que sera, sera...

This photo, taken last night at one of the many Inaugural Balls, pretty much sums up how I feel about blogging at the moment: like it's time to sit it out for a dance or two. Despite your lovely comments in the previous post, I'm not sure yet if I'll return to the blogosphere again at a later date. For now, I bid you adieu... My accordion and I need a little breather.


Photo source: Chicago Tribune photo by Nancy Stone (January 19, 2009) of Alex Smith from the Strolling Strings resting before the band starts playing again at The Illinois Gala.

musing

So I'm feeling a bit ambivalent about this blog lately (in case you couldn't already tell). When it started off and I began receiving comments from literally across the globe, it was a lot of fun. In the blogosphere, however, commenting is a two-way street. In order to receive, you must give. Sadly, I rarely find the time to visit my favorite blogs and comment, thereby inviting others to visit me. The result is circular: no one comments on my blog, and consequently I lose the motivation to continue posting. Frankly, I just like attention. Without it, I'm not terribly inspired to make the time this blog requires.

I'm beginning to realize this was a lovely experiment, but maybe not my piece de resistance. I'd hoped for a forum to display some of my photos as I learn the art of photography. But time and other limitations have severely hampered my picture-taking of late, and I've failed to post much material. I hesitate to post too many details about my wedding, as I want most of it to be a surprise to our guests. And if You're not going to share details about Your wedding, what's the point of a wedding blog?

With that said, I invite your thoughts [...that would be novel on this blog of late!...] Is this little lovely even worth the web space it takes up?

Photo source: My own - taken of seaweed on Singing Beach in Manchester.

SERIOUSLY?!

There is a blizzard warning in effect here in Chicago.

This, on top of the record-reaching 33 [THIRTY. THREE] inches of snow we've already endured this season.

I never signed up for life in the arctic tundra, so I'm not entirely sure what's going on here. But I am definitely OVER. IT.

Photo source: Chicago Tribune (Snow blows across the Dan Ryan Expressway).

oh, the weather outside is frightful

Some days I wonder why I - or anyone - lives here.

Snow actually accumulated ON ME walking to the train this morning. As in, between point A (my house) and point B (the train), roughly 1/2 inch deposited itself on my parka.

Photo source: Miles Storey

hint hint

So I've mentioned that the colors for our wedding are black and green... and I'm wearing these delicious green shoes...(I think). Imagine my *joy* when I stumbled across this beautiful quartz & marcasite (I love marcasite...is that weird?!) ring by Judith Jack, at Nordstrom.

Dear Fiancé: In case you were considering buying me a wedding gift (you were... right?!), consider your shopping done.

I mean, just imagine how fantastic this would look on my right hand on our wedding day... I'm imagining it...

Then, it will look lovely sitting on our bureau ... Even in a jewelry box it's stunning. I think I'm in lust.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I've had the darndest time falling asleep - and staying asleep - the past two nights.

Today is 102 days from Our Wedding Day, 8 days from our closing day on our new home, and 11 days from our moving day and our couples' shower with friends here in Chicago.

In 25 days I have my first dress fitting. I'm supposed to be svelte by then...

In 30 days we leave for Mexico to celebrate our dear friends' destination wedding. Before we go, I have six depositions to cover. Immediately after we return, I have two more.

In 40 days, The Fiancé and I will be in Boston for our nephew's ("The Godchild's") christening. Five days later, Bailee has surgery scheduled for a minor [but terribly disgusting] growth on her back that needs to be removed and biopsied. And her breath stinks, so she's getting her teeth cleaned too.

In 52 days, we head to Indianapolis for our food-tasting for the wedding reception and plan to stop by City Hall to get our marriage license. The next day, my sister will throw a luncheon shower for my Indy girlfriends and I'll hopefully do a trial run of my hair and make-up [if I find a hair-stylist by then...] Some time that weekend, we need to chat with our priest about the ceremony...

In 59 days, my dear girlfriends will descend on Chicago for a fun-filled bachelorette weekend... Seven days later, I head to Indianapolis for my friend Abbie's bachelorette (her wedding takes place 3 weeks after ours!). Six days after that, The Fiancé and I head back to Boston with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law for the full-family-meeting and our final wedding shower. Somewhere in there, I go to trial for my asylum client... no small task, and decidedly more weighty than any of the events above. I sometimes can't sleep at all thinking of that case.

And in 104 days, The Fiancé and I will climb onto a plane bound for Belize. We will be married. And I maybe, just maybe, will finally fall asleep absent visions of count-downs and to-do lists that have plagued my sleep the past two nights. Maybe. Just maybe.

it's raining presents

The Fiancé and I had our first wedding shower this past weekend. It was hosted by my extended family and attended by all of my aunts and uncles, the majority of my cousins and their families, as well as a few close family friends. It. was. fantastic.

After years [30] of always being the bridesmaid and never the bride, I must confess how special it felt to be The Bride... how flabberghasted I felt (again and again) to realize the reason for the party was our wedding! ... how amazing it was to see some members of my family that I literally hadn't seen in ten years... And it all reminded me that a wedding isn't just about two people [at least, This Wedding isn't]. It's about all of our friends, it's about The Fiancé's family and my family, and my five aunts, five uncles, grandmother, 16 cousins and their 12 spouses and their countless children (...all of whom will be included on a pop quiz I'm preparing for The Fiancé to test how much he remembers... KIDDING!) In other words, a wedding is so much larger than just Us.

Which is why even the act of writing Thank You notes last night (yes, We are on. top. of. things!) seems inadequate. How do You thank a friend, and Your family, not for towels and martini shakers (though these items ARE certainly necessary for a happy marriage...), but for being Your friends and family and for being happy for You and supporting You? ...If You figure it out, please let me know. In the meantime, I'm just going to feel blessed this Monday morning. Not for the presents (though opening them was seriously like drinking Rasberry Vodka...yum). But for the amazing start to 2009 - a year I honestly can't wait to experience with all my friends and family!

Photo source: Barca

leaping leprechauns... I'm back!

This time of year just makes me feel like this picture (taken on Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea of The Fiancé... my own little leprechaun)... happy and carefree. This feeling may be induced (ok, is induced) by my brief hiatus from all responsibility... hence, no blogging, no working, no anything, really. Everyone needs that now and then, no?

We just returned from the holidays in New England with The Fiancé's family. I must confess spending the week apart from my parents, sister, brother-in-law and Bailee was more difficult than I'd anticipated. If we could shrink the surface of the Earth and make both of our families live close to us and to each other, that would be ideal. But that's simply not our reality, so the new reality is holidays divided between families. If I said I didn't deteriorate at one point and consider jumping on a plane back home, that would be a lie. However, the feeling was more indicative of my love for my immediate family than any lack of love felt in The Fiancé's family.

...Besides, The Fiancé's family exchanges presents (we gave up gift-giving in my family recently [I was the lone hold-out the past few years still demanding gift exchange...] once it was agreed that it was silly to buy presents for sane adults who are capable of buying whatever they need when they need it... oh, and then there's that whole wedding they're throwing us this year, making a request for additional gifts seem a bit superfluous).

The irony of the whole his-family, my-family holiday celebration division took a backseat, however, to the realization that this year, The Fiancé and I become our own family. (Or as the Fiancé called us, "our own corporate entity"... You'd think he was the attorney, not me). The new-found awareness of this fact hasn't fully sunk in yet. But I confess the feeling is somewhat akin to that photo up there.

mea culpa

I know. I know. I have been a terribly delinquent blogger lately. This thing called life keeps getting in the way of my hobbies.

Anywho, know that I'm still here, albeit less frequently. Inspiration is hard to come by when it's a whopping 7 degrees outside and Spring (and our wedding) seem like they are incomprehensibly far away. Today, the inside of my nose actually crystallized as I was walking to the train to come to work. Now, if that doesn't scream "CHICAGO IN WINTER" I'm not sure what does. I truly think the deep freeze is passing through to my brain and sapping all creativity.

As soon as I thaw out [soon] I will resume regular posting. This could be in a couple hours, could be a few days. Who knows. Like sunshine in December in Chicago, you never know when (and if) it's gonna appear.

inquiring minds want to know

If one were to be in the market for a new couch, when's the best time of year to get a good deal? Anyone know? Is it true what they say that post-holidays is a prime time ?

...just in case ... one [i.e. me] might be shopping [for a big pretty leather sectional that she has her heart set on at Macy's...]...

puff puff give

I'm just sitting here getting high on shoes... Thought I'd share today's contender for The Wedding Shoe. [For those of you keeping track, I think we're on Contender #4...]

Meet Natalia. Courtesy of Elie Tahari and Zappos Couture. She seriously makes me short of breath. I mean, just look at her and her big pretty jewel.

Detail shot...

Mmmmm... can't wait for Monday when they arrive. Ooops. Did I say that? Yep, she did it again.

bye bye lil' bud

Let me tell You what happens when You suggest putting a single orchid on every plate at Your wedding reception dinner:

You are summarily shut down.

By Your father.

And Your mother.

And finally, happy to be on his future's in-law's team so impactfully, Your fiancé.

And in this summary and consistent rejection, You realize the absurdity of Your idea. Think about it.

One orchid. It is a living thing. Well, till You chopped it from its stem and put it on a plate, anyway. It will not last. Hell, it might be dead before the night's even over. Now you have a dead flower on everyone's plate. It's not a favor. But it arguably costs more than one. It's not edible. I don't think...

Your friend Judy could wear it in her hair, but really, do You want that? Envision not just Judy, but Patty and Sarah and Jen running around with flowers in their hair at your reception. Are You a hippie? Is it 1972? Do You want that? Better yet, picture Bobby. Ahhh...seven year old Bobby... dismantling Your pricey little orchid and shredding it all over sister-Lucy's dinner plate. Yeah, not so pretty.

And in these visions, You realize that yet again in this wedding journey, You may have lost Your way just a bit. Thank goodness You have a family unapologetic enough to reign You back in.

So, as with damask, today let Us bid adieu to the lowly plated orchid. I'm okay with it letting it go. Really. *sniff*

if only I invested in Geico

Today's chuckle:

"Beware of geeks bearing formulas."
- Warren Buffett

I'm in a two-day legal seminar on financial accounting for dummies [I mean lawyers]. Apropo of current times, no? [Ironic, considering I registered for this seminar in June... I wish I was so insightful with all of the investments I made in June...]

Our lecturer shared this quote earlier today. Maybe I'm giving away my latent nerdiness, but I think it's hysterical. Especially if you read the New York Times.

a priest drives by a CVS...

"There's the CVS I go to. They have this delightful little Minute Clinic - you can see a nurse practitioner without an appointment. Very convenient," says Fr. Noah, our priest, as we drive by the CVS near his home after taking him out to dinner this past Saturday night.

"Yes, well, it's both good and bad," says The Fiancé. "The Minute Clinic is also where the thief who stole Bailee's Bride's wallet charged up about $200 in drugs."

"Oh, how horrible!" exclaims Fr. Noah.

Conversation about the mediocrity of thieves ensues.

"You know though, the Minute Clinic is very convenient," Fr. Noah reiterates some time later. "I called my doctor - he's an internist, lovely fellow, very bright, professor at I.U. - in January and asked for an appointment? He couldn't fit me in till March!"

We all agree with the difficulties in obtaining physician's appointments. I think to myself, wow - the doctor turned away his priest? Note to self: don't do that when priest calls for legal help.

"See, the Minute Clinic, you can walk right in. Get your prescription filled and everything." This man clearly loves this place. "When my doctor told me I'd have to wait three months to get an appointment with him, I told him, 'Thank goodness us priests don't require appointments for last rites. Wouldn't that be unfortunate.'" Deadpan.

Did I mention I love this man and can't wait to hear his homily at our wedding?!

Priest: 1 point.
Doctor: zero.

gobble gobble

In honor of Thanksgiving, I'd thought I'd share this gorgeous wedding board designed by Tastefully Entertaining. If The Fiancé wasn't convinced Fall was the season of death, I very well could be getting married this month [seven months is enough time to plan a wedding, no?]. But what am I thankful for? The ability to pig out instead! [Okay, and a few other things...]

Have a happy, healthy and restful holiday, everyone - see you on the other side.

bear market or bear blanket?

The Fiancé and I are shopping for a home together right now. We can't decide whether to buy or rent. The irony is how difficult this decision - whether to buy, what to buy, where to buy - has become, when viewed in contrast to the decision to marry each other. The Fiancé actually gets the credit for pointing this out. According to him, "I guess I should feel good that I'm way more torn about whether to buy than whether we should get married."

Ummm.... YEAH... Anyway.

I, for one, am not that perplexed about the real estate decision [I mean, I am, but at the end of the day we'll live with whatever choice we make]. More critical to me, is the decorating decisions that shall follow.

You see, The Fiancé and I don't technically live together yet. We each have a fully furnished apartment. Which means that in no small amount of time, we have to blend. Not just lives, but furniture. And, more frightening to me: We have to agree on a design aesthetic. [What? This doesn't keep You up at night?!] Maybe some people don't worry about this. They. Are not me.

Because, Dear Readers, let's look at the evidence... During the recent election, The Fiancé proclaimed that this was the coolest couch ever:

As if that's not enough, it's important for You to understand one thing about our differing personalities: I, like to update, redecorate, buy new. Often.

The Fiancé? Likes to keep things forever. So, while I may buy a lovely couch and tire of it in 5-7 years, The Fiancé and his beloved taxidermy?! Yeah, we might have that forever. See why I lay awake at night?

to be or not to be?

So I bought this dress recently from BCBG, thinking it was a rehearsal dinner contender... And it arrived... and it's cute... but it is not right for the rehearsal. First of all, it's yellow. And yes, I knew this when I bought it. But I thought, "oh maybe..." But my colors are green and black. Not yellow. And I don't think I want to be yellow at my rehearsal dinner afterall, regardless of the prettiness of the frock. But I still think I like the dress. Not love. Like. And in this economy, should I keep a dress I like, not love, for an unknown event? It might be good for the wedding of a friend in the Spring. But it's a silk/wool blend, so it needs to be a brisk day when I wear it, lest I itch my stomach off.

Thus, I need your votes - to keep, or not to keep... that is the question... And if "to keep," then for what, pray tell?

(front)
(back)

Vote in the comments section...

WEEEEEEEEEEE!

I want a wii Fit. 'Nough said. This is me hoola-hooping to my heart's content if I get one:
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

dear so-and-so

Amy Jean over at The Relentless Bride provided one of the most helpful posts (I think) here and I'm reposting, because (1) I'm a lazy blogger today... [which translates to a busy attorney]; and (2) this way I selfishly can store this information for myself for later use... Hope other brides find it as helpful as I do! Thanks TRB!

morning delight

I heart Etsy.

I can no longer recall when I stumbled across this site-better-known-as-bliss, but it had to be some time during this Wedding Saga. A variety of blogs cite to Etsy as a source of all things unique, handmade, beautiful. My real obsession over Etzy stems from the fact that it far exceeds wedding-related items. There are a ton of interesting new clothing designers. Today, the featured seller - larimeloom - is re-donk-u-lous. Her stuff is striking its its creativity. Check her out. But don't buy up everything - leave a few peices for me...

*gasp* this last piece... wow. I want.