okay, okay, I know...

The new MR. AND MRS.! (courtesy of Badoux photography)

What a mighty fine looking brood of kids if I do say so myself! ( These pics are stolen off Jordy's blog...thanks, Jordy!)

Okay, so I've been a little preoccupied. Truth be known...I've been pretty much on a total summer blog withdrawl. I have actually even AVOIDED my own blog because I just knew I had gotten so far behind and felt as though I couldn't catch up. And then it hit me! This is MY BLOG and I can write the rules.

I could talk about how Jennifer moved back home to save money for her wedding. I could show pictures of Josh's prom. I could talk about how that prom date has turned into a new girlfriend... I could talk about how I planted my garden and post pictures of beautiful zucchini and summer squash, broccoli, beans, tomatoes, etc. I could mention Joshua's high school graduation, as well as his grad party. I could post about celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary and mention how after 25 years my husband still makes me laugh- the very quality in him that I fell in love with. I could discuss how I felt when Josh informed us one week before Jordanne's wedding that he was moving out...and moving in with his big brother. I could talk about wedding details and planning and post cute as hell pictures of the many talents of my girls. I could talk about how much fun the wedding reception was, about how absolutely PERFECT everything was, how I did.not.want.the.night.to end...because it was seriously THE MOST FUN I've had since my own wedding reception! I could tell you about how our entire family danced the night away, how Ryan singled out one of the Victoria's Secret girls *(she works there with my two girls) as his evening dance partner and is now dating her thanks to the matchmaking skills of his two sisters. I could tell you about the HUGE emotional crash after such a big event in your life, about a brief glimpse of an empty nest the weeks following the wedding. Not only did Josh move out, Jordanne did too, and Dustin, who had been here nearly every day for the past five years. Jen went to Chicago and Jacob was at football camp... and on and on and on.

But folks:

Things around here are a- changin'- fast...and now we have our oldest and youngest children living with us...for only 8 more months. The summer is coming to an end...the smell of "Football" is in the air as Joshua started football training camp at SVSU and Jacob started "two-a-days" in high school. I don't feel as "needed" in many ways, but that's okay. My kids are finding their wings to fly. So instead, Pat reaps the benefits of my need to dote on someone... and in the meantime we've got Wedding #2 (MAY 1!)to plan. It's a good thing to keep me focused and out of misplaced mommy depression.

As I said, I could mention it all...and post pictures...but maybe I'll do that another day. For now, I just have to figure out how to get the pictures off my camera without the assistance of one of my girls.

Trying to find the end of the rainbow

...I know it's out there, somewhere... you know, that pot'o'gold... or even that silver lining has to be out there lurking in the nearest rain cloud. I know it's there.

I am just growing so weary trying to find it.

Let me just say that I have tested the strength of my heart and I have passed the stress test. I am still standing and have graciously conceeded. I was run over by the Mack truck and got back up. I am Rocky. I can take a punch. I am woman, hear me roar. Or perhaps I am just a wimp who backs down from a self -professed "strong woman"?

What's up with all the metaphors, idioms, and/or similes, you ask? Please explain, you query? Oh, where to begin...

Hmm...let's just say that: it's her wedding and I'll cry if I want to. Better yet, let me briefly explain:

Mother of Bride asks bride what she wants her to wear to said wedding. Bridesmaids are wearing knee length dresses, bride wants mothers to follow suit and coordinate with complimentary colors for photographic eye appeal. (said bride happens to be a photography major.) Mother of Bride complies with bride's wishes and with etiquette rules. She then emails Mother of Groom a web link of her dress and specifies exact color of her dress. Mother of Groom then waits one month before said wedding to purchase her dress. She gets the EXACT same color dress as the Mother of Bride, only hers is a formal floor length gown with beading. Basically Mother of Bride appears to be underdressed and outdone. The rules of etiquette have just been broken and there's no turning back. Was this intentional?

Mother of Bride calls MOG and invites her out for coffee to discuss last minute wedding details... while on the phone, small talk ensues...discussions of wedding plans warms the icy chill in the air. A brief mention of dresses and then MOB inquires about what she already knows as truth: the color and length of MOG's dress. (oh how gingerly MOB tiptoed in her new silver blingy strappy sandals from Zappos.) MOB happens to be oh so very considerate to other's feelings and was raised by grandmother of the bride to abide by the GOLDEN RULE. (to treat others how you would want to be treated.) hmmm... MOG must not have gotten the memo.

In the end, MOG wins. MOB backs down. MOG doesn't care what MOB thinks, what the bride wants, what kind of statement she is making, what others will think, what's proper etiquette, etc. Nobody can tell her what to wear, what color to wear, what length to wear, or what NOT TO WEAR.

Gosh, where's STACY AND CLINTON when you need them?

Shame on me

I know, I know...I've been scolded by a few people (who actually read my blog)...I have been missing in action and inquiring minds WANT TO KNOW! Where have I been?

Truth be known, I've had Post-Traumatic-Fun-(but-Stressful)-Let down and I have been in recovery. I am now gearing up for the next round of Fun (but-stress). That would be Joshua's graduation/party. The graduation is on Sunday, June 7th, the party is Saturday, June 13th. We have been busy and frantically getting our yard/house/garage ready for the big event... I have come to the conclusion that if anyone wants to come to see if I have dusted my ceiling fans...then they really aren't my friend and have no business at my house.

I have been adding a new workout routine to my daily 3 mile walks. I am trying to pare down my curvy self...(to no avail) I know I feel better, but the fact remains: I would have been a fine model for a Renaissance painter.

Speaking of chub... I just flashed to a visual of a woman I saw wearing a very short red "skort" yesterday at a parade. Somebody needs to tell her that first of all...a woman over forty has NO BUSINESS wearing something like that out in public. Secondly, I mean, I know I have some cellulite...but this woman had CELLULITE! I am not making fun, but simply an observation: Honey, do us all a favor- Keep it under a pair of jeans or capris- thank-you-very-much! I didn't even know cellulite came on the top of the thigh too? Knees? calves? Yowza! And of course, the fact that she was so ghastly white didn't help matters. I will never look at cottage cheese the same. Okay, that was mean...but I'm just sayin'...

On that note, I need to get my butt in gear and hit the treadmill.

Post Bridal Shower Crash and the photos to prove it.

Jennifer, Grandma, Jordanne, and me...before the party began. I've been missing in action for the past week and a half simply because this Bridal shower drained me of my energy for awhile. I'm so glad I could gather up all 3 of our cameras to get some fun scrapbooking pictures. For close up viewing click on the photos.

... this was the "grand prize" which was pulled from the addressed envelopes at the front door after all the gifts were opened. (This way everyone would be sure to fill out an envelope to win the "Tiffany's movie package.") This Victoria's secret makeup bag was loaded with a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" movie, sparkling apple cider and two martini glasses, popcorn, a box of Good-n-Plenty, Mike-n-Ikes, and Sugar Babies. Ironically the ONLY woman who showed up with blue jeans and a jean jacket was the winner of the grand prize! It totally pissed off all the funlovin' women who actually enjoyed themselves at the "big girl dress-up party"!!!

I was up late until 2:30 in the morning making this towel cake. I was just getting way too into the details.

Awesome Shower prizes...wrapped in clear cellophane and tiffany blue Easter grass so people could select their prizes according to their own personal tastes. We had a variety of prizes from windchimes, towels and hand crocheted dishcloths, little girl lip glosses, Victoria's secret lotions and body sprays, Bath and Body works shower gels, soaps, and lotions, OPI nail polish, to name a few. These women actually WANTED to play Bridal bingo to win these gifts.

We had over 60 prizes!

Our classy little display area...fully furnished with Silver.

More Tiffany stuff on display.

Oh if only they were real diamonds.

This was one of my favorite parts of the display area. I just had to have this oversized martini glass for this vignette. Those tiffany boxes? Totally fake. I photocopied a tiffany bag and wrapped a box in the printer paper.

How adorable is this? I'm so glad Jen does window displays at Victoria's Secret.

...more cuteness.

I found these wooden boxes at the Dollar Store! I painted them up, added ribbon and tulips and voila~ Instant centerpieces. These were given to the ladies who worked in the kitchen.

It's all in the details.

How stinkin' cute are these little wooden blocks I painted up to look like Tiffany boxes? Jen provided me with all the photo shoot pictures of "Fab Jordanne" posed as Audrey Hepburn.

you've heard of a "Bird's eye view"? This is the BRIDE'S eye view.

Check out those bridal bingo cards! Dustin is the "free space". The napkins are wrapped with "Eat, Drink, and be Married" tiffany blue ribbon. HOW PERFECT WAS THAT?

Decorating details. I knew I was in deep when I decided I "needed" to make table runners.

Table set up. In the background is the dessert table.

Look at all these gifts!

One end of the dessert table.

setting up the food.

Quite a crowd.

mmm...look at all that yummy food and all those hungry ladies.

Jordanne and some of her bridesmaids waiting for the food to be ready. Check out that Tiffany blue lemonade.

Some of my friends.

Meghan and Katie strike a pose.

Alicia and her mom, Mary Lou looking mighty spiffy.

Some of the "Victoria's Secret girls".

Jordanne & Co. The bridesmaids and junior bridesmaid, and flower girl. Front row: Riley, Emily, Jordanne and Jennifer (maid of honor). Back row: Kelsey, Liz, Kelsey, Este, Meghan, and Katie.

Renee (Dustin's cousin), Shawn (Dustin's sister) Deb (mother of the groom) and Jordanne.

Jordanne being silly...

...opening some gifts.

...more gifts...

...the ribbon hat (aka the bridal bouquet for the rehearsal). We had so much fun, I can't wait for the wedding!

Everyone had so many positive things to say about our unconventional bridal shower. It was worth every moment of it.

Ooops! My Bad.

Somehow in the scurried hustle and bustle of last minute shower planning I have missed posting other important events that have been going on around here.

Monday, March 30th was Ryan's 23rd birthday. Only Ryan had tests to study for and a paper to write so he called me on his birthday to ask for a postponement of the celebration. We celebrated it this Saturday. Jordanne and Josh weren't here but we had the cake and ice cream without them. I hate postponing birthdays and I hate that everyone couldn't be here, but sometimes that's how life is when you have a big family and people have their own lives.

I also missed my one year "blogiversary". I think it was a few days before Ryan's birthday. Oh well...maybe next year.


Josh is spending his spring break with 3 buddies up in Traverse City. Most everyone goes to Cancun or somewhere warm and tropical...and they come back with killer tans. Today, here in Michigan I woke up to snow! INCHES of snow and it's still coming down! I'm quite sure it's worse up north in Traverse City. Good thing they took a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Imagine that- snow on April 6! Tsk, tsk. I'm so over this snow BS.

Jen and I started jogging the other day. We did it two days in a row and I thought I would absolutely die of sore muscles after the second day. We took the weekend off for muscle recovery and I am dreading going tonight. Especially in the snow. When my lungs take in freezing cold air and my heart is working hard, I get freaked out because it reminds me of the day I had my heart attack. That cold burning feeling triggers a memory and I get panicked. I have to keep reminding myself that my heart is strong because of the daily cardio I get from my 3 mile walks. I can do this!

I signed up for a tanning membership they other day. I need to feel the summer heat on my face. I want out of hibernation. NOW!

Shower the people you love with love

show them the way that you feel.

...Yes, in this moment I'm being ridiculously cliche- throwing the words of James Taylor out there to give double meaning. The fact is: Bridal showers are a lot of work, a lot of money, and a lot of painstaking LABOR pains... but in the end, it's all worth it... you do it all because of LOVE. LOTS OF LOVE.

Sometimes things get complicated when you've got two daughters who are BOTH "Bride to be's". Two separate personalities- sets of opinions- sets of circumstances. The dynamics between the two of them can be in sync so much so that they finish each other's sentence or read each other's thoughts, have the same tastes, etc...Other times they are incredibly out of sync in their thinking and they butt heads.

Tonight was one of those rare occasions when worlds collide- it must be a full moon. Let's just say the Bride to be and the maid of honor had a little falling out. Mother of the "future brides" stepped in to try to smooth things out, but ended up tearfully pulled into the middle of it. I must say I think they both are wrong and need to lighten up. These are the most exciting years of their lives. Set aside the differences and agree to disagree- move forward, graciously accepting input, yet not second guessing or compromising their visions. And on that note, I'm hittin' the sack. My eyes hurt.
My head hurts.
My heart hurts.

Hold on and enjoy the ride

Sometimes I like to spend some time inside my own head... blogging helps me go there- to that quiet place in the far back corners of my mind...but lately life has gotten busy- sometimes crossing over into stressful busy. Even exciting events can cause stress and drain us of our JOY. I've been really trying to enJOY the exciting events without feeling too stressed out, but I must admit I'm starting to feel the effects and I don't like it.

This morning on the way home from the train station (45 min. drive) I listened to "A Purpose Driven Life". I've been trying to do it every day during the 40 days of lent, although I got a little behind and was catching up during my 45 minutes of "down time". All I can say is it spoke to my heart and I felt a sudden rush of calm over me.

People, relationships, and love are what matter most in life. So today I make a conscious effort to relax, hold on, and enJOY the ride. These are the best days of our lives. This time of planning bridal showers and weddings and graduations are exciting events that we need to have fun with.

After all, nothing else really matters because in the end, "...only 3 things remain: Faith, Hope, and Love, and the greatest of these is Love." 1Corinthians 13:13