I promise this isn't from my iPhone

... you know... because I have one of those now!  (PS someone please suggest a great cover/case that is not an otterbox.  Mine broke and I want something fun.)   If you haven't been enjoying my sporadic, post-bar mobile phone, have no fear - regular posting is back.

I went through a wonderful (snicker) period of time where I just couldn't focus on anything wedding related.  In the past few months I've changed jobs, finished three classes, completed my graduate seminar, started my last class, been invited to present my graduate seminar project with my group at a conference, celebrated all the standard winter holidays, moved, furnished our apartment, and tried to decorate and organize and reorganize again.  My time simply disappeared into a vortex of change.

Just as a heads up - this is not the way to do things.  I really, honestly thought that I had things under control and that everything would get done and it would all be fine.

And then the universe overheard that mantra playing in my head and decided to have a little fun at my expense.

A few tears, a cupcake, and a KILLER pair of new shoes later, I think I'm ready to take some serious steps forward.  Considering my new shoes look like this:

Those are some serious steps!  

The first thing was to start my new job.  I worked for about two weeks, then spent two weeks with some fabulous people at my graduate seminar (HI GROUP 4!!) and then had to come back to work and relearn everything.  But I love it.  Working for my dream organization with awesome coworkers? And I get paid? WIN.

Next, I started working on our apartment.  We stole permanently borrowed these chairs:

Invested in some 50% off frames and free pilot's instruction manual from the 1960's to improve the bedroom:

Bought some $2 Urban Outfitters plates for the kitchen.  Decided we're having a RED kitchen for at least the next 50 years.  

Bought a nasty $20 craigslist dining room set that looked like this:

Refinished the chairs with $15 worth of Ikea fabric so they look like this now:

Most importantly, I 100% embraced the fact that I am my mother's daughter and hung what feels like a million hearts for Valentine's Day.  

Ironically my sister posted this photo of her apartment's decorations on the same day:

Greiner Women <3  

I'd show you more of our apartment, but there's not really much more to it!  Making our apartment feel like our home has been incredibly helpful.  I love having something that's ours (even if its rented!)