It's Always Sunny in...Seattle???

Tomboy Bride update - May 27, 2010 (or whatever day Thursday was): Bryan and I are in Portland, Oregon tonight. Bryan is upset with me as we are getting up in a few hours but I just had to post this blog!!! (It would've been up if the rates to get on the internet in Vancouver weren't about $5 per 15 minutes!)

We are ready for Bryan's cousin BJ's incredible wedding weekend, but I did write this blog Wednesday morning and needed to post it complete with pictures! I will post another update possibly tomorrow evening (depending on how late into the night the rehearsal dinner party goes). So far, here's Seattle...enjoy!

Good morning from Vancouver, British Columbia! Today marks our first day in Canada and we are ready to go out and explore! I wanted to write a blog to catch everyone up and to keep a running diary for my Mom so she knows I’m still alive and kickin since my phone is off (I’m not paying international rates, sorry, Mom!) This is a long one – complete with pictures and everything! - so I hope the writing is good enough to keep you riveted!!!

If you are wondering, we are not on our honeymoon! Ironically, the Pacific Northwest was one of the places we had discussed when we first got engaged – not that we have a destination picked out yet for the actual honeymoon. I have always wanted to travel throughout this part of the country (Hello, the land of Pearl Jam!) so when Bryan and I were invited to attend his cousin Ben’s wedding in The Dalles, Oregon (which is this upcoming Saturday), we jumped at the chance to extend our stay and do some exploring!

I was not ready to leave Seattle at all yesterday as it seems a person can spend a month there and still not run out of places to go and things to see. It has been quite an adventure so far, so we’ll consider this the Seattle blog, then hopefully Thursday evening I’ll have some time and energy to blog Vancouver. So here goes:

We arrived on Saturday afternoon with my Pearl Jam tote bag in tow. We got up at 4:30am Eastern time for our 8:20am flight out of Atlanta. Why so early, you ask? Well, we had to drop our puppy Maggie off at Jon and Sonia’s, we made egg sandwiches to-go; there was, of course last minute packing, and we were relying on MARTA (Atlanta’s equivalent of SEPTA) to get us to the airport on time. Shockingly, we were incredibly time-efficient and had no problem keeping to our intended schedule.

The flight was fantastic although, if you know me, you know I can not sleep on airplanes regardless of how long the flight is. Usually it’s because I’m terrified, but this time it was just plain lack-of-comfort that kept me from getting any zzzzz’s. We arrived in Seattle and immediately Bryan was chomping at the bit to start touring state parks. I, on the other hand, was not aware of this intention and protested due to the fact that I was wearing a long dress (and sandals! – I thought we’d at least go to the hotel or to eat first!). Needless to say, I threw on a long-sleeved t-shirt, switched out my sandals for sneakers, put on some make-up in the car (I didn’t know where else we were gonna go!) and yes, in my dress, did a 2.4 mile loop through Seward Park which was absolutely beautiful!!! The weather was sunny and slightly windy, but perfect (These first two pictures are from this location including those incredible lily pads!).

Next, we went to eat at an Irish Pub for no other reason than I was hungry and it was there. Bryan has actually been to this particular chain before (it’s called The Elephant and the Castle…or something) in San Francisco, so unfortunately, this was not a Seattle-specific experience. But it was food and I was happy. I also chose one of the 600 Starbucks locations along the way back to the hotel to get my first Caramel Macchiato fix of the trip.

Once we got back to the hotel, I needed a one-hour nap before I was going to be physically able to do anything else – and my intention was to power my way through the rest of the night! We decided to take in a Seattle Mariners game after we got ready. What a fun time! Safeco Park is quite nice and literally, right next to Qwest Field (the Seattle Seahawks stadium). One thing that cracked me up about the crowd – the M’s were playing the Padres – was that, down 2-0, people started booing. And loudly! Where was I? Philadelphia? But honestly, 2-0??? Did I miss something? Granted, there were some errors which led to one run (the other was a Matt Stairs solo homer…I didn’t even know he was on the Padres now, oops!), but 2 runs can be made up in the blink of an eye!

Bryan and I looked up (yes, on his blackberry) the Mariners record and realized the problem: the Mariners are terrible. So yes, maybe that 2^nd run was a nail in the coffin. Oh, I remember those days with the Phils! But boy, do these people love their Ichiro!!! Honestly, for a stinky team, they had a pretty big, and vocal, crowd. It was so much fun! If you’re wondering, we did try the “legendary Garlic fries” from Grounders. They were, in my opinion, just allright…A little greasy for my taste and I smelled like garlic for the remainder of the trip, no joke.

Afterwards, Bryan and I were undecided on where to continue our evening. I had visions of dancing the night away listening to some Pearl Jam-like rock band in a cool venue. While I knew the names and locations of said venues, when we drove by places, nothing appeared to be going on. It’s Saturday night, people! All kidding aside, Bryan and I drove around the city for about a half-hour in search of people and found limited selection. After this hour of sitting in the car (we spent another half-hour searching for parking that didn’t cost a month’s rent), I declared that I am, in fact, old and needed to go to bed (nevermind I had been up for almost 24 hours minus my one-hour nap!).

The lilypads in Seward Park and below, me at the fabulous Showbox!!!

Bryan and I at Pike Place Market, Bryan posing with the Fremont Troll; me at the huge Wall of Gum!, and finally, me rocking out with Jimi Hendrix!

Below, to the left is me paying my respects at Kurt Cobain's house; Bryan and I at the Space Needle; then a few pics of Discovery Park.

Sunday morning, Bryan and I walked down to Pike Place Market. We watched the guys throw fish; we stopped to eat at a little place called the Sound View Café where I had an incredible Seafood omelette; we bought some goodies including a cookie that claims to be the World’s Best (it was pretty darn good! However, it was $3.75, so it only makes sense that there was about an entire bag of chocolate chips in this thing – that’s my kind of cookie!). Afterwards, we were in search of the First Starbucks location when we passed the legendary concert venue, The Showbox (Pearl Jam has played here, so of course it’s legendary to me). The marquis said: May 23 – The Ten Club Rock n Art…what?? For those of you who don’t know, The Ten Club is Pearl Jam’s fan club – which, of course, I am a member of! Did someone alert The Ten Club to my visit? I look and see a line of people, so immediately, I ask: “What is going on?” I was told that the artists who draw the Pearl Jam concert posters were having a convention of sorts. Then the line started moving! I’m going in! It was a free event where they were GIVING OUT Pearl Jam goodies!! In fact, they were giving out the Pearl Jam bag I had been carrying around (thinking I looked like a TOTAL Tourist Nerd) filled with posters of the band, vinyl singles of The Fixer/Supersonic (cuts off of Backspacer, their latest album). Incredible.

If I couldn’t stay up late enough to go to a rock show, at least I got to go in The Showbox!

After this thrill, we came upon a Starbucks where scores of people were taking pictures. “Oh, is this the first one?” I asked a photo-snapper. “I…think so,” he said. Hmmm….I think so is not good enough for me. I went inside and asked another couple, “Is this the First Starbucks?” “We think so,” they told me. WHAT THE HECK, PEOPLE?! So I asked a barista and was told the First Starbucks was several blocks away. Bryan and I went back on our search. When we found the First Starbucks, there was a cool band playing outside of it…surrounded by approximately 6,000 people, most of whom were in some semblance of a line. I came, I saw, I decided to caffeinate elsewhere….but not before sticking the chewy confection in my mouth on this GIANT WALL OF GUM!!! This was slightly disgusting, yet fascinating!

After more shopping in Pike Place, we headed back to the car and ventured over to the Jimi Hendrix Statue where we posed for pictures with the legend. Next, we went to Magnuson Park in search of the Sound Garden. Two things: a.) if you’re keeping up with my music-themed journey, I wanted a picture of this sign – this is where the band, Soundgarden, got their name, and b.) the Sound Garden is actually an art installation of various-sized pipes through which the wind blows creating some cool sounds. Bryan and I drove around Magnuson Park, asked multiple people, parked the car and walked around…we could not find this Sound Garden. We were told by one guy flying a kite that due to security measures, you might not even be able to get to it anymore but on especially windy days you can hear it from pretty far away. WHAT, I can not go to the Sound Garden? Grrrrr. Defeated, we left without a picture of the Sound Garden sign.

Next, we went to Fremont Troll (which is a landmark that has been featured in movies including the CLASSIC “10 Things I Hate About You”. After pictures with the Troll, we went to Gas Works Park where we were easily able to get the best view of the city skyline we had seen so far. Then, we made the pilgrimage I had been waiting for – to Kurt Cobain’s house. Finally, we ate on the Seattle Waterfront at a place called Ivar’s which my Dad had actually suggested to me on the phone upon my arrival. The seafood at this place was AMAZING. In fact, I don’t know if I can ever eat seafood again in Atlanta. It was so fresh. Bryan, who doesn’t eat shrimp, was eating shrimp!!!

We spent our last day, again, eating at Pike Place Market. This time it was Lowell’s which boasts 3 floors of waterfront views (we decided to sit on the 3^rd floor!). The breakfast at this place was also phenomenal. It’s a food paradise at the Pike Place Market. Then we headed to the Space Needle which, I was a little apprehensive about (planes fly right by it!), but it was totally worth it. We spent 2 hours there! Finally, we went to Discovery Park where we did an “easy to moderate” 2.8 mile hike. Easy to moderate, my butt!!! I would consider Bryan and I two individuals that are in decent shape. We were both huffing and puffing through certain parts of this hike. Needless to say, we concluded that “easy to moderate” hiking is different in the Pacific Northwest compared to the East Coast. Easy to moderate here means difficult to strenuous to us. Despite the challenge of the hike (which I actually really enjoyed!...Plus it made me feel a little less guilty for all those goodies I ate from PPM then proceeded to wash down with sugared-up coffee drinks from Starbucks), the views and scenery of this hike were also totally worth it. There are beaches and cliffs and meadows that are just phenomenal.

That brings us to today, a day on which I woke up next to a mountain and a waterfront – and yes, I am in a hotel room. The Pacific Northwest is so cool! I have NO idea what is in store for us in Vancouver. I already have an interesting story about us coming into the city last night, but I’ll save it for the opening of the next blog. So Mom, this is the run-down since I’ve only gotten to talk to you briefly here and there through the whole trip. We have not stopped moving! It is time for breakfast and, hopefully, some more hiking. Until next time!

Taking the plunge

Talking about running the gamut of highs and lows over the past 24 hours, we've got lots to catch up on! I hope you've got a good chunk of time to read up on my adventures!

#1 - Our first official planning session at the Payne-Corley House was last evening. Have I told you lately how much I love this place? Because I really do. Every time I walk into it, I just feel so at-ease. It really is our place and the perfect venue for us. It's funny, I thought I had everything about the ceremony set in my head...until Krista started asking us questions. And I was surprised at how many times I wanted Bryan's opinion (I know - I asked for it!!). I was more surprised at how many times Bryan didn't have one! Maybe he just wasn't prepared for me to actually ask?

Krista: Are the bridesmaids going to walk down the aisle by themselves or escorted by a groomsman?
Me: I like it either way, do you have a preference, honey?
Bryan: Uhhhhh.....can I decide later?

Krista: Are you going to have programs?
Me: YES!!!
Krista: Where are they going to be? Are you going to have someone handing them out? Do you want them on the chairs?
Me: I like the idea of someone handing them out. What do you think, honey?
Bryan: Uhhhh....I hadn't thought about that.


Anyways, there were things we had definite answers to and some things we still have to think about. We set up the timing on everything throughout the ceremony and reception. I think things will run along very smoothly. As we were talking, Krista even offered an extra half-hour for us to keep dancing the night away! So our reception is now officially from 7:30pm - midnight!


We did settle on the menu and I don't want to give everything away, but there will be three choices for guests (chicken, salmon, and a vegetarian option). You'll have to let me know ahead of time on your response cards (or else I pick for you - mwahahahaha!) Just kidding, actually, I'll probably just call and harrass you about what you want to eat. These things are important to me!


Our session was extremely productive and I'm so happy with how it went. The rehearsal is going to be at 6:00pm on Thursday for everyone in the wedding. Then the rehearsal dinner for bridal party and all out-of-town guests will begin at 7:00 pm at a place that is yet to be determined (I know, I know - that's our next project!).


#2 - Moving along (because I really could go on about Payne-Corley all day)...today, I went back to my nemesis - otherwise known as David's Bridal. This was fun. I thought I was going to simply order the bridesmaid dresses with the sizing information I had gotten from the bridesmaids themselves (since David's didn't record sizes the last time everyone was there). I tried to make this as simple as possible. I printed out an Excel spreadsheet that listed each Bridesmaid's name, size, the style number and color of the dress. The last two are all the same, so this shouldn't be hard, but my gosh, I have zero faith in them at this point.


I was informed they've recently, as of this week, gone to a new system where rather than relying on traditional sizes, they use actual measurements. The manager encouraged me to ask the bridesmaids to return to David's for another fitting. I'm not quite sure what she was smoking before she came to work, but there is NO WAY I was sending anyone back to the store a third time. Really? Cleverly, she converted the sizes to measurements from a chart. But let's be honest, this could go any way - tie-dye dresses, oversized dresses, who knows.

What was even better was the news that there was no way to lengthen Bridesmaid Lindsay's dress even though I was told in JANUARY this was absolutely do-able. This is not a typo - we began this process with David's in JANUARY. (The M.O.B. has since asked me how I thought it was possible to lengthen a dress, and I GET IT; but this blog's namesake is after a Tomboy that knows nothing about sewing or alterations!). The manager suggested I get the dresses cut tea-length. You should've seen me stifle the words that wanted to come out of my mouth. Some dresses apparently can be ordered extra-long, but this isn't one of those dresses.

Again, information that would've been appreciated in JANUARY!!!

To add insult to injury, the delivery date on these dresses is AUGUST. THREE MONTHS!? We had previously been told eight weeks. Fabulous. Oh, David's, I don't know how you're still in business. But, please, don't jack this up. I'd threaten a visit to your corporate offices if I thought anyone actually worked there.

#3 - After a stressful visit to David's, I strolled over to La Belle Weddings (http://www.labelleweddings.com/). Talk about night and day experiences. I had called La Belle on my way up to David's since I knew it was in the same area (they're actually in the same strip mall!). The associate I worked with, Tanya, was awesome. I told her all about my invitation hang-ups. That I haven't really liked anything I've seen so far after looking at thousands of invites, but I'm looking for something elegant with a dang monogram on it. I gave her a swatch from David's and she picked out the perfect invitation. It's simple, classic, integrates our theme and colors. Done. Oh, wait, I have to bring Bryan in to get approval. She offered to let me look through her millions of other invitation books. No, I like it. I'm good. No muss, no fuss. I think Bryan will love it, too! I'm aiming to get them ordered within the next month after we get back from our fantastic Pearl Jam excursion and another Hoey wedding (the 4th within one year!)


I opened up the floodgates by asking about the other services at La Belle. They do EVERYTHING! This is a one-stop shop: invitations, flowers, decor, guest books, linens. I was in Heaven. Of course Abby is doing our flowers (www.abbysfloraldesigns.com) and we're super happy with her work so far!!! I definitely think La Belle may be able to put little extra touches into the wedding that would also be great as well. Now I've just gotta convince Bryan we need more pine cones!!!

Final thoughts of the day as I head off to the gym: yes, I know I said I would give commentary on the physique I'm hoping to have for our nuptials. I could go on and on about this, but it comes down to this: whenever my thighs are getting too close for comfort...you know...to each other...that's usually my body telling me to lay off the chocolate. I never thought this was something I'd be even remotely vain about, but I'm realizing that we're spending thousands of dollars for someone to take pictures of us and thousands of dollars on all the things we'll be surrounded by and...well, hot damn, I want to look good!

After eating like a champ the last few weeks with parties and birthdays and showers and visits home...oh my, do I need to cut back a bit! I don't know if I've just gotten carried away or if my body is starting to realize how old it actually is and rebel just a tad. Don't get me wrong, I don't think I'm grossly out-of-shape and I should clarify that I don't equate looking good with necessarily being skinny (because honestly, I actually like to have a little curve to rock my wedding dress!) but Peachtree Road Race season is upon us and I'd like to really run this thing! Usually I'm out there kind of hanging out and having a good time, I'll run comfortably. I think I'll turn it around and actually look at running as training! Let's see what these old bones can do!

Until next time...

Back to the drawing board

I arrived safely back in Atlanta on Sunday afternoon after a fun-filled weekend in North Carolina at Bridesmaid Tami’s place. Along with the great trek from Springfield back to Atlanta came the transport of the shower gifts I received in February…or should I say, the first batch.
I thought I’d share the random thoughts that ran through my head on the 8.5 hour (Springfield to Fayetteville) then the 5.5 hour (Fayetteville to Atlanta) rides home:

1.) Dear Jodi Picoult, You Rock! How is every book you write AWESOME?!
2.) Dear Crock Pot, I don’t know your current whereabouts, but know that I’m thinking of you. We will be together soon enough!!
3.) Dear Bridal Shower gifts that I have gotten so far, I love you. It’s hard to stare at you and not tear your packaging open, but for the good of my relationship, I resist.
4.) Dear Book Club, I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you today. I hope you relished enough Nutella for me, as well.
5.) Dear Fine China, Your debut will be this holiday season starting with Thanksgiving. The countdown is on.

The rest of the time I entertained myself by talking to Maggie or singing my lungs out. Luckily, the ride was beautiful and free of any bad weather (with the exception of a few showers moving through the South). Interestingly, it was also on the ride home that Bryan and I (I know, I know, I’m not supposed to be on the phone – I’m usually pretty good with this!) decided on the offer we were going to make to the sellers of the Suwanee house we had been lusting after. Bryan communicated with our realtor and got the offer in yesterday. The deadline? 1pm today. The outcome? Not good. Turns out almost simultaneously another family put in an offer which was both higher than our’s and cold-hard cash. Bummer. So we are back to the drawing board and will be spending this evening pouring over new listings in the same area and slightly northwards of Suwanee. I am hopeful that this first house just wasn’t the right house for us and that our house is waiting for us somewhere!

When I got home yesterday, Bryan had run off to the gym and returned with two bunches of flowers especially for yours truly. It was very sweet. We spent the evening watching Dexter (which we had rented from Blockbuster – fascinating show!) and checking in on the Phillies and the Flyers.

This week is a big one – we have our first preparation meeting at the Payne-Corley House tomorrow evening with our coordinator, Krista. I am STOKED for this. We’ll get to nail down a.) our menu, b.) the timing of events throughout the wedding, and c.) other logistics. Before June 1st, I have several other goals: order bridesmaid dresses (ASAP!), figure out what we want to do about invitations, and arrange our transportation for our wedding weekend. Yes, this is all while still house-hunting. Saturday, we’ll be off to the Pacific Northwest! I absolutely can not wait! I have never been: first stop – Seattle! I plan on blogging at some points during the trip, so everyone will still be up-to-date.

I do have several other things on my mind, one thing in particular I have been anxious to blog about and that’s getting back in shape. I have an entire dissertation on this topic in my mind and I am prepared to share the experience of getting physically ready for the wedding – especially since at the beginning of the process, I promised I would not even THINK about worrying about such a thing. But the time has come, so I think that’s a blog for another day. Right now, I’ve gotta get dinner finished up as Bryan will be home shortly. Check back in on me on Wednesday!

Down, down, do your dance

What a phenomenal week. Aside from the rain, my visit to Pennsylvania couldn't have been any better. It's been extremely relaxing and I've gotten lots of time to spend with my friends and family. Monday, I headed over to Neumann for a little reunion with my undergraduate advisor and I got to see some other faculty and staff that made my years there completely wonderful. Afterwards, I grabbed some lunch with Jim and Greg, then Monday evening I got to watch my Mom, Dad, and brother in action coaching girls softball. Well, even better, I got to participate (I guess I know a thing or two about the sport!). Tuesday I was able to get some dinner with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Gen. After that, Jim and I attempted to watch the Phillies over at my favorite local watering hole, only to find out the game was cancelled due to bad weather in Colorado. Wednesday, Bridesmaid Mrs. Smith and I met up for a great Indian lunch! Later in the afternoon, I caught up with another old friend, Mary Kate! Wednesday night, my Mom and I had dinner together then went over to visit my Aunt Claire. Is your head spinning yet?? It's been amazing how many people I've gotten to see in a short visit!

Finally, today, my Dad and I ventured over to Friendly's for lunch which really means ice cream. The food prior to the ice cream is really just a formality.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae = Heaven.

Over lunch, we talked at length about the music for the wedding ceremony. My father is, of course, nothing short of a classical music expert. I think you'll like what we've chosen. I don't want to give too much away with respect to music which is why I haven't written much about it. Music is something that's very integral to my relationship with Bryan (I still don't know grammatically if I could also say: Bryan and I's relationship? Bryan and my relationship? me and Bryan's?...Nicole, help me, here!).

We've got some special selections planned throughout our entire event that really reflect us. Overall, the only information I will give is this because it's safe and doesn't give away any surprises: For those of you who hate the organized line-dances, you're gonna have to suck it up for me. I want EVERYONE doing the Cupid Shuffle.

I am sad to leave PA tomorrow, but I do get to head to Tami's in North Carolina for the weekend which I'm really excited about. I also get to make the trek down with my amazing shower gifts in tow. This now means I'll get to stare at the still-boxed Keurig every morning as I attempt to caffeinate myself with coffee that doesn't quite compare (my little Coffeemate is not doing it for me anymore - half the time I find grounds in my cup!). This weekend will also hopefully yield some more information with respect to moving forward on our favorite Suwanee house. As things become more concrete, I'll relay information. Right now, I'm just entirely too superstitious.

I'm getting closer and closer to making a decision on DIY-invitations versus having them made. I've seen some really cute DIY-invites and I think it could be a fun summer project depending on what my work schedule is like. We have some other things to take care of in the next month or so: first things first, Bryan's still gotta go pick out tuxes!!! We still haven't made any decisions on a rehearsal dinner venue, but we're getting warmer there too. We need to maximize our time this week because we have an incredible trip out West coming up!

Dad and I just finished watching Happy Gilmore. Now it's time for some Pineapple Express - the movie not the....well, if you saw the movie, you know. Not that! We're just watching the movie, people. Nothing illegal going on over here! Enjoy your weekend and look for an update next week!

A day late...

I know, I've been a very bad blogger. Totally unreliable. I hope that you, the reader(s?) can forgive me. Let me preface by saying last week was INSANITY! First and foremost, Bryan and I are getting ready to put a bid in on a house. We actually had seen it on individual trips last week (Bryan, while I was at the Bridal Shower and then I went to see it on Tuesday - that house was included on looking at 10 other houses on each of those days). We are in love with this particular house in Suwanee (I know, I know, I have to be ready to walk away if things fall through), and this resulted in Saturday turning into a marathon tutoring session with an AP Biology student followed by another trip over to this house to look at and talk about every feature, every pro, every con, everything. Nevertheless during the week, aside from just house-hunting in general, was the normal rounds of tutoring and the lab has been busier than usual since we're getting ready to MOVE it - down the street. But it's been alot of packing and running around. I've been exhausted. What better way to cure exhaustion than to promise a big Mother's Day blog after a 12-hour drive?

Why a 12-hour drive, you say? Well, in addition to all the craziness last week I was also trying to prepare to leave Atlanta to come home on Sunday. While this was the original plan, I usually stop at Tami's place in North Carolina to both visit with her and break up the trip - which wouldve put me in Springfield on Monday (today). I decided, however, to try to do the whole trip on Sunday in order to attempt to surprise my Mom for Mother's Day. So I kept up the guise of "I'll be in NC on Sunday, then I'll see you Monday" My Dad and brother were in on the surprise and it worked; it was awesome! But I digress....the drive took 12 hours and was followed by a fantastic dinner cooked by Mom and Dad. My brother and Bridesmaid Melissa came over and we all got to spend time together. After dinner, I was high on allergy meds (what is going ON with your pollen count up here, people!?!) and delirious from being just plain tired. Rather than write a blog (which would've been incomprehensible but possibly entertaining), I fell asleep.

So I sincerely apologize for this Mother's Day announcement a day late.

That being said - ARE YOU READY?!?!??

Oh, and let me preface: some of you already know this news. If you already know, just realize it's the first time I'm acknowledging this on my blog. I have been waiting to divulge the information in a blog dedicated solely to this announcement.

If you've been following our cast of wedding characters (being that obviously, this blog reads like Shakespeare), you know that you've got:
Bryan and I,
the M.O.B. = Mother of the Bride, my Mom;
the future-M.I.L. = Mother-in-law, Bryan's Mom;
M.O.H. Nicole = Maid of Honor;
and Bridesmaids Lindsay G., Mrs. Smith, Melissa, Tami, and Tatum.
There are ALOT of people that are contributing to this wedding and the happiness surrounding everything, but I usually refer to them by their full names so there's no real aliases going on there (for example, Aunt Claire, my dress guru and the Zaccarellis and Zaccarelli-McMullins, Champion Fine China-gift-givers and the first ones to book their hotel rooms!).

So Bridesmaid Mrs. Smith IMed me a few months ago on g-chat and asked if we could talk, was I busy? I was about to get an ACT Science class underway so I told her I'd have to call her in a few hours, what was going on? And she told me: SHE'S EXPECTING!!! She continued that her due date is October 3rd. She will either have just given birth or will be waiting to give birth when she would've been travelling for the wedding. That being said, Mrs. Smith will not be physically at the wedding. She hoped I wasn't mad. Mad?? That is the happiest news I've ever heard!!!

Am I bummed about that fact? Sure. But I'm so much more excited about Baby Girl Smith on the way that any feelings of disappointment of not sharing my wedding day with Mrs. Smith are pretty much nil. At the end of this crazy year of everything, the wedding is a day, and an important one, of course but Baby Girl Smith is coming!!! And let's be honest, our family and friends have been making the whole YEAR a celebration which has been phenomenal; the wedding's just sort of the culmination of months of celebrating. I'm also pretty confident if we can Skype in Mrs. Smith, it will be done. So if you see 5 Bridesmaids and a chair with a computer covered with ribbon, that's Mrs. Smith watching the wedding via webcam. :-)

I will acknowledge one more thing, as well. A few people have asked if I was going to ask someone to "replace" Mrs. Smith as Bridesmaid. Truth be told, you can't replace her. So if I do make the decision to ask someone else, it is not to "replace" Mrs. Smith. Out of everyone in the wedding, excluding my brother, she has known me the longest. So she is still a Bridesmaid! She is still giving me as much direction as the day Bryan and I got engaged! And she is co-planning a Bachelorette outing among other things. So pregnant, but still an irreplaceable Bridesmaid!

I'm going to conclude this blog with a big CONGRATULATIONS to both Mr. and Mrs. Smith! I couldn't be happier or more excited for the both of them and I can't wait to meet this little one who I've been calling The Bean for some months now. I hope everyone had a fabulous Mother's Day!!!

Say "Cheese"!

What a weekend! Friday evening one of my best friends in the world, Bridesmaid Tami, made the trek into Atlanta from North Carolina. Tami didn't get in until quite late (1:30am!) and by the time we got the Little Man, Elijah, settled we managed to only stay up til about 2:30 before succumbing to exhaustion.

Apparently kids get up early regardless of what time they went to bed, so bright and early Saturday morning Elijah was up and running around. So we danced to Elmo and ate some breakfast before heading out for the afternoon. First stop for Tami and I? David's Bridal. This was easy enough. Tami put on the dress, loves the dress, and then we were off to Bridesmaid Lindsay's parents estate (I'd say house, but the kitchen looks to be about the square footage of the houses Bryan and I have been looking at, so the word house doesn't really do it justice - speaking of which, I realized yesterday that I would be willing to live in that kitchen. Just set up a cot, wake up and be in heaven there, pure cooking and cabinet-space HEAVEN).

On another tangent, I found out yesterday that David's Bridal didn't actually record anyone's sizes when the other Bridesmaids and I had made our previous visits. I'm sorry, wasn't that the point of going to GET SIZED? The company will actually be hearing from me this week because the place as a whole makes my head want to explode. "Well, your girls should know their sizes," I was told. "OK, but sometimes the size you usually wear isn't the size you need depending on the dress," I rebutted. It IS a dress store, right?!? I'd also like this to be a heads up that if, for some reason the lovely ladies in my bridal party end up in different color dresses or dresses that are too long or too short or something of that nature, they will look great regardless, but at least this won't be a surprise for all of the wonderful people attending the wedding.

At 2:30 yesterday, Tami, Elijah, Emily (who we stopped to get along the way in the most dramatic fashion!), and I pulled up to the gorgeous home complete with wedding bell balloons tied to the mailbox and gold and white balloons at the entrance. Walking in everyone looked beautiful, relaxed, and happy...ok, and buzzed. Apparently the good times were a-rollin' prior to my arrival - which is exactly what I wanted! I immediately was led to a lovely Sauvignon Blanc and chatted a bit with each guest before we were whisked into the Music Room (that's what I'm calling the room that was near the foyer with a baby grand and a fireplace) for a round of Bridal Bingo!

One of the things that was so great about Bridesmaid Tatum and her hubby Eric throwing us that Engagement Party in February was that friends that didn't previously know each other (or whose paths had crossed only once or twice) were able to meet and mingle. Bridal Bingo took getting-to-know-you to a new level with each of us running around the room asking each other, "Have you been married more than once?" "Did you have more than three bridesmaids stand up in your wedding" "Do you use your parents marriage as an example of a good marriage?" That last one, of course, I was easy target for.

Basically the object of the game was to find people who could answer yes to these and other different questions. The questions were laid out on a Bingo-like card. So if I approached Tatum and asked, "Have you been in more than three weddings?" because the answer is Yes, she would initial my card. It was really fun and surprisingly harder than it sounded. But it got us all talking, laughing, mingling, and in some cases (well, in my case) yelling. Yes, I was pissed I couldn't finish my line across because I couldn't find anyone who knows a couple who's marriage broke up on their wedding day. So competitive :-)

After Bridal Bingo, we were moved to the dining room where we all had assigned seats. We were able to fill our plates with tons of goodies...veggies, breads, grapes, peppered crackers with fig jam. The cards that held our seat assignments had lines for us to fill in or boxes for us to check that corresponded with the wine tasting. We did white wines first, then reds. Maid of Honor Nicole served us as Bridesmaid Lindsay read the description of each wine. Our assignment was to guess which type of wine each was and then, furthermore, guess which white wine and which red wine was the most/least expensive. In between the serving of each, we had some wine trivia going on, courtesy of Lindsay. This was really fun and somewhat surprising (my favorite wines of the day were a Pinot Gris - ok, that one's not surprising - and a Merlot?? This one was a huge surprise). What I learned: in both cases, of the white and the red wine, the wines I thought were the most expensive were the least expensive!! I'm by no means a connoisseur, but I can drink some wine! What this means: Apparently I do like Merlot and cheap ones at that! And I'm not as expensive a date as I pretend to be. This is fabulous news (especially for when I take myself out)!

Following this part of the shower, we moved into the kitchen where there were four wine-and-cheese pairing stations. A Riesling (which I usually don't like, but LOVED!) and a delicious Gouda (this might've been my favorite), a Cabernet and Gorgonzola (this also was up there for me), and although I tasted all four, because I spent so much time with the pairings I just mentioned, I can't remember the exact ones that remained. One was Parmesan cheese and...I think a Chardonnay? And the other was Gruyere that was paired with, I think, a Pinot Noir. At this point I was drunk and stalking the Gouda and Gorgonzola pairings.

After all this, I still had to open presents!!! Little Elijah was a big help on this! No matter how many showers or parties there are during this engagement, I will never stop being touched by how generous our friends and families are. We got so many fabulous gifts yesterday!! (If you are wondering, the Crock Pot was not there yesterday which means the suspense continues!!!) On my to-do list is to write thank you cards that, somehow, never seem like enough. But I always try my best. Following presents, this delicious-looking, amazing chocolate cake was brought out. And I think us girls did a pretty good job on it!!!

Needless to say, the shower ended with Lindsay nearly needing to escort us all out (it was getting late and in an hour, Bryan and I were supposed to be downtown for his birthday dinner)! On the way out, our amazing hostesses Lindsay and Nicole gave us gift bags with little bottles of wine, a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese, a bottle of water (probably for us to sober up with on the way home!), and a box of Hershey's Kisses! It was so great!!! Every aspect of the shower was absolutely perfect. I also thought the smaller size of it allowed people really to get to know each other better and I loved that I was able spend time with each guest and chat (sometimes time gets away from me and I don't get to see everyone)!

The only thing I didn't do at the Shower that I would've wanted to do was to give a toast. Why didn't I do this? The conversations just kept flowing! I would think, "Oh, I can do my toast now to tell everyone how wonderful they are" and I'd just end up right back in a conversation. I think this is a credit to how engaging and amazing my friends are. What I would've said is this: Seven years ago, when I moved to Atlanta, I never thought that in 2010 I'd still be living here and starting a family here. In addition to the family I am starting with Bryan, I also have an extended family - A toast to our hostesses, Nicole and Lindsay. Phenomenal people, two of the best, most beautiful friends and bridesmaids a girl could ever ask for in her life. And to everyone who was there (in body or in spirit!), each of you is part of the reason that life in Atlanta is so blissfully wonderful and fulfilling.

An amazing weekend! Don't forget to check in next week - I'm road-tripping it home with Maggie starting on Sunday and also have a very special announcement. Wish me luck arguing with David's and if you haven't booked your hotel already, just a reminder that the website for reservations is up and running!
http://homewoodsuites.hilton.com/en/hw/groups/personalized/ATLHWHW-GTZ-20101013/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG
For other info on the wedding: www.theknot.com/ourwedding/BryanHoey&StephanieGutzler2010