NaNoWriMo

I love typing and writing that crazy word. NaNoWriMo. What is it? It's National Novel Writing Month where you attempt to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. I've signed up the past two years, but I've never actually started writing the novel. School, work, and life always got in the way. I'm contemplating trying again come November.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo this year? Have you done it in the past? I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Notebooks that Work (For now at least!)

A few weeks ago, I wrote this post about simplifying my pen rotation. I am truly happy with all of the pens I listed. Notebooks are a different story. Does the perfect notebook exist? I don't think it does. My big requests are that a notebook should have paper that is fountain pen friendly and fun to write on. There are so many other factors - material, cover, binding, paper style, etc. - that are also very important. Simply put, the notebook must fulfill whatever purpose I have assigned to it. Yeah, I'm picky and weird. I rarely fill all the pages in a notebook before moving on to the Next Big Thing. However, there are some notebooks that I'm really liking right now.

1. Rhodia no. 16.
    I have two of these that I am currently using. One is kept on my desk at work for notes and lists. It's also handy to carry to meetings. The other one is my "church notebook" (I'll explain about those in another post). This is a flip-top notepad with a spiral binding. I prefer the scored rhodia covers, but the spiral just works better and looks neater for work. I'm satisfied with it for now. The paper is the usual Rhodia paper that ROCKS for fountain pens.

2. M By Staples Gold Series Writing Pad
    I carried one of these everywhere I went the last month before the wedding. The paper is nice. It's not as smooth as Rhodia or Clairefontaine, but I like it anyway. I've had no problems with any inks or pens I have tried on it. I will probably keep on buying these

When I started writing this post, I thought there would be a much longer list. I'm actually kinda sad that I don't have more notebooks to praise right now. I do have a Rhodia webbie on the way that I'm excited to try and review. I guess the search for notebook bliss is still on!

What are your favorite notebooks? Is there such thing as a perfect notebook?

back!

The wedding was ah-mazing, but married life is turning out to be even better. Thanks everyone for all the congratulations and well wishes. Love y'all :)

My aunt took this picture. There were so many talented people taking shots throughout the day. I can't wait to get the pro pics back, but I am loving seeing everyone else's photos.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, I will meet M at the altar, take his hand, and promise him forever. Tomorrow, we will start a new life. Tomorrow, we will be surrounded by people who love us. Tomorrow is the day we have been looking forward to for years!

I will be back after the honeymoon with recaps and stories. Thanks for reading.

Love,

Beth

Wedding Freakouts

Welcome to my crazy, stressed, and overwhelmed bridal brain. I have these moments. Usually they happen when I'm sitting at work, minding my own business. I can be working hard and not thinking about the wedding at one moment, and the next I get some random thought that throws me into full panic mode.

Some of my more common Random Wedding Freakouts:

1. How in the world am I going to modestly put on my dress in front of my bridesmaids? How am I going to go to the bathroom? Why haven't I thought of this before? (We'll cross that bridge when we get there).

2. What if a wedding guest falls in the river? (They won't.)

3. I want to leave in my dress, but how will we get M's tux back to the rental place? (Dear Beth, this is nothing to panic over.)

4. I just know I'm going to forget to pack for the honeymoon. (Um, really. How does someone even forget something like that.)

5. What if people hate me because there aren't enough chairs by the water for everyone to sit during the ceremony? (Hopefully, they won't hate you.)

Thankfully, I have wonderful bridesmaids who I know will help me keep my sanity. How did you get past your wedding worries?

Countdown to a wedding

It's here. Wedding week! I feel like I'm walking around in a daze. All the stress that I've been feeling for the past month is gone for the most part. I'm not worried about getting everything done. I'm worried that I will have dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep. I'm worried about having everyone's eyes on me while I walk down the aisle. (Dearest wedding guests, if you want to look at the lovely scenery instead of me, I'm cool with that!). I'm worried that the day will fly by and that I won't remember anything about it. There is still a lot to do, but I have faith. Everything is going to be just fine, right? (Nod your head yes please).

Countdown to the wedding:

Monday

• work
• last meeting with day of wedding coordinator to plan out all the details
• make an instruction sheet for my future brother-in-law who is handling the ceremony and reception music
• make a backup of all the music we are using and go over the playlist one last time
• thank you notes
• continue cleaning and packing up bedroom to get ready to move
• try to finish up wedding party gifts

Tuesday

• work
• continue cleaning and packing up bedroom to get ready to move
• work on wedding day timeline
• work on last minute details and decorations
• try to finish up wedding party gifts
• move stuff to new house

Wednesday

• work
• church
• work on wedding day timeline
• work on last minute details and decorations
• pack for honeymoon
• move stuff for new house

Thursday

• last day of work
• go to Sams with mom and dad to buy all the food for reception
• gather up all tickets and everything we need for honeymoon
• pack for honeymoon
• Michael's parents, brother, and sister arriving from Florida
• dinner with Michael's parents and my parents

Friday

• pack
• Bridesmaid/flower girl luncheon
• Helping mom with food
• manis/pedis with bridesmaids
• rehearsal
• rehearsal dinner
• making the diy boquets after the rehearsal dinner

Saturday

• Wedding!!

Whew. I'm sure there are lots of things I've left off. I wonder how many trips we will make to haul stuff to the venue this week? Y'all keep me in your prayers please.

xoxo, Beth

Faves - The Pens I Always Use

Last summer, I was on a quest to find the perfect pens and notebooks. I bought and tried so many different types and brands. Many pen and paper lovers will tell you that this is a never ending quest. They are correct. However, I've learned to simplify. I have been sticking to just a few pens and notebooks lately. Maybe I've gotten lucky by finding ones I love. I know part of the reason I've simplified some is that I've been putting all extra funds towards the house and the wedding. I'm sure I'll get in another "buying and trying" phase at some point. For now, I'm content with using what works for me. 
These are my favorite pens:

1. Lamy Al-Star (Raspberry)
2. Levenger True Writer Stub
3. Lamy Studio Palladium
4. Mont Blanc Noblesse

I highly recommend any of these pens. I reach for them over and over. What are your faves?

more than just a piece of paper!

It's our marriage license! Wow.We could get married today!

Pardon the bad cell phone pic.

This is What Planning a Wedding Looks Like

lovely

What Keeps Me Sane

First off, I just wanted to say Happy Labor Day! I hope it's fun, safe, and relaxing. We are going to my grandparents' house. I'd love to be able to float around in the river or ride the jet ski. I also wouldn't be opposed to laying on a blanket in the grass reading a good book. There will be plenty of time for that next summer. The plan is to work, work, work on wedding stuff all day. 

So, I guess I'm laboring on Labor Day. What keeps me sane? I HAVE to write everything down so I can remember what all there is to do. I'm a little obsessive about finding the best planner or calendar. Usually I start a planner only to use it for a couple of months before moving on to the next greatest thing. Last year, for the first time in my life, I finished a planner. I'm so proud just typing that sentence. I loved this planner so much that I bought one for this year. It's an academic planner that runs from August to July. Really, it's amazing. The paper is made by Clairefontaine, so of course it is fountain pen friendly. Having a page per day really helps me keep track of everything. I use it to record appointments, to-dos, and things that happened during the day that I want to remember. Seriously, I'd be lost without it.

Without further ado, I present to you the planner that broke me of my fickle planning ways....

The Quo Vadis Textagenda. Honestly and simply. It's great.

Messiness. 

On marriage

Tonight at church we sang "The Greatest Commands", which is one of my favorite songs. I got teary-eyed towards the end. The song is based on 1 John 4:7-12. 

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

This is such a profound reflection on God's love for His people. One of the verses that our minister is going to use in the wedding ceremony is Ephesians 5:25. This verse tells husbands to love their wives in the same manner that Christ loves the church. It is a sacrificial, pure, and profound love. 

As I think about marriage, these verses are close to my heart and mind. Although I have yet to experience what it is like to be married, I have a pattern to go by found in God's Word. 

I am so looking forward to M and I finally being husband and wife. I pray that we can serve God together as we learn even more what marriage is all about. 

-Beth

A September to Remember

Okay, okay. So, we aren't newlyweds yet, but we are getting married this month. Did you hear me? THIS MONTH!
Life changes, and after much thought, I decided this blog needed a change as well. What was once simply a blog about pens, notebooks, and office supplies is taking a more personal turn. It's going to be a little bit of everything.
You may be wondering why I am keeping the title "Penned and Papered". Quite simply, I like it. A deeper answer is that I want to document everything about this exciting time in my life - just like putting pen to paper. Plus, I still want to share reviews of my absolute favorite things.
Thanks for sticking around, and please stay tuned for pre-wedding reflections, wedding recaps, recipes, house stuff, and stories about our life as soon-to-be-newlyweds.

xoxo,
Beth