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...

Travel and whatnot...

So, i can't believe I'm looking at plane tickets again...yikes. So much for saving money. So, here is the tentative plan. Matt and I are thinking about flying to Chicago on 12/20, flying to Philadelphia on 12/23 or 12/24 and head back to Portland on the 28th.
I can't even begin to imagine how much fun it's going to be flying into Chicago in the middle of winter right at Xmas time. I'm sure nothing will go wrong.
So, let me know your thoughts. Chrissy, I'll still plan to come out to Houston in February to meet little Vendo. So, please feel free to comment. Does the plan sound ok to all of you.

Bikes...and beauty

Hi ladies...so I noticed that the rest of you seem to have given up blogging already. After all that prodding, I'M the only one blogging on a Friday night. Wait...nevermind.
So, tomorrow night at midnight Portland will be host to its annual NAKED bike ride. Yes, you heard me correctly...a NAKED bike ride. And no, i will not be particpating. They don't let anyone particpate that still showers and shaves their legs and armpits. Bet that painted a hot picture in your head, didn't it? I may go, though, just to check it out. I'll make sure to take pictures and send them to you.
Last night, I worked on the ceremony with Sandra...for those of you who've forgotten I'm an official minister saying my first wedding on August 31st. Apparently, there's a portion of the wedding where i have to give an "address." This is what us Catholics call the sermon/homily. I have to come up with it on my own. I KNOW! I totally did not sign on for that. Now, i know it's clearly documented that my speeches in the past have been, for lack of a better word, fucking fantastic, but i'm still nervous. Their goddamn guest list is up to 278. I think I'm more nervous now than when i got up on stage and talked about my vagina for 2 hours. This is like, real. I have to sign a friggin marriage license. Who the hell made me a minister? The should be shot.
Anyway, some advice would be good about now, ladies. I don't want this to be like a maid of honor speech...i feel like it should be spiritual or some shit.
So, I'll leave you all with this...when I was walking back to work today after running an errand, some random dude on the street told me I was 'very beautiful.' I don't care who it is, when some random dude, that has never seen you before tells you your beautiful, that feels fucking wonderful!

Yipee!

I, too, am super excited about the shore. I feel like it took so long to get here and by the time next Saturday comes along, it's going to go by so fast. We'll just need to make the most of our time. I was having a conversation with Matt about there being 11 people in 1 house and asking him if he thought he'd be able to handle it...his response, "Mary, you know I like your family, right?" Awwwwwww...
So, work sucked today...not really for me, but that evil bitch monster of death is still terrorizing the office. Two people ended up in tears and one actually quit on the spot. Lucky (or unlucky) for her, Craig, big pooper head boss man stopped her before she could resign. She left for the day and plans to be back tomorrow. This is the first time at this place where things are going well for me but shitty for others. I guess I'm grateful???
Came home, though and Matt offered to cook. Chicken curry with green beans and potatoes. Yummy!
DeeDee, I'm going to remind you to bring the air mattress from this day forward, ok? Everyday until we leave, I will remind you :)