Painting by Numbers

I spent approximately 4 hours on Thursday evening and another hour this evening trying to make a map to include with the invitations.

Considering my laptop "only has so many times that I can use Microsoft Word -Cousin Rusty", not to mention it is an old version of Office, and I do not have any type of Publisher or Paint program, my map is pathetic. I am too embarrassed to post it.

I am almost too embarrassed to send it out. People can WebQuest right?

I gave up on it and started blogging.
And then, I stumbled upon this map from Southern Weddings.

Now we're in business.

I love the contrasting green of the earth and the blue of the inlet of water. Basically, this map would make my map cry like a little girl.

I am going to try to convince My Guy to whip something up like this using his design skills and maybe Auntie J could paint a rose over our home location, similar to the lovely magnolia on the map. Did I tell you that Mama is trying to learn to paint roses to keep her mind sharp?

Keep drinking that Crazy Juice and you will be just fine sweetheart.

Stationary love and all of mine!

Black Ice

Sometimes I live vicariously through Daddy and Aunt Joyce's stories about growing up. One of the many stories I have heard is about my Grandpa and Grandma (the GP's) and all four kids loading up in the car and heading West to Denver to visit family. Between reading Little House on the Prairie stories and a few, "Mom! Rod stinks!" I am sure that there were many trips to remember. My dad tells of one blizzardy, wintery night the family took out on I70 West. Icy roads and snowy conditions I'm sure made my Grandma about as nervous as riding in a rowboat without a lifejacket. The storm worsened and my Grandpa hit a patch of ice to which my Grandma yelled, "BLACK ICE!"

Winter weather makes me nervous! A couple years ago, my Corolla Lola was hit by a snow scraper truck in Manhattan and took months to get through the body shop; to which 4 months later was in a hail storm and needed a whole new face lift. Poor Lo!

Lola is a fair weather fan.

Back to Black Ice. Black Ice is the story of my travels this semester. Every time I try to head home or back to Manhattan it is either snowing, sleeting, ice remains or a chance of a blizzard is looming. One particular night, I had to drive home in Haley Beth's Silverado Sylvia with no heat with windchills below zero and icy country roads, answering my Daddy's calls every 13 minutes making sure that I was not in a ditch somewhere. I made it home, only to be nearly attacked by Zach's precious pooch Harley.

Have I told you that Zach brought home a puppy and he was the hero of the family? I haven't? Well that is another blog another day friends!

Zachary B and Harley Bean. Bird in there.

Today, Blake and his sister Amanda, and I headed back to Manhattan to meet a wintery mix and more than a few cars in ditches (including one snow scraper --ruh roh!) We made it safely and I am working on not "nagging" his driving skills.

He should drive with my Grandma.

Here's to hoping for warmer weather! All my love!

My Awesome Aunts

It takes a village to raise a child and it takes talented aunts to pull off a wedding! I have awesome aunts and they are all helping with the wedding in some facet.

My Aunt L (who I was a flowergirl for many moons ago!) is helping me pull off the garden feel of the wedding and has provided many tips of inspiration for the vintage feel that I want to capture! I might even have to beg her to dip a few strawberries in chocolate for the dessert table.

My Aunt L helping my Lil Sis Darb at Sonita Maria's shower.

My Aunt T is best at Gettin Er Done! She is so helpful with working behind the scenes to make sure that when the party is over things are cleaned up and dishes are washed. I will be asking her to help oversee cake table to run smoothly. She gives a pretty good bath too; my sisters and I used to love spending the night with her when we were young just for bathtime! Fun fact: she is married to my Uncle Randy who will be marrying My Guy and I! ( I know "and I" is terrible grammar but I'm up for a rhyme, all the time. Catch that?)My Aunt T with her two daughter in laws, S & S.

My Aunt Mickey is great at dinner parties and decorating is her forte! She also has been helpful giving party planning advice for logistics and the prettier side too! She will be helping with Reception Decor, especially lighting and cutting blooms to put in bud vases for the center pieces!

My Gramma Ruth and Aunt Mickey having a good time!

My Auntie J is my go-to-girl for wedding planning! She will be helping manage people at the rehearsal and the day of to direct wedding party and guests. She is also creating the invitations. She's truly an artist and she has designed roses for the invitations using watercolor and I can't wait to see them all finished! She also has a great sense of humor that I have adopted and my dad lovingly refers to as my Acid Tongue. Check out her blog here!

My Auntie J, my Gramma Ruth and cousin Sonita Maria at Soni's Bridal Shower!

How about my poor old mama?

We're just going to keep the crazy juice (red grape juice really) flowing for the week of the wedding! But really, she has listened to my ideas with a well taught "uh huh, that's an idea" response and has only had to give me "I told you so" a few times throughout planning. She surprised me this weekend by reserving tents, tables, chairs, china, an arbor and cake stand in Kansas City with my dad and even bought her Mother of the Bride dress the same day: very productive weekend! She is so excited about our Bridal Luncheon for my girls that sometimes I think she forgets about the wedding, well until the bill comes.

My mama and I in the kitchen getting ready for Thanksgiving chaos, I mean fun. Bring on the crazy juice.

PS. Mom: How's your best friend Robbie?

Bridal Brigade love and all of mine!