Costa Rica

(Image from TripAdvisor)

My workload today is pretty much non-existant (knock on wood) so I'm doing some research on our potential Honeymoon destination today!  I'll post any must-sees or dos for us if I come across any :)

Good Intentions

I had very good intentions of doing some solid Honeymoon research over the weekend.  I did find some helpful articles and reviews that talked about what to see/do in Costa Rica, but I wasn't sold on any particular resort or area.  I did get a little side-tracked before the research began as Jake and I sat down to finalize our budget and look at our guest list again, which led to research on bulk florals, etc, so I digress.

I started a list of what we wanted to actually do on the Honeymoon (if we went to Costa Rica) and this is the list that I have so far (literally):
Costa Rica - zipline

I know that I can add to that from what we've discussed already - horseback riding, possibly scuba diving, touring local volcanoes, hitting up a spa, and I'd love to spend some time on a beach, weather permitting.  Costa Rica's "rainy" season starts in April/May, so we would expect some wet weather if we go in June, but I've read very different extremes on how rainy it actually can get during that time.  It shall be an adventure though!

Friday the 13th

Since we got engaged in February on Friday the 13th, I will always feel like every Friday the 13th is special.  It has been a whole 9 months since we got engaged.  According to my wedding tracker, we only have 7 months and 6 days to go!  This means that we have since passed the halfway mark in the wedding planning process, and I feel like there is still a lot to do - probably because there is.

Today, I called Olga to schedule my appointment to drop off my wedding dress, so I can check that off the list!  I'll be dropping it off mid-January to be pinned and cut before my first fitting.

Here is a list of the other things that need to be done in the grand scheme of things for our wedding:

• Bridal Party Attire
• Florist
• Save the Dates
• Wedding Website
• Vows/Ceremony
• Invitations (which we can't order until after our tasting) - note to self, need to schedule tasting!
• Honeymoon

In the meantime, Jake and I have some Thank You notes to write for gifts that we received at our Engagement party last weekend.  We also hope to do some research for the Honeymoon this weekend :)

My Lazy Boy

Here is an "action shot" from our walk during my lunch break today.  As you can see below, Tucker was not interested in walking!  I do love it when he lays like this though :)

My Dog is Fratacular

At the State Fair a few weeks ago, I bought Tucker an NC State Block S collar from the Unleashed booth.  Since Jake and I are State alums, we thought it was only proper for him to represent our Alma Mater.  When I was talking with JP, Unleashed's owner, I mentioned that we were having trouble with Tucker pulling on his walks.  He recommended that we come in to get him a harness, so we did just that.  Unleashed on Lake Boone Trail is an awesome dog store that has tons of dog-friendly treats, food, collars, leashes, and of course, toys among other dog-related items.  If you are in the Raleigh area, I highly recommend them!  And treat your dog to a trip to Unleashed - Tucker loved it as he got lots of treats during the harness-fitting process.

So back to the harness.  Of course we had to get a manly harness for our son, since he is such a handsome boy after all.  So no pinks, purples or anything like that.  The best option that they had in Tucker's size at the time was a pattern called "Bone Hunter" in camouflage fashion.  Here's a picture of Tucker sporting his new look as he stopped to check out the ducks on one of our lunch walks this week. 

I think he looks mighty fratastic, don't you?  Camo and a Block S collar would make any NC State frat boy proud.  And the harness has been one of our best dog-purchases to date.  Tucker rarely pulls and I feel much more in control on our walks.  I'm very grateful especially since Tucker hit 78 pounds this week and at 10 months, has a lot more growing to do!

Home-grown Rose

I was out on our balcony Tuesday night and realized that my Climbing Rose had a new bloom!  This will probably be the last rose of the season, but it was too beautiful to leave outside.  It's still lovely sitting on our kitchen table.  This is just an iPhone shot, but I love it!

Kiva: Loans that Change Lives

I'm taking a break from Wedding Related posts today to tell you about Kiva.  In a nutshell, Kiva is a micro-financing website that connects lenders, such as myself, to hundreds of Entrepreneurs worldwide who are trying to become more economically self-sufficient.  The loans start at $25 a piece - lenders come together to collect enough for an Entrepreneur's loan.  Then over the course of a few months to a year, the Entrepreneur will pay back the loan.  You are able to search different regions, genders, and types of business before you make the loan.  I've contributed to a Fish Seller in Azerbaijan and a Poultry farmer in Vietnam, for example.  Once the loan is paid back, you are able to re-lend it to other needy individuals or groups.

Most of the businesses will keep track of their progress and keep lenders updated through journal entries.  Its very fulfilling to know that just a small loan from one person can combine with loans from others to help get a small business off the ground.  Kiva makes it very easy to make a difference when you are physically worlds away.  I encourage you to check out their website and learn more about the Kiva story. Visit http://www.kiva.org/ today!