Registering

Despite my incredibly strong desire to hold off on registering (possibly until next year), we made the trek to Bed Bath & Beyond to start our wish list. I LOVE BB&B. I LOVE shopping there. And I LOVE that they allow you to use more than one coupon a transaction and expired coupons too! (I can't help it. It's the cheapskate in me. But, really, I could essentially buy 10 items and use 10 twenty percent off coupons...you can't beat it!) Registering was something much further down on my 'To Do' list. Why register now when stock is changing, I have no idea what our living situation will be like and I'd most likely end up completely re-doing the registry as these questions got answered? For instance I registered for King sheets. We have a queen bed. But if our future bedroom is big enough we'd like to get a king. If it's not...registry altered. And I know we will have at least one bathroom. But what if we have two...add a second set of towels and accessories. And what if we got through the agonizing discussion of dinnerware, pick plates and silverware only to have the style be discontinued and clearanced with 6 months still to go to our wedding? Which brings me back to how I LOVE Bed Bath and Beyond. Except, it seems, when it comes to registering. Registering at BB&B is completely overwhelming! It may have helped if we'd talked about what we wanted before going to the store. Instead we wandered aimlessly around the store scanning few items and mostly deciding to decide later. As a result we walked away with about ten items on our wedding list. Now that a registry is started, however, I can't stop thinking about it. We forgot cookie sheets. How can I continue my quest to perfect the chocolate chip cookie without high class cookie sheets? And what colors do we want in our bedroom? Maybe we should have decided that prior to registering for sheets. So now our incomplete and fledgling registry remains on the active to do list with no cross off date in sight. And I have a new obsession...checking and updating the registry--frequently!

Grocery Shopping

I have recently developed an intense dislike for grocery shopping. While I have never particularly loved the chore, it is pretty bad how much I dread it lately. I have been in DC for about eight years now. While at school the closest grocery store wasn't in the best area of town. When I lived on Connecticut Avenue the store felt safe, but seemed to lack some of the options a larger store would carry. The Giant on Wisconsin, however, is by far the worst. Its teeny tiny. The aisles are about half as long as an average grocery store and very narrow. There is about three feet of space between them and the registers, which means there in zero room if there are lines (and there are ALWAYS lines). The selection is very limited and produce is usually horrible. I avoid it like the plague. Like today. I had all day to head over to shop and I put it off and put it off until I was finally so hungry I absolutely had to go in order to make myself dinner. In hindsight, it may have been better if I hadn't waited quite so long. I could have avoided the 6 o'clock after work crowd. Either way, my new philosophy is to grab the absolute essentials (plus the one or two random items I always seem to add to my basket--today's being cupcake wrappers and vanilla??) and get out in the shortest amount of time possible. Which has me heading to the grocery store two to three times a week. Makes sense, right?

Wedding Website

I can't seem to write the 'Our Story' portion of our website. I have been struggling with it for weeks. I don't know why. It's simple, really. We were set up. Our first date was basically a blind one. We had talked on the phone twice for brief periods of time and looked at outdated pictures on Facebook, but the first time we met was our first date. End of story. Or the beginning...depends on how you look at it.

Wedding Photography

Looking for photographers was a bit of a buzz kill. Photos was one place I wasn't willing to skimp. I was, in fact, willing to go over budget to find exactly what I wanted. Looking at site after site, however, was a headache. Michael and I shared the following email exchange during the search:
ME: OK Fiance, here's a bunch. There's a ton more. I think I have a top 3 out of these, a few I'd probably take off the list and then a bunch of in betweens. [Here followed an obnoxiously long list of local photography websites, only two or three of which I actually liked, but all of which I felt it vital he look at].
MICHAEL: I liked #10 and Emily. I got tired of looking at them after 10. I'm glad you're doing the research for this.
ME: I liked Emily! I think it might be the cool name ;) She was definitely top of my list though. I liked Natalie and Kathy too. The other one you liked I couldn't view very well on my super outdated computer. But I liked the bit I saw so I'll have to look again. Here's the first of many wedding to do lists....Are you ready for this? Not sure you're ready...Not sure you REALLY know what you've gotten yourself into...OK, I'm done. Sorry. TO DOs for tonight: 1. Finish guest list (this would be your friends, I'll help) 2. Talk to you about my catering thoughts 3. Talk to you about the budget stuff I looked at 4. Watch The Bachelorette (This is unrelated, but a potential must. So I hope you're coming over. I might not wait otherwise.) 5. Figure out a way to not bombard you with 50 million emails about wedding stuff to fuel your already bad email habit. Especially when I have work to do. The End. Love you.
His response? He added to my "to do" list....This is why I love him ;)

PS-We had our engagement session yesterday. Stay tuned for new pictures coming soon to a computer near you!

So, you will probably think this is very OCD of me, but when I have cash in my wallet I like it to be organized with all the bills facing the same way and in numerical order. Its weird and stupid and not at all important, but its my thing. I know there is at least one other person out there who feels this need. I learned it from her. I have always had my checking account with the same bank. Recently, they were purchased and just went through the processing of fully switching over to a new name. Since the change I have noticed a difference. The new ATMs dispense bills all haphazardly and unorganized and it drives me a little bit crazy. It did it this morning and irritated me. I won't name names, but when they ask "What's in your wallet?" I'm tempted to say sloppy unorganized cash thanks to your slacker ATMs. I miss crisp, clean, orderly money. Just thought I'd share...

Michael & Emily's Wedding

It seems that with 9 months to our wedding (255 days to be exact) we have all the major contractors booked. I thought I would take time to share some of the planning now that we have reached a bit of a lull. Most of the process has been fairly easy. We have had no major disagreements and, surprisingly, I have been rather decisive about most things. The hardest part was choosing the date. With so many birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, holidays, etc. the months of May and June were pretty tight. Plus, with one weekend out for the venue and another for the church June 4th was really our only option. Luckily we both liked the sound of an even number. We're weird like that. The ceremony was between the two family churches. With St. Peter's (my home church) recently rebuilt after burning down in 2004 I had no real ties to the building or dreams of marrying there. Plus, Our Lady of the Fields (The MacDonald family church) is nearby St. Elizabeth Ann Seton where Michael works and where we got a great deal on the reception site. I was originally opposed to Seton. I have never wanted a reception in a church hall. But, as church halls go, Seton really is very nice. It doesn't have the feel of a church hall and has a nice outdoor patio area and pond. Plus, because Michael works there we have the ability to store some things before and after and can get into the hall early to do our own decorating. I have come to love this idea especially as I have this strong desire to make everything unique and original (or as original as you can get in a centuries old tradition). Stay tuned...

New to the World of Blogging

OK, so I have to say I am a bit skeptical of this whole blogging revolution. I'm not sure I really understand the point of posting random thoughts for the whole world to see, and I'm not yet convinced I'll actually put much effort into this project. It seems, however, it is all the rage to have a blog. Or follow blogs. Or blog on blogs. And while I am deeply committed to keeping 'fads' out of my life, I can also appreciate jumping on the bandwagon when warranted....So, don't judge, this is a work in progress...