24 hours a day

24 hours. Seems like a lot of time...but it's not really, and I'm not even talking about the wedding here. I'm just generally speaking about how time flies. Yeah, and forget the saying, when you're having fun...LOL. Life can suck and it still zooms right past you.

Here in Kentucky, we have a drink called Ale-8-1. I first had it when I was about 15 years old. It is so good!!! The diet is OK, too...but nothing compares to the real stuff. According to the website, http://www.ale8one.com/index.html?CFID=749889&CFTOKEN=75500620 ,the name comes from "a late one"...meaning the latest in the soda craze back in the day, but for me, and my short days..."a late one" means I drink it late and it keeps me up one more hour...LOL. I think of it as my daytime extender, and...it's nothing like those energy drinks out there, making my heart go thumpty-thump, which in turn, makes me feel dirty like I just bought crack on a street corner...LOL.

Back to time flying, I'm 35 with 2 kids, embarking on a new adventure with the love of my life and I am terrified. It seems like just yesterday I was a Rock & Roll Groupie that wanted to be an actress. Now, I just want a few more hours in my day to tend to my plants, talk (not text) with my kids, and wind down reading a book or watching Anderson Cooper. Time is flying, and as Mr Dylan sang, It's (also) a changin'.

24,23,22,21,20...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

1 quarter (.25)

Wow...1/4 of the way there. I would not be telling the truth, if I told you I could care less. I am like a kid in a candy store! I am so excited to marry Mr. Chad this time. Never, have I counted down the days to something the way I have this. (Childbirth does not count...LOL.)

I am worried, though...the last few days my low self-esteem personality, we'll call her Christy Nicole Smith, has been creeping into my mind and I'm terribly scared about being "ugly" on my wedding day. I know, foolish isn't it? Every bride is beautiful on her wedding day, and if she isn't people still tell her she is...LOL. My concern is not if anyone else thinks I'm beautiful, but if Mr. Chad does. I know he loves me unconditionally, but I wish I had stuck to that Atkins plan I blogged about weeks ago...LOL. Maybe, I can tan? Doesn't that make you look thinner?...LOL.

I am at a low point vanity-wise, but I will come out of it. I ALWAYS do. When the girls get here, I will have help with all those last minute wedding/reception plans, and plenty of motivation for those last few weeks to get in shape and be active.

I, assume or presume, that if Mr. Chad loves me the way I love him--all will be like a fairy tale that day. Of course, the next day, the day after the wedding...well, we all know that's when the REAL story begins.

25,24,23,22,21...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

26...nothing clever today.

http://www.saveyourmarriagecentral.com/getinformed/stats.html

Neat info.

4 out of 10 marriages in the United States involve the bride or groom's or both's second (or later) marriage.

Divorce appears more likely when:

You marry before ago 20- N/A

You drop out of school (at the high school or college level) rather than finishing your education-N/A (but I do hope Mr. Chad finishes his bachelor's degree before Claudia...or Horatio...LOL)

If you marry because you got pregnant N/A

This page has some encouraging stats about marriage, but marriage is something a couple has to actively work on in order to stay that way.

26,25,24,23,22...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

27 dresses

Mr. Chad said before, that if I bought a new wedding dress, it would be b/c I was marrying someone else...well, I'm not marrying someone else but I can't wear the ones I have. I think I am really going to have to get a new one, or... I may have to go naked...LOL. (Lady Godiva (fl. 1040-1080) was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry in England...thank you, Wiki.)

The dress I bought in January of 2007 is the dress of my dreams, but there is no way I'm going to get into it...I'm just too tired and lazy these last few weeks. I plan on wearing it to something in the future...just haven't figured out what, yet. The other dress, I don't really have an emotional attachment to, so I'm not too concerned with it...probably put it on ebay or sell at a yard sale...LOL.

I know...27 dresses wasn't just about my dilemma. It's all the dresses that have to be bought for everyone in the party. Wedding dresses for me, a dress for Catarina, one for Claudia, and not just those they we are paying for...Mr. Chad's mom is buying a new dress for lack of personal selection(she's an overalls and tank top kind of gal...LOL), and my own mom, who probably has TOO many to chose from, will no doubt buy a new dress, as well...LOL. ( I thought for sure using black and white that everyone would already have dresses.)

I guess the good thing about new dresses is shopping and bonding, and that suits me and the above mentioned just fine...LOL.

27,26,25,24,23...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

OMG...28 more.

With less than a month to go and the day drawing closer and closer, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's not exactly bright, shining, and leading the way for me...but I do see it. One of the bright points of planning in these last few days have been my parents (and I never expected it). So, today I want to blog about my mom...sorry, Jeff (my s-dad...I don't like the word step)...LOL.

Tradition states the bride's parents pay for the majority of the wedding. I have every intention of doing this for Catarina and Claudia. However, I am an older bride and this is my second marriage (but first wedding, thank you very much...LOL), so I don't expect and didn't want my parents to put out money they really don't have at this time. Mr. Chad and I set a budget and we've stuck to it for the most part.

The only thing I asked my mother to do was pay for the cake, which she agreed to do. I, also, asked her to pay 1/3 on the flowers/ferns, but told her she could have those ferns after the wedding and she agreed to that, as well. This may not seem like a lot, but it means the world to me. Mr. Chad and I fell that the less others help with the wedding bill...the less input they have, so Mr. Chad and I have made most of the decisions in regards to our dream day. :o)

Recently, my mom and I spent the day together at her house doing nothing. We talked about the wedding and I kinda explained my vision, but it was no big deal...I would get it done. I think she saw how stressed I was over the whole ordeal my uncle was trying to put me thru--about the date of my wedding and the family reunion gathering. Anyway, whatever she saw put a fire under her like I have never seen. I guess it's that old story, you want to see how crazy a WOMAN is?...mess with her kids...LOL.

Anyway, my mom has really made an effort in trying to help me any way she can. It's very sweet and truly not needed, but I would never tell her that...I love her too much. I may be able to do all this stuff by myself, but I'm sure I can find plenty more things for her to do...and eventually do what she does best...complain about the things you ask her to do...LOL

28,27,26,25,24...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

29 and Holding!

What do you do when you have 29 invites left over?
You invite these people...LOL.
And I did.






29,28,27,26,25...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

3.0, that's a "B" average...but not for Chuck Norris.

Today is just funny. visit: http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com/

1.If you have five dollars and Chuck Norris has five dollars, Chuck Norris has more money than you.
2.There is no 'ctrl' button on Chuck Norris's computer. Chuck Norris is always in control.
3.Apple pays Chuck Norris 99 cents every time he listens to a song.
4.Chuck Norris can sneeze with his eyes open.
5.Chuck Norris can eat just one Lay's potato chip.
6.Chuck Norris is suing Myspace for taking the name of what he calls everything around you.
7.Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.
8.Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.
9.Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
10.There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.
11.Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet with Chuck Norris.
12.Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
13.Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
14.Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.
15.Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.
16.There is no chin behind Chuck Norris’ beard. There is only another fist.
17.When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.
18.Chuck Norris is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
19.Chuck Norris’ hand is the only hand that can beat a Royal Flush.
20.Chuck Norris can lead a horse to water AND make it drink.
21.Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.
22.Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.
23.Chuck Norris does not get frostbite. Chuck Norris bites frost
24.Remember the Soviet Union? They decided to quit after watching a DeltaForce marathon on Satellite TV.
25.Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.

A few of my faves:

26.Chuck Norris uses pepper spray to spice up his steaks.
27.CNN was originally created as the "Chuck Norris Network" to update Americans with on-the-spot ass kicking in real-time.

28. A Handicapped parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Chuck Norris and that you will be handicapped if you park there.
29.Someone once videotaped Chuck Norris getting pissed off. It was called Walker: Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

30.If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever.

Hope you had an average day, I did, but man was it funny.

30,29,28,27,26...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

31 Flavors

Yes, I got the title idea from Baskin Robbins, but it ends there...LOL. Today is actually a very grown-up topic...or at least for those 21 and over...LOL. It's about picking drinks for the wedding and signature cocktail flavors. ( I think I wrote before that I had to do this at some point...now is that some point...LOL.)

Mr. Chad and I know that there will be wine and Bud Light for the masses, and if I am so blessed, Rhonda or Verlissa will make their awesome non-alcho punch for most everyone else, but since my establishment doesn't serve alcohol...we have to BYOB. Yes, a guest or 2 will no doubt have a flask, but I want to make a drink that people will enjoy, remember, and love the taste of...oh, and it has to be some color of green. What???!!! Geez, so it matches the reception decor...LOL. There is going to be a lot of black and white in there...LOL.

So far, I have come up with either my drink du jour, the Apple-tini, the Mojito (pictured above), or good ol' Margaritas with some green food coloring to make them darker in color...LOL. I may do all three. :o) I can't wait to drink and dance the night away with my friends and family. I have even picked out songs just for my brothers, JA, and sweet Dee.

The best part about trying to decide what drinks to have is the sampling...b/c yummy drinks are like a good perfume...everybody comes out a winner when enjoyed in small doses. :o)

31,30,29,28,27...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

3,2,(1) Contact!

The greatest thing about planning a wedding is all the people you come in contact with...friends you invite that you haven't seen in years (Cory & Melinda)--that you can't wait to see, again. Making new friends (Robin the cake lady--who is a sweetheart!)--that have made your life a happier place by just meeting them. However, the best type of contact is learning your family all over again and TRYING to understand who they are and why. Of course that is a lesson in and of itself that I will not elaborate on today. The only thing I have to say about my family is...I LOVE them-each and everyone. I guess, I have to use the old adage, People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. I am far from the person that I thought I would be at this juncture in my life...so I am not one to judge these days. I am trying to be happy, love my children the best way I know how, establish a life with Mr. Chad that is independent from and not compared to any one's marriage before us. Happiness...that's all I want out of this deal...LOL.

32,31,30,29,28...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

33 Coffee Cups of each...in white and black and moss.

Alas, these days when I accomplish one thing a day...I feel like I become one step closer to solving the riddle of life.I remind myself that small steps are just that--small...but they are steps. I am, at least, moving...LOL, and I can only hope in a good direction.

I have been trying to break things down into modules. Church module. Reception module. Rehearsal module. Favors module. Yeah, it's not working...LOL. I need a module (or would that be modulator Gin and Shawn?) that does things for me. Maybe I can get Catarina to design me a robot? Of course, it's too late for that now. :o)

Actually, i feel that everything is somewhat under control. I still need candy for the buffet, the cake topper, and a few odds and ends to purchase. The rest, I probably have...it just may need to be assembled, glued, stapled, cut, tied, or something to that effect. I have decided what the major favor is going to be, but it's been hard finding 125 that match my decor for the reception. I'll manage, though...I just have to remember to keep it simple and sweet b/c that is the idea behind the wedding, the reception, and us. Simple and sweet.

33,32,31,30,29...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

3,4...shut the door.

How do you close the world out and still expect them to be there...but not really caring if they are or not at times?

When I started planning the wedding-this time, I tried doing it to accommodate my "whole" family...I have written of this before, but also I thought of, my children and Mr. Chad's family.However, with it rolling into crunch time...I have decided that the day belongs to no one but me and Mr. Chad and folks should feel privy we wanted to share it with them.

I hope that doesn't sound mean, but it's true...at the end of the day we will be married and that's what matters. This is the last time I talk about this here. I have to remember that I am the grown up...b/c at a certain age some people digress to their childhood and take on those same traits they had at 8 or 10 or in some cases, 60-something. Once a bully, always a bully and I have to let it go. The end.

34,33,32,31,30...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

HP-35

My company got bought out by HP.....and I'm 35. Go figure.

It leads me to today's writing...about the fear that comes with marriage when you are 35 and your company gets bought out and you are taking on a new house payment, still owe student loans, and have 2 kids(so far) that will need to be sent to college.

I am so scared that I will not be able to pull my weight after Mr. Chad and I are married. I don't want the financial burden of cohabitating, I mean marriage, to be on his shoulders only. I want to be able to make at least what he does (or more...LOL) and split it all bills down the middle. If the house payment is $900, I want to pay $450...if the water bill is $50, I want to pay $25. Does that make sense? I mean, I'm the one with a college education and he makes twice as much as I do.

His biggest fear is not paying the bills, or how much I make--he's more concerned with how much i spend...LOL. I have to really watch those numbers until I decide what I truly am going to be when I grow up. I really want to be a doctor, but am I too old, will it cost too much, how will it affect my time with my girls...there is so much to ponder and time keeps slipping away from me. (Hey Em, do you remember when we thought you and Solmo were old?...and we're now that age...LOL.)

I have to look to my Aunts though for inspiration...Black didn't start teaching until she was 30. Em didn't become an RN until her 30s. So, I'm probably alright in the job field, brother Joel Osteen (http://joelosteen.lakewood.cc/site/PageServer?pagename=JOM_homepage) says to remind ourselves, "My time is coming" and I'm sure mine is...but it still doesn't help rest my mind about how that house payment will get made every month. :o)

35,34,33,32,31...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

3, 6, (9)...damn, she fine...get low!!!

Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties...LOL. Ok, so I'm not into strip clubs and dancing beefcakes. I do, however, believe in a last fling with your gal pals or guy friends.

My idea, other than to "get low...get low, get low, get low"...was a nice dinner, go see a chick flick, maybe drink some cosmos, who knows...but as it turns out, time has slipped away and there is just no time to do any of that now...I suppose, I could just do the same thing within the first few months of my marriage and call it a celebration of my nuptials...LOL.

At this point, in my life, I know that I have found a good man. I have good friends, too, who would rather karaoke than put dollar bills in a thong on a greased up dancer trying to flex his muscles. (I can honestly say, I have never been to one of those travelling road shows of dancing men...thank you, God.) In fact, Mr. Chad on stage singing Freebird is what I would prefer to see on my "fling" night, but since there will not be one...I will have to settle on his redneck version of Tom Cruise's Old Time Rock and Roll from Risky Business (you can imagine this, can't ya?...in his Shrek pants, trying to slide across my hardwood floors) singing something more along the lines of Hank, Kid, or even Kenny. :o)

I guess though, final "flings" aren't necessary at our age. Why go out where the drinks cost more than they should and one person doesn't get to do much?...except watch over everyone else...LOL. I am wealthy in my friends and am sure there are many flings left in all of us...just now, if one's lucky enough--like me, they have someone to share every-fling with...

36,35,34,33,32...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

37...Mr. Chad's favorite number.(Change)

Change. Over the past few years while learning about Mr. Chad and all the things he doesn't eat or all the places he's never been...I have learned that some things NEVER change. (His favorite number is 37 and has been forever...which gave me the idea for today's blog.)

I would like to argue this point, about his lack of change, but can't really come up with much. What you see is what you get. I have tweaked him a tad, but truly...He is the same person that he has always been...only less volatile. I believe every word that comes from his lips. His integrity surpasses the average man by leaps and bounds.

I, on the other hand, have changed beyond anything I could have imagined. This is not where, I say that it is all for the better, either. I mean, I suspect that with age comes wisdom, but not sure at what age that hits...LOL. Change is hard. There are things that I am giving up to be in this marriage, not things that I HAVE to have to be happy, but things nonetheless. (My brownstone in NYC for one...LOL.) Yet, when i weigh what is important to me these days, those "things" that I am giving up barely register on the scale of happiness.

Change is hard for anybody, and what bigger change is there in an adult life than marriage? Regardless, of how we have or haven't changed, Mr. Chad is in for the change of a lifetime. I can speak from experience, and of marriage--he has none. There is so much give and take in daily life that the first year really is make it or break it. I hope we have it in us to continue to make the changes needed for our marriage to grow.

I want my kids to have a happy home, that is full of laughter and good times. I want a man that I trust-one who loves me for me, and loves the girls like his own. When I really think about what I want in this life, it's simple...happiness...I guess what I may never have does not compare to what I already do...and that my friend, I wouldn't change at all.

37,36,35,34,33...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

38 Special words

Words for our wedding cake:

Love*PEACE*happiness*
Hope*FAITH*beginning*
Eternal*FRIENDSHIP*tomorrow*
Live*LAUGHTER*joy*
Honor*JOURNEY*lucky*
Heart*LOYALTY*promise*
Forever*ADVENTURE*spirit*
Perfect*UNION*dedication*
Humor*KISS*wise*
Wisdom*HOME*delicate*
Fortunate*BLESSED*gentle*
Imaginative*UNITED*wishful*
Husband & Wife

The 39 Steps

I have never heard of this movie, but am assuming it is in reference to actual steps and not a self-help program. Although, that's quite an idea. I mean, most self-help programs have 12 steps, but planning a wedding, a new home, a marriage that blends children, and growing a teenie-tiny garden...39 steps would seem about, right.

Remember, how I said before when i hit the numbers ending in "9", I get a lump in my throat or butterflies in my stomach...yeah, well, that still applies...LOL. I am slowly starting to unravel like a ball of grosgrain ribbon.

Somewhere between cake and registries...I lost my grasp on reality. There is no way in Hell that I am going to be able to do this over the next 39 days...I'll be lucky if I can conquer it with 10 friends and 6 gallons of Margaritas...but I guess this is what happens when you think you're Super Woman...LOL.

I'll get by....and look at ease while it happens...of course, no one will get to see the private breakdowns I have b/c the ferns don't have exactly the same amount of fronds in each pot...LOL.

39,38,37,36,35...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

The BIG $4.0(0)...a gallon

Some 41 Guests

So, I want to have a bridal shower/dinner/party with a Kentucky Derby theme @ my future mother-in-laws. She is so over-worked and my mother is just starting to recover...SO, I am left with the fact that--if I want this to occur...I have to do it on my own. I'm OK with that, it just doesn't seem to be etiquette-ly acceptable...and having some 41 guests seems way too big...of course, they say only 50% ever attend. :o) I am the last person to have a shower for gifts, but the first to have one to be center of attention. I mean, I will NEVER do this again(minus the George Lucas scenario)...LOL. No really, NEVER.

Last year, I had everything planned out...parties, luncheons, showers, etc. However, I, also, had 2-MOHs(1 maid/1 matron), 4- bridesmaids, and 2 flower girls to help with it all. Not the case this time. In fact, in these final days...I feel alone.

At this point, I feel like living out my dream of running off and opening a pie shop.

Will there be an event to celebrate my forthcoming marriage...who knows? I am very thankful that Gin and JJ have taken over and booted me and my opinions to the curb and planned me and Mary a shower with our friends & co-workers(who at this point have been more involved than my own family...LOL), but things will get better...in the end I will be married to the one person that I place all my trust...and that matters more than a party with mint juleps.

41,40,39,38,37...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

42nd Street

Remember my give and take argument about TV and marriage...turns out musicals are not included...LOL. Mr. Chad thinks musicals are for woman, kids, old people, and guys of a different persuasion. Basically everyone, but him and other alpha-males like him. He would never go to a musical and watching one on TV would make him loathe me...but I do think, he would love Wicked. I mean, doesn't everyone love The Wizard of Oz.


Well, I love musicals. I love to sing. I love to dance...OK, I need to quit b/c I'm about to break out here. My girls love musicals, too, and I love to share that with them... Anyway, today's post is about NYC-home of all theatre, and not really related to the wedding at all...LOL, maybe somehow related to a future "family" vacation, though...LOL.

At some point, Mr. Chad and I MUST see the brights lights, and for him, big city. Although, Lexington is almost too big for him. :o) There is so much in NYC that he would love...Ellis Island, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building--just to name a few. I couldn't see him at the Waldorf-Astoria or St. Patrick's Cathedral, but he would go just for me and the girls to have that opportunity. However, the biggest strike against NYC is population.

With that being said, the Egypt trip is probably coming before NYC.

Mr. Chad did recently make progress without intending to do so...he rented Sweeney Todd on PPV. I laughed when he told me, "I rented that Johnny Depp movie where he's a demon barber."...I told him it was a musical and with utter disappointment in his voice, he said, "Well, is it at least like Grease where they talk some, too?"...he managed to live through it, but I do not see a pattern evolving here...LOL.

I don't think I should tell him that when we make it to NYC, Broadway is heavily involved...I think I'll just tell him there's a bar stool with his name on it somewhere close by...


42,41,40,39,38...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

43 Things.

http://www.43things.com/


Make your list here...We are!


43,42,41,40,39...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

44(00)...thoughts on marriage and TV. (This is for you, Mr. Chad.)

One must take into consideration many things when getting married...religion, education, finances, children, television...yes, TV. It is very important to understand what your significant watches and why they do...and they should understand the same about you.

Mr. Chad is a Sci Fi geek, and I do mean that in the truest sense of the word. I rarely see him reading sci-fi books, but he loves him some periodicals, i think 90% of the shows that he watches or LOVES are on the above channel. He plays WOW, and reads up on UFO-ish stuff on-line. He watches anything with the word "star" in front of it (star wars, star trek, stargate...you get my point), and he would leave me in a moment to go into space...and I'm OK with that. In fact, I'm OK with it all. He is who he is and it's one of the many reasons that I LOVE him.

On the other end of that spectrum, is my love for the food channel. Mr. Chad has it memorised (231 on Direct Tv), yet he will NEVER eat anything from it. Of course, in his mind, I will never make anything from it...that I would expect him to eat...LOL.

We both love sports. OK, we REALLY like sports. He more than I. He will actually sit and watch a whole race, or a whole basketball game...me, not so much. I am in for the 2 full minutes of the derby, though. Maybe all of the Super Bowl? I do like those ads. We both like PTI, so that's at least one thing we can watch together that is sports related. :o)

Any show with Mike Rowe involved, whether narrating or doing-we're in for the full 60 minutes!!! He watches HGTV and DIY with me, but will NEVER care if the carpet matches the drapes...(if anyone makes a comment about hair coloring here...I will not be happy. LOL). I can only hope when we move into our house, he will help me do some of the things I have seen and want to do...

I guess what I'm saying, is that in all the planning of a wedding, one must remember what they have signed on for...it is the preparation for MANY major changes in everything you do...right down to what channel the TV stays on...it is a commitment that for better or worse you have decided, "I'm good with this person", no matter what they watch...PERMANENTLY.

Please Stand By...

44,43,42,41,40...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

Stars on 45

When stars are aligned, and everything seems to fall in place...I get nervous. Nothing has ever been easy for me. EVER. Yet, it appears, this wedding is well on its way, so the stars must be aligned--somewhere...LOL. Love is in the air...I mean, the stars.

Robin, my "cake lady", said it was in the stars for her to do my cake. Codell can marry us on June 21st, so that must have been in the stars...although, he did say this was the last time that he would agree to marry me and Mr. Chad...LOL. My sis, Sarah Lee, can sing Amazing Grace, in honor of our grannies...but that's not in the stars that's a blessing from above. :o)

The invitations are (mostly) out...now it's time to wait and see who actually knows to fill out the little card with the stamped envelope and mail it back...hence, the stamp. Some are sitting on my desk b/c they do not have addresses on the world wide web or in my address book. Others are in a box b/c Mr. Chad has not got the addresses for me...

The reception is booked but we have not met and made final plans with them...I think we are going to wait until most of the RSVPs come back. No need to pay for those not attending...LOL.

None of that has to do with star alignment, but it's today's thought...LOL.

45,44,43,42,41...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

engagement 4 x 6's...thats all we need, right?

Mr. Chad and I are getting pictures made for announcements this weekend. Not that it's a big deal...my cousin's husband, Zach, is going to take the photos. He is such a thoughtful guy, I adore him.

Zach is not a professional, but takes great pics. Mr. Chad and I are not models, so everyone seems to be on the same page here...LOL. We are going to have them taken outside, provided the sunny, dry weather holds out.

I think we should have them made on our property--like near the well, or by the creek, or by "our" strawberry patch(The tree here is actually at his parents--I love it...it is so beautiful. I call it Mimi's Dogwood.) however, we have opted for the Hindman Settlement School, which is just as lovely...but it isn't home...and we all know, there's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home

46,45,44,43,42...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

How much for 47 cards?

It's that time of year again. Card time. You know exactly what I'm talking about...Mother's Day, Graduation, June weddings, baby showers and births, Father's Day...so on and so forth...LOL.

I love cards, even in this digital age, nothing is as special as getting a card (via snail mail) from someone...LOL. A card says, "hey, I was thinking about you...not that I don't always, but today you were REALLY on my mind". If I had 1 card for every 10 I have sent, I could build a House of Cards...LOL.

Now, not b/c I worked there, nor b/c i have a tattoo of the EXACT crown on my ankle...I am a Hallmark Whore and I am a flipper--after I read that card, I do turn it over to see if someone cared enough to send the very best. There is NOTHING like a Hallmark card. It is THE standard for the industry.

However, it does not mean that I do not LOVE every card I get...some people and some places have no access to Hallmark. I feel for those poor souls...LOL, but for the past few years, I have started making my own cards and people LOVE them. I do, too. (Not b/c I think I'm a creative genius, just that most times they are top notch...and whoever said it was cheaper to make cards than to buy them...well, they must have never made cards.) I, also, LOVE getting cards that people have made for me!!! In a hurry, though...I have been known to buy whatever is being sold, wherever I am...LOL. Desperate times call for desperate measures...LOL.

Anyway, besides planning this wedding, I am making cards hand over foot for everything under the sun these days. Maybe, you'll be fortunate enough to get one...LOL.

47,46,45,44,43...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

The First 48...

Creating that guests list..well, it has turned into a real downer. I am almost sick to my stomach and Mr. Chad and I have argued over it ALL day.

We want to include everyone, but in this economy and with the new house, we have to set a limit that can be covered by the budget.

The 2 of us decided we would start with our aunts and uncles and then spread outward. Together, we have roughly 30 of those. Then 1st cousins-maybe 50. That's 80, not including kids... All of this is fine, the problem occurs when we start inviting friends.

I, definitely have more friends that I want to invite than he does...they are no more important than his...I just have more. The budget is set and there is NO WAY we can go over 110. So, I'm trying to figure if I should rob a bank now...or pick up a second job for the next few weeks. I just don't want this wedding to put us back into debt b/c we have worked so hard, and really sacrificed a lot to get where we are...

I need to let this go, pray about it, and see what the greater plan is...b/c right now...I am drained!

48,47,46,45,44...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

49 cousins +

It is so nice when I get to see and spend time with my cousins (above are SOME, but not all of my faves...LOL). Girls tend to stick with girls in the family, and the guys do the same... But, we all have faves that are of the opposite sex, as well. I would LOVE to have all of my cousins there to share my wedding day with me, but we all have separate lives and I know that's not possible...

Year after year, we are slowly becoming somewhat like our mother's...or the exact opposite...and it is the funniest thing ever. Over the past year, I have not been able to hang out with them like I want to...but for the most part when we get together, everyone just picks up where we left off...I think that is a sign of a loving family.

Nothing important today, just something special. I thought i would list some of my cousins and my favorite memory of them.

Verlissa-truly, my big sister. I hung onto her as a kid like you wouldn't believe...still love her as much, maybe more...since she is my future husband's aunt-and my cousin...LOL.
Carrie-She was ALWAYS good with hair...once, she did the Bo Derek "10"-do for me. I thought I was hot stuff...LOL.

Riki-She was different from us, but loved coming down in the summer, and when she was young...she loved Elvis...I didn't until her...LOL.

Karen-We grew up together, but were never as close as we have become since I moved back from New Orleans. She will listen when I call, and feels free to call just to vent.

Today, I won't get into the guys, but there are some good stories there...most are with Jr. Boy...Ford Rangers, repulsive birds, Gigpole Slone, and how mercuchrome cures everything-including broken elbows...LOL. Those were the days.

49,48,47,46,45...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

5150...how apropos (doing 2 days in one...LOL)

5150 is a great album by Van Halen and b/c of it we know what those numbers stand for...well, I do...and these days, if anyone follows entertainment news, Britney may have made it popular to them...Section 5150 is a section of California's Welfare and Institutions Code...and it states something to the effect that a person has a mental disorder that makes them a danger to his or her self...I live in Kentucky, and whether we have that or not I feel it sometimes...like I am a danger to myself, not often though...to others...YES. Since starting the major planning of our wedding, I have become one Crazy Bitch...However, I find it so hard when things don't go as planned...

Turns out the reception is one of those things not going as planned...and it is driving me batty... Here are just a few of the issues that I am currently having with the venue. For one, unlike every restaurant in the United States of America, they do not have WHITE linens. They don't have off-white, either. In fact, they have nothing that looks white...it is cream...very, very dark cream...almost yellow and they are not sure they have enough napkins??? So now I have to find white linens for the tables and white napkins for the guests.

Next, they have NO glassware...NONE. It is plastic. If that wasn't enough to send me over the edge...they have coffee cups, but no saucers. WHAT THE F? Have I mentioned this is one of the nicer places in the area??? If it were not already printed on the invites...I would sooooooooo have this somewhere else... **** I loathe drinking out of plastic, unless i am already inebriated and have beads wrapped around my neck, all the while yelling,"Throw me something, Mister".

I need to let some things go...as long as the food is good, and my friends and family are with me...nothing else should matter...especially not the color of the tableclothes...

5150,49,48,47,46...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

52 weeks of "new" recipes

I LOVE to cook. OK, I like to cook...but I do LOVE cooking shows and the Food Channel. I, also, LOVE to read cookbooks and look at the pictures...and wouldn't y'all (We all said it before Paula made it popular and chic, but she is authentically real...and cool!) know it...I'm marrying a man that only eats chicken, bacon, and bread. Alright, he eats a few other things (you will be shocked in just a few paragraphs on what "few other things" means) like chips and candy, but those are snacks...not what I would call food, really.

He doesn't eat pizza, steak, seafood--of any kind, pasta, nothing he can't pronounce, of course...LOL. Personally, I think it stems from "only-child" syndrome, but that is merely an educated guess...LOL. His parents aren't picky eaters that I'm aware of...maybe his Mom, a bit.

Not wanting to try Chicken with Chorizo and Cannellini is one thing, but living on (God, I can't believe I'm telling people this...) "potted" meat with Ruffles plain chips...I, though not sure, think that is a sin, maybe the 8th deadly one. It blows my mind that he can eat that stuff, but won't try BBQ ribs...YUMMMMM-O.

What is funny about his eating habits, and I have had to let this issue go completely b/c it's a losing battle, is that he will eat certain things, but won't put them together. For example, he eats tomatoes and lettuce (I think...I know he eats cabbage), but he won't eat a salad. He eats different sorts of breads, but doesn't eat pancakes. Eats fries and raw potatoes, but won't eat hash browns. Do you see my dilemma?

In my opinion, he drinks waaaayyy too much, waaayyyy to often and chances are...his taste buds are probably already dead...but from the look of him, he ain't starvin'. Here's my plan, after we wed, I'm going to make something new every week and ASK him to try it. I guess, if he doesn't...that's more for me...LOL.

52,51,50,49,48...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

5th 3rd...banking issues and marriage.

Is it wrong to want to keep finances separate when getting married? Currently, Mr. Chad makes most of the money, but I hope...very soon, that we become equal to some degree. I think the 2 of us should split everything 50/50...but that whatever is left over, not including-- retirement, vacations, and educating the kids, that we should be able to do what we want with the rest.

Mr. Chad wants to build a race car/racing team/heck, just anything to do with him being behind the wheel of a car--any kind of car, for that matter...and I'm GREAT with that...I, on the other hand, want a luxury car(preferably a BMW of any kind without the word wagon after it...LOL) and to travel with the kids. In fact, I would skip on the luxury car to travel with my girls.

He sees what I want to do as time that I don't want to be with him, but I think it's a wonderful plan...when he races, his Dad gets to be with him...and when the girls and I travel, they get to be with "their" Mom. How perfect is that?

Ultimately though, we both want to be debt free. I would love to pay the house off in 10 years and just live a little frugal to enjoy later...he does not think that will happen. I spend too much and rarely plan for a rainy day. I am working on that, but he's right. Thank goodness for savers and planners. LOL

53,52,51,50,49...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.

54 Shades of OPI and 5400 of everything else...

It turns out, because somewhere it is written, I am to be trying to figure out make-up, nails, tan, hair, etc. for the "Big Day"...other than the tanning part (which I LOVE doing, either real or fake...LOL), I have never been a make-up, hair, and nails kinda girl.

Ok, well, I'm lying to an extent. I am a hair gal, but not fixing, cutting, or styling. I am more of the every 6 to 8 weeks helping the "new growth" (as my cousin Carrie calls it, and she has a right. She owns and instructs at a Beauty School) blend with the rest of my "natural" color...LOL.

Nails, I almost always have my toenails painted, but never did much with my fingernails, until recently... and now, thanks to Ms. Mary, I'm getting a French-tip manicure EVERY Friday. I heart having my nails painted this way, I've had it in the past...but had let them go for the last couple of years just opting for a clear coat to help them look healthy. Never was much of a cutter, either...more of a filer of those that would break off...LOL. I hope I can keep this up, but I'm betting between new house and summer garden this won't last long...LOL.

Father, forgive me for what I am getting ready to say...Make-up scares me, but I love it! I am not good at applying it on myself, though great applying it on others, and I really limit myself to the same colors. I have had the same blush for 13 years-I swear. I love MAC make-up and buy mascara from them...1, sometimes 2 times a year. I, also, use MAC lipstick. The rest is a cornucopia-of-crap. I've always been good about cleansing products, but I only use them a couple of times a week (month)...LOL

For me, the best, and only, solution is to make sure someone is there to do all this for me! I want my hair down at the ceremony and up at the reception, make-up light in the church and dark at the reception, French tip mani and pedi at both...as long as it's one of OPI's bridal colors then I think that covers it...I'm set now!

54,53,52,51,50...and so on. I hope you will stick with me.