Deck the Halls

Despite planning our wedding, attending a handful of Christmas parties and working full-time, we knew Christmas in Seattle still wasn't complete without another Ugly Sweater Party.

Let's make that the 3rd Annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Party.

Things were getting serious this year.

Seriously hideous.

Sarah & I made a quick visit to Value Village 

(cue Thrift Shop by Macklemore) 

and found quite the ugly collection.

Just in time.

The halls were decked, the lights all twinkling, & the eggnog poured.

We were ready to have ourselves the best damn Christmas party around.

Most of the party occurred in the garage.

Because we know how to keep it ugly.

Real ugly.

Eating dip off the top of a trash bin.

Yup. Classy.

These two love each other.

No party is complete without Flip Cup.

Something ridiculous just happened.

"Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?" - Clark Griswold 

"Naw, I'm doing just fine, Clark" - Eddie

Another successful year.  Bring on the 4th annual next year.

We'll be ready for ya.

Shower the people you LOVE with love

Not only did I get one awesome bridal shower, but I got TWO.

And what better place to have a shower than Seattle?

We already had the rain, just needed the ladies & goodies!

My amazing Seattle ladies 

(plus awesome Maid of Honor & sister) 

put together quite the awesome little party.

"Around the Clock" themed with everyone bringing a gift from a different hour of the day!

Alena (the hostess with the mostest)  had everything organized to a T. 

Did I  mention decorated and CRAFTED to a T ??

She. is. fabulous.

Funfetti cupcakes, too

OBVIOUSLY.

LOTS of mimosas.

More Christmas china!!

Lots of gifts, lots of food and TONS of smiles.

I have awesome friends.

Thanks ladies <3

Bachelorette Bonanza

 

My Bachelorette party.

Just imagine all the trouble we could get in.

One night, no boys, your best friends and LOTS of liquor.

Not to mention penis cupcakes, straws, boas and other paraphenalia.

AND of course,

wait for it . . . 

CATCHPHRASE.

Sarah hosted at her house and with the help of Katie and the rest of the girls, they did a fabulous time.

Katie even ordered awesome t-shirts for us all to wear.

And the place was decorated to a T.

Seriously, Sarah moved to Seattle and became Martha Stewart.

I might just have to hire her!

After a few hours of ridiculousness, MegO called the cabs and we were ready to dance the night away.

And where to stop first? 

Of course my most favorite Irish bar in Seattle - the Kells!

Pretty sure I had more fun than the band.

And didn't break my glass or spill my drink.

Not. Even. Once.

(although I probably could have used my awesome toilet paper veil, courtesy of Brittany, to clean it up)

(oh and they gave me a plastic cup.  smart girls)

After tearing it up with the band, it was time for my ALL TIME favorite place in Seattle.

Yup, you all know it.

Frontier Room.

Who else wouldn't want to spend the last couple of hours of their bachelorette night at a dirty bar, crammed with people, with a wood pile in the corner, listening to every awesome song you can dance to?

That is exactly why we went there.

Unfortunately, we have no pictures of the craziness that occurred.  

What happens at the Froniter Room, stays at the Frontier Room.

BUT, we finished off the night with some good old quality cheeseburgers, french fries and chocolate milkshakes.

YUMMMMMMM.

We all survived the night and were able to tell about it the next day.

We just left out a few key details.

Sometimes are better left unsaid . . . 

Can we do this again next week?!

PLEASE?

Now and Then

Just 3 crazy kids hanging out, doing ordinary crazy kid things.

We sure did have a good time.

Life was easy.

And Damn good.

And apparently it was cool to eat ice cream on  a picnic table without a shirt.

Just never did get tired of each other.

Although we probably didn't have a choice since our parents enjoyed hanging out and doing

"adult things"

and calling us dirt bags.

We are LUCKY. 

And somehow we all managed to stay good friends through the years

And I figured out how to create a presentable hairdo.

Thank God.

Then one year 3 amazing men, asked 3 amazing girls to be their wives.

They asked us?!

Here's to you, 2012.

Thanks for making 3 little girls so happy.

Summer

The 92 days we dream about during the rest of the year.

The rest of the year that is either bitter cold or raining so hard you can't keep dry if your life depended on it.

And in Seattle, we know ALL about that rain.

We hold on to Summer memories for 9 months, reliving the relaxing days, the cool drinks and the sand between our toes

(or stuck to your feet if you're me).

Boat rides, bonfires, lobster dinners and ice cream that melts down the cone.

Swimming in the lake until our whole body is pruney.

Sitting by the fire until that mosquitos have attacked every square inch of skin.

Although we now have to fly 3,000 miles Home to hang out with our crazy family,

I wouldn't ever change anything about it.

Engagement video

Thought it was about time I posted our engagement photos.

We had them done in April, so I'm only 4 months late.

Not too bad considering I have flown 18,000 miles between then and now.

Enjoy :)

Engagement video2 from Allison Paisker on Vimeo.

Once a Princess, always a Princess

Martha's Vineyard . . . from one adventure to another

Move to a new house, UNPACK, work 3 twelve hour shifts, and take a red-eye to Boston.

All in 5 days.

Okay, sounds ridiculous, right?

Nope, that was the easy part.

This is what ensued the next day . . . 

arrive at Logan

135006987305753 degrees outside

skin starts melting - instantly

debit card doesn't work

credit cards don't work

yell at all my credit card companies

saved by Dunkin iced coffee (YUM)

grocery shop for 11 people, for 4 days

search for margarita sour mix at 3 stores

get lost in Waltham

carry 12,694 things up to Katie's apartment in Brighton

change drenched clothes

put everything in fridge

turn AC on full blast

sit for 24 minutes

carry 12,694 things back down 4 flights to cars

sit in drenched clothes

turn AC on full blast

drive 1.5 hours to the ferry

shiver from AC

arrive (FINALLY) to the Martha's Vineyard house

discover it's still 135006987305753 degrees on the island

carry 12,694 things into house

Let's just say it was all worth it for the princess.  I think she had quite the Bachelorette weekend.

Things got much better once we were on the beach, sun in the sky, cocktail in the hand

(and a whole OCEAN to cool off in).

ferrying

live banding it

Bachelorette night

snail time

the grill master

happy hour

cape cod bracelet gift

beaching it

sister dress up time

the girls

cousin love

We all survived the long weekend without even one girl fight.  Impressive after all those years of tears and sleepovers, if you ask me!

Happy Bachelorette, Katie!

with much love from all your favorite ladies

p.s. my return trip home was much less eventful.  thank goodness.