From Miss to Mrs..

The big day has come and gone...

Such busyness the last several months trying to get everything ready for my daughters big day.  With my daughter living some 800 miles away she did most of the planning herself and she did a fabulous job.  I am quite proud of her ability to pull all this together while keeping her cool. 

There were many emotional days in between over the last several months. Lots of emotions for this momma. Lots of time C.R.Y.I.N.G. …..  Tori's big day was as beautiful as she was a bride.

The days before began with lots of pampering and enjoying the moment.  From hair highlights to nails.  To adding the finishing touches to wedding favors, and centerpieces.  To rehearsal dinner, and family time with lots of laughs.

Her venue was on the picturesque Chesapeake Bay waterfront at the beautiful Anchor Inn.  A perfect location for her as she is a beach bum at heart and has always wanted a wedding on the water.  Her wedding colors Guava and Malibu added the perfect touch for this girls dream wedding. It reminded me of being the tropics.  So Tori!

Here are a few snapshots of us getting ready.....

After make up and hair ( Mom and Daughter)

Sitting and waiting for the limo. She is/was beautiful.

Helping Tori get her necklace on.



Mom and I in the limo heading to the "Anchor Inn"

Important dates

I think hubby and I took around 300+ pictures, but we haven’t had time to edit them.  But this is a sneak preview.  Part 2 to follow shortly. 

Blessings,

Cindy

Getting back to normal

now that the big day has past.  I want to say thanks to all that sent well wishes and prayers our way.  We had a beautiful day for the wedding.  Couldn’t have ask for a better day.  We were truly blessed.

The newlyweds!  Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Menser

All the family arrived the middle of last week, and from that moment on, we were extremely busy getting ready for the big day.  Hair and nail appts, rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  Lots of good food, and catching up with family.  For the rehearsal dinner, my son wanted a backyard barbeque but since we didn’t know how to plan for the weather we decided to rent a venue to host the festivities.  We had our rehearsal dinner at a sports bar and grill, with all the backyard barbeque fare.  Simply yummy.  Anyone that knows my son, knows he is a die hard sports fan, so this was very appropriate for him. Complete with a tribute to his favorite team.

 

On the big day, the morning started off rather weepy for me.  I was extremely emotional, lots of tears as I reflected back on my son’s childhood and the man he has become.  I am so proud of who he is.  Such a gem! 

before the ceremony

 
Don and I with our son

 
The groomsmen

 
My nephew Joshua with son Derek, doing the John Wall dance prior to the ceremony

 
Don and I as we walked out of the ceremony. One tearful momma!

 
My beautiful daughter Tori with her honey Mark.

 

Well that is a sneak peek into our day….please feel free to stop by the photo album and view the pictures (link below).  We took over 500 ourselves, but I’ve posted around 70 or so.

I wish the new Mr. and Mrs. all the love and blessings in the world. 

I have posted wedding pictures at my FB….so even if you aren’t on FB you should be able to view them at

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=166675&id=577348084&l=2c8708c824

Really should start my day but wanted to share some of our big day with you….hope all have a blessed day.

How the week is shaping up

Well this is it, the week I have been waiting on for almost 18 months now.  Since July of 08 when my son ask his girlfriend to be his wife.  That seemed like such a long time away back then, but it just goes to show time keeps marching on…so here we are now. 

I think this picture was taken 2 weeks after they started dating, almost 7 years ago.

This past weekend, I wasn’t on the computer much, as hubby and I were getting TONS of things done in the house that needed it, plus trying to make more room for the guest arriving this week.  Saturday was spent in the garage….It looked so much better on Saturday, I could have actually gotten my car in there.  However after spending all day Sunday in our basement, cleaning, sorting, organizing, boxing, decluttering, my garage has stuff in it again.  Not as much though.  Hubby is taking a truck load of stuff to good will this morning, with more I am sure to go, but we will be taking the rest to storage before mid week.  So hoping by the time family arrives, I will have my car all tucked in the garage. Oh happy day!

Thought I would give you a sneek peek into my week.

Today: Wash and change all sheets on the guest beds for family. Along with a good dusting and make space in closets for hanging garments.  Gather goodies for their bedroom baskets, towels, extra toiletries, magazines, etc. Who knows, I might even put a mint on the pillow.  :) As I am typing this, the washer is working away!!

Tomorrow: Clean down the all the bathrooms and give the guest one a real good clean. Wash rugs!  Do some baking.  Wanna have some great little treats to munch on in the mornings with our coffee. 

Today or Tomorrow, I also need to run out and do a few errands to pick up a few things on one of my many list. 

Wednesday: My folks arrive in the afternoon, so get something started in the crock pot early for a nice dinner without alot of fuss when they get here.  Mop all the floors and vacuum the carpets, put out some candles and viola.

Thursday: On this day, my sister and gang arrive. 

Friday: Mani and Pedi’s in the AM with mom, daughter and myself.  Puttering around collecting last minute things to transport to the rehearsal dinner.  Make my son and future daughter in love, my baked beans that they asked me to prepare and make for the dinner.  Rehearsal at 4:45 and dinner at 6:30

Saturday:  The big day!!!!

So as you can tell, I am getting there.  The weather looks like it is shaping up and should be a high of around 78 on Saturday with NO RAIN.  Thank you sweet Jesus!   Please keep my future daughter in law in prayer as she has come down with a bad cold and has actually missed work.  Praying she will feel better soon.

Should get back to work…

Ya’ll help me

in a week I will have family arriving for my son’s wedding.  We are on the downhill slide.

Rain in the forecast for the next 8 days….not sure about the wedding day.  Say a prayer for NO RAIN!

This is where the wedding will take place, sorry the picture is so grainy,but took it from the website and it was tiny….

My plate is full, my house is in a chaotic state, but I’m blessed and I’m thankful.

Happy Monday Morning

Well we are off to another week….getting a bit closer to the big day around here.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to sit with my son and just share some time together.  Granted alot of it was talking wedding, and finalizing the lists (we have lots of them). But one thing that I have to do this week is contact the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner.  They needed the final head count a week before, so my son had to go over that list to make sure every name was on it that needed to be.  My mind is so crammed full of “wedding jumble” that I am scared I am going to forget something.  Tonight is my future DIL bachelorette party, sue to her work schedule (she has a really strange schedule) it is being done tonight.  My son’s bachelor party is going to be Saturday night.  Yikes, guess that means it is getting close huh? Family will start arriving here next Wednesday.  Quite honestly, it will be a good thing for me when my mom arrives because I know I will slow down a bit and she will help keep me calm.  :) 

So many things I would like to get accomplished this week, just hope I can stay on task.  Last week, I fell short.  I can’t seem to stay focused.  I really don’t like when I get that way.  Thinking I need to just slow down and bit and get my priorities back in check.  One minute my mind is fluttering with the house and the sale of, and then the wedding, projects that still need to be done for instance, we are going to paint and recarpet the basement.  Yeah, you heard me right (call us crazy)….plus we are getting ready to put a new roof on the house.  Still have estimates out but they should be hopefully all be in today so we can make a decision. The weather for the next ten days isn’t great with lots of rain in the forecast, and our goal was to have the roof on before the wedding.  They seem to think they can get the job done in one day so my prayer is that we can get it done before then, if not, it will be after May 1. 

As you have read from my past post, our weather has turned cold again.  Actually not cold, cold, because it is the average temperatures for this time of year, but because we have been having such warm to hot days, it has thrown me for a loop.  Tons I want to do outside, but can’t stand the cold or the wind…so I’ve limited myself to the inside of the house.  Hubby has the yard looking so good.  Yesterday in the blustery cold air, he mulched ALL the flowerbeds, and put out new flowers as well as mowed the lawn.  It was a all day venture.  The yard looks great, but of course, I felt guilty for not helping him.  Our weather forecast for the next ten days don’t look all that great either. So not sure how much time I will actually be outside.  Good thing I didn’t put the turtlenecks and sweat shirts away yet. 

I’ve fallen behind too on working on my bible study.  Each time I sit down to do it, my mind wonders.  I MUST try to get through it today or tomorrow.  Normally I have been ahead of the game on this, but not this past week. 

Guess that is enough out of me for today, two post in one day, that is a first in awhile. I hope you will take a look at the vblog I posted below this. This video really touched my heart as this is been my life’s goal.  Speaking of goal’s, what is your life goal?

Be blessed!

Another look

for me.  I decided I wanted a more spring look for me blog,not sure if I am going to make a header or not.  Can’t really decide.  Guess it will depend on whether I have the time to get one  created.  So what do you think about this look.  I decided to try out the template designer that Blogger has.  Pam did a great tutorial on it the other day, if your interested, take a look at her tutorial.  I found some other great blog templates I would like to play around with so who knows how long this look will last.

This has been a very busy weekend for us.  Yesterday I was out all day but I got my shoes finally for the wedding….yeah now if I knew what to do with my hair.  Help!  Tori came over on Friday to help me decide, she tried it down and curly, but not sure, still thinking about doing a updo. To be honest though she and I liked it best when I just threw it up in a claw after all the work we did.  So back to playing around with it this week.

This weekend our weather has turned off cold again, we have had such a great batch of hot days so when it is the norm, we are COLD.  I am so ready for hot weather.  Seems I am always cold.  Spent some time this AM trying on my wedding wardrobe and was praying that on wedding day the weather temps will be warm, or I will freeze.

Well today is a day of cooking and cleaning and laundry.  So guess I should get back at it. 

Have a blessed Sunday!

I don’t have a clue

where the time goes.  I can’t believe how long it has been since I have been here to  post.  Days just get away from me.  I feel bad when I don’t post, but sometimes  I fear no one wants to hear the same old stuff.  My life is quite ordinary and not alot to write about.  But lately my days have been super duper busy and with the our weather  being so gorgeous I am trying to spend more time in the yard. This is outside my family room door and really is one of our favorite little hangouts.  My yard is so green right now and all the Bradford pear trees are in full bloom.  Love them!!!  My lilacs are starting to bloom as well, and when they do, as soon as you open the door and get outside, you get the best aroma in the world.  I feel like it is really spring then.  Although the past several days we have been experiencing some exceptionally gorgeous weather with temps in the 80’s and 90…yeah, 90 yesterday.  I actually laid outside in my lawn chair.  Woo Hoo!  Today the temps are going to be around the mid 80 with rain in the forecast for tonight.  Cooler temps of the mid 60’s tomorrow and the weekend.  So going to enjoy this while it last.

This week has been a week of getting some more things done around this house.  We are suppose to have a couple come by and look at the house sometime this week.  Haven’t gotten a time yet…so I have been trying to keep up on things so it is “show ready” when they get here. 

This weekend, hubby and I will be working some more around here, mainly in the yard and our garage, still have some decluttering to do and more things moved to our storage unit.  Selling a house is hard work…..I would much rather be doing something else.

Things are coming together nicely for my sons wedding.  Which is going to be here before I know it.  I think the only think I have left to buy is my shoes.  Was hoping to get out this weekend to do that too…but that might not happen. 

I know this isn’t much of a post, but just wanted to let you know what I have been up too.  Got some great pictures of the George Strait concert I went to over the weekend…will have to get those off my camera and share them with you.  Awesome time was had by all.

Have a blessed day!!!!

It’s just been one of those day

to get lots accomplished, which is a good thing because I got NOTHING accomplished over the weekend.  The weather here was rainy and cold and perfect for doing nothing.  Granted it would have been perfect for getting some projects completed, but my heart and body weren’t in it. 

Although I did get through a mountain of magazines that has been sitting on my coffee   table for a few weeks, tagged and ready for me to clip and save my inspiration pages, etc…so might work on that this afternoon.  I got high hopes.  :)

Had time to share some of my Sunday with my son, he came over for awhile and he and I watched the SEC championship.  It was alot of fun watching it with him, but will confess that I sat   on pins and needles the whole game.  It was a nail biter.  Not sure how I managed to keep mine.  Here at our house we are gearing up for the NCAA playoffs.  Being a Kentucky girl, we are pulling for our WILDCATS!  Go big blue!!!!

Woke up this morning to another dreary day, but I had my handy dandy list made out and so I got right to work on taking care of business. Two major accomplishments for me this morning, I finalized the menu and venue for the rehearsal dinner for my son’s wedding.  Woo Hoo!  and I also got my menu’s made out for next week.   I have been saying for awhile I was going to get back into making a list, because we tend to eat better and I know when my feet hit the floor that day what I am going to be making for dinner.  So I scoured some of my favorite cooking sites and came up with some wonderful new recipes for us to try over the course of the next couple of weeks.  I also spent time organizing my portable office.  Portable office you ask, it is my Longaberger basket chock full of my lists for everything.  It carries my files  that consist of my shopping list, menus, cooking magazines, my spiritual binder that houses my prayer list, inspirational and motivational thoughts, as well house inspiration.  This little basket is overflowing but I love it, because I know where everything is that keeps my mind clear of clutter and thoughts.  I am in the process of reworking some of files.

I still have a pile sitting beside me of the things that I need to get too today, so instead of writing this, I should clipping my coupons.  So off to clip and save.  What are you doing today?  What makes your feel productive?

Blessings to all,

Weekly Roundup

Hi ya’ll, here it is Friday and I have been away.  I can’t believe how quickly the weeks pass by.  In a earlier post I commented on struggling the last several weeks.  I am happy to report that I feel like I am on the road to recovery.  Sometimes it feels like when it rains it pours and that was definitely the case for me.  Anyway, this has been a very active week for me.

 

As some of you back in the fall I became a homemaker again after years of working full time. Anyhow, it has been a experience trying to get unemployment started, etc. I mean I have never drawn unemployment before.  So that has been a eye opener because everything is done online.  I remember back in the day when you had to go to a office to apply.   On Wednesday  I had a workshop that I had to attend in order for my benefits to remain.  The workshop was extremely informative.  Things sure have come along way.

 

For the most part this week has been working on finalizing the last minute touches to my son’s rehearsal dinner.  I think I am almost there.  I can’t believe how much work it is to organize and plan one of these events.  But we had what I hope is our final pow wow last night…Earlier in the week my son and I met with the  establishments owner to go over food choices and head count.  We finally got our price from them just for me to call them back this morning to make modifications.  I am sure they are going to love me when this is all over. 

 

So needless to say, I haven’t had alot of free time to be on the computer or reading blogs….however I did find myself back at Jill’s site, if you are a organized person, she has some of the most awesome creative projects for you to try.  Several others caught my eye weeks ago, and I am including some of the information to my “to make” folder.  Do ya’ll have one of those?  Seems my folder keeps getting bigger and bigger and I am not getting anything accomplished. 

 

Check out her Menu planning of the month. Or her managing her blog notebook. But I have to say that this might be one of my favorites, her recipe cards and binder cover.  She has the most adorable recipe cards ever and if I had cards like that to look at, I might want to cook more than I do.  :)

But I am giving you fair warning…don’t go over there unless you have oodles of time to waste.  She pulls you in with all her clever organizing tips and how to’s.  Be forewarned!

 

Working round the clock!

So you wonder what I have been up too, huh? Bunches of stuff going on with me and my family. At the moment, just trying to keep our heads above water. We are busy,busy in the middle of doing some renovations in our house, and seems like every spare moment is taken up with that. Some of the things we are doing is we have ripped up the old carpet in the living room so wonderful hubby can install wood flooring. He installed all wood flooring on the main level of the house 18 months or so ago and we left the LR until later, it is now later.

We ripped off old wallpaper in the dining room (which I liked but hubby didn't,

but we were ready for a crisp new look) and repainted the room (country white) as well as the LR (butter cookie). In order to do all this, we have had to rent a storage unit and move furniture into it so that we could move around. My LR and DR has a open concept so we had to remove almost everything for all the supplies and tools. So we truck back and forth to the unit to get what we need until it is complete. Hubby is also framing in my LR windows to give the room a more custom feel. Over the last several years we have redone almost all the house, and that is THE one thing we have done in every room. It is such a small and inexpensive thing but makes such a big difference. Once all rooms are completely finished we will be ripping out all the carpet on our second floor. Whoopee!!!! So I am in the mist of looking at carpet samples. It's gotta be something that doesn't show dirt, and can handle high traffic. Especially the steps. Thinking maybe a berber. Any tips?

On top of all this, my sons have been looking for jobs. One down and one to go....my daughter took ill and was out of commission for over a week, running extremely high fevers. Three night in a row at the ER. Doctors thought she had mono but all the test came back negative, but she was exposed to it and it was kicking her little butt. I am so glad she is feeling much better and is back in school. My aunt passed away unexpectedly and it was a total shock...so I had to make a quick trip to Kentucky for her burial. Needless to say, there have been many days that I felt like I was on "auto pilot". Doing all this on top of trying to work full time, the only time I missed work  was for my aunt funeral. Whew!

My step son is getting married this weekend, so have had to shop for "something to wear". I picked out a little sleeveless navy with small white polka dots (so Julie Roberts) and the cutest shoes.  Still haven't packed, but looking forward to the trip.It will be nice to visit with hubby's siblings and his kids. It also happens to be my first anniversary so hubby and I are going to take a few days afterwards and get some R&R. Believe me we both could use it. It has been a highly stressful time for us. with everything that has been going on.

We will be in the Gatlinburg this weekend, and I can't imagine a more perfect place than the mountains to celebrate Easter and our anniversary. Once we get back, we will have to gear up for my daughters graduation and a party for her. It is hard to believe that my baby is graduating from high school in just a few short weeks. Where does the time go?

Ok...I wasn't going to write a book...just a update. Hope all is well with you and your families and your enjoying this Easter season.
Hugs

Our Wedding

Hi Everybody...

Just wanted to spend a little time today telling you about the wedding. As most of you know, Michael and I were married on the 12th of April. It was a small intimate affair in a little country church in my hometown of Russellville, Ky. It was simply beautiful, and the pictures don't do it justice. (I still don't have the photos back from the photographer)

We arrived in Russellville on Wednesday and from the time we arrived until Saturday at show time, there were lots of things to do. We took care of all those little last minute things, we had to go get our marriage license and check on tuxes, flowers, food, etc. On Thursday my mom and I went to the salon and had manicures and pedicures and we had a wonderful time of just relaxing and getting pampered. All the way down to the latte they served. Ummmmm Yummy!

Afterwards, we did more errands. One thing Michael and I wanted to do was go and get a new digital and video camera for our trip to Cancun...so we went out and did that on Thursday evening. My kids flew into Nashville that night and my sister kept them overnight and brought them up to moms on Friday morning. Wesley and Stephanie drove all night Thursday night and got into my folk's early Friday AM. It was great having all my kids at the folk's on Friday and we got to have a little down time between having to be at the church for deliveries, etc. The florist came to the church on Friday afternoon and set up for the ceremony and that gave us some time to play around with the flowers and get things set up the way we wanted it. Also, we had the rehearsal dinner catered to the fellowship hall of the church so after the 'run through' we sat down and ate and fellowshipped with out friends and family. Two of Michael's children got to be there, but one was in a wedding in Texas and couldn't make the trip. Friday night, after we left the church I went back to moms and crashed, but before I did that Michael presented me with 1 carat heart shaped diamond earrings to wear in the next day. Wasn't that sweet of him! Then it was off to bed so that I could get plenty of rest. And Michael was off to the hotel.

Saturday morning began with lots of hustle and bustle around moms house, kids were crashed everyplace but no one seemed to mind. We sat around leisurely everyone taking showers and pressing clothes, and just visiting. Tori decided to give everyone a facial that day. So I was first in line. I got a nice facial and massage. That felt wonderful. Thank you Tori! While the girls were getting pampered, Dad drove to the florist to pick up our bouquets and boutonnières. Finally we headed over to the church around 12:45 as the photographer was going to be there by 1:00 to get as many before group shots as he could and then some of me getting ready. The entire wedding party was there by 1:00 and got in place for pictures, plus there were several people in the back of the church setting up for the reception. Busy time, all the while I was hidden away in a little nursery room of the church, with my daughter and Stephanie (Wesley's girlfriend) helping me out with bridal apparel. I had originally made an appointment to have my hair done, but Michael didn't want me to do that, he said he wanted me to do my own hair as he likes the way I wear it. So I canceled the appointment. However, after I did my hair, the photographer took me outside for some shots and my hair was a mess. So needless to say, I wish my hair would have been the way I originally fixed it, but it wasn't. But I wasn't going to let that stand in my way. I just said, "it's not about your hair", go and enjoy your day. So I did. :)

My sons were the ushers as well as giving me away, so they had a busy time.

Anyway, prior to three the music started and I knew it was time. From the time my boys came to get me, I was all smiles. The moment I had been waiting for was finally here. Each son, on each side walked me to the alter and with a kiss gave me away, it was perfect and the way I had wanted it. Tori was my maid of honor, and she looked so pretty. She was such a comfort to have up there with me. Once the ceremony actually started, it was a traditional Christian wedding, with the exception Michael shared what I was to him. Not a dry eye in the room. Everyone commented how wonderful it was, but honestly, I can't remember half of what he said. Guess I was nervous, but didn't feel it at the time. Other than that, it was a typical wedding ceremony.
Like I stated, it was small and intimate, although the church was full. It was just what I wanted. Not alot of flair and extravagance but simple and elegant. I have my mom and dad and Michael's folk to thank for that, because they paid for practically everything. It didn't start out that way, but they wanted to do it, and that was all there was to it. We felt truly blessed that they wanted to share that with us. And that they gave their approvals.

After the wedding, we congregated to the back of the church for the reception, where all our friends and family waiting. The cake table was so pretty and full of all kinds of goodies. My sister and her friend did my cake, and it was so pretty, they arranged live flowers on it, and it was perfect. (You'll notice in the pictures the cake looks tan, it was actually ivory color) Which is what I requested since everything in the wedding was ivory. I set my reception up to be springy with spring pastels and tulips and hyacinths. We also set up another table, that had a money tree on it (not something I wanted but folks wanted to give us something) and we incorporated photos of our grandparents and Michael's parents as those that couldn't be there in person, but were with us in spirit. I am so glad I did this.

After the reception and everyone left, we, along with all the kids and my folks and the pastor and his wife, all went to dinner. It had been a perfect day.

I posted a few pictures that were made by our camera. Click to view!

The next day we were off to Cancun. And what a great time we had there. More on that later.