Odds and Ends

Andover Montessori School Faculty: Gave Tyrone and me a wonderful surprise cake and gift. It was very touching. Thank you so much!

Margaret Boisvert: is arriving today! Hurray! She was a cyberhead at the shower. Now she'll be incarnate! I can't wait to see her.

Kevin the Florist: is in Boston today, picking up the flowers for the wedding. I'm so excited.

The apples are shined and ready for transport. The place cards are loaded into a box and with the apples. There are a few people whose names we never got. They will have a place at a table, but no card to show them the way.

I'm moving out: and to the hotel in Worcester. Hurray! It's getting so close.

Pre-Schoolers' Wedding Ideas: The following are conversations which I had with real pre-schoolers this week. Enjoy!

Keeping Guest List managable
(little girls on the playground)

"Can we come to the wedding? Yeah, can we, can we?"

"I wish I could have you there, but the guest lists were in a few months ago. It would be cool to have 50 flower girls though."

"Yeah, we wanna come. We'll only eat cake, don't worry."

"It's in Worcester."

"That's too far, never mind."

Adult Playdates
(little girls at lunch)

"Miss George, Miss GG, Misses GG, we want a playdate with you."

"I can't, I need to get married first."

"Can we have a playdate after?"

"I need to have a long playdate with my new husband. When you get married, you get to take a really long and fun playdate with your husband. It's called a honeymoon."

"Oh yeah, I heard of that." "Me too" "Me three"

Forecast for Love

The 10 day forecast looks good for our wedding day.

What should I wear for a coat?

• a jacket
• a mink stole
• a rabbit cape
• wool suit jacket
• medium to heavy poncho

Foliage forecast?

According to Yankee magazine's website, our foliage is near peak. Our original plan to have autumn leaves on the tables could not come to pass because the leaves are still on the trees. We weren't able to collect and press them. The reds are just beginning to come out. They should peak the weekend after our wedding. Our honeymoon in Southern Maine, however, will be at peak. Hurray!

700 Hits, Yeah!

Can we get to 1000 by the wedding? Tell all your friends!

Seating Plans

We did the seating last night. Our goal was to make you comfortable, while introducing you to new people we think you'll enjoy.

You will each have an apple with your name and table number. The apples are all different, not like the uniform ones shown here.

We have a "Doctor Table" for those with PhD's and other educators. There is a "Men in Black" table, where the clergy will be seated, it's a mix of Antioch, Rome, Constantinople, and a little bit of USA. There's an "I love to talk about Religion" table, here we seated friends who are Orthodox and Catholic who are respectful of others' beliefs, but lovingly passionate about their own. Most tables are simply "Family" tables.

There are two head tables, one on the dais and one on the dance floor. The lower table will be struck after dinner for the dancing. Those people will join other tables after they eat.

I was fretting about my wedding slippers. I spoke with Isotoner, and they will get them to me by Wednesday.

I spoke with Kevin. He's done with the pew decorations and doesn't want me to fret or work too hard. If you are helping with him, your jobs will be lite.

The Jordan Almonds are a pain. We cannot get the pretty ones in fall colors that I had hoped. Darn! We'll settle for white.

Examine the girls!!!!! I saw Olivia Newton John on TV today, she's spreading awareness about breast cancer and self-exams. Ladies, examine yourselves! You're about to display your gorgeousness in pretty dresses at the wedding. Please insure that you'll be healthy and alive for the next wedding. Click on a link in this paragraph or stop by a Curves to pick up a kit on breast self-exam.

Apple Picking

John and Lisa joined Tyrone and me for a morning of apple picking on Saturday. You will see the apples at the wedding. You'll even get to taste them! We picked many different varieties, shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors; over 100 pounds of apples will grace our reception. Although the idea for using the apples came from Martha Stewart, the lack of uniformity is not. That's pure us.

This video is excellent for children under 8. Enjoy!

Updo Anyone?

I went to the hairdresser today for a trial run of my bridal updo. It was a bit shocking. The updo had structure. It was shiny and cool and not too much but definitely more than I have ever done for myself. Here are some cool ones I found online.

If you are getting an updo for the wedding, search the web and bring an idea for the stylist. Their ideas will be much more complex and grand than anything you think up. It's pretty cool.

COME WITH DIRTY HAIR! If the hair is not freshly shampooed, it is much easier to make an updo, it is shinier, and generally prettier.

Your hair should be dry and, if you need to flat-iron it, please do so the night before. If you want to add pieces for volume, please bring them.

Smelling the Roses

Most of you probably already know that Tyrone's personality is very very different from my own. He's much more laid back. He has more faith that details will just work themselves out. There's a reason God chose him for me. He balances me.

The past few weeks, I've been worrying and fretting about the move, finances, festivities, seating plans, and other details. I haven't enjoyed this time as I should I haven't allowed myself to do something I'm famous for; stopping and smelling the roses. No matter what, I've always been able to detach from my stresses and notice flowers, sunsets, smiles, and beauty. I need to reconnect with that part of my core.

There's just one week left of the old life. Just one week to enjoy the engagement and court Tyrone. I don't want to blow it.

• I will make time for daily prayer instead of forcing myself to finish seating plans.
• I will regularly just sit with Tyrone in silence and look in his eyes without wedding agenda or moving woes
• I will appreciate the joys of school more. Today an autistic boy had a wonderful verbal breakthrough, he was so cute, I thought I'd burst. We collected leaves for the reception during recess. I got lots of hugs. The kids practiced calling me Mrs. GG. They liked the way it sounded when they sung it. It made them giggle.

If you see me, please don't hesitate to remind me to stop and smell the roses.