If you’re reading this, that tells me you use RSS because non-RSS users have most assuredly stopped checking my woefully out-of-date blog by now. Our preconceived notions of what “busy” means have been pulverized… selling two houses while working full time, running two additional side businesses and taking classes is nothing. Planning a wedding in three months while doing all this… now that’s busy, and arguably an effective means of torture at times via sleep deprivation. We’re finally getting to some of the fun stuff though, so I thought I’d recap the last week or so’s events just so you know there’s a reason this blog has been so neglected. Here we go:
Thursday, June 18: The arrival of JenO from Portland and my first wedding event: the ladies shower. Huge thanks to my Mom, Jen and Sue, who hosted the event at Sue’s house with her amazing gardens — very apropro given the garden theme. It was fantastic to see everyone, the food was awesome, flowers were everywhere, and Matt and I now have the best-stocked garden shed (and living room) on the block!
Friday, June 19: Drinks at Sardine. This doesn’t sound all that notable, except that we haven’t gotten out in ages, and Jen was in town, and Kim & Kevin met us out AND we were there to sample a specific drink in addition to white wines and a pasta dish because Marigold is catering the wedding! Both Marigold Kitchen and Sardine are co-owned by our next-door neighbor John, who was there that night with his wife Julie, and we all had a great time. Super excited about the food and wines we’ve selected! Although I wouldn’t recommend sampling eight wines, plus drinks, at once. Like you need to be told that.
Saturday, June 20: Saturday started with a baby shower for Molly at the Madison Club, which was a lot of fun, despite my having been overserved the evening before. Great food as always and lovely ladies, but I had to depart early to get out to Spring Green to meet Janelle, our wedding venue owner, and see the place in action for a wedding there later that afternoon. This was followed by additional registering with an uber-loud scanner gun. Highly recommend not drinking the night before registering.
Sunday, June 21: Strawberry picking at Carandales with Mom, Dad and Jen. Father’s day celebration #1 with the Schroeders for brunch, #2 at the fam house for dinner, and five hours of wedding website & registry updating in between.
Monday, June 22: Work-related drama — the athletics server crashed during the student lottery for football tickets. _Very angry students_! At 4:30 we had engagement photos taken on Lake Mendota followed by more in the backyard in 90° heat. Considering we were tired, sweaty and gross, we’re super happy with the results and Mandie Haberman, our photographer/magician.
Tuesday, June 23: It was 94°. We went boating.
Wednesday, June 24: I should add throughout all these days my boss, who is one-third of the University Communications web team, was on a well-deserved vacation, which means the remaining two-thirds of the team (Peter and I) are attempting to do parts of his job — not an easy task — in addition to our own. I arrived at work Wednesday morning to find the west half of campus, including half of our department, without power due to an overheated turbine at the HVAC plant. Chaos ensued. Things got hugely better after work however, with my “not-bachelorette party” which coincided on the capitol lawn with the first Concert on the Square of the year. Exactly what I was hoping for with great friends, amazing food, good weather, excellent music and nary a fake male appendage in sight. Huge thanks to JenO! Plus, you gotta appreciate a city where you can drink wine on the capitol lawn. At least until 10 p.m. After that… not so much. (Fortunately the police officer was as willing to remove the cuffs as he was to indulge our friends’ wishes by putting them on in the first place.)
Thursday, June 25: Matt’s birthday! Friends in town. More great food. The Caribou at midnight, followed by gifts opened at home.
Friday, June 26: A break from work for lunch with JenO, before she headed home to Portland. After work, one more trip to Hilltop for another meeting with Janelle, followed by dinner in town. I fell asleep in the car twice (Matt was driving).
So go our days. The parties and (some of the) planning have been great… we feel so grateful to have so many wonderful people, fun opportunities and abundance in our lives. We really can’t wait to celebrate with our family and close friends next month.
But sleeping again will be really nice, too.