A Lazy Saturday

Chris and I had intentions today do so many things, but we only accomplished a few. Our first stop was the The Really Good, Really Big, Really Cheap Book Sale sponsored by The Greenville Literacy Association. The sale started this morning at 8. Chris as I pulled into the parking lot at about 8:45 and we realized quickly that we had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into. First of all, the first parking spot we found was about 150 yards away and people are walking in carrying empty canvas bags, suitcases, boxes, etc. Those that were walking out had boxes full of books and some even had so many they were on a dolly. We walked in with $18 in hand and denial about what we were fixing to see. We stayed there for about an hour and walked out with exactly $18 worth of books. Now, I must advise you that if you do decide to go next year you may want to only take a limited amount of cash. I really could have probably spent $75+ there. There were so many cookbooks, relationship books, fiction and autobiographies. But there were so many people too. Some tables had about 3 people deep digging through the books there. The GLA did a great job of organizing the type of books and also keeping the tables stocked and organized as well. We got a total of 16 books! Chris found me a old Emily Post Etiquette book and we read it today while we were eating lunch. It's so funny how times have changed. The book refers to the bride and groom leaving in time to catch a train and how the groom should take two dark suits on the honeymoon that are versatile and can be worn on the trip.

These are some of the books we bought:

Weight Watchers Cookbook

Southern Living Annual Recipes

Emily Post Etiquette Book

Dorothea Benton Frank-Pawleys Island

1001 Ways to be Romantic

New Songs for Service-An old hymn book from 1945

All I Really Need To Know I Learning In Kindergarten

He's Just Not That Into You

Who Moved My Cheese

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff in Love

Discipline of the Methodist Church, 1940

5 Reader's Digest Condensed Books

We also went and picked out our wedding bands. Shannon at Hale's on Haywood Road and been sweet to us through the time. Chris tried on a couple of different ones, but they were all so small for his fingers. I wondered why all the rings they had for men were so small but she said he just had such big fingers. I guess that is just something I've never noticed before. The one he picked out I really like alot. We also some one to fit with my engagement ring. They are going to have to make it so it will be perfect with my ring since they had made my engagement ring. Unfortunately she said I would have to leave my ring with them so they could create the band that matches perfect. I'm sad about that.
We attempted to visit a sweet baby boy of our dear friends, the Bloodworths. He is at Greenville Memorial Hospital, which I thought was the same as St. Francis. I guess once I start having babies of my own, I'll figure out the difference between all these hospitals. He is on the 5th floor and it wasn't until we were in the elevator that we realized St. Francis doesn't have a 5th floor. Thankfully a nice man in the elevator helped us realize our mistake. Since we had some meat in the car from a quick trip to The Fresh Market we decided to scoot on home to each lunch. I must say that The Fresh Market has some good looking steaks. Chris has found his favorite place to buy meat now!
The rest of the day was consumed with taking a nap, writing thank you notes, watching the Olympics and eating dinner. Chris did a great job cooking dinner while I was writing thank you notes. He also found time to write his testimony this afternoon. Chris just finished the 4 week class at our church that all people have to attend if they are interested in joining our church. At the conclusion of the 4 weeks they ask that you submit your written testimony. After dinner we had plans to visit the Bloodworth babies at Greenville Memorial but we didn't realize that visitation ended at 9, so while we were out I took Chris to get a special treat since he had cooked dinner and gone to the book sale with me. A cookies and cream milkshake at Chick-fil-A was his pick. Delicious!
So yes, we had A Lazy Saturday!

They Arrived!

Both the veil and the STD cards have arrived and I am so happy with both! I took one of the magnets to Chris tonight to look at and he really likes them. This week and weekend we will be busy trying to get those out soon. I have attached a picture of the veil. Don't worry, it's all folded up so Chris won't really be able to get a sneak peak. At first I was concerned how it would look, but now that I hung it up and the wrinkles have fallen out, I am glad I oredered the veil online.

Ti & Ashley

Chris and I met our friends Ti & Ashely for dinner in Easley. They got married last Saturday in Florence and we wern't able to make it because we had plans to attend another wedding in the upstate. They live in California so we don't get to see them much. She is such a beautiful girl but he assures me that he is "the catch." haha...They always make me laugh.

We wish you the best of luck as you begin life as husband and wife!

Our 1st Wedding Shower

LACK

Yesterday my girlfriends from Columbia hosted our first wedding shower! It was a monogram shower. What a great way to kick-off the next 6 months as we get closer to the wedding. From the moment I walked into the home where the shower was, my monogram was everywhere. They had a cake decorated with the initials, they were displayed in a floral arrangement on the front door, pearl initials were hanging from the dining room light fixture and the centerpiece was a floral arrangement Mrs. Ward put together in a vase that had our initials on it. Beautiful! Once I got home, Chris helped me unload the car and we sat down together and went through each of the gifts again, just as if he was unwrapping them at the shower. He was really impressed with the gifts too. Of course, all the items had my future last name on them or our initials. We received a brass door knocker, coasters, soap, towels, ice bucket, bowls, candle, bracelet, vase, pitcher, tray, and lots of other great gifts. Each one is still boxed up because I don't want to be tempted to use any of it before the wedding. Chris laughed at me because I told him we couldn't use anything until after we get married. I think he thinks I am too traditional for my own good.
Once I get some pictures from mom and Mrs. McKenzie, I will post those. A huge THANK YOU to Kristen, Molly, Lea, Marie, Regan, Emma Jean, Lindy, and Harriett for a being such special friends and for the time and love you put into planning this shower. Also, thanks to Ann for handling the lock out so well and helping me get into my car. You saved me $75 and my sanity! :)
Yes, I locked myself out of my car. I was putting on some final touches of my makeup before heading into the shower and thought to myself that I didn't need to take my car keys in so I left them sitting in the cupholder. By habit, as soon as I got out of the car I locked and closed the door. The second the door closed, I realized what I had just done. Thankfully Ann, my brother's girlfriend came to the rescue and called AAA to get the lock popped. Whew! I know Chris appreciated not having to drive down from Greenville with my spare set. Of course I just had to do something to create drama at my first shower. Nothing can be simple! I guess you could say it keep things interesting.

A reference for wedding information

www.caudlelackwedding.com

CHECK IT OUT!

My response

OK...so you know what Chris wrote, but what did I write back? I really couldn't believe it. Every now and then I would wonder what he was doing, where he lived, would I ever see him again. My heart did butterflies when I got his email. As we all know, I couldn't call him the day I received his email. Isn't that an unspoken rule? 2 days? I had to make him wait! :)
Aug 3, 2007 3:50 PM
Oh my gosh!! It is so crazy that you sent this message. I was actually thinking about you not too long ago. Of course I am going to call to catch up. Do you ever make it down to the games? How long have you lived in VA? I have so many questions, but I'll give you a call in the next few days.My cell is 864-238-1400.
Talk to you soon!!
Amy

Our 1 year Anniversary!

1 year ago from today, our lives changed forever! Chris contacted me via http://www.myspace.com/ on August 3rd, 2007. Somehow I knew that when I called him back, as long as he wasn't married and had kids running around, that this would be serious. Why? Because we had know each other for 4 years at Clemson. There was always some interest in each other between the 2 of us, but it was something that just never manifested because of many reasons. The biggest reason was because we just weren't ready. We both had alot of growing up to do and God had his own timing and it was PERFECT! I have attached the 1st contact I had with him this day last year.
Amy,
I am not sure if you remember me, but this is Chris Lack. If you do, I would love to catch up, see how things are going. Give me a shout sometime 757-676-6366. I am living in VA now, and would love to hear from you. Hope things are going well.
Chris
Of course, the "love" wasn't highlighted red, but I thought for the sake of the story that I would make it standout! :)
As of this past Thursday, we are less than 6 months away from the wedding. The countdown has begun. Hopefully they will fly by the way the last 6 months have!

One more thing checked off

WhooHoo! Tonight I ordered my veil. I have had the hardest time finding one that I thought was just right. Not too fluffy, not too fancy...and not too expensive. Can you belive there are some that cost over $2000? Crazy, right? Well, I'm not crazy plus I have other things to spend my hard earned money on than a few inches of tulle I'll only wear for an hour. The website I used was awesome. I have never learned so much about veils in my life and they offered every option under the sun. This is not my exact one, but very similiar.

Simple & Elegant

I know Chris will be excited about this--I also placed an order for STD cards. It is actually just a proof I requested, but I do hope it turns out great. We really need to get these in the mail ASAP! This is one thing he is ready to get checked off our list. I search online each night trying to find just the right one, something that really sets the tone for the wedding.

Also, I got my 1st response back from a bridesmaid on the dresses. As I mentioned earlier, the color was picked from a 1 inch sample of fabric. Kristen called me this morning and said she loved them! Whew! What a relief. I can't wait to see one for myself. Should I post a picture on the blog or make everyone wait to see them in 187 days?

Saturday Road Trip

The view from the cabin I thought we would be staying in. Not anymore!

On Saturday we went to Bel-Cher in Asheville with our friend Barbara. It is the largest street festival in the Southeast. Let's just say that as I rounded the corner from the parking garage, I quickly remembered that we were in Asheville. I have never seen so many beards or dreads in 1 place. The streets were filled with so many art, jewelry, toy, gift and food vendors. We intended to stay about 2 hours and instead stayed about 5. There were so many amazing photographs of the waterfalls, nature, etc. of the NC & SC area. The artists there had beautiful prints and we also watched a dog jumping event. Attached are some photos that we took right before we left.

Finally!

Whew! Time flies when your having fun! I really can't believe I haven't made a post in forever. So much has happened I may not even be able to remember it all. Chris is hanging out with me on the couch watching ESPN so hopefully together we can recount what all you've missed. : )
* The Bridesmaid dresses have arrived. I am so excited about seeing them. When mom and I picked them out it was based off of a sample of fabric that was about 1 sq. inch. I'm sure they are gorgeous and all my bridesmaid are absolutely beautiful no matter what they wear.
* Chris, my mom, and I did a whirlwind visit of possible rehearsal dinner sites. We visited 5 places in the Columbia, Irmo, Chapin area. During the day we made notes and took pictures of all the sites. Once we got home that night, I put together a powerpoint presentation for Mrs.Lack so she could help decide what would be a great location. We think we have it picked, but still not 100% sure yet. We are waiting to hear back regarding prices. The 5 places we visited were The Cotton House, Generations in Chapin, The Jasmine House, Hanlee Hall (Kendall's Katering), and 300 Senate Street which is the front runner right now.
* Also, that afternoon Chris and I went and visited some hotels in the downtown Columbia area trying to decide where we want to stay our first night. All of the rooms/suites we looked at were really nice. So far, our favorite is the Hilton. If you have any suggestions please share!
* I found a great website that makes veils online. It is the most detailed website I have found about veils. Now that I have built what I think is the one I want, I just need to order it. Ahhh, how quickly money just disappears when you are planning a wedding. I also need to order the personalized napkins for the cake table. Maybe I'll do that tonight.
* This weekend we went to Asheville for Bel-Cher (I'll post some pictures from there soon) and went and looked at a cabin we had entertained the idea of staying in for our honeymoon. http://www.bittersweetcottage.com/ I'm glad we went and visited. The cabins were close to the actual home owners house, in face you could see their kitchen window from one of the balconies. Not much of a romantic mountain cabin feel, right? Chris wasn't impressed especially since it didn't have a large TV and b/c the cabin owner had a "partner" so we are now back in the planning stage of the honeymoon spot.
* Not sure if I have already posted about this or not, but my dress came in! WhooHoo! I love it more than I remembered loving it. I showed it to Mrs. Lack and took it home to Columbia so Chris wouldn't try to take a sneak peak.
* I have contacted out photographers in an attempt to schedule the engagement pictures and bridal portrait. I'm going to try to do the bridal portrait when the students at Clemson are on fall break, which is the 1st Monday & Tuesday of November. Nice and cold!
* We found out who our mentoring couple will be at church. We have decided to do our counseling through the church we are both currently attending. I joined a few years ago and Chris is actually half-way through the membership class now. For 5 months, you are paired up with an approved couple in the church to work with as you study a Christian Marriage Guide. The husband is an elder in the church and his wife and daughter have just left on a mission trip to Peru with the youth group.

I think that is about all that has happened. Hopefully STD (save-the-date) cards will be ordered soon. We may go ahead and order the invitations as well. I promise to do a better job updating now that some projects at work have passed. Chris is doing great at Duke and has passed all of his tests! Only 6 more weeks of tests and then he will be in the plant for some time. Tonight he cooked dinner while I made homemade peach cobbler and then he folded 2 loads of clothes while I updated the blog. He is so precious!

So Sorry!

I can't believe I haven't made a post in forever. I had my yearly forecast at work on Monday, so up until then, that consumed alot of my free time and when I wasn't working on that Chris and I were out having a good time. This weekend I will try to post and catch everyone up on the latest details. There are lots!

Firecracker, Firecracker

We had a busy Saturday. 1st thing this morning we went to the gym. The countdown is almost down to 7 months, so we both would like to shed a few pounds. At 11am, we had an appointment with a DJ here in Greenville. He was super professional and it turns out he was the DJ at Chris's prom at Stratford High. Small world. Gem, the DJ, gave us a list of most requested songs out of his 40,000 song library. So, on the way home I had my own personal DJ service for the next 2 hours, singing each AND every song included on the list. Oh, what a fun morning. :) Ok, so besides the chicken dance and Macarana, what are some other songs we should definitely add to the "do not play list?"
While we were at the house relaxing before going over to Easley to help host a shower for a co-worker, some members of a local church dropped off a box of sparklers to invite us to their July 4th celebration. Well...tonight at about midnight, I convinced Chris to go outside and play with sparklers. I wasn't sure if it was because of the wind or because they dropped of cheap sparklers, but they wouldn't light. I had a brilliant idea, try to light them in the house so the wind wouldn't be a factor. I'm not sure that I really thought it through, but next thing I knew Chris was lighting the sparklers and, ta-da...off they went. After we officially filled the house with firecracker smoke we decided that we would light the rest outside. I have attached a few photos of our free entertainment for the night.

Interns from Summer 2007



Nice set up and chow down! :-)



I have attached some pictures from the Intern Family Night BBQ we hosted tonight. We had such a great turnout. This summer Enterprise Rent-A-Car is hosting 7 interns in the upstate and we invited each of them, along with their parents and their Branch Manager to a "Meet & Greet" at our Group Rental Manager's home. Most of my friends would probably agree that I bleed green (and orange!). Not only do we already have a fantastic intern program in place, but I also work with a group of managers that are so supportive and open to any new and different ideas to help build on an already successful program. Can you belive I have already celebrated my 7 year anniversary with the same company? Enterprise has provided so many more business opportunities that I could have ever imagined and taught me so much about myself and my potential in the business world. Sometimes I can't really believe that I wanted to be a nurse. Would I have really been happy doing that...no! You know, maybe it's crazy to say, but all I wanted was a degree from Clemson. It didn't really matter what it was in, but I wanted that piece of paper. I remember telling my parents in high school that I was only applying to one school. Well, they wern't big fans of me putting all my eggs in one basket, but I knew that was the only place I wanted to be. Looking back on that experience I wouldn't have changed anything. I received a degree, had fun, made great friends, AND met my future husband. Could life get much better than that?


Enough rambling for one night. Also, for those of you that are interested in the status of the birds on my porch...see below. My how they have grown.

A Match Made In Heaven

Look! They arrived. I came home today to eat lunch and the box of 200 matches had arrived. As soon as I opened them, I spilled them on the floor. After my clumsy self picked them up off the kitchen floor, I was able to take a good look at them. Very simple, very cute. I had difficulty taking a good, clear picture so this was the best I could do. It's the first item we have printed with our date on it. I've got to scoot back to work now, but I was so excited I had to do a quick post.

All American Girl

Yep, it's Carrie Underwood. #2 in line of girls that Chris thinks is goood looking! :-) We went, along with 2 of our friends to the concert tonight. The guys definitely thought she was "easy on the eyes!" It was such a fun concert and she really is such an All American Girl. She talked about her hometown, American Idol, and being inducted recently into the Grand Old Opry. I've added some other pictures. Enjoy!

Me, Chris, Elizabeth, and Keith

Happy Father's Day

Last night we celebrated Father's Day with my dad and Chris will see his dad this week. We are so blessed to have such great role models in our life and fathers that have been so supportive of our adventures throughout the past 30 years. We love you!Dad & Amy, Marianne and her dad

Chris's dad working on the garage

check out this blog

The pictures has been posted from the wedding we went to this past weekend. Visit http://www.kimdeloachphoto.blogspot.com/. They are great pictures. Shannon made a beautiful bride. This week was a little uneventful so I'll try to have a great blog this weekend. Maybe some pictures of dear old dad from Father's Day! Oh yeah, I have a hair cut and practice styling appointment on Saturday to see some options of how to wear my hair on the wedding day. Unfortunately I can't post those pictures, but I will try to post some others. I can't let the groom get any ideas. :-) Good night!

They have arrived!

Right outside of my front door, some birds have decided to make the small space behind my porch light their new home. This is the 2nd batch of birds that have been born this spring. Chris took some pictures of their progress. I may try to take another picture this week and post, once they have grown a little bit more. What a sweet sound!

6-7-08 Wedding

Tonight we went to Shannon and Larry's wedding in Greenwood. The bride was beautiful and the reception was delicious. This was the first dessert reception we had ever been to. They had over 10 different varieties of cakes. I wish I had another slice of the carrot cake! Below are some pictures that Chris took, and one of us. Shannon & Larry

Elizabeth & Amy

Marianne & Amy
Us!

Baby, you light my fire

I just made our first online purchase of wedding supplies. Matchbooks! I'm actually a little nervous as to how they will look when they come in. We decided on a basic design, so hopefully they will look great. Instead of bird seed or rose petals, we are going to have sparklers when we leave. Won't that be great for a night time winter wedding? I ordered personalized matchbooks to pair up with the sparklers. They have our name and snowflakes on the cover. I'll be sure to let you know how they turn out when I get them in. Oh yeah, I ordered Carrie Underwood concert tickets tonight too. As you can probably tell, Chris is on night shift so I haven't done much tonight other than play on the internet and watch The Bachelorette. Seriously, what is she thinking?
Good night!