Keith found a break in the rain on Friday, and he got help moving his furniture into our house. We spent the day yesterday finding order in the chaos, and we're very proud of our work! We're putting more things in order today, and we're checking things off the list before our wedding in six days. Today after church, Keith cleaned his apartment.
Jennifer took Nikki and Natalie to see Washington Park this afternoon. Natalie seemed to enjoy herself, so we think she'll be comfortable next weekend.
Tomorrow, Jennifer is headed to Columbus for a funeral. She's coming back to Macon with her mom, who will stay in town through our wedding. We've got a lot of plans lined up for the week, so we'll stay busy while Keith is at work every day. Don't be surprised if we don't post very often this week, but we'll be ready to see our guests on Friday and Saturday!
3.27.2009
Our bikes have a new home!
Last night, we used some of our Lowe's gift cards to buy a stud-finder and hooks for our bikes. We think we got a cheap stud-finder because it wasn't very reliable on the ceiling. In the end, we narrowed down a relatively reliable location for one hook, and Keith drilled a small hole to find out if there really was wood on the other side. Strike one! We found another somewhat convincing spot, and...strike two! On his third attempt, he found wood! So, we drilled a larger pilot hole, and he twisted the hook in by hand. It looked like hard work to me! Then, we hung his bike, and it did not fall.
One down. (Or, up, in this case.)
My bike is much heavier than Keith's, so we saved it for last. Keith held it in the air next to his, and we decided that it was a reasonable fit. So, the stud-finder helped us get an idea of where to drill. He used the small bit to find wood, and we made another pilot hole. When he was done twisting in the hook, we lined them up nicely, and hung the last bike. Success!
Now, we have two bikes hanging instead of taking up floor space. They are out of the way but convenient for us to get to when we want them. I've been doing enough heavy lifting lately that I opted not to test my strength yesterday or today. Eventually, we'll learn whether I can take down or hang my own heavy bike. If not, I guess that's what I'll have a husband for! :) (Actually, it was his suggestion to let him do the lifting when I need my bike up or down.)
So, we have reclaimed some floor space for other items at a time when our house is getting more full by the day!
One down. (Or, up, in this case.)
My bike is much heavier than Keith's, so we saved it for last. Keith held it in the air next to his, and we decided that it was a reasonable fit. So, the stud-finder helped us get an idea of where to drill. He used the small bit to find wood, and we made another pilot hole. When he was done twisting in the hook, we lined them up nicely, and hung the last bike. Success!
Now, we have two bikes hanging instead of taking up floor space. They are out of the way but convenient for us to get to when we want them. I've been doing enough heavy lifting lately that I opted not to test my strength yesterday or today. Eventually, we'll learn whether I can take down or hang my own heavy bike. If not, I guess that's what I'll have a husband for! :) (Actually, it was his suggestion to let him do the lifting when I need my bike up or down.)
So, we have reclaimed some floor space for other items at a time when our house is getting more full by the day!
3.25.2009
The Sand Ceremony works!
We practiced our sand ceremony yesterday so we could see how pouring two gallons of sand would work for us together. No problems at all. In fact, it's beautiful! We did make some mental notes that we will use on April 4. We're leaving the sand in the container for a few days to make sure we won't have surprises after our wedding.
So, I need your help now. When we pour out the practice sand, we'll have a mix of blue and white. What should we do with twenty pounds of sand?! Leave your ideas in the "hoorays" below. :)
Ten days left! Our house is ready for Keith's furniture.
So, I need your help now. When we pour out the practice sand, we'll have a mix of blue and white. What should we do with twenty pounds of sand?! Leave your ideas in the "hoorays" below. :)
Ten days left! Our house is ready for Keith's furniture.
3.24.2009
950,000 seconds!
I just happened to be on our blog when the clock said we have 950 thousand seconds left before our wedding. That's just shy of eleven days. I'm excited!
We usually don't see each other on Mondays. Last night, we were getting more things done for moving. Keith packed some books and other household supplies. I rearranged four bookshelves and moved the dining room table into the utility room. I guess that's how we commemorated our last Monday apart! :)
We usually don't see each other on Mondays. Last night, we were getting more things done for moving. Keith packed some books and other household supplies. I rearranged four bookshelves and moved the dining room table into the utility room. I guess that's how we commemorated our last Monday apart! :)
3.23.2009
Things to do in Macon April 3-5
If you're planning to be in Macon before or after our wedding, we've compiled a list of ideas of things to do while you're here.
You can see our house on Friday. If you've seen it before, there's a lot that is changed. If you've never been to our house, we invite you to see where we'll be living. We'll have some snacks to munch on, and we'll have directions to lots of places to eat that are within five minutes of our house. For directions, send us an email so we can give you the address. It's pretty easy to find.
We've also put together a list of places to go in Macon during the weekend. We'll have more details for you at supper on April 3 or by email before you arrive. We've got prices and contact information in case you want to make plans in advance.
Ice Skating at the Macon Centreplex
The Lee Boys with Oteil Burbridge at Cox Capitol Theater
Museum of Arts and Sciences
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
City Market on the Green
Ocmulgee Heritage Trail
Amphora Pottery Studio
You can see our house on Friday. If you've seen it before, there's a lot that is changed. If you've never been to our house, we invite you to see where we'll be living. We'll have some snacks to munch on, and we'll have directions to lots of places to eat that are within five minutes of our house. For directions, send us an email so we can give you the address. It's pretty easy to find.
We've also put together a list of places to go in Macon during the weekend. We'll have more details for you at supper on April 3 or by email before you arrive. We've got prices and contact information in case you want to make plans in advance.
Ice Skating at the Macon Centreplex
The Lee Boys with Oteil Burbridge at Cox Capitol Theater
Museum of Arts and Sciences
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
City Market on the Green
Ocmulgee Heritage Trail
Amphora Pottery Studio
3.22.2009
we've had a great weekend so far!
A friend of Jennifer's came into town on Friday just to hang out with Keith and Jennifer. Michele lives in Portland, Oregon now, and she was visiting her mom in Birmingham. She drove over to Macon to see us before our wedding because she can't make it in two weeks. We all went to dinner and came back to our house for a game of "Settlers of Catan." We played on the set that Jennifer ordered last fall, but this is the first time we've used it. Keith and Jennifer play so often on the computer together that they know each other's strategies and common mistakes. Jennifer was leading the game with only one point left to win. Keith "conned" Michele into a trade that earned him two more points. Then, he played his secret victory points that put him over the top! Jennifer was floored! Keith reports that he even woke up Saturday morning with a smug look on his face because he made his last move so well! Jennifer says, "Boooooo!!"
On Saturday, there was a a lovely shower. Jennifer's mom came to town, and we exchanged some stuff with her. She brought stuff for our wedding, and we gave her stuff from our house that belongs to her. The shower was very nice, and it was great to see all those people together! Jennifer's mom got to see a friend from many years ago, and it was a nice time for all. The hostesses thought of everything! They even gave us a framed copy of our wedding invitation, which we will have for many years. Jennifer wanted Keith to write another invitation to display at the Friday night supper in two weeks, but we've been so busy that she hasn't been willing to ask him to write it. Now, she doesn't have to ask, and he doesn't have to write another one!
Jennifer's mom wanted to see Washington Park while she was here and make hotel reservations for two more guests. We went to the hotel where the wedding party is staying to try to make reservations, and we learned that Jennifer's conversations with the manager have resulted in mistakes or misunderstandings. It took a while, but we got it all straightened out with the help of the front desk assistant. Jennifer was glad her mom was here to work with her on that! While we were gone for two hours taking care of hotels, Keith was putting together our new grill.
Earlier today, we made final decisions about our honeymoon, and we've got some reservations. Jekyll Island is our destination, and we're taking our bikes with us. We're going to stay at one place for two nights. During those days, we'll check out some other places that we've seen on the internet but aren't sure about yet. If we like them, we'll switch to a new place for our last two nights. If not, we'll extend our current reservations for the last two nights.
Later today, we are hauling the treadmill and a twin bed over to Jennifer's mom's house. That will free up lots of floor space for us. Then, we're taking some Target gift cards and buying a bookshelf. We're thinking about how to use our Lowe's gift cards next.
It's been a great weekend, and we're getting more excited about being married! Over the next week, we'll be shifting furniture around in phases. That will save us from a lot of work in one day, and it will help us make the mental shift to living together. We can't wait to be in the same house!
On Saturday, there was a a lovely shower. Jennifer's mom came to town, and we exchanged some stuff with her. She brought stuff for our wedding, and we gave her stuff from our house that belongs to her. The shower was very nice, and it was great to see all those people together! Jennifer's mom got to see a friend from many years ago, and it was a nice time for all. The hostesses thought of everything! They even gave us a framed copy of our wedding invitation, which we will have for many years. Jennifer wanted Keith to write another invitation to display at the Friday night supper in two weeks, but we've been so busy that she hasn't been willing to ask him to write it. Now, she doesn't have to ask, and he doesn't have to write another one!
Jennifer's mom wanted to see Washington Park while she was here and make hotel reservations for two more guests. We went to the hotel where the wedding party is staying to try to make reservations, and we learned that Jennifer's conversations with the manager have resulted in mistakes or misunderstandings. It took a while, but we got it all straightened out with the help of the front desk assistant. Jennifer was glad her mom was here to work with her on that! While we were gone for two hours taking care of hotels, Keith was putting together our new grill.
Earlier today, we made final decisions about our honeymoon, and we've got some reservations. Jekyll Island is our destination, and we're taking our bikes with us. We're going to stay at one place for two nights. During those days, we'll check out some other places that we've seen on the internet but aren't sure about yet. If we like them, we'll switch to a new place for our last two nights. If not, we'll extend our current reservations for the last two nights.
Later today, we are hauling the treadmill and a twin bed over to Jennifer's mom's house. That will free up lots of floor space for us. Then, we're taking some Target gift cards and buying a bookshelf. We're thinking about how to use our Lowe's gift cards next.
It's been a great weekend, and we're getting more excited about being married! Over the next week, we'll be shifting furniture around in phases. That will save us from a lot of work in one day, and it will help us make the mental shift to living together. We can't wait to be in the same house!
3.20.2009
two weeks before our wedding
Our weekend plans are primarily moving and wedding focused.
Three ladies from our church are throwing Jennifer a shower on Saturday afternoon. Jennifer's mom is coming, and they'll also get to see a family friend who's known Jennifer for more than twenty years. The theme of the shower is landscaping and home improvement.
We're going to try to get our house a little more organized before we try to combine furniture in a week. We plan to get a new bookshelf, and we want to get a stud-finder that will help us install hooks to hang our bikes from the ceiling in the utility room. We're hoping the bookshelf and hooks in the ceiling will free up some floor space. We also hope to take some stuff to Jennifer's mom's house on Sunday--a twin bed, the treadmill, and the trampoline. If we're really seeing success, we might even empty the storage building and reorganize the items in there to create more usable space. (We already know what we'll use it for if we can do it!)
Can you believe we're down to 15 days before our wedding?! There are so many amazing people who love us coming into Macon in two weeks to share our first day of marriage together. Wow!
Today, Jennifer is finalizing plans with the caterer and hotels. She's also very close to a finished program for the ceremony. We've talked about honeymoon plans just about every day this week, but we're closer to a decision than ever.
Even though all of this feels pretty crazy to us, we realize that it is typical of life for an engaged couple two weeks before a wedding.
We hope you have a good weekend. We're looking forward to bringing some order to our lives just a little bit.
Three ladies from our church are throwing Jennifer a shower on Saturday afternoon. Jennifer's mom is coming, and they'll also get to see a family friend who's known Jennifer for more than twenty years. The theme of the shower is landscaping and home improvement.
We're going to try to get our house a little more organized before we try to combine furniture in a week. We plan to get a new bookshelf, and we want to get a stud-finder that will help us install hooks to hang our bikes from the ceiling in the utility room. We're hoping the bookshelf and hooks in the ceiling will free up some floor space. We also hope to take some stuff to Jennifer's mom's house on Sunday--a twin bed, the treadmill, and the trampoline. If we're really seeing success, we might even empty the storage building and reorganize the items in there to create more usable space. (We already know what we'll use it for if we can do it!)
Can you believe we're down to 15 days before our wedding?! There are so many amazing people who love us coming into Macon in two weeks to share our first day of marriage together. Wow!
Today, Jennifer is finalizing plans with the caterer and hotels. She's also very close to a finished program for the ceremony. We've talked about honeymoon plans just about every day this week, but we're closer to a decision than ever.
Even though all of this feels pretty crazy to us, we realize that it is typical of life for an engaged couple two weeks before a wedding.
We hope you have a good weekend. We're looking forward to bringing some order to our lives just a little bit.
3.17.2009
Sand Ceremony logistics
Ah, Keith's dad made us a GREAT sand ceremony container! He's even got nice feet on it to keep it upright during our wedding. It's heavy, though, so the wire he used to allow us to hang it on the wall is rated at 40 lbs. When I weighed the container, it was nine pounds empty.
Tonight, I ran the numbers. I measured the interior of the container, and I tried to overestimate when I couldn't get exact measurements. Then, I measured the containers of sand, and I underestimated those. I calculated that we'd need a total of 11 cans of sand.
Long ago, Keith and I looked on YouTube for a sand ceremony, and we got some ideas for containers. We thought we could use old wine bottles that we found somewhere to pour the sand. I bought pourers to put in the top a lot like they had in the video.
Several weeks ago, we decided on the dimensions that we'd like for our larger container. Since we're planning to hang it on a wall in our home as a piece of art, we went with 18" by 14".
Earlier this week, I estimated that we'd need at least four wine bottles of sand each. I've been using the bottles to pour sand in the bottom of the flower vases, and they work great. But, then I thought about emptying four of them into the large container, and I realized that it would take forever! Today, my calculations told me that four bottles is about right, and the time we have wouldn't work. I've been thinking for the last two days about other options, and I went to KMart today to look at pouring containers.
Tonight, I've solved the problem and tested the solution. We're going to use one-gallon pitchers. All of the sand for each of us will be one container, so we're not switching glass wine bottles all the time. The pouring takes me about two and a half minutes for an entire gallon of sand (we'll use slightly less each). The gap we have to pour into is narrow, but the lid on the pitcher is just the right size to get nearly all of the sand in there. If we spill a little, it's no big deal. And, one-gallon pitchers are all over town, so we're not having to find eight empty wine bottles!
One more thing: the weight of the container with sand. After I had seven cans of sand in the container, it was more than half full. The new weight was nineteen pounds, so that means seven cans weigh ten pounds. With 12-13 cans of sand in the container in the end (I must have had some estimates that were off earlier), it'll be nine pounds of container and twenty pounds of sand, which is comfortably under our forty pound limit on the hanger. We're still thinking about mounting a shelf on the wall to let it stand up so we don't put the weight on the wire, but we'll decide that later.
Now, I just have to order more sand so we have enough to practice and enough for the wedding. As our explanation about the sand ceremony says in an earlier post, once the sand is joined together, it cannot be separated. At $2 per can, it's worth the money to get a practice run!
If you've gotten this far in this post, then I just want to say that I appreciate you reading along. It is logistics, and I'm pretty good at that. I'm also quite excited to have this one all worked out!
Tonight, I ran the numbers. I measured the interior of the container, and I tried to overestimate when I couldn't get exact measurements. Then, I measured the containers of sand, and I underestimated those. I calculated that we'd need a total of 11 cans of sand.
Long ago, Keith and I looked on YouTube for a sand ceremony, and we got some ideas for containers. We thought we could use old wine bottles that we found somewhere to pour the sand. I bought pourers to put in the top a lot like they had in the video.
Several weeks ago, we decided on the dimensions that we'd like for our larger container. Since we're planning to hang it on a wall in our home as a piece of art, we went with 18" by 14".
Earlier this week, I estimated that we'd need at least four wine bottles of sand each. I've been using the bottles to pour sand in the bottom of the flower vases, and they work great. But, then I thought about emptying four of them into the large container, and I realized that it would take forever! Today, my calculations told me that four bottles is about right, and the time we have wouldn't work. I've been thinking for the last two days about other options, and I went to KMart today to look at pouring containers.
Tonight, I've solved the problem and tested the solution. We're going to use one-gallon pitchers. All of the sand for each of us will be one container, so we're not switching glass wine bottles all the time. The pouring takes me about two and a half minutes for an entire gallon of sand (we'll use slightly less each). The gap we have to pour into is narrow, but the lid on the pitcher is just the right size to get nearly all of the sand in there. If we spill a little, it's no big deal. And, one-gallon pitchers are all over town, so we're not having to find eight empty wine bottles!
One more thing: the weight of the container with sand. After I had seven cans of sand in the container, it was more than half full. The new weight was nineteen pounds, so that means seven cans weigh ten pounds. With 12-13 cans of sand in the container in the end (I must have had some estimates that were off earlier), it'll be nine pounds of container and twenty pounds of sand, which is comfortably under our forty pound limit on the hanger. We're still thinking about mounting a shelf on the wall to let it stand up so we don't put the weight on the wire, but we'll decide that later.
Now, I just have to order more sand so we have enough to practice and enough for the wedding. As our explanation about the sand ceremony says in an earlier post, once the sand is joined together, it cannot be separated. At $2 per can, it's worth the money to get a practice run!
If you've gotten this far in this post, then I just want to say that I appreciate you reading along. It is logistics, and I'm pretty good at that. I'm also quite excited to have this one all worked out!
3.16.2009
A little planning and a little luck
A couple of weeks ago, we did the research for the requirements for a marriage license. We can go anytime to get the license, and we know where to go. We thought we'd try to go on a Friday when Keith isn't working, but the weather has not cooperated lately. Keith is working every Friday this month, and we've been a little concerned.
We had the details, but we didn't know how to make it work.
Then, the rain today canceled any outside work. So, today is marriage license day! We checked the requirements one more time, and we'll be prepared when we arrive at the Probate Court this afternoon.
Before April 4, we might not get everything done that we'd like, but this detail is non-negotiable. As of today, it's resolved!
Nineteen days, everybody!
We had the details, but we didn't know how to make it work.
Then, the rain today canceled any outside work. So, today is marriage license day! We checked the requirements one more time, and we'll be prepared when we arrive at the Probate Court this afternoon.
Before April 4, we might not get everything done that we'd like, but this detail is non-negotiable. As of today, it's resolved!
Nineteen days, everybody!
good weekend
While Keith was out of town this weekend, Jennifer's friends threw her a shower. We met at Amphora Pottery Studio, left for dinner at Cheddar's, and came back to the pottery studio to check out the gifts that everyone brought. We didn't stay up too late, but we sure did have a good time!
Today, after Keith got home, we started talking about honeymoon plans. We're leaving on April 9, so we're 24 days away from taking off out of town. We have a pretty good idea of where we're going, but we'll announce our plans only after we've made reservations. Wedding planning is pretty stressful for us right now for different reasons, so we enjoyed taking time to work on "life after April 4."
One thing that has been really great this weekend is our parents! Jennifer's mom sent a gift for the shower, and it was perfect! Keith's parents got Keith talking more about our wedding than usual, and they told us about their plans for that weekend. The support of our parents was really great this weekend when we're hitting a stressful time. Thanks, y'all! We love you and we appreciate your support more than we can explain.
Today, after Keith got home, we started talking about honeymoon plans. We're leaving on April 9, so we're 24 days away from taking off out of town. We have a pretty good idea of where we're going, but we'll announce our plans only after we've made reservations. Wedding planning is pretty stressful for us right now for different reasons, so we enjoyed taking time to work on "life after April 4."
One thing that has been really great this weekend is our parents! Jennifer's mom sent a gift for the shower, and it was perfect! Keith's parents got Keith talking more about our wedding than usual, and they told us about their plans for that weekend. The support of our parents was really great this weekend when we're hitting a stressful time. Thanks, y'all! We love you and we appreciate your support more than we can explain.
3.13.2009
A few reminders for our guests
We're three weeks away from our wedding, so it's a good time to handle details.
- If you're coming to the supper on Friday night, the dress will be casual. Jeans are fine, and dressing up will be okay, too. We're pretty sure there will be folks dressed all along the spectrum.
- When you're packing your things to spend some time in Macon, don't forget your umbrella. If it's good weather, we'll be glad. If it's not, we're getting married anyway! :)
- Please send in your response cards and make your hotel reservations if you haven't yet. Those hotel rooms will be released for other people soon.
- Let us know if you plan to take pictures at our wedding. We just want to make sure that someone is planning to do that.
- Check to be sure you have the directions to dinner on Friday and the wedding and reception on Saturday. If you need another copy, we can arrange that, perhaps by email.
What other things should be said here? Use the comments section below to remind each other, or post a question that we can answer. Feel free to use email if that's a better method for you.
- If you're coming to the supper on Friday night, the dress will be casual. Jeans are fine, and dressing up will be okay, too. We're pretty sure there will be folks dressed all along the spectrum.
- When you're packing your things to spend some time in Macon, don't forget your umbrella. If it's good weather, we'll be glad. If it's not, we're getting married anyway! :)
- Please send in your response cards and make your hotel reservations if you haven't yet. Those hotel rooms will be released for other people soon.
- Let us know if you plan to take pictures at our wedding. We just want to make sure that someone is planning to do that.
- Check to be sure you have the directions to dinner on Friday and the wedding and reception on Saturday. If you need another copy, we can arrange that, perhaps by email.
What other things should be said here? Use the comments section below to remind each other, or post a question that we can answer. Feel free to use email if that's a better method for you.
3.12.2009
The countdown is almost to hours now!
Jennifer finished the entire project of wedding favors this week, and she's relieved.
Several other projects are wrapping up, too, but there's always more to be done. There's no more putting off tasks.
A woman in a bridal store reminded Jennifer a few weeks ago that most of the wedding details can't be finalized until the few weeks before the wedding. Well, here we are, and she was right.
This weekend, Keith will be out of town, and Jennifer has a shower to enjoy. The Ladies of Honor are both in town this weekend, so Jennifer, Melissa, and Lynne will be having a good time together. While Lynne is here, she's planning for the musicians to rehearse again, and Jennifer will get to see the fruit of their labor.
If we look a little tired, it's because we are. :) It's also related to the time change. Neither of us is ready to sleep when the clock says we should, but we're tired when we get up in the morning. We'll be glad when there's no more driving between two residences.
Several other projects are wrapping up, too, but there's always more to be done. There's no more putting off tasks.
A woman in a bridal store reminded Jennifer a few weeks ago that most of the wedding details can't be finalized until the few weeks before the wedding. Well, here we are, and she was right.
This weekend, Keith will be out of town, and Jennifer has a shower to enjoy. The Ladies of Honor are both in town this weekend, so Jennifer, Melissa, and Lynne will be having a good time together. While Lynne is here, she's planning for the musicians to rehearse again, and Jennifer will get to see the fruit of their labor.
If we look a little tired, it's because we are. :) It's also related to the time change. Neither of us is ready to sleep when the clock says we should, but we're tired when we get up in the morning. We'll be glad when there's no more driving between two residences.
3.11.2009
Themes and commitments for our wedding
We have tried to let three themes guide us as we plan for the big day: delight, simple, and important. We hope you've seen our commitment to those along the way.
"Delight" is our way of talking about the fun and playful tone that we want to set. We are thrilled to make our way to April 4, 2009, and we want our guests to relax and enjoy celebrating with us!
"Simple" refers to the details of the event. We will strive to keep the planning simple with a "less-is-more" attitude and a commitment to spend money in a way that we will be happy about later.
The event marks an "important" day in our lives, where two paths merge. But, there are other "important" components to our wedding day: the words we hear and speak, the people who join us on the first day of our journey, and the work we do to prepare ourselves for the months and years after our wedding.
You'll find that some of our decisions are less than traditional, but we are committed to putting our fingerprints on the plans of the day. We have tried to reduce expenses in ways that add value to the experience for us and for you. We want the elements of our wedding to be powerful symbols for us and for you as you learn our story, so watch and listen for the meaning behind the symbols. This will not be a cookie-cutter wedding; we hope you walk away thinking and celebrating!
Also, a word about those who are present at the ceremony: we are hoping our guests will be participants, not merely spectators. We want to begin our marriage in a community of folks who love us and will challenge us to love each other. We are products of our separate communities, which are merging more and more each day, and we cannot continue on without the support we've always received from you.
"Delight" is our way of talking about the fun and playful tone that we want to set. We are thrilled to make our way to April 4, 2009, and we want our guests to relax and enjoy celebrating with us!
"Simple" refers to the details of the event. We will strive to keep the planning simple with a "less-is-more" attitude and a commitment to spend money in a way that we will be happy about later.
The event marks an "important" day in our lives, where two paths merge. But, there are other "important" components to our wedding day: the words we hear and speak, the people who join us on the first day of our journey, and the work we do to prepare ourselves for the months and years after our wedding.
You'll find that some of our decisions are less than traditional, but we are committed to putting our fingerprints on the plans of the day. We have tried to reduce expenses in ways that add value to the experience for us and for you. We want the elements of our wedding to be powerful symbols for us and for you as you learn our story, so watch and listen for the meaning behind the symbols. This will not be a cookie-cutter wedding; we hope you walk away thinking and celebrating!
Also, a word about those who are present at the ceremony: we are hoping our guests will be participants, not merely spectators. We want to begin our marriage in a community of folks who love us and will challenge us to love each other. We are products of our separate communities, which are merging more and more each day, and we cannot continue on without the support we've always received from you.
3.10.2009
Our flower girl!
Natalie is our flower girl, and she's one of the cutest one-year-olds we know!
Jennifer gets to spend time with Natalie a few times a month.
Last Easter, Jennifer's mom gave her a basket with multi-colored grass in the bottom. Natalie decided to start "practicing" her wedding job, which she's pretty good at now. She even knows how to pick up the pieces after she throws them everywhere.
She's just so cute!
Natalie likes to play with the blocks at Jennifer's house, too. Keith's mom sent them for her several months ago.
Natalie has already tried on her dress for our wedding, and she's adorable in it! (She's adorable much of the time anyway!) Jennifer's mom is making her basket for flower petals, and we know Natalie will do a great job.
Now you've met the youngest of the wedding party.
Jennifer gets to spend time with Natalie a few times a month.
Last Easter, Jennifer's mom gave her a basket with multi-colored grass in the bottom. Natalie decided to start "practicing" her wedding job, which she's pretty good at now. She even knows how to pick up the pieces after she throws them everywhere.
She's just so cute!
Natalie likes to play with the blocks at Jennifer's house, too. Keith's mom sent them for her several months ago.
Natalie has already tried on her dress for our wedding, and she's adorable in it! (She's adorable much of the time anyway!) Jennifer's mom is making her basket for flower petals, and we know Natalie will do a great job.
Now you've met the youngest of the wedding party.
3.09.2009
Our longest bike ride yet
The Columbus RiverWalk is excellent, and it's free!
We rode a little over 20 miles on Saturday, which is our longest ride in one day. The weather was gorgeous, and the path was relatively flat.
Before we rode, we ate lunch at one of Keith's favorite places: Jason's Deli. Jennifer's mom met us there, which was a nice visit. She gave us a few snacks that we were glad to have on our way home. Twenty miles burns a lot of calories!
We're planning to go back to the RiverWalk several times a year.
We rode a little over 20 miles on Saturday, which is our longest ride in one day. The weather was gorgeous, and the path was relatively flat.
Before we rode, we ate lunch at one of Keith's favorite places: Jason's Deli. Jennifer's mom met us there, which was a nice visit. She gave us a few snacks that we were glad to have on our way home. Twenty miles burns a lot of calories!
We're planning to go back to the RiverWalk several times a year.
3.08.2009
The cloud room - Before and After
Some of you have never seen our cloud room. This first picture is a great example of the "thin" coverage of the blue paint. These kinds of spots were in several places on the walls, and it reminds me of clouds in the blue sky. You can also see the trim painted blue along with a spot on the carpet.
You can see the excellent paint job on the ceiling here. Notice the blue trim on the window.
This is the same, except it's the door now.
Keith is studying the second window, thinking about what it will take to cover the blue.
That was then. This is now!
New blinds for one window. The other window will get blinds, too, but they happen to be an uncommon size, so we have to special order them. While we're ordering, we'll get the same size for the window in the study that we finished weeks ago.
We didn't clean the paint off of the carpet (does anyone know an easy way to do that?), but this sure does look better to us.
Check out that white trim! It took two coats of Kilz and a tedious one coat of semi-gloss white paint. The trim was not forgiving at all.
Now, Keith has a different look on his face when he looks at the window. In the reflection, you can barely see the ceiling fan that he installed this afternoon.
We've had a couple of conversations about how to describe the new color of these walls. Without giving you any bias, what are your suggestions? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
For little money and LOTS of work, we've got a new guest room that makes us quite proud!
3.05.2009
our photographers
If you're coming to our wedding, and you like to take pictures, then we invite you to bring your camera.
In our goals for our wedding, we want pictures, but we don't think it's ethical to spend so much on a professional photographer: a person we pay to attend our wedding. We are not against wedding photographers, but we like the idea of having our most valued photographs taken by people who love and know us. You all will know what the important shots are, whether candid or posed.
If you're not a picture-taker, we completely respect that. We don't need everyone there with a camera. We think of graduations, and we remember those in the audience who took pictures of their loved ones on the important day. That's what we'd like. So, don't feel obligated to take pictures if you aren't naturally inclined that way. We don't want our guests to "work" at our wedding; we simply want those of you who are naturally picture-takers to do your thing at our wedding.
A photograph that is taken by a person who loves us will be more special to us than one taken by a person who is paid to take it. This is one way we will reduce the cost of the day while adding value to the experience.
Please let us know by email or a comment here if you plan to bring your camera. Letting us know you're coming with a camera will help us plan some of the details for the day. We're looking for a few folks who will shoot photos as we set up, during the ceremony, and at the reception. If you'll drop your photos onto a CD, we'll be able to use them as screensavers on our computers and print them for a wedding album or framed pictures around our home.
In our goals for our wedding, we want pictures, but we don't think it's ethical to spend so much on a professional photographer: a person we pay to attend our wedding. We are not against wedding photographers, but we like the idea of having our most valued photographs taken by people who love and know us. You all will know what the important shots are, whether candid or posed.
If you're not a picture-taker, we completely respect that. We don't need everyone there with a camera. We think of graduations, and we remember those in the audience who took pictures of their loved ones on the important day. That's what we'd like. So, don't feel obligated to take pictures if you aren't naturally inclined that way. We don't want our guests to "work" at our wedding; we simply want those of you who are naturally picture-takers to do your thing at our wedding.
A photograph that is taken by a person who loves us will be more special to us than one taken by a person who is paid to take it. This is one way we will reduce the cost of the day while adding value to the experience.
Please let us know by email or a comment here if you plan to bring your camera. Letting us know you're coming with a camera will help us plan some of the details for the day. We're looking for a few folks who will shoot photos as we set up, during the ceremony, and at the reception. If you'll drop your photos onto a CD, we'll be able to use them as screensavers on our computers and print them for a wedding album or framed pictures around our home.
The best news of the day
I don't know if this means that today was boring or that this is actually really, really great news, but...
this site made me smile.
Plan to bring an umbrella anyway. These people have an 85% success rate. :)
this site made me smile.
Plan to bring an umbrella anyway. These people have an 85% success rate. :)
3.04.2009
a month to go
Back in the summer, I bought a calendar to keep me on track as our wedding got closer. On the 4th of each month, I wrote in how many months were left. This day, a month before our wedding, seemed like a long way away. Now, it's here!
We've been enjoying our engaged days for the most part. Some of them have been stressful (more of those to come, I imagine), but we've spent a lot of time being together and having fun. We've learned that we work well together on projects and that we each have skills and talents that the other can appreciate. I sure do like that Keith has an eye for color and design, and he has found an appreciation of my need to write down some plans. We had successful holidays with our families, and we think we've got a routine that we'll stick to for several years. In many ways, our engagement has been the preparation for marriage that will serve us well.
The next month promises to be busy. There are some wedding showers in the works, and we'll be finalizing details for our wedding. I've already mis-spoken (how DO you spell that word?!) a few times because my brain is all over the place. More than anything in the next month, we're excited and relieved that it ends with us finally married, living one life instead of two.
A note for folks who have been following along on our blog for a while.... We're going to re-run some of the posts related to wedding details and what to expect on that day. They'll be reminders if you've read them before, and they'll get all of our readers on the same page. We'll still have new content every other day, though.
We've been enjoying our engaged days for the most part. Some of them have been stressful (more of those to come, I imagine), but we've spent a lot of time being together and having fun. We've learned that we work well together on projects and that we each have skills and talents that the other can appreciate. I sure do like that Keith has an eye for color and design, and he has found an appreciation of my need to write down some plans. We had successful holidays with our families, and we think we've got a routine that we'll stick to for several years. In many ways, our engagement has been the preparation for marriage that will serve us well.
The next month promises to be busy. There are some wedding showers in the works, and we'll be finalizing details for our wedding. I've already mis-spoken (how DO you spell that word?!) a few times because my brain is all over the place. More than anything in the next month, we're excited and relieved that it ends with us finally married, living one life instead of two.
A note for folks who have been following along on our blog for a while.... We're going to re-run some of the posts related to wedding details and what to expect on that day. They'll be reminders if you've read them before, and they'll get all of our readers on the same page. We'll still have new content every other day, though.
3.03.2009
the "cloud room"
If you've seen our "cloud room," then you know how exciting it is that the "clouds" are gone!
We'll post pictures later when the new color is on the walls. The pictures will explain the "cloud" description, if you haven't seen the room.
We have ambitious goals for this week because we want to reward ourselves on Saturday. We need to get the guest room painted, and we're running out of weekends. Since both of us were off work yesterday because of the weather, we decided to try to tackle some painting. We got two coats of Kilz on the walls and trim (because they were painted blue!), and the ceiling got a coat of paint. Today, we're putting the first coat of paint on the walls. Jennifer is painting the closest tomorrow, and we'll put the second coat of paint on the walls on Friday. We're saving the trim for Sunday afternoon.
If we stay on schedule, then we are planning to take advantage of predicted great weather on Saturday! We're going to take our bikes to Columbus to ride on the Riverwalk along the Chattahoochee River. We're eager to ride, so we're eager to finish painting by Friday!
We'll post pictures later when the new color is on the walls. The pictures will explain the "cloud" description, if you haven't seen the room.
We have ambitious goals for this week because we want to reward ourselves on Saturday. We need to get the guest room painted, and we're running out of weekends. Since both of us were off work yesterday because of the weather, we decided to try to tackle some painting. We got two coats of Kilz on the walls and trim (because they were painted blue!), and the ceiling got a coat of paint. Today, we're putting the first coat of paint on the walls. Jennifer is painting the closest tomorrow, and we'll put the second coat of paint on the walls on Friday. We're saving the trim for Sunday afternoon.
If we stay on schedule, then we are planning to take advantage of predicted great weather on Saturday! We're going to take our bikes to Columbus to ride on the Riverwalk along the Chattahoochee River. We're eager to ride, so we're eager to finish painting by Friday!
3.01.2009
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