39 x 39 - Be a Bridesmaid and Dance

When I added "Be a Bridesmaid" and "Dance somewhere other than my kitchen" to my list of 39 by 39, I kind of cheated. I KNEW those would happen.

My good friend and cousin Heather had asked me to be in her wedding which just so happened this last weekend.

Now when I added "Dance somewhere other than my kitchen" I actually had something bigger in mind. I'm embarrassed to admit it but I had secretly hoped to dance in our community's version of "Dancing with Your Stars." I wanted the lessons and I wanted to challenge myself to be on stage. Well...Heather's wedding ended up falling on the same weekend as Dancing with Your Stars so the wedding took priority.

I still managed to get the dancing in thanks to the reception.

Heather and Neil have been together 3 or 4 years and tied the knot at Multnomah Falls. They are a beautiful couple. They've been through a lot the last year with a botched surgery that became a nightmare. Neil has remained Heather's knight in shining armor and stood by her through it all. Heather has fought to heal and get to where she is now...with a lot of healing left to do. I think it's fitting that a waterfall would be setting for their wedding. There's something refreshing and renewing about cascading water.

Multnomah Falls plunges 620 feet in two major steps. It's the highest waterfall in Oregon and the second highest in the nation. I wish I'd had the time to take a photo of the falls because it is GORGEOUS but alas, I was super busy with some bridesmaid duties.

First order of business, hair! I got pampered. Didn't have to do a thing except show up. My part would come later when makeup and false lashes were my duties du jour:)

Me without makeup. SCARY!

Brides sans makeup...still beautiful

I did everyone's makeup. It's sort of my passion. I had ideas of taking photos of my steps but alas, no time for that. I stuck on false lashes on girls, fixed peoples blush, and then made myself presentable. Then used a few moments to take a couple selfies.

Me and bridesmaid Bethani

Me and the GORGEOUS bride

Bethani and I drank a bit too much champagne hahaha and my pictures began to digress into fish lips, duck face, and other silly selfies while we waited for the walk down the aisle.

In the meantime, my other duty was to arrange flower petals down the aisle in a swirly sort of pattern. I think I did pretty good considering the windy day.

Of course there was the usual, find the rings. Find out if we're ready yet. Walk, find the groom, come back up, lace up the brides' corset dress, help her with her boots on, reassure her that she's beautiful and everything will be perfect. Lots of reassuring.

I wish I had photos of the ceremony but I think carrying your cell phone down the aisle snapping photos is frowned upon so you get more selfies. haha

Trying to break into the second bottle of champagne. 

After the ceremony, waiting for our turn for the photographer.
We tried to get a photo of the falls behind us. 

Bethani and I and the waterfall

I danced a few dances and headed back to the hotel. It was a great time. Congrats Neil and Heather! My wedding duties are finished!! :)

On Being Mom

From a very early age, I remember wanting to be a mom. I had my baby dolls and I'd dress them, swaddle them in blankets, and tuck them into bed. I'd take them for a stroll in a baby carriage. I named them. It was always names I thought I'd name my kids...Chelsea, Heaven, Xavier. I just knew I'd be a great mom.

Now that I'm a mom, I doubt every single day whether or not I'm a great mom. I get wrapped up in all the things moms feel guilty about. I should have stayed home instead of worked. Did I teach you the right life skills? Did I nourish your creativity? Did I instill confidence? Did I read you enough bedtime stories? Did I play enough cars and trucks?

The one thing I NEVER doubt is that I have amazing sons. Strong and masculine yet sensitive enough to not be jerks. Kind-hearted. Intelligent. Responsible. Funny. Capable. My world. When I look at them, I feel like I did something right. The phrase "my pride and joy" makes sense. Being mom to Marc and Nate is the best thing I've ever been.

Me and Nate headed out for ride #1

They spoiled me rotten this Mother's Day. It was darn near the perfect day. I woke to breakfast, a pedicure and a manicure, gifts. I relaxed watching tv, read a book, and went on three bike rides (I got a new bike so we had to break it in). Then dinner (crab-stuffed, bacon-wrapped shrimp and a yummy salad). Then some cuddle time. Lots of smiles and time together.

Me and my boys!!

We also celebrated prom #2 this weekend. Marc's girlfriend goes to a different high school so off they went to dance the night away.


This time, I decided to attempt to make her corsage. I think it turned out great. 

Me and my little sis with my mom and dad

Of course, what would Mother's Day be without a few words about my own momma. She's loving, kind, thoughtful, and always there for me. She taught me to cook, laugh, clean house, and take care of myself. She taught me how to be a good person and a great mom. She taught me what it means to love your kids unconditionally. She taught me to forgive. She's taught me to be nice to everyone I meet and how to be respectful even around those people you dislike. She's taught me generosity and to do for others. My mom has the best laugh and a smile that can warm a room. She makes friends in the grocery store and knows everyone. She taught me the best things in life can't be bought. I love her! I hope some day my boys say the same things about me. 

Stop the Boat!

There's no earthly way of knowing 
Which direction we are going. 
There's no knowing where we're rowing 
Or which way the river's flowing. 
Is it raining? 
Is it snowing? 
Is a hurricane a blowing? 

Not a speck of light is showing 
so the danger must be growing. 
Are the fires of hell a glowing? 
Is the grisly reaper mowing? 
Yes! The danger must be growing 
For the rowers keep on rowing. 
And they're certainly not showing 
any signs that they are slowing!

To say I've been busy is an understatement. Truthfully, I don't know that I'm any busier or slower than the next gal but man, I feel run down but also energized. Weird. 

So I thought a quick check-in was in order. 

First, weight loss - c'mon you knew I'd start there. I've lost 100 lbs! 100 lbs! That's like a small deer. Or a Great Dane. Or an adult goat. It's a lot of damn weight. You can read a little bit about how I celebrated here on my weight loss blog. I'm purposely not posting a comparison photo - I have something big in mind;) 

Second, Marc. Oh my delightful wonderful 18 year old. Two proms. That's what. Two? Yes, two. Ok, really thankfully he's a boy and so I didn't have to do much. Except rent two tuxes, remind him the girl needs a corsage, make him get his hair cut, remind him the importance of shower and cologne, make sure he has something nicer to drive than his geo, hound him all day that he better stop by for photos....yeah, easy! But look at how handsome this young man looks and how beautiful his date is. 

Marc and Jyni

Jyni, Marc, Jenni, (can't remember his name, how sad), Haley, and Alec

They're so handsome!

If you know me, you should not be surprised I love me some prom. I wish there was prom for adults. I LOVE LOVE LOVE an opportunity to dress up. Formal gowns? Yes please. Makeup? uh, duh! Hair? Oh yes! I don't have girls though so again, read my role of a prom parent above. However! I did get a chance to do hair and makeup for prom. My great friend (and author!!) Chrystal was dealing cards at prom. I did her hair and makeup. I'm a genius but really it's easy when you have such a beautiful natural canvas. You can see the photos here. Chrystal pointed out that I could go to prom as a chaperone...Marc would hate me. 

School. Of course, there's school. So far I'm stuck in a database class. It's like being stuck in hell. The only bright spot is that it's about to be over. The database part anyway. Now I get to move on to video...watch for my video debut in the next few weeks. 

And lastly, the wedding. It's coming up quick. I've got my bridesmaid dress (remember, sunbeam yellow). I've got a great tan going on. Yikes, and I'm not even the bride. I'm looking forward to it. Photos soon!

Oh and speaking of that wedding, there's something else big coming that weekend. Marc's bio dad. My first husband. It's been well over 10 years since we saw him and he's meeting us in Portland. I'm excited for Marc. He and Roy (bio dad) are both so excited it's cute. Really. Cute. Yeah, that. I'm on the fence. On one hand of course I'm excited for Marc and Roy. I'm also a little "mama bear" and he better not screw up. And of course, there's a weird part of me that just wants to make sure I look fantastic that weekend - eat your heart out. haha. So yeah, a little busy around here. Happy days!!

Victoria's (errr, I mean Heather's) Secret

As you know, I'm a bridesmaid (and I'm sort of proud of this). Anyway, this past weekend me and the co-bridesmaid threw a bridal shower. The bride really wanted a lingerie-themed shower so we of course decided to pull our inspiration from Victoria's Secret. We had a great time!

Here's a few photos.

First of course, the invitations. I made these on the computer. I think they turned out cute.

Invitations

We included a little tag that gave her sizes. We also asked each person to bring a pair of new panties that "describe" the guest's personality. 

Invitation inserts

The panty game was quite funny. We had guests  "drop their panties" by the door:

The panty basket

Then we hung them on a "clothesline" - it was funny to see everyone's "personality." Maybe a little embarassing. . . but oh well, what would a bridal shower be without a stupid little game. 

Our clothesline

Everyone had a little "panty" nametag with black lace or polka dots and made up a "racy" nickname to wear. 

Of course, sticking with the theme, we needed cookies. We made matching little sets of bras and panties. 

Cookies!

And served lunch. We had quiche, bacon, potatoes, shrimp cocktail, croissants, bagels with smoked salmon cream cheese, and fruit with dip. Yummy!!

A view from part of the brunch line

Oh and what would a party be without mimosas? We created a mimosa bar, three different juices, champagne and fruit as a garnish. And of course a cake...a lace-up corset cake. 

It was a great time. The bride felt pampered (as it should be) and we had lots of giggles (lots of champagne helped that along). 

After the shower, it was time to do some makeup. I did Heather's makeup for some photos, complete with fake lashes etc. I can't show you the final in any photos but here's a preview. 

I should be a makeup artist! :) 

Top off the day with some good ole' line dancing lessons (no photos from that) and it's a day! On to the wedding......

39 by 39 - Do Something Awesome for Marc's Birthday & Get a Tattoo

Big surprise!!!

My now-adult son and I disagree on what is awesome when it comes to birthday celebrations! I know, I'm as shocked as you are.

Leading up to his birthday, I've been overcome with mixed emotions. Happiness. Pride. Sadness. Irritation (c'mon you mean your teen doesn't irritate you??). You name it - I've felt it.

at left: one week; at right: 18

Of course it's led to some reflection and it's interesting how twisted your emotions get:

How the heck did those 18 years just fly by?

You can't leave yet - stay home.
Ok, you're 18, get out. (he's not graduating yet so he's stuck with me but there's days lol)

I'm proud of the young man I've raised.
Did I do enough? I mean, he still doesn't do his own laundry.

I'm not old enough to have an adult son. I mean, it feels like I just graduated high school myself.

Needless to say overall I'm really excited and proud but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little sad.

Me and Marc this week

So I've been thinking of ways to celebrate the milestone. Pinterest had my convinced I should fill his room with helium balloons carrying pictures of him that represented every year of his life. (except I have no time and I scrapbooked them and they're put away and I'm too busy to pull them out). And that I should have made a quilt using all the baby clothes and tshirts I've saved over the years (except I didn't save them because I'm not a hoarder). And that I should give him a wonderful journal I've kept over the years in which I'd written down every cute thing he's ever said or did (except that those memories are mixed in with the rest of my journal and I'm not ready to give that to either boy yet). And of course that I should give him some awesome gift like a car (except I'm broke) or an heirloom like grandpa's watch (except that he's sort of irresponsible with tangible things right now so I think that's best for when he's a little older).


Suffice it to say, I was feeling like a failure for not doing something fantastic and nostalgic and memorable.

Then I was reminded he's an 18 year old boy who wants to hang with friends and he isn't on Pinterest so he doesn't know what he's missing:)

So here's what I did instead. I booked his tattoo appointment for his first tattoo. And guess what???

Marc and I finally agreed on what is awesome for your 18th birthday!

Stenciled on, it's about to get real!!

Adam (tattoo artist extraordinaire) doesn't look too happy at my photo snapping habit. Adam's really cool though and was fun to visit with while Marc got inked.

Side note: Marc must have asked about 400 times if it was going to hurt. He asked if anyone had passed out...the look on his face was priceless when Adam said dozens have passed out but only one has ever died. LMAO!!

No turning back now!

And the final product. An elk with R.I.P. Mason. Marc lost his best friend Mason a few years ago in a terrible accident. He's wanted this tattoo ever since. He originally wanted big graffiti letters that said RIP Mason but I helped guide him to an idea he loved even more. He and Mason shared a love of hunting.

first ink!

 And because we had an hour left in the scheduled time, Adam agreed to give me a bonus tattoo. I've always wanted the boys' zodiac signs. And now there they are. On my wrist. I love it!

After tattooing, I cooked dinner for a crazy bunch of kids that I love. Tri-tip, potato salad, garlic bread, and Marc's favorite strawberry dessert. The kids were nice enough to let me take their photo before dinner!

Happy birthday Marc!!

39 by 39 - Be a Bridesmaid

Adding "Be a Bridesmaid" to my annual bucket list was sort of like cheating. I knew it would happen - my great friend and cousin Heather had already asked me to be in her May ceremony. It was a win/win - I get to wear a beautiful dress and walk down an aisle without any commitment whatsoever! Yay me.

To say, I'm not a wedding person might be an understatement. I know girls that have waited their lives to have the wedding of their dreams - I might have been like that if I weren't so lousy at relationships. Even still...I watch the money poured into weddings and think, "Damn, that would have been one heck of a vacation." And of course, I don't have a lot of faith in forever, yadda yadda.

But ok, Heather wants a wedding and being a wonderful friend (at least in my opinion haha), I said yes. Besides, she swore she wasn't too demanding. In fact, I could pick any color dress I wanted as long as it was within her "sunset color" parameter.

First duty....the dress! Hers and mine. My "rule" was that I wouldn't wear yellow.

David Bridal's "Hue chart" 

Well, guess what...I'm wearing that Sunbeam Yellow color above. I want to say I hate yellow but it wasn't bad and I think with a little tan and a little darker hair color it's going to be fine. 

I'll of course post dress pics after the wedding. 

Of course, the BIG deal was her dress. I'm not posting a photo because it's bad luck. But while she tried on dresses, Bethani and I messed around. Here's me attempting to show Bethani a duck face (fail) and a veil.

duck face??

Then it was cake tasting. My experience with wedding cakes is "icky" but these were delicious. A fantastic bakery at a grocery store of all places. I wanted to eat more! The banana cake with chocolate frosting was DELICIOUS! 

wedding cake!

 Then comes another fun part - a Bridal Shower. This is the only part I'm envious of. We've decided to throw a lingerie party - Victoria's Secret themed. Would it be poor etiquette to throw myself a lingerie party where I ask all guests to bring me something to fill my dresser with silk and lace? Ok, that's what I thought.

So I made really cute little invitations on the computer and sent them out. I've created a delicious menu for the brunch and we'll host a fabulous mimosa bar. We're playing a fun game (bring a NEW pair of panties that represent your personality and we'll make Heather guess who they belong to).

bridal shower

Then the crafty part came. We put together centerpiece arrangement using mason jars, wood, candles, and flowers. Here's a couple of examples:

Centerpiece version 1 

Centerpiece version 2 (and Heather's legs lol)

 Then I hand painted a sign for her daughter to carry down the aisle. It drives me crazy that it's not perfect but Heather said it's what she wanted so ok.....

Here she comes

 Then the sign for the "program" - again, driving me crazy that it's not perfect but Heather loves "shabby chic" so she's loving it.

 And then yarn art....can you tell Heather has spent a little time on Pinterest? This took forever. But I was able to pound out some frustrations on all those dang nails!

For now, my duties are done. I'll be busy over the next few weeks and I'll post more photos later. Are you a wedding person?

39 x 39 - Sew a Skirt

I sewed a skirt. And it's actually something I think I'll wear. More about that in a minute.....

To say life's been busy would be an understatement. Between school, kids, work, and my other work (on the board at the Home Builders Association), I feel like I've been running running running. Rather than bore you with a bunch of words, let me tell you in photos:

Marc bought a new car. It's ugly but it beats the gas mileage in his ford truck. Good job kid!

I took a few minutes to make my feet pretty (or at least prettier-ish) in hopes that it would spring some sandal weather. This would never have happened if not for my beautiful friend Chrystal. Lately we've been carving out hour blocks to catch up. Amazing how much we need our girlfriends. I almost cancelled this day but instead, we kept our appointment. We painted our toes, I put makeup on her, and fixed her hair. Girly, fun.

 The Home Show! I'm on the board for the Klamath Basin Home Builders Association. This weekend was our annual Home and Garden Show. Nate came along and helped me out. Here I am taking a quick break.

 Speaking of Nate, we've been spending a lot of quality time together. Cuddles, conversations, hanging out. . . I love this kid.

And finally to that skirt. . . here's the finished product. Not too shabby (I'll post another pic when I've got a different shirt on lol). 

 It was really fun to take a piece of fabric, a piece of elastic and come up with something I could wear.

I've blogged before about my mom's sewing. I HATED it when she made my clothes growing up. I've had an aversion ever since. But then I started thinking...it could be sort of one of a kind. Maybe I'd save a little. And well, honestly, I could say I've done it.

I don't know how to read a pattern so I scoured pinterest for an easy tutorial. I stumbled across this simple skirt that says it takes 15 minutes. I would post all the directions but go to her blog. . .she does a great job explaining and I couldn't begin to improve on what she wrote. It took me about an hour (I'm a beginning beginner).

It really was super easy and has given me confidence to want to try something else. I'm thinking a maxi skirt is next.

The skirt is cute enough I'd wear it. It is a little too big. Apparently I added more than a half inch or inch to my hems.

Got any easy ideas for me to try next?