* showered with love *

Has it really been over two months since I've blogged?! I've been busy... doing lots of blog worthy things... making wedding invitations, painting our new place, playing some softball, working on wedding stuff... the list goes on and on, but that's not the title of this post.

On Sunday afternoon I was showered... with love and many beautiful gifts by some very wonderful and creative ladies. Margie Reber, Barbara Palla, Deb Tara and Kim Hill threw the most elegant tea party bridal shower at the Dream Inn for me! All the gals were there to celebrate with me. It started with a hat decorating station, 'cause what's a tea party without a fancy hat to wear. We sat at perfectly decorated tables each set with a different set of china and a teapot centerpiece with wild flowers. We played games, ate lunch and opened gifts. I am so blessed by my friends, family, co-workers, former bosses and housemates past & present. Thank you to ALL of the beautiful women in my life! Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure.

The Lovely Hostesses

Margie Reber

Julie & Barbara Palla

Kim Hill & Deb Tara

Here's me as the "toilet paper bride"... my team won for best dress!

The Young Life Gals

Mamas & their Babies

Santa Barbara, Venice & Santa Monica

What a road trip! So much fun!

Brenda and I talked all the way from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara where we stopped to lunch and shop. Then we hooked up the iPod and had a sing along until we reached Vicky's house in Venice. It was absolutely wonderful to see Vicky and Braden and stay in their new house. My little sister and brother were down for a spring break visit too. The weather was perfect.

On Sunday morning we went to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market,

we enjoyed the live bluegrass music and some killer breakfast burritos.

Let me introduce you to the newest member of the Richter family... MOLLY

The following picture is rarely seen (if ever before) occurance. Me snuggling with an animal...I'm allergic you see. But this is what happens after the dog gets a bath, I have a few glasses of wine and settle into a comfortable couch. My new furry friend.

Thank you Vicky!

* ROAD TRIP *

This weekend I am headed to Venice Beach with Brenda! We will stay with my sister Victoria and her husband Braden. We will drive my trusted Toyota Corolla with the windows down, we plan to rock out to a new iPod playlist that Brenda is making. We will stop at roadside attractions or fruit stands whenever it floats our boat, or whenever my bladder demands a stop. We will enjoy the sunshine, we will drink wine, we will do some shopping. We will people watch near muscle beach, we might even rent bikes. Stay tuned for tales of our adventures!

* Nothing is certain but death & taxes *

Benjamin Franklin said that...

Last night I was up until 2:30 am doing taxes. "That's what you get for waiting til the last minute to do your taxes" I can hear you saying to the computer as you read this post. Well let me tell you my taxes have been done since the end of January... I love getting a tax return so I do my taxes as soon as all the needed paperwork has arrived. I didn't get much of a return this year ($7.00 from California, if you must know, its not even worth the stamp to mail the return.) No, I was up last night until 2:30 am doing Mark's taxes. I am a wonderful fiancee and a humble one, at that. I was so proud of myself when I told Mark this morning that his taxes were not only done and filed, but that he was recieving an ample return from the feds and the state. Gotta love that! I just hope (and pray) that I did them correctly.

* lovely day *

I know we are a week into spring already, but it didn't feel like spring until today. It is lovely outside. I wore a cute sleeveless black dress to work with my fantastic red flats. I think I am the whitest I have ever been, but its spring and I will show my pale legs in celebration! I took my lunch break out on the patio, it was so warm and you can't beat the view at my job!

The Patio at Los Altos Golf & Country Club.

* the dress *

I found it a few weeks ago... at a little bridal shop in Concord near where my mom works. It was the first dress the saleswoman showed me. It was the second dress I actually tried on. It was definitely "the one". It will arrive in June.

That gives me just about 10 weeks to get serious about my diet and exercise. So with the goal (that little white dress) in plain sight I have begun some early morning routines. I walk 2 mornings a week on West Cliff as the sun rises and 3 mornings a week on the treadmill. And I have started my slim in 6 daily regimen, that's right "6 weeks to a slimmer me". Yes, I did get suckered into one of those infomercials and I purchased a set of beach body workout DVDs... I'm not embarrassed, I just hope I look like the girl on the cover after 6 weeks. I also figured if I post this for the world to see it might help to keep me accountable.

* they were little once *

My "little" brother Kelan & my "little" sister Audrey.

These two kiddos are my youngest brother & sister. They were born while I was in high school. Audrey arrived when I was 16 and Kelan was born my senior year. They were and still are so cute! It was such a blessing to have little siblings around at that time of my life, it gave the rest of us someone to care for and think about other than ourselves (you know how selfish we can be in those teenage angst years).

Well I'm home right now with these two, we are celebrating my mom's 52nd birthday. Let me tell you how NOT SO LITTLE they are now. Kelan will be 13 next month he is as tall as I am and still growing. He likes to wrestle me to the ground as a way of saying "hello, I've missed you, I love you". Audrey is 14 and a freshman in high school. She has surpassed me in height. She is a stylish gal with so many wonderful ideas about the world that are all her own. She will be a bridesmaid in my wedding... There is no "junior bridesmaid" about her.

I love them dearly!