The Lucky Bride

 It was a beautiful wedding in every respect. It poured rain the week before and Hurricane Irene came the following weekend. But she had blue skies, fluffy clouds, true love, family...small children sneaking cake and everyone dancing. Let's just say there were SOME moves truly busted...

I of course misplaced my Xanax for flying home, lost a pearl earring (don't tell the Working Mom, I borrowed them from her) And flew out of D.C. the evening before they closed the airport due to Hurricane Irene. I am nervous flier under the best of circumstances but a hurricane without Xanax?

Jet Blue I love ya! My flight to DC was 4 hrs, and we arrived ahead of schedule on the trip home. My ticket was so inexpensive I purchased an extra space seat near a window up front because I knew I'd be frazzled after the wedding on the return flight.
At the end of my row of 3 seats was a tony woman and we gave each other the thrumbs up when no one was seated between us.

At the last moment a young Mom with two kids under 4 years old got on with only 3 seperate seats left in different rows available, in each quadrant of the plane. As the seat between us was empty one was assigned there.

MOM ALERT, my children call me the Universal Mother because I consider all children around me under my care...meddling they call it... I'm SO embarassing they say. So I gave up my seat and took the first empty seat in the back between two giant men who were both not pleased to lose their extra space. My original seatmate took a single seat in the front row and the Mom and kids got the row together. They were very good and did not make a peep he whole flight.
The Jet Blue people thanked me and it was funny how I tried not to touch the arms of the two giants I sat between.

This is my hot tub at home. I put on aires by calling it "my spa". I think I harmed my legs by wearing high heels for 9 hours for the first time in years. Even dancing. It is clearly a sports injury. I really admire my daughter, the brand new Newly Wed for how she arranged this perfect wedding by herself, with a little help from her friends. And where are they honeymooning??? The Bahamas. A Woman of a Certaine Age.

Washington D.C. Earthquake

After the earthquake the Washington monument was closed due to slight cracking near the top. Wouldn't want any marble tiles to fall. The Newly Wed and I were out about town today in the rain. Washington still looked beautiful.

Stormy weather in D.C.

the above picture is simulated

First I love to watch the news. Today it is of cans of food on the floor from every grocery store in Virginia. Then some polls, then some hurricane warnings, then pictures of cans on the floor in Virginia. But here's what gets me! The newscasters start BASHING CALIFORNIA! "Why," they say "we know you Californians are used to earthquakes but we're not." Hey I didn't say anything!
One local, venerated newscaster went so far as to tell Californians on air to, "Shut the hell up." Well, we say, we hella won't. We just want to say relax, don't have state envy... A Woman of a Certain Age and a Newly Wed

Did you see this! Too funny.
http://jmckinley.posterous.com/dc-earthquake-devastation

Little boxes, little boxes, little boxes filled with yumminess

Three days and counting. Thank God my Mom is here! So far I have tried on my dress for her, now she has me worried about cleavage, then I caught the veil in the garment bag zipper and ripped it... Mom trimmed it after a little bitty freakout... Now we are packaging truffles which are the favors. I made them and the whole thing with boxes and ribbon cost 50 cents a piece...It's the new ecconomy.

Sincerely, Still Single 

Travel with children. To Benadryl or not to Benadryl...

My only sibling, my only sister and my "first baby" is getting married on Saturday. It's bananas. Let me put it to you this way... My first word was "mama"... Her first word was MY name. Mom was shocked but I earned it. Every time she even started to frown I'd go into my 3yr old version of a Flashdance routine. I could even hit the chair. I was kind of a big deal.
My daughter will have her first plane ride en route to the wedding and I have packed a lot of activities for her. We decided not to get her a personal DVD player for the trip. Every single one of her friends has one but she already has so much. Also all the parents say give the child benadryl to sedate them. People even say to do that when taking a child to the dentist. I'm not doing it. I am counting on the Strawberry Shortcake activity book with the two toned glitter crayons. Nana says the clouds are enough. I am also bringing an extra T shirt for me in case my daughter throws up on me.

Here is what I've packed for her, and no it's not a week long wedding celebration- it's for two days. Nana is even taking the flower girl dress. Never go anywhere without a tutu. Pink enough? I actually do own nice luggage from my old life but my new world has become a pink gingham kind of place- and that is cool with me. 

 We fly home Sunday night and I start my teaching job the next morning. No hangover for me! Being a teacher in California I only found out my assignment last week. High School English. Here is one of about 5 boxes I have to take that day.

The next Monday after that my daughter starts Kindergarten and has her 5th birthday that weekend. Notice pink is a running theme in my life??? I have to have it then because the folllowing weekend is my 30th birthday. So saying I have to plan ahead is a bit of an understatement.

Working Mom, Sister of the Bride, and Mother of the Flower Girl
yep we all wear many hats or should I say Fascinators?

How better to kick off a Family Blog than by having a wedding?

Here I am in the receiving line dressed up, a smile on my lips, and my hand extended. "Nice to meet you".

                         Her Inspiration Collage

 (Yes that is the room, the real invitations, and those are the bride's maids' dresses)

                     Well it will all be for real next Saturday.

The Bride to Be just called and said "I think everything's in order, I have worked so hard on this..." I wanted to say, "Don't tempt the fates..." but my Good Mom self thought before speaking and said, "I know all your hard work will be rewarded..." and I am so proud of her paying for this all by herself. Oh yes, she did invoice the Groom for his family... It's a new tradition we're starting. Wish us Luck! A Woman of a Certain Age, Mother of the Bride