Fall/Winter Recap

Hi world! I have been incredibly lax about writing anything lately; there has been a lot going on in the sense of just plain busyness, but not a lot going on in the sense of "omg big news I must share and elaborate upon." It's been about a month and a half? Well, the biggest events in that time period have been having family & friends visit at long last from the southern peninsula I call my first home! (I get in trouble with Darin for calling Florida "home" because Michigan is home now, right?!?)

One of my best friends ever, Heather, came to visit at the beginning of November and we were all over the place. She accompanied me on my first visit to Eastern Market and we bought plenty of goodies, and then took a nice little trek around downtown to see the riverfront, and the big ol' Christmas tree at Campus Martius! CHRISTMAS!!!

I feel a little dorky because I go to these places plenty of times and still want to take all the pictures ever. Whatevs, I am just trying to give Detroit some of the appreciation it sorely lacks.

We ate at some of my favorite dining locations (Motor City Brewing Works has jammin' pizza and, even though I have family connections to it, I still think the food at Santorini Estiatorio is yummy yums.) I wish all my weekends were this packed full of my favorite stuff.

My parents came for the week of Thanksgiving and we also did a bunch of Detroit touring and dining and good times! And also fixed some stuff in our house... gotta love a dad who is a handyman! :) It was a good time of finally seeing my own family and also spending time with my in-law family, who were all together for a delicious and cozy Thanksgiving at my S-I-L Stephanie's lovely new house. And the Lions lost by yet another few bad calls and lame mistakes. What is life.

(Insert imaginary pictures I took while they were here... worst child in the world.)

I did, however, run my first real race and my first 10K on Thanksgiving morning at the Detroit Turkey Trot! What a great time, anyone who can should do it. I got a late start out of the house so I missed out on meeting up with people from work beforehand but I totally surprised myself by how well I did running, considering that I didn't train whatsoever and hadn't run in probs over a month? (Geesh I am terrible) I ran the whole thing without stopping. The views were pretty great all over downtown Detroit, although it was getting rough towards Rosa Parks Blvd because there's less to look at and it was getting a little exhausting. I also for some reason thought a 10K was like, four miles. Not over six. So I was confused at how it wasn't ending after that mile marker, haha. But I did it! I had to use a port-o-potty and blew my nose a lot into my sleeves because it was cold and breezy but I did it!

And the one picture I took whilst with my parents was... the giant hamburger suspended from the ceiling at Mallie's, a Man vs. Food filming location that turns out to be only about 10 minutes from our house. Instead of a huge burger, I got... a salad!!

Since then, the holiday season has started to get pretty busy. Lots of parties and events going on. And I am going to have to talk Darin into returning to Greenfield Village in Dearborn to commemorate the one year anniversary of getting engaged there. It'll be a lot less of him being weird and me ruining his plans than last time, so it sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

Although there aren't tons of good stories to tell, I can barrage everyone with completely whatever pictures that represent our life as Michiganders in pre-winter times...

The tiny little bit of snow that has showed up so far, about a week ago. Actually, even though winter up here terrifies me as a little Sunshine State baby, I am pretty jazzed for snow to start really falling soon!

My first visit to the Renaissance Center and GM Headquarters was on Friday night with some friends from Detroit Cru after a night of learning all about what it would be like to intern as full-time college missionaries (aka the dreamiest job ever). Carzzzzz

This was one of those views where you think, "I HAVE TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS AMAZING MOMENT LOOK WHAT I CAN SEE RIGHT NOW" and then your phone turns it into a murky mess. Anyways, it just encourages you to go to the top of the Ren Cen yourself to see a sweet view of Detroit/Canada.

Well, as it is Sunday, I need to continue down my list of chores that will make the rest of the week more bearable. Glad to catch myself up! Maybe I will please start doing a better job of chronicling important things in life.

Bonus pitchas!

Darin, showing off his masterpiece portrait of my eyeroll face. The media: Ritz cracker and canned spray cheese. >:|

My favorite cube of our IKEA bookshelf thingie that my awesome mother-in-law didn't want anymore. The Tigers & Judy Genshaft are a good pair.

Love, Lara

The Biggest Life Update Ever So Far

Where can I even begin to catch up on what's been going on since I last wrote??

First of all, THIS LITTLE LADY IS MARRIED!

(The gorgeous, gorgeous photography is all thanks to Lauren Schumacher Photography. She is so talented and so much fun!)

Hoooooooolyyyyyyyyy guacamole. I just can't believe it finally happened. The final countdown happened so stinking fast that it would be scary unless you are as sure as I was/am that you were doing the exact right thing. As soon as Darin arrived we were getting our marriage license, packing more things, bachelorette partying, setting up the church, and rehearsal dinner-ing our last single days away. It was so busy but so much fun. Not to mention I have the most helpful friends and family who were all over the place helping get things on the right track and making sure I did not go fruit loops. Which I did not! Success!

First of all, I seriously had the best bachelorette party ever. It was so laid back and fun without being gross in the slightest (NO, I did NOT see Magic Mike, for the last time!). We went to this awesome place in Baldwin Park where you make your own chocolates and had the best time. You can cover all kinds of crazy things with chocolate on a conveyor belt or fill truffles with fun flavors -- I kind of wish I could work there now.

We got to wear some neato paper hats! I look like a 4 year old.

We then headed back to my friend and maid of honor Heather's house for baked potatoes for a great dinner, and then drove out to Universal CityWalk for the night, ending up at a dueling piano bar, which was so fun! They did a great job, and even sang a little "going to the chapel" song for me! :) Lots of crazy drunk college guys there for a 21st birthday congratulated me, haha. We hit up a Latin dancing club there afterwards for a brief bit, before deciding we lacked the skills needed and were tired.

Everything about the wedding experience went so great. The rehearsal dinner at my parents' house was so laid back and fun, and everyone loved the homemade pizza (and Dickeson family recipe drank of course). Slumber partying with my friends before the wedding was so good, especially since those chicas are a little far away now. :( And before I knew it I was downing a yogurt and speeding to my hair appointment. Note to everyone smart: don't forget a button-down shirt. This n00b had to cut off her t-shirt to avoid ruining the hair. Luckily USF lost the game it was from so it isn't a huge tragedy.

As I anticipated from everyone else's wise words, the wedding was a huge blur. Everything happened so fast that it felt fake. Thus, nothing really felt too serious or intense and I never felt the urge to tear up once, even though my sweet groom got a little misty-eyed! I felt bad because I on the other hand had a huge case of nervous giggles and had to hold them in as I walked down the aisle, stood up there and said all my vows -- and then did actually laugh when my dad's phone rang twice while officiating the ceremony and when our cute baby niece/flower girl Drew was babbling away during the wedding -- and before I could blink I was walking back down as a wifey arm-in-arm with my boo! So crazy. We had to hustle to the park for pictures, and then hustle back so everyone could eat Tijuana Flats, and then hustle down to dance and cut the cake, and then after dancing a bit, hustle as my mom pushed us out the door to be sent off through the cloud of bubbles into the getaway car (GO GRANNY CAMRY!) and off!... to finish packing at my house before hitting up the Hilton at Universal.

It was so much fun, and so laid-back. It was the kind of wedding meant for a Lara. Nothing was too serious, little mistakes were funny and not devastating, and I think everyone had fun. I felt like it was a success when my photographer messaged me to say that this was her favorite wedding so far to shoot because everyone was so nice and had a spirit of fun and excitement all day. Yay!

(Again, go Lauren Schumacher Photography!)

I have to insert my little two cents about the wedding budget. Everything turned out gorgeous and fun and for a lot less than some people will spend. Here were our vendors and stores, which all turned out amazingly!

• Dress -- JCPenney (yes, it's really a wedding dress, I promise!)
• Venue -- North Park Baptist Church
• Catering -- Tijuana Flats
• Photography -- Lauren Schumacher Photography
• Florist -- Sheridan Flower Shop
• Cake -- Sam's Club (haha it was a 15 coconut cake) and a good friend Becca made some delicious cupcakes
• DJ -- mwahaha my iPod and my brother
• Officiant -- my pops and Darin's dad
• Bridesmaids dresses -- Forever21, Nordstrom, Express
• Groomsmen outfits -- JCPenney, Etsy for the ties

It was a super fun day but I am glad it's over and that we're getting into married life now!

Our honeymoon was also a blast, booked with the gracious help of our friend (and Darin's sister's mother-in-law) Deb, who has some skills with travel agent business. We went to Captiva Island, Florida at the South Seas Plantation Resort for a week and it was just lovely and so fun. Darin and I went on a dolphin cruise and saw tons of cute dolphins jumping around in the wake, ate at some fancy and exorbitantly expensive restaurants, rode a jetski (which was so scary for me... Darin drives fast), kayaked in the Gulf, tanned a lot and beach walked/swam/etc. 

Just the Instagram version of some of our adventures! :) We had a great time but we're happy to be home, especially after this beast of a trip...

But 18 straight hours later (and LOTS of being bored driving through Ohio at 2 a.m. haha), we are home sweet home in Michigan and are happy as ever. It's definitely a task getting our house to be cozy and set up the way that works best for us, and also me unlearning my Florida driving ways to become a true Michigander with the doodly Michigan lefts. But it's worth it for the nights spent so far game night-having and hookah-smoking and ice cream-getting with friends and going to giant family gatherings. And spending some gift cardage at Target and Bed, Bath, & Beyond. 

Life with the D has been the best adventure so far.

More later as stuff goes on! Love, Lara

10...9...8...

Umm... SURPRISE!

YAY!!!!

I can't believe it. This past month and a half have really flown like crazy. From back on December 22nd when we got engaged, through the months of my final semester at USF, it never seemed to get any closer. Until now, that is! When you can say you're getting married in less than 10 days you know it's on!

I am so blessed, and am taking time tonight to lay out these blessings before the Lord in prayer and thank Him for every single one. It's just so incredible. The littlest things are so wonderful. I am rejoicing in how Darin is such a great uncle -- he made dinner for his (and soon to be my) nieces and nephew, and took them to get ice cream and a movie rental. They come over and swim and hang out at our house now. Might I mention that I'm jealous I can't be there for that yet? But I seriously can't get over how I am marrying the best guy in the world. Gosh. He just jazzes up my life so much. 

Something I am also so deeply grateful for, that a lot of people can't claim for themselves, is my amazing in-law family. I am the luckiest girl ever. You hear people you know vent about how their mother-in-law is always meddling in their business, and how their brother-in-law keeps borrowing money, and other nightmare tales. I am actually so excited for the family I am joining soon! They are fun, laid-back, and so easy to be around and get along with. They joke around and spend a lot of time together, something I like since I don't live near any of my aunts or uncles or grandparents. They've been so gracious in hosting me and keeping me company when Darin is at work, haha. They put so much time and effort into the bridal shower they threw in Michigan, which was so fun despite the mishaps! I am proud to be taking their last name soon! :)

And, let's not forget, I am thankful for people willing to help out in getting this wedding shindig on the road. My friends (and Mom, of course) offering to help me spray paint, hot glue, tie ribbons, hole punch, and myriad other things are keeping me sane and giving me company during the most mundane of tasks. I have some sweet hookups for parts of the wedding, such as a great friend from church named Becca who is taking care of our cupcakes, and my Mammaw for sewing me a garter and the ring pillow among some other things! I am showered with help and company!

The final countdown is on!

Love, Lara