We're getting close...

Hey y'all. I know most of you are aware by now but we may be closing in on a date. We looked at the Bridgeport Brewery last night and really liked it. There's not too much to see on the website but you can look at the details here: http://www.bridgeportbrew.com/#/brewpub/ and check out our options. We balked a little at first at the price but after thinking about it we realized it really wasn't too unreasonable. They also don't usually start their evening events until 6 but we thought that was too late so we negotiated a 5pm start time and we'll just end earlier. We still need a ceremony spot but there are so many beautiful spots in Portland that it shouldn't be very difficult. I'm still holding out for my #1 choice of the Rhododendron Gardens but haven't been able to get a hold of any yet. I'm hoping that's not a bad sign. We're also going to look at this place tonight but there's a chance we'd have to book it for 4 hours and it would be $1100 which I think is really ridiculous when we'd only need it for 2 hours. We'll see if we can negotiate but if not we might just have to rule it out. Which would suck because Matt is all about that huge organ (stop snickering). Well that's enough for now I suppose...there will be more to come though, don't you worry. Love you guys.

Wish us luck this weekend...

I'm blogging at work. Bad Mary. Oh well. I'm just excited. We're looking at 4 different places this weekend. Yippee! One of them is a brewery. Hahaha. And I just went to Borders and got like 4 wedding books. This is how it starts, isn't it? Just wish us luck with getting a place and a date as soon as possible. I really feel like most other things will be more manageable with that taken care of and I know you all will be more at ease. Matt's been really great with helping to figure out where we want to get married. I feel so lucky...espeically after watching Tim and Sandra prepare for their wedding.
Anyway, I think my boss just looked at me funny so I will go for now but hopefully you'll hear from me soon about how the weekend went. Love you guys!

Vacation houses

Hi all - I've just started looking at some vacation houses in Portland (close to Matt and I) and am having lotsa luck - more than I thought I would. I think this is a brilliant idea. We're going to be looking at some venues next weekend and once we get the date nailed down I'll send you the links to some cute and close places.
I want to take this moment (I'm premenstrual) to let you all know how much it means to me that you're going to come out here for my wedding. I know it's going to be hard and Matt and I are going to do everything we can to make it as stress free as possible. Planning that big work event may have taught me some pointers. But seriously, thank you. We're working really hard to get a date nailed down ASAP and I'll let you know. I've talked to most of you and if we like one of the places next weekend, they have July 4th weekend available. Fingers crossed.
And now that all the work stuff is behind me I am relatively stress free. Thank the lord. I'm on my way to a BBQ at Tim and Sandra's.
Until next post...

And it begins...

Ok - so, I need to bounce something off you guys because I'm wondering if I'm being too sensitive. But before i begin...did I mention that I'm getting married? Wasn't sure if you knew that or not:) Anyway - I talked to Dad today and briefly mentioned our skeleton plan for the wedding...mainly that it's going to be here, and it's going to be small...like 40-50 people. So then he asked me if that included his brothers and sisters to which i responded "no." And I asked if he was ok with that, he said yes but when i asked if his family would be ok with that, he said "I don't know." So, now I'm paranoid. I've been engaged a day and am already wondering who I might be offending. I mean there are so many reasons we want a small wedding. We don't have a lot of money, Matt has a hard enough time in groups and the most important - it's what we both want. I'm really going to need some advice on the best way to go about doing this. I want to send out engagement announcements but don't want to give people the impression that they're invited. So, do I wait until we get married and then send out announcements. Are there certain family members I should call? Help.
Ok - on to happier subjects - I'm freaking engaged. Matt and I are on cloud nine - walking around, kissing, calling each other "fiance" and generally making other people nauseous. It's fantastic. We're trying not to talk about planning the wedding yet (we're waiting until Tim and Sandra's wedding and the Forum at work are over) but we can't NOT talk about it. We've come up with a few potential places already...one is the Rhodedendron garden in town. So beautiful. I'll be keeping you posted throughout this entire process - eagerly anticipating your comments. Chrissy was right - this blogging thing ain't so bad. OK, i guess this post is long enough by now and I'm beat. We were up until 1 last night, drinking and talking. We even danced to what i think our wedding song will be. Check it out. Just try not to cry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSL_qayMCc
Love you guys!!!

It's not easy being a minister...

I got myself in over my head here, ladies. I'm starting to feel the pressure. Bridezilla is being pushed to the brink and I'm feeling the heat. I forwarded you all my "homily" so if you have a second, I'd appreciate you offering some suggestions. Work is so busy right now - I'm just exhausted when I get home that I don't feel like doing anything. Then I end up sitting on the couch all night watching the boob tube. Thank god, I ride my bike to work. I had to force myself to make BLT's tonight - and that's pretty much the easiest thing to make EVER. Matt and I are going to IKEA tomorrow night - I'm feeling the need to redecorate the bathroom. I thinking greens and oranges. Yes? And some kind of big fluffy rug. I haven't been to IKEA since it opened in town - that place, for all its wonder and glory, stresses me out. Ok - well, i always sit down to write this blog with tons to say and then it all goes away. I have a feeling that pretty soon there will be much to write about. That's all I'll say about that :)

It's Shark Week!!!!

Best week ever, isn't it? Actually, i must express my disappointment in the line up this year. One Mythbusters and one Dirty jobs - they already did that! Also, there are 2 encore nights during the week and a 'best of' episode. What the shit is that? I'll tell you what the shit that is...it's lazy, people.
Ok, I'm stopping the Shark Week rant to rant about something else. Sandra just called in the middle of my blogging and this girl is gettin outta hand. Her family is outrageous. I shit you not, they are spending about $60,000 on this wedding - she's getting fake eyelashes and a weird collagen lip gloss thing to puff up her lips. It's not even going to look like her! And now, out of the blue, her very interfering mother wants a copy of the ceremony as soon as possible so she can make it all pretty and put it in a pretty book with lots of pretty wedding decorations and the whole thing'll cost $100. I thought I'd have complete control of the one thing that I, and only I need. NO ONE ELSE GOD DAMN NEEDS IT. I guess the "book" or whatever it is I choose would be something I pull from a goddamn dumpster, right? And Sandra kept asking me - "Is the ceremony going to be done this weekend?" Last night was the first friggin night she sat down with me to go over exactly what she wants in about 3 months. All she had to do was pick a bunch of readings from a book...the part I have to do this weekend is WRITE the friggin homily AND the introduction since she can't write. You know whatIi said to Matt earlier? If my family was shelling out $60,000 you can better believe I'm getting married in Ireland or something - not a friggin country club. What a waste of money!! At least have some over-the-top theme wedding - like a Renaissance wedding or a shark theme wedding. But a country club???? No!
Ok - well now, I'm in a foul mood and the blog is much too long already. I'll write more this week about the wedding we went to last weekend (beautiful - outdoors - picnic). Love you guys.

Busy as a bee...

Hi all. Been awhile. Sorry. Things have been pretty busy at work and at home. I organized, planned and faciliated a meeting on Friday by myself for the first time and did a great job (at least that's what my boss said). It's part of the program that I'm mostly in charge of now. It felt pretty good. But because i had been so apprehensive about it, when i got home i was exhausted and in bed around 9:30. Geez. Lame, huh? But, I got up at 9 today, had a cup of coffee and am now on a cleaning spree. Or at least I will be once Matt leaves to play disc-golf. We have a tendency to get in each other's way when i start freaking out about cleaning. I blame him completely. It's better that i do it when he's out of the house. This is pretty much our last free weekend for awhile. Next weekend we're flying to Sacramento to see his dad and stepmom...oh boy. We originally had these plans to drive but decided that and 1 1/2 flight is a better use of our time. Oh well. Wish me luck.
Then the next weekend we have a wedding that we're not part of but sort of helping out. And then it'll be crunch time to figure out all the details for Tim and Sandra's wedding. I've been totally slacking and am starting to get nervous. Strawberry Shortcake, did your hubby have to do some kind of address when he did this?? Any input would be great.
So i think that's it...sorry i don't write as often...I'm on a computer all day and i hate having to get back on when i get home but i read all your blogs and am glad to know what's going on with all of you.
And because I know you're all wondering, no, no engagement yet. I know he has to do it on his own time but i wish he'd get a move on...we've had talks about so i still thinking we're on the same page but who knows...sometimes i can't read him. His best friend was down last weekend with his new fiance and i found out some stuff that he had to deal with when he was growing up. It makes me feel so very blessed about the family I have and even more convinced that moving back is the right thing to do.
I love you all very much...