Check Protected.

Now I know it's right, from the moment I wake up till deep in the night
There's nowhere on earth that I'd rather be than holding you tenderly...

Any Foreigner fans?  Hellooo??  Okay, maybe not.  Do I sound a bit obsessive & corny? Okay, yeah maybe, but I'm just soooooooooooo excited!!~  The bridal shop just called me this morning & my dress is in!!!~  I couldn't stop thinking about it all morning!  So my wedding isn't until the September, so my baby's in hella early, but better early than later!!~  I'm going to look on my calendar this week and schedule my 1st fitting August (which seems like eons away at the point), but that would give it a good time frame.  I think the time frame for fittings is 6-4 weeks before the actual wedding date.  But I don't think I can wait that long.  I want to see her like, NOW.  Do you think the bridal shop will think I'm insane that I want to go in & see her?  Maybe just sit in the dressing room with it, fondling and sniffing it to my heart's content?  Snarling at anyone that comes within 6 ft of her, while hunched in the corner petting and carassing it muttering, "..prrecciousssssss, I lovesss the preccciousssssss...."

Did I mention that I'm sooooo exicted!

Check protected.

I think it was back in my highschool days that Revlon was pushing that advertisement with Cindy Crawford and her ColorStay lipstick.  At that time my color was Sienna, and I look back at the pictures and think, "Oh... my God, what was I thinking?!"  With my dark red lipstick color which totally contrasted my light skin, and not to mention my lovely navy catholic school uniform.  I looked like a Vamp-Tramp! Hahaha... Did the Revlon ColorStay work back then?  Ehh... I'd say 'No.'  But that was what was a poor highshool girl like myself was able to afford back then.  And even then it was expensive.  Was it like $8.00 for the tube?!~ 

Well that ladies, has been over a decade ago (am I dating myself too much by telling you that?) and since then I've graduated onto newer & better products.  Products that I can wholeheartedly say 'work'!   Undoubtedly I've been searching for a "longlasting lipcolor that won't kiss off" for my big day.  With the all the kissing pictures I will need to take that day, I not only want one that will not leave colored lipstick stains on my darling Groom, but also who will have the time to keep applying & reapplying. 

MAC PRO LONGWEAR LIPCOLOR does just that!  And paired up with a Clear LIPGLASS are my #1 Must Have Pick for my big day.

Here's the application method. 

1)Apply the Pro Longwear Lipcolor on 1st.  Without applying any chapstick or lip moisturizer on your lips beforehand.  This is the single MOST important rule of making this work.  If you apply any moisturizer on your lips the color won't stay. 

2)Give the lipcolor a few seconds to let it dry.

3)With a tissue gently blot your lips.  Very little to none should come off onto your tissue.

4)Followup with the clear Lipglass.  This stuff is very thick so just a small bead should be enough for your lips.

And there you have it!  Now you can eat, drink, and kiss your night away!  And the lipcolor will stay!  You'll only need to reapply the clear gloss. 

I would not however recommend this for daily usage as the lipcolor tends to dry out your lips.  Hope this has been informative for you girls!

Just an FYI for everone in the midst of doing the invitations & RSVP's.  The USPS might raise postal rates beginning May 1, 2007 by 3 cents.  So for all your Bride to Be's be aware of your invites & RSVP cards; also for all the newlywed's be aware of you Thank You cards; if they will be be going out in the mail after May 1st, 2007.  If this rate hike goes into place, this will be effecting my invites as well.  I don't intend to send mine out until July, 2007.  Ouch, 42 cents for postage, that's gonna pack a small punch in my invite budgeting. 

Below is copied from http://www.usps.com/ratecase/welcome.htm 

	Shaping a More Efficient Future

On May 2, 2006, the Postal Service Board of Governors approved filing an omnibus rate case with the Postal Rate Commission to adjust postage rates in spring 2007 to cover increasing operational costs. Our proposal calls for a 3-cent increase in the price of a First-Class stamp and a new "forever stamp" that would be good for any future 1-ounce single-piece First-Class Mail letter, no matter how prices may change beyond 2007. Although postal rates did change in January 2006, that change was the result of a federal law passed in 2003 requiring us to place $3.1 billion in escrow. The 2006 filing is the first time in nearly five years that we proposed to adjust postage rates to cover rising operational costs. We included several improvements in our price relationships and incentives to send the right signals to enhance efficiency, offer more choices, and ensure that all types of mail cover their costs. Highlights of the New Prices Details on Changes by Class of Mail including side-by-side price comparisons and frequently asked questions: First-Class Mail Priority Mail Express Mail Standard Mail and Nonprofit Standard Mail Periodicals Package Services Special Services and Other Fees Other FAQs Updated Proposed Standards for Domestic Mailing Services – February 14, 2007

I absolutely love this book.  I think it is well written and gives wonderful tips on how to save money.  Lots of advice on what to know before meeting up with your vendors.  The tone of this book is very light and fun, making readable and not like your usual wedding book how-to drone.  I think it is very savvy and stylish.  In each of the sections she not only goes though how to do approach the vendors & ensure that you don't get ripped off, but she will also go into the do-it-yourself method for all of them as well.  I've had this book since we first got engaged and I already have the pages all marked up, with sticky flags everywhere.  This book was definetly worth my $10.  I already have some girlfriends that have dobs on my book after I'm finished with it!

I just came back from my hair & makeup trial w/Sashiko and she was awesome.  She's very friendly and so nice.  We tried a bunch of hairstyles, and she really listened to what I wanted and made some helpful suggestions as well.  I love the hair & the makeup is how I wanted it. 
Without further ado...  (BTW please ignore the stupid faces I'm making in the pictures)

Hair:






Makeup: (excuse the Farrah Fawcet hair, these were taken when I got home & brushed out the hairstyle)



Me & My Valentine:




I highly recommend Sachiko.

There's going to be a winter storm tonight in the NYC area, and I got this in my e-mail.  I would love to go.  It's extremely cheap too. Just thought I should pass this along in case anyone is interested.    It would make a nice mini-moon also.

I could use some Bahamas R&R. 

--------------------------------------

NEW YORK--FEBRUARY 13, 2007-- CheapCaribbean.com just

slashed a Bahamas vacation to $399. This offer includes
roundtrip air from New York and 3 nights at the award-
winning Sheraton at Our Lucaya beachfront resort.

We especially like this 40% OFF deal because it's available
for long weekend getaways. You can travel 7 days a week
between Feb. 26-April 29 (based on availability).

This sale includes:
- R/T air to Freeport from New York on a major airline
- 3 nights at Sheraton at Our Lucaya
- Roundtrip transfers in the Bahamas
- Travel insurance (a $99 value)

This resort was named one of Forbes magazine's "Top 400
Hotels" and one of Child magazine's "Top Ten Best Caribbean
Resorts for Families."

Amenities at the beachfront resort include a 25,000-square-
foot spa and fitness center, 2 golf courses, and the Isle of
Capri Casino.

You must book by February 22.

For full details of this offer and to book directly
through CheapCaribbean.com, click the link below. Or call
them at 1-800-915-2322.

I will be going for my hair and makeup trial with Sachiko this week.  I'm so excited.  Other than my veil, camera, and examples of how I would like to do my hair & makeup what else should I bring?  I was thinking of going to the store to go look for some sparkly clips and pins to use in my hair, but is there anything else I should bring?  What did you bring to your makeup trial?

Hair:

Make-up:

As the time draws closer to my trip to Thailand, my first fitting, and not to mention the actual wedding date I realize that I need to start buffing up and losing some weight fast!  My ultimate goal is to lose about 30lbs by my 1st fitting.  Which thankfully will not be until mid summer.  However I DO need to shed some pounds by the time I'm headed off to Bangkok in April.   Especially because I will be taking pictures on the beach there as well as getting my Thai costumes tailored there.  I've been procrastinating about this, but I really don't think I can delay much longer.  I'm already behind in the game.  So with that in mind, I have a little over 2 months to work with until I go to Thailand. 

I've never been very slim unlike the majority of asian women are.  I have some curvature here and there and I've been quite content with that.  The smallest street size I've never worn was a size 5 in my first few years of college.  And as it stands right now, I'm pushing between an 8-10.  Which isn't by any means huge, but I would like to go back to the size I was when I was in college.  And me being short, (I'm only 5'2") I have a small frame.  So a little weight on me goes a looong way. 

I've signed up for SparkPeople which is a free online dieting community, and I've found a wealth of information there.  There are also members who I find are truly inspirational.  WeddingBee even featured a knottie guest who raved about SparkPeople.  I totally recommend signing up.  Now we all know that limiting your calorie intake, but how do you find out how much do you need in the first place?  Ahhh... that's where finding out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) comes in.  What is BMR?  In a nutshell that is the number of calories you would burn had you just stayed in bed all day. Meaning little to no activity at all.  But please be aware that depriving yourself of food will ultimately lower your BMR & definitely, backfire all your weight-loss attempts.  After you find out your BMR you can determine your daily calorie expenditure.  From there you can figure out an appropriate calorie deficit to cause weightloss.  And not only do, you need to burn more calories than you intake.  And sadly it can't be done efficiently without exercise.  And be sure to consult your doctor before starting at diet/exercise program, to make sure you'll be safe. 

Sooooo, other than just watching what I eat & dieting; what am I doing for exercise?  I have been working out 5 times a week to alternating Billy Blank's Bootcamp with Carmen Electra's Aerobic Striptease.  I totally recommend both. 

The bootcamp really kicks your ass, and I've been sore for the past week. But boy does it feel great to know that you are able to do a little more than you did the last workout, and you really feel yourself getting stronger.  Especially for me, someone who has no upper body strength whatsoever, being finally able to complete those 6 sets of  pushups made me feel great about myself.  As silly as an aerobic striptease workout sounds, it teaches you some sexy dance moves, that perhaps you can use on your honeymoon?  But even if you don't after you get over the silliness factor, it'll definitely boost your confidence, and make you feel sexy.  And isn't that the reason why we wanted to lose weight in the first place?  To boost our self confidence, feel sexy, and be healthy!

So for all of you who have been procrastinating on that weightloss and getting fit goals, I say there's no better time than now to start! And this is coming from the Super Master Procrastinator who never seems to get around to finish anythi...