Shower

JP's Grammy threw us a shower this weekend so I could meet some family members I hadn't met; it was lovely. Here are a couple pictures showing off the spread of food and the pretty cake. Grammy made that custom apron for me.

50 days till the wedding

That's right, only 50 days till the wedding!
We are still figuring out some of the details but we are really happy with how everything is turning out!
We have yet to finalize:
*flowers
*cake
*JP's suit
*bridesmaids' and groomsmens' attire
and we are still working on the must-play list for the jazz band at the reception(suggestions welcomed!)

Good luck 'n Gifts!

We had a great time at the Wedding Expo; While we were there I won a $50 gift certificate to a party rental place for our linens, plus that same place gave us a card for 10% off so the linens are taken care of!

Then we got a call from Bed Bath and Beyond saying we had won something and to come on in to the store to pick it up. I put my name in for so many prizes, I couldn't remember what they had been offering at all, when we went it to claim it it was even more of a surprise because the people working we're pretty stumped but eventually came out with a HUGE box with my name on it! We opened it up in the parking lot; it is a Pyrex mixing bowl set. Sweet!

We also got a call from a photographer saying we had won an album- which on his card says "starting at $1,500" Anyways, due to his rates for the day I'm not sure if we're going to end up going with him as a photographer and redeeming the free album or not, but it sure is neat to win these three things after winning the two tickets in to the Expo.

**Update 9/23, we also won $500 off a DJ entertainment package, again not sure if we'll get to redeem it or not but its cool to win!

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In non expo related news, we got our first wedding gift a few weeks ago - it is an amazingly beautiful quilt from my aunt and grandparents. It was really exciting to get our first gift that will last a lifetime, and it is such a stunning quilt!

Our 1st wedding gift! Isn't my Aunt amazing?!


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And the big box o surprisetastic fun from Bed Bath and Beyond:

I thought about registering for this set of Pyrex bowls when we registered there, now the store just gave it to us! So awesome!

Wedding Expo

This morning I won us tickets to a local bridal show called the Wine Country Bride Wedding Expo! Yay for radio morning shows! --We're going this Sunday.
I went to another expo put on by the same group last year but I was working at a booth primarily so I couldn't enjoy it all too much, it'll be great to just go as mr-and-mrs-to-be!

The answer you've all been waiting for....

the four items are all integral parts of our upcoming wedding!

What do these four items have in commom?

Planning

We're getting a lot of planning done and even checking things off the ol' to-do list here and there; one thing I'm slacking on is double checking my address list for updates...If you've moved recently and you don't mind sending me your new address, I'd really appreciate it-I'll be checking in individually this week but I just wanted to get this posted to get me moving on it!

Kaye

John Paul and my Mom and I did so much together; we really enjoyed each others company and would always find time to have weekly lunches (at our favorite vegetarian pizza place) go on walks with the puppy, and spend holidays and birthdays at the coast. She loved JP like a son and called me her 'little daughter' and him her 'little son', she called him that on her birthday when we went up to the rhododendron park. We went on a lot of birthday road trips over the years, it was a tradition to spend the day having an adventure together.
We had many many good times together and I know that she's still with us on our daily adventures and will be walking beside us on our wedding day. Having someone who is that special in the first place is a real blessing, as is knowing how much of a blessing they are and knowing to tell them that. This whole experience, growing and learning how you'd like to treat everyone else who you care about is another blessing.
In March in her backyard

At our Engagement Ceremony

On her birthday this year

On a walk in our neighborhood this spring

More from last weekend

ooo that dessert was sooo yummy, these great pictures were taken by my future sister in law Erin

Engagement Ceremony

We decided to start a new tradition and have an “engagement ceremony,” so that my mom could participate in our union while she’s feeling well. Our engagement ceremony was a huge success; we had a wonderful day in our backyard in the (breezy) sunshine!

Grammy gave us a ceremonial gift, a little house that she had given her late husband for their wedding. We read poetry by Shelley & Rilke, JP's siblings played beautiful songs which were so sweet. JP played There will Never Be Another You, which we learned together in high school jazz combo. D played trumpet while A sang a love poem about the sea mollusk, then E & R played Nancy's Waltz on flute & guitar as the ceremony came to an end.

My friend Carz who is a chef in Bodega Bay & in culinary school in Santa Rosa catered. To start we had salad, bruschetta, & my dad's potato salad, then for the main course we had vegetable pesto lasagna and golden beets with grilled asparagus in cabbage bowls. For dessert we had angel food cake with berries and freshly whipped cream that R made using her secret recipe.

It felt great to be both literately and figuratively surrounded and supported by JP's family and my parents, a local community that is behind us & our marriage.

May Engagement Party

We're thinking of having an engagement party in May, probably on Memorial Day (Monday the 26th) and it will be in celebration of our engagement and also could be a continuation of my graduation party!
The party will be in my backyard, more details tba.

Engaged life...

The engagement is going great. We're so happy about getting married.

I have a lot of wedding ideas swimming in my head & I'm hoping to make it all come together in a little over 10 months -
Jan. 17, 2009 - thats the date!

I have a good idea of my time-line & aim to devote most of my efforts and time before my graduation on non-wedding activities, however I'm so excited its tricky.