gifts arriving

We have 8 gifts here at the house for this weekend!!
Ohh they look like fun Miss Bride!!! Lots and lots of fun.
Pretty blue and green ribbons, white packages...
oh my oh my.

All for you and RMG!!!

this week's lists

things to do: 
check w/the wedding planning book to see if we're on task
get engagement announcement to papers
clean guest bathroom
clean off Brides bed
hide gifts she can't see yet (maybe I just ought to wrap them)
email shower hostess
determine what I'm wearing to which bridal shower 
figure weekend menu
sleep 7 hrs at one time
get shirt and tie for FOB
work in yard  
pack


places to go:
grocery store for hungry family coming home
registry places
shoe store
newspaper offices
W-town
garden center (s)
bridal shower #1
home
church
bridal shower #2


people to see:
store clerks 
fav bro. of bride
bride
brides friends
store clerks
sister of bride 
store clerks
family
good friends
caterer

sigh.......................

Oh...I tell ya..
It's going to be a lovely event.

reality reminder? naw...just party time

Good Monday morning!
Bride's wedding website said..." 62 days until until our wedding!"
okey-dokey

62 days until the rains needs to fall
62 days until the grass needs to be green
62 days until we get to have lots of fun!!!
Let's start the fun before that


This weekend Bride will be home for 2 showers.
One on Saturday, one on Sunday. 
Oh what fun those will bring.
I'll get to meet some more of her friends 
and get to hug some of those friends I already know and love. 
"hello to W-town daughters of my heart! 
Momma B is coming to town."

Sunday will bring a gathering of Grand Dame's.
Brides 2 g'mas will be here, along with one of RMG's!
Of course RMG's sweet momma and sister too.
Maybe we'll take a picture or two.

happy birthday to......

my brown-eyed-handsome-man...
FOB...
Here he is with his dad and older brother. 

 

Then a few years later with his mom and 2 younger brothers added.

This is my huge-haired-brown-eyed-handsome-man!

Taken on my 18th birthday. He gave me the Pooh-Bear. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

yippeee and hoorah

WE HAVE THE CATERER!!!!!

planning ahead might lead to disaster

or might not.
I purchased 2 lovely lush Boston Ferns this week.
The price was fantastic.
Yes I get to keep them going inside for awhile with
outside recesses for them as spring warms up our yard.
But..hey...I had one fern for..... 6-8 years. I can do this.

yes'm!!!!!!
maybe.

These glorious ferns enhanced our front porch yesterday.
I knew it was going to dip below freezing last night. 
No problem..I'll bring them in.

Guess who woke up this morning and remembered something?
Yup, me. 
Ferns, outside, freezing temps. 
hmmm...
I can see some signs of freezing on some of the fronds.
drat.
but hey....I still have 2 months to get them in shape right?

Besides...maybe I forgot about them because of a new caterer I learned about last evening. : )
He will let me know today if our event fits his agenda. 

the power of words

A blogging friend of mine had scones last weekend. 
she didn't post tons of pictures of them, 
just talked about them....once.

But each day when I saw that word...

SCONES

I felt the need to eat one. 


Today I followed through with her word power.
I made scones.

 I was lazy and even used Bisquick.
No whipping cream? no problem...
used milk and tossed in a tad bit of oil.
No apricots? No problem...
used up the last of the dried fruit mix.
It even had coconuts. 
(Recipes are just a guideline/suggestion anyway for me.)


Brown-eyed-handsome-hubby and I enjoyed them. 
There's even some left over for Charming Delightful Sister
who's home on college spring break. 


Now I can move on with my wedding planning because 
I have had SCONES!!!
thanks Happy Girl. 
Here's some word power for you..
You will complete the 40 day plan.
honest.
I know you will.
I do.
 


 

celebrating

In a town too far away from me a miracle has arrived.
Brides oldest friend gave birth to a girl today!!
(Bride and baby are sharing the same birthday month and initials.)
We are rejoicing all across the nation and even 
in few other countries. 


Fortunately this new delight will be at the wedding with her parents and we are excited!!!

"God we thank You for the safe arrival and healthy baby. Thanks for the rest and energy you'll be giving her momma and daddy. Blessings on them all as they begin this new chapter in their family."

calmer

Catering issue is not solved, but in the process. 
A good friend called offering support and listening ear.
yeah good friends.

Then after putting away the winter decorations.. "think snow" is past it's prime, and getting out the Easter bunnies, I bopped out to the wedding site.

Happy to see my teeny scraggly forsythia bush is blooming, the stinky pear trees are teasing me with bits of white blossoms, daffodils are blooming, I'm running the sprinkler, and ready for spring.

However, we NEED rain. 
The wind is fierce today and the dust is blowing. My mom keeps saying she hopes it's not a forecast of days to come.  ...the Dust Bowl days. 
Those were real folks. We would be happy to have you join us in praying for moisture.
thanks....


even though caterer issue isn't solved...
my life is better after playing in the dirt.

waffling and praying

okay... today I'm thinking..
YOU ARE CRAZY TIMES 10 IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE TIME AND ENERGY TO CATER THIS WEDDING.

I'm a florist. 
I have the flowers to take care of. 
I do not need the food to. 

Am working on another plan. 
please please God, let it work. 
amen

 

week old news

Just last Monday I learned the caterer we had chosen is no longer in business. hmmmm
Not the most relaxing news...
but...moving on. 
Have decided will probably,
almost assuredly 
go ahead and do what I really didn't want to do. .... 
enlist the help of family and friends 
and we shall make the hors d'oeuvres ourselves. 
( i had to look up the spelling )
Serve them ourselves, 
etc.them, ourselves. 

there are advantages to this I know.
possibly $$$ saving 
and...we can make sure there 
are some gluten free. 
Bride has several friends attending 
who are healthier due to a gluten free way of life. 


soo..if you have any delicious, easy, recipes
you wanna share, and maybe eat. send 'em on.

BIRTHDAY BRIDE

 these numbers are known in our family as "candle math"

can you guess the age?

On this date in 1983 we had a snowstorm. Probably 6-10 inches of snow. I watched FOB and Favorite Brother of the bride build a snowman while timing contractions and waiting to go to the hospital.

As you can see Fav. Bro. was delighted to have a new baby sister.

Here's brides first Christmas. Seems this is also her early rendition of 'fish face' she does often in pictures!!!

 Now Bride w/Brother and Suzannah the doll. 

 This outfit would be perfect for the winter she's had this year.

 

Most importantly her impeccable sense of fashion and love for boots started early on.

Happy birthday darling daughter, 

bride, wife-to-be and the future Ms. RMG!

dreeee--eee-ammmm, dream dream dream...

My dreams are strange. 
Never make sense and hop around to strange places and situations...lots.

We've been gone for a week, so that means a week away from wedding work . Which was lovely. 

Last night, my mind knew my body was headed home because I dreamed wedding.
It was stressful because I didn't have a dress for the wedding. Couldn't find one any where. 
Felt really bad too. 
Finally wake up, a tad anxious, then remember " yes I DO have a dress for the wedding. It's the cream colored one with the lines in it hanging in my closet." 
Okay I feel better.

BACK UP THE BUS!!! What cream colored dress? 

A few hours later my brain finally clicks in and I remember the sweet green dress that really is hanging in my closet. 
whew.

betcha didn't know I was pregnant did ya? 
aka my other dream last night....I was. HAHAHAHA
oh Lord help me

leaky eye syndrome

Mom of the bride 

and 

loving sister of  MOB

are pleased to announce...

(drum roll)

MOB has a dress for

 the wedding !!!!

We shopped up and down, in and out, all about. 

I changed clothes more times than a runway model. 

After the first day we drug our weary selves back to the motel..shimmied into swimsuits and slithered in to the hot tub. 

Then did laps in the pool.

Back to the hot tub.

Up to our motel room to shower off the chemicals 

and crawled in to bed.

Second day started out strong on the other end of the city.

First store, first dress we see,"hmm...this is nice.

But lets look at everything before hitting the dressing room. "

30 minutes later and I'm ready to try the options. 

I save the dress for last. 

Once I have it on loving sister gets pensive, positive.

I feel the same way. 

We're thinking this just might be it. 

It's better than the first day's options by far. 

I go to the 3-way mirror, the dress is looking better.

I'm thinking this just might work.

The very helpful saleslady gets some shawl-type things.

One we had already discovered and admired. 

I save it for last. 

Of course...it's the best one.

Loving Sister is taking photos w/her phone and sending them.

I look at myself in the mirror, dress and shawl on,

I think about where I could be wearing this dress,

and I get leaky eye-syndrome. 

After turning around to my sister I said

"I'm going to cry." 

Big tears roll down my cheeks. 

Loving Sister puts down the phone, gives me a big hug

and gets leaky eye-syndrome too.  

We wipe our faces, and agree

THIS IS THE ONE. 

It's looking shimmery, but it's not. Just a nice soft green with those wonderful layers that do a great job with my layers!

If I could figure out how to refer to a previous post, I would. But.. remember in December when loving sister said she wanted to buy my MOB dress for me? She did.

sigh....

seems i put the WRONG zip code on the envelopes for the paper rsvp's for the wedding. ( you know the little card u send back in to say yeah or nay to attending)
oh my. It's our home address, I do know the zip, just lost brain cells I guess.

I put my childhood zip, not my current one. 
It's been over 30 years since i lived at at that zip code. 

I'd say we're batting a thousand so far. The groom didn't catch the misspelling on the evites re; his name....
and now I've got the zip code wrong.

oh bother....

shopping....again

Now that my gorgeous girls are gowned for the gala. :)
(hey those g's just came out)

It's back to me.
I know what I want. 
Sad to say, it's probably not out there
But....I do remember how to sew..
so.... fabric stores and I will renew our acquaintance.
Even though I have to drive 3 hours to find one with apparel fabric. 

Onward and eastward!
 

85 DAYS

Bride's wedding website reminds me the wedding is in 85 days.
My internet security plan reminds me it expires in 85 days. 

Eighty-five days.
In 85 days the backyard will be green.

In 85 days we will be enjoying time with cherished friends who are family. I got to chat with one of those "framily" members recently. This young woman is a daughter to me. She called from Canada, where she lives and said, "I want to know how the mother of the bride is doing?" It was Tuesday evening, after two days of headaches. I was doing much better by then and told her so. She sweetly sympathized my angst, but more importantly supported my relief. 
And then she gave me joy. 
Pure laughable joy, surrounding me with her energy. 
As I listened to her, I could see her face.
I was watching her hand expressions.
It was fully and completly "A". 
And I got excited. 
In 85 days, less actually, I get to literally see this delight-in- my-life. I get to hug that body of delight. 
I get to see her whole family, momma, second dad, sister, brothers, nephew, and new baby niece!!
This, my friends is just what I needed. 
I needed that reminder to celebrate. 
Wedding planning is not all work and no fun. 


On top of these framily members coming my brown-eyed-handsome-hubbys brothers and families will all be here! We don't get to see each other very often. Once a year if we are lucky.  One thing I've always appreciated about them is their commitment to family. We don't miss high school graduations and weddings. Another reason to remember the times of planing and work are worth the fun ahead. 


Many more family and framily members coming. People we've walked the painful road of loss with, and laughed-until-we-cried with. 

Plus, there will be 'friends-to-be' coming... RMG's family and friends. 

WOW! 
All these people coming to help us celebrate and support the change coming in 85 days. 

Maybe we need to have a party! :)

"Lord, help me keep my focus on the joy, the celebration of this event. I need to remember the party, the people and the purpose. Help me to celebrate them all, not being so busy too miss the fun and the joy. "


Change is coming in 85 days. 
We will be blessed with framily, family & friends here.  
In 85 days we are having a party.
In 85 days we gain a son.
In 85 days we are having a BIG, FUN, PARTY!


WOO HOO!!!!

2 days 2 headaches

Monday and Tuesday I worked on wedding stuff.
Monday and Tuesday I had headaches. 
NO fun. 

I did the paper invitations, a multi-step process:
find name list and print
count, re-count to see if we have enough invitations
barely. 37 needed, had 40
whew
type addresses and save
learn how to make labels on computer (yeah me!)
cross fingers and print labels
yeah it worked
put mailing label and stamp on all rsvp cards
take 2 asprin
put invitation in decorative envelope
(was thankful for paperless invites by now)
then put those in mailing envelope
find brides registry list
double check spelling on it
find mistakes, correct'em
answer phone
turn a down lunch invitation
format and print registry card
get FOB to cut them up
put labels on mailing envelope
add rsvp and registry card
put return labels on 
(doubly thankful for paperless invites)
then stamps
double check EACH one and seal
MAIL THEM !!!
Did a happy dance.


Wednesday no headache!
shopping for wedding stuff. 
buy some candles and ribbon.

wish bride was closer to discuss other options.
wish bride would answer her phone to discuss other options
go ahead and purchase
figure bride will adjust if needed

get things for a trip not wedding related
buy bacon, FOB eats it daily


grandma of bride gets wedding invitation in the mail
pronounces it beautiful
I said " look at the stamp!"

It's the little things.

P.A.R.T.Y.!!!!!

Once the ceremony is done
it's party time!!!
We know of cute kiddos who will be there.
So... wanting them to have fun too,
(in case they get bored of dancing)
I bought some fun stuff. 

An over-view of fun stuff.

games for all ages

puzzles

things to color with NEW crayons

 all stored in this wedding colored tub!

Betcha wish you were coming too huh?
 

surrounded

by wedding to-do-stuff. 
lists
addresses
envelopes
stamps ( cute ones)
phone books
lists
thoughts
ideas
lists


CALGON....TAKE ME AWAY!!!!