what i was thinking is...

i can't wait to get married, cut my hair off & put lowlights back in. i'm over the shoulder length uber blonde- it's ended up in a pony tail everyday for the last month.

in mean, keeping it in perspective, i know blow drying my hair takes less than 2 minutes, which is shorter than anyone else i know probably... but thats DOUBLE what it used to be.

and darker hair is better with my complexion. i mean look how good darker blondie red looked on me in london! (i realize part of the fact i love this and i look so good is because i'm glowing with excitment livin' a dream, but still.) :)i'm over it, blonde. you can fade out for all i care. 9 weeks and your toast. you too, long layers. prepare for SNIP SNIP!

'ello, bench!

i love this bench looking at the ocean. we visited it the other day to say hi & thanks for being there and not occupied on august 15th :)

Lucy Annette Card

i have a friend named Laura. or Laq, really, is how i think of her. we've been friends since we were 2. i have NO memory of my life without her in it. in fact, pieces of our friendship have been the sweetest and most cherished memories of my life. i am confident that i will love her and think of her as a gospel rock in my life til i'm 90.

she just had her first baby.

welcome to the world baby Lucy, we love you!

BABY ASHLEY ANDERSON!!

WOOT! One More Baby to the crazy anderson family!!

welcome, ashley rebecca anderson!!

she was born on the 14th... sorry to be a slow blogger!

you have many girl cousins- i can't wait to see you all grow up to be friends :)

this is her with her big sister rachel. sorry to not have a very good picture! promise she's cute- how could she not, she's related to me and shelly!? (oh and todd, too)

Hiss! Put it on my luggage! "P.J."

my new luggage.

mine.

not borrowed.

and the name tag shall say "lindsey barttels."

(bad picture, i can't hold my phone steady i guess...)

my suggestion is, that you find someone who REALLY loves you and buys you cute pretty luggage you don't REALLY need just because you ask for it. :)

fruitation

once my friend scott said "fruitation" instead of "fuition". we laughed.

today i saw a pet project at work come to fruition. i presented the idea, researched, prodded, pleaded, finally got permission, organized, prepared and saw it all begin to happen today.

pretty awesome.

i hestitated to say anything to anyone just in case it didn't happen or work, and it's really NOT a HUGE deal, in fact it's kinda boring, but it is a change for our office & i'm proud to be involved.

its kinda cool to see work and thought become action.

i love how it feels.

embellishments

today i asked like 5 people what those "round button things are that have 2 metal prongs at the bottom you stick through a hole and then bend the prongs out so it stays? brackets?? facets??"things that scrapbookers and girl scouts use for crafts?

brads.

they are called brads. ha.

barttels (baar-tellz)

i've started this post about once a day for the last 17 days. i don't know how to write it, but i really want to. forgive me if it's too oogly googly for you. :)

how can i possibly express to you how i feel deep deep inside the last couple weeks? i can't. it sounds trite and cliche, but i feel such an overwhelming sense of peace, happiness and calm. brad is like a breath of fresh air and a warm fuzzy blanket, super hot cup of cocoa. comfortable and broken in. together we've tackled money and wedding plans with lots of laughs and the attitude that nothing is worth crying or worrying about. he has made me laugh EVERYDAY for the last however many months. i know i complain, and i vent, and i may worry about wedding plans and money and selling my car and life in general, but i just want you to know that deep deep deep inside- i am so happy.

i sing to his voicemail when he doesn't answer. he acts silly and ridiculous until my crazy moods are completely dissolved. he does not get angry. ever. he looks forward with faith. he hugs me as long as i ask him to. prays with me everyday on his knees, kisses me and tells me he loves me after every "amen."
it's amazing that i've been so blessed to find someone who i feel so completely "puzzle-pieced" together with. and it's crazy to watch our life and dreams all coming together. making a new family picture.

and the funniest part is, i always picture an oakland a's hat somewhere in the big picture.
gosh i love him. :) *sigh*
barttels.brides.com

brain dump

1. why do people you barely know invite themselves to your wedding. don't they know that's like ALOT of money for food per person?? i am neither inclined nor obligated to invite people who aren't really my friends to my wedding. but it still makes me feel mean or something. when it's not! how do i not feel bad about this?
2. i wish the shoes i am wearing to work were more comfy.
3. you can still see the face i drew on my hand yesterday during choir when me and sarah mcD were being rowdy and it was hilarious. :)
4. i have no idea how my life got to where it is, but i love it. <3
5. there's an awful lot to think about and plan for when you get married. and nothing was a shock, the realization was, it just feels like there's never enough money or time to do it all.
6. it's been SO HOTTTTTT here the last few days. 100 degrees. muggy. and hot. with all the fans going in the house & all the windows open it's still HOT. (cue: the girl with the dark hair & long legs in that red tassle outfit thing from kiss me kate singing "its too darn hot")

75 days is both too far and too close.
www.barttels.brides.com

i'm in love with this picture.

brad's dad sent me this pic of his grandparents. i want her shoes.
and their teepee. ;)