Fabulous Friends

My lovely girls at L's rehearsal... L not included.








You'd think caddies would've been all over this, but nope. Talk about a missed opportunity. Granted, they're both married and one has a baby, but seriously, we could've used help!



Love this... the girls and I hid behind flowers, then went to find L, who did the next pose on her own. Talk about deep friendships. And scared husbands-to-be.


Bridesmaids at the bar catching up with the scores of the game.



At L's bridesmaids' lunch. Love it!

Meet the Conners

Congrats to L&R! They tied the knot after an incredible wedding weekend packed with a bridesmaids' luncheon, rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, day-long bridesmaid beautification experience, a gorgeous wedding, and a super-fun reception. In a word, I'm exhausted, but it was fabulous, so I thought I'd share a few highlights, plus a few pics of my adorable friends... ok, and me, too.

On a side note, I will say that, since getting engaged, I'm suddenly realizing how much goes into a wedding. It's not like there are a ton of huge decisions (though there are a few... dress, location, groom. You know.), but there must be 156,000 tiny ones. Do you want attendants in a line or staggered? Exit in pairs or by themselves? Invitations on the table or in the basket? Sashes tightly knotted or loosely draped? I think I'll assign these few I've thought of now to B...

One of the best parts of the weekend was spending time with my high school girls. We all live on the same side of town, so we carpooled to every wedding event, at times in curlers (stay with me), and had a blast.

Friday began with a bridesmaids' luncheon at an adorable Italian restaurant in a neighboring town. Before you begin to worry about gas mileage, let me be clear that you can drive 10 miles and pass through about as many towns in our neck of the woods, so, while it was a drive, it wasn't as far as it sounds. It was fun meeting all L's family and family-to-be over heaping plates of pasta (fitted dresses be damned!), then a few of us skittered off to shop at a boutique across the street (oh come on, lunch was over. I promise!).

I got to spend a few hours with mom and dad (ok, laying on the couch with People Magazine) before starting the carpool line again to head to the rehearsal. L&R picked a beautiful golf location (one of our potential rehearsal dinner sites) as their wedding and reception venue and it's gorgeous. We gathered to practice at sunset, right when they'd be saying their vows the next night.

If you haven't experienced wedding rehearsals, they're a sight to see. Someone lines you up, you walk out, walk back in, walk out again, then you're rewarded with dinner and, if you're lucky, a drink or two. R's family had planned a wonderful rehearsal dinner at a lodge resort in (yet another) neighboring town, so we all packed in the car and headed off to meet the boys (sans B! :( ) for the obligatory (and adorable) slide show, dinner, and glasses of wine.

Saturday, the real fun began. The instructions for the bridesmaids were to show up at 8am in curlers with foundation. Feeling a twinge of angst at an early wake up time, I decided to just curl my hair when I got to the dressing spot. Feeling a twinge of guilt, I told my girlfriends in the carpool that I overslept (Sorry suckers! Er, I mean, friends.)

We'd planned to arrive at 9am, so at 8:59 we were pulling out of the driveway in a car loaded down with four dresses, four overstuffed bags, and approximately 32 curlers (3 girls, 10 per head, and 2 extra for, well, someone), plus my set of 14 still in the backseat when we get a call from L telling us that we don't need to be there until 10am, but would be mind running my Target on the way?

So, let me paint this picture. Four girls. Not a stitch of makeup among us. All in hoodies or other button-up options. Three with curlers on their heads. In Target. With the Saturday morning crowd. There aren't words.

There was coffee, though, as we stopped at Krispy Kreme next. We pulled into the drive through and I ordered four coffees and one donut (seriously, who are we kidding?), then shut off the engine. H freaks out from the backseat. "Did your car just die??" she asked, panicky behind her Jackie O sunglasses with a head full of curlers. "No, I shut it off," I said. "Well praise God," she replied. "I though we were going to have a broke down car and a Hot Now situation."

We made it to the venue where we spent the day getting made over, our hair "did," and tormenting the poor wedding coordinator (ok, that was H). We watched our dear friend walk down the aisle to marry a man she's crazy about... ok, and we love him almost as much, too!

The reception was fantastic. Lots of dancing and delicious cake before L&R drove off in the Hot Rod L's daddy bought her back in high school.

So they're married and off to California for the weekend, and I'm better for having spent a weekend with some of my dearest girlfriends. I miss you ladies! Next time, my place... How does May sound?

**Yes I realize I titled this "Meet the Conners" then posted pictures of my girlfriends instead of the couple. It's my blog. You want specific pictures, you start one yourself!

I Can Do This!

Day one without tea completed. Headache: 1, A: 0. I did drink a lot more water though, so I think there's hope. My mom slipped me the best of all secrets this morning over (her) morning coffee, "You know, they do make green tea." Brilliant.

First and second battle with the whitestrips over. The problems (as I see them) are:

1) Getting into the box. Holy Fort Knox of Packaging, Batman! My kit was from Sam's, where they bolster the toothpaste and strips box in double package, like those toys you used to get at Christmas. You remember, the kind that made you curse Santa and his eight little reindeer? I started with scissors, then moved to a chef's knife, then back to scissors. On to prayer, then to begging, back to scissors. Success.

2) Getting the strips off their little paper backing. I finally figured it out, but the thought did run through my mind, "I know I'm smart enough to use whitestrips." Nothing like a little light reflection while bleaching any part of your body.

3) Having something (or even the thought of something) in your mouth induces drooling. So while I may know I'm smart enough to use the strips, I certainly don't look or sound like it.

I'm still making my way (why is it best not to brush just before using the strips?) but overall I'm pleased. Whiter already, or at least that's what my gullible self believes.

I woke up to the perfect, crisp Alabama morning and am now off to meet some of my best girlfriends in the world for a bridesmaids luncheon, then maybe a little shopping, then onto rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. It's a pretty perfect day. Happy early weekend to all!

Off to Florence

Tonight L and I are heading home to be in a high school friend's wedding-- so exciting! The bride and groom have been engaged for about a year, so we've gotten to spend a lot of time with the two of them, plus throw her a lingerie shower/bachelorette night here in Birmingham.

I'm super excited for the couple, L&R. They've planned a fantastic wedding weekend starting with a bridesmaids brunch tomorrow and ending with an outdoor wedding overlooking the Tennessee River. In fact, their wedding location is one of the places in the running for our rehearsal dinner site.

I can't wait to celebrate with L&R tomorrow. I've known L, and played basketball with her, since middle school. We did a history project together in which we performed Native American mating dances on the back lawn of our high school (I'm telling you, you can't make this stuff up). Her ninth grade fling turned into my high school sweetheart, not surprising in a class of 50.

Point is, I love L. She's fantastic... basketball star, homecoming queen, and a heart of gold to boot. I can't wait to dance at her reception, but first, oh first, I get the benefit of some much-needed wedding party perks: make-overs.

L has very generously booked makeup artists and hair stylists to help us get ready for the big day, so the girls and I will be camped out starting at 8am Saturday morning primping for the big event, which starts at 5:30.

B can't make it to this wedding, which may be good seeing as I'm bound and determined to get the full joy (and trial run!) out of any wedding vendor provided this weekend, but I'm going to miss him. I love dancing with him, so it always bums me out a little when he can't make it.

After I leave work today, I'll take a quick walk then head home and gather my bridesmaid goodies (luncheon dress, rehearsal dinner dress, bridesmaid dress, zip-up hoodie for makeup prep, etc) and head home for three solid days of my home bed, mom & dad, and wedding-palooza. I can't wait! Congrats L!

[The photo is from our friend K's wedding, but features 4 of my closest high school girlfriends, plus B, via the cell in my hand. L, this weekend's bride, is on the left.]

I Heart the Blue Hairs

Every Wednesday night (and last night was no exception), I head out of work at 5:30 on the dot and hop across town to the Presbyterian church that my grandma has been attending for decades to join her for what I fondly know as Grandma Dinner.
Her weekly church supper, hosted in the basement of the fellowship hall, is a gathering of about 180 church-goers whose ages range from 5 years old to, I kid you not, a lady who's 99. She doesn't drive herself anymore, which is the big to-do these days, but she does come occasionally with her son. Or maybe it's her grandson--hard to tell.
Grandma started inviting me nearly 3 years ago when I first moved into town. It seemed like a great way to get to see her every week and get a delicious home cooked meal of feel-good comfort food. Those of you who grew up with church suppers know that no expense (or pinch of salt) is spared on the fried chicken, meatloaf, pot roast, beef tips, casseroles, buttery roles, or mandatory dessert offering. It's a tummy full of happiness that also lets me see my dear grandma, who is in her 90s herself (and driving her own car, she'd add).
At Grandma Dinners, seats are assigned, if not by habit then by the carefully lettered script of people's names on the paper place mats at specific seats. Every week, before I arrive, she gets me a glass of water and a dessert, leaving me to fix my own salad and main plate. Probably wise, as I'm sure she'd give me a heaping plate which I'd happily devour and the shake my fist and curse in her generally, 90-something direction.
Grandma Dinners somewhat define my week. I know, like clockwork, that on Tuesday morning before 8am, she will call my office and leave me a voicemail reminding me about the dinner. It usually goes something like this:
Hi honey. It's your Grandma Isabel. Tomorrow's Wednesday and I wanted to remind you that we're having dinner up at the church. It's (papers rustling) meatloaf night. I'd love to see you. Seems like I never see you these days. I hear from mom that you're really busy. Well, call and let me know if you're not coming, otherwise I'll see you at the church. 871-7...

Yes, my dear grandma, who has lived in the same house since my own mother was in second grade, always leaves me her phone number just in case and it makes my day. If I've skipped a week, I get a, "In case you've forgotten, it's 871-7..." which translates to mean that I better get my hiney in gear and over to church supper asap.

I joke about my Grandma Dinners, but nothing makes my week better than sitting down her she and six of her friends over dinner at our paper-covered table of eight. My aunt is usually there, so I can catch up with her, and sometimes my cousins come, crowding out other members of our standard part of 8, but no one seems to mind.

It's a wonderful thing having people you're happy to see each week, and who are happy to see you, and it makes my heart swell to see these friends, some who have known each other for double my lifetime, come together every week and catch up on aching bones, bridge scores, and neighborhood gossip.

When I'm going blue around the temples, I hope to have a church family just like them, and maybe a granddaughter or two that I can guilt...

Honey, it's your Grandma A. Haven't seen you in a while. Hope to see you this week. Give us a call at 871-7...

Countdown Full of Lies!

When I visited the Bridal Fair in August, I signed up for about a hundred things, including preregistration for registries at Belk and Macy's, David's Bridal email listing, and a bunch of random videographers and vendors. Bad for the environment, probably, but I love getting mail and I figured that, while I'm trying to sort this stuff out, I may as well be getting notes or letters with information that might help me pick. One day soon I'll have to bring in a photo of the DJ that keeps contacting me (I believe, from 1982) just so you can see his kickin hair style.

By favorite email so far as been one by OurWeddingDay, which I believe to be a subsidiary of David's Bridal. Anyway, I have no idea what their email is about or what it wants me to do, but it includes this phrase at the start of every email: There are now TKTKTK until your wedding day. Basically, I get the the month, week, and day countdown which, at this point, isn't stressful, only exciting.

B thinks these emails are fishy. They dates never sound right and I'm too, er, busy (sure, that's it) to do the math. Until today.

Today's email said: There are now 7 months , 1 week and 5 days until your wedding.

So I counted. 7 months puts us to May 2. Add 1 week and we're at May 9 (ding ding ding!). Add five days and we're suddenly cruising into my white sand beach time, landing on the corner of my beach towel and May 14.

Not that anyone actually trusts these emails, or (God forbid) relies on them, but still, what about the lone bride that does? These emails tell you exactly what you should be doing this week to get your big day going on time. For instance, mine is dictating that I should have already sent a Save the Date, selected a wedding date (um, yeah. Hence the countdown), and thought about theme, style, and location with the help of my Maid of Honor (Because you've already picked her, right? the website says passive-aggressively). In my "near future," I'm to meet with the florist, book a photographer and videographer, and select a cake baker.

Right now the themes are broad, but come May 9, when the site says I have five days left, it would still be telling me to tie ribbons on my programs and practice five more poses in yoga.

For now, I'll stick with my other countdown calendar, which (as of 8 seconds ago) read:

It is 219 days, 5 hours, 18 minutes and 48 seconds until Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 3:00:00 PM.

Better get on those programs!

Ode to Iced Tea

Southerners live for the tea. Sweet, unsweet, fruit-flavored, or spiked with mint, we dig tea. We drink it for brunch, lunch, "tea time," dinner, and after dinner. What you put in it says a lot about you. Simple syrup? Splenda? Sugar cubes? Raw sugar? All class differentiators.

You may wonder why I care, and why in turn you should care, and maybe why this post seems a little off. Well, I'm off the juice, er, tea.

Cold turkey. No more tea, or actually beverages of any color, for two weeks. Why on earth would you subject yourself to such torture, you ask? I blame Crest. I'm starting their whitestrips today, just giving them a shot, and rumor has it that if you drink dark liquids (oh sweet Merlot) while using the strips, your teeth are actually more vulnerable to discoloration. Oy.

So water it is, at least for about 14 days. The upside of this is that I know my countdown to see B again is waaaay less than 14 days. It's actually more like 9, but in the next 18 days we will have spent a weekend in Atlanta hanging out, then a weekend in Birmingham cake tasting, engagement photo shooting, football game going (UA v Ole Miss), and golf playing (at least for B). Which leads to the downside, namely that I need to find clothes and work with the photographer on the whole engagement photo thing, pick the flavors we're to sample at the cake tasting, and get my act together enough to be out of town for the next three weekends.

Yes, three. Did I mention I'm a bridesmaid this weekend in a high school friend's wedding? Wild! I am excited to shop her vendors though. Maybe I'll find a makeup/hair person I like!

The real tragedy of all of this is that I'll have to do it without the help of my sugar-sweet, caffeinated friend iced tea. Or its cousin diet coke. Pray for me, and for those around me. It might get ugly.

PS-- NOOO! I read my calendar wrong. Tomorrow is the day I start the strips, which means I've just waisted one entire day of precious tea consumption. I think I'll pick up a big gulp on the way home to make up for it.

PPS--Yes, I write things like "start whitestrips" in my calendar. Don't judge.