I've been so behind, but let's try to catch up from the rest of my summer since the bar exam!
My bestie, Kendra, sent me cupcakes to celebrate me finishing the bar exam - how sweet (no pun intended) // The week after the bar, J and I headed to Hilton Head to see my family. I indulged in some cake ice cream when we went out on a boat // First and last time I was in a bikini this summer
One reason I love being "home" is that I have tons of down time and can read! I finished Yes, Please by Amy Poehler while I was there // J on the boat - what a hottie! // J at the farmer's market, looking deep and introspective (while he was really just sweaty and hot, haha)
My mom bought me "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and I read the whole thing while I was home // My dad & I both really love to cook, and it's one of my favorite things to do when I'm back home - it's kind of "our thing," which I love. :)
My mom and I checked out some fancy lip colors for my wedding lipstick, and this is the color we loved! It was a mix of a darker lipstick (which, spoiler alert, I ended up wearing alone on our wedding day) with a brighter red lipgloss over it // I was caught up in that Delta disaster when their computers messed up (J had already flown home, so he was fine), and I got to stay in Hilton Head another day - which was fine, until it took me all day the next day to get home. Ugh! // Also, sorry for the creeper pick, but is anyone else obsessed with "About Time?" It's one of my top 3 movies, and Domhnall Gleeson has quickly become one of my favorite actors. And on my second-to-last flight that day, I sat next to a guy who I swear to God was the American-accented Domhnall Gleeson. It was spooky, but I didn't want to be a creeper since he was on the flight with his wife and kids. So I decided to be even creepier and take a secret picture of him, haha. I had to send a picture to my friend, Abby, and make sure I wasn't insane!
Despite what a disaster it was trying to get back to Denver, I was really impressed with how Delta responded to the chaos. Everyone I spoke to was compassionate, kind, and they brought out pizza and free foods for passengers // The weekend after I got back, two of my favorite people from law school came to visit J and me! Tyler was in town for work, and Jay (and their dog, Ella) came with - I think mostly because they know how much I missed them! We went out for drinks, which was actually the first time we'd gone out since being in Denver // The sign on the Occidental spoke to me
The next morning, the five of us went out for breakfast at Snooze // After breakfast, we headed into the mountains to explore - we ended up stopping in some tiny mountain town to walk on a short trail, because J had to head back into Denver for work // That afternoon, Tyler, Jay and I went to the Denver Botanic Gardens
That evening, the four of us (sorry, no Ella) went to dinner at Sushi Den // The next day, Jay, Tyler, Ella and I headed north to Estes Park while J worked again. I'd never been, but I got to spend all day with some of my favorite people, in a convertible, driving through the gorgeous mountains! // The town itself was adorable - a little kitchy, but really cool! We got to drive past the Stanley Hotel, from "The Shining," which was a dream for me. Jay and Tyler insisted we take one of those old timey pictures, and I'm SO glad they did, because the pictures turned out hilarious!
I had a few interviews this summer! // I went back home to Des Moines at the end of August. Mostly it was for Liz, one of my best friend's, wedding, but I also used being home to get my wedding dress fitted! // The space Liz got married was gorgeous! It was this old, refurbished barn in the country, but they really dressed it up and made it seem special - and totally them!
Liz is married!! She has never looked happier or more beautiful! :) We got to ride in a party bus right after the ceremony and get some drinks in town, which was super fun // Kissing my "date" for the evening, Lauren! Both of our partners couldn't make it to the wedding, and since we were already besties, it just made sense to be dance partners! // SUCH a beautiful and fun wedding!
After the wedding, I drove back to Denver and started getting back in the swing of things! Since I didn't have a full-time job, I was doing work for two law firms doing contract work - basically, they gave me work when they had it, but I was working from home. While doing that, I also went to an employment law retreat for two days! It was a total blast and I learned so much while I was there // Laundry is one of my least favorite things (avoiding doing it as we speak), but it's one of James' favorite things // J and I got our wedding rings in the mail, and he loved his so much!
My wedding band was super special to me - the diamonds and emeralds are from my mom's wedding band, since she's basically upgraded her ring, haha. Since my engagement ring has J's grandma's diamond in it, my rings are that much more special! // Since I was working from home, I mixed it up for a few days and worked from a coffee shop // J and I went to a "Thursday" show during the week! It was a blast, even though my feet were killing me by the end. It's one of J's favorite bands, so part of me wished I knew their music better - but I still had so much fun! I've never been to a show with J that wasn't amazing. What can I say? The guy has great taste in music.
Doing more work! In my experience, real-life law work isn't much like law school, but one of my bosses asked me to basically brief a bunch of cases for him. I was thrilled to do it, because it was just like a throwback to law school! // My little brother, Chase, got J and I these two lamps from our registry! It was weird for my little brother to get me a wedding present (he's an adult???), and I was shocked by how much more "adult" it made our bedroom. At the time, we still didn't have a bed, but it really did made our room feel more pulled together // I got another Stitch Fix in the mail!
J and I discovered pretty recently that the Whole Foods by our house has some pretty killer sushi. This has been a dangerous discovery // I also started drinking some green juices again! I totally forgot how addicting they are - in Concord, there's a juice bar where I got fresh-pressed juice all the time, like when I was hungover or had been eating badly and needed a reset. Whole Foods has a bunch of really delicious local juices, and this Green Zinger is one of my favorites! // Speaking of Concord, both of us have been missing the nachos from Hermanos. They're not traditional, but the Betty and Shirl's nachos (picked jalepenos, chicken, garlic oil, avocados, and baby portobello mushrooms) are what dreams are made of. J had been having a rough week, so I surprised him by recreating these nachos as well as I could! I also made a pickled jalepenos salsa to dip the nachos in.
((Apparently I posted a picture twice - oops)) // I went to a networking event for young attorneys and loved my outfit - it's cold enough now that I can wear boots, and having a nice shirt paired with rolled up jeans and nice boots is basically my perfect outfit // I went to another networking event-slash-attorney education event, and during a break, I went to this really cool "grocery" store with a few friends. It's this building where they have a bunch of different permanent stalls - one is for coffee, one is for meats, one is for breads, etc. I just had coffee there, but I can't wait to go back!
Frozen grapes are the best, and I read A Wind in the Door, one of my favorite books by Madeleine L'Engle. I'm still doing my 12x12 project, but I don't know which book I'm on // J and I headed to Iowa for our wedding! We left a week early so we could relax and get a few last-minute things done. // The cats came with us, and they were perfect travelers!
((Apparently I posted a picture twice - oops)) // I went to a networking event for young attorneys and loved my outfit - it's cold enough now that I can wear boots, and having a nice shirt paired with rolled up jeans and nice boots is basically my perfect outfit // I went to another networking event-slash-attorney education event, and during a break, I went to this really cool "grocery" store with a few friends. It's this building where they have a bunch of different permanent stalls - one is for coffee, one is for meats, one is for breads, etc. I just had coffee there, but I can't wait to go back!
Frozen grapes are the best, and I read A Wind in the Door, one of my favorite books by Madeleine L'Engle. I'm still doing my 12x12 project, but I don't know which book I'm on // J and I headed to Iowa for our wedding! We left a week early so we could relax and get a few last-minute things done. // The cats came with us, and they were perfect travelers!
J and I had to finish some last-minute shopping, including presents for each other! I was really into the illustrated Harry Potter books, but I couldn't justify getting a book that I already owned (despite the fact that I have two copies of Anne of Green Gables and want another copy, haha) // While doing errands, J and I stopped by our wedding venue! // My mom, J and I went to get our marriage license first thing in the morning on Wednesday
Thursday morning, I found out that I passed the Colorado Bar Exam, and I burst out sobbing at the HyVee Market Grill (the restaurant attached to this midwest grocery store). I'd been so stressed out about passing, and had tried to come to terms with the fact that I just didn't pass so that I wouldn't be as stressed out - but it turns out I passed by a LOT. It meant so much to me! // Thursday night was my bachelorette party and J's bachelor party! My favorite part was seeing all these women who I dearly love in the same place, getting to know each other. Plus, it was Harry Potter themed, so it was literally my dream party // My friend Erin was in charge of the games - she made me a scavenger hunt at the bars that was the Marauders Map, with folding pages and secret flaps!
Erin also made us a Harry Potter board drinking game, which was SUPER fun! We didn't get through much, but it was one of the most fun nights of my life. After games, we headed out to my favorite bars in Des Moines, and at the end of the night, met up with the guys // Do my girls know me or what?! They put UV Blue in these fancy bottles and called it Polyjuice Potion. My inner and outer nerd were the happiest // The next morning was ROUGH... but to be fair, that's why we chose to have the bachelor and bachelorette parties and Thursday night instead of on Friday night. We knew we'd need a buffer between the parties and the wedding, haha.
It's been one hell of a summer and fall - and still more to come! We have a TON of wedding pictures already, and I'm really excited to post about it. Until then, I'm just relieved I got through almost four months in one recap, haha.
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