What a week!
*Looks around to make sure things have really calmed down before sitting down to write a post.*
The guests for the wedding are finally gone (and safely home). Since then it's been a matter of resting and recuperating.
It was wonderful having Meghan and Tobias stay with us. After spending more time with Meghan I wholeheartedly approve of her (I did before). She is quite welcome in the family*. Meghan pitched in to help with decorating (and clean up) for the wedding when she didn't have to. It was greatly appreciated and I tried my best to make sure she knew it. *Tobias is considered "a brother by another mother" to both hubby and his brother Nate so he's like another brother to me as well.
Tobias and Meghan got in on Wednesday and rested until sometime on Thursday when Nate came over for the "bachelor party". It wasn't a bachelor party in the normal sense. Hubby and Tobias picked up Nate (we only have so much parking) and got to the house just after lunch time. Then we sat around playing HeroQuest until it was time to head to the mother-in-law's for dinner. I can't ever remember playing it before, but the game seemed very familiar. We had to split into different cars for dinner, and Tobias, Meghan and Nate headed to the house while hubby, Gavin and I grabbed KFC for dinner. That's when the surprise birthday party happened.
Friday was a long day since we stayed up late playing more HeroQuest in an effort to distract Nate. We headed to Tanglewood in the early afternoon to re-arrange and decorate the rooms. By the time everyone arrived for rehearsal at 6 almost everything was in place. Of course that was when someone pointed out the fact that all the helium balloons that the bridesmaids had blown up would be flat by morning. XD I still don't know why some members of Mindy's family were at rehearsal, but that's neither here nor there. Kendall, the flower girl, didn't make rehearsal either. Gavin did wonderful when we had him practice walking slowly down the aisle (holding a sealed bag of artificial flower petals since the ring bearer's pillow had been forgotten).
After rehearsal, Nate came with us and we headed to Target to get some things for an "Oh Shit! Kit". It was something that two of my bridesmaids put together and I remembered how useful it was so thought it would be a good idea to have as well. We gathered lots of little things like travel-sized toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, mini sewing kit, safety pins, stain stick and duck tape. We also picked up some more balloons and another tank of helium so there could be some balloons after all.
Saturday dawned bright and early, and everyone was sleeping in. Fortunately since the wedding was scheduled for 6 o'clock we could. We left for Tanglewood a little later than we wanted since there was going to be decorating spot checks (rehang any of the stars that might have fallen, blow up the new balloons, that sort of thing). I had to call hubby on the way there (he and Tobias were in the other car working on their Best Men toast) and send him back home for the Father's Day cards I had forgotten by the phone since we were going to be giving them to hubby's father and Nate during the reception.
I would say the wedding went off without a hitch, but there were a few minor things here and there that "irked" me.
Sunday we sort of fell apart and did nothing. Tobias and Meghan headed out in the afternoon to run some errands they needed to and hubby had to go to work, so it ended up being a quiet evening at the house. I'm glad I had given Tobias and Meghan a key to the house, as they met up with an old friend of Tobias' and didn't get home until 3 AM.
Hubby got up early on Monday to spend some time with Tobias and Meghan before we took them out to dinner. After we got home we got Gavin in bed and then relaxed until it was time for them to leave at midnight.
Tuesday we went over to Pensacola to pick up a picture we had framed (we got the call about it Wednesday before everything started happening). Looks great! I still wish they had a frame similar to the one we had used on a matching dragon, but beggars can't be choosers. Especially when we didn't have to pay for the print; it was sent as an apology for messing up an order. We also hit up Barnes and Noble since they are having a "Buy 2, get the third free" DVD and BluRay sale (until July 7!) We ended up getting 9 (actually 10 since one was a double package) Blu-Rays that we've been wanting to. I also ended up winning an auction on ebay for four parts of the Dragonball series ( two we needed, two we don't) for $60. I still can't believe that considering both the parts we needed typically go for twice as much by themselves. Once they get here and I look them over I'll list the duplicates back on ebay.
Yesterday I headed to the mall to exchange one of my birthday presents (it was bath an body works stuff in a scent I couldn't stand). I also hit up Target in an attempt to spend more of the gift card my Mom sent for my birthday. I finally found some shorts that fit me, but I'm having to piecemeal it as they only ever seem to have one that fits me in stock at a time. I'm just tickeled to be back in size 12 AND have them be slightly loose in the waist! Then I hit the grocery store on the way home because we were out of the staples like milk and oh, food in general.
Today was the first time I really got to catch up with online stuff since the wedding. I'm still behind on some things, but given a few more days will be caught up.
Hubby and I plan on doing our anniversary celebration a day early (June 27, rather than June 28) so his mom can watch Gavin while we go out to dinner and a movie. Which one? Transformers 2 of course!
That took entirely too long to write out. Now I need to see about getting someone in bed. I got caught up typing and missed the fact that it had gotten to be 10:30 PM by the time I finished getting it all down.
The guests for the wedding are finally gone (and safely home). Since then it's been a matter of resting and recuperating.
It was wonderful having Meghan and Tobias stay with us. After spending more time with Meghan I wholeheartedly approve of her (I did before). She is quite welcome in the family*. Meghan pitched in to help with decorating (and clean up) for the wedding when she didn't have to. It was greatly appreciated and I tried my best to make sure she knew it. *Tobias is considered "a brother by another mother" to both hubby and his brother Nate so he's like another brother to me as well.
Tobias and Meghan got in on Wednesday and rested until sometime on Thursday when Nate came over for the "bachelor party". It wasn't a bachelor party in the normal sense. Hubby and Tobias picked up Nate (we only have so much parking) and got to the house just after lunch time. Then we sat around playing HeroQuest until it was time to head to the mother-in-law's for dinner. I can't ever remember playing it before, but the game seemed very familiar. We had to split into different cars for dinner, and Tobias, Meghan and Nate headed to the house while hubby, Gavin and I grabbed KFC for dinner. That's when the surprise birthday party happened.
Friday was a long day since we stayed up late playing more HeroQuest in an effort to distract Nate. We headed to Tanglewood in the early afternoon to re-arrange and decorate the rooms. By the time everyone arrived for rehearsal at 6 almost everything was in place. Of course that was when someone pointed out the fact that all the helium balloons that the bridesmaids had blown up would be flat by morning. XD I still don't know why some members of Mindy's family were at rehearsal, but that's neither here nor there. Kendall, the flower girl, didn't make rehearsal either. Gavin did wonderful when we had him practice walking slowly down the aisle (holding a sealed bag of artificial flower petals since the ring bearer's pillow had been forgotten).
After rehearsal, Nate came with us and we headed to Target to get some things for an "Oh Shit! Kit". It was something that two of my bridesmaids put together and I remembered how useful it was so thought it would be a good idea to have as well. We gathered lots of little things like travel-sized toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, mini sewing kit, safety pins, stain stick and duck tape. We also picked up some more balloons and another tank of helium so there could be some balloons after all.
Saturday dawned bright and early, and everyone was sleeping in. Fortunately since the wedding was scheduled for 6 o'clock we could. We left for Tanglewood a little later than we wanted since there was going to be decorating spot checks (rehang any of the stars that might have fallen, blow up the new balloons, that sort of thing). I had to call hubby on the way there (he and Tobias were in the other car working on their Best Men toast) and send him back home for the Father's Day cards I had forgotten by the phone since we were going to be giving them to hubby's father and Nate during the reception.
I would say the wedding went off without a hitch, but there were a few minor things here and there that "irked" me.
- The bride's cake arrived late and then it wasn't even assembled. Because of how things were set up guests got to watch as the woman finished assembling it.
- The DJ wasn't much of a DJ (found out later it's something he does on the side). It didn't help that Mindy and Nate kept putting off giving him a list of songs they wanted. I was constantly reminding them because I knew if he didn't have the songs he would need time to get them. It also wasn't his fault that the song list they provided them only listed songs, but no artists. With as many remakes and covers there are of songs these days that was incredibly stupid of them. The part the DJ did have control over was fading songs in and out as he changed them. He barely did that at all. Usually he cut a song short and then started the next one as soon as he had the new CD in. Add in the fact that no one had discussed what he should play when the bridesmaids were entering (he played the Wedding March) and there was even more confusion.
- There was some serious lack of respect shown through clothing choices for the special day. Mindy's younger brothers were both in jeans and polos. They weren't even nice polos, but looked ratty and weren't tucked in at all. Mindy's mom looked like a freaking prostitute in her dress. The bridesmaids didn't match at all. One was in a royal blue pageant type dress with and open back and rhinestone straps. The other one was in a unadorned white wedding dress (that wasn't even fitted properly - it was pinned) with a turquoise shawl (the wedding colors were royal blue, baby blue, silver and white).
- No one knew what order they should come in the room. It should have been the bridesmaids first, then Gavin as the ring bearer, then Kendall as flower girl and lastly Mindy. I even told them what order to go in just before I went to sit down! Gavin ended up coming first. He did great and was willing to stand near daddy and Tobias no problem. Kendall was next, but since she had missed rehearsal (and had no one to walk towards) she froze up a little. With some coaxing by her aunt she made it down the aisle. Since there was no one for her to stand with though she immediately came and sat down, which prompted Gavin to come and sit as well. Finally the bridesmaids came in and then Mindy. Oh and did I mention that all of this (not when Mindy was coming down the aisle) was to the Wedding March.
- The notary who did the civil ceremony did a fine job, but the ceremony was incredibly short. Mindy and Nate exchanged their vows and their rings and that was it. She could have at least looked online for a basic ceremony with a little more "substance" to it.
- There was no professional photographer hired, so all the pictures were taken on several different digital cameras. There was also no list of what pictures they wanted to have taken. I know for a fact that there was no "family of the groom" picture taken because no one came and got me or Gavin for it. No one even realized it until later.
- When it came time for Mindy to throw the bouquet her mom got in the crowd of single women. I didn't think anything of it as I thought her parents were divorced. It wasn't until after Mindy's mom won the battle for the bouquet that I found out she is only separated from her husband, meaning she is still legally married and not single after all. Nate was extremely PO'd at the fact that she caught the bouquet.
- No one was tasked with cutting the cakes, or making sure everyone got a piece. If I hadn't wandered over at one point I never would have gotten a piece of the bride's cake. As it was I had to eat it using my fingers because there were no forks left. I didn't even get a piece of the groom's cake.
- Guests started leaving early so when it was time for Mindy and Nate to drive off no one even saw them do it. All that hard work decorating Nate's car for no one to see it. XD
Sunday we sort of fell apart and did nothing. Tobias and Meghan headed out in the afternoon to run some errands they needed to and hubby had to go to work, so it ended up being a quiet evening at the house. I'm glad I had given Tobias and Meghan a key to the house, as they met up with an old friend of Tobias' and didn't get home until 3 AM.
Hubby got up early on Monday to spend some time with Tobias and Meghan before we took them out to dinner. After we got home we got Gavin in bed and then relaxed until it was time for them to leave at midnight.
Tuesday we went over to Pensacola to pick up a picture we had framed (we got the call about it Wednesday before everything started happening). Looks great! I still wish they had a frame similar to the one we had used on a matching dragon, but beggars can't be choosers. Especially when we didn't have to pay for the print; it was sent as an apology for messing up an order. We also hit up Barnes and Noble since they are having a "Buy 2, get the third free" DVD and BluRay sale (until July 7!) We ended up getting 9 (actually 10 since one was a double package) Blu-Rays that we've been wanting to. I also ended up winning an auction on ebay for four parts of the Dragonball series ( two we needed, two we don't) for $60. I still can't believe that considering both the parts we needed typically go for twice as much by themselves. Once they get here and I look them over I'll list the duplicates back on ebay.
Yesterday I headed to the mall to exchange one of my birthday presents (it was bath an body works stuff in a scent I couldn't stand). I also hit up Target in an attempt to spend more of the gift card my Mom sent for my birthday. I finally found some shorts that fit me, but I'm having to piecemeal it as they only ever seem to have one that fits me in stock at a time. I'm just tickeled to be back in size 12 AND have them be slightly loose in the waist! Then I hit the grocery store on the way home because we were out of the staples like milk and oh, food in general.
Today was the first time I really got to catch up with online stuff since the wedding. I'm still behind on some things, but given a few more days will be caught up.
Hubby and I plan on doing our anniversary celebration a day early (June 27, rather than June 28) so his mom can watch Gavin while we go out to dinner and a movie. Which one? Transformers 2 of course!
That took entirely too long to write out. Now I need to see about getting someone in bed. I got caught up typing and missed the fact that it had gotten to be 10:30 PM by the time I finished getting it all down.