Once upon a time I had a blog…
And on that blog I wrote about many things. But then I got married, and went on my honeymoon, and I swore I’d write … but I didn’t. Oh sure, I started a few messages. My computer is full of half-finished blog entries. But as time passed I found there was so much to catch up on and so little time. But that’s all ending now. No, I’m not going to catch you up on what you’ve missed (though if you’d like a photo recap of the wedding you can look here. And a photo recap of the honeymoon can be found here), but I will start writing again … starting with the story of how my 3-month marriage is coming to an abrupt end.
Oh sure, we’ve already surpassed the current Kardashian marriage record but I know it’s not going to last much longer. Why? Because our house is going to kill us. Not “us” really, just GAR. And, well, you know, then our whole “’til death do we part” thing will pretty much be fulfilled (although, now that I think about it, those words were never spoken at our wedding … but, nonetheless, if one of us croaks this marriage is automatically null and void).
Now, if you’ve read this blog previously then you know that our house has afflicted many a wound upon us in the past – fires, floods, gang graffiti, tarantula infestations (which, actually, are still rampant … though it turns out the ones we have are actually wolf spiders – just as scary but, thankfully, far less deadly), locust infestations, poor design choice infestations – you name it. But over this past month our 1980’s Golden Girls-esque abode has really pulled out all the stops in its efforts to kill us off.
It started small – while painting the outside of the house (yes, we’re STILL painting the exterior of our home … after all it’s only been about 10 months since we started) GAR threw out his back – AGAIN (funny how every time he’s required to do manual labor he turns into an 80-year-old man). But he healed … and we paid someone to finish the job for us (well mostly … but that’s a whole other story). And then we moved on to more manageable tasks – like decorating (somehow in the hustle and bustle of renovation we sort of forgot to, you know, buy décor and things that actually make a place look “pretty”) – and things were calm again. Our daily routine of watching endless hours of HGTV were back on schedule and we even picked up a few accent pieces that really “tie the whole room together.”
But then our neighbors got robbed. That’s sad, but it happens, right? Nothing to be worried about … until it happens again a few weeks later ... in the middle of the day. And suddenly we realize that in the past month 3 out of the 5 houses in our cul-de-sac have been burglarized. And really it makes sense – we live in one of the more wealthy areas of town but we’re in one of the only neighborhoods that isn’t gated. Plus the homes are older – easier to break into and less chance of encountering a security system. Oh, and my neighbors all have giant boats just sitting there in their driveways screaming “Come rob me – I have enough money to buy a boat!” Or something like that.
And it sucks, but I don’t worry too much (plus, you know, we don’t have a boat – but we do have a security system … assuming you count 2 tiny yipping dogs as “surveillance”). I just head to Home Depot and price out some new front doors that actually shut all the way (unlike the ones we currently have that bow inwards and don’t completely lock correctly … but I guess that’s okay because they are mostly glass anyway so it’s not like we even need to lock them I suppose when they can so easily be demolished … and now I’m telling you all of this too so I might as well just put up a giant neon – no, LED, that’s more environmentally responsible – sign out front declaring us open for business).
But not GAR. No, he does not handle this news nearly as lightly. And this is the problem.
Since the most recent string of break-ins my dear husband has been on high alert – monitoring every car he sees in the neighborhood and putting us on total lockdown day and night. He’s hiding all our “valuables” and guarding the meager gifts we put in each other’s stockings like they are made of solid gold. Getting him to leave the house for even an hour to go to the store takes some convincing as he’s positive that the second he leaves that the “bad guys” will come steal his record collection and maybe smuggle out the pups while they’re at it. Heaven help me if TBS decides to air a “Home Alone” marathon this holiday season – I know that if GAR sees that I’ll come home to find our house booby trapped with all sorts of crotch-kicking homemade protection gadgets.
Alas I am finally getting to my point – the whole “how my husband is going to leave me a widow after mere months of marriage” portion that I promised up front. Here’s how it goes down …
Amidst all this chaos something even more sinister has happened. Ah yes, this is the beauty of our home – it’s the gift that keeps giving. And its latest gift to us has been mold. Mold which we uncovered when ripping out the second of our guest bathrooms, “The Cave,” and has now infiltrated every inch of breathable air in our house. It turns out that not only was The Cave hideous, it also was built with absolutely no waterproofing – no shower tray, no water-sealants, nothing behind the shower tile at all except some drywall – and, apparently, that tends to allow mold to fester over the course of, oh, let’s say, 25 years. And then (after those 25 years have passed), when you demo it all you uncover the motherload … and all those mold spores are free – FREE I TELLS YA!! – to fly out into the air and dance around until they find new places to settle ... in our bedding … in our curtains … into the carpet … And suddenly you find your allergies kicking in. Breathing is harder. Sneezing is more rampant. And what you really need is some nice, clean, fresh air in your lungs.
And I escape! Off to work, off to the gym, out for a run … and I breathe. But GAR. Well, not GAR who, thanks to his sweet professoring gig, gets to stay home all winter break. And who, unthankfully, has recently become a recluse vigilante Hell bent on locking himself into our home airtight and protecting our abode from any would-be wrong doers. No, sadly, poor GAR is doomed to live out his last days choking down moldy air as he rigs buckets of tar and feathers above all our doorways “just in case” (and frankly the feathers are a bad idea too – he’s horribly allergic to those as well) until the stale, allergen-filled pollutants overtake him completely. And I’m alone. But, hey, at least the thieves weren’t able to get to my awesome collection of Steve Guttenberg DVDs!
Well, my love, this whole marriage thing was good while it lasted.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Wedding Photos
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Liar, Liar, Lederhosen on Fire
So … yeah … remember in my last post how I said that I would be recapping the wedding soon? Psych! Gotcha! September fools (which, of course, is the lesser known version of "April Fools." People never see it coming)!
Instead we’re leaving for our honeymoon.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, or you just started reading this blog – in either case, “Hi!” great to see you – my Groom-A-Saurus Rex and I are heading off on a guided tour of Germany, culminating in few beer-filled days in Munich. And while I meant to give you guys a stirring recreation of our wedding day before we left I’m afraid I just ran out of time. I was too busy ironing my dirndl and researching the various Oktoberfest beer tents we plan to visit whilst there.
But, I will sum up our wedding day for you – it was, simply put, the most amazing wedding of all time ... Nay, the greatest event of all time! Never have people had as much fun as they did on our wedding day, ourselves included.
Now, I know what you’re thinking and yes, I am downplaying the significance of this earth-shatteringly awesome day. It was so much bigger and better than the mere words I am typing here. But, you know, I try not to brag.
I will share some more photos though (this time I have a few shot by a pro). Enjoy!
Instead we’re leaving for our honeymoon.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, or you just started reading this blog – in either case, “Hi!” great to see you – my Groom-A-Saurus Rex and I are heading off on a guided tour of Germany, culminating in few beer-filled days in Munich. And while I meant to give you guys a stirring recreation of our wedding day before we left I’m afraid I just ran out of time. I was too busy ironing my dirndl and researching the various Oktoberfest beer tents we plan to visit whilst there.
But, I will sum up our wedding day for you – it was, simply put, the most amazing wedding of all time ... Nay, the greatest event of all time! Never have people had as much fun as they did on our wedding day, ourselves included.
Now, I know what you’re thinking and yes, I am downplaying the significance of this earth-shatteringly awesome day. It was so much bigger and better than the mere words I am typing here. But, you know, I try not to brag.
I will share some more photos though (this time I have a few shot by a pro). Enjoy!
Gratuitous bling on a sneaker shot
Our "second shooter" (a.k.a. other photographer) mistook my brideman (second from left) for a groomman. Therefore he tends to appear in shots of both the Groom's Crew and my own bridal party
Me on a skee ball machine
Firing squad line-up
Everyone needs a "stuck in a revolving door" wedding photo
I'd like to take this moment to say that, while we did get married in a bar, you have to admit - this is one seriously cool looking bar!
Love our DJ - MJ ... and LOVE the hair ;)
Oh yes, there was karaoke
This photo is out of sequence but I'm going to be lazy and keep it here (also, this door was NASTY dirty ... I have no idea how I didn't ruin my dress leaning against it)
Our friend on the right is dancing with 2 full beers ... Nope, 1 full beer wasn't enough. I think that pretty much sums up the whole night
More when I return. But, until then, (as Heidi Klum would say) Auf Wiedersehen!!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
What Am I Doing Here?
No, I’m not blogging this from Germany … nor am I asking an existential question about the meaning of one’s life.
I am simply explaining to you why it is that, now that the wedding is over, I am sitting here typing on a computer in my living room and not posting photos of giant pretzels and oversized beers on facebook from 5,000 miles away. And the explanation is pretty simple – we haven’t left yet.
While I realize that many couples go straight from their reception to the airport (with maybe a slight break for some sleeping in between) we chose to take a different approach and wait a week (or so). Technically we’re waiting 11 days, but you get my point – we didn’t start jet setting immediately.
Okay, yes, there are some cons. These past few days back in the office have been a little rough. And people seem shocked to see you sitting in meetings and filling out expense reports. Also, if I’m being honest, I do think this immediate return back to my normal routine has somehow allowed for the knowledge that I am now married to avoid sinking fully into my skull (which could also be partially due to the fact that I’ve had barely any “alone time” with my hubby since the big day … and now that I do have some of that coveted private time I’m spending it blogging … but I digress).
But, that said, the pros far outweigh any negatives I see.
1. Frankly our livers need time to recover (before we totally demolish them at Oktoberfest). I didn’t drink too much at the wedding itself, but our wedding was really more of a 3-day party and, added all together, those 3 days did a whole lot of damage. But it wasn’t just our livers …
2. WE need time to recover. We can still party like it’s 1999, but our bodies don’t spring back quite as quickly as they did back then. We spent most of Monday in a semi-vegetative state and have spent the days since slowly nursing our tired, beaten down bodies back into shape. One nice, long, rest-filled weekend will do us a lot of good.
3. Packing, planning, last-minute shopping … We did none of these things before the wedding. And, really, not having to worry about planning for the wedding and the honeymoon all at once was a big relief. Now we have plenty of time to play catch-up and gear up for Bavaria before heading out next week (and make a quick run to IKEA to purchase a project or two for Dad to work on while he’s house/dog sitting for us during the honeymoon).
4. Money. We recently spent a lot of it. And we’re about to spend more. While taking a brief break between expenditures might not make too much of a difference it’s good to check our pocketbooks and see where we stand at this point in the game.
5. Football!! We’ve been waiting for it all year and now it’s finally here. Thankfully we enjoyed a bit of it during our celebrations throughout the wedding weekend, but both GAR and I are very much looking forward to enjoying a weekend full of sweet pigskin action before we disappear and miss a few more weeks of it. The waiting is over!
6. Food, food and more food. Now that we can actually eat again (not that we ever really stopped) we want to devour and enjoy everything we can. Yes, we will be doing that plenty in Germany, but we have leftover wedding sweets (cake, cupcakes, candy – you get the picture) that we want to enjoy while it’s still nice and fresh. Expect to see us drooling over some red velvet cake Homer Simpson style. Mmmmmm…
7. Recaps – I’ve been hearing them from everyone who attended the wedding and right now it’s so fresh in everyone’s minds that we get to savor all those brand-new, not yet forgotten nuggets of memories and relive it all ourselves. Heck, we even got some video back, not to mention whatever photos people have been able to upload onto Facebook. We’re loving it and it’s great to enjoy it all now – by the time we get back from overseas so much else will have happened and people’s minds will have shifted to other things. I feel like we’re able to capture more this way.
And, of course, (time permitting) it also means I should be able to share some recaps with all of you too … and I know that’s what you’re really looking for. Don’t worry – it’s coming. Until then please enjoy some of these (non-professional) photos I’ve seen from our wedding.
I am simply explaining to you why it is that, now that the wedding is over, I am sitting here typing on a computer in my living room and not posting photos of giant pretzels and oversized beers on facebook from 5,000 miles away. And the explanation is pretty simple – we haven’t left yet.
While I realize that many couples go straight from their reception to the airport (with maybe a slight break for some sleeping in between) we chose to take a different approach and wait a week (or so). Technically we’re waiting 11 days, but you get my point – we didn’t start jet setting immediately.
Okay, yes, there are some cons. These past few days back in the office have been a little rough. And people seem shocked to see you sitting in meetings and filling out expense reports. Also, if I’m being honest, I do think this immediate return back to my normal routine has somehow allowed for the knowledge that I am now married to avoid sinking fully into my skull (which could also be partially due to the fact that I’ve had barely any “alone time” with my hubby since the big day … and now that I do have some of that coveted private time I’m spending it blogging … but I digress).
But, that said, the pros far outweigh any negatives I see.
1. Frankly our livers need time to recover (before we totally demolish them at Oktoberfest). I didn’t drink too much at the wedding itself, but our wedding was really more of a 3-day party and, added all together, those 3 days did a whole lot of damage. But it wasn’t just our livers …
2. WE need time to recover. We can still party like it’s 1999, but our bodies don’t spring back quite as quickly as they did back then. We spent most of Monday in a semi-vegetative state and have spent the days since slowly nursing our tired, beaten down bodies back into shape. One nice, long, rest-filled weekend will do us a lot of good.
3. Packing, planning, last-minute shopping … We did none of these things before the wedding. And, really, not having to worry about planning for the wedding and the honeymoon all at once was a big relief. Now we have plenty of time to play catch-up and gear up for Bavaria before heading out next week (and make a quick run to IKEA to purchase a project or two for Dad to work on while he’s house/dog sitting for us during the honeymoon).
4. Money. We recently spent a lot of it. And we’re about to spend more. While taking a brief break between expenditures might not make too much of a difference it’s good to check our pocketbooks and see where we stand at this point in the game.
5. Football!! We’ve been waiting for it all year and now it’s finally here. Thankfully we enjoyed a bit of it during our celebrations throughout the wedding weekend, but both GAR and I are very much looking forward to enjoying a weekend full of sweet pigskin action before we disappear and miss a few more weeks of it. The waiting is over!
6. Food, food and more food. Now that we can actually eat again (not that we ever really stopped) we want to devour and enjoy everything we can. Yes, we will be doing that plenty in Germany, but we have leftover wedding sweets (cake, cupcakes, candy – you get the picture) that we want to enjoy while it’s still nice and fresh. Expect to see us drooling over some red velvet cake Homer Simpson style. Mmmmmm…
7. Recaps – I’ve been hearing them from everyone who attended the wedding and right now it’s so fresh in everyone’s minds that we get to savor all those brand-new, not yet forgotten nuggets of memories and relive it all ourselves. Heck, we even got some video back, not to mention whatever photos people have been able to upload onto Facebook. We’re loving it and it’s great to enjoy it all now – by the time we get back from overseas so much else will have happened and people’s minds will have shifted to other things. I feel like we’re able to capture more this way.
And, of course, (time permitting) it also means I should be able to share some recaps with all of you too … and I know that’s what you’re really looking for. Don’t worry – it’s coming. Until then please enjoy some of these (non-professional) photos I’ve seen from our wedding.
View of Dad and I from someone (who shall remain unnamed) who was late to the ceremony.
Pre-wedding shots were taken at a sports bar.
Ceremony & 1st kiss action.
1st dance & cake!
Menus were on a record on each place setting.
DJ MJ rocked the tunes and our friends rocked the dance floor.
Our sneakers were also rockin'
Can't wait for even more photos (hint hint - post 'em if you've got 'em!)
Sunday, August 28, 2011
What To Know Before You Go
Generally, before any work event, I draft up a quick “What to know before you go” document so that those who are attending the function know what to expect. Considering that the first of our wedding guests are already in town it seems I may have been a little late in doing this for my own wedding. But with one week to go (EEK!) I thought I should provide the rest of you – the ones who haven’t hopped on a plane, train or automobile yet – with some basic info.
Attire
This has been the main question I’ve been asked. Apparently GAR’s post on this topic was less than illuminating to many of you. So I’ll break it down for you – the suggested attire for guys is a suit with a concert/band t-shirt underneath (or slacks/jeans with a t-shirt and sports jacket). Sneakers (the more fly the better) are also encouraged. Gals – you should wear whatever you would normally wear to a wedding … but feel free to be as funky as you’d like. Leopard print, wild shoes – whatever you would normally consider too over-the-top for another wedding – is totally okay by us. Basically – have fun with it and don’t fret about your choices.
Arrival
Our wedding venue is in downtown Orlando. Like most downtown locations, that means you’ll have to find a public lot with meters or a paid garage. If choosing a meter, we expect everything to be wrapped up by 10:30 or 11 p.m., so judge your pre-paid amount off of that time. We suggest the lot underneath the interstate – it’s about a 3 minute walk from the wedding. And you’ll want to leave yourself enough time to park and get to the ceremony early because …
Ceremony
Our ceremony is in a bar … and there will be drink service for the ceremony. The bar opens 30 minutes before the ceremony, but shuts down when we walk down the aisle. If you want some pre-party sangria be sure to get to the bar before the show starts.
Dinner
There is food and you will love it. GAR and I are also big fans of food (and not being hungry) so we would like a chance to enjoy it as well. That’s why we’ve instituted a strict “Do Not Disturb” policy during dinner. Don’t worry – we love you all and still want to see you all. We just want to be sure we eat a little of our yummy food first.
Reception
After all that – it’s party time! There will lots of rock music (and absolutely no country music – don’t even try to request it) and, of course, karaoke. Don’t say we didn’t warn you … so warm up your vocal chords now.
Well that’s pretty much it … other than the obvious “don’t drink and drive” closing statement. We look forward to rocking out with you all!
Attire
This has been the main question I’ve been asked. Apparently GAR’s post on this topic was less than illuminating to many of you. So I’ll break it down for you – the suggested attire for guys is a suit with a concert/band t-shirt underneath (or slacks/jeans with a t-shirt and sports jacket). Sneakers (the more fly the better) are also encouraged. Gals – you should wear whatever you would normally wear to a wedding … but feel free to be as funky as you’d like. Leopard print, wild shoes – whatever you would normally consider too over-the-top for another wedding – is totally okay by us. Basically – have fun with it and don’t fret about your choices.
Arrival
Our wedding venue is in downtown Orlando. Like most downtown locations, that means you’ll have to find a public lot with meters or a paid garage. If choosing a meter, we expect everything to be wrapped up by 10:30 or 11 p.m., so judge your pre-paid amount off of that time. We suggest the lot underneath the interstate – it’s about a 3 minute walk from the wedding. And you’ll want to leave yourself enough time to park and get to the ceremony early because …
Ceremony
Our ceremony is in a bar … and there will be drink service for the ceremony. The bar opens 30 minutes before the ceremony, but shuts down when we walk down the aisle. If you want some pre-party sangria be sure to get to the bar before the show starts.
Dinner
There is food and you will love it. GAR and I are also big fans of food (and not being hungry) so we would like a chance to enjoy it as well. That’s why we’ve instituted a strict “Do Not Disturb” policy during dinner. Don’t worry – we love you all and still want to see you all. We just want to be sure we eat a little of our yummy food first.
Reception
After all that – it’s party time! There will lots of rock music (and absolutely no country music – don’t even try to request it) and, of course, karaoke. Don’t say we didn’t warn you … so warm up your vocal chords now.
Well that’s pretty much it … other than the obvious “don’t drink and drive” closing statement. We look forward to rocking out with you all!
Friday, August 26, 2011
D.I.WHY?
I’m about to say something I never thought was possible – twice this week I visited a craft supply store. And *gulp* I’ll be going there again at least once this weekend.
In fact, every night this week I’ve been curling up with markers, ribbon, stickers, tape and paper cutters. Oh sure, maybe this would make sense if I had children … or if I was a Kindergarten teacher … or was one of those people who has entire rooms in their home devoted to scrapbooking. But, in fact, I can claim none of these things to be true. And while I appreciate the fact that many people are good at being crafty – heck, homespun goods are totally chic right now – I have to admit that I am not the type of person who you would ever expect to see yielding a glue gun (yes, I do own one now but I have not yet dared to remove it from its packaging – it’s just staring me down … mocking me and my fear to attempt to use it).
You see – I hate this stuff. Just the idea of setting foot in a Michaels gives me hives. All those rows and rows of stencils, stamps, knick knacks, beads and faux flowers make me shudder. And glitter? GAR has long forbidden that vile substance for coming anywhere near our home (he calls it the “herpes of craft supplies” – once you get it on you it ain’t comin’ off). No, my friends, these twisted, tangled, worthlessly un-artistic hands of mine are far too unskilled (and, frankly, uninterested) in completing any sort of DIY type art projects.
And yet, here I am, whiling away my second-to-last Friday night as a single lady assembling crafty table numbers, programs and place cards. What has happened to me?
My wedding – that’s what happened. And, like it or not, if you plan on getting married you’re going to have to get your hands a little dirty (with wayward Sharpie marks, super glue and smudged printer ink). It’s not just the fact that we’re cheap that has caused this last-minute DIY frenzy (though, yes, we are cheap … though we prefer the term “frugal” or “fiscally responsible”). Whenever possible we have purchased things pre-made (even if they were pre-made by someone on Etsy – a website that sells mainly homemade crafts). But with a lot of our rock & roll ideas being things that you don’t generally see at a wedding, it quickly became clear that if we wanted to make our vision into a reality, we were going to have to do it ourselves.
And so here I am – Martha Stewart in training. Now how I do I get the millions of dollars in endorsement money? Can I get my own line of paint? A Topless Christmas Special (if you didn’t get that joke I highly recommend that you catch up on the comedic work of “Saturday Night Live” star Ana Gasteyer)? Because, let me tell you, once I’ve got her amount of fame and fortune I’m never lifting another BeDazzler again!
In fact, every night this week I’ve been curling up with markers, ribbon, stickers, tape and paper cutters. Oh sure, maybe this would make sense if I had children … or if I was a Kindergarten teacher … or was one of those people who has entire rooms in their home devoted to scrapbooking. But, in fact, I can claim none of these things to be true. And while I appreciate the fact that many people are good at being crafty – heck, homespun goods are totally chic right now – I have to admit that I am not the type of person who you would ever expect to see yielding a glue gun (yes, I do own one now but I have not yet dared to remove it from its packaging – it’s just staring me down … mocking me and my fear to attempt to use it).
You see – I hate this stuff. Just the idea of setting foot in a Michaels gives me hives. All those rows and rows of stencils, stamps, knick knacks, beads and faux flowers make me shudder. And glitter? GAR has long forbidden that vile substance for coming anywhere near our home (he calls it the “herpes of craft supplies” – once you get it on you it ain’t comin’ off). No, my friends, these twisted, tangled, worthlessly un-artistic hands of mine are far too unskilled (and, frankly, uninterested) in completing any sort of DIY type art projects.
And yet, here I am, whiling away my second-to-last Friday night as a single lady assembling crafty table numbers, programs and place cards. What has happened to me?
My wedding – that’s what happened. And, like it or not, if you plan on getting married you’re going to have to get your hands a little dirty (with wayward Sharpie marks, super glue and smudged printer ink). It’s not just the fact that we’re cheap that has caused this last-minute DIY frenzy (though, yes, we are cheap … though we prefer the term “frugal” or “fiscally responsible”). Whenever possible we have purchased things pre-made (even if they were pre-made by someone on Etsy – a website that sells mainly homemade crafts). But with a lot of our rock & roll ideas being things that you don’t generally see at a wedding, it quickly became clear that if we wanted to make our vision into a reality, we were going to have to do it ourselves.
And so here I am – Martha Stewart in training. Now how I do I get the millions of dollars in endorsement money? Can I get my own line of paint? A Topless Christmas Special (if you didn’t get that joke I highly recommend that you catch up on the comedic work of “Saturday Night Live” star Ana Gasteyer)? Because, let me tell you, once I’ve got her amount of fame and fortune I’m never lifting another BeDazzler again!
Monday, August 22, 2011
‘Til Death from Cardiac Arrest Do Us Part
Do you, buffalo shrimp, take French fries to be your lawfully wedded fried combo? For richer or poorer, in sickness from too much lard and in health …
Last week I joked that GAR and I had reached that point in the wedding planning process where you wish you had just eloped. In truth, while there have been a few temporarily semi-stressful moments along the way, we’re still laughing through it all (except for that time I told GAR that the centerpiece design he created looks like it belongs at a child’s “Little Mermaid” themed birthday party instead of a wedding and he proceeded to sing “Under the Sea” non-stop for 3 days straight … that part was not nearly as funny for me as it was for him). And now that we are less than 2 weeks away from our nuptials, I really can’t imagine sneaking off and tying the knot secretly.
But we do have our marriage license now … and so, technically, we could elope.
And this weekend we did have that option laid in front of us. While dining at the ever-classy establishment Buffalo Wild Wings (I know – you’d really think I’d be on some sort of bridal diet … or at least sort of watching what I eat … but you’d be wrong), with our wedding officiant/Wizard and he offered up this very option – grab a witness from somewhere in the bar, sign the marriage license and let’s lock down this deal right now.
And we considered it … but only briefly.
Aside from the fact that a beer and buffalo sauce stained marriage license is not quite the keepsake we want to have on file, it also just felt so wrong. I mean, getting married in a sports bar? Who does that? No, my friends, you will have to wait a few more days to see us get married the “right” way – in a way classier bar. One that, while it does feature televisions tuned to ESPN, keeps the volume down on its sports programming (unless you really bug the bartender to turn it up, in which case there is surround sound … but it’s not like they advertise that or anything). And, sure, there is fried fish on our wedding dinner menu, but at OUR bar it’s called “croquettes” which, obviously, is a much fancier sounding name than the “buffalo shrimp platter” offered at Buffalo Wild Wings. I mean, geesh – what sort of rednecks do you think we are?
So never fear – when I share photos and updates from our big day it will be the real deal, not some 2-for-1 Happy Hour Special knock-off (though I do enjoy a good Happy Hour Special ...)
Last week I joked that GAR and I had reached that point in the wedding planning process where you wish you had just eloped. In truth, while there have been a few temporarily semi-stressful moments along the way, we’re still laughing through it all (except for that time I told GAR that the centerpiece design he created looks like it belongs at a child’s “Little Mermaid” themed birthday party instead of a wedding and he proceeded to sing “Under the Sea” non-stop for 3 days straight … that part was not nearly as funny for me as it was for him). And now that we are less than 2 weeks away from our nuptials, I really can’t imagine sneaking off and tying the knot secretly.
But we do have our marriage license now … and so, technically, we could elope.
And this weekend we did have that option laid in front of us. While dining at the ever-classy establishment Buffalo Wild Wings (I know – you’d really think I’d be on some sort of bridal diet … or at least sort of watching what I eat … but you’d be wrong), with our wedding officiant/Wizard and he offered up this very option – grab a witness from somewhere in the bar, sign the marriage license and let’s lock down this deal right now.
And we considered it … but only briefly.
Aside from the fact that a beer and buffalo sauce stained marriage license is not quite the keepsake we want to have on file, it also just felt so wrong. I mean, getting married in a sports bar? Who does that? No, my friends, you will have to wait a few more days to see us get married the “right” way – in a way classier bar. One that, while it does feature televisions tuned to ESPN, keeps the volume down on its sports programming (unless you really bug the bartender to turn it up, in which case there is surround sound … but it’s not like they advertise that or anything). And, sure, there is fried fish on our wedding dinner menu, but at OUR bar it’s called “croquettes” which, obviously, is a much fancier sounding name than the “buffalo shrimp platter” offered at Buffalo Wild Wings. I mean, geesh – what sort of rednecks do you think we are?
So never fear – when I share photos and updates from our big day it will be the real deal, not some 2-for-1 Happy Hour Special knock-off (though I do enjoy a good Happy Hour Special ...)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Final Countdown
During a recent business meeting I sang a portion of Europe’s “The Final Countdown” (in relation to a major project I’m working on, which launches just days prior to my wedding). Though my musical expedition was inspired, several conference call participants promptly hung up … leaving me to believe that perhaps my musical talents would best be left to amateur karaoke venues (speaking of – I should tell you now that there will be karaoke at our reception. And here’s lesson #1 for our wedding: Warm up your vocal chords and be prepared to bring it).
Nevertheless I have been unable to get that song out of my head for some time now because, work projects aside, it is really is the final countdown to a lot of things … my 34th birthday (and GAR’s 35th – both happening in the next few days), our trip to Oktoberfest, college football season … but really it’s all leading up (or should I say “counting down”) to Sept. 4: Mr. & Mrs. Day.
For a few weeks now people have been asking me how many days it is to go. Until today I didn’t know. I wasn’t really keeping track. But, with us passing the 3 weeks to go milestone last weekend it seems that the time clock in my brain has started counting down days automatically for me … 20 … 19 …
And we are making progress, kind of. Last weekend we finally shot our engagement photos. What? You didn’t shoot yours 3 weeks before your “big day?” Never mind the fact that we’ve been engaged 8 months already, what are the chances our photographer will even have them ready before we’re married? Okay, so we were a little behind on that one, but it was worth it – we needed the trial run. While we have thousands of photos of us that were taken by friends, family and random strangers standing nearby famous landmarks we visited, we totally clammed up when a “pro” pulled out his fancy equipment and put in our faces (you know what I mean – get your mind out of the gutter!) Naturally all we needed to loosen up and work it for the lens Austin Power’s style was some good old fashioned liquor. Which led to lesson #2 for the wedding: Drink heavily. Hey, we’ve got to if we want the photos to look good, right?
I also had my final dress fitting last weekend. And (thanks to some tummy tucking undergarments) it fits! Hooray! I celebrated this major accomplishment by feasting on a platter of fried goodness and a bucket of beer (hey now, it was LIGHT beer) at Ale House. But not before my Groom-A-Saurus Rex lived up to his moniker by pitching a small (though rightly justified) fit at the bridal shop. If you’ve been reading this blog you already know that we’re not exactly “traditional” when it comes to wedding planning – GAR has taken a very active role in the process, including the wedding dress selection process and my subsequent dress fittings. He’s been there through them all, but during the last occasion they tried to kick him out of the store due to some “no boys allowed” rule another woman in the shop demanded. Simply put, GAR refused to leave … and he did put up a fuss about it. My favorite quote from him was “It’s not all about the bride! What about me? What about the groom?” Well put darling – you pave the way for underappreciated grooms everywhere! And listen up everyone for lesson #3 for the wedding: Don’t mess with the groom on his wedding day or else you’re in for a world of hurt!
We’ve also been tending to smaller details, like the seating chart (apparently people think returning those little RSVP cards that come with the wedding invite is optional … I assure you it is not), favors, centerpieces, programs, etc. And this week will be a busy one too – I’ve got my hair “trial run,” a ceremony run-through with our DJ, plus scoping out possible locations for our wedding day photos, picking up the marriage license (oh yeah, that little detail …) and so on. Which really leads me to the point here – the big lesson … the lesson for all of you to come to grips with: You’ll be seeing (err … reading) less of me. Now I know that my blog posts tend to come and go in spurts as it is … so perhaps you were prepared for this. But, yes, I will be posting less often and what I do post will be less lengthy (try not to cry yourself to sleep over that sad news). Still, I’m going to try to keep you up to date. And, of course, when our engagement photos come back in November I’ll be sure to share those as well.
It’s the final countdown …
Nevertheless I have been unable to get that song out of my head for some time now because, work projects aside, it is really is the final countdown to a lot of things … my 34th birthday (and GAR’s 35th – both happening in the next few days), our trip to Oktoberfest, college football season … but really it’s all leading up (or should I say “counting down”) to Sept. 4: Mr. & Mrs. Day.
For a few weeks now people have been asking me how many days it is to go. Until today I didn’t know. I wasn’t really keeping track. But, with us passing the 3 weeks to go milestone last weekend it seems that the time clock in my brain has started counting down days automatically for me … 20 … 19 …
And we are making progress, kind of. Last weekend we finally shot our engagement photos. What? You didn’t shoot yours 3 weeks before your “big day?” Never mind the fact that we’ve been engaged 8 months already, what are the chances our photographer will even have them ready before we’re married? Okay, so we were a little behind on that one, but it was worth it – we needed the trial run. While we have thousands of photos of us that were taken by friends, family and random strangers standing nearby famous landmarks we visited, we totally clammed up when a “pro” pulled out his fancy equipment and put in our faces (you know what I mean – get your mind out of the gutter!) Naturally all we needed to loosen up and work it for the lens Austin Power’s style was some good old fashioned liquor. Which led to lesson #2 for the wedding: Drink heavily. Hey, we’ve got to if we want the photos to look good, right?
I also had my final dress fitting last weekend. And (thanks to some tummy tucking undergarments) it fits! Hooray! I celebrated this major accomplishment by feasting on a platter of fried goodness and a bucket of beer (hey now, it was LIGHT beer) at Ale House. But not before my Groom-A-Saurus Rex lived up to his moniker by pitching a small (though rightly justified) fit at the bridal shop. If you’ve been reading this blog you already know that we’re not exactly “traditional” when it comes to wedding planning – GAR has taken a very active role in the process, including the wedding dress selection process and my subsequent dress fittings. He’s been there through them all, but during the last occasion they tried to kick him out of the store due to some “no boys allowed” rule another woman in the shop demanded. Simply put, GAR refused to leave … and he did put up a fuss about it. My favorite quote from him was “It’s not all about the bride! What about me? What about the groom?” Well put darling – you pave the way for underappreciated grooms everywhere! And listen up everyone for lesson #3 for the wedding: Don’t mess with the groom on his wedding day or else you’re in for a world of hurt!
We’ve also been tending to smaller details, like the seating chart (apparently people think returning those little RSVP cards that come with the wedding invite is optional … I assure you it is not), favors, centerpieces, programs, etc. And this week will be a busy one too – I’ve got my hair “trial run,” a ceremony run-through with our DJ, plus scoping out possible locations for our wedding day photos, picking up the marriage license (oh yeah, that little detail …) and so on. Which really leads me to the point here – the big lesson … the lesson for all of you to come to grips with: You’ll be seeing (err … reading) less of me. Now I know that my blog posts tend to come and go in spurts as it is … so perhaps you were prepared for this. But, yes, I will be posting less often and what I do post will be less lengthy (try not to cry yourself to sleep over that sad news). Still, I’m going to try to keep you up to date. And, of course, when our engagement photos come back in November I’ll be sure to share those as well.
It’s the final countdown …
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Drunk Dialing on the Equator
It’s a good thing there’s a counselor in our household because it seems there are some separation anxiety issues to work out. Wait … where is the good doctor? Where’d he go? Where’d he go? Where is he?
Or that’s what I’m assuming the dogs are saying with all the frantic barking they’ve been doing while Groom-A-Saurus Rex (GAR) is gone (yes, even MORE barking than usual). For the past 10 days they’ve been clinging to me like a sock sticks your pants with static cling even after you pull it out of the dryer and wear it to work like that, looking like a fool when you discover it during that big executive presentation. And, from what I can tell from the nuances of their dog language, they are moping. Moping, staring out the front window with desperate hope in their eyes, and generally panicking that he may never again return to tell them they’ve been a “good boy” (though, to be fair, our pups have never been very “good” so they hear that very rarely even when he is around).
But it’s not just the pups who are freaking out about GAR’s absence, I’ve had my own separation issues as well. While GAR is on day 10 of his Ecuador/Galapagos trip I’ve been left at home wondering why it is that he’s off riding giant turtles (actually that’s forbidden, but I’m betting he tried) and swimming with sea lions while I’m stuck home. WHY?
The “why” is that the college he works for apparently just hands out cash for their faculty to just go someplace exotic and “experience other cultures.” They believe that this will make their professors more worldly and cultured … I believe they’ve never met my fiancé – a guy who loves a good time but should not be given such free reign if you actually want him to come back with tangible learnings he should apply to his professing. But I digress … it’s a wonderful opportunity for him, and from the overpriced nightly international calls I get from him (there’s nothing quite like getting a late-night $15 drunk dial from the one you love) it seems that he is really having an amazing time in South America (except for that part where he got robbed at knifepoint. Always a great thing to hear your fiancé tell you from 2,000 miles away … I knew I should have Galapa-gone with him).
And I’m having a fine time back home too. I had a wonderful weekend with my girlfriends and I’ve been getting a lot of personal agenda items crossed off my “to do” list now that GAR isn't here to distract me. But it’s not nearly as much as I wanted to accomplish.
Oh, I will admit that I had planned a long list to things to get done with GAR out of the way. Not that I don’t love his company, but he’s sabotaging me! Or so I was convinced. I try to do laps in the pool – GAR cannonballs into the water with beers in his pocket for us to enjoy. I want to prepare a nice fresh salad for dinner – GAR suggests ordering a pizza. I start organizing my closet – GAR turns on the latest episode of “Project Runway” (he pretends that I’m the only one who likes that program but his constant use of the phrase “Make It Work” lets the truth shine through). Yep, with GAR out of the country for a bit I was convinced I could make up for lost time and do all the “right” things I never really get a chance to do when he’s around.
But here’s where I tell you the part you probably already knew – the real saboteur here is me.
That’s right – I’m just as unproductive as ever. Only now I have to make my own dinner, kill my own spiders (I found 2 giant hairy ones this week alone – proof, I believe, that Hank was really a “she” and has left behind some of her children in my home. *Shudder*) and provide my own sad, one-sided commentary on this week’s fashion disasters without a single witty retort backing me up. Plus, it turns out that doing laps in the pool is ... well ... boring. Where is my cannonball-delivered beer? And let's be honest, while I'm trying to devote my unending attention to all of my pups' needs, I just can't sing the "belly rub song" with as much gusto and passion as GAR. I'm not fooling them - they know my off-key version is a poor dog's substitute for the real deal.
Okay, so maybe I can just admit that the reason I rarely do the "right" things with my time is because I’d rather be spending time with all of my boys – GAR and both the pups – than doing anything else.
And we’re all (yes, I’m speaking for the dogs here as well) ready for the missing piece of our household to get his Ecu-adorable butt back home. We South Ameri-can’t wait any longer! Thankfully our separation anxiety is finally coming to an end – GAR is coming home in a few hours. Maybe I still have time to organize my closet before then? Nah … who am I kidding? I’ve got a date with some fluffy four-legged friends and the other man in my life – Jon Stewart.
Or that’s what I’m assuming the dogs are saying with all the frantic barking they’ve been doing while Groom-A-Saurus Rex (GAR) is gone (yes, even MORE barking than usual). For the past 10 days they’ve been clinging to me like a sock sticks your pants with static cling even after you pull it out of the dryer and wear it to work like that, looking like a fool when you discover it during that big executive presentation. And, from what I can tell from the nuances of their dog language, they are moping. Moping, staring out the front window with desperate hope in their eyes, and generally panicking that he may never again return to tell them they’ve been a “good boy” (though, to be fair, our pups have never been very “good” so they hear that very rarely even when he is around).
But it’s not just the pups who are freaking out about GAR’s absence, I’ve had my own separation issues as well. While GAR is on day 10 of his Ecuador/Galapagos trip I’ve been left at home wondering why it is that he’s off riding giant turtles (actually that’s forbidden, but I’m betting he tried) and swimming with sea lions while I’m stuck home. WHY?
The “why” is that the college he works for apparently just hands out cash for their faculty to just go someplace exotic and “experience other cultures.” They believe that this will make their professors more worldly and cultured … I believe they’ve never met my fiancé – a guy who loves a good time but should not be given such free reign if you actually want him to come back with tangible learnings he should apply to his professing. But I digress … it’s a wonderful opportunity for him, and from the overpriced nightly international calls I get from him (there’s nothing quite like getting a late-night $15 drunk dial from the one you love) it seems that he is really having an amazing time in South America (except for that part where he got robbed at knifepoint. Always a great thing to hear your fiancé tell you from 2,000 miles away … I knew I should have Galapa-gone with him).
And I’m having a fine time back home too. I had a wonderful weekend with my girlfriends and I’ve been getting a lot of personal agenda items crossed off my “to do” list now that GAR isn't here to distract me. But it’s not nearly as much as I wanted to accomplish.
Oh, I will admit that I had planned a long list to things to get done with GAR out of the way. Not that I don’t love his company, but he’s sabotaging me! Or so I was convinced. I try to do laps in the pool – GAR cannonballs into the water with beers in his pocket for us to enjoy. I want to prepare a nice fresh salad for dinner – GAR suggests ordering a pizza. I start organizing my closet – GAR turns on the latest episode of “Project Runway” (he pretends that I’m the only one who likes that program but his constant use of the phrase “Make It Work” lets the truth shine through). Yep, with GAR out of the country for a bit I was convinced I could make up for lost time and do all the “right” things I never really get a chance to do when he’s around.
But here’s where I tell you the part you probably already knew – the real saboteur here is me.
That’s right – I’m just as unproductive as ever. Only now I have to make my own dinner, kill my own spiders (I found 2 giant hairy ones this week alone – proof, I believe, that Hank was really a “she” and has left behind some of her children in my home. *Shudder*) and provide my own sad, one-sided commentary on this week’s fashion disasters without a single witty retort backing me up. Plus, it turns out that doing laps in the pool is ... well ... boring. Where is my cannonball-delivered beer? And let's be honest, while I'm trying to devote my unending attention to all of my pups' needs, I just can't sing the "belly rub song" with as much gusto and passion as GAR. I'm not fooling them - they know my off-key version is a poor dog's substitute for the real deal.
Okay, so maybe I can just admit that the reason I rarely do the "right" things with my time is because I’d rather be spending time with all of my boys – GAR and both the pups – than doing anything else.
And we’re all (yes, I’m speaking for the dogs here as well) ready for the missing piece of our household to get his Ecu-adorable butt back home. We South Ameri-can’t wait any longer! Thankfully our separation anxiety is finally coming to an end – GAR is coming home in a few hours. Maybe I still have time to organize my closet before then? Nah … who am I kidding? I’ve got a date with some fluffy four-legged friends and the other man in my life – Jon Stewart.
Monday, August 8, 2011
How To Get Away With Murder
How I managed to murder 2 people this weekend without even knowing it is beyond me. But, when they carted me off in those handcuffs, it became clear that I certainly must have been the culprit. And so, here is my mock confession – a la OJ Simpson “If I did It” style (he also claims to have killed two people and, yet, have no memory of it at all). Keep in mind this is all hypothetical, of course.
First I recalibrated the headphones belonging to my rock star boyfriend, Poison, so that it would shock him to death the next time he used them (a little trick I learned from my many years working with sound equipment as a singing diva myself). Unfortunately it wasn’t Poison who used the headphones – it was his (and MY) manager. Bummer. I killed the wrong guy. Which meant my lying, cheating boyfriend got to live. But, I did manage to stab the floozy he was cheating on me with to death with a spork. And I was thankful for the small victory, but not for long. Soon I was caught – found out – exposed. And I could have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for that meddling kid … and those dogs too. Ultimately I was brought down by the evidence presented by a 4-year-old girl. Oh the shame! But, thankfully (like all the famous killers in the media), I got off easy … maybe all they had on me was circumstantial evidence? Perhaps there was some reasonable doubt in the jury’s mind? In either case, I only had to spend a few minutes in cuffs before being whisked away to a night of partying Casey Anthony style.
What’s this all about? I’m talking about my 1980s themed Murder Mystery Bridal Shower of course. And it was, like, totally rad.
Over the years I have attended many a bridal shower and have, lovingly, pretended to go along with all the cheesetastic games that come along with them. And while I do see how having activities at an event is crucial, especially when you’re bringing together people who may or may not know each other so well, I’m so glad that my amazing bridesmaids decided to do something a little more “out of the box” for my shower. And since it was my big day I got to be the killer … and apparently thanked my sister for this honor by ramming plastic utensils into her chest. But of course it was all pretend – a fitting flashback to the “real” 1980s, when sis and I used to perform in all sorts of corny hometown plays featuring similar content. In fact, it was my sister’s love of acting that allowed her to make friends with the owner of The Murder Mystery Company, who carefully crafted the plot and outlined the roles each of my friends would play in the mystery we were asked to solve – roles that ranged from a kleptomaniac to a doctor, hippie, supermodel, photojournalist and more … and each came with a ridiculous outfit (though, to be fair, with our teased hair, jelly bracelets and loud neon 80s clothing it was hard to make us look MORE ridiculous). But everyone was a good sport about it – even those who would have preferred that we stuck to traditional fare like bridal bingo and making a wedding dress out of toilet paper (games which, to my pleasure, were left off the agenda).
We did, however, stick to tradition for the “bachelorette party” portion of the evening – heading out to the bars for a ladies night out. We had dinner at the Hard Rock Café, naturally, where they really did treat us like actual 80s rock stars, showing us up to the VIP room full of rare Beatles paraphernalia and a grand piano autographed by 52 musicians. Then we partied like it was 1999 … or, errr … 1989 at a variety of clubs, played a rousing drinking game that, oddly enough, involved a bingo card, took attitude from a surly waiter at a dueling piano bar and made friends with some guys who just happened to find the sunglasses we lost earlier that evening. Oh and, of course, what sort of 80s party would it be if I didn’t make like Debbie Gibson (or perhaps a band just a smidge more hard core than Electric Youth) and sing my own version (and I can assure you it sounded very little like the original so it really was my own version) of a rock song – karaoke style. And, naturally, I got the full rock star treatment with backup singers, live guitarists and a drummer to give me a little oomph up on stage while I croaked out Kiss’ “Rock n’ Roll All Night.” And, yeah, I even worked out some sweet dance moves as well (which really just means I jumped up and down while screaming “You keep on shouting! You keep on shouting!!”) Let me tell you, this is how I should always roll – with a full rock band backing me up. But mostly because if they can play/sing louder than me it would really help me to sound less terrible.
Sadly, try as they might, they couldn’t top the high decibels at which I massacred that song. But I did have one poor fella fist pumping up at the stage the whole time. I can only assume he was deaf … but I appreciated his support nonetheless. Of course, I got lots of encouragement from my own “entourage” of friends as well. And that was really the point of it all.
That said, it took a bit of liquid courage to get me up there in the first place … and Sunday morning was not my friend. Binging like a 80s rock star does have its downside. But, hey, I wanted to rock and roll all night – it’s just that my body disagreed that I should also be able to party every day. I wouldn’t trade a minute of it though – it was truly a blast and I am so lucky to have such wonderful friends to go along with all of this nonsense for me. Here a just a few photos of the fantastic ladies I’m lucky enough to have in my life.
First I recalibrated the headphones belonging to my rock star boyfriend, Poison, so that it would shock him to death the next time he used them (a little trick I learned from my many years working with sound equipment as a singing diva myself). Unfortunately it wasn’t Poison who used the headphones – it was his (and MY) manager. Bummer. I killed the wrong guy. Which meant my lying, cheating boyfriend got to live. But, I did manage to stab the floozy he was cheating on me with to death with a spork. And I was thankful for the small victory, but not for long. Soon I was caught – found out – exposed. And I could have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for that meddling kid … and those dogs too. Ultimately I was brought down by the evidence presented by a 4-year-old girl. Oh the shame! But, thankfully (like all the famous killers in the media), I got off easy … maybe all they had on me was circumstantial evidence? Perhaps there was some reasonable doubt in the jury’s mind? In either case, I only had to spend a few minutes in cuffs before being whisked away to a night of partying Casey Anthony style.
What’s this all about? I’m talking about my 1980s themed Murder Mystery Bridal Shower of course. And it was, like, totally rad.
Over the years I have attended many a bridal shower and have, lovingly, pretended to go along with all the cheesetastic games that come along with them. And while I do see how having activities at an event is crucial, especially when you’re bringing together people who may or may not know each other so well, I’m so glad that my amazing bridesmaids decided to do something a little more “out of the box” for my shower. And since it was my big day I got to be the killer … and apparently thanked my sister for this honor by ramming plastic utensils into her chest. But of course it was all pretend – a fitting flashback to the “real” 1980s, when sis and I used to perform in all sorts of corny hometown plays featuring similar content. In fact, it was my sister’s love of acting that allowed her to make friends with the owner of The Murder Mystery Company, who carefully crafted the plot and outlined the roles each of my friends would play in the mystery we were asked to solve – roles that ranged from a kleptomaniac to a doctor, hippie, supermodel, photojournalist and more … and each came with a ridiculous outfit (though, to be fair, with our teased hair, jelly bracelets and loud neon 80s clothing it was hard to make us look MORE ridiculous). But everyone was a good sport about it – even those who would have preferred that we stuck to traditional fare like bridal bingo and making a wedding dress out of toilet paper (games which, to my pleasure, were left off the agenda).
We did, however, stick to tradition for the “bachelorette party” portion of the evening – heading out to the bars for a ladies night out. We had dinner at the Hard Rock Café, naturally, where they really did treat us like actual 80s rock stars, showing us up to the VIP room full of rare Beatles paraphernalia and a grand piano autographed by 52 musicians. Then we partied like it was 1999 … or, errr … 1989 at a variety of clubs, played a rousing drinking game that, oddly enough, involved a bingo card, took attitude from a surly waiter at a dueling piano bar and made friends with some guys who just happened to find the sunglasses we lost earlier that evening. Oh and, of course, what sort of 80s party would it be if I didn’t make like Debbie Gibson (or perhaps a band just a smidge more hard core than Electric Youth) and sing my own version (and I can assure you it sounded very little like the original so it really was my own version) of a rock song – karaoke style. And, naturally, I got the full rock star treatment with backup singers, live guitarists and a drummer to give me a little oomph up on stage while I croaked out Kiss’ “Rock n’ Roll All Night.” And, yeah, I even worked out some sweet dance moves as well (which really just means I jumped up and down while screaming “You keep on shouting! You keep on shouting!!”) Let me tell you, this is how I should always roll – with a full rock band backing me up. But mostly because if they can play/sing louder than me it would really help me to sound less terrible.
My amazing Bridesmaids, who were wonderful enough to throw this party for me (Note: No, the pup is not in the wedding party and yes, he is bitter about it)
My killer costume included a sweet old school NKOTB hat.
Stace is calling me out as the killer.
The Doctor and the 4-year-old girl who presented the evidence that did me in.
Love the dreds ;)
My "boyfriend" and the floozy I had to murder (who just also happens to be my sister)
The Supermodel (don't they all wear hats like this?) and largest glasses I have ever seen!
No darling, I wasn't "punking" you - everyone really did show up wearing 80s clothing
Extra points for legwarmers!
Group shot at Hard Rock
That's right - we're in the VIP suite
The VIP area also offered this balcony with a fantastic view of CityWalk
I believe we are dancing ... kinda
Lose your glasses, never fear - you'll find this guy wearing them a few hours later!
I think this drink was really the turning point over to the dark side
I'm so glad Sis recovered to that spork to the chest
The glasses were really a key theme of the evening
These photos are clearly out of order because, let me assure you, we shut this place down (no daylight as we were leaving)!
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