Wedding finery

After the hail and massive thunderstorms of Friday, Saturday dawned to be a beautiful day, we were lucky enough to have wonderful weather all day. My cousin L and her hubby R got married last year in NC before his deployment, but weren't able to have a celebration with family and friends. They decided to renew their vows this past weekend, and invited friends and family to share in their bliss. The day they chose also happens to be my grandparent's anniversary. I think its a good omen, Gramma and Grandpa have been married for 55+ years. Here are some photos of the day. For some reason they loaded in backwards order.


My cousin L and I dresses to the 9's!


Grandpa, L, and Gramma. Grandpa looking very dapper in his tux!



Look, it's an AT&T commercial! Beautiful wedding party




Helping the flower girl down the isle.

Practice makes perfect.... well maybe not but she sure was cute while practicing :)

aw!

Munchkin came to visit me at work today! She was shy around the throngs that showup any time a little one comes in, it was really cute.

I tried to post photos of Lauren & Ryan's wedding this weekend last night, but Blogger was a pain in the tookus and would not work right. Will try again tonight

MJ

I am the first to admit that while I liked Michael Jackson's songs, and had the Thriller album as a kid, in the later years, I really didn't admit that I was a fan.

I was so shocked when I heard of his death, I thought I was hearing things. I wasn't watching TV or listening to the radio when I got home- we were watching Mickey. It wasn't until I was making dinner that I heard the shocking news. I heard a news blip that he was going to the hospital with conditions of a heart attack. I apparently did not hear that he was already gone at that point.

Tonight NBC had a one hour special in tribute of MJ and I think I have had tears in my eyes the whole time. I never realized that he was the first black artist to ever be on MTV.

Even though the last 10-15 years his odd behavior made the headlines, the world has lost an important icon today, and a star has gone out in the sky.

He has had so many hits that I have loved over the years, its hard to narrow down. I have to say that one of my favorite songs was "I'll be there" I can't hear it without tearing up, doubly true now.

RIP Michael, we will all miss you

but Officer.....

So I have to wonder with the state troopers..... is it Do as I say, not as I do????

I am driving to work this morning and there is a state trooper a couple of cars in front of me... better in front than behind :)

Anyhoo, as I am getting on the highway he was right in front of me, and I noticed something pecular. I see a state trooper using a cell phone while driving..... and no hands free device.

Just in the last couple of days the governor announced that state and local cops will be cracking down on drivers using cell phones while driving and not using a hands free device. How freakin ironic.

summer giveaway!

There is a new blog I found http://www.monogramchick.blogspot.com/ She is having a great give away and I love the bag! LOL

Here is all you have to do, visit the blog site and enter by June 29. If you win, let her know you heard it from me, and we BOTH win! Sweet!
Good luck!

Feeling old...

My cousin graduates from high school tomorrow night. We had a graduation celebration (inside unfortunatley) yesterday. J is graduating in the top percentage in his class and is a member of NHS! Go J, awesome job!!!!

Anyway a couple of friends of his stopped by and we were all talking college. He has decided to go to UConn and live on campus! YAY, I think I helped convince him that on campus is better than commuting to a satellite branch :) We were talking about orientation and class signups, he's a bit nervous because he has one of the last orientations and is worried how the schedule is going to come out.

We talked about music, he doesn't think he wants to commit the large amount of time to marching band this year, but you never know about the other 3 yrs! He did mention wanting to pursue concert band just to keep the skills up.

There have been lots of changes in the 12 yrs since I was a freshman. Orientation is now housed at South Campus (no fair having ac!) Also learned that Buckley may be a honors only dorm now.... sucks for music majors. J asked if they could bring small window ac units for the dorm HAHAHAHAHAHA! as if! He is so excited and nervous at the same time, it will be interesting to hear where he ends up for housing and if he keeps his friend as a roomate or if he gets a stranger.

My cousin, soon to be Husky, future lawyer, and member of the 2013 class!

Holy crap I felt old when I heard that!!!

ROFLMAO!

I love this pic!

ache

Wrist hurts today WTF!

I wear a compression wrist brace at work whenever I type because I have the start of carpel tunnel. Have to learn to hit the keys softer- but I don't pound on them... I don't get it.

Always a joy when the wrist hurts and fingers sore, even wearing the darned brace. Ugh. Time to ice it and take advil and figure out where the heck the rigid brace is at home. Love it.

painful ending to a good day

UConn coach Jim Calhoon hosted and participated in the Jim Calhoon Cancer Challege Ride today (its a ride for cancer research that he started after being a 2 time cancer survivor). This afternoon the local news had a story about that he went over the handlebars.
*snicker*
I am sorry to say that my first thought was, hey J you should know you can't slam on both brakes at the same time, unless you WANT a faceplant!

Well, I just heard a bit more, and all I can say is that I am so sorry; you're going to hurt for a while. Coach J was on a 50! mile ride when he apparently struck a pothole and went @$$ over teakettle and has now broken 5 (count'em) 5 broken ribs. I hope that he isn't hurting too bad. I don't think he will be riding for quite a while. I was all the more impressed to hear that he finished his 50 mile ride before being taken to the hosp (UConn of course). I have a feeling he'll get the VIP treatment!

Get Better Coach!

Give away

Thanks to one of the many blogs I follow, I found a great new blog and they are having a super cute give away! Check it out!

http://fancyschmancydesigns.blogspot.com/2009/06/new-etsy-shop-and-give-away.html

huh?

What is wrong with people today??

I heard about the horrific shooting at the Holocaust Museum in DC when I got home today. The news was speculating that this was a hate crime..... I hate to state the obvious, but DUH!

The old man (88) is a white supremacist and with a last name that sounds Germanic, I have to wonder if he wishes he could have been on the other side during the Nazi occupation. He is a WW2 veteran, having served as a captain on a PT boat during the war. ... I just had to wonder.

It brings back the harsh reality that there are people out there who are uncomfortable or even hate those who are not like them. Its like if you don't have the same skin color or associate with others of different races you are hated. I just don't understand that at all.

I take comfort knowing that people like that are few in number and that most keep their views to themselves and not force it on the public.

Success

I shopped and I conquered! We went to Avenue after work and for $92 I picked up 2 dresses, 2 pairs of sandals, 2 bracelets, and a necklace.

Here's what I got for the wedding (only think I couldn't find was the necklace - its a silver chain with a silver and rhinestone freestyle heart)

Ren faire dress

Thank you so much Joe for this awesome web site!
http://www.garbtheworld.com/index.shtml

I think I am going to have a dress custom made a bit like this one. I think I can do it for about $130 and it is made and delivered w/in 4 weeks. Now all I have to do is take my measurements, decide on color- I can't decide between purple or navy, and then trim. YAY!

Dress hunt

I am on the hunt. Liz and Ryan's wedding is 4 Saturdays away and I need to get a dress. Its an outdoor ceremony and outdoor reception under tents at my aunts house in Bristol. I am thinking that I can go fairly casual with a sundress and flats or dressy flip flops- the grass and dirt would kill heels.

I asked a couple of girls in the office where big girl dresses are plentiful and I have 3 options to check out in the area. In my price range I have Avenue and Macy's. Slightly out of range- but freakin beautiful is Nordstrom. The lowest price I saw was $98. I am thinking I will wear the dress only a couple of times and would love to spend a bit less.

I think I am going to hit Avenue in Manchester on Friday after work or Saturday morning and then get to have a blast with friends for Chele's Birthday Bash.

I hope I have luck in person and not have to order a dress online ;)

sniff sniff.... I got yelled at :(

Insert head hanging on chest..... I caved and went to the pseudo DR at work (physicians asst) I caught a cold last Tues, but both of my ears are stuffed and I have the energizer cough - it keeps going and going and going....

Anywho, this is the same nice lady that I saw just before New Years, and lo and behold, I have the same freakin symptoms as before. My sinus are filled and ears are ANGRY!!! She looked my in the face and yelled (well sternly talked) at me because I stopeed my cold meds to early. She gave me 2 options- take cold medicine AND cough syrup for the next day or 2 religiously and if I don;t feel better, need to get a Z-pack; or to just get the Z pack right away. I think we will try and take the cold meds (already have them) and see where it goes.

Cross your fingers that I feel better tomorrow night :)

Shopping for a shower

Went to Target this afternoon, after taking a LONG nap to feel better!

My Aunt called Wednesday to say they are throwing a bridal shower for my cousin on Tuesday (yup tomorrow!) and wanted to know if I could make it, all she said was to bring myself.... yeah, ok.

Talked to step mom last night who is leaving for Europe the next day, so she won't be going, but she was nice enough to tell me that my cousin 'Liz' is registered at Target and Macy's. Looked at the registries last night and just sighed (very small lists and 1/2 already purchased).

Liz and her hubby got married very quietly last May in NC before his 4th deployment. Liz wanted to still have a great party and dress, so they decided to renew their vows. She has a gorgeous dress, and he will be in his dress blues. Sorry I digress. Liz is flying up tonight, has her final dress fitting on Tuesday, and leaving on Wednesday morning. She allowed her mom and the MOH to throw a shower; hence the party at 5:30 on a Tuesday evening.

So I went scrambling to find a gift (was on vacation till Sunday and have been under the weather- even took today as a sick day with the hopes that my coughing would subside and not scare my cube mates tomorrow!).... 3 of the things in my price range had disappeared and one was out of stock. Tied my hands a bit, but I should be set. Bought stuff for the kitchen. They are now wrapped and gold glitter is all over me, my shirt, pants and kitchen table, but done!!

Now, I never go shopping without getting something for me, and found some really cute curtains for my bedroom. They are white sheers to let in light, but also have med. sized white dots on them that remind me of bubbles under the water, they are cute!

Time for bed, have to make a living tomorrow. Catcha later!