Today was my day to go to Shinoda's, the local WHOLESALE flowermart. Jess and I have decided on 5 foot manzanita centerpieces. The only potential problem is that a 5 footer takes a ton more flowers, crystals and hanging votives. So I decided that my first stop should be Shinoda's to buy some "mock up" materials. Those things cost me $100 for one freaking tree! And by the way...the flowers aren't really that great! On the way home I stopped at Michael's and the flowers there were much nicer. Anyway, be that as it may, I'm totally going nuts here. I was really hoping to avoid spending $200 per centerpiece! Only because we have 20 of the darn things! Sooooooooo tomorrow we're headed off to Blooms and Branches to look at a 5 foot branch just to make sure! Then I'll do my mock up and post it.
I want to thank all of my girls for their help on these trees. There are some big "sweethearts" on this site!!!!
JANUARY 10, 2009
Hooray...I'm finally moving forward with my manzanita! Last weekend the family went out to "Blooms and Branches" and got pricing on the branches for Jessie's and Nick's wedding. We ended up buying two so that I could begin a mock-up for the centerpieces and a mock-up for the arch. Today was the day Dearest Husband set the two branches for me.
It started out a fiasco really. My husband is OCD and a bit Anal Retentive. He over-engineers every single project he does. In his quest for perfection he usually makes big mistakes because he's so busy with the small unimportant things that the big obvious things go by the wayside. For example: He got the water and the cement measurements reversed. Believe me, the work area was organized, the tape is always pulled off exactly straight, the holes in the flower pots are plugged and taped very neatly...But when I ask him to complete a task like this I just have to chalk it up to his quirkies and I just need to leave the room!!!
So Tree #1, the one we will use for 1/2 of the arch is now set. We didn't really get to the second tree, the one being used as a centerpiece mock up, because of the cement/water measurement mishap. We ran out of cement. As soon as the second tree is set I can begin the fun part which is decorating the tree. I'll take pics and post when that happens.
I have begun order so many things its hard to keep straight what's coming and what's arrived. I've ordered 100 dedrobium stems that went on sale for $.048 cents each. Good Deal!! I ordered the hanging votives, the crystals, the regular votives for the table seating assignments, Dearest daughter's new shoes...sent the ones that didn't fit to another bride...Ugh............the house is filled with wedding stuff. Tonight I will order the monograms...I'm having fun, but I could get burnt out soon at the pace I've been going...
Oh Yes....and Save the Dates are OUT. I ordered the stamps from Zazzle...really cute...and sent them out on Monday! Hooray for Vista Print.
I started the prelims on my invitations order. They're being made special by a print company. This is going to take some time. But I really don't need the finished product until June...I'm way, way ahead of the game.
January 18, 2009
This new week will be probably the most historically "moving" week in our country, the inauguration of Barack Obama! I'm am so happy to be able to witness this event! I am also happy that my children will witness such an important time in the United States of American. I am so proud! I realize the significance of it all, I am humbled...and the wedding plans are really put into perspective for me! No matter who you voted for, no matter what your party affiliation, change has certainly come! I remember as a child in the 60's, families being unable to buy houses in certain developments because of the color of their skin and their religious beliefs...history is in the making and we are all so blessed to witness it!
Meanwhile, I have sent all of my verbage to the printer for the wedding invitations. I wanted to be very sure that everything was worded appropriately. Nick's parents are divorced and they will appear on separate lines, yes, but beyond that I found myself using very traditional wording on the invitation. "Mr. and Mrs. kindly request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter.....to....son of Mrs. (on one line) and Mr. (on the subsequent line). I'm excited to get the proofs this week.
The big project for the week was to do my manzanita "mock-up." It wasn't difficult at all. But I hate ruining my nails with wire, hot glue, and nippers. After I finished the manzanita I did the three flower girl baskets. My daughter has been really busy at work and hasn't seen them yet. I'm a little bit disappointed about that...I'm excited and I want her to be. I know how appreciative she is, I know that she trusts me totally, and I know that she's busy so she hasn't had the opportunity. But I can't wait for her to see them...and I want her to tell me what a great job I did!!! LOL
We're having a Jewish wedding ceremony and trying to incorporate Nick's Filipino culture. I now believe that we will name the tables after the 13 coins in Tagalog adding 7 more. Nick's mom loved the idea. So I believe that will be next week's project.
We are also getting excited about the possibility of getting our manzanita branches for free. It isn't for sure and won't be until we have them, nevertheless, I'm excited at the prospect of saving so much money! By the way, the gentleman, Kole, at "Blooms and Branches" is so nice and so helpful. If you get the chance to use "Blooms and Branches" do so with confidence.
I find myself wanting to incorporate EVERY DIY PROJECT THAT YOU GIRLS POST. I know I can't, but I want to...whether they make sense for Jess' wedding or not. I often find myself making my plans to do them and then saying, "why?" I have to stop myself from going in a thousand directions.
January 25, 2009
We had the best week ever! First of all, thanks to Nidia for her help with my "Publisher" problems. After being super frustrated I was finally able to get Daughter's Monogram (from Pink Designs) on to her wish cards. I hated the cutting part, but I went to Michael's and purchased the Cadillac of paper cutters at 50% off. It took two days to get everything cut and ready for my daughter and her FMIL, Eva, to layer, punch holes in and ribbons on. Hooray...160 are finished!
I also made two pomanders. I don't know quite where we'll use them, but they're done. I didn't realize that the darn things used SO MANY FREAKING FLOWERS! I was originally going to make them for the aisles, but I just don't want to spend that kind of money on the aisle decorations.
But here comes the very best part of the week. I finally got to meet Marina G and her husband, Mitch today. She was really adorable and super sweet. Her husband is a manzanita "animal" and along with help from my husband and daughter's fiance (and Marina---whose a "stud manzanita lady") cut down enough manzanita to fill 1/2 of my 3 CAR GARAGE. I felt like Paul Bunyon up in the mountains with the snakes, bears and mountain lions. Yikes....What a great adventure!
So tomorrow we will begin setting some of the branches. I need to make 20 of them so starting 7 mos. ahead of time isn't so out of line.
Nicks truck stuff to the gills with Maring's famous MANZANITA...Packing thanks to Marina's husband Mitch, a former boy scout...obviously!
February 1, 2009
Okay, I'm at post #935...I think I need a life!
Earlier this week husband and I set some more Manzanita. Do NOT try this at home if you're married to my husband. OMG. Bottom Line...we set 5' Branches a per instructions with insulation foam and by morning they had all fallen over. All MY fault. So we reset every branch (all 6 that we had completed& previously set...now we only have 14 more to go) into cement. Cement hurt Momma's back. So I spent all afternoon on percoset because we had to decorate the six branches we had set. Not good.
I had the pleasure of meeting starg8zer yesterday. I bought her 4 cylindrical vases. Such a deal. She showed up just in the midst of my daughter's fiance cutting manzanita to size and the ladies trimming the leaves off of the trees. You should have seen the house! I was a bit embarrassed, but what the hey???
The trees are taking shape and now I've decided to wait until the week before the wedding to put all of the crystals and votives on. But the 411 orchid sprays from Peir1 for $0.48 each are going on now. Wow I love giving that Peir1 stat. I was really depressed the day I thought that they'd be $5-$7 per spray. But now the total cost of each tree is right around $40. That's way better than what I was quoted ($135 each tree) just for the florist to put the orchids on...not including the TREE, VOTIVES, OR CRYSTALS.
I continue to be way below budget, but of course the big expenses haven't happened yet. I'm talking about the dinner. I wish that we would have considered other locations...but we were in such a hurry. Our dinner including the liquor, tax, and gratuity is about $200 per person. It's a lot of money! and I'm slightly unerved by it.
My daughter's future MIL has been a huge help with our DIY's. I know...huh? I've invited her for a massage, lunch and a movie on Valentines day. She's recently divorced and my husband will be out of town again (hooray) so it should be a real big bonding day for us...or whatever. I'm really trying to be nice to her because she's going to be my daughter's MIL, but she too has done some pretty questionable things. As MIL's go, I know my daughter could have worse...but.................
February 10, 2009
DH left again for some track meet or other in Boston last weekend. I was planning on Jess, Nick and Eva coming over to set the rest of the trees and to help put the flowers on, but my daughter said that I was "stressing her out." What???
DH decided that it was time for another meeting so everyone came to my house for dinner tonight and we discussed the house hunting ideas, the wedding budget and the time line. As a result of my being on this site I've saved close to $13,000 total. Of course, we didn't save anything on the dinner which remains a constant. My DH wanted me to save more of what he's responsible for...the dinner...but that isn't happening...LOL. I am saving money on the undergarments, the veil and headpiece, all of the printed items, the garter and so on...but not the dinner. I saved the bulk of the money on the flowers...like $5,000 so far. So I'm happy.
Jess hasn't been feeling that well. Lot's of pressure at work. It's all my fault because I'm the Mom and that okay. I just want her to be healthy. It scares me when she doesn't feel well.
One of her bridesmaids found out she was pregnant so she'll have a huge belly by September. That is no problem for us, however, this is her second pregnancy in 2 years and she's not married. Both pregnancies were with different men. Whatever is your pleasure, I suppose.
I'm getting ready to take a short break from all of the wedding stuff. I'm hitting the wall! I'm going to Minnesota for a dance competition on the 19th and I'll be happy to get away. I don't care how cold it is...I just need a break!
February 15, 2009
Well, I finally took a much needed break from the wedding planning. I still chatted a bit on PW but I didn't do any planning and not a single DIY. I was worried about Jessica and thank goodness she was able to take 3 days off of work. She sounds like she's back to her ol' self...but I get worried when she gets pale, tired, and sort of sounds generally icky.
I'm doing a bit of "bonding" with the FMIL. Not that she's my best friend, but I'm trying. She's far younger than I and really beautiful. She's Filipino and doesn't show her age anyway...but even so...she's built great and very pretty! She's also very strong minded and Nick is not only her son, but her only child. So there's some built in stuff that my daughter deals with...including the fact that he's with his mother daily at work.
Yesterday FMIL, Eva, and I went for 80min. massages, lunch, coffee, a movie and to work out. It really was a fabulous day and probably the best Valentines Day I can remember. Dwight, DH, was working for ESPN I think in Arkansas. So here is why I got so angry with him this week. He's been setting the manzanita in cement for me. I bought him a face mask, of course, because I didn't want the dust flying up into his face. He makes a living with his voice, so one would think that he would protect it, right? Wrong! There was the mask, laying on the floor of the garage while he set the trees. So I read him the warning label
"This product contains silica. Silica dust if inhaled may cause respiratory or other health problems. Prolonged inhalation may cause delayed lung injury, including silicosis and possibly cancer. N95 approved dust mask, eye protection and rubber boots and gloves are recommended when using this product."
So, he arrives in Arkansas with no voice...uh, not a good thing for a sports announcer. He's such an idiot! Sorry, but he is. This is how the man makes a living for crying the freak out freakin' loud!!! So I was so mad at him I couldn't even imagine spending Valentines Day with him. He didn't get home until 7pm anyway...but this is what drives me crazy. The man is OCD...reads every instruction, sets up like a surgeon and then doesn't follow the instructions that he insisted on reading cover to freakin' cover!!!Ugh!!!!!!
So, it's back to work on DIY's this week. Hopefully I'll get closer to finishing up my manzanita. I'm leaving for Minnesota Thursday for a Dance Competition. My daughter hasn't danced since 2004, but I still go to this one competition. Her coaches are good friends and I love hangin' out with my gay boyfriends! My husband thinks I'm whack job...lol...but he's never hung out with gay boys so what in heck does he know. I have a blast when I go and I've gone for the last 10years.
I'll be glad when the manzanita are done. Then it will be full steam ahead on the programs and menus.
March 4, 2009
Last week I was went to Minnesota for a dance competition. I needed that. By the weekend I was home and back to setting manzanita. I've now put all of the orchids into the trees...Except the arches which I'll do next weekend. So now comes the crystals.
I went ahead and asked Marinag to help me as a DOC! A brilliant move, if I must say so myself. She is such a lovely person, and she is such a worker...in fact, I get her husband too. With all of these DIY projects, I'll need someone to set them up, put centerpieces on tables, light 140 electric votives, light seating card votive candles, fill vases with water for the aisle, put ribbons on the railings leading to the aisle and to place the aisle runner and the petals. She's going to be invaluable! I'm very, very happy with my choice!
My dear husband doesn't travel this week, so we're going to dig in a organize the garage. House can't get organized until the garage is.
On my planet the countdown has begun. We have 6MOS. and 8DAYS until my baby becomes a "Mrs."
March 8, 2009
Well, this week we finally got all of the crystals on the manzanita. We won't be working on the trees for a couple of weeks, but, I am going to resume again on March 28th. We'll get the votives tied to the branches and the moss/satin on the bases then.
I've been feeling like I'm in the financial middle of this entire wedding operation and it's been really hard. We're 6 mos. out and everything is now getting paid off. My daughter has a few things that she's responsible for and so does her fiance, as do I. My husband is paying for the bulk of the wedding, of course. Well, I seem to be the bearer of the bad news..."Don't forget the deposit at the venue is due May 11th which is half of the total for the dinner," "Remember to transfer funds, DD, because the invitations are complete and need to be paid for," "Fiance, remember the meeting with the florist on March 28th at which time she'll need 1/3 of the total." And EVERYONE is stressed and B*TCHING AT ME! Okay, I'm the mom, and I can take it...but when daughter forgets to transfer funds and the visa card is declined...I get a bit po'd myself! When DH looks it me like a doe in the headlights and insists that I haven't been telling him for the last year that May 11th is when 1/2 of the total is due for the reception...I GET UPSET! So today was one of those days!
The brightest spot was angiela53 showing up to get the boutineers that I made. It was so nice to meet her. She's a lovely young lady! I'm ready to trade my daughter in .... LOL!
I'm just glad that we're well down the road on the Manzanita. I can't wait until that's behind us!
Next weekend I'm heading up a charity fundraiser so this entire week will be devoted to that. I'm going to try to sneak a ski day in if at all possible!
March 17, 2009
Okay...fundraiser...done! It was a charity costume thing.
Anyway, a whole lot has happened since Friday regarding the wedding of weddings. Jess got her invitations! They turned out incredibly well!! Jess' BM dresses came in and I picked them up today. I took them down to her at work and one of her employees (yes, she's ruthless...hired her best friend to work for her and pays her well!!!) who is a bridesmaid tried it on with the shoes. Pretty darn nice for a plain black dress if I must say so myself.
Jess hadn't been feeling well and I had her pediatric cardiologist whom we've adopted since his retirement and who comes to dinner every Thursday, talk to her. He told her to go to her Doctor up at UCLA. Unbeknownced to me she made an apt. for last Friday and went. She had some tests...the important ones...and everything was fine. We're all agreed that her issues are stressed related...so that's it! She won't be doing one thing for this wedding...I'm all done with that!!!! Ugh!!!! My mother didn't tell me that being a mother would be so difficult. I worry about her every single moment...every single day! Oh, and I worry about my son too! A brilliant young man who can't figure out when the deadline is to apply to freakin' law school...LOL! We lovingly call him "Bart" (Simpson).
I'm posting the invitations below BTW. I'll post the dress pictures when I have a camera when the girls try them on.
I'm looking forward to meeting my PW friends this Saturday downtown. It will be fun...and I need to spend some serious money on so much!!!
March 22, 2009
This week I finally purchased some very important things in downtown LA and today I'm going to begin painting the aisle runner
1. Satin for the aisle runner
2. Satin for the bottoms of the Manzanita
3. Brooch for dress, brooch for Jr. Bridesmaid's pomanders, tiny brooch for the bussle
4. Paints and brushes for the monogramed aisle runner
Jess and Nick had their cake tasting. They picked out a cake with orchids all over it. It wouldn't have been my choice, but it's their and, quite frankly, Jess and Nick haven't picked out much! LOL
Meeting some more of the Project Wedding Ladies yesterday was a thrill. I have met quite a few now. It's funny to put the name with the screen name! We had a lovely lunch after spending the morning at Moskatels and then continued shopping. Here's a few pictures of us all.
Tonight I'm going to work on the Monogramed aisle runner! We'll see how that turns out. I finally purchased publisher. Hooray!!!
March 28, 2009
Well, I finished the aisle runner!!! That was really time consuming and to tell you truth, I'm not a person with a ton of patience, and this project really tried mine...but here it is:
This past week was also Jessica's hair trial #1. As most of you know from my post about it, it was awful!!! I compared it to H.Smith's birdies...but look, there really is a resemblance
See what I mean????
So Jessica very quickly booked with another hair stylist...and here was the result:
Wayyyyyyyyyyyy better!
Well, were almost done with the manzanita. Man, this is taking a really long time. We're just now hanging the votives (frames only, not the glass) in them and putting the moss and satin on the bottom. Then we'll just need to wrap them and put them away until September. I'd say that we'll be done in about 2 weeks or so.
A small disaster this week. I found out that the Rabbi that I put the kids in touch with, the one we gave a deposit to, isn't a Rabbi at all. And now I'm not only furious, I'm looking for another Rabbi!!! It's like looking for a priest who will marry a Catholic and a non Catholic with full mass off site...if you get my drift. It's pretty hard to find someone. So that's our current project.
We met with the florist today and made our final flower determination. It was also the day that florist found out that she wasn't doing $5800 worth of florals because Mommy found project wedding and DIY'd about everything for very little. So the final on the florals is $1300 and I already paid a deposit of $550. So Nick, Jess' fiance who is paying for the flowers, is very happy.
This week I need to run downtown again to get more ribbon. I also need to pick up some smaller rhinstone bracelets for the Brides bouquet.
So that was my week. This week I'm going to re-do the table #'s. I thought of a better idea for them. I will be ordering the parasols as well so that I can get started on them. All in all a productive week.
I also must mention that I had quite a scare over blondebunny the past few days. But now that I know she's okay...I can breathe again!
April 6, 2009
I didn't get a thing done this past week. My Mother had a heart attack last Tuesday and I've been with her daily. If you knew how young she really seems you'd be as shocked as I was. I didn't like it at all!!! And thank you everyone for your prayers. She's doing well, thank God.
I'm afraid that I won't get much done this week either. Passover is Wednesday and I'll be shopping and cooking all day tueday and cleaning until Sunday.
The big news...I had my 28th wedding anniversary on Sunday. That's BIG!!! We went for dinner at the place where Jess and Nick will have their rehersal dinner, "Darya." The food was super good.
Booooo...now I'll have to play "catch up" with my wedding timeline. Ugh...a lot of work left to do!
April 12, 2009
Okay, well I managed to get the centerpieces FINISHED and couldn't have done it without the help of my daughter! I really hit the wall at the end. Now I have to decide what to do about the arches as the bridal party enters at the head of the aisle. I have One more 24" vase to buy and I'll wait for a Michaels Coupon for that.
I've also utilized the new PW feature "Checklist." I love it! I loaded everything into it and I'm off to the races. I still don't feel totally secure with it yet so I've kept my "To-Do" list here in my bio and I have a checklist in my "Works" program too. But this new feature seems to be really good. We'll see.
I now need to organize the garage so that the finished trees can be wrapped in plastic and put away.
Tomorrow I'm supposed to start training at 24 hour fitness. I'm pretty excited about that. I really need to take the "getting in shape" thing seriously now. If I don't my dress just may not fit!!! Not good. Oh, did I say that I got my dress?
I also ordered pearls and earrings for all of the Bridesmaids. I got them from topearl.com. They were really inexpensive so I'm happy. It's tough when you are dealing with 8 Bridesmaids, 2 maids of honor, 9 groomesmen, a best man, two flower girls, one ringbearer, two junior bridesmaids and 2 sponsors...Ugh!!!
Jessica also booked her friends dad's restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. It's called Darya and she happens to be bridesmaid. It's delicious Persian food!!! DELICIOUS!!!
I also managed to purchase all of the baskets for the Kippot, the wish cards, the programs and bubbles, bathroom baskets.................a lot of stuff!!! This is all becoming overwhelming! I just don't know how the PW ladies are doing all of this on their own!
April 24, 2009
Well, the inevitable has finally happened. My daughter and I haven't been getting along. She's turned into a person that, quite frankly, I don't know. I've been less than excited to work on anything at all for the wedding. I have felt really unappreciated, but more than that, like I'm spending all of my days working on something for someone who is just plain mean.
I managed to order her cake topper, which she didn't really want...but what's new, she doesn't really want anything I suggest. I just do it and then she likes it. She's very young. I also ordered her garter.
I've not been very happy at all. I'm not having fun anymore. I don't want to work on anything else because it's not fun anymore. I have heard from so many of the gals on PW that they wish they had someone to help them like I've helped my daughter...well, I'm available!
Smiles!
May 5, 2009
The last week was interesting at best. We did complete a lot of DIY's and, in fact, have very few left.
- All of the trees have been wrapped in plastic and put away until the big day
- All of the Chair Signs (approx 40 for indoors and outdoors) have been done. We did them for all of the BM's and GM's
- All of the cards attached to the Bubbles are finished and attached
- All of the signs for the baskets for the programs, kippot, bubbles, bathroom basket and flip flop box have been done (still figuring how to attach them)
I just may make some labels for the flip flops, but I don't know...We need to paint the flip flop box, I need to assemble the BM's gift baskets and a few other niggly things.
I met with the florist this past week and got nailed down exactly what our needs are and have a final bid of $1400. That's a far cry from the original bid of $5,600!!! Thanks to PW and DIYing!
Now, on to my daughter. Sunday here was a fiasco and got me to questioning just why in heck I have given every waking moment to this wedding. I do it because I love this girl more than life itself...and I worry so much about the stress of planning this wedding on her. I believe that she feels better to be in control of the budget, time line, and getting everything paid off (informing us when things are about to come due and making sure that vendors are paid). Nevertheless, she seems to be overwhelmed to see how much this costing and it scares her. She can't even fathom the amounts that are being paid to vendors...
Daughter's fiance still hasn't sat down with his father to determine a couple things
- Just what exactly his last name is!!!!! No I'm not kidding. No one can determine whether or not paperwork was filed for his stepfather (a gorgeous cop/hunky/studmeister...and 43 yrs. old!!!) to adopt him. He's been using his last name on his Social, Passport and so on...but we don't think that it was legally done. So this is kinda hanging out there!
- Also the stepfather (who FI loves, idolizes and is the only father he ever knew) has divorced his mother FOR another woman and wants to bring the other woman to the wedding. FI's mother is FLIPPING out and said, "absolutely not." Now FI HAS to tell his father, who has committed to pay for the rehearsal dinner and may renege...regardless, FI wants him there. It sucks for him!!!
This causes my daughter a lot of constrination in and of itself. So I feel bad! Please God just let her stay healthy!!!!!
On the upside! SHE is scheduled to come in on May 11th! I'm excited to see my daughter try her on!!! I can't wait!!!
Jess had a little BM's luncheon at her house for her BM's to try on their dresses and shoes! So far everything fit everyone! How happy am I? There was some grumbling about the $100 shoes...but hey, daughter had her "vision" too!
So that was last week! Just tying up a few loose ends this week and then I'll post some pictures!
May 11, 2009
Last week we got so much done! I've now printed all of the programs and I'm punching holes in over 1100 sheets of paper. We'll start putting them together this weekend.
Next...the dress came in and it fits daughter like a glove. Unbelieveable! So this week I'll be call Mahtab to do bustle duty.
Mother's Day was nice...but get this...I fell! Right on the effin floor! There was some liquid on it and I went flying in the middle of the expensive restaurant. It was like one of the moments that are in your bad dreams where everyone, I mean everyfreakinone, is silent and looking at you! I was so, so, so, annoyed with myself...All dressed up, high heels and all and I go flyin'! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL OMG!
If you get a chance, check out the DIY's so far...I'm really proud of myself!
Here's a pic of Mommy and Daughter on Mother's Day...Post Fall...what an idiot!!!!
May 23, 2009
Well, not only have I finished all the manzanita centerpieces, I have now finished selling them to 3 different brides. I also sold the arch (which I haven't completed yet), the cylindrical vases and the crystals! Yes! I'm not going to concentrate on selling the rest until after the wedding...
I started decorating the parasols. We're putting feathers on the outside and crystals on the finials. That will be fun. We also finished 100 programs. Only 55 more to go!
We also are waiting for our addressed cards. We decided to have the printer go ahead and print the addresses on a layered card that will be attachedd to the front of the invitation. We'll start putting those together as soon as they come.
We're well on our way and I can actually see the finish line! Or the wedding, I guess. This has been so much fun for the most part! How lucky am I????
Tomorrow I'll have a houseful of "OLD" Olympians over to play our semi-annual game of Whist! That will be fun...it's always very competitive, as you may imagine!!!
June 3, 2009
We're almost finished putting the invitations together. I only need to take them to be weighed and to buy the postage...ouch! I've also finished the invitations to my daughter's shower on July 19th at Waters Restaurant on the Lake in Irvine.
I read a Thread last night about the amount of "declines" everyone seems to be getting. I'm really hoping that the 30% rate applies to my daughter's wedding...LOL Our original list was 150 now we're at 178. Hmmmm...perhaps if I don't get on the phone and call all of those who are too rude to RSVP! There's an idea!
Today is Jessica's Birthday. 24 Years ago she came into this world. Of course, our joy turned to fear when we were told that she'd require immediate open heart surgery which was only done across the country at Boston Childrens Hospital. I would have not even dared to dream then what I dream of every single night now...her wedding. Believe it or not, I almost "welcome" the pre-wedding nightmares in comparison to what thealternatives are.
So, I've now included a counter at the top of my bio page...because the countdown is actually going on. I haven't missed a day of training. Okay, I've cheated a bit on my diet...but I'm actually beginning to see the results of my hard work. June 10th I'm having my face and neck lifted "again." I'm doing it again because I don't think that the Doctor pulled me tight enough. So I'm excited about that!
June 9, 2009
It's a blogging VENT!
My daughter has turned into Bridezilla and it's not funny. She's become very tempermental. She can be very nasty! It's kind of, well, embarrassing.
Now I know that this is mostly my fault. I've planned the and executed everything so far. She has no clue because she doesn't need to...she has me. But there is more to planning a wedding than registering, posing for pictures and spending a few Saturdays (after 12:00pm because "princess needs her sleep") putting a few flowers together and stuffing envelopes. I mean, honestly, think that after I asked for two weeks and sent her the contact info she could call Mahtab for dress alterations? No...she's busy! Think that she could have more hair trials or at least call my stylist? Nope, no time...princess is busy. Think maybe she might be able to take the invitations to be weighed? Uh, nope! But she does manage to talk to me in that biting awful tone, walk 25 paces ahead of me in the mall, and roll her eyes and then shout, NO! to everything that I suggest. Last night was a fine example!
Our videographer was supposed to provide me with a video similar to one that I had showed him. He said, no problem! I didn't know what to call it when I hired him well over a year ago, but now I know it's High Def. So last night we go to his office, which my daughter didn't want to do because she was tired. He tells me that his normal fee for high def is $1600 more...which I know...I was online checking out renting the damn HD camera...they aren't cheap. Well, he finally gets back to me and says that he'll do it for $700 more. That's not bad! My daughter won't hear of it! Not that she's paying for it...but she doesn't see the difference. The reason is because I'm on PW everyday and I've seen good videos and bad videos...KWIM??? She's never seen any freakin' videos except last night!
It's like she doesn't care and I know that she does! It's insane! Today we went to Bloomingdales to register...Well, the girl has NEVER BOILED WATER! She honestly doesn't know the difference between sterling and stainless, crystal and glass, china and ironstone! It's not like she didn't grow up with nice things...She just doesn't know the difference between a blender and a Cuisinart! I'm trying to tell her to register for everything because it can all be exchanged later...I'm telling her 12-16 placesettings and I swear to G-d she's telling me that it's just her and Nick and they only need 4! Well, not exactly like that...but Damn Near like that!
Then she gets hungry. We leave Bloomies to grab something to eat. First Place on the Left "The Corner Bakery." She says..."fine, we'll eat there...but it makes me sick!" So I say, well, honey let's go someplace else! She say..."no let's just stay here." WTF???? That's when I turned on my heals said "have a nice day" and left her standing there! See, I have to get home to grab the freakin' invitations so that they can be weighed, stamps bought, affixed and mailed. She just has to go home, kick her feet up and pet her dogs when they jump on her lap! Whatever!
Never made it to Bed Bath and Beyond...LOL....I just had to get away from her! It was seriously stressing me out! I had 6 polyps biopsied from my stomach on Wednesday and my belly was beginning to ache from being around her! Good Luck, Nick! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Poor Guy!!!!!
Okay, I'm glad that I got that off of my chest...Time for a nap! I've had a big day!
BTW...wish me luck...facelift in the morning!
I'M LIFTED!!! HOORAY!!!
June 19,2009
Well, well, well. Face lift really went okay. When they loaded me into the car post-op I pulled down the mirror and looked in horror when I saw that one side of my face would not move! I'd smile and the right lip curled up and the left hung limp...and I mean hung. I actually began practicing smiling holding up the lip with my top teeth as a "just in cast" for the wedding photos. My husband was like, "What the h3LL are you doing?" When the stuff wore off and I was firmly on pain killers (which I didn't really need but thought I'd take anyway) I went to the bathroom mirror to make sure that the left side was curling up! LOL
On Friday I went on the Invitation weighing/hand canceling wild goose chase! That was a real goat f***!!!! How can an invitation weigh and be measured and then cost between $1.31 and $2.44 to mail depending upon which P.O. you go too? And would someone like to tell me how all of the sudden when I go into the original PO and lose my temper loudly...stitches and staples having just been taken out of my head...the supervisor tells me no worries on the hand canceling? Oh and everyone in SoCal had their invites within 19 hrs.!!! And the cross country folks had their invites within about 54 hours???? Go figure!
But the nice news is that we've gotten comments like..."The Postman delivered the invitation by knocking on the door and handing it to us asking who was it from the Pentagon?" Okay...they ARE nice and should be for $28.00 before postage. Definitely not "Platinum Weddingish" because I've seen and received those invitations...like written on acrylic in a satin box...But our invites are very nice nonetheless.
I'm really beginning to freak!!! 85 days left and daughter is coming over tomorrow to organize not only our stuff, but the to do's, timelines, stuff for all of the DOC's, vendors, bridal party....Ugh!
Oh here's a good one. My husband just signed a contract with Universal Sports, owned by NBC who he's contracted to, to do an event on MY DAUGHTER'S FREAKIN' WEDDING DAY...HE'S SAYS, "OH I'LL BE DONE IN TIME." UH.....NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've actually seen that movie. I was pregnant with our first Child and my husband, in all of his wisdom, went to do an event for CBS on my due date in Minnesota!!!!!!!!!! Okay...he was going to be gone for about 48 hours...and no first babies come on their due date........................EXCEPT MY FREAKIN' SON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yup DH missed the birth of his first born!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THERE WILL BE NO EVENT ON HIS DAUGHTER'S WEDDING DAY OR I'M GETTING A DIVORCE AND I'M NOT KIDDING.
I worked today and was able to take a picture of Daughters Wedding Band and the Brooch I purchased for her.
IT'S A WIDE ISH BAND
THOSE ARE BLACK DIAMONDS AND WHITE DIAMONDS
I also took some Pics "One week out on my little face." Now remember, I hada facelift in Sept. This was just a bit of a neck tune up...and it's still all "swolled!!!" LOL
I just realized that I made it sound as if I purchased the wedding band as well as the brooch...I didn't! Of course Nick purchased the band!
