As of 3 days ago...

We are down to the double digits!

Happy Easter!

Also...

We have been ENGAGED for 6 MONTHS today!
Such sweet memories.

Invitation Adventure

I received my wedding invitations in the mail on Thursday. I was so excited to get them --tracking them even online as they made their way across the United States on their little UPS truck (okay, several) :) They came while I was at work and all day I couldn't wait to open them. It's kind of surreal that I'm getting married, but seeing both our names on 400 invitations definitely helps to make it sink in. What helps make it sink in more is when you open the box and see 400 messed up invitations (!) and the thought, Am I going to have to send these to everyone I know looking like this?! The format was really off in a significant place and part of one line was on top of the line below. At first, I tried not to think about it or be sad about my odd looking invitations. I assumed that it was my mistake and that they wouldn't reprint them for me so I should just not let it sink in that I hated how they looked at that there were two glaring problems on them. I'm just particular, right? No one else will notice? They showed me the proof online before I submitted my order, so it's my fault, right? But after talking it over with my parents and Joe I realized that the proof I had looked at was to double check (or quadruple check in my case... I checked it literally four times because I was so afraid of  making a mistake and having... this happen) spelling and wording. I looked at the example on the picture on the website and the names to the side were lined up. The names on mine did not line up in any way. That's common sense on their part to line the names up and not have two lines touching each other. I realized the error was not mine. I e-mailed the company about the problem, attaching a picture of my invitation the way they'd sent it (I scanned one of the invitations into the computer) just hoping that they wouldn't stick me with 400 messed up invitations because I had seen a proof beforehand. I didn't see any format errors on the proof except that it wasn't to scale. It looked kind of squooshed online, so I just figured the spacing would be normal on the actual invitations. After I sent the e-mail I noticed on the invoice that came with the invitations that they asked to be notified of any errors or problems and on an e-mail I had received that if you aren't 100% happy, the company will give you a full refund or reprint your order. Still, I hadn't received a response from anyone at the company yet, and being Saturday, the day before a holiday and conference weekend (the company is in Rexburg, ID, a primarily LDS town -- irronically where Joe and I both lived and where I went to school for five years) I figured I wouldn't get a response today. I was pleasantly surprised when I did get a response from them saying that they apologized, and that they were reprinting my order and they would be arrived between such and such days. I am EXTATIC! I have been so worried about them saying no! I am thankful for good customer service, though I would prefer not to need them. Oh, well! We have plenty of time. I made sure to order our invitations way in advance (they only take a few days to print and ship -- good for typical LDS engagements of like 2 months, huh?) just in case something happened. Now, let's hope there is nothing wrong with my DRESS! That sucker takes three MONTHS to be made and arrive! Woo, crossing my fingers on that one! Anyway, just wanted to share our little adventure -- or "scare" if you will : ) I'm your typical bride, huh? I promise I didn't get bridezilla or anything, but I was very worried I would have to send out funny looking invitations. You only do this once, right? : ) Hope all is well with everyone.

Love,
Joe & Bren

I'm lovin' it

No, not McDonald's. The weather! It's a beautiful 67 degrees out today! We have been without the sun for literally weeks so the warmth and the rays are definitely welcome here! It rained for days and days and it was gloomy non-stop. I think Kansas got confused and thought it was Oregon. Shrug.
Speaking of Kansas, go Jayhawks. Joe didn't used to root for Kansas, but since he is going to be a Kansan soon he has started following them and he gets excited when they win (which is just about always duhhhh). Love that!
Even better...Yesterday marked 4 months until I become Mrs. Joseph Tulikihakau :-) We can't wait! On Monday we ordered our INVITATIONS! We are extremely excited! Even though I only have seen the electronic proof, it was kind of sureal seeing our names on wedding invitations. It's a lot of fun, and we can't wait to send them out!

Spring

Well, I got what I wished for. At least for now. The last couple weeks have been much warmer -- even up in the mid 60s!!! WOOHOO! I have heard that we may get some snow in a lil bit, but now I don't think it would stick anyway. It's been a little dreary the last few days with lots of rain, but it doesn't bother me because it's WARM! Flip flops are my favorite things ever so you better believe they are on these glamorous totsies : )
In other news, the wedding planning is going well! Crazy but going well! We are ordering our invitations in a few days and so we've been working on getting things squared away on that. Joe has been a saint through it all. Yup, that's a shout out. Holla! My mom and I have begun scoping for decor items as well. It's a fun time, but I'm not gonna lie -- I'm not a natural at decorating. For some reason I lack the ability to imagine how everything will look for some reason. Um... So I am growing! : ) Hope all is well with everyone! If you have any tips for me, hit me up, friends!

Forget That Groundhog

I am ready for spring NOW! It has been an extremely cold and snowy winter in Kansas City. Neither one are something I care much for. I'm willing to put up with winter and I love that Kansas City has all four seasons (unlike in Rexburg where there are only two and winter stretches from about September through May or June and either involves huge quantities of snow, negative temperatures or both), but this much snow has gotten old! I demand springtime! So I am changing our blog background in protest. And encouragement. No more snowflakes. :)

Old Spice - The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

That's it. Joe is wearing Old Spice from now on so he can smell like THIS guy!

Transforming Into A Domestic Loser -- I mean Goddess

On a scale of 1 to 10, I might be getting gay (10), but I am realizing that while I always mocked all things Homemaking, the time has come that I need to learn how to do some of those things and have those basic skills I didn't need a singleton going to school. Hot Pockets are bomb don't get me wrong, but feeding your husband that day after day may be mild spouse abuse. There is a sewing group once a month at church and also a recipe group as well, and I think I'm going to join (!). I have also started a family scrapbook. What has HAPPENED to me?! I caught the love bug is what happened. Lame, but you know. It happens. It's pretty clear that I caved and am embracing my future wifedom. Nah, I know I don't have to change into someone else to be a good wife and mom when the time comes, but I want to be prepared to run a household and take good care of JoeJoe is all. I don't plan to become a sewing maniac, but if someone needs a pair of pants hemmed, I don't want to have to take them to a tailor an pay money for something that I could have done myself if I had just taken the time. I can currently sew on a button... I guess that's something, right? Anyways, just wanted to post something about my delve into domesticity since the purpose of this pre-married blog is to track us on our lil adventures from the start up of our lil family. Eat your heart out, people! Heh.

xoxo
Bren

Ca-ca-ca-catch Up

I flew to Arizona to visit Joe on the 10th and stayed through last Tuesday, February 16. It was a fantastic week and ended much too quickly! We went to see the movie "Valentine's Day" which was pretty cute. The way it was set up reminded me a lot of the film "He's Just Not That Into You" the way that it had a bunch of interconnected stories going on and all of them are about relationships and love. It's a  sweet little movie. We hung out with his family; watched the Olympics a good amount; attended the Tongan ward at church (Church is usually conducted in Tongan, but I lucked out that Sunday and much of it was in English); met up with my childhood friend, Ashleigh and her boyfriend Brett (who are both native Kansans like me); went on walks almost every day; and did some light shopping.  I also tried the traditional polynesian drink called Kava for the first time which is made out of the Kava root which is ground into a fine powder and combined with water. Polynesians come together to "mix" which means sitting on the floor in a large circle and socialize, sing, and drink Kava which is known for its relaxing quality. On Valentine's Day, Joe and I hiked up "A" Mountain located right at the ASU campus in Tempe (in T-shirts no less!) and watched the sun set and enjoyed the view. After that, we met up with Ashleigh and Brett and checked out an art display that Brett was putting together for show. Afterward, the four of us learned some sweet swing dancing moves at another couple's home and had a blast! Joe and I had so much fun that we want to take more lessons after we're married! We loved it! It also has a great work out built in so BONUS! Basically... I had a GREAT time with my love. I'm posting a couple pics, so enjoy, friends!

xoxo

Bren

Words To Live By

I found these quotes, and loved them too much not to share! Enjoy!

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk's lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

-Marjorie Hinckley

"Woman was taken out of man --not out of his feet to be trampled underfoot, but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved."

-David O.McKay