Hunger Games

"Twenty-four are forced to enter. Only the winner survives. In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the districts are forced by the Capitol to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death - televised for all of Panem to see.

Survival is second nature for sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering beyond the fences of District 12. When Katniss steps in to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, she knows it may be her death sentence. If she is to survive, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love."




Jordan and I have been reading the new popular series The Hunger Games, and we love it. Actually, we spent an entire evening of our honeymoon devouring the books. Seriously, this story is fascinating and it's nearly impossible to put the books down once you get going.

And guess what?
Lionsgate is making a movie. To be released in March of 2012. I can't wait!! (they just better not screw it up).

wedding cake

Thank you Emilie Hoffman for such a beautiful wedding cake to fit my day so perfectly.



Notice the boy + girl + kitty cake topper I found at my favorite flea market here in Marion. How fitting.

To-Do

This weekend my best friend from home came to visit us in Indiana. Elise was a champion and helped Jordan and I move in to our new little home that we are renting for the year (yay!!) Thankfully Hannah, Kate, and Beth are renting the house next door, so they were able to come help too. As most of you probably know, moving all of my stuff usually takes a big team. We had much to accomplish, but it only took three days to do it. The house is fully decorated and furnished, and I have no idea how it happened so quickly. The truth is, I wasn't able to sleep because I was so uneasy about the house not being done yet. I have a natural nesting tendency that only gets worse with time.

The result of all the hard work is a cute and cozy little place that already feels like home. I am looking forward to sitting on my couch and not sorting boxes while sweating profusely.

The best part of it all is that we have a big front porch, a closet big enough to fit all of my clothes (miracle?), and my best friends are my neighbors. Oh, and we can walk to campus! Life is good.

Pictures of the new place to come :)

wedding

So obviously the past three weeks have been crazy with wedding planning, time with family and friends, getting married, and going on a honeymoon with my husband. There has never been another more overwhelming time in my entire life. At points it was stressful, but more than anything this season of my life has been filled with complete joy. I wouldn't have made it out alive without the support of those around me. With every plan and task there was someone to help get things done and ease my nerves. What a blessing it is to have people in my life who are willing to sacrifice their time and energy for me. I really could not have done it without them.
The wedding weekend was more than just a time when we were married, it was a time for all of our favorite people to come together and be in the same place at the same time. Wow, it was surreal. And it was one of the best times of my life.


So by the end of all of the celebrations and festivities surrounding my marriage to Jordan Shepherd, I can easily say that I can look back on everything with a smile and a sense of deep gratitude in my heart.
















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Now I am officially Allison Shepherd. Let me just say that I need some more practice writing my new signature and getting used to saying "husband."

(official wedding photos to come!)

update.

This is what has been going on lately...

My "Tea Time" Bridal shower in Marion, Indiana, hosted by my future sisters-in-law, Jathniel Shepherd and lauren Shepherd.







A week later we had my 2nd bridal shower, in my hometown of Battle Creek, Michigan. This one was at my Aunt Linda's house, and she made amazing food and delicious coffee punch. My friends Elise and Marie made all of the decorations, and my maid of honor and little sis hosted the event.










We had a few open houses...





and the final event of the week. Leah's graduation!!! She is growing up so fast :-)










It was definitely a time for celebration :)
Congrats to all of the grads!

Crazy Year

Jordan has been interning at Exact Target for a few weeks now. Already our lives have changed drastically, and we are slowly learning how to adjust to this new schedule of his - taking it one day at a time. I'm realizing just how much of a commitment it is to commute to Indy for a 40 hour work week. By the time Jordan gets back from work around 7:00pm, we have to eat dinner, work out, make a tanning bed visit (it's for Mexico guys...), and then fit in our quality time together somewhere between 9:00 and 10:00pm. Sadly, we can't be night owls anymore since Jordan has to wake up way before the sun in order to get to his grown up job on time.

Since we haven't spent much time together lately, we decided to make tonight a date night in Indianapolis. In order to save gas, I figured I could go to the city with Jordan and hang out in the circle center Starbucks while he works across the street.

Now it is 3:20pm and I am bored out of my mind. I have exhausted all of my entertainment options, and I've consumed way too much caffeine for one day.

In a few hours we will be eating dinner somewhere in Broad Ripple and enjoying our Friday night out together. I can't wait, and I really can't wait to explore the city that we might possibly be living in a year from now. And as you probably already know, I absolutely love Indianapolis.




"The nation’s twelfth largest city has undergone a dramatic revitalization over the past decade, bolstering its strength in the manufacturing, distribution, retail and service sectors. The self-proclaimed “Crossroads of America” was named the “most affordable city over one million people” by the National Association of Homebuilders. Rich in arts and culture, Indy combines “big city style and Hoosier hospitality.” - Best Places to Live in America

Old to New

Mason Jar Drink Dispenser



DIY Mason Storage



Mason Jar Soap Dispenser



Vintage Clear Canning Jar Sconce



Vintage Ball Mason Jar Terrarium



I have been collecting mason jars for the wedding, so this caught my attention right away. I love how creative people can get with the simplest things. (Found at Apartment Therapy)

our wedding invites

I have to say that I am extremely happy with the final turnout of the wedding invitations. After looking for a design that was unique and represented our wedding theme, I finally decided that the plantable invitations from Forever Fiances were the best option.

I hope our guests will enjoy planting this card and watching it bloom into beautiful wildflowers :)









[To plant the plantable paper, first wrap it in a moist paper towel and place it in the window so it receives direct sunlight for about 2 weeks. After the seeds start to germinate you can prepare a pot of soil or a special spot in your garden. Then place the moistened paper on top and cover it with a thin layer of soil. Water well (especially within the first 6-8 weeks) and make sure it receives plenty of sunshine. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that the seeds will bloom into wildflowers]