We laid a lot of memories down.

This blog post has been a long time coming. It was very uncomfortable for me to think about - let alone post it on my blog. I was afraid if I responded to what some were saying too soon I would be very likely to say things too harshly and therefore piss people off. That would just produce more negative, unneeded energy ya know?

As some of you may know I’ve embarked on a fun journey with Team Beachbody. I am learning new things not only about my physical well-being but also approaching life with a positive mindset. I’m really trying to better myself (and you if you’re ready) in all aspects of my life.

Anyways, February is quickly approaching and although it is also a celebratory month for Matt and I (engaged last February!) we had also lost Thomas exactly a week later. We weren’t really able to celebrate our engagement too long before feeling, well, overwhelmingly sad. Earlier tonight, I told Matt I had been wondering for a good 4 months now about how I will feel and what I will write when that day comes along. Will I write about what I was doing that morning? Will I write about how and when I was told? I mean, will I even want to write at all?

I’m just going to write a little about how I feel now. Now is as good of time as ever to respond to things I have heard several times about me and Thomas’ relationship. Not that I feel that I need to clear things up to others or whatever but if someone had said these things to you about your friend who had passed I think you’d feel something inside you wanting to say something too (even if it takes you a year).

To fill you in, it was mostly people saying that I write too much about Thomas on my blog or Facebook or wherever. It was over-the-top and too much. We weren’t even that close – My fiancé was his friend, I was just Matt’s girlfriend…something along those lines.

My first reaction was to bitch out the people who said those untruthful things. Really though, what good would that do anyone? Mostly the people asking or saying these things were people from my past who maybe I was friends with at one time; however, when we went to college we parted ways for one reason or another. So how could I really be upset that they were saying these things when they didn’t even really know me or my life anymore?

My friends that do know me and know who I spend my time with were the first ones calling and texting me that Saturday. Strange texts that made it obvious to me they knew but wanted to know if I knew first so I wasn’t told the wrong way (like via text message – yikes). Even the two roommates that had met Thomas from when he would stop over on his way home from Brookings got a hold of me to send their prayers and love. I’m crying just thinking of how much love and support I really did get from my friends that maybe I’m just now realizing I had. Does that make any sort of sense?

I can’t really tell people how much time together without trying to sound like I’m selling something. Am I supposed to say that he was the only guy Matt let smack my ass and say, “big booty, big booty!” when he was drunk? Am I supposed to say he loved my French dip sandwiches I made? Am I supposed to say I’d pee with the door open or walk around in my towel with him around? Am I supposed to say Cornuts were our favorite treat to share together? Am I supposed to say he begged me 99,000 times to go out to the bars with them but I always refused?

I mean I don’t know what those people want me to say to their statements. I just felt the need to somewhat address the things that I have had in the back of my mind since I heard them. It kind of was bothering me so much I tried to quit writing on his wall or trying to refrain from sharing memories just because of what people said and that isn’t right either. For my own personal grieving, I feel like I need to do what I deem necessary to keep him alive in my memory and in my life.

 I can’t help if I write about him a lot – I miss him. It’s my outlet. Everyone has something they do when a loved one dies that helps them grieve. I’ve known people who have lost people close to them and working out helped them. They said that if their legs hurt their heart didn’t hurt so much. Same with cleaning – if they were up and keeping things tidy it made them feel a little more satisfied and content - It kept them busy. Must like writing here or in a Word document does this for me.

You know, I can’t show people the late night tears or the long talks with God. I can’t show them the memories I have with Thomas or the emptiness in my heart I feel from missing him. Lastly, I can’t let someone’s words affect how I live my life. I had to address it, get it off my chest and move on.  Remember that people in life are sometimes going to say things about you that aren’t very nice - Do what it takes to constructively liberate yourself and live for what you feel is right in your heart.

Tattoos On This Town by Jason Aldean.

You are your best you because of you!

People are going to tell you YOU can’t do something. Unfortunately, even people that are closest to you – parents, best friends, etc. That’s when you have to disregard what they’re telling you and listen to your gut. What is YOUR gut telling you? Is this the right thing for you?

If it is then continue on – prove those people wrong and work as hard as you can! If it isn’t for you – is it really THAT huge of a loss? Life is about living and learning. Each lesson from every trial and error can be taken to the next lesson of your life. Believe it or not error helps you find YOU! Would you be the same person today if you didn’t go through the triumphs or heartaches of yesterday? Absolutely not.

I also want you to think long, often and hard before you give up. Ask yourself if you’ve really put everything you had into whatever it is that sparked your passion and curiosity in the first place. Do your BEST and THEN move on from it if it wasn’t meant for you. It’s really as simple as that.

There are always going to be people that are NOT cheerleading for you. There won’t be people on the sidelines with old school sweaters with your initials stitched on them shouting at the top of their lungs about how awesome you are! What matters most is your inner-cheerleader telling you can/will do it. Only your inner-cheerleader can really motivate you to do what it is that needs to be done. (Is anyone else picturing the clip from Aladdin with the Genie dressed as a cheerleader? Click here to see what I'm talking about.)

Focus on your goal and work hard every day to get there – pat yourself on the back if you worked so hard for something that you never thought you could do! The people that love you will disregard your crazy ass and stick by you as you conquer the world. Go out there and find YOUR dream and do whatever it takes to get it. Take it one day at a time.

“Ever morning, until you dead in the ground, you gone have to make this decision. You gone have to ask yourself, Am I gone believe what them fools say about me today?” – The Help (PLEASE go click on the word The Help and watch the video clip that goes along with this quote. Oh! & if you haven't seen the movie you're missing out!)

Everythin's bigger & basket in TX.

So, as some of you may know, my dear friend Bre moved to Texas a few weeks before Christmas. We had a going away party bus for her which, actually, turned out to be disastrous because I swear I was roofied. I don’t remember a thing and basically went from sober to shit show in 3.2 seconds.

To fill you in, I was wearing a care bear costume, fell down a whole flight of stairs, ditched the bus for God knows what reason, rolled around on the bus floor which equaled me covered in mud and last but not least got kicked out of a bar for not dressing to impress. Apparently a care bear covered in rum and mud isn’t what this “upscale” bar was lookin’ for. Oh! And I lost a diamond from my engagement ring. So to sum that up, I felt awful for ditching Bre and dumb for having no clue what happened. As I get older I am starting to realize I hate black-out drunk.

Anyways, I was trying to think of something special to do for Bre on her going away weekend. I mulled it over and was trying to think of something that would take a lot of time and thought so she’d feel special. I couldn’t really think anything so I decided to do one of my infamous baskets. So I got to work starting with a maiz-made basket (Thank you Wal-Mart) to make her a Texas themed basket.

I used bandanas to line the basket and searched high and low for western-looking stick on letters for my sheriff stars (eventually found at our local scrapbook store). The sheriff stars were traced from a download from the internet (I’m a really excellent cutter if you can’t tell..) I spray painted them silver, let 'em dry and then taped twine to the back of each star and fed the twine through to hang from opposite handles of the basket. 

In the mean time I was trying to think of clever things to fill inside the basket. I wanted a little Texas and a little South Dakota. I collected all my items and then Googled “western” clip art (lasso, horseshoe, etc.) and copied them into word and put in my little message. Then I just cut the soon-to-be tags out, glued them onto western scrapbook paper and cutefully (should be a word..) wrapped them on and/or around the items.

Listed below is what the basket was filled with – some funny, some cheesy, some sentimental and some tasty. I listed the clip art I used first, followed by what the item was followed by my personal message and then a little explanation as to why I picked the item.  

Lasso: Dumbo – "So you have a little piece of me." – I love Disney of course! I didn’t choose this because I’m a Dumbo – although, I’m sure some of you would disagree. J Plus, I know Breanna is trying to collect the older Disney movies.

Cowboy Boot: Old skeleton keys found in our outbuildings – "Keys of opportunity." – I felt this was appropriate because this move is such a great chance to explore a different part of the country and a chance to start fresh somewhere new.

Feather Pen: Stationary – "Two words: Pen. Pals." – Because having a pen pal is the shit. And because Bre and I love to write.

Horseshoe: Bre’s paternal grandmother’s hanky (she had given it to me & then I re-gifted it back to her) – "For homesick nights." – Because I figured she’d miss me and her mother at some point ;)

Longhorn Skull: Dakota Style Honey Mustard Chips/Prairie Berry Calamity Jane Wine (both made in South Dakota) – "Goodies from the homeland." – They taste good. Haha! Simple as that. (dude, the wine is to die for...)

Armadillo: Armadillo Socks – "Rumor is you’re only cool in TX if you wear armadillo socks. I want you to fit in." – I came across these on a side bar on a website I was on. They are hilarious and I couldn’t afford a $150 armadillo basket (Google it). So if you live in Texas and you don’t have armadillo socks you’re not the shit.

Cactus: Air Plant – “Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation." – George Washington – This plant is awesome! It’s an air plant so it doesn’t need to be potted or watered very often. It looks so cool, I think. I chose this quote because Bre and I have been through a lot of ups and downs together. We’ve had some rocky times but we always came back to one another. I love this girl and I’m 99% sure we share the same heart.

For those of you wondering, Bre and I live 17 hours and 55 minutes apart! I'm kinda lonely without her here but I’m saving like The Borrower's so I can fly out this summer. The plane ticket may not be expensive but Bre and I can really do some damage shopping……..and they have outlet malls like my dad loves cornbread.....aka a lot!

Ho Ho Ho and Stuff!

Well, I had full intention of getting my Christmas cards out the door and on their way to your doorstep. I had the envelopes addressed, stamped and even stuffed with this letter. It soon became overwhelming to me though that we had over 100 people to send Christmas cards to and so I easily gave up (lame sauce..) I decided that I still wanted to send a letter but thought that sending a Christmas card now would be kind of  dumb. I was talking to my physical therapist and she said she has a family that just sends her an e-mail of their Christmas letter so I decided I would just make a blog post and post it on your walls! :) So Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..................................a little late! Now I know why someone came up with the phrase, "better late than never!" ;)

Dear Friends and Family,

We are proud to announce the arrival of our first Christmas card! I am so excited to update you on what Matthew and I have been up to this year. So many things have come and gone in the year of 2011 and is a year we can certainly say we are eager to say good-bye to.

In December of 2010 Matt and I officially bought our first house! We are located in beautiful metropolis area we like to call Garden City. The city of garden is a mystical place buzzing with sparkly meadows, whispering wildflowers and beautifully flowing chocolate rivers. We sure do love it here! Care packages can be sent to:

(I took my address offline - e-mail or Facebook me if you'd like my new address!)

Anyways, we bought this house last December and it needed some heavy remodeling. With the help of our parents and a couple of close friends we were able to do all of the work (minus electrical/plumbing/mudding) to build this house into our home! It was about 7 solid months of no free weekends which I can say from personal experience is not too fun for a 21 year old...or any age group really.

We’ve been asked several times if we knew how much work our house would have been if we’d do it over again. The answer is always yes! Matt has room to tinker around in the out buildings and shelter belts doing boy stuff and it’s the same area I grew up so it feels like home.  We enjoy living near our families. You know in high school when I said I couldn’t wait to get out of the town I grew up in? Well, I live 1.4 miles north of my parent’s and about 7 miles south from Matt’s parents! We all live on 432nd Avenue in three different zip codes. (Clark, Garden City, Bradley). Never a dull moment here!

In January, I left Jimmy John’s and started in a verifying position doing background screenings with Verifications, Inc. in Watertown. I truly love this job! It keeps me interested and is flexible enough to allow me to attend school at Mount Marty College.  Please, don’t ask what my major is…after 4 years I’m still not sure. At this rate I will have a Bachelor’s in almost every subject offered. Matthew recently left his position with WW Tire in Watertown and accepted a job with Westside Implement in Clark.

February 18th, Matt proposed. To my surprise, I came home from work to find Matt in a suit (complete with boutonnière) and our house covered in rose petals and candles. He and I aren’t exactly sure what he said when he was down on his knee but the nervousness in his voice was adorable. I’m not sure if he thought I was going to say no but he hadn’t ate the entire day and could barely speak when giving his little schpeel. Anyways, I said yes and now my dream of marrying my knight in camouflage armor will take place on September 14th, 2013. Mark your calendars!!

To our dismay, the following Friday our dear friend, Thomas Bjerke, passed away. To say the least, it has been extremely tough and tiresome for Matt and I and all of Thomas’ friends and family. We are doing our best to keep the memories close to our heart and take with us the lesson of how fragile life can be. We miss him more and more every day.

We spent the following months trying to trudge through our pain by working hard to finish our house. Through February, March and April we were painting, adding carpet and trim, appliances being delivered, etc. Mid-May the inside was complete and we began tearing off siding and then re-siding. I got the extremely fun and important job of hauling and stacking all the old rotten siding onto trailer beds. My family and fiancé don’t trust me too much with a hammer and nails – even though I am a Carpenter. J

After our house was complete we spent the summer settling in. We set up a fairly large swimming pool, planted some trees, went fishing, barbecued, etc. We knew fall would be hectic with school starting and hunting/trapping so we spent a lot of time at home enjoying our new space and of course, each other.

We anticipated hunting season to be hard without Thomas who not only was Matt’s best friend but his fellow die-hard hunting buddy. All those times Matt and Thomas thought it was so funny to irritate me by waking me at 4am with their goose calls was something I never imagined would be something I missed, but I surely do. I’m very happy Matt continues to go hunting because it’s a past time he and Thomas loved to do and made so many memories doing so.

Another hard loss for me and my family came in late fall when my grandpa, Rod Valentine, passed away due to cancer.  It was another one of life’s sobering reminders that our time on Earth is far too short. I’ve learned to really try to spend each day like it’s my last because as my grandpa said, “There’s something they don’t make more of and that is time.” What a simple, yet powerful statement and words I will keep dear to my heart.

So this Christmas season and the upcoming New Year I hope you keep in mind how precious your life and your loved ones lives are. Try to flash a smile and kinds words to someone who needs it, attempt to end every phone conversation with your loved ones with, “I love you!” and strive to end each day thankful to God for all He has blessed you with. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

With Love,

Brandi Carpenter and Matt Lenzen

Matt and I in Las Vegas for my 21st!

Walleye Princess - Summer 2011

Early December 2011

It's standard to include a picture of your engagement ring, right!? :)  

Matt Dove hunting - Brandi photographer

Workin' hard or hardly workin'?

The backside of the house before - new windows and filling in the rotting door already done.

Dad and Matt nailing on the last piece of siding! Very exciting and relieving moment for all!!



Backside of the house after!



Date night and silly picture of us from the New Year! :)

 

All My Single Ladies...& Guys too I guess.

Now that the festive craze is starting to descend from the snowless holiday season I have noticed a trend in my single Facebook friends and my normal** friends as well. That being my single ladies (and even me sometimes) becoming annoyed bonkers with the twelve thousand engagements and baby announcements in the last 4 weeks. Seriously, I know of 12 couples to get engaged within the last 3 weeks!

Maybe I shouldn’t say annoyed because I think a major part of my friends’ holiday-engagement hangover is just because as a society I believe we’ve been raised to have a certain stigma engrained in our minds.  A certain “life-stage rule book,” if you will, about at what age we need to be serious with a guy, be graduated from college, then engaged and married soon thereafter at again, a certain age. And, of course, followed by a career making an annual half a mill salary… OH! And we can’t forget the adorable [screaming] babies.

I can say that I’ve been in a similar situation. I wasn’t quite to the age where every time you turned around someone had a shiny diamond on their finger or had a creepy 3D ultrasound picture posted on their wall but I was once the 3rd wheel. I literally felt like the loneliest person on the planet. I felt I wasn’t worthy, pretty, funny – I mean absolutely anything “enough” to have a man!

What I’ve learned from life is that there is absolutely no rule book. Sure, it may seem everyone and their dogs are tying the knot or whatever but think about this:

 Most of the people who I’ve talked to who feel “behind” are 20-25 years old! You have your entire lives ahead of you! (Don’t roll your eyes at me…)

Statistically, 65% of marriages end in divorce anyways! The longer and older you are it takes you to find your prince charming the more likely you are to know what you want in life and in a person. You’ve sewn your wild oats and are ready to settle down.

Why do we have to compare ourselves to another person’s life? Just because SOCIETY thinks you should work, get married and have kids doesn’t mean that it is God’s plan for your life. What if you’re meant to travel the world first or write a book? I mean anything!

I’m sorry but who the eff said you need to be with someone and have a baby to be happy and/or successful?

I know, I know – easy for me to say right? I’m not the one feeling lonely and out of place? Truth is, a man doesn’t make you feel less lonely, more this or more that, etc. I’m on the fast track to happily-ever-after but I still have down days where I feel I’ve lost touch with old friends or hate how I look or am frustrated about how my future didn’t turn out how I envisioned it (especially school wise…). I think that if you’re depending on someone for your happiness you need to take a step back and find a way to truly become happy with yourself and LOVE yourself before you let someone love you. Maybe, that’s what God is waiting for.

Feel like you’re doing everything right but every man still seems to run from you like the plague?  What I learned way too late in the dating game is that a man that WANTS TO BE WITH YOU…WILL BE WITH YOU. Chasing is for shots and Tom & Jerry – if he doesn’t see your worth that is HIS problem, NOT yours!

This is probably the most frustrating for me to watch as a friend. I have been there. I’ve ran after people I should have let go because I wanted to be with them. I believe, when you find the person you’re supposed to spend the rest of your life with it will just be magnetic – not even a question of letting go.

Sometimes we’re just not compatible with people and that’s why the first couple dates with different guys don’t go so smoothly or you change and your interests and beliefs have evolved and now reside opposite ends of the spectrum with that of your boyfriend (now ex). Don’t beat yourself up over it! Again, they just weren’t the one – take the life lesson and apply what you’ve learned to other aspects and future relationships when they come into your life.

You’re beautiful regardless if you have man candy or not. I truly believe there is someone out there for everyone. Some people find them and some people spend so much time obsessing over a past relationship they are blind to the future right in front of them or perhaps they rushed into marriage and met “the one” already after they had said their I dos.

Try to enjoy your moments now instead wishing your life away. I look back and want to kick myself for being so miserable – because, like I was always told, everything works out in the end. It did and I can’t imagine how awfully unhappy I’d be if I would have ended up with the guy I spent so much time chasing.

Keep your head up and focus on yourself for now! I am also a fond believer in, “when you stop looking for love, that’s when it finds you.” In the mean time, hit the gym, join a book club, make baskets, take shots for every engagement and/or baby picture posted, etc. Just do you and remember that you’re beautiful!  

**normal as in no one is normal but the fellow crazy asses I surround myself with in my non-cyber life.

Also, my blog is still in the process of being designed! It's taken quite some time but I can’t wait for all of you to see it!

Happy Birthday Thomas!

I’ve been told that when I accept the fact that Thomas is gone I’ll be able to move on. Truth is, we never ever move on. I may appear happier or someday the years will have passed since I’ll have see him last but that doesn't mean he won't be far from my mind. People who mourn I don’t think ever “move on”. Our love for them, the memories we’ve had and the lessons we learn from our heartache keep them close to our hearts – forever.

Today marks Thomas Bjerke’s 23^rd birthday. A day, I think, we could all agree is a bittersweet day for many of his relatives, friends and the community. A beautiful life that was taken from us far too soon and yet we all feel exceedingly thankful to have shared 22 fantastic years with him.

For many, I know this year has been focused a lot on Thomas’ death and the negative aspect of losing someone you love so much. The numerous whys and if’s we’ve all run through our minds countless times throughout the day. There are many of us struggling with getting through each day without Thomas and trying to understand God’s plan.

Throughout the last 10 months I feel as though I’ve learned more about life than I have the 22 years of my existence. Losing Thomas was a rude awakening and I have often wondered how I had been so ignorant my entire life. I, like many others, usually measured success in the luxury of material man-made items. In my past I’ve treated others with the disrespect they didn’t deserve and I wasn’t always understanding or sympathetic to those who needed it most. 

I’ve learned that perhaps the meaning of a successful life doesn’t mean the dollar amount in your bank account and maybe it means having had taken every opportunity that has knocked on your door. Maybe a successful life on Earth is knowing you touched someone in some way that changed their outlook on their life and they began treating others, and especially themselves, with love and respect. Maybe a successful life means sharing God with one person and them eventually accepting Him into their hearts. There are numerous ways to measure monumental success without it related to fortune or fame.

I will be the first to admit I can be a bit harsh when people upset me or say rude things about my friends and family. I’m still learning to try to brush it off and remember what’s important in this life. That knowing the truth about my friends - my family - me and experiencing their abundant love matters more than what others will say or perceive about them or myself. I've learned someone may call me mean and nasty names but that doesn’t make me those things. I’ve learned only I'm in control of my happiness and how I handle difficult situations. Positivity is a way of life that has to be learned through trial and error.

I have finally decided on a major and am on the straight, but probably still rocky, road to graduate from the tiny little Catholic college here in town. I’ve set a goal for myself for pushing myself physically and I’ve started reading my bible again. I’ve learned to love my fiancé, friends and family more passionately, openly and carefully. I have decided I need to fulfill my long time dream of writing a book – sooner over later. I owe all these lessons to Thomas. I really do…

So today, instead of mourning his inability to be here physically, I feel we need to celebrate his life and the years he was with us on Earth. I would say that all the lessons he’s taught us while alive and after he’s passed shows that he’ll continue to grow older spiritually. He lives inside of each one of us making this our day to celebrate someone’s life we’ve loved so dearly.

Happy 23^rd Birthday Thomas!! I’m not sure God, Jesus nor the angels drink Busch Light or Rumplemintz but I do and I hope you’re enjoying yourself anyways ;) 

Until we meet again & with all my love,

Brandi.

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

best fishes on your birthday! love you!

To the love of my life on your birthday,

Where to even begin? I guess I could start by saying, “Happy Birthday Sugar Dumpling Apple Custard Gravy Sparkle Tootsie Roll Sugar Buns!” I can’t believe how much has changed since you turned 23 - a new house, our engagement, Thomas’ passing, my grandpa’s passing, new job, etc. It’s been such a rollercoaster of a year.

I don’t know if I ever told you this but do you remember that study hall we had together like my sophomore or junior year? I clearly remember being bored out of my mind and that’s when I was big into the game, “20 questions” and I was thinking to myself, “Do you think I’ve already met the person I’m going to marry?” I looked around the room. “Ugh…Clark. I definitely haven’t met my match.”

And now look at us. If you would have told me that years ago I would have told you to shut the hell up. It makes my heart smile and I’m so glad because you’re the greatest person on the planet! I’ve never ever loved anything more. No words could express my gratitude and love I have for you.

This day is celebratory for me too ya know! What if you had never been born? I’d still be wandering around wondering if soul mates existed, pondering if I was just compatible with several people and then would just settle for my best match. You have proven that ol’ theory of mine wrong. Soul mates do exist and I’m so happy our souls are mates. J

I love that with time our love ripens. How most relationships the giddiness is in the beginning and then slowly fades out. That our love and our obsession with one another just progressively grows daily. That’s the one thing I most look forward to is the matured love we’ll have years from now. Hopefully my heart doesn’t burst J

I know today will be kind of hard thinking that just a year ago we were all sitting around at your mom’s kitchen table drinkin’ beer and reminiscing about old times together. Sometimes it feels just like yesterday doesn’t it? Just know Thomas loved you so much and he’s with us in spirit observing from above. He’d want you to enjoy your day. Let’s toast to him – he’d want us to be in high spirits.

Thank you for everything – the unconditional love and for always laughing when I dance around the living room in my pj’s. Thank you for always making sure my needs and wants are taken care of and considering me in every major decision. Thank you for always listening and letting me know you think I’m the most beautiful girl just by the way you look at me. Most importantly, thank you for being you…I love you so much. You’ve made my entire life worth living. Happy Birthday Baby.

With All my Love,

Brandi

How I asked my bridesmaids.

(Those "flowers" are actually weeds Matt and I picked out of the ditches this summer on our bike rides. Who says a weed can't be pretty? Memories were made!)

I was surfin’ the net one day just doing my rounds trying to catch up on my most favorite wedding blogs. Green Wedding Shoes – check. Ruffled – check. Style Me Pretty – check. Wedding Chicks - ch…”OH. MY. GOSH!!” I thought to myself as I came across a post about Bethany’s DIY wedding bridesmaid boxes (see how she asked her bridesmaids here). I immediately was in awe of the whimsical feel and uniqueness of the bridesmaid boxes the Rinse. Repeat. founder had so fabulously dreamt up!

I followed the link to view her blog and was immediately blog-struck (tee-hee). This girl has a fairytale romance, stunning beauty, a kind heart and creative talent! I e-mailed her to introduce myself like any normal person would do (ha!) and decided I had to attempt boxes similar to hers.

I agreed with Bethany that sending a text saying, "Will U B My B-maid????" wasn’t exactly the personal touch I wanted to approach with asking my girls! I knew who I wanted to ask and that I wanted to make the boxes but tackling this task was going to be a bit difficult.

See, even though I grew up sanding wood in my parents’ wood shop and spent every Saturday of my childhood at a craft show with my mother selling grandma wreath’s and what-not for Kim’s Kountry Krafts. I’m not exactly what you would call artistically inclined. With the KKK we stuck with the 3 main craft décor colors of the 90s: hunter green, navy and maroon. So you can see where anything out of my comfort zone would frighten me right? ; )

Anyways, I decided to give it my best anyways and off to town I went. I had six boxes to do and according to Bethany’s instructions each box took about 2 hours each. From that, I decided to go with a smaller box to save myself some strife. The boxes I chose were only $1.99 at Hobby Lobby – steal!

I then had to decide color, design and font for the box. Most of my girls aren’t “pinks” like I am. I chose a cream color so they could use it as a keepsake and used my blush pink on the inside to give it the Brandi touch. I love anything with a mason jar (totally am drinking from one now). They are so versatile and can do just about anything superpower related…just kidding but pretty damn close! I decided I would do a mason jar background and use letters to arrange over it to spell their names

Now for the inside goodies!

I liked how Bethany included a gift card in her box to let the girls find a dress that fit their style and their bodies. My Mother and I had already found the dresses I wanted for the girls (she was even so graciously kind to purchase the girls’ shoes and dresses for them J) though so I knew gift cards weren't an option.

I thought and thought – wondered and pondered - trying to think of woodsy-ish things that wouldn’t let me stoop as low as stuffing a slaughtered squirrel or coon-tailed hats in their boxes. I finally decided on Twilight Woods body washes from Bath and Body Works because not only does it incorporate a woodsy name and label it is also my – and a couple of my girls’ – favorite scent! I purchased these during a big sale at Bath and Body for about $1.25 each.

Well, I couldn’t just have a box with just body wash included – they would have thought it was a polite gesture asking them to shower right? I liked that Bethany’s boxes contained paint swatches and pictures and I decided to get creative and put together an inspiration board of our woodland fairytale wedding ideas to include too. I wanted my girls to feel they were somewhat in the loop as to what I had in mind. *This is the paper wrapped in the blush pink lace.*

I love love loved how Bethany typed her whole shpeel and so I used that as a template. I thought the “most likely to” was just the darndest thing and had fun deciding what my girls would be most-likely to be on our big day.  I agreed with Bethany about bridal showers and bachelorette parties and just had to let them know that them standing beside me when I marry the man I love would mean more to me than any cake pan and/or penis tiara ever could.

 

  (See below what I had to say to my girls closer below)

big day:

who: Matthew & Brandi

what: A wedding. A union. A celebration.

when: September 22, 2012 - sunset.

where: Our beautiful home in good ol’ GC.

why: Our souls have found their mates and we’re in love duh!

soul sisters:

I always thought the phrase personal attendant sounded so not personable. To me, it was a bossy phrase. Matt is only having 2 groomsmen so I was torn on how to include my best friends! This is where I came up with ‘soul sisters’. You will be treated equally as a bridesmaid in every detail of the wedding. I will most likely have you walk 2x2 down the aisle to start us off during the ceremony. You’ll have a matching dress, bouquet, etc. I couldn’t stand the thought of you not in our wedding party. You mean too much.

So are you wondering who your fellow ‘soul sisters’ are? (granted they all say YES)

           

             Drum roll please. . .

Magz: I’m so blessed you took me under your wing in 1^st grade. Who knew we’d still be the best of friends? Most likely to: grab an apron if the caterers are a no-show.

©        I love her ability to never stop giving and to always do it with a smile.

Bethany: The most understanding individual in the entire world. Always up for an adventure and would drive 3 hours just to make the tears stop and the smiles arrive. Most likely to: gush over my doll-face and drink their body weight in morgan diets.

©        I love her feisty, golden spirit and her laugh.

Jennifer: She. Knows. All. Embarrassing. Moments. A person I look up to for all she’s been through. A person who can make me laugh from the time I wake up until the time I fall asleep. Most likely to: use her handkerchief like it’s going outta style and keep me looking glam all day long.

©        I love her for her wild dreamer spirit and for her beauty.

Bre: If I was to have a twin, she’d be it. We’ve been through crazy things the past 5 years but it’s made “us”! Most likely to: dance her face off and squeal with me in excitement all through the day.

©        I love her for her selflessness and our ability to understand each other like its nobodies bus-nass!

bridesmaids:

I couldn’t have asked for fate to send me a more loving blended family. A long time ago (as toddlers) we were all strangers. How amazeballs that destiny brought strangers into our life and turned them into family? I am so happy I am able to call you my sisters and most importantly, my friends. I love you so much!

Britt: The big sis who takes care of all her little siblings. The most loyal person on the planet! Most likely to: call me out on my bridezillaness but, ironically, most likely to give the sweetest speech.

©       I love her for our late night chats and her capability to generously always think of others before herself.

Cass: The most introverted of us all. My fellow lover of all sorts of crazy things! (Barbies, Disney, etc..) Most likely to: pout about not wearing fairy wings.

©       I love her for her hippie spirit and her gift of laughing at all my horrid jokes.

your duty:

Traditionally, the role of the brides’ wedding party would be lots of work throwing bachelorette parties/showers. That’s not what I want. Your presence is all that I need and want. truly.

Your only jobs as my bridesmaids/soul sisters:

©       hold some gorgeous flowers.

©       wipe away my happy tears.

©       dance the night away.

©       realize how much I appreciate you just being there and most of all: how much I love each one of you sooo much.

also:

I included pictures and paint swatches so you can get an idea as to what we’re up to for décor for our “Woodland Fairytale” – “Neature” wedding.

A lot has changed since I first made these boxes. I declared Soul Sisters an official wedding party person so I could still have my girls even if they didn’t have a boy to walk with but now that we’ve included my male siblings they may just be bridesmaids – we’ll see! And our date has completely changed. We are now getting married September 14, 2013! We still are having a “woodland fairytale” themed wedding. Side note: I don’t think the theme seriously could be any more fitting. My life seems to be consumed solely by woodland creatures and Matt these days.

I hope you enjoyed checking out this post! They definitely didn’t turn out as whimsical and lovely as Miss Bethany’s but my girls really appreciated the thought and were tickled I went out of my way to ask them this way. And if I can do it…..anyone can do it!