A Different Type of Committment

Or alternately, How I'm Getting My Behind in Gear

I am not one of those "naturally thin" people and have always had to be active to stay in shape. Growing up, I danced competitively year-round, which kept me healthy. I guess I took being active and having scheduled workouts for granted. Once college hit, the pounds packed on and I had to find a new way to stay in shape. My main downfall, however, always seems to be a lack of sustained commitment.

I certainly always start with gusto, but once I plateau and stop seeing results, my motivation wanes. Dancing was perfect for me because it was scheduled, and I was held accountable for being there. (Plus, I loved it, and it certainly didn't feel boring and tiresome like a lot of other exercise feels to me.) I've done plenty of dance-type exercise, which I find keeps the boredom factor at bay, but I still struggle with accountability.

Over the summer I decided that I was going to train for my first race, a simple 5K. I had run for exercise for years, but never trained for a race. Once I signed up there was no going back, and it certainly held me accountable. I really enjoyed having a goal and being able to achieve it was incredibly rewarding. I vowed to sign up for a 10K, but it never happened. Soon it was dark and cold and I was back inside being lazy.

Now that times a-ticking and wedding bells are getting closer and closer, I knew I had to do something to get myself back on the healthy track. I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the Monument 10K, one of the biggest races in Richmond. Mr. Hawk and I also signed up for the training team and have already completed our first two group runs. I'm very excited because running is one of the best workouts I've found for keeping in shape, and between signing up for the training team with Mr. Hawk and announcing it to all of you, I will certainly be held accountable! I can't wait for Mr. H and I to accomplish this goal together.

Does anyone else struggle with sticking to an exercise program? How do you keep yourself motivated?

Is There Such a Thing as an Alpha Wife?

While listening to an area morning show, I heard about an article featured in the New York Times opinion columns, titled "Alpha Wives: The Trend and the Truth." From the radio conversation, it seemed like another discourse on men not being able to handle being with successful women. The DJ's listed countless failed marriages: Courtney Cox and David Arquette, Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Sandra Bullock and Jesse James, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline... And implied that the success of the woman was most likely part of the demise of the marriage. (Jesse James though? Really? I think we all know what his problem was...)

When I had a free minute, I looked up the article (and I'll admit I was ready to dislike it from the start). I was surprised to find seven takes on the growing trend of women being the breadwinners in the family. All of the writers featured stats from the latest Pew Research Center Study and had positive things to say about growing equality in marriage and joint responsibility; however, the article was entitled "Alpha Wives." Now I am all for a powerful, educated, and determined woman, but for some reason the "alpha" title irked me. Most of the contributors referred to joint responsibility in finances and taking care of the home as well as shared decision-making power. To me that says that no one is really "alpha" in the relationship.

The article got me thinking about my own relationship. Mr. Hawk currently makes a higher income than I do and also has the burden of being on the road most of the week. Due to the circumstances, I often play house-mommy to the dogs and do the majority of the house up-keep. To me this is not us taking on traditional roles, but each of us doing our part. If the roles were reversed, I am confident that Mr. Hawk would pick up the slack at home. My higher income job certainly wouldn't make me the "alpha," just as his doesn't now. I'm no expert, but I'm hoping our marriage will be a two-way street with shared responsibility in all aspects of our lives together.

Did you happen to read the "Alpha Wives" article? How do you feel about the word "alpha" in regards to relationships?

Pinterest: A Love/Hate Relationship

Since my last post about wedding shoes (what feels like forever ago), I let shoes slip right out of my mind. But lately the 'bee has literally been abuzz with gorgeous shoe posts, bringing my lack of shoes back to the forefront of my mind. I couldn't hide from it any longer. Like many others out there, I decided to turn to Pinterest to get my creative juices flowing. I pinned some great inspiration, like these adorable flats:

SUPERCUTE! Flats via J. Crew

(BUT if you're paying attention, these J. Crew flats are actually Crewcuts... as in children's shoes...Sigh.)

What felt like a few moments later I looked at the clock. To my surprise over an hour had passed. I quickly realized a couple of things:

1. I had just wasted an entire hour (at work). Oops!
2. I was no closer to making a decision on shoes. (In fact I might have been even farther from a decision than when I started.)

Now, I am loving Pinterest and wouldn't want to speak an ill word, but My Lord it is a distraction! And although I feel like I'm making progress by using it, the overabundance of pretty options actually causes me more confusion. I think I'm going to have to limit myself from now on. (Maybe a timer would work?)

Anyone else suffer a love/hate relationship with Pinterest?

Another Dress Search: Mission Sissy Hawk

Or How the J. Crew Warehouse Sales Rock My World. (But more on that in a minute...)

While vacationing in NorCal, one of the highlights of my trip was helping my little sister, Sissy Hawk, find the perfect bridesmaids dress. Even though she's only eleven years old, she's been one of my biggest cheerleaders. She jumped into the process wholeheartedly and has even dedicated hours to Say Yes to the Dress and David Tutera in support of my big day. So seeing her joy and letting her be the princess and the center of attention was incredibly fun.

You may remember a while back when I revealed that I had chosen to go with the J. Crew chiffon collection. Although they technically do not make junior bridesmaids dresses, they do offer petites in many of the styles, and they ended up looking great on Sissy Hawk.

Here were her top contenders:

#1 Juliet

 

#2 Arabelle

#3 Lucienne

I had Momma Hawk hold off on ordering since I knew there was going to be a J. Crew Warehouse sale in Richmond right after my vacation. I must admit that I spent hours and made several trips, but I did come out successful overall. On my second trip (made during my lunch break) I came across several boxes that were relatively untouched. (In fact, the clothes were cold, indicating to me that they were fresh off the truck.) There (still folded!) was the Juliet dress in a size zero! It was heaven. I also found my sister a pair of adorable and age appropriate shoes. Total price paid? $30.

Now I'm not going to tell to you it's that easy. I have been back two additional times and have been less successful, but if I had gone with another color (say black, gray [graphite], or dark berry [spiced wine]) I would be in the money. (If your bridesmaids dresses are one of these colors and you live in the Richmond area, R-U-N to the warehouse sale and save yourself some money!)

For any RVA ladies out there who haven't visited yet, the sale is going on until the 22nd, open 10 am - 8 pm in the old Border's book store on Broad Street. (If you want more info, let me know!)

Anyone else have a moment when the stars aligned and you felt the bridal gods smile upon you? What's your greatest find?

All photos personal

The MOB Dress Dilemma

I know I told you just a few days ago that Momma Hawk purchased the gold Adrianna Papell Metallic Crepe Sheath Dress and Bolero from Nordstrom. (Here it is again in case y'all forgot how it looked.)

But then we made a stop off at Nordstrom Rack. (Real quick. Just to see their selection... Famous last words right?) One swoop around the clearance section, and Momma Hawk and I both had an arm full of dresses. (Sigh.) We are awfully glad we stopped though because after trying them all, we had added two additional (very affordable) dresses to the mix.

Originally, of the two purchased one was intended to be the rehearsal dinner dress and the other to be returned, but once Daddy Hawk saw them, he had a different opinon.

The first is Maggy London's Cap Sleeve Dress. (Although I was unable to locate the exact style online, it looks very similar to this dress. And while it appears white, the dress is actually a lovely creamy khaki color.) This was my favorite as the rehearsal dress, but Daddy Hawk voted it to be the official MOB wedding day dress. (The photo is a little dark, but the dress has cap sleeves, ruching at the waist, and a rosette on the left side.)

The second was Adrianna Papell's Rosette Sheath Dress. Daddy Hawk voted this as the rehearsal dress. I've got to be honest. I loved this dress and was begging Momma Hawk not to return it because it was so adorable, but I think I favor the Maggy London.

We thought we had it all figured out, but then Daddy Hawk threw a wrench in our plans! (As you can see, I am trying to blame it all on Daddy Hawk, but I must admit we were suffering from MAJOR dress overload. I'm sure a complete stranger could have swayed us at that point. Upon seeing my second MOB dress post Momma Hawk even started to reconsider the Donna Ricco Sheath.)

So please, help us Hive before we lose our sanity (and possibly buy out the entire dress department of Nordies)!

What dresses make up the winning combination?
Option 1: AP's Gold Metallic Sheath for the wedding, ML's Cap Sleeve for the rehearsal
Option 2: AP's Gold Metallic Sheath for the wedding, AP's Rosette Sheath for the rehearsal
Option 3: ML's Cap Sleeve for the wedding, AP's Rosette Sheath for the rehearsal
Option 4: A different combination (Please explain in the comments.)

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Dressing the Men

Another task we tackled while on vacation was solidifying the overall look for Mr. Hawk and the groomsmen. We discussed gray suits with yellow ties to coordinate with the bridesmaids, but we were also toying with the idea of bow ties. I really enjoy the look of bow ties, but Mr. Hawk had never worn one before. Fortunately for me, he had expressed interest in trying them out and this was the perfect opportunity.

We started by stopping by Men's Warehouse. We discussed with our consultant that we wanted a three piece suit in dark gray, and he directed us to the Pronto Uomo Charcoal Suit Separates, suggesting that separates would greatly reduce the need for costly alterations. We paired the Pronto Uomo's vest, flat front slacks, and slim cut jacket with a white shirt and yellow tie. Since Men's Warehouse didn't have any bow ties, Mr. Hawk didn't try anything on, but we were able to get a sense of the color combination. After seeing the charcoal suit with the first more golden yellow tie, we knew that we'd want to go with a paler version.

This second combination was our favorite. The pale tie offered a nice contrast against the darker suit.

We also made a stop over at Macy's, where they did have bow ties. Although they weren't any available in yellow, we were able to get an idea of the overall look. Mr. Hawk has on Alfani's Red suit separates in gray.

Mr. Hawk and I loved the bow tie. (I may be biased, but doesn't he look SO.DARN.CUTE?!) I'm really glad that I requested Mr. Hawk actually try on the full three piece suit and bow tie combination. It really helped solidify our decision.

We still have to go out and make our final suit selection and find the perfect bow tie, but we're one step closer to having the groomsmen look complete. Are your men wearing tuxes or suits? Would you ever consider bow ties?

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Shopping for the MOB: Part Two

When we returned back to the Sacramento area, we visited the Nordstrom in Roseville to continue our MOB dress search, and although the location didn't have the bridal suite, the selection of dresses was much more impressive!

The first dress was Adrianna Papell's Flutter Sleeve Dress. We liked the shape of the dress, but Momma Hawk was not a fan of the flutter sleeve.

 

Second off was the Patra Pleated Satin Sheath. This dress was definitely a step up from the previous dress but not as special as some of the others we'd seen.

This dress, Donna Ricco's Ruffle Trim Sheath Dress, was a definite contender and probably our second favorite. It was figure flattering and we loved the neckline. (Seeing it now makes me fall in love all over again.)

We liked the color of Adrianna Papell's Tiered Chiffon Dress, but it wasn't a winner.

 Adrianna Papell's Faux Wrap Chiffon Dress was also pretty, but not one of our favorites.

We went back and forth (and back and forth [and back and forth]) on this one. JS Collection's Ruffle Neck Satin and Crepe Sheath was absolutely gorgeous and so flattering. It was elegant and unique. We were incredibly torn. Momma Hawk worried about wearing black as a MOB, and we considered that maybe it was more suitable for a cocktail party than wedding. (But it was so pretty on her!)

Lastly, Momma Hawk tried on our favorite and front-runner Adrianna Papell, this time in gold. The dress in gold was our definite favorite, as compared to it in silver and lavender.

Momma Hawk ended up purchasing the gold sheath, but truth be told we were still wavering. She selected it because we deemed it the most "wedding appropriate" and it was definitely beautiful. I think the overabundance of options at our second outing ended up making the decision much more complicated!

What were the criteria when you selected the MOB dress? Was color important? Was there a particular "wedding look" you were looking for?

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Shopping for the MOB: Part One

While with the family in Northern California we, much to Mr. Hawk's chagrin, did a lot of shopping. I mean, A.LOT. of shopping. One of the main to-do's on the agenda was finding the perfect dress for Momma Hawk. I would describe Momma Hawk as sophisticated with a classic, clean style. Many of the dresses we had seen at bridal shops seemed somewhat frumpy and definitely didn't suit her. We were determined to find something outside of the bridal shops.

While in San Francisco, we made a stop off at the Nordstrom at Union Square. This location offers a bridal suite and I was hopeful they'd have plenty of MOB dresses.

The first dress she tried was Adrianna Papell's Metallic Crepe Sheath Dress with matching bolero:

We figured the bolero would be perfect for the chapel and Momma Hawk could lose it for the reception. The dress was figure flattering and classy. The only thing Momma Hawk worried about was the color. Would it be alright for spring?

The second dress was Calvin Klein's Paillette Stretch Satin Sheath Dress. 

 

The little bit of sparkle was so beautiful, but we weren't sure if it was "special enough" after seeing the first.

The last dress was Xscape's Beaded Ruched Sheath. We instantly nixed this one as it was a little more NYE than spring wedding.

Since the Adrianna Papell was the clear front-runner, Momma Hawk tried it on in the lavender color. It was also quite lovely, but we still weren't 100% on the color. We decided to do a bit of research online to explore our color options and continue the search.

I absolutely loved the dresses at Nordstrom but was quite taken aback by the lack of options. Considering the location we visited featured the bridal suite, I was definitely expecting more. After scouring the racks, we only ended up with a handful of options.

Where did you shop for the MOB dress? Anyone else try to steer clear of bridal shops?

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It Feels Like Home

Hello Hive! I just arrived back home after a ten day vacation visiting my family in California.  It was a much-needed break, but I can't believe how much I missed the Weddingbee community! I'm back, fully refreshed, and I can't wait to share what I've been up to! Of course my vacation had plenty of relaxation and good 'ole family time, but it was also full of plenty of wedding-related activities. I even made some time to grab a burger with Miss Doe and Mrs. Lemon. (Thank you ladies for hanging out with me! It was such a treat.)

But more important than completing wedding tasks and what really stuck with me throughout the trip was the feeling of family, of comfort, and of love. Although Mr. Hawk has spent time with my family before and even came on a trip with us last year to Arizona, this was the first holiday vacation he spent with my family. It was by no means a "test," but it was definitely an incredibly important time for us. Family is of the utmost importance to me, and I couldn't have hoped for a better outcome.

My family welcomed him with open arms, and he participated in our annual ornament exchange. Momma Hawk even ordered him a stocking to display on our mantle and included him in the family Christmas card. I guess the best way I can describe it was that it felt completely "right." Like everything was as it should be and almost felt like he should have always belonged. I really couldn't have asked for more, which is such a great feeling as we're about to join our families together. I can't help but look forward to our future holidays together.

Our ornaments! Mine featuring one of our e-session pictures, his with our engagement date

Was there a time when you felt like you just clicked with your future in-laws? Were the holidays an important time for you and your SO?

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