to take a gander at. But I'm sure there's plenty of you that haven't been to Charleston, and may not get a chance to go there- although I highly recommend it.

Our room at The Lodge at Lake Oconee.

Here is the Battery Carriage House, circa 1845

Our Room The view from our room

There are a lot of old cemeteries in Charleston, just about every huge church has one on their property. They are such beautiful sights to see and so picturesque. Here are some shots I took.

Here are some random shots of us gallivanting about the city.

It was a lot of fun... I'm glad we chose to go there. The weather couldn't have been better, except for we didn't get to swim in the ocean. That's okay, we'll save that for our next trip!

***

We ate our cake too... we only got a TINY bit of cake at the wedding from when we shoved it in each other's faces... so we decided it wasn't worth waiting a year to eat the top layer. I'm pretty sure it would've gone to waste. We dug in the night after we got home! Yummy stuff!

I'm going to complain for a second. I'm tired. I feel like throwing up. I have a headache for two days in a row. Okay, I'm done. And NO, I'm not pregnant. T'would be impossible already. I should go to bed I guess, Ryan's asleep next to me already... it's late.

It's done!

We're hitched! I have husband now and my Ryan has his wife! I can't believe how smoothly and wonderfully perfect it all was! As Ryan put it, "it was story book perfect!" I feel so blessed for all those who came, helped, those who couldn't but thought of us, those that helped and put up with some of my emotional instability the few days before, and those who made me laugh. And most of all- I have a husband that I am SO blessed to have in my life. I love him so much! I can't even explain it- but I'm sure most y'all understand. Anyway- I only have some pictures which are wonderful to have from my family members and then our actual photographers pictures will be up in a couple or more weeks at www.pictage.com/274157 so check them out then!

Okay, sorry for the delay!

Here is the breaking news! Ryan got baptized & confirmed a member of the LDS Church on Saturday March 17, 2007! He was ordained to a Priest on Sunday in Elders Quorum. Both of those beautiful experiences will be ones that I will remember for the rest of my life! By making this decision, he has not only blessed himself but me and our future family! Now we can be sealed to each other for time and all eternity when the time comes next year! I am SO proud of him for making such a big step in his life, especially a week before the wedding! I am SO grateful to be able to now have the priesthood in our home!

Lori, Michael, Ryan and I and the Elders (that DIDN'T originally teach him). And in the other picture Ryan and Michael with Jared too. Michael who is Ryan's best friend growing up baptized him and Jared confirmed him! It was so neat! It was a tad bit difficult for Ryan and Michael to keep serious in those totally hot baptism outfits though!

Well, we're getting there! Just three more days until we're Mr. & Mrs. Smith! My family is arriving this afternoon and after 2:30 I'm a free woman until April 2nd! And, just in case you were wondering... http://littlehuxies.blogspot.com/2006_11_19_archive.html

Too Cute...

I just thought I'd share this because I thought they were so stinking cute! I found these among other fun decorations at my desk when I came into work this morning! My coworkers decided to mix my birthday and wedding celebrations all into one! I love it!

Warm Weather Music

If you know me, you know that I LOVE my music. And if you know me, you know that I LOVE the Spring. So I decided today that it's time to make another mix CD with all of my favorite "warm weather" songs in tribute to the BEAUTIFUL weather that we're having here in the ATL. I am so in love with all of the blossoming trees and the little green leaves starting to come out. It makes me SO happy, there's definitely something in that daily dose of sunshine that does a person good.

I have certain songs that when I hear them I think of the summertime, or warm weather, or driving with the windows down or something like that. Like when I hear the Gorillaz I think of last summer. When I hear certain 80's music it makes me think of a lot of my fun summers in Utah up in the mountains. I guess you could compare it to good road trip music too. There's something about it that makes life complete. Kind of like your soundtrack to life at that time. And that it will always be apart of that memory- or it will produce that memory for you each time you hear it.

So, since I want to make this CD I'd like some good music suggestions from YOU that remind you of the summer or just good times in general. That way you can be part of my little soundtrack of life for my 2007 Spring/Summer! What's your favorite warm weather song? Also pray for us that this beautiful weather holds up so that when our family that's never been here before comes to visit for the wedding it'll be nice! And also for the wedding day too!

Update

So, what's new? We're getting closer, we've got about 16 or so days... I'm getting so excited and sort of nervous too!! Not to get married of course, but just worried about everything going smoothly and looking good and all that stuff.
Both Ryan and I have our rings, we went and got his last night. He put it on for a little while on our way back to the car. It's so cool to see it on his hand, because the reason behind that ring is ME! He's taken because of ME! I love it, and him too! It's a really cool ring too, so it looks good on him. I like seeing my man taken! HA!
I did a test up-do on Saturday too and thanks to Jiznin and Ash I got half or more of my centerpieces done. The difficult and time consuming ones anyway. The photographer just confirmed with us for the pictures on that day too! So all these different things are starting to make it feel really real. I told Ashley the other night that sometimes I feel like I'm living my life, but watching myself in a movie at the same time. Like this all isn't really happening to me- because I feel so lucky. I feel so blessed to have someone who loves me unconditionally, despite my weight or height or crooked teeth or other insecurities I have. He loves ME just the way I am! He loves to look at me and is okay with looking at this mug of mine for the rest of forever! I feel the same way about him... but it's the nicest, coolest, most wonderful thing in the world to have that feeling reciprocated back with no one more than the other. I feel like a cheeseball saying all this, but it's the best thing in the world to be in love. Seriously, I highly recommend it!

I also had my bridal shower on the 24th too, and that was lots of fun. I got some fun goodies! Here are some pictures. I have good friends to put something on like that for me!

Pint Size

No, I'm not referring to myself... but I just had to mention that I think whoever created pint sized ice cream is a freaking genius. Seriously- I mean there are so many pros rather than cons to this ingenious creation! For one, I can buy one during my lunch break and bring it to work and sneak it to my desk with out looking like a ginormous pig. Plus it makes me feel not so much like a pig because it's small, and don't worry- I don't usually eat the whole thing in one sitting. It can last me for two or three sittings even.
I love ice cream. I love pint sized ice cream. That's all I'm saying. What's your favorite pint sized ice cream? Today I had Häagen-Dazs LITE Blueberry Cheesecake for the first time... not bad.

I know, I'm on a roll

I know, I know... where is all of this coming from? Why the blogging so much lately? I'm not sure... guess I'm feeling inspired to share my opinions or something. I'm like ultra aware of the people and things around me lately too... I must be waking from my "I've got a wedding to plan" mode. I'm just chilling here at work, listening to my little stereo that looks like a silver ice cube and I have Imogen Heap playing. Some of you know who she is, some don't. Some of you know how much I love her, some of you don't care. SO I need to share my opinion. Yes, she's a little on the wacky side. Some have compared her to Bjork- which in a musical sense, I feel she's WAY more talented and more easily understood and easier to relate to lyric wise. I love Bjork, don't get me wrong- but she is definitely an acquired taste and she is a little wacky herself. Maybe it's her culture, I don't know. Need I remind you of the swan dress?

Anyway, I bring all this mumbo-jumbo up because I was highly disappointed with the Grammy's decision on "Best New Artist". Well, in reality, I was highly disappointed with a lot of the Grammy's that were awarded... but that's a whole other issue- I wont go there. The Nominee's for Best New Artist were: Carrie Underwood, Corinne Bailey Rae, Imogen Heap, James Blunt and Chris Brown. Personally I think it's a conspiracy, because Carrie Underwood of ALL of those artist WON. AH! Okay, I've listen to like TWO of her songs and they're vanilla- not bad, but just vanilla. Some might like vanilla and are fine with that, but I guess I like mine with mix-ins and stuff like that. I'm not too familiar with the other artists music, other than that HORRIBLE song "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt. I do know however of Imogen's talent. As crazy as the woman may be- she basically produced, wrote and did all the instruments on her own for her "Speak For Yourself" album. I'm just saying... check it out because it really is amazing. There are a few songs that aren't my favorite, but most of them are amazing. It might take some a minute to get used to it, but it's a really good album. She was also in the band Frou Frou; the Garden State Soundtrack had one of their songs on it. And there were others that were popular. Even one of the first songs on her new album is now featured on a Verizon commercial I noticed. And let me also recommend on of her latest songs on the Chronic-(what?)-cles of Narnia (okay really Chronicles of Narnia) Soundtrack called "Can't Take It In". It's such a good song, that I'm putting it on our wedding video!

Anyway, I just wanted to give props to the wacky lady people call "Immy". And I also wanted to show you her get up at the Grammy's and read this ARTICLE about it... freaking hilarious!!! Wow... that Immy...

And also, do you think that Carrie's win was a conspiracy? I mean with the whole American Idol connection and everything? Because let's be honest, did she write all of her songs? Probably not. Did she play all the instruments? Probably not. Is she as talented? Not yet... I have faith that she will be someday...

Thing I'M grateful for today: SUNSHINE AND BEAUTIFUL WEATHER!

I feel sheepish

So... I work in a cubicle, a gray cubicle that would depress me if I didn't have pictures of my family and friends on it and if I didn't have my beautiful bamboo to look at. Just about everyone on this floor is in a cubicle. And we have our own little areas where we we are combined with other departments or people who do things different then say what my department does. So there is a girl that sits on the other side of our little area who is in a different department, but I see her enough to know who she is and say hi to her and all that courteous stuff. She's a very pretty girl- probably my age, has long blond hair and is fit and you can tell is okay with herself, but not in a bad way. Well, she walked by me just a few minutes ago and I noticed that there was a big black smudge all across her forehead. So thinking to myself, she's got to know that she's got that on there, sure I'm not the only one that's noticed- unless of course it JUST happened! I wondered if she got into some ink or a pen broke and she accidentally wiped in on her forehead and now it wont come off... all of this crossed my mind in the three seconds time I looked at her and softly grabbed her arm and said in a low tone "did you know you had black stuff on your forehead?" to which she replied sort of disgustingly "yes, it's Ash Wednesday...". Whoops... I felt pretty embarrassed and apologized and she assured me I wasn't the first to ask, but still seemed bothered by my lack of knowledge.

Now I've heard of it, but seeing as though it's not something I practice in my religion I wasn't sure of the "rules or procedures" or the symbolism behind it. So I looked Ash Wednesday up in wikipedia.org because I wanted to be a little more educated and more informed about it. I really feel that living in a such a diverse area of the world that it's my it's responsibility to become more informed. I love the different religious or personal beliefs that people choose to live by. I am grateful for what I choose to believe and know that in my heart it is true. But just because I know that, doesn't give me the right to be ignorant about my brothers and sisters who don't know or believe the same way I do. I may not always agree with it, but a lot of people don't agree with my religion either. President Hinckley advises us to be tolerant of other religions because there is good in every one.
I now know that next time I see a smudge on someones forehead on a Wednesday that it's probably a religious thing and that I shouldn't be nice and say anything! But believe me, if it's any other day of the week- I will!

updates from the desk of Heather...

So, the last couple of days (not including today) I've been a little of an emotional wreck. "They" (whoever "they" is...) all say that planning a wedding is mega-stressful, and I've been trying really hard to not let it get that way. Ryan has been SUPER helpful and has done anything I've asked him to do. As well as other people who have helped me put together invitations or whatever it may be- but I have issues with delegating. I, like my mother, tend to be a control freak. I hope it's not THAT bad, but I have a hard time delegating things to people for fear that it'll be different than I pictured in my mind. I mean, someone could take over a task/project and make it look just fine but it might not have been what I thought it would look or be like and so then it throws me off kilter. So then I just decide to do it myself... and hence the stress creeps in like little termites and makes me feel like I'm going to fall apart. I'm okay though... but I guess I just had to have the "typical breakdown" that all brides have. I feel like I have SO much to do, when in reality we're really in a good place.
I have a to do list, but most of it can't be done right now and a lot of it is doing the marriage license and changing my name and stuff like that. And growing up in my culture, a temple marriage was always something that I just knew I'd do. But Ryan isn't a member yet (we're working on a date for that to happen) and so we have to get married "civilly". So, now I have to think of how we're going to do the ceremony and I have NO idea what to do. I have some suggestions from friends and relatives that had to get married civilly first and that's really helped me out. Anyway, things are looking good. And I am grateful to have a man by my side who is ULTRA patient with me and my freak out moments and stress moments and just my regular emotional girl problems! As everyday passes I am reminded of HOW much I love him, and how perfect he is for me!
I have my first bridal shower this weekend, it's a "Naughty or Nice" shower- so that should be fun! I am super appreciative to my lovely girlfriends for throwing that for me; let's hear it for Cecilia who put it together and Ashley who will execute it, and the help of many others I'm sure! It'll be fun, poor Ryan isn't sure what to do with himself during that time period- but I told him he can work on my car if he doesn't have to work! What a treat eh?

One of the things on my to-do list was to pretty up my veil. I bought a very cheap, generic one from Michael's that didn't have any embellishments on it and have been searching for something to make it more "me". Nothing looked good, it was TOO much or to little and I didn't know how to make it work- but then last night, I found what I needed! It turned out pretty nice I think! All for like $23 or something! I tried it out and put it on and I think it'll be just right. I'm excited to wear it on the big day!

Anyone need to borrow a veil after this?

We're getting closer!

So, we got our invitations out. That is a load off our backs, and we're getting close to the end! We've got only just a little under 6 weeks and I am SO ready. I can't wait to be married and to see my family and friends and to have a husband!

My sister in-law has also saved me the trouble of finding dresses for all of our nieces too, and they are ADORABLE! Now, I'm just prefacing that none of them will be wearing the very stylish and cute purple snowflake long sleeved t-shirt underneath them, but look how cute my Brookey is in it! There are five of them wearing the dresses and they are going to be so freaking adorable I can't hardly wait! We're going to have blue sashes on them but we're not sure how yet. It'll be so fun!

From Jennifer and Yvonne:

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? Went to my first YSA conference, went tubing on the "hooch", went river rafting, went to my first Braves game, saw the Harlem Globe Trotters, went fishing in Georgia and on the Chattahoochee for the first time, met my fiance and got engaged (not all at once!), camped in my first hay field- of course it was already harvested...
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I hardly EVER make resolutions... so I guess I didn't keep them... or maybe I did... HA, HA!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? no... don't think so.
4. Did anyone close to you die? mmm... no... I don't think so either.
5. What countries did you visit? If you consider some parts of the South a different country then yes.
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? Motivation to exercise.
7. What day from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Well, lots of days- but mostly the first time I hung out with my Ryan, and the night he proposed and a few other very private things.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting a new job that pays me the best I've ever been paid and finding my husband! Go me!
9. What was your biggest failure? Not doing more service, not being in better communication with members of my family and friends.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No, for that I am very grateful. I got a couple of scrapes and bruises, but I survived.
11. What was the best thing you bought? hmm... probably my digital camera. I take that thing with me EVERYWHERE I go.
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? Ryan, for actually proposing when some guys might have chickened out!
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? No one really, that I remember.
14. Where did most of your money go? I don't know... bills, clearance items, my car, food.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Duh... come on, by now EVERYONE could answer this. But I'll say going to Utah with Ryan and seeing his face when he saw REAL mountains for the first time. (And of course getting a pretty sparkly thing on my finger!)
16. What song will always remind you of 2006? Mushaboom, Shake Your Money Maker, Shh, My Baby's Got Sauce
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? HAPPIER!
ii. Thinner or fatter? Fatter...sad
iii. richer or poorer? Uh... well kind of both
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Prayed
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Cursed
20. How will you be spending Christmas? This year? Maybe with Ryan's family since we spent it with mine this past Christmas
21. Did you fall in love in 2006? HECK YA!
22. How many one-night stands? NADA
23. What was your favourite TV program? CSI and I guess Miami Ink
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? There are very few people that I hate... I don't even know if I could really say I actually HATE anyone. I dislike some people and their actions, but no hate. That's bad for you.
25. What was the best book you read? Um... The Da Vinci Code
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Imogen Heap as a single artist, Feist, Gorrilaz
27. What did you want and get? I wanted it to be a good year and I SO got it.
28. What did you want and not get? Skinnier! HA! A new car.
29. What was your favourite film of this year? Probably Stranger Than Fiction
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? My 27th birthday I went to institute and then hung out with some friends at The Wave. It was lots of fun!
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Nothing! I couldn't be more happy with the way my year went, I was VERY blessed!
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Just trying to find stuff that fit and didn't make me look fatter!
33. What kept you sane? My sister, my love, my friends, being outside occasionally, road trips.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I really don't know anymore. I have a lot of respect for a few, as far as looks- probably Johnny Depp.
36. Who did you miss? My family. My nieces and nephews, Andrea...
37. Who was the best new person you met? Duh! Ryan!!!! But I met A LOT of really great people this last year and have made some fabulous long time friends.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006: You'll get what you want when you're not looking so hard. It's all in the Lord's time.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: Ha, ha- I'll throw a little Dirty Dancing out there- "I've had the time of my life, and I've never felt this way before. It's true, and I owe it all to you........" ha, ha- yes, you are allowed to laugh at me!

We are Homeowners!!!!

So yesterday Ryan and I met with our realtor (Ashley's Dad), our loan officer, the closing attorney, and the home seller and realtor and we closed on our FIRST HOUSE! It's the most exciting thing next to getting married of course! I just feel that we have been truly blessed to not only have found each other, but to have found a perfect home that we get to start our life together in! It came to me in a sudden realization yesterday that I was really growing up... I was sitting next to the man I'm about to marry in two months and we had just bought our first HOUSE. It was the coolest feeling in the world! Heavenly Father is very mindful of us, that's for sure.

I have to say that I think Ashley and I are pretty stinkin' cool.

Weird Al Shares Your Taste in Music

See his whole playlist here (iTunes required)

Which Musician (or Group) Shares Your Taste in Music?