A Reflection on Grandparents

Last Sunday was "Grandparents Day". I'd never really heard of this day until recently and decided that it was probably created by Hallmark to make grandchildren feel bad if they forgot to send a card (which I did forget).

However, having started this week with that day, I've noticed myself a bit more reflective and grateful for the influence of my grandparents. Here are some random memories sparked this week by daily doings:

Mike came home with a bunch of canvases for us to paint. Instead of getting just one of each size, he got two. This reminded me of my paternal Papa who would often buy at LEAST two of something for his grand daughters. If we wanted a new pair of shoes, he'd buy each us three pairs. I think I still have pencils somewhere from the year we went "back to school" shopping with him and he bought us about 300 #2s.

On Tuesday night I attempted to make a recipe that my paternal grandma always makes when I visit: Noodles! The recipe was her mother's and one that she's made for us since I was in utero. I made Mike and I wait an hour while the noodles simmered in the chicken broth. When we sat down to try them, they weren't nearly as yummy as grandma makes them, but they are on the right track. As I was washing the pot, I couldn't help but day dream of what it may be like to serve noodles to my grandchildren and tell them how the recipe dates back to their great, great, great, great grandma.

Monday night I sat down to sew some poorly damaged kitty toys. Fluffing was pouring from random holes in two of Charlotte and Pearl's toys. As I sewed, I remembered times with my maternal grandma as we sat at her dining room table from the afternoon hours until the sun had long set. Mallory and I watched as she laid out the patterns we'd chosen, cut the different fabrics and went about creating fun dresses out of boring material. The night would end with a modeling session in which Mal and I would try on our fun new wears for her and anyone else in the house.

When Mike came home on Sunday night he brought with him some grapes he'd found growing wild in the woods. They were muscadines and brought back memories of the grapes my maternal grandparents would grow in the back yard. In the summer and fall, they'd be coming in and you could smell them from the back porch even though the grapes were about 40 yards away. The soap that I most recently bought reminds me of my maternal grandpa. Besides soap, Papa also smelled like sweet tobacco, Old Spice and aftershave. I heard his voice on Sunday night when I called their house to talk to my grandma. Instead of her answer, I was given the machine, which still has his greeting though it's been 5 years since he's passed. Hearing him again, with the kindness that knew no stranger, made me teary and long for his presence.

Not many people get a "bonus grandparent", but Mallory, Becky and I did in our godmother. I never look at a Boston creme pie or strawberry shortcake without thinking of her. Each trip to the beach to visit Beach Grandma we get to also see Joan. Whether she's there to greet us or not, she makes sure that our favorite dessert is (Boston Creme pie for me and strawberry shortcake for Mal and Becky). She's been there for all the adventures at the beach and is truly family, thus a bonus grandparent!

I know these are just slivers of the daily influence that my grandparents have had on me. Little treasures that I'll keep in my heart and carry with me as I go through life. God's plan for families and grandparents is truly awesome.

Transitions & Nesting

As promised to some of you dear friends, here is a Newlyweds Update!

Mike and I have been finally sliding into a pattern after some of the early rush of travel and family vacationing. We've been taking full advantage of some of the awesome weather lately and enjoyed making some changes to the house and yard.

Mike and Charlotte in the Garden

A Butterfly & Bee on the Lantana in Our Yard

Some Bounty from the Yard: Thai Peppers, Eggs, Green Beans & Figs!

Our Chickens aka "Ladies"

This weekend alone we mowed the grass/trimmed hedges, cleaned/organized the garage, took (what felt like) our 30th trip to Goodwill as we consolidated and got rid of more items, wrote more wedding thank-you notes (yeah, still not done with those...), visited a new church, and even squeezed in some personal time where he went hunting (aka sitting and watching the woods) and I snuggled up with a book.

I just love being married to him. There's this local ad on the radio for the NC lottery where a guy is asking people when they feel lucky. People respond with all these relate-able answers "when I find money on the ground", "when I don't hit any red lights", etc. I thought about it. When do I feel lucky? I feel it first thing in the morning, when I open my eyes and he's next to me. When I snuggle into him and realize we get another day to enjoy each other.

That being said, there have been quite a few transitions, most of them being fun and others being not so awesome. It's been less than fun going through steps to change my name and officially move to NC. I finally have (most of) my important cards and documents sporting my married name. I feel sometimes like I have a split personality when someone asks me my name. Most times I remember my new name and give it with no hesitation, sometimes I'm supposed to be giving my old name (like at the doctor where I haven't fully transitioned) and other times I just ask them "It's either (insert maiden name) or (married name), which do you have?" You should see the faces when I ask the latter.

My car is officially registered in NC now. That was kind of sad- changing the plates on my car. Here's a picture of my old DC plates. I still have to send them back.

We've also been making a few upgrades, which has been exciting! We got a new printer (for my office since I'm working from home right now) and a new television. Before I moved to NC, I sold my television for $15. I'd had it since college and it was a beast. It was SUPER heavy. Although it worked just fine Mike already had a television and neither of us had any reason to add mine to the our new house. After we were married, we decided that we'd invest in a new set. His was almost as old as mine and just as heavy. So, we made the plunge and bought a new television knowing that if it was anything like our old TVs, we'd have it for at least another 10 years. Although we haven't hooked any cable up to it, we're really enjoying it as we stream Netflix and random other shows through the internet. Even Charlotte likes watching it!

Charlotte and the New Printer

Mike's old TV. RIP.

Our New Toy

Watching the elephants!

"Mom!! I'm trying to watch my show!"

Speaking of Charlotte, Marie has granted me full custody rights, so Charlotte is now officially living permanently with Mike and me. Although there have been a few moments of less-than-love-for-each-other, Char and Pearl are tolerating each other as Mike and I have blended our "family". Here are a couple pictures of the girls...

Pearl on My Lap

Charlotte Looking out the Back Window

Transitions will always happen, but this stage in life seems full of them. I'm glad that I have my best friend beside me for the ride.

Day 1 of Our Honeymoon in Nassau

Pleasure in Pittsburgh

This past weekend, Mal and I had an adventurous time in Steel City. We went for a long weekend to celebrate the marriage of my dearest friend from high school.

I was so pleasantly surprised by the beautiful city of Pittsburgh. Having never been, I had this image of it being run down and dirty. I'm not sure from where the preconceived notions derived, but they were instantly crushed when our car drove through the tunnel of 376 and into the city limits. Leading up to the city one would never guess that a thriving metropolitan is just around the corner. The roads leading into it are mountainous and plush with grass, corn and other crops. Large farms line the winding roads and welcome travelers to Steel City. A tunnel separates the farmlands from the metro area. As one exits the tunnel and enters the city, the skyline changes. The green hills become rivers filled with boats, bridges cross the rivers and the bustle of city life replaces the slower pace on the other side of the mountain. The transformation truly is like none I've seen before.

We stayed at the Sheraton Station Square, which is right on the river and in the middle of a cozy downtown area of shops, dining and entertainment. Our first night, we took part in the rehearsal dinner festivities at an Italian restaurant called Buca di Beppo, where we were served a family-style dinner. After the meal we went on a riverboat cruise where we learned tons of facts about Pittsburgh. Did you know it has the most bridges of any city in the world, beating out Venice, Italy, by three bridges with a total of 476? It also used to be so dirty (due to their steel production) that some days they would have to turn on the street lights at 2:00 in the afternoon for people to see their ways around town. It's the home of Andy Warhol, Fred Rogers and Rachel Carson. Also random FYI: all of the sweaters Fred Rogers wore on his show were sewn by his mother.

Day two was full of wedding fun. The first part of the day was spent celebrating in the traditional Indian way. I'd never been to an Indian wedding, so it was really awesome to not only be a witness, but also be part of the festivities as a bridesmaid. I got to wear a saree, lots of gold bangles, a bindi and flip flops while walking down the aisle. :) Mallory acted as photographer and got some really fantastic photos of the happenings. We each watched from our seats as the priest talked and chanted for about 1.5 hours without once consulting a sheet of paper. He did the entire service from memory and I learned that many times the priest will learn from his father and it's a profession passed along throughout generations. Priya and Jeremi did a great job leading those of us who couldn't understand the language by providing programs that described each part of the ceremony and the meaning behind what was taking place.

After the Indian part of the wedding, we had a few hours to kill before the reception so Mal and I explored Pittsburgh. We went up the Monongahela Incline, which was only about a block from our hotel. From the top of the incline we enjoyed the breathtaking view of Pittsburgh in her glory.

 

After coming down from the incline, we readied ourselves for the reception, which was very much like a traditional Western reception with the bonus of Indian fare! The food was delicious, wedding gown beautiful, toasts tear-jerking and music bumping- it was delightful! It was also wonderful to see some friends from high school that I hadn't seen since shortly after graduation and even meet some of their spouses that I'd never seen in person.

The whole weekend was filled with firsts. Mal and I made some great memories. I'd definitely go back to Pittsburgh and explore more of the sites there. We were sad that we had to leave without getting a chance to see more of the city and the Frank Lloyd Wright house, which was just south of it. Another trip, perhaps!?

DIY2 and Nesting

Mike and I have spent the better part of this weekend indoors due to the 100+ degree weather that smacks either of us in the face when we walk outside. Turns out that hot weather is great motivation for doing projects in the house! We've knocked out several wedding projects, began others and also completed the huge "nesting" project of reorganizing the master closet to make room for my clothes.

On Friday afternoon I got to focus on a DIY project that was more my speed which involved paint and a canvas! Mike and I decided to have a wedding guest tree instead of a wedding guest book that everyone signs (and no one looks at after the wedding). These come in a variety of different types, but we decided that we'd paint ours and have our guests use ink to leave a thumbprint and signature (like this one).

Friday night we picked out a tree shape that we liked from some images online. Mike sweetly set up my painting station, laying out the paints, water and my paint palette near the beautiful, new easel he and his dad MADE for me. After the setup was complete, I went to town painting the guest tree.

Meanwhile, Mike worked on making wire hangers in which to hang candles that will go on our centerpieces. Oh, and he also entertained Charlotte who was supervising both of us and playing with his wire pieces.

 

We spent the better part of the evening on our various projects. I focused on the tree. Mike helped by giving input on it and by meticulously wrapping wire in the shape of candle cradles. Charlotte just played and slept. A couple hours later, and just shy of midnight, we wrapped for the night. The tree is done and a good portion of the wire candle cradles are done as well. Here are a couple pictures of the guest tree although the lighting and quality are poor cuz of my camera phone. The first one has truer color quality, but the second gives you a closer look.

On Saturday the heat was just as terrible so we set about crossing another "to do" off the list: reorganizing and installing shelving into the master closet. The closet, which is pretty large (6'x5'). already had some shelving in it which was a good start. However, when Mike and I started talking about moving my clothes in we realized that the space could be better utilized if different shelving was in there.

Well, you know how projects go... they are never as quick as one first estimates. When we looked closer we decided that not only did it need new shelves, but it also needed a fresh face. So, we bought some paint and shelving material and got to work. About five hours later, the closet was scar-free and sporting fresh walls. It also was stripped of the old shelves and new ones went in place of them. I'm so pleased! There is little shelving for towels, sweaters, etc. Medium shelving for shirts and pants. There is even the perfect height shelving for all the dresses I own. It feels good to accomplish that project and get some nesting details situated now so that we won't be staring at them immediately post-wedding.

Today is also hot, providing me a great day to post this and relax a bit. Mike is working on piecing together some fishing rods and reels. Charlotte and Pearl (our other kitty) are sleeping on the couch where he's working and at his feet.

I also just finished putting some touches on our cake toppers. They are a little different than the average wedding cake topper. There is no bride in her white dress standing beside a dapper groom. Rather, the tiger and cow figurines were won with ski-ball tickets that Mike and I won on our first road trip to Myrtle Beach that we took in Round 2 of dating. The plastic, bendy animals have been sitting in Mike's living room and waiting for such a purpose as topping a wedding cake. I found a little top hat and cut a (much) smaller version of a veil to glue on their heads. The result... a cow and tiger ready to be married! Mike claims that the crystal candle holder they are in is their hot tub. What do you think?

A Bridal Rant about DIY Projects

I didn't think my first post back after a brief hiatus would be about bridal projects, but that's a big chunk of my world right now.

Questions are always swimming in my head: What do I need to follow up on? To whom do I owe a call or email?  What appointment is next? Where's the receipt for that?  Do I owe anyone money, my signature or my first child? Who still hasn't RSVP'ed?

I'll be the first to admit that thus far the planning hasn't been that stressful. God has been either a) Merciful or b) Equipped me with the attitude that "eh.. it'll fall into place".  Perhaps it's a little bit of both.

I've definitely learned to pick my battles and also prioritize. One area those necessary skills come into play is regarding those lovely "Do It Yourself" aka DIY projects. I think anyone who has planned an event has run into his/her fair share of DIY projects, but what I've found with weddings is that DIY projects can save you HUGE bucks. What is it about the wedding industry that the moment you say you're going to need something for a wedding dollar signs start lighting up in neon and alarms go off?  Also, prices automatically jump 25-50% of what they would be for the same piece of paper NOT featured in a wedding. Thats all to say that some projects made from scratch can really save some cash.

Mike and I have already done some DIY projects together (and look, folks, we survived and are still getting married!). When it came to our invitations we decided to design them ourselves and get them printed at Kinkos. It saved us about $100-150 going that route. Also, we're designing and assembling our own centerpieces and ceremony programs. These projects aren't yet done, so here's hoping we're still having a wedding in three weeks.

DIY projects are a fantastic way to save money, but I also learned last night that one should always listen to that little voice that says, "hey, you've got some skills, but maybe you should outsource this one." Cuz that voice wasn't talking to me anymore at 12:30 this morning. It was just laughing at me.

Mom and I decided that we would create my fascinator and also use her existing, super long and plain veil to make a shorter, more embellished veil. The average store-bought fascinator runs about $75-$200. Veils start at about $50 and can run you into bankruptcy. Our thinking was that I could save minimally anywhere from $100-300 just by working on these items ourselves.

Two projects and two women. Seems like a balanced equation, eh?

We decided to start with the fascinator. It's smaller and obviously the easier project. Right?  Here are some pictures of the beginning of our night, which started about 7 PM. Notice the fresh smiles. Can you see the joy and lightness in us? There's anticipation with what's to come and a "we can do this" air about us.

We started with a simple comb. It sparkled with crystals, but didn't have too much to offer beyond that. I'd bought lace, feathers and more crystals with which to embellish the comb. Our tools were spread before us and we began our preliminary exam. We cut lace, folded it and twisted it into different positions. We threaded it through crystals and let it just serve as a backdrop. We arranged feathers, hid feather stems and fluffed them as best we could. We tried lace alone, feathers alone and then put them together. We did this for over an hour. When we were done with our preliminary assessment, we concluded that we'd move on to the veil and that we'd have to come back to the fascinator. The comb is still lying unglued, unaltered and in its original state on the table. DIY Project 1, Two Women zero.

The veil. It was worn by my mom in her wedding almost 40 years ago. In it's original state it was about 15 feet long. It's the perfect shade for my gown. No longer white, the veil pairs nicely with my ivory gown. The first problem: Towards the top of the veil there were some snags and holes. It needed to be cut and reattached to the comb so that an unblemished part of the veil could be used. The second problem: It was too plain. Crystal embellishments needed to be added to the edges of the newly cut veil in order to make the it sparkle more and match the embellishments on my dress. Essentially, we were taking a 15 foot long veil and making it a two foot long veil with added personality.

We started work on the veil at about 9:30. We measured, cut and resewed the veil onto the original comb. This part of the process took about 45 minutes. As I was sewing the veil onto the comb, I recall telling mom that perhaps this was a project that should have been outsourced. We hadn't even started adding embellishments and we had already been working on it just under an hour. Next came the personality. Tiny beads and crystals longed to married to the veil.

Mom and I decided we'd go with glue rather than sew the beads and crystals. About 10 minutes in, my finger tips were sticky with semi-dried glue and I was having more luck sticking the embellishments to myself rather than the veil. Glue dots were on the surface all around me and only about 12 beads were actually sticking to the veil. I looked up from the veil at mom and she laughed. She knew the "what the heck are we doing?" look in my eyes. So, we changed course. Mom discovered that the glue pen I was using had a handy suction cup on the back that would pick up the beads and place them into the glue. It was a small miracle and a really ingenious concept. No more sticky fingers! Then, we also used some tweezers to place smaller beads into the glue. We were really rolling then...

This delicate placement and replacement of beads and crystals went for another TWO hours. At 12:30 AM, we'd finished the first round of embellishments. At this point, I still want to do another round of crystals, but at 12:30 AM we decided that round 2 could happen at a later date. We were at a good stopping point and still had hair on our heads, so we called it "paused" for the time being. DIY Project 1, Two Women 1. 

Below is a picture of the veil after we cut and resewed it.
I forgot to take a picture after the embellishments were added.

In summary, I've learned that not all projects are worth the endeavors in hopes of pocketing some money. I've yet to decide what to do about my fascinator. It may not make it to that stage. The comb may remain a comb. And it would be the prettiest comb I ever laid eyes on.