goodbye 2011 // hello 2012!

one thing that i've absolutely loved since i started this blog is the chance to look back on each year and sum it all up. it makes me feel so blessed for the amazing opportunities i've had, and gives me a chance to be thankful for all of my experiences, both good and bad.

this year has been a wonderful, hectic, and stressful year. mixed feelings, much? i have several beautiful memories of this year, and some very sad memories from this year. i look back at all of them, and can see that they've all shaped me. i dealt with the loss of my grandfather, the stresses of student teaching, and entered the awkward "out of college, but unemployed" phase of my life. however, i also graduated from college (whoa!), moved in with my fiance, realized that despite the stress i really do want to be a teacher, and continued to plan for the happiest day of my life, which falls in the upcoming year, when i marry the man i love. let's just say that i am very ready to say goodbye to 2011.

with 2012 just around the corner, i can honestly say that i think it is going to be the best year yet. i get to marry my luke and make a huge move to start our life together! this is so nerve-wracking, and yet it's the most exciting thing i've ever had to look forward to.

so, here's to the memories of 2011, and to the new ones to be made in 2012 (the year i become a mrs.)!

happy new year! be safe, and have fun!

xox, eden

wedding update // engagement pictures

luke and i were able to do a quick photoshoot with my momma. i've been drooling over several winter engagement shoot photos on pinterest, so it was really exciting to have a few taken today. she just got a fancy new camera, and we had a blast testing it out. we ended up with quite a few photos that i loved. here are a few of my favorites!

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xox, eden

sisters got style.

(outfit details: sunglasses: target, sweater: vintage/one of grandpa's, leggings: target, socks: F21, boots: steve madden)

this is my sister, haley, and she's got crazy cool style. she throws on a vintage sweater, a pair of leggings, some tall socks, and combat boots, and yet somehow she looks professionally styled.

we're having a lazy day today, and will probably spend a good chunk of the day organizing our wedding to-do list. we're hoping to get a lot done while were here in colorado. wish us luck!

xox, eden

denver city hall lights.

i can hardly believe that christmas has already come and gone! the holiday season flew by so fast. i received so many amazing gifts, and have enjoyed every minute spent with my family. i'm also so happy to have luke here in colorado for over a week. we've already started making a list of things we'd like to do while we're here (including horseback riding on thursday)! today we did a little bit of shopping (holiday tradition to stock up on christmas lights for next year), and headed into downtown denver to go to my favorite mexican restaurant, the blue bonnet. if you're ever in denver, i would definitely recommend it. after dinner, we took a drive over to denver city hall to look at the holiday lights that they put up. it was a perfect touch, and i'm so happy we were able to see them despite christmas being over!

hope your holidays are warm and bright! what was your favorite present you received/gave?

xox, eden

have yourself a merry little christmas.

i just wanted to drop in and wish those of you who celebrate it a very merry christmas!

i hope you find yourself surrounded by loved ones,

sipping on egg nog or cider or hot cocoa,

and eating lots of yummy food.

don't forget the true reason for the season!

xox, eden

*photo via pinterest

merry christmas eve!

(outfit details: sunglasses: target, scarf: scheels, coat: forever21, jeans: target, boots: nine west)

today was absolutely beautiful. words cannot honestly express how happy that i am to be home in colorado with my family. today we did our usual christmas eve tradition of shopping for stocking stuffers, and had lunch at famous dave's (not our usual tradition). we're spending the evening watching movies, and opening some presents!

tomorrow will be another relaxing day, and in the evening luke with arrive! i cannot wait to see him. pathetic? i hope not. :)

merry christmas everyone!

xox, eden

let your heart be light.

this week has been absolutely wonderful, and so full of christmas cheer.
we spent the majority of today at my uncle's new house, and had christmas with them.
we decorated the tree (they just moved in!), ate more delicious food, and exchanged gifts.
it's always so great to see them because i so rarely get a chance to.
i grew up with a very small extended family (one uncle & three cousins; my dad is an only child), so we were always very close-knit. i wouldn't have it any other way.
my cousins are great, and my littlest one (john) is one of the most animated kids i've ever met.
we had a great day, and it was fabulous to see everyone during such a wonderful time of year.
as we were leaving their neighborhood this evening, we spotted the house shown in the last photo.
it was just decked out in christmas lights! such a perfect thing to see to end our day.

i can't believe christmas eve is tomorrow!!

xox, eden

a beautiful snowy day in colorado.

i woke up to a beautiful blanket of snow on the ground.
being that we had zero snow in minnesota, it was so wonderful to arrive and find out that we'd be getting some here!
my dad and i went out and shoveled the neighbor's driveway, and later she brought over coffee cake to say thanks.
that is what i want someday; to live in a neighborhood where neighbor's help each other out.
it really brings out the christmas spirit.
we spent most of the day wrapping gifts, baking, and watching the snow fall.
i ate way too much cookie dough and chocolate. oops.
i've been playing around with my mom's (now mine) nikon d40x, and boy, do i still have so much to learn.

happy holidays! stay warm! drive safe if you have as much snow as we do! and drink lots of hot cocoa!

xox, eden

p.s. isn't my sister a goofball?

i'm marrying the grinch.

apparently early november is too early for christmas music, movies, decor, etc.
apparently you're not supposed to be able to say that you've already seen most of the hallmark christmas movies twice this year.

he says i made him this way.
it's my fault.

get used to it, cutie. i'm not stopping anytime soon.

love you mr. grinch.

xox, eden

the college graduate.

it's official! i'm a college graduate! the ceremony was on sunday, and despite the long (& boring) commencement ceremony, i'm glad that i walked. it made it feel so much more real. i'm hoping to get my name on a few substitute teacher lists in the local districts, and do that until luke graduates in the spring. it's a little hard to believe that i've been in college for four and a half years already! i even graduated cum laude (though the bookstore messed up and wouldn't sell me my red cords). my awesome parents gifted me an iPad for graduation. let's just say it hasn't left my side in three days. i'm obsessed.

speaking of iPads, does anyone know of any must-have iPad apps? i've found a few, but which ones are worth spending money on? or the best free apps?

hope everyone is having an excellent week! we arrived in denver early this morning and spent the afternoon taking long naps and snuggling with the pups. tomorrow is christmas baking day with my mom and sister. we're super excited (though i'm going to have a hard time limiting my sweets intake tomorrow.) haha.

4 days until christmas!

xox, eden

wedding inspiration: more engagement shoot ideas

 

i recently found these images on pinterest, and when i clicked through the link, i just couldn't get enough of this engagement shoot. the couple is absolutely adorable, and i am obsessed with the idea of wrapping christmas lights around each other. too over done? who cares. :) oh, and i couldn't help but to include the adorable pups. haley sheffield has some great talent! 

xox, eden

photos via haley sheffield

i've been a busy little bee.

such a busy week i've had! i've finally turned in every last thing for school, and am so ready to graduate on sunday! my parents and sister have been in town, so i've been having the best time ever just hanging out with them. we had breakfast this morning at a little cafe in my mom's hometown. they serve the best pancakes i've ever had, and offered free refills on hot cocoa. (omg my life is complete). now i'm relaxing with luke and my sister watching beauty in the beast.

so this is where i've been, since i have very obviously not been here. :)

hope everyone is having an amazing holiday season!
posts will be more regular soon!

xox, eden

dear joe webb,

i think i love you.
today you ran your little booty off until the end of that game when that mean lion facemasked the sh*t out of you. (pardon my language, but refs, really?!)

i will always love my vikings. even if we have a bad year or 10.
you had an awesome comeback today, and almost beat a half decent team.

on a sidenote, ndamukong suh, you're an idiot. i don't really like you at all.

love,
a forever vikings fan

p.s. detroit fans, it's ok. can we still be friends?

photo via

just an observation i made about a certain celebrity's eyebrows.

don't get me wrong, i know megan fox isn't a great actor, and can come off as kind of a jezabel/hussy (yes, i do talk like i'm eighty years old. i also use the words davenport and oleo), but her eyebrows are PERFECT. i want them, and i want them now. someone tell me how. also, doesn't she look fabulous in this picture?

my dad will be here in a few short hours. cannot wait to see him! ♥

i have nothing else too interesting to write about. so, that is all.

i'm on my second cup of coffee for this evening.
bring on the jitters.
luke's gonna get so annoyed.
xox, eden

p.s. super troopers will always be my favorite.
the snozberries taste like snozberries!