Christmas Fun!

Well Christmas has come and gone. December has been a blast and busy!!

I hosted a cookie exchange party and had a great turn out of my closest friends. It was a blast! We had 2 tables full of cookies. Evidence below...

I also had time to spend with our friends Lindsay and Kyle and their beautiful daughter! Jimmy is a natural, don't you think? She is the cutest thing!!!!

 

 

My best friend had her baby girl, Brooklyn Marie! She is absolutely perfect. We went to the hospital to visit her on Christmas. She is absolutely beautiful and I could not be happier for her and Ryan.

I also was able to see friends from High School that I haven't seen in a long time. It was wonderful to catch up!

I hosted Christmas at my house this year and had a great time with family. Pictures below from Christmas day.

Brooklyn Marie Bjorngaard - born Dec 24, 2013

My awesome parents and in-laws

So all in all December has been a GREAT month! Here's to an even better 2014! 2013 pretty much rocked!

Love,
Kristin



Mary's Story

Have you heard the song, "Breath of heaven"? Well it's one of my favorites. When I listen to it I truly admire what Mary went through. I have been studying the Bible to find out her true perspective.

Mary was engaged. To a man she loved named Joseph. She had saved herself for marriage, but yet found herself pregnant. Can you imagine being in her situation? She is a true example of trusting God. The angel Gabriel came to her and told her she would have a son named Jesus who would save the world.

Think ahead a thousand+ years...how would you react?  What would you do? Her testament of TRUST and LOVE is an example of a Godly young woman who put her whole heart in the Lord. She trusted the "breath of heaven" and her son that was in her belly by the glory of the Lord.

I only hope I can hold true to Mary's testimony - to trust God and know that he is in control and he has a plan. Without his plan, we would never have his Son and never have eternal life!

Take a moment and listen to this beautiful song,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW2OBT-5qfc

Love,
Kristin

Give Thanks

Well thanksgiving is in 2 days and I can't wait. I am hosting 12 people including Jimmy and myself and am so excited to spend the day with those I love! I just hope they aren't confused what holiday it is with my Christmas décor.

I turned 31 yesterday and had a wonderful day. My best friend Kara threw a "Viking/Packer, Housewarming, Diaper, Ryan & Kristin's birthday" party on Sunday. Yes - the party was really for all those occasions. Any and every reason to celebrate! Kara made a cake for me and her husband Ryan and it really blessed me. She went above and beyond to make me feel special and having friends spend the afternoon with me was so much fun! I am so thankful for her! It was the perfect day! And to top if off, Jimmy bought me a new purse. I love it!

I have seen so many posts on Facebook with people saying what they are thankful for in the month of November. There are so many things I am thankful for and sometimes I feel selfish that I concentrate on the negative when there is SO many things God has blessed Jimmy and I with.

So today my blog is dedicated to giving THANKS for...

1. My amazing husband. He is my best friend and the love of my life!
2. My wonderful family - I am so lucky I have them - they do SO much for me and are great examples in my life.
3. Fantastic friends who are all like family and sisters to me.
4. My house - I am so blessed to live in a home that is quaint and perfect for me and Jimmy.
5. My Kids - Koby & Zoe. I can't imagine life without them. They are my babies and bring us so much laughter and joy!
6. My Lord and Savior - where would we be without him? Truly!
7. Seasons - did I mention I love Christmas? Happy to live in a state where I can experience it all!
8. My job. I have an amazing boss who gave me the job of my dreams and the ability to work at home. This year was a turning point for me in my career and I am so grateful!
9. My health - although I have struggled with fertility, in the scheme of things God has a plan and I am happy to be healthy!
10. Music! It really lifts my spirits up and puts a smile on my face! Thanks Alyssa for my new Elf CD for my birthday - I have listened too much already! :)
11. For all the weddings I was able to attend and be a part of.  What an amazing honor and what awesome memories I have made!

I could honestly keep going but will end by saying thank you for all that read my blog! I hope you have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Kristin

God is Good!

In the last week I have heard the following questions:

"Are you okay?"

"Do you need to talk?"

"How are you?"

I quickly realized I am blessed with happiness...

I have been asked,
"Are you happy with your life? Are you happy with your job?"

I sat back and for once thought about it...

And here is my answer... Yes I am HAPPY...with my whole heart! And here is WHY!

It's all about HIM! And by HIM I mean Jesus Christ! He is the entire REASON we are even here.  He is the reason for living, for being, for everything.

I know that He is the reason I have my amazing husband! (Jimmy you are a GOD send to me! I prayed for you before I even knew you...God is GOOD!)

I know He is the reason I have my amazing family! (I have a Mom and Dad who are true believers! I grew up in a Christian home with an amazing marriage to admire.)

I have the most amazing friends (who may not always 100% agree with me..but they listen.. And thank you for listening to me and keeping an open mind...I love you all!)

And lastly - and the most important...
Thank you to my future child. You are my heart. You are the reason I keep breathing. You are the reason I strive to be a strong Christian Woman/Mother.  I promise I will cherish and love you forever! And before I even know you, I will praise and love the Lord for giving you to me!

GOD IS GOOD!

Love,
Kristin

Trusting the Lord

To say the last 5 years haven't taken a lot out of me and my hubby is an understatement....

We got married, moved in to our first apartment, rented our first town home and then finally bought our first home together! Wow 5 years FLEW BY!

We have our first baby... our dog Koby. Who we are in love with! He is my baby boy! :)

A a year later came the 3rd love of my life (besides Jimmy and Koby) and that's my baby girl Zoe.

They are two peas in a pod!



And still there has been a gap......

I never blog about personal stuff. But God has put on my heart to share some personal inspiration I have seen. That is God is always present and always constant. And He is so GOOD! And has a PLAN!

What I have learned most in my marriage is this - God is truly present. In all facets of our lives. In marriage, in family, in kids, in pets - God has a plan....

I have learned one thing - TO TRUST!

What a humbling lesson. (Thank you Lord!)

Learn to trust God's timing in all He does. After all He knows best.

The best quote I ever found is this..

"I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about."

So there you have it! God is in control! And "thank God" for him!

Love,
Kristin

And the wedding season has come to an end...

Last weekend I had my last wedding of the year!
I think I'll hibernate for winter now... speaking of we are supposed to get our first snow fall tomorrow! YUCK! I'm not ready!

As I sit back and think about the last 6 months and the whirl wind of weddings I was a part of and attended, I can't help to feel SO blessed to experience all this love around me and with my closest friends!!

Congratulations to ALL the newlyweds! Your weddings have blown me away. Each one was so unique and special. And thank you to those who had me be a part of your day(s)! It is truly an honor!

I will leave you with some pics from the last 2 weekends of weddings.

Love,
Kristin

CHANGE!

Well this week has been pretty amazing! I am a person who really doesn't love change. BUT sometimes it truly is a blessing!

I started a new job position this week as a Regional Director of Sales. One of my company's Regional Vice President's hired me to work for her full time. Which means I am considered a 1099 and will be working from home full time.

I have had a lot of anxiety about this. Wondering if it is the right career move, what my future will hold and if I will become (if I am not already) a crazy dog lady who only interacts with her pets every day. But so far, so good - no GREAT.

I set up my office by making FAR too many purchases but I wanted to make sure it was a comfortable space to work in every day. Plus, my new colleagues think it works great for them!

Yep - crazy dog lady....

I truly believe everything happens for a reason and I am excited to grow professionally and personally. Today I was able to clean my upper level, do some dishes and 3 loads of laundry while getting my work done. I can't complain about that!

Saying goodbye to my colleagues was a little emotional. They took me to lunch and gave me a great gift of new slippers and comfy clothes. They are so amazing! Luckily I will be able to see them still as I can go in the office here and there.

All this change couldn't come at a more perfect time. Cruising down my neighborhood the other day, I noticed the leaves turning colors!!! YAY!

I just want to thank those people (you know who you are) for being so supportive! I love you all!

Have a great week everyone!
Love,
Kristin

Where has the summer gone!?

Holy cow! I can't believe it is already September! This summer has been filled with weddings, weddings, weddings! And when there weren't weddings there were bridal showers and bachelorette parties. My feet need a rest from all the dancing I've done this summer! :)

I have been so blessed to watch all my friends say "I do" this summer! It has been such an honor sharing in their special day!!

I am so excited that it's fall! I love everything about it. The weather, the colors and especially football! From now on I am going to continue blogging about weddings because it truly is my passion but I will be updating you on my amazing family as well - Koby, Zoe and my awesome husband Jimmy who turns 32 today! Happy Birthday love!

Bug (Koby) and Zoe:

For now I will leave you with some pictures of the amazing weddings from this summer. How gorgeous are these brides!? Congrats to all my the newlyweds!

 

 

 

 

Love,
Kristin

9 Things Your Bridesmaids Want You To Know

Future Brides,

I saw this on The Knot today and thought it was really neat. This is a reminder how to treat your bridesmaids. I know the day is all about you but it becomes easy to get caught up in the craziness of weddings and we have all seen a bridezilla or two emerge.

Here are some fun things to keep in mind.

9 Things Your Bridesmaids Want You To Know

On another note, I have a wedding this weekend for some good friends . Looking forward to the celebration!

Have a great weekend!

Love,
Kristin

Real Life Wedding: Amy & Jake at Nicollet Island Pavilion

Wedding season is officially here! I had my first wedding of the season a couple of weeks ago. I was honored to be a bridesmaid in my good friend Amy's wedding.

Amy's day turned out perfect! We had some rain in the morning but the clouds cleared up in time for a beautiful ceremony. The wedding was held at Nicollet Island Pavilion. This venue is absolutely stunning. And the flowers she had were unbelievable. She used pinks, peaches, light greens - just stunning! Here is my very amateur picture of the flowers.

Amy embraced the idea of having each bridesmaid pick out their own dress. Each girl wore a different short gray dress and it turned out perfect! It showed the uniqueness of all 10 (you read that right, TEN) bridesmaids and it was so fun to see how all the colors came together.

What a honor to be a part of such a beautiful day! This venue is by far one of my VERY favorites I have ever been to! And the day took my breath away.

Here is a video of her wedding that their videographer turned around AT the reception in time to show all the guests. Can you say TEARS!?

http://vimeo.com/66581476

Enjoy!

Love,
Kristin

50 wedding cost-cutting tips

I saw this article today and it was too good not to share!

http://living.msn.com/love-relationships/weddings/50-wedding-cost-cutting-tips-from-real-brides

Happy saving! :)

Love,
Kristin

The Final Fling Before the RING!

Well it's finally Spring in Minnesota! It is 70 degrees and beautiful out today! I think we had ENOUGH of this Winter! Yay for Friday and great weather! Time to roll down the windows and turn up the tunes!

This weekend is my friend's bachelorette party. And I couldn't be more excited! Not only for her upcoming wedding and celebrating one of her last weekends of being "single", but to spend time with my best friends.

So I had inspiration to write about bachelorette parties. I have planned a few parties and one thing is for sure - it is all about FUN!

The first thing to do in planning your bachelorette party is to ask the bride what she wants. Seems like a simple enough task but this is very important. Each bride is different and it really should be all about her. This is after all her last fling before the ring!

I would suggest that the Maid of Honor plans this party. And she should feel free to ask for help/assistance from the bridesmaids.

Bachelorette parties have become a huge ordeal! And they should be. Some of the ideas below are from my experiences and my suggestions.

1. A weekend away - This is a VERY common idea. Some places I have been are up North area (Brainerd, Gull Lake) and I have also gone to Wisconsin Dells and to Lake Okoboji. All have been fantastic. It really is a fun idea to take an entire weekend away with your girlfriends. That way, it is like a vacation for everyone! And nothing is better than North Country, MN!
P.S. - I love this video and of my girlfriends is featured!!!

2. A night out on the town - I have been out in downtown Minneapolis and Stillwater. Both are great options. Stillwater is fun because it is a quaint town and you are able to do a lot of hopping around to different places.

3. Winery - This is a really neat idea for something to do during the day. There are a few in Minnesota and Wisconsin if you want to venture out.

4. Any sort of "class" - I have done a pole dancing class and although this is NOT for the timid, it truly is hilarious and fun to do with your friends. Not to mention a great workout! I was SO sore after that!!!

5. Out of State - I have gone to Chicago for a weekend away. Again, this is a vacation for everyone! Picking a city somewhere close to your home town is not a bad idea. Flights to Chicago were not too expensive and it was great to explore a different city with your close friends.

Whatever you decide to do the most important part is celebrating the bride and enjoying the moments!

Have a great weekend everyone! And happy bachelorette to the bride to be! xoxo

Love,
Kristin

Bridal Showers

Hi Friends,

I am sorry it's been so long since my last blog post! BUT I am back! And wedding season is starting up again. My fridge is full of save the dates and one of my best friends is getting married in a month with her wedding shower around the corner! This got me thinking of showers and the questions that come along with it. Here are some answers to the typical questions on bridal showers.

Do I need a theme?
If you can think of one, great but honestly a theme is not required. But there are lots of cute ideas depending on the bride's personality. For instance, you can have a brunch and do breakfast type shower with food/mimosas. Or you could coordinate the shower with the colors of the wedding, etc. etc. Lots of ideas! Here are some more theme ideas.

Who should throw the shower?
A bride usually has at least two showers, one for friends and one for family. If you have the honor of being asked to be a Maid of Honor, I would recommend you offer to throw the "friend" shower. Of course you should not feel obligated, but this is the most common practice. And if bridesmaids offer to help, I would take them up on it.

When is the best day for a shower?
Typically a shower is thrown on a Saturday or Sunday. Try to plan around the day/afternoon so that people can still have time for themselves during the evening. Usually a shower lasts between 2-3 hours.

Should we play games?
This depends on the personality of the bride. Don't be afraid to ask the question to the bride herself. Some brides can't stand games, and others think it is fun! Some of the games that are more interactive and popular are bridal bingo and having the guests fill out a questionnaire about the bride - like a "get to know" type game. Here are some more ideas.

When should the invitation go out?
For a bridal shower, I would recommend sending out a written or designed invitation over an evite. It is a little more formal this way. Invitations should go out at least a month before with a response date due probably 1-2 weeks before the shower date.

Who should be invited to my shower?
If you are trying to think of a guest list, I would recommend close family and friends. Only invite those guests who will also be invited to the wedding.

Do I need to send thank yous?
ABSOLUTELY! Those who know me, know I am big on thank you's. It's a shame but people are steering away from written thank you's with all the technology out there (emails, etc.) I would say to definitely hand write your thank you notes.

That's it for now! Please let me know if you have any other questions on bridal showers!

Fun fact I found: The term "bridal shower" most likely came about because of a tradition of placing wedding gifts inside a parasol. The parasol was placed over the heads of the wedded couple and opened to a "shower of gifts" on them both. Cute…but sounds possibly painful!     

Love,
Kristin     

Say YES to the Dress!

Finding your perfect wedding dress is one of the BEST parts of being engaged! Most of you have dreamed of having the perfect wedding all your life. And I bet that one of the things you picture first is what you will wear and what your dress will look like.

I must admit, one of my favorite parts of the weekend is Friday  nights and watching, "Say Yes to the Dress" on TLC. I am addicted. And I firmly believe that me and Randy should be BFF (best friends forever) and that we will be someday when I move to Manhattan and work for Kleinfeld Bridal. Perhaps I should run this by the husband?

Anyway, as you start your journey to finding your perfect dress there are a few tips I would like to give you:

1. Do some research before you go to find out some styles you like. This will help a lot when you get to the store. Otherwise you may feel overwhelmed and not know where to start!
2. Try on as many dresses as you WANT! This may sound like a contradiction to #1 but it is your wedding and the only time you will probably ever get to experience the pampering of trying on bridal gowns. So have fun with it!
3. I would recommend bringing only a few close family/friends with you. Remember, the more people, the more opinions you will get. That can end up being a nightmare!
4. If you bring a large crowd and it turns in to a firing squad of opinions, remember to follow your heart. It is YOUR wedding and what YOU want. Don't let your desires get trampled by what others think.
5. Keep in mind, accessories are your friend! Sometimes adding a simple belt will change the entire look of the dress. Or adding some earrings and a necklace will change the whole scope of how the dress looks on you. Don't be afraid to "dress up" while you are dressing up!
6. The veil - this is usually when the bride has her "moment." And when many brides finally look in the mirror and realize they are getting married! Veils come in all different lengths, textures, colors, etc. Feel free to try on many to match your gown perfectly.
7. If you are from (or visiting) Minnesota I would highly recommend The Wedding Shoppe. Many have called this my second home and it's true I probably visit the store about 4-5 times a year and yes, the tailor knows me well. :) But it's a wonderful place to find a dress. You can't go wrong and the staff is amazing!

In general, follow your heart! Don't be afraid to commit. As my future BFF Randy always says, "Once you found the man of your dreams you stopped looking. You need to do the same for your dress."

I hope this helps. Happy shopping! And remember you can always comment on any of my blog posts with thoughts/opinions/questions. That's what I'm here for!

Love,
Kristin