Shopping for Dresses

Well!  I have been baptized into the shopping for the MOG dress.  Luckily a friend took me and knew the ropes and listened to me as I tried to explain to the ladies in the shops what I thought I was looking for.   I had already spent hours looking on line (for my daughter and me), sending back everything I had ordered, for one reason or another.   We checked  a couple of places that had great things but not what I thought I needed.  With the wedding at a casual venue, and the groom not wearing a suit or even a jacket, I feel I need to dress accordingly, while still wanting to be a little dressier than a guest might be.  Even though the MOB will be wearing a sari, I don't think I should wear something equally as dressy.  The couple will be married on a dock at sunset.  Sunset (6:00 p.m.), dressy.  Dock, not. I have 2 more opportunities to buy dressy, I think, I hope.  The MOB wearing a sari is what makes her feel special at her daughter's wedding.   So the search was stressful because I didn't really know what I was looking for, and because it was such an important purchase.

But I think I found it.  It actually is a bridesmaid dress but it has never been sold as such....at that store, at lease.    It is simple, but has personality.  The fabric is chiffon-ish, which surprised me that I liked it. I can have a little shawl made for it from the same fabric, and I am going to have a little embellishment made for it, as well.  I have sent pictures to the Bride-to-Be and she really likes it and feels it fits into what she was envisioning for the wedding.

That's what I was looking for!

Cake Toppers

My mother had the traditional cake topper when she married my dad.  I feel so lucky to have it and to be able to hold on to that little bit of their wedding.  I had fresh flowers on my cake.  Very trendy in the 70's.  Flowers are still a popular way to add color and style to a wedding cake, both fresh, fondant and sugar.  Now, I wish I had had a topper that I could have preserved more easily.




The Bride and Groom -to-Be may opt out of a cake, having a dessert bar instead.  But that doesn't stop me!  I have found the cutest toppers to use as decoration at the rehearsal dinner.  I don' t know if these would be appropriate for the type of wedding my daughter will have, but they are perfect for this occasion!  I have ordered 3.  This one is the first--- all 3 styles I ordered came from Etsy and they can be personalized as much as you want.  Since I don't really know what the loving couple will wear, I just winged it based on previous conversations.

Mailing Invitations

I love to do special things to invitations if at all possible.  The simplest thing you can do is to go to Zazzle.com and find a stamp that goes with it.   You can personalize a lot of them by having names and dates printed on them or you can upload your own image.  I didn't personalize these stamps because I thought the Groom-toBe would prefer for it not to be so "special".

Another thing I like to do is use a wax seal on the flap of the envelope.  It adds a little flair and/or elegance, depending on the stamp and color.  But if you want the invitations to be hand canceled they will require more postage.  On the one I sent for the rehearsal dinner I also tied black twine and sealed the bow, using a paw print stamp.  All types of sealing stamps can be purchased online.

The Bride and Groom-to-Be each have a dog.  A big dog.  She has a German Shepherd and he has a lab mix.  Both were rescued.  I happened to see a Save the Date announcement in one of the many wedding magazines I love to look at that had 2 dogs in silhouette with rope from them to the couple's names.  I knew that it would be perfect for something having to do with the No. 1 Son's wedding.  So I got in touch with the company and we made it so that the dogs silhouettes were their dogs and that the ropes were tied to their names, respectively.  In another magazine I had seen twine used on the envelope.  That just seemed to be perfect for this invitation.  Then the paper company and I came up with the dogs on the back of the envelope.  It was such fun making it as special for him as I could!

The Food Network

This morning while drinking my coffee and spending the last few moments I will have today in a little quiet,  I was watching "Big Daddy's House" on the Food Network.  He started showing his viewers how to make a Big Daddy Dog.  As he started just mentioning the ingredients I looked at my loving husband with that knowing look and he said, "You have been making hotdogs like that since I've known you!"  And that has been a loooooonnnng time---almost 40 years.   Big Daddy wasn't born when we met.

So here's the recipe, that I learned in my Home Economics class in high school (and have been fixing ever since!) :

Ingredients

• Block Cheddar
• 5 hot dogs, rinsed
• 5 slices bacon
• 5 hot dog buns

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Slice cheese into 5 (1/4-inch thick) slices, then cut the slices in half again, lengthwise.

Butterfly hot dogs lengthwise. Place 2 cheese slices inside the slit and close hot dog. Wrap a slice of bacon tightly around the hot dog, covering the entire surface.

Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Remove from oven allowing grease to drain for a minute on paper towels. Place a hot dog into each bun and serve.

As I have gotten older and like short cuts, I have found that microwaving the dog, then warming the bun, placing the dog in the bun and then sprinkling shredded cheese and bacon bits on the dog tastes almost as good and is a whole lot faster and easier----Just call me Sandra Lee!

Here's a way to make a sandwich that my aunt made for me when I was a little girl and is a favorite in my house: Just take slices of your ham of choice, a slice of swiss cheese, and a couple of slices of either a kosher or dill pickle.  Place on bread treated the way you like with mayo and/or mustards.   Yum!  

The Invitations Are Out!

The invitations have been mailed and the Bride has already gotten some response cards.  My stomach flutters every time I think about it.  I will mail the rehearsal dinner invitations tomorrow.

I think I mentioned that I was addressing the wedding invitations.  I had 2 or 3 people to volunteer to help.  I didn't have that many, so by the time my third friend volunteered I thought I actually needed to address some myself since I told the Bride I would!  The 3 of us have different styles--2 of us are just learning so we tended to go by the book--but one friend is artistic and has a beautiful flourish.  I want to learn that!!!

Even though I have accepted the decree that was handed down of sending very few invitations, I still wish that I had been able to invite all that I wanted.  I will miss them as well as those who can't come.....

I'm Back---I Think

Last night I went to Bridge and I was reminded that I haven't written anything lately.  I haven't been overly busy, so I don't really know why I have been remiss in adding to the blog.  I did help address the invitations to the wedding, so that took a little time, but not as much as you might think because I had some help.  I went to a wedding out of town and to a party so I  have been working on their pictures. I broke my camera after going to the wedding, so I have been pre-occupied with what to do about that.  (Just went ahead and bought a new one because it would cost half the amount of a new camera to get it fixed.)  And I have been trying to figure out what to wear to the rehearsal dinner and wedding.

I don't think I have mentioned that in my mind the motif of the wedding is a shell.  The B and G to be live on the coast and the wedding will take place there.  The love of my live laughs at me because he claims there are no shells there.  Really?????  My No. 1 son does not acknowledge the theme.  Well, the motif on the invitation is of marsh rush.  Very pretty, but how many things can you find that relate to that?  So guest bags have a shell theme, I embellished my thank you notes with a wax seal embossed with a shell, and I have found everything in my house that is a shell to put out and decorate during the wedding season.

Tasting

Tonight I am trying a strawberry margarita / daiquiri mix with no calories or carbs called Scales.  It is very sweet, even with a squeeze of a lime. I tried it straight-up and frozen as a margarita.  It is definitely better frozen, but still very sweet with an after taste.  When mixed with rum, for a frozen daiquiri, it is better, but the after taste keeps it from being really good.

The Pina Colada mix, Skinny Mixes,  has 40 calories.  It is to be mixed with 1 oz of rum.  Frozen, it is actually all right. .

I have all I need to get started on addressing wedding invitations.  I think I will put that off until Monday!!!  Going to a wedding on Saturday and starting to shop for what I will wear to the No. 1 Son's wedding with my precious angel.  I hope we have some luck!

Thank You Notes

I've been writing thank you notes this week.  While completing that very southern (and Junior League) task, I have learned several things:
1.  I can't write without my glasses.  And even when wearing them, I leave out letters and parts of letters because I just can't see what I'm doing!

2.  I start out with great intentions of writing each and every note in the neatest and prettiest penmanship I have to offer.  I have not met that goal.

3.  Writing thank you notes is not just for the receiver.  Yes, the official reason is to let the one you are thanking know how much you appreciate what they have done for you. And I do so appreciate all of the wonderful things that were done for, and with my son and his fiancee.  But in writing the notes. I have found myself reflecting on how lucky I am to have such wonderful friends.  So it has been a sort of spiritual experience and reminder of how rich I am because of those friendships.

4.  There is absolutely no way I can adequately express my thanks, appreciation and love for my friends (and family) who have done (and will do)  these wonderful things, not because they had to (I'm not family) but because they wanted to. And I am grateful not  only to those who gave a party or will help with gift bags and decorating for the rehearsal dinner, but to those who attended the parties, who showered them with gifts , who tell me how happy they are for my son,  to those I can't ask to the wedding or couldn't ask to the parties, or to those I accidentally deleted from the guest list.

5. Writing thank you notes reminds me of what I tell myself when I am a little down, and used to tell my children when they were sad about something:  Do something nice for someone else.  Not only is it nice for them, but it makes you feel good inside.

"The Party's Over....."

The party weekend has come and gone.  I tried to live every minute in the moment so that I would remember and continue to enjoy every aspect of it.  Those were the only parties that will be in LaGrange.

There were 3 events over the weekend.  Nine of the ladies of my Bridge group had a small shower for the Bride-to-Be.  It was perfect!  The BTB and her mom and her mom's 2 friends were engulfed in the love that I share everyday with those ladies and the 4 who are doing other things for us during the wedding weekend.  The BTB received beautiful gifts that will look so lovely in their home and get them started in their new life together.  Then that night there was a couples party where that same love from more of my dearest friends came shining through, yet again.  The BTB's family and friends were in awe of how wonderful all of my friends are.  The No.1 son, who typically does not like parties with "adults", told me how much fun he had and how great it was!  Wow!!!  That spoke volumes to me. He and the BTB were so comfortable.  It was a perfect way to celebrate.  I do have fabulous friends.  (I've been pretty emotional about that lately.)  Then to top off the weekend, the loving couple, the future in-laws and their friends, and my family, went to brunch at a friend's home who is from the same area of India as the family of the BTB.  They were so cute and gracious.  We were introduced to some delicious Indian food and got to see the video of their daughter's Indian wedding.

But the best thing about the wedding was seeing my son with his future wife.  He was so sweet and loving. It was evident to me that he has found his special love!  The mom of the BTB told me the story of how when the BTB would date (before the GTB), they would talk to each other about the guy, so her family would know all about him.  But when she started dating my sweet son, all was quiet.  Her mom asked about it when it was evident that they were dating and serious, and the BTB told her that she knew he was the one all along.  OMG!!!!  Tears sprang to my eyes.

This week will be a catch-up week.  Thank you notes, firming up guest lists, and then starting on addressing the rehearsal dinner and wedding invitations.