Retail Therapy

We went shopping today for Easter dresses. I found this one and love it. Pictures are below.

Today has been a tough day. I dread driving back to Virginia tomorrow. Going home to a place I do not want to be and no one to come home to. I trusted a man who promised me just one week ago that he would never leave me. I don't understand what happened? I found myself smiling today as I went down memory lane, and then immediately bursting into tears. This kind of pain is something I have never experiened. I am physically sick. I was with a man that made me the happiest woman I had ever been .... maybe I didn't make him happy in return. If so, I never knew it.

I lost my best friend Wednesday, and I am in a raw state of emotion.

Untitled

There is no title for this post. If you follow me on twitter, then you know what's going on. My blogging habits will not be changing too much, just the subject matter will be different. I still plan on keeping this blog for it has sered as a good journal outlet. I started this blog Fall of 2008 and so much has happened in my life since that time. Good and Bad. Happy and Sad. In an effort to recollect my life and figure out what I am going to do, I will be taking somewhat of a break here and there.

God has a plan for me and my life. I will look to Him daily for direction. My heart is heavy and hurts, but day by day, it will heal with time.

Thanks to you all,

B

Bridal Luncheon and Registering!

What a great, yet busy, day I had! Nothing better than teaming up with three college roommates who are all getting married this year! 2 in September and 1 in December! We piled into the car and went to the Central VA Bridal Luncheon at the Inn at Trivium. It was a great time!

Don met me afterward and we headed to Target to begin our registration! How fun and overwhelming! So much to choose! We are moving into a townhome with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, so I set out today knowing that each room needs to be decorated just right. I was not able to do them all tonight and I know it will take time, but I did get a good sense of what is available.

We did not plan our outfits to coordinate, although we did get some questions!

Me and Courtney

mmm Cake! I wasn't a huge fan of the flavors, so I picked at it.

I was a fan, however, of Joe Beans coffee before Target!

"Babe, I really want pink towels!"

Valentines Weekend

Happy Valentines Day! We celebrated Saturday night by going to D.C. Don made reservations at The Capital Grille and it was very good! We then headed into the city and stopped by Georgetown Cupcake. I get to stop by this place a few times a year and it's such a treat when I do. The line was about 40 minutes long, and Don was such a trooper for waiting to get four little cupcakes! I did find out that they now ship nationwide. However, shipping estimates around $30...on top of the $30 actual order of a dozen! I refuse to be a crazy who would spend $60 for cupcakes to be shipped to me. Luckily, it's only 2 hours away and only within a weekend trip's reach.

I have been staying with Don for the past five nights due to the snowy/icy roads I have to travel to work from my apartment. For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter, I had a scary event happen Wednesday morning. I hit a patch of ice and spun a 360 in the road and skidded into a pile of snow off to the side of the road. I had to call the police to help me get out. It was so scary to lose control of the car and I could have gotten very hurt had there been cars around me at the time. I owe it all to the hand of the Lord for keeping me safe. All that to say that I have been a little scared to drive back to my apartment until the roads are completely cleared with zero ice. We are supposed to get more snow tomorrow night, so I don't know when I will be able to get back home. I am running out of clothes to wear to work!

Hope each of you had a fun weekend!

My favorite roadtrip buddy!

Georgetown Cupcake Menu

Long wait!

Flavors: Chocolate Ganache, Vanilla2, and two Chocolate3

Wedding Wednesday: Monogram Cookie

Our wedding theme is All Things Monogram and I am so excited to show you a wedding favor we'll have - a monogram cookie! This picture features Taste Selects, a bakery in downtown Lynchburg, VA. I have popped in there a a few times to pick up a red velvet cupcake (my weakness) and they are so good! I plan to have these sitting on each plate wrapped up with a big pink or orange ribbon! Of course, it will have an "E" on it! I love the little details of weddings -- details, details, details!

Excuse me this week!

I may be a tad MIA this week being that I have to turn in my previous work computer tonight and wait for my new work computer to be issued. I may be able to pop in here and there. Don't worry -- I will be back as soon as I can!

Have a great week!

Brittney

Snow Day Vlog in Virginia

We have had quite the snowfall in the Shenandoah Valley. It started early Friday morning and has not stopped! We went to the grocery store Thursday night and loaded up on groceries for the 3 days of being snowed in. (Skittles & Oreos were part of the loot)! I feel like all I want to do is snack when I'm snowed in.

The accumulation is at a rough 24 inches. We got bundled up today and took Hutch outside to play and unleash a little energy. I thought I would post a video vlog of our day and say a 'hello' to readers. He was a tad rambunctious in the first one so I gave it another shot in the 2nd video. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Answering your Questions

In November, I wrote a Q&A post and some of you responded with some questions for me. I am so sorry it took me two months to answer them!

Multi-Colored Sprinkles asked, "Will you ever stop blogging?" Well, I hope not! I think it will be fun to continue my blog throughout the actual wedding, married couple life, and then eventually, mommy days! It will be neat to look back at my beginning posts in 2008 and see where life has brought me and how the Lord has been so faithful.

Shannon asked, "What is your favorite place to shop?" "One item in your closet you cannot live without?" "Do you see yourself living in D.C. forever or would you like to move back south?" Thank you for all three of those questions! My favorite place to shop is J.Crew. It is my all-time favorite store! I would describe my style as very professional prep/classic. I do not go on the edge and try a ton of designers. I like to stick to pretty basics that will last for years. The one item I cannot live without is my basic black suit from J.Crew. Working as a marketing director requires that I dress up daily, with the exception of Friday's jean day. You can take a black suit in so many different directions - from the classic white button down, to a frilly camisole paired with a cardigan under the black jacket. It's EASY to get dressed each morning when you have a black suit. To answer your last question which I touched on with a post this week, NO, I will not ever be moving back to D.C. We will be in Virginia for a while or forever, depending on where the Lord takes Don and his career in public affairs.

QueenBee Swain asked, "What are your 5 must-haves for clothes?"

1. White button-up shirt to go under sweaters, cardigans, or to wear alone.
2. Khaki shorts for summer
3. Black skirt suit
4. Silk Camisoles
5. A good assortment of jeans

Mommy Wonderland asked, "What were you like in high school?" I was a CHEERLEADER! That was my sport. I was very involved in high school in many school & church activities. I had a timid way about me and could cry if someone just looked at me wrong. My my, how that has changed about me. I toughened up, but I may have toughened up too much. I had a huge, fun group of girlfriend who all still live in Florida. I miss them! Haven't seen them in 5 years.

Heather asked, "Why did you pick your blog title?" You may think I like to run based on my title. I hate running. I am, however, always running on the go! That is what the 'running' refers to. I am also always in heels. I think I look better in them than flats. I also have to wear heels in my work environment. Hence, "Running in High Heels!"

LawGirl asked, "I've always liked your wardrobe. Do you spend a lot of time/money shopping, or do you just wait it out for good pieces?" Thank you, LawGirl! Until this point, I worked in the education realm and have not had the greatest salary. Hence, not shopping ever. Being out on my own as a 'big girl' has been a fantastic experience and I have learned a lot. I have learned that if I want to eat or put gas in my car, or if I want to go to the doctor, then I need to have money to do that and cannot spend it on another shirt or another sweater that I may wear once or twice. You may also remember my wreck last year that took me about a year to pay off. With my new job taking off Monday, I will definitely be breathing a little better and will have much more room than I have had. However, planning a wedding means being broke all over again! Ah! So, as of now, shopping just isn't a huge priority. But that does not mean that it won't be in the future. I am just putting my other priorities first, which a lot of people fail to do. As far as spending a lot of money on items ... I don't. I like normal stores like GAP, J.Crew, Old Navy, Ann Taylor Loft, Banana Republic, etc. It suits me just fine. That's a long answer to your short question, but maybe that will explain why I don't blog a lot about shopping right now because it is just not happening!

Classy Fab Sarah asked, "What is your favorite must-have makeup product? What are your makeup basics?" I love a fresh, dewy complexion. I rarely use liquid foundation and opt for Clinique or MAC foundation powders instead. They last me for at least 6 months! I love love love MAC blush. They last forever and have great pigmentation. MAC eye shadows are great as well. I am one that prefers a bold lip and shimmery eyes rather than a dark smoky eye and no lip color. I love wearing pink or deep berry lipsticks. I like MAC & Maybelline lipsticks. My favorite gloss is Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush.

Josephinechoo asked, "What is your favorite novel? Also, do you cook? What do you cook?" My favorite book collection is by Emily Giffin. I also enjoy Penny Vencenzi. Yes, I enjoy cooking, but only when Don is there to eat with me. I refuse to cook a big meal just for me. When I cook, I will make a chicken dish or pasta. We like eating country vegetables.

Thank you for your questions! I hope I didn't bore you with the long answers!

Wedding Wednesday: Pulling in Pumpkin

Our September wedding is technically a fall wedding, but as you have read, I did not want to use all fall colors and leaves. It's just not me. I thought of a way to tie in a small touch of fall with our pink & orange theme. We will spray paint a few pumpkins Gold to have on the tables. I may even have a small one on each plate. I am very excited about this idea! I have a feeling we will have a craft weekend in September...I hope Don is up for it! He's such a good sport!

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

Giveaway by Chateaux Interiors

Chateaux Interiors is hosting their first blog giveaway! They are giving away a Jimmy Belasco candle in Thai Ginger Cirtrus.

I have this soy candle from Chateaux and it is the perfect spring scent for my home! I love it!

I featured Chateaux in this recent post. David is also my wedding decorator!

Head over to Chateaux and enter to win! Giveaway ends next Tuesday, February 9!

Have a great day!

Brittney

Washingtonette Days

I spent the spring of 2007 and the fall of 2008 living in D.C., and I thought I would post some pictures to show you a little of that time in my life! I had the fantastic opportunity of interning for my Alabama Congressman, Terry Everett, during my junior year of college. It was such an amazing opportunity that I thought I wanted to spend a few years working in government affairs. So, I gave D.C. another shot after I graduated college by moving up again the fall of 2008. My love for the city quickly turned a 180 and I no longer felt like D.C. was the place I wanted to be. Hence, moving back to Central Virginia.

Would I ever want to move back there? No. Am I glad that I no longer will be going up there for work? Yes. I am so thankful and excited to be getting married/starting a new career/settling down and staying in the quaint, beautiful mountains of Virginia. I know that time in my life was a growing experience and holds a big place in my heart. I learned a lot about myself not only personally, but professionally as well. I met some fantastic contacts through networking and met some fun friends while I was there! I know not many people have the opportunity I experienced and I don't take that for granted.

D.C. ..... you are my love/hate relationship.

Rayburn House Office Building where I interned on the Hill

Office Door

Senate Subway

My teeny tiny Studio apartment. I loved the bay window!

Dinner with Meghan at Clyde's

Dinner with Meghan at Matchbox

L.O.V.E.

Happy February 1! I am so excited to have the ol' blah month of January behind me. We are inching closer to spring! February is always a fun month because it is short and Valentines Day sweeps us off our feet. I do not know what we are doing yet, but Don did tell me he had something in the works. All he told me was to bring a dress! I can do that.

February also brings other big things. This week marks the last week of my current job and I start my new one next Monday. This weekend is the Central Virginia Bride of the Year Luncheon that I am attending with my girlfriend, Jen, who is also planning a September wedding this year. The last weekend of February, Don and I are driving down to Atlanta to meet up with moms and sisters to dress shop! All I have to do is blink and this month will be over.

Don and I have a busy spring season filled with trips, work projects, and the big thing - finding a new place to live! Engagement pictures will hopefully happen in March (had to cancel them this weekend due to massive snow) and I need to get save-the-dates out sometime! With all the frenzy, I want to remember to pause each day and be reminded of who I love and why I love.

My first and ultimate love is Jesus Christ. I love Him because He gave His life for me and I owe my salvation to Him.

My second love is Don Egle. I love him more each day. He is the most selfless man I know and I find myself wanting to be more like him.

My third love is my family. They live in Alabama and I don't get to see them but a few times each year. I miss them!

Who do you love? Why do you love? Let's redefine love this month to mean something greater than we ever expected.