Let's Build a Snowman! We can call him our best friend!

Yes, I know that this post is horrendously overdue.  I think that in the melting Tennessee heat, it is time to post the next Bucket List Adventure that is all about SNOW!

December 2011, I trekked all the way up to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  I know, right?!  Who goes TO Wisconsin in December?!  I had a mission.  To cross off another bucket list item.

32.  Build a snowman. (a real big one with a coat, carrot nose and top hat)

Background – I was born and raised in Georgia.  We had slush.  Even if you used all of the slush in the front and back yard, there was never enough for a full snowman!!

T&J knew that I was dying to make a snowman, so for my Christmas present they got me a snowman kit!!!  It had a tophat, eyes, smile, & carrot nose.  Best. Gift. Ever.

Well, as nature had it – the sky REFUSED to snow in Milwaukee the entire week I was there.  My wonderful friends, T&J, decided that the no snow situation was not acceptable.  We packed up in the car with Baby E and drove 2+ hours north of Mil. to a place the weather channel promised us would be plentiful d’snow.  I do not remember the actual city – but it was up there! The car ride consisted of us singing along to every guilty pleasure CD from college.  Lisa Loeb, Green Day, a variety of musicals.. and a few of J’s CDs that I was unfamiliar with, but very much enjoyed.  My favorite part of the trek was T, J, and I singing “Snow” from White Christmas over and over and over and over.  In case you are not fortunate enough to know this song (and even if you DO!), please watch below.   It really set the tone of our adventure! (feel free to play it in the background as you continue... to set the mood!)

After driving FOREEEEEEVER, getting a delicious lunch at Culvers, and an hour long excursion to a random Wal-Mart (had to give the kiddo some time to get the energy out!) – we made it to this tiny town in northern Wisconsin.  It was completely BLANKETED in snow!!  Delicious.  We found a random park right in the middle of town and parked.  We put on as many layers as possible, coats, gloves, hats, scarves – you name it, we wore it.  

As soon as I was appropriately dressed – I ran out into the middle of the park Maria Von Trapp style and was singing, “Snow!Snow!Snow!Snow!”

The rest of the Smith family soon followed.  Baby E loved the snow experience, playing on the playground and running so hard he plopped face first into the white stuff.  

J and I decided that we would go walk on the lake.  J has done this many times before, but this was my first time ever SEEING a lake that was frozen over.  We cautiously walked out into the middle of the lake… ok, J RAN… I shuffled.  I was a little sad because a picture of me walking on a lake would look just like me standing in a field of white.  Luckily, we spotted some ice-fisherman down the way and went over for a visit.  We took some pictures by the holes just to prove that yes, indeed, we were in the middle of a lake. :)

The sad part to our story – the snow was not appropriate for building.  It was pure powder.  We couldn’t even make snowballs to have a little SB fight.  I tried many times to make a snowman, but it just wouldn’t hold.  So, instead I drew a masterpiece of a snowman on the ground.  I decorated him with my kit.  As we were leaving, I decided to leave all of the SM Kit pieces at the park so a little kid would come up and be able to reuse them.  To that next child – I hope you made something awesome!

After our amazing park experience and we were all frozen, we drove down to Appleton, WI to visit our friends Stacie and Scott.  It was surreal – we are ALL GA folks and were somehow eating Chinese takeout in Wisconsin?!  Weird.  We had a fantastic time with S&S, but the time came for us to head back to Milwaukee.  It was New Year’s Eve, after all!!  We wanted to be able to settle down and ring in the new year in style.  Apparently, that style meant T & me collapsing on the bed and J collapsing on the floor and we all barely woke up for midnight.  Playing in the snow wears you out!  They say that whatever you are doing at midnight will set the tone for the coming year.  Let’s just say that I was in the company of two of my closest friends.  Who could ask for more? :D

I was in Mil. for about a week.  Spent my birthday there, too! We had an amazing time just hanging out.  The most interesting adventure was when T & I went shopping one night to find her a cocktail dress for a party. The store refused to let me in the dressing room with her.  They MADE me sit out in the hallway.  Dude, they are DRESSES.  She needed help zipping them up.  So she had to come out half dressed the entire time. Oy.  What did she think we were going to do in there…. ??? In other news,  I made a delicious thai dinner for the family one night, watched the kiddo so they could have a date night, made crepes for new year’s day breakfast, and we made an amazing new year’s day dinner to bring us all luck.  Speaking of luck, guess what started to happen as we left for the airport.  Snow.  Of course.  

Oh well, I could not have asked for a better trip!  Below are a huge load of pictures that describe our fun better than any story could. :) Enjoy!

I present to you... Baby E!  Stylishly dressed in a penguin hat, 1 mitten, and a diaper.

 

 So, remember that thai dinner I made for them... apparently they took a picture of me.  See how good of a multi-tasker I am?!  Oven mitt, child, stirring the quinoa, and jamming out to Tegan and Sara.  I am amazing.

 All ready with my Snowman Kit - it was COLD! I put my TN sweatshirt on OVER my coat. I also had on two scarves. Don't judge.

Did I mention that it was COLD?!

T and me.  We were college roomies at GCSU- aren't we adorable?

 The Smith family - Baby E (the limp noodle), J, & T

This is one of the many times I was probably squealing with delight at something. 

Jaunting.

Terri was trying to make a snow angel... I claimed her instead.

I finally left her alone to complete her angel.

This was the random middle-of-nowhere town we found.

A hole in the ice!!!  I was walking on a LAKE!

I was very very scared that I was going to go crashing through the ice Little Women style and die.

J would not accept that and made me get closer... this was my terrified-I-am-going-to-die-I-hate-you face.

Jesse was not scared in the least.

I was WALKING on WATER!!!  Like Jesus.

Baby E playing.

I snuck a pic of the whole family!

My snowman.  Isn't he pretty... er, handsome?

 Showing off my masterpiece!

 T helped!!!

In the car after we de-layered.  Apparently Terri's face didn't really want to be in the shot.

Baby E loved playing in Scott's shoes!

Nala!

Everyone pet the kitty...

Favorite part of the night... Jesse doing a headstand, Baby E would come and poke his finger in J's bellybutton which would then cause J to come crashing down trying desperately NOT to land on his child.

Helping Baby E to do his own headstand!

Well, there you have it folks... SNOWMAN!!!

Go Back To High School....

As Frankie Avalon told Frenchie in Grease… it’s time to go back to High School.  

I was looking over my bookcases this past weekend and came across my high school yearbooks.  I went into my Jr. year (1998) book and had a ball reading all of the entries written by my friends.  They range from the quintessential “It’s great knowing you, have a great summer!” to the EPIC 2 pagers written by your best friends.  I came across one written by my friend Kelley – that spans the largest available space in the book and she crammed something in every blank. It was so amazing and made me so happy to re-read it, that I HAD to post it here.  

Let me give you a little background on Kelley’s and my relationship.  Kel moved to Watkinsville, GA in my sophomore year(?!) I think… she was a freshman – one year behind me.  (or were we soph/jr?)  She and I became very close through the drama program at our school and our insane mutual obsession with the musical RENT.  We may or may not have called each other Maureen (me) and Mimi (Kel). Now – let me just state that RENT was the iconic musical of my youth.  I bought it the day it came out in 1996 and holed myself up in my room and listened to it over and over.  I had a cassette of it in my car and soon ALL of my friends knew every part.  When 6 of us would pack into my car, we all sang our respective parts – I, of course, sang Mark. ;)

Anywho, back to Kelley and me.  She and I became very close. I could tell her anything and she was actually one of the first people I came out to in my teens. I drove her home after school, hung out at her house over the weekend, I even went to one of her dance recitals on the night of my prom! She integrated into our group like she had been there forever.  We created “scary home movies”… put on scenes of RENT in her living room (one included her falling off of her 2^nd floor balcony to the living room below during an amazing rendition of "Out Tonight") and was all around an amazing friend.  

When I went off to college and then traveled around the country, Kelley remained in Athens, GA.  Although we do not see each other except for every few years, I will always consider her one of my best life friends – because I know she will always be there – past, present, future.  Friends like that are hard to find. 

I present to you… 

the EPIC POST of 1998

*drum roll*

(left page)

“My Maureen!

I just came to say you’re online with the feline! How do you measure, measure a year? 525,600 minutes, movies and discos, sleepovers and bowls of popcorn, in hair braids and staying up all night. In 525,600 minutes how do you measure a year in the life? Measure it in love. At Shoney’s and roadtrips and chugging Dr. Publix, in pizza and kittens. In strip teases and falling on my butt.  In 525, 600 minutes, how do you measure a year between friends? This semester was quite an interesting one. I love you with all my heart and you if you ever need me, I’m always here, no matter where we are geographically.  I’ll miss you next year and I wish you didn’t have to go so soon.  But, anything you feel the need to come back, my door is always open, along with my infamous window, my garage, and the trap door under my house! I could get all sappy on you and tell you how wonderful you are and how much you mean to me, but then I’d be the weepy over-emotional MiMi you’ve grown to know.  So I refuse to start leaking all over your yearbook! So here’s the plan: We get out of college with our art degrees and we’re going to move to Greenwich Village in a 1-bedroom apartment completely covered in Broadway posters, especially ones of Adam Pascal.  People will be confused.  Then we will withdraw into our apartment as we decise a plan to become the Mrs.’s Pascal’s.  Finally, when the time is right and everything has been settled ::evil laugh:: we will kidnap and clone him and raise Adam-Servants!!! Ok, I’m sorry, I got carried away again.  But it’s still a good idea!  Don’t forget us in college.  And take me to college parties! I love you , Maureen!

 The Tango Maureen – Pookie!, Boogie Nights, “Uh-huh!” “Moo with me! C’mon, moo with me!”, Maureen, “would you like my candle?”, Adam Pascal! Yum…, “Without you, the ground thaws. The rain falls. The grass grows. Without you, the hand gropes. The ear hears. The legs walk. But, without you, I die”

(right page)

And just to be a pain, I am going to steal this page too. Because I can. Because I’m MiMi AND because I’m your tightest sophomore friend (along with Shannon… and Kim… and Aaron.. and…) Remember no guy is worth your time, so even if you get all caught up in a relationship, it’s your real friends who are going to stick by you and listen to you when you get down and out over the opposite sex (not like you’ve EVER had to listen to me whine!) My… that was about as sarcastic as I can get!

Meow!

To days of Inspiration ::Drama!:: playing hookie ::giggles:: Making something outta nothing ::homework & projects I never did:: The need to Express ::calling all teary over -----:: to communicate! To going against the grain! ::us not being like anyone:: Going insane! ::already there!:: Going Maaaaaad! ::There too!:: To any passing fad! ::Leopard skin, braiding hair, hood of Aaron’s car, RENT chasing, Becky, road trips… purple, kitties, tank tops!:: To being an US for once instead of a THEM! La Vie Boheme! 

This lovely quote sums up the high school years!

Now on that happy note my dear, I must depart leaving you with these words of wisdom (::giggles:: Kelley?! Wise?!?)

I love you!

Love Always,

Kelley H----, aka MiMi

There was space here, so I’m going to fill it by saying TAKE ME OR LEAVE ME!, Banisters, Charlie’s Angels, Mmmm…. Tasty…. Anthony Rapp!”

Well, there you have it.  The most epic and amazing yearbook post ever written. I can't believe that was 14 years ago!!

Kell – I love you with all of my Rent-loving heart… which is saying a lot. ;)

Here are some pics of Kelley, me and some of our friends… plus maybe a yearbook photo or two! ;)

 What would High School be like WITHOUT the ever-loving Charlie's Angels picture?  Taken after one of the Disco Nights put on by the Drama Club

(L-R: Kelley, Me, Emily)

 A ridiculous poster created by us at Kelley's house at one of our All-Nighter sleepovers.  I wish I still looked that "awake" after 48 hours of no sleep!! (Although... I *was* 16!)

 We loved taking photos like this... trying to cram all of our faces into one shot... nice lips, Kel. 

(L-R: Emily, Me, Kelley)

 We had a mini-reunion in 2004... Here's Mary and Kelley!

 Do not ask me why my bra is on the dog's head and not on me... because I could not tell you...

 Again with the cramming faces! 

(clockwise: Mary, Kelley, Me, Emily)

 Going through old photos at our mini-reunion!

(L-R: Mary, me, Kelley, Emily)

 And yes... this was my final high school yearbook photo. 

I look like the year was 1972 - ha.  The hippie of Watkinsville, GA. :)

Glad to see one of my besties, Emily, right above me... ;)

Oh, I wish I was a fishy in the stream...

It has been brought to my attention that I have failed to cross something off of my Bucket List. Well, it was more like I was called out on it. Yes, my friends - I have indeed crossed another thing off of my list. 2 down - 98 to go.

This summer I crossed the following off of my Bucket List:

77. Go Skinny Dipping

Now. I realise that I said I would write about each experience, but this one will not include pictures of our adventures.
I went to a nudist beach in another state with three of my favorite people. It was an amazing, freeing afternoon filled with gorgeous sunshine, deliciously warm water and my viewing a volleyball game on the beach that made me think, "ow...."

My favorite parts of the day included copious amounts of swimming, friends and screaming like a little girl every time a fish bit my leg (we were in a lake). Also, the fact that every incredibly tanned person there just had to make a comment to me about the reality of my twilight-pale skin. Yes, I am pale - I get it. I reflect light... it's not that I don't spend time in the sun. I am just pale. Fact of life. Maybe a trip to the spray-tan store before I bare all next time? :)
I took a trip down memory lane back to my 9 years of summer camp and the song, "Oh I wish I were..." which I sang loudly while swimming, "oh I wish I were a fishy in the stream (in the stream). Oh I wish I were a fishy in the stream (in the stream). I'd go swimming in the nudie and forget my bathing suity ooooooooh I wish I were a fishy in the stream!"
**if you would like to hear what the song sounds like... visit this: http://youtu.be/dCQys7EjyDs **

My not so favorite moments... the 2 mile hike through mosquito infested forests in order to reach the secluded, unmarked beach. I swear, I thought we were never going to get there!! :) Getting bitten by tiny fish every time I got in the water... (yes, i know that's also on my favorites list. The fish and I had a love/hate relationship).

Amazing moments - NOT GETTING SUNBURNT! We were out there for like 5 hours. No burn on this Irish skin! The sun gods must have been with me that day. :) A man overhearing us talking about the bugs as we were packing up to leave and him spraying us all down with some intense bug spray. It was a very pleasant hike back to civilization! Though, I felt bad for all of the un-bug-sprayed folk walking around us. It made me want to rub up against them to transfer some of my blessed spray to them.
Also, let's not forget the delicious meal we shared on the way home. It was laid back with good food and lots of us singing Queen loudly as other tables glanced our way. They just wished they were sitting with us. We were obviously the cool table. :)

It was definitely an experience that I look forward to repeating! I am so fortunate to have friends who are so dedicated to helping me with my bucket list that they are willing to strip down and frolic in the water with me. <3

Yikes!

Ok. I have majorly failed. Not only have I not blogged in 3 months, I have yet to check anything else off of my bucket list! Sad face.

What HAS been happening in my life:

1. I moved into my own little house. It has a fenced in backyard and Sophie LOOOOOOVES it. It's adorable. What's NOT adorable is when I have to go outside in the mornings, corner her in the yard and proceed to carry her back inside. That is not adorable. Not at all. (ok, maybe just a little bit)

2. I am actually enjoying my job. Something I have not experienced in a while.

3. Everyone around me is popping out a kid this winter. Stop it! You are making me jealous. ;) I want to babysit!!

4. I got pinkeye last week. (gross.) Upside - I have FINALLY found a pair of glasses that I can wear for long periods of time without getting a migraine! Score! I have been in them for a week. Downside - the change in my astigmatism has given me a fishbowl effect. I get dizzy when I walk. Upside - I go back to my contacts on WEDNESDAY!!!

5. I will be spending next weekend in Louisville, KY! Will take pictures and blog about my annual pre-Thanksgiving feast! :) (I promise... )

6. Thanksgiving is coming fast and I can't wait to drive down to Charlotte and spend time with my parents! I haven't seen them since Easter and that is WAY too long! We are also driving down to Augusta, GA to visit my sister and her fam on Turkey Day. My nephew turns SIX this week! Crazy.. not sure I believe it. He is so big! In school and everything! Where has the time gone?

7. My hair has grown very long. I am trying to decide if I should keep growing so that I can donate to Locks of Love. Thoughts?

8. I didn't want to leave this on an uneven number. I like things to be balanced in my life. :)

One thing that I would like to do is answer questions. I had asked about this on Facebook in September and received a few responses, but enough to do something about it. I would like for you out there in the inter-world to ask me a question. any question. I would answer said question as openly and honestly as possible. I think things like that are fun! :) If you can think of anything, leave it here in the comments!

smile. :)

Knoxville's Gay Pride Parade

Well - I have officially checked off the first thing on my Bucket List.

61. Go to a Pride Parade.

Knoxville, TN had their annual Pridefest on June 25, 2011. The one day a year where this small Southern community can come out and join together to cheer on buff men in their underwear, women (womyn?) on harleys and you can hold hands with anyone you wish. It was truly a day of happiness and community.

The actual parade was quite small, lasted about 15 minutes - but, let me tell you! The groups who marched made the best of those 15 minutes! I got hit in the face with candy, coasters, sparkly necklaces (think rainbowed Mardi Gras) and lots of glitter.

Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" had recently debuted and was the anthem of the Parade.

Your quintessential Dykes on Bykes.

Local gay families came out to march! It made my heart smile to see these couples with their children!

What Pride Parade would not be complete without.....

hot men in underwear?!?!

After the parade, local groups, businesses and gay friendly churches set up booths with giveaways, free goodies and general awesomeness.

I signed up to be a volunteer with HRC, which is something that I have wanted to do for years, but have never actually LIVED in one place due to my job as a traveling slave driver. I hope that they call me up for some events. I miss volunteering. I also hope that it will help me to get out and meet people in this tiny mountain town. (anyone? anyone?)

The entertainment was a bunch of local singers who were AMAZING! The special guest performer was Tiffany of "I Think We're Alone Now" fame. We had to leave before she came on - and I was tempted to return downtown to watch her concert, but the heat and mosquitos kept me inside with the aid conditioner. Here is a taste of the concert stage as they were getting ready for Tiffany.

To conclude - I got several bracelets, pins and my official Knox Pridefest t-shirt. Patricia and I decked ourselves out and then went back to her house and showered her hubby in identical gifts. We were a rainbowed bunch that afternoon.

This picture made me laugh - not only because I was able to get all of my rainbowed accoutrement in the shot, but because my bangs are magnificent and I almost pull off the Biebs look. Just a few head tosses and I am good to go.

So - I have checked the first thing off! It is always the hardest part to begin a challenge... but now - let the bucketing begin! :)

Happy Friday!

When I grow up...

I don't want to be a rockstar. I want to be a librarian.

I am SUCH a bookworm - the thought of living my life in a building filled with words is amazing.

I hope to attain my master's degree in the next few years. There are so many schools I want to go to. I am applying to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (where I am currently employed), UW: Madison and for the hell of it - Pratt Institute. Pratt has a performing arts specialty! *dying and going to heaven... *

I was recently reading a book and there were two passages that put my thoughts into beautifully written words. I had to share. They really touched that dream part of my heart!

“I was always a fanciful little girl, but especially after I’d learned to read when I was four years old. Real life just couldn’t compete with the stories in books, though I never really gave life a chance, anyway. Books were too delicious and far-reaching. You could curl up in a corner of the couch and travel to other worlds, be other people, feel every emotion ever invented.”

“People who go to bed alone often have a TV playing. They say it keeps them company, assuages the onags of solitude, but in fact, it doesn’t work that way. When you read a book, you fully and completely enter a universe. Your mind is an energetic participant in the written language. It cannot be otherwise. But when you watch television, you cannot enter that world You always remain on the outside looking at the the screen, and the screen is the wall blocking your entrance. And so the television makes you horribly aware of the very thing you wish to escape. Your loneliness.”

Josephine Carr

This is a short one. Those two quotes say it all. :) Happy day!

The Bucket List

I have decided that it is time to start living my life and doing all of the things that I have always dreamt about. There is nothing too silly, nothing too unattainable. Whatever came through my mind, went down on the paper. I have spent months thinking about writing this list down, but I had resisted because I got scared. Scared that if I put it down then I had to do things or I would fail at bucketing. J I had a wake up call and realized that my fear was holding me back from doing all of these awesome things! I shouldn’t be scared to live my list. I should be scared to NOT live. I know that a lot of people give themselves a deadline on completing their lists, but I refuse to do that. Life does not have a deadline (well…. not one that we know!) and I am going to enjoy each day as it comes. No day but today, right? J

If you see something that you would like to help me cross off of the list – let me know and LET’S DO IT!!!!!!

These are in no particular order – they are the first 100 ideas that came into my head – interesting to see my thought patterns. J

… “The List”

1. Parasailing
2. Go on a cruise. To anywhere.
3. Work with the USO.
4. Live in New York City.
5. Visit Egypt to see the pyramids and walk where Cleopatra walked.
6. Go to Prince Edward Island and walk around Green Gables and the Lake of Shining Waters.
7. Watch all six Star Wars in a row.
8. Adopt a greyhound.
9. Visit Gilda Radner’s grave and leave her red candy.
10. Visit Ireland and drink REAL Guinness.
11. Have an avocado tree.
12. Drive Route 66 from start to finish (Chicago to LA)
13. Get a Master’s Degree.
14. Fall in Love. Real love.
15. Foster kittens.
16. Learn Sign Language.
17. Learn about who my grandparents were and write about them.
18. Learn how to play chess.
19. Read all of the Jane Austen books.
20. Go to a formal Ball (and have the big dress to go with it!)
21. Learn how to Waltz (for aforementioned Ball).
22. Go fishing. (Will write about soon!!)
23. Visit all 50 States.
24. Take a cooking class.
25. Read the entire Bible.
26. Stop being scared and take myself to Europe.
27. Fly First Class.
28. Send a military care package.   (Will write about soon!!)
29. Sew a sundress.
30. Finish a Cross-Stitching project. Just one. Any one.
31. Organize my photos.
32. Build a snowman. (a real big one with a coat, carrot nose and top hat)
33. Go Sledding.
34. Volunteer at a Food Bank.  (Will write about soon!!)
35. Touch someone’s life.
36. Go tent/sleeping bag/hiking-with-a-pack-on-your-back camping.
37. Become a mother.
38. Find the job that makes me jump out of bed in the morning.
39. Run barefoot through a field of wildflowers.
40. Memorize the Lady of Shalott.
41. Create and send out homemade Christmas Cards.
42. Sing in a musical again.
43. Learn how to play Raquetball.
44. Go Skiing.
45. Learn to surf.
46. Visit a volcano.
47. Go ice skating.
48. Do a handstand.
49. Ride a Vespa around the Blue Ridge Parkway when the leaves are changing.
50. Hug a Redwood.
51. Run in a 5k.
52. Go on a canopy top Zipline Tour.
53. Plant and maintain a vegetable garden.
54. Go to Vegas, stay in an outrageous hotel and have an amazing girls only weekend.
55. Ride a horse through the surf.
56. Throw a themed Dinner Party.
57. Take a beautiful picture.
58. Go on a trapeze.
59. See a real circus (i.e. Ringling Bros.)
60. Stroll hand in hand with someone I love through Central Park.
61. Go to a Pride Parade.
62. Spend a week at a mountain cabin with no TV, Internet, or Phones.
63. Pet a tiger or a lion… or at least hear it purr.
64. Visit a psychic.
65. Take a bicycle tour across a state.
66. Be on a rowing crew.
67. Wear a two piece… in public.
68. Go to the Olympics.
69. Play Golf.
70. Ride in a Helicopter.
71. Visit the astronomical clock in Prague.
72. Watch the Oscar Best Pic nominees BEFORE the awards ceremony.
73. Watch the Tony awards Best Musical nominees BEFORE the awards ceremony.
74. Become a morning person.
75. Live in a house with tons of windows, a huge yard, bay window with a window seat and a red or purple door.
76. Take a silent retreat.
77. Go skinny dipping.
78. Sit in the audience for Saturday Night Live.
79. Go to Durban, South Africa.
80. Walk the Great Wall of China.
81. Donate my hair to Locks of Love.
82. Climb the Statue of Liberty and pretend like I'm in that scene in Ghostbusters!
83. Go to Utah and see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Christmas.
84. Drink coffee on the patio of a cute café in Paris while eating fresh baguette.
85. Have professional photos taken of myself.
86. Learn how to play the piano.
87. See the ruins of Greece.
88. Go to a UT game and sing Rocky Top with the crowd.
89. Be part of a CSA for a year.
90. Throw a dart at a map and just go! No planning – complete spontaneity.
91. Go to Salem, MA.
92. Participate in Mardi Gras.
93. Help a friend cross something off of THEIR Bucket List.   (Will write about soon!!)
94. Join a local book club.
95. Do a split.
96. Go snorkeling.
97. Make chocolate croissants from scratch. (Will write about soon!!)
98. Crush grapes with my feet a la I Love Lucy.
99. Indoor skydiving.
100. Go on an exotic beach vacation with my sister and drink girly pink drinks with little umbrellas.

My promise to you is that when I complete something and can cross it off of my list, I will do a full write up here on my adventures!

I am so excited to get started!

Thoughts…. ? :0)

A Mountain Wedding

This Saturday I was privileged to witness the marriage of one of my dearest friends, KY and her new hubby, Nik.
The wedding took place at Fontaine Vineyards in Leicester, NC (pronounced "Lester" for you non-native Western NC peeps). This vineyard is obviously a well kept secret! It was stunning. Off in the distance you were able to (just barely!) see the Asheville skyline off in the distance. I spoke with Nik about it and he said that they just stumbled across it online. What a lucky stumble!
I was able to snap a few pictures with my phone, so I will supplement my story with a few pictures.

8:00am - Belle wakes up and tries to become coherent in the morning hours while attempting the whole makeup, blow-drying the hair thing. Normally, not a problem - but I went to bed late due to a marathon of The Nanny. Addicted!

9:15am - FINALLY done! Attempt to take a photo for Twitter and end up with this:

Just another photo to add to the collection of "I am incapable of taking a normal face so therefor I must make a funny zoolander smirk in every self portrait" pictures.

9:30 - Annie arrives with fresh Starbucks and we are on our way! It is a 2+ hour drive through the mountains to hit Asheville where we head to Hops and Vines to pick up some nifty gifties for the KY/NH nuptials.

12:00 - I purchase a bumper sticker that says, "Save the Ales"
I then continue to giggle about said bumper sticker for about 10 minutes.

12:15 - Annie and I eat a DELICIOUS lunch at the West A-ville market and begin the trek over to the Vineyards.

**Despite the fact that Annie and I have both lived in Asheville/Leicester for quite some time during our past, we had never been this far out. I may or may not have started a Captain's Log *stardate 3.14159* for our uncharted territory. **

12:45 - After coaxing my car up windy, gravel, treacherous roads... We are the first to arrive at the vineyard and just take in the scenery until others begin to arrive. Again... stunning. They could not have picked a more perfect place for their wedding. They also could not have planned a better day! No clouds, low 80s, sweet smelling air and NO HAZE!! so that the blue ridge could be seen in all it's glory.

1:00 - The rest of the helpers arrive and we start unloading cars and working our magic over the ceremony and reception site.
My pre-setup jobs included:

• Unloading boxes
• Placing tablecloths on tables
• unpacking vases, votive holders and candles
• placing said votives on tables
• sprinkling flower petals anywhere I deemed worthy of sprinkling
• lining the aisle with gorgeous yellow rose petals mixes with purple iris petals (you can see a tiny bit of this handiwork in the picture above!)
  
• Tying purple ribbons around the not-so-beautiful white bows that came with the ceremony site.

Let me just say, by the end of the 2 hours, we were ALL soaked in sweat, dirt and looked gorgeous. Though, you could not find a happier group of people. We were all so happy to be there helping out our friends.
There was one bathroom with no lock. Annie and I took turns changing in said bathroom while standing guard for each other. I put on my makeup while sitting in the groom's car and looking in the rearview mirror. :)
My favorite part of the day - putting on my shimmer lotion. I felt like a Cullen stepping into the sunshine. I was glittering! Thank you, Clinique Happy Shimmer Lotion!

3:45p - Annie, Dominic, Clara, Adam and I venture out to the ceremony site where we all then break off to go hug and visit with old friends. It was SO nice to see everyone join together for Kristen and Nik! It is always a joy to see my opera friends! Made me miss it even more!

4:00p - Ceremony starts right on time - thanks to P.J. and her awesomeness! :) Nik looked handsome in his suit and Kristen was a vision! I mean, stunning... and absolutely glowing with happiness! :0) The connection between them was electric. I do not have pics from the ceremony, I decided that I would just enjoy and not worry about getting the perfect shot! The ceremony was gorgeous and ended with Adam singing the Irish Blessing... could not have been more perfect.

4:30p - Annie and I (and all other helpers) pretty much bolt from the ceremony site to our reception helper positions.
My duties included:

• Manning the lemonade/mint water beverage bar
• All things ice bowl related
• Lighting votive candles on tables
• making sure P.J. remembered where she hid the toasting flutes.
• moving flower vases from ceremony site to reception site

The food was delicious! My favorite was the family bread and the grit cakes.
The beverage selection was great! They had a keg brought in from Craggy Brewing Co. which is so smooth, it goes down like water!
The cake was gluten-free and honestly, one of the best tasting cakes I have ever had the pleasure of eating.
The toasts were heartfelt, funny and touching.
The music was AWESOME! Plenty of old school Michael Jackson, 80's amazingness, Dixie Chicks and, my personal love, lounge lizard favorites.
I was up and out of my chair dancing as soon as Billy Jean came on and did not stop until there were only the helper crew left! So much fun! KY's mom, Pam, danced with me until the cows came home. Literally... there was a pasture across the way. :) We all broke down the ceremony site while Kristen and Nik sat down for the first time of the evening and just took it all in. :0)

Here are a few pictures I snapped during the reception - just a few but I like them. :)

Kristen taking in the scenery - looking gorgeous!




The first dance as husband and wife!
(just look at that connection! electric!)

We all say our goodbyes and wish Kristen and Nik a glorious honeymoon in Cancun and then start to head home. Which, I might add, was extremely scary as Garmin took us some backwoods way where we ended up off a mountain in TN. It was gorgeous until it turned dark and there were no street lights! ;)

My victory pose!

To Kristen and Nik - if you ever read this, it was such an honor to be a part of your wedding day! You are such an amazing couple and I am proud to know you! Lily has a new D.A.D. and all is well in the world. :) Lots of love to you both!

<3 <3<3