Saturdays Are for Weddings: 18 Weeks

126 days left on the clock.

Whoa.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 19 Weeks

I have been thick in the heart of hunting for a baker for the wedding. I suspect this process will be more fun once I am engaged in the tasting part. For now, I have narrowed down the contenders, received quotes, narrowed it down further and have set appointment for tastings later in the month. There are many things I will either accept by recommendation or allow someone else to handle in my stead. Dessert? Is not one of those things. I take my dessert seriously.

One of my girls has chosen and ordered her dress. (Love!! She is going to look stunning.) The other two have appointments to do the same tomorrow. I cannot wait to see what they find and how they all look together.

I keep trying to decide which pair of shoes I want to wear so I can return the others but I'm just not convinced. I am also secretly afraid this means none of them are the right pair. I am a disappointment to women everywhere because I really detest shoe shopping.

I have a few loose ends dangling that I hope can be tied up soon. Loose ends make me twitchy.

And if you want an insight into where I am, mentally, in this process: The random, disjointed, half-formed thoughts above sum it up. Planning a wedding--even a small, fairly scaled back wedding--is not for the faint of heart.

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20 Questions: May 17, 2012

1. Name 5 things you don't care about.
Just five? Fine. 1. Who won The Bachelor, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol or any other tv competition-type show not named "Top Chef." 2. The opinions of Joe Buck, Tim McCarver or the Tampa Bay Rays broadcast team. 3. The latest Hollywood gossip. 4. Anyone's latest drama. 5. Anything Dr Phil has to say.

2. I wish I could stop:
Deleting the first four answers I typed here.

3. What is your favorite kind of peanut butter?
If it's not in a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, then I prefer Jif. It can be creamy or crunchy though, unless I am making a dessert with it, in which case, it must be creamy.

4. Pick a color that best represents your mood today.
Grey. A sleepy dusky shade. I could go for a nap.

5. Look to your right. What is the first thing you see?
A box in the windowsill waiting for the customer to pick it up. (I'm at work.)

6. What is your favorite "fair food"?
Fried dough with tomato sauce. Which, since you brought it up, they apparently only sell at fairs in the northeast. People in Florida look at you like you're a lunatic when you ask. Down here, it's only served with cinnamon & sugar or powdered sugar.

7. Who was the last person to send you a letter in the mail?
I don't even remember the last time I wrote out a whole letter, but I did include a lengthy note and some photos in the birthday card that I sent to my high school boyfriend's mother. She's a Leap Year baby and I always send her a card when her actual birth date comes around, even after all this time. One of the nicest, sweetest, kindest ladies I have ever met.

8. What did you order the last time you went out to eat?
Monday, for dinner, I shared the Dalkey Duo (battered cocktail sausages with mustard dipping sauce) and the Scallop Forest (battered scallops with a citrus lime dipping sauce and some kind of chili pepper jam) with Nichole and Daniel, and then had some Keen Eye for the Shepherd's Pie (less than half because, holy heck, was I *stuffed*.)

9. How good are you at delaying gratification?
About 95% of the time, I have no issue with it. I would rather save up for something than go into debt to have it, and I would rather be sure I want it than to suffer buyer's remorse. And really? I enjoy window shopping and wish-listing far more than actually parting with the cash.

10. What was the last thing you baked?
Some brownies. Back at the apartment. Wow. I've been in the house over three months and I still haven't baked anything in my my awesome new oven?? This must be rectified very soon. (Understand: I define 'baked' as in desserts. We have baked all manner of dinner-type foods in there: chicken, fries, fish, pizza, just to name a few.)

11. What did you last receive in the mail?
Junk, a couple of magazines, a new copy of my insurance card, and a Mother's Day card from my god daughter.

12. Are you a good speller?
Most of the time. There are a few words that trip me up. My boss calls me "Webster" every time he calls me to ask how to spell something. Because he never believes what his spellcheck tells him.

13. When was the last time you went sledding?
I think it was my senior year of high school. It was really snowy that winter and I think I went up to the high school (very hilly campus) with my old neighbor and some of our other classmates.

14. How many times have you been called for jury duty?
Twice. The first time, I was chosen to serve on a jury. The second time, I was dismissed *because* of the jury I had served on (the defense dismissed me because of the verdict we reached on my first jury).

15. Scrubs, ER or Grey's Anatomy?
I watched ER until they killed off Anthony Edwards' character. I tried to watch it a season or two later, and the first episode I tuned into, some doctor got his hand chopped off by a helicopter. I never watched again. I am hopelessly addicted to Grey's Anatomy, though. I own all the seasons that have been released on DVD and have watched them more than once.

16. What do you try to stay away from?
People who are overly dramatic, negative or otherwise toxic.

17. What is your favorite magazine?
I have a well-documented addiction to magazines.  It would be difficult to choose just one. In the running for favorite would be "Everyday with Rachael Ray," "Real Simple," and "Redbook."

18. Do you set your alarm clock on the weekend?
Only if I have to be up for an early appointment. I'm usually awake and out of bed by 7am under normal Saturday circumstances, though, so I rarely need my alarm. It's more of a security blanket for my peace of mind.

19. When you attend a wedding do you tend to give cash or buy something off the registry?
I buy off the registry for the shower, and give cash (in addition to a "sentimental gift" if it's someone I am particularly close to) for the wedding.

20. Have you ever shot a bow and arrow?
The fact that I am alive to answer this question indicates that I have not. I would find some way to shoot myself if I tried. I lack all sorts of grace and coordination.

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Menu Plan Monday: May 14, 2012

Monday: I will be at Disney with Nichole and Daniel. Don't think T has allowed me to forget that he will be scavenging for food all by his lonesome.

Tuesday: Brown Sugar Glazed Pork, asparagus and rice.

Wednesday: Going for a nice light dinner of honey mustard chicken wraps. I swear it has been too hot to eat.

Thursday: Spaghetti and meatballs with a salad and some bread.

Friday: I will be back at Disney.

Saturday: Still at Disney...

Sunday: Who even knows. I will probably be so stuffed from all that Disney that I will just watch T eat while I sip some water.

Notes from last week's...oh, who am I trying to kid. I slacked off for two weeks. Because, like I said, it's hot, which vaporizes my will to eat.

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Saturdays Are for Weddings: 20 Weeks

I can't believe how much has gotten done in the past two weeks! Planning a wedding is so strange. You get engaged and then you have to plan a few major details, and then it all just grinds to a halt for a while. All of a sudden, though, momentum picks up and you're crossing tasks of the list like someone set you on fire.

In the past two weeks, I secured the officiant and submitted the ceremony layout to him for his approval. I chose my flowers, after thinking I knew what I wanted, but when I saw these, I no longer thought, I knew. (Best rule of thumb I've discovered is that when you know, you *know*. And when you *know*, you don't wonder at all if you're going to wish you'd chosen something different.) I gave my final ok on the the invitation proof. I scheduled all my trim and highlight appointments with my regular stylist from now through the wedding as my hair continues to grow out. I got blocks of hotel rooms set up at two places. I am getting quotes back from bakers so that I can narrow down my options and set up some taste tests to make the final decision. We're working on getting quotes to decide on professionals to do our hair styling and make up. And just today, T bought his suit and was fitted by the tailor, and Nichole chose and ordered her dress!

One of the less conventional aspects of this wedding is that I am planning it from a distance, so I have done very little of the legwork myself, purely because I'm not able to. It feels really good to not only be getting things done, but to actually feel like I'm putting in some of the effort.

I'm holding my cards close to my chest, because I don't want to give it all away before the day arrives. I like people to wonder, just a bit, what its all going to look like, so I share the information and gather opinions here and there, only as needed. I can't wait til I have some photos to share after it's all said and done!

140 days and counting...

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Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: April 2012

A photo of me:


1) Candle scents this month:
Lilac Blossoms. Clean Cotton. Tulips. Fresh Mint. Blueberry Scone. Lavender Vanilla. Midnight Jasmine. Garden Hideaway. Vanilla Cupcake. Meadow Showers. Coastal Waters. Drift Away. Cottage Breeze. Beach Wood. Strawberry Buttercream. Blueberry Scone. Egyptian Cotton.

2) What I am reading this month:
Making progress with Love in the Time of Cholera. Some of it is...disconcerting? The actions of one of the characters, that is. The emotional conflicts, though, are completely fascinating.

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
"Real Live Woman," by Trisha Yearwood. "Awful Beautiful Life," by Darryl Worley. "She's Got a Way," by Billy Joe.

4) Movies I saw:
The Ten Commandments - I try to watch this every year, even though it's super long. because it's a classic and I remember begging to stay up to watch it as a child. The first time I watched it as an adult, I realized there were two hours of this movie I had never seen before, because I had never managed to stay awake for it, despite the pleading.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
"The Stable Boy," Once Upon a Time - Possibly one of my favorite episodes of this show so far, it explains *so* much.
"Sweet Baby," Scandal - Very few shows suck me in, right out of the gate, like this one did. I felt like I already knew the characters.
Frozen Planet on The Discovery Channel - Pure amazement.
"A Short Story About Love," Fringe - I wanted to stand up and cheer. That's how happy this episode made me.
"Chapter Thirteen," The Firm - This has been an intense show all along, but it has really kicked up a notch. To the point that I can't wait to see what happens next, but I can't watch it right before sleeping due to the adrenaline rush.
"Support System," Grey's Anatomy - Sandra Oh did some amazingly believable acting as Cristina in this episode.
"Enemy of the State," Scandal - Whoa. Just...whoa. This show is getting *really* good. The quick dialogue and the twists and turns are fabulous.
"The Dream Team," The Good Wife - What a season finale cliffhanger!! What on earth is on the other side of that door?!

6) Something yummy I made:
I tried my hand at cole slaw for the first time. I was actually kind of impressed at how easy it was! I'm a tough sell when it comes to cole slaw because I hate when it's overdressed.

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Miller's Ale House. Golden Corral.

8) Five things I am loving this month:
1. Baseball. Back on my tv. Hello, old friend.
2. Easter lilies! They are such cheerful flowers. They make me smile.
3. An unexpected cool snap. A little over a week of wonderfully comfortable weather!
4. The subtle change in color we used for my last set of highlights. It's a little warmer that what we've been doing for a while now. So much hair change lately!
5. Finally some sunlight in the morning while I get ready for the day. It makes such a difference in my general outlook.

9) A goal I had for this month:
At the end of March, I made a pact with Alison and Heather that we would make sure we spoke on the phone at least once a month, starting in April. Lives get busy, schedules get complicated, technology gives us multiple ways to stay in touch when our free minutes don't match up. But sometimes you just need to talk to a real voice. Mission accomplished.

10) This month I looked forward to:
Holy Week. Those four services -- Palm Sunday. Maundy Thursday. Good Friday Tenebrae. Easter Sunrise. -- move me so deeply. There is so much introspection, so many thoughts. They run the gamut of emotion. They remind me why I hold tightly to my faith.


11) Something I want to be thankful for this month:
The people who love me and put up with me even when I am a whiny brat about being tired and needing some time off. Lots of us work hard. We're all tired. The simple fact that they tolerate all my whining and keep cheering me on until my next scheduled day off  is a testament to their awesomeness.

12) A photo I took this month:
I had to pick three favorites this month. I just couldn't decide!

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