Christmas Cooking

I'm so excited to get cooking for Christmas. Mom does a bang-up job on the main event, serving a hefty beef tenderloin and all our favorite sides (squash casserole this year, Mom?). As for me, I'll be making a coconut cake with lemon filling and cream cheese icing (Dad's running request) and, if it works out, an oatmeal pecan pie (another one of Dad's favorites, and B's too), but the thing I'm most excited to make are my Grandma's rolls.

Each Christmas, Sunday brunch, and "I feel like it" Tuesday, my Grandma would make a huge batch of her buttery yeast rolls. The recipe makes two full cookie sheets of the two-bite morsels. They're delicious warm and even better cold when you can stuff them with leftover tenderloin or slices of ham.

B's excited to try them. So far, all he knows is that you don't cut them with a biscuit cutter, but rather a drinking glass, and that you dunk them in butter before popping them on the cookie sheet and basting them with (ding! ding! ding!) more butter.

Grandma passed away this year in March and at the time I was so heartbroken. I live only a few hours from where she lived, in Florence, but that was the week that I'd flown to Durham then driven to the beach to see B for his spring break.

The circumstances couldn't have been worse. Delta lost my luggage, in which I'd so foolishly packed my phone charger. So my phone died the Friday night of my arrival (due to my calls to Delta) so when Mom and Dad called me on Saturday to tell me about her death, my phone was totally, well, dead.

I have a terrible habit of immersing myself in whomever I'm around, so when I'm with my family, I tend to ignore all phone calls from the outside. Same when I'm with B or his family. So my parents assumed that I wasn't checking my phone or perhaps had turned it off. On Sunday they called B's phone and when he called out, "It's your mom," I just knew.

Losing someone is never easy. I'd imagine so, at least. I'm blessed to have limited experience with the situation. But Grandma was 97 and, having baked at least 2,000 pound cakes, was no longer baking for herself or for others. She'd help me in the kitchen during the holidays, dunking the rolls and adding an extra splash of butter when she thought I wasn't looking, but her real joy had been taken away when she'd moved out of her house at the age of 95.

Grandma spoke through food, easily making it her love language. It was understood that you took seconds, regardless of if you'd piled your plate high the first go-round (clearly a rookie mistake). She remembered favorite dishes, or dishes you even commented on. One of my siblings brought a then-significant other over and she commented on the chicken fingers. Bless that girl's heart if she didn't have to eat her weight in chicken fingers every time she went to visit Grandma.

I think I got a little of that from Grandma. Nothing makes me happier than making dinner when B and I are having a quiet night and, to be totally honest, I get the little flutters in my stomach when he finds something he really loves and asks for it again.

I can't wait to share the Grandma rolls with him this Christmas, our first actually spent in the same place. And maybe we'll give the rolls an extra dunk of butter, for good measure.

Is It Friday Yet?

I have a bad habit. Or good, depending on how you look at it. When I have to go out of town, I hustle and stay late ahead of time to get stuff done, which means that as the week winds down, I'm left with very few things on my to-do list. So I'm prepared, but I just look lazy at work. At least I can head out tomorrow with peace of mind!

This entire week has felt like Thursday, so each day I've had to tell myself that the next day is not in fact the end of the week, but rather the midway point or, worse, just Tuesday. Not sure why--I think the holiday factors in and I know the idea of seeing B tomorrow does as well. It's been three weeks since I've seen him. So ready.

I'm just ready to get going. The holiday is going to be busy, but pretty segmented, which is nice. I'll head to see B this weekend in Atlanta, then we'll both come back to Birmingham for a night, then on to Florence for Christmas, and assorted wedding tasks. We've got back-to-back engagement parties in Florence and Atlanta, then we'll celebrate New Year's with some of B's high school friends. Before we know it, it'll be B's birthday and the start of another semester of law school for B and another year of work for me.

Where did 2008 go? I hope I take the time to reflect on this year a little bit. So much has happened... two new babies, an engagement, B completing half of law school, sharing a city with B for the first time in three years, losing Grandma... So much packed into a single year, and yet it feels like the blink of an eye.

For now, I can't think about that. I can think about the cleaning and packing I need to do between now and noon tomorrow. And I can think about seeing B again in Atlanta. And how happy it is to have this time to celebrate with both our families. But for now, I'll just think about how it's almost Friday.

Christmas Cards

God forgive me. I love my Grandma, I really do. She's the same fabulous lady that I attend church supper with each Wednesday night. Having turned 90 in April, she's amazingly active, driving all over Birmingham (watch out for the white sedan!) to attend volunteer meetings, ladies' luncheons, bridge games, water aerobics, and, of course, shuttling her "elderly friends" around.

For serious. I love her. Hope to have her energy when I turn 90. Her motto? "I'd rather wear our than rust out," which she often tells us when we warn her to slow down or put her feet up every so often.

One thing that cracks me up about Grandma is her Christmas letter. Each year, she sends out a one-page missive to friends, family, and church goers documenting her year. While you might expect her letter to read something like my first paragraph ("I see bridge friends at least three times a week and catch up with my water aerobics buddies two mornings each week."), instead it reads as more of a reflection.

I wish that when I was first added to the list (having my own address and all) that I had saved her letters. They were always wonderfully and unintentionally hilarious. After the 2006 mailing, in which she opened by announcing the death of her cardiologist from a heart attack, my aunt was dubbed head editor, presiding over the theme and tone of the letter. When the 2007 mailing included a few, um, catchy references to family members, my aunt defended herself, "You should've seen what I edited out!"

This year's letter arrived yesterday and again I find myself cherishing each and every word, starting with the documenting of the Alagasco employee discovering a leaking gas pipe that brought carbon monoxide poison but NO BROKEN BONES (her caps, not mine) and ending with her elegant signature.

My favorite line this year is personal. Apparently this card was written, but not mailed, just before the birth of the latest great grandchild. Luckily, there was time for a write-in addition. Unfortunately, there was not room in the appropriate spot. See how you interpret this:

A 6th grandchild arrived in February and we expect a 7th any moment! Then J & L's married children will have 2 children each! A, J's 4th's child [That's me!] will marry B in May 2009. What a wonderful event to look forward to this coming year! And now we have another baby in the family.

Does anyone else read this and see the words "Shotgun Wedding" flash through their minds? I love it. Makes me smile. I don't know the people this goes out to so if they read it that way too, then she can just update them next year in the letter. That or they can send me baby presents. Either way.

Just a note... I always hesitate about writing something that someone might read as mocking or hurtful (well, when I know the person at least), but I had to share this because it warmed my heart. I know Grandma won't be around forever to assign premature pregnancy or document her life in the death of others, and when the letter stops, I will miss it terribly. Plus, while Grandma's letters are typed and not hand-written (how do you think my aunt gets to proof them?), she does not use the internet, at least not that I know of. Whew! Love you Grandma! ...just in case.

Life in a Small Town

A fellow Florence blogger posted on her own blog about a small-town Alabama newspaper that had an "Around the Town" features column on the back of its four-page edition. Apparently, as she says, "If you've blown your nose in the past week, or maybe taken a shower or eaten a meal or two, [you can] call 555-867-5309 and have it published." Don't believe it? Check out a few of the featured items:

"Audie gave Carolyn some really nice pecans. It was a nice surprise. Thanks, Audie!"

"Mary, STACY, and Russell carried Ora Mae out to eat at Ryan's on Thanksgiving Day."

"Howard talked with Ora Mae on the phone Sunday afternoon."

"Lessie, Viola, and Nomie shopped Friday."

"Shirley made a trip to see her doctor last Tuesday."

"Braxine enjoyed a telephone conversation with her brother."

"Margie's son carried her out riding on Thanksgiving Day to several places. She really enjoyed the outing."

"Violet visited her brother Bug in the hospital several days last week."

I love it! I should also point out how much I love the names. She changed them to protect the good-hearted peeps, but I think that the ones she chose just added to the overall vibe.

Welcome Baby Ethan!

My brother and his wife welcomed their sweet baby boy, Ethan Wilder, into the world just two days ago. I can't wait to hold this little guy. I told him last night, over iChat (he's a super smart newborn), that if he's walking by the wedding, he can be a legit ring bearer rather than an honorary one.

SkyMall

Tis the season to travel, so the next time you're number 27 in line for takeoff, take a peek in the SkyMall magazine in your seat back pocket. You might just find one of the gems referenced in the Best of the Worst of SkyMall 2008, which includes several evergreen and classy gift ideas such as a pair of truck antlers (to get your Tundra for the real tundra), a slanket (because we're just that lazy), and a double umbrella.

Looks like the economy is doing just fine, kiddos.

Off and Running

Today is already out of control. Came in this morning and discovered our homepage is tinted a lovely shade of sugar pink. If it had turned red, at least we could call it festive, but with pink, it just feels like we're early for Valentine's Day.

A Weekend at Home

It was awesome being at home for a weekend and getting little things taken care of. It's just hitting me that in the next week, at some point, I'm going away and won't really be back again until 2009. I think my kitchen deserves one last 2008 cleaning. It's earned it. In the past year, it's seen cake pops, a barbie cake, a sprint Thanksgiving dinner, several large batches of taco soup, innumerable cookies and brownies, and even a piece or two of salmon. Yeah, it's earned it.

But instead of cleaning my kitchen (whatever would I do with my Monday night?), I did a few other must-do things, like the proverbial ton of laundry that had piled up, over the few days off. I also did a second run through my closet. In the first pass, last week, I pulled out things that I know I didn't want to keep, mostly for fit or poor-taste purposes, but this time I had a new tactic: If I hadn't work it all year, then it was out. My cleaning out is pretty noncommittal. Instead of boxing it up, I just move it to the other closet, so there's no real harm in deciding to give things away. Really they're just (literally) hanging in purgatory, so I can always go back and rescue them as needed.

Whew, I'm over-thinking this. Maybe I need a pet.

Anyway, I got some good cleaning and cleaning out done, then a few wedding-related errands taken care of. Apparently, at Bromberg's, you don't register for specific silver serving pieces, but rather just specify that you want some, and then they let people pick from within their budget. Intriguing. No time to think that one through, but still seems... intriguing.

Saturday night I hung out with my baking buddy J while she made truffles (yes, truffles) and then headed home, where I woke up Sunday morning to the news of my new nephew. Ee! Wish I could go meet him today with my mom.

Sunday night, the girls and I got together for our mini-Christmas. Our real gift to each other was accidentally adopting three angels from the angel tree. Well, we meant to adopt one, and then two, but then our angel picker-upper L discovered upon check out that there was actually a third sibling attached. Best phone call yet. "Please don't be mad... I got three." We had such fun shopping for their "wants" and "needs" a few weeks ago (Need: pants. Want: Dora tshirt). Luckily she avoided the one that said, "Need: Nintendo DS. Want: Shoes." Crafty kids.

So we shopped a few weeks ago, then treated ourselves to dinner and a movie last night. Four Christmases was cute, if a little more introspective than I anticipated, and a sushi dinner always hits the spot, even after a bottomless bucket of popcorn.

I've had trouble this year getting reved up for Christmas, maybe because I'm weaning myself off the colorful holiday sock addiction (ok, throwing one tattered pair out of 12 away isn't much self-denial, I'll admit), but I think it's also being away from church so much this season. Thanksgiving was so close to Christmas, which threw off my calendar and with travel and new babies, I've missed most of advent. I'm sorry--I need candle lighting and carol singing, which makes me happy (ah ha! Gifts are the main point to me!), but frustrated too because there doesn't seem to be enough time to do it all before the season ends.

I'm really just excited for 4:30 tomorrow, when B finishes his final exam. Once I get him home and the baking started, somehow I think the spirit will come right in.

Number Six!

For once, when I reference numbers on this blog, I'm not simply counting rejections from priests. This time, I'm talking about the newest addition to our family. It's a boy! My brother and sister-in-law welcomed sweet little Name-To-Come on Sunday, December 14th. The stats, as reported by the proud dad:

21 inches

8 pounds, 9 ounces

Dark brown hair with short (masculine) eyelashes

10 fingers, 10 toes

No hip clicks or clunks (Ed Note: Dad obviously an orthopedic surgeon)

Huge feet (Ed Note: A family marker)

4.3 40 yard dash

That makes six nieces and nephews under the age of four. What did you do with your weekend? :)

On Hold with the Doctor's Office

I used to complain about obnoxious music playing in the background of hold messages while it looped the singular message, "Your call is very important to us, please continue to hold." I could go into the standard rant of if my call is so important, why haven't you answered? which did occur to me as I waited, until one word caught my attention, snapping me out of my daze: Fallopian.

Honing in, I began to listen to what was playing in between the looped messages and now I wish I hadn't. "Fallopian" was preceded by, "Make a tiny incision on the" and followed with "tube to ensure a less-invasive procedure than tubal ligation."

Ack! Was this a reading from the Physicians Desk Reference? A preview of what one might expect when heading to an appointment? That's like calling a bone surgeon and hearing his prerecorded message reading all the wrong and cockeyed ways your bones could heal. And the hammers and saws used to correct them. Like NPR, they'd play a soundbite, then bring in the voiceover, "The buzz saw is best for the sternum, as it is less invasive than the hacksaw."
Good morning!

Prayers for B!

He's in his first exam of the semester as I type this. Once he's finished with this one (4:30), he'll have two more left and then he'll officially be halfway through law school!

Santa is Lauging... At Me

Here I say I don't quite have the Christmas spirit yet. Then I look at my schedule:

Yesterday: Office holiday party

Today Noon: Lunch with dad

Today 4:15: Site launch Champagne toast

Today 5:15: Dinner with a friend

Today 6:45: Holiday party with Birmingham ladies

Boy am I sorry that I decided to cut corners and wear my cocktail dress to work with a little sweater and a long-line, um, underpinning. TMI, I know, but I'm serious that this is a great way to keep from overeating. One McCalister's spud and I'm good until, oh say tomorrow. Live (wear expensive dresses) and learn.

Christmas Party

Last night was our department's Christmas party. Due to layoffs and the economy (I assume, there's been no email update), our office isn't throwing its usual all-out holiday-fest here at the campus. It makes sense--if we can't afford to keep some people on staff, can we really afford to throw a party that easily trumps my wedding budget.... times five. Even though we don't get a party, it somehow feels better than if we did.

So last night, our department threw a potluck holiday party at a fabulous art loft in downtown Birmingham housed in what used to be a cooking supplies store, as evidenced by the still-hanging sign that reads "Kitchen Counters." Maybe it's laziness, but I'm betting that whoever left that as the name of the space embraced is as a cool arty name.

One reason I love my job so much is the people I work with. We were told to bring something, if we wanted to, and everyone ended up bringing such amazing foods... meatballs, tons of cheeses, dips, spreads, chocolates, cupcakes, hummus, and more. A wonderful elf supplied all libations and it was a wonderful way to feel thrust into the holiday season. I did miss B, though. Several people asked about him and it just made me want him there more.

The party went on for almost five hours, maybe more, but I left when the dancing started. Seriously, nothing good can come from that.

This year has been hard for me, "holiday spirit"-wise. I'm not sure what about the holidays makes me tick, so it's hard to kick-start myself into the festive feeling. It's not gifts, as I tend to just do them whenever. It's not the decorations, because I, well, leave mine up year around (I prefer to think of it as 'ahead' rather than 'lazy.' Come on, it's a ficus. It works.) Maybe it's the parties? The food? In years before, I think it was just spending time in holiday-type places: a store blaring Christmas music to keep the shoppers humming and happy, a mall food court decorated with more tinsel than Dollywood, the random wreaths attached to Jeeps around the south.

I think a big one for me is the monkeys. Hearing them talk about Santa and learning about the Christmas story just makes my heart swell. Church is another one. Not really the sermons or even services, but the ritual of lighting candles, hanging the greens, children's choir, and the candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

Even though I'm done all my shopping (save B!), I'm not quite in the spirit yet. We'll see if tonight's Tinsel and Toddys part helps...

Sale at David's Bridal

They're clearing out all their novelty items. And they're hilarious.

One More Reason to Smile

The wedding is exactly five months away.

Perhaps I should've warned the moms not to read this one...

Roses & Thorns: Work Edition

Work this fall has been crazy. So crazy, in fact, that to prevent the stress-induced jaw clench that I'm prone to, I've taken to wearing my bottom retainer at all times. Yes, I'm that kid sporting the shlight lishp during meetings, phone calls, and coffee-pot conversations. Don't hate. The upside of that is that I can't clench my jaw with it in and it's working to straighten my teeth. I'm sure my boss things it's more wedding-induced than stress related, but I'm ok with that. I'll take the perception of vanity over tense jaw muscles any day!

Long intro to the real story. Yesterday I got called into my boss's office where she asked me if I wanted the good news or the bad news first.

Um. Bad. I'd always rather get that out of the way first. Seems to make the good news sound better, or at least end the session on a high note.

So the bad news is that there will be no merit-based raises this year. Understandable. Frankly, I'm just thankful to still have my job. But still, I think they typically give you a 3% bump just for playing nice at the office, which somewhat offsets inflation. Not getting that basically means taking a pay cut, in theory if not in number. So that's a bummer. Plus I've been working really hard toward the goals my boss and I set out last year at my annual review. Now, even if I get them all done, it will be "good job," not "good job, and we're thanking you with X." Greedy? I don't think so, but I guess it makes me more reward-oriented than I previously thought.

The "good" news is that we're unofficially getting three extra holiday vacation days this year. Why the quotes? Sure it's nice to get extra days off, but most people had already planned to take those days, therefore reserving those days and not taking vacation during the rest of 2008. It actually helps me because I can get out of town a little earlier than expected. It's no bonus, but it'll do!

So now that means I'm hitting the ground running even harder at work to get things done in advance so I can take advantage of those extra three days off. Otherwise, I'll still be in the office, and that's definitely a no-go.

For the next week and a half, I'm going to be writing, programming, and packing. Can't wait!

Weekend Update

...though definitely not as entertaining as the SNL skits as of late. And by late, I mean dead. Dead after the election. Here's hoping for a revival. I could use another "bummer free zone" declaration around here.

This weekend was fantastic. Mom and Dad whisked me away to Atlanta where they attended the SEC championship game (sad) and I shopped myself into happy oblivion. It was somewhat acceptable because a) I was getting things I needed (ie, new boots) and b) it counted as Christmas for me. I love walking around malls at Christmas, especially when most of my shopping is done. I can just enjoy the decorations and the Starbucks and the crazy mob people clamoring for anything to give the dozens of people on their list. This year, my immediate family drew names, making it a lot easier, and less expensive, than years past. Plus, more fun! I got to really think about my brother and his wife and what they might want, rather than just checking them off. Does this mean I'm getting older? Or just lazier... Time will tell.

Besides shopping on my own, Mom and I also ran around to a few bridal shops to find a dress for her to wear to the wedding. It's so fun to watch your Mom have fun shopping, looking for something just for herself. Mom has trailed me dozens of times as I hunted down the perfect (fill in the blank here), so it was super entertaining to be her posse, and finally be able to say, "Try that one on again." Ha! Love it.

The good news is that we got Mom a dress that she loves and that I think is fantastic. One of the highlights of the weekend. We also got to have brunch with B's parents, where the moms were able to swap engagement party invitations and talk shop about their dresses. It was wonderful having them together, and I only wish B had been there, too.

I got back on Sunday and got cooking on a few care packages and just unwinded with some wine as I got ready for the work week. It was definitely weird being in Atlanta without B, but nice to have some down-time with the parents, too.

It's Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas...

Whenever I'm doing mindless things at work (programming, setting channels, and so on), I pop in my earbuds and crank up the ipod. If I'm writing, I set it to a specific musical (Rent or Les Mis these days) and power through. I know the songs so well that they don't distract me and, crazy as it sounds, I'm really inspired by beautiful words and lyrics, so hearing I Dreamed a Dream or On My Own doesn't depress me, but rather gets me moving forward. My next purchase? Hopefully the Hairspray soundtrack. (I can feel you judging, you know.)

Most days, though, I set the ipod to shuffle and let it run away with itself. I like being surprised by favorites that remind me of college workouts (freshman year!), writing my thesis, and late-night chats in the dorm. Not knowing what will come next is liberating. One less choice to make.

Generally, this poses one problem--B loaded a ton of fabulous Christmas music onto my ipod, which is wonderful, but disproportionate to the number of regular songs I have (I haven't updated since... college. Oops.), which usually leaves me pushing the fwd button more often than not.

So this morning I was programming away when good old Bing starting singing about a White Christmas and as my finger went on auto-pilot to reach for the "next" button, I realized that it IS the Christmas season! Bring on Handel's Messiah and Mannheim Steamroller. More Charlie Brown Christmas, please! And you can be sure that Mariah's All I Want For Christmas will definitely be on repeat in the weeks to come.

It's official! Let Christmas begin...

Wedding Planning Moment of the Day

Seems even The Wedding Channel (a hub for all things marital) knows our officiant angst. This is the email I found in my inbox this morning:

Wedding Coordinators & Officiants

You want your wedding day to go perfectly -- use our advice to find a wedding coordinator and officiant you can trust.

Locate the most experienced wedding vendors in your area.

Interview several people to compare services, costs, and personalities.

Get and check references and accreditations.

Use our easy online Local Directory to find top-notch vendors near you, their contact information, and examples of their work.

I wonder if they cater to the Catholics among us?

Mother-in-Law Ruminations

How brave is it to write an article about how terrible mothers-in-law are to their daughters-in-law when you've only been married one week? I'm going to vote Braveheart on this one. Not sure who wins, or how you'd ever know. Whatever she got paid to write the story, it probably wasn't enough.

Great Dad Humor

Caring for an infant is kind of like being a member of Prince’s entourage or an aide to Kim Jong-Il: You are responsible for anticipating the needs of an irrational person who is completely divorced from reality.

Found this hilarious article while dining on chicken soup at my desk. It's called The Newborn Ultimatum and is about a dad writing about becoming a better man after having a baby. As he says, "Not 'a better man' in some hokey, Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets way, but a better man, practically speaking. "

Take a minute to read his observations on raising a child. A few of my favorites...

Since Kate’s birth, I categorize all things in life into two categories: Things That Can Kill the Baby and Things That Cannot Kill the Baby. Open jug of bleach? Category one. Angry boss? Category two. By dealing with ultimate peril, you are much more calm and collected about all the other nonsense.

My daughter, while being the sweetest future MacArthur Fellow you’ll ever meet, has about as much common sense as a bag of Britneys.

An Even Six

B called me a few minutes ago during a break in classes...

B: I just called the new Father at the Florence church.

Me: Uh oh.

B: He seems confused why we'd want him to perform the ceremony if we already know the Abbot and the Abbot is only going to be 90 miles away.

Me: But we don't know the Abbot either!

B: I know, I tried to tell him that and he said that he thought the Abbot would be much more qualified.

Me: For goodness sakes. Is this six? Or is it seven.

B: I don't even want to think about it.

We're tabling the conversation until he's done with classes. Luckily, we both find this whole thing pretty hilarious. Who has this much trouble finding a priest? I feel like a used car--we've already done premarital counseling, have our paperwork processed, and are totally up for a traditional ceremony, no kooky twists included. Take us off the lot today!

Pie Success

I posted before Thanksgiving that I was desperately trying to find the recipe for B's grandmother's pumpkin pie with meringue topping. B's aunt came though and provided us with the hand-written recipe for the delicious pie. I'm thrilled with how it turned out, but I think B's grandma might've been more crafty than we suspected. Like my grandma, she offered instructions like "cook the filling" outside the pie shell, but no further details as to how or how long. We went saucepan for about 20 minutes on low. His dad and I were afraid to let it cook too long, thereby setting up in a saucepan rather than a pie crust, but I think we might've underestimated it instead. The result was a (delicious!) pumpkin pudding with a meringue topping and crust (mostly) on the side.

We've decided that (darn the luck) we'll just have to try the recipe again.

The other pies turned out amazingly well. The Candy Bar Pie was over-the-top rich, only slightly balanced by its pretzel crust, and the apple pie, well, I live for apple pies and this one was perfect.

Iron Bowl Favorites

Post-game, I caught a few of my favorites in full-celebration mode. Love them!

"Get Aggressive with the Bird."

That glorious soundbite used to play on the how-to video for cooking a whole chicken, though I think it applies nicely to B's approach to helping his dad with the 22-pound turkey we feasted on at Thanksgiving this year. B may kill me, but I think it captures our moods perfectly that day. Fooooooooood!

Baaaad Cakes

I've mentioned Cake Wrecks before, but for you skimmers out there, it's a great home-spun blog that features professionally-made cakes that of less-than-professional quality. Today she's featuring wedding cakes, alongside the photos the brides gave the bakers of the cakes they actually wanted. The results? Hilarious, and sad. Good thing I have the Cake Guru on my team!

Hmmm.. Blogger does not want to publish pictures today. You'll have to click through to check it out for yourself! Believe me, it's worth it.

Wedding Newsfeed of the Day

Hilarious. As I get closer to the "big day" (still more than 5 months away, mind you), it seems that my email address gets sold and resold and resold to vendors and other wedding-related people, including this one website that sent me the Celebrity Weddings Blog, which has such great tidbits as Britney's Plans for a Third Husband, "Hills" Stars Heidi and Spencer Marriage Details Revealed! (those quotes are in the wrong place, if you ask me), and Playmate Kendra Wilkinson Engaged -- Plan a Bunny-Inpsired (sic) Bachelorette Party.

Here's my personal favorite headline from the site. Seriously. Just man up and call it off!

Groom Gets Cold Feet and Sets Venue on Fire

Apparently last week, 39-year-old Japanese groom-to-be Tatsuhiko Kawata set fire to his wedding venue in order to get out of the ceremony. Pause for reaction… say what!?! In the early morning hours, the office worker started a blaze at a hotel in Yamanashi Prefecture (90 minutes outside of Tokyo) where he was to marry his fiancé later that day. He didn’t do as much damage as he’d hoped. The fire was quickly contained, guests staying at the hotel were evacuated, and there were no injuries reported. The couple had planned to wed in front of 80 of their closest friends and family members. Kawata wasn’t arrested until he suddenly called off the wedding and started behaving in a suspicious manner. He later confessed to police. “I thought if I set a fire I wouldn’t have to go through with the wedding,” he’s said to have told police. Some reports are saying he wanted out because he was still secretly married to another woman, but that has not been confirmed. Either way, there are no words for how wrong this groom-gone-bad’s actions were. Shameful! Thoughts, ladies?

Wedding Planning Moment of the Day

For the past week or so I've been working on getting the registry organized. It's a weird thing to pick out things you want other people to buy you. Feels dirty. I do think it would be excellent therapy for compulsive online shoppers. If you're really just in it for the thrill of the purchase and not the actual stuff, then you can "shop" away, filing all those goodies into your registry rather than your cart and your AmEx bill.

B and I are still figuring out where to register. We need stores that are in Florence and Atlanta (ha.) that have the things we've picked out all the while being mindful of not registering at 100 stores, which would leave us with bits and pieces of store credit all over two states, more if you count our out of town guests. Thank God for the internet, as that makes online orders easier, but still.

Plus, you have to consider return policies at individual stores. I'm sure we'd love to register at Target, you know, for all those little things you actually need (towels, whisks, spatulas, cookie jars...), but word is that Target only lets you return by section. That means, if we somehow ended up with 500 towels, we could only exchange them for other towels, bedsheets, or curtains. Likewise, if we were gifted 10 whisks, we could only exchange within the cookware family. It's not so bad when you think about it, but organizing that exchange session ("I'll see your whisk and raise you a cutting board." "No, this receipt goes with that to exchange for those, not these.") just seems painful.

So it's no surprise that Macy's, where I added all my information for the registry before shopping so I wouldn't have to spell out both our names, addresses, phone numbers, so on & so forth, is not emailing me, upset that I haven't updated my registry with any actual products. The latest email is the best:

"we know you're not scared of commitment (but it looks like your registry is)"

They went lower-case and sans punctuation to make it look all friendly and low-key, but they're serious. Apparently I have 90 days before they delete me. That's the rule-- they delete blank registries after 90 days. However, your registry apparently lives on for years after your wedding date. You tell me how that makes sense.