YOU MUST BE SO BUSY!!!!!

This past week, lots of people have been saying things like, "just a few days until the wedding! I bet you're really busy!" "I am, if by me being busy, you mean my mother is really busy." Let me tell you what I've been doing.

I obsessively write thank you notes as soon as they are delivered, look over our marriage license, check our passports to make sure they haven't expired, and try on my wedding band. It's all very exhausting, really.

Then I unzip this bag and look at my wedding gown. Then I walk away and then do it again. Repeat a dozen times daily. Oh, that number isn't really accurate. Its more like 2 dozen times.

I lotion my feet. I have the driest, grossest heels. This gives my arms a mini workout.

I comb the cat.

I put this on. It's totally lame, and I'm aware of that fact. It also desperately needs to be ironed. I'm hoping by wearing it repeatedly my body heat will loosen the wrinkles.

I strut around in my wedding shoes.

I have started packing for the honeymoon.

I think I need to bring swimwear, so that's about as far as I've gotten before I get totally overwhelmed.

I gaze lovingly at pictures of T.Lo and my cat.

So as you can see, I don't have a lot going on. I even went to my school administration office to change my name. I was trying to be proactive, and get that done. They requested a new social security card. I didn't have that. I'M NOT MARRIED YET, SO HENCE I HAVEN'T OFFICIALLY CHANGED MY NAME. That was a little embarrassing. Fortunately, many people know my personality over there and probably weren't overly surprised. "Come back, honey, when you're married and have legally changed your name." Thanks.

My Man Loves SteinMart

This evening we hit up the Stein Mart. Sweet T loves the place. He totally falls for their marketing ploy of showing the retail price, then slashing through it and replacing it with a much lower number. He runs from rack to rack screaming, "its on sale!" Really? Everything in here is on sale, nerd.

As he was shopping this evening he found a shirt on sale for like $8.99. He was ecstatic. He also happened to be modeling this Panama Jack hat while he was comparing two sizes. I had to snap a photo between giggles. He eventually put the hat down. On the way out of the story this conversation occurred:

B: "Aren't you going to get that hat?"

T: "No."

B: "I'll find one for you soon for our honeymoon, some sort of straw number to keep you cool in Mexico."

T: "Naw, Betsy, I'm pretty frisky with my hats."

B: "You mean finicky with your hats?"

T: "Yeah, that too."

My Cupcaking is Dwindling

I have engaged in a life long love affair with cake. Cupcakes are fabulous too. I can't get enough cake. I have mentioned this before. I must confess that lately I've been cheating on my cake. With this:

Frozen yogurt.

I know, I know, I'm so behind the times. Kim Kardashian has been hitting up the Pinkberry in L.A. for like years. I'm so behind on the trends. But this is the midwest. I'm still wearing Eastlands with curly cue shoelaces.

Oh, now seriously, this stuff is amazing. I've been enjoying a nice combo of french vanilla yogurt with fabulous strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. I can't get enough. The new yogurt place is dangerously located near my yoga studio. I am now canceling out my workouts with the fro'yo. In fact, this picture has the fro'yo perched precariously on my yoga panted Polish thigh. I'm working my way towards a Kim Kardashian style butt. I'm already a giantess like her sister Khloe. In fact, maybe if Trinity was the size of Lamar I would feel petite.

An odd habit of mine...

As a teacher, I have a lot of free time in the summer. By my own admission, I enjoy some Youtube. I have been guilty of spending large quantities of time watching cat videos. I ran across this one and just laughed my head off. I love cats. I love sushi. I love this video. Who doesn't prop her cat up on many pillows and feed her overpriced raw fish rolls? Well, I can tell you someone who does not NOT prop her cat up on many pillows and feed her overpriced raw fish rolls. ME. I'm trying it. Kashmir will love it.

A Big Splash!

I had my last shower this past weekend, and it was so wonderful! My mom's dear pals, Nancy, Leslie, and Gail hosted a pool party to celebrate our upcoming wedding. I was thrilled that many of my friends were able to attend. We spent the afternoon eating, drinking wine, swimming, and opening presents. My dearest companion, Caroline, was there!

Caroline had lots of fun with Allison, asking repeatedly for more "motorboat."

I visited with some pals I rarely get to see!

Allison, Leslie, Teri, Lindsey, Karen, Susan, Lindsay, me, Angie, Mandy, Gina, Gari, Kate, Meghan, Megan, Jamie, Molly and Gail

Dear mother was behind the lens

I laughed my head off with my friends from childhood. Gina (the munchkin) was my neighbor across the street and Mandy and Angie are sisters and we have been friends since elementary school. Our antics were beyond ridiculous. They are so sweet and all 3 are wonderful mommas. I hold out as the lone childless nutcase:)

Kate, Megan, and Jamie are bridesmaids. Meghan is Rob's girlfriend and one half of the Robeghan duo.

Molly, Gail, Teri, Leslie, Allison and Lindsey. Molly is going to teach a pilates-yoga class to my bridal party the morning of the wedding. We are so excited.

Li'l C woos the mother-daughter pairs.

That officially concludes the whirlwind of pre-wedding events. Now on to the real deal!

Molly!!!!

I was thrilled to spend the evening with my precious friends, Megan and Kate. We spent the evening cooking, grilling and drinking. We made pomegranate lime mojito martinis and they were fabulous. The three of us don't get to see one another often enough, so time flies when we laugh and tell old stories from college.

Normally we are enough entertainment ourselves, but now we have a new member in our fun clan. Megan and Ryan have a darling, and I do mean DARLING daughter named Molly. She's 18 months old and hilarious. She kept us entertained all evening with her musical talents. Her daddy Ryan has given her a harmonica, and she blows in it. A lot. I caught a performance on video, since it was the cutest thing ever!

Meet Tim

Tim is my funny friend. He is BFF Jamie's husband. Here is one of his awkward school photos. If lame school pictures paired people in life, then Tim might have been my perfect match. Tim is very friendly. He has lots of friends...

including ALF.

Seriously, though, Tim is 31. We got to hang out with him for his birthday this weekend. Last year for his big 30th he was honored with a slideshow of his past. I cherish the pictures I took of Tim's pictures. If I'm having a particularly bad day, Tim in his wicker chair clutching ALF is all I need.

Here is the birthday boy with Trinity and his sister-in-law, Sherry. She's 4'11". I am exactly one foot taller than her. I find this incredibly entertaining for both of us. She's a hoot, and has her own blog. www.dustinginmyjimmychoos.blogspot.com

Tyler was drinking "Old Style." Classy!

Allison, Bets and Robeghan. Happy Birthday, Tim!

T got his hair did

T's bouffant has always been a source of tension in our relationship. He has more hair than any man I know. He has styled it the same way for like 25 years. He looks like Elvis most of the time, and I've been begging him for like 2 1/2 years to let me take him somewhere to actually have a new cut by a stylist. He has always adamantly refused.

About 2 months ago I heard a radio ad for "The Great Clips $7 haircut Sale." I chuckled to myself, thinking, "what kind of idiot would go there for a $7 haircut?" Well, as you can imagine, my sweet idiot! He came home that very night with the worst chop I have ever seen. He had literally been Flo-beed. I lost my mind, telling him that under no circumstances was he allowed to let anyone touch his hair before the wedding. It has taken all of this time to let it grow out enough to do something with it.

So today is 3 weeks from the big day, and we went to the salon. The chick and I negotiated for several minutes, discussing all of his cowlicks and such, which encompass his entire noggin like a bunch of mini-hair hurricanes. We talked about some spikiness, which I love. I think it has a youthful look to it, which is a far cry from the 1950's heartthrob look he has been sporting for several decades.

We left the salon and looked like this

Happy spikes!

I was thrilled.

After we left, I told him how much I loved it, and asked how he felt. "Do you feel like a new man?" I questioned. "yes, he replied. One that wears a bow tie and is looking for his bike in the basement of the Alamo."

Ha Ha! Dottie...

Update on MIL's Wedding Dress

I am now officially into the wedding month, with the big day only 23 days away. This is making me a little nutty. I think most things are planned and settled, but today I must take my dress to the dry cleaner's. You may recall this photo, of me in my mother in law's wedding gown.

Voila! The finished product. Although it was made in the early 70's for Pat and Eddie's wedding, I envisioned a Betty Draper/Mad Men 60's style cocktail dress.

I love it and can't wait to wear it to the rehearsal!