A Scratch, Scratch Here... A Scratch, Scratch There...

... No, I haven't got a case of poison ivy. Nor do I have any bug bites that I'm scratchin'.

The title of this post refers to the fact that, not one... but TWO of my vehicles got scratched yesterday......... and neither of them was my own doing!

Can we say... absolute frustration!???

First was my jetta. I drove out to my aunts house to pick up some fabric that I'm going to hem for her. I pull up and she is outside with one of her dogs on a leash and the other one running loose. Guess who got the brunt of the loose dog's excitement? MY CAR DOOR! Ugh!

Luckily it's not that bad... but it's the principle of it all. MY dog does not jump on cars. And if she just randomly happens to (which has yet to happen)... I would totally apologize. Offer to pay for damages... then apologize some more.

No apology from my aunt.

*sigh*

THEN... later on in the day, I was at my dad's garage. He's got my vw camper (which got a new paint job last year) sitting out front because he is going to be pulling it into the garage soon to do some engine work.

Well, some people recently moved into one of my parents apartments above the shop. This kid (13 yrs old) was hanging around waiting for his grandma to come home from something or other... and when she pulled in... guess where she pulled?

Right beside my camper.

The kid runs out and swings the back car door open.... Nope... didn't hit the camper... bet you thought I was going to say that, huh? LOL! I sit and watch from inside because I had a direct line of view. He starts pulling one of those trick bicycles out of the back seat. You know... the kind with the metal bars sticking out back by the wheels?

I bet you can see where this is headed.

I was breathing a sigh of relief as he got it safely out of the car... however, then he goes to pull it up on the sidewalk.. and BAM!!!!!!! Smacks one of those darn metal bars right onto the bumper of the camper. (The bumpers are painted white)

I, of course, jump up and say "HEY!!". I startled him, which probably wasn't a wise move since he was still near my vehicle. I tried to nicely scold him... by telling him to be more careful. And he acted like it was no biggie. (Grrr!) So then I told him that it was MY VEHICLE he just hit. His response. "Well, it has a flat tire"

Yes. Yes, it does have a flat tire at the moment... but that's BESIDES THE POINT!!!

I told him that I didn't really want to pay for a new paint job... and there were too many cars around, so he needed to really watch where he was going.

He mumbled a "Sorry." Then walked off.

He made quite the gouge in the bumper... but at least it was the bumper, right? And it didn't go all the way down to the metal, so it shouldn't rust.

But seriously. Two of my cars in one day... just really fries me! Blah!!

I just had to vent!!!

For the Love of Decorations!

Well... today is the day for the big "wedding".... the one I've been helping with. I know that as soon as I take a shower and start getting ready, I won't be back on the computer. I thought I'd share a little about yesterday with you!

We were to meet at the reception place at 10:30AM to start decorating. I got there and unloaded a ton of stuff from my car... then went and parked it... and waited... and waited... and waited. It was after 11AM and I decided that I might as well go get some lunch since I knew once they got there with the rest of the decorations, we'd be rockin' and rollin'. Off I drove across town, in horrible traffic to Subway. It was the healthiest I could get, unless I had time to sit at a restaurant and eat from a salad bar (Although, for as long as I ended up waiting, I probably could have done that!). Subway was swamped. I knew as the girl kept putting sandwiches by the register, that they were getting mixed up..... but I took what they gave me (even smelled it on the way out... and it smelled like turkey!) then got in my car and drove across to the mall parking lot to eat it. I didn't want to eat in the crowded restaurant... and didn't know if the Country Club would appreciate me bringing it in to eat there (since they have a restaurant right there). So, alone in my car, I unwrapped the sandwich. It was turkey alright! And ham and tons of weird peppers (YUCK!). So I had to take it back and then wait in the ever growing line for a new sandwich! On the plus side, I got a free 6" sub coupon for my troubles! However, having texted the "bride" earlier, I then got a call to tell me that they would be late.

I drove back to the Country Club, after eating my sandwich.... and passed a lovely butt crack on a bike (ok, it was more like disgusting-*shudder*---don't you think you'd wear clothes that fit when you're riding your bike in public?)... only to wait some more. I started trying to get some lights undone and make sure they worked... and then my mom came to help. 12:30 rolled around.. and finally they got there to help!! I didn't even bother to help carry the stuff in from their cars.. LOL. I had other things to tend to!

Oh yes, I might mention that the bride flat out lied to my face about them being late. There were major issues with the tuxes... and one of the groomsman said he had to go try his on at 10AM... and she had just woken up. But she told me that she "didn't know why they were so late, they were ready by 10!". UGH--Whatev.

Anywho... once things got going... we definitely pulled things together. My mom and I were the last two out with finishing some things up, as everyone else had left to get ready for the rehearsal. I took some pics to share (before people get in there and start messing it up)... just don't mind the light coming in through the windows. The white lights look so much nicer once the sun goes down!

It's all a wine theme.... this is the table for the favors and place cards.
(The place cards are set in corks)

This is the cookie table for when people first come into the reception... I made some mean chocolate cookies!!

This is the gift table. The lights on the wine stand twinkle.. which is so pretty! And the little barrel is going to be used for cards!

And last, but certainly not least... is the arbor. This is what we used at my wedding... however this time instead of flower garlands... it's decorated with ivy garlands and grape lights.
I hope to get a better picture this evening when the sun is down!

The wedding is at 2PM and I'm hoping I don't trip up at the alter or mess up my readings. It's a Catholic wedding, so there are some things the priest wants me to do... like bow at the alter and say certain things before and after my reading.... we'll see how it goes. Don't think I'll be bowing... but I'll at least try to get the readings right!

Oh, and I must mention, the grooms mom... who has been planning this all, she has been very very appreciative and kept tearing up yesterday when we were pulling all of the decorations together. That's what makes all of this trouble worth it! I know they are going to love it when they walk in this evening!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

PS: My husband is awesome because he gave me a foot rub last night after we got home. My feet hurt so bad!!

I Just Need to Vent!!

*Warning, this is a complainy-bum post!*

I woke up at 1:40AM. I couldn't get back to sleep for quite some time due to some stewing that was going on in my active brain. You may remember THIS post... where the Bride-to-be of a friend totally dissed the shower gift I made her... AT her shower... in front of everyone. Well... I had seriously thought about NOT helping with their wedding anymore.

That was 2 months ago... and since that time, I have seen the Mom of the Groom (who is pulling everything together) struggle with trying to get everything done. Since Cory and I are closer with the Groom's parents than we are with the actual Bride and Groom... I couldn't just sit back and watch her floundering. She has been walking on egg shells with everything, trying to let the Bride make all of the decisions (even if they are dumb ones). So, I recruited my mom to come in and help us put their mish-mash of decoration supplies into one cohesive idea for the reception. My mom is a decorating master when it comes to this stuff. My reception was beautiful! (Considering we did it all ourselves--no paying people from a country club or anything)

(Here is a shot of the arbors my mom had built to go over the head tables... once it got dark outside, the white lights made such a whimsical atmoshpere!)

We decided to use one of the arbors (that has been in my back yard since my wedding) for the upcoming reception, which works out since she wants a Wine Theme. Her centerpieces are absolutely hideous.... but we aren't even touching those. We are going to use wine barrels and grapevines, ivy, white lights, etc. We went to the country club a couple of weekends ago to see the layout of the room, etc... and the bride conveniently felt faint when there was actual work to be done (measuring) and had to go sit down. She conveniently has headaches or is sick anytime there is work to be done... (this has happened with other things--not just the wedding). It's really irritating, but it's actually nice when she keeps her nose out of stuff. (I'm horrible, I know) The problem with this though, lies in the fact that she keeps changing her mind or won't make decisions until the last minute... and when she does have a decision to make... she has to lay down because her head hurts.

Seriously, if she has this many medical problems, she should go see a doctor and not stop until they figure out what her malfunction is.

I could go into more annoying detail... but the latest thing is what really set me off this morning. I was at the Groom's parents house on Tuesday evening to go over a few things I was going to help with. The Groom's mom didn't get home until almost 8:30 because she was working on getting all of the programs printed, etc. So Cory and I waited and waited... finally she came home, only to tell me that she didn't have all of the info for the seating charts (I am supposed to hand write all of the place cards). She had tried calling the Bride, but her phone was off... "She must have a headache." I tried to nicely reiterate the fact that I would need the list ASAP so that I could get it done... so she said she would email it to me yesterday.

8:24PM yesterday... still no list emailed to me.

So I wrote a brief email to her and just let her know that I would need it this morning at the latest or I don't know that I'll have time to get it all done (hey, I have a life and things to do!--but I didn't say that part). I heard nothing until this morning... the time on the email was 1:53AM.

Here's what it said:

"We'll get them to you. [The Bride] fell asleep last night & I didn't get the names until late tonight." (Which means, she still had to get them organized before she could send them to me).

SERIOUSLY?

The bride fell asleep? She couldn't keep her eyes open for 20 minutes to finish the chart? Where are her priorities?

The Groom's mom has been staying up until 4AM for the past week (plus still going to work!) trying to get everything done! This is getting utterly ridiculous!!!

I am beyond irritated. I know I shouldn't let it get to me... and even though I am normally a negative person.... I have been trying to be better. But I am SO done with this girl. However, I can't be... since she told me I was reading in the wedding (I should've said NO... but I was trying to be nice)... and I offered months and months ago to take pictures of the wedding for the Groom's mom so that she would have more than just what the professional photographer will give them. Also, I committed to help decorate the reception.

The only thing (besides Cory & GOD) that is keeping me going... is knowing that in 3 days, this will all be over. OVER. And hopefully I won't have to deal with this girl again.

**Taking a deep breath!!** and **Exhaling!**

A Little Venting...

I'm just going to put this out there...

Over the past number of months, it seems that there have been a lot of people having babies and getting pregnant. That's awesome! The creation of a new life is one of the biggest miracles! There is only a 20% chance each cycle that a woman can become pregnant, assuming that there are no medical issues with either partner. Since the window for getting pregnant each cycle is very slim... it truly is a miracle when it happens!

That being said... I am SO tired of hearing pregnant women complain about the inconveniences of it. Now, I've never been pregnant and some may say that I have no room to talk... but I do know what it is like to have dreamt my whole life of becoming a parent... and not having the opportunity. I try to be careful of my attitude toward people who are having babies, because a part of me is sad that it isn't me... however, the other part of me knows that it may have been a struggle for them. Maybe they tried for months with a lot of heartache and finally they got their miracle! Or, who knows... maybe they didn't have to try at all. But I don't know their situation... so I try to be sensitive to the fact that my attitude needs to be in the right place. I shouldn't begrudge anyone because of my own desires and impatience to become a mother. It's not something I'm proud of... but it's something that I often struggle with.

However...

Nothing annoys me more than a pregnant woman who goes on about being "fat"... or looking like a "beached whale"... (among other things). Pregnancy is a beautiful thing! Sure, some of the symptoms might suck... a lot... and heck, I probably would be complaining about getting sick if I was miserable with morning sickness! But I guess I just wish that some people would take into consideration the feelings of others... those of us who have not had the joy of experiencing a positive pregnancy test, or who have had the heartache of a miscarriage. It's more common than you might think... a lot of people just don't verbalize their issues (understandably). There are many women who would love to be carrying a life inside of them... sickness, "fatness" and all!!

I hope someday, if I ever have the opportunity to carry a child inside of me, I will remember the stress, heartache and hope that I felt while Trying To Conceive... so that I can keep my own attitude in check for the sake of those women and men around me who are perhaps silently carrying their own infertility burden.